Author's Note: Hey everyone! Wow, it feels like forever since I last posted anything worthwhile on here sans yesterday's post. :P As I mentioned in the mini-shot, I do apologize for practically falling off the face of the earth. BUT IT WAS FOR A GOOD REASON! AND HERE IT IS! :D

For the last couple of months this summer, I've been working on a fanfic for the Hawthorn & Vine (H&V) Treasured Tropes celebration. It is actually my first piece I've ever written for a"competition" that was on a specific timeframe, thus the reason why I didn't update my other fics. I wanted to focus soley on this project so I could finish and submit before the due date. Thankfully, despite getting occasional writer's block and wanting to pull my hair out, I finished. However, that was half the work. Despite turning it in, I still had to wait until H&V posted it on their site before I could share it anywhere else. Believe me, this part was actually a bit of agony. My fingers itched to post it here ASAP since it is finished but I had to wait. I didn't want to get in trouble. And so, while I waited, I repeated myself that infamous proverbial,"patience is a virtue" as I bounced my knees under the table and tried to distract the itch off my fingers. BUT IT PAYED OFF! Because today, it was finally posted! :D

So, without further ado, here is a new fic I humbly present to you all. It's based on a prompt that scarlettcat from H&V suggested. I hope you all find it as enjoyable as I did writing it. I will be posting two chapters every other day, so you won't get overwhelmed over here (it's 8 chapters long). Further details on the fanfic are posted below.

BY THE WAY, my good friend Wirda(contra1veritas) on tumblr made an awesome banner for it. If you want to see it, go here: i1163 . photobucket albums / q550 / Dramione13 / TP . jpg(just close the gaps between the link)

OK, I'm done babbling. ENJOY! :D

Details from the H&V website:

Summary: Prompt idea from scarlettcat: "Draco catches Hermione doing something a Head Girl shouldn't be doing. He blackmails her into pretending to be his girlfriend to get Pansy off his back."
Genre(s): Alternate Universe, Drama, Angst, Humour, Romance
Warning(s): Implicit Sexual Situations, Mild Profanity
Timeline: Year 8

Characters: Pansy Parkinson, Terry Boot, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Theo Nott
Themes: Blackmail, Forced Partnership, Jealousy, Unrequited Love
Hermione: Know-It-All, Blushing Virgin, Feisty
Draco: Broody, Manipulative, Snarky, Sex God
Side Pairings: Draco/Pansy
Submission Notes: scarlettcat, I hope I did this ok and that you like it! It was so much fun to write. And many thanks to my beta, swirlsofblack! You have been amazing throughout it all. I can't thank you enough for your patience with me and for all your hard work! It is VERY MUCH appreciated :)
Beta(s): swirlsofblack

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns it all. I only somewhat own this plot.

Chapter 1

It was getting close to midnight when Draco was rounding the dungeons for the last time. He was rather happy that he was doing his prefect rounds by himself. Or else the unfortunate person that would have been paired with him would have found themselves at the receiving end of Draco's bad mood. But then again, what else was new?

That day had not been a great one for Draco. Since his return to school after the war, everyone had more or less treated him like a pariah. And despite having some friends return back with him that year, he still had the issue of dealing with his ever-clingy girlfriend Pansy. Ex-girlfriend, actually.

Not a day went by when that sad excuse of a woman would corner him, smother him or try to hint that they should get married. Of all the women he had been with, she had been the one to suffocate him every day. And he was getting sick of it-fast.

He didn't know what else he could do. He had already been politely declined her advances and had even been blunt and mean. Yet, she kept coming back or making a scene which in turn made him cave and deal with her coddling.

Today, however, took the cake.

He had been about to get up to leave the Great Hall after finishing his dinner when Pansy bounced in towards him and landed herself on his lap. To his embarrassment, his friends sniggered at her antics while Blaise began to pucker his lips in the air with Pansy's back to them. Draco scowled in response and tried to extract himself from her grip on his neck. But to his dismay, she held on tightly and proceeded to lock her lips with his. He stayed frozen throughout the whole exchange, his mouth staying sealed, until she finally sighed and released him a little in order to look at him with hooded eyes, trying to look desirable. He rolled his eyes at her antics.

"Draco, baby, I've missed you," she purred as she began to play with his tie.

"Funny because I haven't missed you. And don't call me baby," he snapped as he slapped her hand away.

She pouted. "Ah, don't be like that. You know you don't mean it."

He snorted and shook his head. No matter how bad he treated her, she kept coming back. With more force than necessary, he shoved her off his lap and settled her on the bench next to him. Her pout turned into a frown and she aimed to grab one of his hands. He groaned inwardly as she succeeded and locked it in both of hers.

"So will I see you later?" she asked while giving him a hopeful look. She lowered her voice and continued, "We haven't...you know...since last week and I was hoping you could come to my dorm since the girls will be out for the day."

He sighed again. Though he had enjoyed a romp with her now and again, since she was willing, he had realized a little bit too late that it wasn't worth it. In fact, he actually regretted complying in the past because now he was stuck in this mess. Her following him around like a lost puppy was embarrassing to say the least.

"No Pansy, I can't. I have to study for the old bat's Muggle Studies quiz tomorrow. I told you already," he answered in annoyance.

"Oh," She replied with a pout again. "Well, I hardly get to see you. It's like you don't want to see me."

"Of course I don't want to see you. In fact, you're not even my girlfriend!" he hissed loudly.

At this reaction her face crumbled and, before she started to cry, she ran out of the Hall again with her face in her hands. His friends proceeded to laugh once she was gone.

"Boy Draco, you sure have a way with the birds," Theo said with a smirk. Blaise and Goyle continued laughing as they grabbed their sides.

"I've already told that stupid bint we're not together, more than once," he responded in a growl. "It's like she chooses not to understand or has decided to ignore that fact."

"Yeah but you didn't have to be such a git," Blaise said with a grin. "I mean, is it really that terrible that she wants you so much? She's not that bad."

"Yes she is, because she's been acting like gum under my shoe. Repeatedly," he said and took a big swig of his pumpkin juice.

"So does that mean that there will be no wedding?" Theo asked nonchalantly.

At this, Draco spit out his juice all over his friends, making them grimace.

"Hey! No need to soak my robes!" Blaise called out as he waved his wand over himself.

"What?" Draco asked Theo with a scowl, ignoring Blaise.

"You know, a wedding? Pansy has said that her father has been speaking with yours and that a contract has been drawn up."

"When was this?!" he hissed. There was no way his father would be arranging anything without his two cents! He wouldn't dare!

Would he?

"She just told us during lunch. And may I just say that this is very romantic. An arranged marriage! And with your beloved!" Theo exclaimed, clapping his hands together with a wide grin.

"She's not my beloved! And my father...he...he wouldn't do this!" he sputtered.

"Well, apparently, he has. And seemed to have neglected in telling you," Blaise said as he began to snigger again, Goyle joining him.

"There is no way I am marrying that twit!" Draco yelled as he slammed a fist on the table. At this reaction, the Great Hall stopped in their chatter in order to look towards the Slytherin table. As they looked, they saw Draco scowling at his friends while they openly laughed in his face. After two seconds of silence, conversations resumed and they ignored them again. Meanwhile, his friends continued with their laughs.

"Well, it seems you are and that you better make things right with your bride to be. I hear she likes to howl like a Banshee when she begins the road towards wallowing," Theo said while gasping for air.

Draco finally had had enough of their jeering and poking. He stood up rapidly, snatched his book bag, and walked out of the Great Hall with long strides, trying to calm his anger. But alas, his rage decided to escalate and was now out in full force.

How dare his father! Why hadn't he told him anything and kept him in the dark? Better yet, why was he even trying to meddle with his love life and making contracts for an arranged marriage! Draco knew he still had time before he had to settle down and take the reins as the rightful Malfoy heir. So why was this happening? Was this supposed to be a way for his father to better the Malfoy name after their disastrous involvement with the Dark Lord? Sure, the Parkinsons had kept themselves away from the whole thing but Pansy wasn't the only girl out there without a shady history. The thought of being trapped in a loveless marriage with that bint was enough to make him have a panic attack.

He turned quickly and exited through the Entrance and walked out towards the Owlery.

Arranged marriage indeed! He proceeded to call down his eagle owl and attach the note he had penned quickly that would give his father a piece of his mind on the whole thing. There had to be other options than to force him to get married to the one person he couldn't stand. He was only eighteen for fuck's sake!

Draco sighed loudly as he walked along the dungeon corridor towards the Potions classroom. Now that he had time to cool off a little, he was kind of regretting being hasty and sending that note to his father. Sure he was upset that things were being done without his consent. But he also knew that writing such snappy note to his own father would provoke unnecessary anger and then a backlash. He grimaced as he imagined what his father's reaction was like as he read the note and what his possible response would be. He just hoped it wouldn't lead to his father coming down to Hogwarts and reprimanding him publicly.

Draco scoffed at the idea. His father was currently under house arrest and wouldn't dare risk violating his punishment. However, he could still send him a Howler, which was just as bad. Draco groaned. He hoped against hope that nothing of that nature would happen. Besides, they were Malfoys. His father had said time and again that they don't let their feelings get the best of them. He just hoped that proved to be true during this whole debacle.

As he passed by the classroom, a loud crash suddenly sounded from within that room. At first, he was startled by the sound. But then realization came to play and a small smile formed on his lips. Whoever was in there was so busted.

He quickly walked back towards the door and tried to open it and frowned. Curiously, it was locked which was unusual. The class doors tended to be unlocked in order for the prefects to verify that they were empty.

Just as he was about to wave his wand over the handle, he heard someone.

"Shite!" the voice said in a whisper.

Intrigued, Draco proceeded to unlock the door as the person inside the room seemed to have quieted down. He was about to grab the handle again when the door opened quickly and a person was standing right in front of him.

With surprise marring his features, he stared into the eyes of none other than Hermione Granger. She stared back at him with her mouth dropped open in shock.