First Encounter
Draco stalked through the corridors to the Great Hall where the Hogwarts staff seemed to think throwing a New Year's party and forcing all the returning students to attend was a good idea. Frankly, the blond didn't think any of them had all that much to celebrate. Sure, the Dark Lord had been slain, finally, but many people had been lost during the war. He didn't really feel like celebrating anything, but when he brought the subject up to his Head of House, the man had insisted they needed to celebrate all they could in order to help everyone cope.
"What a load of rubbish!" Draco muttered as he recalled the encounter. He only went to see the downcast, miserable looks of the other students, especially certain Gryffindors. It somehow made him feel better to know other people suffered like he did.
The blond stepped through the open doors and into a completely transformed Great Hall. The four house tables had been replaced with several smaller round versions, but very few students seemed to be gathering according to house. The one exception were the Slytherins, but even some of them were mingling with the other houses. Draco even saw two green-clad boys talking with a group of Hufflepuff girls. He scoffed at their behavior and went to find a secluded corner where he wouldn't be bothered.
Having faded into the shadows of a convenient corner the blond turned his attention to examining the decorations. The house colors had been removed, except for the robes worn by the students, and replaced with gold and silver trim along the walls. Candles had been bewitched to float above the tables. All of them gave off a pastel glow, even the ones in brackets along the stone walls. The whole effect was rather calming, though Draco was loath to admit it. Even the ceiling, which normally showed the weather outside, had been altered to display a beautiful, golden sunrise with splashes of color streaking across the sky. Gentle clouds floated by and several stars could be seen faintly near the entrance.
The staff had really gone all out in an effort to keep the students from thinking about all they had lost. The stupid idea of a sunrise was probably supposed to symbolize a new beginning or something sappy like that. Draco cast his gaze around the room, searching for familiar faces, and stopped on a group of Gryffindors. Potter and his friends stood together laughing and smiling. Granger and the Weasel stood close together and spoke quietly, small smiles on their faces. Potter and the Weaselette stood in a similar pose. Only Hawkins seemed to be left out of the couple groupings, but she didn't seem to mind. She stood with Longbottom and Lovegood, who had just drifted over, and chatted amicably with them.
The blond tore his gaze away from the group, an uncomfortable wrenching in his chest. The feeling was unfamiliar to him and he spent several minutes trying to identify it. Regret. Why was that most un-Malfoy-like feeling plaguing him now of all times? Draco watched the group for several more moments before forcing his gaze away and wandering off to find something to drink. It was a pity they wouldn't allow Firewhiskey for students, but maybe if he drank twenty bottles of Butterbeer he could drown this annoying new emotion.
Maia chatted with her friends, but Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had turned their interests toward each other, leaving her and Neville to their own devices. Fortunately, Luna wandered over and helped to lighten the mood a bit. Neither of the two Gryffindors were good at one-on-one conversation and had been standing there awkwardly. Truth be told, Neville and Luna got on well together, with none of the traces of awkwardness Maia seemed to generate with her presence. The brunette simply let Luna take over the conversation and tuned out, her gaze traveling the crowded Great Hall.
She stopped when a flash of pale blond caught her eye. Draco Malfoy sulked in a corner, staring at them with the oddest look on his face. When he saw her watching he let his gaze fall away as if it had never been focused on them. He shoved away from the wall as she watched and stalked off for some unknown purpose. Curious, Maia followed her former nemesis, making an excuse to her friends and setting her glass down on the nearest table. No one made a move to stop her, barely noticing her departure.
Malfoy stopped at one of the many bars set up along one wall, staring bemusedly at the selection of drinks provided by the school. Maia turned her attention briefly to the jugs of pumpkin juice and occasional bottle of Butterbeer. The brunette shrugged to herself, he was clearly looking for something stronger, like Firewhiskey. Everyone knew the Hogwarts staff would not allow their students access to strong liquor on school property.
"Looking for something, Malfoy," she asked, her voice soft enough to be difficult to hear over the pounding music. To make sure he heard her, Maia had stepped up right behind the blond, startling him with her nearness.
"Nothing you can help me with," Malfoy sneered. She just stared him down until he answered. "I was looking for some Ogden's if you must know."
"You know McGonagall would never allow so much alcohol within reach of her precious students," Maia commented, the sarcasm in her voice drawing a raised eyebrow from her blond conversation partner.
"That wasn't very Gryffindor-ish," he commented when he found his voice again. The brunette merely shrugged.
"It wasn't supposed to be."
"Of course not. Why would a do-gooder Gryffindor express anything resembling a Gryffindor sentiment?"
Maia gave him a very Slytherin-esque smirk, one that impressed him despite his attempt to stamp the emotion down into the darkest depths of his soul. Reluctantly, the blond found himself enjoying this encounter with the brunette who spent her entire life either in the company of Muggles or fighting on the side of his former enemies. The key word being former. She was on his side now, or, more accurately, he was on hers.
"What do you want, Hawkins?" Malfoy demanded, giving her his best Ice Prince stare.
"To talk," she replied, reaching around and grabbing two Butterbeers and handing one to him. "Besides, it's almost the New Year and I need someone to help me with the annual tradition."
Malfoy was suspicious now. "What tradition?"
"Oh, just a silly Muggle tradition that says you have to kiss someone at exactly midnight to help bring in the new year." She said it with such nonchalance that Malfoy stared at her for a moment expecting her to say it was all some horrible joke, but she never did.
"You're being serious aren't you?"
Suddenly, the entire hall erupted into loud chanting. Malfoy's eyes screwed up in concentration until he realized what everyone was saying. "They're counting?"
"The countdown," Maia nodded. "Until the new year. Seven seconds to go. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two."
Malfoy had been so focused on the countdown that he didn't notice the brunette Gryffindor leaning closer and closer to him. Where she should have said one he felt a light pressure against his left cheek. His eyes widened when he realized Maia was kissing him, but before he could respond she pulled away and took a step back.
"Happy new year, Malfoy," Maia whispered, hurrying away with a deep blush staining her cheeks. He could only stare after her in shock, a hand pressed to his face where she had kissed him.
"Happy new year... Maia..."