Cunning Cupid
It is said that in days long ago, men and women drew names from a jar to make couples, and that modern Valentine's cards originated from this custom. Why the wizarding world kept that tradition, Hermione never knew.
Stupid Cupid. This was the silliest thing yet, thought Hermione. Names coming out of the Goblet of Fire were bad enough, but pulling names from a magical jar to make couples? And who cared if it was traditional? She had tried to convince Ginny that they shouldn't go to the Valentine's Day drawing, but Ginny was actually appalled by her attitude.
"Hermione you're old enough now to participate in this," she stubbornly began.
Oh, she knew that. One had to be a seventh year to be eligible for their name to be entered into the drawing.
"And everyone knows the best and most romantic relationships are those of the Pairing. "
Humph. The Pairing. What a silly name to give to an event that was based on sheer randomness and luck; that is, if one happened to be fortunate enough to get a decent match. And the barbarism of it! It was expected for the paired couple to actually stay a couple for a minimum of a year, when at the next pairing they could choose to break the match and go their separate ways or they could cement the bond by betrothal. Ginny loved to point out the fact that of all the pairs drawn in the history of Hogwarts, none had ever broken the bond after their year was up.
"Ginny, I just can't do it! What if I get paired with someone horrible? Did you ever think of that possibility? Well…..did you? And…oh, my word," moaned Hermione as she grabbed her head as if she'd either had a brilliant idea or suddenly developed a migraine.
"Mione? What is it?"
"What if I get paired with someone like…..Marcus Flint?" she gasped in despair.
Ginny's concerned countenance suddenly relaxed into a broad grin. Laughing at her friend's dramatic pose, she snarked, "Nice try. But nope, you're not getting out that easily. And will you quit with the worrying? If, and I'm emphasizing the if, IF your name is drawn, it just means you have a perfect match."
Seeing Ginny was resolute, and holding to the hope that her name wouldn't be drawn, Hermione gave in. But if Ginny only knew, she thought as they made their way to the drawing.
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Hermione had to control the sneer on her face as they entered the Great Hall. It looked as if Madame Puddlefoot and Dolores Umbridge had together been assigned the task of decorating the hall for this occasion. Hermione didn't think she had ever seen that much pink used before in a room. If her father could have seen it, she was sure he'd say it looked like the remains of a massive Pepto Bismol explosion. Letting her eyes roam, she saw other 7th years in small groups looking around the room with the same degree of distaste on their face that she had.
That's when she saw him.
The reason that made her dread this event.
Draco Malfoy.
None of her friends had ever known of the secret longing and crush she'd had on him since the beginning of the school year, but there it was. She hadn't wanted them to know of the few times she and Draco had talked when none of their friends had been around to see. The war had changed him so much. He'd been kind and interesting and…well, she supposed she'd better keep it at interesting. She was sure she was nothing to him other than an anomaly, an intriguing mixture of muggleness and magic. Unfortunately, her feelings had slowly changed until he was the only one she thought of. The only one she pretended to hold while hugging her pillow in the wee hours of the morning after a perfectly delicious tryst with Draco had left her feeling lonely and empty upon awakening and discovering it had only been a dream. So caught up in her feelings, Hermione didn't realize Headmaster McGonagall was now speaking.
"The charms and spells have revealed that only one pairing will be done this year. From what I've been told, this has happened only twice before and is supposed to be a harbinger of a new era of peace for Wizardkind." Reaching into the massive moonstone jar, the Headmaster picked one of the cards swirling around in it. Opening the card, she cleared her throat and announced, "The name of the male chosen for the pairing is…"
"Marcus Flint," Ginny whispered into Hermione's ear. Hermione jumped and was about to turn around to tell her friend to be quiet when she heard the name that made her feel as if her heart had jumped into her throat.
"…Draco Malfoy."
Hermione looked to where he was standing. He was looking at her. Right at her, with the strangest expression on his face. Then he turned and made his way down to where the Headmaster was standing. Hermione felt like she was going to choke….she seemed to be unable to swallow. Probably because her heart was still clogging up her throat. Her body was rooted to the spot where she was standing, but her soul had followed the dear blonde head down to where he was. When Draco turned back around, his eyes found Hermione's, and in that moment she knew her face told him all the secrets she'd been hiding.
In the meantime, the Headmaster had reached in again to the jar and had already selected another card. When she opened this one, she let out a small gasp and looked up immediately at Hermione, who was suddenly seized with a wild hope. Could she possibly be that lucky? Could it be…?
"The chosen female for this pairing is….Hermione Granger."
Ginny squeaked when she heard that and said something, but Hermione couldn't have said what it was her friend had uttered. As soon as she'd heard her name, she watched as a broad smile of joy filled Draco's face.
Wait…he's happy? He doesn't mind?...He's okay with this? Hermione didn't have a chance to ask herself any more questions, for by that time Draco had bounded back to where she was still standing and had pulled her into his arms and proceeded to give her a kiss that would have curled her hair if Mother Nature had not beaten him to it. Ginny had progressed from squeaking to shrieking by that time while the other students were either whistling at their kiss or shouting out catcalls. The professors that had come to witness the pairing were trying to contain the crowd, but Hermione couldn't concentrate or worry about any of what was going on around her. Her match, her Draco was whispering in her ear after giving her that scorching kiss, and he was saying, "I've dreamed of doing that for so long…."
"Me, too," she admitted as she gazed into his shining eyes.
"So, you'll be my Valentine?" he asked, smirking in wicked triumph now.
"Among other things," she saucily replied.
Draco laughed then, the most joyful laugh Hermione had ever heard from him. "Don't you be worrying 'bout that bit, my lovely witch. My Valentine now, My Betrothed in a year…and Mrs. Malfoy soon after that."
Seeing her mouth drop open in surprise, he quipped, "What? Do you think you're the only one around here who knows how to plan?" Pulling Hermione by the hand, he led her back to where the moonstone jar was standing. Turning it around to show her the back of it, he pointed to where a family crest had been carved into the stone. Below the crest was a family name…MALFOY.
"This is your family's jar? You mean….you planned this?"
"Go on, Love…. pick a card," he indicated with his finger, as if the jar before them held the answer.
Hermione did what he asked and pulled out one of the remaining cards. On it was the name, Hermione Granger.
"Pick another."
Again, she dipped her hand in the jar. The next name she drew was Draco Malfoy.
Wheels started turning in her head. "This was a rigged drawing?" Seeing his smug, satisfied smile, Hermione squealed, " You cheated!"
"We cunning folk use any means to achieve our ends, Love. Besides, one shouldn't leave everything to chance, should they? " Draco asked as he softly stroked her cheek. "Just like honesty needs a little plus, fate sometimes needs a little push."
"So…your plan is to plus us and push us…"
"Right into our Happily Ever After," he said as he silenced Hermione with the tenderest of kisses.
Well, then.
Maybe Cupid knew what he was doing, after all.
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AN: The quote "Just like honesty needs a little plus, fate needs a little push," and the bit about "plus us and push us" are quotes from the movie White Christmas. It's one of my fav holiday movies; pure fluff and fun!