The woman nodded her head once, dismissing the man standing in front of her. "Keep following them. Report back if anything changes." He inclined his head and left. She leaned back, deep in thought.

So, she mused, Malfoy has taken up with Granger. How charming. She allowed herself a small smirk. His father must be rolling in his grave. But this…situation…does have some potential. Everyone knows who Miss Know-It-All's friends are. As if we could forget, with her flaunting them left and right.

The woman's eyes narrowed. She had never liked Hermione Granger, but an incident during school had caused that dislike to turn into hate. And now, here she was. An opportunity for revenge against Granger and Malfoy, at the same time. How perfect.

Nobody refuses me. I have caught bigger fish than Draco Bloody Malfoy. Why, I was seducing Lockhart and Slughorn whilst still in school. I have been with not one, but three of the Triwizard Champions. I was the Minister of Magic's mistress. All my wealth, all my status…it's all from my beauty and cunning. Sex and blackmail go a long way in today's world. Practically a currency, really. Yes, how dare Malfoy reject me, when I have had the best society can offer me. Except….for one…

Her hands shaking, she shook out a cigarette and lit it up with her wand. Him. The only man she hadn't been able to seduce, hadn't been able to use in her climb to the top of society. Her vast wealth was made up of blackmail, from poor sods like Malfoy. She was close to being richer than most of the wealthiest pureblooded families. And her beauty only enhanced her appeal. Heads turned when she walked into a room. Men stared and women whispered. She relished the feeling. Being at the top was her heart's desire. And who was the ultimate status symbol? Him.

She took a long, calming drag. She would have him. She just needed to figure out how to spin this latest news to her advantage. But she would have him.

The sun was shining brightly in through a window and there was a stifling weight on his chest. Draco cracked one eye open blurrily. A large orange mass blocked his view.

"What the…" he muttered, trying to sit up. Sharp claws dug into his skin. "Bloody hell!"

He groaned, flopping back down. Granger's cat. He remembered it well from Hogwarts. A furry orange menace that stalked the halls at night, rival to old Mrs. Norris.

He opened his eyes again. The bed next to him was empty. He remembered Granger healing him, forcing some nasty red potion down his throat. He remembered them coming in here and laying down. They had cuddled together and fallen asleep. Where was she now?

His answer came from the steam seeping out from under a door across from the bed, which he assumed was the bathroom. Pushing the cat off of him, he slid out of bed, curious to see Hermione's bedroom in the daylight. The room was large and airy. The walls were a pale gold color and the floor was a rich mahogany. Her bed was a lush four-poster, with pale greenish-blue sheets and comforter. Her pillows were fluffy and a darker blue. Paintings adorned one wall, paintings of unicorns and griffins. On the wall opposite her bed there were framed newspaper articles, all showing the success of Potter and Weasley. Near her window, which was curtained with flimsy white lace that did absolutely nothing to block the sun, was a large white wood dresser. He looked at the clutter atop it. Perfume bottles and dried flowers were scattered about. There were a few framed photographs from their Hogwarts days, all showing the Golden Trio.

Next to the dresser was a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, absolutely stuffed full with books. He ran his fingers over the spines. They ranged from fantasy stories to text books. He smirked when he came across the romance novel he had seen her buying that day in the muggle bookshop.

"What are you doing?" Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy white robe. Her head was wet and her skin dewy.

"Just looking around," Draco replied, crossing the room to her. He kissed her damp lips, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. Fruity.

She laughed softly against his lips. "Well, the bathroom is free, Malfoy. Trust me, you could use a shower."

He made an affronted noise. "Wench."

She smirked as he shook his head in exasperation and went into the bathroom, pulling the door closed behind him. She waited until she heard the shower start up, and then went over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Changing quickly, she sat down on her bed.

She was still in shock. Draco Malfoy had slept here, in her bed. She could still smell the faint lingering scent of his spicy cologne. In all her wildest dreams, she had never once envisioned herself and the Slytherin prince together. A small smile crossed her lips as she remembered the feeling of being held in his strong arms. She had slept peacefully for once, with not a hint of a nightmare.

There was a small ding from the living room, and she heard the sound of the Floo being activated. Startled, she leapt up as Harry and Ron wandered into her room.

" 'Mione!" Ron said happily, pulling her in for a hug. Harry patted her back.

"Hey, Hermione."

"What are you guys doing here?

Harry shrugged. "I have a match today. We were just seeing if you wanted to come."

"It'll be great," Ron enthused. "We can spend the day together like we used to, before Harry went all domestic on us."

Harry swatted the redhead's arm. "Teddy's coming with us, you git."

Ron chuckled. "Ah, well."

Hermione laughed, shaking her head fondly. "It sounds great, really. But…I'm spending the day with someone already."

"Who?" Harry eyed her intently.

She swallowed nervously.

Ron stared at her. " 'Mione?"

"Er," she said, biting her lip. Just then, the bathroom door swung open and steam poured out. All three friends turned to see Draco Malfoy wearing nothing but a pale green towel around his hips.

"Malfoy?!" Harry said.

"Potter!" Draco sneered.

"Malfoy!" Ron growled, his ears turning red.

"Weasley," Draco acknowledged.

"And I'm Hermione," she joked weakly. The men ignored her.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, blinking.

"Hermione!" Ron turned to her. "What's going on?"

Draco grinned roguishly. "Didn't you know?"

He strode over to Hermione, who shook her head frantically.

"Granger and I are in love."

She groaned.