Chapter 48- Indian Seduction
"So you'll start in front of me, and our arms will be like this." Hermione demonstrated. "Then we'll switch them like this. I'll twirl to one side, and you to the other… and then we can do something like this."
Hermione began to move her hips, shoulders, feet and arms with graceful motions. She saw Ginny imitating her, noting down the movements as they went.
"Good, shall we go through it again?"
"Yes," Ginny replied. "I'm not sure I remember that part in the middle correctly."
They went through the routine for another two hours, until they had it virtually memorized. Hermione nodded approvingly when they had finished. "Tomorrow we'll do it with the song we still have to pick out. I'll set up the record. It is only three weeks away, after all."
"Right. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Ginny picked up her bag and started for the exit. Hermione was tired of sneaking off to the ror, so she had banished Draco from their dorm while she and Ginny practiced. She did not know where he went, probably the library or something. She assumed he wouldn't go outside. It was too cold.
Wherever he was, he returned quite immediately after Ginny had left. *Perhaps he was waiting outside the whole time…*
"Hello, googlymuffinlips," she said to him.
He simply responded, "Hello, Hermione." He disappeared into his room. *Damn it, he only goes in there because he knows I can't follow him.*
No retort about how horrible her names for him were…that cut down on the fun of it greatly. No greeting kiss, no intimacy…
She could tell he wanted to seek comfort in her arms. She could see it in the way he looked when he avoided her. He just would not let her near anymore. She managed to sit next to him during most of their classes, but he only talked about the work. He had been like this ever since the Occlumency with Ginny.
*What happened that night/day/night/morning?* Hermione thought. She was referring to the Friday evening through Sunday morning Draco and Ginny had spent blocking Voldemort from her mind.
Whenever Draco was in their dorm, he retreated to his room. Oh, how deeply she wanted to shatter the charm that kept her out and confront him. McGonagall would know, however, and she did not want to break her teacher's trust. Instead of acting on the impulse, she sat in the common room, waiting for Draco to emerge and tell her everything.
He didn't, and she was left all alone.
She and Ginny continued practicing their routine, adding music and costumes quickly enough that they had plenty of time for a real dress rehearsal. Hermione found comfort in the time she spent with the younger girl, but it would have been even better if Ginny volunteered information to her.
She didn't. Hermione remembered how Ginny had entered the common room, dazed and glassy-eyed, after their Occlumency weekend. She had been distracted by thoughts of something…something that had happened that weekend, or an old memory resurfaced. She had not pressed it, but as far as she knew, Ginny had not spoken to anyone about it.
"I think we'll be the best in the show, for sure," Ginny commented, changing back into her school uniform. It was the Tuesday before their debut as dancers.
"Hey, Ginny?"
"What, Hermione?"
Well, here goes nothing. I suppose I'll never get answers unless there's a question. "What happened that weekend after the ball?"
Ginny's face fell immediately. "It was…nothing. Draco taught me Occlumency, that's what happened."
Hermione nodded. "All right. It's just that…Draco has been so distant lately. He hardly talks to me, and he spends all his time in his room if I don't force him out, aside from classes. I'm surprised he hasn't stopped eating, but in fact he seems more ravenous than ever. And he…" she trailed off. She had been about to tell Ginny about his crying, but that might have been a little too much. It was a very private thing, and she was sure that Draco wouldn't want her to tell.
Ginny shrugged. "Well, I can honestly say I don't know what happened to him. Maybe he's just in a bad mood."
Hermione flopped onto the couch, and her face went into her hands. "I'm so worried, Ginny. If he doesn't talk to me, how can I do anything about it?"
She felt slim, tender but firm arms surround her. "It will be all right, Hermione. I promise it will. And if he doesn't start to come around with the speaking thing, well I'll just ambush him in the hallway. You know how much boys love to be confronted in the corridors." She winked. "So you just tell him that from me."
"Thanks, Ginny." Hermione smiled at her. She was the youngest Weasley, but sometimes Hermione knew she was much more mature than Fred and George.
"S'nothing. But listen, I've got to go. If I don't get this essay done on time, McGonagall will give me one of her Stern Looks, and her patented missing-homework-detention. You might not know what those are like, and neither do I really, but I've heard terrifying things about them."
"Can't be as bad as Snape," Hermione pointed out.
"Yeah- Snape! Oh my god, Hermione, I forgot to do my Potions homework! Oh, I really have to go. Damn it. See ya!"
She was gone before Hermione had a chance to respond. Sighing, she pulled out her books and began another session of revision.
"I didn't do it intentionally, you know."
Hermione started, and loose papers flew all over. Ignoring them, she turned. Draco stood leaning against the wall just outside his corridor. "Do what?" she prompted. She knew what he meant, somehow, but wanted him to say it.
"Make you worry. I didn't mean to, and I'm sorry."
"It's all- hey, wait a minute. Did you hear us?"
"Well, I just *happened* to be eavesdropping from my room, and so I couldn't help but hear."
"Your room! You were supposed to be gone! You didn't see anything, did you?"
"Your secret is still a secret, if that's what you mean. But I could hear everything you said. I guess I didn't think about what my behavior would do to others…especially you. I'm sorry," he repeated.
Hermione regarded him for a moment. Obviously there was more to it, but it had taken long enough to get this much out of him. "It's all right," she said. "I'm sure you had a good reason."
He nodded, then turned to go back to his room. She felt her forehead wrinkle, and her chin tremble as she watched him. She had thought that maybe, just maybe, he was going to tell her, and start behaving like his old self again. *Well, his new-old self,* she amended. But he had gone.
She was worried about him, it was true, but she was more worried about them. What would happen to them if he never came out of his room? If he continued not to talk to her? Where would this depression leave their relationship? She would love him, always. She had no doubt. But could she really bring herself to stay by the side of someone who was completely removed from her?
"Hermione?"
She turned quickly. He had come back after all. She tried to calm herself, but it only forced out the tears she had been trying to hide. She kept her face away from Draco as he sat down beside her.
"I just went to get my notes. I thought we'd do some revision together, you know… Hermione?"
She did not answer, hoping he would leave it and let her cry without acknowledging it. Instead, she felt his fingers reach around and gently brush away some of the moisture from her cheek.
"Excuse me," she muttered, and stood. Draco's hand on her arm brought her firmly back down. She turned to face him slowly. Her face crumpled again. "Draco…"
He did not take her in his arms, kissing her and stroking her hair. That was what she had expected. He did instead something the likes of which she could never remember him doing.
He took her head in his hands, bringing her face up to meet his gaze. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. His fingers were half-tangled in her hair. She gasped at his gray eyes, blazing with intensity and sorrow.
"Hermione, I am sorry to have put you through this, truly. It will stop, I'll let it go. I will take care of this problem, it will have to be dealt with someday, but for now I can let it go. For your sake…"
"Wh- what problem?"
Draco stared at a spot behind her on the wall. "My father," he said simply. Hermione wanted to ask what he meant, but didn't. She waited for him to release her head, which he did soon, reaching for his notes. "Let's study, shall we?"
She smiled, and took her own notes- which were thicker by a fraction- into her lap. "Well, all right then. I have missed our revisions greatly, after all."
************************************************************************
Draco clapped with everyone else in the audience when Padma Patil bowed. Who knew a Ravenclaw could be such a good singer?
"Thank you, Miss Patil," Professor McGonagall, who was acting as the mistress of ceremonies, said when the student had gone off the stage.
Hermione had convinced him to agree to an all-school talent show. He supposed it was while he was in the throes of passion, during a heated snogging session, when she had asked, otherwise he would have argued more. As it was, he could not remember agreeing to it at all. He had now been sitting there for two and a half hours, quite bored, even if most of the acts were good. *It is called a Talent Show, after all. Not a Lack-of-talent show.* He simply did not care.
"Now, for the final act in this wide variety of talent, we have Miss Ginny Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger with-" Professor McGonagall suddenly became Professor McBugEyes as she read the name of their act. "With 'Indian Seduction'."
There was a short round of clapping, and a murmur of interest as most of the boys- and a few girls- sat up straighter. Draco suppressed his smile, but he let his head shake slightly.
The curtain opened slowly to a beat on a jingling, harmonic instrument that Draco could not identify. The first thing he saw were the colors adorning the stage, which had not been there only a few moments ago. Every color he could wish to have there was just- there, and nothing more. There in swirling patterns all around the floor, the ceiling, the backdrop…
And then he saw the girl standing in the middle of the stage. Ginny Weasley was in a sea blue getup that made her look quite fetching, actually, and she had highlights in her red hair, which seemed to have been lengthened for the occasion, to match. She looked like she had four arms. Her own were raised high above her head. The arms Draco easily recognized as Hermione's stuck out lower from Ginny's sides.
The arms switched positions slowly, with an unearthly grace that intrigued Draco. Their arms continued to weave for a few more second, and then Ginny twirled to the side…
At the same time, Hermione spun to the other side of the stage, and Draco's mind went berserk. She was wearing an outfit akin to Ginny's but it was red with orange at the trim. It left her flat stomach exposed- a part of Hermione that Draco had never seen her show in public. Her hair hung straight and sleek, almost to her waist.
As if her appearance weren't enough, she had to start swaying her hips, her arms and fingers moving delicately as she did so. He was vaguely aware of Ginny's corresponding moves a few yards from Hermione, but he did not care about what she was doing. He watched Hermione, every move she made, with intent awe. He had never seen her move this way…
Then he saw her moving closer to the floor…closer…closer… until she was propping herself up on one arm, her stomach moving in an enticing wave as her other arm was raised above her head, her hand rotating in a rather- suggestive way.
Draco managed a split second glance away to see what had happened to the expected cat-calls and whistles. In that fraction of a look he saw that the entire audience was completely enraptured, captivated by the performance. He then lost all interest in anything but Hermione.
The way she synchronized her whole body with the beat of the music.
The way she made his heart pound dangerously.
The way he felt a throbbing in his…
It was over all too soon. Ginny and Hermione made graceful bows, disappearing from the stage to the disappointment of much of the student body.
And Draco was only considering the body of *one* student when he noted this. His own body. It was quite disappointed. But he was sure Hermione would make up for it later.
Professor McThat'stheMostBrazenDisplayofSexualityI'veEverSeen stepped up and stammered, "Tha- thank you, Misses Weasley and Granger for that performance. I am sure everyone enjoyed it. And that concludes our talent show. I hope there will be half so much talent here next-"
She was drowned out by cheering as Ginny and Hermione emerged, still in their costumes. Draco felt his disappointment melt away…
Ginny let the other students crowd around her, basking in the glow of utter adoration, but Hermione paid no attention to the compliments from every side. As she headed resolutely for Draco, she never took her eyes off him.
He pulled her into him eagerly but gently. She hugged him, then began to laugh. "Have you ever seen anything so silly! People getting this excited over a dance…I mean, I'm flattered, but really…"
*You have no idea.*
End Chapter 48
Hehehe…more of Draco's student body next chapter. Review for flashing colors confetti!!! Not as good as the shruvewip confetti, but it'll do, eh?
"So you'll start in front of me, and our arms will be like this." Hermione demonstrated. "Then we'll switch them like this. I'll twirl to one side, and you to the other… and then we can do something like this."
Hermione began to move her hips, shoulders, feet and arms with graceful motions. She saw Ginny imitating her, noting down the movements as they went.
"Good, shall we go through it again?"
"Yes," Ginny replied. "I'm not sure I remember that part in the middle correctly."
They went through the routine for another two hours, until they had it virtually memorized. Hermione nodded approvingly when they had finished. "Tomorrow we'll do it with the song we still have to pick out. I'll set up the record. It is only three weeks away, after all."
"Right. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Ginny picked up her bag and started for the exit. Hermione was tired of sneaking off to the ror, so she had banished Draco from their dorm while she and Ginny practiced. She did not know where he went, probably the library or something. She assumed he wouldn't go outside. It was too cold.
Wherever he was, he returned quite immediately after Ginny had left. *Perhaps he was waiting outside the whole time…*
"Hello, googlymuffinlips," she said to him.
He simply responded, "Hello, Hermione." He disappeared into his room. *Damn it, he only goes in there because he knows I can't follow him.*
No retort about how horrible her names for him were…that cut down on the fun of it greatly. No greeting kiss, no intimacy…
She could tell he wanted to seek comfort in her arms. She could see it in the way he looked when he avoided her. He just would not let her near anymore. She managed to sit next to him during most of their classes, but he only talked about the work. He had been like this ever since the Occlumency with Ginny.
*What happened that night/day/night/morning?* Hermione thought. She was referring to the Friday evening through Sunday morning Draco and Ginny had spent blocking Voldemort from her mind.
Whenever Draco was in their dorm, he retreated to his room. Oh, how deeply she wanted to shatter the charm that kept her out and confront him. McGonagall would know, however, and she did not want to break her teacher's trust. Instead of acting on the impulse, she sat in the common room, waiting for Draco to emerge and tell her everything.
He didn't, and she was left all alone.
She and Ginny continued practicing their routine, adding music and costumes quickly enough that they had plenty of time for a real dress rehearsal. Hermione found comfort in the time she spent with the younger girl, but it would have been even better if Ginny volunteered information to her.
She didn't. Hermione remembered how Ginny had entered the common room, dazed and glassy-eyed, after their Occlumency weekend. She had been distracted by thoughts of something…something that had happened that weekend, or an old memory resurfaced. She had not pressed it, but as far as she knew, Ginny had not spoken to anyone about it.
"I think we'll be the best in the show, for sure," Ginny commented, changing back into her school uniform. It was the Tuesday before their debut as dancers.
"Hey, Ginny?"
"What, Hermione?"
Well, here goes nothing. I suppose I'll never get answers unless there's a question. "What happened that weekend after the ball?"
Ginny's face fell immediately. "It was…nothing. Draco taught me Occlumency, that's what happened."
Hermione nodded. "All right. It's just that…Draco has been so distant lately. He hardly talks to me, and he spends all his time in his room if I don't force him out, aside from classes. I'm surprised he hasn't stopped eating, but in fact he seems more ravenous than ever. And he…" she trailed off. She had been about to tell Ginny about his crying, but that might have been a little too much. It was a very private thing, and she was sure that Draco wouldn't want her to tell.
Ginny shrugged. "Well, I can honestly say I don't know what happened to him. Maybe he's just in a bad mood."
Hermione flopped onto the couch, and her face went into her hands. "I'm so worried, Ginny. If he doesn't talk to me, how can I do anything about it?"
She felt slim, tender but firm arms surround her. "It will be all right, Hermione. I promise it will. And if he doesn't start to come around with the speaking thing, well I'll just ambush him in the hallway. You know how much boys love to be confronted in the corridors." She winked. "So you just tell him that from me."
"Thanks, Ginny." Hermione smiled at her. She was the youngest Weasley, but sometimes Hermione knew she was much more mature than Fred and George.
"S'nothing. But listen, I've got to go. If I don't get this essay done on time, McGonagall will give me one of her Stern Looks, and her patented missing-homework-detention. You might not know what those are like, and neither do I really, but I've heard terrifying things about them."
"Can't be as bad as Snape," Hermione pointed out.
"Yeah- Snape! Oh my god, Hermione, I forgot to do my Potions homework! Oh, I really have to go. Damn it. See ya!"
She was gone before Hermione had a chance to respond. Sighing, she pulled out her books and began another session of revision.
"I didn't do it intentionally, you know."
Hermione started, and loose papers flew all over. Ignoring them, she turned. Draco stood leaning against the wall just outside his corridor. "Do what?" she prompted. She knew what he meant, somehow, but wanted him to say it.
"Make you worry. I didn't mean to, and I'm sorry."
"It's all- hey, wait a minute. Did you hear us?"
"Well, I just *happened* to be eavesdropping from my room, and so I couldn't help but hear."
"Your room! You were supposed to be gone! You didn't see anything, did you?"
"Your secret is still a secret, if that's what you mean. But I could hear everything you said. I guess I didn't think about what my behavior would do to others…especially you. I'm sorry," he repeated.
Hermione regarded him for a moment. Obviously there was more to it, but it had taken long enough to get this much out of him. "It's all right," she said. "I'm sure you had a good reason."
He nodded, then turned to go back to his room. She felt her forehead wrinkle, and her chin tremble as she watched him. She had thought that maybe, just maybe, he was going to tell her, and start behaving like his old self again. *Well, his new-old self,* she amended. But he had gone.
She was worried about him, it was true, but she was more worried about them. What would happen to them if he never came out of his room? If he continued not to talk to her? Where would this depression leave their relationship? She would love him, always. She had no doubt. But could she really bring herself to stay by the side of someone who was completely removed from her?
"Hermione?"
She turned quickly. He had come back after all. She tried to calm herself, but it only forced out the tears she had been trying to hide. She kept her face away from Draco as he sat down beside her.
"I just went to get my notes. I thought we'd do some revision together, you know… Hermione?"
She did not answer, hoping he would leave it and let her cry without acknowledging it. Instead, she felt his fingers reach around and gently brush away some of the moisture from her cheek.
"Excuse me," she muttered, and stood. Draco's hand on her arm brought her firmly back down. She turned to face him slowly. Her face crumpled again. "Draco…"
He did not take her in his arms, kissing her and stroking her hair. That was what she had expected. He did instead something the likes of which she could never remember him doing.
He took her head in his hands, bringing her face up to meet his gaze. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. His fingers were half-tangled in her hair. She gasped at his gray eyes, blazing with intensity and sorrow.
"Hermione, I am sorry to have put you through this, truly. It will stop, I'll let it go. I will take care of this problem, it will have to be dealt with someday, but for now I can let it go. For your sake…"
"Wh- what problem?"
Draco stared at a spot behind her on the wall. "My father," he said simply. Hermione wanted to ask what he meant, but didn't. She waited for him to release her head, which he did soon, reaching for his notes. "Let's study, shall we?"
She smiled, and took her own notes- which were thicker by a fraction- into her lap. "Well, all right then. I have missed our revisions greatly, after all."
************************************************************************
Draco clapped with everyone else in the audience when Padma Patil bowed. Who knew a Ravenclaw could be such a good singer?
"Thank you, Miss Patil," Professor McGonagall, who was acting as the mistress of ceremonies, said when the student had gone off the stage.
Hermione had convinced him to agree to an all-school talent show. He supposed it was while he was in the throes of passion, during a heated snogging session, when she had asked, otherwise he would have argued more. As it was, he could not remember agreeing to it at all. He had now been sitting there for two and a half hours, quite bored, even if most of the acts were good. *It is called a Talent Show, after all. Not a Lack-of-talent show.* He simply did not care.
"Now, for the final act in this wide variety of talent, we have Miss Ginny Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger with-" Professor McGonagall suddenly became Professor McBugEyes as she read the name of their act. "With 'Indian Seduction'."
There was a short round of clapping, and a murmur of interest as most of the boys- and a few girls- sat up straighter. Draco suppressed his smile, but he let his head shake slightly.
The curtain opened slowly to a beat on a jingling, harmonic instrument that Draco could not identify. The first thing he saw were the colors adorning the stage, which had not been there only a few moments ago. Every color he could wish to have there was just- there, and nothing more. There in swirling patterns all around the floor, the ceiling, the backdrop…
And then he saw the girl standing in the middle of the stage. Ginny Weasley was in a sea blue getup that made her look quite fetching, actually, and she had highlights in her red hair, which seemed to have been lengthened for the occasion, to match. She looked like she had four arms. Her own were raised high above her head. The arms Draco easily recognized as Hermione's stuck out lower from Ginny's sides.
The arms switched positions slowly, with an unearthly grace that intrigued Draco. Their arms continued to weave for a few more second, and then Ginny twirled to the side…
At the same time, Hermione spun to the other side of the stage, and Draco's mind went berserk. She was wearing an outfit akin to Ginny's but it was red with orange at the trim. It left her flat stomach exposed- a part of Hermione that Draco had never seen her show in public. Her hair hung straight and sleek, almost to her waist.
As if her appearance weren't enough, she had to start swaying her hips, her arms and fingers moving delicately as she did so. He was vaguely aware of Ginny's corresponding moves a few yards from Hermione, but he did not care about what she was doing. He watched Hermione, every move she made, with intent awe. He had never seen her move this way…
Then he saw her moving closer to the floor…closer…closer… until she was propping herself up on one arm, her stomach moving in an enticing wave as her other arm was raised above her head, her hand rotating in a rather- suggestive way.
Draco managed a split second glance away to see what had happened to the expected cat-calls and whistles. In that fraction of a look he saw that the entire audience was completely enraptured, captivated by the performance. He then lost all interest in anything but Hermione.
The way she synchronized her whole body with the beat of the music.
The way she made his heart pound dangerously.
The way he felt a throbbing in his…
It was over all too soon. Ginny and Hermione made graceful bows, disappearing from the stage to the disappointment of much of the student body.
And Draco was only considering the body of *one* student when he noted this. His own body. It was quite disappointed. But he was sure Hermione would make up for it later.
Professor McThat'stheMostBrazenDisplayofSexualityI'veEverSeen stepped up and stammered, "Tha- thank you, Misses Weasley and Granger for that performance. I am sure everyone enjoyed it. And that concludes our talent show. I hope there will be half so much talent here next-"
She was drowned out by cheering as Ginny and Hermione emerged, still in their costumes. Draco felt his disappointment melt away…
Ginny let the other students crowd around her, basking in the glow of utter adoration, but Hermione paid no attention to the compliments from every side. As she headed resolutely for Draco, she never took her eyes off him.
He pulled her into him eagerly but gently. She hugged him, then began to laugh. "Have you ever seen anything so silly! People getting this excited over a dance…I mean, I'm flattered, but really…"
*You have no idea.*
End Chapter 48
Hehehe…more of Draco's student body next chapter. Review for flashing colors confetti!!! Not as good as the shruvewip confetti, but it'll do, eh?