Never Been Kissed Like That

NEVER BEEN KISSED LIKE THAT

Chapter Three:

"I Like it Sweet"

Hermione kept staring at the looking glass, turing right and left, admiring the glint of her new robes in the dim light. Madam Guilhart stood beside her, showing a smile of approval.

"You look wonderful, Miss Granger. Dark red is definitely your colour."

Hermione nodded slowly, not able to conceal her wonder. She really looked beautiful. After all these years she had decided to let her hair loose and try something more stylish, to put it midly. The dark velvety robes had a v-form neck that hung, revealing her shoulders and wrapped around her waist sensuously. These were the most precious dress robes she had ever worn, and she would walk into the Ministry's Anniversay Ball in them by the arm of no other than the man who defeated the Dark Lord.

She changed into her muggle clothes and paid for the dress and the matching coat and shoes. Madam Guilhart's was one of the most sophisticated shops in Diagon Alley, and that meant it was extremely expensive, too. She knew she would regret to spend so much in this outfit, but what the heck! It was gorgeous.

******

"You got it?" Loretta asked as Hermione entered their office.

"Yeah, I'll have to live on canned sausages for six months to pay it, though," she whined.

Loretta stepped aside as a mountain of parchment pushed its way through the corridor and directed towards Hermione's desk. Hermione reached for it and shoved it on the table. Under all the parchment there was a tiny elf with large bulging brown eyes.

"Winky brought all the firms collected for the magical creatures restriction. I is happy because many firms is there!"

"Thanks Winky, all this wouldn't have been possible without your help," Hemione said earnestly to the former house elf. Since the begining of her carreer as defender for all magical creature's rights, Hermione tried to recruit as many people as possible for the cause. It had turned out a great surprise to get Winky, who had finally decided to leave Hogwarts and her continuous mourning for good.

But the W.M.C.A. was not the product of three workers. Among the staff members we could find two elves (Winky and Dobby had proved to be ardent defenders of Hermione's beliefs), one centaur (centaurs decided to have some representation in the commitee since some centaur-asaulting by ex-ministry undersecretarys in the Forbidden Forest), four humans (besides Hermione and Loretta, there was also Jamie, who worked mainly as secretary, and Stephen, a wizard lawyer) to finish with several goblins (Gringotts was especially interested in the possibility to gain representation in the Wizengamot). There were also other organizations attached to it, such as the WOLF (Werewolves Ordeal for Liberty Foundation) led by no other that Remus J. Lupin, apart from other informal non-institutional support and the growing social pressure for equal rights for all magical creatures.

"I guess this is it." Hermione seemed happier than she had been in months. Her dream was coming closer. "Once we have our proposal finally shaped, we will present it to Fudge. He can't back it, not with the public eye set on him. He'd risk re-election."

"And if he finaly signs for it, the Wizengammot post is granted," Loretta summed up. "Child's play. Just play your cards right on the Ball, Hermione."

"Sure I will, there's too much at stake," she smiled nervously. She had to do it, and she would do it right.

"Why don't you go find some coffee while I tidy all this mess?" Loretta pointed at the mountain of paperwork to do.

"Uhm, I don't know..."

"What? Still afraid to walk into the blonde ambition?" That was the nickname Loretta used to describe Malfoy after Hermione had told her everything about him, their past at Hogwarts and their encounter only some days ago.

Hermione went pink, but glared at the older witch defiantly. "I'm not afraid of him! It's only, I just..."

"Fine then, I want a capuccino, with loads of suggar," Loretta shoved Hermione her coat and scarf and pushed her to the door.

*****

Hermione hesitated at the café's door. Then, with an air of resolution, pushed it open. A couple having a mug of hot chocolate in a far corner, some famous painter or poet under a fog of smoke having an italian coffee, and Molly by the bar cutting into a delicious-looking chocolate cake. Chocolate cake, yummy! Everything fine, coast clear, no blondes at sight.

She sat at a high chair and ordered her drinks, with extra sugar for the capuccino. Then she paid and wished Molly merry Christmas.

When she was at the door, it opened so suddenly that she had no time to more firmly grasp the papercups. They smashed onto the carpeted floor, leaving a dark brown stain.

"I'm so sorry. I mustn't have pushed the door with such force," the person entering the café said.

Hermione took her wand and muttered a cleaning spell on her robes and the floor. "It's ok, Malfoy," she said, still focusing on her robes. Why, oh God, why did it have to be him?

"I'll get you some coffee, then. It is the least I could do," he offered.

"No thanks." She motioned him towards the bar. "Besides, we'll agreed next time we met I'd invite."

Malfoy blinked twice, as if thinking over the proposition, and then said, "Okay," and followed her. Hermione ordered her coffees again and a double expresso for Malfoy.

"With loads of sugar," he said. "I like it sweet, you know," he smirked.

"Yeah, it will balance your natural bitterness," she said sarcastically.

"Actually, I don't have to watch on my figure, you know." He looked at Hermione and then nodded to the chocolate cake. "I've noticed your longing looks."

"Not taking sugar has nothing to do with my figure, thank you very much, Mr. cool Auror," she snapped. "My parents are dentists, and since I was a child, I was taught to avoid sugar. But that doesn't mean I don't like it like everybody else. I just want my teeth perfect the way they are."

"Your teeth are the way they are thanks to me, Granger." He was referring, of course, to the incident with the teeth enlarging spell back in fourth year.

Hermione blushed slightly and remained silent. There was no denying he had a point in that. Molly came back with their orders and Hermione paid the bill.

"There's a Ball at the Ministry on the 25^th," Malfoy said casually.

"The Anniversary Ball, I know." She fastened her scarf and prepared to leave.

"Uhm, are you invited?" Malfoy dropped the third sugar cube into his cup. He really liked it sweet. Hermione wondered if it he would rather drink sugar with a bit of coffee in it.

"I'm going with Harry," she said. She missed the look of disappointmet in the young man. She rose from her seat and took her drinks. "I better get going. Bye, Malfoy."

When she was at the door, she turned on her heels and looked at him. He was still looking at her from the bar. "Merry Christmas, Malfoy." She pulled the door open and walked into the cold weather.

*****

"I almost tried one of those horrible instant-spell coffees! Why did it take you so long?" Loretta protested as Hermione entered their office.

"Oh, Lory, please. Just drink and shut up, will you?" Hermione handed the warm capuccino to the black witch.

"For your mood, I presume you had an encounter with the blonde amb..."

"Just leave it. I encountered no one, okay?" Hermione spat angrily. Just then the doorbell rang and Loretta walked to open it. Hermione felt bad for having just shouted at her, but she was not in the mood for any teasing.

"Hermione," Loretta called her from the door. Malfoy just appeared from behind her, and she couldn't avoid the shocking look showing in Hermine's eyes.

"You just forgot your purse at the café," he said, handing it to her. "I followed you to give it back, but you are a fast walker," he laughed nervously.

"Oh, thanks," she muttered. Her mind had gone blank and she could not think of anything more to say. Dammit! She was blushing.

"I'll leave now, got things to do," he said awkwardly. Then he turned to Loretta and nodded goodbye.

The massive witch walked slowly to Hermione and sat across from her. She looked at the curly haired witch intently in the eye, with a huge grin spread on her chubby face. "Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" Hermione asked back.

"If that was not the hottest wizard alive in this part of the universe, then I'm not Lorretta Anne Mary Wilson," she said, and Hermione laughed heartily.

"Be careful, darling," the witch adopted a more serious tone. "That is the kind of wizard that can turn your world upside-down."

"No one is turning my world upside down," Hermione protested.

"Not that it would be that bad to spice up your life, mind you," Loretta winked.

"We've got work to do." Hermione was not in a playful mood. Her friend resumed her seat by the furthest corner of the room and continued working, though Hermione would have swore she had heard her sayind 'cold ass' under her breath.

*****

Her apartment was in plain muggle London, a small two room penthouse from where she could go walking to work. It took most of her monthly salary to live in there, but she thought it was perfect. It was a place of her own, and that was what mattered.

Crookshanks purred cozily in her lap while she opened a letter from her parents. They were on holiday in Swizerland, skiing. Hermione couldn't spent the holidays with them because she had work to do, and a Ball to attend.

Then she rummaged through her owl post. There was a Christmas card from Ron and Luna. There was a picture of them with their twins, who kept on putting faces and hitting each other under the Christmas tree. There was also a small package from Harry. She tore open the wrapping paper and opened the black velvet narrow box. She gasped audibly and put her hand over her mouth.

Inside the box lay an incredible diamond necklace, with a pair of sparkling diamond earrings matching. Her eyes were popping out of her sockets from amazement. There was also a note.

Dear Hermione,

Stop gawping and behave! I just borrowed this jewerly for you to wear at the Ministry; being the man who defeated the Dark Lord has its compensations. So stop drooling over it this moment or we'll have to pay for it. I hope you liked it. What am I saying? Of course you liked it! Who wouldn't?You'll have the time to tell me how wonderful and extremely handsome I am at the Burrow. I guess you are comming for Christmas Eve, aren't you?.

Yours,

Harry.

Hermione passed her finger along the necklace, feeling the coldness of the diamonds. She was going to go to that Ball in the most beautiful of dresses, by the hand of the most popular wizard alive, and with those incredible diamonds sparkling on her neck. And she would talk Fudge into having a meeting with her committee, and all her work would be rewarded. Life was perfect.

She went to bed early and closed her eyes, she was so excited that it was four in the morning when she drifted to sleep.