Giving Into Temptation

Chapter Four: Caught

Hermione took a break in the middle of the day, when she reasoned that Ron would not be coming to get her, and went to eat her lunch alone in the employee room. She was sipping on a soda when Draco entered the room. He stopped in his tracks halfway through the door.

"Er... I... didn't know you were in here."

He turned to go and Hermione called out, "Wait! You don't have to leave. You have just as much right as I do to be in here."

He glanced back at her, sighed deeply, and took a seat at the table opposite her. They chanced looks at each other when they thought the other wasn't paying attention. Then they peeked at one another at the same time and their eyes met. Once again, Draco felt himself falling into Hermione's eyes, and she couldn't help noticing that the longing hadn't disappeared from his.

"Hermione-"

"Don't... please... just don't."

"We can't act like it didn't happen."

"Yes, we can."

"No. We can't. We slept together."

"Don't call it that. We fucked, Draco. There's a difference. You shouldn't confuse the two."

The coldness in her voice took Draco by surprise. It brought back memories of their third year when she had yelled at him and slapped him. He winced at the memory, shaking his head to make it go away.

"You resent me." It was a statement, not a question.

Hermione looked away. Then, "Yes... I do."

"You didn't have to answer. I already have enough of a complex."

Hermione faced him again, this time with tears in her eyes.

"How can you joke about this? Like it doesn't matter! Like we haven't both just ruined our lives!"

She collapsed into tears and Draco tentatively went over to her. At first she fought against him, then finally she let him hold her. She cried onto his shoulder as he stroked her hair, whispering assurances in her ear.

"It's not a joke. I think I-"

" 'Mione? Amarelda told me you were... in here?"

Draco and Hermione pulled apart as Ron froze in the doorway, staring at them with a mixture of shock and confusion in his eyes.

"What... in the bloody hell... is going on?" He questioned through gritted teeth.

"Ron, it's not what you think."

"Oh? And what am I supposed to think it is, 'Mione? I come in here and you're in Malfoy's arms. MALFOY! What's your excuse then?"

"I was... I didn't... he was just..." Hermione trailed off, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.

"Real good explaining, Hermione! I am so much less confused than I was before."

"Don't yell at her!" Draco piped up.

"DON'T... tell me what to do, Malfoy."

"It's not her fault."

"What's not her fault?"

Draco was stuck. He didn't know what to say. Nothing he could think of would make Ron any less suspicious than he already was.

"Ron... please..."

"Please, what? No one's telling me a damn thing! You're blundering like an idiot and-"

"DON'T. YELL. AT. HER!"

"I can yell if I want! I found my fiancée in the arms of my enemy. Like you wouldn't be yelling if you found me with Pansy! Not that that would happen, mind you."

"Just let her explain, Weasley."

"I gave her a chance and all she can do is stutter. She can't even look me in the eyes! Forget it! I have no time for this. I have to go back to work."

He turned, stalking out of the room and Hermione went after him, grabbing his arm to stop him.

"Please, Ron... don't leave like this."

"Let. Go. Of. Me."

"Ron..."

"I said, let go!"

Hermione dropped her hand from Ron's arm and he left the department. Hermione tried to avoid the looks of her co-workers as she went back into the employee room. Great! Now I'll be the topic of bloody office gossip!

"Hermione..."

"Do shut up, Malfoy! I do not want to hear a word from you."

"But, Hermione-"

"I hate you!" She spat, but even as the words slipped past her lips she didn't quite believe them.

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