Hermione and Ron�s wedding was planned for the 10^th of July: That was all Draco knew. Try as he might, no one would tell him the time or the place of the event. Days flew by and Draco still had no clue as to when the couple was getting married. He asked every church in England if they had a Weasley Wedding planned for the tenth, and every church would either say no or deny revealing any information. The tenth of July came and passed. Draco had missed his chance to break up the couple.

Searching for Hermione became an obsession of his. For four years, he would cast spells and even tried to create spells to locate her, however, all his attempts were in vain.

Mourning over his loss, Draco found himself walking along the streets of Muggle London. He headed into a park to clear his head, breathing in the fragrance of moss and earth. Children were playing on a jungle gym in the playground. Suddenly, something hit him � and Draco fell to the ground.

A small boy ran over to him. �Sowwy,� he said, his blond hair shining in the sun, �Are you okay?�

�Er, I�m fine��

Just then, a woman�s voice called the boy and he beckoned her over to him.

The woman ran over to her son. She had short curls that swished in a ponytail as she jogged. Her dark eyes looked at Draco, widening as she gasped. At the same time, Draco, himself, gasped for before him stood Hermione Gra � Weasley.

Draco stood up and held out his hand. �Pleased to meet you� Mrs. Weasley,� he added. Hermione uncertainly shook his hand, never breaking eye contact. �Draco�� she whispered, zombie-like.

�In the flesh. Why I haven�t seen you since � Ron proposed.�

The small boy looked up at Draco from behind his mother�s leg.

�And who is this strapping young lad?� he asked, bending down so he was somewhat level with the boy.

�I�m Ben,� he replied nervously. �Ben Weasley!�

�Hello, Ben. It�s wonderful to meet you. I knew your mother way back when she was in school. She was the head of every class, you know. It made me so angry trying to keep up with her!� Draco smiled. Ben smiled back and rushed towards his friends to resume play.

�So how old is the Weasel�s son?�

�Honestly, are you still calling him a weasel? Don�t you think it�s a bit childish?�

�Madam, I can assure you that I am maturely immature.�

�I�m sure��

�So how old is he?�

�Three.�

�Oh, a honeymoon baby?�

�Er��

�What?�

�Draco� have you seen the way he looks?�

Draco turned his gaze over to where Ben ran off. He took a good look at the boy. He had platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. His skin was rather pale under his T-shirt. Suddenly, he was reminded of himself, at the age of three.

�Oh my God�� he trailed off.

�Do you see it?�

�Is he�? He isn�t� mine?�

Hermione nodded solemnly.

After a moment of silence, Draco posed another question. �So how�d carrot-top take it?�

�Ron doesn�t know��

�What�d you tell him?�

�I told him that � that I had blond hair when I was younger� and thankfully, Ben�s eyes were blue, and well, that was really all there was to it.�

�And he thinks that� that Ben is his?�

�Er, yes.�

�But he�s mine � my son.�

�Yes,� Hermione nodded. �Draco, are you� all right?�

�No I�m not all right! I�ve been searching for you forever and I fi � �

�You�ve been� looking for me?�

�For ages,� Draco affirmed, and then continued. �And I finally gave up � today � and then I get hit by a ball which was thrown by my � my son � someone I didn�t even know existed until today � and� and� I don�t know��

After a moment of silence, Hermione quietly asked, �Would you like to visit him?�

�I don�t know��

�Well� his birthday�s on April 5^th. You could � come� I-i-if you want.�

�Er� sure��

There was another awkward silence in which Ben�s � parents merely watched the boy.

�Hermione, would you like to catch up some time?�

�Er� I don�t know��

�Please? Just coffee or something?�

�Umm� I don�t know��

�C�mon! I�ve been looking for you for four years and you don�t want to chat?�

�Er� fine��

�Great. Want to meet at the Leaky Cauldron? Any time will do, really.�

�Er� how about� seven o�clock tomorrow?�

�Alright.�

�Alright,� Hermione echoed.

�Mione? Izzat you?�

�Er� yes, Ron.�

�Where�re you goin at this hour?�

�I just� need to go shopping.�

�Oh� alright. I�ll see you later then.�

Hermione walked out the door and looked both ways, then disapperated with a loud POP.

�You�re late,� Draco said.

�No, you�re early,� she replied coolly.

Draco smiled and gestured to a chair. Hermione sat down, as did he, and they started talking about what each other had been doing over the years over many pints of fire whiskey.

�Well, I was pregnant with Ben, so I couldn�t go to F.U. And Ron got accepted into the Ministry�s Auror Training program so we moved into a small flat in London� and Ron�s working for the Ministry now� and � yeah.�

�Wow� Well, as you know, I was looking for you for four years ��

�Why?� Hermione interrupted.

�Er� because� I think I � fancy� you�� some color rose into his cheeks as he said this. Hermione started to finger a ring on her left ring finger nervously.

�But I know you�re married�� Draco added hastily.

�Yes� Ron� I love Ron�� Hermione said, more to remind herself rather than to tell Draco.

�Listen, we don�t want to spend the whole night in a bar, do we?�

�No, I suppose not��

Draco held out his hand, saying, �Alright then. Let�s get out of here.�

�Where�re we going?� Hermione asked as Draco held out his hand.

�To the Malfoy Manor.�

�And are you going to bring me back?�

�Hermione, what do you think of me?�

�Well, the last time I got on a broom with you, I got pregnant and had to find my way back to the school alone!�

�Yeah� er,� he scratched the back of his head, �sorry about that� But I promise to bring you back this time��

�And why should I believe you?�

�I don�t lie.�

Hermione thought about this. It was true. He didn�t lie. He may not tell the truth� but he wasn�t a liar.

�Fine, but don�t even think about trying anything,� Hermione smiled as she took his hand and together they rode off into the night sky.

Hermione apparated into her house with a POP louder than she intended.

�Doesn�t the mall close at nine?� growled a dark voice.

Hermione let out a squeak as she leaped backwards. Then she let out a sigh to calm herself when she realized who the speaker was.

�Don�t scare me like that!�

�Where were you?�

�I met a friend � �

�A friend?�

There was a silence in which Ron waited for Hermione�s reply, while all his wife could do was watch his figure, lost in the depths of the night shadow. Finally, she found her voice and echoed what he said. �A friend��

�So you spent the night at a � friend�s?� he demanded incredulously, standing up so that his already fiery hair was more animated, lit ablaze in the shafts of red and amber morning light that filtered down from a high-set window.

�Er� yes. But it�s not like it seems!�

�You spent the night at a �friend�s,� which, I may add, I don�t know, and didn�t bother to call� what could possibly be out of the ordinary?� he asked, a little louder than his normal speaking voice, his face growing redder by the minute.

�But you do know him �� Hermione clasped her mouth in alarm as she realized her mistake.

�Him? Who?� he inched his face closer to hers, his dark eyes never faltering their gaze.

Hermione debated telling him the truth. She hated lying to Ron� but he would explode if he heard it was Malfoy. He wouldn�t listen to her cries that nothing had happened. He may even be capable of murder�

�Who?� he repeated, trying to remain calm.

After much hesitation, Hermione let out a single word, �Draco,� and braced herself for the storm.

�Draco? Draco Malfoy?� Ron droned, color draining from his face.

Hermione nodded, than reached out for her husband. �Ron, please don�t be mad,� she pleaded.

Ron jerked away from her touch, his eyes full of pain and tears threatening to spill. Hermione felt horrible for inflicting this upon him. A heavy silence fell upon them.

�Please � please say something�� Hermione begged, not able to stand the awkwardness between them anymore.

Ron looked at her with pools of water for eyes. They were so clear, so pure, they revealed everything he felt, and right now they were blank besides a small stinging wound within them. �I�m going to bed.� With that he turned, before the tears could fall in front of Hermione, and marched to the bedroom with solemn contempt.

After watching the door, which he closed behind him, for a few moments, Hermione slumped down into the soft armchair. Eventually, her guilt and sorrow subsided and she drifted into a dreamless slumber.

When she woke the next morning, she could smell the deep aroma of coffee. She turned to see Ron standing in the kitchen preparing food. His eyes met hers before he returned his attention to preparing the meal, not giving Hermione any sign of forgiveness nor hatred.

Hermione tore her gaze away from him and onto Ben, who was practically flying in his attempts to get her attention. 

As she listened to Ben�s enthusiastic explanation of his new action figures, Ron came over with a tray piled with sandwiches and a cup of java.

�Thank you,� she said, hoping to start a conversation. However, Ron merely nodded, still showing a neutral attitude towards her, and sat down in the love seat across the room, joining Ben in his war game. 

Hermione made attempts to talk to Ron throughout the day, but the only conversations he would have would be about the milk or butter; Anything but the topic that needed to be discussed. At night, she thought she had him cornered. She turned over to face him in bed.

�Ron,� she began.

�Hermione, please, I just want to sleep,� he interjected, his back towards her.

�Yes, but I want to talk.�

�Can�t we leave this �til morning?�

�No! You�ll just brush it off again.�

�Fine,� he surrendered, �go ahead and say whatever you want to say.�

Hermione pulled him so that he was facing her. �We met in the park, and he asked me to go get some coffee, so I went to the Leaky Cauldron last night, then he invited me over to his place and insisted that I spend the night there, and I told him I could just apparate back, but he said I was too tired and would probably get stuck someplace so I took up his offer to stay in the guest room and then I came back here.�

Hermione waited for his response, not knowing what to expect.

�Right then,� he nodded, �Now if you don�t mind, I�m going to sleep.� And he turned to face the wall once more before Hermione pulled him back again.

�That�s all you�re going to say?� her eyebrows scrunched upwards.

With an exasperated sigh, he replied. �What do you want me to say? �I believe you?� �I doubt every word you say?� �Let�s get a divorce?� �We�ll work through this?� No. I�m not going to say any of those things.� She drew back at his cutting words and he softened his tone with another sigh. �Just� just keep on doing what you�re doing.�

�What?� Hermione asked, confused.

For the final time that night, Ron turned away; muttering a few words before he determinedly shut his eyes.

�Just lie to me.�

He could feel Hermione settle down beside him and soon, her breathing became rhythmic and he knew she was asleep. He kept on telling himself that Hermione�s words were true� But he just couldn�t believe it. He had no idea what really happened in Malfoy Manor, nor did he want to find out, afraid that his assumption may be true. In the meantime, he would just keep an extra watchful eye on the girl and act as if nothing had changed. Yeah� that�s it, he told himself as he fell into a fitful sleep.

Hermione woke up unusually early the next morning to an incessant tapping on her window. She realized it was an eagle owl and gasped. She quickly took the letter attatched to its leg and tried to send the bird away. The foul, however, stood proudly on the sill. Hermione admitted defeat and opened the letter.

Dear Hermione,

The last visit we had was great and I was just wondering if perhaps you would like to join me for a game of tennis at the Manor this afternoon? Ben is also welcome to come if he would like. Alonzo has a son about his age and they could play together� that is, of course, if you�d like to come. Just send your reply back with Dominic. I hope you can come.

Sincerely,
Draco Malfoy

Hermione paused for a moment, debating whether or not she should visit. When she came to her decision, she searched for a quill, found a pen instead, and scribbled her reply on the back of the note.

I�d love to go. Ben and I will be there... but what time shall we come? More importantly, how shall we get there?

Hermione

Rolling up the parchment, she tied it onto Dominic�s leg and sent him off, then decided to prepare breakfast since she was up so early.

As soon as Ron had left for work, Hermione prepared Ben in a T-shirt and shorts before going to dress herself. She still did not know when or how to get to Malfoy Manor, but she decided she best be prepared.

Standing in front of her closet wearing only her undergarments, deciding what to wear.

�Don�t get all dressed for me, Granger,� came a low voice. With a panicked shriek, Hermione turned around to find Draco on his broom outside her window.

�Well are you just gonna goggle at me or let me in before the neighbors see?� he asked impatiently.

With her mouth hanging slightly, Hermione unlatched the window and drew it up so that Draco could fit through.

�Aw,� he pouted, �what happened to that lovely black thong you had?� After a moment of wondering why he was looking at her with that smirk on his face, she remembered that she was wearing lingerie! To add to her humiliation, she was not wearing a thong, she was not wearing sleek and sexy panties, but instead, she wore a floppy pair of gray granny-panties!

�Can you please get out?� she managed to choke out as she pointed to the door. �You can play with Ben.�

Draco slowly made his way to the exit, leering at her with a devilish grin across his face. She turned to watch him leave, but he scooped her up from under her arms just as he had that night nearly five years ago. Instead of kissing her, he merely held onto her and they stayed like that for a while in an awkward sort of hug. Then she shook her head, pulled away, and asked him kindly to leave. With a bow of his head, he shut the door behind him.

A small blond boy was playing with some action figures on the coffee table. �Hey, Ben,� Draco greeted the shocked boy.

�Hello,� he said meekly, the surprise wearing off. �What you doing here?�

�I�m here to bring you and your mom to my house for the afternoon,� Draco explained.

�Oh, okay,� the boy replied and turned back to his toys.

Draco watched the boy play. This is my son. He is Benjamin Malfoy�Ugh! Horrible name. Draco had always imagined that, if he were to have children, his son would be named Dominic, which is why he named his owl that, and his daughter - if he had to have one - would be named Rochelle.

Suddenly aware that he was being watched, the boy glanced at Draco suspiciously. �Who are you?�

Who am I? Draco couldn�t just say �I�m your father, boy.� So what was he to say?

�Er� I�m your� your Uncle Draco,� he grimaced at how undignified the title sounded.

�Oh,� the boy held the note for a few seconds, what some people would call sarcasm if it hadn�t come from a lad so young.

�But, er,� Draco added, �Don�t tell your father,� Draco grimaced, thinking that his son shouldn�t have to grow up thinking that a Weasley was his father, �that I was here. I�m a secret uncle you know.�

�Really?�

Draco nodded, not knowing whether the boy was in awe or in disbelief.

�Tha�s cool!� Ben finally exclaimed, grinning with the satisfaction of knowing a secret.

Hermione came out, dressed in a white, sleeveless top and a short skort, carrying a sports bag in one hand. �So,� she started, �how shall we go?�

The three of them rode off into the brilliant afternoon sky. There were quite a few clouds that kept them well concealed from the Muggle community. Ben sat in between Hermione and Draco, in between his mother and father, the two of them thought at the same time.

This is how it should be, Draco mused as he steered the broom. Me and Hermione and our little bundle of joy riding off to wherever we want to go.

The three neared a small building on a large expanse of grassy land. As they flew closer, the building grew larger and larger until it towered five stories high and a football field and a half wide. All the Dark Arts material had been taken away once Lucius was killed. The Manor looked almost inviting, but still held an icy aura around it.

Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine as well as Ben�s as they got off the broom and entered the grounds.

Draco led the two � grimacing at the thought � Weasleys into the Manor.

�Alonzo,� he called.

Hermione and Ben jumped as a person who looked oddly like Professor Snape appeared out of nowhere.

�This,� he gestured towards the small boy cowering behind his mother�s leg, �is Benjamin.�

�Ahh, I see,� replied Alonzo, sounding as cryptic as Snape. �Shall I get young Frederick?�

No, Hermione thought, definitely not Snape. The Snape she knew would never name his son Frederick after having to suffer seven years of Fred and George Weasley.

�Yes, please do.�

Draco led Ben towards an exit in the grand hall, bringing them into a courtyard. There, Alonzo appeared, with a miniature version of Hermione�s old Potions Master.

Draco sat back on one of the lounge chairs that certainly weren�t there when they arrived. Hermione followed in suit, not taking her eyes off her son, distrusting anything that looked like her old greasy-haired professor.

�So, are we going to play a game or not?� Draco asked.

Hermione looked at the enticing court that lay next to where the kids were playing. �Certainly,� she answered, reaching for her racquet.

It was a difficult game for Draco. He hadn�t expected Hermione to be this good. Then again, it was Hermione� he should have thought as much. Putting all gentlemanly manners aside, Draco gave Hermione a dosage of his excellent skills.

The girl screamed as the little green ball came flying towards her, cowering behind her racquet, her only defense against the zooming sphere. The ball had enough momentum to fly back to the other side of the net, but Hermione had an inkling that it had some *special* help. In the end, the Malfoy defeated the Weasley, but it was very close. She was only two points behind, pretty damn good considering the skills Draco had.

The day seemed to have flown by and Hermione looked down at her watch. It was quarter to seven. Ron would be home in fifteen minutes, give or take a few. �Listen,� she began, huffing from the rigorous movement, �we have to go now. Ron�s going to come home and I haven�t prepared anything for dinner!�

Draco looked away in disgust. �Look at what you�ve become!�

�What is that supposed to mean?� the caramel-haired girl asked indignantly.

�You have a great mind Hermione Granger. But look at you! You�ve been reduced to a common-law house wife!�

�Hey! A stay-at-home mom is a 24-hour job you know? It takes a lot of knowledge to know how to cook and clean and get stains off the sofa and fix your child�s boo-boo and take care of a house as well as its occupants! It gives you a satisfying feeling to make your family smile� a kind of feeling you aren�t capa��

�Okay, okay, I get it. You consider it a job��

�It�s not  a job... it's a lifestyle. I get to spend the whole day with people I love! And I like it just fine!� She threw her chin up in an �I�m right, you�re wrong� fashion. She was still the same know-it-all she was in Hogwarts.

Draco threw his hands up in surrender. �So how do I get back?� she asked. In reply, a scrap piece of paper was shoved into her hand. She felt as if she was connected to it, hooked to it by her navel.

�Ben!� she called. The boy obediently hopped over and waited for another instruction. �Ben, honey, hold on to this piece of paper tightly and before you know it, we�ll be home!� She turned to Malfoy and added seriously, �We better end up at home.�

�You shall,� he assured her. She looked at him doubtfully. �You have my word.�

Before she could voice another word, she and Ben were spinning through space, colors blurring and bleeding into each other. And then everything stopped, and as Draco had promised, they were in their own apartment.

�Woah!� Ben exclaimed as he dizzily spun around and fell to the floor clumsily.

�Careful hun,� Hermione warned mechanically as she threw the dead port key into the garbage and magically whipped up dinner.

Right on cue, the door swung open and Ron waltzed in.

�Hey Ben!� he scooped up the blond boy and planted a kiss on his forehead before playfully tossing him onto the sofa. �Evenin� Mione,� he greeted and gave her a kiss as well. The family sat down to dinner and then went to bed. Over the next few days, Hermione and Ben were invited to many �play dates� at the Malfoy Manor and within the next month, these visits were practically routine.

One morning, however, Hermione received a different invitation from Draco. He asked her to visit him at night. Hermione didn�t want to lie to Ron again, but if she told him she was going to visit Draco Malfoy at night, he�d jump to conclusions. He was so blinded by jealousy that he couldn�t see that there was absolutely nothing between her and Draco! She would never cheat on Ron � especially not with Draco!

�My old friend, Dra�celia is in town and she invited me over to her place for dinner� you don�t mind if I go do you?� she asked timidly, hoping he couldn�t see through her bluff.

�Oh sure. Should I wear my good suit?�

�What?�

�Should I wear my good suit? To the dinner I mean,� he added.

�Oh, Ron, she only invited a few of her girlfriends. You understand don�t you?�

His face fell. �Yeah � yeah sure. You go and have a night out with the Dracelia and the girls,� he winked to mask his hurt.

Hermione hated lying to Ron, but something inclined her to do it. She knew that deep down within, she wanted to see Draco alone at night. When she was far enough away from the house, she apparated to the Manor.

�Hello?� she called, lost in a dark, empty corridor. Alonzo appeared and led her to the dining room.

A large mahogany table stretched almost as far as the room. Sitting at the head of the table, looking very lonely and small in perspective was Draco Malfoy. As she took a seat next to him, Hermione glanced outside the windows. There were raging gray clouds fogging up the would-be clear night sky.

Dinner was spent making a bunch of small talk and playing footsies under the table. Once Keiko, the waitress, came in asking if they were ready for dessert, Draco held up his hand in protest.

He walked over to Hermione�s side of the table and held out his hand, something she was becoming more and more used to. �Would you like to dance, Miss?� he bowed.

�I�m a married woman,� Hermione waved her hand coyly, reminding both of them that she was tied to someone.

�Then, would you like to dance, Madam?�

Hermione slipped her hand into his and nodded. �Yes, a bit of exercise�ll do me good.�

As she stood, Draco snapped his fingers and the dining table and chairs disappeared, leaving the floor empty for them to dance on. With another snap, a soft waltz started up.

For several minutes, Hermione and Draco swirled around the room, not speaking anything meaningful. �I�m getting dizzy,� Hermione informed as she rested her head on Draco�s shoulder after a final turn.

With another snap of his fingers, a fiery tango started up. Hermione started to stall. �I don�t know how to dance the tango!� she protested in alarm.

�Finally something you can�t do!� Draco grinned. �Just let your body move to the music. The tango is all about passion, heat, primal instinct,� he instructed.

Their legs intertwined and stretched across the dance floor. Hermione was amazed she didn�t get tangled up or step on his feet as they continued the dance of passion. Every look Draco gave Hermione was precise and intentional. He had a serious expression about his face, not as if he was concentrating on the steps, but as if he was studying her with great intent. Hermione, on the other hand, was trying hard not to giggle.

�Are you tired?� he asked finally, his silver eyes boring into hers.

�Slightly�� she replied, her face looking very flushed indeed. 

�Alright. Whaddya say we move into the lounge?� he started to guide her to another room in the Manor.

Hermione let herself fall onto a long, green velvet covered couch, surprised by the hardness, not comfort, it provided. Draco slumped down beside her, casually placing his arm around her shoulder.

�Draco �� Hermione started, intending to scold him for attempting to make a move.

�Shh,� he placed a soft finger against her lips. He slowly moved it away, putting his mouth on the exact spot his finger had been. To his surprise, Hermione didn�t protest his action, so he leaned in closer, his tongue creeping into her mouth, remembering the way it tasted, reacquainting itself with her own tongue. As their tongues were busy dancing a tango of their own, they vaguely heard a large crash outside the window. Hermione pulled away for a second to see what it was.

Rain was pelting as hard as bullets against the thick glass. �It was probably just thunder,� Draco concluded as he tilted her head towards him, placing soft kisses on her equally soft mouth. �You should really spend the night here,� he suggested as he lowered her back onto the couch.

Hermione flung a leg around his abdomen, pulling her closer to him, causing her skirt to bunch up around her hips.

Between moans and gasps, Draco managed to slip out of his trousers and pull off Hermione�s skirt. She took the time to rip off her top as her tongue slopped clumsily at his cheek, trying to find the entrance to his mouth.

There was another loud crash that acted as an alarm clock for Hermione. She shoved Draco off of her and looked around for the nearest clock. �What�s wrong?� Draco inquired.

�What time is it?� Hermione asked, her breathing irregular already.

Draco glanced at his watch and then informed her that it was eleven fifty-eight.

Hermione fumbled around with her top and skirt, slipping them back on. �Do you have a phone I could use?�

�Sure,� Draco led her to the phone in the hall, still in his boxer-briefs. Hermione couldn�t help but stare at the large bulge as she waited for Ron to pick up. The answering machine answered her instead. �Ron, there�s a horrible storm and Dracelia�s invited me to spend the night. I�ll be back in the morning... I love you,� she added with an afterthought.

Once Hermione hung up, her eyes rested on Draco, grinning wildly. �What?� she asked.

�Dracelia?� he laughed.

�Shut up! It was the only thing I could think of!�

�Honestly! You should be able to do better than Dracelia! Does carrot top actually believe you?�

�I guess he does. But let�s not think about Ron okay?�

�Fine by me,� Draco agreed as he hoisted Hermione up, her legs clamping tightly around his waist. Hermione bit at his neck as he walked over to a steel door.

�What�s this?� Hermione asked in wonderment.

�I thought that you, being a muggle-born and all,� Hermione noted that he didn�t use the term �mudblood� for once, �would recognize an elevator when you see one.�

On cue, the doors drew open and the kissing couple stumbled inside.

�Well we didn�t use an elevator last time I slept over,� Hermione spoke against his face.

Draco took no notice of it and assisted Hermione in the removal of her top. She had gained some weight, but she was still very proportioned so no one could really note the difference. In turn, he slithered out of his buttoned suit as well, revealing his well-defined chest. Slipping her panties down to her knees, he uncased his hardness and let it go where it wanted to go. As it slid in and out, Hermione�s face contorted in pain mixed with a larger dosage of pleasure. She knew Draco was a lot larger than Ron.

Draco made a hard thrust inward, wrapped his fingers around her curls, and pulled hard. �Say that you love me.� It was a demand.

Hermione hesitated. She strongly disliked people who used the �L� word so loosely. This was one principal that no matter what, she would not be hypocritical on. �Draco, I � I cant ��

�I don�t care! Even if it�s a lie, just say it!� He ordered, giving another mighty thrust.

C�mon baby why don�t you just
Lie to me
Oh c�mon baby, go ahead and
Lie to me
Yeah lie to me
Go ahead and lie to me

She could feel the pleasure rising throughout her and her hands wrung Draco�s hair as she yelled, �I love you!�

With the vote of confidence, Draco dug as deep as he could into her, wanting to release badly. With a final thrust, he stopped as his seed escaped him. Hermione tightened her thighs around his waist and arched her back, wanting to be as close to him in this moment as she possibly could.

After letting out their moans, the two petted and held each other, waiting for their breathing to grow steady. The elevator opened to the top floor; where the bedrooms were located.

*

Ron was hurt and outraged as he watched Hermione�s figure stalk out of the room and out on the streets. When she thought she was out of view, she disapparated somewhere.

Anger swelled inside of him. How dare she try to fool him to believe she was at a girl friend�s house! �Dracelia!� What kind of name is that? Did she honestly think that he wouldn�t be able to see through her? And even if he was too thick to notice the close resemblance to Draco�s name, the sneak-o-scope that was going off in his pocket was all the convincing Ron needed. He was also hurt. Why would she lie to him?

Because I told her to, the bitter answer came to him. I told her to, and she did.

Well, Ron was not going to sit around and wait for his wife to come back this time, oh no! He was going to follow her.

After putting various safety charms on Ben, Ron stormed out of the room and onto the very spot Hermione stood when she disapperated. Following standard procedure, Ron was able to target a location close to where Hermione had disappeared to.

He found himself standing outside a humongous building he recognized as Malfoy Manor from his work at the ministry. Ron ran to the nearest window to see what was inside. By luck � or perhaps misfortune � he ended up peering into the dining room.

Malfoy was sitting at the far end of the table alone. Just then, the door opened and in stepped Hermione with a figure that looked oddly like his old Potions teacher. Oh great, is she doing it with Snape too? Ron thought icily. Returning his attention back to the window, Ron saw Hermione sit down next to Draco. He watched them eat and chat and laugh and he thought he even saw them playing footsies!

Why is she flirting so heavily? Ron wondered, his suspicions growing larger by the minute.

Draco stood up and offered Hermione his hand. Hermione took it and Draco snapped his fingers twice. The furnishings disappeared leaving the wide floor clear. They started twirling on the dance floor. Romantic music was heard even from his position outside the window. The lights dimmed and the candles cast highlights and odd shadows. The way the light played on their lips, Ron could tell they were talking. Then the two stopped and a sharper more staccato music started. The soft radiance in the room hardened as the couple tangoed across the floor. Ron�s temper rose quickly as he saw the way Malfoy bent his leg inbetween Hermione�s so that they were very close in from face to � middle. Hermione was trying hard not to laugh� a sign that she was having a pretty good time. Rage and another emotion flamed inside of Ron. But so far, nothing had happened. The two silhouettes headed into a room across the hall. Ron decided to apparate to the other side of the house instead of running the perimeter.

In a room with green and silver d�cor � a room Ron remembered was the lounge � he saw Draco place his arm around his wife. Then he watched as Draco placed a finger on her lips and in fascinated horror, he goggled as they started tonguing on the sofa.

�GET THE HELL OFF MY WIFE YOU FUCKIN ASSHOLE!!!� Ron bellowed.

The people inside paid no notice to his outburst and continued to advance.

�WHAT THE HELL DO YOU FUCKERS THINK YOUR FUCKIN DOING?!?� Ron was blind to the fact that the situation was basically him yelling at the telly while a bad quidditch play was being carried out.

The soft drizzle grew into a pelting storm, seeming to fit Ron�s bleak mood perfectly.

 �GERROF OF HER YOU DEAF OAF'S SHIT-SMEAR MOTHER FUCKER BASTARD!!!� Ron didn�t care if he was making sense or not. He wanted to yell out every obscenity he knew. �WHY DON�T YOU GO FUCK ONE OF YOUR OTHER FUCKIN HOES? LEAVE MY GODDAMN WIFE ALONE, YOU PRICK!!!�

Deciding that banging on the window panes was no use, Ron started to cast spells and hexes at everything Malfoy. The window, however, was made of admanite and could not be shattered by magic. All the vehement man could do was create a loud racket, barely audible to the occupants of the lounge.

Hermione suddenly sat up. Draco pulled her back down and her leg, so pale yet very visible against the darkness of the scene, swung around Malfoy and she arched her back towards him. Hermione was slipped out of her top and skirt and Malfoy had his slacks off in a flash.

Blinded by his fury, Ron couldn�t tell that Hermione was enjoying this. Instead, he presumed it was

�RAAAPE!! LEMME IN! MY WIFE IS BEING RAPED!!! LET ME INTO THE BLOODY HOUSE TO STOP THAT BLOODY JACKASS FROM BLOODY RAPING HERMIONE!!!�

Attempting more hexes and spells in vain, Ron went back to pounding on the glass and yelling at the top of his lungs.

Hermione sat up, hurriedly pulled up her skirt, slid into her shirt and rushed out of the room. Draco followed behind her, not bothering to put on his trousers again.

�ARGH!!! COME BACK YOU PRAT! LEAVE HER ALONE YOU GAY FREAKY CRAP ASS FERRET!!!� Ron growled. When they didn�t come back for a few minutes, a helpless despair came over him. He fell to the ground and let the rain soak through to his bones. What were they doing? What if he was hurting her? He felt so useless, stuck on the outside while God-knows-what was going on inside. He disapperated to the Three Broomsticks with a loud POP.

*

Draco�s room was like no room she had seen before. It was made with all the amenities one could possibly want for love making.

�Feel free to explore,� Draco grinned loosely as she slid off of his waist and started walking around the room.

She instinctively avoided the rusty metal torture tools and headed for a small bar instead. Opening the mini fridge, Hermione saw it was full with a stock of edible aphrodisiacs. There was wine and bubbly and rum and any sort of liquor one could ask for. Draco grabbed two green wine goblets and asked Hermione what she would like to drink.

�How about some champagne?� she suggested.

�Certainly,� he obliged, popping the cork off the bottle and pouring out the caramel tinted liquid.

Hermione plopped down onto the silky mattress. Much softer than that couch, she noted to herself. Draco sat down beside her and linked the arm holding his glass around her arm. He sipped out of his cup, as did she, and they both placed their goblets on the bedside table and laid down. Hermione noticed that the ceiling was enchanted to reflect a clear starry night. Draco, oblivious to the magnificent ceiling, helped her get out of her skirt once more, tossing it nonchalantly on the floor. Her knickers had long been forgotten back in the elevator.

�Draco,� Hermione began.

�Mhmphf?� he replied against her chest.

�Draco can we cut the foreplay?�

The fair-haired man looked up. �If you wish, Madam.�

Draco straightened up and effortlessly unclasped her bra and ridded himself of his boxer-briefs. He entered her still swollen opening with ease. She bent her legs, making her knees available for him to push in harder. He went in as deep as he possibly could, her skin pressed up against the base of his shaft. He was smothered in warmth as he slid back and forth more vigorously.

Hermione could feel him within her, the thought was so exciting it made her heart race against her chest and her breathing erratic. She gave him a playful squeeze by clenching her muscles. Draco gave her a half smile and continued pumping. With a breath of relief, released as a moan, his warm juices flowed into her and he collapsed onto her chest.

*

�Honey! Look at you! You�re soaked right through!� cried Madam Rosemerita when he entered the room with his dark, dank clothes sticking to his flesh like a second skin, and his dripping hair, looking almost brown, plastered to his face. �What happened to you, sweetface?� she asked kindly, handing him a butterbeer to warm him up.

Ron swirled the butterbeer but did not take a sip.

He didn�t feel like he could eat or drink or do anything. His anger had ebbed and he realized that it wasn�t rape he had witnessed. It was adultery. Hermione had cheated on him� and with Malfoy too!

What I did I do to deserve this? Ron asked to himself. Why would she want to spite me like this? What else has she done that I don�t know about? What am I going to do?

�Are � are you alright?� asked a petite brunette, interrupting his thoughts.

�No,� Ron said briskly, then realized he was rude and apologized.

�It�s alright. You look like you�re pissed� I shouldn�t have bothered you.�

�It�s okay. Hey, have I seen you before?� he questioned, noticing that the girl looked oddly familiar.

�I�m Mandy � Amanda Brocklehurst ��

�Ooh! I�m Ronald Weasley. Do you remember me? We used to be in the same year back at Hogwarts!�

�Oh yeah! You used to hang around with Harry Potter didn�t you?�

Ron nodded bitterly. He was always �Harry Potter�s friend.� He was never anyone special, just a guy who hanged out with Harry Potter.

Well I suppose that isn�t so true now� Ron thought. He and Harry had a large row and hadn�t spoken to each other for a couple of years now. He knew Hermione still kept in contact with him� after all, he was Ben�s godfather. Oh God� what if she�s cheating on me with Harry as well? Ron pondered worriedly. No, Harry had told Ron that he only saw Hermione as a friend� But then again� people change.

�So how are you and Hermione doing?� Mandy interrupted again.

He wouldn�t have minded the new track on his train of thought� but Hermione was a subject he wanted to avoid.

�Not so good� I don�t really want to talk about it��

�Oh, all right.�

�So how are you doing?� he questioned, hoping to make up for any impolite impression he may have made, �Are you married or seeing any one?�

�Yeah, actually. I'm married -�

�Oh really? To whom?�

Ron couldn�t have known that the new subject he brought up was another person he didn�t want to think about.

A/N: Muahahaha! PLOT TWIST!!!! ok kat, here's ur sex scene. It's not all of it tho ;) Do you see what i was complaining about? The kiss took FOREVER!!! you know where i told u about the dance and all... so blahz... But I'm not done yet! far from it! i've still got 4 stanzas of the song left to add in! hahaha! but now that most of the introduction and betrayal has been taken care of, i think the intravels will be a lot shorter... i still don't know tho... 
I love making Ron angry... but i hate doing this to him... he deserves way better than hermione! 
And what an ass draco is! but then again, Hermione's doin the same thing... Omg... she is such a slut! Here that ppl? SHE's the slut! NOT ME!!!! I'm just the sick minded omnipotent author! ;)

I've also got 7 different ideas for sequels and guess what? Right now I'm so enthusiastic I think I'm gonna write em all!!! whadda bout that? 7 alternate sequels all branching off from this [rather long] short story! 

Just a little preview of the sequels:
One sequel's gonna be to the song Iris [listen to it~ it's like the PERFECT D/Hr Shipper Song!!! at least i think so... and i may use this song for a D/Hr song fic very soon] by the Goo-Goo Dolls (i think) and may be followed by Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely by BSB
The other one's gonna be to Low by Kelly Clarkson
and another one is gonna be Good-bye To You - Michelle Branch (i'm pretty sure...)
Another one's gonna be to Michelle Branch's Are You Happy Now?
and another one's gonna be to Emotions - Destiny's Child
And the last two sequels i may do (if I still feel up to it after all that) are gonna be Time Stands Still and My Paper Heart - both by the All American Rejects!

All the diff plots are gonna be based around those songs (no duh!) so if u want a even sneakier preview, LISTEN TO EM!!! and when I get around to posting my lovely sequels, you can hum along in your head! wont that be fun?

OMG! i REALLY HATE Hermione in this fic!!!! She's such a -- a --- bad person! (for lack of a better word to describe her decietful nature) and Ron is sooooo sweet! he's like the perfect family man! loving husband, caring father, hard worker, it makes me cry to think that he has to deal with this skank ive created! Literally!

Okay, here's the rest of my 20 pg fic!

�Mmm� she sighed happily as she kissed his hard pecks lightly. �That was good.�

�Glad you think so,� Draco replied, kissing her hair and breathing in the smell of honey and cut grass.

After lying around lazily for a while, Draco posed a question. �You want to take a shower?�

Hermione considered this, and then answered, �Sure, I�ve always wanted to see how a rich person takes his bath.�

The man led Hermione to a large black door. When he opened it, he stood back to watch her marvel. The whole room was pearly, the marble tiles were green and silver � no surprise there, a dark, grand, square, waist-high tub was placed in one corner. The sink (with emerald encrusted taps) was placed in the center of the counter. It covered the length of the wall opposite the tub and was lined with many scented candles and aromatherapy bath products. A black toilet took up a small spot next to the counter.

�Wow�� Hermione breathed in awe. The whole room was sparkling clean. Draco leaned over the tub and fiddled with a few taps. In no time at all, the Jacuzzi was filled with clear, scented water and rich lilac foam.

Hermione freed her hair of the numerous pins and clips that held it up in a twist that took her hours. Her hair fell gracefully in a soft mass around her shoulders as she jumped into the tub. Draco followed her in slowly, basking in the heat of the water. Hermione moved close to him, placing her arms around his neck as they kissed fervently in the tub. After a few minutes, Hermione paused, then pulled away. She drew her hands back and removed her necklace.

�What�re you doing that for?�

As a response, Hermione merely grinned mischeviously. She reached into the depths of the water and closed her hand around his genitals. She let her other hand follow, holding onto the necklace. Wrapping the small string of pearls around his shaft, she began to pump her hands up and down, squeezing every now and then.

�Like that?�

�Ohhh� Draco groaned contently as the smooth texture of the pearls rubbed against him, and and slipped on the seat.

�I�ll take that as a yes,� Hermione grinned as she placed a few light kisses on his cheek.

�I think we�re pruned quite enough. Care to carry this on in the bedroom?� Draco suggested.

�Mmm, okay,� Hermione agreed against his lips and she let him carry her out of the water and onto the carpeted floor.

In short, they did it � AGAIN! [A/N can u tell i got bored and annoyed with the sex scenes?]

*

�Y�you�re married t � to Draco Malfoy?� Ron spluttered, nearly spilling his beverage.

�Yes� Are you alright?� she asked again.

�Er�� Ron considered telling her what he had just witnessed.

�What?� asked Mandy, oblivious to the concern in his eyes.

�Yeah, yeah I�m fine,� he answered, deciding now would not be the best time to tell someone that they were being cheated on, nor that he was the right person to do the telling. �Say, why aren�t you with him at this hour?�

�Well why aren�t you with Hermione?� Mandy replied defensively.

�We had a row and she kicked me out,� Ron lied effortlessly.

�Oh� sorry,� she apologized curtly before answering his question. �Well sometimes Draco�s just so insufferable and one just needs time away from him.�

Ron could perfectly see what she was talking about� but he was Malfoy�s enemy and she was his wife.

�I can see your point� but why are you � er� running away from him at such a late hour?�

�I take days off at a time. Tell him I�ve got business meetings here and there.�

�But where do you go then?�

�I rent a room. It�s pretty simple. I just need some time to me, you know.�

�Yeah�� said Ron, although he was in too much shock and sorrow to truly process her simple sentence.

Suddenly aware of his hunger, Ron looked at the not-so-inviting cold butterbeer and chugged the whole pint down in one gulp. Then he ordered some Bournir Fire Whisky.

�You�re really looking to get drunk aren�t you?� Mandy observed as she heard him place his order.

�Yeah, I just want to forget everything that happened in the last few hours.�

�You really love her don�t you?� the short brunette asked, looking at him directly with something almost whistful in her eyes.

�Yeah,� Ron croaked. It was really painful for him to admit this, even when his mood wasn�t so crappy� and after recent incidents, he found it a lot harder to say. A tear threatened to slip out and he pretended he had something in his eye as he wiped it away.

�I � I�m not trying to pry or anything,� she began, noticing Ron crying a bit, �But, why would she kick you out? It must have been some pretty rough argument or something for any one to not want to be in the same house as you�� Mandy stopped as she realized she may have been a bit of a jerk saying that.

However, Ron smiled weakly and spilled the truth � or part of it�

�Sh�she�s been ch-cheating on me,� he managed to choke out. �

�Oh � oh my God,� Mandy coaxed, placing an arm around him, reminding Ron of the many times Hermione did that for him and making him tear up even more. He drank the small shot of Fire Whiskey in one go and shrinked into her inviting bossom.

�Why would anyone want to jeopardize a relationship with you by doing something so horrid?� Mandy wondered aloud, hoping he would notice the hint of flattery.

�Why wouldn�t they, is more the question at hand,� Ron moped into her shirt.

�Oh come now! I�ve only chatted to you for a few minutes and already I can tell that you�re a fabulous man! Your charming and polite, even when you don�t want to be, and you�re good-hearted and caring and lovely and muscular�� she went on, listing every compliment she could think of. She pulled him back to take a look at him. His face was tear streaked and pale. �And you�re hot,� she concluded.

�How the bloody hell can you say I�m �hot� now?�

�Well, sure you may be wet and weeping, but I�ve seen you dry and happy as well, and you were � are � a real looker,� she corrected herself.

�It�s just the drunk talking.�

�No, it�s not the �drunk� talking. You�re the one who�s drunk. All I�ve had is butterbeer.�

�Butterbeer can make you drunk,� he replied defensively, then realized that Hermione had once said that to him.

�Either way, it�s not the drunk talking,� Mandy smiled.

Ron wondered why on earth she would be smiling. And then it happened, something Ron had vowed never to do. But it happened. And he enjoyed it.

After all, Mandy was a really good kisser.

And it wasn�t as if she wasn�t cheating on him at the very same moment. 

*

Hermione�s eyes opened to a dusky sky. No, it wasn�t the sky � it was the ceiling. She looked at Draco, lying contently beside her. She kissed him farewell before summoning her clothes, finding it very hard to walk, and disapparating home.

She found Ron sleeping in his clothes on the sofa.

�Hey,� she said softly, �I�m home.�

Ron opened his eyes and grimaced. �I�ve got a bloody headache,� he groaned, more to himself than to her. He was angry with her, more than words could describe,but he wasn�t sure what to do at the moment so he decided to play cool.

�Aww,� she crooned, moving forward to kiss him.

Ron immediately sat up and held her jaw in the palm of his hand, a very hard look about his face. �Don�t.�

Surprised, Hermione moved towards the kitchen and started to whip up breakfast for the two of them.

�So did you get my message?� she asked as she cracked a few eggs.

�What message?� Ron asked, trying to keep his voice normal and not the slightest bit suspicious.

�I guess not. I had to spend the night at Dracelia�s. There was a terrible storm raging outside.�

�Yeah, I was caught in the middle of it,� Ron replied icily.

�Oh, honey! Don�t tell me you spent the night in dripping clothes! Honestly, the Ministry�s gonna kill off all their aurors before they kill off the Dark Arts!� Hermione declared.

Ron decided to let her believe he was on Ministry business. He couldn�t believe she was acting so calmly after what she had done! Then a thought came to him; perhaps this wasn�t the first time she�d done this. What if she had lied that first time she met Malfoy? What if she was out with other men when he was at work? Questions buzzed through his head and with each new thought, he grew hotter and hotter with rage.

A new issue appeared in his mind�s eye. What would happen if he confronted her? He had spent most of the night debating how to confront her. He had never considered what would happen after. Would they go on as normal? Would she continue seeing him? Would they get a divorce? What trauma could this possibly do to Ben? That settled it. He wouldn�t start anything that could in some way or another harm Ben�s well-being. He couldn�t think of any way to resolve the issue without a large argument resulting in � well, he didn�t know what it would result in, but he wasn�t going to risk his son�s mental health over, what he hoped was, a one night stand. He had given up.

Lie to me, it doesn�t matter anymore
It could never be the way it was before
Leave me with something I can hold on to
For just a little while won�t you let me be?

All he wanted now was to pretend nothing had happened.

�Do you want ketchup with your eggs?� Hermione inquired.

�No,� Ron replied simply as he moved to the table.

He didn�t want to go to work, not sure what would happen if he left Hermione alone, but he had to in order to pay for � well, everything.

�Bye Mione,� Ron said as he was about to exit. Then, in complete spontaneity, he seized his wife, totally oblivious to the fact that his son was right there, and gave her a kiss that would make any girl melt in her socks. Before he disapperated, he saw that Hermione had a surprised look about her. That bothered Ron. Was he really so drab and ordinary that she didn�t think he could kiss just as well as any other guy?

As soon as he was gone, she and Ben prepared to go to Malfoy Manor. At his usual time, Draco flew by the window, ready to pick the two of them up.

When they got to the Manor, Ben and Fred immediately went to play and the adults headed inside to � chat.

The conversation was filled with nothing until Hermione brought up last night; a topic that had been nagging at her mind since� well, when Ron left.

�About last night,� she began.

�That was some awesome time, huh?�

�Er� yeah,� Hermione blushed, �But� I think Ron may be suspicious of something � �

�Ya think? You used the name Dracelia for God�s sake!� Draco laughed.

�You�re not concerned at all?�

�Oh no, I�m terrified. I�m so scared of what that weasel shall do to me once he gets his dirty paws on me!�

�So that�s a no,� Hermione looked down, dismayed.

�Right on the money! There�s nothing that midget could do to me � �

�Would you stop it with the name-calling?� Hermione snapped, irritated that he didn�t care the slightest� and the fact that Ron was way taller than him.

�Alright, alright,� Draco submitted. And then a thought came across him. Hermione Granger (he refused to think of her as a Weasley) was in love with Ron. A kind of love that would never be pointed towards him � by any woman, not just Hermione.

Anyone can see that you love him more than me
But right now, baby, let me pretend
That our love will never end

�What�s wrong with you?� Hermione asked, watching his crestfallen face with apprehension.

�Nothing, I�m just peachy,� he barked.

�Maybe I should just go�� Hermione started to back away.

A jealous rage swept over Draco. He was going to make her love him the way that she cared for Ron. He advanced towards her, backing her up into the stone wall.

�Draco�?� she asked uncertainly, not liking the crazed look in his eyes.

Not bothering to reply, Draco ripped off her blouse and jeans and was on top of her in no time. �Gerrof of me!� she complained, writhing under him.

�Hold. Still. Now,� he ordered as he disposed of her bra.

�Stop it! I don�t want to!� she argued, attempting to slap him.

�Stay. Still,� he demanded as he slipped her out of her knickers.

�Draco! Don�t! Please!� she begged. He took no notice and smashed his mouth against hers. He bit her lip with passion and sucked at the metallic taste of blood like a vampire.

�Stop�� she gasped between breaths.

�Why don�t you stop?� he retorted, releasing his member and invading her. Force would make her love him� right? Right?

Pulling her hair, Draco demanded that she tell him she loved him.

�I can�t,� she muttered against his jaw.

�SAY IT!� he growled, biting her breast making her yelp in pain.

Lie to me
Yeah c�mon now baby
Go ahead and lie to me
You know just what I�m talking about

�I �love you�� she whispered weakly.

�What?� he bellowed, thrusting hard against her.

�I � I l � love you�� Hermione whimpered, wanting the pain to go away.

Draco suddenly grew very soft, tenderly kissing all the areas he had bitten.

You can�t do this to me, Hermione thought as he started to release within her. She hated to admit it, but she felt an orgasm even though it was rape.

No one knew that Ben had come in to complain that Fred had taken his pail, only to witness his birth parents (although he couldn�t have known that) making love on the floor. No, �making love� wasn�t the proper term for what he had seen. What he had viewed was no act of love, but an act of lust, and only on one person�s part.

*

Ron had asked to meet Mandy at the Three Broomsticks during his lunchbreak.

�I�m really sorry about the other night,� she apologized immediately.

�Don�t worry about it. I kissed back, and it was only one kiss, and � well, after what I�m about to tell you, you may not feel so bad after all,� Ron rambled.

�Oh boy, now I�m frightened,� she said earnestly.

�I don�t know how to tell you this� or if I�m the right person ��

�Please don�t,� she interrupted, tilting her pretty tanned face slightly.

Lie to me
Go ahead and lie to me

�No, no. I should probably know. Go on,� she said on second thought.

�You know how I told you Hermione had been cheating on me?� he began.

Mandy nodded, not knowing what this had to do with her or why he looked so full of pity and concern.

�Well, er, the person she� was with that night� was� was �� Ron didn�t know how to say it, but Mandy was smart enough and caught on.

�It was Draco wasn�t it?� she asked gingerly, her eyebrows scrunched up begging him to tell her otherwise.

Greatly not wanting to, Ron nodded solemnly.

Unexpectedly, the tiny woman leaped into Ron�s large shoulders, sobbing.

�I always knew I�d have to risk it being married to Draco� He�s such a player. But I thought he had changed his ways� but I guess I was wrong,� she cried.

�Shh,� Ron whispered. �Malfoy is an ass hole and doesn�t deserve any woman on earth!�

Mandy pulled back to smile at him. �Thanks, but I�m not ready to diss him just yet.�

�Okay, but when you are, you just let me know and we�ll call him every name in the book!� Ron smiled back.

The girl went back to weeping on his shoulder and Ron let her stay there for as long as she needed.

*

�Ron! There�s something I�ve got to tell you!� Hermione began, leaping into his arms as soon as he opened the door.

�Hermione, I�d rather you didn�t.� He answered truthfully.

�No, I have to! I need to!� she clutched at his shirt and smelled faint traces of perfume not her own. At this new piece of information, she immediately asked the question, �Where have you been?�

Where have you been? Ron retorted in his head, but answered the question anyways. �At work.�

Hermione didn�t believe him but put it out of her head for the time being. �Please, we need to talk,� Hermione started.

�No!� Ron said firmly.

�What? Why?�

�I don�t want to talk,� he replied vaguely.

�But Ron, it�s important,� she pleaded.

�No. Let�s not discuss anything right now.�

Hermione was defeated by his unexplicable burst of anger and began to serve the food.