Party dresses shimmered in high contrast to the dark cloaked figures that congregated in groups around the room. Most had shed their masks and hoods, giving their identities out to the crowd. Some of these identities were shocking. But she made sure her's wouldn't be known. She took both magical and muggle steps to creating a look that made her look nowhere near her normal self. Darkened hair, lightened eyes, shrunken nose, makeup in ways she didn't even know existed, even high heels to change her height. The dress she wore was nothing she would ever where in a million years, much to tight and revealing for her liking, but it had proven in lower the guard of some of these men. Who would suspect that the pretty girl in the slinky dress could cause them any harm?
Hermione shivered as a too well known death eater brushed up against her as he walked by, shooting her a smile in the process. This undercover case was terrifying, even for her. She was thrown to the lions...or better yet the snakes.
She was here to collect as many names as possible and to also collect proof of who they were. She was working for the ministry to get more death eaters thrown in Azkaban. With their latest advancements it was getting dangerous, their numbers were growing. Even without Voldemort, they were a force to be frightened of.
She caught a group looking at her and a man approached, "And who is this beautiful creature?" He spoke in a silken voice, but she nearly vomited as he picked up her hand to press his lips to the top of it. She struggled internally not to wrench her hand from him.
The accent she had perfected for this character she played spoke, "Julia." She tried to give him a smile, but she didn't quite make it. It was hard not to be repulsed by these blood thirsty criminals.
"How are you...related to this type of crowd?" He was prying she knew. Too many questions had already been asked tonight, she had to keep her story straight. The less she said, the better.
"I just happen to know the right people," she tried to play it cool.
"Of course you do." He smiled as he ran a hand up the side of her waist. But he didn't get far because just then he had a glass of dark red liquid splashed down his back. "What the hell?!"
"Oh no, I'm so sorry," a younger boy spoke as he trembled under the angry man's glare, "I don't know how that h-happened. It just flew out of my hand!"
"Shut up you little brat!" He tore away from Hermione and rushed to go clean himself off.
She heard a laugh come from behind her but didn't turn to look at the source of it, she was still trying to clear her mind of the encounter she had just had.
"Come on Granger, let's have a dance."
She nearly jumped out of her own skin at the mention of her name. How did anyone know it was her? And the owner of the voice was even more sickening, she knew who it was at once. "You must be mistaken. My name is Averbon, Julia Averbon." She put on her accent a little too heavily.
A chuckle erupted from him somewhere deep in his chest, "Don't worry. You're fooling nearly everyone else."
She knew he wouldn't believe her lies, she could read it on her face. "Nearly?" She managed to choke out.
His eyes were, dare she think it, playful. "They don't know who you are, but some don't think you are who you're saying you are, Miss...Averbon was it?"
"Oh no..."
"Just stay calm, no one has to know."
"What do you want Malfoy?" She spit venom. Was he trying to blackmail her? Didn't he know how hard it was for her to even be in this manor? He probably did, but he wouldn't care.
But he did. "How are you holding up here? With what had happened to you here I didn't think you'd ever come back...willingly at least."
"I'm fine. What do you want?"
"Nothing, just looking for some conversation. I understand it may be hard to believe, but death eaters aren't always the most conversational. Or intelligent."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh really? I would have never guessed."
"So how about it? That dance?"
She eyed him warily, "Just a dance?"
"Just a dance," he answered as he took her hand to lead her to the dance floor and amongst the other spinning couples.
Later she would find out that he had rescued her, his dancing with her had put the questioning at ease. They were planning to ambush her, make her talk. They knew she was a threat to them, even if they didn't know who she was. Draco had explained to them that she was a conquest of his years earlier that was still burning a torch for him, that explained her awkwardness and lying about why she was there. She was just embarrassed. Of course that was a lie on his part, but it had worked.
Later she also would find out that he had single handedly planned an elaborate double crossing that would lead to the capture of nearly every death eater in the building, his father included.
Later she would find out that he wasn't who she thought he was.
So when she found him standing at her door of her apartment with flowers in his hand and live music playing on the sidewalk she wasn't surprised when he opened his mouth to ask "How about it, Granger? Just a dance?"
-Author's Note-
I don't really know where this came from, but it was a tiny idea that grew into something once I started typing. Just a little cutesy drabble, hope you enjoy.