Break Through
Chapter 3
It had been a few weeks so far, and neither Draco or Hermione paid much attention to each other besides the lessons. Of course, every once in a while Hermione would shoot him the occasional glare, and Draco would, instead of giving the last crumpet to her, would give it to Crookshanks.
The lessons continued for two months as Hermione wondered weather she was ever going to progress. Even Charles who treated Hermione like a lady already, was wondering if this girl had any grace at all.
"Okay" Draco sighed. "Even though your not ready for it, I'll teach you ball room dancing." Hermione's face lit up. She was looking forward to doing something other than putting up her hair and applying make-up without a wand.
"Okay" she replied happily. On her way over to him she tripped on her robe and landed in a heap at his feet. She quickly got up. "Ta da?" she smiled holding up her arms like a gymnast. Draco was anything but amused.
"Now, put your right hand on my shoulder, there you go, and your left, in my right." Draco flicked his wand and music by Bach started to play. He placed his hand on her waist and started counting. "1,2,3.... 1,2,3..." Hermione thought she was getting the hand of it, until... "Ow!" Hermione tripped and stepped on Draco's toe.
"Sorry" she mumbled, tripping again. ~*~ Seven hours later, at 2:30 in the morning
Hermione sat on the sofa massaging her feet tiredly. Draco sat at his desk holding his head in his hands and Charles sat on the love seat playing with a pen. Draco had been teaching Hermione endlessly how to dance without stepping on his feet or falling down, without much progression. Draco walked over to her and sat down. He watched her as she rubbed her bare feet painfully.
"I know your tired." He told her, much to Hermione's surprise. "I know your face is raw from scrubbing off cosmetics. I know your scalp hurts from all the hairspray, mousse, gel and hard brushing, and for what? You haven't progressed at all. You still trip and step on my feet when we dance, you still look like a circus clown when you even attempt to put on make-up, and your hair, no matter how many different hair care products you put in, still looks like a rats nest. I don't care, it's not me!" he looked her in the eye. "Think of what your trying to accomplish. You are doing what I tell you to, but your not trying. Now," he got up "We have four more months to go. We've already wasted two." Bach started playing again. "Lets do this again." Hermione sat there a few seconds, stunned. She wasn't sure what just happened. Draco had actually been decent to her. Slowly she got to her feet. She felt as if someone had turned a switch on in her head as she curtseyed to Draco without falling. They danced around the floor like something out of a fairy tale. She felt light, as if she was floating or flying. The song ended and Hermione realized she hadn't stepped on his foot once or tripped at all. Draco realized too, and was much more enthusiastic.
"You did it! You actually accomplished something!" He said in amazement. Hermione would have shot back at him, but she was to busy being happy. He laughed happily and waltzed with her around the floor again. It was a wonderful feeling. Like someone hugging you and rocking you in their arms at the same time. Charles tapped Draco on the shoulder and cut in. Just as another song started.
They danced through the night, all while laughing happily. Hermione curtseyed endlessly and minded her manners, with 'please' and 'thank you'. Draco collapsed onto a chair sighing and smiling ear to ear.
"Well done. I knew you had it in you!" Charles told her while wiping his brow with a handkerchief. Hermione's feet no longer hurt. She could have danced all night, none stop.
"Ooh, I want to try her out in public." Draco announced.
"Are you sure that's a good idea, mate?" Charles asked. "She just started to learn."
"Of course it's a good idea. Lets see, my mother is having a formal party tomorrow. I'll call--" He glanced at Hermione. "No, better not. We'll get her a dress. But none of those ugly frilly ones everyone is wearing today. Maybe one with a nice shall, or scarf..." He demonstrated on Charles, who chuckled merrily. "Oh yeah, that'd look nice." Hermione looked on. She didn't mind them making all of her decisions for her. It was actually kind of nice. Draco walked back to his room still sprouting ideas to Charles.
"Miss, come to bed now. You have been working very hard." Dandelion touched her arm softly.
"But--"
"It's for your own good." Dandelion shooed her into her room. Hermione lay awake thinking of the way she was whisked around the dance floor. It was so much fun. She could have danced the day away without being tired. She could have danced the week away with.... Draco? She laughed at herself for being so silly and fell asleep humming the music.
A/N: sorry it's kinda cheesy, but that's how it happens in the movie and play. In the next Chapter, they bring her out to a public appearance. There is a big disaster, and Charles starts to doubt Draco will win the bet.
Chapter 3
It had been a few weeks so far, and neither Draco or Hermione paid much attention to each other besides the lessons. Of course, every once in a while Hermione would shoot him the occasional glare, and Draco would, instead of giving the last crumpet to her, would give it to Crookshanks.
The lessons continued for two months as Hermione wondered weather she was ever going to progress. Even Charles who treated Hermione like a lady already, was wondering if this girl had any grace at all.
"Okay" Draco sighed. "Even though your not ready for it, I'll teach you ball room dancing." Hermione's face lit up. She was looking forward to doing something other than putting up her hair and applying make-up without a wand.
"Okay" she replied happily. On her way over to him she tripped on her robe and landed in a heap at his feet. She quickly got up. "Ta da?" she smiled holding up her arms like a gymnast. Draco was anything but amused.
"Now, put your right hand on my shoulder, there you go, and your left, in my right." Draco flicked his wand and music by Bach started to play. He placed his hand on her waist and started counting. "1,2,3.... 1,2,3..." Hermione thought she was getting the hand of it, until... "Ow!" Hermione tripped and stepped on Draco's toe.
"Sorry" she mumbled, tripping again. ~*~ Seven hours later, at 2:30 in the morning
Hermione sat on the sofa massaging her feet tiredly. Draco sat at his desk holding his head in his hands and Charles sat on the love seat playing with a pen. Draco had been teaching Hermione endlessly how to dance without stepping on his feet or falling down, without much progression. Draco walked over to her and sat down. He watched her as she rubbed her bare feet painfully.
"I know your tired." He told her, much to Hermione's surprise. "I know your face is raw from scrubbing off cosmetics. I know your scalp hurts from all the hairspray, mousse, gel and hard brushing, and for what? You haven't progressed at all. You still trip and step on my feet when we dance, you still look like a circus clown when you even attempt to put on make-up, and your hair, no matter how many different hair care products you put in, still looks like a rats nest. I don't care, it's not me!" he looked her in the eye. "Think of what your trying to accomplish. You are doing what I tell you to, but your not trying. Now," he got up "We have four more months to go. We've already wasted two." Bach started playing again. "Lets do this again." Hermione sat there a few seconds, stunned. She wasn't sure what just happened. Draco had actually been decent to her. Slowly she got to her feet. She felt as if someone had turned a switch on in her head as she curtseyed to Draco without falling. They danced around the floor like something out of a fairy tale. She felt light, as if she was floating or flying. The song ended and Hermione realized she hadn't stepped on his foot once or tripped at all. Draco realized too, and was much more enthusiastic.
"You did it! You actually accomplished something!" He said in amazement. Hermione would have shot back at him, but she was to busy being happy. He laughed happily and waltzed with her around the floor again. It was a wonderful feeling. Like someone hugging you and rocking you in their arms at the same time. Charles tapped Draco on the shoulder and cut in. Just as another song started.
They danced through the night, all while laughing happily. Hermione curtseyed endlessly and minded her manners, with 'please' and 'thank you'. Draco collapsed onto a chair sighing and smiling ear to ear.
"Well done. I knew you had it in you!" Charles told her while wiping his brow with a handkerchief. Hermione's feet no longer hurt. She could have danced all night, none stop.
"Ooh, I want to try her out in public." Draco announced.
"Are you sure that's a good idea, mate?" Charles asked. "She just started to learn."
"Of course it's a good idea. Lets see, my mother is having a formal party tomorrow. I'll call--" He glanced at Hermione. "No, better not. We'll get her a dress. But none of those ugly frilly ones everyone is wearing today. Maybe one with a nice shall, or scarf..." He demonstrated on Charles, who chuckled merrily. "Oh yeah, that'd look nice." Hermione looked on. She didn't mind them making all of her decisions for her. It was actually kind of nice. Draco walked back to his room still sprouting ideas to Charles.
"Miss, come to bed now. You have been working very hard." Dandelion touched her arm softly.
"But--"
"It's for your own good." Dandelion shooed her into her room. Hermione lay awake thinking of the way she was whisked around the dance floor. It was so much fun. She could have danced the day away without being tired. She could have danced the week away with.... Draco? She laughed at herself for being so silly and fell asleep humming the music.
A/N: sorry it's kinda cheesy, but that's how it happens in the movie and play. In the next Chapter, they bring her out to a public appearance. There is a big disaster, and Charles starts to doubt Draco will win the bet.
