Tonight's The Night

EWWWW!

Cho Chang stood there looking absolutely breathtaking in a ruby-red and gold kimono, her black hair was up and forming a halo around her head, the knot secured by two red chopsticks.

Harry's eyes almost fell out of his head.

"Konichiwa, Harry-san." She put her hands together and gave him a little oriental bow.

"I...I thought you were working in Japan..."

"She was - we persuaded her to come back for your party. Happy birthday, Harry!"

The twins grinned.

Harry just stood there looking dumbstruck, until Fred moved behind him and pushed him towards Cho.

"Come on, Hermione - I think we're surplus to requirements..." laughed George, taking her arm and leading her away. "Let's go and find Ginny..."

"No...no...I think I'll go and talk to..."

Hermione, blind with devastation, turned away and began pushing her way through the crowd. Getting away. Getting away from everyone. She couldn't escape through the door because Harry and Cho still stood there. She headed towards the darkest corner of the room.

Cho was here.

Cho!

She and Harry had got back together during Cho's last year at Hogwarts. Then she'd left and got a job in the Far East. They'd written and Hermione knew Harry was still very keen on her, but....

Hermione continued on until she reached the dark corner and fell back against the wall in defeat. Tears of frustration formed in her eyes.

Not wanting anyone to see, she lifted her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, swallowing hard, trying to control the tears.

She was aware of someone stretching in front of her to reach the bar. She saw a hand return, clutching a glass of wine as the person turned to leave and then,

"Oh, shit!"

The person turned again and came and stood close to her; so close, she was obliged to look up.

"What the..?!" She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Just pretend you're talking to me, huh? Otherwise they'll throw me out...and that would be tragic, with all this free booze."

Draco Malfoy, looking totally aristocratic and out of place in an expensive jacket and navy blue silk shirt, stood in front of her, grinning.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well I assume my invitation got lost in the post, but I thought I'd drop by anyway." He grinned at her.

"I think you'd better leave before Harry or any of the Weasleys see you..."

"I would but...I don't want to. Diagon Alley is pretty dead at this time of night. Even this seedy little celebration is better than the poky room I've got to stay in, thanks to you. And the drink is free."

"I'm getting someone to throw you out..."

"Uh oh..someone's walking this way...come on..." He put down his drink, grabbed her arm and began steering her through the crowd.

"Wha...get off me," she tried to wrench her arm away, but he held on.

"Come on, dance, Granger, or they'll spot me."

"I don't want to dance with you!" she spluttered, still trying to pull away.NT> NT>

"Why?" He stopped to look at her. "There's no one else to dance with. Everyone seems pretty well paired-off. Weasley's out for the count and Potter seems preoccupied..."

She followed his gaze over to the dance floor.

Harry was already slow-dancing with Cho. His eyes were closed, his mouth up close to her ear. There was not a chink of light between their bodies.

Hermione was so stunned at this appalling sight, that she allowed Malfoy to lead her to the floor and was dancing before she was really aware of it.

"Got the hots for Potter, have you?" he said as his hand slid around her back ahey hey began shuffling around the floor.

"Someone's going to spot you in a minute and throw you out."

"But you'll stop them because you're having SO much fun dancing with me." He pulled her closer and held her tighter. "Hmmmm, you smell good, Granger."

She wrenched her neck away from him.

"Look, I'm dancing with you, OK, but don't start hitting on me or I might just throw-up."

"Oh! How can I resist! And all this time I thought you didn't like me."

They danced in silence for a while.

Hermione caught sight of Harry. Cho now had her arms around his neck and Harry's hand was resting on her bottom. They were kissing.

Hermione felt as though the floor had just given way and tears formed, prickling in her eyes. She pushed herself away from Malfoy.

"Hey, hey..." He caught hold of her arm and pulled her back. "Where're you going...to the girls' toilets to cry like a stupid tart? Stay and pretend you're enjoying yourself. Fuck them."

Hermione swallowed and allowed herself to be pulled back into the dance.

He was right - crying in the toilets was definitely not dignified.

The crowd was thinning, the music slow Th The staff had begun collecting glasses. She barely noticed Malfoy pulling her closer.

Over his shoulder she watched Harry strolling away, his arms wrapped around Cho. They were headed towards the door - towards the stairs.

Hermione swallowed again, trying to keep her emotions in check.

It may not have happened, anyway, she told herself. Didn't he call her his 'best pal'? That's all she was to him, a friend and really, if she was honest, that's all he was to her. Did she really want to spoil that? But oh, her plans! She'd thought it out, marked it in her diary, even booked the large double room in the attic. She'd been so methodical in her planning and now it had all blown to pieces.

She spotted Ginny walking across the floor towards her. Malfoy's back was turned so she couldn't see who Hermione was dancing with.

Ginny gestured to the door, mouthed 'we're off', and waved goodbye.

Hermione thought she would go with them, and made to leave, but once again Malfoy restrained her.

"You can't go now," he said in a low voice.

"Yes I can. I've danced with you long enough."

"That may be true, but you really can't go yet..." He was grinning at her in a peculiar way.

She looked at him, puzzled. He brought his mouth in contact with her ear and she felt his hot breath on her neck as he whispered,

"I've got a hard-on the size of a cart-horse. You have to shield me."

"Wha..? Ewwww, get away from me..."

"No..no..please..." he begged, laughing. He held her as she tried to wriggle away from him. "Don't leave me exposed on the dance floor. I couldn't help it, it's your bloody perfume...oh, God, don't wriggle like that, you'll make it worse!"

"If you don't let me go, I'm going to knee you so violently it'll snap in two," she hissed, making a final wrench from his grasp and stalking off towards the door.

She flew up the stairs into the saloon bar and let herself out of the door. Her head began to spin as the effect of the alcohol was heightened by the fresh air.

What the hell was going on tonight?

Cho?!

Why?

Why did she have to turn up?

And then...Malfoy?!

She shook her arms wildly as though trying to rid her body of some dirty coating.

Ewwww! Ewwww! Ewwww!

She needed to shower, to get rid of his...maulings.

Letting herself back inside the building she began climbing the stairs.

"'night, Granger."

She turned on the third stair. Malfoy was leaning up against the archway at the entrance to the saloon bar, a small measure of amber liquid in his hand.

"Pleasant dreams." He grinned as he lifted his glass to her.

She glared at him before turning and running up the rest of the stairs to her room.