Tease

At Your Expense

Draco stabbed his food viciously, glaring at it menacingly.

Stupid bint had made a fool of him again. Brilliant!

He had struggled to exit their common room gracefully after his spill. But it was impossible with Hermione's barely contained laughter.

It was her fault! She shouldn't have just sat her pretty li-I mean filthy mudblood behind on my lap. All that wiggling about is bound to affect anyone.

He grudgingly admitted to himself how clever she was. He had let himself become disarmed by her conservative little attire and her attentive little do-gooder look.

It all hid just how Slytherin she was on the inside.

Draco twisted his fork as he met Hermione's gaze. For once, they didn't sneer or smirk at each other. It was almost diplomatic. The way you frankly faced your opponent before the duel.

She frowned and then looked away. He hoped it was because she remembered their afternoon's plans. She had caused it after all.

He had foolishly laughed in her face when she had waved her stupid to-do list for the ball. But, being a goody two shoes, she went straight to Dumbledore.

Who is so plainly a Gryffindor-lover!

Now he had to accompany her to Diagon Alley when he could have had the rest of the day off.

On top of that Dumbledore had subtly warned him not to disturb Granger.

So much for quietly throwing her over a cliff.

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Hermione smiled brightly as she picked up her pile of selections. Draco had wisely kept out of her way. Sure that meant having to mostly oversee the plans herself. But it was much better than challenging that brooding sullen look he wore.

She held out some of the fabric for Draco to carry but he deliberately brushed by her with indifference. Her eyes immediately narrowed in annoyance.

Calm down Hermione. You can avoid biting his head off one day, right?

He winked at a girl passing by and Hermione gritted her teeth.

"Are you his girlfriend?" the lady at the counter asked.

As if!

"No! He favors his own sex," she whispered dramatically.

"GRANGER!"

"Oops - secret's out!"

She flipped her hair and collected her bags, lazily walking out of the store. Draco was right by her side. Glaring most likely.

She ignored him and examined her neat writing in her daily planner, mentally checking off the completed tasks.

"All right! We've covered the various colors of gauze fabric for decoration and arrangements for food. Now we have to-"

Hermione peeled her head out of her planner when Draco began to veer away from their course.

"We have to go that way," she called, pointing toward the quaint flower shop.

He briskly walked away, his hands stuck in his pocket.

"Draco!"

He turned around and sneered.

"It's Malfoy to you," he practically snarled.

"Ok Mal-foy" she stressed.

He rolled his eyes.

"We have to get this done"

"And I need some new robes"

"You can't-" she yelled, appalled. They had to finish their work!

"Yes I can. You can go twitter around in that bloody shop by yourself or-"

"I'll come with you then"

Draco stopped in his tracks and whirled around. "What?"

"I'm coming with you."

"Why- Don't you want to get that list checked off?"

"Yeah but...I'd rather you be there," she finished lamely.

He looked incredulously at her. "But you said you've been there many times before"

She nodded. "With Ron or Neville"

"You need a man to accompany you?" he laughed.

"No I need a pureblood to accompany me," she said softly.

He looked calmly at her, his eyes flicking up to the seemingly innocent flower shop.

"I need robes," he repeated.

"The flowers-"

"-can wait" he said, walking up the steps.

She breathed a sigh of relief but it caught at her throat when Draco stumbled on a step. She coughed loudly but the laugh was unmistakable.

He didn't have to turn around for her to know that he was glaring. His fist clenched then flexed.

She silently followed him as he passed the neatly pressed robes. If he was impressed with the racks of silk, velvet, lace robes in intricate designs, he didn't show it.

But Hermione openly marveled. She only owned simple black robes since she wore Muggle clothing the rest of the time.

Draco frowned over the selections, apparently trying to make a decision.

"This material is so nice!" Hermione said, gesturing to the soft fabric.

"I don't need your opinion - mudblood," he said. "Want a corset?"

He held up a bold red corset with black lace running through it. On top of that, it had a leather whip neatly attached to it.

"WHAT?"

Hermione gaped, confused at being insulted and propositioned at once.

"This could do wonders for your cleavage"

"And the WHIP?" she thundered.

"That too," he smirked.

"You - you insufferable - ugh! Never mind. Go find some other idiot to follow you around"

She turned and stormed out of the store, her shoes clicking on the floor. She caught on the same crack Draco had tripped over and nearly fell flat on her face.

"Stupid mudblood can't even walk," he sneered, his lips curling up in amusement.

She clenched her fist. He wasn't so amused when his coordination was poor.

I can and will kill him.

Just after I find a way to hide the proof.

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