Shocked was a mild word for explaining Catherine's reaction as she gazed at her 'not-so-great' cousin she used to bully who was now looking and acting like a woman with grace should .
When Catherine had first entered the restaurant in her blood red high slit dress as if she owned it there was only one thing in her mind : Catch the infamous Malfoy heir's attention before her cousin Laura did . But now it looked she not only her competition has increased but also one more task to complete before this evening and the boring 'reunion' got over : Put her younger and not so lovely cousin on her toes .
Though Catherine agreed that her ugly cousin had turned into a beautiful swan . No not beautiful , with her buck-tooth gone , her lions mane tamed into soft curls and an air of authority and confident around her , she was Elegant .
She and her cousins were standing in a circle as they waited for their dinner table to get ready . And to say the silence was awkward was an understatement . Zara was tapping on her phone not even pretending that she was interested . Ashton was looking at Hermione as if she was his next conquest and to be truthful she always thought there was something wrong with her brother . Laura , well Luara was in simple words definitely planning something evil for thier freaky little cousin even though she wore a blank expression . It was her eyes that gave her away . She hasn't took her eyes off Hermione from the moment she had entered the room . And neither had Catherine . Her mom and aunt were throwing glances towards their odd circle every now and then not helping the situation while Hermione was giving them sweet condescending smiles .
The tension in the room was deafening and increasing with each passing moment . No one was trying to break the tension or the silence . Catherine thought she was in a battle field instead of a reunion !! There was a battle of will going on - who would give in first and try to break the silence .
Catherine was brought back to earth by his brother's question , "So Hermione where have you been for the pass years ?" . Looked like his brother losed the battle , Catherine thought as Hermione started speaking , "After finishing my studies at the private boarding school , I started working for the government and has been quiet busy ."
"A Government job ? " Laura asked with a scoff and a raised eyebrows , "What was the benefit of going to this 'exclusive' school if in the end filing papers is all you are doing ? "
"No Laura , filing paper is not the only thing I do" her cousin replied with a sickeningly sweet voice , "Government job is not just about filing paper , its more than that , seriously what have you been doing this pass years if you don't know that ?" Hermione was looking at Laura horrified which Catherine knew was fake while Laura was trying to calm herself maybe to stop herself from pouncing on 'know-it-all' .
Ashton smirked and whispered to Catherine " Now this is getting interesting " Even Zara had abandoned her phone and seemed a little interested as she eyed the both of them .
Catherine would have loved to see Hermione bitting Laura in a verbal fight . She may not much like her bossy know-it-all cousin but that doesn't meant she loved her other cousins . Seriously if Catherine was truthful no one in this room knew or loved the other well enough maybe except uncle Josh's family . It was the main reason she had helped Laura torment Hermione in their childhood , because she was jealous about the bond Hermione shared with her parents .
This Reunion , these sweet talks were all a facade to flaunt their new achievements and growing bank accounts . A facade which her 5'2" bossy cousin with her snarky comments and attitude was about to break . Catherine couldn't let that happen . Because if that happen she would lose and that was one thing she hated more than chipped nails . So instead of focusing on Draco while Laura was focused on Hermione she took a deep breath gathered her limited wits and looked towards Laura signaling her that she was on her side!
But before Catherine could speak her idiotic brother opened his big fat mouth once again , "So Hermione can you tell us about your 'oh so important job' ?"
"No, actually I can't , you see working for the government I have to follow some rules , one of them being secrecy . Being a advocate you would no that , right ? But I could tell you that I m head of my department which work for the welfare and rights of the community which are treated as minorities ."
"Wait , are you telling you are the head of your department at such a young age ? For how many years have you been working ?" Uncle Mark asked while Aunt Margaret said (scoffed) in her annoyingly sweet voice "Hermione dear there's no need to lie to your family . Being a head at such a young age , thats not possible . Dear we would accept you with open arms , though we would be a little disappointed, even if you are a simple clerk working in the government office then you being a liar !!" Great even the adults are listening to thier conversation Catherine thought , though she did smiled at Aunt Margaret .
"Aunt Margaret I am touched by your concern towards my career though a little hurt that you don't even have a little fate in me after all I am a Granger! I am not lying . You see after I finished my schooling at this exclusive school of mine with flying numbers at the age of 18 I was offered a job at the Ministry which I accepted immediately and has been working ever since . And after years of hardwork I was finally promoted to the head of the department last year ! Isn't that great ?"
Catherine was not sure how to reply to that little speech and as she looked around she saw that Aunt Margaret , her mom and Laura were glaring at her 'smart- mouthed cousin' . Even her dad and Uncle were looking a little irritated .
Catherine had to agree , not only had her cousin grown look wise this past years but she has grown confident too . 'A little too confident' , Catherine thought with a evil smirk , 'Ohh!! I am so going to enjoy this . By the end of this evening l will not only win Draco but also help my family put this freak and her family on their toes , it was time to up their game.'
But before anyone could ask another question or try to humiliate the freak , the said cousin excused herself saying she needed to use the restroom .
As Hermione turned and walked out of the room Laura leaned towards Catherine and said - "Maybe she has gone to gather her courage , must have taken her a lot of courage to lie so blatantly on our faces." But Catherine wasn't focusing because she was still staring at the opened door lost in her own thought . As her oversmart cousin had turned to leave for the restroom, Catherine eyes had focused for the first time on the gleaming emerald necklace that adorned her cousin's necklace . She had seen that same neaklace . Fuck!! she had daydream several times about that necklace and those beautiful earrings which also her cousin was wearing being gifted to her by a certain blond haired hot billionaire . Ohh she remembered that day as if it was tomorrow
Catherine was in a foul mood , first she wasn't able to catch her beauty sleep then her shoot hadn't gone great and to top it of she had found that the nail of her right hand index finger has broken!!!
There was only one thing that could enlighten her gloomy day - jewelries! Ohh she loved jewellery more then her career and her perfectly manicured nails .
As she stepped out of her car and started walking towards Tiffany , she wasn't paying attention and bumped into someone who was busy on his phone . When Catherine turned ready to chew the face of that idiot she was shocked . No it was more then that . She was well she was ....it was like love at first sight though in her case infatuation at first sight . Those silky platinum blonde hair , molten silver eyes , high cheek bones and that sharp jaw !! Not to forget a great body . And that husking tone which was asking her - " Are you ohk?? " "Yeah , I am great ." she replied in a dreamy voice .
Her Prince charming turned and walked to his car not even giving her a second glance . It was then that she got out of her stupor and realised with a start that the hottie was none other than 'The Draco Malfoy' . She entered the shop still half shocked and found that the saleswomen were mummering to each other , probably talking about their last customer . Forgetting about the reason for which she had come to this place she straightened her back and walked briskly towards one of the clerks . Using her charms which have helped her so many times in her modeling career and to get laid , not that she has used it often her looks were enough , she found out what the leading hotelier was doing in a Jewelry Shop in the first place . The clerk has shown her the necklace and those earrings that he has asked the clerks to deliver it to hopely her mother's or a sister's place . She had immediately fallen in love with them but they were expensive even for her and even if she could afford there just was one piece that she was holding and it had which had already been bought by Draco .
'They are obviously fake . No way her freak for a cousin knew Draco . Maybe the clerk was lying and there indeed was another set . But even then there was no way she could afford it . Its just a fake replica of the original piece .' Catherine assured herself . But even she knew deep down that she was lying to herself .
" Fuck! Is that Draco Malfoy ?" Laura's voice more like a shriek brought Catherine back from her inner monologue . And sure enough there standing in a black suit looking like a greek god was none other than the man who has haunted her mind for the past year or so !!
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Firstly ,
DISCLAIMER : I don't own the Harry potter world or the characters . All the credits goes to J.K.Rowling .
Secondly , sorry for the idiotic title couldn't come up with one .
And lastly , how did you like it so far?? Sorry in advance for all the grammatical mistake (I suck !!) .