Hermione folded her arms and looked around her disapprovingly. She didn't know why she'd agreed to come to this stupid party, but she couldn't evade Professor Slughorn. She sighed. It was really crowded with teenagers in various stages of drunkenness, very loud music and tables groaning under the weight of several plates of food and drinks. She was trying her best to blend into the background, keeping an eye out for Slughorn, so she could greet him, and leave as quickly as possible. But although he was rotund and hard to miss, it was tough to spot him through that crowd.
She was standing there for a while, her finger unconsciously tapping in rhythm to the music playing, when she heard the curtains behind her rustle. A hand appeared through the space between the thick velvety drapes, and caught her arm. Before she could make any sound, it pulled her through.
"What the-?!" she gasped, as she found herself cocooned behind the curtains with –
"Draco?" she said disbelievingly.
He nodded, smiling at her. He was leaning on the wall, his straight blonde hair flopping over his shoulders, one hand in his pockets and the other still holding her arm. She shook it free of his grip.
"I didn't know you were invited to the party." She said, giving him a dirty look.
"I wasn't" he said. Then he stooped down and whispered in her ear, "But I'm not one for following the rules."
Hermione could smell the firewhisky in his breath and on his shirt. He was drunk!
"Well, good for you," she said, taking a step back. "Now I'm going to go out and say goodbye to Professor Slughorn and leave."
She made to open the curtain drapes, but he caught her hand again.
"Don't leave."
She turned around to look at him, exasperated.
"And why not?"
He chuckled a little. It was so cute how she folded up her arms whenever she was starting to get annoyed.
"Hermione," he said, letting go of her hand, "You think I'm a really bad person, don't you?"
She was looking at him incredulously now. "What?"
"Why do you hate me so much?" he said, coming closer to her, forcing her to tilt her head higher to keep looking him in the eyes.
She tried to keep a straight face even though this sudden closeness got her heart beating a little faster.
'What is wrong with me?' she thought to herself 'This is Malfoy!'
"I don't." She said. "I don't even think of you that much to hate you."
"So you don't have any emotions for me at all?" he said. He was getting way too close now, but Hermione stood her ground.
"No. None at all."
"Well, that's a pity," he said.
"What d'you mean?" she asked, her poker face faltering a little.
He shrugged, and put his hands on her waist.
"What're you doing?!" she said, alarmed, and put her hands on his chest to push him off.
"I want to hug you," he said, not taking his hands off.
Her heart was beating way too loudly, she hoped he couldn't hear it. She could feel a blush creeping up on her face, and she realised he could see it too, because he smiled. His crooked half smile. She looked away from his face, but then her eyes fell on her hands on his chest. She took them off hurriedly, and tried to take a step back, but he put his arms around her waist, and pulled her to him.
"Look, I have my wand-!" she said in what she hoped was a threatening tone, leaving the sentence hanging so he could imagine the worst.
"So do I, you cutie," he said, grinning.
'Cutie?! He really was drunk!' Hermione thought. 'But why am I blushing, I'm totally sober!' And the way he was looking at the consternation on her face was not helping either.
She could feel his heartbeat - that was how close they were. His arms rested on the curve of her hip. The way he was looking at her, and the way he held her close to him, made her want to put her arms around his neck and kiss him.
No way! How could she even think of something like that!
She had to do something to get him away from her, and she had to do it fast.
"Look," she said, trying a different tactic. "You're drunk alright? So why don't you just go sit down for awhile, and eat something?"
"Alright," he said. "I will once I get a dance with you."
"What?" Okay now, this was getting out of hand.
Draco wasn't budging.
She sighed. "Alright, then."
Anything to get out of here, before she did something stupid – like kiss him or something.
The music began to slow down right then, and she wondered if he had anything to do with the magical timing.
He took her hands and put them around his neck, tightening his arms around her waist and pressing her closer to him.
Hermione put her chin on his shoulder, and reluctantly swayed with the music. She didn't like the fact that she was liking this so much. And that it felt so comfortable, his hands around her.
She didn't know how long they danced.
"The song's over," she said, looking up as soon as the music changed, becoming faster.
"Yeah." He said, looking down at her. He wanted to kiss her so bad, but he removed his arms from around her.
"Thankyou for the dance," he said, and she felt his fingers push aside the hair from her neck.
He stooped, and kissed her lightly below her ear, on her jaw line. She stepped back immediately.
"You're really drunk," she said, completely confused.
"Maybe." He shrugged, grinning.
"I'm leaving." She said. "Goodbye."
This time he didn't stop her from opening the curtains and rushing out.
Hermione bumped into Professor Slughorn on her way out of the party.
"Lovely party, Professor, I had a great time. Have to turn in early tonight, so thank you and good night!" she said, all in a single breath, and hurried out the door before he could delay her with conversation.
She had never walked this fast to the common room before; she was so worried that Draco would corner her again. And maybe then he would ask for more than just a dance.
As she waited for the portrait of the Fat Lady to wake up from her deep slumber enough to swing open, she thought of what had just happened.
She instinctively ran her fingers along her jawline, under her ear, where he'd kissed her. Their secret dance.
She blushed, but then shook her head to clear it.
It was going to be a secret she would carry to the grave.