An: This chapter I took a different approach with writing it, I actually put it together starting from the end. This chapter explores more into the personal struggle the individual characters are experiencing. Let me know what you think! And just to remind everyone, I don't own anything except Vulcan!

Lady Eclypse

Dinner and a Swim

Not only was Hermione impressed with the dress that she was to wear to dinner that night, but she was also quite impressed with the choice of the where they would be eating. It wasn't just high end; it was royalty's high end. And she knew that in order to get a last minute reservation less than twenty four hours in advance at an establishment such as that only meant one thing, the Malfoy's had just as much power in the society as the Riddles did.

She hardly left her room that day, she was much too busy trying to decided how she was going to wear her hair, and how she was going to do her make-up, as well as decide what pieces of jewelry would accentuate her radiance the most.

When three o'clock rolled around she entered the bathroom and stepped into the shower, washing her hair shaving, doing what she normally did, and then, as she had done on numerous other special occasions, she drew herself a bath after her shower. She filled it with very expensive slats and oils that her mother had given to her for Christmas the year before. She lounged in the bath for about an hour, letting her skin soak up all the moisture it could, so she would practically glow. She wasn't about to let the chance pass up to catch the eye of every man in the wizarding world. She wanted to be the one woman every one loved to envy, the one woman that every other woman hated to want to be.

She decided on ringlets that would be piled high on her head and decorated with a diamond circlet band that had been a gift from her father the day that she had left to spend the rest of her summer with the Malfoy's. The piece also had matching dangle earrings and a matching necklace that was so long it plunged into Hermione's cleavage.

She kissed her exposed skin with a make-up brush that was dusted with glitter to give herself a barely noticeable sun tanned look, and chose a sun dried plum color for her eye shadow, which she then gave herself the Egyptian look with a moderate line of black eye liner on her top eye lid, and doused her eye lashes with black mascara, that only accentuated her beautiful hazel eyes that most people typically mistook for brown eyes.

Not a moment sooner than seven thirty was she ready, and when Draco knocked on her door to escort her to the magnificent evening out he had planned for her, the door flung open to reveal Hermione with one foot on her desk chair as she strapped her shoe buckle on. "That is oh sooo lady like," Draco teased as he looked the situation over.

"Don't act like you aren't enjoying the view. I know how your perverted little mind works," she teased in return as she stood up and walked over to where he was standing.

Draco took a moment to admire Hermione's gown that Candy had made, and was quite impressed with the work the tricky old house elf had managed to do at the last possible second. "Didn't your mother teach you not to stare at perfection, and who dressed you?" she demanded with another very Draco like smirk on her face, as she took the arm he offered.

"Yes she did in fact, and just so you know, I wasn't staring, I was admiring, and I dressed myself thank you very much," Draco commented looking at her with raised eye brows.

"Well, you look just dashing," Hermione said, and when she smiled widely at him, he could feel his heart melting for this daughter of evil.

"Why thank you Love, you look amazingly stunning as well, in fact I think I need to give my house elf a day off for that lovely work of art, of course, it wouldn't look nearly as gorgeous on anyone else…" He remarked as they descended the staircase.

"Mr. Malfoy, I don't like this idea of trying to sweet talk me before we even arrive at dinner," Hermione giggled slapping his arm lightly.

"Well, let's apparate to dinner then Miss Granger, so I can sweet talk the night away," he laughed as they apparated to The Stuffed Olive reservation desk.

"Ah, Young Malfoy, good to see you again, and your date tonight is radiant as well." The host greeted as they appeared. "I'll have you seated in the usual spot."

"Thank you," Draco nodded as the host led them to their table. Draco surprised Hermione, by being a true gentleman and pulled her chair out for her.

"So Vulcan tells me that school holds you…back personality wise, mellows you out so to say…" Draco commented lightly as he sipped his drink.

"Vulcan has a big mouth," Hermione smiled with a flip of her hair. "But, yes, I'm some what…constricted when I'm at Hogwarts to keep my identity a secret. I'm sure I would have been sorted straight to Slytherin faster than you had been if I were to reveal who I truly am. Not to mention I never would have had a chance when Sirius Black and Remus Lupin came to school, Harry would have exposed me to Dumbledore and I would have been sent straight to Azkaban immediately, even as a thirteen year old."

"Snape wouldn't have let that happen, he's loyal to your father, you know that." Draco pointed out.

"True, if he had known that I was his daughter, your father barely knew that my father was married none the less to whom," Hermione continued, "The night The-Witless-Wonder-Boy and the red headed freak showed up to ruin my life would have been Snape's first introduction to Vulcan and I. Yes, Snape knew who my mother was, and yes he knew my father had children, but he didn't have a clue to which we truly are. My father was very reluctant to introduce him to us after the Veritus Serum incident as well."

"I don't blame him. I don't have anything against Snape, but I'm sure St. Pot Head and Weasel Boy Wonder will be having that done a few more times just to make sure that he's telling him everything he needs to know about your father and your mother, how do you think Marijuana Man and his High and All Mighty Auror's Club found out where your main house was?"

"Well, that makes sense…remind me tomorrow to write to my mother, there's a possibility I may have over looked something rather important in my analysis of The-Boy-Who-Miraculously-Survived," Hermione said as she stood as the orchestra began to play a song she had Tangoed to with Guy Prince in a competition. "Dance with me," she move demanded than asked as she offered him her hand.

He accepted and they swept across the small, yet efficient dance floor in perfect harmony with one another. Hermione was captivating to Draco; he could hardly keep his eyes off of her stunningly beautiful body. "Tell me what you want to hear, I'll say anything to have those luscious lips touch mine," he whispered pulling her closer than they had ever been before.

She laughed lightly and batted her eye lashes at him with a smile on her face, "It has nothing to do with sweet talking me," she breathed, "You have to earn your rewards for relatively good behavior."

Their dance ended and Hermione went back to the table. They both settled into their chairs, their waiter brought them their food, and they ate in total silence for the most part. They would laugh every once in a while when they were caught glancing in the other's direction.

The couple left the eatery nearly two and half hours later, but instead of apparating, or taking an enchanted limo back to the Malfoy Manor, they decided to walk, since the Manor was rather close, a twenty minute walk if you really wanted to take your time, which wasn't exactly on the agenda, but ended up happening.

Although Draco was tempted too, he resisted the urge to hold her hand or touch her in any intentional way. Yes, she was Hermione Granger, a beautiful, smart, sexy, and cunningly manipulative woman, and Draco was very near to admitting that he wouldn't mind taking a chance at getting hexed or punched by Hermione just to touch her again, but she was still Voldemort's daughter, and the punishment that would be harmfully bestowed upon him if Hermione so wished her father to do so, was not worth it to him. Even if he was unofficially engaged to her, he wanted to live long enough to marry the woman that was now haunting his dreams with exotic and erotic fantasies.

Hermione, on the other hand, new what she was doing, what she was aiming for…or did she? She hadn't expected things with Draco to go so well. In fact, she was rather hoping things didn't click between them. She had unintentionally underestimated Draco Malfoy; but she knew that his strange new knowledge of how she worked had not come to him over night with out the help of Vulcan Isaac Webster. 'He might be more of a challenge than I thought,' she sighed soundlessly as she gazed up at the stars.

When Draco and Hermione arrived at the Malfoy Manor, the guests from Mrs. Malfoy's dinner party were just beginning to leave, so they decided to take a stroll through the Malfoy garden and the back yard. They walked in silence for the majority of the time, and Draco would occasionally take a few moments to stare at Hermione's mystifying beauty.

Their night together was ending, as they walked back towards the sliding glass door that led into the house from the back yard. They began to pass the pool, and Draco took a chance at placing his arm fearlessly around Hermione's waist, and as they became dangerously close to the edge of the pool; Hermione stopped, and glanced at her reflection, and then ruthlessly and without any warning, shoved Draco into the pool.

As he surfaced, he heard her giggling from where she stood. "What the bloody fucking hell did you do that for you bloody fucking crazy nutter?" He couldn't hide the bewilderment in his voice as he leaned against the edge of the pool.

She raised an eyebrow in amusement, "Punishment for touching with out asking for permission, and retribution for cheating by asking Vulcan for help," she laughed again, "Besides, what the bloody hell were you thinking trying to touch the daughter of the Dark Lord like that? Even if we are unofficially engaged, you talk about me being a nutter,"

"Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time…" He smirked up at her and lifted himself out of the pool. "My apologies, I will remember to render your permission next time. And as for your brother, he offered the advice, I most certainly did not ask for his help," he sighed as they entered the house together.

They arrived at Hermione's bedroom door, and she entered, turning around to face him, "I had a really good time, more fun than I've had in a really, really, long time…I just wanted you to know that,"

"Well, I'm glad that you enjoyed yourself. I hate to admit it but, I had a good time as well," Draco blushed slightly as he said this. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but I think that you would be better off without the personality altering potions this year. Potter's going to find out sooner or later who you really are; you know he won't stop hunting for you and Vulcan until you're dead. So, why not use your identity against him?" He suggested.

"Mr. Malfoy, I do believe that you have a brilliant plan lying some where in that twisted mind of yours." Hermione whispered huskily, taking Draco by his tie and pulling his face within inches of hers, "And I think that I like where this plan could lead,"

"Well, let's take this one step at a time Love, I'm still soaking wet, and this is hardly the time to get up close and personal, I could lose my train of thought…" Draco teased in between their lips crashing into one another's. "So, this is my reward…for good…behavior I take it…?"

"Yes, yes it is, and, you're right, we…should…stop…you're ruining this gorgeous masterpiece of a dress…" Hermione said as they kissed once more and she slammed her bedroom door in his face to resist the temptation to drag him to her bed, tie him down, and have her way with his body.