Chapter 5 – The Courtesan

Hermione uncovered her hood as she peered around the corner. Draco was standing with Blaise and Theo chatting heartily. Hermione pulled out extendable ears and listened carefully.

"Yeah mate, do you think Madame Soire will give us a discount since we go there so many times?" Blaise chuckled, "It seems like those girls thrived off our visits."

"If I was a girl I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off me either. " Theo joked. Hermione assessed the two alumni's of Hogwarts. Both Blaise and Theo are extremely good looking. Blaise stood tall, tanned and arrogant where as Theo had more of a laid back look. His soft brown hair fell over his eyes in a casual manner and always seems to be in deep thoughts. His attitude however was pure Slytherin.

"Draco, you need to seriously sleep with these girls." Blaise gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder, "Every visit you just sit there and let them throw themselves at you and yet you never bid for one."

"I agree, they're such vixens in bed." Theo nodded, "I might actually bid for a virgin tonight." He added with a wink.

"I'm married you guys." Draco smirked in the dark.

"Astoria is a stunner, I'll have to give that to you." Blaise said, leaning against the wall of Three Broomsticks, "But didn't you say she's a cold-hearted bitch who sleeps around with other guys?" Even in the dark, Hermione could see Draco's eyes flashed with annoyance.

Astoria cheated on Draco? Who would cheat on Draco? He's the guy all pureblood witch's want to marry… Hermione thought as she strained to hear more of the conversation.

"I have no proof that she slept with the guy in Italy. And she doesn't sleep with guys. Draco rolled his eyes, "I just have a hunch that she did it with that one guy."

"Italian guys are hard to resist." Blaise teased and pointed at himself, "Never been rejected."

"Get over yourself Blaise." Theo scoffed, "Plus didn't you feed her veritaserum? And she practically admitted to it and begged you to forgive her?" Draco gritted his teeth.

"Yes." Draco growled, "But this is not to be leaked to the media. It was soil the name of the Malfoys."

"Not surprising, she was always a slut back in Hogwarts." Theo shrugged, "But not as slutty as Pansy. She still owling you?"

"Every single night asking me to come over or meet her at Le Doux Gout." Draco sighed.

"Well mate, we're going to get you laid tonight." Blaise smiled widely, "Off to Le Doux Gout we go!" and the boys apparated away.

Hermione stood there, stunned at what she heard. They're going to the gentlemen's club? Will Draco cheat on Astoria? Hermione debated whether to go back to the manor or to follow them. After just seconds of debating she made up her mind and apparated to Le Doux Gout.

When she popped up in front of the renaissance building, she had already lost site of the boys. She quickly pulled up her hood and entered the building. The foyer was large with a grand staircase on the opposite side of the room. The decoration was champagne, gold and bronze and a huge chandelier hung from the very top. Women dressed in long dresses walk around with champagne glasses in their hands while men were chatting animatedly with either one of the girls or to each other. Everyone here was dressed very nicely as if they were going to a ball.

She felt a hand grab her arms roughly.

"I told you to enter from the side door!" A tall, prestigious looking woman said, "We can't let our bidders see you! Especially looking like that."

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked confused. What was going on? The woman didn't reply and dragged her into a room and sat her down on a plushy seat. She assessed her quietly and sighed.

"Beautiful and innocent." She sighed, "You're going to be worth so much."

"E-excuse me?" Hermione stammered, "I think you got the wrong person! I'm not…a courtesan. I was just here to look for – someone." Hermione finished, almost giving away that she was looking for Draco.

"What is your name again?" the lady asked, looking at her suspiciously. But before she could answer, the door opened and there stood a tall, blonde girl with shocking blue eyes.

"Madame Soire, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott are here." She announced. Madame Soire's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Oh goodie!" she exclaimed, "Tell them I will be there in a minute!" the blonde bowed before exiting the room.

"I personally hope one of those three bid for you." Madame Soire said, "They're the richest men in town!" Three women entered the room and stood by Hermione as Madame Soire whipped up a list of things for them.

"I think I have to go…" Hermione stood up, but Madame Soire gave her a stern look, which sat her back down.

"You will be introduced as Miss Fleur." Madame Soire finished off her list. Hermione found it funny how her 'introduction' happen to be one of the Triwizard Tournament champion, "Just one more thing…" she waved a wand over Hermione and she felt a warm tingly feeling wash over her. Then a clear crystal ball protruded from her and floated in front of her chest for a few seconds before vanishing.

With one final look of satisfaction, she swept out the room. The girls start to strip off her clothes and fix her hair and apply makeup onto her face.

"Wait!" Hermione cried out, "There is a mistake! I'm not the girl who's suppose to show up tonight. I was here to look for someone!"

"No woman ever comes here to look for someone." One of the girls said, "They come here to apply to be a courtesan."

"But I did not apply!" Hermione spat out, "I want to go home!"

"You can't, she probably already announced your debut." Another girl replied, "If you leave, her name will be soiled and she is a very powerful woman…she can seek you out and…destroy you."

"Remember Caroline?" All three girls shuddered. Hermione had no idea who Caroline was.

"It's rare to get a virgin around here nowadays."

"Who says I am?" Hermione scoffed.

"Oh stop pretending, crystal ball clearly said you were." The girl laughed at her silliness, "Red means you've been around a lot, pink means you've had a few here and there and clear means you're a virgin. That's how Madame Soire ranks how much you're worth. The red ones are barely worth much. I think they start just at 30 galleons."

"30? That's still a lot." Hermione choked out. The girls gave her a weird look before pulling her onto her feet.

"There, you're done." Hermione glanced at her in the mirror. She was wearing a very light lilac colored Grecian dress that flowed down to the floor accentuating her curves. There was a thin gold band around her waist and her hair was curled into thick locks that were pinned back. Hermione grudgingly had to admit that she did look beautiful, she almost didn't recognize herself. One girl brought over a dark purple mask with lace and beads around it and placed in on her face.

"The girls wear masquerade masks…?" Hermione asked, in a trance.

"Only virgins do." The door flew open and the blonde girl stepped in.

"They're ready for her." That seemed to snap Hermione out of her trance.

"No! I will be sold to some…rich tycoon!" Hermione backed away from the girls.

"You have no choice! This is what you get for coming here!" the girls dragged her by her arms towards the door.

No no no! This can't be happening! Hermione screamed in her head. She has always fanaticized on losing her virginity to a man she loved romantically. Hermione tossed one last desperate look at one of the girl who was standing by the vanity table. The girl gave her a sad look before she disappeared from sight.

Draco tried his best not to roll he eyes as two average looking girls threw themselves at him. Blaise however was enjoying the three girls that were practically humping his legs.

"There's one virgin tonight." Theo noted as he looked at the sheet, "Apparently she's a stunner."

"No matter how stunning she is, she lost all credibility being a courtesan." Draco replied coolly. The girls that were all over him gave him an offending look.

"Now now ladies, doesn't mean you're any less beautiful." Draco said sweetly, "Many men would kill to be in your presence." The girls giggled and continued to fuss over him. Blaise rolled his eyes at the scene and gave one of the girls a big kiss on her lips.

"What about me Blaise?" the other girl pouted.

"In due time beautiful, in due time." Blaise answered in a sultry voice. Theo, who didn't have any girls drooling over him, was craning his neck to see if he can see the virgin blood.

"May I have your attention please?" Madame Soire's voice boomed, "It's time for us to bring out one of our finest lady tonight." Many men whistled and howled.

"Bring her out!" Some guy in the crowd shouted. Theo threw him a disgusted look before focusing his attention back at Madame Soire.

"She is pure and innocent. She's beautiful and delicate at the same time. However, she does have a feisty attitude in her." Madame Soire smiled widely.

"My kind of girl right here. Presentable, a girl of class but a freak in the sheet." Theo chuckled.

"No one marries a Courtesan." Draco scoffed.

"But this is a virgin, if I get her to fall in love with me I can get her to marry me knowing she has not been with any other man but me." Theo replied.

"Shut up Theo, you have so many pureblood girls that are drooling over you. You're like top five eligible bachelor that can get shagged anytime he wants." Blaise said, "You don't even know what blood this woman is." Theo just shrugged and looked at Madame Soire.

"And here she is!" Madame Soire presented her arms out, "Miss Fleur!" A nervous looking girl came out, in fact, a girl had to practically shove her out.

"She's….breathtaking." Theo's mouth dropped. Her beauty, too, hypnotized Blaise.

"I have to agree with you…" Blaise said softly, "I might have to bid for that." Theo threw him a dirty look. Draco didn't even speak. He just stood there, like every other guy in the room, hypnotized by her. Astoria is a very good-looking woman with features of an aristocrat. She turns head everywhere she went with men drooling after her…but this women that stood before Draco was different. Men don't drool around her nor do they follow her around like a sick puppy. She entrances men with one look and her face will be forever in their mind. Her innocent was easily read like a book and her soft features accentuate her beauty. She was, in Draco's mind, perfect.

"The starting bid is at one hundred galleons." Madame Soire announced. Draco could hear some men curse and some men mumbled because they cannot afford the starting rate.

"I thought veela's weren't allowed…" Draco said softly.

"They aren't." Theo nodded, "But she's not a veela." Draco didn't question him because Theo was an expert when it came to veelas. Someone shouted the starting price.

"Great! We have the first bidder!" Madame Soire exclaimed. She then looked over to Draco and them and raised her eyebrow.

"Two hundred." Theo said loudly. Blaise widened his eyes.

"You're serious mate?" Blaise asked, "You're actually going to fork out for a virgin tonight?"

"It's not like he can't afford it." Draco laughed.

"Three hundred!"

"Increments of a hundred! I like that!" Madame Soire clapped her hands, "Higher anyone?"

"Four hundred!" Theo said calmly. Draco ignored what these men were saying as he looked at the courtesan. Behind the mask, he could see her eyes widened as the money increased by a hundred galleons. She looked overwhelmed at all the attention she's been receiving.

She probably doesn't realize how beautiful she is… Draco thought. She took a step back and looked around as if she's looking for an escape, but Madame Soire had a tight grip on her.

"One thousand galleons!" Theo shouted. Everyone gasped, including Miss Fleur. Blaise looked as if he was crazy. The competitor of Theo looked baffled and seems to be struggling with debating whether he should continue or not.

"One thousand galleons! Do we hear one thousand one hundred?" Madame Soire's eyes gleamed with excitement, "Going once, going twice? So—"

"Two thousand." Said a voice from Theo's right. Blaise and Theo's mouth dropped open, like every other man in the room.

"Two thousand!" Madame Soire gasped, "Highest we've ever gotten! Sold to Mr. Draco Malfoy." The courtesan looked as if she was about to faint.

"What are you playing at?" Theo demanded angrily to Draco as he pulled out his money and putting it in a pouch.

"You guys wanted me to get laid tonight, so I am." Draco replied nonchalantly.

"You could have gone for any other girl!"

"Yes, but I want this one." Draco pointed out, "You can get the next virgin."

"You know how rare virgins come along?" Theo growled.

"Hey mate, let him be." Blaise placed a hand on Theo's shoulders, "Draco actually bid on a woman. Let him have his revenge on Astoria." Theo gave Draco one dirty look before stalking off.

Hermione nearly fainted when she saw that Draco Malfoy had bid two thousand galleons for her.

You mean he bid two thousand galleons for Miss Fleur… a voice in her head said, I wonder what he's going to say when he finds out who you really are…

Hermione's heart dropped because she knew the voice in her head was right. Well, not like she wanted to sleep with Draco Malfoy anyways she sniffed to herself. Then her eyes widened, she did have to sleep with him! She better find a way out of this fast.

She saw Draco sauntering over to her with a slight smirk on his face. Hermione gripped her fist tightly and tried her very best not to wipe that smirk off his face. When he had reached her, he handed over the pouch. Hermione looked over at Madame Soire who nodded for her to take it. Hermione's hand shook as she reached for it. My goodness was the pouch heavy!

"The suite is ready for you." Madame Soire pointed to the elegant door at the top of the grand staircase. Without saying anything, Draco offered his hand, which Hermione took gingerly. He led her up the stairs and she could feel everyone's eyes on her.

Once they were inside the beautiful room, Draco turned to her.

"I usually don't bid for the ladies here…" Draco began softly, "But when you came out…you looked stunning. I knew then that I must have you."

Hermione looked at him as if he grew a second head. It was odd having Draco Malfoy compliment her, even though he didn't know he was actually complimenting Hermione Granger. Draco took a step closer and Hermione could smell his cologne – a bit of spice mixed in with something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever it was, she was entranced by the smell. He was close enough now to kiss her, but however, he didn't.

"So beautiful…" He murmured as his hands reached towards her mask. Hermione snapped out of her state and backed away.

"I-I can't." Hermione stuttered. Draco frowned at the familiarity of her voice. Hermione's eyes widened and made her voice a bit girlier, "I have to go."

"What do you mean you can't?" Draco asked, "I promise I'll be gentle."

"No, I-I just can't do this." Hermione backed towards the door. Her heart was beating fast and she was sure her face was flushed.

"I just paid two thousand galleons." Draco said in a deadly tone, "I'm out to get what I want." Hermione casted him one last look of remorse before she fled out of the room. She heard Draco cursed loudly and a few things were being broken in the room. She didn't care that everyone was wondering what was going on as they watched her apparated away the moment she exited the building.

Draco cursed and emerged from the room looking angry.

"My goodness Mr. Malfoy!" Madame Soire looked embarrassed, "I am so sorry! I don't know what is wrong with that girl!"

"Maybe she didn't like you." Theo said smugly, which earned him a dirty look from Draco.

"She ran off with my money as well." Draco replied coldly.

"My goodness!" Madame Soire looked like she was about to pass out, "I promise you that isn't usual behavior of our courtesans! Would you like me to give you as many courtesans as you like tonight with no charge?" Draco could see Madame Soire practically begging.

"No, I will be retiring back to my manor now." Draco said coldly before he walked towards the door and apparated home. He cursed as he made his way up to his study. He was so close in claiming something so beautiful and yet he let it slip away just like that.

He opened his study door and threw his coat on the big, leather chair. Just as he was about to leave, he saw something on this desk. He walked over to it and picked it up. It was his pouch filled with two thousand galleons.

A/N: Again, sorry for the late update. I have an exam next week and decided to upload two chapters! Chapters for my other story will be uploaded soon hopefully! Please Review! xoxo