Chapter 30
Draco turned from the fire to her at the sound of her advance with a dashing smile, which faltered when he saw her. His jaw dropped as he appraised her, eyes traveling from her head to her feet and back again, and she pursed her lips to hide a pleased smile. She fidgeted with the bottom button of her now black cardigan as he stepped from the fireplace to stand before her, and she had to force herself to stop her nervous twitch as he drew nearer.
He looked her up and down again and said, "Wow… Hermione. I didn't expect… I mean. You look absolutely gorgeous. Not that you don't look gorgeous always. That dress looks… Wow."
"Thank you," she said, the witch coloring at his obvious approval. She bit her lip again.
"Who knew green was your color?" He asked, motioning to her dress.
"I suppose it is," Hermione said as she looked down at the dress she'd charmed a dark emerald green. She'd also shortened it to just above the knee, using the extra fabric to create half-sleeves while keeping the low swoop of the neckline.
She wasn't sure why she chose green. It just seemed right once she'd tried it.
At this time she looked him up and down, and was able to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that she hadn't overdressed. She also had to note they'd accidentally dressed to match.
His chin-length hair was pushed behind his ears, showing off the silver ring in his ear. He wore an all black blazer, one much nicer than his grey one, and under it he wore an emerald green button-down oxford with the top two buttons undone. One of his hands were in a pocket of his black dress slacks that weren't as tight as the red jeans he'd been wearing earlier, and he wore dark green snakeskin dress shoes.
"You're looking pretty smart yourself, Mr. Malfoy. I'm glad I didn't underdress," she said, more than pleased by the way he looked. She supposed she'd always approved of the way he dressed, even back in the days he'd been unbearable. His attitude then had just been so deplorable, it hadn't mattered how he looked.
"I'm happy to see that I didn't overdress. It's something I've been guilty of in the past." Hermione smiled at this, and he added, "I'm even happier you asked me to spend the New Year with you, and I wanted to thank you with this." He motioned to the table behind him, locking her arm in his as he led her to the couch. She shuddered at the contact, and tried to concentrate on what he was going to show her, rather than the strength of his arm.
"You wanted to thank me with a date?" She asked boldly.
He paused for a moment, then admitted, "Yes. Yes I do."
Hermione smiled at him, and he returned an even brighter one, as if relieved, and he used his hold on her arm to pull her down onto the couch with him. He reached over to the table and lifted the covers off the two large plates of food.
"I brought us steaks with champ and mushy peas. There are also buns, some applesauce, and I don't know if you feel like having a drink, but I brought my favorite scotch made here in Scotland. There's also champagne to ring in the new year. And, just so you know, I told the elves not to worry about our dinner. I Apparated to England for our fare. I got it from one of my favorite restaurants in Brixton."
Hermione gave him a look, absolutely thrilled by his thorough thoughtfulness, asking, "Are you serious?"
"As the plague," he answered her, eyeing her for her reaction.
Hermione turned to their dinner and bit her lip. It looked amazing, and she wanted to tuck in immediately, but she decided to turn back to him and wrap her arms around him in a brief hug, saying, "Thank you, Draco. This all looks fantastic."
"I hope you like it."
"I'm sure I will," she said.
He gave her a small smile, his eyes lingering on her face for a few seconds before he turned back to their dinner. He conjured two glasses and filled them with water, as well as cloth napkins and cutlery.
"Can I interest you in something else to drink?" He offered. "Butterbeer? Pumpkin juice? Some scotch?"
Herniome thought on her options for a second before saying, "I'll take some scotch. Two fingers."
"Neat?" He asked.
"Most definitely," she answered.
He poured them both a drink, and passed her one. He held his glass up and out to her, saying, "To the beginning of a new year."
"Cheers," she answered with a smile, raising her glass to his. They both drank, and Hermione had to admit that the scotch was exceptional. She wasn't an expert when it came to alcohol, not by far, but she knew that he'd spoiled her with his selection. "That's really good!"
"I'm glad you like it," he said with a pleased smile. "Alright. Tuck in. I'd like to hear your opinion on the food."
A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than usual. I know it sucks when the chapters are already pretty short. But! The good news is is that the next chapter is already written, and I'll be posting it either tonight or around this time tomorrow. Be sure to review, lovelies, and thank you for the love.
