AN: I was inspired by something my great grandmother said this morning as we were bitching over Valentines Day over our morning coffee. I called it a 'stupid little holiday where women are expected to put out for a card and a box of gamble chocolates' to which she, an eighty year old woman, replied, 'As if! They only way your great grandfather could get me on my back was for a string of Mikimoto pearls and a dozen red roses!' I choked on my coffee as I recalled she owns nine different strands of the overpriced pearls and a couple bracelets too...the fact that she gifted me the choker length of 8mms I was wearing at the time suddenly made me a little nauseous...
But never the less, it inspired me! And here you have my first ever one shot! Happy Valentines Day!
Hermione pursed her lips as she glared down at the basket of pink frosted cookies that Ginny had brought her.
The pity in Ginny's chocolate eyes over the fact that the Head Girl was alone on Valentine's Day was enough to make Hermione sick.
She huffed and grabbed a heart shaped cookie as she stretched her lean legs out on the sofa in the center of the Head's dorm. "Stupid bloody cookies." She grumbled, cracking the biscut in half and glaring at the halves meanly. "Doesn't even look like a real heart."
"Well, someone's got a case of the sour grapes." Came the cultured drawl of her prat of a dorm mate. Fellow Head walked up to the sofa and pushed Hermione's legs off with a swoop, stealing half of the cookie in her hands.
Taking a bite of the biscut Draco sat down on the space he'd cleared and put his legs up on the coffee table. He layed an arm on the back of the couch as Hermione pulled her legs underneath her and glared meanly.
"That was my cookie, Malfoy." She spat, taking a bite of the remaining half. The ferret was encroaching on her glooming territory and she had no patience for his face on this most awful of holidays.
Draco rolled his eyes, he and Granger had come to an understanding at the begining of the year as they learned they'd both be heads this year. The understanding was he left her alone and she'd give him the same courtesy.
And yet here he was, bothering her. Like always.
Their hatred for each other had simmered down into a mutual disdain.
"So, feeling bitter because the Weasel dumped you the day before Valentine's?" Draco sneered, stealing another cookie from the basket. They were pretty good and he wondered who'd she'd gotten them from.
Hermione leaned forward and snatched the cookie back, taking a large bite and mumbling. "I'm not bitter." She rolled her eyes, "Valentines Day is a stupid, materialistic, consumerist holiday created by the candy and card companies and I didn't want to partake in it anyway." She huffed, dusting crumbs off her skirt.
Draco snorted, rolling his eyes. "Come now Granger, every bird likes to get candy on Valentines Day, its ingrained into there psyche along with a love for glitter and nail polish." He looked down at Hermione's unvarnished nails with a judgmental eye. She made a fist to hide the chipped Chelsea FC blue polish. She had to be true to her team and blue WAS the colour.
"That's so sexist Malfoy." She scoffed, throwing her long braid over her shoulder. "And I didn't see you running into the common room, heart a twitter, with an armful of sweets and flowers. Alone on Valentines as well?" She copied his smirk and raised a brunette brow.
At this Draco laughed, hard. "As if Granger. Remember who I am, the Draco Malfoy, my gifts come in the forms of slutty lingerie and quickies in the broom closets. A box of chocolates can get even the most fridged of girls on their backs. And on their knees." He smirked as Hermione colored a Valentine's red across her cheeks and looked down.
"Please, only a box of chocolates? What kind of slags are you snogging?" She laughed, her blush leaving. "I wouldn't bare down for anything less than a strand of white Mikimoto pearls and a dozen roses!" She stated, crossing her arms as Draco chuckled.
"Well, someone thinks very highly of herself." He smirked, knicking another cookie and standing up before the girl could take it back. Walking past her and out the portrait he called, "Have fun being alone and bitter on Valentines Day Granger, I'm off to meet a Ravenclaw in a coat closet." He waved and stepped out, leaving Hermione in her bubble of bitterness.
The muggle born glared at the shut portrait, "I am so worth pearls and roses you prat." She growled, eating another cookie with disdain.
...
Hermione walked into the pink done Great Hall with a scowl. She wanted to pop every single ballon she saw.
Ginny was chatting sweetly with Harry and Ron was flirting with Lavender, she took a seat next to Neville.
At least she wasn't the only one alone this holiday.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione." The boy smiled at her and she gave a smile back.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Neville." She replied as she put some food on her plate. She'd filled up on the cookies Ginny had brought her and now wasn't feeling so hungry. "Are you having a nice holiday?" She inquired politely, playing with her mashed potatoes lazily.
Neville nodded,"Yes, my grandmother sent me some chocolates this morning." He pulled out a box and smiled at her, "Would you like one? I bet you've got a dozen boxes, so if you say 'no' it'd be okay."
Hermione's bitterness faded for a moment and she plucked a chocolate. "No, I actually didn't get any sweets this year, so thanks." She winked, biting into the candy.
Carmel filled. Ew. She forced herself to swallow to be polite.
"Oh, I'm sorry Hermione, I thought for sure Ron would-" Neville started but Hermione interrupted, shaking her head.
"No, we broke up yesterday. Better as friends and all that." She smiled, taking a gulp of her pink colored pumpkin juice. Even the juice had been ruined.
Neville nodded ans turned to his plate, worried he'd offended Hermione.
The brunette witch just toyed with her food, looking out the corner of her eye at the tables around her.
Everyone was paired up and smiling, laughing and in love. Even Draco had a giggling blonde on his lap.
Hermione rolled her eyes as the girl fed him a chocolate. She hoped he choked.
Setting her fork down she sighed, "I think I'm going to go up to bed Neville, thank you for the chocolate." She gave a weak smile.
Neville gave her a sympathetic look, "Alright Hermione, g'night." He waved her off watching as she left.
Poor Hermione. All alone on Valentine's Day.
...
Hermione wiped the steam off the mirror with her hand, staring at her reflection dejectedly.
She wasn't ugly, her hair had flattened to light waves and she'd filled into feme curves and long legs. When she visited muggle London she turned many a male head. But, in the wizard world she was forever Hermione Granger, Plain Jane Extraordinaire.
Maybe she should try out some makeup? A little mascara never killed a witch, right?
She shook her head, raking her fingers through hee damp hair. She felt like a clown with makeup on.
Shaking herself she put her hands on her hips. "I'm Hermione bloody Granger! Brightest witch of my generation! I don't need a stupid Valentine to make me happy!" She told her reflection sternly, "I do, however, need to stop talking to myself..."
She tossed her towel into the bin and pulled on some cotton sleep shorts and a pink camisole, gearing herself for bed. She rubbed on some moisturizer and put some detangler in her hair before leaving the bathroom.
When she entered her room, something was amiss.
Her previously locked door was opened a crack and she went into defensive mode, wand in hand.
Holding the wand up, she pushed her door shut carefully and checked her wardrobe open, nothing.
Next she checked behind her bookshelf and then behind the curtains. The room was empty, save her.
But still, something was wrong...
The curtains on her bed were drawn and she bit her lip as she grabbed the cord to open them.
Taking a deep breath she counted.
One.
Two.
Three!
She yanked them open and pointed her wand, a curse on her tongue and her eyes wide.
Nothing.
Her bed was just as she left it.
Save the roses on the pillow.
Perfect bloomed roses bound by a silver ribbon layed on her pillow, a navy box next to them.
Hermione reached out and grabbed the flowers, her fingers ghostung against the deep red petals as she inhaled their fragrance.
Then she picked up the box, her hands shaking.
Inside was a choker length strand of perfect white pearls with a white gold clasp, the tiny 'M' p
endant hanging by the clasp telling her they were a Mikimoto set.
Her past words came to her and she colored, 'I wouldn't bare down for anything less than a strand of white Mikimoto pearls and a dozen roses!'
Angry tears welled in her eyes as she snapped the box shut with a sharp snap, leaping from her bed and out of her room.
"MALFOY!" She shouted, stomping through the bathroom and to his doorway.
She gave a loud kno
ck before waltzing in rudely.
Draco was leaned against the headboard with a book in his hands and gave her a flat look as she burst in.
"What is this?" She sneered, shaking the flowers at him in a threatening fashion. "Roses and Mikimotos? Is this some sick joke?" Her narrowed eyes flashed as she stormed up to him and smacked his chest with the delicate blooms.
Draco threw his arms up to block the blow, moving away. "Bloody fucking hell, Granger!" He growled taking the flowers and throwing them on the bed, grabing the furious girl's wrists. "Calm down!" He demanded as she thrashed about.
"Let me go you prat!" She seethed kicking his shin. Draco yelped and threw her onto the bed next to the flowers. Straddling her waist he pinned her with her wrist above her head.
Hermione struggled, but gave up after realizing Draco was far stronger than her.
The blonde smirked in triumph as she stilled, waiting a moment before speaking. "Now tell me, Granger, what has your panties in a twist?" He inquired, raising a brow.
Hermioned growled, "YOU!" She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You and your stupid flowers and pearls!" She shouted, trying to yank her arms back again.
Draco rolled his eyes, "Oh? So I can't do nice things for my fellow Head student?" He asked, letting go of her hands and sitting back against the pillows. "Merlin forbid that I be a decent human being."
Hermione shot up and stood on her feet, glaring at Draco with her hands on her hips. "You arrogant prat! You can't buy me pearls! I'm not going to sleep with you either! You can wear the damn necklace while you do yourself!" She seethed, trying to hold back tears.
Her only Valentines had been from Ginny, Neville, and the last was only to make her life a living hell.
Draco groaned, "See, this is why I don't do nice things. You birds are crazy." He reopened his book but Hermione tore it from his grasp and threw it to the ground.
"Look at me when I'm speaking to you!" She demanded, her jaw tight. She was done with this mess. She just wanted to yell at him, maybe hit him again, and then goto bed to cry herself to sleep.
Draco looked up at her with a unreadable gaze in his grey eyes. Hermione flushed as a shiver went up her spin and looked down at her feet.
"T-this is a cruel joke, Malfoy and I don't appreciate it. My day is already horrid, did you really have to make it worse?" Oh Merlin, Hermione felt tears well in her eyes. How embarrassing, she was going to cry in front of Draco. Oh, could this day get any worse?
Draco sighed, pushing his hair back. "Bloody hell Hermione, I was trying to be nice." He said, moving out of bed to stand beside her. He hated when women cried, no matter who the chit was. "C'mon now, don't cry."
Hermione slid away from him, sniffing and ducking her head, her hair shielding her face. "I'm not crying." She lied, wiping her eyes. "I just have something in my eyes."
Draco shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah right." He sat down on the edge of the bed, yanking her down next to him. Hermione sat with slumped shoulders as Draco grabbed the abused roses from behind him. "I've always hated Valentines Day." He admited, picking at the edge of the thick silver ribbon. "The whole holiday is based around buying some chit's faked love. Give her over priced flowers and gross chocolates and she sleeps with you and then the days over and its all over. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am." He flopped back with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.
Hermione snorted, "I thought you liked that." She said, "Random girl's in random closets. One hitter quitter." She grabbed the flowers from the bed and brushed against the petals as Draco watched her.
"Nameless sex is tiring." He admitted, still watching her. "But that's not the point. The point is someone should want to be yours without having to buy them a gift. You shouldn't have to get someone something in the hopes that they'll like you." The girls in this school liked him for his looks, family name, and money. Not him, never him
Hermione plucked a rose from the bouquet, handing it to him. "Be my Valentine, Draco?" She asked quietly, unsure of what she was doing. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt her face heat up.
Draco pulled his hand from behind his head, wrapping his fingers around the rose. "I'd love to Hermione." He answered, twirling the flower in his fingers. In that moment he pushed his past prejudice from his mind, grabbing the navy box and extracting the necklace. "Come here, Granger." He muttered, undoing the clasp and holding the necklace straight.
Hermione went wide eyed and shook her head, "No, I couldn't possibly. They're too much." That single necklace was worth thousands and it had to be difficult for him to get his hands on one on such short notice.
Draco rolled his grey eyes and grabbed her by the elbow, pulling her closer. "Shut up, Granger. Its just a bloody necklace." He moved her damp hair over her shoulder, brushing the curls from her neck.
Hermione blushed red as Draco wrapped the necklace around her throat, closing her eyes and swallowing to wet her dry throat. "I thought I wasn't worth a dozen roses and a string of pearls?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at him shyly.
Draco smirked, "Now, Granger, I never said that." He laughed, motioning to the bouquet. "And there's only eleven roses in that bouquet."
...
Fin.
Happy Valentines Day everyone!
And if you don't have a Valentine, I'll be yours! :)
Love, Alexa.