Last Chapter –

Hermione felt his sudden coldness as he swept against her. Instantly she felt guilty. Those feelings were then brushed aside as Cedric started tickling her. Laughing loudly, she forgot all about Draco. However, he couldn't forget about her. Her laughter was haunting him in his head, as he could hear it all over again, as he walked down the hall, the ring tucked in his jacket hidden away. There was a rare chance anyone would ever see it again.

Chapter 4 –

Hermione woke to birds chirping in the trees surrounding her house. Amanda was sleeping on the floor, still in a wistful dream, her breathing very even. Hermione quickly got dressed, and tip toed out of the room, going downstairs.

In the kitchen, she could smell strong coffee, and quickly made herself some. Cupping her hands around her mug, she started to walk in the direction of the table. However, when she turned around, she saw a cold gaze. It was Draco Malfoy, drinking coffee in her kitchen, in her seat, at her table, looking daggers at her.

"What's your problem?" she muttered, yawning as she sat down, not bothering to tell him to get out of her spot.

"What's your problem?" he mimicked, before disappearing behind The Daily Prophet.

"So mature." Hermione said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I wonder where Cedric is?"

"Who cares." She heard, from behind the newspaper.

"Got a problem?" she asked challengingly, waiting for a response.

"Should I have a problem?" he asked back, meeting her challenge, their eyes staring at each other, each person refusing to back down.

"Are you having a staring contest?" Amanda had just entered the kitchen, and headed straight for the fridge, in need of juice.

Instantly, Hermione and Draco snapped out of it. "No," snapped Draco, "Mind your own business."

"Isn't someone in a grumpy mood?" Amanda stated, her eyebrows raising. "Hope you didn't get off the wrong of the bed."

"Fuck off." He mumbled, downing his drink in one gulp. "I'm leaving."

Draco stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He managed to leave behind a very cool, confused silence.

"Uh oh, what did you do now Hermione?" Amanda joked, winking at her friend.

"I didn't do anything," Hermione huffed, also leaving the room.

"Well, isn't everyone nice and cheery today?" Amanda sarcastically said, sitting down and picking up the Daily Prophet Draco had left behind.

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Today was the day. No, it wasn't the wedding day, but it was definitely the engagement party day.

"Hermione! Wake up!" Hermione's mum elegantly, if it was possible, ran up the many steps to Hermione's room. She knocked on Hermione's door. "Hermione!" She opened the door and stopped still at the sight. "Oh my lord!"

"No! Mum, it's not what you think!" Hermione frantically said, jumping out of bed. "Look! I'm wearing my pyjamas!"

Cedric Diggory was in Hermione's bed, looking very groggy. He rubbed his eyes, and made a start when he saw Victoria Granger shooting him a disgusting look.

"Mrs Granger!" he exclaimed.

"Cedric." She said coldly, "Hermione Brittany Granger! Explain to me this at ONCE!"

"Well you know how Cedric is staying here…"

"Yes." Mrs Granger said, her eyes glazing over as she remembered that Amos was here too. "Continue!"

"Well, we decided he could share my bed."

"Do you have any idea how pathetic you sound!" Victoria exploded, "It is not acceptable for you to be sharing a bed with another man when you are engaged!"

"Sorry." Hermione muttered, looking ashamed.

"I hope you didn't do ANYTHING!" Victoria said threateningly, "It's bad enough that I will have to explain this to Mr Malfoy!"

"No! Not Lucius!"

"No, not Lucius, he would call off the engagement at once." Victoria said angrily, "Do you have any idea what you have done!"

"Draco?"

"Yes! Draco, your betrothed! The man you will have children will! This will not happen again, do you hear me? It is ghastly that you have been caught in bed with the man who is not your betrothed, even though you say you did not do anything!"

"We didn't!" Hermione yelled, "Don't patronise me mother!"

"Me? Patronise you!" Victoria exclaimed, "I have had enough. Cedric, get out. – Please" she added hastily, watching him leave, giving Hermione and apologetic look.

"Mother, don't be like this."

"Be like what! Be furious that I caught you in bed with Mr Diggory!"

"We didn't do anything!"

"So you say." Victoria cast a dark look at her only daughter. "You do know that today is your engagement party!"

"What?" Hermione cursed, "Great, just what I wanted."

"Do not speak ill of this day. It is the most important day upcoming your wedding. You understand that a lot of your father's important clients and partners, along with Lucius' will be attending the party and wedding?"

"Yes mother," Hermione muttered, "It's all business."

"But you must also love him."

"How can I love him!" Hermione exclaimed disbelieving, "I have only known him for a short while, and he is already angry at me."

"Well you must fix it then! You must behave appropriately and play the part of the beautiful, smitten wife!"

"Yes mother." Hermione muttered, "I better get ready."

"I'm still telling Draco!"

"No, don't"

"I am! Now get ready, you are already half an hour late." Victoria said, softening a little at her daughter's horror.

"Ok." Hermione said, closing the door.

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"Draco, you know who's going to be here this afternoon, you know how you must act."

"Yes father,"

"You understand you must be a courteous gentleman, and must not speak a negative word to Miss Granger."

"Yes father."

"You should be more enthusiastic!" Lucius reproved, "When I was marrying your mother, it was the best day of my life!"

"But you loved mother." Draco muttered, kicking hit foot at a pebble.

Lucius' eyes narrowed into slits. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing father." Draco mumbled, "I better go to the Granger mansion then."

"I'll see you tonight." Lucius called out, after Draco walked out. "Boys these days, haven't got a thought for the adults." He mumbled to himself, cursing under his breath, yelling at an unfortunate house elf that got in his way. "Narcissa!"

Right away a beautiful woman with pale features entered the room. She had long pale blonde hair, with eyes that watered with delicacy. It gave her the air of innocence, something that Lucius loved about her.

"I'm worried."

"What about honey?" she asked, walking over and starting to give him a backrub. "Oh honey, you're so tense."

"I know." Lucius muttered, "Draco is acting strange."

"About the betrothal?" Narcissa said, rubbing a particular tight spot, making Lucius moan.

"That feels good." He mumbled, his eyes misting over. "But Draco, he's acting like he doesn't want to go through with this."

"You know he will, he has always known to put the company's best interests in his heart." Narcissa soothed, starting to kiss Lucius along his backside.

"Yes of course he will." Lucius said decisively, "He's got a good head on his shoulders."

"Just like you." Narcissa said seducingly, pulling Lucius into a deep kiss. Before they knew it, they were on the floor.

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Draco had just arrived in the Granger mansion. Mrs Granger answered the door with a tight smile.

"Hello dear," she said graciously, "Come in."

Draco entered reluctantly, not really wanting to be here and see Hermione's face. The stupid bitch he muttered to himself, why out of all the girls in the world who fancy me, do I get stuck with this snobbish brat who would much rather hug some pretty boy then accept a ring that I proposed with! Especially since I went out specifically to get it for her, and that's saying something since I never go out of my way to get anything particular for a lady.

"Draco, there's something I must tell you." Mrs Granger's face was starting to get hesitant.

"Yes?" he encouraged, wondering what it was now.

"Not that you should be worried, but I found Cedric in Hermione's bed this morning."

Instantly, Draco's eye starting twitching. Hermione! In Cedric's BED! What the FUCK?

"Excuse me?" he asked incredulously, "Did they DO ANYTHING?" Draco lost it, he starting randomly cursing everything! He was in a spit of rage, not because he liked the girl, he told himself hastily, but because of what an uproar this was! HIS BETROTHED IN BED WITH ANOTHER MAN? "I will not have this." He yelled, and went upstairs in search of Hermione.

He found her standing over her bed, looking at a few outfits, thinking of which one to wear tonight. It wasn't that she wanted to, it was because he mother was just about to kill her if she didn't make an 'effort' for this afternoon and tonight.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed, "I just heard the crappiest story from your mother."

"Uh oh," she muttered, not wanting to hear the rest.

"Was Cedric Diggory in your bed this morning?" he demanded, "Did you sleep with him?"

"No! I -" But Hermione was cut off, as Draco starting ranting, blinded by his anger and disbelief.

"You deny it!" he exclaimed, keeping to great lengths to keep his voice controlled. "How dare you sleep with a man when we are betrothed! Today is the day we have our engagement party for christ's sake! Couldn't you just wait another day?"

"Draco, you d -"

"You selfish little whore." He spat, "No, I guess you couldn't wait another day as right now, your just pining for him to be here with you, wanting him to seduce you."

"That's enough!" she screamed, screw being calm, she thought "I DIDN'T HAVE SEX WITH CEDRIC DIGGORY! He just happened to be in my bed because we're FRIENDS. Get it? FRIENDS. Nothing more!"

"Bullshit." He said silkily, now the anger disappearing from his voice, loathing replacing it.

"No Draco, I swear! Nothing happened," annoyance was starting to seep into Hermione's voice. "Believe me."

"Fine." He muttered, "But this better not happen again!"

Hermione was tempted to bite back at him and snap that he had no right to tell her what to do, but she held back because she knew that it wasn't really appropriate. If it had been the other way around she'd have definitely been a little peed off.

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok." He half smiled, shocking Hermione. She hadn't seen him properly smile or at least half smile when he had arrived that fateful night where she met him as her 'betrothed.'

Before Hermione knew what was happening, Draco was slowly leaning in. She was leaning in too. She had no idea why; she just kept leaning in, getting closer and closer to his full lips. She then felt the full impact of Draco's lips caressing her own.

It started to get heavier, as Hermione pressed herself harder against Draco, hearing him moan softly. Hermione started to lose her mind as she started to move further. However, it was cut short when Draco quickly pulled away, looking slightly distressed.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked concernedly, looking into his eyes.

"Nothing," he said quickly, No! You mustn't put your heart at risk!

"Are you sure?" she persisted, wrinkling her brow.

"I'm fine," he snapped, "I just need to get out of here." And before Hermione could do anything, Draco was gone.

Sorry…I REALLY wanted to start writing about the engagement party, but then I wrote this…and I needed to update! As I haven't updated in a little while…

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