DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot. :) same old story. :)
Chapter 3
"Excuse me Miss Granger, there's a Mr. Malfoy waiting for you down at the lobby." Josh reentered the laboratory after 5 minutes.
"Thanks Josh, could you just send him up? I'm having troubles with my samples right now."
Hermione's mind was reeling. Three of the Petri dishes that contained the samples were dead. It was impossible for her to go to Ireland at that certain time. A cough was then heard from the door and there stood Draco Malfoy in comfortable muggle clothes.
"Oh hello Malfoy. Just give me a minute. I just have to dispose of these."
"Sure Granger." Malfoy was looking around Hermione's laboratory. It seemed to be the standard laboratories for the Ministry workers. He saw notes strewn over one counter and went to look at them.
"Hyperthermophilic Bacteria, Granger? What has gotten into you?" Malfoy asked.
"What is it with people asking me that? Yes Malfoy, they are quite interesting if I may say so. The only problem is they keep dying on me. I'll never get past this." Hermione finished washing the dishes and was now back to retrieve her robe. Malfoy took it first and placed it on her. He leaned down where his mouth was close to her ears,
"Let's forget this research for a while and get that well deserved dinner."
Hermione's body was shocked at the sudden contact. That was probably the first time in years a man came that close to her. This was going to be a long night.
They arrived at the same restaurant wherein the tabloids got a picture of them. Only this time were given a more private table on the second floor.
They gave their orders and the waiter left.
"So how are you?" Malfoy asked looking at her.
"If you really want to know I've had better days." Hermione was staring at the view below. That place was really mesmerizing.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing much, its just I'm stumped with my research." She sighed.
"The hyperthermophilic thing? Would you care to explain?" Malfoy was trying to create a conversation for them. She seemed to be tense.
"Well, as you know, they live in extreme temperatures. I've gotten samples from Ireland and I tried to isolate them in Petri dishes. The thing is they keep on dying on me. I've probably gotten the medium wrong or the temperature or maybe I don't know." she sighed.
"So you don't have any samples left?"
"They decided to quit on me."
Their orders arrived and they ate in silence.
"I wouldn't have believed the papers, but yet here you are. Good evening Hermione, Draco." Blaise Zabini greeted and in his left was Ginny Zabini.
"Hello to you too Blaise." Hermione stood up to give a kiss to Ginny and hugged Blaise. At this, Draco narrowed his eyes at Blaise who has looking sheepishly at him.
"Would you like to join us for dinner? That is if Hermione doesn't mind?" Draco asked knowing that they would be better of if Blaise and Ginny were with them. They haven't spoken a word to another after discussing Hermione's project.
"Sure thing darlings." Blaise replied earning a chuckle from Hermione and Ginny.
The dinner went quite better than they expected. Blaise knew beforehand that Draco invited Hermione for dinner since he was there when he wrote the letter. And Ginny thought of giving them both a push. Apparently it worked since they left with the both of them in deep discussion about mythology.
Draco brought her back to her apartment and they were inside, sitting in front of a fire while still discussing about gods and goddesses.
"I thought that Zeus was born on his own, never knew of the 'elder gods' as you say." Hermione said.
"Well, there's a first time for everything." Draco replied.
At this, Hermione looked at Draco. There seemed to be a double meaning to his words.
He was looking at her intently. Slowly, he leaned into her, brushing his lips with hers. Lips barely touching, Hermione felt shivers ran down her spine at the intimacy of the kiss. Draco was battling with himself not the push her. He retreated only to settle his forehead against hers.
"Thank you for joining me for dinner."
With that said, he left her there at the couch, wanting and yearning for more of his touch.
"He left you after kissing you?!" Ginny squealed.
"I don't think the people around heard you Gin!" Hermione tried to shush Ginny while retaining a blush on her cheeks.
"Well, I might say, you probably scared him off!"
"Ginny! That's not a nice thing to say!" Pansy said.
"Well, he did leave abruptly." Ginny replied.
"He did. But it probably means something to him if he didn't progress."
"What are you saying Pansy?" Hermione sighed, getting tired of her conversation about Draco.
"Not in position to say." Pansy smiled.
Just then, Draco, Blaise, and 3 other children were with them.
"Auntie Gin! Auntie Mya! Mum! You should've seen them tigers! ROAR!" Ben imitated the tiger he saw at the zoo.
"And elephants too!" Bridgette said,
"They were so big! And Uncle Dwaco here was weally scared!" Helen mentioned.
Bridgette and Helen were Blaise and Ginny's twin daughters. They were the same age as Ben and both were really good friends with Ben.
"Yeah, you should've seen Draco! He looked scared for his life when the elephant placed his trunk on Draco's arms!" Blaise laughed and so did the girls.
"You would too if you thought he was gonna lift you and throw you far away!" Draco retaliated at Blaise while blushing.
"Why are you blushing Uncle Draco?" Ben asked. At this, Draco couldn't get any better, he was on the spotlight with the kids.
"Ben, that's enough. Come sit here with us. Did you enjoy the zoo?" Draco muttered a thanks to Pansy and they all sat with the girls.
"Yes Mum! You and Dad should've been there! There were lions, panthers and the tigers were so cool!" Ben gushed and Helen and Bridgette agreed at this.
"Mum, are Auntie Mya and Uncle Draco together?" Bridgette asked.
Everyone looked at Ben after the question. Hermione was in her seat shifting uncomfortably and Draco was narrowing his eyes at Blaise.
"Why would you say that hunny?" Ginny asked nervously.
"I saw Dad reading a paper and I saw Auntie and Uncle at the picture! So that means they're together since you only see people who really are together at the papers." Bridgette said, proud of her deduction.
Blaise laughed at this and so did the others except for Draco and Hermione.
"Well," Draco started, "we're not really together, yet, Bridgette."
"Oh, but you look nicer and you're kinder when Auntie Mya's around." Helen said.
"That's why we like Auntie Mya," Ben mentioned.
Hermione looked at the three kids, shocked at what they were saying while everybody laughed it off. The gods were really mad at her if they were enjoying this embarrassment of hers.
AN: I know it's a short chapter compared to the previous two but i'm in a writer's block right now. don't know how to continue. anyway, reviews would be gladly appreciated! thanks for the alerts!