This is a genderbend Dramione story as prompted by ObeliskX. Draco Malfoy is Casseopea Malfoy and Hermione Granger is Hermes Granger. This little one-shot is just another situation that could occur when these two would date at Hogwarts.
Everything except the storyline belongs to J.K. Rowling
"You're being mean!"
Hermes Granger rolled her eyes, having heard this before.
"I'm not being mean, Cassie."
"Yes, you are! I want you to come watch me fly."
"But I am coming, I'm merely bringing a book."
"Which is the same as not coming at all! You won't see a thing with your nose stuck in a book."
Hermes let out a sigh. He was sitting on the windowsill of a large window at the end of a dead-end hallway. Casseopea Malfoy, his girlfriend, was standing next to him, throwing a small temper tantrum. Their relationship had been the talk of Hogwarts for weeks before the gossip finally died down. Pureblood queen of Slytherin and the know-it-all Muggleborn from Gryffindor; to say that it was a surprising match would be an understatement.
"You are always reading, you never pay attention to me," Cassie continued.
Hermes stood up and went to embrace her from behind. "I'm always studying. How else am I going to be able to keep up with you, hmm?" he said, nuzzling her neck.
Cassie snorted. "As if! I'm the one hardly keeping up with you."
"So not true." He turned her in his arms and planted a soft kiss on her nose. "I promise I'll watch you fly, I'll only read when you're talking strategy. Ok?" He kissed her on the lips.
"All right," Cassie relented, "but you better not miss a thing!"
xXxXxXx
The next day, Hermes walked Cassie to the quidditch stands, holding her hand. She was filling him in with the latest gossip of the Slytherin house. He nodded and let her rattle, not really knowing what was so interesting about it, but knowing that he would get lectured about how being up to date with the gossip was a necessity to be successful in the social circles.
They parted at the changing rooms. Hermes gave Cassie a long kiss, earning them whistles from some of the other team members.
"You'll watch, right?" Cassie asked. "Don't get lost in your book."
"Don't worry, my little star, I won't miss a thing."
He climbed the stairs and sat himself down on one of the highest benches. Opening his book, he waited for the Slytherin team to take the air. When they did, he waved at Cassie and for a while amused himself with watching his girl fly gracefully through the air. After some time though, he got bored of it and turned to his book. Every so now and then, he looked up towards the fliers.
The practice lasted two hours, and by the end of it, Hermes was completely consumed in his book. He jumped in surprise as a stinger hit his wrist. Looking up, he saw an irate Cassie standing next to him.
"You didn't see a thing, now did you!" the witch yelled at him. "You and your stupid books! All I wanted was for you to watch! But you didn't, just as I predicted! You don't care about me…"
"Cassie. Cassie, I'm sorry. You know that's not true," Hermes tried to placate her. It didn't work.
"No! I don't want to hear it! Take your silly books and go away! I don't want to see you anymore!"
"Cassie!" He took a step towards her, hands outstretched, voice placating, but it was no use. Cassie got on her broom and flew away. Hermes waited outside the changing rooms, but Cassie never came out.
"She flew straight to the castle, mate," Lucas Vaisey told him, shaking his head. "She seemed pretty upset."
Hermes let out a sigh and trotted back towards the Gryffindor tower. Once there, he dropped into a couch, next to Harry and Ron.
"Oi, mate," Ron said, "what's up with the sour face?"
"Weren't you out to watch Cassie fly?" Harry asked.
"I was," Hermes answered sullenly.
"You didn't see a thing, did you?" Harry sighed.
"I watched them in the beginning," Hermes protested, "but I was reading, and you know how boring I find Quidditch. I may have lost interest and focused more on reading."
Ron gave him a sympathetic look. "I bet Cassie was right pissed. You're going to have to grovel, mate, apologise."
"I already tried, she wouldn't hear me out."
"Let her cool down. You know how witches are. And yours really has a temper. She'll be fine tomorrow."
xXxXxXx
Cassie flew straight to the entrance stairs of the castle. Damn him! He's such an ass. Is it that difficult just to do as I ask? He could at least pretend he cares about my flying! She trotted through the hallways, the dark look on her face making sure nobody accosted her. After a shower and a change of clothes, she sat herself down in the common room, next to her best friend Pansy.
"Cassie! How was your flying?"
"Well, at least you care."
Pansy sighed. "Let me guess, Hermes started reading and didn't watch?"
"Exactly! I just want him to see me fly but he doesn't care at all!"
"You know how he is, Cas," Pansy commented, shaking her head slightly. "At least he's coming with you. He could be going to the library instead."
Cassie merely huffed in response.
"Are you really that mad at him?"
A sly smile spread across Cassie's face. "No, not really. I know full well it was to be expected. But he did promise, it's not like I'm happy about it." She looked at her friend. "Just let him sweat for a couple of days.
Pansy laughed and shook her head. "You're evil, you know that?"
xXxXxXx
If Hermes thought a simple apology would fix his current fall-out with his girlfriend, he was sorely mistaken. He tried talking to her on several occasions - in between lessons, during lunch, in front of the dungeon corridor - but Casseopea merely gave him a dark look, turned her head, and ignored him.
After another failed attempt three days later, Ron clapped him on the back. "You must have really pissed her off."
"Your apologising isn't working Herm, I feel for ya," Harry chimed in.
"Thanks, guys," Hermes answered dryly, "those comments are really helpful."
"Just trying to support you, mate," Ron grinned.
Harry nodded. "You're going to have to pull out the big guns."
"The what?"
"Never mind, Ron, muggle saying."
"I'm afraid so." Hermes sighed. Nobody told him having a girlfriend would be this much work. He did, however, know exactly what to do to woo Cassie back to him.
xXxXxXx
As Hedwig landed in front of Cassie the next morning, she tried to hide her triumphant smile. It seemed her annoyed behaviour was finally going to pay off. She rewarded the bird with a piece of bacon before opening the letter.
"Dear Miss Malfoy,
It is my pleasure to invite you to a private dinner tonight at 7 pm, at the disused office room on the 3rd floor, West wing.
This will be a formal event, so please dress accordingly.
Yours sincerely,
Hermes Granger"
"What is it, what does it say?" Pansy prompted, trying to read over Cassie's shoulder.
Cassie gave the letter to her friend. "He's finally making his move."
"Well, you have been pestering him for long enough."
"I wasn't pestering him!" Cassie replied, outraged. "I was merely ignoring him so he would realise the value of my companionship."
"Yeah, right. You wanted to make him suffer."
Cassie smirked. "That too."
Pansy let out a sigh. "I wish I had somebody who would go through the trouble of arranging a formal dinner simply to apologise."
The witches looked at each other and promptly started giggling, casting furtive glances towards the Gryffindor table to see Hermes watching them intently.
xXxXxXx
"They're giggling."
"They're what?"
"Giggling, Harry, giggling."
"And?"
"I don't know. Is that a good thing? Do you think she'll show? What if they're laughing at my idea?"
"I'm sure they're not. It's a great idea. I must remember it for the next time Ginny and I have a fall-out. I'm certain she'll come."
Ron paused his eating and said something unintelligible. Both Harry and Hermes stared at him before returning to their conversation.
"You really think so?" Hermes asked.
"I'm sure of it. Now stop worrying and eat!"
Hermes looked down at the breakfast he had hardly touched. "I hope this works and she'll forgive me."
xXxXxXx
At 7 pm sharp, Cassie left the dungeons for her rendezvous with Hermes. Pansy and she had a great time getting her ready. She was wearing an emerald green halter dress that hugged her curves nicely in a mermaid design. Her hair was elegantly piled on top of her head, a diamond comb and diamond studded pins holding it in place, making her silver hair shine and shimmer. Diamond teardrops hung from her neck and ears. The enchanted mirror had nothing but compliments to give her.
Her heels made clicking noises as she walked through the corridors and up the stairs to the third floor. She wondered about what Hermes had in store for her. Turning a corner, she smiled as she saw him standing in front of the abandoned office, dressed in formal robes and looking very nervous. To her delight, Hermes' eyes grew wide as he spotted her.
"Wow, Cassie. You look- You look spectacular!"
She could feel a blush creep up her cheeks. "You clean up rather nicely as well," she answered him.
"May I kiss you?"
Cassie stared at him, butterflies erupting in her stomach at the question. It was so gentlemanly! However, she decided not to let him off the hook just yet.
"You're not forgiven yet, love," she answered.
She saw his face fall slightly and for a moment felt bad. Shrugging the feeling off, she looked at the closed door expectantly. Hermes caught on. With a hand on the small of her back, he opened the door and guided her in.
Cassie was stunned. She expected a tablecloth over the old desk, perhaps a candle or two, but nothing of the magnificence she saw before her. The old furniture was moved to the side of the room and covered with black fabric. In the center of the now much spacier room stood a small table with a chair on two flanking sides. A bouquet of flowers adorned the table, which was fully set with plates and wine glasses on a creamy tablecloth. On the side, there was a second table with covered plates and a wine bottle. Candles were strategically placed around the room to create a romantic atmosphere. Soft music was playing in the background.
Hermes pulled out her chair before sitting down himself. "Do you like it?" he asked hesitantly.
"Like it?" Cassie asked. "This is wonderful." This was beyond her wildest expectations.
He smiled at her. "Would you like red wine, or white?"
They enjoyed a lovely dinner, Hermes doing the honour of filling up their plates from the covered dishes on the second table. After their dessert - a chocolate cake with raspberries and cream - Cassie voiced the question that had been plaguing her mind ever since she entered the room.
"How did you manage to do all this?"
Hermes took a sip of his water. "I went down to the kitchens to see if they would be willing to bring some food here. Some of the elves found the idea rather romantic and decided to help."
"You went down to the kitchens to ask the elves?" Cassie replied, astounded. "But- but you hate having the elves work for you."
He looked at her. "I do, but you are more important. I would do anything for you."
Cassie could feel her insides melt at his words. He could be such a romantic sometimes. Blushing furiously, she beamed up at him. "You can kiss me now."