"Mr. Darcy began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention."
Hermione woke the next morning late and with a splitting headache. "And this is why I never drink champagne in quantity," she muttered as she swung out of bed and mounted a heroic mission to the loo for painkillers and water. She encountered Ginny on the way back, just struggling in the door balancing a tray of coffees and several bags that smelled like sausage rolls and heaven.
She grabbed the hot beverages just before they tipped, "you are the best person in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE. How many sausage rolls are in there?"
"Harry's hungover too, so I just went for the dozen. There are some cheese and onion bakes too."
Hermione almost wept with gratitude.
"Let me bring this to Harry and then I'll be joining you in the living room," Ginny said with a significant look. Hermione took a blissful sip of scalding coffee and nodded, resigned.
She had ensconced herself on the couch with a large blanket, ready for her interrogation, when Ginny reappeared, looking amused. "Harry is in baaad shape. These nights are rough on him. He's such a lightweight," she chuckled.
"That was a bit of a rough night," Hermione said through a mouthful of cheese and onion.
"It was a very interesting night. I want to know what the hell is going on." Ginny held Hermione's gaze. "Especially with Malfoy. What was up with you and him?"
Hermione shook her head, "I don't even know."
"Come on," said Ginny, "I thought he was going to come through the crowd and hit Wickham at one point."
Hermione held up her palms.
Ginny slurped her coffee, "It was bloody sexy, I have to admit."
Hermione privately agreed.
"But then he flipped from arsehole to sweet when you went barmy on him about his penmanship. And then back to knob-end just as quickly when Wickham did that stupid little come hither thing."
"Yeah but after what Wickham told us, don't you think Malfoy's reaction makes more sense?"
"Not exactly. I was a bit more sober than you last night and I can guarantee you that Jack's story was dodgy as fuck. I won't believe that until it's verified by trusted sources. And besides there was no motivation in there for Malfoy to hate him. And that's what it seemed like last night. Hate." Hermione felt the sudden heat of Ginny's laser-like gaze, "Or maybe it was jealousy…?"
"No way. My recent interactions with Malfoy have been unpleasant or awkward or both—either him insulting me or us arguing. And remember the elevator thing was staged by those oafs at the Prophet. And I know you think arguing is foreplay, but seriously he did nothing but smirk at me and insult my clothes and/or opinions the whole time we were at Theo's! And I'm sure he could shag whatever model or gorgeous pureblood princess he wanted."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh please, bitch. You know you're sex on legs. And I'm almost certain he was fucking with you with the tacky clothes comment. Seems like something a prat like him would find funny."
"Fine," Hermione brushed off her hands and finished her coffee. "Fine. So he runs hot and cold.I'm absolutely not going to think about this anymore. He's not a possibility for me. Even if I do find him attractive—and yes, I admit that I do." She put her hands up in the face of Ginny's monster smirk. "I will even concede that he's fucking gorgeous and my body or my id or something realises that and it's very annoying—but it's not enough for me to act on anything with him."
Ginny opened her mouth, but Hermione talked over her. "It's Malfoy for fuck's sake. He bullied me in school. We have some truly piss poor war memories between us. His family categorically hates people like me. His social milieu and lifestyle are completely different from mine. And even if we do have some common interests and have shared a good conversation or two, he's got a lot of women that are just gagging for it. And as we discussed last night, I do not fancy just taking a number so that I can be a notch on some conceited male's bed post. No thanks."
"Agreed on all points," said Ginny, seeming to realise that now was the time for a solidarity vote. "And you've had a weird bit of running into him, but that was probably just… coincidence. I mean, we hadn't seen him for years and years before last month. Maybe with time you'll be able to just let it go and put him out of your mind."
"Exactly!"
"Although, there is Theo's party. He's going to be there, right?
"Yes." Hermione scowled."Ok, I need a strategy. And a costume. What are you and Harry wearing?"
"We decided to go as lusty peasants. You know, all that midsummer boning in the fields for fertility. Harry's going to wear a rope belt and a tunic and I'm going to be in something that pushes my boobs up really spectacularly. What are you thinking?"
"Well I was in the library researching Wargs and I came across an illustrated book on Norse muggle mythology." Hermione saw Ginny roll her eyes and sent her friend a rude hand gesture. Ginny just laughed. "Anyway, there's a goddess called Freyja who is associated with gold and fertility. She rides in a chariot pulled by two cats and has a pet boar!"
"Awesome! We need to enchant a couple of cats and a pig to hang out with you all night."
"Ha. Ha. But I thought the costume would be rather simple. Maybe a sort of shift dress with a gold belt? Some gold circlets around my arms and I'll let my hair go loose and wild."
"Ohh we should draw some Norse runes on your arms in gold paint! And I'll braid some gold wire or ribbon through your hair. Absolutely brilliant!"
"Excellent. And my strategy will be *if* I see Malfoy there or any time before then, I will be polite yet distant. Distance is the watchword!"
"Good call. And seriously, I've heard about these parties. So many people are invited, plus things go a bit mad. You may not even see Malfoy. Or you might see him, but he'll be in a hot tub filled with soap suds with at least five models wearing nothing but gold bikini bottoms and he'll just make finger guns at you and the moment will pass."
"Oh god," giggled Hermione. "Thanks for the mental image. Speaking of the party being huge, do you think Wickham will be able to go?"
"Maybe? I've met Blaise Zabini a few times at Harpies events and he seems like a persuasive little shite who likes to stir the pot. I could see him talking Theo into it just to see Malfoy's reaction."
"Hmm, yeah I could see that too," said Hermione with a wicked gleam. "I do kind of hope Jack will be there. He may be a slag and have a mysterious conflict with Malfoy, but he's charming. I had a lot of fun with him last night once I decided not to sleep with him. And it would be nice to know one more person in that crowd."
"Mmm hmm. He's definitely good for looking at and chatting to," said Ginny. "But watch yourself around him. He was skewing a bit creepy last night."
"All that hand holding and eye contact at the end? I noticed that too and I'll be careful. I've put him firmly in the friend zone and there he will stay." Hermione raised her right hand for emphasis. The behaviour that she'd thought was funny last night seemed a little sleazy in the light of day.
"Good," Ginny sounded relieved. "Oh, GOD. Did I tell you that Theo also invited my mum and dad and 'all my brothers' to the party?"
"Whaaaat!?"
"Yes, fuck my life. He and Harry were walking back from their lunch last week and they ran into my mum. Who I'm sure was very persuasive slash embarrassingly obvious about fishing for an invitation," Ginny's cheeks had bloomed pink.
"Oh well how bad can it be in such a big crowd?" Hermione asked. Ginny just looked at her. "Yeah, ok it might be bad. We'll have to be on the lookout and run interference."
"Exactly. And I'm bringing sober-up potion and slipping it into every single one of her drinks."
"Is Ron going? And Fred and George?"
Ginny nodded. "Yes. It's going to be maximum Weasley chaos. Let's just hope no one breaks anything too expensive, snogs someone else's significant other and-or gets in a fistfight."
Hermione patted Ginny's arm. "Let's hope."
~oOo~
Theo dismounted his broom, breathing heavily. The late evening summer sun was just dipping below the horizon and casting long shadows across the pitch.
"Great chase," huffed Draco, wiping his brow.
"I almost fucking had it! I hate how quick you are!" Theo doubled over and heaved out a huge breath.
"Eh I'd chalk that one up to chance more than anything," said Draco, slapping him on the back. "If it had swerved left instead of right it would have been yours." He looked toward the manor. "Now let's go drink something cold. And strong."
Theo straightened up and smiled, never one to be miffed for long. The two wizards strode up the lawn towards Nott House, their long legs encased in identical white trousers tucked into tall leather boots, their robes billowing out behind them. Draco pulled his off as they walked, too hot under their heavy drape. Sweat dampened the back of his soft t-shirt and he stretched and rubbed the back of his neck. Theo let out a wolf whistle.
"Fuck off, you poof," Draco laughed.
"I"m just saying you look very sexy right now. You should let me take your picture and send it to the girl you like."
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Oh you know the one you like to send apology owls to. The one you keep 'running into'. The one over whom you almost got into fistcuffs in a public street last night…"
"You know Theo, your eyes are really the most beautifully deep shade of brown. Probably because you are full of utter shite. And it was a very small, out of the way alley."
Theo tipped his head back and laughed, wagging his finger at his friend, but he also decided to drop it. He thought Draco's little obsession with Granger was entertaining—and could possibly be very good for him, but he also knew the quickest way to crush it was to keep bringing it up. Much better to let it play out naturally.
"That was a bit of a shock seeing that shit, Wickham," he said, glancing at Draco, whose face drew into a scowl.
"That little cunt showing his face here? He must have a fucking death wish," Draco ground out. "And what the hell was Potter doing with him? I've told you that scheme is dodgy and now Wickham is attached to it?"
"Well we don't know if he's attached…"
"Those men were part of that investment group he is involved with. I tell you if they sign on, you sign off. They are dodgy. The plan is dodgy. The whole thing reeks of Potter's special brand of 'dive in first, consider things like details such as the soundness of my investors later.'" Draco shook his head.
"Well I'm going to decide for myself, but you know I take your advice seriously," said Theo, placing his hand on Draco's shoulder as they approached the house. "Would you take a close look at the prospectus with me? If you see something truly wrong, I'll reconsider my involvement."
Draco turned to him, "Of course. And if we find that it's airtight, I'll send you off into partnership with Potter with my blessing, such as it is. Harry's actually not a bad bloke, despite being heedless and uh, not detail-oriented. And Wickham doesn't have the capital to be deeply involved."
"I agree, I actually really like Harry," replied Theo. "Now Wickham I really hate. How much do you want to bet once Blaise realises he's in town, he asks me to invite him to the party?"
"I would not take that bet because it will definitely happen. Fucking Blaise," snorted Malfoy. "He's very transparent for a snake."
"Well I'm certainly not inviting Jack Wickham. Zabini will have to sneak him in if he really wants his drama," said Theo.
"I wouldn't put it past him. Hey, did you invite Potter and the gang too?" asked Draco as they sprang lightly up the steps to the house.
"Yes, I invited Hermione," said Theo, unable to help himself. "Now who's being transparent?"
Draco flushed slightly. "Fuck off. I just want to know what to expect."
Was Hermione seeing Wickham? Theo wondered. She was too smart for that, wasn't she? He didn't think Draco would handle seeing them together at the party very well. He'd probably hit Wickham just on principal. Theo made a mental note to impress upon Blaise how very detrimental it would be to his future access to Nott House events if he snuck Wickham into the party.
"Well they'll all be there—Harry, Ginny, Hermione and all the other Weasleys too."
"Shit, you invited ALL of them?"
"Yes," sighed Theo, "I ran into Mrs Weasley in Diagon Alley last week and she was … hinting."
"Oh God the mother is a fucking nightmare. Very ambitious and totally crass. I wouldn't be surprised if she was behind Potter's 'illness' at your house party..." Theo sighed and nodded.
Draco mounted the stairs to head up to his room and change. " By the way, I'm going to New York tomorrow."
"Oh? That's sudden." Theo knew what this was about.
"Not really, I've been meaning to go for a few months. There's an experimental treatment center north of the city that I want to observe. I'm planning to do something similar at the Meadows. But I'll be back in time for the party."
Theo let the statement lie. "And when you get back we'll look at the prospectus?"
"Definitely." Draco pulled his shirt over his head as he walked into his room, his back muscles rippling.
Theo whistled again, "Stop it, you show off. God, if she saw you like this, no one could hold her back."
Draco balled up his shirt and threw it at Theo. "Wanker."
Theo just laughed.
~oOo~
Draco woke in the deep of the New York night, but could immediately sense he wasn't alone in his bed. A familiar, seductive scent filled his nostrils and he became aware of the silken feel of a soft body pressed to his.
A completely nude body.
He shifted to press his front against her back, wrapping himself around her and feeling the tickle of wayward curls against his nose. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in more of the wonderful scent, his hands roving over her hips, skimming over her smooth belly and up to cup her breasts.
She sighed and arched into him. He kissed her neck, trailing down to her shoulder, where he bit her softly. She moaned his name and then laughed lightly at the bite. He was so hard he couldn't bear it. So eager for her that he felt like a 16 year old.
She pressed her perfect ass into his groin, lifting it to give him access and he couldn't wait any longer. He plunged into her, murmuring "Hermione, gods," as he slid in his full length—feeling her tight, wet, warmth. She reached her arms back and twined around the back of his neck and shoulders, pulling him closer, inviting him deeper. His strokes became faster, then frenzied as they both neared their peak. He could feel her tightening around him and she was panting his name. He started to come and everything dissolved… everything… the warm body, the moans, the scent.
Draco opened his eyes to realise he was alone in his hotel room bed. And that he'd just had the first nocturnal emission he could remember since he began sleeping with actual girls in 5th year.
He groaned and rolled over, grabbing his wand and performing a quick scourgify. This had gotten totally out of hand. He was putting this witch out of his mind if it killed him. He wouldn't even talk to her at Theo's party if he could help it.