Trip the light fantastic - Chapter Eight

Author's Note: Hiya! Thanks for sticking with me all this time! This is the last chapter, hope you like it! I would say that this is mentally dedictated to someone, but that would be admitting that I actually like him. Enjoy!


All the seventh years have been called to the hall. No one knows why, or what we're doing. I'm sitting with Ron, who's babbling on about the Chudley Cannons. I'm not even taking it in, I'm watching Ginny and Harry sitting in the corner discussing something in the corner. I know they're plotting something but I just can't think what. For once, I'm in the dark.

"Hermione, are you even listening?" Ron suddenly asks.

"Hmm, what?" I snap out of my thoughts.

"I was talking, and all you were doing was staring over at Gin and Harry," He replies.

"They're up to something, I know they are," I whisper.

"If you say so," Ron runs a hand through his hair. I look at him.

"Why did you do that?" I laugh.

"I was pretending to be Malfoy, you know, acting all stuck up and vain," Ron smirks. My grins slides off my face. I look over at Ginny and Harry and meet their eyes. Harry smiles, but Ginny taps the side of her nose. I know I won't get anything out of her.

"Everyone, stand around the platform," McGonagall walks in and magicks the tables away, leaving a platform in their place. We all mooch over.

"Right, I thought we would do some acting classes today," McGonagall studies us all.

"Why?" Someone calls, breaking the silence.

"Well, the main objective of it all is to learn how to improvise in unfamiliar situations," She replies. A lot of people groan.

"Not thinking! That's like, working too hard," Ron sighs.

"It won't kill you," I retort.

"Miss Granger, could you come up here please?" McGonagall looks at me.

"Yeah, sure," I answer, making my way over.

"Imagine this, a young lady is in love with an important sea captain. They are due to get married soon, so they are deeply in love. The young lady's name is Miss Stone and the captain's is Cpatain Schrader. Miss Granger here and the perosn I choose will have to improvise and act out a scene. Understand?" McGonagall explains. Through the crowd, I see Harry and Ginny's faces grinning. They planned this! I'm going to kill them. Oh hang on, if they planned this, then the captain will be-

"Mister Malfoy, if you please," McGonagall confirms what I was dreading.

"But-"

"It'll be fine. Just improvise," She cuts in. I cringe. Oh no.

"Um..." I turn around to see Draco's face. He looks exhausted and his messy, blond hair is tousled.

"So Captain, what business do you have here?" I take a plunge. This is going to be a disaster.

"I wouldn't call the love of my life 'business'," He replies. Already, he's got me transfixed.

"So, what would you call me?" I take a step closer.

"Sometimes, a right pain. Annoyingly brainy, witty and downright rude," Draco looks into my eyes. I almost forget to breathe. Almost.

"But, if you look past all the exterior, you get to see the sweet, gentle and pretty interior," He continues.

"I see that with you. You are quite possibly the most arrogant person in the world, yet you are still completely amazing," I find myself starting to give in to his persuasive charms.

"So, that's what you really think?" Draco smirks.

"Yeah," I say.

"Why have you been ignoring my letters then, Miss Stone?" The whole room is silent. They could tell something big was going to happen; I could feel the tension rising, just like my pulse.

"You know why," I fix Draco with an icy glare.

"You'll have to remind me," He is smirking unbearably.

"Because you had an affair with a whore!" I snap. A lot of people gasp. I roll my eyes.

"That wasn't my fault-"

"As I said before, it takes two to tango, Captain Schrader sir," I sneer. Draco moves closer to me and takes my hands.

"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?" He is speaking so softly, so gently that I almost faint. He is looking so deeply into my eyes that all I can do is gaze back. I can't turn away: I can't even think.

"I... I don't know," I stutter. It's crazy to think that someone could have that effect on me. What the hell does he do to make me like him so much? Draco carries on looking at me.

"I really am sorry, Hermione." He never breaks eye contact.

"It's Miss Stone," I hiss, frowning.

"Oh, right," Draco looks upset. I know he's doing this on purpose: does he want to make me feel guilty?

"I guess-"

"What?" His head snaps up.

"Let me finish Captain. I guess I could forgive you, but we need to lay some ground rules," I struggle to keep my face blank.

"Anything for you," Draco smiles. I break into a smile too. Draco starts to move even closer to me. His face is now inches away from mine and he brings his hands up to my face, to brush the hair away from my eyes.

"I love you," He whispers.

"I do too," I whisper back. Then, he's kissing me. I feel like I'm flying; soaring right up above the earth and in the clouds. Nothing could bring me down from this high I'm on. He breaks away.

"I didn't say stop," I grin. Draco grins back, and my heart does a back flip. He pulls me into a mesmerizing kiss that leaves me breathless. I know this is all I need, just Draco Malfoy, my official amazing guy. After a brief moment, Draco gazes into my eyes again.

"So, did you trip the light fantastic?" He asks. I beam.

"You bet I did!" I reply. The whole room erupts into cheers. I forgot anyone else was even in the room. Through the crowds, I see Ginny, Harry and Ron cheering the loudest. I smile to myself. I know I'll always have Draco, right until the very end.


XX