AN

Hey everybody. Here's your update, which some of you will have been expecting if you read my LJ; chapter 21 here for your reading pleasure. Bigger AN at the end.

Chapter 21: Malfoy This, Malfoy That

"So you tell me that out of all the people who could have helped you, you chose Malfoy's?"

"I wouldn't say he was helping me, he's in this for his own gains too."

Lisa waved her off, "Yeah, the girlfriend thing. But really? Malfoy?"

"I know; stupidity on my part."

"You can say that again."

Hermione groaned while Lisa took a sip of her vodka and coke.

"I can't believe you let two Slytherins get the best of you. Have you gone nuts?"

"You think I actually like being in this predicament?" Hermione asked, incredulous. "It's been the worst month of my life. The beginning was fine, we kept out of each other's way, I did my thing, he did his; minimal arguments on both out parts, which is pretty good going if I do say so myself. But this last week has been hell. First I'm asked out on a date."

"A date? Good on ya."

"I know right?" Hermione said. "Only problem with that is the guy who asked me out works with Malfoy."

Lisa whistled.

"I know. So when he does find out he's pissed off at me, like I'm the one to blame."

"Bastard."

"I know."

"So then what happened?"

"Ginny comes round to help with the girly stuff you do before one of these things, I'm really excited and prepping myself up to just enjoy myself for once in my life when I bump into Malfoy."

"Oh, I just know he said something about your hair, he always says something about your hair."

"But that's the thing," she said, waving her glass around. The alcohol was starting to get to her. "He didn't."

"What? No," Lisa replied, drawing out the 'no' as though she was truly scandalised.

"Yes," Hermione slurred.

"What did he do then?"

"He bloody well kissed me, is what he did."

"Nooo," Lisa now was officially scandalised.

"Yesss. The stupid arse."

"What did you do?"

"What could I do? I was so surprised and it happened so fast."

"You could have slapped him."

"I could have but I was so out of it being thrown off guard like that. At least I got my revenge after he kissed me the second time."

"He did it again?"

"Yeah, today in my room."

"What were you doing together in your room?"

"His girlfriend and brother beat him up, I was healing him," she said poking around the ice in her gin and tonic with a toothpick.

"With kisses?"

"No! What kind of healer do you think I am? No, no nothing like that. Anyway," she waved her glass again and some of the ice sloshed out, scattering across the floor. "I bit his tongue."

Lisa laughed. "I bet he didn't like that."

"Definitely not," Hermione giggled.

"Good for you."

Lisa raised her glass as did Hermione and they clinked them together in a salute.

"After that there was this big kafuffle and we got stuck together. That's when you found us."

There was a brief silence where only the chatter of the other patrons in the bar and the din of classics 80's music could be heard.

"What are you going to do now?"

Hermione shrugged.

"You could always move in with me, my back room is still free."

"I don't know."

"Oh come on, after all that you've told me you still want to live with the prick?"

"No, no, of course not."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"It's complicated."

"What's so complicated about it?"

"Puzzle pieces."

"What?"

"Never mind," she said back to poking at her drink which was now ice free.

Lisa turned to her. "You know what Hermione?"

"No, what?" she grumbled.

"You need a good shagging."

Hermione spluttered.

"There, there," Lisa said as she patted her friend on the back.

Once she had regained her breath and composure Lisa continued, "From Malfoy."

If she was drunk before she was most certainly sober now.

"WHAT!?!"

Many heads turned their way.

"Have you lost your mind?" she hissed.

"Now Hermione, just hear me out."

"I can't listen to this." She made to stand up but promptly sat back down again when a dizziness over took her.

"Hermione be reasonable." Lisa waved the bartender over to them and ordered another round of drinks.

"I am being reasonable."

"No you're not. Now listen to me. Malfoy likes you."

"WHAT!?!"

"Shhhush. You're going to get us thrown out, and yes he does."

"No he doesn't."

"Yes he does, and don't argue with me." Their new drinks arrived and she fingered the lime wedge lodge in the rim. "Malfoy likes you."

Hermione harrumphed and crossed her arms across the bar top.

"And you like him," she finished, sucking the stickiness from her fingers.

Before she could respond Lisa firmly clasped her hand over Hermione's mouth.

"Don't argue with me," she said with a glare.

Hermione gave her one right back.

"You like each other. Let him shag you rotten and be done with it, you'll feel better, trust me."

"I am not going to have sex with Malfoy."

"Oh, yes you are."

"No, I'm not," she said banging her drink on the counter. "How did you come to these asinine conclusions anyway?"

"He is the only thing you have talked about all night and you've forgone a 75 galleon a ticket seminar to sit in a crummy run down bar to do it. No matter how much you deny it you are only fooling yourself not me."

"But I don't like him," she sulked.

"You keeping telling yourself that dear and you will appear on the patient roster of St Mungo's instead of the staff one."

"Say if you're right-"

"Which I am."

Hermione ignored her. "Say if you're right, there is still no way I'm going to sleep with him."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean, why not? He's bloody Malfoy, do I need another reason?"

"Open your eyes Hermione, he's fucking gorgeous, and I mean that literally. He's a slimy git but that just adds to his attractiveness, there should be no reason why you shouldn't let him have his way with you, or you have your way with him."

"Duh, he's Malfoy."

"Exactly, he's Malfoy, which works in my favour for this little discussion."

"That's not possible, he's a bigoted toe rag whose ego is the size of Russia, no, the whole of Asia, and his goal in life is to piss people off, especially me. Damn Slytherin riles me up so bad I could just..."

"Shag him senseless."

"I was going to say rip his head off and feed it to the giant squid," Hermione sniffed.

"But that's the thing, he gets under your skin, you can't get him out of your head. No matter what any respectable witch says about him, deep down every good girl fancies the bad boy. Every mother warns her precious daughter about them, but it doesn't stop them from wanting them to get in their knickers. He's like the forbidden fruit. Look but don't touch."

"I don't want to touch him or have him anywhere near my knickers."

Lisa rolled her eyes and sighed in expiration.

"Let me put it in a way you will understand. Malfoy is like the restricted section of Hogwarts' library, you want in but you aren't going to without a signed pass."

"I don't want in."

"Shush, but now that you have your pass you're too bloody scared to use it."

"What are you talking about? I haven't got a pass, how would one even go about getting a hypothetical pass? And if I did have a pass I wouldn't be scared to use it because I would have burnt it anyway."

"Well you did sort of burn it."

Hermione looked smug then perplexed.

"I haven't got a pass to burn."

"He kissed you, hence, your pass. You bit him; pass is now ashes."

Hermione laughed.

"A pass is not a kiss, Lisa."

"You're not taking this seriously are you?"

"What is there to take seriously? This is Malfoy we're talking about."

"Fine; be that way, but you're missing out on one incredible shag."

She snorted in reply and went back to nursing her drink. Incredible shag my arse.

Draco was in bed. He wasn't sleeping, not by any means. His head was too messed up to sleep.

So much had happened since waking up at St Mungo's. He had fantasised about Granger, who still hadn't appeared from her night out with the mole girl; let it slip, most explosively, to, not only his best mate and girlfriend, but his own girlfriend and her brother. Then he was accused of shagging Granger and being physically assaulted by said girlfriend and brother while best friend and girlfriend had fucked off.

Then the reason for all this shit just happens to come back from work and show him a side of her he had never seen before, which unexpectedly lead to touching and a kiss, and then more bodily harm. And she had left without giving his second round of treatment.

Spiteful cow.

It had definitely not been his day.

No matter what he had done he had been attacked for his actions and even those of others. He hadn't been this worse for wear since the war.

He tried to turn over, which he should have known better by now that even the slightest of movements hurt.

Fuck, he was in pain and nobody gave a shit.

"Psst! Draco."

What the-?

"Draco? Are you awake?"

He smashed a pillow into his face. He didn't have time for this.

"Draco, get your skinny arse in here now. It's important."

He groaned as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. The only way he was going to get rid of the sodding bastard was to make an appearance; his friend could be so annoying sometimes.

He shuffled into the living room and threw his pillow as Blaise's face, hovering in his fireplace.

"Oomph!"

"What the fuck Blaise? It's three in the morning, and why the hell are you whispering?"

"I know, but this is the first chance I had to speak to you. I can't talk louder than this because Potter's kid is a light sleeper. Kid got up five times before I even had the chance to thrown in the powder."

Draco gingerly sat down on his couch and rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. He was so tired.

"Then what do I owe to have the pleasure of you annoyingness."

"I found it."

"Found what?"

"The diary."

"What diary?"

"Ginny's you dumb shit."

So that's what all this was about. He really didn't have time for this; he had a mountain of his own problems to figure out.

"Merlin, Libby must have done you a good one, you're losing it mate."

Draco gave him the finger.

"So anyways, I found it concealed in a secret compartment in the back of the toiletries cabinet."

"There must be some freaky shit in that thing if she's going to such lengths to hide it."

"I haven't actually read it yet, haven't had the chance."

"Then how do you know what it is? She could be hiding a stash of pornos in there. I know some girls who are into that, and Weasley looks just the type."

Blaise seemed sceptical.

"Listen, I don't have time for this so would you kindly fuc-"

"Ah, shit. Mini-Potter's awake again. Talk to you soon."

In a blaze of green flames he was gone.

Thank fuck.

AN

I am really sorry for this chapter. I'm not pleased with it and I don't think it's worthy after almost a 2 year gap between chapters. I lost my drive and love for this fic, and to be honest I didn't think I would ever update again; I kept telling myself I would but I'm not the type of person who can force themselves to do anything they can't be arsed to do.

My drive is back, but I don't think this chapter feels quite right, it feels like I'm trying to push a cube into a circular slot (too much dialogue). I think the chapters will get better when I get back into the feel of the fic.

I want to thank everyone who has reviewed since this all started and favourited and alerted it (over 400 reviews! I'm not worthy). And all those readers who have stuck by it (though I doubt there are many of you left); but if I get at least one review for this chapter waving hello and telling me that you're still there, I will be happy.

Thanks,

Kylie x