AN: So here is the second chapter for today. I'm hoping the changes I made to the summary adds some readers and gets a few more reviews. Feeling kinda disheartened here. *pout with puppy-dog eyes* Mucho love to RealJena for the beta job. Since I've been up since 5, I'm needing some sleep. Enjoy!
A costume-masquerade ball. I couldn't think of anything more corny and clichéd. Halloween had already passed and the Yule Ball was strictly a Triwizard Tournament tradition. Maybe McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout had bullied Snape into joining them in an appeal to Dumbledore. Blaise said it had been pitched under the guise of "building house unity", but I privately thought that the staff just wanted to get pissed on spiked punch. The liquor that the students could get their hands on was definitely of better quality than what the teachers could afford on their meager salaries.
The Head students and house prefects were required to escort each other for some unknown, stupid reason. Many of my schoolmates were unhappy with the situation, but Hermione and Daphne were not among them; it actually worked in their favor. Neither Blaise nor I were aware of their plan in advance.
Although I detested the idea of being costumed, I had to admit that Granger's outfit for me wasn't terrible. By adding a black satin eye-mask and a hooded cape to my usual black-on-black ensemble, I made a passable highwayman. Blaise, always the more dramatic of the two of us, delighted in creating and wearing his sheik costume.
After we were dressed, the girls descended the steps in unison. I hadn't realized how similar their bodies were until that moment. Both were petite with modest breasts, small waists, and curvy hips. Daph was possibly a bit taller and Hermione's waist may have been a bit smaller, but nothing immediately noticeable.
The Head Girl and Seventh-Year Slytherin prefect were dressed almost identically. Both wore sleeveless silk sheaths with strategically ragged hemlines and glittery wings affixed to their backs. Strangely, Daphne's dress was a mix of reds, oranges, and yellows – a flame-like blend that matched Hermione's coloring better. Conversely, Granger's dress was dyed with light blues, greens, and violets – a cool pallet that fit Daphne's complexion and personality far more than Hermione's. Both wore silver heeled sandals that laced up their legs to the knee and matching silver lace eye-masks.
Sharing a grin at our obvious male confusion, the girls simultaneously waved their wands over their heads. Daphne's shoulder-length blonde locks lengthened, curled, and darkened to mahogany. Hermione's riotous curls straightened and turned gold, shrinking back into her scalp until they just brushed the straps of her fairy dress. Only Daphne's ice-blue eyes gave away the fact that I was not looking at my secret girlfriend…
Apparently no longer a total secret.
Blonde Hermione – with the same honey-colored eyes – grinned at me. "Now Daph and Blaise can be each other's dates and you and I can attend together." Turning to the Head Boy and his significant other, she advised, "Try to avoid Harry and Ron. They're both crabby because Ron has to escort his ex and Gin is stuck with the other sixth year Gryffindor prefect. Those two griping and complaining is something no one wants to be around."
The couple nodded their understanding and walked away. Seeing Daphne's hand on Blaise's arm was all the stranger because I knew Hermione was still beside me. Knowing me as well as she did, she answered my question before I had to ask. "Daph and I came up with the idea together. As appealing as you are, you can't compare to Blaise in her eyes. And as much as I adore Blaise as a friend, the idea of spending time with you is even better. She and I have shared clothes since we became friends in Italy, so I knew we had similar frames. All it took was some practice with glamour charms and the willingness to bend a couple of rules. Now all four of us come out winners."
I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Any reason you clued them in to 'us' without my input?" I wasn't mad, but I did want to know why she gave up the secret we'd clung to for more than two months.
With Daphne's blond hair, my girlfriend's smirk looked positively Slytherin. "Your poker face needs some work, love. Blaise knows you better than almost anyone and he's seen the difference. You don't look at me the same way you look at Pansy or Susan or Padma. When you look at them, you don't see them. They're nonentities to you. You see me. Blaise told me that when you look at me, your eyes get a little brighter and you don't always catch yourself before you smile. He actually approached me about setting us up… he was playing match-maker and was talking you up like you wouldn't believe. I thought I'd put him out of his misery and tell him the truth. And the fact is if you tell Blaise something, you might as well tell Daphne too. I don't think he's capable of keeping a secret from her. He's too smitten."
I'd known that Blaise suspected something, but I had no idea that my expressions had given away so much without my knowledge.
Father would be so disappointed in me.
I kissed the tip of her nose then her forehead; her lower lip pouted when I refused to do more. My mind knew it was Hermione. Her scent was the same, her skin felt and tasted the same, and her eyes remained their unique golden-amber, but with Greengrass' wheat-colored locks, it felt too much like I was cheating on the girl I was pretty sure I was falling in love with. I brushed the blonde hair off her shoulder and met her eyes. The butterscotch irises darkened in understanding and after stretching on her toes to kiss my cheek, straightened her silver mask, and linked her arm with mine.
In the Great Hall, the various costumes weren't as intriguing as the forced pairings. The Brown girl from Gryffindor scowled at Weasley and I recalled their messy break-up during sixth year. The ginger paid no attention to his ex and instead stalked her Indian roommate/best friend around the hall with his eyes. Potter leaned against the far wall in his pirate garb and stared at the female Weasley longingly as she chatted and laughed with the Creevy kid that was always taking pictures. I saw nine other pairings that looked just as forced as they actually were and was grateful that Daphne and I were known to be friends so my comfort with "her" at my side wouldn't seem strange.
Hermione and I made our way over to Blaise and the actual Daphne. Blaise hugged Granger to further the pretense before all four of us sat at a table. Platters of hors d'oeuvres and glasses of butterbeer appeared at our fingertips.
The night was more fun than I had anticipated. Blaise danced with Hermione-as-Daphne and I talked with Daphne-as-Hermione. My friend's girlfriend was more perceptive than I gave her credit for.
"You two really are perfect for each other. I regret not getting to know her sooner," she said offhandedly watching her man and my girl dance closer than I was really comfortable with.
"You met in Italy, right?" I asked for clarification
Daphne breathed a self-conscious giggle, which was most unlike her. "I made the trip with the intention of surprising Blaise. When I saw him chatting up this hot brunette on the beach, I was mad enough to hex off his hair. When I found when I found out it was Granger I almost lost it… and as soon as Blaise saw me he knew. Before he could say anything, Hermione stepped up, introduced herself, and said she was relieved to see me because she didn't know how much more Quidditch talk she could take. I was suspicious, but found out I didn't need to be." She rolled her eyes and grinned. "Those two argue like brother and sister, but they were fast friends away from the house rivalry of Hogwarts. The three of us would relax and play on the beach… Granger and I would go to the mainland to shop and she had no problem making herself scarce when Blaise and I wanted to be alone. I quickly learned that Hermione Granger is as loyal as any Hufflepuff, smarter than any Ravenclaw, mischievous as almost any Slytherin not to mention having the courage her house is known for in abundance.
"Draco, I could tell the first week of classes that you found her attractive and were intrigued by how she's changed since last year. Of course, it helps that she doesn't hang around Potter and Weasley as much anymore. Now that you can see what a lot of guys are finally starting to realize – that Granger's a catch, no matter her blood status – you need to tell her how you feel about her… or you might lose her to someone who isn't scared of those nasty, terrifying emotions that we Slytherins are loathe to admit we have."
Before I could reply, the music ended and our significant others returned to our sides. Hermione dragged Daphne away so they could "powder their noses", which even I knew meant gossip. When they exited the Great Hall, Blaise leaned in.
"Mate, find a way to keep Hermione away from our dorm room tonight. Silencing spells are well and good, but Daphne gets self-conscious if Granger is just two doors away," he said in a strange, strained voice.
"Any ideas you want to share? Because my dorm isn't an option if and I have no doubt that the Room of Requirement is already occupied because of the forced escorts," I asked, scowling at the inconvenience and internally doing a very un-Malfoylike happy dance at the idea of spending the night with my girl.
Blaise drummed his fingers on the table in thought for several minutes before his eyes brightened. "The Shrieking Shack! Granger's been working on fixing it up for a couple of years. She goes down there occasionally to get some quiet and clear her head when she gets stressed. I bet that both of you will appreciate the privacy," he smirked with waggling eyebrows.
"Git," I said with an eye roll. "If it's so great, why don't you take Greengrass there and let Hermione have the dorm?"
He dropped the smarmy grin and shrugged his shoulders. "Because that's 'Mione's spot. She's the one who put the effort into making it comfortable. It wouldn't be right for Daphne and me to defile her place."
The girls returned and I quickly pulled my temporarily–blonde girlfriend to the dance floor. It was hard to resist sliding my hand from its proper position at her waist to cup the tight arse that teased me from under her short and shimmery fairy dress, but somehow I managed to maintain propriety.
"Can I…" she started quietly, "…can I show you somewhere kind of special to me when we leave here? I sort of… want to be alone with you," she shyly mumbled, her cheeks flushed a delicious pink that made me think of candy floss.
Since our first kiss on the bridge, the physical aspects of our relationship had progressed. It surprised me how comfortable she was with her body, although considering her exercise apparel, it shouldn't have. Neither of us were virgins, but we both thoroughly enjoyed learning what we could do to drive the other mad. Besides the obvious, I discovered that nuzzling the wispy curls at the nape of her neck would give her shivers and goosebumps. Likewise, feeling her fingernails graze through and tease the line of fine hair trailing down from my navel made my stomach muscles clench involuntarily as I would gasp. Although I had seen all of her and she had seen all of me, we had yet the cross that final line with each other.
I lost my cherry to Theo's cousin Esmeralda the summer after I turned sixteen. My family spent the warmer months on the Riviera with the Notts and Parkinsons. My virginity was given to a nineteen-year-old on a French beach; a black haired, sloe-eyed beauty that hadn't begun to make me feel the things that the usually curly-haired brunette in my arms did.
All Hermione would tell me about her first was that it happened the New Year's Eve after she turned seventeen. He was an older Gryffindor that had graduated years before us and that she hadn't told anyone else – not Potter, not Weasel, nor Weaselette – for fear of disapproval. I would bet on one of the older Weasley boys or the Quidditch player Wood, but she'd said I'd never guess and to drop it.
After most of the students had left for their dorms – including Blaise and Daphne – my girlfriend and I discreetly made our way out of the Great Hall. After making sure that Filch wasn't around, we slipped onto the grounds and Hermione levitated a rock to hit the knot that froze the Whomping Willow.
AN2: I'm pretty sure the next chapter is the longest one. Please let me know what you think to keep me encouraged!