No no no no no

Baby, don't say you want no liar

No no no no no

Baby, don't say you want no bad guy

- Sweet Lies, EXO

"That morning…when I stopped by, and you told me that you'd gotten attacked at the gas station…," Draco trailed off.

Hermione looked down, unable to tell him the truth. It wasn't like he needed to hear it anyway, Draco had already put two and two together. He pushed himself out of his chair and away from the table, jaw clenched and eyes hard as he glared at her.

Theo had left in the middle of the night, she wasn't sure where he'd gone, although she did have a pretty good idea. There was something unspoken in the air though that he'd return. She had opted to stay in one of the guest rooms, unable to sleep beside Draco as the reality of just who he was, was forcibly revealed to her. The morning began awkwardly as they were served breakfast, and almost as soon as she'd set her fork down, Draco dove right in.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

"…because I was under the impression that you were some spineless pretty boy who had too much of daddy's money to know what to do with. How was I ever supposed to know that you are, undoubtedly, one of the most dangerous men within a three city radius?"

Draco sighed, running his hand down his face as he continued to glare at her.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm the only one who's allowed to be angry, right now," she spat.

Draco rolled his eyes, and Hermione stood too.

"I have been lied to…for months by you and for years by Teddy. To be perfectly honest, I can hardly stand to look at either one of you," Hermione continued.

"Why don't you take that anger out on him, love? After all, we both know that's who you're most upset with," Draco replied, his eyebrow raised.

"I'm mad at you too! I…I never would have agreed to this if I knew who you really were and what you did…" she threw her arms up "…and how could I? It's not like a google search was going to tell me that you run a lucrative drug business."

Draco didn't respond, and Hermione swallowed.

"Why? Why me?"

"I already told you…I wanted you."

Hermione laughed, no humor in her voice as she fought back tears.

"Really? That's all you've got?"

Draco's expression was unreadable as he leaned against the wall, his arms folded over his chest as his gaze settled on her.

"I saw an opportunity to get what I wanted, and I took advantage of that," was his response with a shrug.

"You…selfish bastard. How can you care so little about my life-?"

"That's not true-."

"Yes, it is! This isn't like your usual arrangements where I'm sure you flaunt a girl on your arm for a few days, a week at the most, before moving onto the next one. Everyone thinks we're an item. You have enemies, and not once did it ever occur to you that they might come after me, thinking that I actually mean something to you?"

"I can keep you safe, Hermione."

"Well, you're doing a wonderful job of that, now, aren't you? I have to meet him, tonight, Draco! I have to…do only God knows what for him…"

Hermione trailed off as she fought back a sob. She didn't raise her eyes as Draco approached her, and she fought the urge to push him away as he rested his hands on her arms.

"Hermione…look at me…"

Hermione shook her head.

"He scares me, Draco. I'm terrified of him, and I know that means that I should be terrified of you too, but… I just…"

Draco shushed her as he pulled her frame against him, resting her forehead on his chest.

"He's threatening my friends, the people I care about… How am I ever supposed to just say no to him? What if he wants me to kill someone, or…," Hermione trailed off, stopping herself before her mind went down an even darker path.

She lifted her head, eyes connecting with his as he spoke.

"I told you that I'll protect your friends."

"Teddy?"

Draco's jaw clenched before looking away.

"He made his own choices…"

Hermione backed away from him, a frown marring her features.

"No! You said that you'd protect them, and Teddy-."

"Is another factor. Your BFF is just like me, and he made his bed," he spat.

"Draco-."

Hermione cut herself off as Draco suddenly advanced on her, forcing her to back into the table. Her eyes were wide as the tip of his nose grazed her own, silver eyes wild as they ran over her face.

"Let's get one thing straight, Hermione. I don't give a flying fuck…" he slammed his hand onto the table, and she jumped "…about Theodore Leon Nott. He's a sleazy son of a bitch who-."

"Do not talk about him like that," Hermione hissed, shoving her hands against his chest.

He grabbed a hold of her wrists, pulling her against him.

"The first chance I'd get, I would happily put a bullet through his head-."

Hermione yanked an arm free, bringing the palm of her hand across his cheek. She flung herself away from him, walking towards the stairs before he had time to react.

Her heart ached as she registered his words. She figured that whatever was between them was petty, childish even, but for Draco to openly admit that not only would he kill her best friend, but take pleasure in doing so…

Hermione gasped as she was yanked away from the stairs just as she reached them, slamming into Draco.

"Where are you going?"

"Home," she shouted in his face.

"You are not leaving until we figure this out. It's not safe," he threw at her through clenched teeth.

She rolled her eyes, shoving him away, hard, and taking satisfaction in his stumble. She took the stairs two at a time as she trekked towards the guest room where her belongings were.

"Hermione!"

She ignored him, attempting to slam the door behind her when his hand caught it, shoving it back and forcing her to trip over her feet. She grabbed onto the nearby coffee table to steady herself as he entered. Anger marred his features, and Hermione glared at him.

"You are not leaving this house!"

"Watch me," she breathed.

She grabbed her purse and shoes, turning to face him.

"If I can't trust you with Teddy's life then I'll be damned if I trust you with mine."

He caught her arm as she fought to move past him. She slammed her fist against his chest.

"Move!"

"We have an arrangement, remember? What are you going to do, huh?"

"I'll figure something out," she stated, attempting to get past him.

"You have nowhere to go! Choose carefully, unless you want your parents to end up on the street," he hissed at her as she finally shoved past him and into the hall.

"Fuck you," she threw over her shoulder.

He grabbed her arm, spinning her around into his chest as he looked down his nose at her, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You already did that, love, and you better keep fucking me if you want them to keep their house."

She shoved against him, but he held on with an iron grip.

"You think you're the only rich and lonely attractive man around here? I'll do what I must if I have to," Hermione whispered.

"We both know you don't have the guts. Besides…"

Draco suddenly chuckled, teeth on display as he looked at her. There was mirth in his eyes, a joke playing in his head that she was not in on. He leaned in, lips a hair's width away from hers.

"You think any of these men would touch you?"

Hermione froze as her heart faltered within her chest, an unnerving feeling washing over her.

"They've all seen you with me, seen you on my arm. They know you're mine, and if they don't, when I'm finished, no man in this city will even look at you."

Hermione swallowed.

"You're gorgeous, sweetheart, but none of them would be willing to die by my hand just to get a taste."

He let go of her, and she took a step back, throat incredibly dry all of a sudden.

"So what is it going to be…?"

Hermione squared her shoulders, pushing back the fear that she felt as she stared at him.

"I'll just ask Teddy…" Draco's jaw clenched "…and I won't have to sleep with him to get what I want."

She made her way down the stairs with Draco hot on her heels.

"Hermione, we're not finished…"

"I am. I've made my choice…" she spun around to face him "…it was…fun, but I've gotten way in over my head. You care more about what's in between my legs than you do my actual life, and look where that's gotten me. Your selfishness and desire has put me in danger."

She looked down as his jaw clenched. Without saying a word, she opened the door, only to freeze as he spoke.

"I'll kill him."

She looked over her shoulder, eyes wide. His silver eyes clashed with hers, a dark determination was settled there, and Hermione knew then that he was telling the truth. He walked down the stairs, approaching her, a promise in his voice as he repeated himself.

"I…don't want…you to go…," he forced out. "I told you that I'll protect you, and I meant that, because I like having you by my side. I want you to stay by my side, and I'll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens."

Hermione's lips trembled as he stopped only a few inches away from her. He reached up, brushing his thumb across her lips, gaze intense.

"So if you go to Theodore for help…I'll kill him."

"You two fuck while I was gone?"

"No," Hermione answered with a glare thrown in his direction.

Teddy shrugged, as if to say 'just wondering'.

"I'm shocked. I thought for sure he'd be spewing you nonsense about how big and bad he is and how he'll protect you and all that jazz. Girls love that bullshit…I was positive you'd eat it right up."

Hermione didn't respond, ignoring Draco's eyes on them as he watched through the large glass windows. She suddenly sighed, stepping up beside Teddy.

"You really think this is necessary?"

Teddy glanced down at her, a sad smile on his lips.

"You need to know how to work one of these. In case something goes down, you need to know how to protect yourself," he said, just before lifting the gun and shooting at the tree.

He hit it right on the mark. She hesitantly took it as he held it out towards her. Hermione didn't like guns, understandably so, but Teddy was right. She'd gotten herself into one big mess, and she wanted to come out of this mess alive.

"I'm sorry…"

She suddenly paused, glancing up at him, eyes laced with confusion.

"For what?" she whispered.

Teddy sighed, looking down at her.

"…for last night. I was… It was just a lot to take in, okay? I didn't react in the best of ways…"

"It's okay, Theo. I understand…"

"No, no. I can imagine that this whole ordeal has been a hard enough pill for you to swallow, and then… I called you everything but a whore, and I'm sorry. I just…"

He suddenly looked down, resembling a young boy.

"I just wish you'd come to me, instead. You know I would have helped you, no questions asked, no strings attached," he spat out the last bit, eyes icing over as he threw a glare over his shoulder.

"What's going on between you two?"

Her previous conversation with Draco just seconds before Teddy walked through the door weighed heavily on her mind. Knowing that the two of them would be more than happy to kill one another made Hermione's curiosity grow. She lifted the gun as he sighed again.

"Long story short? I used to work for Draco, and I was offered a better deal."

Hermione paused again, glancing up at him before looking away.

"…by Riddle."

"My family has always done business with the Riddles. Our families have always just been…intertwined. My working for Draco was…unforeseen, to put it nicely. I was going against tradition… It was only a matter of time before I worked for Riddle, anyway."

"Did you genuinely want to work for him, or was it just a way to…go against your family's wishes?"

"A little bit of both, to be honest. At the time, I was…involved with someone who was working for Draco, still is working for Draco. It kind of swayed my decision."

Hermione scoffed, shaking her head.

"You went against your family's traditions, possibly putting your life in danger while doing so, all for a pretty girl? That is so like you…"

A small smirk graced Theo's lips as Hermione aimed the gun and fired.

"…simple, no?"

Hermione glared up at the dark haired man as he went over the course of action for tonight. She felt incredibly uncomfortable in the form fitting red dress. Her hair was pulled up and out of her face, showcasing…well, everything. Essentially, Hermione was going to be a honey pot, and that made her incredibly uneasy. The only thing that put her somewhat at ease was the fact that Teddy was going to be there with her.

She tugged at the bottom of her dress again, jumping in fright when the taller male reached out to brush a stray curl away from her face. She looked at him with wide eyes as his fingers trailed down her arm. She was sure that her wariness was as clear as day on her face, because Riddle chuckled, tilting his head at her.

"You can relax. That isn't why you're here. There are dozens of girls in this place purely for that reason. I don't need you for that, darling…"

Hermione swallowed, her shoulders relaxing just a smidge.

"Come," he ordered, hand resting on her neck as he guided her out of the house.

Teddy avoided her eyes as they passed him, settling inside of the black SUV. Her heart was pounding within her chest, terrified of what fate awaited her tonight. They were going back to Mamba, the same club that kick started the predicament that Hermione found herself in. She was almost sure that Draco would be there tonight, too.

She was incredibly conflicted about him, at the moment. She had never really seen him like that. At least, never towards her, and she wondered if he didn't feel the need to restrain his true self now that the cat was out of the bag. Clearly, he didn't care about scaring her off, because he had no intentions of letting her go.

The car ride was a quiet and tense one. Hermione wondered just what would happen if she didn't live up to expectations tonight. Her fear and self-preservation were starting to get the better of her, and she began to grow frantic to find a way out of this.

"I don't think this will work. I've never done this before, and I'm sure he'll see right through me…"

She turned to see a smirk dancing on Riddle's lips, dark eyes glancing at her.

"You're an attractive woman with a pretty smile. That's all the training you need for him…"

The car was pulled into the familiar parking lot, and Hermione glanced out of the darkly tinted windows with unease.

"…but-."

She found her chin held within a bruising grip, Riddle's face only inches away from her own as he glared at her. She swallowed, feeling the barrel of a gun pressed against her neck.

"You're not getting out of this, so quit trying. Pull your shit together before I change my mind and make another use for you, right here, in this car."

His words fell from his lips like silk, slinking around her neck and tightening a noose as a horrific scenario presented itself to her.

"Now…," he purred. "Are you going to go in there and distract this man with those pretty eyes, or would you rather distract me with your mouth instead?"

Hermione began to nod when he tightened his grip, forcing a wince out of her.

"You will speak," he demanded.

"I…I'll go inside."

He let her go with a charming smile, eyes lit with amusement.

"Good," he hissed.

Hermione stared at him as he reached for his door, and she bit her lip.

"I didn't see anything," she said, trying one last time.

He suddenly leaned back, turning to face her with a sinister smirk as he answered matter-of-factly, just before exiting the vehicle.

"I know that."

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