That Song
"Oh My God, turn it up" someone yelled
"Arrrggg, I am so sick of this song" complained Hermione to nobody in particular – mainly because nobody in particular was listening. She buried her head in the book and ignored the rest of her house making fools of themselves dancing that dance to that song. Madness, sheer madness, she thought.
And like some scene out of a bad sixties beach film the flamboyant gyrating of hips and flailing arms didn't stop until that song stopped.
Everyone collapsed onto the surrounding couches and supported themselves against the common room walls as the music returned to its normal – study acceptable – level. Hermione sighed in annoyance. She did NOT like that song and she refused to jump on the band wagon and join the fad. Because that's all it was, a fad, which she was praying would die down soon or she would have to start hanging out with Trelawny just to get away.
But it didn't stop – a month later the fad seemed even stronger. Every time someone walked into the great hall or through a portrait into a common room a spell was triggered and that song would play and rather predictably everyone would stop what they were doing and dance and sing along. She was beginning to suspect that a great curse had been put on Hogwarts and she was the only one not affected.
Just that morning over her nice orderly yoghurt and muesli breakfast with pumpkin juice she had caught even Snape among the madness, robe billowing about like a giant raven with every hip swivel. This had to stop and soon.
That in mind she made a quick detour to the library and set to work on getting as many books as she could carry on magical curses, she was surprised when she was joined by none other than Draco Malfoy. She was also surprised to find him not dancing when the music was blaring in the library – Mrs Pince was on the returns desk, arms in the air, her hips clicking together in a sickening accompaniment to the beat.
"Malfoy" she nodded coolly
"Granger" he nodded back barely glancing up in his frantic search in the mass curses section of books.
"Just a quick question? Why aren't you dancing?" She pursed her lips awaiting an answer to her shrilly asked question
He didn't look up at her just kept skimming through the books in front of him "don't know, going to find out. This has to stop." That muttered he went back to his task clearly distracted and more than a little flustered.
"Malfoy" she poked him in annoyance – Hermione did not like to be ignored. "Malfoy" she poked him extra hard when he continued to ignore her. He suddenly let out a loud curse and stuck his finger in his mouth, she caught a glimpse of blood the nasty paper cut had produced. With a scowl he looked down at her finger which was still touching him even though she had stopped poking him. He turned his murderous gaze to her face and she visibly paled.
"Listen Granger …" he finally said between clenched teeth "I have a migraine, I've barely slept in the past 5 weeks and if you don't take your finger off my robe right now I will be forced to separate it from your body and shove it so far up your ass even the Weasel wont find it while he's got his tongue shoved up there" Hermione gasped in shocked then removed her hand only to apply it to another part of his body. She slapped his face so hard he fell against the bookcase which subsequently toppled into its neighbour causing a domino affect throughout the library.
You would think that with the noise and the force of the thousands of books raining down that that song would stop but no, everyone just paused mid movement then went right back to dancing that dance picking up the choreographed moves with ease. Neither immobile student missed this strange occurrence which only gave evidence to Hermione's theory of a total castle curse. Obviously Draco was thinking along the same lines because he muttered something about wards on the castle to prevent curses.
Draco couldn't believe his luck. That song had obviously scrambled his brains worse than the eggs he had had for breakfast which threatened to come up every time he heard that song. Granger was looking a bit green around the gills as well and he smirked in pleasure, he was glad at her discomfort but he would never admit he was glad to have some company for his misery; that would be very un-slytherin of him.
He glanced at Granger who sat on the other side of the massive antique cherry wood desk in the Room of Requirement, sipping the tea she had conjured. Her bushy mass of hair partially covering her face as she leant over a huge book titled Curses and their Counter-Curses: An Illustrated Guide. Her brow furrowed in concentration.
He did not want to be here with the Gryffindor but she had convinced him that he really had no choice. And he had to admit –albeit grudgingly- that if he had to choose anyone out of the school to solve this problem it would be Hermione Granger, who was entirely too smart for her own good. After all she was the golden boy's right hand whore and without her he would surely have died at least 12 times from sheer stupidity, not that he, a Malfoy, would have minded what happened to the boy-who-wouldn't die, everyone was getting as fed up with his hero-complex as he and the half-blood before him were of that song.
She gave a great sigh again and Draco found his gaze drawn to her chest where the buttons of her white shirt strained to contain her breasts. This was not the first time he had noticed her ample bosom, oh no, it seemed like they had suddenly grown over night because one day he was calling a flat chested plain Jane know-it-all a filthy mud-blood and the next he was staring at what could possibly be one of the best bodies at Hogwarts. It was a little disturbing, but he wished she would order some new school shirts because just about the rest of the male population (and a good portion of the female) had begun noticing the changes in the Head Girls appearance which he reluctantly admitted was hot.
He cleared his throat when he felt the uncomfortable tightness in his pants and shifted himself in an attempt to ease some of the tension. Hermione thinking it was the chair that was making him uncomfortable, thought up two armchairs in front of a crackling fireplace without taking her eyes off the yellowed pages of the book. Draco's gaze followed her as she rose gracefully from behind the utterly too masculine desk to the chintz arm chair which was utterly too feminine, curling her legs under her and revealing just a little too much thigh for Draco to be able to ignore.
He gave himself a mental shake, he shouldn't be looking at Granger like this, after all it was Granger. But he was and he just couldn't seem to stop himself imagining the silky feel of that exposed thigh. He became so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed she had stopped reading and was staring at him staring at her. His face heated in embarrassment which he quickly turned into a defensive gesture and fought back in the best way he knew
"So Granger … do Wonder Boy and Weasel get jealous that you're the Gryffindor whore and not just their little play thing anymore?" he smirked as his gaze deliberately travelled up and down her body finally resting on her hair where his smirk turned into a grimace
"What did you just say?" she said barely above a whisper
"I mean now that you're not just servicing them, whether it be individually or together, do they mind? Or have they brewed some potion to stop whatever diseases might come their way when you come panting at their door late at night?" her gasp was satisfaction enough and his smirk increased.
She was on him before he knew what was going on, wand pointed directly between his eyes her featured set into a murderous rage. He was oddly turned on by this.
"For your information Malfoy" she spat "I have never, nor would I ever, whore myself. I have never had thoughts of that nature towards my friends and if I ever hear from anybody anything similar to the filth you just spat at me I will not only curse you from here till the next millennium but I will make sure I have kicked your balls so far up your throat that fathering children will be the least of your worries. Do I make myself clear?"
"Sorry Granger, didn't quite catch that with your tits dangling in my face" he replied he smirk turning into a lecherous grin. She moved from her straddling position, affectively landing a knee right in his crotch and stood for a moment staring down at him incredulously.
"It would be better if you leave now" she was panting in her effort to return to her normal cool façade "I was obviously mistaken in thinking you could help me break this curse"
"What? Your sending me back out there" he cried, he'd expected to get slapped but not the torture she now wanted him to endure of that song and all that dancing – he shuddered at the memory of Transfiguration class with McGonagall dancing between Crabbe and Goyle in a way that would have been provocative if the leading lady wasn't a woman who looked like she could drop dead any minute of old age. Granger was back to pointing her wand at him, this time at little Draco.
She flicked her hair off her face "Yes Draco, I am sending you out there, I have no need for you or your filthy mouth in here when I can figure out how to stop the madness all on my own" she pointed to the other side of the room where a door had suddenly appeared.
Draco lost his smirk when he realised just how serious she was. The arrogant bastard had the gall to assume she would let him stay after those insults, she had obviously been very wrong in her estimation of his intelligence. A look of pure horror came across his face at the thought of facing that song after the calm sanctuary of this room.
"Please Gra…Hermione, Please. I-I didn't mean it, it was a joke ha ha" he said unconvincingly and she had the unbelievable urge to smirk at his change in attitude.
"Then apologise and take it back" she said in a tone that meant business
He scoffed, the man actually scoffed "Malfoy's don't apologise, especially not to half breeds such as you"
She raised an eyebrow "Is that so? Well then you can leave Draco" she took a step closer her wand almost touching him. He pulled himself further into the chair in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid serious bodily harm. "It's simple - apologise and you can stay in here where it is quite and music free" she paused for effect "or, you can insult me again and leave to play dance marathon with the other rats in this hole"
He knew he should just swallow his pride and say sorry, but somehow he knew she wouldn't take anything less than sincere. He really, really didn't want to go out there. With that thought in mind he looked up at the woman who had had him semi-aroused all day and stated in his most apologetic tone "I'm sorry Hermione, I was out of line."
"Good" she nodded her head once then sat back in her arm chair taking up the thick book and propping on her bent knees. Draco, the horny teen that he was, realised that if he stood directly in front of her he would be able to see right up her skirt. He gave himself yet another metal shake, god he really needed to get his head out of the gutter.
With that thought in mind he settle down more comfortable, avoided looking at the piece of delectable female flesh beside him and set to work reading what would end up being one of hundreds of text books in their quest to stop that song and what it was doing to Hogwarts.
Some Time Later
Draco was famished. They were getting nowhere, his migraine was getting worse and he had a god awful crick in his neck that he just couldn't work out. Hermione hadn't said anything for hours and he glanced over to find her eyes closed and her breathing coming in steady puffs. Her pink lips were slightly parted and her hair fell like a cloud around her head, pouring down the arm of the couch. He liked her like this, quite for one, but so relaxed. He was once again so lost in thought that he was caught staring at her for the second time that day. Hazel eyes met his mercury silver ones and he found himself smiling softly at her. She smiled back and covered a yawn with the back of her hand. Glancing away as she stretched like a cat, effectively hiking her shirt up to mid waist (there is only so much torture a boy can take in one day) she came fully awake.
"God, I'm starved, how long have I been asleep?" her voice was slightly husky and Draco felt a jolt like lightening go straight from his heart down his spine to form a warm pool of pleasure in his groin.
"Ah-ah a while. I think dinner is over so we will have to go to the kitchens, want me to bring something back for you?"
"No, I will come along, a walk will do me good. Let's hope we don't run into anyone" He found himself liking this Hermione. He didn't ever recall a time when he had found her so relaxed.
They walked in companionable silence to the kitchens where they enjoyed a hearty meal of fresh bread and stew. They spoke about previous years remembering stupid arguments, laughing over ridiculous insults. Draco knew it was wrong to enjoy a Griffindor's company so much but he really did.
Hermione shouldn't be enjoying the Slytherin Prince's company so much but she really did. Once they got back to the Room of Requirement they settled back into the comfortable silence and really got stuck into trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with Hogwarts.
"Aha" he cried, half an hour after they had gotten back
"What?" she asked excitement lacing her voice; he was searching around his bag for a quill and parchment frantically throwing things all over the floor
"What?" she asked hopping onto her knees and facing him as he scribbled things down in a mess of ink blots and bad pen-manship.
"Do you have your copy of Hogwarts: A History?" he asked still writing. She scrambled out of the chair to get her well worn favourite book. And passed it to him where he began flipping frantically for what he was looking for almost tearing the pages in his haste. When he came across the passage he wanted he stopped and his eyes darted from sentence to sentence. She watched the hard concentration on his face turn into a look of – puzzlement?
"It seems this is not a curse" he said slowly lifting his gaze to hers
"Go on"
"Well according to the snippets this has happened to Hogwarts twice in the last thousand years. 'And students and staff alike will dance for weeks until the whole of Hogwarts is united in its euphoria for the fated heads of school" whatever that means"
She sat in a stupor for a good few minutes before snapping out of it
"Does that mean you and I…" he nodded slowly showing he agreed with her in their conclusion
"I assume that means the dancing and that song will stop when the school unites and so do we" he looked toward the still crackling fire.
"There must be another way, I think we should go and see Dumbledore. I mean you and I … we just … god it would never work" she finished lamely
"Why not?" he asked softly, still not looking at her.
"Because Draco it just wouldn't"
"We'll see" was all he said, standing up and offering her his hand she took it reluctantly liking the feel of his palm in hers entirely too much
They made their way to Dumbledore's tower, said the password and entered the great curving staircase with its rising phoenix. Neither of them spoke until they saw their headmaster standing before them as if he had been waiting.
"I wondered how much longer you two would be" he said fondly "That song was even starting to get on my nerves"
"You mean you know" Hermione demanded
"Of course I know, Ms. Granger, now take a seat and let me explain" he gestured toward the two chairs before his desk
"In two days time the castle will stop the song and everyone will be free to resume their normal lives" he settled onto the edge of the desk "Provided that you two agree to have your souls linked together and make a pledge for eternity"
"What?" Draco demanded "that's not fair just because we are the head girl and boy, I can't be linked to someone like that"
"You can, and you will" Dumbledore replied calmly, removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose "As the prophesy states it is fate"
Hermione hung her head in her hands, strangely the tears she expected didn't fall. She felt Draco's hand on the back of her neck in his attempt to comfort her, only he knew what this hopelessness felt like and that was comfortingly.
"Do we have a choice?" The slytherin Prince asked
"No"
"Is there anything else?"
"Just that you will be required for the ceremony in 2 mornings time in the great hall, I recommend your dress robes, your parents will be informed this evening by owl." with that Dumbledore ambled off into a chamber on the far wall.
"Hermione?" Draco questioned softly. She looked up at him and sighed. It looked like she was stuck with him, that or the music would never stop
"I'm ok, it's just bizarre, I mean not 5 hours ago I was ready to castrate you, now were going to be together forever"
"I know, but you wanna know something?"
"What?"
"After spending today with you and realising how much I don't mind being around you, it doesn't seem so bad"
"I don't mind being around you either" she smiled and he smiled back before leaning in and placing the softest kiss on her lips.
"She's not going to turn up" Draco hissed for the thirtieth time in 10 minutes to his best friend turned best man Blaise Zabini.
"She bloody better, if I have to spend my life dancing and singing to that song because she has cold feet someone is going to pay" Blaise said in reply
"Of course she will be here; she is probably just finishing up being girly" The Weasel commented where he wasn't welcome
"What do you mean by that?" Draco spat
"I mean if I had hair like hers then I would be late to my wedding as well"
"Shut-up, she's coming" whispered Harry. Draco hadn't wanted her friends to be apart of the ceremony but she had insisted, and with a little aid from her wand he had more than agreed. Life wasn't going to be boring with her that was for sure. He'd had two days to convince himself of this relationship and now he was actually excited, he may even go so far as to say he was rapidly falling in love.
He was distracted from his thoughts when a hush fell over the onlookers and a vision in white robed glided toward him, her beautiful smile more reassurance that this was the right thing than anything else in the world. Almost as right as the song playing in the background: That Song.
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