Chapter Nine - Starlight
"If I read one more word, my eyes are going to shrivel up and fall out of my head," Draco moaned.
"Always with the drama, Draco," Hermione smirked. "I suppose it's about time for dinner. Do you want to go to the great hall together?"
"I actually had something else in mind," Draco said, "Do you trust me?"
In spite of herself, Hermione nodded, "Yes, I do trust you". Draco grinned, and Hermione decided she liked Draco best when he was smiling. It was a smile that encompassed his whole face, his eyes lighting up and crinkling at the sides.
"Well come on then," Draco extended his hand as he stood up to help Hermione off the couch they had so thoroughly settled into.
"The books," Hermione started, but Draco just waved his wand and the volumes stacked themselves and flew off to the bookshelves at the other end of the common room. "Show off," she snorted. Draco winked.
Draco didn't let go of Hermione's hand as he led the girl out the common room and through the castle, descending the stairs to the large front doors of Hogwarts. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him as he lead her through the great doors and out into the night. She shivered as the cold wind met them at the threshold. Draco quickly cast a warming charm over the both of them with a small crooked smile.
The pair walked down towards the black lake. As they approached the large willow tree in the meadow by the water, Hermione saw the most beautiful spread of food, set upon a plaid blanket.
"It's beautiful!" She cried, and looked over at Draco who was not admiring his work but rather looking directly at the witch.
"I asked Winky to bring a bit of everything," he said.
"You know Winky?" Hermione marveled.
"Of course. She's my favorite, but don't tell the others or they'll stop sneaking pie out of the kitchens for me".
"But she's a house-elf!"
"Astute observation".
Hermione punched Draco in the arm. "No, I mean, I know she's a house elf, but why would you know her?"
"Look, I know what you're saying," Draco said, rubbing his arm dramatically, "Like I've said, I really have changed a lot- especially in the past year. One of those steps has been thoroughly examining nearly every belief my father ever instilled in me. I knew that if he had poisoned my mind so deeply with blood purity, that there had to be countless other prejudices to begin to break down". He ran his hand through his hair, sighing. "So, while I was re-building the castle as part of my probation this summer, I began to apologize to the house elf staff when I could. Winky was the first to respond positively to me. She's more than a little enthusiastic about me now, and over the course of the summer I made amends with the remaining elves".
"Draco, that's absolutely incredible!" Hermione was beaming. "I knew you said you changed, and I had seen it through the way you have been treating the other students, but this is just-"
"I appreciate it, but I didn't do it to look better or to convince people I'm different now. The way I treated the elves when I was a kid… It just wasn't right."
"Well, I'm proud of you, Draco. I really am," she smiled at him and he found himself grinning again.
"Come on, I'm starving". Draco sat them down on the blanket which was charmed to stay warm on the quickly frosting ground, and the entire area was enveloped with a warming charm as well. The boy began unpacking food, filling a heaping plate for Hermione first, and then himself. Last, he pulled a chilled bottle of elvish wine from a basket and poured each of them a glass of the pink liquid.
"Not poison, I swear," he winked as he took a small sip, then paused, raising his glass towards Hermione. "To inter-house unity," he said.
"To inter-house unity," she replied, giggling as she took a sip. The wine was sweet, fragrant and slightly bubbly. The pair began to eat in relative silence, engrossed in the decadent food. Here and there they would comment on a particularly good bite that the other had yet to try. By the time they had each cleared two platefuls, Hermione was stuffed. She leaned back on her elbows on the warm quilt and looked up at the perfectly clear night sky.
"It's much nicer looking at the stars when you're not on the freezing astronomy tower," she remarked.
"Too true. I always try to come out here when I can. It's hard though, the constellations are a bit too much of a Black-Malfoy family tree for my tastes. Its tradition, you know, to name us after the stars".
"I'd noticed that. Where are you?" Draco leaned over towards Hermione to level his gaze from her perspective. He could smell her vanilla shampoo, her flowery perfume, and what seemed to be a lingering smell of books and parchment.
"There, that's me over there". Draco pointed near the northern horizon.
"I like it," she said.
"I'm so glad you like my dots in the sky," he joked.
"No really, I think it's beautiful".
"I think you're beautiful".
"Draco".
"Hermione".
"We can't".
"We don't have to tell anyone. You always secretly liked breaking the rules".
"Did not".
"Now who's the liar," He smiled, lifting his hand to rest on her cheek. She leaned into his warm, calloused palm.
"You're right. I always did like that," she said, leaning in to meet his lips with hers. Draco sighed as his lips softened against Hermione's. It was more than he had ever imagined it to be. She was soft and warm and tasted like chocolate and wine. He moved his hand to wrap it in the soft curls at the base of her neck. She in turn put her hand on his firm chest. When his tongue met her lips she pulled back ever so slightly.
"Easy, there 'Slytherin sex god',"
"Not you too!" He moaned, dropping his head to her shoulder.
"I'm only kidding, Draco".
"It's okay, we can go slow".
"I'd like that".
"Is it because- Are you a-" he started, awkwardly. Hermione burst into laughter.
"Are you asking me if I'm a virgin!?"
"It's okay if you are! I don't want to make you uncomfortable".
"Merlin, no I'm not".
"Who?"
"Oh, like we have time to list all of yours while we're at it," Hermione teased.
"Hey now, that's not very nice. I'll have you know that there's only ever been one for me…"
"You're joking".
"I'm not. Pansy and I hooked up fourth year but never did the deed. I lost it to Astoria Greengrass, Daphne's sister last year. I think I was just looking for comfort, or normalcy," he confided.
"There's just been the one for me, too," Hermione said.
"Ron?"
"No, he's been in love with me for years, but after our kiss during the final battle at Hogwarts, I realized I would never see him as more than a friend, so I broke it off with him. I did something similar to you, I guess. I wrote to Victor after the war was over and we met up. I just wanted to feel normal, to feel like all the other girls after everything I'd been through".
"You fucked Krum? The most famous Quidditch seeker in the world!?"
"Elegant".
"I only meant… Damn, Hermione," he laughed. Hermione wanted to hit him again, but instead she just leaned down and kissed him briefly.
"If I knew that would shut you up that well, I would've done it a long time ago".
"You're ridiculous, you know that?"
.oOo0oOo.
Draco's head was buzzing, likely more from the kisses than the wine as he and Hermione walked hand in hand back to the castle. Hermione dropped hers from his grip as they approached the large front doors. As disappointed as Draco was, it was smart on her part as they heard the boisterous group of students stumbling up the path from Hogsmeade.
"Is that… Harry and Blaise?"
"Sure is," Hermione squinted at the oncoming gang.
"What about Ginny?"
"They've been together for years, they're fine apart. Besides, that's Ginny in the back talking to Pansy,"
"She's what?" Draco yelled. Hermione laughed in spite of herself.
"Afraid she'll spill your dirty secrets, Malfoy?" she started walking towards the group without waiting for Draco's answer. As she approached, Harry wrapped her in a hug picking her up off the ground. He was certainly sloshed at this point, and the rest of the group didn't look much better.
"C'mon Ginny," he slurred, letting go of Hermione. Ginny waved goodbye to the girls and skipped over to grab Harry's hand as they weaved their way back up to the castle. The rest of the students joined Hermione and Malfoy.
"Did you find a dress for me?" Hermione asked Luna.
"We did!" She beamed
"We?"
"It turned out to be a group effort". Luna said, looking to the other girls in the group.
"Merlin help me," Hermione moaned. "Let's see it then".
"Oh, well Ginny's taken it with her. She said you'd likely return it when you see it, so she's keeping it until Halloween".
"She'll be the death of me. I swear".
Draco caught Hermione's exasperated expression and chuckled to himself as he chatted with Theo, Blaise, and the Gryffindor boys.
Together, the students wandered back to the castle. By now it was nearly eleven and the group dispersed quickly to their respective dormitories.
Draco knew he had no chance of getting to sleep anytime soon. He quickly drew the curtains around his silky green bed and reached under the mattress. Unlocking the journal, he turned to a fresh page in the worn volume.
.oOo0oOo.
October 24th, 1998
Tonight was my first date with Hermione, or at least I hope she saw it that way, too. She was the one who kissed me! I knew I couldn't make that move myself. I'm still terrified she hates me even when everything she does says otherwise. I'm starting to think she's seen a change in me. I hope so desperately she has. The Halloween Ball is in just one week, and I want her to be my date but I know that it's against the rules and no matter how she feels about me she wouldn't risk her school standing to do it. I'll have to settle for seeing her from afar. My feelings are growing faster for her than I originally thought possible. But, I have years of caring for her on my side, when I know she's just now seeing me. That kiss though, that kiss will keep me going for weeks, I'm sure.