Draco stared at the door Rose disappeared behind. He could feel adrenaline coursing through his veins—a far cry from the cool and confident persona he had tried to project. He resisted the urge to touch his lips and instead tried to recall the way her lips matched with his. He realized he didn't feel dirty or disgusted—he hadn't felt repulsed all night. Far from repulsed, he was entranced. He shook off his daze and departed her front steps to find somewhere he could disaparate home.
Once back to his own apartment, Draco lay down on his bed and hoisted his hand above him. Ten numbers were written on his hand. Draco had no idea what they meant. He summoned paper and a quill and copied the number down as written. He would have to ask Blaise how they worked.
It was late and his body trembled from the exhaustion of walking and the post-adrenaline rush. He could not shut his mind down, however. Instead he stared at the numbers Rose had written.
He tried to remember why he hated muggles. Filth. They were filthy, his father always said. But Rose was not filthy or dirty. They had tempers that came with their ignorance and fear. Rose had been optimistic and charming. She was intelligent. She was patient. Draco recalled his father steering Draco away from the half-bloods and muggleborns in Diagon Alley. "You are superior, Draco. Inherently, you are better than all of them and they will only bring you down."
Hermione Granger was better, though. She was better in every subject despite not having private tutors like Draco. Harry Potter, too, despite his diluted blood had bested him on a number of accounts. Rose was intelligent and kind, despite being a Muggle. He wondered if she would be that way if she knew he was a wizard. He sighed deeply. When he closed his eyes he saw Hermione Granger's desperate, crazy eyes as she shouted about a sword that wasn't real.
He wondered how his father was doing. He wondered if he would be disappointed his son had gone on a date with a muggle. He wondered for not the first time if his father felt regret for the path he had chosen and the way he had raised his son.
For not the first time, Draco wondered if Draco was in fact the inferior one—if the world was moving on and he was stuck on blood that hardly seemed different now.
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Hermione did not see Draco but for a brief second that week. He was leaving for lunch with Blaise and Hermione froze, wondering if this would be the time she would be recognized. Instead, his casually glanced beyond her form, as if he didn't even see her. Hermione found that moment rather offensive. He hadn't called Rose either and she thought about it bitterly. Granted, Draco probably had little knowledge of what "call me" and 10 digits meant, but she though he would try a little harder! It was a test of sorts—to see if he humbled himself to ask someone else. So far he hadn't but he might still be stuck on the whole process and idea of what it had even meant. Telephones were as foreign to him as Mermish was to Harry and how long had he taken to solve that silly golden egg?
Hermione shivered and cast a warming charm, climbing up the stairs around the Quidditch pitch. She passed all the excited fans until she was at the VIP area that was thankfully heated. Hermione relaxed into the chair, alone. The teams were already diligently warming up and Hermione could see Krum focusing amongst them. She turned when she heard footsteps. Smiling up at Claire and Blaise, she frowned when she noticed that Claire looked distinctly blonde and masculine.
"Pleasure to see you, too, Granger." Draco said testily. Hermione cringed, trying to relax the frown off her face.
"Malfoy! I was expecting Claire," Hermione explained. She leveled her gaze at Blaise who did not even wither under her scrutiny.
"Unfortunately, Claire couldn't make it." Blaise said evenly.
"Couldn't—or didn't know about it?" Hermione questioned.
"She knows I'm at a sports game with you and Draco." Hermione huffed.
"So you haven't told her still." Hermione accused.
"Granger, mind your business! Blaise will tell her when he's ready!" Draco said, interjecting himself into the conversation. Hermione was taken aback by his defensiveness and automatically quieted down. She sank into her chair and folded her arms across her chest.
"I don't even like Quidditch, I was here for Claire." She grumbled.
"You could always leave." Draco suggested. Hermione glared at him.
"I'm here for Krum, too." Hermione muttered. Draco leveled a look at her, causing Hermione to shift uncomfortably and fight her rising blush.
"You know, you may as well give up on Krum." Draco drawled, walking past her to sit down in his seat.
"What does that mean?" Hermione asked indignant. Draco fidgeted his leg but his face barely showed any unease. Hermione leaned around Blaise to see Draco, ignoring her friend as he sat in the seat between them.
"I simply mean that I know he was interested in seeing someone else recently." Draco elaborated indifferently. Hermione fumed.
"Saw that in a tabloid, I'm sure." Hermione gritted out. Draco looked surprised as he leaned around Blaise to look at her.
"Listen, Granger. I'm not trying to be nasty-"Draco began.
"It just comes naturally, I'm sure." Hermione interrupted.
"-I'm just saying I know he was going to go on a date with someone else and you should know." Draco finished.
"And how could you know that?" Hermione questioned.
"I just happened to see him and another woman." Draco answered.
"And you eavesdropped." Hermione accused.
"I was included in the conversation." Draco rebutted. "And it was heavily implied that he was going to ask her out on a date."
"And now you are generously here to warn me-"Hermione began, preparing a tirade about his presumption.
"Hermione." Blaise said exasperated. Hermione paused abruptly. Draco and she had edged off their seat and had progressively encroached on each other's space in the heat of their conversation. Blaise, who was in the middle of their feud, literally, suffered the most as Draco and Hermione nearly laid over him to continue their conversation. Noticing their spatial relations, Draco and Hermione shared a sheepish look before returning to sit properly in their own seats.
Hermione leaned back around Blaise. "Draco, Thank you for the concern but Krum & I are only friends, in any case." Hermione said considerably milder than her earlier state. Draco nodded uncomfortably and Hermione sat back in her seat. "Whatever happened to the girl?" Hermione eventually asked. She did not look at Draco but heard him cough awkwardly.
"They did not go out, it seems." He answered and Hermione laughed to herself. She knew exactly what happened to the girl. While she resented that Draco had assumed she was trying to date Krum, it was a somewhat kind gesture that he warn her of Krum's potential peccadillos.
Blaise did a fair job of divvying up his attention to both Hermione and Draco. It was hard to prevent either from being the third wheel but was instead inevitable that it would be Hermione, given her dislike of the sporting event. It was during the game that Blaise was unfortunately torn away by another ministry employee, leaving Hermione and Draco alone. The silence descended immediately, despite the loud shouts from the surrounding fans. Hermione eyed Draco from the side of her vision and blushed when she caught him doing the same. Feeling confident from the other night, Hermione tried reach out politely.
"Are you enjoying the game, Malfoy?" She asked. Draco jumped a little at her direct question but nodded affirmative.
"It's a well-fought, competitive match." He responded. Hermione nodded. The score was neck and neck and even she could see that it would rely on the catching of the snitch.
"Well, if Claire couldn't come, I'm glad the tickets were used by someone who enjoys it." Despite Hermione's positive intention, Draco frowned at her comment.
"Granger," He said before pausing. He looked to be finding the correct wording. "You really shouldn't push Blaise so far. He'll tell Claire when it is optimal." He finished. Despite what she assumed was his good intention, Hermione bristled.
"Blaise will tell her when the timing is optimal for him—not for her. He doesn't realize what a betrayal this is." Hermione said passionately. "It's a huge violation of trust and the longer he puts it off the more of a problem it will be." She thought of her parents and how utterly disappointed they had been when they understood what she had done.
"You don't repair this kind of hurt overnight." Draco held up his hands placating and Hermione breathed deeply.
"I've known Blaise a long time; I know that he will evaluate when the most optimal time is for the both of them." Draco reasoned. "That sort of revelation can't be something as cavalier as 'Claire, love, will you pass the sugar? Also, I'm a wizard so I'll just accio it myself.'" Draco said sarcastically. Hermione calmed a little more. Maybe she should have a little more faith in Blaise. Her parents were both there when she was being told of the magically world—they had had at least some understanding of what she had done.
"I've never asked how wizards or witches informed their partners of being magical." Hermione pondered. "Perhaps I'll ask around to see how people did it."
"You'll be lucky if they share." Draco said half-mindedly. Hermione glanced at him.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. Draco looked at her and shrugged.
"The rules are fairly strict with the statute of secrecies. The chances of them all following it to the letter of law are unlikely." He commented.
"Hmmm… you have an interesting point." Hermione contemplated his statement. "That's interesting that you thought of it." She opined. Draco shrugged again.
"It's just something you wouldn't think of and I would." He commented. Hermione nodded.
"That's why Blaise and I were partnered, you know—so he could know what is and I could see what things could be." Hermione said merrily. Draco snickered.
"Finally someone able to tell you what the wizarding world is so you don't force your ideas down their throat." Hermione took offense to that comment. She narrowed her eyes at Draco.
"You know Draco, I am glad that someone is finally telling me how the wizarding world is—no one was willing to tell me before, no one could explain, no one could criticize it. The muggle world isn't perfect either, but at least I'm trying to cross that bridge and let people understand the culture. At least they have a choice. Muggleborns might as well be kidnapped given how abruptly we are forced into a culture with no explanation and no integration. We don't even have a choice." Hermione said forlornly. Draco looked at her with a mixed expression.
"Muggleborns have a choice to attend school or not." Draco said weakly, an echo of his former beliefs. Hermione looked into his eyes.
"You'd condemn a witch to not knowing what she was for her lifetime? A witch is still a witch without the knowledge of spells. Her magic is what defines that—and it will never disappear with an obliviate. It will rise like the tide within her and she will know there is something deeper than what she thinks she knows but she will never know. That's no choice; that's torture." Hermione whispered, eyes glistening as she recalled the brief years where she did not know what she was or who she was.
"Draco, what did you do?" Blaise asked sternly, having returned from wherever he had gone. Draco looked up at Blaise blankly.
"I don't think I did anything." Draco said unsure. Hermione laughed a little.
"I'm fine, Blaise. I was just-"Hermione was drowned out as a chorus of fans cheered around them. Viktor Krum had caught the snitch and held it triumphantly. Blaise gave Hermione a look and she favored him with a reassuring, small smile. Eventually, they descended to the area before the lockers to greet Viktor. Hermione knew that Viktor despised interviews and today was the usual case. He looked intimidating with his glare but he brightened when he spotted her. She embraced him tightly.
"Ew, Viktor. You are so sweaty." Hermione said, pulling back. Viktor laughed.
"My apologies, winning a Quidditch game tends to do such." He joked.
"Congratulations!" Hermione said, "tight game but you pulled ahead."
"Did Blaise tell you to say that?" he said doubting her. Hermione tapped him ruefully on the chest with her knuckle. Viktor raised his hands in surrender before shaking Blaise's hand as he congratulated him.
"Malfoy," Viktor said with mild surprise. "I was hoping for a beautiful lady, not man who steals them." Viktor said in good humor. Draco shook his hand warily.
"I doubt you need to worry today." Draco said. Viktor glanced at Hermione who bristled.
"Yes, it would be too smart of you to do so." Viktor casually defended. "Hermione, I eat my words. Your spell was amazing." Hermione brightened at his remark.
"Spell?" Blaise interjected, looking at Hermione. "The new one you won't tell me?" Hermione laughed.
"The old one I won't tell you." She corrected. "How long did it last?"
"All night, maybe 8-12 hours total. Very impressive, but ineffective on parents." Hermione nodded as she enlarged a charm on her necklace—a shrunken notebook she used to keep notes.
"Did you notice it fade? Or did it just pop off?" She asked.
"A fade—I didn't even notice. Just suddenly amongst people it stopped." He said as Hermione 'hmm'd' and wrote notes.
"I'm trying to see if it's based on familiarity or if it's just a matter of whether or not they've seen you naked." Hermione said. She spared Draco an amused glance as he looked alarmed at her comment. "Report back if you learn more?"
"Hermione," Blaise interjected, "the man just played Quidditch, Give him a break." Hermione sighed.
"You're excused, Viktor." Hermione jokingly relented before Blaise began speaking amiably with him. Draco stood awkwardly to her side. Hermione reshrank her necklace and replaced it around her neck.
"Do you make a lot of spells?" Draco asked nonchalantly, though Hermione was pleased to notice interest behind his façade.
"I've made quite a few. Some are more practical, some decidedly less so." She answered.
"What do they do?" Draco asked, no longer feigning disinterest.
"I'm fairly proud of my Non-map bubble, which Blaise has already seen. I combined the Notice-me-not spell and a spell that covers speech with a buzzing sound. It essentially lets my tour group navigate through crowds of non-magical people without being noticed. I've been using it at my Muggle grams so I can show people around and let them ask questions without Non-Magical Persons noticing." Hermione said proudly.
"Impressive, Granger." Draco said with a small nod of approval. "How effective is it?"
"100% so far, although every Muggle Gram is really a test of the effectiveness—I'm not sure how if effects people with varying magical affinity." Hermione smiled. "What of you, Healer Malfoy? Any new healing spells I should thank you for?" Draco snorted ruefully.
"Hardly. I'm largely still in training and it would certainly be frowned upon to test any spells on unknowing patients." Hermione flinched at the statement, uncomfortably remembering her own dalliances into such matters with her parents. Hermione felt the atmosphere tense, though she doubted Draco knew he had unintentionally hit her weak spot. But it lasted for but a brief moment as Viktor and Blaise finished their conversation. Hermione gave Viktor a goodbye hug and promised to write him again. He waved again before he disappeared behind the players' doors, grumbling about the future interrogations from reporters.
"Well that ended sooner than I thought." Hermione said, glancing at her watch. It was barely past eight.
"We can stop and get a pint." Blaise suggested. Draco nodded in agreement.
"You guys have fun," Hermione said, not wanting to intrude. Blaise gave her a reprimanding look.
"We'll go to the Muggle bar near Claire's and call her over." Blaise clarified. Hermione sighed and nodded.
"I look like a mess." Hermione pouted. Draco snickered beside her.
"I'm sure you are used to it." He taunted. Blaise gave him a stern look in warning.
"Also, Malfoy looks ill fit to mingle with the masses." Hermione said irritated. "Have you heard of jeans, Malfoy?" She asked glancing at his immaculate black suit. He looked at her down his nose.
"I'd hardly subject myself to something so primitive." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Primitive, he says." She said under her breath. "Let's just use a primitive payphone so we can give her a call."
She knew Blaise was irritated by their childish behavior but she sincerely felt that Draco had started it. Furthermore, she still didn't understand why he seemed to be so friendly with Rose but so rude with her. And he still hadn't called Rose which festered as resentment within her the more she saw Draco. She spotted a payphone and picked up the phone. She glanced condescendingly at Draco.
"Look, Malfoy—a primitive phone. However could a muggle manage to call another muggle without a floo." She said sarcastically. She put in her coins, dialing Claire's number. She hid her smirk when Draco watched the process with poorly hidden interest. Monkey see, monkey do and that monkey owed someone a call. Hermione thought petulantly.
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Claire opened the door and greeted Blaise with a kiss.
"Where's Hermione?" She asked as she greeted Draco with a hug. Draco returned the hug awkwardly. Physical affection was never a common thing is his life. He remembered being flabbergasted every time he spotted Hermione embracing Potter. He had thought it was just her but Claire's warm affection made him feel it might just be more common for muggles.
"Hermione is meeting us at the bar—she had to drop something off somewhere." Blaise said, though in reality she had left with a huff to her apartment saying something about proper attire. They only had to walk a block or so before they reach the bar, dodging cars and the awful, dangerous taxis. Draco shuddered remembering the feeling inside one. The bar was tepid and musty. It was a small establishment but was full of people they navigated through to reach the bar. Draco looked appraisingly at the women at the bar who had short dresses and shirts with cutouts. He particularly admired one long, lean leg from the heeled foot to the short black skirt and fitted top. He nearly bit his tongue when he noticed it was Hermione Granger who had changed clothes into something that complimented her extremely well. Distantly he realized he had found her attractive.
She was sipping slowly from her drink, trying to ignore a guy who was loudly talking into her ear. She rolled her eyes and gave him a polite smile. Whatever she was about to tell the guy was interrupted by Claire shouting her name. Hermione turned and smiled before picking up her drink and greeting Claire with a hug.
"Thank you for saving me! What a tosspot." Hermione said bitterly. Draco felt himself glaring at the guy who seemed to return his glare. He turned back to face Granger who looked like Granger…except far more…different.
This Hermione Granger was nothing like the prim and proper girl of his childhood nor was this the prim and proper ministry office employee. In fact, he could make no reconciliation between the Granger he had seen in the Wizarding world and the Granger he was seeing now in the Muggle world. Wizarding Granger was whole-heartedly focused on paperwork-nose to the parchment. Wizarding Granger had bright organizational systems that were so neat they were intimidating. Wizarding Granger rolled her eyes, possessed a frequent moue of displeasure, and spoke with an articulation so sharp it was often cutting. Muggle Granger took the dance floor and captured all attention. Muggle Granger flipped her hair over her shoulder and slid her hands down her body. Muggle Granger had eyes that said 'come hither' and a body that spoke of charisma and confidence.
'What the fuck.' Draco thought, drinking his Muggle alcohol quietly and adjusting the collar of his shirt. Blaise sat beside him at the bar, facing the dance floor where Claire danced with Hermione. They had been sending each other heated looks all night as Claire danced with fervor next to Granger. Yet it was Granger and her erotic dancing that captured his attention. She moved as seductively as Rose, a shining light compared to the other patrons of the bar. Draco took another sip.
Draco attempted to avert his eyes from Granger's sensual dancing but all he could see were the eyes of the patrons as they watched her dance. He noticed Blaise smirking in the corner of his eye.
"Alright, mate?" He asked with a half-smile. Draco coughed.
"Is this common?" Draco asked.
"Is what common?" Blaise smirked.
"This." Draco said gesturing vaguely to the dancing before him. "Her." He said lifting his bottle in Granger's direction. Blaise looked at Granger.
"I suppose it's far more common than you thought. She comes out with us occasionally." He glanced at Draco. "Far different than the Hogwarts bookworm?" He smirked again. "I suppose she's a little more open in the muggle world where no one really knows her—where no one writes articles about her. You might benefit from the anonymity, too." Blaise looked back at Claire who beckoned him. Blaise stood, finished his drink and joined Claire on the dance floor. Granger hugged him with a laugh before she began walking back towards Draco. Draco felt a strange flush as he noticed even her manner of walking was different. It was just as purposeful but much more sensual. She managed to appear to both strut and glide towards him. She flopped next to him in the seat Blaise just abandoned. Draco watched her drink and noticed the bead of sweat running down her neck and into her—
"What do you think?" Granger asked and Draco startled as he averted his eyes to her face.
"About?" he questioned. Granger opened her arms to gesture to the establishment.
"This muggle bar!" She said, humored. "I see you have yet to spontaneously combust in such a dwelling." Draco noted her teasing demeanor and relaxed.
"It's terribly uncouth." He sniffed in disdain. Granger laughed and playfully swatted him on the shoulder. He wondered if she was tipsy—he doubted she'd ever be so open if she were not.
"Oh the peasants and their terrible beer!" She mocked. "Yet you continue to drink such swill." Draco inspected the beds of his nail with faux nonchalance.
"I have resigned myself to being more tolerant of the lesser." Granger looked at him more seriously, still in fair humor.
"I know." She said far more quietly. Draco felt himself withdraw—she had always had this effect on him; that she saw everything he was and all the weakness he possessed.
"It wouldn't kill you to dance, you know." She continued. Draco glanced at Claire and Blaise performing some joint, sensual, extremely close movement.
"I don't think I know this dance." Draco admitted. Granger laughed.
"I don't suppose you do" She agreed. "Blaise was pants when he first tried. I think this style of dance is a little more-" she paused to think of the correct wording "unconventional?" Draco nodded.
"Wizarding dances are much more standard." Draco commented. Hermione smiled at him.
"Dancing—here—is often about expression." She told him. "It's very freeing." She favored him a secretive smile. Draco felt tightness in his chest at her expression.
"Hermione you are so good at dancing! All those boys were looking at you!" Claire said in a sing-song voice. Hermione laughed.
"Only looking, if they know what's good for them." Hermione muttered. "Honestly, this place can get rather grabby." She continued. "Remember the Stag Party?" Claire and Hermione shuttered in symphony.
"Blaise would've killed the man if Hermione hadn't punched him." Claire informed Draco.
"Yea, she's got a mean right hook." He smirked. Hermione winced.
"Hmmmmm?" Claire murmured looking between Hermione and Draco. "A story?" She smiled. Hermione winced again.
"Long story short, Malfoy was being a tosser, so I punched him in the face in my third year." Hermione said quietly into her drink. Blaise laughed.
"That actually happened?" Blaise asked as Draco scowled. "We all thought someone was taking the piss and made it all up!" Blaise laughed again. "Good for you, Hermione." Blaise said with a small salute with his drink.
"Cheers, Mate." Draco said saluting his own drink. The group laughed in an easy going way. It was not unpleasant in the Muggle establishment; it reminded him of the pub Rose and he had gone for their first date. He glanced back at Granger as she smiled widely. She looked mildly intoxicated as she swatted Blaise lightly as he taunted her. She seemed so relaxed amongst the muggles and he wondered if she ever really relaxed in the wizarding world like she did here. The idea annoyed him; she claimed to be a witch but she seemed so at ease as muggle. Yet beside her Blaise seemed equally at peace and had found a muggle fiancée. He supposed he could agree with the freedom of anonymity within this world; no one had stared at him beyond normal attraction. These people did not know him as a Death Eater, as a Malfoy, as a villain. He thought of Rose who knew nothing of his past. The muggle world was daunting in its complexity and simplicity. It made him wary. Yet he yearned for even a glimpse of the peace that Granger and Blaise had found, regardless of their source.
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Hermione put on her makeup and thought of Draco's face as she danced. She knew Draco was one of the many individuals hung up on her sagacious and shrewd nature in the wizarding world and she was delighted to dismantle the typecast. Draco had marveled at Hermione—when she was Hermione—as much as he had when she was Rose. She was beyond the need for mental pep talks before her show but she did so anyway. She fed off Draco's reaction-she admittedly yearned for it. There was something she had always loved about crushing people's preconceived notions.
She channel her satisfaction as she stepped out onto the stage and moved with the fluidity and grace she had perfected.
Don't need permission
Made my decision to test my limits
'Cause it's my business
God as my witness
Start what I finished
Hermione spun elegantly on her pole. She twisted and smiled her twisted little show smirk.
Somethin bout you makes me feel like a dangerous woman
She looked out into the audience and did not falter when she noticed the platinum crop of hair and the entranced Slytherin to whom it belonged. Instead, she only smiled and smiled. Draco hadn't called, but he had returned to Le Chat Noir.
He was at the bar when she finished her set, sipping a Muggle beer. "Mr. Malfoy." She said in a playful and light tone. "I had feared I had seen the last of you." She admitted.
"My apologies, it was not my intention in the least." Draco said smoothly. She smiled at him.
"Well then, what is your intention?" She asked.
"I was rather hoping for another date." He looked at her hopefully and she could see the vulnerability in his eyes. She had wanted to tease him more but she felt her resentment falter under his near-bashful smile.
"I think I'd like that." She admitted. "If you didn't have any ideas, perhaps you would allow me to plan." He nodded and gave her small but genuine smile. Hermione's breath caught. She realized that she had probably never seen Draco truly smile. If the small smile was any indication, she imagined he would be stunning. "Sa-Saturday at 4 PM…is that okay?" She asked, struggling to regain her train of thought.
"Saturday at 4 PM it is." He agreed. She nodded, still dazed by his smile.
"I have to go—but I'll see you at the same spot we met last time." She said. He nodded again. She readjusted the purse on her arm and wandered towards the exit of the club. She turned after a few steps to look at him again. "Do you like Italian food?" She asked.
"Pick any cuisine and I would eat it." He reassured her. Hermione wondered if he had truly diverse cuisine but she figured that would be a question for later. She waved lightly as she left and walked into the brisk night, giggling to herself in unfounded glee. She had an idea on a new muggle concept Draco might enjoy.
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A/N: Wow. Been quite some time. I've looked at the notes for this fanfiction nearly every day with the intention to update it but could never quite reach the length or flow I wanted. I'm still not completely content with this chapter…but I wanted to move forward and it was rather holding me back. Hope you enjoyed it and thank you for the continuing reviews and follows!
Song: Dangerous Woman/Ariana Grande