Taking Advantage

Thanks for all of the reviews. I'm sorry for the lack of an earlier update today. My husband's birthday was over the weekend, and for some reason he thought that meant I should pamper him instead of playing on my computer. Go figure. Also, and this is a real gem of an excuse, last night instead of working on the next chapter, I wrote the last chapter. I thought it would be a good idea to finally decide exactly where I was headed. I also thought it would ensure that I would feel compelled to finish the story. Unfortunately, I'm now dying to post it, but there are about a thousand baby steps between here and there, so writing it already was perhaps not my brightest move. To save myself from temptation, I've been typing away this so I'll have some morning on something I can actually share. It's not long, but it's something.

In other news, I think I need help. The only good thing about being done with the last chapter is that I know ahead of time that I need help with the next to last chapter. I am apparently unable to write a truly raunchy sex-scene. Maybe I'll get there at some point in my life, but I suspect that, as much as I enjoy just such a scene, I'm not at all ready for writing one. I'm still cutting my teeth on the kissing scenes and hoping I'll manage a steamy but touchingly tender wedding night (if that's what is called for) when the time comes. Still, my plot demands something much naughtier than I'm likely to be capable of within the next 10 years of practice for the penultimate chapter.

I'm thinking I'll have a little challenge for those of you better able to let it all hang out. Here's what I need: I need for Hermione to say, “I need you to give me more.” at least once. It would be nice if she said “more, more, more” a few more (more, more) times. She could beg it. She could demand it. She could do both. I leave all of that up the blessed volunteer's discretion. Is it at all acceptable to solicit a bit of much-needed help in this way? If this is unacceptable, someone please just tell me, and I'll delete the request. If someone was willing to write just such a scene, I'd be willing to share the five page long final chapter with the writer early. If you're interested in more discussion of this topic, email me at tweetlebeetlebattle at yahoo dot com. If more than one of you gives me something, I'd even be happy to put up both. Ha, it'd be choose your own adventure in NC17 style.
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“He said what?” Ginny was incredulous. Her brother was the stupidest man in the world. In the history of the world. If he had not only done what it seemed he had done but admitted it, Ginny was fairly certain he was beyond hope.

“He basically said that I am too intimidating, so he broke up with me because he had no self-esteem while in my presence and that because this was a good thing because it meant that he could have self-esteem and love me from afar,” Hermione explained while Ginny buttoned up the back of the prospective wedding robes.

“No, go to the very beginning. I need every word. This is important. I may need to disown him.” Ginny was beyond shocked.

“What are you to on about?” Luna asked from the other side of the fitting room door.

“My idiot brother and his idiot thoughts.” Ginny was already firmly in the Hermione camp, Weasley loyalty or no Weasley loyalty.

“Well don't leave me out here all alone then,” Luna begged. “I want to hear what is going on too.”

“She was just starting from the beginning,” Ginny explained.

Twenty minutes later, Hermione was no closer to being fully buttoned into the robes she was trying on.

“What an ares,” Luna repeated for the dozenth time.

“I'll bet Lav was humiliated,” Ginny said disgustedly. “Ron's to bloody stupid to understand why, though. Clearly she was humiliated that her fiance was so jealous he couldn't see straight over another woman last night, and the stupid get was so dumb he told you she said so. How am I related to that man?”

“I don't know, Ginny, though obviously you are,” Hermione laughed. “You share a certain unmistakable shade of Weasley red.”

Ginny slugged her laughing friend. “You know, Hermione,” she admitted, “You're really lucky he let you go. He would have made you miserable eventually.”

“I'm beginning to realize that.” Hermione examined the dress from a few angles before using her wand to adjust the fit a bit and twirling to see if the fit was better. “No offense, Gin, but I don't know how I managed to fancy myself lost without him for so long. I'm a bit embarrassed.”

“Don't be embarrassed,” Luna murmured, charming the bride's maid's robes she and Ginny were wearing from shade to shade to try to find a color that flattered both. “You needed your time with Ronald before you could fall in love with Draco.”

Hermione bit her lip. Should she reveal more to her girlfriends than she had to Ron and Harry? After a quick silencing spell on the dressing room, she began. “Luna, my relationship with Draco isn't quite what it seems. We're more or less using one another to avoid the hassle of the marriage law. We aren't in love at all, though I'm feeling a bit more in lust every time I see the man.”

“Of course you are, Hermione.” Luna had always been one to believe her own opinion more than facts. “Draco has always loved you. Just as you've always wanted to give him a chance but been too distracted by Ron, who has always been very obviously wrong for you. I've told Ginny that for years.” Luna looked toward Ginny for confirmation.

“She has said pretty much that same thing since we were children, Mione,” Ginny agreed. “I always thought she was being ridiculous, but now I'm not so sure. I saw you outside your apartment and while you told Ron, Harry and me. You don't know how he looks at you when you aren't paying attention. It's almost embarrassing, like he wants to melt you and eat you on a cracker.”

Hermione had stopped fidgeting with her dress to listen, but at that she guffawed. “That's the most ridiculous load of tripe I've ever heard. You two are nutters.” She turned back toward the mirror and made one final adjustment to the neckline. “Yes, this is the one.”
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Draco was incredibly nervous about meeting the Grangers. He had known it was coming, but when he had received Hermione's owl after lunch, he had known his day was shot. How was he supposed to make a good impression on people he understood nothing about. It's not as if he had taken the Muggle Studies class back in school. He laughed a little imaging his father's reaction to seeing that on his course list.

He didn't know the first thing about muggles, and he didn't know anyone who did. Or did he? He had hundreds of people working for him; surely many of them were muggle-born. After all, everyone knew about the problem with pureblood birth rates. That meant that he must have dozens of muggle-born employees at the very least. He summoned his assistant.

“Melinda, I'd like you to send in our highest ranking muggle-born employee, please.” Perfect. He had even thought of asking for an employee in a more responsible position at the last moment to ensure discretion. He was a genius.

“Sir...” Melinda stalled.

“Yes?” Draco was impatient. He only had 6 hours until dinner.

“Sir, Malfoy industries has no muggle-born employees. Your father...” She was stalling again.

“Say no more, Melinda. I think I understand.” He dismissed her, disappointed that his excellent plan wouldn't work thanks to Lucius's bigotry. “Oh, and Melinda, as of this moment, Malfoy Industries hires any witch who is qualified for a given position, regardless of heritage.”

“Certainly, sir,” she agreed as she hurried out.

Draco knew that she would spread the mandate before the end of business. Fat lot of good that would do him at the moment, though.

Draco was still wondering how to avoid horrible muggle faux pas at dinner tonight when his door slammed open, bouncing against the wall behind it.

“What is this?” Pansy demanded, brandishing a still steaming newspaper.

“Ahhh, Pansy, I've been expecting a visit.” Draco was determined to be as gentle as possible. It really wasn't Pansy's fault that his parents had wanted their match and that her parents continued to act as though it was inevitable. She was just a product of her environment, and she, unlike himself, lacked the imagination to see her way out of the morass. “We need to talk. You've clearly seen Skeeter's attempt to save me the trouble of a wedding announcement.”

“It's true?” Pansy seemed confused.

“It's true. I asked Granger, she said yes, and we're getting married on Thursday.” Draco said, knowing that drawing out the inevitable was useless and unkind. “I think this is a good thing for all involved, Pansy. Now you can find someone you want to be with instead of someone your parents have picked out. Admittedly you don't have a lot of time to look around, but surely there was someone back in school who would suit. That Hufflepuff you were always making eyes at in the Great Hall?”

“Don't be ridiculous, Draco, Simon was a half-blood. You know Daddy and Mother would never let me marry him. Besides, he's poor. I think he works as a potions master somewhere now, and he actually has to live on that income.” Pansy had gotten off track, but she was as tenacious as a bulldog. “But forget about that. You've humiliated me! Proposing to Granger? You didn't even wait to be forced to marry a mudblood.”

“Pansy,” Draco was not going to be distracted. He had known for years that he and Pansy didn't have any business getting married. It would be like kissing the sister he never had, not something that appealed to Draco at all. This was her chance to be with someone she had always been drawn to, and he was going to help her see that. “You have plenty of money of your own. Why does Simon's lack of a fortune matter at all. This is your chance. You don't have to worry about what your parents will let you do. The Ministry is forcing you to marry, and they ought to be thrilled with a half-blood instead of a muggle-born.”

“Do you really think so, Draco?” Pansy looked thoughtful. It was a good sign.

“Yes, I think so. Go see him today. Get everything arranged before some other pureblooded witch snatches him up.” Draco was ready for Pansy to get going now. He'd had an idea.

“Okay, that sounds like a good idea. I've got to go!” She hurried out the still open door.

Draco gathered up his things. He was going to find a book about muggles.