AN: Ok folks, it's not smut, but it's adult. Please read with caution!
The sun set slowly, leaving long shadows stretching across the frosty grass. The date was the 31st October, and the students of Hogwarts were milling around the school, talking about their costumes for the evening ahead. In a break with tradition, the Headmaster had decided to hold a costumed ball for the older students once the Halloween feast was over, and as one might have expected, the news had caused almost unbearable levels of excitement among the sixth and seventh year student population. It was impossible to move without tripping over spell books to transform appearances, vials of glitter and wigs.
As the dark continued spreading an ever more velvety cloak across the grounds, Hermione Granger turned away from her dormitory window and looked despondently at her roommates. They were already dressing: tight black corsets and cat ears seemed to be the order of the day. The pair of glittering fairy wings lying on her bed were hopelessly childish in comparison. Shrugging away the feelings of inadequacy (why was it always her who managed to totally misinterpret what clothing was required?), she slid into the dress she had set aside. She watched as Lavender and Parvati left, their curves looking sleek in the satin that they had laced themselves into. Turning to her reflection, she smoothed down the bell shaped skirt that flared around her hips, and wondered if the tight-fitting top made her hips look too large in comparison. But it was too late to do anything about it now. Pushing her face closer to the mirror, she drew delicate spirals out from the corner of her already-made up eyes, and hope that she looked sufficiently dressed-up for Halloween.
Pattering down the stairs, she cast around for her friends, but couldn't see them amid the sea of ghoulishly made-up faces. Slipping into the main hall, the thumping music pounding into her ears, she looked up to see that the usual seating arrangements had been changed. Now there were just rows of tiered benches against the walls, looking down onto the dance floor. Students were already moving among the rows, watching those who were brave enough to be dancing. She shuddered, thinking that it was almost brutal, reminding her of Roman arenas. Grabbing a drink off a trestle table, she made her way to one of the middle rows and sat down, praying that someone she recognised would come and talk to her.
Draco Malfoy made his way into the hall, his tongue probing at the vampire fangs that he had charmed himself for the evening. The music descended over him and he looked around in the spinning lights, wondering where everyone was. He was perfectly aware of the admiring glances he was getting off various girls. With his blonde hair slicked back off his face, his pale face, scrutinising eyes and wicked smile, he wouldn't have expected anything less. Unable to see Crabbe or Goyle who had, appropriately enough, dressed as trolls, he decided to make his way to the seats.
It wasn't until he was sitting down that he noticed the girl on the seat beneath him. Her light brown hair was curling softly on her shoulders, the coloured straps of her dress contrasting against her creamy skin. Instantly, his head was filled with images of him leaning forward and gently kissing her neck, of her turning around and meeting his mouth. Licking his fangs, he leaned forward and tapped her shoulder to get her attention. As she turned around, he drew back in shock. ''Granger?''
''Who else would it be?'' She asked in bewilderment, her voice missing the cutting edge that she felt it desperately needed, such was her shock.
''I just wasn't expecting you!''
''Then why did you tap on my shoulder?''
''Well, you don't look like you!'' He answered back, so thrown off balance that he couldn't regain his equilibrium.
''Of course I don't look like me, it's Halloween! You're so frustrating sometimes! In fact, you're frustrating all the time!'' She looked along the row, planning her escape, but groups of people had sat down at either end of the row, making a speedy, dignified exit a practical impossibility. Turning back to the front, she smoothed her skirt out and folded her hands neatly in her lap, wishing that someone she knew would come and talk to her.
When no one came, against her better judgement, she began thinking about Draco. About how typical it was for him to come dressed as something that preyed on the innocent, bullying and manipulating until he got what he needed to sustain him. The fangs that could be seen flashing from beneath his upper lip looked like they should have been there all along: they completed his persona.
Draco looked at the wings that were positioned between her shoulder blades, sparkling as the light flashed off them. The way she was sitting, so prettily and elegantly, seemed to suggest that the wings belonged there. He almost smiled, amusing himself with the fanciful idea that a fairy could be existing in the mundane atmosphere that they all lived in. Reaching forward again, giving in to an urge whose origin he was uncertain of, he tugged at one of the wings, straightening it. She jerked around again and glared at him.
''What is your problem? Can you not just leave me alone?''
''I was straightening your wings.'' He felt hopelessly, and unusually, gauche.
''Do I turn around and just start yanking at your clothing, or parts of your body? No, I don't. So kindly return the courtesy!'' She began to turn around again, but caught a flash of white teeth as he unexpectedly smiled.
''Parts of my body? Wings are a regular body part now?''
She paused, entirely unsure of how to react. What did one say to that? On the one hand, this was Draco Malfoy: a sworn enemy, who had constantly tried to reduce her to tears. On the other hand, she was alone at a party, with a handsome guy who seemed intent on trying to start some kind of conversation. The contrast between her two options was staggering, and aware only of a need to say something, she said the first thing that came to her head.
''And vampire fangs are totally usual I suppose?''
''Touché. I will give you that your wings are much prettier than glorified teeth though.'' He was looking at the swirls that she had painted onto her face though, wondering how she had gotten them so perfectly symmetrical.
Hermione half-laughed, swept away in the most surreal situation that she could ever have imagined. But her response was lost as a vampiress dressed in sleek black leather came over and bared her fangs at Draco. ''I don't suppose you fancy trying your luck with biting me,'' she rasped. Hermione was already turning her head, resigned to her wallflower status, and unaccountably unsatisfied with it after a few seconds in Draco's company.
But to her surprise, Draco had shaken his head, dismissed his sultry, would-be suitor, and had drawn Hermione back into conversation. ''But, I will say that while your wings may be prettier, I doubt that they are any match in terms of longevity.''
''Meaning?''
''They look fragile.'' But his eyes were fixed on her small hands, one of which was resting on the seat back between them. ''Delicate, almost.''
''Appearances can be deceiving,'' she retorted, tilting her face up towards him like a flower seeking the sun.
''How so?''
''Well, your appearance tonight would suggest that you think you're a predator. That's clearly not the case.'' She took a sip of her drink and met his eyes coolly, almost unnerved by her own dazzling nerve. In a public place she, Hermione Granger, the bookworm of Gryffindor tower, was making flirtatious conversation with her natural opposite. The thrill of the forbidden was almost more exciting than the conversation. Almost.
''You don't think I'm capable of hunting you down?''
''No. I could take you any day.''
''But take me in what way?'' Draco was past caring what he said, completely absorbed in the smile that was curving the ends of her lips.
''In any way I wanted to.'' She was leaning closer to him now.
''I really don't think that a fairy is capable of taking on a vampire and winning. I eat your kind for breakfast.'' Their faces were inches apart now, his lips curling back to show the fangs gleaming from his mouth.
''You're so wrong it's unbelievable.'' Their mouths were centimetres apart, breath brushing against each others lips. Suddenly conscious of where they were, and what their dictating social norms were, they pulled apart, their eyes wide with shock.
Draco looked at her and wondered how to say what obviously needed to be said. But she was already opening her mouth and letting the words spill out. ''We need to get out of here.''
His eyes were already casting along the row. ''I'll meet you outside in a minute?''
She just nodded and turned away from him, already picking her way out, stepping over talking students, her eyes fixed on the exit from the hall.
By the time she got out there, he was already waiting, his breath rising in a white plume. They looked at each other and in a silent movement of complicity began moving away from the castle, their shadows stretched out before them. They didn't touch, aware that any kind of contact would throw them into the abyss that it wasn't safe to look into yet.
It wasn't until the sound of the music had completely died away, and the flickering lights from the dance could no longer reach them that they turned to face each other. It was cold, and the dress that Hermione wore was not enough to shield her from the frosty air. Draco reached forward, stroking his hands up and down her upper arms, smoothing the goosebumps that threatened to erupt. He paused with his arms around her shoulders and drew her towards him. Not a word had been said since they left the castle. There was nothing that needed to be said. They knew quite simply that they had to feel each other, taste each other, revel in the differences that should have separated them but instead were intertwining them in the most delicious way possible.
Teasing her, he let his mouth hover before her lips. Every time the frustration grew unbearable and she tried to move forward and let her lips touch his, he would pull back. Finally, linking her arms around the back of his head, she drew him inexorably closer to her and let herself melt into his embrace.
It was beyond anything that they could ever have anticipated, thought of, dreamt of. His mouth on hers was causing a flame to flicker higher and higher in her, starting from a place that now seemed shockingly neglected. Draco's arms pulled her closer and closer, arching her back and tipping her backwards so that he could kiss her collarbones. His vampire teeth were reverting back to normal now, just grazing her skin slightly in the most tantalising trails. Hermione let out her breath in a shuddering gasp and pulled at his hair so that she could kiss his mouth again.
It was unbearably perfect: the silvery light of the moon holding them in a glamorous pewter spotlight, the coldness of the air causing them to cling closer and closer to each other, the heat of their lips inflaming their skin. Only their stifled gasps and the rustling of the trees broke the silence of the night.
Almost before she knew it, Hermione was pushing Draco down against the damp grass, unable to comprehend quite what she was doing but knowing that from the moment she had left the hall she had been on a course that it was impossible to be diverted from. And with that single thought in mind, she was ripping at his shirt, nuzzling his neck and kissing his chest.
Draco looked down at her, her sparkling fairy wings still fixed firmly to her back. Her dress swished slightly as she wriggled across him, and he realised that he couldn't go another minute without helping her take off the dress. Pulling her up, he slid the dress off her shoulders and watched as it fell to the floor, his appreciation clear in his eyes.
Without a single qualm about how they looked, or what anyone seeing them would think, Hermione and Draco tumbled across the grass, intertwined and writhing. Arching together, locked in utter bliss, they fell into a crevasse of the most unbelievable ecstasy imaginable.
Rolling apart, her head resting on his shoulder as they stared up at the frosty night sky, her fairy wings lying on the ground near them. Draco squeezed her slightly closer, feeling her skin cold beneath his warm hands. Kissing her hair, he smiled. ''You don't turn into a pumpkin at midnight do you?''
''Not to the best of my knowledge,'' she answered, absolutely freezing but not wanting to break the contact between their skin. ''Do you?''
''Nah, I just stay as a big tough vampire.''
Rolling around she looked down into his face. ''Your fangs are gone.''
''I don't need fangs to be the boss of you,'' he laughed.
''Oh yeah? I could, and would, beat you any day!''
''I'm going to have to ask you to prove that,'' he said, watching as she sat up and pulled her dress over her head.
''Any time, any day.'' She answered, and flitted away into the dark.
AN: Ok, so I know it's a couple of days after Halloween but I only thought of the idea on the 1st November, and decided I didn't want to wait a year to post the story. I really hope you enjoyed it, and you can make me magically very happy by leaving me a review! Thanks for reading! Petitesorciere xxx