Harry pushed past the patrons in the hotel lobby and squeezed through the elevator doors as they began to shut.
Who was that? How does she know anyone in the states?
Thousands of questions about Hermione's infidelity were running through his head. He never would've guessed that it'd be Hermione to have the affair. He'd at least two one night stands, since being with her, and though he felt bad for betraying Hermione, he'd never regretted them. But this behavior just wasn't Hermione. He planned on charging up there and confronting her, making her account for her whereabouts. In his moment of fury, all thoughts of his own misconduct that evening were erased from his mind.
"Good night, Draco. And thank you for spending the evening with me." Hermione waited awkwardly in front of her hotel door.
"Not a problem." He gave a curt wave good-bye before walking down the hall towards the elevator. Hermione watched as he disappeared around the corner.
"Good night." Hermione whispered again, as she closed the door behind her.
Harry bounded down the hallway, his conscience blurred by the nights consumption of alcohol. Reaching his suite, room 1202, he knocked loudly on the door. When no one answered he dug in his pocket for the room key. Finding it, he fumbled for several minutes with the lock. Finally getting the green light, he threw open the door.
On the floor was Hermione's jacket; it was still cold. Her shoes were still on her feet, as she lay sprawled across the bed, breathing softly while she slept.
Harry wanted to wake her. He wanted to throw her from the bed and make her explain who she was with. He wanted to demand that she tell him everything. But for some reason he didn't. He just kicked off his shoes, and lay back on the couch. He quickly fell asleep, giving in to the alcohol that was taking over.
"Harry…" Hermione rolled over to find Harry not laying there. Thinking he'd never come in, Hermione decided to go get breakfast in the hotel restaurant. As she walked into the living room, she found Harry, snoring, on the couch.
Now he can't even sleep in the same room as me? Draco was right.
Deciding that it wasn't worth waking him up, Hermione slipped on her flip flops, and walked downstairs.
Draco hadn't slept, not that he had expected to. But something was different, every time he dozed off, he saw the image of Hermione huddled close in front of him, her almond shaped brown eyes focused on him, as if dissecting his soul. The image would jolt him awake every time.
She was beautiful, he couldn't deny it, but he'd try. He would try and ignore all the signs, pretend like he wasn't attracted to her. But he knew that he couldn't hide the truth forever.
Harry woke with a ringing in his ears. He blinked a few times, trying to focus his eyesight. Realizing that he was asleep on the couch, he called for Hermione. When she didn't answer, the events of the night before slowly came back to him.
Springing up from the couch Harry changed his clothes and headed for the elevator. The descent to the lobby seemed to take forever, as Harry turned over thought after thought. He was certain that he'd catch Hermione off guard with her mysterious companion. But he didn't.
"How's the food?" A waitress approached Hermione's table with a fresh pot of coffee and a smile. Hermione looked at the food which she had barely touched. She'd forgotten about her spontaneous trip to Denny's with Draco. The food seemed better there, or maybe it was just the atmosphere.
"Great, thanks." Hermione forced herself to take another bite, while subsiding the urge to gag. She pushed her plate away as the waitress moved onto her next table.
Hermione couldn't keep her mind of the previous nights events. Draco was pleasant company. He was silent, but his body language and facial expressions said it all. He was mysterious, and yet at times Hermione could read him like an open book. And even when he was being a complete ass, he had a tender side to him. Hermione's thoughts were interrupted by Harry storming through the restaurant.
"Where is he?" Harry barked in a hushed tone as he slid in to the chair across from her.
"Who?" Hermione followed Harry's glances in bewilderment, "What are you talking about?"
"That guy you were with last night." Harry began to eat the food on Hermione's plate.
"You saw?" It wasn't the best response, but she was surprised he'd noticed her, with how concentrated he was on his escorts.
"Did I see? Of course I saw, Hermione. What do you think I am, some fool?" Harry smacked his hand against the table making her jump slightly.
"Yeah well I saw you too. So don't act all innocent." Hermione looked over Harry's head. She was looking everywhere but at him.
"That was different. It comes with being famous. Those girls don't mean anything." Harry waved a hand in front of her face, directing her attention back to him.
Everything's always got to be about you.
"Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now? They don't mean anything? They aren't property Harry. They are human beings." Hermione was disgusted in the person Harry had become. And it took a snake like Draco to make her realize just what she'd been living with, "You're letting the fame go to your head, and it's just going to get you in trouble." Hermione got up from the table, grabbing her coat.
"Where are you going?" Harry looked up at her in anger, food smeared across his chin.
"Somewhere far away from you. And do me a favor. Don't chase after me." She pulled on her coat and tugged at it's collar, "Not like you would even consider it anyway. Too wrapped up in yourself to give a damn about anyone else but yourself." Hermione walked out, leaving the tab for harry to pick up.
Hermione's tears as the wind whipped across her face. Fixing herself in a store window, Hermione cursed herself for letting Harry get to her like this. Tossing her bangs aside, Hermione looked at herself one last time in the mirror.
"What is wrong with you 'Mione?" Hermione shrugged, accepting that she looked like she'd been through hell. Pulling her jacket closer she shoved her hands in her pockets and began to walk again. She was wandering aimlessly back to the Denny's she'd been to, just a few hours earlier.
Suddenly she felt something soft in her pocket, something that hadn't been there before. Pulling it out cautiously, Hermione recognized it as a napkin from Denny's. As she unfolded it, a five dollar bill toppled to the ground. Scribbled on the napkin was a note.
I said I'd pay. Save this incase there's ever a next time.
The note was followed by a phone number. Hermione smiled to herself as she picked the five off the cold sidewalk.
"Draco, it's nice to finally meet you. Douglas Trapp's the name. Heard you are the best guy in the industry." Draco's new client was a boisterous older man, whose round figure almost made you lose sight of his toupee.
"Well, I don't like to brag…"
"Nonsense. Brag all you want. It's good that people recognize their own talents. If you're the best let everyone know it." The man patted Draco on the back and posed for a picture, "Now tell me. What are your plans."
"Well, I usually work around the wants of the customer. Do you have a rough draft of what you had in mind?" Draco couldn't help but notice that the job sight he would be working on, was placed directly in front of the park he'd walked through with Hermione.
"I want it big and noticeable. I want to put this place on the map. It needs to be extravagant, but convenient for the clients. It's got to be a home away from home." Douglas talked with his hands, probably due to year's of practice. Hand movements were the easiest way to command attention, Draco had learned that from his father.
"Okay. Do you have any blue prints? Gibson didn't really tell me much about the job. Just that I needed to fly out immediately."
"Look at that pretty little thing, over there in the park. That's what I say about The U.S. The women are far more beautiful. Wouldn't you agree?" Draco glanced at the girl Douglas was pointing at, and recognized her immediately.
You really are everywhere Hermione. I couldn't avoid you if I tried… I guess it's a good thing I'm not trying.