Chapter 26
Hermione wasn't sure if the deal she'd just struck was a mistake, it just seemed the simplest solution. She had no idea what to make of the whole Draco, Blaise thing, or the fact that Draco might have been somewhat attracted to her in school. Or maybe not. Who can make sense of teenage boys and what they are attracted to. It's one of those things that you are better off not digging too deeply. It was all clear as mud, which seemed to be typical Slytherin fashion.
One more night out with the glitterati fascists wouldn't hurt. Actually it probably would and some day she would let Ginny know the lengths she'd gone to in order to make her happy.
She had given him one event to play his game with Blaise, and it had better be before the wedding, because she might blow him off if it wasn't.
She didn't hear from him during the weekend and well into the week. She was beginning to think he'd miss his opportunity. No skin of her nose. But then a note came.
Tonight. Black tie. Await package. D.
Argh, he was frickin going to dress her again. Not to mention he was taking her to a black tie event. What was wrong with these Slytherins, couldn't they just have a quiet night out, did everything have to be so meticulous and extravagant.
She hadn't been to a black tie event since the Ministry Christmas formal, which was a massive event that was usually more of a have to than something one enjoyed. Well, Harry and Ron hated dress robes, they felt awkward and their enjoyment of the evening was practically zero, along with the pushing and pulling of the mass throng of people.
The package was waiting for her when she got home. She rolled her eyes when she saw it. She ignored it for a while, tried to tell herself that she wasn't curious. Curious about how he saw her or what he wanted to see her in, be seen with. She supposed that if he had one last chance to rub it in Blaise's face, he'd want her to look spectacular.
The dress was pink. Pink. No a bright pink, a dusty pink. And it was silk. It would have cost a fortune. It was hard to tell what it would look like on because it just flowed into a cascade of pink milk when she held it up.
She refused to try in on now. She would put in on when she had to, not just because she wanted to see what it looked like. She wasn't that kind of girl. She shoved it back in the package and went to make herself something to eat in the kitchen while she watched some TV.
He could have been decent enough to have told her a time. The uncertainty was making her edgy. She just couldn't settle. After a while, she decided to do her make up and hair so she could be ready without taking too long. She went for a bit of a smoky eye effect. It was a formal event, and underlying she wanted to look good for some reason.
What kind of events do the Slytherins have that were this formal. Proper gowns. Maybe this was typical. Maybe they did this every Thursday. How would she know?
It took him ages to arrive. It was close to eight. She had practically fallen asleep.
"You're not dressed." He said.
"I didn't want to wait around in a gown." She said. "This is not the kind of place where you lounge in gowns. I'll just be a second."
She shut the door to her bed room and pulled the gown out of its package. It had this kind of wrap effect on the top and material flowed out underneath. It was utterly spectacular. The silk flowed around her curves, revealing them as she walked. It was like the material had a life of its own.
It stuck her as odd that he would get such a spectacular dress for her. He could have gotten something much simpler. Simpler wasn't the word, the dress was simple, deceptively so. But then she supposed that the purpose of the evening was to get attention, and it achieved that. Worst was that she felt completely sexy in it.
She felt awkward opening her bedroom door and presenting herself in the dress. It was even more awkward as he matched her walk out. He didn't say anything, but he looked pleased.
"Let's go." He said and held out his arm. He led her downstairs and he side along apparated her to wherever they were going. Holding her tightly as they arrived with a jerk. She felt the lines of his body. There was no doubt the attraction was still there.
"And where will we be spending the evening tonight?" She asked as they were standing outside a massive door. A private looking door.
"The Parkinson's."
"Oh joy." Hermione said with sarcasm.
He knocked on the door and it opened. The Parkinson's house was large and ostentatious. And it was full. This was much larger than Draco's intimates getting together to show off their evening wear. This was a full pureblood society party. As in the grown ups.
All the old families were present, including some Ravenclaws. Not to mention every un-confirmed Death Eater in the country. She hesitated.
"Are you sure about this?" She said. She was not normally one to pick out the distinction, but it deserved a mention. "I'm would have assumed I'm not the most desired kind of guest to these types of functions."
"Don't be shy, you're my date."
"Are you parents here?" She said breathlessly.
"Somewhere, do you want to meet them?"
"No!" She said forcefully. "This is well awkward enough."
"What's the matter Granger, you don't want me to introduce you to my parents?" He said teasingly. "I'm hurt."
"Yes, well, I don't want to get hurt." She said tightly.
He guided her over to Pansy.
"There you are, I was wondering when you'd arrive." Pansy said and looked Hermione over. "And you finally brought your girlfriend. I was starting to wonder if you were squirreling her away. Have you met Rolf?"
Pansy introduced a tall man with sandy blonde hair. There was obviously a European accent to his greeting.
"He is taking me to Antigua." Pansy cooed. "We leave next week. Isn't he adorable."
Pansy pulled Rolf away.
"Guess Pansy's found someone she likes."
"One in a long string." Draco said dismissively.
"Are all of you serial daters?" She asked. "Not one of you seem to carry a serious relationship."
"Around here, if you look like you form an attachment, they start planning the wedding."
Hermione just followed as Draco walked around the room chatting. She just answered questions if they were put to her. Even by some people she would not have wanted to meet down a dark alley during the war. She did her absolute best to blend into the crowd, go unnoticed. Kept the eye contact to a minimum.
It went on for ages. They even ran into Blaise, who had a dark beauty with him. Old Spanish family. She was completely gorgeous with her deep dark eyes. They actually looked fantastic together. Although not a reflection on Blaise, but the girl would look fantastic standing next to anyone.
Blaise gave no indication that eluded to there being any kind of competition, and really, who could blame him considering the girl he had with him. She was stunning, Hermione thought.
"Darling." A cool voice said.
They turned to see Narcissa Malfoy. Hermione felt like a she'd been caught red handed. "Don't come around on Sunday, you father and I will be away."
"Alright, Mother." He said. She threw a scare look at Hermione and walked away.
"That went well." Hermione scoffed. "I think she likes me."
Draco laughed. "Don't get offended, unless I formally introduce you, you don't exist."
"I can live with that." She said and grabbed a glass off a passing tray. "My feet are killing me."
"Do you want a break?"
"No, this is fun." She said. "I have been glared at by people who I suspect was to wear my guts for garters. Snubbed by your mother and tortured by shoes that I'm sure are not for human use…"
He pulled her along by her arm and she had to totter along in her high heels trying not to spill the drink that felt like her only salvation. He dragged her up some stairs to the second floor where there was a small alcove. He plopped her down on one of the sofas, then disappeared for a minute, returning with a bottle.
He sat down on the opposing sofa and popped the cork. He filled their glasses, then grabbed her ankle. She tried to pull away, but he held her firm. He slipped the heel off her and her aching foot flexed to get rid of the pain and pressure.
"Don't." She said, but he only gave her a look, then rubbed her foot.
"I'm not a complete bastard." He said. "I can be nice."
In this instance heavenly, but she wasn't going to quarrel the finer points. She knew from experience that him being nice was not necessarily a good thing. He teased and he seduced, and he might be completely aware of what he was doing to her.
"I am not sleeping with you." She said firmly.
"You are such a tease." He said. "You have your foot practically in my crotch, teasing me."
She pulled her foot away. He sat back and put his arms up on the back of the sofa.
"Blaise's girl was pretty." She said, trying to change the conversation.
"Yes, but he'd not into her."
"How can you tell?"
He shrugged.
"Why do you want to stick it to him?" She asked. "Its not very … affable."
"Its how we've always been." Draco said. The continued after a short silence, "And what he did with you, was a direct confrontation. I don't expect you to understand."
"I was the girl you never wanted." She said. "Because that funny, I was pretty sure you hated me."
"I do hate you." He said. "But don't take it personally, I hate everyone."
"Even your friends."
"Most of all."
"You're an odd creature, Draco Malfoy." She said. "But then you can't resist me, or was that that you couldn't resist me."
"Oh you heard that, did you?"
"I recall something like that." She said. She was in full teasing mode. "So you hated my guts in school, but if I grabbed you can pulled you into a dark corner, you'd let me do anything I wanted to you."
He gave her a sly look that said he felt she was taking advantage.
"So you couldn't resist me, so if I'd slapped your mother and burnt down your house, you'd still been…my bitch?"
He rolled his eyes. "Don't push it." He warned.
"And what about now?" She asked, she was teasing, but she equally wanted the answer. "Can you resist me now?"
"You're going to have to put it on offer to find out." He said. He pulled her foot back in his lap. "Although that is your true weakness, isn't it Granger, just so damned curious." He stroked her foot, moving up higher to her calf.
The sensation it brought her was ridiculous. Everything in her tightened and responded. Part of her desperately wanted to get up and join him on his sofa.
"I am not sleeping with you." She repeated, but her voice was a little bit unsteady. She really didn't want to look down, because she was pretty sure her nipples were making their presence known.
"And why not?" He asked. "I think you want to."
"Because…" She started. Because a one night stand was just that, but if she relented, she would effectively fall into a relationship with Draco Malfoy, and that was every form of stupid.
His gaze had her pinned. His eyes were dark and deep, and she suspected they could just suck her in.
"Because it would be a bad idea on every level." She said, trying to find something to say. "For one, you hate me."
"I do, but sometimes I think I might actually hate you less than I hate everyone else."
"Oh well, there's a basis for a relationship." She scoffed.
"And when you're bouncing on my cock.."
"God, you're so crude."
"Let me finish. And for the record, yes I am." He said, still teasing her calf. "When you're bouncing on my cock, I find that I might almost not hate you at all."
Hermione bit her lip. She was going to continue being sarcastic, but knew in her gut that she'd just hear an admission. She'd just had an admission from Draco Malfoy. No, no, no, that is not where she wanted to go. She didn't want a Slytherin, being stuck in their society with their ways. She wanted a normal guy, someone who would fit into her life.
She looked down into her lap. This wasn't going to work. He didn't stop stroking her calf, but there was an understanding between them. She was not going to pick up the ball and run with it. She was going to put it right back where she found it.
He was just too dangerous. Too far from what she wanted. A damaged player with no direction who did nothing but drink, womanise and party. He did not fit into her life. And not that he was asking for that, but she knew in her gut she couldn't play with him either, this was all or nothing for her. She wasn't sure why, but it was.
She wasn't sure what made him different from Blaise, but there was a difference, an important one.
"I can't." She said. He seemed to accept it and refilled her glass.