Disclaimer: I own none of the characters here. I just use them for my own amusement. JK Rowling and co. own them No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: When two old enemies meet up again, will they be able to look past their differences and get along? What happens if they fall for each other but he's slated to marry someone else? Will he follow his heart or his parents' wishes? Dramione.

Author's note: Lyrics by Kelly Clarkson

Wildest Dreams

Looking at you makes it harder
But I know that you'll find another
That doesn't always make you wanna cry
Started with a perfect kiss
Then we could feel the poison set in
Perfect couldn't keep this love alive

You know that I love you so
I love you enough to let you go

A week went by and Hermione treated Draco like he was nothing more than her employee. She didn't even ask him about his private life, and he didn't offer any details. It was ridiculously quiet and uncomfortable inside their office and Draco was going mad. It was obvious Hermione was mad at him, but he wasn't entirely sure why. He was just doing what she herself said he should do. He was taking out Astoria. Even if he didn't want to. But she was no Hermione, that's for sure. She was pretty enough and pleasant enough that he didn't hate her. But he had no real interest in her either. His heart lay elsewhere. But every time he tried to talk to Hermione, who claimed they were still friends, she shut him down. He didn't get it. He wanted an explanation though, but he was afraid to ask for it. The only thing she'd really said to him that was personal was she asked if he'd met his wife to be, and he said yes. And after that, she wanted nothing to do with him. He tried making jokes and laughing with her, but she wouldn't have it. And one day he walked into the office and found all the drawings he'd done and the picture of them bowling, missing from his desk area. He asked her where they went and she said she got rid of them. And he didn't know what else to say because she seemed so angry when she said it. It was a running joke that she'd try and hide the bowling picture, but this time it was no joke. It wasn't anywhere around and he deduced she must have destroyed it. But why would she do that if they were supposed to still be friends? He didn't understand, and she wasn't likely to make him understand at any point, given her behavior. She wanted zero to do with him. And he was not okay with that. He finally got the nerve to say something to her after an entire week went by with her giving him the cold shoulder.

"What is your fucking problem?" he asked her as she'd just ignored his attempt at humor once again.

She just looked at him and didn't say anything right away. Then she just asked him how Astoria was. He glared at her and shook his head.

"Why are you asking about her? You know I don't give a fuck for her. Why are you treating me like this?" he asked somewhat desperately.

"I don't know what you mean. I'm just doing my work. I'm sorry if I don't have time for personal drama," she said unhelpfully.

"Bullshit you don't. This is all just personal drama. Why would you ask me about her if it wasn't personal?" he inquired angrily.

"I just wondered how you were faring with her. True love must be blooming by now," she said snottily.

"Right. True love. That's not even close to how I feel, and you know it."

"I don't know what you feel anymore. I don't think I ever really did."

"I don't love her. You know that. I'm just taking her out to try and meet her somewhat. If I'm going to marry her, I have to know her a little bit!" he protested.

"Fine. I don't really care. It's your business. And I'm in the business of putting case files together. And if you know what's good for you, you'll shut up and keep working," she said heatedly.

She wasn't going to give him an inch when it came to this. She was furious and wanted nothing to do with him anymore. But it wasn't really his fault. He was just doing what she told him to do. But the fact that he did it so easily upset Hermione. She wanted him to protest more. But instead he just went along with it and started courting this fucking imbecile named Astoria. Hermione hated her already just purely for spite. She didn't need to know anything about her. Draco broke her concentration again though.

"I don't understand what's got your knickers in a twist. I'm only doing what you told me to do. You said I had to do what was necessary, and this is necessary. And why the fuck did you throw away that picture of us I had on my desk?" he asked getting mad at her.

She sighed.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please. As if someone else came in and took the photo. I know you stole it and hid it or burned it or whatever. Why did you do that?" he asked desperately.

"Because it was stupid to have it there. Along with your dumb drawings. I got rid of all of it. Now you can make room for pictures of Astoria," she said distastefully.

"Right, because that's what I want to look at. Pictures of some bint I barely know. You're bent, you know that? I don't understand you and right now, I don't care to," he said throwing up his hands in defeat while sulking at his desk.

She just sat there and stared at him wordlessly. She didn't know why she was being this way exactly except her feelings were incredibly hurt. She wanted Draco to put up a fight for her instead of just bowing down and taking out this Astoria bird. It made no sense how he could go from being her best friend one minute, to shagging some bird he didn't even know. Or at least she assumed he was shagging her. She didn't really ask. But maybe she should have. So she picked her chin up and got the courage to ask him.

"So have you shagged her yet?" she asked with her nose in the air.

"What? Are you mad? Shagged her? I've not even kissed her. I don't want to. Don't you understand that I'm being forced to take her out? I'd rather be with you," he said sincerely.

She melted a little at his words and softened her stance.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," he said quietly. "I thought you knew that."

"I don't know what I know right now, honestly. I just know that this feels bad, Draco. It feels like I'm suffocating and I can't breathe," she said with tears in her eyes.

He got up from his desk and walked over to her. He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't talk like that. It's not the end of the world. And it's definitely not the end of us. I promised you we'd still be friends, and yet you're the one snubbing me. I don't understand," he said to her softly.

"I'm just not okay with this. I'm trying to be, but I'm not. I-I don't want you to be with her," she admitted.

"I don't want to be with her either. But I have to be. I thought you understood that," he said looking her in the eye.

She broke the eye contact and looked down at her hands.

"I just didn't know it was going to bother me this much."

"What do you want me to do? Can I make it up to you? Let's go somewhere this weekend. Just us. Forget her. We'll do something fun," he urged her to go along with him.

"Like what?" she wondered.

"I don't know. How about dancing? You love to dance and I'll take you dancing. What do you say?"

"What would she think?"

"I don't give a fuck. I'm not telling her. It's just you and me."

"Alright."

She knew this was probably a terrible idea, but she couldn't help but say yes. She wanted to be with him so badly. And he wanted to be with her. There was no denying it. Being cold to him was killing her. She just didn't know how else to be. She was dying inside.

"So are you still mad at me?" he asked quietly.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm just exhausted that's all," she explained.

"Exhausted by what?" he wanted to know.

"By all the avoiding you and hating you business. It's hard to keep it up, when it's not how I feel," she confessed quietly.

"I knew you couldn't hate me. But you sure did a bang up job making me believe it," he said with a small smile.

"I'm a good actress when I need to be."

"Why did you feel like you had to act like you hated me?"

That was a much harder question to answer, so she chose not to answer it.

"It's almost lunch time. Why don't you go to lunch. I have some errands to run real quick. I should be back on time," she said, effectively ending this conversation.

He just sat there and wondered why she was shutting it all down again. But he didn't question it. He just grabbed his jacket off the chair and went to lunch. When he was safely out of the office, she picked up her purse and opened it up. Inside was the photo of the two of them bowling. She looked at it and smiled. The truth was she had stolen it and hidden it, but she could never destroy it. It was proof that for just a short time, she and Draco shared something together. She gazed at it longingly and then shoved it back in her purse. Then she got up and headed out of the office. She didn't really have anywhere to go but she had to get out of there.

When she got back, she found a wrapped present sitting on her desk and Draco was busy doing filing. He didn't even look up when she came in the room. But she looked at the package and over at him. Then she finally spoke.

"What's this?" she picked up the box and held it up to him.

"It's a peace offering," he shrugged slightly. "Go ahead and open it."

She was confused, but she sat down and undid the wrapping and opened it up. Inside was a very old rare book of poems by one of her favorite witch authors. It must have cost a fortune. Hermione didn't even know there were any first editions left of her work.

"Oh my God. This is amazing," she said with a genuine smile on her face. "How did you know I loved Matlida Hawthorne?"

"You mentioned it once in passing. I had to look very hard for that book. I intended to give it to you for your birthday, but I couldn't wait."

"Well it's spectacular. Thank you Draco. I love it."

"I hope that when you read the poems, you'll think of me," he said softly.

"I will. I always will."

And she knew that was a bold statement because most of the poems were all about love. Specifically losing love. She'd think of Draco no matter what, but it was even more special because he's the one who bought her the book. She held it to her chest and smelled the musty old smell of books. Then she smiled and went to her purse.

"Since we're handing out peace offerings I have something for you as well," she said reaching into her bag. She pulled out the photo of the two of them and handed it over to him. "Here."

"Our picture! You didn't destroy it?" he asked giving it a good glance and smiling over it.

"Nope. I stole it and kept it in my bag. I couldn't bring myself to destroy it," she confessed.

He smiled over that but then he handed the picture back to her.

"Here, you keep this. I'll just have another copy made. I have the negatives. You should have this," he said sincerely.

She took the photo back and looked at how happy they were in the picture. She opened her new book and put the photo in there for safekeeping.

"Thank you. I –I just didn't want you to think I'd burned it."

"It's good to know."

"Yeah."

"Hermione I don't want our friendship to change. I really don't. You must believe me," he pleaded with her.

"But doesn't it have to change a little? I mean, you have a girlfriend now. And most girls don't take too kindly to their men going out with other women on dates," she said seriously.

"But they're friend dates. Nothing you wouldn't do with Harry, right? And his bird doesn't get mad if you go out with him does she?" he tried to explain things in a way she'd understand.

"Ginny probably wouldn't be mad if Harry and I went out, but we never do. Not alone. She's always there! And I don't fancy being the third wheel between you and Astoria."

"You won't ever be. I guarantee that. But I still want us to hang out. Like with the dancing. It'll be fun. And we haven't gone dancing yet. We've only danced in the office. She never has to know."

Something about this felt so dishonest to her and unfair to some girl she'd never met and already decided she hated. But her conscience was warring with her heart. Part of her didn't want to be some dirty little secret, but another part of her, the part that was winning out right now, wanted to be with him no matter what. She didn't care if maybe it was wrong. After all, there was nothing about this situation that was right. She was just going to try and put Astoria out of her mind and enjoy Draco's company like she always did. Hating him took too much out of her. And it broke her heart to do so. So she decided to just let it go for now. Maybe he'd change his mind somewhere down the line? Maybe he'd realize it was her he loved? And maybe he'd realize she loved him too? But she couldn't tell him that now. It definitely wasn't the right time. And maybe there never would be a right time? But she was determined to enjoy whatever time they had left together before it all inevitably changed.

The rest of the week passed and things were much more relaxed between them. She didn't brush off his humor attempts and she didn't even get cross with him for singing along to the radio. She just enjoyed every moment until it was time for their latest friend date to go dancing. He was going to pick her up at her place again so she tried very hard to dress nicely and sexily to fit in at a dance club. But she didn't want to look like a tart either. She had to buy a new dress for the occasion and settled on a slinky black number that came to her knees and she wore thigh high black boots. When Draco stood at her door he was immediately struck by how utterly stunning she looked. He knew she was beautiful, but tonight she was downright sexy too. He felt almost underdressed in his black trousers and a black button up shirt. He'd worn his hair natural again because she said she liked it that way. So it fell haphazardly into his eyes. She was just as bowled over because he looked absolutely edible. But she had to keep her lusty thoughts to herself. It wasn't a part of the friendship agreement.

"Do come in," she motioned him as he stood planted in her doorway, mesmerized by her look.

He finally jolted himself out of the thoughts he was having and walked into her apartment.

"You look out of this world, Hermione," he said finally finding a voice.

"Thank you. I just threw this together. I wasn't sure I liked it," she lied. She in fact had spent countless hours trying on clothes until she finally found this ensemble that she was told by the shop girl made her look like a sex kitten, but in a demure way. It was all meticulously planned, but Hermione wasn't about to let him know she spent that much effort on this.

"You look good too," she noted with a smile, trying to keep her hormones in check.

"This old get up? I just threw this together too," he grinned at her.

"Well it works."

"Do you want to have a drink before we go? Sometimes it's better to drink first so you're not too shy to dance," he explained.

"Alright. You want that vodka again? I'm afraid it's all I've got."

"Sure."

He sat down on her couch and petted her cat again while waiting for his drink.

"So what did you tell what's her name you were doing tonight?" she asked trying to be cool about it.

"I told her I was going out with a friend. She didn't ask questions. That's the only good thing about her is that she's rather mindless and doesn't ask a lot of questions about what I do in my spare time."

"That's pretty empty if she doesn't even care to ask what you're doing," she noted as she brought the drinks out and sat down next to him on the couch.

"Her head is pretty empty honestly. I'm not saying she's a vacuous bimbo, but she's definitely a proper high society lady. They hang on their man's every word, and rarely offer up their own dialogue. It's annoying," he admitted as he took a sip of the drink.

"It sounds annoying. Are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life with someone like that?" she wondered, sipping her own drink.

"No. I'm not sure. In fact, I'm pretty fucking far from sure. But I'm in this mess now. I can't back out," he lamented.

She didn't like hearing that, but she vowed not to let it ruin her evening. She didn't spend hours getting ready and finding the perfect outfit to just cancel on him because she was butt hurt over his life choices. She wanted him to see what he was missing tonight. And maybe then he'd wake up.

They finished their drinks and had a slight buzz going before they set out. They went to a popular night spot in London and Draco had to bribe the door man to let them in, in front of all the other patrons in line. She was impressed and realized sometimes money came in handy. But it certainly wasn't all there was to life. She'd gladly wait in a long line for the rest of her life if it meant she had Draco by her side for real. But she didn't verbalize this. Now wasn't the time. But they went inside and went to the bar and got more drinks. Draco ordered up a whiskey and she had a vodka cranberry. At first they just watched the other people dancing to the beat and didn't feel a need to be part of it. They just sat together at the bar and he fiddled with a lock of her hair absently. She finally looked over at him and smiled.

"Is my hair mussed? Is that why you're playing with it?"

"No. Sorry. It's just really soft. I wasn't sure how soft it might be, but it's really soft," he said awkwardly.

She laughed slightly and shook her head. Then she reached out and touched his hair.

"Yours is soft too. Especially when you wear it like this. Without all that product smoothing it down."

"I wore it like this because you said you liked it."

"I do like it."

"Maybe we should dance now?" he tossed out, feeling like the air was growing thick around them.

She must have felt it too because she readily agreed to dance. They slipped onto the floor and started moving with the music. Hermione was dancing all sexy like but she wasn't looking at Draco. She did that on purpose because she wanted him to eat his heart out. That is if she really had any effect on him whatsoever. She wasn't sure. He claimed she was his best friend, and nothing more. Maybe he wouldn't be charmed by her sexy dancing? But she was still going to try. For his part, he just swayed to the music and watched her intently. It was almost as if she had no idea how gorgeous she really was. She was just lost in her dance. But he couldn't take it anymore and he went up to her and put his arms around her and grinded up against her. Two could play the game to see who would drive the other one mad with lust. Except he wasn't sure she felt that way at all about him. And she'd spent the better part of a week being a total bitch to him. Maybe she wouldn't really care if he danced sexily with her? After all, they were just friends.

But the way she was moving against him made him think there might be something more there. She was definitely not pushing him away. And he kept getting more and more frisky with her. But then the music changed to something slower and he wondered if she'd move off the floor. But she didn't. She just wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. They danced in a circle and he smelled her sweet coconut scented shampoo, while she noted the spicy musky smell of his cologne. They'd never really danced quite like this before, even in the office. She never wanted to let him go. But all too soon the music was jumping again and they broke apart and danced separately for a time. That is until Draco got the nerve to grab her again and start moving with the music against her body. To anyone watching they'd assume this was a couple in love. But neither one of them were sure of that fact, so they said nothing to each other. They just danced. Pouring out their heart and soul on a dancefloor and praying the other person could read between the lines. But no such luck. They were both too worried about ruining their friendship that neither one of them said a word or made any actual moves. Plus there was Astoria to contend with. They were both trying very hard not to even think of her at all, but she was looming over them like a toxic cloud.

They stopped dancing after a time and made their way back to the bar. The air was charged around them and the sexual tension was evident to both of them, but neither one of them knew what to do about it. So they just drank. Hermione thought maybe if she drank enough cocktails she'd forget she was in love with him and that he nearly humped her right on the dancefloor. And for his part, he was thinking the same exact thing. He didn't know why he danced that way with her, but all he knew was she didn't stop him. That had to mean something. But he couldn't contemplate it, so he drowned himself in whiskey until he could maybe forget how good it felt being pressed up against her like that.

After several more drinks they headed out to the dancefloor again and this time was no tamer than the last time. If anything it was even worse. They both were rather drunk and promises of friendship and marriages to other people seemed like distant memories. They danced and they danced and finally Draco could take it no more. His brain wasn't working straight and his body just seemed to do what it wanted without his input. So he grabbed Hermione up and kissed her roughly on the mouth. She didn't protest at all. In fact she moved with the kiss and kissed him back, as their tongues danced together exploring each other's mouths. Finally Draco's brain started working again and he pulled back abruptly.

"I'm so sorry!" he said feeling horrified at his own actions.

"It's okay," she tried to tell him, because she'd loved the kiss so much.

But he was panicking that he'd ruined everything and he couldn't stop.

"I didn't meant to do that. I'm really sorry. That's not part of the friendship plan. Please forgive me," he said desperately.

"There's nothing to forgive, Draco. It's alright," she assured him.

"No, it's not alright. I should never have done that," he shook his head.

She had liked the kiss, but it was clear he felt horrible for doing it. Maybe because he felt guilty about Astoria? Or maybe because he was really drunk and actually didn't mean to kiss her? She wasn't sure, but she wished he'd stop apologizing for the best kiss she ever had.

"You don't have to be sorry. It's forgotten," she told him, even if she'd never forget it in actuality. But he seemed to need to hear that.

"Are you sure you're not mad at me again? I don't know what I was thinking. It just sort of happened."

"It's fine. You're a little drunk and so am I. So what if we kissed? It's not a big thing," she lied. It was a huge thing. But he seemed to want to forget it.

Draco looked at her and she was so nonchalant about the entire thing. She wasn't horrified like he expected her to be, but she wasn't eager to repeat it either. She just wanted to forget it. It wasn't a big thing, she said. So he just ran his hands through his hair and nodded.

"Okay, it's not a big thing. I get it. I'm still sorry though."

"Don't be. I think I've had enough of this club though. I want to leave," she said, feeling highly uncomfortable around him right now.

"Do you want to go someplace else?" he asked hopefully, not eager to leave her yet, but still feeling foolish for what he'd done.

"No, I just want to go home. I had fun though. A lot of fun. And don't worry about the kiss. I know it didn't mean anything. I know it was just you being drunk and us dancing sexy like. It's fine. But I need to go home because the room is starting to spin," she said, just wanting to leave quickly.

"Let me at least walk you to the alley," he offered, not wanting her to be outside alone at night in this part of the city.

She just nodded and he followed her wordlessly out of the club and onto the street. She ducked into an alley and he followed suit and then she just looked at him and didn't know what to say exactly. It was obvious he regretted the kiss. But it meant everything to her. She just couldn't let him know that.

"Well this is where I leave," she said finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Yeah. Okay. I'll see you Monday?"

"Of course. Go home and sleep it off. Maybe with some luck, you won't even remember kissing me," she said patting him on the head.

"I don't think I'm going to forget doing that," he whispered softly.

"Well don't think about it too much. It's forgotten. I know you didn't mean to do it," she said with pain in her voice, but he didn't pick up on it.

"No I really didn't mean to do it. It was an accident," he apologized again, thinking that the entire reason she was leaving so abruptly was because she was disgusted with him. He couldn't have been more wrong though.

"I'm gonna go."

"Okay."

"Goodnight Draco."

"Goodnight Hermione."

And with that she disappeared into the night and was just left standing there with his own thoughts. Why had he been so stupid as to kiss her? It was clear she was so horrified of it she wanted to immediately forget it. But he wasn't sure he'd ever forget the way her lips felt or the way she tasted like cranberries and vodka. He'd never be able to drink that drink again without thinking of that kiss. But what did this mean in the end? Nothing he supposed. It was just a drunken mistake. Maybe if he pretended he didn't remember it on Monday, nothing would be weird between them? She told him he might forget, so he was just going to pretend he did forget. And go on like nothing happened. He just hoped that maybe she'd forget too. There was no sense remembering a kiss that meant nothing to her, right? At least that's how she was acting. And she couldn't get out of his presence any faster than she had. It was all a mess. So he was just going to pretend to forget. It was the only way. He hoped she'd play along for both their sakes.

To be continued…. Please leave feedback! I love reviews! They keep me writing faster….