Thank you to my new reviewers! I'm glad that someone likes my story for its uniqueness. I wasn't too fond of the other fan fiction so I decided to start this lovely piece.

Chapter Three: Look Me In The Eye

Hermione gripped her coat tighter to her as she ran back to her apartment. Why did he have to be there? Why did Draco Malfoy, bastards of all bastards, have to come to that particular club? Most of all, why was she letting him get to her like this? Why did she care so much about what he thought? He was just another guy that watched her dance.

Just the look he gave me pierced goddamn daggers… it looked almost as if he was disappointed or something. Maybe I just didn't turn him on…

She decided to try and ignore what had happened. What she couldn't ignore was the fact that she needed more money. The only things she had to eat were some fruits and a carton of milk in the fridge. She sighed and sat on the bed. She'd have to do what she didn't really like to do, but Merlin knew that she couldn't go back into the club after just running out like that.

Buzz. Buuuuzzzz.

She ran quickly over to the speaker, praying to hear Liam's voice. She pressed the button.

"Liam? Is that you?"

"It's…it's me, Draco Malfoy. Can you buzz me in?"

She felt a sick feeling in her stomach but then got an idea. Maybe she could get some money out of him. It was cruel, yes, but she couldn't think of anyone else she could trust. Sleeping with Draco might be safer than sleeping with a total stranger.

Without replying, she buzzed him in and took off her coat, quickly changing into the same bra and underwear that she had worn at the club. She put a pink robe on and tied it loosely around her waist.

Hermione heard a gentle knock at the door and jogged over to open it. "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Malfoy. Please, come in…"

Draco nodded politely at her and hesitantly walked inside the room, closing the door behind him. "Nice, umm…nice place you got, Granger."

She bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, it's… it's great," She faked a smile. Who was she kidding? It was a shithole. "Please, take your coat off. Stay a while," Hermione just about pleaded.

His eyes glanced at the top part of the robe which was open. He glanced back in her eyes and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Instead, he simply took his long, black coat off that he had been wearing and a dark green scarf that covered his neck.

She looked at him and opened up her robe, letting it fall to the floor as she began to feel more nervous and more scared than ever. She felt her legs tremble as she walked over to him.

She felt his gray stone eyes surveying her entire body, looking up and down before looking into her eyes.

"Wait, Granger. I came over here because I –"

Hermione put her fingers to his lips and forced herself to smile. "Shhh…quiet now. This is your time now and I'll make sure you get your money's worth."

She unhooked her bra before she strutted over to her bed and went onto her knees. More frightened than ever now, she looked over at him. "How do you want me?"

He must have seen the petrified look in Hermione's eyes because he simply shook his head. "Why are you doing this, Granger? Why are you acting like this?"

Should she tell him the truth, or should she lie?

"I'm doing this because I need… I need money, Draco. Don't you find me attractive?"

She let herself fall onto the bed in a sitting position before glaring up at the ex-Slytherin. His eyes seemed full of sadness and confusion. He walked over to her and sat down on the bed. "I think you're very attractive but you don't need to do this for money. If you wanted money, all you had to do was ask."

"Oh, like you would've given it to me? If you think that I'm attractive, then why don't you prove it?"

Draco gave her a look of disgust before he got off the bed. "I'm sorry, I don't have sex with strippers."

She rolled her eyes and then stood up, quickly putting her robe back on, her back facing him. "Why did you come here, Draco?"

He brushed his hair through his shaven head before he began to pace the room back and forth. "I came here to ask you something. What are you doing? What are you doing with your life? Why are you stripping?"

Hermione stayed where she was as she watched the male. "I'm stripping because I need money! I'm not a waitress at the local diner because this pays at least three times that. I'm stripping because I need food, clothes, and a place to stay. I wasn't born into a wealthy family like you were, Draco! Everything wasn't handed to me on a silver platter…"

She didn't dare look at him she was so ashamed. She had basically tried to seduce him and he rejected her and looked at her as if she was a piece of shit. Hermione let her arms remained folded against her chest.

"Everything wasn't peaches and cream for me and my family, Granger! You have no idea what I had to go through. How dare you act as if you know every fucking thing about me!"

"Why did you come here?! What do you want from me? If it's not sex, then what the hell is it?"
Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned around in anger, questioning him. She looked pleadingly into his gray eyes that told no story.

"You're better than this, Hermione Granger! This isn't who you are…"

She pushed his chest, unsuccessful at even making him stumble backwards an inch. "How do you know exactly what I am? You don't know me and my own life! My parents are dead, Draco! My brother up and left me when I was thirteen years old! What was I supposed to do? Was I supposed to just go on with my life like nothing ever happened?"

Draco was silent for a few moments before he got his wallet out of his pocket.

Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "What-what are you doing?"

He pulled out what looked like four hundred dollar bills and threw them on her bed. "If you need money, just ask… don't sell your body to older blokes."

She was quiet as she stared at the money, half surprised that he bothered to convert wizarding coins into muggle currency. "Take your money, Draco. I'm not your charity case," she said as she walked over to the bed, picking up the money. "I've been doing fine without you and your blood money."

He looked at her and then at the money, reluctantly taking it and shoving it back into his wallet. He was about to turn and walk towards the door when he walked back over to her.

"Tell me one thing, Granger."

"What?"

"Are you happy, doing this? Are you happy stripping and dancing for men who get a hard on by looking at you and your body?"

There was a long pause as Hermione thought about his words. Happy? Of course she wasn't happy. She doubted there was anyone who was completely happy and content with being an exotic dancer.

"It is what is," Hermione replied simply. "I can't change it."

"Look me in the eye and tell me that this is what you've always wanted to do. Look me in the eye and tell me that you are so fucking pleased about being a dancer girl!"

She tried with all her might to keep her eyes glaring into Dracos' but found herself letting tears fall onto the carpet when she looked away.

"That's what I thought. I know we bucked heads in school, but that doesn't mean that I didn't grow up. Believe it or not, I hate to see you like this and I know that you're better than this."

Hermione couldn't help but feel anger towards him. "You have no fucking idea what I am! Get out! Get out!"

"Gladly," Draco said as he exited, slamming the door behind him.

She stood there, sobbing more than before. Her knees gave out and she fell to the carpet. How could he just come in like that and start knowing what she was and why she was like this? Why did he even bother to follow her? All she wanted to do was be alone right now and prayed that Liam didn't show up again.

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Hermione had cried herself to sleep and woke up to find herself still laying on the carpet. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and hopped in the shower, scrubbing all the grunge and sweat and tears from the night before. When she got out, she pulled on a pair of denim jeans, small black boots, and a blue and white sweater before putting on her tan faux fur winter coat. She quickly grabbed a scarf and began walking towards the coffee shop down the street.

She walked quickly and didn't stop until she got to the coffee shop and bought her usual cup of French roast with a Danish breakfast treat. She drank her coffee as she made her way to the park, the sun smiling warmly down upon the young woman.

Hermione began eating her Danish at a table when she heard a voice.

"Excuse me, Miss.. Would you mind if I joined you?"

The voice sounded too familiar and it belonged to the last person that she wanted to see.

She took off a bit of Danish with her fingers and slipped it in her mouth, not looking up. "Actually, I do mind."

"Please, I just need to talk to you."

"Alright, talk," Hermione replied, taking a sip of coffee.

"I know you, I know the person you are and I can tell you that you are better than this, than dancing. There are other ways to make money."

"Remind me why I decided to listen to you again, Draco."

This talk just seemed like the same things that he told her last night.

"You don't have to dance to earn enough money for food and rent and everything. If you just stay with me for awhile, I can support you."

She raised an eyebrow and looked up at him. "I don't need anyone to support me."

"Fine, then I want to protect you. Dancing is dangerous, especially here in London."

"I don't need protection. I have a boyfriend. A guy… a friend who looks out for me…"

Draco looked impatient now. "Well, which is he?"

Hermione sighed and finished her coffee. "He's a friend who looks out for me. I don't need anyone else to protect me, but thank you for the offer."

He wasn't going to give up that easily just yet.

"He's obviously not around as much as you'd like him to be. He can't always protect you, Hermione."

She rolled her eyes but knew that he had a point there. "He works…he does things."

"Please, just let me be there to protect you."

She stood up. "Draco, would you just cut it out? Nothing's going to change between us. I'm a dancer and you're just a rich employee somewhere I'm sure. We're complete opposites and I'm not looking for love right now. Thanks but no thanks. I'll survive without you."

With that she turned on her heel and walked away until she disappeared out of his sight.