So when I posted 'Evening Surprises', I got asked to write more to it. Well, i'm on a train and needed something to do...and voila!
So here it is, finally!
And, if those who read the other and left the comments are reading this, I just want to thank you. Life hasn't been any easier, but its getting there.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, and never will.
The Morning after, no matter the flavor, is always an awkward affair. You don't know what to do, and you find it hard to meet the others eye. And this, apparently, held true for the more innocent of evenings that Draco, at least, had ever spent in the presence of someone else. Hermione's evenings, in retrospect, were always innocent when it came to this subject, but she found it no less awkward then he did. Ever since that interesting awakening a week ago, Hermione and Draco have avoided each other as well as one can when they share an area with someone. Which turned out not to be as hard as they had thought it would. No one had noticed, yet, but that was not surprising in the least. While they may have been getting along better due to their positions, the same was not so for their friends. None of their friends could stand the other Head any more than they used to before the war-the only difference between their relationships then, and their relationships now, was that they tolerated the other. Things were sometimes still said, yes, but nothing as bad as there once was.
The war had matured them all.
Draco found, though, that he had more than one passing thought on one Hermione Granger. He even had a dream the other night where she had played the starring role. The most he could remember from it was her smiling face, but he woke the next morning with a smile of his own, and a feeling of happiness that he had not felt in months, if ever. He didn't understand it, but chose not to focus on it. He had had enough confusion and drama in his life already to want to invite any more of it in.
Hearing a shuffling come from the other side of the common room Draco looked up from his book, unashamedly watching as Hermione stepped out of her room. It was clear she had just awakened; her hair was a mess and she was still wearing her pajama's, which consisted of a pair of shorts and a large plain black shirt. It was baggy on her frame, and ended just after the waistband of her shorts. Draco looked down to her feet, a smile slowly forming on his face at the oddity of her socks. One of them was pulled up to her knee, and the other was rolled up at her ankle. They were blue and red striped, the colors changing in hue as they got farther up the sock; they started out dark and by the end they were light.
Dragging his eyes back up to her face he had to swallow his chuckle when she yawned, shaking her head in an attempt to wake herself up. She grumbled under her breath, the sound barely audible from where he sat. He didn't understand it, and found he was uncharacteristically curious. Not that he was never curious, but he was never curious about this certain witch, at least not enough to want to know what she was saying to herself. He frowned at the realization, watching her hitch up her falling towels and walk to the bathroom to take her morning shower. He started at the door long after it was closed, a frown on his face. Sighing he turned back to his book and was soon drawn back to its pages.
"Hermione, have you seen my brother anywhere? Hermione? Anyone there?" Ginny asked, waving her hand in front of the older girls face. Startled Hermione jumped, blinking as she brought her attention to the red head.
"Oh, Ginny. Hi."
"Hey. What were you thinking about so hard right now?" she asked curiously, raising an eye brow at the slight blush that consumed her face.
"Nothing. What did you need?" she asked, setting her quill down on her parchment. She was in the library, at her favorite table in the far corner. She had been doing her potions essay-well, she had meant to be anyways-when the red head had interrupted her and brought her out of her musings.
"Have you seen my brother anywhere? He hasn't answered my mom yet and now she's sending me off to get it from him." she rolled her eyes, leaning on the edge of the table.
"Um, no. I've been in here most of the day." Hermione confessed, pointing to the large pile of books and parchment next to her.
"If you see him, could you tell him that I'm looking for him?" Ginny asked, straightening up.
"Of course."
"Thanks. And 'Mi, get out of the library." Ginny told her, turning around and leaving. Hermione watched her leave with a frown at being ordered around, before sighing. Though she did not like being told what to do, she knew she should do as Ginny said and leave. She had been there since breakfast, diligently working on all the work she had been assigned the day before. She knew it was a poor way to spend a Saturday, especially one as pretty as this one was. But she knew Harry and Ron were going to be practicing their spell work most of the day and though they had asked her to join, she was just not in the mood to. She would normally spend this free alone time reading a book in her common room, sometimes having a small chat with Draco.
Draco. The thought of him had her face flushing again. Ever since that night a week ago, she found that she could not look him in the eye. She could hardly stand to be in the same room with him; she did not spend any more time in his company then she was required to. She knew she was being silly, but could not help it. Waking up in his arms the next morning was just so awkward, and had felt a little too comfortable for her liking. Sighing again she packed up her belongings and draped her bag over her shoulder before grabbing the school books she had been using. She put them in their proper places before leaving the library, sending Madame Pince a small smile on her way out the door. She was rewarded with one back; Madame Pince held a soft spot for Hermione. Checking her watch she saw that it was almost time for lunch and decided to drop her bag off in her room before going to the Great Hall.
As she walked by a group of what looked like fourth year girls she heard one of them say, "…and really, I am not his girl. I'm my own woman, thanks!" she heard the other girls agree, their voices fading away as she rounded the corner. I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May. She thought, the song popping into her head. She gradually sang it aloud, her voice rising in volume the closer she got to the room.
"Well I guess you say, what can make me feel this way? My girl, my girl, my girl. Talking 'bout my girl. My girl." She sang, smiling at the portrait when it swung open for her, not waiting for the password. She hummed the beat until she got to the lyrics again.
"I don't need no money, fortune or fame. I've got all the riches baby, one man can claim." She sang, oblivious to the odd looks she was receiving from the room's occupants. "Well I guess you say, what can make me feel this way? My girl, my girl, my girl. Talking 'bout my girl. I've got sunshine on a cloudy day with my girl; I even got the month of May with my girl." She giggled when Crookshanks meowed along with her, rubbing against her ankles in greeting. She dropped her bag onto her desk, bending over to pick up her cat. He purred when she rubbed her face against his, laying a kiss on his nose. Hermione smiled and nuzzled him one more time before setting him back down and leaving her room, waiting until he had left it to shut the door.
Humming the chorus to the song, Hermione turned to leave and instead squealed, her hand flying to her heart. "Draco!" she exclaimed, not even noticing that she had called him by his first name. He did, though, and made a not to think about that later. "You scared me!"
"Sorry." He didn't sound sorry, though, and he had on his trademark smirk. Hermione stared at him, wondering what he wanted. She blushed and looked away when he stared right back, fingers fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt when he continued to do so for a minute.
"What?" she finally asked, looking up and making eye contact with him.
"What was that you were singing earlier? I've never heard of it before." He asked.
"It's a Muggle song, so I'm not surprised." He raised a brow at her; she rolled her eyes. "It's My Girl by The Temptations." They stood there again in silence for a while, neither one moving from their positions.
"Want to go get lunch?" Hermione tried to figure out if he was being serious, and decided he must have been when he stayed, staring at her as he waited. She looked at her watch and saw that lunch had already ended.
"Lunch is over already." She informed him.
"So? We'll just go to the kitchens." He told her with a roll of the eyes.
"Alright." She said, deciding to go with him; she was curious as to why he offered in the first place.
"Great." He straightened from his spot against the couch and turned and walked to the door, waiting for her to exit first. Hermione felt a small quiver in her stomach when he placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her out; she could still feel the warmth of his hand when he removed it.
The walk to the kitchens was quiet; neither quite knew what to say. They received odd looks from other students as they passed, and Hermione was glad when they reached the kitchen. Draco tickled the pear, opening the portrait and went in. He was immediately surrounded by house elves, but waited to answer their questions until Hermione was in the room also. With a tilt of the head he indicated that she should go first.
"Ham and mashed potatoes would be lovely." She said, watching as a few of the elves scampered off to fulfill her order.
"The same, and two rolls." Another left. "And two pumpkin juices." He added, watching another leave. "And could you please have it all sent up to our common room?"
"Of course, sir." One of the ones still standing near squeaked.
"Thank you." He turned back to Hermione. "That alright with you?" Hermione nodded. "Great. After you," he held his arm out in front of her, chuckling when she gave him an odd look, but nonetheless did as she was told. He smiled, following her out and standing as her side as they yet again walked through the halls of Hogwarts together. He ignored the looks that they were being given again; he figured that their walks would make it back to their friends but did not care.
He waited for her to enter first again, heading straight to the table where their food was waiting for them. He pulled her chair out for her, grinning when she gave him yet another odd look. He sat down across from her and tore his roll in half, dipping half into his gravy and taking a bite.
"So…is there a…reason to this?" Hermione asked, mixing her mashed potatoes and ham together.
"No. Does there need to be?" Draco asked, watching her face as he took another bite.
"No, it's just…" Hermione trailed off, thinking of the word she wanted. "Weird."
Draco laughed. "Why?"
"Because we hardly know each other and we're eating lunch together like we do." She said, hoping she didn't sound like an idiot.
"Eating lunch together isn't nearly as intimate as sleeping together is, and we did that, didn't we?" Draco asked, raising a brow at her. Hermione blushed.
"But that was different." She defended.
"How?" he asked.
"I was upset and needed someone." She said, keeping his gaze though she wanted nothing more than to leave the room.
"And that makes it a special case?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes." She answered stubbornly.
Draco looked at her in disbelief. "No, it doesn't."
"Yes it does." She said, scooping up a bite.
"No, it doesn't." he argued.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes it does."
Draco shook his head. "No, Hermione. It doesn't."
"Yes it does!" she exclaimed, scooping another spoonful.
"N—" Hermione cut him off by shoving her spoonful of food into his mouth, reacting like she would if it were Harry or Ron she was arguing with.
They both froze, looking at each other in wide eyed shock. Hermione was still leaning forward on the table, a hand lying on the table to balance herself. She was not sitting any longer, as she had to stand up to reach his mouth; her other hand holding the spoon that was still in his mouth.
Draco slowly raised a hand and wrapped his fingers around her wrist; he pulled it back, Hermione pulling the spoon out of his mouth in the process. He looked at her as he chewed the mouthful, still holding onto her wrist as he swallowed. "What," he started, "was that about?"
Hermione blushed bright red; inwardly cursing his ability to make her do so. "You were arguing with me."
"And so you decided to shove your food into my mouth?" he asked raising both of his brows.
"Yes. It's, well, what I would have done if it were Harry or Ron arguing with me…" she finished in a mumble.
"Seriously?" she nodded. "Why?" she huffed.
"Because. Just because. It was a stupid argument in the first place; pointless." She told him.
"Then why were you arguing with me?"
"Because you were arguing with me." She told him, hating how childish she was sounding.
"What are you, five?" he asked.
Hermione frowned. "You were acting just like I was!"
"Yeah, well…" he trailed off, not having a response to that. Hermione smirked. In retaliation Draco grabbed what was left of his mashed potatoes and shoved them in Hermione's face, laughing when she squealed.
"Draco!" she screeched, dropping her fork in surprise.
"Hermione!" he imitated her screech, still laughing. Hermione narrowed her eyes, suddenly leaning forward and rubbing her face against his, much like she had to her cat earlier. "Hey!" he exclaimed, scooting back to try and get out of her range.
Hermione took advantage of his distraction to climb onto the table, ignoring when her knee landed in what was left of her lunch. She crawled forward until she was kneeling in front of him and then grabbed the neck of his shirt and pulling him forward, using the distraction of that to free her other wrist. Once she had succeeded in that Hermione pulled his head down and rubbed the remaining bits of mashed potatoes on her face into his hair.
Hermione smirked at the shocked disbelief on his face. "I win." She smugly stated, jumping off the table and running to her room before he could react.
Draco stared after her; he could hear her laughing from where he sat. He heard a meow come from his feet and looked down. It was Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, and Draco could swear that the damn thing was smirking at him.
"Oh shut it. She cheated." He told the cat, watching as he jumped up onto his lap. As he watched he stretched up and licked his face, his rough tongue tickling his cheek. He sighed and petted the half kneazle, feeling the vibrations from the purring under his fingers. Crookshanks licked his face again before jumping down, going to scratch at his masters door. Hermione opened the door enough to let her pet in, catching a peak of him. She burst into giggles.
"Goodnight, Draco." She sang, giggling as she closed her door again.
Draco felt a smile form on his face then, the same that did when he had that dream. Knowing that the house elves would get the mess he left it where it was; he grabbed his wand out of his pocket and accio'd his towel to himself. As he started the shower, he stared at himself in the mirror. He had mashed potatoes in his hair, on his face, and even had a tiny bit on his shirt. Looking at his shirt he saw that it was wrinkled from Hermione grabbing and yanking on it; she had surprised him when she did that.
As he stripped he wondered if tomorrow she would act like nothing had happened, or if she would react like she had been and make it, in his opinion, painfully obvious that something had happened between the two of them. He rather hoped that, if anything, she would choose the former. Though if he were being honest with himself…he wanted her to acknowledge that something had gone on between them, that slowly but surely the walls separating them were breaking. That the animosity between them was slowly being erased. He knew the first seven years of their lives would never be forgotten, but perhaps they could be forgiven.
He knew that it would take a while, but if tonight-if that night weeks ago-were any indication, they would be able to do it.
As the hot water beat down on his back, Draco realized what he had to do. He wasn't going to let her act like nothing happened; he was not going to let their friendship get nipped in the bud before it had a chance to really start.
No, Draco decided, they were not going to go on like they had been. Draco did not want that. Draco wanted them to become friends. Good friends.
And what Draco wants, Draco gets.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this!
And to let you know, with the way I ended this, there will be more. But it will go up as its own story, just like this one did.
And, just to add, the Hogwarts Express has ruined trains for me. I keep expecting to hear 'anything of the trolley, dears?' and I never do!
Reviews would be lovely.
And in case I don't post another story (for I have a few finished) happy holidays!