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A/N Hi all! I hope you are having a happy new year. Here is the next chapter. Happy reading and dont forget to review!
Longings
Draco Malfoy returned to his lush manor in a very foul mood. Last night had been his chance. Probably the only one he would ever have and he blew it. He had not realized how much he had hurt her until last night. And she looked so beautiful, even more so than she had been in school. If only she would have listened to him. And now she was going to marry that red-headed moron who could never love her one tenth as much as he did, as he still does. He tossed some papers off of his desk. He knew that deep down she still loved him. It was so obvious. The way she had kissed him back told him all he needed to know. He relived that kiss in his mind over and over that day. Her soft lips were such a perfect fit to his. He had pined for her since the day his worthless father died and he realized that he was free. Free to make his own decisions, free to love who he wanted. And deep down he had only one person to thank for that. Harry Potter. He had defeated Voldemort and in a sense killed the oppression that made it less than desirable to date a Mudblood. His father had died in that final battle. For all he knew it could have been Potter that killed him. And for a brief moment he wished he could shake his hand. But if she wouldn't listen to him all of it had been in vain.
"Fuck." he said pounding his hand on his cherry desk and pulling out a small drawer. A black velvet box lay towards the back of one of the drawers. He opened it and looked at the contents. Cherry red opal earrings that he had given to her the night they made love for the first time. Christmas Eve. Her eyes had lit up when she saw them. He could have picked plain opals, they were pretty, but when he saw the red ones, he knew they were the ones. Unique, beautiful and glowing. Just like her. She put them on her ears that night and the fire had caught them making them seem like they were ablaze. She had then handed him his gift. He looked at his wrist at the serpent bracelet that he never took off. The emerald eyes of it stared at him almost mocking his pain. He brought his wrist up to his nose and inhaled trying to capture a hint of her scent left on it. That scent had long worn away. He had nothing of her now. Just a bunch of mangled memories all leading up to the most painful day of his life. He hated his father more than he ever thought he could hate anyone that day. He had sat there staring into the fire in tears until the flames had made his eyes hurt.
"No use on dwelling right?" he said to himself. 'Great now I'm talking to myself.' he thought as he stood up and walked down the hall to his bedroom.
His soft bed lay in waiting for him. He took off his clothes and flopped down onto the soft down comforter and lay there staring up at the ceiling and cursing at himself before falling asleep.
Hermione awoke the next day in a fairly good mood. It was the day she was to go shopping for her wedding dress in Diagon alley with Ginny. She threw on some clothes and waited for Ginny to arrive. A little while later the doorbell rang and Ginny stood there grinning at her.
"Hi Hermione, ready to go?" she said excitedly.
"Yep, let's go." and in a flash they apperated to Diagon Alley. There was a new dress shop there that specialized in unique dresses for special occasions. They walked up the crowded streets until they reached the shop. When they walked in Hermione was overwhelmed by all the different dresses that were for sale. A tall witch walked over to them and asked if they needed help.
"I am looking for a wedding dress for me and a bridesmaids dress for her." Hermione said smiling.
"What size are you? About a six?" the woman asked.
"Uh, yes." Hermione blushed.
"Okay, go in that dressing room and wait. I will bring you some dresses to try on first. We will do the bridesmaids dresses second. Alright?"
Hermione nodded in approval.
She stepped inside the room and waited. Soon after the woman brought her an armful of dresses. Hermione took them and sat them on the chair. She undressed and tried on the first dress. It was strapless and fitted around the bodice with a full satin skirt. She walked out and Ginny grinned.
"It's beautiful Hermione, but I don't think its you." she said honestly.
"I think you are right Ginny." she said looking into the full mirror. Outside the window people were passing looking in at her trying on dresses. The streets were crowded and Hermione felt slightly self-conscious about the whole thing. She walked back in and tried on the next one. It was lacy and long-sleeved, with lace and sequins adorning the skirt.
"I don't know Hermione." Ginny said. "It seems a little old-fashioned."
"Okay, next." she turned and walked back in the dressing room.
Just outside the shop Draco Malfoy happened to be walking towards the Leaky Cauldron for a business meeting. And as if by chance or perhaps by fate he glanced towards the little dress shop and saw her standing in front of the large mirror turning to see herself in every angle. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the sight before him. Draco dropped his papers in the street he was so shocked. He walked slowly towards the dress shop window and peered in. Hermione walked out of the dressing room for the third time wearing the most beautiful dress he had ever seen. It was strapless, fitted with a full tulle skirt. Little diamonds were sewn into the skirt and around the hemline. It sparkled as she spun around and admired herself in the mirror. Sparkled as she did when she smiled. It was perfect. The only thing he could find fault with is that she would be wearing it for that red-headed git and not for him. She was laughing and looked happy when she turned around and saw him standing in the window watching. Her happy smile slid off of her face and she ran into the dressing room. The red-headed girl with her shot him an angry look and ran off after her. Did she know about them? He left the window looking forlorn and headed back towards the Leaky Cauldron.
"Afternoon Mr. Malfoy. What can I get for you?" the old bartender asked.
"Just some tea today. I am here on business." he said sitting at the table waiting for his father's old business associate. His tea arrived and he sipped it dully, looking at his watch every few moments. He began to grow annoyed at the fact that his meeting was going to be running late. Just then, again maybe by fate, he noticed someone walking down the steps of the inn coming from where the rented rooms were. Draco looked in disbelief as he saw Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown walking down the stairs arm in arm, laughing and talking very intimately. Ron paid Draco no mind as he walked past him and out the back door into Diagon alley. Draco sat there for a moment in moral conflict. What would happen if Hermione saw him and that hussy walking together in Diagon Alley? She would be heartbroken. He thought of his options and decided to skip the business meeting and find her before she ran into them. He threw some knuts on the table for the barkeep and ran out the back way. He looked up and down the crowded streets looking for that tall flash of red hair. He didn't see him. He raced back to the dress shop and looked in the window only to find her gone.
"Damn" he swore aloud looking around the cobblestone paths looking for signs of her. He went to the door of the dress shop and went inside.
"Excuse me miss. How long ago did a very pretty brunette and a shorter red-head leave here?" he smiled charmingly.
"About 10 minutes. She bought her dress and ran out looking rather upset. Why is she a friend of yours dear?" she smiled politely.
"Yes, do you know where they were going?" he asked.
"I think the red head mentioned something about going to have some tea at the shop down the street, you know the one with the books." she said.
"Thank you." he said running out the door.
He raced back up the street to the tea shop that had just opened. It was full of books and such things he knew Hermione would like. When he got there and looked in the window he saw her sitting alone on a couch. She was sipping some tea and reading a book. He tried to compose himself so he could talk to her rationally. He wanted to tell her about what he had seen, but then would she believe him? He had to take that chance didn't he? Draco took a deep breath before walking in the shop and sitting on a chair next to her.
"Hermione, can I talk to you for a second?" he asked her softly. Her eyes grew wide as she looked up from her book and into his stormy grey eyes.
"What on earth are you doing here? Are you following me? First the dress shop and now here, you promised to leave me alone didn't you? Please leave, I am meeting Ron here in a few minutes." she said as she sat the book on the table.
"He's the reason I am here Hermione." he said quietly. "And no, I am not following you, I was on my way to the Leaky Cauldron for business." he leaned in closer to her.
"Right." she said looking out the window nervously. "Now just go."
"I have to tell you something." he said seriously. "And it's not easy for me, and it's not something you are going to want to hear."
"I heard all you had to say the other night. I don't want to hear any more." she said sternly.
"I was just at the Leaky Cauldron waiting for my business contact when I saw them." he replied.
"Who?" she asked.
"Weasel and that awful girl we went to school with. Lavender something." he said.
"What? Ron and Lavender. That is just preposterous." she huffed.
"They were coming down the stairs from the inn." he told her "And then they walked out the back way into Diagon Alley."
"Why are you doing this? I told you it was over and I meant it. We were never meant to be. It was a stupid fling, and you played me like a fool. I will not be made a fool of again. You are trying to make Ron out to be some kind of philanderer. This is a pathetic attempt and I will not listen to another word about it. Now leave." she said.
"No please, I am telling the truth. Get me some Veritaserum and you will see." his normally harsh eyes turned soft and pleaded with her. She turned away from him and kept her resolve.
"Just go. Stop trying to vilify Ron. He loves me and would never be with anyone else." she picked up her book again and ignored any further attempts he made to talk with her. Defeated he walked towards the door just as the weasel was walking in. The weasel was smiling as he entered the café. Draco's anger boiled over as he saw him bend over and kiss Hermione softly. He couldn't bear to watch another second. He left the café and apperated home.
Several owls were pecking at his windows carrying messages from the business associate he blew off at the Leaky Cauldron. He grabbed the parchment and tossed it on his desk. She was going to marry him. No matter what he said or did she was going to make the biggest mistake of her life and he was powerless to stop her.