Why did she expect this year to be any different? Once again it was the holiday season and she was alone. She had thought in her heart of hearts that she would be together with Ron. Especially after the war; but once again she was alone at Hogwarts.
Ron had decided that even after their kiss in the chamber of secrets that they were better off as friends, and that he wasn't going to come back for their last year. Neither was Harry. Hermione was heartbroken, she had loved Ron for so long, how could he not love her back? The only thing that was nice about Ron not being back at school was that there was no constant reminder of what could/should have been.
Hogwarts was holding its annual New Year's Eve bash, it was being held in the Great Hall for all the students that had remained for the holiday. To Hermione's surprise there was quite a few people who stayed, one of those people was Draco Malfoy.
Hermione didn't really want to go to the bash, but she didn't want to seem like the loner she used to be before she was friends with Harry and Ron. She mustered up all her Gryffindor courage, got dressed in her brand new little black dress, and styled her hair straight, pulling it off her face softly with bobby pins. She added some light makeup and she was ready.
Hermione shyly entered the room, not sure whether this was a good idea. She looked around the room for anyone that she was friendly with. Unfortunately she was found by Lavender and Parvati.
"Happy New Year's" she said trying to be friendly to the girls who used to and still slightly bully her.
"What are you even doing here?" Lavender sneered at her. Hermione had hoped that after the war Lavender would have learned that being mean isn't going to get her what she wants; but Lavender didn't learn that.
"I assume the same reason as you. I'm here to ring in the New Year with friends and to have a good time." Hermione said.
Lavender and Parvati looked Hermione up and down, taking note on how pretty she looked. Though they would never tell her that, instead they used that fact against her. "You are dressed like you are trying to impress someone. Who are trying to impress Hermione? Do you have a date?" Parvati snickered.
"Or are you trying to make it look like you aren't upset that Ron didn't choose you? You know he did choose me" Lavender said with an evil smile on her face.
Hermione didn't mean too but she flinched at Lavenders words, which caused Lavender to cackle.
"I thought so! So pathetic. I bet she's even a holiday virgin" Lavender said to Parvati as if Hermione was not in front of them still.
Parvati burst out into mean laughter "oh my Merlin you're right she totally is a holiday virgin."
Hermione was growing more uncomfortable by the minute but didn't want them to know that "a holiday virgin?"
Lavender stopped laughing, rolled her eyes as it was such a task to acknowledge the brightest witch of their age. "Yes a holiday virgin. It means that you have never had a date for Valentine's Day, never been kissed under the mistletoe and you most certainly have never had a midnight kiss on New Year's. So it doesn't matter how you do your hair, what dress you are wearing, or even the terrible excuse you call make up that you put on your face, you are and will most likely always be a holiday virgin because no one wants you Hermione. Might as well get used to the fact that you are going to be a lonely cat lady." With that the mean girls left a trembling Hermione who was on the verge of tears.
Hermione dashed out of the Great Hall, she no longer had a brave face. She couldn't be in that room. She ran and ran not even sure of her destination until she arrived. She crashed into the railing in the astronomy tower, sobbing hard. She thought herself a fool. She was crying so hard that she didn't hear the footsteps behind her. She didn't notice the other person's presence until a large warm hand was placed over hers.
Hermione flinched and looked up at the face of her new companion. Chocolate eyes met grey. "Have you come to rub salt on my wounds?" she snapped at Draco.
Draco didn't say anything for a moment until he said "no."
Hermione frowned "then what do you want? If you can't tell I want to be left alone."
"No you don't" he said simply. This frustrated Hermione more. "How do you know what I want?"
"A person who wants to be left alone doesn't get all dressed up and goes to a party."
"I'm not at a party Draco" Hermione waved her hands around their surroundings.
Draco shrugged "now you're not; but you were. You wanted to be a part of the crowd. You wanted to show everyone that you are no longer just the brains of the Golden Trio. That you could do something like go to a party without Potter or Weasely. I do have to say that you aren't doing a very good job at it."
"Shut up. If you didn't come to upset me more, though you are not doing a very good job at it" she mimicked his words. "What are you doing here?"
Draco turned and leaned on the railing looking out towards the sky. "I heard what Brown and Patil said to you."
Hermione joined in leaning on the railing but was staring at Draco. Her silence allowed him to continue. "I thought I was the meanest to you; but those twats throw daggers. The thing that confuses me is that you let them. Not once have you ever back down from a fight with me. You always had a retort for every mean comment I ever gave you. Even if it was you just frowning at me. Yet I just watched you take blow after blow from those girls. Why?"
Hermione shuffled her feet, she wasn't sure of why. It was just natural to fight with Draco, and it was also natural for her to not start a fight with the mean girls. Draco was looking at her now waiting for her answer.
"I don't know why. I was stupid in thinking that they wouldn't be mean to me anymore. I was even stupider in thinking that getting all dolled up and going to the party would make a difference in how people see me. I will always be Harry Potter's brainy best friend and the girl that even Ron Weasely didn't want. Lavender was right I am a holiday virgin, and I'll most likely be alone forever." Hermione let her head fall and started to softly cry again.
Draco's voice was so soft that Hermione barely heard that he said anything.
"What?" She raised her head wiping her face of her tears.
"I said that you made a difference in how I see you."
Hermione didn't know how to respond "what?"
Draco ignored her question. "Weasely was a fool for not choosing you. You would have been the best thing that ever happened to him. I think you are lucky that you didn't get trapped with him, he would have had you married and pushing out your first kid within the year. You don't want that, you want to work, do good. Not be trapped in a kitchen feeding the bottomless pit that is his stomach."
In spite of herself Hermione chuckled. The sound made Draco smile and chuckle himself. A loud boom interrupted them. They turned and looked at the source of the sound which was bright fireworks. The hands on the castles giant clock mad a low groan as they moved.
"One minute till midnight" Draco said.
Hermione nodded, unsure when Draco entered her personal space. He glanced quickly at the clock then back at her. His eyes staring intently at her, his hands wrapped around her. One around her waist, the other at the base of her head. "Ten… nine… eight…" he began to whisper.
Hermione looked at his lips that were coming increasingly closer to her. The clock began to ring in the New Year, Draco placed his lips against hers. They were warm, and seemed to fit hers perfectly.
The fireworks were blaring around them, and it seemed as if they were making them happen. Hermione placed her hands around his shoulders and deepened the kiss. The last chime rang out from the clock when their bodies separated.
Hermione was the one to step away from him first. She touched her lips not believing that she had just kissed Draco Malfoy.
Draco smirked as he watched her touch her lips. "So you're no longer a holiday virgin, that'll teach Brown to tease you."
Hermione shook her head out of her thoughts "it's not like she is going to know."
"You know and that is what counts." Draco turned and headed towards the door. Before he left he turned to Hermione again "Happy New Year Hermione. See you on Valentine's Day" he smirked and left without another word.
"Valentine's Day?" Hermione said shocked.
A/N: Happy New Year! Hope everyone enjoyed this little holiday story.