The hasty yet tender kiss she managed to steal before Draco's departure remained in the forefront of her mind, passionately insistent on maintaining that position.
She could still taste the sheer shock he displayed on her lips, the sensation of his warm mouth still present on her lips. Occasionally she would trace her index finger over her lips, feeling the tingles that the kiss had left not only on her mouth but on the rest of her body on every inch of her skin.
This… this was love wasn't it? An emotion that was so elusive to her that when it reentered her body it felt as though she was being possessed by some otherworldly being that dictated her actions and gave her overwhelming courage. Hermione feared embracing it; what if the same thing that happened with Harry would happen with Draco. What if he didn't feel the same way? What if, what if, what if….
The what ifs occupied the space in her mind alongside the kiss.
She chuckled at her own stupidity, a different side of her mind chastised her for daring to feel any ounce of love for Draco.
It can't be love you feel you silly goose! The kiss doesn't prove anything; you were just a bit flustered by him pinning you against the wall with his muscular upper body revealed… yeah, thats it. It meant nothing.
And rearing its ugly head was doubt. The negative seedling that so often sprouted in her mind, bearing fruits of malevolence that attacked the optimism that was currently ruling over her brain.
And how did she know he wasn't scrubbing away at his mouth with soap right at that moment, lamenting the mistake of letting his guard down so Hermione had an opening to kiss him? Ridiculous! How could she even think he would want to kiss her, of all people?
Doubt had successfully banished the thoughts from her mind, rendering it clear.
Perhaps doubt really was a good thing, because she could go back to focusing on the day's activities instead of dreamily rewinding the kiss in her mind. She had more pressing matters to attend to than a stupid kiss that meant absolutely nothing to her. Or so she thought.
like for instance, she needed her entire mind to be present to handle the supernova of chaos that was surely going to ensue with just Blaise and Scorpius at home. But she needn't worry about Scorpius; the boy was an angel.
Blaise was the problem.
The morning ensued like normal in the Manor, except the atmosphere seemed to lack a certain essence without Draco. Hermione shook her head, admonishing her thoughts for the umpteenth time today.
"Hey Scorp!" She greeted the blonde boy as she took a seat next to him. He waved half heartedly at Hermione, his focus rapt on the book he had in front of him, eyes glued to the glossy pages of the book. "What are you reading there sweetheart?"
"It's a book called Where The Wild Things Are. I don't understand why the pages aren't moving." Scorpius said, studying each glossy page closely, hoping to solve the mystery of the colourful pictures fixated and unmoving. Hermione chuckled. "That's a Muggle book, Scorp. The pictures don't move in Muggle books. That's actually what I used to read before I knew I was a witch."
"You never knew you were a witch from the beginning?" Scorpius enquired. Hermione nodded."I only knew after I got my Hogwarts letter. Well… I did have a hunch after I had my first bout of accidental magic. The first time I performed accidental magic I actually broke my first pair of braces because people were bullying me for having them. The look of shock on my parent's face was priceless." Hermione said, snorting as the memory of that faithful incident played in her mind. Her parents never tried to get her braces after that.
"Hermione, what are braces?" It hadn't occured to her at the time of her telling her story that Scorpius, like many other witches and wizards, was very much oblivious to many of the most mundane muggle inventions.
"Well, they're—" "Granger what boring stories are you telling my godson now?" Blaise said as he swaggered into the dining room. "What's for breakfast?"
"Hello to you too Blaise." Hermione deadpanned, rolling her eyes.
"Uncle Blaise, daddy says it's not nice to call people boring." Scorpius chastised.
Blaise chuckled. "Well isn't your daddy one funny wanker?"
Scorpius raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "What's a wanker?"
"It's nothing Scorp, and Blaise, you're treading on thin ice. Remember what Draco said about not using profanity in front of Scorpius?" Hermione admonished.
"Even if you stop me from using profanity in front of him, there's always going to be someone else he'll hear it from."Blaise stated, shrugging. He reached for the bowl of fruit in the middle of the table.
"Anyway, I'm going to Hogsmeade, I'm supposed to meet someone at Madam Puddifoot's. Please do try to keep everything intact, because if chaos ensues Draco will have both our necks; me for not monitoring you, and you for trashing the place. So behave."
"Don't talk to me like I'm a child!" Blaise grumbled, biting into the crisp apple he picked.
"You wouldn't be spoken to in that manner if you behaved like a grown adult more often." Hermione replied. "Scorp would you like to join me? I'll take you to Honeydukes afterwards."
Scorpius's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes please!"
Scorpius hopped off his chair, abandoning his breakfast as he raced to his bedroom to get changed. Silence ensued momentarily, until the sound of the crisp crunch as Blaise's teeth penetrated the flesh of the sweet fruit permeated the atmosphere.
"I hope you realise that I saw you kiss Draco." Blaise said.
"You saw that?!" Hermione exclaimed, turning towards Blaise who simply smirked at her. Hermione felt her face flush, growing as hot as hell itself. "I have to say, I am a bit disappointed with you, I mean in my books a kiss simply doesn't suffice. You should've done much more, grabbed him by the tie, ripped his shirt off, express the burning carnal urge within you—"
"I'm not going to listen to any of this." She said, cutting off his lewd rant. She walked away, Blaise's smirking face at the forefront of her mind along with the kiss. And while she marched off, her stomach reduced to putty, the deep dark alcove of her mind jumped into action.
"Maybe I would've liked it if we did more than kissing."
All through the entire day, the kiss had somehow maintained its position at the forefront of Draco's mind.
He couldn't get it out of his head no matter how hard he tried.
The room he had booked overlooked the picturesque cluster of trees that sported lush green leaves that performed a serene dance in the soft breeze that currently fanned Draco's blonde curls.
The last thing he had expected from Hermione was for her to run up to him and kiss him. By Merlin, as she ran towards him for a sliver of a moment his mind jumped back to the memory of the blow the brunette which had delivered to his face when they were just thirteen. It would've been a shame if history had to repeat itself.
When he felt her warm, soft lips pressed against his mouth instead of the cold harshness of her fist that he had briefly expected for some unknown reason, it felt as though he was given the dementor's kiss, except instead of sucking his soul our tof his body and leaving him desolate she filled him with warmth that corrupted his soul and banished the darkness that previously resided in it.
"Oh Granger just what are you doing to me?" He chuckled to himself as he took a sip of his whiskey, standing by the balcony of his room. He had a board meeting to attend in just a few minutes. He sighed, setting his glass down. The last thing he wanted was to come down to the meeting intoxicated (not like he didn't know how handle his alcohol intake, he was a Malfoy after all).
He shrugged on his blazer, and ensured that he looked presentable before going down to the conference room he was due to meet his colleagues in.
His fine Italian dress shoes clicked against the tiled floor as he walked to his destination, his mind in a far off place where he was kissing bushy haired Know-it-alls with passion and fervour...
He collided with an unknown person, the collision snapping him out of his thoughts. He stumbled back, startled. "I'm sorry—" His words caught in his throat when he realised who he had bumped into.
And an anger so intense that it could burn the entire hotel to the ground flared within him.
"Potter." His jaw tightened. When he looked at that lightning bolt scar, that messy head of jet black curls and those piercing green eyes hidden behind round spectacles he only saw the man that had lied to, hurt and cheated on Hermione. The man with the punchable face.
The one that made her cry.
"Malfoy." Harry said curtly, staring at him with an equal amount of malice. "What brings you here?"
"Work, and judging by your current attire I'm guessing it's the same with you." Draco said, eyes perusing his form. He was adorned in his full Auror uniform.
Harry smirked. "Correct." Draco restrained the feral urge to attack him.
"Well, I'll be on my way, I've got a meeting to attend." Draco said before beginning to walking away.
"Tell me, how's Hermione?" Draco stopped in his tracks. He clenched his fists.
He turned, the usual shade of silver that were his eyes now black. "I don't see how I'd be able to answer that."
"Oh?" Harry lifted an eyebrow. "I thought that employers would know the wellbeing of their employees. That is, if she is really working for you."
"Even if she does work for me I don't see how it's any of your business, because the last time I checked you have an expectant wife and son waiting for you at home. Tell me, how far along is Ginny?" Draco spat.
Harry ignored his words and continued. "If I know you well Malfoy then I know that you're abusing your power and using your superior position to bully her and put her down."
"That's where you're wrong Potter, I guess you don't know me as well as you claim to. I have not once bullied her or belittled her. I am not that kind of man anymore. Hermione is a beautiful, intelligent and witty woman who deserves to be respected and I give her that respect. Now if you have nothing better to say I would like to go to my meeting. Tardiness is regarded as distasteful amongst my colleagues." Draco attempted to leave, his movement halted by Harry grabbing his arm.
"Lend me your ears Malfoy. I know how much of a slimy git you are, and I know you're capable of anything. I mean you're a Malfoy after all." Harry said, his voice coming out harsh and menacing. Draco stood, unfazed by his tone. "Get to the point scarface."
"The point is that I don't want you to try anything with Hermione. Keep your filthy hands to yourself. I know you have quite the reputation for getting into the knickers of the women you hire as your son's tutors and sacking them as soon as you feel that they've fulfilled their true purpose. Try that shite with Hermione and I swear—"
Draco chuckled, although the sound was as jagged as rusted corrugated iron. "What is this? A threat? If you're going to threaten me, at least try to get your facts right. If Hermione's at the manor its as a tutor, nothing more. Now if you'll excuse me Potter, there's a meeting I have to attend." And with that he ripped his arm from Harry's grip, before walking away, not looking back to see the sharp glare he shot at him.
Saying that Draco was irate would be an understatement. He was furious enough to burn the entire building to the ground. If he was back at the manor he would've broken something to quell his fury. The sheer audacity that Potter possessed was appalling. Who the fuck did he think he was? He had no say after what he had done to Hermione.
What Harry had said was only three quarters of the truth. A truth that had always made him hesitant to hire a tutor for Scorpius.
When he was in search for a tutor for Scorpius he didn't have anyone specific in mind that could do the job. All he wanted was someone competent and able to tackle the responsibility that came with educating his son.
Of course a few women jumped at that opportunity to try and woe Draco. Even after losing his wife to cancer he was still considered one of the most desirable bachelors (now turned widower) in all of wizarding Britain. Of course some would try their luck.
Over the course of an entire year Scorpius had had a total of six tutors, all fired within the course of month because they expressed no desire to educate his son or try to form a bond with him, albeit Scorpius trying desperately to gain their attention and affection because his son was the kind to get attached too fast. Three of them had only gone as far as just seducing him, the other three succeeding in their seduction, appealing to Draco's lustful side. One of them had lasted longer than the other five, her name was Celeste, and she was by far Draco's biggest mistake.
After avoiding love so long, convinced that it wasn't meant for him since God found immense pleasure in ripping the ones that he loved dearly from his grasp, Celeste waltzed into his life, under the pretense of finding employment. She was a beautiful woman with a charming façade that had drawn Draco. He was rapt by her sleek, black hair and piercing blue eyes and model like body. And of course like with most of the women he kept around him, Scorpius was immediately rapt by her too.
Celeste had been a terrific actress, managing to convince Draco that she had loved her son, pretending to dote on the young boy and tend to his every need and desire. Her beauty had blinded him to the truth. Of course he should've seen the bruises on his son's body, the way he cowered away from the woman, he should have caught on to her lies easily but no, he had been blinded, acting like a fool that had been held under the trance of a murderous siren.
When he finally snapped out of that trance, he had fired her, threatening to have her arrested for abusing his son. But Celeste wasn't one to go down silently. She had run her mouth to the Witch's Weekly and the Prophet, slandering him and dragging his name through the mud. For a long time because of that he couldn't find a person who was willing to tutor Scorpius.
Until…
Hermione had waltzed in, no… more like he had grabbed her and pulled her into his life out of desperation. And thank Merlin she had agreed to do it.
Hermione Granger was his blessing, and Merlin be damned if he should lose his blessing.
"I'm going to name my daughter Leah!"
The day proved to be picturesque, with the sun shining brightly over the quaint village of Hogsmeade, the sky clear and blue, with not a droplet of rain in sight despite the days approaching mid autumn.
Hermione dipped her tea, amused at Ron's outburst.
"I don't like the name Ronniekins." Luna stated calmly, taking a bite out of the pumpkin pastry she had ordered (which was her fifth one). Her belly still had no tell tale signs that she was expectant, although she did seem to have put on a little weight.
As for Ron, the previous fear that Hermione had witnessed was nonexistent, in its wake left only excitement for the arrival of his first child, who he was convinced would be a girl.
"Wow, it's barely even the second month and you're already talking about names." Hermione said.
"Oh it's just that we're really excited. I mean bringing a whole new life into the earth is no joke at all." Luna said. She just finished her pumpkin pastry and proceeded to eyeing the waitress from across the shop.
"Have you informed the Weasley's yet?" Hermione asked, watching as Ron's disposition switched to tense.
Ron sighed. "No—" "But we plan to, isn't that right Ronniekins?" Ron looked at her, uncertainty lingering in his eyes, before he heaved a deep sigh, leant forward,and gave her a kiss on the cheek, agreeing.
Hermione frowned at Ron. She would talk to him about that later. She turned to Scorpius, who silently drank his hot cocoa. "You okay?" She asked.
"No, I'm bored." He huffed.
"Understandable. I shouldn't have taken you to my boring adult gatherings. I'm sorry. To make it up to you I might take you to the park later." Scorpius nodded, the frown on his face retaining its position.
"If you'll just excuse me, I need the loo." Hermione said, rising from her seat, before walking away from the expectant couple and Scorpius to relieve herself.
She opened the door, and rushed into the bathroom, quickly finding a cubicle. In her haste and need to empty her bladder, she barely noticed the gorgeous raven haired woman standing by the mirror.
After she was done, Hermione washed her hands, still not noticing the woman, who was applying a coat of crimson on her lips.
"Hello." Hermione jumped. She turned, finding the source of that voice. "Uhm… h-hi."
Gorgeous would've been a gross understatement if she were to describe the woman. She looked like Aphrodite herself!
Her long, sleek, black hair cascaded in ringlets that ended by her lower back. She was tall, with a model like physique, and had very soft facial features. Her blue eyed gaze pierced right through Hermione's soul.
Her face was stoic, as silence engulfed the both of them in its heavy embrace. Hermione shuffled awkwardly.
Then, her lips curved into a smile, although it didn't catch in her eyes,which remained cold and calculating.
Now Hermione had never once felt insecure about her looks. She was quite content with her frizzy hair, and her brown eyes, and her nose. But the way the woman's gaze perused her form made her feel insecure, like there was something extremely off with her.
"Wow, you're so pretty." Her words contradicted the look she gave her. "T-Thank you." Hermione stuttered.
"Do I know you?" Hermione asked next. In response, she smirked. "You may or may not know me, depending on how well you keep with the times." Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. The woman ignored Hermione's quizzical look. "My name is Celeste. Celeste Winston. And you are Hermione Granger, correct?" Hermione frowned, taken aback by her knowledge of her name.
"How—" "You work for Draco Malfoy, don't you?"
Hermione nodded hesitantly. "How do you know Draco Malfoy?" She proceeded to ask.
The woman examined her long, crimson nails, not sparing Hermione a gaze. For some odd reason the sight of her nails gave her chills.
Who was this woman and why did she exude such a bad vibe?
Celeste approached her, before her slim hands rested on Hermione's cheek. "Out of all the women Draco has been with, you have to be the cutest."
Draco has been with…? What was she going on about?
"Well of course not as pretty as me!" She then gave a roar of a chuckle that rattled Hermione to the core. Hermione swatted her hand away. "What are you talking about?" She asked, her voice an octave lower than before.
She ignored her question. "I wonder how long Draco waited before he had his way with you? I can't imagine that he waited too long!" Her roar of a laugh escaped her throat again.
Hermione backed away, but before she moved further Celeste grabbed her arm, and tugged her forward so they were inches apart. Then, she brought her face to Hermione's, close enough that the sickly sweet smell of her perfume made her nose sting.
"You're a smart girl so I'm sure you'll heed my warning." All traces of her faux smile had been dropped, in its wake left a chilling scowl. "Leave my Draco alone, will you? If you think you can waft into his life and fill my position then you have the wrong idea. You're nothing but a lowly mudblood, he sees you as a mere plaything. Nothing more.
He just wants sex, and nothing more. Why do you think he fired five tutors within a year? Because they were all means to his satisfaction, nothing more."
She hadn't noticed that her nails, more like talons now that she had unfurled her true nature, were digging into the skin of her arm because the pain of her words numbed the pain of her nails boring into her skin. Celeste released her grip, going back to her feigned smile, but now she had revealed her true nature Hermione could no longer view as the elegant witch that she had thought her to be.
"Anyway, you have a nice day." She began to walk away.
"What are you to Draco?" Hermione questioned without turning to her.
"Hmm… let's just say I'm an ex quite content with regaining her place as Draco's lover."
The click of her stilettos echoed in Hermione's mind for the remainder of the day.
Author's Note
Hey! i know its been a while since i updated, and i apologize for that. I hope you enjoy the chapter lovelies.
