A/N: this is another entry for the Daily/Weekly prompt competition.
Word Prompt: Book
Word Prompt: Cat
Dialogue Prompt: "My heart is shattered, but I haven't lost hope on us, I never stopped."
Pairing: Draco/Hermione.


The Perfectly Imperfect Valentine's Day.

Hermione sat alone in the Three Broomsticks waiting for her date to show. He was forty-five minutes late. The brunette felt her heart sink as she realized that he wasn't going to show up. She had spent years eyeing him from afar and now she thought she finally had her chance. It broke her heart to realize that she had been wrong. She quickly rose from her seat and paid for her butterbeer before stepping out into the cold February air. Hermione wrapped her crimson crushed-velvet cloak tighter around her waist as she made her way through the streets of Hogsmeade.

She should have known better then to put her neck out there… she should have known better then to accept his invitation for dinner. She shook her head bitterly, coming to the realization that he was probably at his mansion having a good laugh about this with his friends. Why did she think that he could have changed, he was Draco Malfoy… nothing would change him.

She reached the end of the street and apparated to her home in London. The brunette wiped the warm tears away from her cheeks and quickly ran up the steps to her townhouse. She unlocked the door and slid inside locking the door behind her.

She slid her cloak off and hung it up. She reached down and picked up Crookshanks who was purring happily and rubbing his soft fur against her bare legs. "I missed you too Crookshanks." Hermione petted the cat behind the ears and carried him to the kitchen where she filled his empty food bowl. The cat purred as he munched happily on the contents of the, now full, food bowl.

Hermione went to the refrigerator and realizing that she wasn't hungry, despite not eating since breakfast, grabbed a bottle of water and went out to the living room. She dropped her bottle of water next to her favorite book before quickly running upstairs to change.

Once she was changed into a warm pair of black pants and a light blue sweater the brunette curled up in her chair, her cat on her lap, and began to read her book.

As the sun began to set the brunette found herself completely engrossed in her book and jumped when she heard a knock at the door. Croockshanks meowed angrily and ran off toward the kitchen. "I'm coming" Hermione called and marked her page before walking over to the front door.

She pulled open the front door to find none other than Draco Malfoy standing on her front stoop. "What do you want?" she asked stepping aside so the blonde could enter the house. She may be angry with him but she couldn't allow anyone to freeze.

"I came to apologize for standing you up Granger." She hadn't even noticed the dozen of roses in his hand until he thrust them into her arms.

"Why didn't you show up? You're the one who made the date and then you stand me up?" She asked tensely.

"Well you see, we went and visited my dad and then when I came home I had an hour to get ready…I changed and such but then Crabbe and Goyle showed up. I wanted to tell them to leave but they would ask why and I couldn't tell them that…." The blonde haired boy paused, he looked away from her, his steely blue eyes focused on the floor.

"You couldn't tell them you had a date with me…" she sighed finishing the sentence. She felt her stomach clench and she closed her brown eyes then rolled them in agitation. "You couldn't tell them you had a date with a muggle-born." She huffed in disgust and tossed the flowers at him.

"Hermione you don't understand. I wanted to come I did…but."

"No Draco. My heart is shattered, but I haven't lost hope on us, I never stopped. You know what I probably never will but as long as you are like this it is never going to work. I never lost hope in you Draco Malfoy. I believed… Hell, I still believe that you can change. I thought the war changed you, like it changed me, like it changed so many others. I thought you grew up and realized that blood line does not lead to strength… you may be a pure blood and I may be a muggle born but I could still Hex you into next week…" the Brunette eyed him angrily and shook her head, sending her brown curls flying about her face. "Haven't you realized that blood status doesn't matter, didn't Snape teach you that? Didn't Voldermort teach you that! He wanted to rid the world of muggle-borns but he was only a half blood himself! Snape had a muggle father and Voldermort would have used him just like he used your father! Status didn't matter to him, power did!" She huffed. She turned to walk away from him when he caught her wrist and spun her around.

The brunette was shocked when the blonde captured her lips in a passionate kiss. When Draco finally pulled away from her, she stared into his blue eyes, shocked. "Yes Hermione I have realized all of those things. I've learned but Crabbe and Goyle haven't. Don't you think for one second that I am ashamed of you… I just wanted to avoid another fight or another awkward situation. They will come around, the just need time. They already know about you… I just didn't want them to give me a hard time today… I didn't want them to ruin our day. I didn't think they would stay so long… I'm sorry."

The brunette was speechless. She opened her mouth to speak but he pressed a pale finger to lips. "Now get your traveling cloak Granger I have a lovely dinner waiting for us at home.


A/N: So what do you guys think… Did I do the couple justice. I hope you enjoyed it… reviews would be appreciated, please? : )