Chapter Five: Me Too

Hermione sat on Emelyn's bed and looked out the window. The sky was beginning to get dark and the pile on the floor was continuing to grow. Emelyn had been in the closet throwing random items of clothing out every once in a while.

"PERFECT!" Emlyn walked out of the closet holding up a small, black, V-neck halter and looked up at Hermione. "What do you think, this or the shirt I'm wearing?"

"What?"

"I'm not too positive about my shirt."

"Oh, um, I guess-"

"Nah, I like green with my hair. Now back to you," Emelyn dug into the pile and pulled out a red tube top with two thin pieces of red fabric to tie as a halter and a gold pyramid of coins (well, they were small gold coins connected to look like an upside down pyramid) hanging from the two pieces of fabric. She threw the shirt over at Hermione. "Try it on."

Hermione reluctantly took off her T-shirt and pulled the halter over her head, after having a little trouble. The shirt had pads sewn in, but that was the only thing relating to a bra. Her cleavage was hidden by the pyramid as the shirt loosened and hung from her collarbone to a centimeter above the bottom of the pyramid. The shirt was tight for a few inches at the bottom around her waist. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror as she held up her hair so Emelyn could tie the pieces of fabric around her neck. This was definitely not something she would usually wear, and to be quite honest, she didn't feel too comfortable in it.

"You hate it." Hermione turned around and saw Emelyn analyzing her. "Hm, maybe we should try purple." Emelyn went back into the pile and pulled out a simple, bright purple tank top. Hermione smiled. This was more her. She put her bra back on before taking off the red shirt, and pulled the tank top over her head. "It's 'Sugarlips'. Very popular here."

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. The shirt was slightly tight, but not so much that she felt uncomfortable. There was a bit of cleavage showing, but leaving more than enough for the imagination

"Perfect," Emelyn said. "Now about the bottom, you can keep the skirt, I like the whole black and purple thing. How about we add these black boots," she threw a pair of knee length boots with three-inch heels at Hermione, who barely caught them.

Hermione slid the boots on and looked at the finishing touches of her outfit.

"I love!" Hermione exclaimed. Emelyn put a black headband into Hermione's hair, pulling it out of her face. "Thank you Em."

"No prob hun." Emelyn smiled at her cousin, who already had a smile plastered across her face.

The two left the room, after applying a bit of make-up and grabbing a black bag to put both their stuff in, and walked downstairs to wait for everyone else.

"Wow, you guys look hot," Emelyn said to Harry and Ron as she and Hermione entered the kitchen, of course.

Harry's hair was spiked up, revealing his scar. He had on a red, button-up shirt which he left open with a white wifebeater underneath and faded blue jeans. Ron's hair was hanging loosely like a lion's mane. He was wearing a black T-shirt with dark blue jeans. Emelyn walked over to Harry and applied the make-up in his hand onto his forehead.

"Thanks," Harry said.

"Sure," Emelyn said as she put some cover-up on Ron's face and in her bag. "Have either of you guys seen Drae yet?"

"Not since Harry and I heard him and Hermione talking in the hall," Ron said, smirking.

"YOU GUYS HEARD THAT?" Hermione was humiliated. Her face began to grow hot as she felt herself blush.

Harry, Ron and Emelyn laughed at the red-faced girl who was now trying to reduce her blushing by reciting a chapter of 'Hogwarts: A History' to herself.

"He was totally flirting back, you know?" Ron said, trying to supress his brotherly instincts.

"Who was flirting back?"

All heads turned to the doorway where Drae was leaning against the frame with his arms and ankles crossed. He was wearing a black shirt that he had buttoned up until the top three and dark blue jeans. Hermione could see a long, silver chain, but could not see if there was anything hanging because it went below his shirt.

"No one," Hermione said, hoping that he could not see her blushing.

Drae smirked at her. It sent a familiar chill down Hermione's spine, but she thought not of it.

"Well then if Emelyn isn't trying to brainwash your friends into becoming gossips, not unlike herself, why don't we head out to get something to eat." Hermione melted at the sound of his voice.

"Well," Hermione tried to focus her attention on Emelyn, hoping that the change of attention focus would prevent her drooling all over the floor, "the club doesn't open for, like, three hours and I wanted to show our little newcomers a little bit of New York."

"As long as we don't kill them before this weekend's party," Drae laughed, followed by everyone else in the room.

"So where are we heading?" Harry asked.

"Hm, how about we drive into Manhattan, find the first place that looks interesting, and just chill for a while?" Emelyn suggested. "It should take about an hour in and out anyway."

Everyone agreed and headed out the door.

"Hey, Amara, you want to come with me?" Drae asked, heading o his motorcycle. "Wouldn't want to mess up your hair being stuffed in a car with three other people."

"Her hair will get messed up anyway, loser," Emelyn slapped the back of the head. "Besides you're coming with us. I didn't give up my weekends and allowance for three years for nothing."

"Aw, you bought a car just for me? You shouldn't have," Drae joked to Emelyn who just rolled her eyes.

"Shut up and get in," Emelyn said as she opened the back door for him.

"And she opens the door too, what a charmer," Drae said. He slid into the back seat beside Harry, who was sitting in the middle.

"That was a good dinner," Harry said as he leaned back in the car.

"We know Neo," Emelyn laughed, "you've been saying that since we left the resturaunt an hour ago,"

Emelyn had taken them all to Serendipity (sp?) and were now heading to find a club to go to. It was just a bit after eight-thirty and they had just arrived at a new club that had opened up only a few months ago.

"Welcome to American food Neo," Drae said as he stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk.

"Hey Paolo," Emelyn said to the person at the door.

"Hey Lynn," Paolo said, kissing Emelyn on the cheek. "How're the folks?"

"Great, thanks." She walked past him, turning around to face him and said before entering the building, "tell Julia the party starts whenever she feels like coming!"

"No problem!"

Hermione watched her cousin as she paid for their entrance and began talking to the woman at the coat check.

"Don't worry," Hermione turned around and looked up at Drae. "She's just friends with his younger sister." Hermione wondered how Drae knew what she was wondering. "Your face gave it away."

Hermione smiled. She had actually been beginning to think that she was thinking out loud.

"Come on guys!" The two turned to Emelyn who was dragging Harry and Ron to the center of the large crowd.

"May I have this dance?" Drae asked, holding out his hand in a playful manner.

Hermione blushed and put her hand in his, allowing him to lead her to their friends. The two danced together all night.

After an hour of dancing, Hermione had finally loosened up. She felt at complete ease with him. When he would put his arms around her on her stomach, she would rest her hands on his. Whenever she was facing him and his hands were on her back, her hands would wrap themselves around his neck or find their way to his chest. She would look into his eyes and he would look back, causing his loose bangs to lightly tickle her face when he would lean down.

Hermione suddenly heard Emelyn calling her name right when she was about to lean her head on his chest. Emelyn signaled to the bathroom and for Hermione to follow, which she did.

"Oh my god!" Emelyn shrieked, "you guys are so hot together!"

"What?"

"You and Drae," she explained, "you guys have such chemistry!"

Hermione couldn't help it. A smile swallowed her entire face.

"I know!" She laughed. "It's amazing! I just felt so at ease with him!"

"He was totally flirting with you the entire time, you know? THANK GOD!" Emelyn ran into a, now, free stall.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked through the door. "We didn't speak this entire time."

"I mean the way he was dancing and looking at you," Hermione heard her say, "plus how playful he was being. It was adorable." Hermione blushed some more as Emelyn walked out of the stall and washed her hands. "Now come on, we have some guys waiting for us."

A/N I WANT TO END IT HERE, BUT I'M NOT A BITCH, PLEASE ENJOY AND READ MY OTHER STORIES, INCLUDING MY FAVORITE, 'LET HER GO'

Hermione and Emelyn walked out of the bathroom and headed over to where they had left the guys. Harry and Ron were standing in the middle of a large group of girls while Drae just hung out on the side with a smile on his face.

"Well I'm surprised you're not trapped in there with them," Emelyn joked.

"Nah, I just told one girl that I had genital herpes and it spread like a wildfire," Drae replied.

"Are you serious?" Emelyn laughed.

"Nah, but Jillian is here, so it was pretty easy for me to stay out of the mob."

"Who's Jillian?" Hermione asked.

"No one," Emelyn explained quickly.

Hermione nodded her head slowly and looked up at Drae, who had turned his head away from her. She decided to go dance with Harry or Ron. She pushed her way through and saw how much they were enjoying their popularity, causing her to begin to laugh hysterically. Her laughing caused a few stares, but she thought not of it as she made her way between Harry and Ron, well, Neo and Chase.

"So you guys enjoying yourselves?" She yelled over the music.

"Hey H-Amara!" Harry replied. "This is great!"

"AMARA?" Ron looked over at Hermione, "get back over there!" he pointed at Drae.

"What?"

"He's been turning down practically every girl that's come up to him!" Harry said.

"Is Amara blushing?" Ron joked. The girls were beginning to be put off by the attention the boys were paying Hermione.

"Shut up!" Hermione slapped each of the laughing boys' arms. "And what do you mean? He said something about not a lot of girls coming over to him!"

"Well, a few girls came up to him, then he got into some fight with a girl!" Ron explained. "I'm gonna go dance!" He led a curvy blonde girl to the middle of the dance floor.

"Did you catch what they were saying?"

"Not much! He pulled her away from us before much was said!" Harry yelled. "But if you're wondering, he didn't say anything to the girls like 'I'm here with someone'! He just shook his head and led the girls over to us!" He took a small, redheaded girl with large, brown eyes and led her near Ron after saying, "See ya!"

Hermione turned back to Drae and Emelyn.

"Wanna dance?" She asked them.

"You guys enjoy yourselves!" Emelyn said, refusing Hermione's offer. "My friend Leo just came in!" She ran towards the entrance and jumped onto a large boy. The two began talking as they walked onto the dance floor.

Hermione looked away and saw Drae looking down at her with a smile on his face. Before anything could be said Hermione grabbed his hand and began to shake her hips, moving to the beat of the music.

Drae laughed at her energy and began to move with her, but it wasn't like before. Before they were closer, holding each other, and less playful. Hermione turned so she wasn't facing him and decided to be brave. She began to grind her hips into him. He replied by putting his hands on her hips and moving with her. He rested his head on her neck after a few minutes of this. Hermione felt him smiling, but more lively than before.

"I love this song!" She yelled, hoping to start a conversation.

"This is one of my favorite American bands!" Drae said, lifting his head from where it had been resting.

The two continued to dance like this for another hour and a half, turning to face each other a few times.

"Drae! Amara!" The two turned around and saw Emelyn, Harry and Ron calling them over. "We're going!"

Hermione and Drae stopped dancing and walked in the direction of their friends, automatically holding hands.

"I thought we were staying a few more hours," Hermione asked when they were out of the building.

"Mom and dad don't want us out too late", Emelyn explained. "Plus Paolo told me that this kid I know just got there, and if we stayed there would have been some trouble."

Hermione nodded her head slowly in understanding, though she didn't, and noticed that she and Drae had been holding hands the entire time.

"Lynn, was it-"

"Yeah, Drae, whatever though," Emelyn said, opening and getting into the car. "Let's just go home or get a movie or something."

"So Drae, what was up with Emelyn before?" Emelyn, Ron and Harry were bringing blankets downstairs from the closet upstairs into the den and Hermione and Drae were in the kitchen grabbing snacks.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Drae replied quietly.

Hermione nodded and turned back into the pantry to find some Doritos. The evening had become tense after what happened at the club when they left.

"Drae," Drae turned away from the refrigerator and looked at Hermione across the room, "what happened?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, Hermione now turning to face him.

"I mean why is it so awkward right now? Before we were having a great time and now we're not even talking."

Drae sighed. "I'm sorry Amara, it's just that the person from before is this kid Lynn and I met two years ago. It just brings back some pretty tense memories."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Hermione felt horrible for bringing it up.

Drae walked over to her in a few quick strides and looked straight at her. "Don't be. It's over."

"We come bearing blankets!" Ron, Harry and Emelyn walked into the room carrying several blankets each. "Grab the food and come into the den and grab your p.j.'s."

Hermione nodded as she watched the three figures leave the room. They were all already in their pajamas and looked quite comfortable.

Hermione cleared her throat, grabbed the food she had taken out, and began to head out of the room.

"Amara," she turned around, "I had a great time."

Hermione smiled and quickly made her way back to Drae, mustering up all of her courage, and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Me too."

A/N wow, this is SO not how I saw any of this going but I love it anyway. I hope you do too. Review and read my other stories