Cupid's Mistake
Friends stand there as a solid and impregnable bulwark against all the evils of life. – Sydney Smith.
'I'll see you soon then, Hermione,' said Ginny from the other end of the phone.
'Okay, bye!' Hermione hung up, quivering with anticipation. She, Ron, Harry and Ginny were all having dinner together tonight at the Potter's home. Just like the old times she loved when they ate together every night underneath the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. A smile danced happily upon her lips.
Snatching her car keys from the kitchen bench, and expertly shouldering on her coat, Hermione slid into the seat of her car. The Potters lived amongst Muggles; therefore it was best to arrive Muggle fashion.
But before she got there, she stopped off in Diagon Alley. After locking her car, she set off towards a nearby cake shop, emerging from it with a decorative cheesecake, her and Ginny's favorite.
Humming contentedly to herself, she fumbled around in her bag, trying to find her car keys and balance the cake in her other hand. Then she felt the prickling feeling in the back of her neck.
Someone was watching her.
She glanced up, and amongst the thin crowd she spotted the culprit and she froze as his gray eyes locked with hers.
Shock splashed over her like a waterfall, but she quickly got over it. It was just her old boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, and she was just startled for she hadn't seen him in such a long time. Her eyes quickly surveyed him. He looked good tonight – he was wearing rather formal clothing, but when on him, they seemed casual. Her breath caught in her throat, for she had forgotten how handsome he was. Still dangerous, sly and handsome. She was uncomfortable aware of her heart rate speeding up.
He waved. She waved back, feeling dismayed as he weaved his way through the crowds towards her.
'Uh – D-Draco,' she said, attempting at a smile. 'Um, fancy seeing you here. So, er, how's it going?'
Draco shrugged. 'Pretty well. Well, except for the fact that Lucius died.' The words and I inherited all his money was lost in the air.
'I'm sorry,' she said, not quite knowing what else to say. 'Er – Harry and Ginny got married, did you know?'
Something like anger flashed in his eyes. 'I had no idea.' Again, the words and like I cared hung in the air, unspoken.
'I have to go,' she said, making a quick escape. 'Ginny, Harry, Ron and I are having dinner.'
'How lovely. What's your phone number?'
She wasn't sure if that was the best idea, but it was clear he wasn't going to rest until she gave it to him. So, finding a pen in her bag, she scribbled her number onto his hand. Hopefully he wouldn't call.
'I'll see you then,' she said, turning to go.
He had different ideas, however. He grabbed her upper arm before she could turn. Staring into her eyes for a second, he cupped her face with a hand, leaned down and kissed her long and hard on the lips.
Protests rose up in her throat, and she was about to push him away, when she felt his hands around her waist and his tongue very abruptly in her mouth. A small moan escaped her lips, and her arms circled his neck of their own will. She found she was helpless to resist him.
He pulled away, his eyes full of triumph and lust. He kissed her neck. 'Still can't resist me, can you Granger?'
It was like her brain fast-forwarded several steps. Suddenly disgusted with herself for actually enjoying his kiss, she angrily pushed him away. 'Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me?'
His eyes sparkled. 'I know you want me, Granger.'
'Shut up! I'm over you, Malfoy.' She slid into her car and started it.
'I'll call you, Hermione,' he said, a sly smile playing about his lips.
It was the next day when Harry showed up at her doorstep.
'Harry! Come in, come in.' It was unusual to have Harry, of all people, show up at her doorstep at seven in the morning.
They sat on Hermione's sofas; they were worn out things, and falling to bits. What had once been a rich sky blue was now a white, and there were big rips with stuffing leaking out. The stitching was sticking out and the springs creaked when the couch was sat upon – overall, she needed some new sofas. The only problem was MoMS were not well-thought of, or showered with riches like Aurors were, even though they had recently made a breakthrough, discovering a spell to undo an Imperius curse. Hermione didn't mind of course – she loved her job. But all the same...
Harry threw her a newspaper. 'It's the latest one; I picked it up this morning.'
Hermione picked it up, and at once the image on the front seared into her brain. 'Oh – abba – wibba – !'
Under the headlines Bachelor of the Year Strikes Again! there was a very glossy picture of Draco and her snogging by her car. It was taken seconds before she had pushed him away.
'Shit,' she whispered. 'This is not happening.'
Harry looked seriously at her face. 'You never mentioned that you met him, Hermione.'
'Yes, but – its nothing! We're not back together or anything like that, we just... met, you know?'
'Hmm. Did you purposely kiss him?'
'What – no! See, it was very sudden but I did push him away and tell him it was nothing... I'll probably never see him again, alright?' she sighed.
'I think he wants something. Or more specifically, you. There's something going on here - I can feel it. Watch yourself, okay Hermione? You did break up with him for a reason.'
She found herself nodding, but now that she had received another taste of the addictive lust that was him, the reasons why she broke up with him seemed like nothing. To her, he was like an alcohol. Since she had broken up with him, she had started to break the habit. But now that she'd had another whiff of it again, the want came back full force, like it was being released after being caged for years.
Maybe if she just ignored Draco... this whole episode would just become another memory.
But she had no idea how very wrong she was.
A/N: This chapter is very slow, I know, but please wait for the next chapter before you judge it! My first chapters are always crap. Chapter Three is in Draco's POV and I promise it's good. Well, at least I think it is....