𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐃 | ᴀ ᴅʀᴀᴍɪᴏɴᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ

Chapter 21

WHEN HERMIONE OPENS THE DOOR to the building, I'm right behind her. As soon as she crosses the threshold, the music starts.

And she stops dead in her tracks.

They're called the Three Man Band. They're traveling musicians. Literally. The lead singer's got a guitar hanging from a strap across his shoulders and a microphone attached to his chest. The drummer has a six-piece set harnessed in front—like a kid in a marching band, but much cooler. The last guy has a combination base guitar and keyboard sitting on a platform at his waist.

It's really not as corny as it sounds. They're good. Like one of those cover bands that play down the Jersey shore in the summer. And they're playing "Caught up in You" by .38 Special.

Hermione hisses at me through her teeth, "What the hell is this?"

I shrug. "Well, I don't know how to play the guitar. And I can't sing. So..."

I know what you're thinking. Music, Draco? That's the big plan? Didn't Weasel already try that? Yes, Weasel tried this strategy and failed. But this will be different.

Better.

Longer.

The Three Man Band is mobile. Which means they can—and will—follow Hermione all day. Serenading her with not just one but dozens of carefully chosen songs. And no—this isn't the whole plan. This is just the first step. There's more.

"I hate you."

No she doesn't.

I slide my unclaimed flower behind her ear. "Listen to the words, Hermione."

The singer croons about a man on his knees, who's so in love he wants to change, to be better—more. For her.

Hermione rips the flower out of her hair and drops it on the floor. Then she shoves past me toward the elevator and gets in.

And the Three Man Band crowds in around her. Still playing.

She looks horrified, doesn't she? As the doors close, I almost feel bad.

Almost.

I take the next elevator up to the fortieth. By then, the sounds of "Angel" by Aerosmith fill the air. Apparently, Hermione has barred the Three Man Band from her office. So they're stationed outside her closed door.

I stop at Astoria's desk. She hands me my coffee.

"Good song."

"Thanks. Everything set?"

"Locked and loaded, boss." Then she snaps her fingers. "Oh, and I brought this for you." She hands me a medium-sized box filled with DVDs. Laying on top are Gone with the Wind, Say Anything, Beauty and the Beast, Casablanca, Titanic, and...The Notebook.

"What's this?"

"Research. For you. I figured you might need it."

I smile. "What would I do without you, Astoria?"

"Spend the rest of your life miserable and alone?"

She's not far off the mark.

"Give yourself another week's vacation, okay?"

I take my box of goodies into my office and prepare for phase two.

Flowers. Lots of women say they don't want them. But every woman is happy when they get them.

Which is why I've arranged to have them delivered to Hermione's office, every hour on the hour. Seven dozen at a time. That's one dozen for every day we were apart.