Hello Love

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝

Ron ruined her entire evening! When they were supposed to leave earlier that same night; he didn't show up, apparently he was in a pub. She had to drag him away from his beers while the pub was full of people, which was extremely humiliating! This was supposed to be her evening. She organised the fundraiser, she wanted to show the wizarding world her capabilities. There wasn't much that she could call her own, or be proud of lately as Kingsley was constantly breathing down her throat. She just wanted to feel accomplished for a bloody minute.

Now that damn, sodding arse was fisticuffing Harry.

Whenever she looked at Ron these last weeks, she felt annoyed. There was no love between them, there was nothing but contempt. He had become more of an unwanted appendix than the loving husband he was supposed to be. He didn't support her, the only thing he supported was his alcohol intake.

At first she thought it had been her fault that their marriage ended up the way it did. Sometimes she still did, but she also knew she didn't deserve him to be towards her like this. Why couldn't he be more like Harry? He was successful and loved his wife. It wasn't that hard, was it?

When she saw Malfoy tonight, dressed in his signature black suit with a green waistcoat, he had knocked her off her feet with one single look her way. She had probably stared at him a little too long, but he looked so crisp and handsome and not even remotely like the blubbering, drunk mess her own husband was. She couldn't help to compare them, and often wondered what she ever saw in Ron?

The way Malfoy stared at her made her feel weak, she never felt that way towards a man ever. She didn't want to feel that way towards him either, she was still a married woman, somewhat, but he excited her. It was perhaps wrong to get excited by another man, and she knew it was improper and inappropriate.

Was it?

She knew Malfoy had played her until she surrendered herself, that it had all been a game to him. Although she was fairly disappointed in herself that she'd slept with him, it didn't matter to her as much. It was a one time thing, it should remain that way too, it was just a fun distraction. He had made her feel wanted, which was probably not exactly the correct emotion to inhibit, because that inadvertently meant that she was a pathetic girl.

She was not pathetic, she was confident and strong.

Well... until she was reminded how he had wonderfully shagged her three times in an old cottage in Cornwall when he'd laid his eyes on her tonight. Cornwall had etched itself inside her mind, and though it was shameful, it was her escape when everything became too overwhelming for her. She could think about him in the cottage together with her, and touch herself until her body couldn't take it anymore.

It was so lewd!

She had stared at him for a moment, and one of Malfoys friends had elbowed him and pointed at her. When their eyes locked, she noticed that he was looking curiously at her, his icy gaze upon her was intense. When he averted his eyes she quickly walked away and hid behind a pillar. Her heart was hammering in her chest, she was a coward. She should just forget about it, about their one night stand and focus on her job.

Nobody knew about it, and nobody had to know. She should just straighten herself out and focus on the important things. Annoyingly, the important thing was her husband who was spoiling everybody's evening at the moment.

She composed herself and walked to Kingsley who was just about to interfere himself.

'Weasley.' he said when she approached him and Hermione immediately scowled at him. He raised his eyebrows, but didn't ask further.