She wanted to slap him.
After she exited the stage, she had immediately fled the room. The party, auction included, was taking place at the famous Viper Club in London. The main ballroom was where most of the action was centered, but the entire Club had been rented out for the occasion. She'd only been to the Club a few times before, all for Ministry functions, but she knew, at least, where the small library was, and she was certain it would be empty.
It was. She flung herself inside, slamming the door shut behind her.
A small fire crackled merrily at her. She resented it, glancing around at the high walls, taking in the many luminous volumes. By the fireplace, two high-backed chairs flanked either side of the mantle, with a small round table in between them. On top of the table sat a crystal decanter, filled with what she was sure was a ridiculously expensive, aged scotch. Several rocks glasses surrounded it, and she grabbed one, filling it up halfway. She savored the way the liquid glided smoothly over her tongue, warming her, calming her. She took a deep breath.
The door opened behind her.
"Hermione-" Draco started.
She resisted the urge to fling the rest of her scotch into his pale, pointed, infuriatingly handsome face.
"What," she began threateningly, her voice low and far more steady than she expected, "in the absolute fuck are you trying to pull?"
He leaned away from her, as if she had just tried to slap him. She still wanted to, but resisted that urge as well.
"What did you expect, Hermione? I'm a man who's used to getting what he wants, and what I've wanted, for two years, is you. I've been asking you out on dates for the past month now, and you've refused all of my offers. This was a golden opportunity for me. Did you really think I'd pass it up?"
"Two years?" she hissed scathingly. "That's interesting, Draco, because I'm pretty sure if you'd really wanted me for two years you wouldn't have spent the majority of that time bedding any number of women, including, but not limited to: Astoria Greengrass, Romilda Vane, Marietta-fucking-Edgecombe, for Merlin's sake-"
"Are you serious?" he scoffed. "You were dating Weasley up until six months ago. I'm not the type to sit around and pine. Even though the two of you fought constantly for the entirety of the last year you were together, you always assured me you loved him madly and would do anything to make it work. How was I to know he was going to be the biggest idiot of the century and fuck it up by shagging Bell?"
She glared at him, and crossed her arms defensively.
"Besides," he continued, "I haven't shagged anyone since the two of you broke up."
That took her aback. Her gaze softened. "Really?"
"Really," he replied evenly, and he gave her a small smile. "Haven't you noticed my lack of gloating over conquests at Pansy's Sunday brunches?"
She thought back. She hadn't heard any tales of his latest success at charming whatever witch had struck his fancy that week in about...six months. She had assumed it was because he'd finally cottoned on to her contempt and Harry's embarrassment at such stories, but now, she wasn't so sure.
She shook her head, hoping to clear it. None of that mattered. None of anything that Draco was saying mattered. She told him this, looking into the fire that roared beside them.
"The girls you sleep with…they're nothing like me. That has to mean something. And you know what I think it means, Draco? It means that you don't really want me. I'm just - just something that's eluded you for the past few years, and you want to add me to your list of accomplishments. I'd be your highest achievement, bedding the Gryffindor Princess, as you so fondly call me-"
He growled, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to look at him.
"The girls I slept with are nothing like you because you're not like anyone. They all fall for my games, when you never have. They accept mediocrity; you demand excellence. They give the bare minimum to their friends; you offer your whole self up to those you love. I'd do anything, anything, to be worthy-"
She held up her hand, cutting him off and backing away a few feet. He let his arms fall by his side. He looked crestfallen.
"I can't do this," she said tiredly. "I can't - Draco, you're - it's too much, and it's going to end badly, I know it is, you'll break my heart, and I won't be able to bear it, not again, not after everything-"
He crossed the space between them in two long strides, wrapped his arms around her back, and pulled her up to him. His lips met hers.
And she knew she was done for, knew she wouldn't be able to fight him any longer, because this was heaven, this was bliss. His lips moved over hers softly and sweetly at first, and she melted into him, giving in to him completely; she let the glass she had been holding fall from her grasp as she brought her hands up to the nape of his neck, her right wound its way slowly, tortuously, into his white-blond locks-
Suddenly he deepened the kiss, he parted her lips with his tongue, hot and searching and demanding, and she let him, let him graze it over her teeth, let him suck her bottom lip into his mouth, let him nibble at it, and she gasped, and he growled, deep and guttural and full of longing-
He pushed her up against the wall of books behind them, hard and desperate as he ground himself against her, and she angled her hips upward, trying to give him better access-
He moaned then, and pulled away. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, and she felt like she'd been drugged. Draco's lips were red and swollen, and his eyes were filled with lust and something else she couldn't quite identify, and she was drunk with it, her hand reached out and grabbed his shirt, bunched up the fine, expensive fabric as she made to pull him back towards her-
"No," he said fiercely.
She leaned back, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and her eyes filled with hurt. No?
He cupped his hand against her cheek, and she found herself leaning into the touch.
"Not until you agree."
She cocked her head to the side, and let her hand drop. "Agree with what?"
"To go on a date with me." He'd said it seriously, intently, no trace of a smirk evident on his features.
She felt her heart flutter then, in fear and anticipation and Merlin knew what else. Because Draco had changed, they'd all changed, after the War, and somehow, strangely, they'd become friends, and they'd started a book club at work but had been the only two to join, which suited them just fine, because it was each other's opinions they valued most on such matters, wasn't it? And they saw each other every Sunday at Pansy's, without fail, and made each other laugh, despite themselves, and often met up for drinks or dinner after work during the week, and knew each other's food and drink preferences like their own, and she knew, she knew, that going on a date with him was dangerous, because he was dangerous, he picked up girls and dropped them as simple as returning an ill-fitting suit-
"Draco, it'll be a disaster. I'll fall in love with you, and it will be an absolute disaster, and we won't even be able to be friends anymore, because you'll have broken my heart, because I'll fall in love with you-"
He cut her off by capturing her lips again, then rested his forehead against hers.
"Good. I plan on it. Then the feeling will finally be mutual."
She'd shagged him then, right there in the library at the Viper Club, and Draco swore it was the best 1,000 galleons he'd ever spent.
Author's Note: I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS WAS. But I am NOT ASHAMED because there was a little bit of sexy rumpus between Hermione and Draco and IT IS ALL ABOUT THE SEXY RUMPUS. So, sorrynotsorry.
I realize the last line kind of sounds like Draco might be insinuating he paid 1,000 galleons to have sex with Hermione. But that's not what he means (I mean, maybe a little bit, as a joke). What he means is that him bidding on the date with her lead them to have the conversation they did, which ended with aforementioned sexy rumpus.
Let me just say sexy rumpus one more time, because reasons.
Thank you to anyone and everyone who reviewed, followed, favorited, and even simply read this story. It is very appreciated! 3
As a side note, I rather enjoy the image of Hermione and Draco in a book club together, so like, that might become a one-shot I do down the road. because Draco and Shakespeare and discussions of Bagshot over red wine I CAN'T EVEN.