Chapter 14

"So what, you're a couple with Draco Malfoy?" Ginny said incredulously.

"No, don't be ridiculous." Hermione said as they sat in the pub the following day. "We go on a few dates, then he gets to humiliate me with a public breakup, and it will be done. He gets what he's always wanted, my humiliation and I get a small dent to my reputation instead of a big dent."

"Yeah, but its Malfoy." Ginny said. "You can't trust him."

"I'm not trusting him." Hermione said. "Although saying that, I am pretty sure I can trust that he is going to humiliate me. Some things can probably be taken as a given."

"Then why do it? Why not have Harry drag Cormac in on charges? He completely deserves it."

"I know, but it would make this whole sorry affair into a huge thing. I would be the centre of Rita Skeeter's universe again for who knows how long. A protracted case in the Wizengamot that people will be talking about forever. Then I would be the bitch who had him locked up for trying to loosen me up a bit. Its just not worth it. I will find some way of dealing with Cormac, but I am not going to set myself up as a target for gossips forever. No, this is easier, a date or two with Malfoy where he can talk down to me to his heart's content, then it will be done, over. The way I see it, this is my punishment for ever getting involved with Blaise, with a Slytherin. You have to pay for such complete stupidity. Its universal justice."

"What if he has other motives?"

"What other motives could he possibly have?" Hermione said. "Well there seems to be this competitive thing between Blaise and Malfoy, so in his mind it might have something to do with that. So immature. But it doesn't matter, I don't care, I just want this over with. Its just a date, its not like we're starting a family."

"I don't know Mione." Ginny said. "I don't trust him and I don't trust his motives. You didn't see it, but I don't think your humiliation was top of his mind at the club that night. He was more towards the starting a family thing."

Hermione shuddered. "Please, he had such high regard for me, he certainly didn't shy away from the public display. Let's not forget he's gives his affections to pretty much anyone that approaches him, provided its female. Don't read anything into it."

"I hope you know what you're doing." Ginny said.

"I just want this whole thing over with. If I've learnt anything, you have to pick your battles for when it really matters and this is not worth the fight."

There were flowers waiting for her when she got back to the office. Peace Lilies in a beautiful vase like the one she had kicked before. She knew who they were from. The flowers were beautiful and not gaudy. He did have taste, when it suited him.

So it begins, she said to herself as she scowled at the flowers. Then she realised people were watching and scowling might not be the right reaction. She quickly picked up the little envelop and pulled out the card.

"Awwh." She said in a humiliatingly cute voice. He wasn't even here and she was already being humiliated. She grabbed the vase and took it into her office.

Once inside she looked at the card more closely.

Dinner Friday. I will collect you at 8pm. DM

So the date was set. She didn't want to even imagine what it would be like. Probably some fancy restaurant. They would eat and she would do her best to tune him out. She had gained some skills in the grin and bear it department, dealing with arrogant solicitors, misguided judges and every other kind of official in between. But she loved her job, and she certainly wasn't going to give it up for Blaise, or Flint, and certainly not for Malfoy.

She picked out the dress she would wear for the date. It was a little on the professional side, attractive, but not flirty.

She sat in her living room and waited. Of course, he was late. She shouldn't have expected anything less. The knock on the door finally came.

"Well, you look boring." He said and Hermione's gave him a look of contempt.

"This is a perfectly good dress."

"For an event you're obliged to go it." He said. "You wore much more interesting things in Italy."

"I'm not sure a bikini would be suitable for a dinner date."

"Neither is this, unless you're a widow."

"What are you talking about, this is a lovely dress."

"Its matronly."

"We'll I don't have anything else."

"I don't believe you."

"Well that is just too bad." She said as he pushed past her. "You stay out of my closet!"

He riffled through her closet.

"Where do you shop? Drab Garmets Inc." He said. "And sadly, you are right, you don't have anything better. Unless you count the 'fuck me in a bathroom stall' dress you had in Paris."

"That was borrowed." She said through gritted teeth. "And could you possible be a little less crass."

"Taste has never been your strong suit."

Hermione gritted her teeth. So the humiliation was starting. She took a deep breath, repeating in her head that this will be over very soon.

"Fine, as you have nothing else. You could at least try to not be completely prudish." He said and tucked some of the material around the décolletage down revealing more skin."

"Hey!" Hermione snapped and went to slap his hands away from where they were touching her, including the top of her breasts.

"Oh please, I have felt up pretty much every part of you." He said and Hermione burnt with embarrassment. "Nice tits by the way. Now let's go."

He dragged her around towards the door before she could respond. Hermione repeated the mantra of the evening to herself, this isn't a battle worth the fight.

He set a relentless pace out of the building until he got to the alley where he pulled her close before she could react and apparated them away. Nausea filled her gut as she wasn't prepared.

"You could have warned me." She said when she regained her unstable feet.

"What did you think we were going in an alley?" He said sharply. But he didn't stop, he continued towards a door. "We're late."

"You were late." She said. "I was ready on time."

"Are you going to fight me on everything?"

She repeated her mantra. "No." She said with lack of conviction. She wasn't sure she even could get along with him. She followed him into the heavy door into a bright warm space. He led her through the tables towards a large table in the back filled with Slytherins.

She baulked. She hadn't expected there would be others there. This would make the evening impossible. There were all the people she didn't want to spend the evening with. Pansy-bitch, Blaise, Flint, plus all the others. Not to mention Malfoy.

He felt her hesitation and turned. "Better if public, remember."

But she was gripped by uncertainty and not just a little panic.

"It will be fine." He said quietly. He put pressure on her hand to pull her towards the table.

She couldn't really do anything other than let him. She should have realised this. Of course it had to be public.

"That is a pretty dress." Pansy-bitch said.

"Thank you." Hermione said, suddenly feeling frumpy in the dress and hating that she had been pulled into their crap.

"It is lovely to see you again." Pansy-bitch said. Hermione could see the tightness around her face that said it was anything but lovely.

"I'll have a whiskey." Hermione said to no one in particular. She needed the bolstering.

"Are you going to let me get you drunk?" Malfoy said with his customary smirk.

"Absolutely not." Hermione responded and buried herself in her menu. A tumbler of whiskey arrived immediately, and she took a large swig of it. This was going to be the evening from hell.

Hermione didn't make much effort to talk. She was trying to find places for her eyes, as she didn't want to see Blaise's expression. There certainly was hostility between Blaise and Draco. Their conversation was tight.

Not everyone was hostile. Marcus Flint wasn't. There was a bit of a sparkle in his eye as he tried to ask her about her work. Oh, my god, Hermione thought, he was flirting with her.

"Marcus has certainly missed you." Pansy-bitch said in a whisper across the table that was a little too loud.

It dawned on her that Flint's interest in her might have been genuine. She felt like she was at the mad hatter's tea party.

As she was musing on the madness of the evening and the situations he was in, Malfoy grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his mouth. He kissed one of her fingers than placed her hand down on his thigh. She had to fight the urge to pull away. She let her hand rest there, not sure what else to do. She could feel the heat of his leg and it was disconcerting.

There was something unspoken going on between Blaise and Draco, and Draco's action had been part of that. Staking his claim. Hermione couldn't help feeling embarrassment creep up her. There was no doubt that she was the centre of some kind of pissing contest between the two Slytherins. Well, that explained Malfoy's motives, or part of them.

She wondered if she could pull her hand away from his thigh yet. What was an appropriate amount of time to have your hand on a lover's thigh, if they were your lover. She had seen him in his bathing suit. She knew he had very nice thighs. It was surreal to be touching him. Hermione could have kissed the waiter when he came to take their order. It gave her a legitimate excuse to pull her hand away.

This is worth it, she said to herself as she ordered a fish course. After their orders were taken, Malfoy turned his attention to her.

"You ok?" He asked, quietly enough for only them to hear, although it was apparent they were being observed.

"Fine." She said. She wasn't feeling fine, but she wasn't going to admit that. She was certainly not in the habit of showing weakness in front of Draco Malfoy. He had his hand on her back and pulled her in to give her a peck on her temple.

"You're going to have to kiss me later, before we leave." He said.

She wanted to object, but didn't. In for a penny, in for a pound, she said to herself. A kiss wasn't the end of the world. She wasn't some school girl who hadn't been kissed before. Actually, she'd played full on tonsil hockey with him to be specific, not that she remembered any of it.

It was the most uncomfortable meal she'd ever had. The girls were completely ignoring her, Marcus was trying to engage her, Blaise was shooting daggers with his eyes, and she had to pretend that she was in love with Draco Malfoy. Really, was this punishment worth the crime?

But she also didn't want the evening to be over. That would mean she had to kiss him. It was no big deal, she repeated to herself. So why was her heart beating so hard. Her hands were clammy and she couldn't take more than a bit of her dessert.

"I have to buy a dress for the house party next week." Pansy-bitch said. "You have to take me shopping Blaise, I have absolutely nothing to wear."

Hermione was surprised by the familiarity Pansy was suggesting. Were they a couple? She watched them trying to determine if they were. She met Blaise's eyes in the process and he was not exactly welcoming.

"Hermione needs a new dress." Draco said. Hermione's jaw dropped.

"We should make a thing of it." Blaise said tightly.

"Wonderful." Pansy said with a clap.

Over her dead body did she want to go shopping with Pansy and Blaise.

"I don't need a new dress." Hermione said to Draco with an undercurrent of appealing to him to decline the offer.

"You need a new wardrobe." He replied. "I'm surprised it wasn't seen to before."

"Not with them, I don't." She whispered sharply.

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't buy you things." He whispered quietly back. "What message would that send?"

"That you're a bit ambivalent about this relationship and likely to break it off with me really soon."

"Not yet."

"What do you mean not yet!"

"Don't make a scene." He said and pinched her. "Now, time to go."

He pulled her out of her chair by her elbow. It was insistent, but looked less so. She had barely gotten to her feet when he grabbed her around the neck and pulled her close. This was happening so fast she could only hold her breath. His lips were incredibly soft at first, somehow she'd closed her eyes. It deepened, became more insistent.

She was flush against him and his tongue was invading her mouth. It was an overwhelming kiss. She hadn't been ready. He tasted like whiskey and cream, and something else. And there was a certain familiarity there.

She didn't know where she was when he slowly pulled away. She felt undone and then incredibly embarrassed about it. And then his eyes, straight into hers.

"Time to go." He said. She nodded.

He walked her towards the door.

"Good job with the kiss." He said, turning to look back on the table. "It was convincing."

"Uh huh." She said. Her lips were burning, as was her cheeks. He was a preposterously good kisser, which might explain the developments on the dance floor at that club in Paris. She'd got stuck in a good kiss. Kissed had value beyond the person giving them to you. Who would have thought it, then again, he was eminently experience having kissed probably every girl in the country, no, make that the continent.