The Price of a World
Chapter Nine
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"Morning Draco," Hermione whispered as she hugged him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Mornin" He said as he caressed her neck with kisses. Hermione pulled away from him and looked up into his stone cold eyes. They were emotionless; Hermione knew there would never be any emotion there; it was just how he was brought up. She studied his face, taking in every bit of his image.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked trying not to laugh.
"Looking."
"I know that… but why are you looking at me?"
"Just because… can't your girlfriend look at you?" Draco smirked and kissed her forehead.
"We're not going to stand in this dark, clammy alleyway all day are we?"
"Well where do you propose we go? Ron, Ginny and Harry are all out there somewhere…" Draco smirked, she hated it when he didn't explain things fully and kept her guessing.
"We can make a run for it." Draco said slowly.
"That's your brilliant plan? You're a Slytherin; and Slytherins are supposed to make cunning plans. And that is far from crafty." Draco laughed and poked Hermione.
"No, we run over to that restaurant over there. And we can hide in there. It's not like they are going to go in there."
"Hide? Very unMalfoy-like." Hermione teased. Draco smiled.
"No, I'm taking you to lunch." Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Are you… taking me on a date Mister Malfoy?" She loved teasing him and putting him in difficult situations.
"Shut up and come here." Draco lifted Hermione in his arms and kissed her. "Come on I'm starving." He grabbed her hand and pulled her across the busy street of Diagon Alley. They darted between couples and around groups of wizards. Hermione couldn't help but laugh. They reached the restaurant and Draco shoved her inside. He pinned her up against the wall of the reception area and smirked down at her.
"Do you think your three friends saw us amongst a massive crowd in the busiest street in the Wizarding world?" Draco teased. Hermione smiled up at him and laughed.
"No but you nearly pulled my arm out of its socket." Draco kissed her bare shoulder.
"Sorry." He held out his hand and she took it. Draco led her through the restaurant to the back. In the back of the restaurant was a door. He stopped right outside the door.
"Close your eyes." Hermione looked back at him strangely.
"Why?" Draco put his hand over her eyes and gently closed her eyes.
"No peeking." He opened the door and led Hermione into the little room. It was heavily scented. Hermione breathed in deeply. Her head spun with the mix of amazing scents.
"It smells unbelievable." Hermione whispered. Draco led her further into the room and closed the door behind him.
"Ok, open your eyes." Slowly Hermione's eyes opened. It took them a while to adjust to the dim light. The room was small. There was a small table that stood only a few feet from the ground. A marvelous feast of salads, cheese platters, roast-chicken, fruit, and sweets, steaming vegetables, goblets of drink and various meat dishes was spread across the table. The centerpiece of the table was a large candelabrum with each of its 6 candles burning profusely. Surrounding the table were soft silk and velvet cushions and two poufs. There were no windows and no electrical lights; the only light came from the various candles around the room and on the table. Large, blood red rose petals were scattered across the floor and over the table.
Draco ran his hands up and down her arms from where he stood directly behind her. He started to kiss her neck as Hermione gazed at the sight before her.
"Oh Draco… its gorgeous. Did you do all this?"
"Of course." He whispered. "I've rented the room for the whole afternoon." Hermione turned around to face him. She slowly and seductively wrapped her arms around his neck. On tiptoes she reached up and kissed his lips slowly yet passionately. She tempted him with short and sweet kisses; and when Draco's lips parted to increase the kiss their tongues met.
Hermione felt like her emotions were on fire. There was an amazing feeling running across her body and zealous vibes were flowing out of her. Draco truly was an amazing kisser. When she was with him she was the happiest she had ever been. Sometimes she asked herself why she had chosen the 'bad boy'. But it was obvious wasn't it? Opposites attract. She was smart, talented, gorgeous and an obedient student. And Draco… well he was handsome, and charming and a complete prick to everyone including teachers. Yes he was smart, he could be smarter then Hermione if he tried. But he'd prefer to muck around, be a complete smart arse and flirt with every single Slytherin. But that had all changed; they were a couple now, boyfriend and girlfriend. And Draco was Hermione's and she was Draco's.
Draco pulled away from Hermione gasping for air and looked down at her.
"Where the hell did Little Miss Perfect learn to kiss like that!?" Hermione smirked.
"Just because I pay attention to my studies doesn't mean I don't know how to kiss." Hermione paused. "Plus, I think you deserved that kiss because you did all this for me." Draco laughed.
"I should do things like this more often." Hermione poked Draco playfully in the chest.
"Don't get used to it Malfoy." He smirked and held out his hand.
"Shall we begin our feast?" Hermione smiled at him and took his hand. Draco led her over to one of the poufs. Once she was seated he sat crossed legged on a pouf next to her. Hermione stared at the feast before her. Her eyes lit up when she spotted something.
"Strawberries!" She reached over and took a large ruby red strawberry. Draco leaned over and took a huge bite out of the strawberry. Hermione gasped.
"That was my strawberry." Draco smirked at her whilst he chewed. Hermione laughed and lent over to kiss him. With his fast Seeker reflexes he grabbed Hermione by the waist and pulled her onto the floor and buried her amongst the cushions. Draco lay down beside her started to tempt her with more strawberries. Hermione burst with laughter and pulled Draco down into the sea of silk cushions. The couple spent their afternoon doing more kissing and fooling around then actually eating the delicious feast Draco had prepared for them.
*** * ***
Harry looked at his watch. It was 1:37pm.
"Maybe she has her nose buried in a book at Flourish and Blotts and hasn't noticed the time?" Ron suggested.
"She wouldn't be that careless." Ron raised his eyebrow at Harry.
"This is Hermione and a book…" Before Harry had time to retaliate Ginny came pushing through the crowd towards them.
"Sorry I'm late. You should've seen the line at Zone for Artemis Patterly to sign his album. I swear I waited over an hour!" Ginny paused when she realised Harry and Ron's blank and confused expressions. "Oh don't worry… where is Hermione?" Harry shrugged.
"I thought she was with you?" Ron said.
"She was, but we lost each other on the way to Zone. And I didn't have time to go looking for her. I anticipated she'd be with you two."
"Well she isn't and she is nearly 45 minutes late. She was supposed to meet me here at 1pm." Harry said as he slumped into a high plastic stool at the bench of the ice-cream parlour. Ron and Ginny joined him at the bench.
"Well maybe she forgot…" Suggested Ginny. Harry glared at her.
"My girlfriend wouldn't forget about something like this…"
"Well if your so sure she wouldn't forget, where is she?" Ginny was amazed at how rude her brother was and she kicked him in the shins under the table. Harry's cheeks slowly flushed with anger. Lately Harry had a very short fuse when it came to patience. She knew it wasn't his fault, there was so much pressure on him and it was obvious to everyone how much Hermione meant to Harry.
"I'm going to go look for her; I can't stand waiting around. She could be in trouble!" Harry said abruptly sliding his chair back with such force that it fell over backwards and clattered to the floor. Ginny looked around at the crowd that was looking at them.
"Harry calm down. It's Diagon Alley. The most trouble Hermione could get in is trying to chose between five different books!" Ginny said grabbing Harry's arm and trying to make him sit again.
"What has gotten into you lately? You're all jumpy and one little thing that goes wrong you think that Voldemort has something to do with it!" Ron was truly concerned but the way he said it made Harry's anger soar.
"YOU DON'T GET IT DO YOU!? THAT'S BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING DOES GO WRONG IT IS ALWAYS BECAUSE OF VOLDEMORT WANTING TO GET AT ME!! YOU HAVEN'T HAD TO GROW UP FEARING TO LOVE SOMEONE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT PUT HIM OR HER IN DANGER! YOU HAVEN'T HAD NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES EVERY YEAR SINCE YOU FOUND OUT THAT MOST OF YOUR LIFE WAS A LIE! YOU DON'T HAVE THE FATE OF THE WIZARDING WORLD AND THE LIVES OF INNOCENT MUGGLES ON YOUR CONCIENCE ALL THE TIME! THEY DON'T DEPEND ON YOU TO SAVE THEM DO THEY!? NO THEY DEPEND ON ME AND I CANT TAKE THE PRESSURE ANYMORE!"
"Harry calm down…" Ginny whispered as she smiled and told the passers by; who stopped to gawk, to carry on. Ron just sat staring at his shoes. His face and ears were as red as Ginny's hair. There were two people pushing through the crowd to get to where Harry, Ginny and Ron sat.
"Harry! There is no need to shout and express your personal matters in a public place. What is going on here anyway!?" It was Lupin. He pushed thought the last few people and walked up the steps to the shop front where the trio were fighting.
"Lucky we got back early." Moody grumbled. "Go on! There is nothing to see here!" He yelled at the crowd. They all immediately scrambled off in all directions.
"Where is Hermione?" Lupin inquired as his eyebrows glowered in question. Harry didn't dare look at Lupin; he just glared at the floor. Ginny and Ron tumbled in a spiel about how Hermione was late for ice cream and why Harry was yelling. Harry's anger seemed to rise, as it seemed like the whole thing was being blamed on him; but he didn't dare show it.
"Okay; well we are due back at the Black House in an hour. So I suggest we all spilt up and comb Diagon Alley for Hermione. Everyone meet back at the Leaky Cauldron at 2:30pm." Lupin instructed.
"Harry, Ginny. You go up towards Shriek. Ron you go down towards Gringotts. Moody and I will scour the exits off to other streets." They all split up and went towards their destinations. Harry clenched his fists and stormed off. Ginny had to run to keep up.
"Harry! Harry wait up!" Ginny said as she broke into a run to try and keep up with Harry. Since she was of a slim build and a lot shorter than the six foot-two Harry it was hard for her to push through the crowds as easily as Harry could.
*** * **
Draco held the door to the little room open for Hermione. She smiled up at him and exited the small room. Draco held out his arm for Hermione and she took it. Draco led her towards the exit of the Restaurant.
"I don't want to leave you. I've had too much fun!" Hermione said as they reached the door. Draco laughed.
"You have to go. Pothead and Weasel will be looking for you." Draco paused. "Plus I'll see you tomorrow, on the train." He said seductively and cheekily. Hermione laughed and poked him in the chest. Draco lent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. He tasted of apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Whilst he kissed Hermione he slowly opened the door of the restaurant leading out onto Diagon Alley.
** * **
Ginny and Harry searched every shop in their end of Diagon Alley. They had run into Ron and the trio continued to search Diagon Alley. Harry stayed silent and he hardly spoke.
"Come on Ron, let's start back up at Shriek and work our way down. By then it should be time for us to meet Lupin back at the Leaky Cauldron."
"Sure Gin." Ron was exhausted and bored, Ginny being his sister could tell. The trio walked one behind the other up the street. Little did they know they were quickly approaching the restaurant in which Draco and Hermione were.
** * **
Hermione took Draco's hand and started off down the stairs onto the pavement outside the restaurant. Draco was kissing her neck and Hermione was laughing.
"Draco cut it out!" Hermione managed to say between giggles. Draco laughed and pretended to bite Hermione's neck. She squealed and laughed as Draco picked her up and carried her down into Diagon Alley.
"Oh look Wilfred. A happy teenage couple." A senior witch said to her partner as they passed Hermione and Draco. Draco spun Hermione around and she screamed and laughed.
** * **
The crowds along Diagon Alley were growing, it was peak hour for last minute shopping and many people were on their way home from work. Harry, Ron and Ginny were finding it hard to make their way up to Shriek. A loud scream and laughter of a young girl came from a little further ahead.
"That sounded like Hermione…" Harry said looking at Ginny concerned.
"Quick! It wasn't that far ahead." The trio pushed their hardest through the crowd. It was Ginny who pushed through the crowd into the small clearing first.
** * **
"I love you Hermione,"
"I love you too Draco." Draco lowered his head and kissed Hermione slowly on the lips. Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco's neck and pulled him down to her. She pushed her head up and intensified the kiss.
** * **
Ginny stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the couple before her. Ron was the second of the three to get through the crowd and he too stopped at the sight before him. He quickly turned around and tried to push Harry back.
"Let me through you goof!" Harry said as he tackled Ron in a rage of fury.
** * **
Hermione pushed her head up and intensified the kiss. Hermione parted her lips slightly and Draco slid his tongue in. It was the most passionate kiss Hermione had ever experienced with Draco.
** * **
"RON! Get the hell out of my way! What the hell has gotten into you?" Harry yelled as he pushed Ron aside. He was finally able to push through into the small clearing. There before him was Hermione. At first he didn't know what to think. Anger? Confusion? Jealousy? Love?
There before was Hermione, in the arms of Draco Malfoy. And what was worse, was they were engrossed in sucking the lips off each other. Harry felt as if he were about to be sick.
"You slut." Harry choked out.
** * **
//A.N- YAY! Chapter 9 is up! -Parties- lol
Ok, I seriously need to stress to you that Hermione means the world to Harry; like he can't function without her. I REALLY need you all to keep that in mind, okies? -Grins-
Haha, do you like Harry's outburst? (Capitals – OoOoOoO) I thought the story needed a little bit of anger you know? He was all too; calm. Seriously if the whole worlds fate depended on me I'd be going ape shit!
Heh, I tried to build up suspense nearing the end there. Swapping between Harry, Ron and Ginny and Hermione and Draco. But I failed miserably! :P
-Falls over laughing- Oh I love leaving people on cliffhangers! I should imagine that you all hate me right now coz the next chapter wont be up for a few weeks. //