I do not own Harry Potter, nor it's characters. Everything belongs to Mrs Rowling and Warner Brothers. I have no intention of gaining any material benefit from this fictional work , never had, never will.
+ Fools! and Hearts? +
Hermione hoped that those certain awkward moments would disappear in time. They were officially a couple now. Officially meaning the peculiar tension would dissolve. Right?
Not happened. Not happening. In fact, she doubts it's ever going to happen.
They were in the Common Room. The air was warm. They were sweating. Apparently, Blaise 'accidentally' messed up a heating spell, and now they were stuck in this tropical heat until the spell wore off. 'Accidentally' equals a shirtless, panting Ron. And a shirtless Blaise offering all sorts of unorthodox methods to cool him down.
"No, Blaise! I don't want my body stroked with an ice cube!"
Blaise smirked licking his lips seductively. He stroked Ron's neck. Ron became even redder and jumped up.
"Am I the only one that feels hot around here?" Blaise opened his mouth to reply, but Ron held a hand before him. "Don't even think to say what I think you want to say!"
However, Ron wasn't the only one uncomfortable. Hermione loved warmth. She doesn't care they are sweating. She cared that a sweating, shirtless Draco was currently leaning on her though.
"Just one more kiss." he had a colossal smirk planted on his face.
"Draco, you are annoying me." she couldn't help, but stare at his bare lean form. Blood was rushing to her face and she looked away. "Get a bloody shirt on! This is not a place to strip!"
"I'll put a shirt on if you give me a kiss." his grin turned maniacal.
"I've kissed you a dozen times today already." She hissed annoyed, looking around and making sure no one was watching them.
"Pretty please, Princess!"
"How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that!" She looked at his face resolve crumbling, as he stared at her wide-eyed. His lips were slightly parted, and his hot breath was caressing her face as he leaned closer. She cupped his face carefully and kissed his lips softly. She couldn't help, but to deepen the kiss as she felt his velvet tongue stroking her lips.
Moments later she got a grip on herself and pushed Malfoy away. She felt awkward, but utterly happy.
"Now, get a shirt on, you rascal!" She said looking away and blushing profoundly.
"I did say I was getting dressed, didn't I?" He said pondering. He took out his wand. "Accio Princess-Shirt!"
What the...
Looking at the shirt she almost regretted that she made him wear anything. Seemed like a normal white shirt. But it had an enchanted moving picture of her. Red and golden glittering letters were written above the picture. One simple word. One word that made Hermione's blood boil both with anger and pride.
Mine.
"MALFOY! BURN THAT DAMN SHIRT!"
They were bickering for the rest of the day on this subject.
Someday I'm gonna 'accidentally'(not!) strangle him.
Time passed with bickering, hugging and mostly more bickering. The snowy blanket of Winter was gradually replaced by the budding trees of Spring.
It was March and the inevitable happened. A confrontation with Astoria.
She was coming back from the Library. She went there after leaving the boys friendly Quidditch game. She parted ways with Draco.
"Sugar-puff. I'll wait for you in the Common Room."
She couldn't help, but chuckle at the memory. No matter how many times she expressed her absolute hatred for name-calling, no matter how many times she smacked him, he just would not stop.
She was in a very good mood. She always enjoyed watching Draco playing Quidditch. Though she would not admit that even under extreme torture. OK... maybe 'extreme' torture did loosen her tongue.
"Admit it! You think I am terribly hot in my Quidditch uniform!" he said leaning close to her face.
"Terrible yes! I admit that." she said a tiny smile curling her lips up. They were in the Common Room. Hermione just planned to sit down comfortably, when this little scene started.
"I'll make you say it!" he said in a deep voice, furrowing his brows together. The next thing Hermione felt was Malfoy's monstrous fingers tickling the living soul out of her. She fell on the couch in laughing so her hard her breath almost twitched in her throat.
"Fine! You look hot in that stupid uniform, Ferret!" she cried giggling hysterically. Draco stopped his tickling and lifted her up in the air, giving her a huge hug.
She was impossibly giddy since she accepted her feelings for him, and his for her. She even caught herself on many occasion with a skip in her step. Thinking often that this is ultimately ridiculous and pathetic, but damn it made her full of joy.
And what she adored the most was the fact that whenever he saw her a huge smile crept upon his face.
As her thoughts brought her to blissful places, she was blissfully unaware when she collided with a petite figure.
"OW! Watch your step stupid, worthless Mudblood!"
Mudblood. That was a word she hadn't heard for a very long time. She looked at the rabid, angry groundhog in front of her.
"Astoria." Hermione said coldly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to crash into you." Not a hint of regret in her voice though.
"What are you doing here anyway, Mudblood?"
"This is the entrance to my Common Room." she said annoyed, trying to ignore the awful name. "The question is what are you doing here?"
"I am here to see my Drakie." she exclaimed, malice glittering in her eyes. "Since you jinxed my poor darling, he doesn't come to see me anymore."
Hermione stayed silent, trying to control her rage.
"You know we used to spend the hottest summers together." she continued ignoring the electrifying air that surrounded Hermione. "We were each others first." she smirked, showing all her teeth. "In everything."
The Scepter's entrance opened and a brightly smiling Draco exited.
"Hermione! I was wondering where you were!"
Hermione's face snapped up at him in anger. Her eyes seemed to scream murder. He looked at her confused for a moment, then his eyes traveled to Astoria, and shined in understanding.
"Oh – he said – Hi Astoria."
"Hi Drakie, Love!" She said in a hyper tone. She ran towards Draco and jumped in his neck, hugging him tightly.
Something snapped in Hermione.
"Enough." she whispered quietly, her head hanging down.
Astoria completely ignored her, clinging to a flustered and confused Draco.
"I said enough!" she cried taking her wand out and cornering Astoria. She let go of Draco, and was pressed to the Scepter's glass.
Malfoy seemed to watch the whole scene with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"I don't care if you were best friends, sweethearts or married." She hissed in a low and volatile voice. "Listen to me carefully, you foul creature: .." Hermione emphasized every word with a poke of her wand on Astoria's throat. "You are not allowed to call him yours. You are not allowed to hug him, or kiss him. If you want to talk to him, it's fine by me. But he will never be yours! Understood?"
Hermione's magical aura was impregnating the air. Astoria was trembling from fear and loathing. She looked desperately at Draco.
"You see what a beast she is, Drakie?" She whined in a high-pitched voice. Her eyes were desperately searching Draco's for help.
For the first time Draco decided to mingle in this drama.
"Hermione – he put a hand softly on Hermione's shoulder – let her go, Love. And calm down."
Hermione reluctantly, albeit still angrily let her go, throwing her slightly into the Scepter's glass. Astoria smirked triumphantly.
"Thank you, Drakie. I always knew..."
However, 'Drakie' decided to interrupt her.
"My name is Draco. Only Hermione's allowed to give me names. You heard my lady. I hope you marked her words, because next time I might not be able to stop her from jinxing you into a frog. Or I might not desire to stop her. Now is there anything else you wanted?" he finished coldly.
Astoria looked with spite at both of them and broke out in a run. She tripped on several occasion, until she was out of their sight.
Hermione and Draco looked at each other briefly, and promptly broke out in a gleeful laughter.
"I almost feel bad for her though." Hermione said slightly ashamed of her 'little' jealousy outburst. "I would be suffering so much, if I was in her place."
Draco smiled to himself and approached her. He swiftly hugged her and planted a small kiss on her hair.
"I am yours, Sugar, am I not?" he said slightly mocking her earlier words, with amusement.
"You are, Ferret. Don't even dare to forget that." she told him blushing and hiding her face in Draco's chest.
"Let us go inside. And you can tell me again, how hot I look in a Quidditch uniform."
Hermione smacked his arm lightly, then hugged his torso, while going inside.
A couple of months later...
"Can't believe it!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Me neither, Ginny." said Harry pensively. "I can't decide, if this is terrific news or not."
"I think we all feel like that. Dumbledore did it again." Hermione said frustrated.
"In my opinion – Luna chimed in – it is nice we get to graduate early. We can go with Neville hunting in the Romanian forests."
"You know Loony, that the Romanian forests are full of Dragons right?" Malfoy stated quizzically.
Luna in turn just shrugged, and continued to smile fondly at a slightly worried Neville.
Gradually, the Common Room started to empty, as everyone was preoccupied with arrangements of their departure.
"Malfoy? You should go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a tiring day." Hermione sighed with a frown. Malfoy kissed her eyelids.
"I will. I'm just waiting up for Blaise. Go, Sugar-puff, get your beauty sleep."
Hermione snorted a bit, then nodded and retired.
Draco occupied himself with reading. He was worried for his friend. Blaise had a depressed aura these past days. And the Weasel wasn't showing his face much nowadays either. Something felt wrong, and he wanted to know, if he could help his friend.
He almost fell asleep with the book in his lap, when the portrait hole opened suddenly. Zabini entered, a glint of sadness marking his eyes. He nodded to Draco and sat beside him on the couch with a defeated sigh.
"Tell me." Draco said simply, empathy filling those two words.
"I don't think he feels the same." Blaise said looking straightforward. His face seemed devoid of emotions, except his eyes. They were a dark pool of turmoil. He continued. "I have pushed him hard enough. Looking from afar this all seems like a bloody dumb game. He never said he loves me. But I didn't really care. But now he became cold. He doesn't get angry. He just... he just... ignores me."
He rubbed his temples and looked at Draco sadly.
"You said once to Hermione that he completes you. That you know this is right. I can see it's right, mate. You'll get through this. Don't let your fears stop you." Draco told him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I know. It's just that... If we won't see each other this often... - he shrugged – I think... I'd like to be alone now." He said apologetically. Draco nodded in understanding and left.
Blaise leaned his head back on the couch. He closed his eyes and tried to block the thoughts and fears, that plagued his mind. He felt the couch dip in. Someone sat beside him. Blaise didn't dare to open his eyes.
The person cleared his throat awkwardly.
"I heard." he stated. "Everything you said to Malfoy."
"You did?" Blaise shrugged, eyes still tightly closed.
A long moment of heavy silence followed.
"Well... - Blaise said smiling and standing up – I'll go to sleep then, Ronnie. See you in the morning."
He turned promptly, not looking at the red-head.
"Wait." he whispered softly, standing up as well. "I'm not good with this. Damn!"he yelled in frustration. Blaise turned to him. Contempt shimmering on his dark face. He felt desperate, but he understood.
"You don't have to say anything. I get it." he said slowly, looking at his shoes. "It's over. It never was. I am sorry for bothering you." He turned to leave once again, but Ron gripped his arms firmly.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he prompted angrily. "You are stupider than I thought!" rage filled his shouting.
"What do you want, Weasley?" For the first time his dark complexion was alight with anger.
Ron seemed to be slightly taken aback by his response. He answered with equal anger.
"What do I want? What do you want? You've been terrorizing me for almost an year. And now you are giving up? Just like this?"
"And what do you expect from me? To crawl on my knees and adore you from afar, while you are living your life?" Blaise spat with venom.
"N-no – he stuttered – I want you too k-kiss me, because I bloody well love you!" He shouted in his face, flustered and ashamed.
"You do?" he said in wonder.
"Y-yeah." He looked at the floor and continued. "And I don't care, if you're a boy. Or that you are clingy. But-but the marriage thing... we have to talk through, and..."
However, he was cut in half by Blaise's lips on his own.
It seemed that both of their fears dissolved with this one simple touch.
Some time later, on the Hogwarts Express.
Hermione had a feeling of Deja Vu. Except some things were nothing like when they arrived last year. Ginny and Harry were cuddling and talking in whispers. Luna was inspecting Neville's eyes with a magnifying glass for some reason. Hermione thought it would be wise not to ask.
Ron was snoring lightly on Blaise's shoulder, his arms were wrapped around the dark Slytherin's torso. Blaise was periodically stroking his red hair. Spontaneously breaking in a giddy smile.
The compartment was still too small for them. And irony of the gods, she now was seated on Malfoy's lap. But she was content.
"Hermione? - he suddenly asked seriously – What do you think the future will hold for us?"
She twisted her body to look at his face.
"Joy and suffering – she paused for a moment, blushing – and... love." She looked at his face adoringly. "And of course lots of moments when, I'll nearly kill you." She laughed lightly. "What do you think, Draco?"
"Same I guess – he looked at her happily, a glint of mischief entering his eyes – and you occasionally wearing a maid outfit." He emphasized his words with a tiny squeeze on her butt.
Hermione was startled, anger quickly replacing her surprise. She elbowed Malfoy, promptly stood up and dragged Malfoy to the floor. He landed with a loud thump and an even louder 'OW'.
"This compartment is not big enough for the two of us, Ferret-face." she yelled mockingly.
"Hermione – he whined, hugging her leg – why are you so mean to me?"
She seated herself next to Draco on the floor, and put her arms around his shoulders.
"Because you are a fool, and I am sort of heartless." she winked at him, planting a small kiss on his lips.
Finite Incantatem!
Author's Note:
*Smirks*
Thank you for all the people who have stayed with me on this journey.
All your reviews, kind words and constructive critics made my heart feel all fuzzy and warm.
To the first person(who is signed in) and reviews every chapter, from first to last, I will gift a deleted scene.
- Scratch that. If this person :Panther Eyes signs in she could get the deleted scene.
May you all be blessed, you Sugar-puffs and Fools! *winks*