Happy belated Valentine's Day! 'When Cupid Strikes' is where I'm going to store my romance focused one shots. Let's be honest, probably mostly Dramione but open to suggestions. For those following, 'It's Just a Little Crush,' don't worry I haven't abandoned it, and it's next on the list to work on.
The One Where We Didn't Celebrate Valentine's Day (Dramione)
Hermione Granger, let out a slight huff at the sign on the door to her beloved library- 'Exceptional Closure 14th February, due to essential maintenance.'
It was a particularly gorgeous library in central London, reminiscent of the library gifted to Belle in Beauty and the Beast, a library Hermione had longed for as a child.
It opened till late as well and so she had taken to often calling in after work. She would curl up in her favourite armchair, getting lost in one of the thousands of books available.
'Closed!' she said to herself in anguish. It had been a more stressful day than normal and she was feeling particularly bad tempered that she hadn't received a Valentine's card from her boyfriend.
Sure, she had agreed with Draco that it was a stupid day, and then went on a rant about how it was driven by capitalist consumer culture, but it was their first Valentine's Day together and she had honestly expected he would have had an owl deliver a card to her that morning. That's what she had done, picking a cheesy Quidditch themed card that she knew he would scoff at in amusement. The card pictured an animated snitch, and inside the message read; 'You're a catch!'
She had kept glancing hopefully at her window all day on the lookout for his snooty owl. She had looked in vain and now felt mortified that she had sent him a card.
Hermione had been looking forward to her usual after work time in the library, knowing it would work wonders on improving her mood. She knew she was being completely unreasonable and the sensible, practical part of her knew that Draco not sending a card, didn't signify anything about how he felt towards her. However there was a tincy wincy romantic side to her, the part that had delighted in being asked to the Yule Ball by an international Quidditch player, and that part of her was feeling the pangs of disappointment acutely.
Scowling once more at the sign on the library door, Hermione went into a nearby alleyway and apparated home. She decided to have a relaxing bath before Ginny arrived to get ready for a girl's night out. Harry was in Romania on a case and Draco was away on a business trip that he was unusually tight lipped about. Not that they would have made plans anyway, Hermione thought rather bitterly.
Soaking in her large bath tub, she let the bubbles work their magic; literal magic as they were imbrued with calming properties and smelt like lavender. Her glass of wine helped too.
By the time Ginny arrived she felt much more herself, rather than the irrational insane creature she had been all day.
Ginny soon had her laughing as she regaled her with the card Harry had sent her- a poem based on the disastrous card Ginny had sent him in her 1st year at Hogwarts. Putting on a mocking, simpering voice she read the card aloud;
'Her eyes are as brown as the Sorting Hat,
Or perhaps they're more like a beater's bat?
I love that she's mine,
She's really divine,
My girl who fights like a wildcat!'
"He's a keeper!" Ginny smirked.
"No, he's a seeker!" Hermione had laughingly replied, and confessed to Ginny about the card she had sent to Draco.
"And where's his card?" said Ginny, looking expectantly round the room. "I expect he had it flown from Paris, accompanied with Belgium chocolates, pompous twit."
"Hey that's my boyfriend you're talking about," said Hermione, glaring half-heartedly at her friend.
Sighing, she told Ginny that she hadn't received a card from him. She tried to pass it off as if she was completely unaffected by it, but Ginny was too perceptive as always.
"No card!" protested Ginny indignantly, "See I told you he's a pompous twit!" Seeing Hermione looking gloomy, she asked her, "You ok?"
"I know he cares about me," Hermione replied, "he's just not very good at showing it sometimes and that can bring out the crazy in me a little. I then start to wonder if he really loves me at all, if he sees a future with me."
Ginny looked slightly horrified and set to quickly reassure her friend, "Hermione, I was just kidding, anyone with half a brain can see he's completely smitten with you."
Hermione smiled in reply to Ginny's assertion, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, "Let's just get ready for tonight, I'll even let you do my hair."
Ginny looked knowingly at her, well aware she was changing the subject but graciously let her.
The girls put on Ginny's 'Getting Ready' CD as they did their hair and make-up for their night out. It was full of cheesy Muggle pop hits that Hermione had introduced Ginny to. It wasn't long before they were belting out 'Reach for the stars' with their hairbrushes acting as microphones.
It wasn't often Hermione had a fun night out and she'd gone all out- wearing a redress that Ginny had once persuaded her to buy. It was a halter neck, pinched in at the waist. Along with bouncy curls, carefully styled by Ginny and smoky eyes, Hermione had to agree with Ginny's assessment that she looked pretty damn good. She couldn't help thinking if only Draco could be here to see her.
Ginny, looking stunning herself, and as if sensing her thought grinned at her saying, "Come on, let's take lots of selfies to send to the guys." They spent the next 5 minutes snapping ridiculous poses and Ginny gave a wolf whistle when they looked back at the photos. "These will definitely ensure Harry never works another Valentine's Day ever again," she said smirking.
Hermione returned her slightly wicked looking grin as she sent a photo to Draco. They were just about to leave when the doorbell rang.
"Expecting anyone?" asked Ginny puzzled.
"No," replied Hermione, opening the door with a confused expression.
Her jaw dropped open at the sight. There stood Draco and Harry, clearly all dressed up too. Harry tugged uncomfortably at his shirt collar but Draco of course looked perfectly at home in his white shirt and skinny tie. Before they had started dating, Hermione had once mentioned that she preferred a guy in a skinny tie, and she didn't think she had seen him wear a normal one since.
"Who is it?" called Ginny.
"Come and see," replied Hermione, a huge smile breaking out on her face.
When Ginny saw Harry she immediately squealed and ran at him, wrapping her arms around him, while simultaneously hitting him for misleading her.
Hermione took Draco's hand, leading him into the living room, squeezing it excitedly as she tried to casually say, "I guess you didn't have to work then?"
"No," he said, smiling down at her and tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "That ok?" he asked, slightly nervously, "I know you said you don't celebrate Valentine's Day but…"
She reached up and put a finger on his lips to shush him. "It's more than ok," she said, beaming up at him. He kissed her finger and removed her hand from his lips, holding both hands clasped in his.
"That's not the only surprise," he said, eyes twinkling mischievously.
Ginny and Harry joined them in the living room, each with identical flushed grins on their faces. Harry's lips were clearly now stained with Ginny's lipstick.
"Colour suits you," smirked Draco, gesturing to Harry's lips.
Harry blushed crimson and Hermione giggled at him. Ginny just looked proud of herself for creating Harry's dishevelled state.
"We better get moving," Harry said to Ginny now, tugging her towards the fireplace.
"Where are we going?" she asked excitedly.
Now it was Harry's turn to look smug, "I've got us box seats for England v's Argentina."
This answer immediately earned him a kiss from his red headed witch.
"But they sold out ages ago!" she said, slightly in awe.
"Well I am The Chosen One," Harry joked.
Ginny kissed him again, knowing how much he hated playing the 'I saved the world when I was just a teenager and so you owe me' card.
With a quick wave goodbye to Draco and Hermione, they stepped into the floo.
This left Hermione and Draco alone. Turning to her now, he said softly, "Have I told you yet how gorgeous you look?"
Hermione shook her head and smiled slightly up at him. "So are we going to a Quidditch match too?" she teased him now.
Draco pretended to tweak her nose for her cheek, as he replied, "No, I've a much more Hermione-esk evening planned."
Although she was bursting with a hundred questions, she contented herself with merely raising an eyebrow at him.
"We'll have to apparate nearby," he said, offering her his arm and politely asking, "Shall we Miss Granger?"
"We shall Mr Malfoy," she replied happily.
He gave her a soft kiss on the lips before apparating them.
Once she recovered from the unpleasant feeling that always accompanied apparation, Hermione looked around her and realised that they were in an alleyway.
"I feel a little overdressed for this," she joked.
Rolling his eyes at her, Draco replied, "This isn't our final destination as well you know."
Taking hold of her hand, he led her out of the alleyway. Hermione looked confused as she saw they were now outside her favourite library.
"The library is closed Draco, apparently they're doing essential maintenance."
Draco laughed at the scowl on her face, "Good thing I have the key then," he said, giving her a wink.
As she followed him inside she let out an incredulous squeak as the sight before her completely blew her away.
The library was lit up by hundreds of flames, carefully encased in glass jam jars. Draco pointed his wand at an old style gramophone and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata started to play. In the centre of the library, under a large chandelier, a table was set for two with a crisp white tablecloth and a single rose in the middle. Hermione could see an envelope on the table too with her name on it.
Her eyes avidly drunk in all of it. It was like a fairy-tale and Draco had created it just for her. She'd always told him that actions strangely meant more to her than words and with her Valentine's Day surprise he had left her in no doubt as to how he felt about her.
Draco was watching her reaction with slight trepidation. He had been planning this for the past few months and paid the library a small fortune to hire it for the evening. Over the past year he had fallen crazy in love with Hermione, and he still had to pinch himself to believe she actually wanted to be with him. He patted his pocket to reassure himself that the ring he'd picked out was still there.
His voice broke slightly as he asked the woman he adored, "Like it?"
Hermione turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Love it," she whispered, "Love you."
He let out a breath of relief, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly.