The Dating Game

The Dating Game

Chapter 3: The Gameplan

1) Kissing in front of Draco
2) Groping in front of Draco
3) Sex talk in front of Draco
4) Telling Draco repeatedly that it was true love
5) Telling Draco repeatedly that it was the Best Sex Ever


Hermione browsed through the list Charlie had left for her for the umpteenth time.

She had tried to explain to Charlie that she didn't feel comfortable kissing him, not to mention in front of Draco and just to get back at him. Charlie had been understanding, but adamant.

Kissing. Lots of it. Groping too. Just a hand on the other's arse, or creeping close to the front, nibbling on the other's neck... Charlie had also explained to her how to stage a kiss and make it look deeper than it was.

Like Charlie had said, Draco was probably too surprised to notice the little details anyway.


They shouldn't be doing this. No matter what Draco had done, this wasn't the way. She was an honest person, and didn't like to lie. She wasn't very comfortable showing off her sexuality either, in front of a...friend.

But then she remembered what he had said, or rather written, and she was furious. Only average! She knew she wasn't a beauty and she had never claimed so. For someone who called himself her friend to say something like that...it was cruel and uncalled for! She hadn't asked Harry or Draco to fix her up. It had been their idea, damn it!

Charlie had gone home, but tomorrow they would continue according to the plan. If Draco was to come by again, she was to tell him Charlie had just left but would be back soon. And then tell Draco that it had been the best sex ever.

It had been hard enough to make an impression that she had already slept with Charlie. She had been so nervous her stomach had hurt. Luckily Charlie had taken care of everything.

What a mess!

= = =

"...And she was half naked!"

The man behind the bar said nothing, just poured him another drink.

"Thank you. I mean, she was straight out of bed, screwing that guy that I, I, fixed her up with! Me!" Draco ranted.

"So what exactly is wrong here?" The bartender finally chipped in.

"Wrong? Everything's wrong. She isn't supposed to..supposed to be sexual! And have sex. She's my friend! Her ex-boyfriend even called her frigid, that wanker."

"Doesn't sound like she is."

"Who asked you!"

The bartender shrugged. Right. It's too late for you now, mate.

Draco finished his drink and decided that it was the time to go make another social call. He was too upset to even worry about splinching himself.

Was Charles still there, at her place? Keeping her bound to the bed?

My little slave! What was wrong with that man?! He had trusted him with his friend. He wasn't supposed to go and screw her the minute he turned his back!

= = =

Draco was behind her door again, knocking. She knew it was him. Oh God! She braced herself for what she was about to do.

She opened the door.

"Draco!"

"Granger."

Draco seemed a bit strange, as if he had been drinking. He stared at her intensively, as if to get some reassurance for what was going on.

"Come in. Charlie had to drop by at his place but he'll be back in a few minutes. Oh, Draco, I'm so happy!"

Hermione was getting in touch with her inner actress.

"To think that if Harry never would have set us up I never would have met him! He's wonderful!"

Draco snorted, as if to ask what was so wonderful. A question Hermione had to answer of course.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Draco nodded.

"I think I'm in love with him!!"

Hermione couldn't keep still. She knew if she sat down she would loose her "inner actress" and her "woman scorned". So she walked all over the living room, making excited gestures with her hands.

"In love? You just met him!" Draco sounded indignant.

"We had. The. Best. Sex. Ever. After ten I lost count. He's quite imaginative you know. Did you know there is this erogenous zone right next to--"

Draco looked as if he might choke any second.

"Draco, dear, are you okay?"

= = =

This was too much. Just way, way too much.

What was happening? Hermione saying things like this! If it hadn't been for Weasley he would've thought she was a virgin. Who was he kidding, sleeping with Weasley was next to being a virgin.

Ever since Weasel and Hermione had broken up, it had been clear to him that Hermione would wait for the right guy. She wasn't the type to sow her wild oats, if she even had any. He had known that she would always be there for him, listening to him complaining about his several girlfiends or about Potter or whatever was bugging him. She would say a sentence or two about Weasel, nothing too revealing nor nothing too mean because she wasn't that type of person, but it always seemed to cheer her up a bit to get some of it said instead of keeping it to herself.

So what was this?

"Draco, dear, are you okay?"

Draco sighed.

"I'm fine. I gotta go."

"You gotta go? I thought you'd wait for Charlie! I didn't know you knew him, until Charlie told me. Why didn't you say anything before the date?"

"Uh I don't know. Actually, I'm not feeling well after all. Talk to you later okay?"

"Okay. Take care! Maybe lie down or something."

Draco was already out the door. He thought he might really throw up any second.

= = =


It was Sunday morning when Harry's head appeared on Hermione's fireplace without warning.

"Oi! Hermione!"

"Oh, Harry, hi! You just gave me a seizure."

"Sorry. So how did your date go?"

"Ummm, very good. Listen, Harry, now that you're here, sort of, I wanted to ask you if Charlie still plays quidditch professionally?"

"Charlie?"

"Charles Whitmore, my date!"

"Yes! Of course. Yea, he's a good one, too! The team couldn't do without him."

"Oh, Harry." Hermione sighed.

Without knowing why or how, Harry knew he had just blown it. Merlin!

"You didn't even know his name, Harry!"

Harry blushed deeply. He was caught.

"Harry how could you! You asked Draco for help. Draco!"

"Uh, Hermione...I just wanted you to be happy. To find someone who could be to you what Ginny is to me. I didn't mean this to happen. I take it your date didn't go well? Listen I'm..."

"Actually my date went well. No thanks to you two!"

"Oh." Harry seemed unsure, but pleased at the same time. "You two hit it off?"

Hermione hated lying to Harry, even though it was Harry who had started the whole mess by lying to her.

"Yes. He staid here for the night. And some of the day, too."

"Hermione!" Harry gasped, grinning.

"Harry!" Hermione shot back, and gave into a smile.

"Hermione, is this it?"

Hermione felt even worse, but she had to keep lying.

"It could be. He's great. You'd like him. Then again you're supposed to know him already."

Harry looked ashamed.

"Will you forgive me, Hermione? I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it back. I went about it wrong."

"Yes. You're my best friend. Just don't do anything like this again."

"I won't. And now I don't have to, will I!"

Hermione just smiled.

= = =

When Draco woke up he didn't remember right away what was wrong in the world. Then it hit him. Granger. Hermione Granger and Charles Whitmore.

Stupid stupid stupid!

He had to talk to Charles, to get to the bottom of this. He wouldn't let him mess Hermione up. Sure, she'd be hurt but she'd get over it, like she got over Weasley. And he would help her, give her a shoulder to lean on.

Draco took a piece of parchment and a quill and scribbled Whitmore a note.

"Whitmore,
I want to talk to you. Come to my place at your first convenience.

Draco"

Now all he could do was wait.

= = =

It was already two when Charles apparated behind his front door. Draco opened the door and pulled him in.

"Whitmore."

"Malfoy."

They walked to the living room and sat down opposite of each other and Draco broke the silence.

"You took a liking to Hermione, then."

"She's amazing. And in bed? Merlin!"

"Leave her alone. She's not used to wizards of your standing to play with her emotions."

Charlie looked at him, surprised.

"Play with her emotions? Draco, no! I think she's the one!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean The One! Earth moved. Angles cried. She tastes like vanilla and honey. She's so tight you'd think she's a - -"

"No, I don't want to hear the sordid details. Are you serious about her?"

"Serious? It's true love, mate! And lust! I can't get enough of her- -"

"Yea yea I got the idea."

"- - just give me a couple of weeks and she'll be Mrs Whitmore. I have to thank you, Draco, without you I never would've met her, since she's not my... usual type. I'm glad you don't fancy her."

"What do you mean by that?"

"If you fancied her yourself you never would've fixed her up with me!"

"Right."

"You'll be my best man for the wedding! Shoot, it's two fifteen already? I'm late! Can't keep a lady waiting!"

= = =

"I just talked to Draco."

"You didn't!" Hermione gasped.

"Yes. I told him you're The One and that after awhile I expect you to become Mrs Whitmore."

"What?!"

"Mrs Charles Whitmore. Now don't get upset. This is good. It means we're getting to him."

"If you say so..."

In fact, Charlie had started to wonder if one Draco Malfoy had a reason of his own to hope he wasn't serious with this lovely witch. If he was right, he'd be happy to get some reaction out of Draco. Maybe there was a happy ending in the works, after all.

"I do. So, how about dinner at my friend's place, Miss Granger?

"I'd love to, Charlie."

= = =

During their dinner they discussed how to proceed next week. Hermione explained that her work was too important to her for her to take too much time away from it. Charlie understood this well, he had a life of his own outside this strange arrangement. They agreed to go to lunch on Tuesday and then take it from there.

Charlie walked her to her apartment building, where they parted with a hug and a peck on the cheek. Neither of them noticed that they were being watched by someone who didn't like what he saw. He didn't like it at all.