Seeds of Seduction

Chapter 5: Fake Confessions

Meanwhile at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny were lounging in the sitting room just talking and playing Exploding Snap. Hermione kept checking the oyster watch on her thin wrist and biting her lip nervously. As Harry placed another card on the pile, Hermione blew her breath on the side of her mouth and tapped her right foot on the marble floor. Truth be told she was getting rather worried about Severus' safety. Not only would the order lose an important spy but also her mission would fail.

"Are you ok Hermione?" asked Ginny with concern throwing her cards on top of the pile.

"Yeah," sighed Hermione rubbing her stomach. She felt her chest twisting itself into a million knots. "I'm just worried about Severus. It's been an hour since he's gone."

"Don't worry about him," reassured Harry, 'I'm sure he's ok."

True to his word, just as the words left his mouth, Snape apparated into the room. His face broke into a wide smile as he saw the trio sitting on the soft brown couch.

"Harry, Hermione, Ginny," he whispered urgently, "I need to speak you now upstairs."

Ginny quickly gathered the cards and put them in the box. Snape swept from the room with the trio next to him. Once in Harry's room, Snape cast the charm around the walls so no one could hear.

"Sit down," said Snape courteously as he conjured four armchairs.

"Thanks," said the trio.

Hermione couldn't contain herself any longer.

"How did it go," she blurted out rubbing her hands together.

"It went perfectly," answered Severus his eyes sparkling. "You've succeeded brilliantly Hermione."

Hermione let out a sigh and the air could have filled a whole balloon. She sank against the back of her chair as she smiled in relief.

"Thank God," she murmured.

"Elaborate please," requested Ginny.

"Ginny and Harry, I shall tell you what was planned between the two of us. When Ron comes back you can relay the plan to him. I told Lord Voldemort that they should use Hermione as a way to gather information. Draco will claim that he fell in love with Hermione during Hogwarts but his father prevented him from making a move. However, he will simply be looking for information. Hermione will give him information but it will be a trap. She'll say for example that we'll meet at the Ministry. Naturally, Lord Voldemort will show up but we will station more aurors on purpose and slowly the Dark Lord's army will vanish as we kill them. Hermione needs to find one piece of information. She needs to know who the spy is."

"Severus," piped up Harry who had been listening closely, "I would like to work on narrowing the suspects. There are too many members in the Order; it would more effective if we narrow the suspect list to 3 to 5 people. Dumbledore has files on all the members of the Order. It's possible that the files might state possible motives for joining Voldemort. It would be easier on Hermione as well."

"That's an excellent point Harry," said Snape approvingly. "You have full permission. Do as you feel suit you. Now back to the date. I have told Draco that I will take you to the place where he will be. He shall be at the Garden Café tomorrow at noon. Meet him but instead of taking pure Veritaserum take a vial that contains fake Veritaserum. Slip it casually into his drink when he's tying his shoe or going to the bathroom but AFTER he says that he loves you. Fall for it Hermione; they think you'll be an easy catch. And Hermione you need to say that you love him too; it'll make his more relaxed and vulnerable to give you information and vice versa. If you don't love him and give him information he'll be suspicious."

"Harry and I will be at the café tomorrow," said Ginny determinedly, "In case he tries to kill you or do something crazy, we'll be there."

"Great!" said Severus standing up.

He looked thoughtfully at Harry for a second, "You know Harry, if you didn't have your mother's eyes I would say that you were your father. He was as involved and as true to the Order as you are. I must confess that when I heard that you guys would be performing this mission, I was a little skeptical. Forgive me for that. You guys have done better than any other professional aurors. I have 100 confidence that we will succeed."

"Thank you," said the trio smiling touched.

"Hey Hermione," said Ginny, "Let's go, we have to plan out a classy outfit for tomorrow's date."

. & .

Hermione adjusted her jacket as she neared the Garden Café the next day. At Ginny's insistence she wore an earth colored halter shirt that showed a classy amount of her breasts. Over the shirt was a black jacket that hugged her hips. Her legs were snug in a pair of knit black pants and her feet were comfortable in a pair of leather boots. She hugged the coat to herself as the chilly wind of December whipped her hazel hair around her shoulders and into her face. Cursing she pushed her hair out of her face as she entered the café.

She walked up to counter and ordered a fire whisky from the pleasant and plump looking woman. While the woman filled her glass, Hermione tapped her polished nails against the counter and looked casually around the café. Every table was full; Hermione was sure that Severus had arranged it to be like that. Hermione saw Harry and Ginny sitting a few tables away from Draco talking. Then her eyes landed on none other than Draco Malfoy. Hermione nodded slightly, as she felt into her leather bag for the tiny bottle of Veritaserum. She knew what she had to do.

Hermione accepted her glass of fire whisky from the hostess, nodded her thanks and walked past slowly Draco's table. As she passed by she gently tipped the glass and spilled the beverage on his shirt.

"Oh no," she exclaimed in feigned shock, "I'm so sorry!"

"It's OK," said Draco who had been watching Hermione since she had entered the store. "Um, would you like to sit down?"

"Thank you," said Hermione blushing. She couldn't believe that she was sitting in front of her archenemy as they were actually having a civil conversation. Memories of last night caused her to blush a darker shade of pink.

"Well uh," stammered Hermione biting her bottom lip and curling a strand of hair around her second finger.

Draco fiddled with his empty glass as he stared at the girl across the table from him. In spite of himself he felt himself grown hard as he saw her bite her bottom lip; she had no idea how much that simple action aroused him.

"Ok Draco," his mind told him, "Tell her that you love her. Yeah right, come on Draco. I haven't told a single woman that statement least of all a Mudblood. I can't believe I'm in this position. But I have no choice. If I hadn't fucking slept with her last night I wouldn't be in this situation right now. Stupid goddamn hormones. FUCK."

"Listen Hermione," started Draco clearing his throat, "I have something to tell you. I know I should've told you long before but I felt that now is the right time."

Hermione nodded and smiled. She knew that Draco was about to make his "confession."

"I love you," blurted Draco. As he said the words he felt his insides cringe. Sure, she was hot and he loved last night but that was only lust. Love was a far cry from how he really felt. She was still the dirty Mudblood that she had been in school. Sure her figure had improved greatly but she remained a Mudblood.

"Really Draco," said Hermione her face breaking into a fake smile, "I'm so happy you feel this way. Ever since we became Head Boy and Head Girl together I fell for you."

"Oh god," thought Hermione, "What am I saying? That was pathetic."

"That's great Hermione. I never told you because my father would have harmed you because as you know he doesn't believe that Mud- Muggleborns are worthy," said Draco grasping her left hand in his right one.

Hermione smiled lovingly at him as she reached for her fake Veritaserum bottle in her leather purse. Draco rubbed her hand with his fingers and then kissed the top of her hand causing Hermione to giggle.

"I need to go to the bathroom Hermione. Excuse me," said Draco standing up.

"Sure thing," said Hermione smiling sweetly at him.

As soon as he left the table the fake smile left her face. She rolled her eyes and wiped her hand on the napkin next to her as she huffed. She shuddered as she remembered his fake smile. She glanced furtively around her and when she was sure that no one was looking, she quickly extracted the vial of colorless potion from her small black bag. Nimbly she popped open the vial and emptied the entire vial into his wine glass. Motioning to a waiter, she had his glass refilled with fire whisky. After depositing the empty bottle into her leather purse, she pulled out her mirror.

"Harry," she whispered.

"Yes Hermione," he answered as his face appeared into the spotless mirror.

"It's all taken care of," she muttered from the corner of her mouth.

"Great," replied Harry.

Meanwhile, Draco was washing his hands in the men's bathroom. He knew that while he was gone, Hermione would have slipped the fake truth potion into his drink. What caught him off guard was that she said that she loved him. That struck him odd; he had been even more horrible to her when he was Head Boy. He'd have to verify her statement through Veritaserum. He pulled out his vial of the Truth Potion and wrapped his long fingers around the bottle as he exited the bathroom.

Hermione smiled pleasantly as he took his seat across from her. As he took her hands in his, she noticed that he grasped her right hand more. Suspicious she slipped her pinky a little farther into his right hand and her nail hit glass. She then knew what he was planning.

"Well," said Hermione breaking the silence, "Cheers to us."

"Yes," agreed Draco as picked up his glass, "Hey, you're glass is nearly empty. I'll refill it for you."

"I can do it," said Hermione pushing her chair back.

"No," objected Draco, "Allow me."

Before she could respond, he had grabbed her glass and made his way to the counter.

"Shit," though Hermione.

Hermione glanced behind her and when she was sure that Draco's back was turned she called one of the waiter's to her.

"One goblet fire whisky," she said urgently, "QUICKLY!"

"Yes ma'am," said the waiter alarmed. She quickly went behind the counter.

"Hurry up!" thought Hermione urgently now kicking her heeled shoes against the polished floor. "Otherwise I'm dead!"

She looked back at the line at the counter and she felt comforted when she saw that there were 4 customers before Draco. Her heart breathing at lightening speed, Hermione tapped her nails against the table. It took every ounce of resistance not to grab her neighbor's goblet.

"Where the hell are you!" thought Hermione.

Just as the thought left her mind, the door to the kitchen swung out and the waitress appeared. Beckoning her frantically, Hermione grabbed the goblet of fire whisky from the waitress and put her left hand under the table. She scooted as far as she could into the table so Draco wouldn't be able to see the extra glass and pulled Draco's chair as far into the table. She then jerked her head back to the counter and saw Draco ordering. She closed her eyes and dropped her head on the table. After a few moments she got back up, pasted a fake smile on her face, and waited for Draco to come. Internally she smirked; she should have been put in Slytherin. As Hermione heard footsteps approaching her table she casually examined her manicured nails.

"Thanks honey," smiled Hermione as Draco set a refilled goblet in front of her.

Hermione waited with bated breath as Draco set his goblet down and turned away from her to pull his chair out. In a flash Hermione grabbed the goblet gave her with her left hand and carefully put it under the table. Just as quick, she replaced the goblet Draco had given her with the non-veritaserum goblet. She then lowered the goblet and balanced it between her legs expertly.

"Well," said Hermione as Draco seated himself in front of her.

Purposefully, Hermione took a huge sip from her goblet and downed it. Draco sipped his own goblet and made sure that she had swallowed it.

"So," he started, "When exactly did you fall in love with me?"

"Well," fibbed Hermione dreamily as the effect of the potion usually was, "I started liking you during our fifth year when we became Prefects together. I noticed that you weren't as mean around me when Crabbe and Goyle were around you. You were actually human for once and I remember that we went through a week without you calling me Mudblood. It was a huge change and I slowly started liking you. But I guess that it slowly progressed to a stronger feeling. I tried to stop it but it was spreading like wildfire."

"Oh," said Draco clearly at a loss for words.

Hermione felt like laughing at his shocked expression but she kept her stone like expression on her face. Suddenly a look of pain crossed Draco's face as he unconsciously rubbed his left arm. Hermione took another sip of her drink acting as if she didn't notice anything but she knew that the Dark mark had burned.

"Well," said Draco, "I have to go now. I have an appointment. See you later I presume?"

"Yes," said Hermione standing up but leaving the goblet under the table on the floor.

"Meet me here, at noon day after tomorrow?" asked Draco.

"Yes," repeated Hermione.

Draco moved closer to her, smiled and gave her a warm hug but once his arms were around her he grimaced and swore under his breath. Hermione rolled her eyes as she returned the hug. As they pulled apart they plastered fake smiles on their faces. Draco gave a quick peck on her lips before he apparated.

"Oh god," thought Hermione, "What the hell have I got myself into?"

Hey! Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate them all. I adore them. And thanks to those who checked out Hidden Pain. I really appreciate that. Sorry about the delay, I needed to post the next chapter of Destiny's Decisions. I hope that this chapter meets your expectations.