VI.

          The Masquerade Ball was a huge hit that year for the Ministry. Nearly every witch and wizard was invited and nearly all of them had shown up. It was unreal how many had, and Draco Malfoy sighed to himself. Although he couldn't tell who was who because of the masks, he found women's lips to be very sexy and saw this night as a personal treat for his eyes. He never really got out to date, but more preferred the one night stand and friends with benefits type of deal. He walked around, peering through his mask with his gray eyes. He saw a woman in the corner, sipping a dark liquor in a champagne colored dress. Her hair hung in a low messy bun with strands of random tight curls around her face. Her brown eyes pierced through her mask and shocked the daylights out of Draco. He smirked at his new prey and strutted over to her.

"Hello, young miss. I'm Dr-"

"Draco Malfoy." the woman smiled, her scarlett lips in a perfect curve upward. Her voice sounded incredibly familiar but he couldn't place it with a name.

"You've heard of me?" he smirked, his cockiness now very apparent. His hands on his lapels and his chin in the air, she sighed.

"Yes, sadly." she smirked back. Draco wasn't offended, just surprised at her wit. He held out his hand, palm up.

"Well, would you care to dance?" She stared at his hand for what felt like forever, and smiled. She placed her hand in his and he pulled her to high heeled feet. He lead her over, hand still up like a gentleman and pulled her in close. They looked at each other through the masks and he could smell the alcohol on her breath. He smirked, and realized she was slightly buzzing. He spun her out and back in and she laughed loudly at him.

"You're quite magical, I must say."

"Well, it is the Wizarding World, love." He smiled. The music picked back up to its normal upbeat pace and they both stopped dancing. She kissed his cheek and walked away, her hips swaying in a seductive manor. He bit his lip and debated chasing after her or not. He sighed, walking after her and pulling her by her hand before she got too far away from him. She turned, surprised and saw him kiss her hand. She smiled fondly at him, "Yes, good sir?"

"Let's get out of here, love." He smirked, her hand still at his mouth. He continued to kiss up her arm until he got to her shoulder and stopped. There were goosebumps down her arms and she moaned, slightly.

"But I barely know you, for one thing. Second, it's definitely not within my morals to go back to a man's place I've shared only a dance with." She pulled her arm away.

"But, love, you are the cutest thing on this side of the world." He smiled, kissing her shoulder once more. She shivered and lightly moaned again. "I'm asking one night, and you can move on with your whole life." He could see her contemplating behind her mask, and she cocked an eyebrow.

"Maybe if you prove yourself, Mr. Malfoy." She smirked, walking away from him once again.

         Draco rubbed his face, then suddenly regretted opening his eyes when the blinding sun pierced to the back of his head, making his headache rage even harder. He rolled over to where he expected his mistress to lay, but all that lay there were a pair of her lace knickers and a small folded up note. He hesitated opening it, then got up to get coffee before he read it. He pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and drank two cups before reading the note. 

Monsieur Malfoy, 

Je suis content que vous fait vos preuves, de l'amour. Mais comme tu as dit, je vais aller passer ma vie entière.  

Amour, H. Granger

Draco rubbed his eyes, and sighed. Had she been French? No. Because if she had been, Draco would have ripped her dress of there on the dance floor. And by the look of it, he had waited to get back to the Manor before taking her clothes off. He put the letter down, turned to walk into his bathroom then stopped. He ran back to the letter and read the name at the bottom. He'd slept with Hermione Granger? He felt sick in his stomach, suddenly and sat back down. Before he did anymore thinking, he pulled on jeans and a Chudley Cannons t-shirt. He stopped before he Apparated. He didn't know where she lived, nor where she'd be at this hour in the morning. It was only eight thirty. He sighed in defeat and sat back down. He ran his fingers through his platinum hair. 

          He went on with life. Well, he attempted to anyway. He kept her knickers and note in his bedside table. He didn't know if that was creepy or not, but he didn't care. He promised her she could move on with her life too, but he wondered if she had as much trouble with forgetting as he did. He sat at his desk at the Ministry of Magic and tapped his fingers. He wasn't thinking, really. He was just tired of wondering. 

"Holly?" he called for his assistant. She popped her head into the door.

"Yes, sir?" 

"Could you get me the whereabouts of one Miss Hermione Granger?" he asked. He didn't look at her, but saw her nod and walk out. He sighed, feeling like a mad man for not being able to forget one night with her after years of hating each other in school. He still couldn't believe she'd slept with him after one night, but was thankful she had.

 

            He had found her. It had taken several weeks because she wasn't anywhere in the Wizarding World. She worked in Muggle London at a small coffee shop as a waitress. He wondered if that was just her Muggle alias and took a mental note to ask her when he saw her. He stopped infront of the cafe before he walked inside. He prepped himself in the reflection of the window and took in a breath or two before he strolled inside. He looked around a few times. There were booths along the walls and small two-person tables in rows. It was a cute little place and Draco suddenly felt very cozy. There was a handful of people in there, eating breakfast and talking about their plans for the day. He shook off the feeling and walked up to the girl behind the counter. She had boy-short mocha hair that was slicked down in the front and spiked in the back and dark eye makeup on. A peace sign tattoo was on her forearm. Her brown eyes were piercing as she looked up at him and she stopped.

"Can I help you?"

Draco realized he was staring and cleared his throat, "I'm looking for Hermione Granger. Is she in today?" She chuckled at him and shook her head, walking away. She started pouring cups of coffee.

"You know, when I moved here, I never thought Draco Malfoy would come in asking for me." She smirked. Draco's eyes widened. He didn't even recognize her! She stepped closer to him and lowered her voice. "Oh, and by the way, Mr. Malfoy, I'm not Hermione Granger anymore. My name's Loren Turner. I'm a twenty-one year old waitress wanting to be a novelist. I live in a flat off by the post office and I live alone with my two cats. I'm a Muggle and know nothing of the Wizarding World." Draco noticed she was very close to his face and he had the urge to kiss her but resisted the temptation. He nearly felt like crying at this news. She wasn't who he had had an amazing night with.

"Hermio...Loren...I came to talk to you about the night of the Masquerade Ball."

"Mhmmm?" She walked away once again and started serving customers as he talked. He watched her for a bit before he spoke. She was still very sexy. She had high rise shorts on and a cropped baggy t-shirt with cowboy boots. He bit his lip when he realized how incredible she looked, even if it was such a change from what he was used to.

"I haven't stopped thinking about it. You were incredible and I miss you." Hermione stopped at his words. She walked over to him, her jaw clenched.

"I changed my identity to get away from the Wizarding World. It was no longer fufilling. What makes you think you coming in here and telling me that will make me change back?"

Draco shrugged and shook his head. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I never even thought about it. I know you're stubborn and you wouldn't change for anyone but yourself. That's good and I admire that. But I just thought you should know," he sighed. Draco took Hermione's hands in his and kissed both of them, "Ever since our first dance, all I thought about was loving you." She smiled at that and pulled him in. She kissed him lightly and laughed as she pulled away.

"You, my dear, are a doll and I love it." She kissed the tip of his nose and walked away again. A few people had started to stare at them as they associated with each other. They smiled at each other continuously as they carried on. Draco waited for her until her lunch break to continue talking.

"So, why else did you leave? Why was it no longer fufilling?"

Hermione shook her head and looked over Draco's shoulder as she spoke.

"Tired of living in the shadow of Ron and Harry, in all honesty. I was always known as part of the Golden Trio. I never asked for eternal glory. I just got sick of it. No matter what I did, the newspapers kept printing my life. They wouldn't dare come to Muggle London though. Plus, I missed living by my mum and dad." She looked down at her coffee and stirred it. Draco sighed at her.

"Understandable. But my parents don't really want to live around me. Mother fled to Paris and Father's still in prison. Oh, it's not a big deal!" He exclaimed at the look on her face. "But, actually, I was wondering if you'd like to come live with me..." He paused to look at her again. Her face was serious and her eyes glossed over slightly. She looked down and shook her head.

"I can't move back, Draco. I can't. I refuse! Plus, what about my parents?"

Draco sighed and took one of her hands on his. "I can have a whole wing for your parents in the Manor if you wish. And who says you'd still have to live like you would in the Wizarding World? You can still be a Muggle, love. You can do whatever you like in the Manor. I'm not stopping you from doing what you want." She smiled at him.

"Look at Draco Malfoy, begging me to move in with him." Now smirking, she leaned across the table and kissed him. In this moment, Draco realized how much he loved and longed for her. No matter what parents lived with them, where they lived, whether they were Muggles or Wizards, they should be together. Opposites clearly attracted with them. Draco smiled at his new lover and kissed her hand, affectionatly. Miss Hermione Granger was his. He couldn't ask for anything more.

 

First Dance - Nevershoutnever

Author's Note

I'm sorry for the weird font change. I wrote more one day, and the top font wouldn't change back to normal.