CHAPTER 1: A Promise
{Okay, everybody. Here's a new Dramione. I hope you like it.}
Almost anyone who knew Hermione Granger would say she was sensible and level headed. She never lost her temper when it wasn't called for. She always thought situations through logically before acting.
That is why everyone in the second floor corridor was surprised when Hermione Granger blew up in Draco Malfoy's face after Transfiguation one Friday afternoon in December. He was giving the Golden Trio the usual sneering insults and had finally reached the customary comment about Hermione's bushy hair when she snapped. Snapped like she never snapped before. In Hermione's defense, her hair had stopped resembling a bush by the end of sixth year and now fell down her back in gentle curls. The insult was no longer relevant.
"You're the most FOUL, LOATHSOME, EVIL, excuse for a human being I have EVER laid eyes on!"
Malfoy looked momentarily shocked before pasting his trademark sneer on his pointed, but undeniably handsome, face.
"What,Granger? Going to slap me again?" Only Hermione, Ron, and Harry knew he was talking about the incident in third year when Buckbeak the Hippogriff was "executed."
By this time, every single student had stopped to see what would happen, eager to see what would occur between the Gryiffindor and Slytherin.
Hermione just glared. "Can you give it a rest, Malfoy?! I am sick and tired of your constant comments about me and by friends! Why do you care anyway?" Her eyes flashed.
"Why do I care, Granger? Why do I care? Maybe this is the only way I can get your attention!"
Malfoy looked just as surprised as Hermione did. The moment the words slipped from his mouth, his face became several shades paler than usual, if that was even possible. He abruptly turned around and hastened down the corridor leaving Hermione absolutely thunderstruck. Ron looked like he was about to vomit at any moment. Harry had a confused expression on his face like he was still trying to figure out what had just happened.
Malfoy, liked her? How was this even possible? She was a mudblood, he said so himself.
"But," a little annoying voice said, " He hasn't called you that once since before the war."
But still, if Hermione thought about it she couldn't understand how she didn't see it before. Almost everywhere she went, he was there. He would make some comment to draw attention to himself. It's a typical childhood romance. The stuff you read about in books. Sometimes she would catch him staring at her out of the corner of her eye, his usual sneer replaced by something Hermione couldn't identify, a weird look in his grey eyes. Before now, she had always thought he was planning a new diabolical way to get to her and her friends. Now, she wasn't so sure and that was what frightened her. She absolutely hated not knowing.
"Hermione! Hey, Hermione!" Harry was waving a hand in front of her face.
She blinked and came back to the present. Ron still looked like he had been bowled over by a herd of hippogriffs. He kept whispering; "Bloody hell" under his breath in various tones, as if replaying the scene over and over again in his mind like a bad infomercial that just wouldn't end.
"What was that about?" Harry asked, green eyes wide. Hermione shook her curly head in disbelief.
"I don't want to talk about it right now, Harry," Hermione said softly staring at the stone floor. He looked like he wanted to say more but wisely shut his mouth with a resounding snap.
"I'm going to the library…to think," she said and gave Harry a shaky smile before walking away.
"Alright, see you in the common room later." He walked up to Ron, who was still in a state of shock, and firmly gripped his elbow to lead him back to Gryffindor tower.
As soon as her feet cross threshold of the library, Hermione relaxed. Here was a place where things always make sense. In all her 17 years, the Hogwart's library has never failed to solve her problems yet. Hermione walked over to her favorite alcove to begin on her studies, but unfortunately it was already occupied. A blonde head reflected in the setting sun streaming from the library windows. He glanced up as she approached, a nervous expression on his normally oh-so-cool-and-collected face.
"Granger…" he began and shakily ran a hand through his hair. Somewhere between fifth and sixth year he had decided to discontinue his use of hair gel. A wise decision in Hermione's opinion. She liked it a lot better this way.
He clenched his jaw as if steeling himself for what he was about to say next. This was strange and foreign territory. Draco Malfoy was never nervous. Hermione didn't know what to make of this.
"Granger…about that in the hallway"
"—Are you going to say you didn't meant any of that?" Hermione asked sharply. She put a hand on her hip and stared him down.
His grey eyes widened and he quickly shook his head.
"No, I wanted to say that…no matter what you may think, it's true…it's all true" He averted his eyes as he waited for a response. She mulled it over. Draco Malfoy of all people. She was contemplating a potential relationship with Draco Malfoy.
Hermione sighed.
"What do you want me to say, Malfoy? That I'll forget about six years of your taunting and name calling?" she asked wearily
To her surprise, he chuckled softly.
"I've really been a right git, haven't I? No, Granger, I'm not that hopeful. I'm here to say I will prove to you that what I'm saying is true, no matter what it takes. I am a Slytherin, after all. I really do like you, despite all evidence to the contrary."
"And how do you expect to do that?" she asked skeptically.
"All in good time, Granger. All in good time," he said mysteriously. With that, he winked and sauntered out of the library. Now that was the Draco Malfoy she knew.
{ So I hoped you liked it! I'm planning on just making this a few chapters long. If you enjoyed this, you might also like my other Dramione, Evergreen and Rose. Feel free to review! ~Lilac and Rose}