A/N: Hey all… sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I've been busy with work and all, but here is an update, I hope you enjoy it. There is a little bit of M action near the end of the chapter, but nothing incredibly descriptive… but here's warning you!

Chapter Four: Dabbling in the Life of a Russian Princess

Hermione slipped into bed wearing everything but her heals, and passed out, more than slept. It was well into the morning when she awoke to find herself entangled in the sheets from her bed. After several unsuccessful attempts at extracting herself, she reached for her wand hidden beneath her pillow and with a swish and a flick the sheets were at the end of the bed, and she was free. Standing up, she felt a sharp pain in her head and her stomach shouted its' protests. She definitely should not have had so much to drink the night before. She carefully walked to her handbag, and began to rummage through it. Soon she came to what she was looking for; the hangover remedy she kept with her at all times, one could never be left unprepared after all. She swallowed the vial quickly and soon was feeling much better. She picked up the phone and ordered brunch through room service. She then walked into the bathroom and turned the spigot in the shower, and climbed in after divesting herself of her clothing. She would have to send the jeans and blouse to be dry-cleaned, she thought absently as she washed her hair and body. Just as she was getting out of the shower she heard a knock on the door,

"Be right there" she called and pulled on a robe. Tying it around her middle, she opened the door to whomever was standing in the hall.

"Room Service" the man said wheeling a cart into the room.

"You can put it over there, by the settee" she directed him, and then walked to her purse and pulled out a bill, and handed it to him once he was finished setting up her breakfast. He left the room and Hermione sat down and slowly devoured her breakfast, now that her head wasn't pounding and her stomach not protesting. She picked up a pamphlet laying on the coffee table and examined it; browsing the amenities the hotel offered. After perusing, she stood up and walked to the phone, she booked herself a massage in their spa and with one last glance at the pamphlet she asked the desk clerk where she could purchase a bathing suit so she could take a dip in the hot tub. She was told if she went to the hotel gift shop, she would be able to purchase whatever she would need. She dressed in a pair of old jeans and a sweatshirt and took the elevator down to the gift shop in the lobby carrying her purse, and quickly picked out a bright pink bikini and a black sarong.

Once dressed in the bikini she'd just purchased Hermione made her way down the hotels' pool and hot tub, and slipped into the deep hot bubbling waters and began to relax. It wasn't until her hands and feet had taken on the slight look of prunes that she exited the area and drying off made her way back up to her room to shower and redress before going back down to the spa. It only took her a few minutes waiting for the elevator after she'd showered and dressed to take her down to the spa and her massage appointment. Walking into the outer sanctum of the massage therapy office, the young woman sitting at the desk lifted her head,

"Ms. Dracontos?" she asked

"Yes" Hermione nodded, still trying to get used to her new identity. The woman gestured to the room to Hermione's left.

"You may undress in there and lay on the table, I will be in a few moments"

Hermione nodded once again and walked into the room and slipping off her jeans and sweatshirt slipped onto the table naked. The masseuse soon entered the room and Hermione was sent into a state of utter bliss. An hour later, she sat up groggily on the table and dressed. She made her way up to her room and ordered a light lunch, and as she was putting down the phone, the message light began to flash. Pressing down the button on the phone, she reconnected and pressed the flashing button to receive her message.

"Hermione- it's Falin. Let's have dinner. I'll pick you up at 7"

Short and sweet, looking at her watch she decided her had plenty of time before having to dress and meet Falin. She smiled, and switched on the television to while away the time until her lunch arrived. Just as the clock struck 2, there was a knock on the door. Hermione stood and opened it to allow in the man pushing her lunch cart. She handed him a couple bills and asked him to put it on the coffee table. After the hotel employee left, Hermione sat down on the settee and ate her lunch of chicken Caesar salad before once again looking at her watch. It was 2:45pm; she had oodles of time before meeting Falin. She decided to take care of a couple chores before she did anything else, and using her wand tapped the telephone beside her bed and said,

"Gringotts Wizarding Bank" and listened as the phone magically dialed the bank.

"Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Griphook speaking"

"Hello, my name is Gabrielle Dracontos. I was wondering if you could attach my Gringotts account to my Muggle credit card?" she inquired.

"One moment Ms. Dracontos" he said and she heard a click on the other side of the phone. A moment later, the line picked up again.

"Yes, Ms. Dracontos, we are able to do that. What is the number of the credit card, and the company so that transactions will be properly taken care of?"

Hermione rattled off a number and the company name, and with her thanks she hung up the phone. She then quickly walked to the closet, took out a more suitable pair of trousers, and a blouse that wouldn't be too warm in the summer air outside and changed. She slipped on a pair of sandals and grabbed her purse and left her hotel room.

Walking out into the square Hermione eyed the boutiques lining the streets. She walked towards the furthest one and entered. She looked around, eyeing the clothing on the rack, the shoes and handbags at the back of the store. After perusing for a while, Hermione decided on a dark purple evening bag and a pair of drop earrings in the same colour. She left the store with a bag in hand and an idea shaping. She window shopped at several of the boutiques on the way to the hotel and finally spied what she was looking for. Entering, she asked a sales woman to fetch the dress in the window for her. After trying it on and deciding it was perfect, she bought it without a second thought. Returning to the hotel, Hermione gathered her make up case from her suitcase and walked to the bathroom. Taking her wand from its holster under her jeans, she spelled it to work on her entanglement of hair as she plucked, prodded and finally applied her makeup to her face. Once finished, she looked up. Just the right amount of makeup resided on her face, and her hair was partly up and the rest tamely curled down her back. Her hair wouldn't last, but it would be goof enough for this evening.

Marching around the room she found the second pair of shoes she'd purchased the day before and taking her wand turned them from the bright blue to a deep purple, almost an identical colouring to the evening bag she's bought earlier in the afternoon. Checking her wrist, she discovered she had over an hour until Falin would pick her up; so sitting demurely on the settee Hermione turned on the television and immersed herself in a rerun of Friends. When the episode finished, Hermione stood and walked to the dress she'd gotten that afternoon and with caution slipped it one. Wiggling she made sure that it was sitting in the right places, and with no difficulty zipped it up. She then took her purse and quickly transferred her credit card, her hotel key and her I.D into the clutch she would be taking tonight. She slipped on her heals, and with 5 minutes to spare, decided to wait for Falin in the bar. Leaving her room, she took the elevator to the lobby and left notice at the front desk that she would be in the bar when Mr. Falin arrived.

She didn't have to wait long, a few minutes after seating herself at the bar; a warm voice interrupted her solitude.

"You look lovely this evening Hermione"

Turning Hermione smiled at the Russian.

"Good evening Falin, what do you have planned for us this evening?"

"It's a surprise, you'll have to wait and see" he smirked and held his hand out for Hermione. Taking it, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and allowed him to smoothly direct her to the hotel entrance and the sleek, long slung black Corvette sitting outside. Within seconds of getting in the car, they were speeding along the Russian streets, towards an unknown destination- well for one of them. They finally pulled into a driveway and drove up to a luscious manor house; and Falin jumped out of the car and ran around to get Hermione's door.

"Where are we?" Hermione said, looking up at him.

"My home, we'll have dinner out on the patio this evening" he explained.

Nodding Hermione followed him through the front doors, passed the servants bustling silently around the house, and through to the patio located at the back of the manor. It was surrounded by a beautiful garden, a pool and a cottage like guesthouse, Hermione smiled as she looked around- it was gorgeous. Sitting down on the patio, he handed her a drink, a tall, delicious concoction of fruit and alcohol. Soon dinner was sitting around her, an array of yummy foods. She ate, between taking sips from her never empty drink, and looking through her eyelashes at Falin sitting across from her.

"Have I told you how gorgeous that dress looks on you?" he murmured as the dishes were taken away.

"Yes, but I wouldn't mind hearing it again and again" she giggled.

"Well Ms. Hermione, you are utterly gorgeous" he picked up a remote that she hadn't seen sitting on the table next to him, and clicked it towards a tree nearby and suddenly the patio and gardens were filled with music. Offering his hand to Hermione, he led her to a part of the patio uncluttered by furniture and swung her in a circle, bringing her close to his body. They began to sway, their bodies almost becoming one. Hermione stared up into his eyes, smiling at him. She stayed that way, swaying, until he dipped her and leaning in, placed a kiss on her lips. Pulling her back up, he didn't let the embrace end, and neither did she. Soon her hands were twisting in his hair, as his moved along her back to the nape of her neck and back down. The kiss deepened and finally, they stopped and gasped for air. He smiled down at her, and he led her from the garden to the quaint living room, where a fire burned, warming the air on the cooler summer night. Sitting on a settee, he handed her a drink and took her into his arms. She leaned in, and looking up at him, captured his lips. They stayed, embraced on the couch, for what seemed to Hermione a very long time. He tore his lips from hers and smiled down,

"Perhaps we could move somewhere a little more comfortable?" He suggested,

"I'd love to, lame as that sounded!" she laughed, and stood up to follow him up the stairs and into the dark master bedroom. She turned as he closed the door, and once again their lips were tearing at each other. With a kicking motion of both feet, her shoes flew from her feet, and without hesitation he lifted her and grabbed her under her ass. She wrapped her legs around his hips and ground them against him. He turned and backed up, hitting the bed with his legs, and letting himself fall onto it. She straddled him as his hands roamed her body and her kisses moved from hi mouth, to his neck and as her fingers began to undo the buttons on his shirt. He shifted his legs, and lifted her dress over her hips and then over her head, leaving only her black-laced strapless bra and matching panties. As she finished unbuttoning his shirt, he flipped her over and threw the shirt off his shoulders and across the room, where it joined her dress. His lips slipped down her neck, to her collarbone and then further to caress the tops of her breasts. With a flick of his wrist, her bra was unlatched and thrown across the room. The ravaging of each other's bodies went on, until finally he thrust once more into her, and Hermione sighed his name in completion.

Their naked bodies were entwined with the sheets on the bed as the sun arose the next morning. Stretching Hermione looked over at her naked companion and smiled. He was still asleep and she took the opportunity to run her hands over his back; and as she trailed her finger back up his spine, he shivered and turned his head to look at her. He smiled.

"Good morning" he murmured.

"Morning" she replied, and rolled into his body for warmth. He wrapped his arms around her, and they both fell back asleep. It as 10:00am before they're both awoke and Hermione was showered, dressed and had eaten a piece of fruit by 10:45am. Smiling at Falin, she asked him to return her to her hotel so that she could change clothes and make a few calls. A few minutes later, they were back in the low slung Corvette and were speeding through the countryside on the way into the city. He dropped her off at the entrance and pecking her lips told her he would call her later. Nodding, she said goodbye and got out of the car. She waved as he drove off, and continued into her hotel. She rode the elevator with a little old couple, who were still so much in love that they were holding hands and mooning at each other. Smiling, she stepped off the elevator and soon was in her hotel room and had thrown her clothes on the bed. She pulled out a pair of shorts and a flirty tank top and a pair of sandals bought over the last few days in Sr. Petersburg. Today, she was going to explore the city, its' sights and sounds. Grabbing her purse, and putting wallet, keys and other necessities in it, left the hotel and began her sight seeing.

Hermione spent the afternoon perusing Saint Isaac's Cathedral, The Russian Museum and the Tauride Garden. She ate a late lunch in a café along a side street and thoroughly enjoyed her day. Her feet were sore and she decided that she would take a taxi back to her hotel; she stepped towards the curb and hailed the next available one. Climbing in, she gave the taxi driver the name and address of her hotel and she was soon on the way back. She paid the driver and exited the taxi.

She was walking through the lobby when she heard her name being called, she thought at first it would have been the concierge or a hotel employee, but as she looked around, there was no one from the hotel attempting to get her attention. She began walking again when she felt a tap on her shoulder, turning she saw and middle aged gentleman, wearing a clean, crisp, fairly expensive suit.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Gabrielle Dracontos… may I interrupt"

"You are…?" she said turning towards the man.

"Gregor Chekhov, I believe that you tried to contact me" he said with a smile and gestured that she follow him into the lounge.