A guest reviewer corrected a point I made in the last chapter about Hermione's birthday; yes, Hermione's birthday is September and Draco's in in June. Truthfully, it's something I added last minute to give a "reason" why Marie would be making this outfit for Hermione; it's not meant to really add or take away from the plot as a whole. You all have good eyes; I appreciate it :) Onward!
Marie was just about sick of Draco. She loved him dearly, and she was so insanely grateful for his friendship, but she was just about sick of him looking like a lost lovesick puppy the weeks after he invited himself into her home at two in the morning. "Just tell her!" she would tell him whenever he came to her boutique to talk about the newest development in the 90s-teen movie became his love life. Though, if she was being honest with herself, it was helpful to have him around these past few weeks because it meant having an extra pair of hands to help with the costumes for Hermione's showcase and apparently, having an attractive English man complimenting women coming to purchase bridal gowns seemed to help with sales. Plus, he knew the merchandise pretty well from being there some much and could help ring up orders or help a woman pick up her order, so he wasn't just a pretty face taking up space in her boutique. Truthfully, Marie was at a loss on what to tell Draco. She thought it was adorable how much he wanted to tell Hermione that he loved her, and as of lately he had been planning rather elaborate dates to set the mood to tell Hermione how he felt; for whatever reason, though, when he would want to tell her he found the words stuck in his throat. It was driving Draco slightly mad, and his madness was driving Marie slightly mad; what was wrong with him? Was it that difficult to tell a woman he loved her?
"Hell yea, it's hard to tell a woman you love her," Blaise said to Draco one day when the blond stopped by the house (at a decent hour this time) while Marie was out meeting Hermione to discuss showcase stuff, "You know Marie; you think that was easy?"
"It sounded like it was," Draco chuckled, knowing very well what Blaise was getting at about Marie's rather direct nature, "she told me you just said like it was the most obvious thing in the world to you."
"It was the most obvious thing in the world to me," Blaise said, "and that was why I wanted to make it such a grand affair. But then every time I would try and make it this huge thing, the words just wouldn't come out. The night I said it, it was perfect because it was just us at our core; no fancy restaurants, no going to the theatre, none of that. Just me, her, that damn onesie, and…I don't know, mate. It just happened."
Draco rolled his eyes and took a large drink from his beer. "All I'm saying," Blaise continued, ignoring his friend's antics, "is stop trying to damn hard. When the moment is right, it'll happen. No need for the theatric, man."
Blaise's words rang through Draco's head during Draco and Hermione's next date at a new Spanish restaurant in Diagon Alley the following evening. The two shared a wonderful meal, took a stroll down the alley, and ended up back at Draco's house for a "nightcap". Hermione fell asleep first after their session, her naked body curled into Draco's side, her arm draped over his chest and shoulders and her head tucked under his chin. Draco moved a stray curl that kept tickling his nose before softly kissing her on the head. Right as he drifted to sleep, he thought about how perfect this moment was and just how much he loved the woman in his arms.
What he didn't realize, though, is that he had a tendency to sleep talk so some of these thoughts may or may not have been mumbled out loud. And that Hermione may or may not have heard said mumbled thoughts.
…..
Hermione was just finishing up with two of her older students, a 16-year-old girl and an 17-year-old boy, when Marie walked into the studio with two garment bag swung over her shoulder. While most of her students were doing solo performances, and her beginning classes were doing group numbers, these two students approached Hermione asking if they could do a duet, which Hermione was more than happy to assist with. Marie sat in one of the chairs in the corner of the room and watched as Hermione helped guide the boy into how one of the lifts of the dance number should be down. At the end of rehearsal, both teens greeted Marie, and Marie unzipped on of the two garment bags to show them and Hermione the beginnings of the design for their duet. Everyone seemed on board with the progress so far, and after brief discussion about what the future plans for the design, the teens left and Hermione and Marie were in the studio alone. Hermione went to the bar to stretch.
"Why don't you perform at the showcase?" Marie asked, zipping up the garment bag.
Hermione shook her head. "It's not about me; it's about trying to raise money to provide for the students."
"Okay…so that means you can't perform at all?"
"People aren't coming to see me perform, Marie," Hermione lifted her leg effortlessly onto the bar and stretched forward reaching her arm to touch her pointed toe.
Marie shrugged. "Maybe not, but that doesn't mean they won't enjoy watching the woman who's brainchild this whole thing was show why she wanted to start this in the first place. Plus," Marie quickly added before Hermione could butt in, "I haven't seen you dance in years. Yes, I've seen your work and it's always amazing, but I miss watching you dance."
Hermione sighed. She did miss dancing like she used to; it was very freeing to her. Dancing gave her a voice and she couldn't find the words, and she'd be lying to herself is she said she didn't get that giddy ballerina princess feeling she got as a child when she danced. Either way, those who would be attending the dinner and showcase were there to see where the money was going; they were there to see her kids and not the woman in the background.
"Just think about it, Mimi. Okay?"
Hermione nodded, placing her foot back on the floor before raising the opposite foot to the bar for the same stretch. "Hey, random question, has Draco talked with you recently about our relationship?"
Marie raised an eyebrow at the brunette's reflection in the mirror. "What do you mean?"
"I mean…I guess I'm wondering…if he's told you anything about these last few weeks…"
"Such as…?"
"You know…just anything…."
"You mean that time a few weeks ago when you said you love him?"
The pink color the rose in Hermione's cheeks was confirmation enough. Marie fought the urge to roll her eyes, choosing instead to stretch her arms over her head and roll her neck a few times. Now she had two lost lovesick puppies to deal with.
"What is it you're trying to know, Mimi?"
Hermione sat on the floor, cross-legged, and took her bun down. As she talked, she played with the ends, running strands in between her pointer and middle finger; wow, she really needed a trim.
"I don't know, Marie; that's the problem! I don't doubt my feelings for him, and I believe that he feels the same. I mean, he did say it the other night…"
"Wait, wait, wait…he said he loved you? Like the words 'I love you' came out of his mouth?" Marie was going to kill him…stressing her out for no reason when he already said it…
"Well, sort of. He was asleep and he must have been dreaming and he started mumbling about how much he loved me and how perfect everything was and…I don't know it felt intrusive."
By this point, Marie had moved to the floor next to Hermione, her back resting against the mirror. "What do you mean, intrusive?"
"Like I wasn't supposed to hear it; if he's not ready to tell me how he feels, I don't want to find out when he doesn't know he's saying it…"
"God, both of you overthink things entirely too much," Marie chuckled, "Y'all are gonna send me to an early grave, I swear. Look honey, you know Draco isn't a words kind of guy all the time, and when he does speak, it's thought out to the period. So maybe something slipped when he was sleeping and you just happened to hear it; is it the end of the world? No. You trust your feelings, and you trust his feelings even if he hasn't put them into words yet. The words will come eventually."
Hermione shrugged, but still smiled; Marie was right. She was just worrying too much, but that didn't stop the wheels turning in her head about Draco's sleepy declaration.
"Changing the topic," Marie said, standing up, "I brought you a little somethin' for the dinner showcase." She walked over to the chair she was originally sitting in and picked up the second garment bag.
"Oh, Marie, you didn't have to. With all the other costumes you're making…"
"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to so take it otherwise I'll be offended, she said with a smile.
Hermione shook her head, and decided not to argue with the black girl. Opening the garment bag, she found a simple but classic burgundy woman's tuxedo.
"And if you open the jacket," Marie said, unbuttoning and opening the suit jacket, "you'll find it lined in gold because apparently Gryffindor colors are burgundy and gold, and I thought it was a sentimental touch."
Hermione silently ran her fingers over the suit before engulfing Marie in a huge hug. "It's wonderful. Thank you so much."
Marie hugged her friend back just as tightly. "Of course; you deserve it. Now…baby and me are hungry. Let's grab a bite, yea?"
Hermione went to get her dance bag, and then paused and turned to face her friend after what Marie just said registered in her mind. "Baby?"
Next chapter is the dinner showcase! Will Draco finally balls up and consciously say how he feels? What's Marie talking about "baby and me?" Tune in for the next chapter of CL & PS! xx
