"I think we can accommodate 200 people," Ginny said. "We can open the restaurant and bar up into one room. A stage can be constructed at the far end. We can then serve drinks from the bar and the buffet can be laid out in the atrium."

"Perfect," Draco nodded. "I've invited some of my customers to be on the judging panel. If you have anyone you'd like to ask?"

Hermione nodded. "No-one springs to mind but I will have a think about it."

"Ginny?" Draco prompted her.

"Well, the manager of our house band might know someone with musical connections..."

"No. I mean, I think you should be on the judging panel."

Hermione found herself grinning at the look of utter astonishment on her friends face. Ginny's eyes were wide in face, her mouth open.

"Me? You think I should be on the panel?"

"Yes - you'd be a good representative of the hotel. It's up to you, of course..."

"Yes - of course I'll do it."

Hermione gave a small chuckle and Ginny glared at her but didn't say anything.

"I think that's everything covered," Hermione said. "I'll speak to the bar staff and the chef but I'm sure you're familiar with the standards and choices we have by now. Will you be inviting any other reporters or is this just going to be covered by Silver?"

"No - they'll be others. It all helps promote the charity," Blaise answered. "But Silver will be the only one with all the inside information, of course."

"If we could start a list of attendees and press..."

Blaise nodded. "Yes - I'm going to get onto that straight away."

Hermione grinned. "Great. Shall we schedule another meeting for next week?"

Blaise and Ginny stood up but Draco remained seated. "I need to run through the competition details with Hermione," he said. Blaise and Ginny grinned and left the room without question. Hermione stood up anyway.

"I haven't go time right now for that," she said. "I've another meeting in half an hour."

Draco sighed loudly. "Great!"

"Sorry!"

Draco stood up. "I'm not sure you are sorry," he said and Hermione blinked rapidly at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione demanded.

"I mean, since we've become friends, you no longer treat me as your most important guest."

"That's not true - I'm just busy."

"You were busy before I went but I was treated properly then." Draco smirked, showing he was joking.

"Treated properly? Do you realise just how much of the hotel manager's time you monopolise?" Hermione grabbed her paperwork and held it to her chest. "I'll get back to you with the menu choices as soon as I can."

"We still haven't talked about what happened with Abigail and I do really need to discuss the competition with you. And what about our duet at the charity event?"

"There won't be a duet - I am not up to the standard of public performances."

"You have to do it! Do you realise just how much that will grab their attention? Silver are starting their mini series about us the night of the charity ball, so that could be the focus, plus all the other press will be there!"

Hermione raised both eyebrows. "Sounds great for you - what exactly am I getting out of it? Public humiliation for being a terrible piano player, my photograph splattered across every magazine and newspaper..."

"The hotel will do very nicely out of it."

"I meant me personally. What am I getting out of it?" Hermione asked. She gave a smile at his expression which was disbelieving.

"Me! That's what you're getting! Me!" Draco pointed at himself.

"Not for real."

Draco leant closer. "Are you telling me that you want me for real?"

Hermione turned around and started walking towards the door. She paused with her hand on the door handle. "I'll play the duet with you but we'll need to do some serious practise so I don't make a fool of myself."

Draco grinned. "Fantastic - but you didn't answer my question."

Hermione smirked and stepped out of the room, calling to him. "See you later, Draco."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It was three days since her meeting with Draco, Blaise and Ginny. Draco had chosen the menu, booked the hotel rooms and sent down his guest list with his new P.A. She was a pretty, petite girl but that was where the resemblance to Abigail ended. She was quietly spoken, subservient and pleasant. Hermione couldn't bring herself to like her, but she seemed harmless enough.

It was early morning and Hermione was in her office, working through a staff rota. She felt tired and she wasn't concentrating properly.

Draco had invited her to the penthouse tonight to practise on the piano. She'd agreed because she was more than happy to spend the evening in his company but also, it was now quite urgent that they practised. However, when she got in this morning, there was a message waiting for her, asking for her to see him and go through the itinerary for the charity event. She was half flattered and half annoyed at his continual insistence that she help with everything. He was overtaking everything else and if he wasn't at the forefront of her mind, he was still simmering away in the background, distracting her.

She slammed her quill down with a groan and pulled at her hair in frustration. What was it about him that drove her crazy!?He'd driven her crazy for seven years at school and now, here he was, invading her adult life and driving her to distraction! He had a brand new P.A., why couldn't she sort out the evening programme with him?

Hermione bit her lip. She didn't want him to go through the evening's schedule with his P.A. She wanted to do it. She groaned at her own ridiculous thoughts and then glanced at the time and tried to decide if it was too early to go up to the Penthouse.

Ten minutes later she found herself standing in the elevator, one hand holding a basket full of croissants, jam and juice, her other hand hovering over the buzzer. What if he was asleep? She should wait until later, because this gesture could most definitely be interpreted as slightly over eager. It was too late now - she was already here, so she forced herself to press the small button and cringed as the buzzer sounded horrendously loud. What in Merlin's name was she doing?

It seemed to take forever before she heard any movement and then when she did, it sent her into blind panic. Why wasn't she in her office? Why was she doing this?

The lift door slid open to reveal a dishevelled looking Draco, who was running his hand through his messy hair. He had on a robe, with bare feet. He blinked at her.

"What's the emergency?" he asked, his voice sounding sleepy.

"Errrr..." Hermione sniffed. "There isn't an emergency."

"What time is it?"

"It's early but I'm busy later and I wanted to talk to you."

"How early exactly?"

"Early," Hermione evaded his question. She indicated the basket. "I've brought breakfast with me..."

Draco rubbed his eyes. "My sleep is precious to me, Granger."

"Well, I'll try and come back later but I can't promise..." Hermione pushed at the lift buttons, pretending that she was really going to leave. As the doors finally started to shut, she felt herself being dragged through the ever decreasing gap, into the penthouse. The doors closed behind her and she stared at Draco, who was staring right back.

"Toast or croissants?" he asked.

"What?"

"Have you brought toast or croissants?" Draco repeated, taking the basket from her and walking towards the kitchen.

"Croissants."

Draco nodded, but didn't stop walking. "Good choice - I just might let you off for waking me up this ridiculous time of the morning." His words were harsh but he was looking at her affectionately. "But I warn you that if you do this again, I'll presume you want to join me in bed..." He left the sentence unfinished and Hermione rolled her eyes.

Draco grabbed some plates and glasses on the counter and began to unpack the basket, while Hermione just about managed to slide onto one of the stools unaided, thankful that Draco had his attention on the food. He placed a plate of croissants in between them, not offering her a plate of her own, before taking the top one and biting into it enthusiastically.

"What have I done then?" he asked, cheerfully.

Hermione couldn't help the small smile that curved her lips at his attitude. "You haven't done anything."

"That makes a change!"

"Yeah - it does!" Hermione smiled a little wider now and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Did you wake me up because you couldn't wait any longer to insult me?" he asked.

"You wanted me to help you with the itinerary and I don't have time later and we still haven't talked about Abigail or the details of our subterfuge. We can't go into it half heartedly or everyone will see straight through it."

"Woah!" Draco held up his hands. "My brain is still in sleep mode - I don't think I can deal with all that this morning."

"Well, at least let's start the itinerary or everything is going to be a last minute rush..."

Draco picked up a croissant and waved it at her. "Can we at least eat first?"

"Of course," Hermione smiled at him and leant forward, taking a bite from the croissant in his hand, making him laugh. "You know what?" she asked, chewing as she spoke.

"What?"

"I'm going to hate it when your house is finished and someone else is in this penthouse." She hadn't known she was going to say this and she watched him nervously for his reaction.

Draco put his croissant down and frowned. "I presumed you knew the general principle of how a hotel works, being the manager of one. Guests stay for a predetermined amount of time and then they leave to their normal lives."

"Hilarious aren't you? You know what I mean."

"You keep avoiding saying what you really mean, so until you do, I'm going to pretend I don't understand." Draco looked at the clock on the wall. "And if you finally want to admit just how devastatingly attractive you find me, I wish you would 'spit it out' because I have a meeting at midday..."

Hermione found herself smiling again at his teasing. He was right about one thing. She was making a terrible job of telling him how she felt and she hadn't had any intention of starting this conversation right now, but maybe it was time to be honest. "I know you have to leave and if I had that wonderful house to go to, I'd be leaving too! I'm not asking you to do stay...I just didn't know that I would feel like this about it." She tried to keep looking at him instead of looking down at the counter.

Draco was staring at her, his dark eyes fixed to her face. "You have a short memory, Granger."

Hermione blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"My messages from New York - you seem to have completely forgotten about them."

Hermione bit her lip. "I haven't forgotten about them..."

"So why are you worrying about when I leave here? We were thousands of miles away and who was I was depending on?" Draco lifted one eyebrow, questioningly. "Do you think I'm only friends with you because I'm renting your penthouse?"

"No, of course not."

"When I was in New York, I told you I needed you, and I still need you." Draco shrugged. He gave her a pointed look as he poured a large glass of juice and took a large swig from it. "So, how do you want to play this?" he asked. "Are we going to be the completely besotted couple, staring into each other's eyes, public displays of affection? Or the cool and aloof couple who keep up the mystery?"

Hermione screwed up her face. "Merlin! Can't we just carry on like we have been?"

Draco put his head to one side. "No! You're the one who's kept on about making it seem real!"

"Cool and aloof then."

"Fine!" Draco pulled a face and Hermione gave a little giggle.

"What exactly were you expecting me to agree to?" she asked.

"Abigail would have agreed to anything I suggested..." Draco looked at her over the top of his glass. She kept her face straight and rolled her eyes. He watched her for a moment and then she saw him smile. "You did well there not to bite my head off."

"I'm refining my skill of ignoring you," Hermione answered. She leant forward. "So don't tell me that she really did fool you?"

"Abigail?"

"Yes - I can't believe you were taken in by her."

"Well, I knew that she wasn't as sweet as she made herself out to be and I knew she liked me. I just didn't realise it was an obsession and that she would go to any lengths to get any other woman out of my life." He sighed. "It's bloody annoying that she had to be a bitch because she was good at her job."

"Don't want to hear it!" Hermione held her hand up in front of face. "And I tried to tell you what she was like but you wouldn't listen."

"I have apologized for that."

"I know..." Hermione reached over as he put his glass down again and grabbed his hand. She slowly linked her fingers with his, her eyes on his face and she watched as his eyes darkened and he leaned closer. Suddenly, Hermione pulled away and his eyes widened. "I've got to ask you something and its none of my business..."

"Oh no!" Draco slapped his head in an exaggerated fashion.

"Did you and Abigail...well, did you have an affair?" Hermione narrowed her eyes slightly, a little apprehensive that she might upset him by asking this.

"Mind your own business," Draco said but he was grinning widely. "I'll answer you, if you tell me why you want to know."

"I'm just curious."

"That's a cop out."

"She doesn't seem your type."

"And you claim to know my type, do you?" Draco smirked and Hermione shook her head.

"No! I just mean that she was too keen - to easy to persuade. I would have thought you would have liked more of a challenge."

Draco was still grinning. "No. I like 'em ready and willing."

"Eurrgh!" Hermione grimaced and Draco burst out laughing.

"Why all the interest?"

Hermione sighed. "Because I'm secretly besotted with you and once you tell me what your type is, I can then change to be like that." Her voice was sarcastic and she took a sip of her drink.

Draco leant forward again. "So, what if I tell you that my type is the petite, bushy haired, bossy sort?" He smirked again.

"Very funny." Hermione touched her hair. "My hair isn't bushy!"

"Well, Abigail was a good actress and when she first started working for me we got on well. It was great having a P.A. I could actually rely on." Draco shrugged. "It was just sex - I didn't know she was more into it than that."

"I'm beginning to wish I hadn't asked."

Draco nodded. "I think we should continue this discussion later. I have a feeling it might be interesting."

"Later?"

"You are still coming to rehearse?"

"Oh, yes."

"So, I'll go and get dressed and we can have a go at putting the itinerary together now. That way we'll be able to refine it later."

Hermione nodded and watched as he walked towards the bedrooms. He was right - later would be interesting...

More soon...do we need some Dramione? Yes we do! x