Body Check
A/N: Wowee! I got so many reviews. Thanks you guys. Love you loads. So, here are some responses to some of your reviews. I'll have a big shout-out later on.
dee023 – Nope. Lance aint gay. Hope you'll stick thru this story. :)
tuxedo cat- Thanks. I did try to improve on it. Glad you noticed. :) Nope. I like constructive reviews. Just keep them coming in. if I do make any mistakes, tell me.
A big shout-out to: curlygue, mrs skywalker, NikkiEvans, lylia, vampchica34567, Vampire Angel of Death, kat, Karen, dagworth.
Well, one question. What's a beta? What does a beta do? I seriously have no idea what that is. Heehs. I sound so foolish.
Anyway, on with the story.
Chapter 4 - Stutters
If hearing things indicates that one is insane then I am definitely certifiable for that.
Hermione was at the bleachers with Lou, Jack and the other reporters from the various magazines and Daily Prophet. She was unable to get the dance with Malfoy out of her head and, conversations from that night came drifting back to her mind. A very bad sign indeed.
"Ms. Granger. How is the team coping with the trainings for the Qudditch World Cup? The other teams seem to be training really hard." A reporter asked enthusiastically and brought her back to reality.
"They're doing just fine." she replied tersely.
"Are they under any pressure to get the Cup again?" another asked.
"Are they getting into any trouble? Like, entering strip clubs?" someone asked and everyone except Jack, Lou and Hermione laughed.
Damn those reporters.
"They're behaving well, I might say. Yes. Of course they're under pressure to get the Cup again. I mean, who wouldn't?" Hermione said and let out a small sigh.
"Alright, everyone. Your time is up. You may continue interviewing later on." Lou raised his hands and motioned them to back off. The reporters backed off a little reluctantly.
"Rowdy crowd we have eh? Hermione, get those kids to go for the charity thing. It'll seriously benefit their image. I mean, you heard what that annoying reporter said, didn't you?" Lou asked and cast a spell so that the reporters couldn't hear what they were talking about. "Are they getting into any trouble? Like, entering strip clubs?" Lou imitated that reporter. Hermione chuckled while Jack laughed out loud.
"It isn't as easy as you thought, Lou. Those guys up there are stubborn! Stubborn to the core. That leader, Mr. Malfoy refused to listen to me." Hermione protested.
"That, Hermione, is your job. I don't care, darling. Those kids must go!" Lou insisted and apparated off.
Jack smirked at Hermione and apparated off too. Great. What a great way to start the day. Who the bloody hell invited those reporters in the first place?
When the training ended, Hermione went to the changing room full of half-naked guys.
"Guys. May I have your attention please?" she asked. Everyone turned to look at her.
"Well, from what I heard from Lou, he insists that you guys attend the charity program. Remember, it benefits this team's image. We want people to think that you're fabulous at sports and have a kind heart and not some wild guys dying to well, go to strip clubs."
No answers but a great deal of staring. Dammit.
"Guys?" Hermione tried. More staring.
"Ok. Fine. I get it." Hermione said curtly and apparated off to Lou's office.
"Lou! I told you! They're simply impossible!" Hermione fumed.
"Hermione, relax. Talk to them nicely. Persuade them. Threaten them. Do whatever you have to do!" Lou said and snacked on his really big hamburger. Talk about great appetites.
"I did that. I threatened, persuaded and talk. Doesn't seem to be working." She lifted her fingers as though to count off the ways.
"Well, that only calls for one action…" Lou's voice trailed off while Hermione's eyes widened.
"You want me to cast the Unforgivable on them?" she stared at Lou.
"What? No, no! What on earth are you talking about?" Lou laughed and small bits of burger came flying out of his mouth.
"Lou. Please don't laugh while you're talking. It's…disgusting…" Hermione said as she flicked her wand towards her top and the bits of food disappeared.
"Alright. I apologize. I know it's kind of hard on you, but get those guys to attend the program. It's seriously do them good." Lou said and nodded his head seriously.
"Look, I'll try alright? No guarantee, though." Hermione sighed and apparated to the changing room again.
Luckily for her, most of the guys had gone back home. She strode across the room confidently until she saw him. The half-naked him.
"Malfoy. We need to talk." Hermione said.
"Talk then."
Hermione couldn't believe that just last night, he had a civil conversation with her and they had danced. Was that just a dream or what? His attitude had changed from a gentleman to a rude ass.
"Attend that charity program."
"No."
"Why not?"
-
I knew I shouldn't have been so nice to her brother. I knew I shouldn't have asked her to dance with me last night. I knew-
"Malfoy!"
"What?"
"You're zoning off again. I said, why not?" she was tapping her left foot impatiently now.
"Why not what?"
"Why wouldn't you attend the charity program? It'll benefit you."
"Me? Benefit me? Like how? I'll have to start donating and then what? I'll that thing with a hole in my pocket eh? Oh! So that's how I benefit eh? Amazing!" he said sarcastically.
"No! I mean. Look, it'll benefit your team's image. You remember seeing those hordes of reporters out there? They still remember that time when your team brought the Cup to the strip club ok? In their minds, this team is full of wild men who looks for comfort in those places."
"Look for comfort?" he snorted.
"Sex! Having sex with those strippers! That won't do! In no time at all, this team will go down before you can even get on your broom."
"No. We will not go. This is ridiculous! I mean, what has image got to do with us playing Qudditch?"
"Loads. People wont support you if you leave a bad impression on them. If no one supports you, then you guys wont be here at all!"
Draco kept quiet. It's not that he didn't want to go for the program. It's just that he didn't see a point in attending those things. It's just a total waste of time!
"No." he said stubbornly.
"Malfoy! Will you stop being so stubborn?" she exclaimed.
"No! That's me. Deal with it."
He walked away to the other side of the room.
"Malfoy…" he said her call out his name. He felt someone pull him back. He looked down and saw Hermione's small fingers encircling his wrist. A sudden jolt of electricity surged through his body. Whoa. That's certainly a first for Draco.
Obviously Hermione had felt that too as she quickly let go of him and a blush crept onto her cheeks.
"Well…err…" she stuttered.
"I'll consider alright?" he sighed and walked away.
-
Ok. That is totally weird. What was that? Oh great. I just touched Malfoy. Me? Touched him? I'm seriously going nuts. I can't believe I actually touched him! Oh my gosh. That's it. I'm going insane. I'm hearing things and now, I'm talking to myself.
Hermione couldn't help but stare at her hands. Wow. I touched him. I, Hermione Jane Granger touched Draco whatever-his-middle-name-is Malfoy. Oh man. What am I thinking about?
Hermione shook her head hard and looked around the changing room. Only Blaise, Malfoy and one other guy were left. Blaise. That's it.
"Here goes nothing…" she muttered to herself and walked to Blaise.
-
Why on earth did she touch me? Draco couldn't help but ask himself. He sat himself down at the wooden bench and quickly wore his black shirt. That harmless touch from Granger had sent a strange feeling throughout his whole body. He felt warmth radiating from her touch. Damn, he wasn't supposed to be thinking that way.
She must have cast a spell on me. That must be it.
-
"Yes, Hermione?" Blaise asked without lifting his head from the newspaper he was reading.
"Well, I was wondering…"
"You want me to attend that program?" Blaise finished off her sentence.
"Yea. I was wondering if you would err…attend it?"
"Sure. Why not? I'll get Gin to go along?"
"Sure thing! Merlin, you don't know how grateful I feel towards you." Hermione beamed.
"No problem." Blaise looked up and flashed her a toothy grin.
"I owe you one. Big time." Hermione smiled back and apparated away.
-
"Blaise! Did she ask you to go for that program?" Draco asked.
"Yea, she did." He replied and returned to his newspaper.
"What did you tell her?" Draco narrowed his eyes. Blaise was the softhearted type. A little persuading was all one needed to get him to do something.
"I agreed."
"You what!" Draco exclaimed.
"I agreed. Get your ears cleaned, Draco." Blaise smirked.
"I heard that! How could you? I mean, here I am, telling her I wouldn't go. And you? You actually agreed to go?"
"Hey, relax alright? Stop making her job difficult."
"Why are you standing up for her now?"
"Have you forgotten? Hermione's best friend is Ginny who happens to be my wife. If Hermione was to complain to Gin, what the hell is going to happen? Gin's gonna kill me for upsetting her best friend, that I'm sure. Besides, what's wrong in attending the charity program? It makes Lou happy, Hermione happy, the whole press happy, the recipients happy. What's wrong?" " He shrugged.
"But-"
"No buts, buddy. I can't help you here. I'm sorry alright?" Blaise sighed and got up.
"Forget it." Draco's shoulders slumped and he sat back on the bench. He heard Ginny and Gina enter the room.
"Dad!" Gina squealed.
"What's wrong with Draco?" he heard Ginny ask Blaise.
"He's touchy today. Tell you later on." Blaise said.
"Hey, Draco! We're leaving. Bye. Say goodbye to godfather, will you?" Blaise called out and then talked softly to Gina.
"Bye, god-dad!" Gina hugged Draco and then rushed back to her parents' side. After that, they apparated away.
"Aint that great? They've left for a nice family dinner and I'm left here doing…absolutely nothing…" Draco groaned.
"Blaise! Blaise!" Draco heard someone exclaiming loudly.
"Who's that?" he demanded and turned around. It was Granger.
"It's me, you idiot. I forgot to tell Blaise the venue and time. Where is he?" she said breathlessly.
"Why, he just went home for his nice family dinner." Draco said sarcastically.
"Oh…" she said dejectedly.
They just stood there staring at each other, trying to strike up a conversation but didn't know how. They were still quite shy after that encounter of Hermione touching him. Shy? Draco Malfoy? Shy? That's a first. Definitely a first.
"Well, could you err…pass the message to Blaise then?" she asked.
"Err…why not?" he shrugged.
"It is at Grand Hyatt Hotel. Ballroom 2. 7pm tomorrow."
"Right. Do you know that you could just apparate to Blaise's house and tell him?"
"Err…right…I guess I kind off forgot…" Hermione blushed slightly and stuttered.
Did anyone notice how cute she was when she blushed? Oh shit. I didn't say that out did I?
"Right. I'll be off then. Bye." She said sheepishly and apparated away.
-
Back at her house, she stood in front of her mirror as she applied her mud mask onto her face.
"He's right. Why didn't I apparate to Blaise's house?" she asked aloud.
"That's because you want to see Draco Malfoy."
"Where did that come from!" she exclaimed. Hermione stared at the mirror and found it talking back to her.
"Stop staring at me!"
"You…you can talk?"
"Hello? Nothing is impossible in this world of magic." The image of Hermione in the mirror replied back.
"Fine then."
"Well, you do want to see Draco Malfoy, do you not?"
"No! Of course not! He makes my life miserable! Why on earth would I want to see him?"
"He makes your heart beat faster, am I right?" that image in the mirror smirked at Hermione.
"So not! Silencio!" Hermione exclaimed and plopped down on her bed.
"No. I do not want to see him. I do not want to see him." She repeated this mantra over and over again until she fell asleep and dreamt of a certain guy.
End of Chapter 4.
A/n: How's it? I do apologize if it isn't up to your standards. I've got slight writers' block but I managed this out. Bear with me for a while. I promise the next chapter will be better. I promise. I promise!
Review! Review and review! I want more reviews alright? Make me happy with your precious reviews. :)
PS: The next chapter will be about the charity program. Do you think Draco will go? Tell me bout what you guys think.
I got to go now. Catch you guys later!
Review!