Written for the eighth annual Quidditch League Competition.
Word Count: 1002
Position: Chaser 1
Prompt: Goal: Connection, (dialogue) 'Go To Sleep', (setting) Black Lake, (dialogue)You don't understand/No but I want to
Summary: Draco finds Hermione crying beside the Black Lake because of a break-up and decides to investigate. One-shot, Dramione!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, the great and wonderful J.K. Rowling does.
When The Pureblood Likes The Muggleborn
Draco's shoes rubbed against the dew-covered grass, his breath sparkling in the air as a result of the chilly May morning. He really did not care that it was 6 in the morning, nor that he wasn't wearing anything except for a set of old schools robes from when he was in his second year at Hogwarts.
No one would be out this early to tell him off anyway. No one to tell him that it was too early to be up.
No one except Hermione Granger.
Hermione was sitting on a mossy rock beside the Black Lake, her knees brought up to her chest, tears streaming down her face. A pile of books lay isolated beside her. Draco narrowed his eyes. He wasn't one to interrupt someone crying, he much more preferred to watch them. But there was something different about Hermione Granger, something different about the way her eyes usually shone and the way her voice piqued his interest.
Draco walked up to Hermione and sat down next to her. She seemed to not mind Draco Malfoy's decision to sit by her side.
"Hey", Draco said quietly.
"Hi", Hermione sniffed. Her eyes were bloodshot and had lost a good amount of shine to them.
"What's wrong?", Draco asked. Hermione was not one to cry often.
She stared down into the dark depths of the Black Lake. The tears started to fall freely again. "Ron cheated on me", Hermione sobbed.
Draco bit his lip. "Oh."
He had always thought that Hermione was too good for Weasley. Their relationship was extremely one-sided. Weasley only used it for personal gain. But now that they had broken up...
Oh, how he wanted a connection with Hermione.
Wait, what was wrong with him? A Pureblood with a Mudblood? No way!
His face must have had a look on it or something because Hermione glanced at him wistfully.
"You're thinking about me being a mudblood, aren't you?"
Draco was shocked at being discovered. "Don't call yourself a mudblood," he muttered.
Again, she looked at him sadly. "You don't understand," she mumbled. Draco cocked his head to his shoulder.
"No, but I want to", he said, head still tilted. Hermione ignored him.
"Ever since Ron cheated on me with the slut, Lavender Brown, I haven't minded people calling me a mudblood. Frankly, I don't care anymore.," she said, eyes gazing at the black waters of the lake.
For the first time, Draco felt a pang of affection for the brunette. Granger was actually really pretty, much more good looking than pug-faced Pansy Parkinson.
Hermione checked her watch. "Half-past," she said, disrupting Draco's train of thoughts. "We should get back to the castle; I want to tell Harry and Ginny what happened with Ron"
Draco smirked. "And I can't wait to see Weaslbee's face when Wealslette and Pothead kill him"
Hermione bent down to fetch her bag. She suddenly froze and turned her head towards Draco.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked.
Draco faltered.
"Because... Because you were sad and... I guess I just have a soft spot for sad girls", he finished off with a mutter.
Hermione laughed. It was a beautiful sound, and Draco almost swooned hearing it. "Draco Malfoy, have a soft spot for crying girls?" Hermione sniggered.
Draco's face burned. It was an embarrassment to be teased by a girl.
But strong Malfoy men didn't become embarrassed.
He suddenly very much wanted to be friends with Hermione.
"Hermione?," Draco asked hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"Can... Can we be friends?"
Hermione smiled. "Of course we can, Malfoy."
"Then can you start calling me Draco?"
"Yeah, sure. And you call me Hermione?"
"All right. It's a deal then", Draco said, trying to restrain himself from jumping for happiness.
He had achieved a connection with Hermione Granger! He was friends with Hermione Granger!
"You should get to sleep, Draco", Hermione said. "A good sleep helps you to concentrate in class"
But even though Draco answered with a 'Right O' miss!' and skipped happily to bed, he doubted that he would sleep or concentrate properly in class.
Heck, he probably wouldn't even realise Pansy stroking his blonde head as he lay down in her lap.
Probably wouldn't even pay attention to Blaise's cringy, lame jokes.
Because he would be dreaming and thinking about the beautiful Hermione Granger.
10 Years Later
The crowd in the reception of the Malfoy Wedding laughed and sipped pink champagne as the Bride and Groom danced by the Black Lake. Music played, birds chirped happily and cherubs threw golden confetti over the guests.
"Do you remember the day we became friends by this Black Lake?" Hermione asked, tripping over her wedding dress as she danced with Draco.
Draco kissed Hermione lovingly. "Of course I do. I almost jumped for joy when you accepted my request for friendship"
Hermione smiled and snuggled into the crook of Draco's neck. "The end of my relationship with Ron was the start of mine with you"
And together the two watched the magnificent sunset as the sky went from blue to orange, to red, to purple and finally, a beautiful navy blue sky sprinkled with stars.
So, how was it? I tried my best, and I really do hope that it's good enough. Thanks for reading, again!
Oh, and: Thanks so, so much to the Tutshil Tornadoes for Beta'ing this story! Kudos to you!