Chapter Ten: Wide awake
"Thunder rumbling, castles crumbling, I am trying to hold on. God knows that I tried seeing the bright side I'm not blind anymore. I wish I knew then, what I know now, wouldn't dive in, and wouldn't bow down. Gravity hurts you made it so sweet, 'til I woke up on the concrete. Falling from cloud nine, I'm crashing from the high, I'm letting go tonight, I'm wide awake..." (Wide awake by Katy Perry)
oOo
The Burrow - Ottery, St. Catchpole - Devon, England – 8:04 A.M
"What in the world happened to your face Ronald?" Molly asked aghast, as her son sauntered in.
Ron groaned and sat himself on one of the couches.
Molly hastily padded towards her son and leaned forward; she lifted his bruised face towards her and studied his bloodied eye. "I'm asking you Ronald, what happened to your face?" she asked again.
Ronald winced; "Arry..." he croaked.
Molly frowned; "I'm sorry?" she asked.
Ron sighed and moved his face away from his mother; "Harry..." he said clearly.
Molly's eyes widen in surprise; "Harry? Our Harry?" she asked.
Ron nodded.
Molly bit her lower lip and moved towards the other side of the couch; she sat down and placed her hands on her lap. "Is this about what you did to Hermione?"
Ronald kept silent.
Molly sighed; "We can't blame Harry you know, she's practically his sister" she said.
Ron didn't answer but leaned back on the couch; he inclined his head and closed his eyes. "I know" he murmured.
Molly took another look at her son and sighed; "Do you want me to fix that?" she asked gesturing towards his face.
Ron shook his head.
Molly then stood up and began padding towards the kitchen; "Have you had breakfast? Do you want me to fix something?" she asked.
"Just pumpkin juice" Ron murmured.
Molly nodded.
oOo
Rangali Island - Maldives Island – 12:02 P.M
"Draco I'm so hungry, can we eat already?" Hermione whined petulantly as she stood behind him.
Draco turned his face towards his companion; "Just give me a moment, I'll just pay for this and we can go" he said.
Hermione nodded; she then turned towards the busy streets and crossed her arms on top of her chest.
Draco shook his head and turned towards the vendor; "Shukuriyya, please keep the change" he said upon accepting the parcel. "We can go now, I'm done"
"Finally! It's sweltering hot here!" Hermione huffed.
"We're in the Pacific, of course it is hot" Draco said a matter-of-factly.
Hermione rolled her eyes; "So, where can we eat?" she asked.
Draco looked thoughtful for a couple of seconds; "What do you want to eat?" he asked.
"Anything that's considered as food will be alright" Hermione replied.
Draco surveyed his surroundings; "Anything is alright, you say?" he asked.
"Yes" Hermione replied.
Draco smirked; "Okay, let's go then" he said. He then grabbed her arm and began pulling her towards the other side of the street.
Hermione followed him silently; after a couple of minutes of silence she slowed her pace. "Err, Malfoy, why are heading towards an alley?" she asked perplexedly.
Draco turned towards her; "We need to apparate to the place I have in mind and we can't apparate in the middle of the street in broad daylight" he said.
Hermione resumed her pace; "Where are we going anyway?" she asked.
"To favourite Brunch spot here in this island" Draco replied.
"And where would that be?"
Draco stopped in front of a dark alley and began surveying his surroundings, when he was satisfied that nobody can see them; he offered his free hand to her. "We need to do side-along, we better hurry or someone might walk in on us" he said.
Hermione placed her hand in his and moved closer; she then stood beside him and took a deep breath. "Let's get this over with" she said.
Draco shook his head with an amused smile painted on his lip; "So trusting Granger, aren't you a little bit scared that I might take you somewhere else and have my wicked ways with you?" he teased.
Hermione eyed him and smirked; "I doubt that Malfoy, I don't think you'd risk your pretty ferret arse" she replied.
Draco smiled slyly; "Careful Granger, you already called me pretty there. Don't make me think that you're already falling in love with my charms" he countered.
Hermione's eyes widen as her jaw dropped.
Draco took one look at her and burst out laughing.
Hermione was about to retort when she felt a familiar tugging at her bellybutton.
Draco flicked his wand and their off to their destination.
oOo
Brown's Cottage - Surrey, England – 9:15 A.M
"Poppet, I already spoke with Ronald's mother, she extended an invitation this afternoon for tea" Leila Brown said.
Lavender's eyes widen as her head snapped towards her mother's figure; "What do you mean Mum?" she asked.
Leila sat at the foot of her daughter's bed and crossed her legs; "I owled her yesterday and I just received confirmation this morning" she explained.
Lavender gathered her knees to her chest and leaned her chin on top of it; "Why did you that Mum? Ronald and I are through" she said sulkily.
Leila furrowed her brows; "What do you mean your through?" she asked.
Lavender averted her gaze and began fiddling with her blanket; "We're never seeing each other again, he's still in love with someone else" she said.
Leila waived her hand dismissively; "Nonsense! If he's still in love with her then things wouldn't have happened between the two of you" she said.
Lavender groaned as she felt her face flush in embarrassment; "MUM! Nothing happened between us!" she lied.
Leila rolled her eyes as she stood up; "I was not born yesterday Poppet" she said. She then began walking towards the door and grabbed the door knob; "Something happened between the two of you and your Dad and I won't let him renounce his responsibility easily" she said. She then turned towards her gaping daughter and let out a sly smile; "You'll get your man Poppet, Merlin knows how long you have been carrying his torch" she said before leaving.
Lavender stared at her Mother's disappearing back with trepidation; "What did you get yourself into Lavender?" she asked herself.
oOo
Atoll Market - Conrad Ranalifinolhu Hotels and Resorts, Rangali Island, Maldives – 12:02 P.M
Hermione felt her feet hit the ground as a loud sound of apparition resounded inside a large room. She felt her arm being grabbed firmly as she gathered her bearings.
"Are you alright?" Draco asked.
"I really hate side long apparition" Hermione said.
Draco chuckled; "Look at the brighter side, next time we come here, you can apparate by yourself" he said jovially.
Hermione ignored him and began observing her surroundings; "Where are we? Where is the food?" she asked.
Draco smiled; "Food won't be served in this dingy room Granger, we have to walk to another room, and this is just their travel room you know" he said.
Hermione's eye widen; "WOW. This is not dingy at all Malfoy, this place is bigger than my room" she said in awe. "Where are we?" she asked.
Draco rolled his eyes and began tugging at her arm; "Come on, I know how hungry you are" he said while guiding her towards the double doors. He pushed it open and began ushering them both inside a grand hall; "Welcome to Conrad Ranalifinolhu Hotels and Resorts" he said proudly.
Hermione felt her jaw drop as she stared at the lavish centrepiece; she then turned towards her companion and stared at him incredulously. "You took me here for Brunch? We're eating at Hilton Hotels?"
Draco raised his brow; "Err, yes, per se" he replied.
Hermione furrowed her brows; waiting for him to explain further.
"Well I had reservations at Atoll Market for our brunch, it's still inside the property but on the other side" Draco explained.
Hermione just blinked.
Draco tugged her arm again and began guiding her again towards the hotel's exit; "Let's go now, I'm famished" he said.
Hermione shook her head and followed his large steps; "If I had known you will take me into this kind of place I should've dressed properly" she mumbled.
Draco laughed heartily but continued leading her towards the pool area; "If I told you, then you would've thrown a fit" he replied.
Hermione huffed and ignored his comments.
Draco then turned right and halted Hermione's steps; "We're here" he said.
The door was pulled open and automatically they were greeted by a burly Asian man in pink button down shirt and black dress pants; "Welcome to Atoll Market Mr. Malfoy, we already have your table prepared if you can just follow me" he said.
"Please call me Draco, Aren. Don't be so formal" Draco said jovially.
Aren smiled shyly and began ushering them towards the table; once they reached it, he hastily moved towards the back of the chair facing the blue landscape and pulled it, waiting for the lady to sit.
Hermione was momentarily shaken from her amazement when Draco nudged her arm; she then noticed Aren's gesture and hastily moved towards it.
Draco took the chair adjacent to her companion's seat and settles his parcel on the other chair juxtaposes to his.
"Let me just get you both some refreshment's and I'll be back with a server that will take your orders" Aren said.
"Thank you Aren" Hermione replied.
"Thank you" Draco echoed.
Aren bowed and began walking away.
Once Aren was out of sight she turned towards Draco; "Do you come here often?" she asked.
"I do, Mum and I used to visit here often every time we're here" Draco replied.
Hermione nodded; she then began surveying her surroundings. "That explains why your familiar with the staff, I still can't believe you took me here to eat" she said disbelievingly.
"The food here is awesome" Draco shrugged.
Aren came back with his hands laden with a huge silver tray; he then carefully grasped the first glass and placed it in front of Hermione. "It's sweltering hot outside, this would be perfect" he said. He then turned towards Draco and served him his glass.
Draco gingerly plucked the tall glass from the table and took a sip; "Thank you Aren this is terrific" he said.
Hermione eyed the glass with interest.
Aren noticed her reaction and took it upon himself to explain; "This is fresh coconut water Ms. Granger" he said.
"Oh!" Hermione then gently lifted the glass from the table and took a long sip.
Aren smiled; he then gestured towards the waiter behind him and took a step back. "This is Seyun, he will be your server for today, he will take your order and please don't hesitate to call on me Mr—Draco, if you need anything" he said.
Draco turned towards Aren and smiled; "Thank you Aren" he said.
Aren bowed and began walking away.
Seyun took a step forward and bowed; "Good Afternoon Mr. Malfoy and Ma'am, my name is Seyun and I'll be serving you today" he said. He then carefully offered the menu and stood still.
Hermione accepted the menu and began perusing it, Draco did the same. After a couple of minutes Hermione lowered her menu and stared at Draco uncertainly. Draco understood her look and turned towards the server; "We'll have Dhon Riha, Fihunu Kukulhu and Kaliya Birinji" he said.
"Excellent choice" Seyun said while taking note.
Draco then lowered his menu and stared at Hermione; "What would you like to drink?" he asked.
Hermione thought of a couple of seconds and asked; "What did you order?"
"Tuna Curry, Roasted Chicken and Rice" Draco replied.
"I'll just have water then," Hermione replied.
Draco nodded; he then turned towards Seyun. "Add two bottled water, please" he said.
"Is there anything else Sir?" Seyun asked.
Draco turned towards the menu again; "Do you want dessert Hermione?" he asked.
Hermione bit her lip; "What do you recommend?" she asked Draco.
"How about Ambu Pudding?" Draco asked.
Hermione raised her brow; "I don't speak Maldivian Draco" she said.
"Oh" Draco said. "I'm sorry, it's basically Mango Pudding" he clarified.
"That sounds delicious"
Draco then turned towards Seyun; "We'll also have Ambu Pudding for dessert" he said while closing the menu.
Seyun cautiously gathered the menu in his hand and bowed; "We'll have your order in a few minutes, please enjoy your drinks" he said before leaving.
Hermione took a sip of his coco water; "This is the first time I tasted this and I love it" she said.
Draco copied her actions and nodded; "Just wait till you taste their cocktails, they have the best" he said.
Hermione raised her brow; "Really? Do they serve it here?" she asked curiously.
"It's early to drink Granger, we'll have boost later"
Hermione smirked; "We're not finish with this and you're asking me again for another date? My, my, Malfoy, I'm beginning to think you like me" she teased.
Draco stared at her for a couple of seconds and burst out laughing; he then placed his drink on top of the table and smiled widely. "You're still a fast learner Granger, I'm impressed" he said.
Hermione then puffed her chest out proudly; "I'm learning from the best" she said.
"You bet you are" Draco replied.
oOo
"Millie? Millie are you here?" Pansy called out.
Millicent groaned.
Pansy frowned as she stepped out of the grate; she then moved towards the huge couch and leaned forward. "What in the world are you doing down there?" she asked.
Millicent groaned again and tried hefting her upper body up; "Watyoudoinir?" she slurred.
"You're drunk again!" Pansy accused.
Millicent ignored her reaction and let her body fall back on the carpet.
Pansy braised her hands on her hips and studied her friend; she let out an exasperated sigh and pointed her wand the slumped figure. "I'll need to sober you up Millie, this would not be pleasant" she warned.
Millicent just groaned.
Pansy muttered the sobering spell and waited for its effects.
Millicent winced; "Bloody buggering hell!" she shrieked.
Pansy smirked and crossed her arms on top of her chest.
Millicent sat up and began rubbing her eyes, smearing her mascara further.
"You look like a panda, do you know?" Pansy said.
Millicent's head snapped towards her friend; "When did you arrive? What time is it?" she croaked.
Pansy began tapping her wand against her arm; "It's almost noon" she said. She then gestured towards the empty vodka bottles; "Seems like you had fun last night" she said.
Millicent hauled herself from the floor and sat down on the couch; "Please sit down Pansy, your making me dizzy just by standing there" she said.
Pansy obliged; she walked towards the adjacent couch and sat down.
Millicent braised her elbows on top of her knees and buried her face into her palms.
Pansy observed her best friend and sighed; "You need to stop this Millie...you're just hurting yourself..." she said.
Millicent raised her face defiantly towards Pansy; "I'm not doing anything wrong, I just indulged myself last night" she said.
Pansy crossed her legs and huffed; "Enjoying? Seems like you've been over indulging, two litre's? I think you're off you rocker" she surmised.
"Stop over reacting Pans," Millicent said. She then leaned back on her couch and sniffed; "So, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I'm just checking on you" Pansy replied.
"You don't need to check on me you know, I'm fine" Millicent said while averting her best friend's inquisitive gaze.
"Are you really?" Pansy asked softly.
"Of course I am"
Pansy just maintained her gaze and kept silent.
"Why are you staring at me? Stop staring Pans" Millicent said.
Pansy just shrugged her shoulders.
Millicent eyed her for a couple of seconds and raised her hands in surrender; "Okay...I'm not that okay, okay!" she admitted.
"I thought so" Pansy replied. "What will you about it?" she asked.
"Honestly?"
Pansy raised her brow.
"I haven't thought about it..." Millicent said truthfully.
Pansy began fiddling with her wand again.
Millicent eyed her for a couple of seconds; "Out with it, I know you have thought about something" she said.
Pansy smirked; "You know me so well" she said.
Millicent shook her head; "We've known each other since we wore nappies of course I know your devious look" she said.
Pansy laughed.
"So?"
Pansy uncrossed her legs and leaned forward; "Well, you can hex his balls again for starters" she offered.
Millicent furrowed her brows; "What do you mean again?" she asked.
"You didn't know?" Pansy asked.
"If I knew then I wouldn't have asked" Millicent said.
Pansy rolled her eyes for the nth time; she then leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms on her chest. "Well apparently that weasel of yours was hexed so bad he had to be admitted to St. Mungo's spell ward so he can have it reversed" she said.
"Where did you hear that from?" Millicent asked.
"Tracey Davis" Pansy replied smugly.
"Where did Tracey get that news from?"
"Apparently, Tracey's younger sister is one of the interns there, she was on duty when they were brought in" Pansy said.
Millicent furrowed her brows; "What do you mean they?" she asked.
Pansy winced when she realized her slip and bit her tongue.
"Pansy..."
"He was brought in with Brown...Lavender Brown...it seems like someone hexed them to stay..err...connected..." Pansy said uncomfortably.
Millicent clenched her hands as she felt a dull pang inside her chest; she closed her eyes tightly as she tried to calm herself.
Pansy leaned forward and braised her elbows on top of her knees; "Millie? I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be insensitive..." she said
"It's alright...I had to hear it..." Millicent said.
Pansy bit her lower lip and continued staring at the woman sitting across from her.
Millicent opened her eyes and unclenched her fist; she then took a deep calming breath and stared at her best friend intensely. "The bloody weasel is going down, he'll be sorry that he cheated on me with that slag" she said. She angrily stood up and began pacing back and forth; "That's the reason why that slag was there! Argh! You fucking bastard I will kill you!" she yelled in fury.
"Oh hell..." Pansy murmured to herself.
oOo
Atoll Market - Conrad Ranalifinolhu Hotels and Resorts, Rangali Island, Maldives– 1:15 P.M
"I'm so full, I don't think I can walk" Hermione said contentedly.
Draco took a swig of his water and leaned back on his chair; "Good?" he asked.
"That was delicious! I never thought Tuna will taste good with Curry" Hermione said.
"That was my reaction when I first tried it, I always had lamb or beef" Draco replied.
"Me too, my stomach is so big..." Hermione said while patting her stomach.
Draco eyed her; "I can see" he said.
Hermione sat up straight and scowled.
"Women!" Draco exclaimed while rolling his eyes.
Hermione ignored his statement and leaned forward; she plucked her water from the table and took a sip.
"So, where do you want to go next?" Draco asked.
Hermione thought for a couple of seconds and turned her gaze towards the vast blue horizon; "I think I want to go home" she said.
Draco noticed that she referred to their beach house as home and instantly he felt warmth inside the pit of his stomach. He hastily dismissed it and signalled for Seyun to bring him the bill.
Hermione noticed his gestured so she grabbed her bag from the chair juxtapose to hers; she zipped it open and took out her wallet.
Draco turned his head towards her and raised his brow; "What are you doing?" he asked confusedly.
"You're getting the bill right?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I am" Draco replied.
"We'll split it then"
Draco stared at her amusedly; "Do you have Maldivian currency then?" he asked.
Hermione stopped with her fumbling; "They don't take galleon's here?" she asked.
Draco shook his head.
"You should've told me!" Hermione said.
Draco was about to answer when Seyun reached their table; he handed Draco a medium sized leather receipt holder and stood beside the table.
Draco accepted it and perused the charges; he grabbed the pen and signed his name on the dotted line. He then inserted a few bills in it and handed it back to Seyun and smiled; "Thank you Seyun" he said.
Seyun accepted it and bowed; "Thank you Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger. May you have a nice day" he said politely.
"Thank you Seyun" Hermione said.
Seyun bowed again and turned to leave.
Draco grabbed his parcel from the adjacent chair and stared at his companion; "Shall we?" he asked.
Hermione crossed her arms on top of her chest; blatantly ignoring Draco.
Draco eyed her for a couple of minutes and sighed; "If that really upsets you then fine, you can pay for my drink later" he compromised.
Hermione bit her lip to keep herself from smiling triumphantly; "Really?"
Draco rolled his eyes; "Really, now get up so we can rest before we hit some bars tonight!" he said while standing up.
Hermione stuffed her wallet inside her bag and zipped it up; "And you promise that this place will take galleons?" she double checked.
"Yes I promise"
Hermione stood up from her chair and threw Draco a smile; "Just making sure" she said.
Draco shook his head and began walking away.
Hermione followed him with a huge smile painted on her face.
oOo
The Burrow - Ottery, St. Catchpole - Devon, England – 1:34 P.M
Ron was sitting on a wooden swing at the back porch when Molly spotted him; she walked towards him and stood a couple of feet away. "We need to heal your face Ronald" she said.
Ron kept silent but shook his head.
Molly moved closer and sat herself on the other side of the swing; "We need to fix it because we're expecting visitors this afternoon" she said.
"Visitors?"
Molly nodded and gathered her hands on her lap; "We received an owl from Mrs. Brown last time and your Father insisted that I respond to them. I mailed the response just this morning and I just received confirmation before you arrived. They will be expected to arrive this noon around tea time" she said.
Ron frowned; "What do they want? Did they say?" he asked.
"Leila did not go into details but your Father and I feel that it has something to do with the article in the Prophet"
Ron leaned forward and buried his face into his palms; "I'm sorry Mum, things are so messed up and it's my entire fault..." he said.
"We all make mistakes Ronald, what matters is what you will do about it" Molly said.
Ron turned his tear-stricken face towards his mother; "But I don't know what to do Mum...I don't know where to start..." he said.
Molly felt her heart break for her youngest son; she moved closer to him and placed her arms on top of his shoulders. "You're the only one who can answer that son..." she said.
Ron buried his face again into his palms and cried freely.
Molly began rubbing his back soothingly.
oOo
Malfoy's Beach House – Maldives Island – 7:02 P.M
"Didi?" Hermione said tentatively.
Didi appeared right in front of her with a loud crack; "Didi is here Mistress Hermione, what can Didi do for you?" she asked.
"Have you seen Mal—Draco?"
Didi nodded; "Master Draco is in the Lanai Mistress" she replied.
"Is he already dressed?"
"Yes Mistress" Didi squeaked.
"Okay, that will be all Didi, thank you" Hermione said kindly.
Didi bowed and disapparated with a loud crack.
Hermione then turned towards the mirror and began inspecting herself; she half turned and stared at her back. "Not too shabby Hermione, you will do" she said to herself. She then moved towards the bed and grabbed her small beaded purse; she snapped it open and tucked her wand safely inside. She sat at the edge of the bed and slipped on her 3 inch black peep toe stilettos; once satisfied she stood up from her perch and began walking towards the door.
Draco was fixing the folds of his sleeve when he heard footsteps approaching; lazily he turned towards the sound.
Hermione stood a couple of steps away from Draco; eyeing his back with admiration.
Draco felt his jaw drop when his eyes landed on the woman standing a couple of steps away from him. He felt his breath hitch inside his throat as his eyes raked Hermione's hourglass figure being hugged by a black bandage sleeveless mini dress with subtle floral print. His eyes then roamed down to her ample bosom that's partly peaking from her deep v-neckline before it travelled down to her slender legs and stiletto clad feet. "Wow" he said thought.
Hermione didn't notice Draco's perusal because she's staring at him too; she felt her cheeks redden as she noticed how his white button down shirt clung to his torso, defining his arms. She then let her gaze travel down to his boot cut dark denim jeans and brown loafers; "He looks good" she thought to herself.
"Young Master and Mistress, its already quarter passed 7" Didi squeaked.
Draco snapped of his trance and cleared his throat; "Err...Hermione, you look good" he complimented.
Hermione looked embarrassed for a couple of seconds and straightened her posture; "Thank you, you don't look bad yourself" she replied.
Draco walked towards her and offered his arms; "We need to side long again unfortunately..." he said apologetically.
Hermione gently placed her hands in his and moved closer; "Let's get over this uncomfortable part then we can party" she said.
Draco wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest; "You never fail to surprise me, I didn't know Little Ms. Bookworm is a party girl" he teased.
Hermione cuffed him playfully on the chest and smiled; "You don't know me that well Draco, apparate away" she said.
"Yes, Ma'am" Draco said.
Hermione closed her eyes tightly and buried her face into his chest.
oOo
The Burrow - Ottery, St. Catchpole - Devon, England – 3:30 P.M.
"Will you please sit down dear? You're making me dizzy" Arthur said as he watched his wife pace.
Molly stopped; "I can't help myself. I want to know why they want to speak with us!" she said.
Arthur eyed his wife tiredly and patted the seat beside him; "Come here" he said.
Molly thought for a couple of seconds before she relented; she padded towards his side and sat down.
Arthur pulled her closer and placed his arm around her shoulder; "Don't worry too much dear, I'm sure they just want to talk about what's written on the paper" he said.
Molly relaxed into her husband's arms and sighed; "That's what I'm worried about..." she admitted.
Arthur sighed; "Well, we can't do anything about it now. By the way where is your son? He's supposed to be here" he asked while furrowing his brows.
"He's here dear, he's just fixing himself, I told him to look presentable—"
"I'm here Dad" Ron said.
Arthur nodded; "They should be here in the next couple of minutes—"
Knock...Knock...Knock...
Molly bolted up from the couch and stared at Ron with surprised eyes; "I thought they were flooing?" she asked.
Arthur shrugged his shoulders; "Well you better get that dear, we don't want them waiting" he said.
Molly walked towards the front door and pulled it open.
"Good Afternoon Mrs. Weasley! My name is Leila Brown and I'm Lavender's mother"
Molly opened the door wider and pasted a large smile; "It's nice to meet you, Hello Lavender dear, please come in" she said.
Arthur and Ron stood from their perch as Molly welcomed the guest.
Molly ushered them towards the sitting room and led them towards the couches; "Please do sit down," she gestured.
Leila and Lavender sat down on the couch while Ron and Arthur followed.
Arthur sat up straight and smiled; "Its nice meeting you Mrs. Brown and Hello Lavender, we meet again" he said formally.
Leila let out a smile; "Oh please Arthur, please call me Leila, we'll be in laws soon" she said candidly.
Molly felt her jaw drop as Ron's face paled.
oOo
The Quiet Zone Bar - Conrad Ranalifinolhu Hotels and Resorts, Rangali Island, Maldives – 7:30 P.M.
"This tastes good, what do you call this again?" Hermione asked.
Draco took a nip of his drink and turned towards Hermione; "Its Alidhoo or Island Affair" he replied.
Hermione eyed the orange drink thoughtfully and took a huge gulp; "I haven't tried anything this good in years" she said.
"Well, they don't have this in London" Draco shrugged.
Hermione ignored his smart jive and continued drinking her cocktail.
"The man near the bar is eyeing you up Granger, I think you have an admirer" Draco observed while swirling his drink.
Hermione frowned and turned towards the direction that Draco gave; she met the gaze of the blond man sitting near the bar and felt her cheeks redden when he raised his glass in salute and smiled at her widely. Hermione quickly averted the man's gaze and took another sip of her drink, ignoring the gesture fully.
Draco watched his companion with fascination; "Are you blushing?" he asked.
Hermione swallowed a mouthful and cleared her throat; "Mind your own business" she snipped.
Draco smirked; "You ARE blushing!" he said.
"Stop it!"
Draco chuckled; "Don't you find him attractive?" he asked.
"I don't like blonde guys, they look gay to me" Hermione said.
Draco puffed out his chest and sat straight; "I beg your pardon? Gay?" he asked incredulously.
Hermione eyed his reaction and burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Draco asked.
Hermione sniffed and placed her drink on top the table; "You should've seen your reaction, it was hilarious!" she giggled.
Draco stared at her for a couple of seconds and turned his gaze towards the four empty cocktail glasses on top of the table; "Granger, I think you're drunk" he observed.
Hermione stifled her giggles and shook her head, making her curls bounce; "I'm not, I can hold my liquor" she said.
Draco looked at her amusedly and then smiled; "Do you want to dance?" he asked slyly.
Hermione threw a look at the dimly lit dance floor and turned her gaze towards her companion; "I don't think that's a good idea..." she trailed off.
"Yes you are drunk, I bet you cannot stand straight that's why you refuse to dance" Draco baited.
Hermione threw another look at the dance floor and felt her mouth go dry; she turned her gaze back towards the table and saw Draco's half full drink. She carelessly leaned forward and plucked his glass; she brought it towards her mouth and drank it in one go.
"Hey! That's my drink!"
Hermione slammed the empty glass back on the table and stood up.
Draco watched with amusement as Hermione struggle to stand straight; "Where are you going Granger?" he asked while stifling his smile.
Hermione rolled her eyes; "I thought we're dancing?" she asked.
Draco smiled widely and stood up; he walked towards her and braised his hands around her hip, steadying her.
Hermione eyes followed his hands; "Easy now Malfoy, we don't want people thinking that we're together" she murmured.
Draco pulled her closer and smirked; "Why? You don't want to butch blondie's chances?" he teased.
Hermione huffed and snaked her arms around his neck; "I don't even want him near me, he looks creepy" she giggled.
Draco chuckled; "I like you when your drunk" he said.
Hermione wrinkled her nose; "Only when I'm drunk?" she asked.
Draco smiled slyly; "Why? Do you want me to like you in any other way?" he teased.
Hermione bit her bottom lip as her eyes fluttered softly; "It depends..." she said boldly.
Draco felt his heart skip a beat for a few seconds but he dismissed it as quickly as it came; he then eyed her and shook his head. "You're just drunk" he said.
Hermione pulled him closer; "I'm not drunk Draco, just a little tipsy" she said. "I thought we're going to dance?" she asked.
"I think we better go home" Draco replied.
Hermione leaned her face into the crook of his neck and took a deep breath; "You smell good" she murmured.
"You really are drunk" Draco said while untangling her arms from his neck. He then pulled her right arm and wrapped it around his waist as he secured his left arm around her shoulders. "Come on now princess, I'm taking you home" he said.
Hermione fastened her arm around his waist; "Lead the way my blondie princess" she said while giggling.
Draco rolled his eyes and began walking them towards the exit.
oOo
The Burrow - Ottery, St. Catchpole - Devon, England – 3:35 P.M.
"In laws?" Molly asked confusedly.
Lavender fidgeted in her seat as she tried to swallow the bile that rose up from her stomach.
Leila smiled widely; "Well of course! Your son will be marrying my daughter soon" she said confidently.
Ron stood abruptly from his seat with his face red in anger; "What the bloody hell is going on here Lavender?" he shouted.
Lavender bowed her head, averting his penetrative gaze.
"Don't shout at my daughter!" Leila shrieked.
Ron's head snapped towards his parents; "I'm not marrying her!" he said firmly.
Leila stood up from her perch and placed her hands on hips; "Let me make this clear for you young man, you involved my daughter in this scandal so be a MAN and take responsibility!" she said sternly.
Molly was about to open her mouth to retort but Arthur grasped her hand in his, silencing her. Arthur then cleared his throat; "Ronald, please sit down and let's talk about this" he said. He then turned his gaze towards their guest; "I'm sorry for my son's behaviour Mrs. Brown but I beg to disagree, your daughter was included in this scandal because she is a willing participant and not because my son coerced her to, so please don't throw the blame on my son alone" he said.
Leila sat down on the couch and looked abashed; "I'm sorry Arthur, I didn't mean to lose my temper" she said.
Ronald threw a grateful look at his father.
Arthur then turned towards Lavender and smiled at her kindly; "What can you say about this Lavender? I want to hear your opinion on this matter" he said.
Lavender's pale face turned towards Arthur nervously; she was about to open her mouth to answer but was cut off when she fastened both her hands on her mouth and hastily bolted towards the open front door.
The three occupants of the sitting room stared wide eye at her reaction; Leila came to her sense first and stood up; she was about to follow her daughter when a loud sound of retching echoed inside the house.
Arthur's eyes widen as Molly fell limp in his arms.
"Bloody buggering hell!" Ron cursed loudly.
oOo
Malfoy's Beach House – Maldives Island – 8:30 P.M.
"Didi!" Draco called out as she hauled the giggling Hermione towards the couch.
"Oooppfff" Hermione groaned but continued giggling.
"Sorry Granger" Draco winced.
Didi appeared in the middle of the sitting room and bowed; "Yes Young Master" she said.
Draco sat on the couch and tried helping Hermione to sit down properly; "Do we have sobering potion here somewhere?" he asked.
Didi peered at her Mistress with huge beady eyes; "Is Mistress Hermione alright Sir?" she asked.
"She just had a little too much to drink nothing serious" Draco replied. "So, do you have the potion handy?" he asked.
Didi shook her head; "Didi is sorry Young Master but we don't have any potions here" she squeaked.
Draco took another look at the woman sitting beside him and sighed; "Can you pop into the Manor and bring me some sobering potion and hang over potion please?" he asked.
"Of course Young Master, Didi will go to Malfoy Manor, does you need anything else Young Master?" Didi asked.
"No Didi, that would be it, thank you" Draco replied.
Didi bowed and disappeared with a snap of her finger.
Draco leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes; "Well Granger, you have to wait for your sobering potion I'm afraid" he said. He waited for a response but when he didn't get any, he assumed that she fell asleep so he kept his eyes closed. After a couple of minutes of silence he felt her moving; he opened his eyes and frowned when he heard whimpering sounds coming from her shaking body. "Hermione?" he said.
Hermione ignored his inquiry and turned her back to him; she curled up into a ball and kept crying.
Draco felt a pang inside his chest as he watches her cry; after a couple of minutes of gut retching sounds he placed his hand tentatively on her shoulder. "Hermione?" he repeated.
Hermione mumbled.
Draco moved closer; "I'm sorry I didn't hear you, what did you say?" he asked softly.
Hermione slowly turned towards Draco and stared at him with her tear stricken face; "Am I not worth it?" she asked pitifully.
"What do you mean?" Draco frowned.
"Why did he do it? Why did he leave me?"
"Argh...This is about that pathetic Weasley again" Draco thought. "There's nothing wrong with you Hermione, Weasley is just an arsehole" he said.
Hermione wiped the tears that are clouding her eyes; she pushed herself up from the couch and tried to sit straight. "No...I think there's something wrong with me...I think it's my fault..." she said sullenly.
Draco felt ire creeping in so he decided to stand up; he walked towards the glass sliding door and stared at the dark sky. "It's not your fault Granger, like I said, he is just a wanker who cannot keep his fly close" he said sternly.
Hermione bowed her head as sobs wrack her body; "I-I should've...I should've given him w—what-he wants so-he did—didn't need to get it from so—somebody else-it's my fault..." she hiccupped.
Draco clenched his fist tightly; "Sex is not enough reason to stray Granger, he has hands and that should've been enough to satisfy his itch" he spat.
Hermione's sniffed as tears continue trailing down her cheeks; "But that's not enough and we both know it...I'm pathetic...a prude and frigid fiancé" she said lamely.
Draco felt his temper rise; "How many times will I tell you that it's not your fault? Your fiancé is a fucking bastard you should forget about him and move on with your life!" he hissed.
Hermione eyed sadly him for a couple of seconds; "You won't understand..." she murmured.
"What do you mean I won't understand?"
"You won't understand how hard it is to know that you shouldn't hold on, and yet you're too in love to let go..." Hermione croaked.
Draco eyed her for a couple of seconds and let out a sarcastic laugh; "Too in love? WAKE UP GRANGER and smell the coffee! The weasel does not love you! Because if he does, he wouldn't have cheated on you with some slag twice!" he hissed.
Hermione opened her mouth to speak but when she cannot find the words to say she closed it; she then buried her face into her palms and cried harder.
Draco stared at her frail form and felt guilt gnaw at his chest; he took a deep calming breath and padded towards her. He sat down beside her and moved closer; he gently pried her hands away from her face and pulled her into a comforting embrace. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to say it that way..." he whispered.
"But—but-that's the truth...He...he didn't—he didn't love me...the—the way I love him...I-I'm so stupid...I should—I should've seen the sign...I was so blind..." Hermione whimpered.
"Great! Now I feel like an arse!" He thought. Draco moved and leaned back on the couch bringing him partly on top of his chest.
Hermione sniffled.
Draco realized that with this new position he's twisting her body in a wrong direction; he tried pulling away to make her more comfortable but Hermione won't budge. "You might curse me for this tomorrow but you leave me with no choice" he said. He leaned forward again and gently hauled the crying woman on his lap; once she's settled, he felt Hermione moved closer and buried her whimpering face further into his neck. Draco sighed and began rubbing her back soothingly; "Fine you can cry your heart out but make sure that this is the last time you'll cry for him. It's time to wake up from this fairytale turned nightmare you created Granger. You need to be wide awake when you face all of this; you're a Gryffindor for Merlin sake! You're supposed to be brave and loyal but this time it has to be for yourself and to yourself first, you need to let go all of this tonight, no more hiding, it's about time you start moving on princess..." he said.
Hermione's whimper lessens as she was lulled into a state of calmness with Draco's words.
Draco secured his hold on her before he leaned back on the couch; closing his eyes.
oOo
A/N: A very long chappy specially for you guys! Tell me what you think, please keep the reviews coming, it inspires me more! Cheers!
P.S: Shukuriyya- means Thank you in Maldivian Language