Chapter 16

Hermione didn't see anyone through the next week, which was just as well. She was still fuming. The nerve of Blaise to call her a gold digger. It was him, in fact, that was lucky to be with her. He was the one who was found lacking, so where did he get off calling her a gold digger. And then that bitch Pansy.

Well, she was not going to just slink away and be brow beaten by those twerps. Quiet dignity was only good if the people you were showing it for actually understood it. Sadly, quiet dignity would be seen as an admission of defeat by this lot.

Which did cause a bit of a problem with the humiliating break up with Draco Malfoy. Although her more general reputation would be better with a humiliating dumping, she wasn't sure she could handle the looks of superiority from Blaise and Pansy, not to mention the other Slytherins.

So there was a bit of a dilemma there. Maybe if she and Draco just kind of faded, have an amicable separation. Or she could just toughen up and not care about what Blaise and Pansy thought. Wouldn't caring actually be a weakness on her part? She just hated being treated by derision by people who really did not deserve any feeling of superiority.

Her reprieve back to her normal, sane life only lasted until the next weekend which was the 'House Party', whatever that meant. She got a note from Draco on the Friday morning.

I will pick you up at 7. Don't bother packing. DM

Not pack anything? She wasn't going to wear the same outfit for three days, actually two and a half days. Whatever he had planned, that wasn't going to work. She packed a carry bag with a change of clothes and other necessaries.

She was dreading this weekend. It would be like the dinner, but much longer. But she really wanted to stick it to Pansy and Blaise, before things fizzled out and she was done with Slytherins, forever.

Draco arrived late. What a surprise.

"You won't be needing that." He said and chucked her carry bag in a corner.

"But I need a change of clothes."

"Already sorted." He said. "You don't think you can be my girl and wear anything you want."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't date just any hag off the street."

"I'm not exactly a hag."

"No, but sometimes you seem to aim to make a good impression of one."

"God, you're awful."

"I have standards, now let's go."

"Maybe I have more in my life than the need to dress up like a Christmas tree at the drop of a hat." She challenged. "Maybe if I had nothing more important in my life than pretend eating lunch, maybe I would put all my effort into what I wear too. Fortunately, I'm not that pathetic."

"Well, try not to wow everyone with how important you are this weekend. It tends to make people gag."

"Don't hate me because I am appreciated for more than my looks." She said with a strong crossing of her arms. She knew full well that this was childish, but she couldn't help herself. He annoyed her to no end.

"If we're going to have this discussion, I would rather get it out of the way now, then later in front of other people." He said. He had called her on her childishness and she was completely embarrassed.

"All I am saying is that I hate you and the vacant values that your society prescribes to."

"Well, I am glad we got that out in the open." He said sarcastically. "Can we go now?"

She really wanted to say no, but that was beyond childish, so she nodded.

They arrived in another old pureblood home. She felt disorientated with the side along apparition, which included a squeezing in close to him and an overwhelming sense of nausea. Portraits of snobby people all over the walls. They tended to all have the same taste in home décor, the purebloods. She searched the portraits for a clue to where they were. The Greengrasses, she realised after a time. Oh joy.

As soon as she realised, a woman, who must have been Madame Greengrass came and greeted Draco most warmly, while throwing a glance at Hermione like she was a smudge of dirt who dared besmirch her house.

Hermione watched as the woman made small talk with Draco for a bit. As she watched, she became aware that the woman dressed a little young for someone of her age. A giggle then made it clear that the woman was flirting with Draco. Hermione wanted to throw up. She couldn't watch anymore, so she turned her attention to the window and the scenery outside. She had no idea where they were.

"This way." The woman said coyly with a wiggle of her finger. She led them up the stairs and down a corridor. Actually the pureblood home décor was not all the same. The Greengrasses had a penchant for baroque.

"I'll be right over there if you need me." The woman said pointing down the hall.

"Well that was revolting." Hermione said as the door closed behind them.

"What?"

"That woman was flirting with you."

"Oh, they always flirt with me." He said with that infuriating grin.

Hermione looked around the large, bright room where absolutely everything was accentuated with gold leaf. Even the bed.

"There's only one bed." Hermione realised.

"Yeah, because we're a couple, remember."

"I'm not sleeping in the same bed as you!"

"I do worry about your maturity sometimes." He said.

"Oh, I'm immature?" She said. "If you were me, would you sleep in the same bed as you?"

The infuriating grin spread across his face. "Absolutely not."

"You touch me, I will hex your balls off."

"Duly noted." He said and turned away. "Now shall we get ready."

"Ready for what?" She said suspiciously.

"For finding the others."

"Lead the way." She said but he wasn't moving towards the door.

"Not in that, you're not." He said and looked through a truck load of boxes on a settee. He pulled out the pink dress he made her try the week earlier. "In this."

Hermione glared at him. How much stuff had he bought. They were only staying two days.

"You want to look the part, don't you? It isn't going to be believable if you don't."

"It was believable enough when I was with Blaise."

"Well it was certainly noticed and commented on continuously." He said. "It was rather a running topic amongst the girls."

"And this I should care about?"

"No, probably not, but I am known for my standards and if I am seen with a girl like that, they will think my standards are slipping." He said. "Do you really want to be associated with slipping standards?"

Hermione gave him a look. "I have been caught in the rush of slipping standards since the moment I looked at Blaise."

Draco chuckled. "Starting to miss your typical gumboot wearing bird watcher type."

"I do not date bird watchers." She defended.

"Oh really, so they are just looking the part then?" He said. "Wannabe birdwatcher, that's even worse. Let me see, some guy who believes smooth moves are making you a cup of cacao."

"Everybody loves cacao."

"Come on darling," he made in a silly voice, "let's go foraging for mushrooms, then after, we could get a little wild and have a rum toddy with mummy."

"There is nothing wrong with someone who appreciates nature, or their mother." She said. "Better than someone who appreciates what…whores?"

"Whores are simple creatures." He said. "Completely transparent and unapologetic about the transaction."

"Not everything is a transaction."

"Yes it is."

"Well maybe you are just too jaded to appreciate a rum toddy." She said. "With the only thing that abates your boredom is the constant search for something new to entertain you. I feel sorry for you."

"Sorry for me?" He said with surprise. "The world is my oyster. I can do anything I want, have anyone I want. And believe me I am very happy about my station. As opposed to you who have been relentlessly striving to prove to everyone that you are more than you are."

"Maybe I just don't prescribe to what the world tells me I am. Or for what you are for that matter."

"Sounds like a true outcast."

"If I am such a complete loser, then why is your lot always trying to tear me down?" She said heatedly. This conversation was turning ugly and she hadn't intended this.

He didn't answer. Hermione snapped the dress out of his hand. She was resigned to getting through this weekend whatever it takes, then she could move on with her life. With her bird watcher types and all. She went into the bathroom and changed. It did look good with her skin tone, such a silly thing to worry about.

She walked back into the bedroom to put her shoes on, but he had apparently thought of that too. He held these strappy black shoes dangling off his finger. She hated him at the moment. It was all too obvious that they were on different sides of the world, like they always had been.

"Because you break the rules." He said after a while.

"What?" She asked in confusion, not knowing what he was referring to.

"Why people are always trying to tear you down, because you break the rules."

"They're stupid rules."

"Yes, but other feel compelled to abide them, even if they are completely stupid."

"That's ludicrous, complying with rules that don't make sense. They might have made sense once, but they don't serve any real purpose anymore. Yet people follow along like sheep. Really, move on."

"But most people can't."

"Well, that's their fault, not mine." She said. "Now let's get this friggin weekend started. No doubt, spending the weekend with you and your friends will be just as enjoyable as I expect." She couldn't help the sarcasm. She felt tried and abused already, and she hadn't even left the bedroom yet.