Sorry for the delay. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, in appreciation this chapter is about double the length of my last one. Hope you like it!!
When her head stopped spinning, Hermione found herself in front of a house about half the size of Malfoy Manor but still huge. It too had large stone pillars outside and a large lush expanse of lawn around her. Draco, once again, seemed to take little interest in his surroundings. "Let's go," he said, pulling her slightly by her elbow.
Hermione didn't have time to pull away before the door opened and Blaise Zabini stepped out, followed by Mandy. Hermione hadn't seen Blaise much since high school as he had no job to speak of other than putting in appearances at his business a few days a month. Mandy did not work and Hermione hadn't seen her at all since Hogwarts, however, Mandy smiled at her like they were good friends.
"Draco," Blaise shook hands with his friend, smiling broadly. "Where have you been hiding?"
"Been a busy week," Draco said, smiling back. He nodded at Mandy. "Mandy, how are you?"
"Good, thank you," Mandy walked past the men and held out her hand to Hermione. "Hermione, welcome! I was so glad to get your letter!"
"Nice to see you again, Mandy," Hermione said, shaking her hand politely.
Blaise turned his attention to Hermione as well. "Nice to see you, Hermione. Mandy is very excited that she has another wife to shop with."
Hermione smiled politely at him but didn't reply.
"Shall we?" Blaise took Mandy's arm and walked into the house. Draco grabbed Hermione's arm as well.
"You don't have to, you know," she whispered to him. "They know this was forced on us."
"They won't mention it and I expect you to follow their example," Draco whispered back. "Try and act like a wife, Hermione. I don't want to be embarrassed."
Hermione frowned but followed the Zabinis inside. Their foyer was also like the Manor although smaller, but Hermione tried not to look around as she knew that would upset Draco. She detected the same marble pillars, just on a smaller scale. Immediately once they got inside, Blaise and Draco headed off one way and Mandy grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her another.
"Now that the men are gone, how are you really doing?" she asked as they walked into a brightly lit room filled with flowers. "To have to get married to someone you're not in love with that quickly, how hard that must be!"
Hermione was taken aback."Well, it was a bit sudden," she said. "However, Draco has been very gracious." They crossed through the room to the glass doors on the other side. Mandy opened them and led Hermione past some large potted plants to a gazebo where a light tea was set up on a wrought iron table. She sat and Hermione did the same.
"Really? That doesn't sound like Draco." Mandy raised an eyebrow.
Hermione hesitated. Mandy seemed nice, but she did marry a Slytherin. She decided to stay cautious. "Oh, no. The contract negotiation went well and we have been getting along. How long have you and Blaise been married?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Two years," Mandy said, as an elf began pouring the tea. "I'm pregnant," she whispered conspiratively.
"Congratulations," Hermione said, taking her cup from the elf.
"Thank you," Mandy said, sipping her tea. "We'd just about given up when it happened. I'm two months along. Are you going to children right away?"
"No," Hermione said. "I feel like Draco and I should get to know each other better before having children," she added diplomatically.
Mandy nodded. "He is a very nice man,you know," Mandy said. "He's wonderful with children. Theo Nott and his wife have a baby and Draco is just wonderful with him. Just give him a chance."
Hermione just nodded, not sure how to answer.
"Now you have questions for me?" Mandy asked, smiling.
"Yes, I don't know how I'm going to handle work and all these charities," Hermione said, handing Mandy the list. "How do you do it?"
"Well, for one, I don't work. You might want to think about quitting." Mandy said,, glancing at the list.
"I can't! I love my job." Hermione answered. "There's got to be a way. Draco does it."
"Can you take half days? At least until you get used to everything?" Mandy asked. "I'm sure if you explain your supervisor will understand."
"Maybe," Hermione said doubtfully. "I guess it's worth a try."
"Try that and then owl me with what you'll be able to do and we'll work from there," Mandy said, handing her back the list. "I'm on most of these as well, I'll be able to help you."
"Wonderful," Hermione said, relaxing slightly. She took a sip of her tea.
"It will be nice to see you often," Mandy said. "I'd love to have you as a friend."
"Of course, but don't some of Blaise's other friends have wives?" Hermione asked.
Mandy's smile faltered. "Yes, but I was in Ravenclaw. Some of the other wives think Blaise should have stayed in his house."
Hermione made a face. "Then they'll love me. I can't wait until Draco's birthday."
Mandy laughed. "Is Narcissa helping you plan?"
"Apparently," Hermione said. "I suppose it's for the best. I definitely don't know much about what Draco would like."
Mandy nodded. "Blaise's mother helped me out a lot for the first year of our marriage," she said.
"I'm not sure Mrs. Malfoy will be thrilled with me for a daughter-in-law," Hermione sighed.
"Don't mistake Draco's mother for his father," Mandy said. "She's actually a very nice woman. You'll see."
"Well, she's coming Sunday to spend the week so I'll find out soon enough," Hermione said.
"Here they come," Mandy said, her posture changing and her face morphing into a vague smile as the two men walked towards them. "Hello, darling," she said as Blaise came towards her and kissed her cheek. "Are you ready for lunch?"
"Yes, did you tell Hermione our happy news?" Blaise asked, pulling his wife up gently.
"Yes, " Mandy beamed. "She was very happy for us. A bit envious, of course."
"Really?" Draco grinned, looking at Hermione. "I thought you wanted to wait for children, Hermione?"
"Seeing Mandy so happy would make anyone envious, Draco," Hermione said through her clenched smile.
"Just say the word, dear, we can have a baby by Valentine's Day," Draco pressed, still smiling, enjoying her embarrassment.
"Maybe," Hermione said, smiling back. His blinked, clearly startled but didn't change his expression.
"That would be wonderful!" Mandy exclaimed. "Our children would be only a few months apart."
"We'll work on that first thing tonight," Draco said, amused. "For now though, I think we should eat."
"I agree," Blaise said, leading the way.
Draco took Hermione's arm and they walked behind the beaming couple. "I never saw you as the type to want children," Draco said, chuckling a little.
"Oh hush!" Hermione whispered. "You just made it worse. Now she'll be bugging me all the time about it."
"You'll survive," he said lightly. "You like Mandy then?"
"Very much," Hermione said. "She's not what I expected."
"That's why Blaise married her," Draco said. "Not everyone wants the perfect, docile society wife."
"You do," Hermione said. Draco smiled, but didn't answer. "Don't you?" Hermione persisted.
Draco shrugged. "I think that would be boring," he said finally.
"But I drive you crazy," Hermione said as they reached the house.
"Yes," Draco said, not looking at her. "But I'm certainly never bored." With that they reached Blaise and Mandy and the subject was dropped.
Lunch was pleasant enough and when they finally bid the Zabini's goodbye Hermione was full of food and wine and pleasantly surprised at how well the afternoon went. Blaise and Mandy were fun to talk to and Draco was pleasant the entire afternoon, not a snide remark out of him after they reached the luncheon table. He was even witty, she thought as they waved goodbye and began to walk away from the house to apparate.
"That was nice," she voiced as they walked. "I've never seen you so... charming."
Draco tilted his head and looked at her. "How much wine did you have?"
"Enough," Hermione admitted. "That doesn't change the fact that you were fun to talk to today."
"I'm capable of being nice when I want to be," Draco said, smiling slowly at her.
"You should want to be more often," Hermione said, smiling back.
"I would be, if you stopped being a shrieky shrew. You were pleasant today as well," he said as they stopped walking.
Hermione frowned, she wasn't sure if that was an insult or not. "I don't shriek," she said finally, laughing a little.
"Oh you do," Draco said, laughing as well.
"I guess I'll try and cut down on that then," Hermione said. "Are you going back to work?"
He shook his head. "No, you?"
"No, too much wine," Hermione said. "I'll see you at the Manor then," she said, apparating away. He appeared beside her seconds later and they climbed the steps in companionable silence.
"Going to bed?" he asked as they went inside.
Hermione shook her head. "Too early. I guess I'll find a book to read."
Draco nodded. "I'm going to do some work in my study," he said. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"
Hermione nodded and started to walk away.
"Or-" Draco said, making her turn. "We could have the elves bring us more wine."
Hermione grinned. "That sounds wonderful," she said, following him into the sitting room.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"Never!" Hermione said, laughing, 2 hours and many glasses of wine later.
"Really?" Draco raised his eyebrows at her as he finished his glass of fire whiskey. "Not once?"
"No! Harry and I are friends- he's like a brother to me. I would never." Hermione shuddered at the idea.
"How about Weasley then?" Draco asked, pouring himself another drink. He refilled Hermione's wine glass as well and she happily took a gulp.
"Merlin, no! Well, we kissed once. It was awful!" Hermione dissolved into giggles.
Draco grimaced. "I can imagine."
Hermione calmed herself and took another drink. "We tried dating, it just didn't work. Luckily we were able to stay friends."
"Then who was it?' Draco asked. "I know you weren't a virgin."
"How would you-oh." Hermione blushed as Draco raised his eyebrows."I'm not telling you." she said primly.
"Oh, come on, I'm your husband. You can tell me." Draco put down his drink and sat beside her on the couch. "I won't tell," he said silkily.
Hermione looked away. "Charming it out of me won't work," she said, taking another gulp of wine.
"It wasn't Longbotton, was it?" Draco asked. "Poor Millicent, not getting the virgin she thought she was." He made a face. "Can you imagine how their experience with the lust charm went?"
"Ugh, I don't want to think about it," Hermione cringed. "No, not Neville. It doesn't matter."
"Sure it does. That Weasley girl said two or three years-"
"Potter, her name is Ginny Potter," Hermione interrupted. "That doesn't mean that was my first time, you know."
:Of course it was. You were too busy saving the world before that," Draco said. "I'm sure someone mentioned that you were dating on the floor. Let me think."
"What difference does it make?" Hermione asked. "I haven't asked you who your first was."
"Rowena Markerson, fourth year," Draco answered immediately.
"Really? I figured Pansy Parkinson," Hermione replied.
"No, that wasn't until fifth year." Draco downed his drink in one gulp.
"So you were as slutty as I heard," Hermione snorted.
" I wasn't. I was comfortable with my sexuality," he answered cockily. "Now I told you, you tell me."
"Technically, I didn't ask-" Hermione began,but stopped as Draco moved even closer to her on the couch. "Back off, Malfoy," she said.
"What's wrong?" he asked, smirking. "Afraid you won't be able to control yourself?"
"The lust charm is gone, don't flatter yourself," Hermione said uneasily, feeling her stomach tighten.
"Come on Hermione," he said huskily. "Tell me."
Hermione looked up into his eyes and felt the same jolt she did when she was under the lust charm. Immediately, she looked away.
"Ernie Macmillan," she said quietly, moving away from him slightly. "We dated for a year."
Draco nodded, but didn't move away. "Now I remember," he said. "Why didn't that work out?"
"Simply two people who were so much alike that it didn't work," she said, looking at him again. She looked down at his lips, then looked away quickly. Her head was spinning from the wine and the feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"We're nothing alike," Draco said quietly.
"And?" she asked, looking down at her shoes as the world spun around her.
"Hermione," he said and she looked up just as his lips met hers. Immediately, she put her hand flat on his chest to push him away, but then didn't proceed, and left her hand sitting on his chest. He moved closer to her and deepened the kiss, his tongue finding it's way into her mouth.
Hermione thought foggily about fighting him but he smelled so good, tasted so good that she gave up and moved her tongue with his. She heard him make a noise in his throat as he pushed her down onto the couch and she let him although she was starting to feel a little queasey.Her hand stayed planted on his chest though his began to wander down her face and onto her stomach. As they moved up, her queasiness intensified.
"Draco," she murmured against his mouth, pushing away from him. "Stop."
"What?" his said, frowning at her. "What's wrong now?"
"I'm going to-" Alarmed, she pushed away from him and fled the room. She barely made it to the hall bathroom before her lunch and all the wine she'd had came spilling out. She lay there, exhausted and sobering up quickly when she heard a knock at the door. "Alive in there?" Draco asked.
"I'm fine," Hermione chocked out. She flushed the toilet and stood up, opening the door. Draco made a face as the smell from the bathroom came wafting past her. "Can you walk?" he asked.
"Yep," she walked slowly and Draco grabbed her arm to keep her up, holding her at arms length. He half pulled her up the stairs.
"Tuffy!" he shouted and the elf appeared beside Hermione's bedroom door. "Take care of Hermione, please," he said as he deposited her by her door."See you in the morning," he said as Hermione groaned and closed the door quickly before running to the bathroom once again.