Hey guys. This chapter is a little longer than all of my other chapters. I hope you guys like it.

"Mum?" Hermione called as she entered the foyer to the house that afternoon. The last lesson of the day had gone without hitch – if Draco shooting periodic glares at her was 'going smoothly'. "Mum?" she tried again as she moved further into the house. What she didn't expect to find was her mum crying over the sink, her hands submerged under soapy water.

In the past few months, her mum crying had become pretty commonplace. Hermione couldn't blame her mum for crying or for not wanting to be strong anymore. Her father had left them, and while the wounds were still raw, Caleb had arrived and had pushed Hermione and her mum over the brink of 'bad' and further into what could be described as living hell.

"H-he called."

Hermione was going to ask who, but it was pretty obvious. There were only two people who could have this affect on her family, and she doubted it was Caleb. "What did h-h-he say?" they were talking about her father. The man who she hadn't heard from in over a month.

"He wants you to go and live with him in Spain."

Hermione couldn't help the way her features twisted into an ugly scowl. "I d-don't want to."

"Maybe it would be best," she couldn't believe what her mother was saying. Hermione tried to convince herself that it was the stress that was ruling her poor judgement over the situation. "I mean, staying here will just remind you of everything that has happened."

"I can get better..." Hermione trailed off as her mother walked towards her, her mother grabbed her face in her hands and pulled her into her chest as Hermione spoke again, "I will get better!"

"Hermione, honey, none of this is your fault. he..." she couldn't bring herself to say his name, in her opinion he didn't even deserve to have a name after what he had done to her child...her little girl. "This is all his fault."

"Please don't send me away." Her mother pushed her away and held her at arm's length. She wiped the tears off her daughters face – and her own – and fixed a fake smile in place.

"You need to get cleaned up...something nice." Her mother smiled and pulled jokingly on the lip of her cap. "We have to go out tonight, potential client."

"And why do I have to be there."

"It's either you or a date," Her mother laughed shortly, "And since I am fresh out of men, you'll have to do."

"Oh, I see how highly I am sought after!" she yelled over the banister as she ran up the stairs.

"NICELY!" her mother called after her, but her daughter was already out of sight. Her mother exited the kitchen and left the washing up drip drying on the sideboard.

"Hermione! Are you ready!" as her daughter walked down the stairs, her mother smiled. This was the first time in months that she had seen Hermione take a pride in her appearance. Her dress was maybe a little short – on both ends – but she still looked like a movie star.

"How do I look?" she asked as her heel clicked on to the stone walkway that led to the foyer.

Her mother was basically beaming as she looked her over, "Stunning, as always."

"So who are we meeting tonight?"

"His name is Mr. Zabini...apparently he has a son about your age."

"You don't say." If Hermione had know that her and her mother were going to be meeting with one of the idiots that she had met today, she would have refused to go. And there was a good chance that she would have put on something a lot more decent as there was a high chance that Blaise Zabini would be there too.

This was just dandy! Perfect! Spectacular! Everything that Hermione dreamed of. And to make matters worse, she would have to stick to the snarky, rude, 'I can stick up for myself' cover that she had adopted that morning at school. In front of her mother! Ah-may-zing!

"What?" she shook her head and followed her mother out of the door, it would just be better if her mother didn't know what had happened between her and Mr. Zabini – juniors – best friend.

The car left them at the end of the long driveway, her mother told the driver that she would call when she needed him to pick them up. She left her mother admiring the extravagant patio and walked towards the open door. There was a maid standing there waiting to take their jackets.

"Good evening." The girl – who looked barely older than Hermione herself – greeted them and waved her hand to motion her forwards into the wide foyer. There were pots with flowers, pictures of happy looking family members and a rather familiar looking blond haired man standing off to the side.

She eventually realised who he looked like. Or rather where his son got his features from. Draco Malfoy's father nodded in her direction and then walked closer to her. "You must be..." he trailed off, clearly not having a clue in the slightest who the crap she was.

"Hermione Granger," she smiled and noticed that he was slicking his hair back and rubbing his chin with one hand. "And you must be Mr. Malfoy!" his head snapped away from oogling one of the blond bimbo's she had passed on her way in and locked eyes with her.

"And how does a pretty young thing like you know who I am?" he asked, and that was at the exact same moment as the Draco Malfoy – in all his arsehole-ish glory – decided to make an appearance.

"Why are you talking to her?" he demanded, as he turned to glare at her.

"I had the pleasure of meeting you son earlier today." If Draco's father had caught her sarcasm, he didn't comment. Though, she could see Draco's jaw visibly tense.

"Hermione, it's nice to see you." She felt a hand snake around her waist and pull her out of Malfoy's reachable distance. Blaise.

"Blaise." Hermione spoke frostily, though Blaise didn't seem to realise or care.

"Mr. Malfoy, did you see that Miss. Granger's mother – of Granger's Limited – just walked in?" the senior Malfoy took one look at Hermione's mother and then hurried over to her. "Now, Draco..." He turned to his best mate. "If you can't be at least cordial, I will have to ask you to leave."

"Miss. Granger." Malfoy gave her a tight smile, "Who looks like a low end prostitute." He muttered as he stalked away.

Blaise turned her to face him, "If you tell anyone about this, then I will have to deny it – because I have to stick with Draco – but he's being a real dick to you."

"Thanks." She smiled and he took her hand.

"Can I get you a drink, Ms. Granger?" He smiled and held her left hand in his and his right hand on her hip, as he walked her over to a drinks bar. "Vodka for the lady, and I'll have a beer." He waved her protests at the strong drink away, muttering that 'she could use it after Draco, and it was a Friday night' and he thrust the drink in to her hand.

"Hello dear," Her mother's hand lifted the small shot glass from her daughters hand as she was about to pour the contents into her mouth, and Hermione watched her mother knock the drink back instead. "You know what happened last time, honey."

She was right. Hermione shouldn't have let that happen. Hadn't she already learnt that no boy has good intentions when it comes to handing a girl liquor and getting her drunk. "I'm sorry mother."

"Just watch what you are drinking dear."

Hermione nodded and looked down at her shoes. She could hear her mother's footsteps retreating, but she couldn't face looking up into Blaise's eyes and seeing the questions that he would, without doubt, want her to answer.

"Hermione," he spoke softly and moved his hand from where it rested on her hip, "I shouldn't have pushed that drink on you." She was shocked that he wasn't asking questions. "I'm sorry."

"What were you trying to do Blaise?" Malfoy had obviously seen the whole affair, "Get the virgin drunk and try to get her to sleep with you?" Draco took a step towards them, "I doubt she needs to be drunk, give her a hundred pounds and she'd be yours for a night."

"Say that again Malfoy!" she took a step towards him, "I dare you."

"Prostitute." He laughed, Blaise was standing there watching them, "Tramp, skank." He smirked, running a hand from her belly button up through the vally between her breasts and he came to rest at the tip of her chin, lifting her face and slanting it so her neck was exposed.

Her surprise, and outrage, at him having the audacity to touch her, made her quiver in fury. He misread this action and mused out loud, "Wow, you really are a slut."

"Get your hand off me." Her voice was low, even and calm. And that scared the shit out of Malfoy, even more than if she had shouted. Her hand looped into a belt loop on his trousers and she pulled him closer, obstructing the view of what she was about to do.

Her hand traced the line of his zip, her fingers exerting the smallest amount of pressure over the area. She felt his breathing rate increase and him twitch. "Now who's the whore?" She smirked as she tightened her grip painfully. He winced and started cursing.

He had walked right into that one. "Now, the next time you try to molest me, I will rip your balls from your body." She smiled, totally innocently, and then released him. He waited until she had walked away before he grasped for Blasie and collapsed onto the floor.

"Such a fucking bitch."

"You started it dude." Blaise – his so called best friend – turned his back and walked away from the guy pressing himself on to the cool tiles of the floor.

"Oh and Malfoy." He hadn't heard her come back, he was more focused on the burning sensation between his legs. She bent down so she could whisper, and as he looked up he caught an amazing view of her red, silk knickers. "Come one honey, smile for me." She used her thumb to pull one side of his mouth up into a smile. "You may want to get up, because our parents want to see us, and it just won't do to have you lying on the floor."

"Fuck you." He strained to get even that much out as he hoisted himself – with her assistance, though he would deny it if anyone asked – off the floor. But his rudeness just made her burst out laughing. "You are going to hell."

"As long as you aren't there." She helped him to stand and watched him loosen his tie. She pulled the tie apart and helped him redo it. She always had a habit of helping someone after she was a bitch to them.

"Why are you helping me?" He asked and she laughed.

"Don't think it is because I think you are a good person, because I still think you are a complete arsehole, but we going to see my mother together, me and you, and you look like you have been dragged through a bush – backwards – and I have been with you." His eyebrows rose in question, he didn't get what she was saying. "If you looked at us right now, objectively of course, what would you think we had been doing?"

"Oh."

"Yes, it looks like we just had a roll in the hay," she buttoned up his suit jacket to hide the rumpled shirt from when he had dropped to the ground, and pulled his tie tight. "And that just won't do. Fix your hair." She said tartly – returning to the bitch that she was a few minutes ago – and walking away.

"Hermione, dear." Her mother greeted her warmly. "Where's the Mr. Malfoy?"

"Present." Hermione turned to look at him, but he placed an arm around her waist and kept her facing forwards.

"Good." Draco's father appraised the two teenagers in front of him.

"Honey, I think we should go." Her mother was looking at her and Draco, a shocked/horrified expression flickering on her face before she expertly composed herself. "Now." She snarled and she turned to the senior Malfoy. "We will see you tomorrow to discuss the last few details."

"Night babe." Draco pressed his lips to Hermione's cheek and gave her a chaste kiss. Her mother looked as sick as she was feeling. Her mother turned and walked out of the hall and motioned for her daughter to follow.

Draco's father had disappeared with some girl who was only a few years older that Draco himself – no wonder he had some issues, his father made plays for young girls while his mother was in the same house! – and so her expression was free to morph into distaste and he allowed her to face him.

His appearance was even worse than before she had sorted him out. His tie hanging loose around his neck was the least of her problems. Hus shirt was un-tucked from his black dress trousers and half of the buttons were undone. His hair was all rumpled and his zipper was undone.

"Really?" Was all she could manage to hiss. "This is low even for you!"

"Honey,"

"You can't call me that!"

"Sexy!" I just asked for that one! Hermione thought as she glared at him.

"Have you been an arse for your whole life?" Hermione glared at him, "Or is it just making an appearance for me?"

"Oh, you bring out the best in me!"

"Couldn't you just take a day off from being a jerk?"

"What would be the fun in that?" He took a step closer to her, and she mirrored him by taking a generous step back.

"If I ever tell you that you are nice, or cool..." She trailed off as she pulled him closer by his loosened tie and brushed her lips against his ear, making him shiver, "I'm lying!" she pushed him roughly away and turned to walk away.

"Babe, don't be like that!" He yelled after her, "I promised to pay!"

"All the money in the world couldn't buy an abominable shit like you, a night with me," she turned to look at the crowd who had assembled to watch their escapade.

"That wasn't what you were screaming twenty minutes ago." He smirked and all the heads in the crowd turned to see her reaction.

"Yeah, that's because I was screaming 'get the fuck off me!'" she smiled. "Or was it because I was screaming for more?"

"Clearly the latter."

"But," she laughed, "That only happened because he was about an inch big and lasted all of two minutes." she looked directly at him and smirked, "Blaise was so much bigger."

"Oh, you did it with my best friend."

She held a finger to her cheek, "Well, you were very unsatisfactory!"

"Don't you two bring me into this!" Blaise had rushed into the circle that the crowd had made; this was probably the most interesting thing that these people had seen in their whole lives. Instead of this being between a girl and her lover, there was now someone else. This was turning from a lovers spat, to more of a soap show storyline.

She was surprised people hadn't started to bring popcorn.

And enter Asotria Greengrass. No argument is complete without a jealous girlfriend – even if this girlfriend wouldn't get the hint that she wasn't wanted!

"You did what?" And enter Astoria's brain...oh wait, that would never happen, she doesn't have one! Hermione laughed in her head at her thoughts.

She heard Draco laughing; maybe she had said that out loud. Well, she hadn't said anything that wasn't true. "Honey," she turned to Astoria, "Just because your boyfriend can't keep it inside his pants, doesn't mean it is my fault!"

"You're such a bitch!"

"Don't hate me because I'm sexy and everyone wants me, dear," Hermione laughed, "Hate me because your boyfriend wants me more than he wants you."

And with that she left the room. Everyone watched her go without saying anything. That was until Astoria opened her mouth, "What was she talking about?"

Hermione was thankful that her mother was already in the car before her and Malfoy had started their argument. She was going to have to see him tomorrow too, and she was going to have to explain Malfoy's look to her mother.

"I thought we were done with you looking and acting like a tramp?" Her mother hadn't even waited for the door to shut before turning on her daughter.

"I didn't do anything!" she ignored the comment from her mother; she knew that she deserved it. She shouldn't have even got herself near that situation. Her mother had been through so much for her, she deserved a better daughter.

"You two just looked like you rolled in from bed!"

"Where was the bed mother?" Hermione was growing angry; her mother should listen to her if she told her that she hadn't been doing anything. "Unless we rolled around on the dining room table with people watching, where do you think we went?"

"I'm sorry..." Her mother looked defeated. There was too much circling through her head. She had seen the boy and had jumped to conclusions. She had to keep reminding herself that not all guys were like Caleb. "I shouldn't have thought so lowly of you."

"No, I'm sorry." Hermione looked at her mother, "I'm turning back into my old self...I'm becoming a skank again!"

"No...no, honey...no you're not." Her mother moved closer to her daughter and put an arm around her. "You don't have to worry anymore. He can't get you now."

"What if I never find a good guy?" Hermione felt tears. She hated being so weak. "What if all the guy I like are like him?" she swiped away the tears with a free hand.

"You just have to remember that there are good guys out there, you just have to keep looking." Her mother sighed. Lord knows that she had never found one of these so-called good guys.

"There is something else I have to tell you..." She had better tell her mother about their very public argument before someone else told her. "Well, I was angry at Malfoy for doing what he did, and making you upset..."

"What did you do?"

"We may have gotten a little loud, sexual innuendoes were flying, people were listening."

"So you basically told everyone that you slept around?" Hermione felt her mother was being way too calm. "I may have been in the same situation a few times."

"You?"

"Don't act so surprised!" Her mother glared. "I was feisty in my day!"

"Sure." They both laughed as they got out of the car.

Ok, so what did you think? Please review and tell me. I will try to update as soon as I can :)!

Kate xx

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