Disclaimer: JK Rowling's property, not mine. My cat though, and the plot, is mine.
"Malfoy's completely fixated on you tonight." Ginny commented as they walked.
"I'm sure you're hallucinating." Hermione responded. She was still a little angered because he wasn't sensitive enough to realize that it would have been a complete agony for her if she spent time with them, including Ron. But then again, boys will be boys, being impervious was innate in their kind.
"I wasn't. Anyway, Ron has the most exciting news! I can't wait to tell you, but I'd let him do the talking. Hey guys, here she is!" Ginny announced gleefully.
Once again, jaws dropped at the sight of Hermione. She had forgotten that she was supposed to be this seductive, attractive, fearless woman Never sad, never hurt. She felt the exact opposite.
"Mione! You look, you look—" Ron stuttered as his eyes roamed her entire physique.
"Fantastic! Completely fantastic!" Harry continued. "It's very unlike you, but the change looks great. You look beautiful Mione."
If they had told her that sooner, she would have accepted the compliment. She wasn't in the mood anymore so she replied in a monotonous voice. "Thanks. So, uhm, why did you want me to come here?"
Lavender, who held Ron's arm, cleared her throat. Ron was released from his trance. "Oh, right! Well, you see Mione, I know we broke up and all. So, Lavender here," he gestured to the woman in his arms. "She's now my girlfriend. And I was wondering if, hopefully, you're okay with it?"
That was exactly the scenario Hermione wanted to avoid. She wasn't okay with it, that was for certain. She was holding on to something that wasn't there anymore. It was evident since Ron had already found someone else. Sure it had been months since they had broken up, but a feeling is a feeling. Hermione felt replaced, thrown to another side and the new, shiny toy was now the new favourite. And she had a front row seat, VIP pass to it.
"Of course, Ronald. I hope you two are happy." Hermione replied faintly, forcing a smile on her face. Her friends were fooled, and they made a sigh of relief. Lavender beamed like a hyena. If she continues to do that I'll rip it off her face, she thought.
"Thank Merlin, I thought you were going to throw a fit!" Harry was pleased. "Isn't this great? Me and Ginny, Ron and Lavender, and I'm pretty sure it is only a matter of time before Hermione finds someone too, looking like that." He teased and put his arm around Ginny's waist.
She knew Harry meant well, but his statement only made Hermione realize that everyone had someone, except for her. She was not only replaced, but alone. Another pang came to her chest. Reality had to settle in tonight? Why not tomorrow? Or never?
"All in good time, Mione." Ginny added.
Conversations past, Hermione felt like dead air. She didn't even bother to participate, only curt nods and meek smiles when they looked at her. Instead she sipped her drink, looking at an empty space, wishing she was gone and out with someone else. Possibly with Draco. Oh if only he didn't let Ginny take me, I bet I'd have a better time with him anyway, she thought. She slightly shook her head to escape the preposterous idea.
"Let us have a toast, shall we?" Ginny said. Hermione was a little hesitant but ended up obliging. "To Ron and Lavender! And Harry and me!"
They clanked their cups together and then brought it to their mouths to drink. Hermione merely sipped, she was as bitter as the wine.
"So Hermione, any suitors lately?" Ginny winked.
"I, uh—" Hermione coughed. She didn't know exactly how to answer. In all honesty, it was a clear no. Except maybe…Thankfully, she felt warmth in her back. There was another person who was behind him. She looked back.
"Draco!" Hermione said, surprised. How coincidental.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Harry spat.
"I didn't come here for you, Potter, don't be so full of yourself, not everything is about you. I came for her." He motioned to Hermione. "I believe we have some unfinished business, or you forgot? I don't have all night."
"Oh right, of course!" Ginny interrupted. "Honestly Malfoy, we only had her for a few minutes and now you want her back already?" Everyone threw a quizzical look at her. "Well go on, you could take her. I'll see you later, Mione?"
"Shall we?" Draco offered his arm. Hermione obliged and held his offered limb, she didn't even bother to answer Ginny before they left. She mumbled something that sounded 'Get me out of here' and so Draco did so. All she wanted to do was leave. They left her friends to go back to the dance floor.
"I'm still mad at you." She grumbled.
He raised an eyebrow. "What did I do now?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't let Ginny take me! You basically threw me to a lion's den!"
"Well, they are Gryffindors. And so are you."
"Ha ha ha, very funny." She moped.
"Hey, I came back and took you, didn't I? It was a little late, but it could've been more awkward if I let you stay there."
Hermione sighed in exasperation; at least he was a little sensitive. It was still late, but before it all got worse he came back and took her, she was thankful enough for that. "Fine. Thank you for the late saving."
"It was my pleasure. Now, what would you like me to do?" Draco grazed his hands on her arms, she had soft skin too, Draco thought. She shivered. He held her hands to bring it back to the back of his neck, positioning them for another dance. He has grown accustomed to them being together like that, apparently. He then put his hands on her hips once again.
"Just, just—" She moaned. "Keep me away from them."
"Hmm, I don't know. I mean there are a lot of pretty girls out there who would just love to dance with me."
"You're so arrogant."
"I liked you better when you were seducing me. It was that bad?"
"Uhh, it was terrible!" She started ranting. "Ron asked me if I was all right with it. I mean, what was I supposed to say? 'No, and even if months have passed you cannot go out with other girls'? It's completely pointless. And Harry was going on something about him having Ginny and Ron having Lavender, and that I should start looking for a partner as well! How insensitive can you lot be?"
They danced for a few minutes in silence.
"Do you still love him?" Draco questioned in a low voice.
Hermione was stunned. "Well, I wouldn't be a little hurt if I didn't, would I?"
"A little?"
"Well, not all love is all-consuming." She reasoned out unconvincingly. "Maybe I should find someone else for me too, shouldn't I? It seems to be in trend."
"I never took you for a conformist."
"We all should be. If I wasn't I would have come to this party naked, for Godric's sake."
"Now that's a sight I'd like to see."
"Shut up." She started looking around. "Let's see, who could I date? Oh, how about your friend Zabini? He seems to have a liking in me when he talked to me as I came in."
"No!" Draco shouted which made her startle. "Sorry. Just, don't."
"Why not?"
"He's a pervert."
"Oh. Then no it is." She searched again. "What about Dean Thomas?"
"He's Weaselette's ex, isn't he?"
"Oh right, that's off-limits." She probed the room again. "Oh I know, Anthony Goldstein!"
"The Ravenclaw prefect?" Draco scoffed. "Sure, I bet intelligent conversations will be your make-out session."
"What? He's not that bad!" Hermione looked at Anthony again. "Yes, I think he's very suitable. I shall talk to him tomorrow."
"You're impossible."
"Oh, I'm impossible?" Hermione fumed. "What do you expect me to do starting tomorrow, plaster a smile on my face and laugh with them? When they do something that couples do like, I don't know, hug, kiss or make out in front of me, I'll coo them and say 'Oh you two are so sweet'? I'm not stupid, Draco."
"If you're really mad about all of this, you could have just told them."
"And then what? Plead for Ron to come back to me?"
"Well, we had a plan to get him to take you back, hadn't we?"
"Oh right, and how is that going? Hm?" Hermione responded bitterly.
Draco was speechless. He didn't remember that until now. His opinion towards their unlikely relationship never changed. She was too good for him, regardless of her blood status. But who cared about that anymore?
"Please don't tell me your mood is going to be like this for the rest of the night because I will not comply to the deal if you're going to mope around all night."
"Fine. Let's just keep dancing."
Just as the loud song had ended, and had preceded a slower, romantic, coincidental one, Draco dared to ask. "Are you sure? Goldstein?"
First of all, it wasn't any of his business. And second, well there wasn't any second point; it really just wasn't any of his concern. Hermione looked at him with a quizzical brow, telling him in her gaze that he just mocked her by that very question, even if he didn't mean to. Are you stupid? Hermione thought.
"No."
They swayed to the slow music and let them be engulfed in it. It was clear in Hermione's face that she was thinking over what had happened. How do girls do that? How do they handle so much drama in their life? Even he was irritated by the way things are going on between them, whatever it was. Draco interrupted her train of thoughts. He couldn't believe he had said such comforting words in his life, as much as he didn't want to.
"He'll come back. Get a grip. They're not even married yet."
Hermione slowly smiled. "You sure know how to cheer someone up."
"Don't tell anyone else, I have a reputation around here."
"Oh yes, the famous pompous arse title."
"I was thinking the heartless, Death Eater's son."
Hermione's smile faded as easily as she bestowed it upon him. "Not everyone thinks that." Draco looked at her. "I don't."
If you are going to ask me, I believe that you are a fully redeemed man. … and I am most certain that I am not the only one who thinks so. He remembered Dumbledore's words to him when he talked to him at his office.
2 -1, he thought. Dumbledore and Hermione in pro, and Pansy in anti-redemption.
"Now shut up, I love this song." She commanded.
So far, he thought he was a new, better man. In all of the people in this school, Hermione's opinion somehow mattered to him the most. She then slowly and nonchalantly leaned her head on his shoulder, taking off the inches that separated them. Normally Draco would have blanched and took a three-mile hike away from her due to the intimacy of the contact, but at that moment he didn't. It gave him more conviction to his previous stand. In Draco's mind, there might have been loads of students in the room, but for now, it was just the two of them, and he relinquished that idea.