The Right Thing To Do

Chapter 34

On Tuesday evening, she stepped through the fireplace to arrive in the tea room. She bit the inside of her cheek, wondering if this was the right decision, but ultimately knew that if she could secure the next three installments of the inheritance, then it would all go away.

She took a seat at one of the nearby tables and waited until 7:59PM when the door to Madame Michele's office opened.

The small woman examined her through her glasses. Hermione stood.

"Mz Granger. I waz told you would not be taking anymore classes."

Hermione swallowed. "There was a misunderstanding, I'm afraid. I intend to finish these classes, and continue the deal I had with Lucius Malfoy. I would appreciate if you would relay that to him."

Madame Michele raised a wiry brow at her. "Very well, Mz Granger. I will do my best."

~*~

Hermione had owled Monsieur DuBois on Monday to reschedule the interior design class Draco had crashed, and Madame Bernard, whose hosting class Hermione had postponed on Sunday morning.

Madame Bernard had agreed to meet at 9PM on Tuesday directly after Madame Michele, and Monsieur DuBois had said only Wednesday at 7AM would work for him.

She had a feeling that they all planned this.

She arrived to work on Wednesday morning at five past eight, yawning. Draco was there when the lift opened, and he raised a brow at her as he handed her a cup of coffee.

"Rough night?"

"Yes." She didn't bother coming up with any kind of excuse. She sipped the coffee as they walked to her office, like every morning. As she pulled the cup away from her lips, she saw Kelsey, Mockridge's Associate, look at the two of them and smile down at her desk.

Hermione blinked. Were they too obvious?

"I've decided on a plan for lunch," Draco said, and Hermione focused on him. "Something to get our privacy back," he whispered to her.

Cornelia Waterstone had crashed lunch yesterday as well. And yesterday, Waterstone had accepted when Draco offered for her to have lunch with them. They hadn't had sex since Monday, or even touched each other. Which was suddenly very apparent to Hermione as Draco guided her to her own doorway, hand low on her back.

Draco continued, "I've booked a meeting on the Muggle-born Integration Program for this afternoon. We won't be needing any Wizengamot council on that." He raised a brow at her. "And, I guess, we could actually talk about it." He winked at her, and because his back was to the office floor, she was the only one to see.

She killed the smile on her lips. "I have the lunch meeting with Viktor today, remember?"

She watched the dream die on his face. "Ah, yes. Viktor." His smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"I have a meeting tomorrow at lunch. And then I'm out of town on Friday." He frowned at her. "Are you free tomorrow night?"

She blinked at him. Tomorrow night? As in... a real date? And not just hanky-panky during the lunch hour?

"Er... I guess so." Dance class! "I mean, er, no. I'm not, actually." She looked away from him. "But I am free tonight." She looked back at him. She had no idea what it was he had planned, but she if he wanted to see her in any official capacity, she would do it.

He pouted. "Tonight is no good for me." He glared at the door frame. "I'll figure something out." He looked back at her, and touched her hip lightly before he walked away. She was sure no one could see, but she still melted a bit.