As always; I don't make money of this nor do I own the characters, just for fun.
Hope you enjoy.
December 29th, 2009.
Standing in the impossibly slow escalator in the Muggle department store, Hermione impatiently tapped her foot and huffed annoyed. When would people learn they should keep to their right if they insisted on being a bunch of slugs and not move? She glanced over the crowd at the bottom of the escalator and for a moment a figure caught her attention. For a second she thought she'd seen a man dressed in black with impossibly white-blond, sleek hair. There was only one person with hair like that. But when she looked again, the white-blond hair was gone.
No, can't have been. What in Merlin's name would he be doing at a Muggle department store? Hermione quickly discarded the idea and rather ungraciously she elbowed her way past a young couple that evidently found the escalator to be the best place to snog.
Urgh, she thought to herself, public display of affection is ridiculous.
Why she even bothered to visit a department store at this day, when apparently the entire London had had the same brilliant idea, she didn't really know. Well, she'd been shopping, sure. But not for a New Year's feast, like the rest of London seemed to be doing. The items in Hermione's bag contained nothing more than a new pair of pyjamas, a basil green shirt in the softest silk she'd ever felt and a pair of shorts to go with them. She intended to ware them on New Year's Eve, all right. But not at some ridiculous feast. The bag also contained a charcoal grey knitted turtleneck jumper, which Hermione had already fallen in love with.
One more stop and then I' can go home, she thought to herself and stepped into the liquor store on her way to her flat. Carefully she scanned the shelves whilst she placed item by item in her basket. Some Chang beer as it reminded her of a trip she took to Koh Lipe some years ago. Lagunitas IPA since, well since she liked it. Budvar Budejovicky as it would go great with the canned goulash soup she planned for dinner the next night. Now all she needed was some white wine to go with the mushroom risotto she was making on New Year's. For herself. Well, quite possibly she'd let Crookshanks get a taste, if he really wanted to.
Sauvignon Blanc seems perfect for the occasion; she deemed and tossed in into her basket.
On her way to the checkout counter she passed the sparkling wines and champagne aisle.
Well, it's New Year's after all, was all Hermione had time to think before one bottle of Bollinger, one bottle Dom Pérignon and one bottle of Pol Roger hade made their way into her basket.
"All set for the New Year's party now, are you, love?" said the old woman behind the checkout counter and smiled at Hermione.
"Mhm, sure." Hermione said. There was no way Hermione was telling the old woman she planned on having the champagne tasting all by herself.
Hermione walked out the store and continued her walk home, now satisfied in knowing she wouldn't have to leave her flat until next year. New Year's had never been her favourite holiday, with all the excessive expectations that something extraordinary would happen just as the clock chimed at midnight on that particular night. Ridiculous. And what was with all the New Year's resolutions? To Hermione it made perfect sense that if one wished to drop a few pounds, stop smoking or eat healthier food, they were welcome to make these changes and no particular time of the year seemed better suited than the other.
No, New Year's Eve was definitely not Hermione's favourite day of the year. But this was the first one she would spend alone. Harry and Ginny had, of course, invited her to the party they were having, and she probably would have excepted if it weren't for Ron. It had been over nine months since they broke up and for most parts they got along just fine. But as it happened Hermione was aware that at The Potter's New Year's Party a certain Gabrielle Delacour would be attending. She also knew her ex-boyfriend well enough to know he'd be yearning all night after this 25-year-old magnificent Veela. It wasn't that Hermione was jealous; after all, she'd been the one to end it. But she also knew what looks of pity would be thrown her way by the rest of the Weasleys should she attend. That she could absolutely do without. Harry had naturally tried to persuade her to come, but Hermione just told him she had too much work to do. Harry had informed her that no one should have to work on New Year's Eve. Hermione agreed with him, but what she didn't tell him was the work she intended to do was giving herself a pedicure, and possibly a facial mask. That counts, as work too, doesn't it?
With her head occupied with Veelas and looks of pity Hermione rounded a corner only to find herself knocked to the ground as she rushed into someone. She swore loudly as her bags fell to the ground and scattered all over the sidewalk.
"Well, never thought I'd live to see the day such foul words uttered from your pretty mouth, Granger."
Bollocks! That drawling voice could only belong to one person, and even though Hermione still hadn't seen his face she could hear the smirk that now undoubtedly spread across his lips.
"Sorry, didn't see you there Malfoy." she muttered.
"Here." was all he said as he offered his hand to help her up.
Well, this is a first, Malfoy willing to lend a hand, she thought and took his hand.
"So it was you I saw earlier at the department store. What are you doing here, Malfoy? Are you following me?" she asked as she dusted some snow off of her coat.
"Should be asking you the same, I almost though you were following me." he said and picked up one of her scattered bags that he handed to her.
"'Course I'm not following you, I live here." Hermione snapped and yanked the bag from Malfoy.
"Well, good for you, Granger." he said and offered one of his trademark smirks.
"If that'd be all, I bid you good night, Mr Malfoy." Hermione snorted, turned on her heal and marched away.
As she made her way across the street 15 yards across from where she'd run in to Malfoy and into her door she didn't turn around once. If she did, she would have seen Malfoy standing there and watching her with something quite resembling amusement.
December 30th, 2009.
As Hermione had rushed off in such a hurry the day before she'd accidently left one of her bags on the street. She was now mentally preparing herself to make another run down to the liquor store to reimburse her lost bottles. As she pulled her newly purchased charcoal grey knitted turtleneck jumper over her head and pulled on a pair of leggings she mentally cursed Malfoy for this additional liquor run.
It had been 13 years since they graduated, oh gosh – had it been that long? Merlin she was getting old. But she still saw him on occasion at the Ministry. More than once they'd even worked together on a few cases. She was at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and he was a well-respected barrister, hence their paths were bound to cross every now and then.
Too much time had passed for any hard feelings to still linger between them. Actually, Hermione even found she quite enjoyed Malfoy's company every once in a while. But not when he showed up places he wasn't suppose to be! Like in a Muggle department store, or on her very street.
As she let the annoyance get the better of her she rather forcefully swung her door open to leave her flat only to realise she'd hit it in someone's face. Her breath hitched as she realised she'd opened the door in Malfoy's face, who was now cursing loudly and frantically trying to stop his bleeding nose.
"Bloody hell, Granger!" he wailed and blinked tears out of his eyes.
"Malfoy! What are you doing?" she yelled at him.
"What am I doing? What the bloody hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?" he yelled back.
"I was just about to go out. What in Merlin's name are you doing lurking outside my door?" she grunted and gestured wildly with her hands.
"You forgot you bags on the street yesterday, thought I should be a decent bloke and return them to you." he sneered and pointed at the bags he'd dropped at his feet as soon as the door hit his face.
"Oh, well, that's very kind of you. Thank you Malfoy." Hermione said a little off.
"Your thanks aren't going to do me any good. Help me stop this bleeding!" he roared.
"Right, 'Course, come in." she said while she levitated the bags into her flat and ushered him into her kitchen where she placed him down on a chair.
She grabbed some cotton pads and knelt down in front of him and started gently dabbing his nose.
"It won't stop!" she said frustrated as the blood just kept flooding.
"Well, are you not a witch, woman?" he bellowed.
Hermione wanted to curs herself for not thinking of using her wand earlier. She mumbled a quick spell at his nose and the blood flow stopped immediately.
"Thanks." he mumbled.
"Any time." she said as she fetched a bowl of warm water and bent down in front of him again and used the cotton pads to clean off the blood.
Even with his face drenched in blood he looked rather handsome with his perfectly sculptured aristocrat features, his sleek white-blond hair, the short barely visible stubble on his chin and those piercing stormy-grey eyes that seemed to show some form of emotion for a second as they found hers.
No, stop it! You're being ridiculous! she thought to herself. This is bloody Malfoy you're thinking about, he's not handsome. He's just… symmetrical. That's right, he's got a symmetrical face, which appears to be handsome, but he really isn't.
"What is it with you and breaking my nose, anyway?" he mumbled as she took a fresh pad and cleaned his lips and chin.
Hermione gave a small chuckle as reply.
"So, any plans for tomorrow?" she didn't know what made her say it. But the question had been asked before she could stop herself.
"Sadly, no. Mother and Father went to Madrid and I have no desire to spend the night at Blaise's party. Don't fancy New Year's all that much actually." he said and watched her face intently.
"Too bad you'll be alone then." she said as she tossed the pad in the sink and scanned his face for any remainder of blood.
"Won't be all that bad. I'll probably just draw myself a bubble bath and drink champagne in it the whole night." he smirked.
"Well, all done. Now you look as good as new." she said and straightened her back.
As she followed him to the door she couldn't quite shake the mental picture of Malfoy soaking in a bathtub sipping champagne. It was quite an alluring image, and perhaps it was this image that made her say the following just as he opened the door to leave;
"Well, if you don't fancy bringing in the New Year alone in your bathtub, you know where I live. I was planning of having a little champagne tasting by myself, in my pyjamas, nothing posh. But you'd be welcome to join." she trailed off.
"Judging by the bottles you bought it should be quite the posh champagne tasting." he said and nodded his head at the bag he'd brought.
"You looked through my bags?" she asked in mild disbelief.
Malfoy didn't answer but only gave her a smirk.
"Of course you did. How Slytherin of you." she murmured.
"So it's a slumber party then?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.
"What?" she asked.
"You said you'd have a champagne tasting wearing your pyjamas. Isn't that what people wear at a slumber party? A party you just invited me to." he said as a small smile spread across his lips.
"No, I didn't mean it like that!" she blushed and covered her face in her hands.
"Well, thanks for the invitation, Granger. I'll think about it." he smirked and closed the door behind him.
December 31st, 2009.
He's not coming, she thought to herself. But she shaved her legs that morning when she took a shower, you know, just in case.
He's not coming; don't even bother, she thought to herself as she picked out her most sensual underwear, if...
He's not coming; you're being ridiculous, she thought as she changed her bed sheets to her favourite ones.
He's not coming; stop doing this to yourself, she though as she put on just the tiniest bit of make up, because you know, to look a little less dead.
He's not coming; knock it off! she thought to herself as she slipped into her new pyjamas and made a half turn in the full-length mirror in her bedroom to inspect how the pyjama bottoms flattered her bum. They were very flattering, which didn't matter since he wasn't coming!
He's not coming; you're being pathetic, she thought to herself as she splashed the tiniest bit of perfume in her neck, behind her ears and down her cleavage.
He's not coming, why are you doing this to yourself? she asked herself as she lit something like 30 candles in her living room.
"Sweet Merlin, he actually came!" she whispered to herself as she heard a knock on her door at six o'clock that evening.
Her stomach instantly filled with butterflies and her heart pounded in her ribcage as she made her way to answer the door. And indeed, there he stood, in her doorway, holding a box of strawberries and dressed in… no… it couldn't be!
"Are you actually wearing a pyjamas?" she asked and couldn't hold back a laugh bubbling up inside her as she saw Draco Malfoy standing in her doorway sporting the sleekest black silk pyjamas on earth.
He watched her with amusement for a bit before he answered.
"'Course I am. How ridiculous would I look if I showed up to a slumber party and wasn't wearing a pyjamas?" he said and tilted his head slightly.
"Well, can't argue with that." she snickered and gestured for him to step inside.
"You're not looking too bad yourself. I like what those pants does to you bum, Granger." he winked as he hung his coat on her hanger.
After the dinner they cooked together they moved into Hermione's living room and made themselves comfortable on her sofa surrounded by the 30-something lit candles where they decided to open the first bottle of champagne; Dom Pérignon.
"Why did you decide to come here tonight?" Hermione asked as she nibbled on a strawberry.
"Well, I was having a very relaxing bath, sipping on champagne and eating strawberries, and then it occurred to me-"
Ah, there it was again, the image of Malfoy in a bathtub that stirred up raw emotions inside her.
" -how thick would I have to be want to spend the night alone when I could spend it arguing with you over what ever. And besides, you looked really fit yesterday." he said and gave her a small wink.
"Well, you didn't look all that bad yourself, even with the blood and broken nose." Hermione winked back at him.
Well, that was unexpected. Must be the champagne, she told herself.
Malfoy gave her a smirk and sipped on his champagne.
The second bottle for tasting was the Bollinger. As they opened the bottle all, if any, tension Hermione previously had felt was now gone. As she sat on the sofa, her legs tucked under her with Malfoy, his feet casually resting on her coffee table, both of them sipping on a brilliant champagne she couldn't really think of a reason why they didn't spend time together except at work. They'd been working close for quite a few years now, but never spent time outside the office.
"How come you don't like New Year's?" Hermione asked and absentmindedly run her finger around the rim of her glass.
"Well, all the bollocks about new years resolutions, the unreasonable notions of something extraordinary happening at the stroke of midnight. It's all rubbish, if you ask me. Today is just another day." Malfoy shrugged.
"I know, it's absurd!" Hermione agreed.
"I knew you'd agree with me. You always were the brightest witch of our age." he said and smirked.
No, hang on! That wasn't a smirk. It was a smile. Oh, the man looked bloody angelic when he smiled, how come he didn't do that more often?
"You keep flattering me and refilling my champagne, what are you getting at, Malfoy?" she wondered as she gave him a sly smile.
"Well, I'm watching your reaction to my flattery so I can anticipate what your reaction will be when I do this." he leaned in and placed his hands around her head and captured his lips with her.
The taste of champagne mixed with strawberries hit her taste buds as she greeted his tongue with hers. As she deepened the kiss she intertwined her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer to her. After a few moments they parted, both of them slightly shocked over this turn of events.
"That was exactly the reaction I was hoping for." Malfoy said in a breathy voice that only made him even more irresistible, in Hermione's opinion.
"Well, come here and I'll show you again." she purred and gave him gave him a seductive smile.
Malfoy wasn't slow to oblige. Their hands were everywhere; his hands found their way under her pyjama shirt and cupped her breasts. Her hands fondled the very prominent budge in his black silky pyjama bottoms. Malfoy trailed kisses down her neck and down her chest.
"You always smell so good, Granger." he murmured against her skin.
"Who are you to talk? You always smell so fresh. I remember even after sweating over the cauldron in double class in potions you smelled brilliant." Hermione said as she lightly dragged her nails over his back.
Malfoy let out a heart-warming laughter.
"I can't believe you still remember something like that." he said and caressed her arm.
"I guess I always found your smell very intoxicating." she confessed as she pulled his shirt over his head.
Hermione ran her fingers across his exposed his toned torso whilst Malfoy pulled her shirt over her head. He cupped her breast in his hand and gently pinched her stiff nipple through the thin lace fabric of her bra. Hermione's hands found their way to the hem of his pants and she tugged them off. Malfoy wasn't slow to agree and he gracefully wiggled out of them. He then proceeded in smoothly pulling Hermione's pyjama bottoms off.
"You bra matches your knickers." he observed with a smug smirk across his face.
"You know what that means, yeah?" she breathed heavily from anticipation.
"It means you were the one who decided we are having it off tonight." he smirked.
As the clock chimed at midnight Muggles, witches and wizards alike around the city raised their glasses, kissed their loved ones or lit cigars to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. All of them with a feeling something extraordinary were about to happen. In Hermione's flat, however, nothing extraordinary was happening what so ever. In her bedroom, between her freshly made favourite bed sheets flat on his back lay a sleeping Draco Malfoy. In the secure comfort of his arms with her head nuzzled into his neck and with her arms around his waist lay a sleeping Hermione Granger. Both of them completely oblivious of the world outside of their own.
Happy Holidays everyone!