To Touch a Dragons Heart
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Harry Potter books – unfortunately..!
A/N: I am SO sorry that it's taken me almost a year to post chapter 5.. I can't say, that it's because I haven't had the time to write.. Hihi.. But the desire to write just left me for a while.. And even though this is the most stressed time that I have experienced for a long time (I am finishing school with exams and all that), the desire to write suddenly came back to me one night.. So here's chapter 5, enjoy!
Chapter 5: Introductions
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After the Headmaster had visited them and checked if everything was alright, he had told them that dinner would be served within an hour and the would be introduced to the school then. Hermione hadn't known about this little fact and became stressed within a minute. She kept muttering: "Why haven't McGonnagal told us?" and "How on earth am I going to get ready in time?!" while she rushed around her room trying to find some clothes she thought would be representative.
Draco on the other hand kept his cool. He went to his room and found a black pair of trousers and an emerald green shirt that showed of his muscles. He could hear Hermione rummage through her wardrobe on the other side of the wall and he shook his head. Why did women always panic whenever they would meet new people?
Almost an hour later Hermione and Draco were on their way to the dinner. Hermione was still nervous and was walking with a very fast pace. She was clad in a sleeveless red top and a black skirt that ended just above her knees. On her feet she wore black sandals.
Draco was getting really annoyed by her nervousness and tried to calm her down by laying a hand on her shoulder and saying: "Hermione, relax! It's going to be fine. I'm starting to get nervous too because of you."
Hermione stopped her fast pace and turned towards Draco and all her fidgetiness turned into fury. "You're telling me to relax because I'm making YOU nervous?! How the hell am I going to calm down when I know there's going to be over 300 people in the room we're about to enter?"
"But it wasn't..." Draco tried to say, but Hermione cut him off.
"Don't even try to explain, Mister! I know why you said that. All you care about is yourself! You don't care about my feelings or what I do! You said it yourself. You told me that you only felt physical attraction towards me, and that means that you don't care about me, so just leave me alone!" With that she stomped off while Draco just stood there dumbfounded. 'What the fuck? What had just happened?' Draco had just tried to help her and she'd snapped at him? 'She must be having her period', Draco thought.
Draco ran to catch up with her. When he reached her, he grabbed her by the shoulders and she was forced to stop. She turned around to look at him, but she remained silent.
"Hermione... I.. I.." Draco started, but he didn't know what to say, so he tried again: "Hermione what I'm trying to say is that, yes I have said that, and it's still partly true, but I'm changing. It's just so hard because of my father and all..."
Hermione was taken aback by this. She had never heard Draco mention his father in a bad way before. She started to wonder what Draco's childhood had been like and she missed the first part of what Draco said next:
"...trying to cheer you up. I know you're nervous about this, but calm down and just be yourself. That's all that matters."
"You're right Draco," said Hermione. "I need to calm down. Sorry about what I said back there."
"It's okay Hermione. Now lets get to that feast, I'm starving!"
Hermione laughed: "You're starting to sound like Ron now."
"Don't compare me to Weasel" Draco sneered. He didn't want to be compared to anyone, especially one from the Golden Trio.
"It was a joke Malfoy," Hermione snapped. "But, as I thought, you don't have any humoristic sense, so I'll just not talk to you tonight. And don't call Ron that!" With that she continued to walk down the hallway.
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When Hermione reached the door to the Great Hall at Caladonia, she stopped to wait for Draco so they could enter together. Nobody should think they had had a fight just minutes before. Draco's steps came to a halt beside her. He glared at her once, and she glared back, before he opened the door and walk through it. Hermione followed.
The two of them hadn't realized that they had been so late as they were. Everyone else in the castle was in the Great Hall and as they heard the door open, they all turned towards Hermione and Draco. Draco looked around the hall. And although he was nervous he didn't let it show. He spotted McGonnagal at a table beside the Headmaster and started to walk towards her. Hermione on the other hand had become even more nervous (if that's possible) than she had been earlier. She was like frozen to the spot until she saw Draco walking towards a large table. She hurried up to him.
"Welcome you two!" The Headmaster said cheerfully: "I have arranged that you two will get a seat at one of the students tables. Any particular table you want to sit at?"
"No sir," They said in unison and then glared at each other.
"Okay, then I will decide." The Headmaster smiley and stood up
'Oh no,' Hermione thought. 'He's going to introduce us..'
And she was right. The Headmaster called: "Attention everyone. As you all know we have arranged an exchange program with a wizard school, Hogwarts, UK, Europe. I have 3 persons to introduce to you. The first is Professor McGonnagal." McGonnagal stood up. "She teaches Transfiguration at Hogwarts, and she'll be teaching Transfiguration here at Caladonia for the 2 months she's going to stay." Excited mumbling could be heard all over the hall, when everyone was quiet again, the Headmaster continued: "The two other persons are the two brightest students in the 6th year at Hogwarts. Their names are Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." The chatter began again as everyone looked at the two good-looking teenagers with excitement. "Will the Head Boy and Girl please join us up here?" The Headmaster asked. Hermione saw a boy and a girl stand up and walk towards them. The boy was nicely built and had brown half long hair and clear blue eyes. A real stunner. The girl had long blond hair and brown eyes. Draco had to admit she looked quite good, 'but not as good as Hermione,' he thought.
When the two Heads reached the Headmasters table, professor Cooper (The Headmaster) spoke: "Mister Hawk why don't you take Miss Granger with you down to your table, while you Melissa take Mr. Malfoy with you, and afterwards you can show them the castle?"
Both Heads lit up and did as they were told. The Head boy turned to Hermione and introduced himself: "Hello Miss Granger, my name is Alexander Hawk. I'll be your guide tonight, so please follow me." Alexander winked at her and Hermione giggle. She had completely forgotten about Draco (wonder why ;-)) as she followed Alexander to the table and sat down.
Draco had started to walk beside Melissa as he heard Hermione giggle. He looked over his shoulder and saw Hermione stare at the good-looking Head boy and follow him to his House's table. Draco decided then and there that he didn't like that brown-haired git one bit. He had gotten Hermione's complete attention just by joking with her and he was going to pay.
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A/N: There, that was chapter 5. A bit short, but I hope you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing again, now please review!
The Charmed One