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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pomme2terre: yeah i really enjoyed writing that little piece about girls.
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AN: k, i re-posted this chapter after going through and fixing up a few tiny errors. You don't need to re-read it if you've already read it.
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Chapter Nine: dIsAsTer…DiSaStEr!
Dinner that evening was quiet, too quiet. No body, except Molly, Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Draco, noticed Ron was missing. Lavender had gone home for the night and Ginny had invited her to come back the following day for the family brunch. Hermione went to sleep early that evening, busy thinking about what she'd said to Ron. She'd told him she loved Draco, she'd actually told somebody other than Draco. She felt different, scared but exhilarated.
The following morning the whole 'Ron storms out of the house' ordeal had been forgotten and everyone at the Burrow was full of life as everyone helped prepare for the before a wedding family brunch. It was traditional; before every Weasley wedding there was a family brunch.
Ginny, for once, wasn't stressing out about preparing everything, mainly because the Weasley family, minus the Weasley getting married, were the ones who organised the brunch. Hermione was of course coming because she was like a sister to both Harry and Ginny.
"Do I have too?" whined Draco, "I'm not even part of the family. Everyone out there practically hates me,"
"They do not!"
"Well Potter and Ginny might not but-"
"Oh, yeah Percy doesn't like you, but everybody else seems to have warmed up to you,"
"Hermione, please don't make me,"
"Draco," said Hermione, trying to keep a straight face as Draco used his special puppy dog eyes, "I'm like their sister and you're my boyfriend so there for you are coming!" with her mind made up Hermione marched out of the room. Draco stared after her before checking himself out in the mirror. He didn't look too bad. It was just a casual brunch but it was a family thing and Draco didn't really want to intrude or anything.
'Don't be silly said Draco's mind; they don't really hate you, just your family.'
'Like that's any better'
'sure it is'
'Gah!'
Draco finally managed to make his way downstairs only to find Hermione already conversing with another Weasley. He smiled; at least they didn't need to try and piss of the Weasel again, and made his way over to Harry and George.
"You've gotta try these – oh hey Draco – little pizza type things that Ginny made," said Harry, handing one to George and Draco.
George looked strangely at it, "Is it safe?" he inquired.
Harry laugh, "Probably,"
"She didn't use mine and Fred's bad eggs, did she?"
The smile on Harry face disappeared and all three boys put the food down.
"Maybe we should have a beer," suggested Draco.
"Great idea," said Harry, running and grabbing three beers.
"Cheers boys,"
"Cheers!"
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"So, you and Draco seem happy," commented Fred.
Hermione smiled, "Yeah, did you know we only got together because of this wedding,"
Fred raised an eyebrow, "Really?"
"Yeah, I didn't want to face Ron alone," Hermione's eyes wondered over to meet with Draco's, "but–" she was cut short by Fred pressing his lips against hers. Hermione's eyes widened in shocked and she tried to pull out of the kiss. Fred wrapped his arms around Hermione and wouldn't let go of her.
"MMmm" was all Hermione could say, "mmmm!"
When Fred pulled away, slap!
"What was that?" she screeched, her eyes frantically searching for Draco.
"A kiss," shrugged Fred, "just to see if you loved me,"
"I love Draco," she screamed, "why can't anyone believe me. I LOVE DRACO MALFOY!"
Hermione took off inside.
"Fred!" snapped Angie, "what'd you do that for?"
Fred shrugged, "friendly kiss," he lied, "she took it the wrong way,"
Angie scowled, "It didn't look like that to me," she tapped her foot impatiently.
"I-I don't know what came over me," he admitted, "I don't love her, I just needed to know if she…"
"I can't believe you!" Angie walked away from her husband. She wasn't upset. She wasn't angry. She loved him and she knew he loved her except he was always playing around with other woman.
"Draco," Hermioen called out, "Draco," no answer. She ran upstairs where she found Draco hurriedly using his wand to pack his stuff into his suitcase. s
"I knew it was too good to be true," he raged, "Hermione, you could've at least told me you still liked Fred,"
"But I don't-"
"Don't lie to me," he roared, "I saw you two."
Hermione was blinking away tears, "Draco he kissed me!"
"Yeah, that's what they all say. Why should I believe you?" he'd packed all his things and was standing by the door.
"Because…because I love you."
Draco gave her one quick glance before storming downstairs.
Hermione collapsed onto the bed and started sobbing uncontrollably into her pillow.
"Draco where are you going?" asked Ginny, who'd come inside to grab a drink and heard Hermione and Draco yelling.
"Home"
"What? Why?"
"Coming here was a mistake. She doesn't love me she loves…oh forget it!" he made his way over to the fire place and grabbed a handful of floo powder.
"Malfoy Manor," he roared, throwing the power in. As the green flames appeared Draco threw in his suitcase.
"Thank you," he said to Ginny, "I'm sorry I have to go…"
"Malfoy!" Draco was cut short by Fred, who had just entered the room, "Malfoy don't go." He pleaded.
"And why the hell not?" it took a lot of self control to stop himself from lunging at Fred and beating him till he stopped moving.
"She loves you," said Fred, it hurt him to say it but it was true. Hermione really did love Draco and not him; he really needed to get over her.
Draco grabbed another handful of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace.
"Malfoy don't go,"
"She kissed you," Draco seethed, "how can I not go,"
"She didn't kiss me, I kissed her!"
"Oh don't stick up for her!"
"What's going on?" called the voice of Molly.
"No way am I staying to listen to one of her lectures. Malfoy Manor," and without hesitation Draco stepped into the green flames, careful to tuck in his elbows and close his eyes. And then he was gone.
"What on earth?" asked Molly, as the last of Draco's robes disappeared into the flames.
Fred shrugged, "Malfoy's gone,"
"What? Not another one,"
Fred nodded, "Yeah,"
Molly looked suspiciously at Fred, "What'd you do?"
Tap! Tap! Tap!
"Mia, it's me, can I come in?"
There was no response so Ginny swung the door open and went to sit with the weeping girl.
"is-he-gone?" she asked in between sobs.
Ginny hugged her, "I afraid so, but I'll get Harry to go get him but first you've got to tell me what happened?"
"I-I was telling him about me and – me and Draco and then suddenly he kissed me,"
"Who kissed you?"
"F-Fred,"
Ginny frowned, "He promised he wouldn't try anything stupid," cursing she assured Hermione that Harry would get Draco back.
"I shouldn't have brought him," whimpered Hermione, "It was a mistake…"
"No it wasn't. He loves you and you love him, how is it a mistake?"
"I always fall the wrong ones," she wailed.
"Draco is not the wrong one; he's far from it,"
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Ding dong! Ding dong!
The Malfoy Manor looked more like a mansion to Harry. He stood outside the large oak front doors contemplating what he was going to say to Draco.
"Can I help you sir?" squeaked the little elf that opened the door.
Harry looked at the elf and remembered Hermione's S.P.E.W campaign.
"Uh is Draco in?" he asked, curiously peeping inside the house.
"Of course, Mister Malfoy is in his office, just returned home from a wedding. Unfortunately he does not wish to see anyone at the moment,"
"Well this is urgent,"
"I'm sorry," the elf tried to close the door in Harry's face but Harry was too big for it.
"let me talk to Draco," ordered Harry.
The elf wasn't scared, "No!" it squeaked, "Mitsy is under strict instructions,"
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Either you let me in or I'll have to take for–"
"What is going on?" yelled Draco who was standing at the foot of the grand staircase, "not tormenting my elves Potter?" he sneered.
"Malfoy," said coldly, "I need to talk to you,"
"If it's about that ungrateful little mudblood then I don't want to hear it, she means nothing to me as I her,"
"You don't really mean that,"
"Of course I do, why would I lie?"
"Because you're a coward Malfoy, and you always have been. Running away at the first sign of danger, at the first sign of anything you don't like. Malfoy Hermione really does love you,"
Draco ignored him.
"And you love her,"
"She kissed –"
"No one, she kissed no one. Fred kissed her and he regrets it. He didn't mean to break you guys up he just wanted to know if any part of her still loved him,"
Draco didn't believe him.
"You have to believe me. Hermione's been crying non-stop since you've gone and after Ron broke her heart five years ago I don't know how she's going to cope," Harry thought he saw a flicker of emotion cross Draco's face.
"Serve's her right," he muttered.
"For what, what'd she do?"
Draco didn't answer.
"Her heart is breaking, I know you don't want that to happen. She really does love you…" and with that Harry turned on his heel and began walking away.
Three, two, one…
"Wait," called Draco, running after Harry, "wait up Potter,"
Harry stopped, smiling, and turned around, "What?"
"Are you sure?"
"Would I be here if I weren't?"
Draco grinned, "Come on then,"
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AN: this story is sooo close to the end. im soo excited. i dont normally finish stories. but anyway...what did you all think of this? Please rEvieW. x0x