A/N Hello everyone. Thank you for all the reviews. Here is the next chapter. I know my French isn't perfect in it but I tried very had. Unfortunatly I cannot speak French so I had to rely on a translator program. You will get the point I'm sure. Happy reading and don't forget to review!
Indiscretion
"Oh…" she said taking a step back and nearly falling backwards into the fire. "I was just…uh, getting you a blanket."
"Thank you." he said with a slightly confused look in his eyes.
"Oh, don't mention it." she replied slightly embarrassed.
"I didn't mean to doze off. I didn't get much sleep last night."
Hermione took a deep breath and realized that he wasn't going to make a big deal of it.
"Oh, why not?" she asked aloud.
"Well to be honest I kept getting owls from my company officials and Asteria."
"What did they want?" she asked, more interested in what Asteria wanted than what anyone else did.
"Well my promotions manager wanted to meet today…I think I told you we had a meeting."
Hermione shook her head yes.
"And Asteria wanted what she always wants…"
"And what is that?" Hermione said naively.
"Money." he sighed.
"Oh, I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…"
"Don't be ridiculous. But sufficed to say between all the owls sleep eluded me."
"I didn't sleep that well either." She joked hoping to break the tension.
"Really?" he asked. He seemed genuinely surprised.
"I fell asleep in the chair reading." she laughed. "My neck feels very stiff now."
She sat back down next to him and relaxed a bit more.
"So what should we do now?" she asked.
"I don't know about you but I'm starving." he said.
"I am too. Want to have this meeting over dinner?" she asked, wondering immediately if this was a good idea.
"That sounds good, where should we go?"
"Well, I don't know if you would object to going to a muggle place…"
He shook his head no.
"Well then I have a place in London that is excellent. And there won't be so many people staring at us like in Diagon Alley the other day."
"If it makes you more comfortable." he said.
"Great." she said happily. "We can walk from the Leaky Cauldron."
He nodded as he stood up, grabbed his coat and followed her out the door. The halls were empty again and their footsteps echoed eerily. They reached the floo quickly Hermione grabbed some floo powder and threw it into the empty fireplace.
"The Leaky Cauldron." she said clearly. Both of them stepped into the green flames and swished away to the old pub. They landed in the fireplace and brushed the ashes off as they stepped out. The bar was empty, only Tom stood behind the counter wiping glasses off with an old rag.
"Evening Mr. Malfoy." Tom said. He looked at Hermione as if he recognized her but couldn't quite remember her name. She nodded at him kindly as they headed out the old wooden doors.
The sun was just setting in London and the streets were crowded with people going to or coming home from work. The restaurant she knew was three blocks from the Leaky Cauldron. It was called Le Petit Ciel.
"I hope you like French food." she said aloud.
"I love it." he smiled slightly. "I am of French decent."
"So am I." she replied. "I absolutely adore it, yet another thing I can't enjoy with Ronald. He hates anything his mum didn't cook."
"I hope this doesn't offend you…" he started "but it seems that you and he have very little in common."
"You know what they say, opposites attract." she said jokingly.
"If you say so." he replied.
Soon enough they reached the restaurant and just as Hermione said no one gave the two of them a second glance. There were a lot of people waiting but Draco pushed to the front of the line.
"Table for two." he said thrusting his hand into the man's hand and nodding. The man behind the podium looked at his hand, smiled and said;
"Right this way sir." with a thick French accent.
Draco and Hermione followed the man to a small table near the windows. Small candles burned on the table.
The man pulled out Hermione's chair for her and she muttered a shy thank you when he pushed her in.
"Your waiter will be with you shortly. Enjoy."
They both smiled at him as he left.
"Did you just bribe him?" Hermione whispered.
"Don't think of it as a bribe. Think of it as us eating before everyone else." he smiled and she smiled back.
The waiter came over a moment later.
"May I suggest a wine?" he asked.
"Non, votre vin le mieux rouge plaît, peut-être un Cabernet Sauvignon" Draco said fluently. The waiter nodded and headed towards the wine cellar.
"Vous parlez le français?" She asked.
"Of course." he replied. "My mum taught me when I was five or six. We vacationed in France quite often."
"My mum and dad took me to France on holiday several times as well. We had a small cottage there."
The waiter returned with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, a basket of torn baguette pieces and a small covered dish of cheeses. He opened the bottle and allowed Draco to smell the bottle before he poured a small amount into the wine glass. Draco tasted it and nodded. A full glass was then poured for the both of them.
"Are you ready to order then?"
"Un peu plus de moments s'il vous plaît." Draco said. The man nodded and walked away. Hermione took a sip of the wine which was bold and slightly peppery, but also very good.
"You have excellent taste." she said holding up her glass. He did the same and took a large sip.
"I am so hungry." Hermione said aloud looking at the menu. "I don't know what to order."
Several minutes passed before the waiter came back.
"I hope I am not intruding."
"No, we are ready to order I think." Draco said looking at Hermione.
"Oui, j'aurai le Boeuf Bourguignon s'il vous plaît." Hermione said.
"And you sir?"
"J'aurai le pot au fau s'il vous plaît."
"Very well, enjoy." he said motioning to the bread and cheeses that were still untouched.
"Merci." they both said at once and then looked at each other. Hermione laughed and then blushed.
"So…" he said.
"What shall we start with?" she asked.
"The bread and cheeses of course." he said.
"I meant with your project." she replied, taking a slice of brie and smearing it onto the torn bread.
"Oh, that. I honestly have no ideas. I didn't get far into reading, and then with all the drama I didn't have much of a chance to work on it. What did you come up with?"
"Not much either. I will try to finish the book tonight."
"I really appreciate all the hard work you are doing on this project. And having dinner with me."
"Oh well people need to eat." she laughed nervously. She had no idea where this lump in her throat came from, but she was cursing it inside her head. Just then Draco reached across the table and took her hands into his own.
"No really. I always knew you were a hard worker." his stormy eyes looked deep into hers. She couldn't explain what she was feeling at that moment. They were so similar. Their tastes, intelligence, mindsets and it was at that moment that she realized that was indeed attracted to Draco Malfoy. She abruptly pulled her hands back.
"Sorry." she muttered. Her stomach lurched.
"I didn't mean…" he said realizing how this must look.
"Don't be silly. Thank you for the compliment." she said trying to gain her composure. They sat for several moments, trying not to meet each other's eyes before they were interrupted. It was a little old lady, a muggle for sure, probably in her 80's. She was hunched over and wearing an ivory knitted shawl.
"I didn't mean to bother you two…" she said. "I just wanted to say how nice it is to see young people so in love. I can tell by the way you look at each other." She smiled and touched Hermione on the shoulder.
"I've been with my Edward for fifty five years, and he still looks at me with that fire in his eyes. You are a lucky woman."
Hermione smiled politely as the woman hobbled away towards her husband a few tables over from them. She didn't know what to think or say. Was it possible that Draco was looking at her in that way? Was he attracted to her as well?
"That was odd." He said breaking her train of thought.
"Well I suppose you reaching across and touching my hands looked romantic from her point of view." she joked. That damn lump in her throat hovered there making her voice crack towards the end. She cleared her throat and threatened the lump with certain acts of violence.
"Yes I suppose it would have. I hope I didn't make you too uncomfortable."
"No, not at all." she lied.
Luckily their food came just at that moment. It smelled wonderful.
"If I can get you anything else please, let me know." the waiter said as he walked away.
"It looks delicious." Draco said. "More wine?"
Hermione nodded and drank the glass in two large sips hoping it would relieve that lump and push it into her stomach. Draco poured her a third glass as she started her beef burgundy. It was tender and delicious paired with the wine.
"How is it?" he asked her.
"Wonderful" she replied. And then without giving that lump a thought she offered a bite to him. His eyes met hers as she placed the fork into his mouth and it slid across his soft, pink lips. A single drop of sauce dripped onto his lower lip and his tongue darted out to catch it. He took a piece of his pot roast and offered it to her as well, holding his hand underneath her chin to catch anything if it should fall. She took the bite and savored it in her mouth.
"Thank you." she said softly. "Everything is so good."
"Yes it is." he replied. But it had a different denotation to it.
They ate quietly, making little more noise than the clinking of silverware. Hermione felt very tense. This was not the person she was. Was she actually considering having an affair with him?
'No, of course not.' she told herself. 'I am a married woman, I have two children, and I have a home, and friends and family…' but then another voice snuck into her sensible reasoning. 'And you haven't had an orgasm in five years.' that voice said. She hushed that small voice up and kept up all the reasons this was a bad idea. While she did that she continued to drink her wine.
'And besides…' she thought 'he is married as well. And I'm sure his wife is much more attractive than I am. He used to hate me, and I'm sure he's just being polite. Yes. That is much more reasonable than what you were thinking.' the first voice said.
"Are you alright?" Draco asked. Hermione had a blank look on her face.
"Oh, yes. I was just reasoning things out in my head…about your project you know." she added quickly.
"Good." he smiled.
Soon after the two were finished and the plates were cleared.
"Dessert?" he asked.
"That sounds wonderful." she said feeling quite good from the wine and rich food.
"Mind if I order for you?"
"No, not at all."
"Le garçon, nous aimerions deux Creme Brulee et une bouteille de votre meilleur vin de dessert."
The waiter nodded and hurried off once again.
"More wine?" Hermione asked.
"Just a small dessert wine. You have to try the Crème Brulee with it."
Hermione nodded looking at the first bottle of wine which was nearly gone. Had she really had that much or had Draco consumed most of it? She didn't know, but the light feeling in her head gave her a clue.
The Crème Brulee arrived with a very sweet but delicious dessert wine. The waiter again offered it to Draco and he approved it before giving it to Hermione. She cracked the caramelized shell and dug into the sweet creamy center of her favorite dessert. It melted against her tongue giving her instant satisfaction. Draco watched her eating the dessert. The small candle on the table was burning down to nothing, but the final flames were bright dancing across her face. She finished her dessert first with his hardly touched. He was fiddling with his wine glass. She finished her wine as well. The waiter brought the check and Hermione reached for it. She felt slightly tipsy and missed the check altogether making it easy for Draco to snatch it and throw a stack of muggle cash onto the tray.
"S'il vous plaît garder le changement." Draco said.
"You didn't have to…" Hermione said.
"I know. But I did. I guess that's just me." he told her.
She laughed.
"Can we stop back at your office? I left my book there." he said.
The lump in Hermione's throat returned. But she maintained her composure.
"Sure. I left mine there as well. Can't take the chance of losing a Hogwarts book." she joked and then hiccupped.
"Do you need any help?" he said offering his arm.
"No. I'm fine." she replied before tripping and stumbling against him. "Maybe a little help would be good."
He took a hold of her arm and led her out of the restaurant and down three blocks to the Leaky Cauldron where they used the floo to get back to the ministry. It was later now and the ministry was completely empty now. They reached Hermione's office and she sat down on the small sofa.
"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked.
"Oh, I will be. I just have to wait a while before going home. I can't show up like this."
"I shouldn't have ordered that second bottle. I didn't think." he said.
"I know better. I'm a big girl." she said. "I'll be just fine."
"I'm not leaving you here by yourself." he said.
"I'm fine." she said again.
"And I'm going to make sure you stay that way." Draco said. "I need you."
Hermione's eyes softened to him.
"For the project." he added.
"Of course." she replied. "It was funny what that old lady said to us wasn't it?" she laughed pushing that lump back down for the last time.
"Yes it was."
"Imagine her thinking you were looking at me like that." she whispered.
"I believe she said that we were looking at each other like that." he whispered back.
"I mean couldn't she tell that we were just there on business?" Hermione giggled.
"Since we didn't get any business done I would say not."
Hermione swallowed again.
"Can I ask you something?" she said nervously.
"Of course."
"Were you looking at me like that?"
Draco didn't answer.
"I shouldn't have asked that. Of course you weren't."
"I'm married." he said.
"I know." Hermione replied.
"Let me finish…I'm married, but I haven't felt the compassion you have showed me in the last few days in the last twenty years. I was looking at you in that way. And I'm sorry for it. I know you are happily married and it was completely inappropriate."
Hermione sat frozen, her heart beating loudly in her chest.
"You are happily married aren't you?" he said leaning in towards her. She didn't move away, enjoying the feeling of his hot breath on her face. She inhaled deeply taking in his scent.
"I…uh." she said nervously. Draco didn't wait for her to answer. His soft lips crashed down on hers taking her by surprise. She couldn't breathe at first because her mind couldn't comprehend what was happening. But when she did she responded willfully. She wanted this deep down. The passion and excitement of a first kiss. And at that point she didn't care that she was going to burn for this act of adultery. Her soft breasts pushed against his chest as his hand moved from her neck down to the small of her back where it remained pushing her closer to him. Hermione's whole body shivered with feelings she hadn't had for a long time. He was so different than Ron. This kiss wasn't tender and loving. It was filled with longing and passion. And it scared her. She pulled back and inhaled all the air her lungs could take. She felt like she was going to pass out. She stood up and stumbled again and he reached out to catch her and she was looking at him with wide, scared eyes.
"I'm sorry Hermione. I am so, so sorry. I shouldn't have. I just thought…" he said letting her sit down again. Hermione continued to hyperventilate. Trying to catch her breath she placed her hand on her chest.
"Are you okay?" he asked. She continued to keep her hand over her chest as she nodded 'yes'.
"I should go." Draco said softly heading towards the closed door.
Hermione tried to gather her thoughts enough to stop him. But all she could think to do was shout after him.
"Wait!"