A/N: This is just a one shot . This idea struck me suddenly in my boring maths lecture and kept nagging me since. So I am just giving it a try. Hope you guys like it.

Disclaimer : You know it, still …J K Rowling is the Sun of Harry Potter universe.

THE DATE

It was lunch time and the entire school was in the cafeteria.It looked like fish market more or less. Everybody was excited. The juniors,about entering the senior year and the seniors,about the prom next day.

Hermione, the representative of the senior year, was the head organizer of the prom that year. She and her team of 15 managed the entire event. The theme of that year's prom was the ocean. Hermione redesigned the gymnasium and converted it to look like the inside of poseidon's palace. They worked extra hours after school so that nothing was left to fault. The prom was their last night together and Hermione wanted to make sure that nobody regretted it.

Yet, Hermione was unhappy. She had no date for the great night. Even her best friends, Harry and Ron had dates. Harry was going with Luna and Ron with Daphne, Harry's twin. They sat together at the end of the cafeteria where nobody cared to bother them.

Hermione looked around to see her class mates and friends who, after the next day might turn into strangers or colleagues. Her eyes rested on a particular blond with grey eyes .Draco Malfoy. He was as usual surrounded by his gang who called themselves his friends. They were sitting in the middle of cafeteria. Blaise Zabini was bullying a junior and his friends crabbe and goyle were helping him. Draco looked uninterested. He was trying to make zabini see some sense but zabini turned a deaf ear. Of course, Draco Malfoy had his own problems. Pansy Parkinson and Astoria Greengrass appeared on either side of him and started flirting shamelessly. Draco, too, didn't have a date.

Hermione saw him politely refuse their offers and turn his attention to his plate. Yet, he left it untouched. Rumors had it that Malfoy didn't eat the food at school as it worse than what the servant at their house or castle, as the others called it, could afford. Hermione knew better.

Malfoy was nothing of what the others saw him as. He just played his role perfectly. Hermione had known him since her first grade. He was a cheerful kid like all the others. He had IQ that made even Hermione jealous. His sense of humour had a sarcastic edge that could make even the grumpiest teachers laugh. Hermione had a crush on him since the moment she saw him. But all this changed in their fourth grade when his father was accused of swindling money in the company and got arrested. All the kids in the school either bullied Malfoy or kept their distance. Even the teachers acted like he didn't matter. Hermione just couldn't understand why his father would swindle money as he was one of the few richest persons in the country. She tried to approach him and offer him a shoulder to cry on but he just pushed her away.

His father was later released and the media apologized for the defaming him. The real culprit was caught and Lucius Malfoy was paid handsomely for not suing the judge for his false accusations. But Draco was never the same. He withdrew into himself and kept his distance from people. His smile rarely reached his eyes and the world was soon deprived of his witty comments and his infectious laughter. He hid his face behind the mask of stone coldness. Hermione was the only one who could see his silent struggle and pain behind those grey eyes. As the years went by, the kids with rich dads and big purses gathered around him and called themselves his friends. He neither pushed them away nor encouraged them.

Hermione sighed and shook her head to clear her mind from the past. She always wished that it had been different. She missed his smile, his sarcastic replies, the way he always competed with her. She missed him. She looked at those grey eyes. If only l knew what was going in that head of his, thought Hermione. She suddenly realized he was staring at her. She blushed and hurriedly looked away. Malfoy slowly got up from his place and started walking towards the end of the cafeteria to where she was seated. Pansy and Astoria followed suit with confusion written on their faces.

He walked right up to their table. "Hermione", he called softly. The hall become silent except for few whispers here and voice sent shivers down her spine. She took a deep breath and composed herself. She looked up and saw him gazing at her with an expression of mild interest. The sun light from the nearby window shone on his blond hair and it glowed with faint gold. His pale features, sharp jaw and his soft expression made him look like the greek god of love, Eros, just like in the painting she saw in the museum.

Hermione stood and walked up to him. "What is it, Draco?" She asked quietly.

"I was wondering if you could be my date for the prom tomorrow. Will you?" He questioned casually. Hermione's mouth fell open in surprise. There was a huge gasp from the students. Hermione saw Pansy and Astoria looking daggers at her out of the corner of her eye.

"You are not taken, are you?" he asked hesitantly.

" No…l mean yes…No…" Hermione stammered. She saw malfoy looking amused at her expression with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"No, l am not taken and yes, l will be your date." She said again gathering herself.

"Great. I will pick you up at 6:30 tomorrow evening." He said with a nod and turned to leave. Hermione's inner goddess did a somersault and began dancing to taylor's "you belong with me" like a crazy cow. Suddenly panic overtook her. What if he asked her out just to avoid pansy and Astoria. That would make her look like a complete idiot. She liked Draco Malfoy beyond measure but she didn't want to be played.

She was brought back to reality when she felt a hand on her cheek. She looked directly into the grey eyes that she wished belonged to her. Draco cupped her cheek and placed his free hand on small of her back. He bent down to her height and pressed his lips against hers softly. Hermione closed her eyes and breathed in his sweet smell. He smelled like sunshine and rich cologne. Hermione put her hand in the crook of his neck and felt his soft skin. He broke the kiss and hugged her lightly. "Just in case of any doubts." he whispered softly " and you look beautiful in blue" he added. He ruffled her already bushy hair and smiled. Not that fake one but a real smile that lit his eyes.

"I will see you tomorrow", saying that he left. The hall was silent the entire time and hell broke loose as soon as he left. Her friends surrounded her and congratulated Hermione for winning the hottest date that year. Pansy and Astoria cursed her openly. None of this bothered Hermione. She was still staring at the doorway where he left. She didn't know if the prom would be a hit or flop but she knew one thing. She had her Prince Charming and nothing could go wrong.

"Draco Malfoy", she smiled as his name left her lips.

I really enjoyed writing this. Hope you did too.

Anyway, be a good Samaritan and leave a review for me. Please.

Au revoir.