Dragon's Stars - One Shot
Looking in the mirror, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Wow…", thank goodness for magic and a good hairstylist. Not that this was something she would usually waste her time worrying about. No, her life was much too complicated and full to worry about hair and makeup. But tonight was a special night. Tonight was a night the whole wizarding world had been waiting months for: the victory ball. The minister of magic, in his attempt to show unity and lessen the fears and rumors that the dark lord had returned yet again, had decided to host a ball for "all of the wizarding world to enjoy". Unfortunately, that was not possible...so he settled for the "future leaders"; the students of Hogwarts.
As head girl, it was her job (along with the help of her fellow head and prefects) to coordinate with the ministry in the execution of the ball. They had spent months planning the event. The music being booked immediately so that the best of the best would be there. Although it had been difficult to plan such a grand event, she knew it would have been worse if it hadn't had been for a certain prefect with an eye for the finer things in life and the background for planning the most spectacular social events.
Applying some more mascara, she smiled to herself as she remembered her conversation with Ron the day he had found out who had helped her decide the theme and book all the venders…
"You have got to be kiddin me, Mione" he snarled
"Honestly Ron, I cannot believe you! This whole event is to celebrate house unity and bring joy and happiness to the whole wizarding community"
"Well, I don't see how you can work with the bloody…"
"RONALD!" she had gasped, "How dare you! Malfoy may have his faults, but he has been nothing but kind to me this year and respectful to the both of you…" at this Harry had nodded softly "...something that YOU have not made easy on him." At that she had stormed out of the great hall, leaving behind three sets of eyes watching her go: shocked emerald greens, angry sky blue, and worried piercing ice blue.
Letting out a huff and closing the mascara she looked at herself in the mirror again. "This isn't going to be easy...but it'll be worth it". Smiling, she grabbed her small clutch, charmed to hold far more than originally intended, gently slipped her wand into the silky fabric, said a small prayer to the gods, and slipped out of the prefect bathroom.
Draco Malfoy had been to his fair share of grand events, galas, and balls...all of which he had attended with the highest level of charm, sophistication, and class oozing from every pore. "So why in the bloody hell am I so nervous!" The laugh behind him startled him so much he almost fell off the bed he was leaning against…
"I have an idea…" Turning around he locked eyes with Blaise "...but I don't know if you will like the answer" he chuckled again as Draco righted himself and crossed around the bed, stopping directly in front of his friend.
"Okay, if you are so smart...Mr. Head Boy...answer my question," Draco hissed, "Why am I so bloody nervous"?
Side-stepping his friend and crossing to the full-length mirror, Blaise chuckled as he tied his bowtie "Well, there are a couple of reasons...one, you have never attended an event of this scale as an open supporter of the Light; two, you helped plan this event and are concerned it will not live up to the standards of your upbringing;" as he finished tying his silk, black bowtie he took a moment to admire his forest-green, velvet suit jacket in the mirror. Turning back to the his blonde friend, "and three, a certain witch has accepted your gift and intends to wear it tonight. A gift, if I may add, that honestly seems a bit much."
With that, Draco looked up, anger flashing his eyes. "Don't get me wrong, mate" Blaise chuckled quickly, putting his hands up slightly, "It is your money...do what you want with it, but really? That dress must have cost you a small fortune! Everyone will be talking about it...wondering how she could have afford something so...unique, shall we say? And you two have made it VERY clear to me that you are not ready to go public."
Growling in frustration (softly at first, letting it grow as he tugged at his own hair) Draco sighed, "You're right...but I just couldn't help myself. I needed to show her just how beautiful she is to me! She doesn't see it, mate! She doesn't see or understand just how stunning she is...inside and out. She doesn't see what she does to me every second of every single day. How she makes my heart skip a beat every time she opens her mouth or looks at me with those big brown eyes." Pausing for a breathe, he looked helplessly at Blaise.
Chuckling, "and this dress will let her know that, huh?"
"Yes" smirking, Draco slipped on his tailored tux jacket, "like you said, mate, every eye will be on her tonight. She will be glowing, and that spell I used on it will certainly let her know how I feel when I look at her."
With that, Draco turned and left the slytherin dormitories...leaving a smirking Blaise behind him.
Peeking around the corner of the grand staircase, Hermione took a deep breath. "Calm down...you can do this. You CAN do THIS." Deciding that if she waited a moment longer she would lose her nerve, she descended the staircase, hands trembling as she clutched her dress, holding it up so she would not trip. Taking a calming breath every-other step, she was halfway down the stairs when she heard a familiar chuckle.
Looking up her breath caught in her throat as her eyes locked on two young men...one in forest-green, one in all black juxtaposing his platinum blonde hair.
Rounding the corner to the great hall, Draco looked back to see Blaise was right behind him. As he opened his mouth to light-heartedly tell his friend off, yet again, he stopped dead in his tracks as the hairs on the back of his neck sprung to life. His heart began to flutter wildly, and it was harder and harder to breathe, "Hermione…" he exhaled softly.
Laughing, Blaise waved his hand in front of his friends eyes, "not quit mate...I'm Blai-" but Draco cut him off, grabbing his arm and rounding the corner quickly. What he saw stopped them both dead in their tracks.
There she was...glowing. Literally glowing. The charmed dress hung to her body like a second skin. The shear fabric was so thin it practically did not exist. The dragon's heart crystals that formed the dress seemed adhered directly to her hourglass figure. They clung to her chest, covering her but revealing her smooth skin at the same time. The crystals continued on down her flat stomach, over her defined hips, and cascading down her long legs stopping in jagged patterns. From there they continued on like drops of water down the sheer fabric before pooling on the small train that flowed behind her. She paused for a moment, turning back slightly to reveal the open back of her dress. Her smooth, chocolate brown curls landing halfway down her back, her tan skin revealed to the world...stopping just shy of revealing too much (where the crystals started back up). Turning back around, Draco studied her face. Smokey eyes looked back at him. They both stared momentarily before wine-stained lips parted and a soft "hello" escaped them.
As she turned to check her train was laying right, she felt the butterflies in her stomach intensify. The pounding of her heart grew strong and the hairs on the back of her neck sprung to attention...he was looking at her. Turning back slowly her eyes landed on the two men in front of her before locking in on ice blue eyes staring deeply into her own. Her heart beat intensified more. She felt like it would explode out of her chest…'he, he didn't…' she thought. But, the longer she stared into his deep, longing eyes, the clearer it became that the feeling in her chest wasn't just her own heart...it was his. He had magicked the dress to let her feel exactly what he felt when he saw her. In that moment, she truly felt beautiful.
They stood like that for a moment before she finally found her voice, "hello" she whispered. Seeming to snap out of it, the deep pools blinked back before a deep "hello" met her ears.
Deciding she needed to break the contact, her whole skin on fire, she turned her attention to the other person in the room "Hello, Blaise...you look dashing tonight".
"You look pretty good yourself, Hermione...doesn't she, Draco?"
As they both turned their attention back to the blonde he swallowed slowly, "stunning...more beautiful than the night sky".
Smiling, Hermione found the confidence she needed to continue down the stairs. Taking a deep breath she looked at Draco and smiled, "thank you, love."
He smiled back, "Any time...ready to knock them dead?" he purred, his normal confidence returning.
She smirked, her confidence growing as his arm snaked its way around her waist, Blaise coming to her right "Ready as I'll ever be…"
As the grand hall doors opened, they prepared themselves for what they would see inside. Locking eyes, they smiled. This was the night they had been waiting for. The night they had dreamed of for 4 years...they were going to tell everyone about them. And as they turned to face those already inside, Hermione shined brightly….quite literally glowing with Draco's love. The dragon's heart crystals emanating a shimmering light as the charm worked it's magic. Showing the world, and Hermione, just how brightly she shined in Draco's eyes.