Beauty and Madness

Chapter 4: Loving Mother's Trap

A good friend will help you up when you fall..But a bet friend will help you up, laugh, and trip you again.

Draco woke up in a great mood. That has not happened in such a long time, he was kind of shocked at the feeling of being fully refreshed and well slept. The sun shined through the windows of his bedroom, making his white furnished room glow bright, warming it enough to be comfortable. Preparing for his day, he did not feel the pressures of being the Malfoy Heir, nor the pain of having to work closely with Granger; he felt on top of the world and today was his day and nothing could go wrong. Even at breakfast the house elf's made all his favorites and made freshly squeezed orange juice with a dash as pineapple to make it even more of a citrus flavor. His parents could tell that today was different than any other day.

"Well I am off. Got to arrange some more things at the office with the others." Draco said as he pushed his chair in.

"Oh and Draco please do not forget the Gala at Nott Manor tonight." Narcissa said as she smirked into her cup of coffee. advoiding the sharp look her son gave her. she already knew the expression that wouldbe on his face.

"Gala?" Draco's morning, his greatness. All faded and crashed down around him. Turning completely around to face his mother he said, "You never told me of any Gala, I have no time to prepare. I don't even have a date because Pansy is dating that wanker from the states."

"I was sure that I told you Draco." His mother said the fake tone in her voice raised his hackles.

"No you didn't, I am not a forgetful person." His day was now horrible, not only was there a party, it was a party at Nott's house, and if he came with out a date Theo was sure to make a comment on it. He hated it when Nott had the upper hand in any jib he sent his way, and knowing Nott he probably had some bombshell as a date.

"Well I am sorry dear it must of slipped my mind." Narcissa played absent minded well, almost had him fooled. "I am sure a charming man like you will be able to find a date on such short notice."

He official did not trust his mother, she had an ulterior motive, he could tell by her body language, her smile, the sickingly sweet tone to her voice and that fake innocence. He knew his mother and his mother would warn him at least two weeks in advance and then pester him to no end about events like this. So he knew something was up, he just did not know what yet. But he was prepared to keep his guard up. He didn't reply to her, she didn't deserve one.

He was at 'work' in no time, specially when he had to ponder over how the hell he was going to get a date to this Gala in one day. His mother was a piece of work, she needed a hobby, that is what she needed, so she would leave his life alone. But that would not work either, because no matter how busy she was, she would always find a way to manipulate his life.

"Having a bad day?" Hermione asked after about ten minutes of silence. She could not take it no more, Draco was usually a lot more chatty, or at least complaining about something. It was awkward to have him so silent.

"How can you tell."

"Your hair, you are pulling at it." she told him, he didn't even noticed. His father would of killed him if he seen it. It was a habit he usually was able to keep hidden.

"I didn't even notice." He sighed, turning back to the door hoping that Blaise would walk through soon.

Which he did, with an irritated Ginny glaring up at him as he talked joyfully about things that really did not matter. Ginny was sick of his crazy spilt mood thing. One moment, like this one he was goofy and fun to be around. Then he would be charming and endearing and then at the drop of a hat he would turn cold. It had been like that for the past week. But she also noticed that Draco had the same behaviors, she just passed it off as some Slytherin male thing.

"We need to work on this auction." Hermione said. "We something of interested, something different from the past years. According to the people who ran this event the auction is what is losing steam."

Blaise looked thoughtful. "Well you two are friends with Potter, maybe he will put some things in, items he doesn't use no more, autograph pictures and other things like that."

"That is a brilliant idea." Hermione said, she knew that Harry would not like the idea but he would be willing to do anything for an orphan, considering he knew exactly how it felt.

Draco scowled, "Potter" He spat, "Of coarse the answer to the question is potter."

"It is a good idea but we need more than that to keep the interest, and I doubt any pureblood in there right mind with bid on it." Hermione said, ignoring Draco. it was alway best to ignore him when he got salty, it usaully ended in a fight if you add to the fuel of his anger.

"That is true." Ginny said, she had a thoughtful look on her face that brightened. "But we could also auction dates, Harry would bring in a lot of money,... so would Draco." She said with a Smirk.

"Yeah, and we could do both genders, this will make the younger generation interested in coming and pervy old men."

"Pervy old men with lots of money." Ginny said. "Or Old women how want a young hot blond bad boy, oh I am so holding this auction, it will be fun."

"I am not going to sell myself like a common whore, weaslette.!" Draco yelled, finally finding the words to express what he was saying.

There was a knock, but only Hermione heard she went around the desk to answer the door, Ginny and Draco were also standing now because of the fact they were starting a heated discussion.

"I would be just a date! No one says you will have to sleep with anyone. And it is a compliment." Ginny said stood up to him at her full height, which was not towering what so ever, but she did inherit that intimidating look of her mothers. But I would never faze a Malfoy.

"How is selling basically my body a damn complement, my mother will be there do you think she is going to appreciate me being auctioned for like a peace of meat. I don't think so, I will not do it." ending the conversation. Glaring down at her.

"Fine I don't see how anyone would want to bid on a Ferret anyways. We would lose money if we auctioned you off." she said off handily.

"Lose money, I would make more money that Potter any day." Falling right into it.

"Doubt it." Ginny yawned

"Try me." Draco gritted through his teeth.

"Find be in this auction and prove me wrong then." Ginny said standing up to him again. throwing down the

Gauntlet

"Fine." He yelled.

"Good." Ginny smile, life was great when you could out Slytherin a Slytherin, and judging by Draco he realize what she did just then. "Damn."

Hermione was amused, even more so when Draco turned around and two young kids fresh out of school were standing in the door. Shocked at what they seen. "We are here for the interview." The girl shyly said, she was here for the whole argument and didn't really understand what they were talking about. Draco and Blaise leveled both of them with a cold appraising stare. Making the girl and boy rethink the internship and run out the door.

"Knock it off boys." Ginny said, she went to the girl and lead them to a couch that Blaise add his second day on the job. "Come here and sit. Do you need anything to drink?"

"No thank you." The boy answered. The girl just shook her head.

"I am Hermione and this is Draco my partner, and this is Blaise and Ginny."

"We know who you lot are, I am Amber and this is Jason." speaking with more confidence; acting as if they were idiots, Draco already knew she was a Gryffindor, obviously she was too young to realize who she was talking to or she was that stupid. What ever it as he did not appreciate the tone, glancing at Granger she did not like it either. It was a job interview, not social call; they were going to their boss and it was better for this girl to get a does of reality here and now.

Tilting his head to the side he studied her through narrow eyes. Blaise could be heard chuckling, already knowing what was about to happen. " thinking is not your strong suit, is it? " He didn't give her time to answer. "So Amber, you already know who I am."

"Well you are pretty famous and we did go to school with you for a bit." she sounded condescending.

"Well since we know each other so well, I am going to be brutally honest with you. You amber will not be hired. This is an interview, I am your potential boss, not friend. And I do not like the tone you have taken with me or my partner. For future notice though you might want to consider respect and not talking condescendingly to anyone who is obviously much better than you. I am a Malfoy, but you know that. I do not take trash from dirt like you. And this is Hermione Granger, brightest witch of her age, you are in no way ever able to talk to her as if you are better than her or smarter than her. Dismissed. Jason you can stay. We will continue the interview."

The girl left quickly, with Blaise laughing at her as she fled the room. "You know Draco that is rich coming from you, you always acted better than Hermione or even acted smarter than her and I don't think you have the right either."

"Remind me why I am friends with you Blaise."

"Who else would be able to flock the sheep you call our friends to like you."

Hermione laughed, she liked seeing this side of Draco and Blaise. They had an amusing friendship which consisted of insulting the other. Ron and Harry where completely different in the areas of best friends, they laughed and joked but the two Slytherins keep the other on their toes.

"You think this is funny Granger."

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do." She said smiling. she always looked carefree when she smiled. Draco for some strange reason was awed by it, and love to see it; so he found new ways to make her smile everyday.

"Well I am glad that my misfortune amuses you so."

"Well it is cheap entertainment."

"CHEAP! Darling I am everything but cheap."

"Yes you are also conceited, arrogant, deceitful, vain, and many other I could list but we would be here awhile."

"You forgot to list charming, handsome, great sense of humor, talented sex god…."

"I already said conceited and vain."

They smiled at each other, as longs as they kept their insults playful there were no arguments. Ginny could not believe they did not see the attraction, it was plain as day screaming in their faces, no denying anything chemistry.

"I hate to interrupt this precious moment but Jason here is here for an interview." Blaise said, amusement lit his eyes. He may not get to see Draco Suffer but once he realized the obvious the breakdown was going to be fun.

Draco smirked at Hermione one more time before he beckoned Jason to follow him into his and Hermione's private office.

Blaise leaned in his chair to whisper in Ginny's ear, "This is going to be fun, I never thought that I would actually enjoy working."

"I know, it is like our own private soap opera." Ginny laughed, then in a dramatic voice said, "Will our Hermione fall deeply for the arch enemy, stay tuned for more."

Blaise looked at her weirdly. Ginny laughed at her face. "Too much daytime TV"

He raised an eyebrow, "TV?"

"It is a muggle thing."

Then she laughed at his distasteful look. "You might actually like some of the shows and the movies, you should stop by and watch one with me sometime."

It was an offer he would not refuse, Muggle thing or not. Spending time with the Red Head was his main attraction to this job. "I am going to have to take you up on that offer." The gllint in his eyes sent shivers up her spine.

She smiled at him and went to help Hermione make a list of all the things they knew for sure they were going to auction.

Jason was a riot, he had a wicked sense of humor, he was smart and able to keep up with the conversation after it took a friendlier tone after the initial interview was over. He was hired right on the spot he was not even going to ask Hermione, he knew he found a good worker, now all they needed was another applicant to interview.

With one issue done on Draco's list to do, he had the more pressing one left. A date. For tonight. Resentment bubbled up, Draco hated dating, many just saw the name and they were hooked to get their claws into him. Pansy was always his safeguard for events like this, she was one of his best friends many thought it was a romance, but it wasn't. even when she clung to him during there school days was to ward off any unfamiliar unwanted attention he did not want to deal with. And it worked like a charm, until she fell in love. Now he was royally screwed. Thinking through his contacts he found no one appealing. Every silly girl he ever had a fling with was just that a flakey girl with no personality, and he did not want to have to suffer more than he already had to. It was going to be at Nott's, he actually had to be pleasant to man.

Deep in thought he never even heard Hermione enter the office until she interrupted him from his thoughts, "we decided to call it quits for the day. We will figure out this auction thing tomorrow." she packed up her things and made to leave, but Draco stopped her.

"Granger, I have a favor to ask?" He could not believe the next words out of his mouth, but if he had to go with someone he wanted to go with someone who could actually hold a conversation and have a witty sense of humor. He was going to need it before the night was through and the fact that she was easy on the eyes. "I was wondering if you would be my date to this Gala tonight at Nott's."

Hermione could not believe her ears, Draco Malfoy just asked her out on a date, he must be desperate. "Are you bloody mad."

He smiled, "I think so. My mother sprung it on me this morning giving me no time to line up a date. And if I have to go to this thing and suffer, I would love to make you suffer to. Just kidding, actually it is dreadfully boring, the people annoy me, the food usually sucks but we could always make fun of everyone we don't like."

"You do realize I am muggleborn, and you are inviting me to a pureblood party, and you are using me as a last resort." she hated it when Ron did the same thing during the Yule Ball. Is that what men will always see her as a last resort.

"Actually you are my first Resort, ah Second. Pansy usually goes with me, but she is dating some bloke from the states. And and." He was stuttering Malfoy didn't stutter. "WE don't have to call it a date, how about a friendly truce. Come on you know you want to make fun of all the snooty old women with me."

"That is just rude."

"Yes, but it passes the time."

"Why go if you do not want to go."

"I am expected to go."

"You are still using me as last resort."

"No I am not, even if I had a week to come up with a date I would of thought of you."

"Why?"

"You can read a book, most women who go after me, they are not so bright. I feel like I am talking to a reborn."

"You owe me."

"I see that you have a Slytherin side." Draco smirked.

"No, more than likely I have been surrounded by too many to long."

"That hurts granger that hurts right here.." he grabbed his heart dramatically.

"First you have to have a heart."

He smiled a real smile, the one that made her lose her breathe, "And this is why we will have a good time, it will never get boring with you on my arm."

"You better leave before I change my mind." Hermione warned him.

"Okay, pick you up at seven." he opened the door, "Bitch."

"Asshole."

"You have a date with the ferret?" Ron could of gagged.

"Not a date, are you listening to me at all. He needed a favor and now he owes me one." Hermione said for the millionth time.

"It sounds like a date, he is going to be picking you up, you are going to a party and I am sure he will be taking you home." Harry said. He could not believe it when she said it, he would of laughed but the look she gave him he thought better of it. So he hid his amusement, the best he could. (which wasn't that good)

"It is not a date, and the next one that says it is a date I will Hex. And it will be nasty."

"I still cannot believe it, it is like reality just shifted or you are an imposter, from the Draco Fan Club." Ron joked.

"You know I don't have to take this, I could just kick you out of my place and be done with it."

"you should of not told us if you couldn't take the abuse then Mione'" Harry said.

"I have great friends, I am so lucky." She chanted out loud. "Not, you guys suck for best friends. But you are taking this better than I thought."

"I have learned never to question you, I enjoy not getting a lecture about how you know what you are doing, it is long." Ron said, dodging the slap to his side.

Harry just smiled, it was only a matter of time till Hermione realized what he already realized then broke down, then made list, then went mad, crazy and finally after analyzing and theorizing accept everything. And he would be there for everything.

AN: Just because they are getting along now, doesn't mean there will not be Dram. Trust me, I have a lot of this story planned. You will know this if you read my other fic.

PREVIEW

"Potter, Pay no attention to what the critics say; there has never been set up a statue in honor of a critic."

? It is killing you I know. What could of caused this situation. ?

But that is the beauty and madness.

And just because I feel nice today

EXTRA PREVIEW:

"Behave"

"I am trying to behave."

"I don't think it is working."

"Me neither."

Please Review.