Wicked Deception

Wicked Deception

Chapter Five

The two weeks before Christmas passed quickly as Harry continued to work long hours and Hermione kept busy with her own work, preparing for Christmas and planning their New Year's party and upcoming wedding. Ginny helped her with the party plans and brought her magazines and idea books for the wedding. A couple of times they even stepped into a couple of shops to try on some wedding dresses, but nothing they had seen had struck Hermione as the dress.

The day before Christmas, as Hermione did some last minute shopping, she happened to pass a store displaying some dresses that caught her eye. She stepped into the boutique and automatically regretted doing so as the surroundings looked to be well above her price level. As she turned to leave the shop her eyes settled on a dress modeled by a moving dummy in the center of the store. She walked towards it and gazed at the simplicity of the lines and the fine detailing on the bodice and skirt. It suited Hermione's simple but elegant taste. She just had to try it on.

Modeling the dress herself as she stood in front of the mirror, she knew that she could not leave the store without it. It was sleeveless, perfect for a June wedding and was simple enough for a small ceremony. The dress fit her curves but was modest and classic. It showed only a bare hint of the tops of her breasts but exposed her long, lithe arms. The saleswizard was off looking for a pair of elbow-length gloves and left Hermione by herself.

As she twirled before the mirror she caught a glint of silver. She stopped and looked up to see Draco looking at her reflection. A high-pitched exclamation came from Hermione as she turned to look at him. "Draco! You scared me! What on earth are you doing here?" She was flustered and trembling from the fright he gave her and she wasn't all too happy to find him before her again unannounced.

He gazed at her coolly and drawled, "I might ask you the same question, Granger."

Hermione had not thought of Draco since the night at the dance club. She had been so busy and she hadn't had the opportunity to run into him either at work or out and about. As he neither made any additional appearances nor contacted her in any way, their encounters had simply been pushed to the back of her mind. Now that he was before her again, Hermione felt a sense of foreboding as he coldly stared her down. She held up her left hand and pointed to her new ring. "I thought you'd heard by now. Harry asked me to marry him," she smiled softly.

Malfoy didn't return her smile but moved towards her and took her hand to gaze at the ring. "Potter seems to have good taste in something then, doesn't he? It suits you." He released her hand but didn't move away.

She shifted uncomfortably in front of him as he continued to stare at her. "So are you ready for Christmas?" she stammered, not knowing what else to say, but feeling mighty foolish for having asked it.

He looked directly into her eyes and she remembered the hypnotic effect of the startling silver orbs. At once the memories of his hands and his lips flooded into her head and she stepped back from him, her knees giving a little as she moved.

"I've been waiting for you," he stated.

His arrogance immediately angered her and she retorted, "Malfoy, I'm getting married in six months! You can quit your little game because I refuse to play anymore!" She was pleased her voice sounded firm and resolute though butterflies still fluttered in her stomach. She turned back towards the mirror and smoothed her skirt. Glancing down at her ring as she did so, she took strength from the thought of Harry.

She felt him move directly behind her and could feel him against her back, his closeness bringing his heady scent to her nose again. Hermione closed her eyes so she couldn't see their reflections in the mirror but she felt his lips at her ear as he whispered, "If you don't come to me, I will come to you." He traced his finger lightly along the ridges of her spine exposed in her backless dress and goose pimples exploded over the tops of her arms. She felt him place a kiss on her shoulder, his lips cool on her skin, and she nearly swooned at the tenderness of it. He stepped back from her and she opened her eyes slowly to see him reflected behind her. He locked his eyes on hers for what seemed an eternity before he disapparated with a soft pop.

Hermione's concern was evident on her face as the saleswizard came back with some gloves. "Oh dear, you don't like the dress?"

***

Curse Potter, Draco thought. He obviously didn't tell Granger that I helped to buy her engagement ring or she would have mentioned it. When he looked at Hermione in what was sure to be her wedding dress he felt a touch of that old jealousy he hadn't known since his Hogwarts days.

He had hoped that she would come to him not long after their tryst in the night club. For the past two weeks he had thought of her every night and pictured her coming to him and allowing him to do to her what he would. Over this time he had sufficiently agitated himself to near insanity with thoughts of her smell, her hair and her body. He remembered her soft exclamations as he kissed her neck or nipped at her breasts and his desire for her intensified as he thought of her body's tiny tremors when he touched her or whispered into her ear.

After two weeks of highly sexual fantasies and no sign of Hermione, he was extraordinarily frustrated and astonished that she could resist him for so long. He had never had to wait for any woman to desire him and was used to having them fall at his feet with a single gesture. Reluctantly he had to admire her for her resolve, but took it upon himself to regard Granger as a challenge that he could not back down from. No woman had ever resisted his charms and he was damned if a simple Muggle-born was going to be the one to do it. He certainly had a reputation to protect but his ultimate goal was to finally take her only after she came to him begging for it. He vowed to exert his every effort to drive her crazy with desire so she would want him as much as he wanted her.

***

Christmas came and went in a blur and Hermione again quickly pushed from her mind the meeting with Malfoy at the dress boutique. She and Harry joined Ron, Ginny and the entire Weasley family at the Burrow. After Hermione's parents, they were the first to find out about their engagement and there were many happy tears and congratulations all around as well as one or two comments of "Well, it's about time!" Both Ron and Ginny were pleased to have been asked to stand witness for them.

After many gift openings, days of snow fights, lazing about the Burrow and lots of eggnog and fruitcake later, Hermione and Harry said their goodbyes and packed their discreetly-charmed Muggle car to return to London and prepare for their own New Year's Eve party.

They were expecting quite a few people and wanted to make sure they had enough to eat and drink as they were celebrating their engagement and the New Year. They laughed and talked as they did their shopping together. As they strolled down one of the aisles in the store there was a lull in their conversation and Harry stopped and looked at Hermione. "Are you sure you want to marry me?" he asked her outright.

"Harry, how could you ask me that? Of course I want to marry you. I love you," she smiled adoringly at him. Then she had a quick thought and added, "Are you sure you want to marry me?"

He walked over to her and gathered her in his arms. "It's the one thing I absolutely want, Hermione." He set his lips on hers and kissed her deeply.

***

The party was roaring by the time ten o'clock rolled around New Year's Eve. Many of their closest classmates had come and Harry had invited some of the faculty from Hogwarts and the people he worked with. Hermione invited her colleagues and was pleased that many of them could attend. It was a special night and both Harry and Hermione glowed with the knowledge that they would be announcing to all their friends that they were going to be married. Hermione noted Draco's absence with relief, but wondered why he had not come, as surely Harry would have invited all the Aurors.

Someone had brought out the New Year's favors early as sparkling confetti drifted here and there throughout the rooms. Harry and Hermione roamed the house making sure everyone was well-fed and always had drinks in hand. Ginny had been placed in charge of music and cornered the living room with her newest DJ boyfriend who was spinning some crazy dance beats. They even brought their own light show and a disco ball hovered above the heads of their dancing guests. The atmosphere was a little more subdued in the den and most of the faculty and some of their older colleagues from work congregated there.

As she mingled and moved between groups of her guests, Hermione glanced across the room and caught Harry's eyes. She smiled lovingly at him and waved. He returned her smile and mouthed, I love you, through the throng of guests. At this small gesture she felt her knees weaken. She marveled that she still reacted to him in this way. Harry returned to his conversation, but she continued to stare at him. In a flash she thought back to her last year at Hogwarts.

They had endured the inevitable dangerous adventure of life and death, Harry versus Voldemort, but an unexpected event occurred which changed her life forever. She had fallen in love with her hero, her protector, her best friend and Harry had fallen in love with her.

It made her smile now to think of how it happened and it wasn't anything remotely spectacular. The friendship they shared over six years of the most turbulent times of their lives had merely evolved into this deeply emotional bond between them. They simply belonged together and they both realized it over a pitcher of pumpkin juice at the breakfast table on one of the last bright, sunny days of winter. She remembered clearly looking into Harry's clear, emerald eyes and catching a glimpse of complete understanding. Neither of them could deny the future they would have together. From that moment her love for Harry had been boundless and now she was going to be Mrs. Harry James Potter.

She was roused from her memory as she saw Harry motion to her to start gathering all the guests into the living room to countdown the New Year and make their announcement. As their guests filtered into the room it magically grew to accommodate them all. Harry placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her to the front of the crowd. It was fifteen minutes to midnight and Harry took his wand from his pocket, pointed to his throat and performed the Sonorous spell.

"Ladies and gentleman, friends and family," he began and he took Hermione's hand in his and squeezed it gently, "We want to thank you all for coming to celebrate New Year's Eve with us. We all expect great things to happen in the New Year and to start things off right, we have an announcement to make to you all." He looked around the room creating a brief pause and everyone remained silent so he could continue.

"I've asked Hermione to marry me, and she's said yes!" Harry finished. There was a huge eruption in the crowd as everyone yelled their congratulations, clapped their hands and shouted out well wishes.

Harry undid the spell on his voice and bent down close to Hermione. "Well, it looks like everyone believes you would make a great Mrs. Harry Potter."

In the corner of the room Ginny started to countdown the New Year. Hermione handed Harry a drink and she toasted, "Here's to a fantastic year for both of us."

When Harry bent down to kiss her Hermione did not notice the anxious look that skimmed across his face as he kissed her.

***

New Year's Day started early for Hermione. Dawn light was filtering through the window as her eyes flickered open. She had awakened from a dream that had her heart racing. In her dream, invisible hands and lips assailed her body with expert touches and kisses that made her quiver. The smell of cinnamon wafted through her dream and she thought instantly of Draco. She had moaned softly and that's what had awakened her.

She glanced to the pillow beside her and saw Harry deep asleep. She felt a stab of guilt at having been dreaming of Malfoy but she smiled at Harry's sleeping face, tousled his hair and slowly rolled over onto her other side to avoid waking him. Her smile quickly left her face as her eyes widened in fear and a hand clamped over her mouth.

Malfoy looked down at her, held a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence and whispered, "You'll wake him." Removing his hand from her mouth he got up off the bed and pulled Hermione up with him. He strode silently towards the door and turned into the hallway.

Glancing back at Harry to make sure he was still asleep, she threw on a robe over her slip and left to follow Draco. She saw him disappear into a room at the end of the hall leaving the door wide open behind him. She followed him slowly since her legs felt weak from the sudden fear she had just experienced and she had not recovered fully from her erotic dream of Draco. Regardless, she felt a rage begin to burn in her belly as she thought of Malfoy's audacity to Apparate here.

As she walked down the hall, Hermione thought it unlucky that no one from the party had stayed the night. Surely Draco would not have come if there was anyone else in the house. Then again, his arrogance at turning up in Harry's bedroom while they slept astounded her and she reckoned he would have come nonetheless. She was further infuriated for even dreaming of him at all. She quickened her step towards the door Malfoy had walked through, and when she stepped into the room, Draco was sitting on the bed, waiting for her. She swiftly closed the door behind her.

"Malfoy, get out of my house! You have some nerve showing up here." She was enraged and her hands balled into fists as she had a clear vision of slapping Draco where he sat. Hermione was now properly livid and her entire body shook with her anger.

He looked at her and calmly said, "I told you that if you did not come to me, I would come to you. You see how unsuitable it is for you that I come here."

Hermione gazed furiously at him. "That's enough, Malfoy! I love Harry and since it seems to make a difference to you, my body also belongs to him," she hissed.

With the grace of a cat he leapt off the bed towards her, grabbed her wrist and threw her onto the bed. He straddled her legs, gave a fleeting look at her black slip, and then set his hands on either side of her head as he bent down to her.

"I know that's what you think but I was watching you sleep. Tell me! What was it you were dreaming about?" he asked her slyly.

Her eyes widened at his question. Appalled, she started beating her fists against his chest. "Did you touch me while I was sleeping?"

He grabbed her arms and moved them to her sides shifting his weight so his knees trapped her arms as he straddled her again. She gasped in fear at being held helpless.

He gripped her arms and whispered harshly, "Don't mistake me, Granger. I don't plan to force myself on you. You know that I want you to come to me willingly. From now on though, every time I have to come to you I will ravage you to your very breaking point. Your single need will be to find that final release that you can only get from me."

Hermione was stunned at Malfoy's words. She looked into his eyes and saw a crazy intensity burning in his pupils. She then felt a hot current run the course of her spine to her pelvis as she realized the intensity in his eyes stemmed from his deep desire to have her, here and now. It colored his cheeks and his lips blazed red. His body radiated a heat that warmed the room and burned where he touched her. Her own anger dissipated into confusion and fear. Malfoy's heated desire was clouding her resolve to spurn him and that resolve was quickly melting into a matching desire for him. She was afraid she would give in to him.

As she stared at him she could see him reign in his desire and the fire diminished behind his gaze. His hands loosened their grip but his hold on her remained strong. He now exuded control as his eyes bore into her very soul.

"Do not keep me waiting or I will make you sorry for it." He rose off her stepping onto the floor. Without another glance back at her he was gone.

***

His heart was racing as he returned to his bedroom. He had never lost control of himself like that in his entire life and he was shocked at what he had done. He had very nearly taken her right there in Potter's house with Harry sleeping just down the hall.

He didn't know what he had in mind when he went to see her, only that he needed to touch her again. Another week had passed and still Hermione had not come to him. She did not seem to think of him at all, but she had persisted in his thoughts and in his dreams. Harry had invited him to their New Year's party, but he declined the invitation not wanting to mingle with Harry's friends, most of whom disliked him anyway. His only regret was that he would not see Hermione.

He instead found himself at a party hosted by a former lover which, after the New Year had begun, descended quickly into a drunken debauchery of sex. He wondered why he had bothered to go to the party as he didn't know anyone well and liked everyone even less. Yet he stayed and watched some of the spectacle but did not participate himself. Throughout the night his mind wandered to Hermione and every activity he witnessed fed his yearning for her. By the time dawn approached, he had to see her.

He Apparated to their living room and listened for signs of movement in case anyone was awake in the house. He crept to the bedroom and looked in through the door. They were both still asleep but the sight of Hermione as she lay in sleep staggered him. She lay sprawled on her back, her slip exposing her arms and her legs and left nothing to the imagination of the curves, peaks and valleys of the rest of her body. It took all his strength not to Apparate them both out of there so he could bury himself deep within her. He walked towards the bed careful not to make a sound and cast a quick glance at Harry who snored peacefully on.

His pulse quickened as he sank softly on the bed beside her and reached out to touch her neck. She didn't move. He bent to kiss the spot his fingers had touched and he felt her heat rage across his lips. His fingers trailed down her body between her breasts and he laid his hand flat on her stomach. He kissed again her neck and then lightly her lips. His hands smoothed over the tops of her thighs and traveled slowly behind her knees, down the length of her slender calves and over the tops of her feet. His lips touched her earlobes and he breathed out slowly. Moving his head back down to her neck he breathed in her scent and kissed her again. Hermione turned towards Harry and moaned softly. Draco's desire heightened as he heard it and he ached to touch her again.

Suddenly she was turning towards him and he quickly covered her mouth with his hand so she wouldn't scream out when she saw him. "You'll wake him." He gestured toward Harry, silencing her. He moved to another room and she followed him.

She railed at him for having the nerve to come to her like this and as she balled her hands into fists, her fury sent his body and mind over the edge. The weeks of obsessing about her and then the arousal that burned up in him as she raged her ire at him was too much. He had pinned her to the bed before he knew what he was doing. The words were spilling out of his mouth and he could barely contain the desire that welled up in him as he sat atop her. He caught a glint of something in her eyes and realized what he was doing. He breathed slowly calming the beating of his heart and he loosened his grip on her arms.

Now that he was back in his room he thought through the words he had said to her. He meant everything he said and only regretted the voracity at which he delivered them. Yet there had been a spark of something in her eyes as he straddled her and he could have sworn that what he saw was a mutual desire for him. That was what had brought him back to himself before he could do anything foolish.

He breathed deeply and wondered which one of them would break down first.

***