29th of November 2001-8:05pm
Ginny had insisted Hermione be at least five minutes late, so that Malfoy would have to wait. If she was there too early it would look desperate, but she didn't want to leave it too long, otherwise Malfoy might make a bolt for the door and that would be her opportunity gone.
Hermione took another look at herself in a near by shop window and sighed. Really she didn't approve of the outfit Ginny had dressed her up in, but her best friend had sworn that Hermione owed her, after keeping a secret from her for so long. "And anyway, you want to get Draco all hot under the collar for you and the outfit you would pick, would turn him positively luke warm." Ginny had stated, taking a step back to look at her creation. She had dressed Hermione in an outfit that was so far from what she would normally wear, that Hermione felt quite alien in, but also quite sexy. She turned slightly in the snow and looked at herself again, Hermione couldn't stop a cheeky smirk. She was wearing a tight pair of black leather pants, that felt so soft against her skin. A white silk blouse that was embellished at the cuffs and was just ever so slightly see through, so Hermione's black satin bra was barely visible. The outfit had been finished with a pair of black suede heels and Hermione's only contribution to the ensemble, a gold choker.
"Shit." Hermione hissed, the cold had started to attack her as she had stood in the door of the Leaky Cauldron. "Courage, you can do it." She whispered to herself, before stepping inside the warm pub.
As soon as she was in, she was ushered to one side by Hannah Abbott. Hermione looked questioningly at the landlady, as she was dragged towards a door at the back of the inn, to which she had never noticed before. Hannah opened the door gently and gestured for Hermione to go in. Hermione hesitated, so Hannah leaned forward and whispered in her ear "Malfoy's waiting for you in there." At the very sound of his name, Hermione shivered. She nodded and stepped inside, closing the heavy wooden door behind her.
The room was small and rustic, just like the rest of the pub. With two large leather sofas facing each other, on either side of the fire place, in the centre of the room. Standing against the wall, staring endlessly into the fire, was Draco Malfoy.
He looked beautiful, with the glow of the embers igniting his pale skin and gave his eyes a perfectly delicious shine, that captured Hermione's attention immediately. It took her a moment to take in the rest of him, once she had looked longingly at his eyes for long enough. He had matured a little since their school years. His hair had grown out and become less slick then before, as well as less platinum blonde, with a few mousey streaks appearing between the golden locks. His body had filled out just enough so that he didn't look like he would float out the window at the slightest breeze. Hermione watched as Malfoy licked his lips and pulled out a small pocket watch from his black jeans.
He obviously hadn't noticed she was there, making it awkward for her to break the silence. Hermione did so in the best way possible, with a gentle throat clear. Malfoy's neck snapped up and his body stood to attention, his gaze locking with hers. Hermione was trapped, frozen by his eyes. Her mind screamed, but her body would not move. It took his hoarse voice, breaking the silence, to wake her from her trance.
"I didn't know whether you would come." Malfoy whispered, stepping away from the fire, a step closer to her, although there was still a huge gap between them. "Well I'm here" Hermione said, her heart leaping up through her throat, choking her so that her voice came out as a rasp. Malfoy nodded and moved towards a small table, pouring a glass full of amber liquid, that Hermione could smell from across the room. "Would you like one?" He asked, lifting up the glass to her. "What is it?"
"Fire whiskey." He held it out to her, but made no move to hand it to her, instead waiting for her to make the journey towards him. Hermione breathed in heavily and walked quickly towards him, taking the glass with one swift movement, as she carried on walking, until she was seated on one of the sofas. Hermione knocked back her glass and closed her eyes tightly, as the strong alcohol burned the back of her throat and the shock ran straight to her heart.
"Who knew you could drink" Mafloy chuckled, taking his place on the other sofa. "There's a lot you don't know." Hermione said, straightening her back, she would show no fear towards her old enemy. "I'm sure. Why don't you tell me what you've been doing with yourself since Hogwarts?" His tone seemed sincere, so Hermione thought it was safe to reveal. She told Mafloy about the basics of the last few years, including work with the ministry and moving in with Ginny. "What about you and Ron?" She knew that was what he had really wanted to know. "Our relationship ended two years ago." Hermione mummered quickly, crossing and then un crossing her legs. "So what about you?" Mafloy tipped back his glass and starred up at the ceiling. "Lived for a couple years in France for a bit after the war, I studied potions and defense against the dark arts in closer detail and continued my study when I came back to England. I'm now trying to get a job at the ministry in The Department of International Magical Cooperation, between France and England and I might try to learn Italian, so that I can work there as well." Hermione listened and was quite impressed by Malfoy's desire to work, as she had thought that being the only heir to the Malfoy fortune, he would not need or want to earn his own money. "What about women?" It had slipped out of her lips before she could stop it. Mafloy slowly looked at her and bit his lips, igniting a fire in Hermione's belly once again. "No one really, girls here and there, but no one that I have wanted to stick with. No one like you."
Hermione drew in her breathe and fell back further into the sofa. "Your just saying that." She whispered. Mafloy stood up, never breaking their gaze. He moved slowly, but was by her side on the sofa in seconds. "No I'm not. I can never lie to you Hermione, it is physically impossible for me to, don't you remember?" Hermione thought for a second, then it hit her. The unbreakable curse, they were still compelled. Mafloy was going to be forced to tell her anything and everything. Would she need to use that power?
"Do you still feel the same way, as you did that night?" Hermione asked. "No." Her heart dropped, she was stupid to think this was special. Hermione moved to get up, but Mafloy grabbed her wrist and pulled her gently back down. "I still love you, how ever my feelings are not as strong as before, but seeing you in this brief moment has already started re kindle them. How could my feelings stay the same after having not seen you for so many years? Saying that, you never left my mind Hermione, ever. You were my one true regret. After seeing a glimpse of you in the Ministry, I had to find you. I couldn't bear to live my life, knowing I had never tried to see you again."
Hermione jumped to her feet and ran to the table, swigging from the bottle. Clouding her mind with the burn of the alcohol. Malfoy's words were confusing her, tearing up every idea and feeling she ever had, turning them into something new. Something new and scary and slightly exciting. "I don't know which personality I prefer, your mean cold side, or your blunt romantic side." Hermione suddenly felt a hot breathe against the back of her neck and a shaky hand rest on her shoulder. "Yes you do, you just need some time to adjust and accept this side."
"How much time?" Hermione asked, turning around slowly so that she was facing him. Their faces barely apart. She hadn't been this close to him since their kiss. Hermione remembered that kiss, passionate, loving, thrilling. Without thinking she licked her lips and took a step closer. "I don't know. You're a clever girl Hermione, shouldn't take you that long." He suddenly smiled, his lips curling upwards into a gorgeous, true smile that pierced Hermione's heart right down to the core. She decided to take the plunge.
Hermione grasped the front of Draco's shirt and pulled his body towards her, colliding their lips. Draco moved with elegance and strength, wrapping Hermione up in his arms. Their bodies fitted together and Hermione felt Draco's desire against her lower belly. She pressed herself further, wrapping one leg around his waist. It had been so long since she had touched a guy like this and it had been even longer since she had felt such exhilaration and want. Draco's hands wondered to her ass and she made no move to stop him, allowing him to grip and caress her, lifting her up, so that her legs wrapped around him.
They fell back gently onto one of the sofas, Hermione's back pressing into the leather. She bucked her hips upwards, slowly trying to un button Draco's white shirt.
"Hermione, wait.." Draco mumbled, pulling away gently, so that he could look at her properly. "If we carry on, I am going to get carried away and this is not the place for something that I have been dreaming of for years." Hermione sighed and pushed herself up slightly. "Is there anywhere that we can go? Because I'm not ready to end this." Draco chuckled and nibbled Hermione's neck, kissing it gently. "My place or yours?" Hermione thought for a second. Harry was probably with Ginny at her place, so that would not be a clever idea. "Yours."
Draco nodded and pulled a small key ring from the waist band of his trousers. He gently held Hermione's hands against it, with his and Hermione grinned as the Leaky Cauldron began to melt away as the port key worked it's magic.
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