Disclaimer: Once upon a time JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter, and now I'm just casually writing stuff up.
The prefects gathered around the table and took their seats. It was time for another prefect meeting. Hermione was sitting properly while Draco slacked.
"Tonight we are going to discuss about the upcoming Halloween Party. I honestly thought this was unnecessary, since there will be a Christmas Ball by the following month, but some people were too persistent to even recommend it to Dumbledore himself to get their way." Hermione said, eyeing Parvati and Padma Patil, the promoters of the event to the Headmaster.
"He liked the idea! Why, don't you all think so too?" Padma asked the other prefects.
"It's a good idea. We need something to ease our tension before NEWTs come up." Pansy shrugged and answered.
"Planning the party is going to give us more tension, if you ask me." Anthony Goldstein commented. Hermione nodded.
"Yeah, but if the party turns out to be great, all that will pay off, besides it's our final year!" Parvati added.
"I don't see the point of arguing anymore whether, because the Headmaster has already agreed. Let's just get this over with, shall we?" Draco said.
"Right. Well first off, any themes in mind?" Hermione inquired.
"Let's make it really terrifying, with dementors! Fake ones, of course."
"Oh! Oh! And we can make one hall a horror booth, for those who want a good scare."
"I vote the hall to Slytherin!"
"Hey!"
"—and costumes! Whatever is our liking!"
"I bet you'd go to the party naked, wouldn't you?"
"Ew, you wish!"
"How about food?" Draco questioned.
"How about something that looks a little vile, but tastes good?"
"Chocolate pudding!"
"Red velvet cake!"
"Chicken!"
Everyone looked at Ron. Well, the Gryffindors weren't surprised about Ron's outburst. He needn't have to announce to the entire world his love for chicken.
"And plenty of candy!" Everyone mumbled in agreement.
"Okay, I think we have covered enough." Hermione cut them. "I think the party should begin at 7 and curfew should be moved to 3 in the morning, is that all right?" The prefects nod in agreement. "Okay then, let's divide us all to our tasks. Patils, Parkinson, and Zabini, you are all in-charge of the food and beverages."
"What? That's the hardest!" Padma shrieked.
"You wanted this, didn't you?" Draco teased.
"Fine. " Parvati said defeatedly.
"How come I'm in the food department? You know I don't cook, Draco." Pansy complained.
"Especially me! I'm a guy!" Blaise shouted.
"It's better to put you than Weasley there, we might not get to present any food. And Blaise, don't deny that you keep trying to fix the pumpkin-flavored cupcakes at the table."
"Who would even want to eat them like that in the first place? Thanks a lot for boosting my bravado, Draco." Blaise grunted, and so did Ron.
"Okay to continue, Lovegood, Weasley and Potter are in-charge of decorating the Great Hall. And Goldstein and Bones are in charge of the invitations."
"Brilliant, I'll make sure to take the defessus away from the venue; they give an instant feeling of tiredness." Luna commented. Hermione gave her a soft look of understanding, whereas everybody else was either confused or just ignored it.
"What about that horror booth at the Slytherin hall?" Blaise Zabini asked.
"I'll take care of it." Draco answered. "And me too." Hermione followed. The two looked at each other, she smiled and he nodded.
Blaise smirked, and Ron and Pansy's brows furrowed.
"I think everything is already planned for the event, and you also know your patrol duty dates. Draco and I will inform Professor Dumbledore on our plans by tomorrow morning. That is all, I suppose. This meeting is adjourned, good night everyone." Hermione announced. The prefects slowly left the Head Common Room, leaving Draco and Hermione in peace. They were so close Draco could almost feel her shoulder brushing his arm. He stepped sideways, far enough so he cannot smell her scent.
"So…" Draco looked everywhere but her.
"So." Hermione answered. "I think we should talk about what we'll do at the hall, shouldn't we?"
"I think I'll just leave you to it. If you know what I mean."
"Typical Malfoy, leaving all the work to me." She rolled her eyes.
"I was thinking I could just follow your instructions when we're going to decorate it."
"Draco will be answering my every whim? Oh, that would be a dream come true!"
If she'll let him, he would do exactly that.
~.~
Hermione sighed.
"That's the tenth time you've done that, cut it out." Draco said. They were sitting in Professor Dumbledore's office, waiting for him to arrive. He said he had some errand to attend to first, and told them to wait there. Looking anywhere but her was ineffective, he couldn't help being distracted with her presence. And all her huffing made him discover that her breath pretty much smelled like peppermint, now only if he could get to do the thing again... He pushed the idea at the back of his head.
"Instead of studying for the next Divinations test and the NEWTs, I'm here. This is a total waste of my time."
"If you didn't want my company, you could have just said so." He grunted.
"Oh no, I didn't mean that! All this planning, it's taking so much of my time, I'm completely behind my study plan." She complained. Draco chuckled. "What's so funny?"
"I'm not even surprised that you have a study plan. It's very archetypal of you."
"Am I supposed to be insulted by that?" Hermione raised her eyebrow and looked at him. Draco snickered again, and that time so did she.
"So, uhm, has Weasley asked you to the Halloween Party?" He asked, stuttering. Not very Malfoy of him.
"Is it a requirement?"
"Not really, I'm just curious." Pft, you're a weakling Draco, he talked to himself, just ask her already if you want to.
"We didn't exactly establish that we needed a date for the party in the first place anyway." She shrugged.
"What about your costume? Please, please don't tell me you'll wear some queen's costume from History of Magic because I swear, that totally stinks." Draco bantered.
Hermione laughed. "I was thinking about that too, but no, I didn't push through with it. I'm not telling. You'll just have to wait until the party."
"Fine, then I won't tell mine. Tell you what, how about we wear our costumes and the one who figures out whom first gets a prize?"
"Interesting. What's the prize first?"
"You get to do whatever it is the other one wants, even kissing Filch."
"That is so vile I don't think I'm going to get that out of my head." Hermione fake gagged and giggled. "Deal. Good luck finding me." She winked.
Draco smirked. "Oh, I'll find you. You will be the only one who looks too conservative."
"Ha!" Did she just make an evil laugh? He had to admit, she did it terribly, it wasn't convincing at all. But it was cute, regardless. Suddenly, the headmaster's fireplace burned with emerald flames.
"I am so sorry for the delay, children." Dumbledore came in from the Floo, and the heads stood up in respect of his arrival. He was dirty all over, and so as he stepped down from the fire place he cast a Scourgify on himself. "I didn't realize it would take that long. Please, do sit down again. Truffle? I brought them with me as a snack when I left, I couldn't get enough of it you see." He took a seat at his chair, facing the two. "So, how is the party? I must admit, the Patils were too eager when they told me. They had such high spirits, I didn't want to hurt their feelings."
Draco huffed. Hermione cleared her throat. "Well sir, we have discussed our plans with the prefects yesterday, and we have all decided—"
He didn't even bother to join the conversation. He just looked at her while she was speaking. Draco noticed that she had long eyelashes, and it fluttered strikingly, she blinked fast when she was nervous. He found another shade of colour in her eyes, it turned amber when it was hit by a ray of sun. And her freckles were compiled at her nose, but scattered at her cheeks. It didn't look unflattering at all. If her face was a painting it would have been a beautiful abstract with all the blotches.
"—and also we decided the hall to Slytherin be transformed into a horror booth, in case any students wanted a little scare."
"Ah yes, it looks like everything is planned perfectly. I take it you will be Mister Malfoy's date, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked.
Draco snapped out of his trance, and looked at the elder in shock. "What? That's, that's—"
"I just assumed since you are very well acquainted with Miss Granger now that you would take her with you."
Hermione's cheeks reddened. Why was she reacting like this? "Professor, you're mistaken—"
"Oh am I? You two seemed very comfortable with each other I thought you two were together."
"No!" They both answered. Hermione looked at him and so did he for a few seconds, but they broke the contact and looked on opposite directions. They heard a hearty laugh.
"Ah, adolescence, the most confusing and yet greatest time of your life. Too bad I'm way past that, I miss it. I believe we are done here, I trust that this event will go accordingly as planned. You can go now, Miss Granger." Dumbledore smiled.
"What about Draco, sir?" Hermione asked. After the awkward conversation, she still couldn't help but be curious even if it was about him.
"I will just have a little chat with him, your boyfriend will be with you shortly."
"Sir, we're not—"She cut him.
The headmaster laughed again. "I was just teasing Miss Granger, you don't have to go bonkers. Goodbye." He shooed her away, and she descended the stairs, leaving the old man alone with Draco. "So Mister Malfoy, how are you?"
Draco didn't know how to answer that, he didn't know how he was. During the beginning of the year, he felt like he was just a lifeless body walking across the halls of Hogwarts. He felt tired in so many different ways. The war did that to him. He felt the stares of the people in the front and back of his head, and he knew what it all meant. There he is, a son of a Death Eater. He could hear what they were thinking, and they didn't have to pretend, there was no point of doing so. He knew what his father did, he knew what he almost did.
"I've been better, I suppose."
"I see. You have improved stupendously, Mister Malfoy. You are much better than you were during the beginning of the school year." Dumbledore answered. "You are better man now, I assure you."
He looked the professor in the eye warily. "Do you hate me?"
Dumbledore knew exactly what he meant. "Well, for one I'm alive, aren't I? You didn't follow his order. You didn't have it in you, child. You would never want to kill anyone for all the wrong reasons."
"I know I did the right thing, but I still think that sometimes," Draco sighed. "Sometimes I didn't do enough. That I will never make up for all the mistakes I have done, the mistakes he's done."
"It was your father's mistake, not yours. You don't have to bear it, Mister Malfoy. You do not have to punish yourself for the wrongdoings of your father."
Draco huffed. "Try telling that to everybody else."
There was a pause. But Dumbledore replied. "If you are going to ask me, I believe that you are a fully redeemed man. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Everyone deserves a second chance, especially if the person himself is willing to make that change. You should be proud of yourself, Mister Malfoy." He stood up, and gestured Draco to do so as well. "And I am most certain that I am not the only one who thinks so, just give them time and it will all be well. I will not keep you here any longer, goodbye Mister Malfoy. Come to me if you need anything." The elder walked Draco to his door, and gave him a smile before he left, showing all his wrinkles of age.
