Chapter Five
She stopped in her tracks, halted by the sight of the Adonis before her. Her mouth dried as her eyes drank in his form. His back was turned to her as he gazed at some of the muggle things she had around the flat. She admired the way his white dress-shirt clung to his body. His well defined back could easily be ogled for miles, the hard muscle showing through the fabric effortlessly. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbow, exposing slightly tanned skin atop sinewy muscle. His veins were more prominent than other men she'd seen, including Ron, but she decided that she liked it on him. Gazing down, she noticed he was wearing a dark pair of jeans that accentuated his long legs. She blushed as she admired his backside. That in of itself was a work of art. Seeing Malfoy in casual clothes had a strange effect on her. It made him seem more human, but it was like fitting a god inside something far too mundane, no matter how expensive his clothes were. She was surprised to notice they were muggle. Looking up once more, she eyed his hair with slight envy. If only hers was easily tamed. His hair was rakishly styled, as though he ran his hands through it many times. It fell a little past his ears, but Hermione still considered it to be short. It was disheveled, but she knew it was supposed to look like that.
Amidst her admiration, he stiffened, sensing he was no longer alone. He turned around, her eyes meeting his for the first time tonight. She was instantly aroused. So much for Ginny's theory. From the front he looked even more exquisite. His full lips were slightly parted, showing their subtle pout. His eyes burned into hers, molten silver meeting honey. She wanted nothing more than for him to kiss her, to ravish her. The top two buttons of his shirt were left undone, teasing her with the sight of his well-defined chest. She took in a deep breath, needing to settle her hormones. She walked towards him, hoping her feet would carry her to him with ease. His eyes dipped taking in every inch of her body. She felt her temperature rise with the heat in his eyes. Her nipples tightened when a pink tongue dashed out to wet his lips. She felt an aching need for him.
"Miss Granger." He greeted at last, his voice calm and collected. His eyes betrayed his façade, their desire burning into her.
"Mr. Malfoy." She replied. She wet her lips. Her voice sounded far too breathy for her liking. She scowled slightly. Why did he have this effect on her? Why?
"I'll see you later 'Mione." Ginny excused herself. Hermione flushed, having forgotten there was someone else in the room. Neither acknowledged the redhead, instead they continued to stare at each other. He walked towards her, reminding her of just how petite she was. She came up to just below his chin. Up close she could see the light dusting of a stubble, betraying that he hadn't shaved since this morning.
"Shall we?" He asked, holding his hand out for her to take. She placed her slightly trembling hand in his. Calm down, Hermione. It's just dinner. Calm the fuck down. She felt a slight pinch and he apparated them out of her flat.
The first thing Hermione noticed was the dark sky above them glittering with thousands of diamonds. A full moon cast pale, silver light onto the city around them. There was one singular structure that held her transfixed. A gasp of awe escaped her parted lips. Lit up with an amber hue, it sparkled with thousands of lights. It overlooked an infamous river, which coursed along like a stream of black ink. A cool breeze greeted her overheated skin. All around her thousands of voices met her ears, all of which she could hardly decipher. Her heart glowed within her chest. A smile lit up her face.
She was in Paris.
"Do you like it?" Malfoy asked, leaning down close to her ear. She spun around, gazing at him in wonder. This man had taken her to Paris! She had never appreciated magic more.
"Oh, Malfoy. I love it! I haven't been here in so long. Where are we going?" She took in her surroundings once more, her eyes lingering on the monumental tower before her. Even though it was an hour forward, hundreds of thousands of people, muggle and wizard alike, milled about, absorbing the sights and sounds of the city.
"It's a surprise. Come on, it's a short walk." He pulled slightly on their interlocked hands, directing her. She allowed him to pull her, too enamored with the bustling city around her to do much else. She did notice, however, the looks he was attracting. Women of all ages blatantly checked him out. She felt a glimmer of pride knowing that he was taking her to dinner.
After walking for a few minutes in comfortable silence, he dropped her hand. The glimmer of pride she felt before was diminished. She really needed to stop jinxing herself.
A low growl emitted from his chest, surprising her, before he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. Sensation danced through her. The feeling of his arm wrapped around her was exquisite. She shivered as he lightly dug his fingers into her hip. He began rubbing slow circles in the same spot, tormenting her. The ache returned, her legs becoming more unstable. Looking up at him, she wondered why he suddenly gripped onto her.
"Every man we pass keeps staring at you. I wanted them to know that you are with me." Malfoy said, as if reading her thoughts. He definitely had that backwards. Every woman they passed gazed at him with some kind of desire or longing. She knew if she were to bring it up with him, he would merely brush her off for being paranoid, or worse. . .clingy. She shuddered at the thought.
She shook her head at the direction her thoughts were taking. He wasn't hers. She needed to keep remembering that. She had no intentions of him being hers either. She needed to finish her healer program and graduate as valedictorian. She wasn't going to let anyone distract her. She wanted to work at St. Mungos since she read about it in one of her weighty texts, and nothing was going to prevent her from reaching her goal. He could shag whoever he wanted. She had no control over it. Gazing up at the man to her right, she couldn't help but wonder if he was going to stick around long enough in her life to see her graduate. Maybe she was just another challenge. Merlin knew he thrived on them. She hated to be thought of as a prize.
"What are you thinking of?" He asked, pulling her out of her trance. She inwardly cursed herself. Here she was in Paris, going out to dinner with one of the most attractive men she'd ever seen, and she was pondering his opinion of her. She needed to suck it up and enjoy herself. Where was the Hermione who battled all of those Dark wizards? She really needed her right now.
"Nothing." Hermione said after a hesitant pause. Shit. She'd waited too long to respond. Malfoy frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Tell me, Granger, what's got your mind working so hard? I don't like being lied to." His voice was hard. She swallowed. Here goes nothing.
"Am I just another challenge? Another prize to win?" She asked, her voice small. She refused to look at him.
"Hermione, look at me." He commanded. She obeyed, albeit reluctantly.
"Honestly, I don't know. All I know is that I want you. Badly. And I won't stop pursuing you until I get what I want." He looked straight into her eyes. Well, she couldn't accuse him of being silver-tongued. Somehow they stopped walking. He was across from her. He gripped onto both of her hips, sending her nerves on a wild dance. She suddenly didn't care anymore. His words were hot and honest. She wanted him. She wanted him now. Malfoy's eyes darkened with a similar heat. His fingers began tracing patterns over her skirt, driving her mad with yearning. While before it seemed to be unconscious, now he was fully aware of what he was doing to her. He gazed down at her, taking in her every reaction. She gasped at the need coursing through her. Her hands rested on his shoulders, her nails digging in slightly. He groaned softly. The sound drove her absolutely mad. She was tempted to lift her head and kiss him senseless. So bloody tempted. His hands stilled, and he roughly pulled away, grabbing her hand once more. Malfoy's face was hard, once again devoid of any emotion. Ah, there was the Slytherin she knew.
"I need to get you to dinner." He growled.
Fifteen minutes later, they stopped before a beautiful townhouse. The first two floors had been converted into a restaurant, the red awning giving the only indication. He guided her inside, walking straight passed the line of people to the host stand. The hostess glanced up at him, her eyes widening slightly. A blush spread lightly on her cheeks. Without having to say anything, she directed Malfoy and her to a more secluded table. It was a booth, entirely closed off from the restaurant, yet still held that sense of publicity. As she seated them, he merely thanked the girl all while staring directly at Hermione. She shifted uncomfortably under his hot gaze. She was famished, but craved a different kind of taste that food couldn't offer. He cast a muffliato charm before looking through the menu.
"So, how's the weasel doing?" Malfoy asked, eyeing her with dark curiosity. She gulped. Well this was an awkward topic.
"I haven't really seen much of Ron in over a month. Our schedules keep clashing. He's in an Auror program with Harry." Hermione said, sipping her wine as gracefully as she could manage. He ran his hand against his chin in thought, a smirk twitching his lips upwards.
"I had the misfortune of running into him the other day. I really don't know why you lowered yourself for the likes of him." Malfoy scowled slightly. She felt a strange mix of flattery and anger. So she was above him, but she was stupid to date someone like him? At least, that was how she interpreted it. She looked up at him, feeling that heat flare to life as their eyes met. She cleared her throat, suddenly forgetting how to speak. Luckily she was saved by the waiter coming to ask for their orders. She pondered her response.
"I didn't lower myself in any way. I can't help who I feel attracted to." Hermione snapped at last. She felt her anger ease slightly. He frowned, his eyes growing hard. She delicately flinched.
"I suppose that brings us to why I brought you here." Malfoy said after a moment of tense silence. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him. The golden, ambient lighting around them highlighted his features making him look like he walked off the pages of a romance novel. She could feel herself clench with sudden passion. She fidgeted slightly in her seat. His eyes flashed silver. Wow. Hermione was momentarily breathless.
"And that would be?" Hermione prompted. She took another sip of her liquid courage.
At first he didn't answer her. Instead, he looked at her with a hunger she mirrored. He leaned forward on the table, resting his elbows on either sides of him. She did the same.
"So tell me, Granger, what would you say to a casual relationship?" He asked. Her eyes bulged. She nearly choked on her drink. His candor was surprising to say the least. He smirked at her reaction.
"What do you mean, 'casual relationship'?" Hermione retorted. She refused to believe he had indeed asked her opinion on forming a relationship.
"I mean that I want to be exclusive partners with you, with no strings attached. I want it to be more than a friend with benefits, but I don't want to date. I don't do the girlfriend thing." He replied calmly, sipping his wine with a grace she envied. She thought of his words, turning them over in her head. So he wanted to be her fuck-buddy, but she couldn't see other people and they weren't exactly exclusive. What kind of relationship is that?
"I don't know how comfortable I am with the idea." She answered honestly. They had already established that neither of them wanted to date, so what was he doing proposing something like this? Why bother?
"What part are you unsure about? I'll make up a contract so you'll know my intentions and everything I plan on doing." She balked at him. A contract? What the hell for? She ignored that statement entirely, focusing on his question. He seemed genuinely curious. She was about to reply, but stopped as the waiter came. She used this time to think about her answer. She didn't want to date, but she didn't want to delve into the world of 'fuck-buddies' just yet. She was still a virgin! She hardly wanted to bring up that topic of conversation though.
"I just don't know what to think about this. About you. I need time." Hermione admitted. Especially if he had to write a bloody contract.
"How long do you think you'll need to sort this out?" He asked, his voice hardening slightly.
"A few days." Hermione stared hard at the table, suddenly fascinated by the cuts and groves. She didn't really want to see his reaction.
"Very well. But at the end of those days, I want to know your answer, Granger." Malfoy looked at her hard, as if daring her to never speak to him again. She gulped nervously, sipping her wine.
"What are your preferences regarding sex?" Malfoy asked rather bluntly. Her eyes bulged and she nearly choked on her drink. There's that surprising candour again. She had to wait a few moments to gather both her thoughts and breath. Well shit. She didn't have an answer. She had never engaged in bedroom activities with anyone besides Ron, and even then they never did much. He was far too clumsy and needed constant reassurance. It was maddening.
"I don't really have any preferences." Hermione mumbled, hoping it was a good enough excuse. He raised a single golden arch at this, clearly disbelieving.
"You don't have any preferences?" He clarified, crossing his arms. He ran a hand along his jaw in thought. Steely grey eyes were trained on her. Warily, she shook her head, squirming under his intense scrutiny.
"Do you prefer fast or slow sex?" He asked, not letting go of this. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin.
"Depends on my mood." She replied. She was so out of her element here. Thank Merlin she had Ginny and romance novels, otherwise she'd be clueless. He seemed to accept her answer, and nodded as though in agreement.
"Where do you prefer to have sex?" He asked. Now he was challenging her, daring her to answer his interrogation. She squared her shoulders and answered.
"A bed preferably. But I don't mind. Wherever and whenever is fine with me."
"Do you come more from clit stimulation, or vaginal?" Malfoy took a long sip of wine, completely calm, as though he hasn't just asked her a very personal question. She squirmed again, her strength dissolving. Hermione didn't know how to respond to that. She didn't know. She took in a deep breath, training her eyes on him.
"Clit." She answered, feeling remarkably rebellious for saying such a word in a public restaurant.
"Rough or soft?" Malfoy's eyes blazed. He hadn't moved at all, but Hermione had a vague suspicion that he was far more interested in her answer to this question. Her curiosity peaked. She wanted to delve without being obvious, so she played dumb.
"What do you mean?" She asked, watching him closely. Malfoy smirked at her, seeing right through her antics.
"I don't make love, Granger, I fuck. Hard." Hermione involuntarily gasped, her desire peaking to unimaginably heights. Her heart pounded at his admission.
I don't make love, Granger, I fuck. Hard. The words repeated themselves over and over in her head like a broken record player. She knew that simple sentence was going to haunt her tonight, daring her subconscious to create more steamy, lust filled dreams that would leave her in a constantly aroused state.
The food came and they ate in silence. She took the time to mull everything over. Her arousal was simmering beneath her skin, her mind conjuring ways he could just fuck her on this table right now. This conversation was certainly unlike any other she'd had before. It left here bereft and wanting. A delicious ache swept through her. She had to focus on the food before her and ignore the God across from her. The task was surprisingly difficult. She'd catch her eyes beginning to wander of their own accord, and she could feel his intense gaze on her. She thought to the question he asked earlier, considering it.
Why was he pushing for this strange relationship anyway? He wanted to be exclusive, but he didn't want to date. He wanted to fuck her whenever he wanted, yet he was adamant that no feelings got involved. Hermione knew what was going to happen. Situations like this always ended with one of them liking the other. Always. This would only end in disaster. Yet looking at him across the table, Hermione had half a mind to just say 'screw it' and agree. He had this ability to make her abandon all of her beliefs just to be with him in any way possible. Hell, a few days ago she would have never agreed to a dinner with him, let alone in Paris. Now here she was, wondering how badly her hormones had to be raging for her to want to be with him. She touched only half of her food before stopping. Her appetite had been dramatically reduced. She was hungry for only one thing, and she was angry she wasn't going to be having him tonight.
"Finish your meal, Granger." Malfoy demanded. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him in disbelief. The man who probably never went hungry in his life, was demanding her to finish her meal? How childish was that?
"You're not my mother." Hermione snapped. Grey eyes flashed in anger, a hard glare reducing her will to nothing in a matter of seconds. Shit. She pissed him off.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
"Granger. Eat." He growled. She scoffed at him. She knew he wouldn't hurt her in public, so she took the opportunity to be blunt.
"No." She retorted. She was full. He wasn't going to force her to eat. This was just stupid. Why did he care so much? What made him feel like he had to control her in every aspect even down to how much she ate? This was just ridiculous.
He glared at her. He said nothing, merely sat livid opposite her. The waiter came, clearing their plates and left the bill. Malfoy paid without so much as glancing at the amount. He didn't take his eyes off of her the entire time. She began squirming uncomfortably. She was beginning to deeply regret her defiance. Dammit! Why did she have to piss him off? She fiddled with her necklace, needing to do something with her hands that didn't involve stabbing herself with a fork. For such a bright witch, she was really stupid sometimes. An angry Malfoy was a terrifying one. As soon as he got his card back, he jumped to his feet, dragging her out of the restaurant. She felt a rush. She was terrified, but something about being dragged around Paris with him still managed to make her desire for him grow. Was that twisted or what? She could feel a building tension, and she couldn't decipher if it was sexual or just awkward. She hoped it was the former.
"Hold on." He snapped, pulling her into his form. She met the solidarity of his chest with a yelp. She forgot his body was like stone. Her body clenched at the close proximity, but she was still wracked with slight fear. Gryffindor courage be damned, he was scary. Without so much as a warning, they disapparated.