A/N: Being inspired by Beauty and the Beast, I decided Pansy and Blaise are going to be like Draco's Lumiere and Cogsworth haha. Hope you enjoy!


Nymphetamine pt 7

The next few weeks passed without incident. Draco Still hadn't made a move to try to get Hermione to fall in love with him. In fact, it seemed almost like she was avoiding him. He sat at the Slytherin table, moving eggs around on his plate. He knew he needed to eat so he could gain some of his weight and strength back, but he just couldn't stomach food this particular morning. Pansy sat down beside him, Blaise in tow, a devious smile on her face.

"You seem happy this morning." He grumbled to her, putting a fork full of eggs in his mouth, forcing himself to swallow. Pansy clapped her hands together.

"Blaise and I came up with an idea. You are going on a date, Draco Malfoy!" His eyes widened, looking to his friends. Blaise laughed.

"Look over to the Gryffindor table. You'll understand." He said, a coy smile spreading across his lips. Draco looked to where Blaise was looking just as an owl landed on the Gryffindor table, promptly spilling pumpkin juice all over Ron. He laughed at the sight, until he realized the owl was for Hermione, and it held a small package. The sick feeling grew in his stomach as he watched her opened the package, revealing a beautiful white rose with a note attached to it. He saw her face grow as red as Ron's hair as she looked over the note. Draco looked over to his friends, who were beaming at him.

"What the hell did you do?" He snarled, face going whiter than usual. Blaise clapped him on the back.

"Just a little push in the right direction, since you don't seem to be making any progress and your flower has lost a petal already." Draco put his head in his hands.

"What did you write?" He moaned, feeling miserable.


"Stupid owl." Ron grumbled, casting a quick scourgify on his soiled robes. When he finished, he looked over to see Hermione opening the package with shaky hands, revealing a white rose and a note. "Whose that from Mione?" He asked. She shook her head, reading over the note one more time.

Hermione,

I would be pleased to enjoy your company at the three broomsticks this afternoon at three.

"It doesn't say." She said, though deep down she knew who it was from. Her hands felt clammy. She looked at the beautiful rose the note was tied to, and suddenly she wanted to be alone.

"I knew you had an admirer! I just knew it!" Lavender said, swooning. "Even a bookworm like you can have a secret admirer! You will have to tell us all the details when you get back." She kept swooning, and Hermione decided it was time to get away.

"I…I need to go put this in water before it wilts." She stood and abruptly began walking. She couldn't risk the questions. It begins now, he is going to go through with his spiritual journey to save his soul. She wanted to help him, it made her heart ache, but how could she fall in love with someone like him? He was cruel, and stuck up. Sure he matched her in knowledge, but that didn't change the fact that he was an insufferable prat. She wanted to throw up. She had a few hours to mentally prepare, she just wasn't ready.


Draco sat nervously at the three broomsticks, Lyra floating beside him. Any minute now she would be walking through the door, and he would have to try to make a better impression than he had in the years leading up to this moment.

"You seem nervous Draco." Lyra said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He wiped his palms on his pants trying to rid them of the sweat that was starting to accumulate on them.

"Ya think? This is a big moment, and she might not even show up. What then?" The spirit floated in front of him, her misty eyes showing compassion.

"She will show up. Don't worry." Just as she said this, the door opened and he saw a bushel of brown hair. Lyra smirked at him, disappearing into mist. Hermione cautiously walked in, scanning the room. Her eyes landed on Draco, and he waved her over with his hand. Her face went white as she made her way over to the table. 'Not a good sign.' He thought to himself. When she reached the table, he stood, pulling a chair out for her. He surveyed her form. She was wearing a semi low cut, full sleeved black shirt, with a matching skirt that flowed around her knees. He felt his heart thudding in his ears, his nerves getting the better of him.

"Hi…" He said, swallowing hard. She looked…nice, he thought to himself. It made him nervous.

"Hello." She simply replied. A waitress came over to get their order.

"A bottle of your finest wine please." He said. 'Now…what to talk about.' He thought.

"You look nice today." He said, remembering Lyra's advice. Hermione smiled, sending his heart into knots. He could do this, he thought.

"Thank you. You are looking much better than the last time I saw you." She bit her lip, as if she thought that was the wrong thing to say. He quietly laughed.

"Thanks. That was…an odd night for me. I was having a moment of weakness as sad as I am to admit it." She moved her hair out of her face as the waitress came by with the bottle of wine and two glasses. Draco uncorked the bottle, pouring wine into each glass. She took a sip.

"This wine is wonderful. I don't think I've ever had anything this luxurious." She said, sending another nervous smile his way.

"It's my favorite. It's made with the finest berries from London." She took a bigger sip, setting down her glass and patting her red painted lips on a napkin.

"I really…um..liked the flower. It's in a vase in my room." Draco's face lit up. She actually liked it. He couldn't believe it.

"I'm glad. Honestly I am surprised you showed up. I didn't think you would." She laughed, a beautiful sound.

"Well I almost didn't to be honest. I had no idea who the package was from, you didn't sign a name."

"I'm…glad you did." He said quietly, barley audible. She cocked her head to the side.

"I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that."

"I'm glad. That you liked the flower, and that you decided to come." He felt calm in her presence, a soothing feeling flowing through him. Her cheeks turned pink.

"So, how are classes going?" She asked, changing the subject. He shrugged.

"I've been having trouble concentrating lately. I've been dealing with some inner demons, as you know." He said, remembering the night she found him crying. Just then, they felt a draft as the door opened, Pansy and Blaise walking in. They quickly waved to Draco as they walked over.

"Well hey there Draco!" Pansy smirked, winking at him. "Hello Hermione." They pulled up two chairs and sat with them.

"Hullo H…Hermione." Blaise stuttered, forcing himself to use her first name. Her face was contorted in confusion.

"Hello. Did you both just use my first name?" She asked. Pansy flipped her hair, smiling.

"Last names are for enemies. We aren't enemies and the first steps to healing are to leave the past behind. Right…Draco?" She gave him a stern look, which he returned.

"Exactly. But why are you two here?" He asked. Blaise smiled, his nose in the air.

"Just getting a bite to eat. Didn't realize you were here." Draco narrowed his eyes at them and took a large sip of wine, refilling both glasses afterwards.

"So, Hermione," Pansy started, giving off her best friendly smile. "You like books. I found one in the library in the muggle section. It's a beautiful love story, you should give it a read if you haven't." She pulled out the book, setting it in front of her. Hermione picked it up, recognizing it almost immediately.

"I love this book! It was my favorite as a child." She said, setting the book down. Pansy beamed.

"I figured you already knew it. Draco, you should read it too. You would really enjoy it." He looked at it, wrinkling up his nose.

"Beauty and the Beast? What are you on abo…" He stopped mid-sentence, knowing full well why she was suggesting he read the book. "Right. I'll be sure to read it. Thanks Pansy." The two Slytherins stood to make their leave.

"Well, you two enjoy the rest of your date. Sorry to interrupt." She winked and the two walked away to a table in the far back.

"Sorry…those two are always checking up on me. I guess they have been worried." He snorted in a very uncharacteristic way, making Hermione laugh quietly.

"It really is a wonderful story." She said.

"What's it about?" He asked. Hermione took another sip of wine before answering his question.

"Well, it's about a woman whose a bit of a social outcast who gets imprisoned in the castle of a prince who had been cursed and turned into a beast. The only way to break the spell is for her to fall in love with him, and him with her. It truly is beautiful." She mused, until a realization hit her like a bludger to the face. It was exactly mirroring his situation with her. She swallowed hard, as did he.

"I'll have to read it…" His voice trailed off. He wasn't supposed to know she knew, but she was having trouble hiding her emotions.

"Hermione…" He said, reaching out and grabbing her hand, hoping she couldn't feel how clammy he was. "We should do this again sometime soon." She smiled, curling her fingers around his bony hand.

"I agree. I had a nice time." She sent him a genuine smile.


"Mind if I escort you back to Hogwarts?" He said, not letting go of her hand. She shook her head.

"I would like that." She said. He led her out of the tavern loosely holding her hand. They walked in silence, hand in hand, and she wondered if she should tell him she knows. She used her better judgement, deciding that now was not the good time to tell him. His hand felt warm in hers, sending butterflies in her stomach. She truly was in a beauty and the beast scenario. She began to have doubts that freeing him was impossible. It truly had been a magical afternoon, she was almost sad that it was over. They reached the Hogwarts entrance.

"Thank you for coming today. I feel…oddly at peace around you, Hermione." He looked into her eyes for a moment, getting lost in their chocolate color.

"Thank you for the invitation. I really enjoyed myself today." Draco got down on his knee, taking her hand and pressing his lips to it, sending shivers down her spine. Standing up, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. After her initial shock, she put her arms around him as well.

"I just want you to know…Draco…that if you ever feel you need to talk, you are more than welcome to speak to me. I'm always willing to listen." Draco pulled away, a thankful smile on his face.

"I will take you up on that offer. I may not have much time left, so if that be the case, I'd like to spend that time with you, love." He said, a sheepish smile on his face. "Goodnight Hermione. I hope you sleep well."

"Goodnight. Thank you for a good day today. And remember what I told you. I'm always open to talk, if you need it." He smiled, turning and walking into the castle, leaving Hermione standing on the steps, heart pounding in her chest.

'Maybe he will break his curse after all…' she thought to herself, walking into the castle. The thought scared her, but she did enjoy their little date today, if the butterflies in her stomach were any indication. She swallowed hard, opening the doors and entering the castle, ready to lay down in her warm bed and think about the afternoon.


Draco sat in his room, once again starting at his flower, which had a petal missing from it. He took out his bottle, shooting the navy liquid into his vein. Almost immediately Lyra appeared.

"It went well it seems!" She said happily, ghosting over to his bed. He nodded his head.

"She said she wanted to do it again. That's a start…right?" She nodded.

"A very good start indeed. She seems to like flowers a lot, send her more. I can sense a budding romance here, it won't be long before she breaks the spell and we both are freed from Perkins." She smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You're right. I'll read this book Pansy gave me, it's basically the same situation, a beast has to make a woman fall in love with him and return the love to break a spell. Maybe I can learn something from it." He smiled to himself, opening the first page, snuggling down into his bed. With a slight yawn, he began to read, a sad smile plastered to his thin face.

"She's the beauty, and I am the beast."