CHAPTER 8

Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.
No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone.

You hold me without touch.
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your reign.

Sara Bareilles - Gravity.

Hermione opened eyes, the bed was cold he was gone as he was supposed to. It was in the middle of the night, the clock was ticking. 12am. She didn't know what to do, she sat up and hugged herself. Is this how it was going to be from now on? I wonder how was Draco's date with Cassie..

Over at 12 Carrington Avenue, Draco Malfoy was restless. He couldn't sleep. He just had his date with Cassie but things didn't go as well as he thought it would be. Why did things turn out this way? Shifting and turning he tried to force himself to fall asleep. He would talk to Hermione about this tomorrow.

(Hours ago)

Draco woke up entangled in Hermione. He stared at her sleeping form, her oval face was so exquisite. He kissed her forehead. Something stirred in his heart. Why am I feeling this? I have to leave. It's time to meet Cassie.

He moved softly across the bed, careful not to wake Hermione. Walking slowly across the room to get to the door, he cast one last look at her, for some reason he felt sad to leave.

Looking at himself for the last time in the mirror Draco composed himself before he apparated to Cassie's Manor. 745pm, am I too early? Will I seem too desperate? Malfoys are never nervous, always confident and never unsure of themselves. He reminded himself as he made his way to the manor.

Taking a breath before he knocked on the door, Draco prepped himself for his date. He was wearing his best dress robe, after all he was famous for being impeccable in his dressing. He lifted his hand up to knock when a house elf opened the door, "Master Malfoy, welcome to the Winsland Manor. Miss is waiting for you in the living room. This way please Master." The house elf bowed low and motioned him to follow him. Draco muttered a thanks and followed the elf to where Cassie was. He found her sitting in the lounge, looking at her nails. She jumped when she saw him, flashing him a shy smile.

Draco was in awe, Cassie was wearing white again. It seemed to be her favorite color, and it complimented her features perfectly. Her blond hair was styled with big loose curls, her makeup light because her electric blue eyes and long lashes were all she needed. Her dress was fitting, sleeveless with a low V-neckline that was sexy but elegant at the same time. She looked captivating and she was smiling at him.

"Hey you." She said.

Draco grinned, extending an arm out to her he said "Shall we?"

He decided to bring her to an Italian restaurant that was famous amongst the high society and also because it was his favorite. He was sure that she would appreciate Italian fine dining. They were so similar so he assumed that they would share the same tastes.

The waiter brought them to their table which was a private area at the back of the restaurant. He pulled out her chair for her like a gentleman, she smiled at him.

They chatted throughout the dinner, sharing with each other bits and pieces of their lives. Draco was relived to find that Cassie was exactly who he thought she was. She had occasionally reached for his hand and rested her small hand on top of his when the conversation got deeper and Draco was hesitant on showing his feelings to her. He felt glad that she didn't probe. He even shared with Cassie his friendship with Hermione.

When it was time to go, Draco settled the bill and suggested that they go for a walk before heading back. Cassie took the chance to hold onto his arm as they strolled along the streets. They chanced upon a park and decided to settle down on a bench.

"Thank you for tonight Draco. It's been so long since I had the chance to decide for myself who I want to date and who I want to be with. My parents.. they can be so controlling at times. Every date that they arrange for me always felt like a business arrangement for them and I feel more like an asset than a daughter." She said after a while. "When I told them I was going to meet you they were more than willing to let me go." She laughed.

Draco laughed too, he thought of Lucius and how much he would approve of their union if he were still alive.

"Parents like ours always assumed they know what's best for us Cassie. But we have the choice to choose who we want to love. They can't decide that for us. Not anymore." He said softly, he didn't want to think of his father so he placed his attention back on Cassie. "But didn't I see you with somebody at the club last time?" He asked.

"Oh you mean Gregory? He's a muggle-born but he's gay, I was dancing with him to piss my cousins off. I wanted to send a message to my parents, I've been doing that for awhile now. They have to understand that they can't control me anymore. And also I kissed him to make you jealous." She smirked and Draco grinned.

"Make me jealous? I didn't know you knew who I was." He was curious now.

"I saw you at your mother's party, and I thought you looked cute. And everyone knows who you are Draco. You're like a celebrity in our world Draco." She was moving closer now.

"Oh you thought I was cute? But isn't that obvious already? I'm adorable." He smirked at her, shifting his face closer to hers.

"Yes Draco you are. So am I a choice? Your choice?" Her nose was against his nose now. Draco took in the last bit of proximity and moved in, "Yes Cassie you are." And he kissed her.

Then there was nothing.

He could feel her soft lips against his, he thought that the kiss would spell fireworks but there was nothing. It felt like a decent kiss but nothing more. He opened his mouth to explore hers, hoping to feel something more but that was it. It was like kissing a friend.

Cassie pulled back, from the look of her face she felt the same.

"Em well that was odd." She had a confused look on her face. Draco nodded.

"Is there someone else?" She asked, surprised that for the first time she had failed to attract someone.

"No there isn't.." He couldn't give her a straight face, he thought of Hermione but disregarded it eventually because they didn't even have feelings for each other.

"Okay.. em I probably should go. Thanks for the dinner Draco, I'll.. I'll see you soon!" She stood up in a rush, embarrassed and still confused over the kiss.

"Goodbye Draco and goodnight." She wanted to hug him but decided not to, so she left him there, sitting by himself pondering over what was missing in that kiss.

He didn't know he had given his heart to someone else already.

Hermione woke up at 8 the next day and prepared herself for work. She had two hours before she was expected to be there as it was a Sunday.

Draco was still in her thoughts but she decided there was nothing she could do but to stick to the arrangement. She was staring into space at her kitchen counter, her kettle was whistling but she didn't hear a sound.

"Goodness Granger, your kettle's screaming at you." A voice caught her by surprise, shaking her out of the trance.

"What screaming - Oh shoot." She stood up to turn off the stove. With her back to him she tried to regain her composure before she faced him. In her mind she was expecting Draco to be full of smiles, excited even to share with her the details of his date. It would kill her if he told her they kissed on their first date. Everything but this.

She turned around and was shocked. He looked troubled and irritated. Hmm did the date didn't go well?

"Thanks, the kettle was killing me." Draco grumbled, sitting down on a stool opposite her.

"Well you look horrible, should I make you coffee? Black right?"

"Yes please, that's the color of my mood now." He joked.

Hmm if he's joking maybe the date did went well, maybe he's just tired from all the sex with Cassie. Hermione frowned. She whispered a spell to make the coffee taste extra extra bitter. I hope you can taste the bitterness of my mood now humph.

She placed the cup infront of him and sipped her tea. He spat out the coffee.

"What the hell did you put inside the coffee Hermione, polyjuice? Am I going to turn into Weasley now, I will hex you if you do, I mean it."

She laughed out loud, his face was so contorted it was almost ugly if Draco could even come close to ugly.

"That was a very lousy prank you did Granger, I thought we were friends." He said sourly and frowned.

Hermione moved to stand next to him, and as if it was the normal thing to do she hugged him and kissed his forehead, "Why the frown my friend, so tell me what happened last night?"

Draco flinched as she kissed him, even though it was just at the forehead he could feel himself feeling flushed. He turned towards her and told her about what happened. He was smiling though when he told her about the dinner and all the things that they shared with each other. Hermione was feeling that familiar ache in her heart again seeing him smile as he talked about Cassie, she was tuning him out when she heard about the kiss.

"And we kissed. But there was nothing you know. I felt nothing. It's ridiculous, I know I'm crazy about the girl but how could I have felt nothing? I've been trying to get her for weeks." He was frustrated but not as frustrated as the girl standing before him. He didn't see her frown or looked sad or withdrawn. He was just so blind.

"Well maybe you just didn't like her enough. Or she didn't like you enough. Maybe you should go on another date with her, plan something nicer, make things more romantic?" Hermione wanted to slap herself as the words flowed out of her mouth. Damn Hermione, you didn't have to be a know-it-all now! Stop planning your funeral.

"That's a good idea Hermione! Yea I probably shouldn't give up now. It's just the first date. Em thanks." He stood up and emptied the coffee down his throat, making another contorted face before he kissed her on the cheek and said "The coffee's horrible but I always appreciate all the things you do for me Hermione, even if you're trying to poison me. See you later?" She nodded and he rushed off, disappearing with a Pop!

Hermione sighed, damn her stupid over helpful brain.

A week passed and Hermione found herself at work, falling sleeping as she read through the paperwork done for the day. She was about to call it a day when a very angry Draco Malfoy stomped into her office.

"Fucking morons. How can they be so stupid? I have fucking idiots working for me. Oh my god if I weren't first in the line for Azkaban I would have avada their fucking asses off."

She was about to reply when he advanced on her and starting kissing her, silencing her office with wandless magic.

And just like that it became a routine for them, when one of them were upset about something they would find the other and have sex. Things almost became normal for the both of them even though Hermione had to endure Draco updating her about his status with Cassie. She was fine with it as she had learnt to separate her feelings with the physical attraction. Friends with benefits, nothing more nothing less. But she was starting to fall in love with Draco, she could feel it in her heart.

Everytime he touched her she knew that it was more than physical attraction but she kept quiet, she would accept this arrangement till she couldn't take it anymore.

Until one day he showed up at her house, his face was dark, he was.. sad. He had dreamt about his father again. The letter remained unopened in the family heirloom. He walked over to Hermione where she was sitting on the couch and grabbed her hand, leading her to the bedroom.

Hermione sighed.

It wasn't the first time this happened.

Carefully, she turned to her side and watched the body which laid next to her, sleeping peacefully without a hitch. Breathing, his chest rising and sinking. She wanted to reach out and tug away the stray blonde hair that fell across his face, but she couldn't. She wouldn't.. Slowly she retracted her fingers and laid them across her heart. Feeling it pound furiously beneath her skin.

She thought back to what happened a few hours before..

"Draco.. Please. Now." She whispered between rushed breaths. There was only so much control before she lost it completely to him.

He smirked and kiss her neck gently. Without saying anything he slipped inside her and made her cry out his name repeatedly until both managed to find their own release and collapse upon their worn-out bodies. He fell asleep immediately but Hermione.. she pretended to fall asleep. There was panic in her eyes as she thought of how she nearly told him she loved him during sex. This.. wasn't the first time she felt like screaming it out loud, without a care about their "arrangement". But she was clear what was laid out on the table when they agreed to do this, it was just sex. Friends with benefits.

Sex.

It was just sex… wasn't it?

She turned her back to him and stared into space as she felt that familiar pain in her heart when she felt him stir in his sleep as he absent-mindedly pulled her closer and draped a limp arm across her waist.

"Go to sleep Hermione."

He kissed the back of her neck and Hermione closed her eyes as a lone tear found its way down her cheek.

Hermione decided she will talk to him tomorrow. They have to end this arrangement now. Reality was chasing up to her, things were starting to get serious between Draco and Cassie, he had showed signs of getting together with her. She couldn't fake a smile about that anymore.

It was now or never.

AN: Thanks for the reviews guys! I've decided to speed things up abit. I'm getting a little anxious about the tension between them too.