Time Spent In Eternal Endings

Tainted

After sitting in silence for a few seconds, still confused about Draco's actions, Hermione got up and went to the bathroom to fix her makeup. It was mainly her lipstick that was blotched and slightly smeared in places, but other than that everything else was stuck in place like nothing happened. Her lips were still buzzing from all of the friction.

She heard a knock on the door and her heart startled a tiny bit. The way your heart jumps when you're snooping in your parent's room and hear the front door open. She knew it was Cormac because who else would it be? It sure wasn't Draco with the way he stormed off.

She took a deep breath to steady herself and opened the door with a smile.

"Hey!" She greeted as she stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Looking at him in front of her made her gut coil around itself in guilt. He was such a nice guy and she'd just kissed someone before going out with him for dinner. It wasn't even worth it either after the way the kiss ended...

She had a great guy who was willing to take her out on a date standing right in front of her. A guy who would probably put a label on anything he asked her to if she wanted and yet she still wanted to run after someone else who literally just ran away from her. Someone who didn't want her the way she wanted him to.

Cormac studied her with a look of awe as he took her look in. He wore dark grey dress pants with a white button-up. The grey was coldly familiar.

"You look— you look amazing Hermione." He smiled humbly as a dimple poked his cheek.

Her heart fluttered at the compliment and a tinge of pink rose to her cheeks.

"Thank you." She smiled with her lips pressed together.

They started to walk away from the dorm and towards the doors that led to the nearest apparition point. "So where are we headed tonight?"

"You'll have to wait and see." He looked at her and smirked snuggly.

They got to the apparition point and he held out his hand and she placed hers in his, then they apparated. When they were done twisting through space and windy paths, she found herself in a low-lit restaurant with people chatting amongst themselves. There were platters floating to tables with petite deserts on them and what smelled like five-star steaks. Glasses were being magically filled with more wine.

"Beautiful isn't it?" He looked at her waiting for a response.

It was taking everything in her not to let her mouth fall open in awe.

"It is" was all she could come up with.

He placed a hand on her shoulder blades to lead her to their table and his touch was different than what she was used to. Their table was placed in the back and they had a little more privacy than the other guests. It was secluded from the bustling people. He pulled her chair out for her, then sat across from her in his seat. She felt a little out of place and her nerves didn't help so she placed her hands in her lap so that she wouldn't fidget with anything.

Two wine glasses appeared.

"What do you prefer?" He asked her intently with a charming smile.

She preferred the sweeter taste of white wine. "Chardonnay please." She smiled through her lips.

He nodded and her glass filled with white wine while his filled with red. She'd never like red wine. She found it to be too bitter. She took a sip to calm her nerves as she took in her surroundings and all of the low voiced chatter.

She decided she should probably be talking more. "Where'd you find this place?"

"My father owns it actually." He laughed.