In Need of a Date!
Summary: Hermione was set to marry Ron, Ron cheated on her three nights before the wedding when Hermione found out she called it off. Now, five years later, Harry and Ginny are getting married and Ron is the best man, whilst she is the bride's maid. To make it seem like she didn't come alone to the wedding, Hermione rings the local escort agency to find someone who would be perfect to taunt Ron. Just her luck, they have the perfect man, but what happens when he's Draco Malfoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise.
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Chapter Seven: a FeIsTy DiNnEr
"Wake up sleepy head,"
Hermione groaned and pulled her pillow over her head, "It's too early," she complained. Hermione felt Draco's leg brush against her own and she smiled secretly.
"Early? Hermione, its eleven thirty,"
"What?" Hermione sat bolt upright, her hair in a horrid mess.
"That's right, little Miss Morning, its eleven thirty,"
"Oh no!" Hermione jumped out of bed and ran straight for the bathroom. She quickly stripped down and slipped into the shower.
Why today, of all days, why did I have to sleep in today?
She slipped into a brown broomstick skirt and a frilly black blouse and gave Draco a questioning look, "weren't you going to help Harry today?"
Draco nodded, "Yeah, I did,"
"Already?" Hermione crawled back onto the bed as she tied her hair into two plaits.
"Already," Draco grinned, sitting up and brushing a stray hair from Hermione's face, "I really don't believe this is happening," he leant in and caught a kiss from her lips, "I think I'm in love,"
Hermione smirked, "and with a dirty mudblood, of all the people Draco Malfoy has chosen to fall for, it just had to be the dirty mudblood,"
Draco frowned, "I'm sorry for being such an ass,"
Hermione's eyes locked with Draco's and it was as though she were searching for some ounce of truth, "I forgive you," she murmured, "but lets not dwell in the past," she gave Draco one last kiss before disappearing from the room.
As she bounced down stairs she almost knocked Lavender over, "Lav, oh gosh, I'm so sorry,"
"Ginny's gonna kill you," sang Lavender, she brushed invisible dirt from her clothes before continuing on her way up to Ron's room. Hermione looked awkwardly after Lavender before continuing on her way.
"Ginny I'm so sorry, I over slept and no one woke me up and–what are you doing?" Hermione looked awkwardly at her friend who balancing a candle on her head and one on either of her feet.
"Trying to get them to stay where they are," Ginny explained.
Hermione sighed, "Stay still," she instructed. Hermione waved her wand, delicately, and muttered several words, "there," Ginny cautiouslymoved away from the candles and was amazed to see that they stayed hanging in mid-air unsupported.
"Thanks, I've been trying spell after spell after spell," Ginny laughed, "so what took ya so long to get down here?"
"I over slept,"
"Sure, sure,"
"And I was also forgiving Draco," Hermione added, praying that Ginny wouldn't pry and thank god she didn't.
Hermione sighed, "So what do you want me to do?"
"Well mum and Fluer are cooking in the kitchen, Angie (Angelina), Fred, George, Lee, Penny (Penelope) and Percy have taken the kids out so they won't come in here and muck about and Lav's just disappeared to go screw Ron,"
"Thanks for the last bit,"
"No prob, so I guess you could help me finish decorating,"
"Awesome,"
The following forty minutes were spent in silence, apart from the occasional "OWW," from Ginny when she'd fall off her ladder, as Hermione and Ginny worked on decorating the dining and lounge rooms. Hermione enchanted candles to float, tinsel to dangle from the ceiling, the ceiling to have several pictures of Harry and Ginny, she created a tiny band (will cats and dogs playing the instruments) and she magnified the music so that it was loud enough to hear but not loud enough to drown out the chatter of forty odd people.
"Looks good," commented Draco as he came down for lunch, "I was hoping I could take Miss Morning on a walk after I've eaten?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Only if I could have the pleasure of dining with Sir Sleep-A-Lot,"
"Sure thing,"
Lunch was casual, just a couple of sandwiches out in the garden. After they'd cleaned up after themselves Draco laced his fingers with Hermione's and they headed out of the burrow.
Hermione snuggled close to Draco, "so why did you wanna take me out on a walk?"
Draco sighed, "We've been together for less than a week and…Hermione we used to hate each other,"
"Used to," Hermione whispered, "but I forgave you,"
"I don't think you should have,"
"What do you mean?" Hermione's voice seemed confused.
"I mean for seven years I was such a bastard and all of a sudden we're making out just to piss of Weasley and then we're falling for each and… Hermione it just doesn't make sense,"
Hermione grinned, "But I thought that's what love was, a whole bunch of feelings that don't make sense,"
"But I…what happens after the wedding? Do we just go back to what we were, teenage enemies, or…"
"We let our feelings guide us,"
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"Come on Hermione," called Ginny, knocking furiously on the bedroom door, "the guests are gonna be here any minute,"
"Hang on,"
"Hermione," whined Ginny.
"Ready," Hermione swung opens her door to reveal herself. She wore her curls loosely around her face and a blood red dress which hugged her figure perfectly. It had spaghetti straps and a bare back; "Gin, you look amazing," Ginny wore a long, navy blue gown with her hair tied into two pony tails.
"Thanks," Ginny took Hermione's hand and led her downstairs, "right, now me and Harry up here, you and Mal-" at that moment Lavender decided to waltz into the room, "Draco are gonna be beside me and Ron and Lav are next to Harry,"
Hermione nodded, "Where's Hagrid gonna sit?"
"Oh he's not coming tonight. He's coming to the wedding with Madam Maxime and the kids,"
"The kids?" Hermione raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"Yeah," said Ginny, a little fazed, "they've twins,"
"Twins," Hermione repeated.
Ginny nodded, "Besides, it's not like they'd all fit in here,"
Hermione laughed lightly, "Yeah,"
Ding dong!
"Oh crap, people are here," whined Ginny.
Hermione nodded and directed Ginny to the door, "I'll be out back with the others,"
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"So Lav," Hermione was struggling with the conversations around her, Harry, Ron and Draco were having their latest quidditch argument, Ginny had gone to greet the other guests and so she was stuck sitting opposite Lavender, "you never told me about this fashion program you got into,"
"Oh yes! It's really interesting…" Hermione really wasn't listening; she let Lavender babble on as her own eyes directed themselves towards Draco. He had one arm wrapped around her while the other was moving rapidly while he explained some quidditch tactic. She smiled lamely as Draco took another sip of his whine and Ron took the floor. Ron always did that, he never waited for people to finish talking he just tended to wait for a split second gap before he'd start talking.
"Hermione," Hermione felt asomeone kick her shin, "Hermione are you listening?"
Hermione zoned back into her conversation with Lavender and nodded unconvincingly, "Yeah, yeah,"
"Good, so what'd get up to after Hogwarts? I mean, I know you're a healer now but what happened like straight after we graduated?"
Hermione sighed, "I really don't know what happened," and with out thinking Hermione continued, "I mean one day I was engaged to Ron and the next he was sleeping with you,"
Oh shit, Hermione's brain suddenly kicked in and she mentally slapped herself.
"What'd you say?" asked Lavender dropping her cutlery.
"N-nothing," said Hermione, "just remembering some stupid teenage fantasies," oh how idiotic do I sound?
"No, you just said you were engaged to Ron,"
Harry, Ron and Draco suddenly stopped talking and turned to face the girls, "what'd you just say honey?" asked Ron, squeezing Lavender's hand and look accusingly at Hermione.
Draco placed a hand on Hermione's thigh and patted her reassuringly.
"She just said you two were engaged?" Lavender turned Ron, "it's not true, it's not true is it? I didn't really tear you apart,"
Ron looked awkwardly down at his plate, "it wasn't your fault that we didn't get married,"
"You – you said you weren't over you previous girl friend, you-you meant h-her," Lavender said, letting tears leak from her eyes.
"Yeah Lav, it wasn't your fault Ron and I didn't get married. I mean, why was it I dumped you?"
Ron clenched his teeth together, "I don't think that matters at the moment," he seethed.
Hermione smiled innocently, "Oh I think it does, I mean poor old Lav doesn't know what happened?"
"Look Hermione," Ron's face was growing redder by the second, "I told you before that I wasn't ready for such a big commitment,"
"You mean you couldn't stand not being able to screw another woman with out me leaving you?"
Ron glared at Hermione, "You're really enjoying this aren't you?"
"You see Ron, I now realise that I must've have been real desperate to wanna marry you,"
"Mia," Draco whispered, "you might wanna tone it down a little,"
"No! I want to know just this one thing, Ronald, why is it you had to go behind my back and sleep with Lavender?"
Ron was at a loss for words, what was he meant to say anyway.
"Hermione, I think we should go outside for a while," suggested Draco.
Hermione ignored him, "Go on, tell me tell Lav why you did it?"
Ron scowled, "I love Lavender, and nothing you say is gonna change my mind,"
Liar! Screamed Ron's head, liar! Ron shook his head to shake those thoughts from his mind.
Hermione thought she felt her heart skip a beat, but it didn't break like she'd thought it would, she blinked away a tear and stormed from the room, slamming the front doors behind her.
"Hermione," called Draco, running after her, "Hermione,"
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AN: Hmm. so what did y'all think of this chapter. please review and thank you to all those who already have. i hope to update soon.