Fiery Gryffindor Princess, Cold Slytherin Prince - (T)
Author: "Starlight-Mist" (Nickname)
Story Summary: [Dramione]: After the war, the seventh years all go back to Hogwarts for eighth year. Starting with an intro from Prof. McGonagall's diary, the story covers the first quidditch game, a Halloween Ball, truth-or-dare, I've Never, Secret Santa, Valentine's Day, Graduation, and a lot of pranking, kissing, working, matchmaking, and getting sick. Ends at the Ministry of Magic.
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series, world, and characters are NOT mine. Anything that you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling. My name is Brigitta, and I don't make any claims to the Harry Potter series, world, and characters. I just came up with the plot.
Pairings: Dramione, Neville/Luna, Blaise/Ginny, Ron/Pansy, Harry/Millicent, Theo/Lavender, Terence/Parvati
Author's Note: No reviews for last chapter? I know it's a graduation, but it's not supposed to be that boring? Anyways, here's Chapter 10.
Chapter Title: Chapter 10: June
Chapter Theme: Hermione and Draco have finished Auror-Training and now are certified Aurors.
Last Chapter: Hogwarts Graduation.
Timeskip of Three Years
June 2, 2003
"What are your thoughts on going out to catch some bad guys? Just passed Potter in the hallway and he's got a few Dark Wizards we can go after if we want to!" Draco said as he burst into the office.
"Draco," Hermione groaned, looking up at her fellow Auror, "Coffee first. Bad guys later."
"Well, there's always that," Draco said as he shuffled a stack of papers to his other arm and handed her a the scalding beverage, "but what do you think?"
"I think I'm going to get a headache," Hermione sighed as she sipped her coffee, then set it down loudly as if she had forgotten something important.
"Well, what's got your knickers in a twist?" Draco asked as he dropped his papers on his desk and plopped into the chair behind his desk.
After two years of training as an Auror, Draco and Hermione had been partnered together and now shared a large and spacious office.
Upon entering the office, you would see two desks which were tilted so that they pointed back towards a large window that overlooked the front gardens of the Auror building. The window was uncurtained, and behind the desks were two identical lamp posts and spinny chairs.
On each desk, there was a small box in which you could put all your paperwork and still have more, along with a small lamp, and a glass of water. Hermione was very particular over the fact that the desks remained neat and organized, along with the rest of the room.
However, this still didn't stop Draco from dumping his clutter into the second drawer in his desk...
"I just remembered that I might be behind on my rent, again," Hermione groused as she searched through her many drawers.
"Evil Eyebrow Lady is making you pay too much for a kitchen, a small relaxation area, a mudroom, a bathroom, and a bedroom," Draco whined.
"250 Galleons a month is a bit more than I want to pay, but it's more-reasonable than 265 Galleons," Hermione sighed, pulling out a document and collapsing in her chair.
"You're behind again," Draco stated, knowing that the look on her face was her Defeat Face.
"56 bloody Galleons for April plus another 250 for May, and then I'll need 250 for this month," Hermione sighed.
"So, does that mean that you're ready to go out and catch some Dark Wizards?" Draco asked, perking up.
"Let me grab my jacket," Hermione said, look much more joyous than she originally did when Draco announced the job, "and my coffee."
"And your coffee," Draco nodded.
-O-o-O-
"Duck," Draco commanded Hermione as he held out an arm to steady himself. Spells whizzed all around the two Aurors and they pressed themselves up to the side of the building.
A spell flew over Hermione's head, barely grazing her hair.
"How many were there, six?" Hermione breathed as she stood back up, clutching her wand to her chest as she looked over at Draco.
"I counted six," Draco nodded, ducking out of the alley to shoot a few spells and to count them. Hermione waited anxiously for him to pop back in.
"Nine," Draco said, popping back in, "there are nine of them. Call Potter to send a team out here."
A few seconds later, a Patronus was racing off to Harry and the two Aurors ran out from the alley.
"We better get paid good for this one," Hermione muttered as she dueled one of the Wizards.
The two Aurors spent the next few minutes gathering the Wizards together and waiting for a backup team to help apprehend them.
"You okay there?" Hermione called to Draco as she saw him wince.
"I'll be fine, so pay attention to your fight," Draco said brusquely, before turning away.
Hermione turned back to her opponent, a tall man with unnerving eyes, a creepy double-chin, and a creepy mustache that hid an even creepier smile.
With each spell that the creepy guy sent at her, Hermione found herself wanting the fight to finish. But, because she and Draco were outnumbered by seven, disarming him would put them in danger if he were to charge them in the middle of a fight with another opponent.
"Expelliarmus," a voice finally yelled, and then Hermione knew that the backup team had arrived.
"Expelliarmus," Hermione hurled, hitting the guy on the back of his heel as he turned to run. Catching his wand in one arm, she gave chase after him, tackling him to the ground within seconds.
Pulling a pair of handcuffs from the pocket in her Auror blazer, she snapped them on and led the guy back to where Draco and the three other back-up Aurors were.
"Everyone's alright?" one of the back-up Aurors asked.
"A spell hit my torso, but I'm pretty sure that my overcoat took the damage," Draco admitted.
"Check to make sure," ordered the shortest of the three back-ups.
Unbuttoning and shucking his overcoat, Draco undid the bottom few buttons of his button-up. There was a small pink mark on his skin, and Hermione bent down to examine it.
"Anything serious?" the short Auror asked.
"Nope," Hermione said, shaking her head, "he'll just have a small bruise."
"Well, make sure that it goes into the report," the Auror replied, "but other than that, Good Day."
With quick nods at the two Aurors, the three back-ups disappeared with a pop.
"That went pretty well," Draco said, buttoning up his shirt and shrugging on his overcoat.
"Now, let's get these wizards over to the cells," Hermione said, walking over to where the apprehended wizards were.
-O-o-O-
"How much did we make on that one?" Draco yawned, leaning back in his spinny chair and placing his feet on his desk.
"We each made 75 Galleons," Hermione said approvingly.
"Now, Hermione," Draco said, "if we didn't spend all our time doing desk-jobs like you insist, we'd be able to make enough for your rent."
"I know, I know," Hermione sighed, frowning at the figures in front of her.
"Now what are you looking at?" Draco asked, glancing over at his partner, who didn't reply to his question. Getting up from his chair, he went around to Hermione's desk and tried to read over her shoulder. However, she quickly slapped a hand down on the paper.
"Not for you," Hermione said as she folded the paper up and tucked it into her purse, causing Draco to frown; it wasn't very often that Hermione was secretive about what she was reading.
"Let's go out and grab lunch," Draco said, changing the subject. "We can figure out what job we want to take after lunch, preferably not a body-guarding job."
"What makes you think that we're taking a job?" Hermione asked as she unbuttoned her blazer and followed Draco out of the office.
"You need the money for the rent," Draco answered. "You still have 481 Galleons of rent to pay."
Glaring at Draco for re-mentioning the fact that she was behind on rent, Hermione childishly crossed her arms and pouted. Sighing, Draco shoved her into the elevator and poked the button for Ground.
Upon hitting Ground floor, Draco looped his arm through Hermione's and escorted her out the door, down the front stairs, and towards his favorite little restaurant.
June 5, 2003
Draco was on his way home from his office when a Patronus, Hermione's Patronus, popped up next to him, calling him back to the office.
What could I have forgotten? he wondered as he turned back around and re-entered the building.
Less than a minute later, Draco was walking down the halls of the Auror building and towards his office. Stopping to straighten the picture frame next to his office door, he placed his hand on the knob and turned it.
"Surprise!
Within seconds, the room was flooded with people and Draco felt utterly bewildered.
"Happy Birthday," Hermione grinned as she threw her arms and his shoulders.
"Look at him," Harry laughed, "he really forgot, didn't he?"
"I told you that Hermione was keeping him busy," Millicent said, elbowing her boyfriend.
"Wow, you guys," Draco said, "I completely forgot."
"We realized," Hermione said sheepishly as she released him from her Birthday Hug.
The room, within the few minutes that he had been gone, had been decorated with dark blue streamers, and his and Hermione's desks had been shrunken and placed on the windowsills to make room for the many chairs.
"This is just the Surprise Room," Hermione explained, "Your parents are hosting the actual party back at the Malfoy Manor. The chairs are Portkeys set for 5:00, so we've got two minutes."
"Did you plan all this?" Draco asked incredulously as he sat down in one of the Portkeys and ran a hand through his hair.
"No," hermione grinned, "I just helped your mother."
Over the past few years, Hermione and Narcissa and grown much closer and Hermione had been invited to drop by anytime she wanted, so it wasn't all that much of a surprise to find out that the two had conspired to plan Draco's party.
"And here we go," Hermione announced as all the occupants in the room felt the familiar hook of a Portkey, dragging them off to another destination.
"Happy Birthday, Draco," Narcissa announced, planting kisses on his cheeks the second that he arrived.
"Thank you mother, thank you father," Draco answered, planting kisses on his mother's cheek and hugging his father as he looked around the decorated ballroom.
Candles floated around the room and streamers and balloons decorated the walls. To the back of the room stood a table full of refreshments and guests continued to pop out of the air for the next minute or so.
"Here," Hermione announced, returning with a drink in each hand.
"You changed," Draco announced, taking in the long skirted deep blue dress that she wore and how the waist fit her perfectly. her hair was pulled back in a simple braid and her face was bare of any makeup.
"Well, this is a surprise party, so I couldn't exactly wear a dress around the office today," Hermione pointed out with a cheeky grin, "now drink up."
In her right hand, she held out a drink.
"I have my own already," she said, showing him her left hand as she proceeded to press the second drink into his hand.
Draco cautiously took the drink.
"Champagne?" he asked as he looked around the room and watched people dance.
"Champagne," Hermione confirmed, sipping her own glass.
"Won't the two of you dance?" Narcissa asked, coming over to them a few minutes later.
"Drinks," Draco said simply, showing of his half-empty glass.
"Oh, just finish up already," Narcissa said, tapping her foot impatiently, "I want to get some pictures of my son dancing and having fun on his twenty-third birthday."
"What's so special about this year?" Draco asked before downing the rest of his glass.
"Just go dance already," Narcissa ordered, taking the two partners' glasses and shoving them onto the dance floor.
"Someone's a little pushy today," Draco snorted as he took Hermione's hand in his and led her deeper into the crowd. Hermione just laughed and draped her head onto his shoulder.
The two just slow-danced in silence for the next couple of songs before switching partners.
"Hello, Hermione," Ron said amiably as he passed Pansy to Draco and took Hermione into his arms.
"Hello, Ron," Hermione answered, "how is everything going with Pansy? This is what, your third year of dating?"
"Not for much longer," Ron said simply.
"Did something happen?" Hermione asked, slightly alarmed.
"Nothing bad," Ron reassured her, "it's just that I proposed to her and now we're fiancés."
"Congratulations," Hermione cheered, hugging her friend before pulling back and slapping his shoulder.
"Blimey, Hermione," Ron winced, "what was that for?"
"For not asking my professional help to pick out the perfect ring to adorn Pansy's finger," Hermione pouted childishly.
Ron laughed.
"But seriously," Hermione said, staring Ron in the eyes, "I want to see the ring. You better have been a man..."
"Pansy's right over there," Ron grinned, pointing to the corner by the refreshments. Within seconds, Hermione was making her way through the crowd.
"I see that you told Granger," Draco said, bemused.
"You bet I did," Ron snickered, "but what I didn't tell her is that you knew that I was going to propose before I actually proposed."
"Keep it that way," Draco ordered, his eyes going wild at the prospect of all the things that Hermione might do if she found out...
-O-o-O-
After a lot more dancing and partying, Draco cut the magnificent cake and the party began winding down, leaving nothing more than a few glasses of champagne and slices of cake, a few crumpled napkins, and a handful of tired balloons and streamers.
"You really don't need to do that," Draco said, leaning on the refreshments table as he watched Hermione levitated the trash over to the trash cans.
"It's my responsibility to help clean up," Hermione answered with a simple smile, "and I don't have anything else to do."
"Take a walk with me," Draco said suddenly.
Hermione laughed, "what?"
"Take a walk with me," Draco repeated, walking over to her and offering his arm.
"But where?" Hermione asked, lowering her wand.
"Through the gardens," Draco answered.
"Alright," Hermione said tentatively as she tucked her wand back into the holster on her dress' belt and looped her arm through Draco's.
With that, the two Aurors set off at a leisurely stroll down the steps leading out from the ballroom and onto the stone path through the gardens.
"Night tulips," Draco pointed to the glowing flowers that surrounded the base of a Japanese Maple, "a rare and beautiful sight. We had to order them all the way from this small magical plants shop in Paris."
"Definitely worth it," Hermione sighed, leaning on Draco's shoulder and listening as he named the flowers that decorated the paths they walked on.
"What's your favorite flower?" Hermione asked during a silent period by the Koi pond.
"The rose gardens," Draco answered, placing his hand on the small of Hermione's back and leading her over the little bridge, "I love how the roses glow in the moonlight."
Draco led her past the fragrant lavender bushes and onto the rose garden. It was indeed a beautiful sight, a mystical white and pink sight. Wordlessly, Draco led her to a bench that was hidden in the bushes and the two sat down, content to marvel at the roses' beauty.
Hermione's head rested on Draco's shoulder and his arm was wrapped around her waist in a protective manner, just like the thorn protects the rose. And slowly, Draco turned his head and met Hermione's lips with his own.
It was the first time that the two had kissed of their own accord, not under the influence of mistletoe. Perhaps the romantic scenery of the roses or the champagne had affected them, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.
Not the trash that lay on the floor, still waiting to be levitated into trashcans. Not the cake of which the frosting had melted. Not the champagne or the time, nor the fact that Narcissa and Lucius were looking for them.
Nothing else mattered.
A/N: Well, that's some romance for all of you romance-seeking Dramione fans. Thank you to everybody for reading, following, and favoriting.
Quick Chat: Nooo! Firstly, I've finished Rurouni Kenshin, and secondly? I just found out that Rurouni Kenshin is the companion and explanation for the original series, which is called Samurai X. Well, at least I still have something to watch other than Naruto and Fairy Tail. Anime...
"I'll be your friend in daylight. I'll treat you as a comrade in every gas-lit ballroom. But alone, under moonlight, I'll not pretend that I want you for anything but mine."
-Courtney Milan