Chapter 1: Dance with me?

December 1994

Hermione had argued with Ron. It wasn't the first time they'd argued. She doubted it would be the last but it had ruined her evening. Frustration and rage bubbling up inside her she had stormed out of the Great Hall towards the doors of the castle. She had so wanted Ron to ask her to the ball but in the end he hadn't and she had consented to go with Viktor Krum.

As she reached the doors she burst into tears. "Hermione Granger don't be a fool" she berated herself. Unbeknown to her she was being watched from the shadows.

Draco had wanted a little air. He needed to clear his head, he'd had a little too much to drink and he disliked the feeling of being out of control that this gave him. It was as he came back inside that he saw her, vulnerable her guard down and crying.

He couldn't bear to see a women cry. Not even Granger, who, he had had to admit, looked magnificent this evening. She had shocked him. He wouldn't have believed she could look so beautiful. She had arrived on the arm of the Durmstrang champion Krum. At first he hadn't recognised the petite girl in the blue robes, then he had been stunned as he realised it was Granger. She had looked different somehow, she had done something with her hair and she carried herself with more grace than he had never seen. He hadn't even realised he had been gaping at her until Parkinson had elbowed him in the ribs in annoyance. May be it was the fire whiskey inside him but he decided to tell her she was beautiful. May be then she wouldn't cry.

"You're too beautiful to cry."

He could see the disbelief in her eyes. Unaccountably he had wanted to show her that he meant it, to prove that he was in fact a gentlemen.

"Dance with me?" he asked, he knew she would never agree so he snatched her hand and pulled her towards him. Before she had chance to object they were swirling across the floor. His hand resting on her waist. Merlin she smells sweet he thought to himself. To Draco's surprise she danced beautifully with a grace he would never have suspected she possessed. As they whirled and swirled across the flagstones of the ancient castle a smile began to spread across her face. Then she began to giggle and she pleaded for him to stop.

"Stop Malfoy" she laughed delightfully "I'm getting dizzy" he had just smiled at her and spun her around again. Even though she was clearly becoming giddy he carried on a little longer until she had begged for him to stop. Her mouth looked so soft then, so fulsome like the petals of a newly opened rose. She breathed heavily trying to catch her breath. He didn't want her to catch her breath he liked that she was disoriented and he didn't want her to recover. He had no idea what possessed him but he leaned forward and planted a delicate kiss on her lips.

It was a sweet chaste kiss. Hermione couldn't believe he was capable of such tenderness. It only lasted a moment and then for the longest time afterwards they stood starring, still held in each other's arms. Their eyes locked and time seemed to stand still neither seemed willing to speak or even blink.

It was at this point that Professor McGonagall rounded the corner. She was apparently about to tell the blond boy to put down the brunette he held tenderly in his arms when her jaw dropped with the realisation of who the pair were.

Minerva McGonagall gave a stern look of disapproval to her favourite pupil but before she could say anything Hermione fled the scene in shame. Left stranded in the middle of the floor, Draco Malfoy slowly recovered himself, giving his transfiguration professor a cocky look.

"Mr Malfoy"

That was all the ageing witch said and she walked on leaving the Malfoy heir alone and puzzled.