Chapter Four: The Forbidden Attraction
Hermione wanted nothing more than to curse at Ginny but all she could do was plaster a polite smile on her face as the young Lord Malfoy slowly approached.
After her initial shock passed, she regained her composure and realized the position in which Ginny and herself were standing. She was standing slightly in front of her friend, and that was rude and improper based on her stature in the Weasley family. Hermione quickly shuffled a step backwards and off to the side of Ginny, so that Ginny would be presented first. After all, it was Ginny that was the Baron's daughter. She was merely the tag-a-long to this extravagant party.
Ginny, who was never one to care about social standing nor had the patience to follow the all the social etiquette rules gave Hermione a calculated look and pursed her lips. It was a look that said you really didn't need to do that. Hermione sent her friend an apologetic and ashamed smile. No matter how pretty and lady-like she might be dressed on the outside, some things, like her parentage and the status associated with it, could never be changed. No one can alter the fact that she was a nobody.
Fully knowing that this non-verbal battle would get them nowhere, especially since they had verbal spats about this before and Hermione never changed her mind, Ginny decided to drop it. She rolled her eyes and faced forward again towards the approaching man.
Behind Ginny, Hermione carefully studied young Lord Malfoy, and noted that he was impeccably dressed in his well-tailored suit and fine Italian leather shoes. His gait was even more impressive, it oozed of confidence and allure that easily captured his audience, perhaps even without meaning to on his part. Of course, it could also be due to his exotic hair color, the stark platinum blonde was eye catching, it was the color of starlight…
Hermione froze, did she just think that? She chastised herself. Sure his hair was gorgeous, unlike her own common brown locks, but to parallel it with starlight? That's a bit too much.
She sighed internally and repeated to herself. Draco Malfoy is not your type. Like the stars in the sky, Draco Malfoy is out of your reach. Nothing will happen between you and young Lord Malfoy. Just get this over with and be on your way.
At last, the man was within arm distance of them and he bowed graciously like a prince from a fairy tale.
"Hello, ladies." he said smoothly. "It's a pleasure to be in your presence. I believe this is our first time meeting. My name is Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, the Duke of Wiltshire." He extended his palm towards Ginny and the girl placed it daintily in his, and gave a shallow curtsey.
"My name is Ginny, daughter of Baron Arthur Weasley." Ginny replied, and allowed Lord Malfoy to place a kiss on the back of her hand. "Delightful." He murmured and gave her fingertips a light squeeze.
He turned to look at Hermione, hand outstretched. " And you, fair lady?"
It was hard not to be affected by the handsome man before her. She was sure that there were hypnotic qualities within his striking grey eyes. "Hermione Granger…" she replied hesitantly and paused, with her hand half extended, unsure if she wanted to continue with the courtesy to let Lord Malfoy place a chaste kiss on her hand. Draco made up her mind for her and closed the distance by reaching forward and gently raising the back of her hand towards his lips.
Hermione's eyes followed the motion. His warm touch transferred through her silk gloves, and the heat gave her a tingling sensation. From his hands, her eyes traveled to his lips, then finally lingered to his eyes. "…I'm Miss Weasley's lady in waiting." she admitted in a murmur.
If Hermione wasn't locked eyes with Draco that instant, she would've missed the slight contraction of his pupils from surprise. What happened next seem to happen in slow motion for Hermione.
Her heart dropped and a twisted feeling made itself at home in her stomach. Draco dropped her gloved hand altogether, and her hand fell limply back to her side. He didn't even bother finishing the intended motion, lest the contact tainted his precious lips.
Hermione's honey brown orbs fired up and she gave Draco a hard stare.
Draco Malfoy is a complete obnoxious git.
After her hand had been dropped as if they were hot coals, Draco unceremoniously rubbed his covered hand against his side, as if to erase the feeling of ever having touched Hermione.
Ginny frowned and Hermione could sense her friend's temper rising.
Oh the nerve Draco Malfoy had! And after that exchange, he had the nerve to flash them a charming smile as if nothing happened!
Malfoy continued in a neutral tone, the honey lace baritone was only worthy of ladies of his status it would seem, "I'm surprised you are here today Miss Granger. Normally events like these I would assume to only be attended by my peers, but I see my assumptions should not apply to parties hosted by the Lovegoods."
From the way he paused before drawling her dear friend's family name, Hermione could tell that Malfoy wasn't completely fond of the host, and definitely not of her. She was, after all, a commoner, and certainly her non-existent status would never qualify her as one of his peers. The man can degrade her all he wanted, since admittedly, Hermione conceded that she should not be there in the first place, but it was unfair to demean Lord Lovegood and the wonderful party that he's hosting for his daughter.
"Lord Malfoy," Hermione gritted out, "Luna is a friend. As it is her party, she should be able to send an invitation to whomever she likes."
Malfoy rubbed his chin with one hand thoughtfully before replying, "Well, yes, I agree that she has the liberty of sending out as much invitations as she likes, that is her prerogative and a display of courtesy to her friend, but those choices can garner judgment just the same. Likewise, said friend should also consider whether the invitation is one that can be accepted or one that should be politely declined for the sake of the host."
Hermione's jaw locked and she closed her eye. Count to five, Hermione. Breathe. One. Two. Three. Four. Four and a half. Four and three quarters -
While Hermione was trying to calm herself down, Ginny took that opportunity to give young Lord Malfoy a piece of her mind.
With one hand fisting into the material of her dress and the other pointing an accusatory finger at the blonde, she fumed, "I've had it with you lot, you all are pretentious, rich little snobs, that never for one minute appreciated mmphm mph-." Hermione eyes shot open at Ginny's outburst and she quickly covered Ginny's mouth with her hands before she could continue. She was getting louder and louder, and it would be bad to draw attention to them.
"Ginny", she whispered heatedly to her, "Stop it! You're making a scene. It won't be good for Baron Weasley if you anger young Lord Malfoy."
When Ginny stopped struggling and Hermione was sure that she wouldn't continue shouting, she released her. Ginny crossed her hands in front of her chest and directed her anger into the dangerous stare that she sent Malfoy.
Draco chuckled, but didn't flinch. If looks could kill, he would be worried, but there's no need to be wary of a little girl dressed in a suffocating ball gown. If he made a break for it, likely the redhead would faint from the lack of oxygen before she could actually catch up to him.
"Lord Malfoy." Hermione addressed the man curtly. Draco nodded and gave her his undivided attention with an amused expression on his face. "I will apologize for holding your time due to the accidental placement of my fan when you happened to look in our direction. I assure you, the instigation of this conversation was accidental and purely unintentional. I am sorry for that."
Draco was certainly surprised at her apology and his mouth hung open slightly. But, before he had the chance to get a word in, Hermione continued, "But I will not apologize for being here at my dear friend's coming out party. Perhaps you were the one that should have kindly declined this invitation seeing that you have some reservations against the Lovegoods. They sent you an invitation out of courtesy, yet you decided to accept anyway despite how you feel about them. For that, I am judging you." She eyed his gloved hand and Draco followed her gaze to it. "If you do decided to burn that glove since it was sullied by my touch, send me the bill and I will compensate you for it. Otherwise, goodbye, and I hope that we never see each other again." She gave Lord Malfoy a parting curtsey and turned towards Ginny and gave a nod towards Malfoy, prompting Ginny to say her goodbyes.
Ginny frowned. There was no way in hell that she was going to be polite to Malfoy and she just made a disgusted face in his direction before linking arms with Hermione and turning away.
Just as the girls turned away, Blaise Zabini strolled over with a drink in hand. He gestured to the two girls, "Are they leaving so soon, Draco? I was hoping to get introduced to them."
A remorseful smirk graced Draco's face at the retreating figure of the brunette beauty. What a pity, she had a fiery personality that certainly peaked his interest, but alas, she would never be someone that he could consider a candidate for courtship. She was different, this one has brains worth something and a bite to that talented tongue of hers whereas countless of girls that his mother tried to introduce to him were airheads that only knew about the latest gossip and care about the newest fashion trends.
"They're not worth our time, Blaise."
"I'll be the judge of that."
"No really, Blaise. Your father would disapprove as would mine. Heck, my father would likely disown me."
Blaise paused and processed the words that Draco carefully chose. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I get it." he scoffed. "What beautiful messed up lives we have." He gave Draco an encouraging slap on the back. "Well, there's always more fish in the sea, as they say."
As the two girls turned out of sight into the crowd without a look back in his direction, Draco let out a reserved sighed that he was holding back.
Blaise frowned, sensing something was not right with Draco. He was never ever so caught up with a girl like that, let alone one that he just met.
"What's wrong mate?" Blaise asked, and strung an arm around Draco's shoulder.
"Nothing."
"It's never nothing, mate. Tell me." Blaise steered Draco out to the courtyard and away from prying ears.
My status means that I can never court girls like Hermione Granger. Nothing will happen between the two of us.
Unless…
I am willing to give up my world for her.
A/N: Please read and review ;)