The evening of October the first was met with a depressed Hermione holding her head in her hands and feeling like she should join a meeting for pregnant women who love their husband but were forced to kiss their business partners... Hermione sighed and leaned back, quite annoyed at herself.  

Hello, my name is Hermione Granger. I kissed a Malfoy... and I liked it.

Of course there would be no such meeting because no woman would be that stupid to kiss Draco Malfoy... or any Malfoy for that matter. Hermione spent the morning convincing herself that she had to kiss Draco otherwise she would have to face a disheartened Fred every single day until it got to the point where making money seemed like something in the very distant past. A thought emerged in her brain as though it had pushed past the ice of worrying until she could see it.

What if Fred found out that she had kissed Draco?

This ice cold thought had her sitting up straight as though someone had prodded her back. Hermione was glad that Fred had gone to work or else he would have been really worried about the loss of colour on her face. Hermione let out a shaky, nervous breath and played with her fingers. Entwining her fingers together and twisting them. Hermione’s eyes fell onto the bowl of fruit in front of her.

Red juicy apples, almost like the colour of blood, that appeared to look like the apples in that Snow White story. The forbidden apples. The poisoned ones. Maybe Hermione should eat them and then get poisoned so her true love would have to kiss her to wake her up again. Maybe Draco would kiss her, bringing her back to life, she thought bitterly. That would break Fred’s heart and... she didn’t want to know what would happen next.

That was the reason she had invited Draco over today. To clear the palate of every colour except black and white. She didn’t want Fred to find out and she would do everything to make sure he didn’t. Hermione wasn’t sure if he would even come over since he would be helping Fred with moving to the new shop. Hermione stood up and went out to the hall. Her brown eyes glanced at the time and she realised it was five minutes past eleven. She glanced in the mirror hesitantly.

Hermione had done her make up for the first time in a week. Her eyes were lidded with soft black eyeliner, her lips were rosy and light pink. Hermione hated wearing bright lipstick so she had opted for this pink one which suited her incredibly. She hadn’t bothered with blusher or eye shadow but she had applied a little foundation to smooth her skin. Hermione’s hair hung past her chest and stopped on top of her stomach. She wore a light blue tank top, hugging her hips slightly and she realised that she looked really pregnant in it. A white cardigan had been pulled on when she felt cold and she wore blue jeans with white flip flops. Hermione inched closer to the mirror and fixed her eyeliner that had smudged, she nearly jerked upright when she heard the crack behind her.

‘Salazar, help me,’ his voice spoke out in a low, deep and Hermione hated to admit it, husky tone, ‘I couldn’t control myself when you weren’t wearing make up and now that you are... I can’t be held responsible for my actions.’

‘You can’t just apparate in here!’ Hermione exclaimed, turning around to face with and tugging her cardigan over herself as she felt slightly violated with his grey eyes staring at her, ‘I could report this to the Ministry and-’

‘Actually... sweetie... I can just apparate in here since I basically own this apartment,’ Draco said looking around the hall and shrugging before looking back at her.’

‘Don’t call me sweetie,’ Hermione whispered, jaw clenched and eyes hard. Hermione whimpered slightly, kicking herself when Draco smirked, and he advanced forwards. His hand slowly ran down through her hair and Hermione shivered. She noticed with a dull shock that she wanted him... ‘stop...’

‘Stop? Are you sure about that...’ Draco asked, huskily as his thumb swiftly wiped her lower lip. He could sense Hermione giving in to him, ‘mudblood.’

‘I...’ Hermione shook her head suddenly, coming back to her senses. She raised her hands to his stomach since that was how high she could raise them because he was so near to her. She felt his abs and felt her heart melt a little. She then pushed him away and he smirked, moving away from her, ‘I invited you here to tell you one thing not to kiss you.’

‘You can’t resist me,’ his voice was as soft as velvet. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and he raised his eyebrows, ‘I know you feel that shock between us. Especially when we kiss. You didn’t want me to stop, I know it.’

‘I... Malfoy, stop being a prat. I have a boyfriend and I’m pregnant. Do you have no shame in kissing a pregnant women?’ Hermione asked rhetorically. Draco opened his mouth to speak with an immature grin on his face but she cut him off, ‘I must stress that fact that Fred knows nothing about the kiss between us and I want it to stay that way.’

‘That’s all you wanted to say?’ Draco asked, leaning casually against the wall. He tucked his hands deep into his pockets and crossed his feet. Hermione nodded once, keeping her mouth in a tight line, ‘and you are sure about that? You want me to leave and have nothing to do with you ever again?’

‘Yes, Malfoy. Just leave before you ruin my relationship,’ Hermione exclaimed, getting annoyed. She backtracked suddenly as his face looked thoughtful for a second. He looked serious which was a first since the time Hermione had seen him in that lonely street. Draco looked up at her and she thought she imagined the flicker of dullness in his eyes but it was soon replaced with light like usual. He nodded, agreeing to leave and Hermione walked over to the door, ‘you can’t do anything to Fred’s work. You wanted a kiss and I gave you one so that Fred could get that property from you. Don’t ruin it for him.’

‘You’re going to regret this, Granger,’ Draco stated coldly. He looked her up and down as if he was savouring her. Hermione tugged her cardigan over herself, she felt filthy when his grey orbs travelled down her body. Draco ignored the door and opted for apparating but he said one thing before he left, ‘slapping me and rejecting me is never a good idea, you filthy little mudblood.’

Hermione raised a finger, about to object to that horrendous and overly used word but Draco had already disappeared, closing his eyes to disapparate. She could still imagine his soul searching grey eyes even when she couldn’t see them. Hermione sighed out loud, wanting to push away every thought that contained that horrific boy – man, she thought picturing his muscles.

But she couldn’t seem to.

Rejecting him, fumed Hermione, thinking to herself. It wasn’t like he had asked her out on a date and she had declined! It was just a matter of telling him to keep their shared and forced, but wonderful, she admitted with a slight blush, kiss a secret from Fred so that it didn’t ruin her relationship with him. Why was Draco so unreasonable? Why did he even care that she had “rejected” him?

Hermione banged the door shut behind her in a fit of rage and crossed her arms over her chest. She blew a piece of hair from her face and went into their bedroom. Hermione had already opened the curtains and windows to let in some fresh air, made the bed and cleared the floor of any of Fred’s clothes. She had nothing else to do and she knew Fred would be working late. Hermione grabbed a book from her top drawer and that was when she noticed the small envelope by her bed.

Hermione picked it up while the birds chattered outside, engulfing her in their song. She remembered Fred getting up in the morning and opening the window because there was a tapping sound. Maybe it was the owl delivering this? Hermione opened the light pink envelope. The parchment had a gold strip on the edge of it and at the bottom of the page the gold strip turned into a bow. It seemed to be waving on the page. Hermione read it.

 We request the pleasure of your company for the wedding of,

Ginerva Molly Weasley

and

Harry James Potter

when they exchange vows and become each others at long last, living their lives happily together. This day marks the start of forever for the young couple.

The wedding will take place on the 20th of January 1999 at 6 o’clock in the evening. This wedding will take place at the Burrow traditionally and we hope you will be able to make it.

Hermione’s grin spread wider on her face as she read over the letter. Their wedding... she couldn’t wait but she knew how big she would look at the wedding. Hermione shoved that thought aside and decided to pay Ginny a little visit.

---

*Fred’s POV*

Dear Fred,                                                         

I was wondering what the letter was when we got it this morning, I was just too tired to ask. I just saw the invitation to Harry and Ginny’s wedding so I decided to pay them a visit and talk to a very nervous Ginny. Harry seems very excited though. They’ve invited us to dinner and I accepted.

It’s getting late and you’ve been working since the crack of dawn! Leave the work and do it tomorrow or get Malfoy to do it. Maybe he should do most of the work since he doesn’t have a family to take care of at all. I still don’t approve of your business partnership. Don’t trust him no matter what he tells you. I can imagine you rolling your eyes at this letter! Just come over to Harry’s and we’ll have dinner. I can’t wait to see you.

I love you so much, Hermione.

Fred sighed and left the letter on the desk. He would only be able to leave if Draco ever came back! Fred ticked off the boxes on his parchment, getting frustrated whenever he looked at the time since Draco wasn’t back yet and he was supposed to be helping with the shop. Fred could only do so much and right now he had to take inventory. A door creaked open and then banged shut, rattling the glass in the window from what Fred could hear. Although he couldn’t see who had just entered the shop, he knew it was Draco immediately because he swore out loud and then a crashing sound emitted from the front of the shop. Fred clenched his teeth, trying to control his anger. He was trying to build himself a shop and it didn’t help when Draco thought he could trash the place. Thankfully a hoarse whisper of ‘reparo’ was uttered and then a long sigh.

Fred heaved himself up from where he was crouching over a box. The stiffness in his joints lessened as he stretched them slightly. The new shop was quite magnificent and just what he was hoping he would get. The store had chipped blue paint previously but Fred had fixed the paint in the whole of the store so that it was a sea green colour and perfectly polished so that it shined. The room he was currently in was called the back room and had a huge desk with a lots of important files and papers. There was lots of boxes piled in front of the desk, nearly overlooking it. Next to the back room was a small but usable bathroom which had also been cleaned. There was also a break room for employees to have lunch which Fred thought was useful and motivating. The front of the store had long rows that would be fitted with shelves by Draco and a huge counter with a till by one wall. Fred couldn’t have asked for more although his money situation was really tight now. He tried not to think of money.

‘Where the hell have you been?’ Fred roared as he came out to the front store where Draco leaned with an arm over his eyes. Fred banged the place where the shelves would be placed and the row jerked back a little. Draco looked up at him furiously, ‘I need your help to get this store running by the end of next week. What are you playing at? Leaving without telling me?’

‘Back off, Weasley,’ Draco hissed, advancing forwards but Fred gathered himself up to his full height and they stared at each other.

‘I hope I didn’t make a mistake in trusting you... Malfoy,’ said Fred venomously, he was a little taller than Draco so he looked like he could take him on if need be. Draco muttered something under his breath so low that Fred didn’t hear him even though he was standing right in front of him, ‘what did you say?’

‘I’ll get the bloody shelves on before the end of today. Just give me the spare keys to the store and it’ll be done,’ Draco said although his expression wasn’t convincing Fred at all. Draco held out a hand for the keys, backing away slightly.

‘I want those shelves on when I come back here tomorrow,’ Fred said imperiously and dug into his jeans. He held out the keys and let them drop into Draco’s hands, ‘I have to go and meet Hermione for dinner. Lock up.’

‘Dinner?’ asked Draco, his eyes flickering with some glint. Fred nodded and Draco sighed and slowly nodded  as though accepting the fact that he was going to be alone tonight, ‘alright, Weasley. I’ll see you later.’

Fred left the shop after grabbing his jacket and the file that he had to take home. He disapparated and Draco fell into the chair behind the desk, staring at the shelves to be put up. They were stacked into a pile beside him. Draco sighed and rubber his face before looking down at the desk where he noticed Hermione’s letter to Fred which Fred had left behind. Draco frowned as he read it shamelessly.

‘... Get Malfoy to do it. Maybe he should do most of the work since he doesn’t have a family to take care of at all. I still don’t approve of your business partnership. Don’t trust him no matter what he tells you,’ Draco muttered to himself as he read it.

A cloud of unbelief dawned onto his face. Hermione really was spirited, Draco thought and he caught himself tracing the letters of her name. H-E-R-M-I-O-N-E. Draco’s long finger traced each letter and he sighed as he realised what he was doing. Without thinking his fingers inched towards a quill and he dabbed it in ink. Slowly bringing the quill down to the paper and he leisurely wrote something next to her name. Draco let the quill fall onto the table and a few drops of ink fell onto the desk but Draco wasn’t looking at that. His soft grey eyes were trained straight onto the paper. He studied it for a second and his heart gave a tug just like the time when he had asked Astoria to marry him and she said ‘yes’. The tug of love. Draco sighed and shook these thoughts away. He scrunched up the paper and his eyes turned cold and his heart turned solid once again. He didn’t have time for stupid things like this. He set the scrunched up paper on fire and it turned to dust on the desk. Draco sat back with his arms behind his head and stared at the ashes. Fred would never realise that he had left the letter behind or that Draco had seen and read it or that Draco had wrote the word ‘Malfoy’ after Hermione’s name just to see what it would look like.

Hermione Malfoy, thought Draco and his mind added something that his mouth didn’t agree with but his heart sure as hell did, the name suits her.

Draco heaved himself up and went to the front store with a stack of shelves.