Chapter 15 - Confrontations, Senselessness, Admissions and Realizations
"But how - I mean - he's engaged?" stuttered Harry, looking disbelievingly at the paper he was holding.
Remus chuckled. "Yes, Harry, he is. Although, he is not too happy with that engagement because it was arranged by their parents when they were kids. Draco complained about it for years but I think he came into terms with it since they announced it last Wednesday," he explained.
Harry shook his head. "I always thought he would end up with Parkinson. She seemed glued to him wherever he was back during Hogwarts days."
This time, Remus laughed. Harry looked at him, startled. He quieted down when Tonks turned on the couch, though she continued to nap. "Yes, I was aware of Miss Parkinson's undoubted attraction to Draco. I was all too aware of that when I taught during your third year." He chuckled at the memory. Harry snorted as well. "But let's just say that the Malfoys were not really keen on having the Parkinsons carry the Malfoy heir." Remus then led Harry out of the living room and back to the kitchen.
"So they chose this…" Harry squinted his eyes and reread the paper, "Nicolette Lestrange to be Malfoy's fiancé then?"
"Yes. Nicolette was a couple of years younger than you are and attended Durmstrang. She's smart, rich, pretty, name it. She's everything Lucius wanted for his dear son. And so the arrangement was made when Nicolette was 5 and Draco was 7 years old."
"How do you know all this stuff?" asked Harry, frowning a bit.
"I told you, Draco complained about it for years when he was spying for us. Then he told us how he should announce his engagement soon since the engagement was magically binding. He has to marry before he reaches the age of 26 or else… And he's nearing that already," clarified Remus.
"But all this stuff he's doing to Hermione. Giving her roses and invitations to dinner…" Harry trailed off.
Remus patted him on his back. "Now, now Harry. Maybe Draco's just being nice and thoughtful. It might really be just for business. But then again, you might be right about his intentions. I suggest you just give him the benefit of the doubt in that case. We haven't proven anything yet, right? And no matter what Draco does, I'm pretty sure Hermione would never fall for it."
Harry just nodded his stare faraway. Nice and thoughtful? Draco sodding Malfoy? I doubt it.
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Hermione walked briskly towards her office, Monday morning. She was already late for her one-on-one meeting with the head of their department and she still needed to go over the reports she failed to finish last Friday. Harry came at such a wrong time last Friday. Ugh!
She passed Jane's table without acknowledging her. "Miss Hermione, there's someone -"
"Not now, Jane," she interrupted. "I'm late for my meeting with Clarence and I still have to go over some reports that I have to discuss with him."
"But Miss -"
"Later Jane," she said as she opened her office door and stepped in. Closing the door, she took a deep breath and walked straight to her table to gather several parchments. She didn't notice a figure sitting in one of the chairs at the corner of her office.
"Is that how you treat your inferiors, Hermione?"
Hermione almost jumped out of her skin upon hearing someone speak. She spun around quickly, whipping her wand out at the intruder.
"Malfoy! What in the world are you doing in my office?!" she demanded, her wand lowering a bit, but still aware of him.
Draco smiled knowingly. "Is that how you should greet your biggest financer, Ms. Granger?"
"Oh, so now it's back to Ms. Granger. What the hell are you trying to play at, huh?" she asked, glaring at Draco while doing so, her wand still at the ready.
Draco chuckled. "You wouldn't want Clarence to hear you speak like that to your major sponsor, would you?" he asked. "Clarence can wait. I have a more important matter to discuss with you," he said, advancing a little towards Hermione. "You didn't reply to my invitation last Friday, Hermione. Even a "no" would suffice. At least you replied. If roses and wine couldn't get you to reply to me, I thought `Why not come myself and ask her personally?'" he said quietly, taking another step closer to her.
Hermione glared angrily at Draco, raising her wand again. "Stay right where you are, Malfoy. We already discussed what we needed to discuss last week. We closed the deal already. There's nothing more to discuss which is why I didn't reply anymore to your invitation," she stated matter-of-factly. "I have a meeting with Clarence right now. So please, Mr. Malfoy - if you could kindly step out of my office, I will even gladly escort you."
Draco took no notice of what Hermione just said. He simply stared at her and as if in a trance walked closer to her. "What are you doing to me, Hermione? You haunt me. In my dreams. Even in my waking hours…" he whispered.
Hermione became slightly alarmed. "What are you doing, Malfoy? Stop right there or I wouldn't hesitate to hex you," she said, backing a step with her wand raised, hitting the edge of her desk.
"You're bad for me," Draco continued as if Hermione didn't say anything, "And yet I want you…" He reached out to touch her.
"Stop Malfoy! Stu-"
Then the door burst open suddenly revealing a fuming Harry. He saw Draco about to reach for Hermione and Hermione backing away from him, with her wand in front of her. This situation increased his anger even more. He walked towards Hermione and stepped in front of her.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" he hissed with quiet menace.
Draco blinked a couple of times and, realizing that Harry Potter was standing in front of him, lowered his arm. "Why, hello Potter. It's nice to see you, too," he said, as if they were talking about the weather.
"What are you doing here, Harry?" whispered Hermione heatedly. "You shouldn't be here. You have training, remember?"
"I had a feeling that seemed to concern you. It wasn't a good feeling, so I went here to check on you," he replied quietly. "Now, tell me, Malfoy. What business do you have here?" he asked, turning back to Draco.
Draco laughed, not oblivious to the exchange between the two. "Oho! So nothing changed since Hogwarts then, I suppose? Ms. Granger here is still in need of her green-eyed savior! How touching. How very, very touching. Tell me, is the Weasel still the sidekick in this Trio? Anyway, about your question, shouldn't I be the one asking you that, Potter? What business do you have here? I, for one, am sponsoring a major event that this department is having. That's my business. What about yours?"
"Harry," said Hermione, stepping beside him, "I can take care of myself you know."
"Oh, do listen to Ms. Granger, Hermione, here, Potter. She's a full-grown able witch, isn't she?" said Draco, looking at both of them with lowered lids.
"And since when did you start calling Hermione with her first name? Last time I knew, she was a mudblood to you. Nothing but dirty, filthy blood that's not worth your time," countered Harry. "And if you are here for business, does your business with her involve reaching to touch her and frightening her?" he added, crossing his arms in front of him, mocking Draco.
"Harry," pleaded Hermione, laying her hand on his arm. "Don't start anything."
Draco was silent. He clenched his fists at his side, his gaze shifted from Hermione to Harry, then staying on Harry, not wavering from him.
"I don't care if people tell me you've changed, Malfoy," continued Harry. "I don't care if you were one of the persons who helped me during the war or even find the Horcruxes. Because for me, you will never change. Its one thing I learned from you, come to think of it. It's how you viewed purebloods from mudbloods. Their filthy blood wouldn't and couldn't compare to yours, you being a pureblood and all that. So mudbloods would always be mudbloods to you. Purebloods are always higher," said Harry, his voice rising a bit. "If you were capable of working for Voldemort before, you are still capable of doing something harmful to Hermione or to anyone for that matter, now!"
"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione. "Stop it. Stop this. What in Merlin's name are you talking about?!"
Draco became paler than usual, if that was any possible. He walked back a couple of steps and replied, "You don't know anything about me, Potter. So stop telling me as if you know a lot about me," he said dangerously quiet.
Harry took a step forward. "What business do I have here? You really want to know? I care about Hermione. We are together. Do you hear that? We are together," he emphasized. "And I love her," he added quietly.
Hermione gasped upon hearing Harry's confession. The silence that followed that was deafening.
Draco looked menacingly at Harry before turning away and walking out of Hermione's office, slamming the door in the process.
Hermione walked over to Harry and embraced him from behind. Tears were forming in her eyes. "Oh, Harry. You idiot."
"Huh?" asked Harry. "Idiot? Who's an idiot?"
"You!" shrieked Hermione, turning Harry around and punching him playfully on his shoulder.
"Ow! That hurts, `Mione!" he said, pretending to rub his shoulder.
Hermione laughed and let out a soft sob. "You're such an idiot."
"Why would I be an idiot, love?" asked Harry, embracing her.
"Because you confessed your love for me to Draco first and not to me," replied Hermione, resting her head on his chest.
Harry chuckled. "For the Assistant Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, you sure can be childish. And for the record, I confessed it to you first. You were just asleep then."
"And when did you realize this?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Hmmm… Since I was eleven?" He received another punch from Hermione. "Ow! That's twice in a row now, Hermione!"
Hermione giggled and rested her head once more on Harry's chest. "I love you too, Harry."
"I know."
"Oh really, Mr. Potter?" she looked up again at Harry with one eyebrow raised.
"That's correct, Mrs. Potter. Oh! I mean, Ms. Granger," he said, laughing at the shocked expression on Hermione's face. "I heard you the last time you whispered it and thought I didn't hear it."
He kissed her forehead. "I…" Then he kissed the tip of her nose. "love…" Then before lowering his lips to hers, he whispered, "you…"
Harry kissed her lips tentatively, teasingly, tasting her. Then he kissed her fully, slowly, sensually. Telling her everything about how he felt through that one kiss. Hermione responded with as much fervor as him. Encouraged, Harry licked her lower lip asking for entrance and was easily granted access.
Then the kiss deepened. Tongues touching, lips feeling, a battle ensued. Hermione instinctively wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, lifting herself up in the process. Harry's arms went around her tightly, molding her body into his. Her fingers ran through his hair, while he slowly circled her back with his palm. He nipped at her bottom lip and got a moan out of her. He smiled against her lips and started to kiss her again. Soon, they were so engrossed in kissing each other. Hands were freely roaming around, feeling each other through their robes and clothes.
Harry left Hermione's lips and bent down to kiss her exposed neck. Hermione tilted her head for Harry to gain more access. She moaned out loud when Harry kissed her pulse point.
"Oh, Harry… I have…. Oh, yes… I still have a meeting… God, yes, there… with Clarence…"
In response, Harry kissed her hungrily back on her mouth, lifted her in his arms and settled her on the top of her desk, not breaking the contact. Hermione broke the kiss and tried to look at Harry and get him to listen to her but Harry took the opportunity to bend down and kiss her neck again, this time, trying to unfasten the clasps of her robes to get more access.
Hermione slid her hands down Harry's chest and gently pushed him back away from her. Harry stopped kissing her and looked at her flushed face. They were both breathing rapidly, hearts thumping swiftly. Harry's glasses went askew, his hair more rumpled than ever.
Hermione giggled upon looking at him. She then planted soft short kisses on his cheeks, lips and nose. Harry started to move in for another kiss when Hermione raised her hand to stop him. He groaned and placed his head on the crook of her neck.
"As much as I wanted to continue what we are doing, Harry, I really should be going to my meeting with Clarence," she said, wrapping her arms around him and soothing him.
"I saw him on my way here," murmured Harry.
"What's that?"
"I saw Mr. Thomas on my way here. Told him myself that you might be late since you'll be entertaining me for a while," said Harry, looking up at Hermione while grinning cheekily.
Hermione's eyes widened. "You know my boss? You did not just say that to him! You're kidding!"
Harry's grin grew even wider. He nodded and said, "Oh you bet, I told him that."
Hermione jumped off from her desk and straightened herself, fastening the clasps of her robes and smoothing her hair. She rummaged through the parchments on her desk and checked on her notes. During her haste, Harry wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Harry," she pleaded, turning around to face Harry, parchments in her arms. "Not now, ok? I've got a meeting to attend. And even if you, The-Wizard-Who-Saved-The-World, were able to convince my boss that I would be late because of you…" she trailed off, sighed and started to walk towards her door. "Oh what would Clarence say? I'm bloody late because of one Harry bloody Potter and for the bloody reason that I have to bloody entertain him. Bloody hell!" she added.
"Hey! I heard that!"
Hermione whipped around and leaned up to kiss Harry. "We'll continue this later, I promise," she whispered. And with one last kiss, she was gone.
Harry sighed. Interesting morning. I get to confront Malfoy and snog `Mione senseless in her own office where anyone could walk in on us. He grinned at the thought. Well, at least now, I'm pretty sure what's gonna happen tonight. And he walked out of Hermione's office with a big grin on his face.
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(A/N - I have the best beta in the world. Cheers to Lady Starlight! Mwah! )
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