"Mr. Smith, I am afraid that I am the bearer of bad news." said Professor McGonagall. "Your father just contacted me through the Floo Network. Your mother has been hospitalized at St. Mungo's. It's not very serious, but she seems to have contracted a mild case of the Vanishing Sickness. Your father wishes for you to spend the rest of the evening by her side, but only on the understanding that you will return for class tomorrow morning. Do you understand?"
Zacharias looked dumbfounded. "Has my mother been treated already? Can I Apparate from here straight to St. Mungo's?"
"Your father said that she is recovering well, but wants to see you, nonetheless. If you've been to St. Mungo's before, all you have to do is imagine it in your head, and yes, you will appear there."
Zacharias looked uncertainly at his "friends," who were giving him sympathetic glances. He turned to Ginny. "So sorry about this, Ms. Weasley. Can we reschedule our dance for tomorrow night?"
Ginny replied gently, "That's fine. Go to your mum, Zach."
Draco and Hermione nodded their support, and Zacharias then thanked Professor McGonagall, who returned to her seat. "See you tomorrow, I guess." he said, bidding them farewell, and he vanished.
"And then there were three." said Ginny glumly. "Ready to dance twice as much, Draco?"
"I'd be honored." he replied gallantly. "Although I do feel sorry for Smith. He'll be missing out on the time of his life." he added, chuckling.
The trio finished their dinner quietly, and then headed for Hufflepuff's common room to check up on the status of the sign-up sheet for waltz class. It was full, and Hermione gladly folded it up and put it safely into her book bag.
Slytherin House was a whole different story, however. It was completely blank, looking fresh and new. Draco looked irritated.
"Figures that my House would embarrass me when it came to something like this." he sneered. Harper came up to them. "Hey man. What's up?"
"Can I call in that favor now?" asked Draco dryly. "Have this sign-up sheet filled with names by dinner tomorrow. I don't care how you do it, but I want to see names. Got it?"
Harper looked uncomfortable. "Listen, nobody wants to go… as one fifth-year put it, she'd rather slit her wrists."
"I don't care." Draco snarled. He was getting impatient and losing his temper again. Hermione and Ginny knew better than to stop him in his domain, so they just watched him get his way, as usual. "I'll be here for the list tomorrow. I want every damn spot filled in."
With that, he turned on his heel, and stalked out of the common room. Hermione and Ginny shot a helpless Harper sympathetic glances before following Draco out.
Draco's robes were billowing behind him as he headed for Ravenclaw Tower. Ginny and Hermione caught up to him on the third floor, and Hermione scolded Draco for being so harsh on Harper.
"It's not his fault." she protested.
"The least he could've done was to put his own name on." snapped Draco. "After what I did for him, he should've helped me back, maybe gotten a few of his buddies on board, as well. Once several boys sign up, the girls will follow in packs. Useless git." he fumed.
"He does have a point." Ginny conceded as they stepped into Ravenclaw's common room. "I'm sure Harper purposely avoided it."
Luna came running up to them, followed by Trevor Birch. Hermione suddenly realized she'd rather have another encounter with Jimmy again, rather than be subject to Trevor's creepy stares and then feel Draco's irritation. Luna greeted them all enthusiastically, even Draco, who had never really been acquainted with her. Truth be told, Hermione could tell that he found her manner of speech and quirkiness rather amusing. However, he scowled when he saw Trevor, and stepped forward to partially shielded Hermione with his right side. She could swear he knew exactly how she felt around Trevor, or about anything, for that matter.
"Everyone's terribly excited about the waltz lesson." said Luna dreamily. "I signed up, and so did Trevor. It was all filled up by lunch, and it was mostly fourth-years and above."
Hermione, looking for an excuse to get away from Trevor, said quickly, "That's wonderful, Luna! I'll go collect it. Be right back, guys!"
With that, she left the rest of the group to the part of the wall where many Ravenclaw students were crowded at.
"Excuse me, excuse me. Coming through!" called Hermione, to no avail. The chatter stemming from the crowd's excitement was very loud, and no one paid her any attention.
Just as she was preparing to force her way through, a loud voice behind her commanded, "Hey! The Senior Girl is here! Be quiet and make a path for her!"
It was Trevor Birch. The assertion and power in his voice immediately induced the Ravenclaws to calm down and step back, and Hermione thanked him politely, if not briefly. As she was taking down the sheet, he stepped next to her, asking, "So, Hermione, right?"
Before she could respond, Draco was at her other side. He deftly removed the sheet and shoved it into the pocket of his robes. "Come on, Mione. We have to get going to Gryffindor and finish this up if we want to finish Professor Sinistra's charts on Neptune tonight."
He tugged her away quickly, and she gave the disappointed Trevor a fake guilty look. They rejoined Ginny and Luna near the entrance of the common room. "Let's go, Ginny." said Draco urgently, motioning his head slightly at Trevor, who was watching them closely.
"I've heard he fancies you, Hermione." reported Luna serenely, and Hermione groaned as she reclaimed Ravenclaw's sign-up sheet from Draco. "Today, he even asked me for your name during Herbology."
Hermione groaned again. "Well, if you talk to him again, could you mention at some point that I'm not interested? Thanks."
Ginny giggled. "He isn't bad to look at, but he seems he could be a younger version of Cormac McLaggen."
"Thanks, Ginny." said Draco. "Are you coming or not?"
"I think, since Zach's gone, I'm going to stay here with Luna to do homework." replied Ginny. "You two go on to Gryffindor. I'm sure you guys can practice waltzing better without me around." she winked.
As Draco went to open the door for Hermione, Ginny whispered, "You'll have to tell me about the Ron and Draco situation sometime. I won't forget!"
Thus a flustered Hermione followed Draco to Gryffindor Tower. Why is Ginny reacting this way? she thought confusedly.
Gryffindor's sign-up sheet was filled up as well, and as Draco and Hermione headed back to their common room, Hermione asked causally, "So, are we still waltzing tonight? Or shall we just call it a day and wait for Ginny and Zach tomorrow?"
Draco chuckled as they reached Lady Montecino's portrait. "House Unity." he stated. As the pair stepped in, Crookshanks streaked past them like a ghost. Hermione wondered how he always knew when they were going to retire to the dormitories. Draco asked, "Are you trying to get out of it, Hermione?"
"Of course not." she blushed. "I was just wondering, since it was just us two…"
"Are you scared?" he smirked. "Or are you just that bad at dancing?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm showering first." she said over her shoulder as she marched off.
When she came back to the common room, Draco was studiously working on the Astronomy charts.
"Your turn." she said, while sitting down with her own homework.
"Be prepared to be astounded when I come back." he drawled, and he disappeared into the bathroom.
Hermione tried to control her racing heart beat while she started her homework. She took a quick glance to see how far Draco was. Merlin's beard, he's more than halfway done. she thought, horrified. Being competitive, it took all her of willpower to not copy his charts simply so she could get ahead.
She had just reached the halfway point when he came back out. Once again, the sight of him in pajamas made her blush, although she should've been used to it by now. Maybe it's because you'll be in really close contact with him in just a few moments. she thought, starting to hyperventilate.
To shake it off, she complained loudly, "How did you get so far already? Neptune's supposed to be really hard for research!"
Draco smirked, sitting down next to her, his face inches from hers. "You do realize that you took a much longer shower than I did, don't you?"
Hermione couldn't think of a reply. How stupid she felt right then!
Noticing her embarrassed expression, Draco decided to comfort her rather than tease her further. "Don't worry, Mione, you're still at the top of the class. Now, how's about that dance you promised me?"
He stood up, bowed, and extended his hand toward her. She took it, mumbling, "I never promised you anything." He led her to the open space around the furniture, which made a large circle around the center of the common room. They could twirl around the room over and over again.
Suddenly, but gently, he pulled her close to him. Hermione's breath caught as they started dancing, at first only doing the basic steps, without any rotations or spins.
He led her deftly, gracefully, confidently. She felt like she was floating in his arms, and thought she would faint when she realized their chests were pressed against each other. Luckily, Draco probably noticed her discomfort, and decided to perform a spin.
It was a most exhilarating feeling to dance with Draco Malfoy. Time itself seemed to stop, and she felt she was experiencing something surreal. Timidly, she decided to murmur, "You do waltz wonderfully, Drake."
"It's easier to waltz when you're dancing with someone you like." he whispered huskily into ear, and drew her close again. This time, she didn't mind. Instead, she lightly leaned her head onto his collarbone, and felt the strong and steady beat of his heart. She felt his cheek press into her hair, and heard him inhale deeply.
"Lily of the valley." he murmured. "You smell… mouthwatering."
Hermione giggled. "I love being told I could possibly be edible." she whispered into his chest.
"Hermione," he said huskily, "I really like you… and I'm glad we're friends."
She knew he was saying this for her benefit, so she wouldn't have to feel conflicted between him and Ron, well, at least not on the outside. She realized how deeply she'd fallen for Draco Malfoy, who had held her steady, both literally and figuratively, for what seemed like an eternity, although it had really been only three days. Hermione remembered one of her favorite lines from Sense and Sensibility. "Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others." With Draco, she had managed to fall in love in shorter than even that of Marianne's expectations.
Without explaining to him, Hermione felt as though Draco knew why she couldn't end her current relationship right now. He knew Ron was in Albania and might lose focus if Hermione told him how she really felt, and he respected Hermione enough that he could wait for her, even if it was for Weasel's sake.
That bastard. he thought, slowly revolving Hermione on the spot. Crookshanks watched them lazily. He doesn't deserve her. He doesn't appreciate her. He doesn't LOVE her. Absentmindedly, he rubbed her back lightly with his hand.
Hermione felt as if she could do this forever. She didn't care about Ron anymore. Not at all. She knew exactly the depth of his feelings for her with that one letter, and truth be told, she felt liberated. With Ron, she would always have to be the one to carry him, to take responsibility for him, to teach him.
Draco was a whole different story. He would protect her from the littlest things. He would teach her what she couldn't understand patiently. He could love her.
Thus the young couple danced into the night, each feeling the unspoken love that had been developing since the first night, wondering how on earth it could have happened.