A/N: This is a song-fic (a story based on a song) with Draco/Hermione. The song I used is by Chris de Burgh, entitled 'Lady in Red'. It's from the 80's and I just really like the song. It's supposedly written about a prostitute but the lyrcis can be taken completely different so I used that to my advantage and wrote a little story. Hope you enjoy it!
Lady in Red
Draco gazed into the full-length mirror, a satisfied smile on his face as he gazed at his reflection. He was dressed in the finest Wizarding robe – smooth, silky and black with emerald threading. His blonde hair was slicked back perfectly, the effect of which was an enhancement of his sharp face with defined yet delicate features. A perfect look for the ladies!
Draco smirked as he thought about the many possibilities of tonight. It was the annual Hogwart's Valentine's Day Dance and every year he had a rendezvous with some young lady – or, like that one time, ladies. He never went with a date because he never needed one. The women would always find their way to him without any real effort on his part. He would just walk inside, ensure that everyone saw him and find a comfortable spot to gaze out into the crowd. Before long, a beautifully dressed lady would come up to him, ask for a dance and he would either oblige or decline, depending on how the young lady approached him. If she was subtle and calm, he would smile back and sweep her onto the dance floor. If she was jittery and desperate, he would look the other way without a second thought. It also helped if she had looks as well. Then, once that was over, he'd wait for the next one.
'But,' Draco thought, 'maybe tonight will be different. Maybe I'll find that one beautiful lady to dance with for the entire night, whisk her off her feet and finally have a special someone.'
Yes, maybe he would. Even though he was a ladies man and loved the attention, a part of him always wished that he could find that special someone who would tame his heart and make him realize that there is something true in the world worth living for. He watched couples day in and day out and a small part of him envied it all. He was ready to give up his freedom for a chance to have someone to hold, laugh with, kiss and share intimate moments with. He really wanted a special someone.
'And maybe I'll find that lady tonight.'
With one last sweeping look in the mirror, Draco exited his dormitory and descended the steps to the common room. It was empty considering that the dance had start close to an hour ago. Fashionably late - that was how he always did it. Smiling, Draco left the common room and made the trek towards the Great Hall where the dance was being held. Once outside, he exhaled and then entered.
The room was decorated beautifully. Right in front of the doors was a tall curved canopy that was covered in flowers. Red and white hearts floated freely through the room, a few trickling high into the tall ceiling which reflected the calm, star-filled night sky. Candles littered the walls and illuminated the entire room. Several round tables were covered in both red and white cloths with a centerpiece of small transparent statues of doves, cupids, kissing swans, or simple hearts. The tables formed a massive circle around the dance floor which was packed with couples moving in beat with the lively music provided by the beloved band, The Weird Sisters.
Draco noticed that a few heads turned as he made his way towards the wall and a few girls sent him suggestive looks. He nodded curtly and settled against the wall between Blaise Zabini and Gregory Goyle. Neither of them had brought dates either because there would always be one or a few girls for their picking at the dance. Why bother bringing a date when you'd have a buffet of them at your fingertips?
"I see you finally made it downstairs," Blaise said, taking a sip of the punch that he held in his hand.
Draco nodded instead of voicing his response and scanned the Great Hall. There were a lot of girls looking his way. But he wasn't worrying about any of them. There was a special someone somewhere in the crowd and he was determined to find her. At first he questioned how he would know but then he realized that he just would. It was instinct – at least that's what people always told him. You'd know who the right person was immediately.
"Draco…"
'And it starts.'
"Would you like to dance?"
Draco looked at the girl. She was a fifth year Ravenclaw; he recognized her as the young seeker on their Quidditch team. Her hair was a deep black and cascaded down in straight tendrils, all the way to the middle of her back. Her eyes were a dark brown, so dark that they almost looked black. Her face was slightly round with a button-nose and slightly plump lips. It was a lovely sight. But not the one he wanted.
"Maybe later," he said, turning her down but not too harshly that she thought lowly of him.
She nodded, slightly disappointed, and then disappeared. Draco sighed and started scanning the room once again.
'Where are you special someone?'
The music inside the room suddenly slowed into the soft ballads and love tunes that accompanied dances like these. Draco sighed and folded his arms. The bombarding of girls would begin any moment now that he had already been asked once. He wondered if Mrs. Right would be among the girls who came to him.
'Don't be silly,' he quickly thought, 'Mrs. Right would wait for you to go to her, not the other way around.'
Never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight
Never seen you shine so bright.
Never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance
Looking for a little romance; if given half a chance
Just then, the doors to the Great Hall opened again and Draco's head spun to see who was entering. And just like that, he felt his heart stop. Standing in the entry was a vision of pure beauty. Draco scanned her from head to toe and immediately concurred that he liked what he saw. She was fairly tall with a soft complexion and a modest shape that filled her dress perfectly. He couldn't see her clearly because of the distance but just her standing there was enough to capture his attention.
Draco leaned away from the walls and continued to peer at the girl who had captured his attention. She appeared to be alone because when she walked in, she did so unaccompanied and did not appear to be looking for anyone. Instead, she remained by the door, her fingers laced together. She looked almost nervous; as if she wasn't sure she should be there or that she was apprehensive about being ignored.
Her insecurity was quickly erased, though, when three boys walked up to her at the same time. She took a quick step back and Draco noticed a flicker of surprise appear in her eyes. He smiled; innocence was something that attracted him to girls, believe it or not, and her reaction was just the hint of modesty he loved to see. Then, he watched as all three of the boys started talking to her simultaneously, probably asking her to dance. It was the first time he ever saw so many people ask one person to dance at the same time and from the look on the girl's face, she was completely overwhelmed by it all.
Draco took a step forward and curled his hand into a fist. Without understanding why, he was overcome by a desire to rescue her from the bombardment. He wanted to walk over and pull her close, protect her from the hoards of men who wanted a chance to be with her. But most of all, he wanted to have her all to himself.
In fact, he had become so mesmerized by her beauty that he did not notice the knowing looks both Blaise and Goyle had sent him. They could tell that more than just Draco's attention had been caught. The usually uncaring boy – the one who had no problems stepping over to girls, using them to his advantage and then throwing them away – had become completely enthralled by the new arrival, and, knowing who she was, it made the situation that much more amusing. Blaise move Draco's side and, only when he let out a slight chuckle, did Draco's gaze waver from the girl.
"What's so funny?" he asked, straightening his spine to look at Blaise properly.
"Oh, I dunno," Blaise said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "It's just so interesting to watch you ogle Hermione Granger." The surprised look on Draco's face was enough to elicit another chuckle, this time from Goyle, as well.
"Granger?" Draco asked, turning back to confirm Blaise's statement.
I have never seen that dress you wearing
Or that highlights in your hair that catch your eyes
I have been blind
The girl was now standing close enough for him to identify her and Draco's eyes bugged when he saw that it was indeed Hermione Granger. She was now standing by the refreshment table and the close positioning allowed him to truly get a good look at her. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he liked what he saw. She was absolutely lovely, more so than he had ever seen her before. She was dressed in a red-halter dress that was covered in sequences that seemed to twinkle and shine in the modest lighting of the room. One her feet were a pair of matching strappy heels that highlighted the delicate curve of her instep and the firmness of her calf. Her normally plain brown hair shone with an extra hint of chestnut and was loose in tight tendrils that brought both notice to the beauty that lingered within her brown eyes and framed her face, a face Draco found himself completely captivated by.
It was a new feeling, an exhilarating one. He had seen Granger everyday since first coming to Hogwarts and, although he couldn't deny that she was cute, he never noticed how cute. In fact, she was down right gorgeous. How had he been so blind? All those times he had spent taunting and teasing her could've been better spent complimenting her.
"Why don't you just go over there?" Goyle suggested, picking off a piece of lint from his dress robes.
Draco looked up at him. "And say what exactly?" he asked. "I can't just be like, 'Hey, Granger, wanna dance?'"
"Well, no," Blaise agreed. "I think calling her by her last name like that could warrant a hexing."
"Ya think?"
"Just go on," Blaise said, pushing Draco slightly. "You're Draco Malfoy, girls fall at your feet."
"But this is Hermione Granger," Draco countered. "My being Draco Malfoy isn't necessarily a good thing to her."
"Well, now's your chance to change that." Blaise continued to push Draco.
"Why are you helping me anyway?" Draco asked, pushing against his friend. "You two are against Granger as much as I…well as much as I used to be considering the current situation."
"Because we can tell how much you want her," Goyle said matter-of-factly. "And I say if you want something, go get it."
Goyle gestured his hand towards the refreshment table and then turned to talk to one of the boys standing near him. Draco finally stopped fighting against Blaise and looked at Hermione. Something had truly happened to change his perception of her so immediately, but considering his resolve to find someone special tonight, he suspected it was fate dealing him a new hand, and he wasn't about to lose. He took a deep breath and adjusted his robes before starting towards the refreshment table.
Lady in red, is dancing with me (cheek to cheek)
There's nobody here; It's just you and me (it's where I wanna be)
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight
As he crossed the floor slowly, his mind tried to fish through what to say to her. The two weren't exactly on any amicable terms. Far from it, in fact. He knew that any attempt to talk to her would be met with angst. Hell, he'd be lucky if she didn't hex him into oblivion like Blaise thought she would do. But he refused to let that - or the fact that she was now talking to Harry and Ron - deter him from his goal. He wanted to dance with her, to hold her body against his and sway in unison with the music. He wanted a chance to get to know the real Hermione, the one he overlooked for so many years. He wanted to make tonight a night he wouldn't forget.
Finally reaching his destination, Draco cleared his throat and had to fight the urge not to retreat when the trio turned to him with glares. He took another deep breath, exhaling his sudden fear and then turned his eyes to Hermione.
"Hello, Gra…er...Hermione," he said, his voice shaking a little.
Hermione looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow before responding. "Er, hello, Draco."
"How are you?" he asked, feeling slightly better that he was still standing on his feet.
"I'm fi-"
"Is there something you wanted, Malfoy?" Harry stepped up beside Hermione and narrowed his eyes.
"I was speaking to Hermione," Draco said, glaring back.
"Yeah?" Ron interjected. "Well, I'm speaking to you and I'm telling you that you better back off."
Ron made a start towards Draco but was held back when Harry gripped his arm. He tried to yank free but Harry's grip only tightened. Harry may not like Draco but he wasn't about to let a fight erupt in a hall full of people. It was only after Ron calmed down and stopped pulling against him, did Harry let his arm go.
"Back to our original question," Harry said, calmer than expected, "what do you want?"
"I came to ask Hermione to join me in a dance." Draco looked at Hermione and saw, for the second time that night, a flicker of surprise flash in her eyes. He smiled genuinely, hoping that it would show his intentions were true.
"You…you want to dance? With H-Her…with Hermione?" Harry stuttered, obviously flabbergasted.
"You've got be mental!" Ron exclaimed. "Hermione? Dance with you? Never."
"Seeing as how you're not Hermione," Draco said, switching his gaze to Ron, "that answer doesn't count."
"Can I ask why?" Hermione stepped up and folded her arms.
I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight
Never seen you shine so bright (you were amazing)
Never seen so many people wanna be there by your side
And when you turned to me and smile, took my breath away.
Draco sighed. He knew that things weren't going to be easy. Asking out one's enemy never was but he wanted to prove that he had no ulterior motives, unless of course you counted spending more time together as a bad thing.
"It's because you're beautiful," he finally said, looking her directly in her eyes. "When you first walked in, I was completely captivated." He saw her arms slacken and, out of the corner of her eyes, noticed that Harry and Ron's jaws had dropped slightly. Smiling, he continued. "I thought you were just so lovely and I just wanted to walk over to you and whisk you off your feet. Even after I realized who you were, my interest didn't wane." He took a deep breath and then added, "I know we're far from friends but, all I ask is a chance to prove to you that what I'm saying is true."
He reached out his hand, hoping that he wouldn't be left standing here, ashamed. He watched, nervously, as Ron and Harry stepped to either of Hermione's side and started talking to her. He knew his speech was out-of-character to them but it was all honesty and came straight from the heart. Then, to his surprise, Hermione turned to him and gave him a wide smile, one he noticed to be radiant, and he had to concentrate hard on his breathing. It was like her gaze took his breath away, threw him for a loop and knocked him completely off course. And he liked it.
"Alright, Draco," she said, reaching for his hand. "One dance."
I have never had such a feeling
Such a feeling of complete and utter love
As I do tonight
Draco nodded as he closed his hand over hers, feeling a slight shudder slip up his arm. He tried his best to ignore the slight tremor to his walk as he led Hermione onto the dance floor. But he couldn't. The connection he had felt was so strong and intense that he couldn't help but take notice of the effect it was having on him. His skin was still tingling from the contact with Hermione's hand. His feet were shaking, weakened from the look and smile she had given him, right before agreeing to his request. His heart beat wildly inside of his chest from the anxiousness he felt. He had never felt anything like this before with any of the many girls he had been with. He had thought that no one was special enough to merit the sensitive side of him, but here Hermione was, breaking down all of roadblocks and getting deep into his heart, and all she had done was agree to once dance with him.
Lady in red, is dancing with me (cheek to cheek)
There's nobody here
It's just you and me (it's where I wanna be)
Finally reaching a vacant spot on the dance floor, Draco turned to her. He placed an arm on her waist as one of hers curved around his neck. Then, he cupped her hand into his and the two started to sway to the new song that had just begun. They were quiet at first, just listening to the beat and following in unison. Draco couldn't help but notice how in sync they were. When he moved, she followed, when he turned her away, she twirled right back and landed perfectly in his arms. They were dancing so close that he could see every detail and beautiful contour of her face. He looked up and saw that she was watching him. Her brown eyes looked brighter and exhilarating, highlighted by the sparkling shadow on her lids. Again, his heart constricted and he looked away.
"Now, is there something else you want to say?" she asked, breaking the silence.
Draco shook his head. "Like what?"
"I don't know," she shrugged, raising her eyes to the ceiling. "Some new thing you want to gloat about, some new insult you want to hurl at me."
She looked back at him and he had to stop himself from looking down in shame. "No." After a few moments, he asked, "If that's what you thought I wanted, why did you agree to dance with me."
Again, she shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I wanted to see for myself if you were being genuine."
"And you're deduction?"
She studied him again, her eyes scanning over his. She licked her lip and then bit down on the bottom one; Draco fought hard not to groan at the sight. Then, her eyebrows twitched a little and knitted together, causing her forehead to crinkle. He couldn't help but smile and chuckle, ducking his head down.
"What?" she asked, raising one eyebrow higher.
"You always do that same thing when you're concentrating on something," he pointed out, gesturing to her forehead before placing his hand back on her waist. "Your eyebrows get real close and it forms this like deep 'v' on your forehead. It's actually kind of cute."
After the words slipped out, Draco widened his eyes and turned his head to the side. Did he really just say that? He closed his eyes and shook his head, silently berating himself. Hermione's laugh reclaimed his attention.
"You actually noticed that about me?" she questioned, an amused gleam in her eyes.
Draco raised a shoulder. "I notice a lot." He widened his eyes again. "Merlin, I'm being so corny."
Hermione laughed again. He loved how it sounded. "So, this really was an authentic gesture?" she inquired. "You really only asked me to dance because you wanted to?"
Draco nodded. "I really asked you to dance because I wanted to," he repeated in confirmation.
"You're different," she said, tilting her head to the side and exposing her neck.
Draco found his eyes lingering on that spot and absentmindedly licking his lips, thinking about the many things he could do to that one branch of her anatomy, along with a few other parts.
"How so?" he managed to choke out.
"You just seem more…I don't know." She paused, searching for the right word. "Amicable. Approachable. Just different on the whole. Certainly not as brutish as you normally are."
Draco's eyes found hers. "I guess I deserve that after all I've done to you," he said softly. "I've always respected you, Hermione," he added after a few quiet moments. "I may not have shown it but I eventually recognized your talents, your intelligence, your beauty. I guess it was hard to turn my actions towards you around after realizing you weren't that bad. I'm hoping that tonight makes up for it, even if only a little."
Hermione smiled at him. "It's a pretty good start."
He smiled back. "You look really amazing tonight, Hermione. I mean that."
Her smile grew wider and she adjusted her position, wrapping both arms around his neck and placing her face against his, cheek to cheek with him. Following her cue, Draco laced both of his arms against her waist, slowly pulling her closer to him. Being this close to her, he inhaled her scent, one of milk mixed with honey. A part of him knew that people were watching them, wondering how Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger ended up on the dance floor together. But he didn't care. This beautiful lady in red was there with him just like he wanted and, at that moment, they were the only two people in the world. No one else mattered.
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight
He pulled back slightly, a thought suddenly occurring to him.
"Is it ok if I get to know you, Hermione?"
She looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," he started, still swaying to the music, "I know a quite a bit about you already, especially considering my banal confession earlier. But, at the same time, I hardly know the real you. And I want to. This dance with you has been amazing and it makes me want more, a whole lot more." He stopped dancing and removed one of his arms from around her waist, cupping one side of her face instead. "You look so gorgeous tonight and I don't want us to walk away forgetting this moment. I want us to have more moments like this."
He leaned forward slightly, looking into her eyes for approval. When she didn't back away, he kept moving, eventually brushing his lips against hers. A collective gasp sounded from around them but he blocked it out and concentrated on just Hermione. He pressed his lips completely against hers, watching as her eyes closed right before his did. He sucked on her bottom lip and felt his heart beat when she parted her lips, welcoming him to explore inside. And he accepted the invitation it graciously. His tongue slipped inside and brushed against hers. She responded with a similar gesture and tightened her arms around his neck, drawing him deeper into the kiss. Their tongues danced, their lips nibbled and sucked and their bodies pressed firmly against one another's in a display that left little to be desired.
And then it ended at the same time the song that was playing did. He pulled away, opening his eyes slowly. For a split second, he expected to see Hermione walking away from him. After all, the agreement had been one dance and one dance only. But she was still standing there, a smile on her lips. He smiled back.
"If you're serious about it," she said, kissing him on his cheek, "I have no problem us getting to know each other."
It was then that she walked away. But, it wasn't in a rush. She retreated a few steps, her eyes still on his and the smile still on her lips, those delicious lips he had just tasted. Then, she turned shyly and walked back towards the refreshment table, back to where Ron and Harry were waiting. He noticed that they were watching him intently. They had probably seen the kiss, but he didn't care. He turned, pressing his fingers to his lips as he made his way back over to his friends. Both Blaise and Goyle were still standing there, only this time they were accompanied by two girls, both of whom were sixth-year Ravenclaws. When he approached, they grinned at him.
"Enjoyed yourself?" Goyle asked.
Draco stepped between them and leaned against the wall. "Immensely."
Blaise chuckled. "Yeah, we know. So, what's going to happen?"
Draco looked at him and then averted his gaze, seeking out Hermione. She was still standing by Ron and Harry and, to his surprise, they weren't arguing. He half expected them to be scolding her right now. Instead, she was smiling, telling them something. Then, they both looked at each other and nodded. Seemingly satisfied, Hermione's gaze flicked to his and she gave a curt nod before turning back to the conversation.
"I'm not too sure, Blaise," Draco finally replied. "But I'll never forget tonight, nor do I want to."
I'll never forget the way you look tonight.
The following Monday, Draco awoke still in high spirits from the dance that Saturday night. After his dance with Hermione, the festivities had continued just fine. There were games, performances and much more. But what really made the night even better was the end of it all. He and Hermione had managed to spend the last hour of the party together, dancing and even engaging in friendly conversations with Ron and Harry. Then, before he retired to his dormitory, they had shared another kiss. It was a short one but it was enough to seal the promise they had made earlier.
The following day, he had been unable to see her, stuck inside the common room and library trying to finish his work. But it didn't matter to him. They would have plenty more chances to be together and he was going to make sure of it. So, that morning before classes, he spent a few extra minutes getting dressed and combing his hair. Blaise, Goyle and Crabbe had already retreated to the common room, waiting for him.
"Oi! Draco!" Blaise's voice echoed up the stairs. "Could you hurry up, we're gonna miss breakfast!"
"I'm coming," Draco screamed back. "Keep your knickers on!"
Before he left the dorm, he scribbled something quickly on a sheet of paper and then jammed it into his pockets. Then, grabbing his backpack, he raced down the stairs, almost colliding with Goyle, and then exited the common room. His three friends followed, talking about classes and the girls they had met at the dance. It seemed everyone else was still in a good mood from the dance. He, however, did not take part in the discussion. He was just eager to get down to the Great Hall, eager to see Hermione.
Finally, they arrived. He walked inside and stopped in the entrance, scanning the floor. Then, he spotted her. She was seated at the Gryffindor table, engaged in an animated discussion with Ron, Harry and Ginny. Without wasting another moment, he headed towards her, curving around the Hufflepuff table so that he could walk up behind her and surprise her.
"Good morning," he said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
She spun to look at him with a huge smile. "Draco, hi. How are you?"
"Fine, now," he replied. He bent to give her another kiss on her lips, slipping the piece of paper form his pocket into her hand. "I'll see you later," he whispered. Then, he straightened, gave quick hellos to the table and headed back to his table.
Hermione watched him retreat and then opened the note he had slipped her.
I'll never forget the way you looked that night. I hope the Lady in Red lets me dance with her forever.
Draco
Draco watched as she looked up at him and smiled. He knew he didn't have to give her the note but he wanted to, to let her know that his promise was real, that his intentions were true and that their dance together would be eternal.