Hola shmola! What's up, you guys? Sorry about how short my last chapter was. Hopefully this one will be nice and long.
Responses (I got tons of those. YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!):
HPGW4eva: You're probably right. It is, after all, my fic, and I can do whatever the hell I want with it. I just wanna make sure the symmetry isn't too boring for you readers. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! And great update!
Spikeecat: well, they've been seeing each other, all the time, actually. I've just been focusing on their other interactions, because right now things are pretty normal with them...for now *hehehehe*
Rowaine: Cyberspace can be totally lame, I know. But 2 reviews at once is almost just as good! Thanks, for your Hermione-Ginny comments. As much as the chapter was about them, I did want to mention Draco, seeing as this is a dramione fic, so I'm glad you liked it. It's strange of you to say that—I always thought of myself as completely lost as to what goes on in guys' minds. But maybe that's just the live ones—lol. Anyways, thanks. I tried really hard to make a real conversation, one that was so natural it was as if you were there. From your review, I'd say I succeeded. Yay!!!!!!!!
Dani4ever: haha, that is a great idea. I love those scenes too. Draco just going nuts and can't take it anymore and just kisses her. Amazing. I'll have to think of a fight they could be having, but I'll figure it out. Any suggestions?
Nemogirl101: I love finding Nemo! It is absolutely amazing. Just keep swimming! And I'm glad you like the fic
Rob-Girl: Don't you just love witty banter? It is the best. It keeps me breathing. Lol. And I tried to give Blaise a break. I (and Draco) kind of attacked him in ch3, and I figured he deserved some reconciliation, you know?
Thanks for all your reviews! I love you guys.
Now, where was I? Oh yes......
Chapter 10: Stars
Blaise just stared at Draco for a while. "You what?"
Draco sighed. This wouldn't be easy. "I—I like Granger." The words flew past his mouth for a second time. And yet it was even harder for him to say it this time than the 1st.
Blaise seemed to be holding back words. He bit his lip and looked away from Draco, obviously trying to process the information. Pansy was one thing, but Hermione was another completely.
"Damn," Draco murmured. "I shouldn't have told him."
But Blaise heard him. "No, Drake, it's not that. I'm just...it's kind of hard for me to accept something like that."
"What, 'cause she's muggleborn? Why should that matter! Why does—"
"No!" he cut Draco's rising voice off. "Look, it's not like that."
"How is it then?"
"Well....I just...it's that...look, I don't know Granger. You do, so I can't possibly judge your taste in woman." He saw the look on Draco's face. "Yeah, there was a time when I'd hex you for even thinking it, but, as weird as it is for me, I actually do know that she's not just a...a muggleborn. There's more to a person than blood, so I can't honestly tell you that you're nuts—even if you are."
They grinned at each other. "Glad you feel that way, mate, because I've been dying to get that off my chest for ages."
"Ages? How long?"
"A couple of weeks now"
"You could have told me."
Draco snorted. "Yeah, sure. To be honest, I actually was afraid you'd hex me."
Blaise laughed. "Yeah, well, I'm not, am I?"
"No, admittedly you are not. I appreciate your restraint."
They chuckled. "So, my besotted friend, what is it that you like about her?"
"Oh, so now you're using my own words against me?"
"Of course. I wouldn't be me if I didn't." He smirked.
Draco sighed. It was good to tell someone about Hermione, but he wasn't sure exactly how Blaise would take the depth to which Draco fancied her.
"I dunno, Blaise. I really don't want you to hex me."
"I won't, scout's honor."
Draco raised an eyebrow at him, but forged ahead. "I dunno—living with her is so...different from what I imagined. We chat almost every night. She's actually, like, my friend. And she's so smart; she's always helping me with my homework. But whenever I try to thank her she brushes it off like it's no big deal. Every single time I compliment her she gets all shy and modest, and it's just the sweetest thing. Also, she's always joking around, and she can actually handle my sense of humor. Beside the fact that she's gorgeous. You know, I walked in on her practically naked a while back?"
"No way"
"Way"
"How is she?"
"Absolutely delicious"
"Aha, now there's the Drake I know. I thought I'd lost him for a minute there." They laughed.
"So you're not upset with me?"
"Of course not! How can I tell you you're an idiot when I was saying things of a similar nature, like, 10 minutes ago! Nah, I'll live with it."
"Thanks man"
There was a pause. "You should jump her."
It was Draco's turn to elbow his friend. "Oh sod off. I don't need to jump her to get her."
"So what is your plan of approach?"
"Dunno yet...you'll just have to wait and see."
0000000000000000
Professor Sinistra stood at one end of the Astronomy tower, facing the class. Surrounding the tower edges, telescopes were lined up, each with a small table and parchment.
"This evening you will be attempting to find a few stars and planets I have selected. You will use your knowledge of star locations and space measures to do so. I will be putting you in pairs, and you will both hand in the same sheet, which will be credit for both of you. Now I don't want to see or hear of anyone letting their partner do all the work. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Right. Now then, here are you partners. Mr. Finnegan and Miss Patil, please go over there." She pointed to a telescope to her right.
Hermione was standing toward the back of the group with Harry, Ron, and Ginny, smiling to herself. She loved Astronomy class. The stars fascinated her. They were so beautiful and infinite, and learning about them in a class made the experience of watching them all the more wonderful, because she felt like she understood them intimately.
Hermione looked up at the sky as stars began to pop out from the darkness. She smiled brighter still, excited for the class ahead of her. But then again, Hermione was always excited for class.
She was wrenched from her thoughts, however, on hearing her name. "Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy over here"
Hermione looked down from the heavens in surprise. She didn't know which telescope the Professor had pointed to, so she moved to the front of the thinning crowd slowly, hoping Malfoy would appear first and she could follow him.
Seeing his blonde head emerge, she quickened her pace and walked out behind him, together finding their place.
Smiling quickly at each other, they set to work. Hermione took out quill and ink for the parchment and Draco started to focus the telescope. Once they were both done, they leaned down to look at their worksheet.
"Alright, first we have to find Jupiter," Draco said. "Granger, do you happen to know where Jupiter is?"
"Are you going to do any work at all, Malfoy, or just pretend to and force everything on me.?"
"Now, Granger, why ever would I do that? Then again, I wouldn't keep your lovely work from you."
"Save it, Malfoy," she said, smirking and taking a step towards the telescope. Leaning down, she positioned and repositioned it, looking for Jupiter.
0
Standing behind her, Malfoy caught a scent. What was that? Raspberries? Yes, raspberries. How odd! Where was it coming from? Draco leaned closer to Hermione and realized that it was her.
How had he not noticed it before? It was as strong as if he had just stepped into a perfume-filled room. The odor was intoxicating. As subtly as he could, Draco leaned even closer, his head merely an inch away from her wild hair, over her right shoulder.
However, Draco was woken from his reverie when Hermione straightened up and turned to look at him.
Draco froze, a deer caught in the headlights. He straightened as well, but turned slightly pink when he saw the curious look on Hermione's face.
Luckily, she didn't dwell on the strange fact that he had been leaning in behind her, and spoke up.
"Er, Malfoy, how about I find the stars and you write down their positions."
"Oh, er, uh, yeah, sure"
Draco mentally shook himself and wrote down the numbers that Hermione recited to him.
The rest of the class went by quietly. The sky became darker and darker and as the stars shone brighter, Draco would notice how sometimes Hermione would stop her calculating and positioning and glance up at the sky as a whole, smiling slightly to herself.
Draco was dying to know why, to see what was on her mind, but didn't want to disturb their comfortable silence.
However, when his hand accidentally brushed hers while she was in another of her short trances, and she turned, and suddenly that small, wondering smile was directed at him for a moment, he couldn't help himself.
"What are you smiling at?"
Her smile faltered for a second, and Draco thought he had ruined the moment. But then it came back.
"Do you ever really look at them?" She looked back up, but glanced at him to see his reaction. He had a confused and curious look on his face. "I mean, do you ever just look up at the sky sometimes, just for the sake of it, and peer at it closely, taking in every detail? Do you ever soak in the sunshine or the starlight and feel so completely content with the world?"
0
Hermione was trying to explain it as best she could, but it was a difficult feeling to describe. She wondered if Malfoy had ever really felt that way.
But then Hermione realized she was getting very personal, very intimate. She snapped her mouth shut and looked at her feet before peeking up at Malfoy to see if he understood.
He was smiling at her. Hermione wasn't sure what to make of it. It wasn't his usual Malfoy smirk, but an honest, human smile. The stars reflected in his eyes, making them sparkle. Hermione felt herself being pulled into them like gravity.
"No, I've never done that."
"Then what are you smiling at?"
"You"
Hermione blushed and quickly turned back to the telescope. However before she had recovered from his first comment he made another.
"You'll have to teach me sometimes."
Hermione smiled to herself, imagining how she could teach Malfoy to appreciate nature. It was one of the few things Hermione didn't have a book for, nor did she need one. Loving her surroundings was something that came naturally to her, but she wasn't sure if someone else could really be taught. I guess I'll just have to find out.
Finally, when it was very late, Hermione and Malfoy finished their work, handed it in to Professor Sinistra, and began walking toward the doorway leading to the spiral staircase.
0
"So when shall we meet?" Draco said.
"What d'you mean?"
"Well, if I'm going to learn this whole 'love the world' thing, we've got to think of a time and place to do it."
Hermione chuckled. "I honestly thought you were joking."
"Why would I joke!" he said, looking offended. "This is a serious matter!"
Hermione laughed, and the sound rung in Draco's ears. "Alright," she said. "How about this weekend? We'll go out on the grounds, before it gets too cold. I'm not sure exactly how to teach it to you, but I can sure try."
"Thanks," he said, and looked at her as they descended the steep spiraling steps. She looked up at him as well and he became lost in her chocolate eyes, streaked with hazel.
Lost, however, until she stumbled on a loose stone, shrieked, and began to fall.
Haha! Yes, I am going to leave it there. Too bad too sad :-P
So, I'm sorry that I took longer to update this time round. I tried to make up for it by making it a bit longer. You like? Also, maybe this was a bit...mushy? Don't worry, Draco's gonna man up real soon. Lol
Q: does anyone understand what Hermione's talking about there? And I mean really comprehend it? Raise your hand if you do. I wasn't gonna even mention anything like that, but it seemed appropriate. I do that all the time. I walk around staring at the sky. I love the planet, and nature, and the earth, and everything. But hey, you could already tell that from my name. Earthgoddess? Yes, I am secretly Persephone reincarnated. Hahaha, it sounds crazy, but it makes sense in my head :-P
Also, there is a very very small chance that soon I will never be allowed on technology again. See, I've got this friend in France, and we've been exchanging tons of texts...problem is, international fees are outrageous, so once my parents read my bill, they might lock me in the basement never to see the light of day again. Then again, for now at least, he's worth it.
-Ginger