Boys Night, Girls Night

I want to thank everyone for the reviews! You can't have any idea how much I depend on your praise and constructive criticism! It allows me to look at the story as objectively as possible and fix any problems I don't see. So, to share the love, here is a little treat for everyone!! I'm aiming to post another chapter by tomorrow, so hold on to your hats! Enjoy!!

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28.


Hermione was still tingling from the moment that never happened as she glided down the hallway to the back kitchen. She knew that her and Draco's relationship couldn't continue to balance the way it was, on the tip of a knife. A decision needed to be made.

Hopefully, the one she wanted. The one that entailed them cuddled up in bed on a lazy Sunday afternoon, the one where they were bickering over nothing at all.
Unless, Draco just wanted to continue as they were before. But, that 'you' comment made her hope for a different outcome.

On that sobering thought, Hermione walked into the kitchen to see her staff looking perfectly orderly and content.

"Hermione! What are you doing back here?" her chef in charge, Russell, asked with every appearance of confusion, "Did something go wrong up front?"

Hermione was brought up short, confused. "Oh, no. Nothing like that. The major domo said there was a message for me and to come back here."

Russell looked about. Everyone was where he or she was supposed to be. Half were preparing the last round of little candies and take home baggies for the guests. The other half were cleaning and organizing the cookware to be brought back to the bakery. He turned back to Hermione, obviously mystified. "Everything back here is on schedule. Maybe he was referring to something else?"

Hermione felt herself become even more confused. What else could the domo have meant?
Feeling frozen, she realized maybe the message wasn't from her employees at all. There was a very real probability it came from one person. One person who wanted her...One rather sadistic person.

Russell stared at her, obviously wondering why she seemed to pale. Hermione knew if the message wasn't from them, that she needed to get somewhere away from them. What if this person didn't care who they hurt? Working to keep a non-perturbed expression, she shrugged and gave the usual parting command of where to find her should they need and turned to leave.

As she reached the door, she reached for her wand, hidden in a secret pocket along her seam. Pausing, she stopped a moment to collect herself. She peered around the door to find general blackness and dim lighting. Not that that meant much. Taking a deep breath, she took a step into the corridor.

Moving forward, Hermione made it two steps beyond the door when she crashed into a rather tall object that felt a lot like a human body. Instantly, she started flailing about, waving her wand, from fear of the unknown person and to avoid falling flat on her arse. Hermione felt two arms catch her elbows to steady her and a whoosh of air force its way out of her lungs.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Hermione." she heard the low, frantic voice of Henry Serpens. At that voice, she drooped, relieved.

"It's ok, I'm ok, just need a second to catch my breath." She croaked out, taking a deep intake of air. Merlin, he was like running to a brick wall. Belatedly he dropped his hands from her arms as she wriggled to a more vertical standing position. However, he didn't step back, instead keeping close contact with her. Protective? Concern? Who cares, as long as she didn't run into him, again.

"I am truly sorry. I just freaked out when I saw you weren't in the ballroom. You mustn't keep sneaking back here, I can't protect you if I don't know where you are." Henry scolded mildly. It didn't come out as harsh as he wanted since he was still looking at her with concern as she tried to regain her balance. When seeing she wasn't hurt, he continued looking about the hallway.

"I am sorry for that-" she started before she heard a half shouted 'Granger!' from down the hall. She knew instantly by the gruff tone it was Malfoy.

Blast-did everyone seem to follow her down this hallway? Last thing she needed was a lecture from both Serpens and Draco.

Draco walked quickly towards them, reaching her as her breath evened out. "Are you all right?" He glanced over her red cheeks and the lack of room between her and Serpens. Just what was going on back here?

"I'm fine, I just ran into Serpens as I was making my way back to the ballroom. I-"

Draco looked rather disgruntled. "You shouldn't be running around back here alone, Granger, it's-"

Hermione flapped a hand at him, striding forward. "I know. I just heard it from Serpens. I apologize, I was being thoughtless. However, I do need to speak with the major domo. My kitchen staff didn't send the message."

Draco felt the hair on his neck rise. He glanced at Serpens who gave him a loaded look. Wonderful. Just what he needed, the lunatic was here and sending her messages to get her alone.

"You're no longer coming back here to talk to your staff!" Draco ground out more harshly than he intended. He couldn't help it when the images of Hermione being attacked by some hulking figure were running circles in his mind.

Hermione instantly stiffened to his tone, but let it go. She knew what he was thinking, and managed to look sheepish while tucking her wand back into her dress. Brightest witch of her age and yet ran off completely unprotected. She should have known better. But it wasn't entirely her fault, her less-noble side piped up. If she wasn't so completely distracted by him....

Hermione grabbed Draco's hand to reassure him and then looked at the auror waiting patiently behind her. "Henry, you can go back to the party and question the major domo about what’s going on? And fill in Harry? I'm safe here with Draco. And I need to get my thoughts straight."

Henry quickly acquiesced and made his way in a hurry down the corridor. Hermione leaned back against the paneled wall and closed her eyes for a moment. Whatever happened to freedom?

"Are you sure you are alright, you look a little pale." Draco asked watching her closely. She opened her eyes and gave him a little smile.

"Yes, I was just leaving the kitchen when I ran into Serpens. And when I say him, I mean into a brick wall. Knocked the breath right out of me."

Draco frowned. "No more of this running about anymore. The gala is still going on, but all catering aspects are over. You are not allowed to leave my side again." Draco stated firmly, suiting actions to words and planting his shoulder firmly against the wall, managing to tower over her with eyes hot on her body and yet make it look protective at the same time. It was quite impressive.

Hermione nodded her head. "It's a good thing Serpens is keeping such a great lookout. Remind me to thank Harry." She tried to joke, and failing miserably.

Draco squeezed her hand in his, rubbing small circles against her wrist. "You need to be more careful. What if that wasn't Serpens? What if this stalker was the one who followed you? While I would love nothing more than to beat the bloody piss out of this miserable lowlife, I will not do it at the expense of you getting hurt. Promise me you won't do something idiotic like that again." Draco stared down, willing her to agree.

Hermione didn't need to be told twice. "I was wrong. I promise not to do it again. And thank you for coming after me." Hermione brought their intertwined hands up and pressed a kiss onto the back of his hand, and held it against her cheek. "I do have a question though. What made you come after me in the first place? How did you know something was wrong?"

"I didn't." Draco admitted. "There were other unresolved things I needed you for."

Now it was Hermione's turn to frown. "Such as?"

Draco hesitated. On one hand, his mind was still reeling from the thought of someone lurking around trying to get Hermione on her own.

On the other, well, his other hand was curving around Hermione's cheek without him realizing it. Slowly, he traced her bottom lip with his thumb. Well, what the hell. If someone was lurking about, let him or her witness this. Draco pulled her into his body and kissed her hard.

Hermione forgot she was at a work function. She forgot there was someone watching her every move trying to hurt her or those who she loved. All that she cared about was Draco kissing her desperately like there was no one else in the world, just them. If something were to happen to her, well, at least she would remember this. Feeling his grip around her waist, Hermione secured one hand on his lapel, holding him to her and the other hand running through his hair.

She kissed him eagerly, nipping at his lips, enjoying the fierceness of his lips on hers, but although she wanted this desperately, one part of her brain managed to voice enough sense to know how dangerous it was to be doing this out in the open, where anyone could catch them.

When Draco finally pulled away to breathe and ducked his face into her neck, panting, she managed to gasp out, ‘Draco - we can’t - what if somebody is watching…’

“Let them,” he mumbled into her skin, his breath hot. ‘Let them see that your off the market, you’re mine, and they would have to be absolutely bloody mad to try and take you away from me.’ He licked a path up to her ear, and she shivered, struggling to maintain a hold on her thoughts. He began edging her robes up so that he could stroke her leg, adjusting himself so he sat between her legs, using his weight to keep her pinned against the wall.

“Any objections?” Draco whispered, sucking gently on her neck, not quite hard enough to make a mark, but sufficient to make her legs turn into mush. Hermione heard a whimper- wait, was that her making that noise?

Hermione was barely able to register that yes, indeed, it was her making those noises before she lost focus, entirely too caught up in what he was doing to her. However, the sudden closing of a door further down the corridor a couple minutes later sent her crashing back to reality and she finally was able twist away from the seductive fiend.

“The gala- we need to get back,” she said in a shaky but firm voice, attempting to readjust her dress to make herself look more presentable.

Draco grunted, took a deep breath, and ran his hands through his hair in his own attempt to smooth back the loose strands that had been disturbed by her fingers. “Okay,” he mumbled, “But you’re coming back to the apartment with me after this damned night. It’s safer, and quite frankly, I can’t sleep there without you.”

Hermione felt as if she melted into a metaphorical puddle of goo. Guarding herself against flinging herself back into his arms like some second rate romance heroine, she instead favored a brisk walk down the hallway. Not entirely able to help herself, she asked with a fake air of innocence, “Draco, who said anything about sleep?”

Draco matched her stride and looked down at her out of the corner of his eye. “You have three seconds to get out of my reach. Otherwise, I’m going to take you up this wall regardless if Wonderboy and his merry band of do-gooders comes out here to save you.”

Hermione felt her stomach flip-flop. She was still weighing her options, when she heard him say, “One…”

Giggling wildly, she took off running, bunching her skirt in her hands, racing towards the banquet hall doors. She heard a low laugh and booted feet charging up behind her. Pausing with her hand on the door, she waited until Draco stopped in front of her, catching his breath.

Impishly, she stretched up onto her tiptoes and gave him a quick, hard kiss. “I’ll need to stop at my place after the gala to drop some things off, but I’ll be back at the apartment within a half hour of leaving…still wearing this dress.” Draco made a lunge for her, and she gave a little shriek, giggled, and opened the door with what she hoped was a respectable look on her face.