Chapter 27
The last day of 1998 brought far more snow and zero sunshine, but you couldn't tell it was gloomy outside if you'd had the pleasure of witnessing Hermione Granger's trip from Gryffindor tower the kitchens. She practically skipped to her destination, with a pleasant, easy expression.
She'd also done something she hadn't in a while, which was put her hair up into a ponytail, the long mass of curls falling down her back, exposing her face and neck to the cold, early morning air. She hardly noticed the chill, which disappeared when she entered the warm kitchen.
Draco was not yet there, so she grabbed her plate and sat at her usual table. She pulled out the Charms booked she'd borrowed from the library and began to read as she ate her toast and eggs. When ten past eight came, Hermione heard the door to the kitchens open, and watched with bated breath as Draco strolled in.
The witch had to clench her jaw to keep it from falling open. She felt like she was watching Kurt Cobain be reborn, but into money.
Trousers as tight as his should have been illegal, for they showed off the length of his legs, the sports-hardened tightness of his backside, and, Merlin forbid, the unmistakable bulge in the front. It was as if he'd raided Robert Plant's closet. They were a dark crimson, and despite being of a high quality they had small rips near the knees. They were held up with a black leather belt that matched the black of his loafers, which contrasted nicely with his grey socks. Said socks, shoes and trousers matched the color scheme on his flannel shirt. The long sleeves of the "oh-so grunge" top were rolled up to his elbows, putting on display the muscles and veins of his forearms, and it hung unbuttoned to expose a grey Weird Sisters t-shirt, which showed off the muscles of his chest.
All of this, combined with the smile he wore as he caught sight of her, took her breath, and she almost missed the chance to greet him when he said, "Good morning, Hermione." Almost ten seconds passed, wherein he grabbed his plate and sat across from her, then gave her a strange look as he noticed the even stranger look she was giving him. "Are you alright?"
She mentally shook herself, saying quickly, "Yes. I'm brilliant. Good morning. Happy New Years Eve."
His smile returned as he set his pack at his feet and began to eat. "How did you sleep?"
"Well," she answered as she spelled the kettle to pour herself another cup of tea and him a fresh one. "You?"
"Thank you. And… Uh…" he paused. "It took me quite a while to fall asleep. I only slept for about four hours. Hence my tardiness."
"Studying? Or..?"
"I was too anxious."
"What about?"
"About today, actually."
"Why?" Hermione drew her brows together as she made her own assumptions as to why he was anxious about that particular day. But she didn't want to be so vain.
"I'm… I'm not exactly sure." He paused and took a bite of his food, avoiding eye contact as he chewed and swallowed. "I am still having a hard time believing this is real. And by "this" I mean your wanting to spend time with me. Sometimes I'm fine, but other times I feel like I'm dreaming and I'm going to wake up at any moment, and everything will go back to normal. Or how it used to be."
Hermione nodded. "I could understand why you'd feel that way. But this is new for both of us, so don't think you're alone in feeling like you're in some strange dream."
"I plan to never go back to the way I was. Never. So you don't have to worry about waking up, because how I am now, and how I feel about you, is real, Hermione."
Hermione couldn't help but smile at him, and he returned it, but it faltered as she asked, "How… how do you feel about me?"
Draco instantly drew a deep breath that lifted his chest as he colored some, and Hermione tried like hell to fight her own flush. The words sort of flew out of her mouth, the witch no longer able to hold them in. She'd done a stunning job of doing so the night before, during the carriage ride and while they'd been standing in the grand entrance. But she wanted to hear his exact, honest answer given that he'd willingly kissed her twice already. She wanted to know- to hear it from the thestral's mouth- that he fancied her in return.
There was near a half minute's silence from the blonde before he was able to manage, "I know that we just agreed to be friends, but… I know you've noticed that I have stronger feelings for you than that. I do. I do have stronger feelings than that."
"I was thinking it was like that," she said sheepishly, inwardly crowing at finally knowing, without a doubt, that he felt the same way about her that she did for him. "Unless you make it a habit of kissing your friends."
He really blushed this time, but said with a playful smirk, "Only Blaise. And on one occasion, Theo."
Hermione's jaw really dropped this time, only for her to grin once Draco laughed at her expression. She marveled again at the sound of Draco Malfoy's genuine laughter, and how it rang in her ears like angel's song. She decided she adored the sound, and the look on his face, for she was positive she'd never seen him look so happy and pleasant and beautiful before.
When he sobered, he looked nervous as he said, "I'm sorry if my doing so made things even more awkward for you."
"No! No," she answered quickly, then explained, "No. It's not like that at all. I… I'll admit that, as friends… or, or whatever we are, I didn't mind it."
"Or whatever we are?" He asked, his playful smirk in place.
"Or whatever we are," she replied with a smirk of her own.
"Well, then," he said as he lifted his teacup to her. "Here is to whatever we are."
She smiled and nodded, and lifted her own teacup to clink against his.
A/N: I want to thank those who reviewed, and assure you that both baby and I are doing well. She's 10 lbs already, and a total diva.
Thank you for reading. :)
