Seeds of Seduction
Chapter 27: Weeks later (Hermione Granger)
Weeks had passed by since the fateful day in the Ministry of Magic. Hermione felt and looked as though she had aged 30 years. Her face grew increasingly pale and sickly as the days passed by giving her the appearance of a walking corpse. A smile rarely crossed her solemn face. Emotions rarely flitted across the face that looked as if it was set in stone. Her hair once worn in voluminous and shiny curls that tumbled around her shoulders now stayed into a tight knot in the back of her head. The sparkle that once shone in her eyes was mysteriously missing from her hazel eyes. The once confident walk was replaced with a gait of a defeated woman. Her young and stylish wardrobe was replaced with black blue and white clothing. Her clothes were pushed away in the corner of her closet as though they reminded her of her fling with Draco. Her figure once voluptuous had lost much of the mass it once held.
She kept to herself much of the time. She would often lock herself in her room when she wasn't practicing for the battle with the rest of the Aurors. Her days were filled with letters to Viktor Krum and dancing to her music. It was the only way to let out her frustration and sorrow.
Desperate to forget the incident, she buried herself in her work. Hermione's days were filled with hours of training for the fateful battle that would be taking place. She threw herself into a pile of papers about fighting techniquesand new spells. Anything that would remove the memory of him from her mind. She worked herself to the point where she could no longer feel anything; think of anything, dream of anything when she collapsed in her bed at the end of the day. Everything was done to the maximum so she could forget about a certain blond wizard. Before sleeping, Hermione downed a vial of Dreamless Potion to remove any nightmares of the blond wizard.
But it never worked. Nothing ever did. He never left her mind. Draco. That name rarely came to Hermione's lips but it was constantly in her mind. She locked her feelings away in a corner of her heart hoping to forget about him but the mere mention of his name sent her into a wave of tears. His words kept echoing in her head; "Don't wait for me. Settle down with someone else." And Hermione tried but as much as she pushed herself she couldn't force herself to move on.
She had applied to a blind date service hoping to meet another young man but her heart wouldn't budge. All it would take was a whiff of the cologne her wore, a shock of blond hair, or gray eyes to remind her of him. During her dates, a mere mention of Voldemort sent her mind to her tall, blond Adonis. In hopes of ridding him of her mind, she started relationships based on sex. But throughout the entire experience only one name would be in her mind. She felt contaminated, dirty when she thought of sleeping with another man besides Draco.
As much as she tried her heart wouldn't move. That's why no one would get out of her room with another date with her. It had been 7 weeks but she couldn't force herself to move on.
Sometimes she would catch a glimpse of him around town. Sometimes when she would walk around Diagon Alley, hoping to clear her mind, she would see his tall figure above the crowd. She would hear his voice ringing in the air and his perfume permeating throughout the atmosphere. And immediately, all the memories and feelings that she'd packed away in the corner of her heart came out. Emotions multiplied tenfold as tears would slide down her cheek. Memories of the past month and a half flashed through her mind as she ran. Away from the crowd. Away from her past. But mostly away from..him.
But even now, weeks later, a part of her still hoped that he was still out there waiting for her. That he wouldn't give up on their relationship. Even as her brain forced the thought aside, she hoped that he would be waiting for her after this dreaded battle. She didn't think that mentally and physically that she would be able to stand it if he married another woman. A flame of hope remained lit within her that maybe after this battle everything between them would work again.
And she knew that they would meet again. Their paths would cross again under the strangest circumstances. They would cross on the battlefield of life and death. They would meet again, Hermione was sure of that.
Meanwhile, Hermione's friends had noticed the change in their best mate. Just like Ginny had said, the creases in Hermione's friendships with Harry and Ron eventually ironed out. It had taken days even weeks of pleading and tears on Hermione's part and coaxing from Ginny to pacify Ron and Harry. Ron being stubborn, as he was known for, remained disgruntled with Hermione for much longer than Harry. Relations between Hermione and her best friends were still quite cool and she doubted it would ever return to the same easiness she had grown accustomed to the past 7 years.
Rumors of Severus Snape's death had spread around the Wizarding World. Different stories each by a different listener stemmed across the entire planet every one more different from the actual truth. In hopes of stifling the fact that he had been inadvertently killed, the Order spread the word that he had been recognized as a spy for the Dark Lord and murdered by the Boy-Who-Lived. Whether Draco had revealed the truth it was unknown.
. & .
Hermione walked silently to her room dressed in a pair of charcoal pants and a long sleeved dark blue sweater. Her hair, limp and straight, was in its usual tight bun. Her face was drawn and serious. Her black high-heeled boots clattered on the dark wooden floor.
"Hermione-" said Harry.
"Yes?" asked Hermione turning around.
"Do you have plans tonight?"
"No, why?"
"Ah well Ginny, Ron, and I were planning to go out for dinner tonight. I suppose- well if you'd rather stay home I understand- but maybe-"
"I'd like to come," said Hermione emotionlessly as ever.
"Great," said Harry beaming at her.
Uncomfortable silence fell between the two of them. Harry smiled and moved from one foot to another.
"Ok- well see you," said Harry smiling forcibly. Quickly he turned around and practically ran the stairs as if he couldn't bear being in Hermione's company.
Sighing to herself, her spirits sinking, Hermione sharply turned and walked into the bedroom. Closing the door, she sighed and collapsed against the frame. Her eyes closed and her throat burning from unshed sobs, she steadied herself until she was emotionally stable. Yanking her hair out of her bun where it fell limply onto her shoulders, she grabbed her Muggle CD and inserted it into her player. Reaching into her wardrobe drawers she grabbed a white spaghetti strap and a long black stretch dancing pants. Tying her hair into a ponytail, she centered herself in the middle of the floor and raised her arms as the beginning strains of the song filled the room. The room around Hermione disappeared. Only the words of the song and her body movement mattered. On their own accord her body gracefully moved to the slow tune of the song.
. & .
An hour later a now washed and dressed Hermione stood at the door of the Order with Ginny. While Ginny was animatedly talking and flitting around like a bee around pollen, Hermione was as quiet as ever. Her eyes were trained on the gray marble floor trying to block out Ginny's excited chatter and the chattering of her black heels upon the floor. Her polished nails clutched a dark red bag. At Ginny's insistence, she had curled her hair and it fell around her shoulder in the soft brown curls. Her thin frame was accented by a maroon strapless dress that fell to her toes. Her feet were snuggly wrapped in a pair of black cork platform shoes.
"Hey Ginny, you –oh Hermione, Ron will be down in a moment," called Harry as he walked towards the girls.
"You look beautiful," said Harry kissing Ginny on the cheek.
His hands wrapped around her tiny body, which was clad in a strapless black dress. It flared out and ended just above her kneecaps showing off her long beautiful legs.
"So do you," breathed Ginny nipping Harry on the ear.
Reaching up, she adjusted his silk black tie, which was tastefully tied on a green shirt that matched his emerald eyes. Reaching over, she brushed off a spot of lint on the shoulder of his immaculate black suit.
"Hmm," murmured Harry reaching down and kissed Ginny on the lips.
Hermione turned away as Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and deepened the kiss. She tried t block out Ginny's soft whimpers as Harry shifted his lips to her neck. Tears stung her eyes but she forced them back. Rapidly blinking, she swallowed the lump in her throat and turned towards the door.
"Hey, hey-" snapped a sick sounding voice from the end of the corridor, "I want to eat tonight!"
Harry drew back and Hermione's head snapped towards the voice. Grinning guiltily, Ginny adjusted her dress.
"Ron," said Hermione nodding her head.
He did look good tonight. His muscular body was fitted into a custom made black suit. A blue tie was tastefully arranged onto a crisp white shirt. Smiling boyishly at Hermione, he offered her his arm.
"Milady," he said mockingly.
A trace of a smile of her face, she accepted. Walking out into the cold outdoors, the group joined hands and apparated.
Hermione opened her eyes as she felt her feet land on the cobblestones of Diagon Alley. Straightening up, she adjusted her dress and looked around. Diagon Alley looked beautiful. Unmelted snow still lay upon the sidewalks. White lights were stringing from the bare trees and bushes. The shops were bright and welcome looking. Thin streams of smoke rose from the top of every store into the velvet black sky. Millions of stars were plastered across the vast blanket of black. Cafés were stationed every few feet in Diagon Alley. Thin black wire fences blocked off tables and chairs. Strains of music could be heard down the street. On either side were bookstores, cafés, restaurants, clothing stores, and almost anything imaginable. (If you live in San Jose, CA picture Santana Row)
Hermione stared at the cobblestones very interested in her shoes as the topic was changed to the latest news in the upcoming battle. Why did they do this to her? Did it give them pleasure to see her in pain when the topic came up? Didn't they know that it reminded her of Draco? The memory brought tears to her eyes. Hastily, she blinked them back when she felt Ron's concerned hand on her bare shoulder.
Looking up she forced a smile on her face.
"It's a beautiful restaurant," said Hermione desperate to change the subject when she saw Ron open his mouth.
"Yes it is," chirped Ginny waltzing through the door.
"Table for four," said Harry to the maitre.
"Oui monsieur," said the maitre.
"Monster what?" whispered Ron to Hermione.
"Monsieur," corrected Hermione, "It means sir in French."
"Oh," said Ron shortly.
"Here is the menu tonight," said the waiter with a very strong French accent, "Would you care for a cocktail before you dine?"
Hermione was so busy remembering her night with Draco at the French restaurant that she didn't take the menu the waiter was holding out to her.
"You ok Hermione?" asked Ron his brows furrowing.
Hermione felt like bursting into tears right then and there. It had been so long since he had called her Mione. There wasn't anything she could count on anymore, not even on herself.
"Excuse me," said Hermione trying to stabilize her trembling voice, "I would like a to wash my hands before dining."
"But the food-" protested Ron but Hermione had already swept down the corridor towards the ladies room.
Furiously wiping the tears from her face, she haphazardly sauntered down the hall ignoring the strange glances thrown her way from men and women.
"Sorry," mumbled Hermione as her shoulder collided with something hard.
"Hey stop," called the rough voice behind her. The next second she was swung around, "Well if it isn't Mudblood Granger! What possessed you to come here?"
Hermione's eyes widened at the sight. Pansy Parkinson's words went over her head as she stared at the other figure.
"What the fuck are you doing here Mudblood," said a very familiar and cold voice.
His hair messed up and his mouth covered with Pansy's lipstick was none other than Draco Malfoy.
Hand over her mouth, Hermione did the only thing she could do.
She ran.
A/N: Hey, thanks so much for all the reviews! I really appreciate it. School is now over and yes I can update oftenThanks once again and happy reading! Please Review though?Please Review! I would greatly appreciate it.