Title: Beautiful Deception
Chapter: One
Pairing: Hermione/Draco
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
Feedback: All comments are appreciated. The more the merrier.
Author's Note: This story is already completed and is five chapters long. The rest will be posted shortly.
Flipping quickly through the historical biography in front of her, Hermione couldn't bring herself to concentrate on her reading. Normally she loved to delve into the hidden mysteries of a book, losing herself in its pages and finding herself in the realm of the unknown. Books were like oxygen to her, breathing life into her where the monotony of the everyday just could not. And the knowledge she gained from them gave her power, one that she could wield against her enemies, leaving them standing speechless.
But today, this book was the bane of her existence. It was novels like these that had made her who she now was – a person that she found she detested. All had been well until about an hour ago when she ran into Malfoy. Usually she tried to just let his words slide off her, but this time they had cut deep and the wound was not healing.
The Yule Ball was just around the corner and no one had yet to ask her. She really hadn't thought much of it honestly. Why waste time at a silly dance when she could be using that time to study in quiet in the common room? But then he had to show up and smack her hard in the face with a reality she had been denying for years.
She had just been sitting in class, minding her business while reading "Magic in the Ancient World," oblivious to the bustling crowd around her. Whispers of dances and partners were swarming about but she managed to tune it all out, until a hand slammed down right in the middle of the page she was attempting to read. Whipping her head up in both surprise and anger, she shot a cold glare into the icy eyes before her.
"What's the matter, Granger? Couldn't find yourself a date?" He had that irritating smirk on his face and she wanted nothing more than to meet it with her fist.
"Some of us have better things to do than go to a frivolous dance," she spat while attempting to read around Draco's hand.
"Keep telling yourself that," he scoffed as went to leave, only to turn back to her. "You know, Granger. If you keep your head shoved in a book all the time, no one's ever going to ask you."
She could only stare blankly back at him. As much as she never thought she say the words, Malfoy was right. She was always so caught up in schoolwork that life was just passing her by. What had started out as a simple defense mechanism had turned into a social-repellent. She had never had many friends as a child growing up in Muggle society, and she lost herself in books as an escape. But now where would she turn when she wanted to escape from her scholarly persona?
Snapping out of her thoughts, Hermione slammed the book down. That was it. No more Miss Know-It-All. No more studying all night in the library. Standing up with a huff, she came to a decision. She would have a date for the Yule Ball if it killed her. A new chapter in her life was about to begin.
"Ugh, why does everything have to come back to books?"
Chapter: One
Pairing: Hermione/Draco
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
Feedback: All comments are appreciated. The more the merrier.
Author's Note: This story is already completed and is five chapters long. The rest will be posted shortly.
Flipping quickly through the historical biography in front of her, Hermione couldn't bring herself to concentrate on her reading. Normally she loved to delve into the hidden mysteries of a book, losing herself in its pages and finding herself in the realm of the unknown. Books were like oxygen to her, breathing life into her where the monotony of the everyday just could not. And the knowledge she gained from them gave her power, one that she could wield against her enemies, leaving them standing speechless.
But today, this book was the bane of her existence. It was novels like these that had made her who she now was – a person that she found she detested. All had been well until about an hour ago when she ran into Malfoy. Usually she tried to just let his words slide off her, but this time they had cut deep and the wound was not healing.
The Yule Ball was just around the corner and no one had yet to ask her. She really hadn't thought much of it honestly. Why waste time at a silly dance when she could be using that time to study in quiet in the common room? But then he had to show up and smack her hard in the face with a reality she had been denying for years.
She had just been sitting in class, minding her business while reading "Magic in the Ancient World," oblivious to the bustling crowd around her. Whispers of dances and partners were swarming about but she managed to tune it all out, until a hand slammed down right in the middle of the page she was attempting to read. Whipping her head up in both surprise and anger, she shot a cold glare into the icy eyes before her.
"What's the matter, Granger? Couldn't find yourself a date?" He had that irritating smirk on his face and she wanted nothing more than to meet it with her fist.
"Some of us have better things to do than go to a frivolous dance," she spat while attempting to read around Draco's hand.
"Keep telling yourself that," he scoffed as went to leave, only to turn back to her. "You know, Granger. If you keep your head shoved in a book all the time, no one's ever going to ask you."
She could only stare blankly back at him. As much as she never thought she say the words, Malfoy was right. She was always so caught up in schoolwork that life was just passing her by. What had started out as a simple defense mechanism had turned into a social-repellent. She had never had many friends as a child growing up in Muggle society, and she lost herself in books as an escape. But now where would she turn when she wanted to escape from her scholarly persona?
Snapping out of her thoughts, Hermione slammed the book down. That was it. No more Miss Know-It-All. No more studying all night in the library. Standing up with a huff, she came to a decision. She would have a date for the Yule Ball if it killed her. A new chapter in her life was about to begin.
"Ugh, why does everything have to come back to books?"