Illicit Affairs Dramione

Just Friends pt.2

She immediately froze as she heard the familiar voice call "Mione" through the door. She flew off Draco's lap and straightened her skirt. She walked quickly to the door and unlocked it. When she opened it she was greeted by her best friend.

"Hey Ron!" she said, attempting to sound excited. She had not seen him since the reunion but he looked the same as he always had plus a few pounds of extra muscle.

"Hey Mione" he smiled before peeking around her to see Draco leaning casually on her desk. The smile immediately fell from his face "Am I interrupting something?" he said through clenched teeth.

"No no no just a business meeting" she smiled and tried to sound convincing.

"Relax Weasley, it was just a friendly business meeting. We weren't shagging or anything." Draco interjected. Hermione turned her head to glare at him. Even after all these years, Ron's hatred for Draco had not faltered.

"Don't tell me to relax Malfoy" he spat. "Hermione what is he doing here?"

"Just what I said Ron. We were meeting to discuss Malfoy's donation schedule. It was completely innocent. I must have forgotten to unlock the bottom lock earlier this morning." she lied

"I came by to invite you to lunch." he said, relaxing slightly but not taking his eyes off of Draco "I go back to Romania in a few days to begin the season."

"Yes Ron that would be wonderful. Just let me grab my bag and we will go" she walked behind her desk to grab her purse "Thank you Mr. Malfoy if there are any other issues I have I will owl you."

"Thank you Ms. Granger" he said before apparating.

___________________________________________________________

Her lunch with Ron was enjoyable enough after she convinced him once more that Draco Malfoy was nothing more than a donor to her. She hated lying to him but she knew he wouldn't understand. She knew deep down why he still got so jealous. Their breakup a year after the war had been tough on him. Tough enough for him to accept a position playing Quidditch on the Romanian National Team just to get as far away from her as possible. She had always been happy for him and proud of him for following his dreams but their relationship had been strained from the moment she broke the news to him that she didn't see them working long term. She had never intended to destroy him, she had intended for things to go back to normal but they never did, she knew he still had feelings for her that were far from platonic. As they left the small cafe he pulled her tight into a hug. She felt him breathe in her scent.

As she pulled away he looked down at her. She saw the love in his eyes, love she knew she never could return. She was too damaged.

"I still love you Hermione," he said softly.

"And I love you Ron," she said

"But not romantically?"

"No Ron not romantically" she said repeating the line she felt like she had said to him a thousand times.

The look of hurt in his eyes was enough for her to know she needed to flee before they had another tryst that meant nothing to her but everything to him.

"Have a safe trip back to Romania. Tell Charlie I said hello." she said before turning to apparate back to her office before he could say another word.

She sighed once she was alone. She hated hurting him. She hated that every interaction they had since their breakup ended with her hurting him. She gathered some of her files to take back to her flat to work from home seeing as Malfoy sent Padma and Parvarti home for the day. She apparated back to her flat and saw Malfoy standing in her living room. She yelped in fright.

"What on Earth are you doing here," she said trying to slow her heartbeat

He turned around to face her "My apologies for startling you"

"You can't just break into my flat Draco," she said angrily.

"Well, I technically didn't break in. There were no anti-apparation wards in place."

"You are ridiculous" she scoffed

"So I'm guessing the lunch with Weasley didn't go so well?" he said trying to hide the smirk that played at his lips.

"It went very well, I'll have you know"

"So he took it well when you told him you weren't interested."

"I don't know what on Earth you are talking about" she said rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on Granger, you can see it in his eyes. Poor Weasley's got it bad for you." he smirked "Please tell me you didn't give him pity sex"

She scoffed "You truly are so disgusting and regardless, I really don't want to discuss this with you Draco" she narrowed her eyes.

"Fine fine" he said, holding his hands up in defense. "So was the pity shag good or?"

She gritted her teeth "There was no pity shag. We just talked. And had the same ending conversation we always do. He loves me but I don't love him. I do just not in the way he wishes I would. He still sees the girl he knew at Hogwarts. The girl he fell in love with. I am not her anymore"

"Ouch that's got to hurt" he said, his amusement still apparent "But I can see why you chose the path you did. I always thought you were far too good for him. I'm not seeing much of a problem with who you have become"

She moved to deny his words but decided against it. He was trying to get a rise out of her. " What are you doing here Malfoy?" She repeated her earlier question.

"We were very rudely interrupted earlier by Mr. Weasley and seeing as we both have a free afternoon."

"So you thought after seeing Ron I would be ready to run right back to you for a good shag?" she said narrowing her eyes at him

"Well when you say it out loud it does make me seem like a right asshole," he said, not looking embarrassed. He moved closer to her and moved a piece of hair behind her ear so he could lean in and whisper "but you already think I'm an asshole so what do I have to lose? I believe I could outperform Weasley any day."

She shuddered as his breath touched her ear and so desperately wanted to deny what he said was true but they both knew it was. She hated the effect he had on her but she couldn't give in to him. Not yet at least.

"We need to talk, Draco" she sighed as she stepped away from him.

"If you insist" he said making his way to the armchair chair that sat next to the couch "What would you like to discuss?"

"Boundaries. As exciting as today was, we could have very well been caught" she said quickly, opting not to sit "I am very serious about this remaining between you and I. Our meetings need to occur at a neutral place. A place that has no connection to you and I."

"I have some strings I can pull to make that happen" he smiled devilishly

"I thought you might" she smiled for the first time and stood "Owl me when things are set up"

He stood with her understanding she intended for him to leave. He pulled her body into his once more "Until next time Granger." he said before kissing her and apparating away.