A/N: This story was written for the Second Round of the Finals of the Fourth Season of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. I'm writing as Beater 2 for The Wimbourne Wasps.
Name of round: Weasley's Wizard Wheezes
We'd like to thank Gred and Forge of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for sponsoring this round of the Quidditch League. In order to help them boost sales amongst the crowds here, we'd like you - the players - to endorse some of their products. Remember you're trying to entice people to buy, so make sure you make lasting impressions on people! (AKA - make sure your products are used in and are important to your stories.)
I'm posting as Beater 2, so I am required to use Fred Weasley's Basic Blaze Box (from the Explosive Enterprise range) in my story; I also have to use the prompts listed below.
Prompts used:
2. (word) lace
7. (word) cauldron
11. (word) desk
Word Count: (given by Google Docs) 996
A New Kiss For A New Year
She had promised him that she would be standing in this spot, and that she would be waiting for him when the time was right. It was almost a quarter until midnight, and she hadn't seen him once. She hadn't seen him since that morning when she had decided to make a trip to the library to work on her potions studies, minus the cauldron.
She'd made a mess taking notes, and the ink had spilled on the floor. As she was cleaning it up, smudges on her forehead from swiping away her hair with dirty hands, he waltzed in, of course. His cocky attitude had filled the entire library and his cold, steel colored eyes had taken in the room just as fully as they had taken in and captured her soul. She could never fully explain the rush she received each time his eyes landed on her. It always caused her to have goosebumps, as if she had chills.
He had smirked when he saw her and had stalked over to where she was crouched on the floor to set a letter on the desk. The letter had contained instructions for her. Up to this point, she had followed them. She was, however, confused about how they mentioned that there would be a small distraction.
She smoothed the front of her dress down and made sure that the black lace sleeves weren't turned around or ruined in any way. No one had seemed to notice her in this corner, and for that, she was thankful. She stared at all the couples dancing and having a good time. She wished it could have been the two of them. She wished that prejudices and blood purity didn't dictate who got to be with whom. Regrettably, she would never be lucky enough to see such a day.
"I see that you're wearing that dress I told you to, and that you're no longer covered in ink"
He was standing against the wall, looking at the other couples dancing and having a good time, just as she was. He never glanced at her, and she never glanced at him. Both of them knew better. They kept watching and waiting for the most opportune moment.
"It's not the most comfortable thing in the world," she said, smiling at a couple of students that passed by her.
"Don't worry, the plan is almost ready," he reassured her.
"What does that mean, Draco?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"Let's just say those Weasley twins have a couple of useful products developed for their shop."
"Care to explain?" she wondered.
"Not right now. However, when you hear a loud boom, I want you to duck and meet me behind the third pillar on the left," he instructed, motioning with his head to said pillar.
"How do I-" Hermione turned her head, but he was already gone.
It was one minute before midnight, and she noticed that something was off when she looked around. There were some people grabbing their drinks to toast to a new year, some were grabbing their significant others, and some were getting ready to start counting down the time. Hermione, however, kept waiting for the moment when she would hear that loud noise that she had been told to expect.
10
The countdown had started and she could smell something that resembled a burnt candle smell. Then, she saw the box in some boy's hand. He was ready to unleash it and light things on fire with his wand in hand.
9
Hermione had already begun to make her move to hurry towards the third pillar before things started going crazy.
8
Time seemed to speed up the faster she moved. When she got a glimpse of the box, she knew she was going to have to get behind that pillar faster than she currently was.
7
It was Fred Weasley's Basic Blaze Box that was getting ready to be set on fire and unleashed inside the ballroom. Things were about to go crazy, but she marveled at the cleverness. He wanted to distract everyone from what they would both be shunned for, were they to do it in public.
6
That box wasn't as dangerous as the extreme box that could completely wreck the ballroom. It was milder than that, but it still wasn't something that should be let go of inside.
5
She was almost by the pillar.
4
He wasn't there yet, but it didn't stop her from looking around.
3
She heard the simple spell echo through the hall, but no one else seemed to have heard it.
2
She couldn't believe he wasn't there yet.
1
She was about to give up when she heard the room echo in happiness and laughter, as well as the fireworks that exploded for everyone to see.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" they all shouted.
That was when Hermione felt a hand grace the small of her back and spin her around to lightly back her into the pillar. He had made it just in time; as he had said he would. He gave her a genuine smile, which she wasn't used to. She was expecting a cocky smirk and a confident attitude. It was as if he had left that in the past year and became someone new, if only for a minute. His warm lips encased her own and she could now see what some people meant by fireworks after one had just been kissed. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before when it came to his kisses. Sure, it was passionate, but it also warmed her all over, making her want it to never end. She never imagined that her first New Year's kiss would be with Draco Malfoy.
Now that she'd had one with him, she would never want to have it with anyone else.
"Happy New Year, Hermione," he whispered before giving her another heart-stopping kiss.
"Happy New Year, Draco."