Chapter 16
Hermione could say with exceptional certainty that there was nothing quite like a Weasley party. They had done nothing but laugh and dance the full night, with breaks for catching up with one another.
When Hermione was in school with Ron, Harry and Ginny, she would often go and live with them for the last few weeks of the summer holidays. They were such a tight knit family despite their size and in some twisted way she felt she fit in more there than at her own home. She was an only child and with her parents hounding her for good grades constantly there was never any room for fun. At the Weasley's - of course they cared for grades - but they cared during the school year, not in summer when it was meant to be a time for relaxation.
Hermione classed them all as bonus family. She would be lost without them. Harry as well. Although he did actually live with them so he was just a double bonus.
"Charlie I have two left feet," Hermione groaned as he took her hand to lead into the waltz.
"I know, but I haven''t seen you in ages and you were always my favourite," he said with a smooth wink.
She felt a blush creeping up her neck and colouring her cheeks. "Stop it!" She smiled and batted his arm. "You're too flirty for your own good."
Charlie Weasley was an enigma. After fancying Ron she had sworn off red haired men, but that summer she revoked it. Charlie was something else entirely. He was kind with a rough edge, always winding her up to extremes and then being incredibly over the top nice to get him back into her good books. She stopped giving into his looks, thinking it was morally somehow incorrect but she had always thought he was handsome. Very handsome.
"You used to like it when I flirted with you."
Hermione had drank quite a lot of prosecco and wine throughout the day, so she would blame her false confidence on that. "Maybe I still do."
Charlie grinned from ear to ear. Her dress was for the most part backless and she could feel his rough hands sliding down in tiny increments. Although lower, it was still respectful. She gazed up at him with a lazy smile.
As the dance ended, he fake bowed to her before placing his hand at the small of her back and leading her to the bar.
Draco sat at one of the tables accompanied by Harry, Ron and Daphne and although they were good company - he found himself being drawn to watching Hermione get spun around the dance floor.
It annoyed him for many reasons, but the one that stood out the most was the fact he simply was not interested in being in a relationship. No matter the fact of how gorgeous Hermione was. It also annoyed him that he had only known her a few months and it was the fastest a girl had managed to get close to him. As a friend. And not just someone after money or a girl in a higher social circle wanting to be close to the Malfoy's.
He would have to sleep on the floor tonight. He couldn't trust himself.
Hermione and Draco piled into their tent in a fit of laughter and attempted shushes. "We're going to wake everyone up!" Hermione said, trying to stifle her laugh.
"No, you are. I'm being perfectly quiet."
The two of them kicked their shoes off and attempted to walk to the bed. Except the rug that covered the floor had curled up and caught both of their feet, tripping them and sending them flying onto the bed. Hermione landed with a thud on top of Draco, bursting into fits of giggles.
"Jesus Granger, nearly choked me there," he struggled to say through laughing.
"Ah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Her legs were on top of his and for comforts sake, she moved one over either side. She didn't realise in the moment she was straddling him.
The laughter died down, leaving them both with smiles on their faces. She couldn't help but look into his icy blue eyes, and he was looking back into her golden ones. She was mesmerised by the sheer colour.
"Do you like my eyes, Granger?"
"Maybe. Do you like mine?"
"Maybe."
Before she knew it her lips had crashed into his. It wasn't like anything she had experienced before, it was messy, needy, but passionate. And she never even knew there was a passion for him. His tongue pressed against her lips asking for entrance. She granted it and -
"I'm sorry," Draco said quickly.
Hermione pulled back, moving over on the bed. She wiped her lips of any evidence of their kiss, feeling suddenly embarrassed. "No, no I'm s-sorry."
She couldn't bring herself to look at him, so she stared at the small window on the left side of the cabin. Shame washed over her and a small voice she hadn't heard in years started talking to her.
Imagine a man like him sleeping with you, silly girl.
You kissed him and he felt sorry for you, that's the only reason he kissed you back.
You should be ashamed.
"Hermione," Draco's voice cut through her thoughts, "Hermione look at me."
He had never called her Hermione. It sounded foreign, but it sounded sincere. "What?"
"Come here, look at me."
She reluctantly turned her head, looking at his forehead because she couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm sorry I thought you-"
"I did. I do." He sighed. "Look, do you remember when I said I don't do relationships."
Hermione nodded. "I said the same thing."
"I meant it. I really don't."
"I meant it too, I really don't want to be in one." She couldn't think of anything worse at the present time. It might have been the far she would be controlled in every aspect of her life again, or the fear of commitment - she wasn't sure. But the prospect terrified her.
Draco's eyes seemed to get darker. "So, you kissing me was just that? Not an attempt at starting something?"
She shook her head. "You looked handsome today, and I wanted to kiss you. Not marry you."
Draco was on her in a split second, messy and quick. He shrugged his jacket off, undoing the top buttons of his shirt before stopping and pulling it over his head. Hermione fumbled with her dress, trying to pull it up and under her.
Draco flipped them, letting Hermione return to her previous position and allowing her dress to come up and off. Draco lay for a moment, admiring her. With the dress removed, she was left in a small black thong. She played with the band of them, but he grabbed her wrist and then grabbed her lips again.
"I'll remove them with my teeth thank you," he growled into her.
His rumbling voice left a puddle in her knickers. "Yes sir," she whispered back.
Hermione awoke the following morning naked in a tumble of sheets feeling incredibly sore and... cold. The bed was empty.
And that little voice came back.