Here's songfic #3… It goes along with the well-loved Disney song, Beauty and the Beast. I think it fits our two favorite characters perfectly; don't you think? Oh and I also want to thank my new Beta-reader, Courtney… there is a note from her at the bottom… read her story too! It's awesome!

DISCLAIMER: THE CHARACTERS BELONG TO JK ROWLING AND THE SONG BELONGS TO DISNEY. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT THE PLOT.

Chapter 3: Beauty and the Beast


*~*This is a continuation flashback to chapter 2*~*

Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly.

Hermione sat in her bed flipping through the channels of Wizard-TV 2004. Nothing good was on except the cheesy soap operas. She reached over to her nightstand and picked up the shiny, red, heart shaped cardboard box. After carefully peeling off the lid and removing the white paper, she pulled out a truffle. Before placing it in her mouth, she looked at it. Pure dark chocolate drizzled in white chocolate. She smiled. It reminded her of Draco. He was such a bad boy- dark boy. She laughed again. But he wasn't dark! He was the palest thing she ever saw. The white chocolate reminded her of herself, slowly coating the dark and making it good. Rolling her eyes at her dull analogies, she placed the chocolate between her white teeth and bit down.


'This is heaven. Too bad I had to buy the chocolate for myself so it looks like a have a secret admirer.'

Maybe she did have a secret admirer though. Maybe it could be Draco. All the glances he had been giving her were so lust-filled that just maybe-only maybe Draco decided to change. The change was definitely subtle, though. Nothing too unordinary for the common eye at Hogwarts; just enough for Hermione to notice.


Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast.

Draco looked down at the freshly picked rose. He pressed his finger against the thorn and a dark red blood oozed out. His blood looked normal. Red. Just like everybody else's. But why did he feel so different? His sanguine attitude left him puzzled. Something about him was definitely new. Something that felt good. Real good.

*~*


Hermione walked out of her common room wishing she didn't eat the whole box of Draco-like chocolates.

'I need some fresh air.'

She pushed open the large oak doors in the main hall and made her way out to the garden. She saw Draco sitting on a marble bench rolling a rose back and forth between his fingers and debated whether to go over to him. She decided against it. Too late. Draco had looked up and caught her eyes.

'Can't back out of it now, Herm'

Ever so slowly, Hermione weaved her way though the exotic plants over to Draco. Draco scooted over to make room for Hermione.

"Hey." Draco said softly, taking in the beautiful view just bestowed upon him.


"Hey." Hermione replied. Silence followed.

'Awkward. This is so awkward. I shouldn't have come out here.'

"So what are you doing out here?" Hermione asked.

Draco tensed slightly, "I actually wanted to give this to you," he handed Hermione the rose.

Hermione blushed, "Wow! It's beautiful. Thank you so much."

Draco, sensing the moment just right, leaned in a placed a small, butterfly kiss on her cheek. "Just like you."

Hermione looked at the ground. No one had ever called her that before. Beautiful was something guys said to the tall, skinny, blonde supermodels- not Hermione Granger.

Draco, sensing Hermione's uncomfortable ness took her hand. "It's true you know. You are the most exquisite thing I have ever seen. Everything about you is just perfect."

'You're not helping Draco.'

Hermione willed the color in her cheeks to go away. She felt a warm hand upon her chin lift her head up.

"I don't lie."

"Thank you," Hermione said, meekly. She was scared. Scared of that four-letter word that took over the strongest people. Love is panacea. It can break the strongest people and strengthen the weakest.


Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise.

Colin Creevy looked down at the couple below him. From his dormitory window he could see everything happening on the north side of the castle. Lucky him. He rubbed his eyes- the two people sitting in the garden couldn't be who he thought it was. It just wasn't.

'Wait-my binoculars!'

Colin jumped off the plastic stool and began to rummage through his trunk. He found: a pair of socks that were worn out in the heel, a fine tooth comb (capable of removing any tangle- or so it said), his wand, his camera, a couple of camera lens, but no binoculars. Wait, his camera? This would be good. He quickly gathered the lens with the widest zoom and attached it to his camera. He went back to the window and snapped a couple shots. This would be good. Rumors at Hogwarts spread like wildfire- especially when there was hard-evidence.

*~*

Every time Hermione saw Draco her heart did that weird flippy thing. Ditto with him. The sensation was always everlasting; they feelings built off of each other each time they saw each other. It was like a flower ready to bloom; enthrall the world with its sweet, fragrant allure.


Hermione still wasn't used to the sentiments Draco gave her; they made her feel numb to the rest of the world; only allowing Draco's warmth and caring to enter her senses.


Draco felt the same way. He was shy to these feelings and wasn't sure if he was ready for them. He wasn't used to being not in control of relationships and the other sexes charm. Normally, girls would fall all over him and become obsessed, but Hermione was different. Her natural charm and beauty made her so unique. She had everything he could possibly look for in a girl; looks, smarts, personality, talent. The only thing he wouldn't mind getting rid of was her friends- Flaming Weasel and The Boy-Who-Lived-To-Irritate-Me. He could deal with them later; right now he wanted to concentrate on the one thing that really mattered to him- Hermione Granger; the girl he would never of thought would win his heart.


Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong.

Posters were hung all around school with captions in green and burgundy shouting to the school, "Lioness and Serpent, Will this change Hogwarts' Future?" The main attraction of the posters were the picture it self; Draco and Hermione sitting together in the garden, looking lovingly in each other's eyes. It was a common rule of thumb; Slytherins only dated within their house and Gryffindors never, ever, not in a million years dated a Slytherin. It was what it was, and it wouldn't be changed until…


"Hermione!" Draco heard the shrill Weaselette scream across the Great Hall, "You're going out with MALFOY?!?!?"


Draco saw Hermione whip her head around and look at her best friend, "Ummm- I'm not exactly sure if we are going out yet." Hermione whispered.

Draco had performed a spell on his ears so he could hear their conversation. "Why is Draco so different from everybody else? Why is this such a big deal to everybody?"


"Hello? Earth to Hermione! You-are-dating-a-Slytherin. Not only are you dating a Slytherin, you are dating Malfoy, son to the proclaimed Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy. In case you are forgetting, HE HATES MUDBL-Muggleborns!"


Hermione looked at the floor, "He doesn't have to be like his father, you know."


"Whatever, Hermione. It's your decision; I just wanted to let you know that I will be here for you, though, okay?" Ginny said, giving up on the matter.


"Thanks," Hermione weakly smiled.


"Oh and good luck with my brother; here he comes now." Ginny pointed to a flaming red head with skin the same color as fire.


"HERMIONE GRANGER! WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" Ron came storming up to Hermione.

"Nothing... yet. And it isn't any of your business either, Ronald Weasley."

Harry trotted up besides Ron. "Malfoy, Hermione? Are you crazy?"

"Harry, people can change. Draco can change too, and he did. He's like a different person now, but you wouldn't know that would you? You wouldn't take the time to even try to find the good in somebody." Hermione stormed off and the pushed the heavy oak doors of the Great Hall open. Without realizing it, she walked straight into Draco, landing in a heap on the floor.


"Ouch. Sorry," Hermione looked up, and laughed embarrassedly as Draco helped her up.

"I heard what you said out their about me. Thank you." Draco said seriously.

"All I said was the truth, Draco"

~*~END FLASHBACK (BACK TO PRESENT TIME)~*~

Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast.
Off to the cupboard with you now, Chip.
It's past your bedtime. Good night, love.


Colin Creevy flipped the page of his old Hogwarts yearbook. There were several pictures carefully displayed throughout the very thick album. Since it was their 7th year yearbook, they had not only pictures from that year, but since year one as well. The pages were a little torn, but the memories held within were still as fresh as they had been years ago.

He flipped the page again. There was a picture from year 2 of Hermione and Draco on the Quidditch field arguing about whose team should get practice time. The Hermione in the picture looked angry and kept shaking her fist at the livid Draco. He flipped through several pages until he came to year 5. One of the posters he had hung on the wall was carefully shrunk and placed inside the yearbook. On the same page was a picture of Hermione and Draco holding hands in the garden. The picture-Draco had softer features and the picture-Hermione looked less stressed; both looked relieved at their break from their hectic life.

He flipped a couple more pages and came to the final section- year 7. He found a picture of Harry and Ginny holding hands and posing for the camera with a look of love in their eyes; a love the rivaled their schoolmates, Hermione and Draco. Next to Harry and Ginny was another picture of Hermione and Draco. Never before had Draco looked so in love. Colin had to admit, Hermione did look especially beautiful that night; her hair was blowing with the wind and a strand had gotten stuck in her cherry colored lip-gloss. Her round chocolate eyes glittered with the moonlight. Draco sure was lucky. Well, he was lucky until he screwed up with Lavender. Something inside him didn't believe it was entirely Draco's fault though; Lavender was always known for her promiscuous behavior, so maybe Draco did still love Hermione. Colin closed his yearbook and turned off his bedroom light. Laying back his head on his feather-pillow, he couldn't help but wonder if the famous couple still had a chance.

*~*

BRN: (Beta-reader's note) Hey guys! I'm Courtney, Jenn's new beta reader! Well you better read and review her story. LoL. Also, if you want to check out another Hermione/Draco fic, try mine! It's called Never Say Never. My penname is Courtney11989, so go check it out!

A/N: Hey! Wow, I haven't updated in forever! I need to be in a mood to write and it just recently came to me a couple nights ago. You probably wouldn't have had this chapter up now if Courtney hadn't been bugging me every time I went online to write it, so you should thank her… LOL… anyway, next chapter will hopefully be back to Draco and Hermione and in present time. Before I can write though, I need to think of a song that I could write it to… any suggestions? Please let me know!!!!!! I also want to thank my two very encouraging reviewers who reviewed the last chapter: SwimGoddess and Courtney11989. You guys rock!

Till Next Update-

Jenn