11. Boxed Wine

Hermione walked into her room. It was just the wine that got me in a tizzy, Hermione thought to herself as she pulled off her top and unbuttoned her trousers. Hermione did feel incredibly buzzed… but last she knew, being buzzed didn't mean you have a tingling between your legs… well, maybe sometimes, but never for her. She tripped over her foot as she tried to unclasp her bra, her arms behind her back.

"Oomph," Hermione groaned as she lay flat on her stomach, her face eating her rug.

"Granger…" a low, throaty gasp came from her door.

She looked up. "Oh dear Merlin…"

Malfoy's eyes were transfixed on her and she felt more naked than what she already was, clad in her bra and underwear. He was holding a bottle of wine and two glassed in one hand. He set them down on her dresser and coughed slightly.

"Uhm…" Malfoy didn't know what to say really.

Hermione stood up with minimal difficulty and quickly grabbed her robe, slinging it over her body. "Oh come off it, Draco," she murmured and tied the tie. "It's not as if you haven't seen this before."

"Not on you…" Malfoy shrugged.

Hermione rolled her eyes, trying to hide her blush and embarrassment. "What are you doing in my room anyway?"

Malfoy ran a hand through his hair, his other hand in his pocket. The hem of his shirt rose up slightly and Hermione saw his magnificent V. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen him with his shirt off before, but the fact his shirt was on really did leave more to the imagination.

"I don't know," he replied.

Hermione sighed. "You don't know why you wandered into my room?" She eyed the wine. "Really?"

"I snuck a bottle and I was hoping you and I could just… relax."

"Relax?"

"As friends, I swear."

Hermione frowned. "I hadn't really thought you had any other intentions… but thanks for putting that in my head."

Malfoy mentally kicked himself. "Well, I'll put it back then…"

"No," Hermione replied. "Rain check?"

Malfoy looked up at her, a smile tugging at his lips. "Okay."

"Tomorrow night then," Hermione noted. "I'm just dreadfully tired right now."

"Good night," Malfoy muttered and walked out of the room.

Hermione sighed. "Yes… goodnight."

---

Hermione sat on her mother's bed in the master bedroom of her house, her legs pulled up to her chest. She was wearing a baggy sweatshirt, leggings and her hair was pulled back pell-mell into a ponytail, strands of curls falling in her face every two seconds. She was watching her mother get ready to go out to dinner with a few fellow dentists. A holiday dinner that they apparently do every year.

"Which one looks better? The red or black?" Jean asked her daughter, throwing each dress against her robe covered body.

"What about the blue one?" Hermione asked, eyeing the dress slung over a chair.

Jean glanced at it warily. "It's too tight."

"What size is it?"

"Eight."

"Mum, you're a size six."

Jean rolled her eyes. "That's neither here nor there. Now choose."

Hermione laughed. "I like the red one."

Her mother nodded in approval. "I agree." She disappeared into the bathroom.

Hermione chipped at her fingernails. "Mum?"

"Yes dear?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Jean asked as she came out of the bathroom. She looked gorgeous. "How do I look?"

"You look fabulous, mother," Hermione complimented, smiling at her.

Jean sat at the edge of the bed, putting in earrings. "What did you need to talk about?"

"Ron."

"Ah, yes… I wondered when you were going to speak up about that."

Hermione sighed and rested her chin on the top of her knees. "I should be more saddened… I should feel more regret… but I don't. Does that make me horrible?"

"No, it certainly does not."

"We had sex, Mum."

Jean's eyes softened. "I know."

"How?"

"There are some things a mother can just tell, dear."

"I don't regret it…"

"I didn't expect you to say you did."

"I know that you wanted me to wait though, Mum."

"This is true, it would have been nice for you to wait… but you made it to twenty-four before doing it… so I'd say I'm not too disappointed. So if neither of you regret it, then what was the wedge that was driven between you two?"

Hermione shrugged. "After he proposed, I kissed Harry." She left out the part about Malfoy. "And I felt all sorts of bad… but for Ginny… not for Ron. I don't know. I did this awful things to him and I couldn't feel anything about it… and Ron doesn't want kids… and every time I bring it up… he gets weird and we end up fighting… and he won't back down. I have to be the one to concede. It is like he never wants to work on anything in our relationship… but he loves me so much. He just thinks that all we need. Is just love… but we need substance as well, and we just didn't have it anymore. I don't know… I just don't feel anything for him and it scares me."

Jean patted Hermione's shoulder as she started sobbing. Hermione unfolded her body and wrapped her arms around her mother's waist, crying into her shoulder.

"Hermione, there is no reason that a man should take you, of all people, for granted. You've done nothing wrong, darling," Jean cooed as she rocked her back and forth. "What made you two decide to actually break things off?"

Hermione pulled away a bit and wiped her eyes. "Ron was jealous because I was playing with Adrianna."

"Do you blame him dear? Anyone could tell that you are smitten with that child."

She groaned. "I like children! Is that so bad?"

"It's not bad, Hermione, but just think who the father is."

"Draco?"

"Exactly."

"I don't get your point, Mum."

"Ron wasn't jealous of Adrianna… he was jealous of Draco. Because Draco could give you what he couldn't."

"A child?"

"Yes."

"But I don't want Draco… I did only want Ron at the time…"

"Is that really a true statement, Hermione?" She opened her mouth to reply. "Ah, ah, ah… dig deep and think about this one, dear."

"But I…"

"Before you speak, let me just point out that I have seen the way he looks at you, trust me… your looks are just as smoldering."

Hermione shut her mouth as her mum got up to finish getting ready. Was it a true statement? Did she really not want Draco? Did she look at him that way?

"Hmph," Hermione grumbled, which warranted a smirk from her mother.

Jean knew that she was always right.

---

Hermione was reading a novel when there was a light knock at her door.

"Come in," Hermione called out, setting the book down. She knew who it was because there was no on else in the house.

"Adrianna's asleep," Malfoy spoke as he entered. "Thought I'd take you up on that… er..."

"Wine date?"

Malfoy smiled slightly. "Yea, sure."

Hermione crossed her legs on her bed and sat up. She eyes the glass already on her night stand and slowly hid it before Malfoy could notice.

"I know you've already been drinking some wine…"

Hermione chuckled. "Busted."

Malfoy shot her a quick smile and pulled the cork out of the wine bottle, pouring it into the two glasses. He handed her one. Hermione pressed the rim to her lips and paused.

"You know after this glass I'm going to be acting rather silly," Hermione stated.

Malfoy shrugged. "It's alright… I'm sure I can catch up."

Hermione smirked and took a large swallow. "So much better than boxed wine."

He wrinkled his nose. "It comes in boxes?"

"The cheap stuff does."

"That explains why I've never had it… I'm not one to buy the cheap things," Malfoy replied.

Hermione nodded and took another large gulp and sat down on her bed. "Care to join?"

He eyed the spot next to her and grabbed the wine bottle, joining her on the bed. He was trying to keep his breath in check, because around her, it was becoming very difficult for him to breathe right.

"Look, Granger… I…" Malfoy sighed.

Hermione smiled in a confused manner. "What?" She laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Malfoy took her glass and reached around her and sat it down on the night table as well as his own glass and this his hands cupped her face, pulling her closer to him. Her eyes widened as he hands reached up and clasped his wrists.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a rushed whisper.

He shook his head. "What are you doing… to me?" he whispered, searching her sparkling eyes.

Hermione's hands dropped to her lap. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He took her hand and placed it over his racing heart. He knew it was corny as hell, but he needed her to realize… even if she just laughed at him. He needed her to see how her really felt when he was around her.

"This," Malfoy urged. "This is what I'm talking about.

Hermione withdrew her hand and sighed. "I should hate you. You treated me like shit all those years and you always had this constant idea in your head that I was inferior… I shouldn't even accept anything you are saying to me… you were vile. You were just plain awful."

"I was," Malfoy muttered. "You're right. You should hate me… forget I mentioned anything. I'm sorry." He felt her fist punch his leg. "What the fuck was that for?!" He nearly screamed.

"I hate…" Hermione began, staring him in the eye. Malfoy gulped, anticipation the word 'you' to come out of her mouth. "I hate that I can't hate you," she breathed. "By all means, I should. You're right. But… I just can't." Her eyes were tearing up. She felt unusually emotional. "I have fallen for that little girl. I didn't mean to… but she has a piece of my heart that I can't give back."

"I don't want you to…" he whispered and rested his head on hers.

Hermione smiled. "You have a piece of my heart as well…" she murmured.

Malfoy froze. This was really happening. "Hermione?"

She got up and paced the room. "Oh Merlin I knew you didn't feel that way! Of course your feelings are purely carnal! Of course, you can't really fall for someone after you fell for that wench Astoria… I mean, honest… you don't have to explain. I get it… she ruined love for you and ran away with that Jean guy… but I just thought that…"

And then Hermione was up against the wall, hot breath on her neck and sweet, wet kisses trailing up her jaw line.

"Draco, what are you…"

"I love you."