Rumble rumble. Hermione's eyes grew wide in embarrassment. She hadn't eaten in the last few hours and was starving. She heard Draco chuckle beside her.

"Hungry?" he asked, glancing at her.

She sighed easily and looked away. "Just a tad."

"We're here, we'll eat dinner soon, after we check in," he answered, running his hands through his hair.

They walked into what seemed like the Four Seasons of the Wizarding World. Hermione held in her astonished gasp as she looked around the lavish hotel lobby. An enormous chandelier hung from the ceiling with lights twinkling and even more individual twinking lights darting around the lobby ceiling and into the adjoining rooms.

"Celtic faeries, enchanted so they can't leave the building," Draco commented, also looking up. The walls shone like gold and the floor was made of a glossy white marble. They approached the mahogany front desk and to check in. The clerk was a younger man, or what looked like a man, who smiled at them and gave a large bow.

"Welcome sir and madam to the Grand Frosier, one of the most prestigious top five hotel establishments in the entire magical world," he said with pride, a large smile on his face.

"Thank you, the reservation is under Draco Malfoy on the account of his honorable Governor Lucius Malfoy," Draco said smoothly. Draco's professional manner was so awkward to Hermione. When he would speak to her, his family, or other students he always spoke regularly, showing some emotion, usually anger, but when he speaks to "The Help," his voice drips off her ears like honey. It is calm, collected, and completely in control, like he knows nothing can touch him. Hermione turned her gaze to the clerk. He seemed human, only partially animal. He was African-American, only his hair was a burnt orange and his skin had the same color glazed over the dark brown. His eyes were catlike and yellow and his teeth were perfectly white with two fangs protruding over his lips. His hand rested on the desk as Draco signed a few papers. It looked more like a paw than a hand, with small stubs of carefully manicured retractable claws barely visible. A thin layer or the same burnt orange hair fuzzed his arms.

"What do you mean?" Hermione heard Draco say and was quickly brought out of her own world. She glanced over and saw that Draco was coolly arguing with the clerk.

"I'm terribly sorry sir," the clerk apologized.

"Yes, well, just find an additional room please," Draco said frustrated. The clerk pulled out a wooden diagram of the hotel. Every small square, representing a room, had a diamond in the center.

"I'm sorry sir, but all our rooms are filled. We take reservations months in advance and your father's lease only includes the one room," the clerk replied, checking the list again.

"There's nothing you can do?" Draco asked.

"No sir, I'm incredibly sorry," the clerk said.

"I see, well, we'll just have to take the one then," Draco said as he signed a form and added, "But I'd like you to remember for future reference the importance my family plays and if something of this magnitude occurs when my father is here my family might not continue our devoted usage of this establishment."

"Of course sir, it won't happen again," the clerk said, bowing tragically.

Draco turned and walked to the right with Hermione trotting after him, glancing back at the clerk who was making a phone call probably to his higher up and signaling to the next woman in line whom Hermione recognized as on of the Ministry of Magic's ambassador to Spain. Ahead of them a bellhop jumped up to open an elevator for them.

"Private level Master Malfoy?" he asked after bowing.

"Of course," Draco said as they entered. The bellhop, whom Hermione observed had the same animal-like appearance as the clerk, pressed a button engraved "private," and pulled the 30's style grate across the door. The elevator quickly rose for a few minutes then came to a stop a few seconds after Hermione's ears had popped. The bellhop opened the gate and door, ushering them out into the hallway and leaving them with a bow. Once the door was closed and the elevator clicked into use again Draco released his pent up anger.

"INCOMPITENCE!!!" he exclaimed as they tore down the hallway. "Utter and complete incompetence. How could they do this? Don't they know who I am?" he continued.

"Wait, stop!" Hermione ordered as they came to a halt outside a door with "Governor Lucius Malfoy" engraved in gold letters on the door. "Tell me what's going on," she said.

"Well, the pathetic excuses for employees downstairs only booked us the one room, I had two reserved since there are two of us, but apparently there was a mix-up and now we're stuck with just the one," Draco said furiously as he fumbled with the key. He opened the door and they entered.

"Wow," Hermione thought as they entered. "This sure beats the Hampton Inn like I'm used to." The room was fit for royalty. The carpet was soft and comforting below her feet and matched the flowing purple curtains in front of the private balcony. An elevated king sized bed matched the curtains with several hand-embroidered pillows. An opening led into a large bathroom and a purple couch in front of a fireplace was in the far corner.

Draco opened the drawers of the dresser beside the bed and pulled out a new set of clothes. "I just can't believe this," he snapped. Hermione couldn't control herself, she busted out with laughter. Draco's head snapped up and he locked eyes with her. He shook his head and looked down at his clothes, unfolding them. "What on earth could be so funny," he said sheepishly. Hermione walked over and flopped down on the bed beside where he had laid his clothes.

"Can you hear yourself?" Hermione asked, still giggling.

"What do you mean?" Draco had lost interest in his clothes and stared at her.

"My father blah blah, just one incredibly expensive oversized hotel room won't work for me and my ego," Hermione mocked, pouting her lips. Draco's jaw dropped.

"How dare you!" he said, shocked.

"Well holy crap Draco, you sound like a spoiled little girl! Who cares if you and I have to share a room? There's more than enough space to go around and it sure wasn't the guy at the front desks' fault, he just had to take the blame, and you know his boss is going to be on his case now. Just understand that crap happens in life," Hermione said, annoyed.

"Well, excuse me if I just believe I deserve to be comfortable," Draco snapped.

"And I don't?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I'm sure you do too, but my status is just...," Draco said. He had unknowingly pressed the right button on Hermione.

"Holy Crap Draco!!! You know what isn't fair? You know what isn't comfortable? How about hiding in a closet while bombs are being dropped overhead? How about coming home one day and your parents don't? How about answering the door when a man brings the telegram that your last brother has died? How about having to live with the fact that while you are living in wealth, those you grew up with are running around on the streets trying to find enough food to stay alive?" Hermione screamed at him. Draco stared at her in surprise and humiliation as she jumped up fled the room. She pressed the elevator button, her blood pounding in her ears.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," Draco had come up behind her. The elevator door opened and she stepped in. Draco grabbed her shoulder and tried to hold her back. "Hermione, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, "Hermione!"

"Stay away from me," she hissed with her back turned as the door closed. The elevator began to descend.

Hermione felt the bellhop's eyes boring into her. She looked over at him.

"Is everything okay miss? Is there anything I can get for you?" he asked. She shook her head and he got the message; she wanted to be alone so she could relax. He pressed a button and they came to a stop a few seconds later. As he began to open the gate he announced their location, "62nd floor, private recreation and spa." A small smile spread across her lips as she exited.

"Thanks," she said. The bellhop smiled his large fanged smile and closed the door, leaving her alone in the carpeted hall. She walked down a few doors reading the gold words on each one. "Private billiards, Private gardens, Private sauna." She finally came to a stop outside the Private pool and entered. Inside was a large, shady pool with plants and vines dipping into the water from the lush surroundings. She had expected the plain blue pool, maybe a diving board, but this was much better. She glanced over and saw that a rack of plain black boxes were stacked by the towels. "Complimentary ladies swimsuit," the box read. Hermione chuckled, "This sure beats shampoo," she thought as she glanced around and slipped on the bathing suit. It was pretty obvious she was alone. She stepped into the water, which was the same temperature as a hot tub. She waded up to her mid-stomach and reached her destination, and lone wall at the end of the pool beside a small waterfall. Upon reaching it she rested on the seat with the water just reaching her neck. She sighed as she felt all the tension and her conciseness slip away.

Hermione woke up when she heard a sound. The water was so hot it had formed a thin layer of steam over the whole of the pool, obviously hiding her. Someone was singing.

"Cai-loo Cai-lay, I'll know you someday I'll find my way home and know myself there Forever I'm searching for my home hidden rare Seeing, believing, hoping, and dreaming The gates open gleaming Of the place so long lost For the truth that it cost And the curse it so brought And the center of thought That someday, I will find myself there."

Hermione waded back toward the entrance of the pool.

"Hello?" she called out softly as she saw the back of a woman folding towels. She stood up straight and the singing cut out quickly. Hermione wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. The singing woman turned around, her eyes full of terror. When she saw Hermione, she threw her head down and bowed deeply.

"I'm terribly sorry milady, I was not aware of your presence. You have my humblest apologies for disturbing you," she said petrified as she handed a towel to Hermione. Hermione wrapped it around herself and smiled.

"What were you singing?" she asked the lady. She noticed this lady had the same animal-like appearance as the other workers here, only her hair was darker and her brown skin had black spots.

"My song mam?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, that song, Ca-loo, Ca-lay," Hermione began.

"Oh, just one of the songs of my people," the maid said softly.

"Who are your people?" Hermione asked.

"The Haishaw of course milady," the maid replied.

"Who are the Haishaw?" Hermione asked, fascinated.

Have you not heard of us mam?" the maid asked. Hermione shook her head.

"Well," the maid began, "The Haishaw were once a small group of magic practicers in Africa long ago, when there were not yet witches or wizards, the God's were the small group of people who held all of the world's magic and were therefore very powerful. The Haishaw used the magic they gained to control the animals. The animals did their work, caught their food, and did their bidding, which included spying on the God's to help them learn new ways to use their small amount of magic. When Artimes, the Goddess of the Hunt and animals found out how her creatures were being enslaved she was outraged. She found the Haishaw city and cursed the people. She said that because they controlled her beautiful and helpless creatures, they had to become the creatures; thus, turning them all half-animal and taking away their magic."

"So your people were made to be half animal forever, and you have to suffer because of something your ancestors did thousands of years ago?" Hermione asked in astonishment.

"The curse was only to last for one thousand years, but the half-gods revolted before the thousand years were completed and Artemis was killed, locking the curse forever," the maid answered.

"Wait, I've never heard any of this in any history class. So you're saying that the ancient Greek Gods were actually witches and wizards?" Hermione asked.

"No mam, they were much more powerful than our witches and wizards today. Since there were so few of them all the magic in the world was concentrated in their hands, making them so powerful and even iving them eternal life. But eventually, all the half-God's they spawned rose up, took away their magic, and let them die. The half-God's multiplied and are now the witches and wizards of today," the maid responded.

"huh," Hermione said, "How ironic that so many 'pure-blood' families hate us witches who have muggle blood when they actually came from muggle blood thousands of years ago."

"Well, mam, if I may say so, they fear another uprising like the one the God's had. They don't want the unknowing magic holders to take their magic and leave them to the wolves," the maid said. She stood up and made ready to leave. "I'm very sorry to have disturbed you milady," she said again and bowed to leave.

"No, thank you, your history is fascinating. May I ask what animal you descend from?" Hermione asked.

"A leopard mam. My husband is a front desk clerk and he be a lion descendant. The animals chose us mam," she said as she opened the door to leave. Hermione slipped on a robe and followed, her clothes knotted in her hands. Outside were five little Haishaw children, two lions, a horse, a bear, and what looked like a monkey. Hermione smiled.

"Are they your cubs?" Hermione asked. The maid smiled and nodded as she herded them to leave.

"I thought I told you babies to stay in the daycare?" she heard the maid joking to her children as they walked the opposite direction. Hermione grinned and walked back to the elevator. A new bellhop, this one looking much like a sloth, took her back to the Private floor.

When she reached the door she sighed heavily and knocked. A second later she heard footsteps and the door opened. Her eyes flew open and she stepped back. Draco had come to the door in a towel.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, nervous laughter overtaking her. His arm rested on the door, holding it open.

"Coming in?" he asked cocking his head to the side.

"Catch you at a bad time?" Hermione asked as she entered. She heard the shower running.

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same question," Draco said, glancing down at her robe, "Weren't you dressed when you left?"

"Oh," Hermione began, "I took a swim."

"Well, glad to see you're back, our dinner reservations are in an hour," Draco said as he went into the bathroom. Hermione heard the towel flop to the floor as he entered the shower. "I'll be out in a minute," he yelled to her. Hermione chuckled and lounged on the couch.

"Holy crap," she thought. I did not just think that. But she did. She couldn't help but think about how very nice Draco had looked. What made him come to the door in a towel was a mystery to her, but also a nice pick- me-up. Who'd have thought that under all those black robes was a perfect replica of those pictures art students always draw; "Nude with apple," where the man's muscles were all perfectly sculpted and toned, and the apple was an obvious representation of man's boldest sin. She forced the image of a very muscular Draco with his blonde hair hanging wet and loose in his eyes, while he wore only a towel out of her head. "Yep, definitely starting the night off right," Hermione thought. She stood up and walked around the room examining things.

Still hearing the shower in the background she opened up one of Draco's drawers and examined its contents. A couple of shirts and socks carefully folded and placed in the drawers by servants before their arrival. She opened another and found a few other things. A watch, some pocket change (For him pocket change would be a hundred galleon token). "What's this?" she whispered as she picked up a note, folded and crumpled. He had probably taken it out of his pocket earlier.

She opened it and read:

"Draco, I had to leave you a note because I will be gone on business by the time you and Ms. Granger return from the city. This is a reminder of what we discussed earlier. Remember what we spoke of and what I told you. This girl is nice and will be prominent in society one day and our respect for her must be guaranteed, despite what other beliefs we hold toward her heritage. However, do not let your emotions overcome you. She will be a good comrade to keep for the future but I do not want to attempting to make any further relations with her. We already discussed the consequences of what you and her together could bring about and I do forbid you from initiating any romantic relations with her. I don't care if you say you love her, remember I disapprove greatly of it and will not support and decisions other than the ones I have informed you of. Please take care of your mother in my absence.
Lucius"

The shower stopped. Hermione hurriedly refolded the note and slipped it back into the drawer, silently closing it. A second later, Draco exited the shower, once again in a towel. Hermione quickly looked down, shielding her eyes from temptation and went into the steamy bathroom.

"It's all yours," she heard Draco say behind her. Hastily, she slipped off her robe and swimsuit and jumped into the shower, letting the scalding water wash over her.

"What on earth was that about!?" she screamed in her head. "Draco told his father he has feelings for me? I thought when he told me he loved me he was just trying to mess with my head, or even trying to get in my pants, but he told his father that he loves me? This is so crazy, I barely know the guy, where on earth does he get off telling his father he loves me? I bet he even told him that I loved him too and we were going to get married and have little bushy headed blonde kids running around some huge family castle someday. This is absolutely insane." Hermione furiously shampooed her hair and washed her body as if she had some filth on it that wouldn't come off.

She quickly had a revelation; though, "Well, his father is against it so he will stop all action there. Thank God his father disapproves of this, which of course he would, I'm just some filthy mudblood to him. If Lucius forbids Draco to try to wine and dine me then he won't, he'll never do anything his Aryan father doesn't want him to do. Funny, who'd have thought I'd ever be glad Lucius hates me because I'm muggleborn?"

Hermione stepped out of the shower and wrapped a fresh towel around herself. She ran a comb through her hair and set to drying it with the hotel's blow drier. "At least they have most muggle conveniences," she thought as hot air dried her hair, making it ever so poofy. She missed her Chi straightener. She opened a drawer and found a bottle of "Morin's Hair Everywhere." She rubbed a bunch in and her hair magically fell smooth, calm, and curled. She smiled and walked out of the bathroom. Draco sat on the couch with his back facing her, probably trying to give her the slightest privacy. She quickly dressed and applied a little bit of makeup. She wore a new dress she had gotten that day. A baby blue full-length dress held up by small shoulder straps made of pearls.

"Ready?" she heard Draco say from the couch.

"Yep," she answered as she went towards the door. He got up quickly and opened the door for her. In the hall she noticed he had put on a wizard's suit. He had on a white button up shirt with black pants and shoes. A shiny goldthread cape was draped over one side and clasped with a gold chain. This was the dressy evening attire most wizards wore other than dress robes which were for very formal events. When the elevator arrived they stepped in.

"Le Bellaruaie," Draco told the bellhop. The elevator started rise. Hermione felt Draco turn to her so she glanced at him and gave him a small smile. He leaned in and whispered, "I'm sorry I acted like such a brat, you really helped wake me up."

Hermione nodded and whispered back, "Don't mention it."

He whispered, "You look stunning." Hermione smiled and looked down as the elevator doors opened. Her stomach rumbled, she had forgotten how hungry she was.

"I do forbid you from initiating any romantic relations with her," Lucius' words rang in her head and comforted her.

Hermione felt Draco slip his hand around her waist.