The Right Thing To Do

Chapter 29

She had signed the Love Contract less than three weeks ago, and she was already letting him lay her down on her desk and ravish her.

She swallowed, rapping her nails on that very desk, and let her gaze blur at her bookshelves across from her. She tapped her quill against a parchment, creating little blots and blobs.

Would he have done it like in the movies? Sweeping her ink pot, her picture frames, her texts all off the desk so they crash to the floor, and then press her down. Maybe they'd laugh about it.

She blinked and shook her head, clearing the image.

She couldn't tell who had felt more awkward about lunch, Harry or her. It was the quickest and quietest lunch they'd ever had. Harry had asked for the date the day before, so she had thought he had news to tell her or some funny story, but he just sat and watched her eat. Watched her think.

She kept her door closed the rest of the afternoon, and every time someone knocked, she jumped. Hoping it wasn't Draco. Hoping it was.

Dark thoughts slithered into her distracted mind throughout the afternoon. What if Harry hadn't walked in? Would she have let him... completely? She hadn't ever...

Did Draco know? He had assumed, back during the Auction. He had asked for 35,000 galleons, thinking that extra 5,000 to be necessary.

Another 5,000 would be added on if it could be proven that you were 'untouched.'

She closed her eyes, sneering at herself and her stupid, dark thoughts.

Walter checked in on her around 3PM, asking about the Golden Snidget pitch in the morning meeting. Hermione had completely forgotten about that part of her day. He was disappointed to hear that the project was delayed, but Hermione told him they should continue to move forward with it as much as possible.

She stayed thirty minutes later than normal, just to avoid seeing anyone as she left. There was a light on in Draco's office. She could see it flooding under the door as she pressed the button for the lift. The lift took forever to arrive and Hermione felt very vulnerable, out in the open. She counted the seconds, eyes flickering to Draco's door, praying it wouldn't open while she was standing here.

The lift arrived with a loud ding and she winced, jumping in, and punching the "door close" button twenty or so times.

She Apparated home, and walked the few blocks to her building. She turned the lock on the building's exterior door, and looked up to see Ginny sitting on the stairs to their floor.

Ginny jumped up, eyes wide, one hand on the railing and one hand at her neck.

Hermione stopped. She blinked up at her. The door closed behind her.

Ginny blinked back.

Hermione opened her mouth and no sound came out.

Ginny twitched her head, trying to hear her.

Hermione looked over Ginny's shoulder, her eyes distant. She closed her mouth. And looked at the stairs.

Ginny took a breath. And stopped. And looked at the wall. Another breath—and stopped.

Hermione pressed her lips together.

"Who kissed who?"

"Him. He kissed me."

Ginny nodded, trying to read her.

"How was it?"

"It was - it was... Yes. Good. It was... Yes."