Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the characters, I own the plot!
Summary: Hermione hates surprises, but will a certain surprise make her change her mind?
Surprises
Hermione was taken by complete surprise when her office door flew open and her 3 best friends tackled her. "Happy 27th birthday!" they sang gleefully, causing quite a disturbance in the department Hermione worked for.
"We've got a surprise for you, so come to the Burrow at 9 p.m. sharp tonight!" Ron said with a grin. Hermione looked up at sparkling blue eyes, then bright green eyes, and lastly, excited brown eyes. Hermione rolled her own eyes and shuffled papers together, attempting to hide her smile.
The truth was, as much as she was delighted that her friends had taken a break from their own jobs to storm into her own and cause such a racket, she absolutely hated surprises. She had hated them ever since the troll incident back at Hogwarts when she was just 11 years old. Merlin, that was such a long time ago!
"We'll leave you alone now. We'll expect you at 9 p.m.! Dress nicely!" Ginny said. Forever the pushy witch, Hermione thought with a smile. She was now pushing her brother and her dearest out the door. "Wear a nice dress, but not too dressy! Good for dancing!" Ginny called over her shoulder with a grin and a wink. She reached behind her to shut the door after them.
Hermione chuckled. She really did have the best and most thoughtful friends, even if they were all mad. She got back to work, anticipating 9 p.m., but dreading a bit the surprise.
At 8:50 p.m., Hermione Apparated to the Burrow. George greeted her with his wife and they spoke for ten minutes. Laughing at Hermione's witty comment, he checked his watch, then motioned for her to go in.
Expecting something tremendously wild inside, she was instead met with silence and the regular scene.
"Oh Hermione! I'm so glad you came! You look absolutely lovely! Ginny, Ron, and Harry are right upstairs getting ready," Molly Weasley said as she came from the kitchen. She enveloped Hermione in a big hug and Hermione grinned.
"I'll just go up then," she said with another smile at her mother-figure. Just as Hermione stepped a foot on the stairs, Ginny came rushing down in a dark green evening dress and black pumps, her red hair tied back and the thin straps on her shoulders constantly slipping off.
"Ginevra Weasley, that dress better not come off or you'll have an earful when you get home!" Molly shouted.
"Yes Mum. Hermione! Ready to go?" Ginny asked. Looking confused, Hermione slowly nodded.
"Where?" she asked cautiously. Ginny just smiled craftily.
"You'll see! Ron! Harry! If you both don't come down right now we're leaving without you!" she shouted. There was a loud sound of footsteps as the two men scrambled down. They looked splendid in their black slacks and dress shirts.
"Why did we meet at the Burrow? Why not just at one of your flats?" Hermione asked quizzically.
"Mum wanted to give you a gift," Ron mumbled. He always felt a bit skeptical around his mum, especially without his older brothers. Hermione grinned at the timid looking Ron and turned to Mrs. Weasley who was beaming with a prettily wrapped package.
"Happy birthday, dear."
"Oh, you really didn't have to!" Hermione gushed. She pulled out a thick book and her eyes lit up. "Oh, Mrs. Weasley! This is absolutely wonderful!" Hermione gave her a great big hug, then put it into her magic bag she always carried which could hold everything of every size and never grow larger.
After another hug and kiss goodbye for each of them, the four friends Apparated to only the boys and Ginny knew where. Once they reached their destination however, Hermione gasped. They were in front of the most popular dance club in the Wizarding world; Limber Legs.
"Ginny! You know I can't dance!" Hermione cried. Harry just laughed.
"Hermione, we saw you at the Yule Ball 4th year. Ron and I know you can dance! Don't be modest!" Harry said with another laugh. Hermione huffed.
"Fine. Maybe after a few drinks, but this is the worst! I hate surprises!" Ginny laughed.
"Hermione, you've been so caught up with the Ministry work, you haven't had much time to have fun! Maybe you'll even find a nice bloke for yourself," she winked, and Hermione groaned.
"Whatever. Let's go in already!"
"Nice one, Ginny," Harry whispered into his fiancé's ear before they entered the noisy club. Ginny laughed, hooked her arm through his, and kissed him.
Hermione entered the club with Ron, the two headed straight for the bar. "A nice cold Firewhiskey, please," Hermione asked politely.
"Make that two," Ron added, and Hermione sighed.
"Ron, it's so noisy and hot in here!" she wailed. Ron chuckled.
"Hermione, you look very pretty," he said with that lopsided grin of his. Hermione smiled at him and looked down. She was wearing a pretty dark red dress that didn't show much cleavage, but showed her legs. The dress had thin straps like Ginny's, but while Ginny's dress ended at the middle of her thighs, Hermione's ended at the knees. She also wore black heels and wore her hair piled up on her head.
"Thank you, Ron. I must say, you look dashing yourself!" Ron blushed, and their Firewhiskey came. Taking large sips, Hermione grinned at the auburn liquid that was slowly disappearing into her mouth.
"Let's make a bet, Mione," Ron said suddenly. Hermione looked at him curiously.
"What kind of bet?" she shouted over the pumping music. Ron grinned.
"We find someone for ourselves and at midnight, we introduce them to each other. And, you have to kiss them at midnight."
Hermione grinned. Ever since she and Ron had broken up three years ago after 7 years of dating, she always seemed to feel a silent connection towards him. She knew him better than any of her other best friends, and even though everyone seemed disappointed they weren't meant to be, the two were still happy as best friends. It was sweet he was really trying to encourage her to date again.
Hermione nodded and smiled. Ron stuck out his hand, still grinning that lopsided way Hermione loved. "Loser takes the other out for lunch tomorrow wherever the winner picks." Hermione laughed. So like Ron to pick a bet with food.
"Alright Ron. I'll do it." She clasped his hand and they shook. Suddenly, Ron reached over and kissed her cheek. Hermione smiled when Ron pulled away.
"Good luck," he said to her, still grinning stupidly.
"Same to you," Hermione replied and winked. "But I'll win." She wasn't sure if she had the same confidence that Ron's face mirrored.
OoO
Draco Malfoy arrived in front of Limber Legs with Pansy Parkinson. "Why this place? I'd rather go to a pub," Draco groaned.
"Come on, Draco, it's not that bad! They have a bar in here too. And you know I love dancing." Pansy began to pull on his arm.
"Fine," he groaned loudly and Pansy smiled and began pulling him along.
OoO
Blaise Zabini arrived at Limber Legs with Theodore Nott. "Why am I here again?" Theo grumbled.
"Malfoy invited us, remember? We got to find witches for ourselves as well. Hell, Theo, we're 28! I want to get married before I'm thirty," Blaise said with a glare at the doors. "Come along, Theo, we're going in," he added as he pushed Theo along. "Do you have the potions?"
"Like hell I do! Of course! I need a drink," Theo mumbled and went ahead, gripping something inside his cloak.
"Draco!" Theo called when he spotted him. He pushed through the crowd and grabbed Draco's arm. "We've got it," he whispered into his ear. Thankfully, Draco could barely make out the words, but that was enough. Looking grateful, he faked an apologetic face to Pansy as he excused himself, then shook his head as he followed Theo out of the giant crowd of people.
"Thanks, mate. How long does the potion last for?"
"Till midnight."
"Is Zabini here?" Draco asked. Theo nodded.
"He's at the bar. I would think that's the first place to look for you!" Draco shrugged.
"Yea, well, Pansy wanted to dance. What kind of friend would I be if I just let her dance by herself, right?" Theo made a face.
"Since when do you care?" he asked. Draco shot him a dark look.
"I care about my friends, Theo, whether or not I care for them like that." Theo just shrugged and thankfully they reached the bar before they got into a row.
"Malfoy," Blaise said, sitting lazily at the bar.
"Zabini. Let's go to the loo and take the potions," Malfoy said quickly, and the three friends walked off, hidden by their cloaks.
OoO
Hermione tried hard to enjoy herself for her friends' sakes. She watched Ginny and Harry dance together from the barstool, both obviously in love with each other. Ron was talking to an unfamiliar girl on the dance floor, then he kissed her hand. Hermione felt a twinge of jealousy. Not of the girl, but of Ron. He could easily make new acquaintances and girls were naturally attracted him. Hermione had to work hard to get men to even notice her. She sighed, feeling dejected.
"Hello," a low, husky voice suddenly whispered into her ear, and Hermione shrieked, turning around quickly.
"Please! Don't scare me like that!" she cried, a hand on her chest as she tried to control her breathing. The man just smiled. His sparkling ocean blue eyes and sandy brown hair touching his shoulders reminded her a lot of Seamus, but his facial features were different. Also, his eyes had another color mixed in with it, but it was too faint to tell in the half-lit club.
"Surprised?" he asked with a smirk, much like Malfoy's.
"Sorry, I just absolutely hate surprises!" she retorted and gave a weak smile. The man chuckled.
"Well then, sorry about that. I saw you looking lonely over here and I came over. My name's Gwydion. Damon Gwydion." He smiled and Hermione was immediately entranced. She smiled back.
"Please to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger." The man looked her over, shook his head as he looked at the ground, and chuckled. Hermione cocked her head to the side at his curious behavior. His sparkling blue eyes looked up to meet hers, and he smiled, amusement still playing on his face.
"Forgive me, I was just having a memory of something. You remind me of someone. But anyway, pleased to meet you." He stuck out a hand and Hermione took it gladly. The moment their hands touched, Hermione could feel something special about this man and she never wanted to let go. Looking into the other's eyes, Damon was the first to smirk at her. He gripped her hand tighter.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked. Hermione nodded gratefully, standing. He was at least 6 feet tall, and Hermione felt a bit shy in her 5'6" form. He led the way, and Hermione was grateful for his tan, warm hand grasping hers. Sneaking a look at Ron, she noticed he was already dancing with the girl. He caught her eye and winked, and Hermione gave a small wave. Damon noticed. "Is that your friend?" he asked with a sneer.
"Yes, just a friend. Today is my birthday, you know, and my friends dragged me over here, although I absolutely despise dance clubs." She didn't know why she felt like she had to explain herself so much.
"Well in that case, I'll make your time here worthwhile," Damon whispered into her ear, his husky voice making her shiver. She could feel his breath on her neck. "This will be your birthday dance," he added after a moment. Hermione grinned, then let her body begin to move to the beat of the music.
It was eleven o' clock, maybe passed. One more hour till midnight. Till she could kiss this fantastic man. Hermione and Damon had danced on and off for awhile, stopping only to catch their breaths and for a drink or two. Finally, they had stopped and were chatting amiably at the bar, cradling their Firewhiskey's and talking as if they had known each other all their lives.
"So, Damon, what side were you on during the second war?" Hermione finally asked. She tucked a lone strand of brown hair behind her ear. Damon looked a little uncomfortable.
"I was, er, on no side actually. I didn't want to be on the good side nor the bad side. And you?"
"Actually, I was on the light side. Have you not heard of the famous Hermione Granger, the brain of the Golden Trio?" she said with a teasing tone. Damon smirked.
"Well, you can never truly trust the Daily Prophet, is what I say." Hermione giggled.
"That's right." The two sipped their drinks quietly, enjoying the comfortable silence between them in the midst of loud music and bodies dancing and drinking.
"You know, I've had a great time so far with you. I'm beginning to think this is the best birthday ever!" Hermione said, blushing a bit. Damon smirked again.
"Glad to be of service. Hermione, do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.
"No. I haven't had one since my ex and I separated three years ago. How about you?"
"My friend still thinks we're going out, although I ended it with her a couple years ago," Damon said without a thought. He sipped more of his Firewhiskey. Any more and his tongue would be set loose. Hermione was obviously keeping control of herself. While Damon was on his fourth pint, Hermione was still on her second. She hated losing control, and, she noticed, so did Damon when he began to stop drinking all together.
"Well, that's a shame for her. Have you ever told her?" Damon gave her a funny look.
"Of course I have. She just won't believe it." Damon finished off his Firewhiskey, but held off from ordering another.
"Are you a pureblood, Damon?" Hermione asked.
"Yes. Are you?"
"No, I'm a Muggle-born. You aren't-" Hermione grasped for words, hesitating, "-offended by that, are you?" Damon stared at her for a long time, then looked down, softly grasping her pale hands with his tan ones. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm, surprising her.
"Of course not," he replied and smiled at her gently. Feeling butterflies in her stomach, she impetuously leaned over and lay her head on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen, then relax quickly, keeping one hand with hers and the other pulling her closer to him.
"You are really sweet and you really know how to get a girl," she murmured, and Damon smirked.
"I think you're absolutely wonderful," he replied.
"Hey, Damon!" a voice said, breaking the couple apart. In front of them stood a dark blonde-haired, brown-eyed man with pale skin and a bright face. He was a bit shorter than Hermione. "Why hello, beautiful." The man's seductive voice made Hermione cringe.
"This is my, friend, Lucas Holden. Lucas, Hermione Granger." Lucas tried to take Hermione's hand to kiss it, but Damon pulled it away.
"Please refrain. Sod off, Lucas." Shooting his friend a dirty look, he walked off. "Now, where were we?" Damon asked as he looked back at Hermione. She smiled, then glanced at a clock behind him.
"I want to you to meet my friend," Hermione suddenly said, and Damon looked a bit surprised.
"I see. Well, where is the bloke?" Looking at the clock again, she pretended to look for him, already planning to "find" him twenty minutes later.
"I can't find him. Well, we'll just find him later." Hermione smiled shyly at Damon. He's so damn hot! Hermione thought naughtily. Damon smirked, then it faltered.
"Don't get too obsessed with my looks," he said carefully. Hermione laughed.
"You are such a sweet man. Looks aren't everything, you know," she retorted. Damon replied with a smirk.
"You are a smart one, you know. Tell me, what do you think of-" he hesitated, cleared his throat, then began again, "-Theodore Nott?" Looking a bit confused, she shrugged.
"I don't see him much, nor do I know much about him. He went to Hogwarts with me and, from what I know, was good friends with Draco Malfoy. How do you know him?" Damon shrugged quickly.
"I just…well, I just know him well. We're a bit like…best mates, if you know what I mean," Damon lied. Hermione cocked an eyebrow, but pushed it no further. "You know Hermione, you're really beautiful," Damon murmured. Hermione looked up at him, blushing.
"Really? I thought looks weren't everything," she murmured, embarrassed. Ten minutes.
"You're even more beautiful when you're embarrassed," he added. She blushed harder. Suddenly, his face loomed closer, their noses three inches from each other. She could smell a familiar cologne, but she couldn't quite place it. "I'm beginning to think you're quite attracted to me," Hermione said with another blush. Damon's face came closer, and his nose brushed hers.
"You really are quite the genius, aren't you?" he whispered. Hermione could hear his voice louder than the music, although it was quite the opposite. Her breathing hitched. Oh Merlin, he's going to kiss me! she thought as her heart beat began to beat rapidly. Their lips were so very close.
Just another inch and our lips will meet, Hermione thought with a sigh. She could hear her heart in her ears as they slowly came closer together. She prepared to close her eyes when she just happened to gaze at the clock. Five minutes to midnight. Oh bugger it all! She'll just take him to Ron now so she could snog him later.
Grabbing the collar of his dark emerald dress shirt, she pushed him a little. Damon looked a bit surprised, but shook his head and smirked at her nonetheless.
"Let's go meet my friend," she said breathlessly. Damon nodded and took her hand, causing Hermione to smile. She led him through the crowd to Ron who seemed to be searching the crowd for Hermione, his arm around a blonde girl.
"Hermione!" Ron cried and smiled. "This is Lydia Baker, a pureblood witch. She's only a year younger than me." Hermione looked her over. She was actually a pretty little thing. She had straight blonde hair down to her shoulders and a black skirt with a cute little tank top. Her eyes were a sparkling hazel and she looked very sweet.
"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione offered. Lydia smiled bigger.
"Lydia Baker, like Ron said. Very pleased to meet you." They shook hands.
"This is Damon Gwydion, a pureblood wizard. He's actually nine months younger than me." Damon squeezed her hand and Hermione grinned, wrapping an arm around his waist.
"Hey, I have an idea. Let's all kiss at midnight!" Ron said with a grin. Hermione nodded her head vigorously and looked at Damon who shrugged.
"Oh, bugger it all!" Hermione wrapped her arms around Damon's waist, and smiled up at him. "There's five minutes to midnight. Can you wait that long?" Damon laughed.
"Frankly, no." Hermione grinned brightly.
"Good, me neither." And Damon pressed his lips against hers, wrapping his arms around her waist. Ron and Lydia soon followed suit after.
Hermione loved the feeling of his lips against hers. Every time they touched, she got this feeling of giddiness and electricity running down her spine, and when he was close, she got goose bumps. But kissing him, oh, this was heaven. She could kiss him forever. She moved her arms to his neck and felt his hair. It felt a bit coarse, but she could live with it.
They kissed for a good long time before they broke apart shortly, only for breath. Then they were back at each other again. Suddenly, Hermione felt a change. His coarse hair suddenly felt softer and silkier and shorter. She could partially feel his neck. His lips felt different too. They were still absolutely delightful and even better, but it was still different. She opened her eyes a squint and saw his skin was not tan, but pale like hers. Pushing him away, she gasped and covered her mouth. Malfoy!
"MALFOY!!" Hermione screamed when she saw him. Looking at the clock, then his hand, Malfoy gave her a bewildered look. "YOU ARE THE BIGGEST PRICK I HAVE EVER MET! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SURPRISE ME LIKE THAT?!" she screamed at him. Hermione was close to tears. She was only silenced when his hand clamped down over her mouth and he dragged her over to the bathrooms. Pushing her into the men's and locking the door, he let her go. It was quiet, and quite unnerving.
"How could you do this to me? Damon Gwydion? What kind of fool do you take me to be?! I really, really like Damon! Oh, Merlin, I can't believe this! You are such an insufferable, awful, inconsiderate, stupid, absolutely LOATHFUL little-" She was cut off once again, but this time by his lips. He was snogging her senseless. He pushed her against the sinks and was, in a way, devouring her mouth. Hermione couldn't help but to kiss back his sensual and perfectly wonderful mouth. Finally, he pulled his face away, which wasn't very far, breathless, searching her ambiguous gaze. Finally, he pulled away fully.
"I'm sorry," he said finally, looking to the ground. Hermione never noticed his white-blonde hair, so fine, so soft, so…sexy. "I really didn't recognize you when I first saw you at the bar. I actually came here with Pansy, but Zabini and Theo brought Polyjuice Potions and I escaped. Imagine noticing you of all witches!" he chuckled, still avoiding her gaze.
"That still doesn't explain why you stayed with me," she said, maintaining her cold demeanor.
"Actually, it does. You see, I decided to give you a chance since I was a different person, so I did. And believe it or not, you attracted me immensely. I just could not tear myself away from you." Still, Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.
"Then why did you ask me what I thought of Nott?"
"I thought you'd think it too obvious if I said myself. And isn't that a little egotistical now, isn't it?" he said in a teasing tone. He finally glanced at her. "And everything you heard, except for the more personal parts, were all true. And, well, I'm sure you really liked Damon, but all I can say is, I am Damon, so if you were attracted to him, then-" He never even finished the thought.
The two snogged for what seemed a long time in the bathroom. Neither thought that after nearly ten years of not seeing each other, this would be the result. It was fabulous. It was wonderful. It was breathtaking. It was the best birthday surprise ever.