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Hermione feels an elbow jab quickly into her side. She snaps her head to look at Ginny, mouth agape. “What the hell ?” she whispers.
Ginny smiles and claps…as apparently so does everyone else at the gala. At her table, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Padma, Luna, Neville, Theo, Blaise, Pansy, and Draco are all staring at her and clapping. In fact, everyone around the room seemed to be staring at her.
What is going on ? Her brows are furrowed as she looks at her friend.
“Smile,” Ginny instructs.
Hermione looks around, a forced smile plastered onto her face. Kingsley’s been talking for what feels like forever and Hermione had zoned out, toying with her serviette.
After the applause fades and Kingsley starts giving more thanks, Hermione turns to Ginny once more.
“What was that about?”
“You won the employee raffle, you lucky bitch.”
“What?”
“You know? The free holiday?”
Hermione can honestly say she has no idea what Ginny is going on about.
Ginny sighs. “All employees of the Ministry get added every year to the raffle and one name is chosen to win the getaway. How do you not know this?”
Hermione’s brows wrinkle. Probably because she’s spent the last three years during this annual gala folded over her desk, furiously working on legislation. This is the first time she’s actually been able to attend.
“I’m usually working,” she tells her honestly.
“Well, at least you actually deserve to win. Last year it was Cormac who won.” She gags. “As if he does anything other than show up and try to sleep with everyone.” She rolls her eyes. “So, who are you going to take?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a romantic getaway for two, Hermione. You get to take whoever you want with you.”
“Where are we even going?”
“For fuck’s sake. To New Zealand!”
Hermione’s eyes go wide. She was expecting some half-arsed holiday, not an adventure to tick off her bucket list. Her wheels start turning, thinking of everything she’ll be able to do and see. “What do I have to do? Do I need to—”
“Nothing. You already won,” Ginny laughs. “Collect your prize from Kingsley but I’m pretty sure they organise everything.”
“When is the trip? I mean, this week we’re working on Elfish Welfare legislation and next month we have—”
“Hermione? I guarantee the Ministry can handle one week without you. They’ve done it before.”
“Yeah, and look how well that worked out,” she says pointedly.
After Kingsley finishes speaking, desserts are served and Hermione turns to her best friend with an idea.
“Why don’t you come with me, Gin? We can have a girl’s trip.”
Ginny shakes her head, leaning in to whisper. “I didn’t want to say anything yet but Harry and I are trying—”
Hermione gasps, hands coming up to her mouth. “Oh my God! Gin!” She grins. “Why don’t you and Harry take the trip instead? My gift to you.”
“No, Hermione, you workaholic.” She rolls her eyes. “You need this trip more than I do. And I know just who you should take.”
“Who?”
“Malfoy,” she whispers.
“What!?” Hermione responds in what is definitely not a whisper.
“You’ve been circling each other for months. Now’s your chance!” Ginny pointedly stares across the table at the blond in question and Hermione immediately regrets telling her friend about her unrequited crush on Draco.
“Stop it ,” she hisses, much to the redhead’s amusement.
“Well, even if you won’t ask him, I’m not going with you or instead of you.” She shrugs. “Guess you’ll have to find someone else.” She smirks behind her water glass, and Hermione wonders what her friend has up her sleeve.
***
“Over Valentine’s Day ! Can you believe that? As if I’m not already aware that I’m painfully single, my own bosses have to rub it in my face!?” Hermione steps out of the Floo ranting and rambling to no one in particular.
“Good to see you too, Hermione.” She looks up at the voice and finds her best friend sitting on his couch in Grimmauld Place.
“I’m sorry, Harry.” She falls onto the couch beside him.
“Rough day?”
“Something like that.” Who knew getting a free holiday would be so stressful? “I have a month to plan for this holiday which is nowhere near enough time. I’m supposed to present to the Wizengamot the week I’m gone and now I have to move the presentation up a week and I still don’t know who I’m taking and—”
“Hermione, relax. You’re the only person I know who can make a free holiday this stressful.”
She sits up to look at him. “Are you sure you and Ginny don’t want to go instead? I really don’t mind.”
Harry opens his mouth, but the sound that comes out belongs to his wife instead. “No,” Ginny says as she comes down the stairs. “Harry James Potter don’t even think about accepting her offer or there will be no making of babies or practising the making of babies for a very long time.”
Harry shakes his head. Before he can add anything else or Ginny can threaten him some more, the Floo roars to life once more. Ron and Padma step through holding what looks to be like some sort of pie.
“Hello, everyone,” Padma greets them.
“About time you showed up. We need to talk some sense into Hermione,” Ginny tells them, taking the pie from Padma and leading them into the kitchen.
Hermione stands and follows, placing a hand on her hip as she faces her friends. “I have plenty of sense, thank you, which is why I will not be following your asinine advice.”
“What’s going on?” Padma seems concerned and Hermione shakes her head lightly.
“Nothing ,” Hermione insists, at the same time as Ginny butts in.
“She won’t listen to me about her upcoming holiday.”
“Ooh! I’m so jealous.” Padma smiles and turns back to Ron. “We should go there for our honeymoon!”
“Why don’t you guys go now? You can have my trip.”
“No , they can’t,” Ginny cuts in.
“She’s right, Hermione. We can’t take your trip from you. You’ve earned it,” Ron says and Hermione almost pouts. She was sure he’d be happy to take the free trip off her hands.
“It was a random raffle! I didn’t earn anything!”
“You work harder than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Padma tells her. “It may have been a lucky draw, but you have earned it.”
Hermione sighs as the Floo flashes green. Turning back around she sees Neville and Luna joining them. She grins.
“Luna!” Hermione says before Ginny can warn her away. “How would you like to go on a girls’ trip with me? It’s already paid for!”
Luna smiles and Hermione thinks she’s found a solution.
“I can’t, Hermione. The wrackspurts are in season in New Zealand right now and I need to keep a clear mind.”
Hermione practically deflates. “What about you, Neville?” she asks, already fearing the answer.
He shakes his head. “My mum’s birthday is the seventeenth. I always spend the day with her.”
She grins at him sadly and nods. Back to square one .
She sits down at the table, contemplating. It’s fine. She can still ask Pansy. All’s not lost, yet.
“I think you should ask Draco, Hermione.”
Her gaze snaps to Luna’s then to Ginny’s.
“Did you put her up to this?” Hermione asks Ginny.
“Why would she ask Malfoy ?” Ron asks, nose wrinkled in disgust.
Padma chuckles, patting his hand lightly. “I love you, but you’re painfully oblivious.”
Ron’s brows furrow.
“I’m not asking him,” Hermione grits out.
Luna smiles kindly. “I think you would be lovely together. Your auras are rather compatible, you know.”
Hermione doesn’t say a word.
***
The next night, Hermione arrives at Pansy’s house early for their weekly get together, planning to ask the raven-haired witch about the trip before the boys show up.
“Pansy?” Hermione calls from the entryway. She thought Pansy would’ve heard the Floo go off and come to greet her, but she doesn’t get an answer.
Hermione heads to the drawing room where they always meet, planning to wait for her friends in there, but when she opens the door, she gasps. “Oh my god. Shit . I’m sorry!”
She slams the door closed and spins, pressing her back against it with her hand still on the knob as if it's going to open on its own will.
Hermione feels the doorknob attempting to twist in her hand and she holds it tighter as if it will wipe the vision from her mind.
“Let us out, you prude.”
Hermione scoffs. “Just because I don’t want to watch my friends have sex doesn’t make me a prude !” she snaps back at Pansy and steps away from the door.
For good measure, she keeps facing away and covers her eyes.
The door opens and Hermione freezes at the sound of footsteps growing nearer.
A hand tugs at her wrist and she’s met with an annoyed Pansy, her brow quirked and arms crossed over her chest. “Knock much?”
“How long have you been…?”
Pansy shrugs. “Occasionally. When we’re bored and horny.”
“So, all the time, then?”
Pansy smirks.
“Come on, Granger. I’ve tucked myself away. Your virgin eyes are safe.” Blaise’s voice echoes into the hall and Hermione stops her retort about not being a virgin, thank you.
She follows Pansy into the drawing room, decidedly choosing not to sit on the couch where the pair were fornicating before she interrupted them. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak, Pansy lounges on said couch next to Blaise, her hand possessively on his thigh while his hand toys with her raven hair.
“You’re early,” Pansy notes.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let it happen again.” Hermione tries her best to suppress her shudder. “I was planning to ask you to come with me to New Zealand for my free holiday.”
“Can’t,” Pansy answers immediately.
“Well, then, do you and Blaise want to go? Seeing as no one wants to go with me,” she mutters under her breath.
“Salazar’s tits, Granger. We’re not going with you because you need to ask Draco.”
Hermione lets out a frustrated groan. Can Ginny leave nothing alone ? “I don’t know what Ginny said to you—”
“For the record, the she-Weasel didn’t need to say anything to me. You and Draco have been obsessed with each other since Hogwarts.”
“Excuse me—”
Pansy rolls her eyes. “Whether you hated each other or not you had all this sexual tension. It worked out for me, at the time,” she adds with a wink, “but now you’re both single, you’re friends, and you stare at one another like you want to devour each other whole.” She quirks a brow at Hermione, waiting for her to object. “Regardless, Red did tell me to decline your invitation. I prefer the vineyards in Italy anyway.”
Blaise chuckles and mumbles something under his breath Hermione is sure she doesn’t want to hear.
She sighs as her head spins. Is this really what all of her friends think of her? She’s just going to jump into Draco’s bed now because they’re both single?
Maybe she can ask…
Merlin. She really is pathetic. She can’t think of a single other person she can ask. Well, not that she would willingly want to spend a holiday with, anyway.
The Floo in the hallway roars to life and Pansy stands, moving to the drink cart. “Wine, Granger?” She doesn’t bother letting Hermione answer. She sends over her usual glass of red wine, ever-predictable.
“Hello, my favourite delinquents,” Theo calls, bursting into the room loudly.
“Theodore,” Pansy and Blaise say in unison.
“Hello, Theo.” Hermione sits up straight, eyeing Theo. “Theo…how would you like to go on an all-expense paid trip to New Zealand?” She grins. There isn’t much Theo loves more than beaches, whisky, and holidays.
“No can do, Granger.”
Hermione slouches back in her chair and takes a large swig of her wine. “You’re all insufferable,” she groans.
“What, not going to ask me, Granger?”
She sits up quickly at the bored drawl entering the room that she spills her wine on herself. “ Shit .” She places her glass down and stands to accio some napkins before scourgifying the stain away.
She quickly glances at Pansy whose mouth is curved into a mischievous grin.
She looks back to Draco who walks further into the room until he’s leaning one hip against the couch, facing her.
Hermione stutters in response. “Um, I mean, it’s not that I wasn’t going to ask you, exactly, but um, I didn’t know you were here already and—”
“If you knew you wouldn’t have asked Theo right in front of me?” Draco quirks a brow at her.
She feels her body over heat, her skin likely turning an embarrassing shade of Gryffindor-red. She clears her throat, summoning all of her courage before looking up at him from under her lashes. “Malfoy, would you like to come to New Zealand with me?”
Hermione swears she hears Pansy squeal in the corner and it takes all of her willpower to not glare at the raven-haired witch.
“As flattered as I am to be your last choice, Granger, I think I’m going to pass.”
“Oh.” Hermione sinks back into her chair, deflating. Of course, he wouldn’t want to go with her. She knew that. That’s why she didn’t want to ask him in the first place. If her friends hadn’t gotten in her head and gotten her hopes up, she wouldn’t feel this pathetic right now. “Right. Of course. That’s okay.” She stands, embarrassment running through her. “I actually, um, need to go. My clothes are still…sticky. From the wine. I’ll see you guys next Saturday.”
“We literally all work together. We’ll see you on Monday,” Theo adds unhelpfully before grunting as if someone elbowed him in the ribs.
Hermione doesn’t wait for another response. She hurriedly moves toward the door and out into the hallway, rushing back to the fireplace.
Instead of going home, she calls out “Grimmauld Place!” into the fireplace and stumbles out into Harry and Ginny’s living room.
“‘Mione?” Ginny’s face falls with concern as the curly-haired witch arrives unannounced.
“Well, I did it. I asked him.”
“Did what? Asked who?” Ginny says before understanding dawns. “You asked Malfoy about the trip?”
Hermione nods. “Yup! And he said no. So, thanks for that. For telling all of my friends to turn me down. For backing me into a corner and making me look like an idiot . Why would you do that to me?”
“I’m sorry, Hermione. I really thought he liked you.”
She scoffs. “Did all of his insults over the years really clue you in?” She shakes her head. “And for you to involve Pansy in all of this? I told you I liked him because I trusted you , because you’re my best friend. Do you know who Pansy’s best friend is? Draco. So now she’s probably yelling at him and telling him that I have feelings for him. You made me look like a complete idiot, Gin.”
“I’m sorry,” Ginny says again. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have said anything, but don’t worry about Malfoy. He’s the one missing out.”
Hermione scoffs and rolls her eyes.
“I’m serious. Fuck him. You know what? I take it back. I’m going on the trip with you. He can’t go even if he changes his mind.”
Hermione huffs out the rest of her anger, still feeling more embarrassed than anything. “I’m going to hold you to that,” she says.
“I really am sorry.”
“I know.” Hermione pinches the bridge of her nose. “I’m gonna go.”
“You can do better than Malfoy anyway,” Ginny adds as a final word, but Hermione doesn’t respond.
She Floos home and kicks off her shoes the minute she steps out of the fireplace. She sighs and heads upstairs to take a hot shower and forget all about this night.
Flipping on her bedroom light, she screams, startled; her hand coming up to clutch at her chest. She’s panting as adrenaline runs through her.
“Merlin ! What the hell are you doing?” There, sitting comfortably on her bed with his feet crossed at his ankles, is Draco Malfoy.
“I tried to come after you but apparently you didn’t come straight home. Go to the pub to pick up a random stranger to go on your trip with you?” He smirks; she glares back.
“And when you realised I wasn’t home you, what, decided to make yourself comfortable?” She motions to his placement on her bed.
He shrugs. “Seemed as good a place as any.”
“Can I suggest going to your own bed next time?”
“Ah, but where’s the fun in that? You’re not in my bed.”
She flushes. “If you’d notice, I’m not in my bed at the moment either.”
He pats the mattress beside himself. “Care to change that?”
“What do you want, Malfoy?”
He pushes off the bed and moves toward her. He stands in front of her so she takes a step backward, turning sideways so her back is pressed against the open doorway. He hovers over her, bracing his hand above her head against the doorjamb.
“To apologise.”
“For what?” She has to lift her head to look up at him, her heart pounding in her chest.
“For not accepting your offer immediately. I didn’t think you’d leave so fast.” He smirks down at her. “Where’s your courage, Granger?”
“I guess I left it back at Pansy’s place when you turned me down.”
“To be clear, I didn’t turn you down. I said no to your forced invitation—”
“After you backed me into a corner!” You and all our friends, she thinks.
“Ask me again.”
Hermione straightens, arms crossing over her chest. They’re so close that when she folds her arms over herself, they brush against his shirt. “No. Ginny’s going to come with me.”
He leans in and she can feel his breath ghosting over her lips. “Is that really what you want?”
Hermione swallows thickly, her eyes betraying her as they snap from his piercing gaze down to his lips.
Of course, he notices.
“Ask me again.” His breath smells of mint, not a hint of Firewhisky lacing his tongue. He really must have left Pansy’s a second after she did, not even stopping to have a drink first.
She sighs. “Come with me to New Zealand.”
He cocks his head to the side, a playful grin tugging at his lips. “That wasn’t a question.”
“I didn’t want to risk you saying no again.”
He chuckles and leans in further to whisper in her ear. “Only if you pack that red bikini in your top drawer.”
Hermione pushes him away. “You went through my drawers!?” She scoffs. “Now I’m definitely not packing it.”
Draco shrugs, a devilish gleam in his eye. “That’s fine. We probably won’t be needing bathing suits anyway.” He winks and backs into her hallway. “See you in New Zealand, Granger,” he grins like he’s holding back a laugh.
She rolls her eyes. “I’ll see you on Monday, Malfoy.”
“Looking forward to it. And make sure you tell Red to unpack her bags.”
Hermione watches Draco jog down the steps and listens for him to disappear through the Floo before grabbing a pen and owling Ginny to tell her just that.