Winter Wonderland
Chapter Six: Snakes and Griffins
I really need to start writing chapters where I don't have to do any research (blah!) this time I went: http://www.caferouge.co.uk/ right there! But the site didn't help much. I'm not sure if it's far from the eye. For the sake of the story let us hope it's in walking distance and in America Cafés sell grinder and French dips (both sandwiches) So I hope they also sell them in the UK at cafes too.
Also, I just realized that you had to be a member or signed in to review this story! I didn't even know! So I changed that, if you haven't had a chance to and you wanted to review back then please feel free to now and I'm really sorry that option was not open to you before. Sorry this chapter took forever and a day! This story might start to get a little racy.like in the next chapter nothing to lemon-flavored though. LOL just take note of the rating for the next chapter I guess.
To those who Reviewed (I love you all!): (Note: Next chapter I'm going to move these to the bottom.)
Lancer: Thank you for the tips, if I have any more slip-ups just let me know! I really have no way of knowing, you know? Thanks for the review
Molly-chan (and co?!): Yes! Go Draco; Hermione gets to have a little fun and "go Hermione-ness" at the end of this chapter! Thanks for the review!
Acnea: I know you said to write more quickly and I swear the chapter after this will come a lot faster, this one came very slowly (I had a ton of test this week.) Thanks for the review.
Paper Star: Draco, biscuits & bondage KAHAHAHA!! I had really wanted to go that way with this story but I don't think we're all ready but I have the next chapter all planed in my head its going to be called "Twas the night" and you can only imagine what's going to happen. My ratings going to go up I'm sure. Thank you for your review!
Lil-Spitfire: Go and tell me all about it! I want to go so badly!! I'm crying over here! Lol. Thank you for the review!
WormmonABC: What took me so long? To have them kiss you mean? I didn't want to rush It I guess, but now they have kissed and a whole new world has opened up for me, thank god I can write more freely now. Thanks for the review and mail.
Steff: Yes, Evil Draco is very sexy. I love the bad boys!! Thanks for the review.
Telemoo37: MOO! I hope I get to go there to it looks and sounds so cool fwee! Thanks for the review!
Book-Lover-210: Lol, I don't know what to say! Le agree ^^ Thanks for the review!
No Name: I'm glad you do, I do to! Thanks for the review.
S-Star: Did I really? I'm amazed at myself. LOL I thought I would be way off. (I know I got some things wrong but hey! ^^ Anyway, thank you for the review!
Draco Lover: A lot of people are glad they kissed, I'm glad they are to because now I get to have fun writing for them. Thanks for the review
Kai Shikaido: KAI! Thank you for the wonderful complements! I try my hardest. Sorry this chapter took so long, poo. I really wanted to get it out faster and I could have but I was having trouble with a few parts, I wanted to keep going but I had to break it off for reasons that really aren't still clear to me.but the next chapters going to be fun. Mwahaha. Thanks for the review!
Risquer: I rock! Whoot. Lol, Thank you for the review I'm so sorry this chapter took forever!
PheonixDreamer (I lover your name): Yeah, it's better to not rush two people who normally hate each other into a love fest lol. Thanks for the review.
Couch-Potato: I think so too! What an odd couple but its defiantly my favorite! I love Draco's hair. (that was random) he he. Thanks for the review!
Loves-kiss: More is here and soon will be the next. (Get it?) Anyway. Thank you so much for the review.
Lightningfire: I'm glad you like my story I wish everyone did. LOL thank you for the review.
Pudmuffin: The next chapter will be out much sooner then this one trust me and I'm going to try and get as much up before the end of this week before I leave for the winter week. But LOTR comes out next week.hum I know I'm seeing it twice already. Oh well I'll find time to write! Thanks for the review!
Broken-Hermione: I want him to! No freakin' fair!! You should go to the Eye, I would love to but there is an ocean between it and Me. LOL Thanks for the review!
Individualists: My break is starting soon to lol I feel your happiness! ^^ Thanks for the review. (?)
Sammie: He, I'm trying not to make it to mushy but thank you for your review!
DiOsA4u: WEE! Thank you again for your little nudge in the right direction, the next chapter after this is going to be so much fun for me kee-hee. I think I'll start writing it now! Thank you always for your great reviews!!
Chapter Six: Snakes and Griffins
Hermione stayed in Draco's arms looking out at the vast skyline of London. Suddenly lessons of muggle History didn't seem so important anymore, she felt him shift underneath her and then the weight of his chin was on her shoulder. Hermione licked her lips yearning to taste him again.
"Draco?" She turned her head slightly to see his face. He looked the most content he had thought the course of his stay with the Granger family.
"You want to know why I kissed you, don't you?" He smiled slightly at her.
"Well yes." She said with a little hesitancy in her voice. All she really wanted was another magical kiss 'But how exactly does one go about asking for something like that without making a complete idiot of ones self.' Hermione thought biting her lip.
As if sensing what Hermione had wanted most of all at that moment he leaned in to kiss her cheek. Hermione quickly turned her head catching his lips with hers instead, Draco, however, did not protest but depend the kiss. Hermione could feel the hunger inside her growing deeper as they became more and more engrossed in one another. She reached up and plunged her fingers into his silvery hair twisting her fingers in and out of the locks upon his head. Draco was tracing her fingers up and down her sides tickling her ever so slightly sending chills up and down her back. Draco's kisses became a little more demanding as he pulled Hermione tightly to his body she complied matching everyone of his movements. Each needing air they pulled back slowly their lips slowly parting.
"You did that on purpose." Draco leaned his forehead to hers.
"I-I did not." Hermione was blushing profusely as she stuttered her words out, it hadn't been her first kiss but it had certainly been her most heated one and with all people Draco Malfoy was the person she shared this with.
"I'm sure you didn't." Draco grinned cheekily. "What are your little friends going to say? Kissing the enemy granger? Tisk. Tisk." Draco shook his head as if he disapproved of her actions.
"Well you are too, what would your friends say? And you father?" She looked up into his steal eyes.
"Good point. But how are they to find out?" Draco shrugged his shoulders in a manner that suggested he really didn't care what anyone thought. He smiled slightly at her noticing her red cheeks.
"You know." She built up some confidence. "You are much more handsome when you smile instead of walking around with this awful look on your face like your smelling something rotten." She picked up the end of his scarf and began to fiddle with the fringe on the end braiding strands of it intertwined with her Gryffindor gold and scarlet one.
"You are a lot gentler then I ever thought you would be. I always imagined you like some kind of vampire or something. I mean not that I thought about kissing you before or anything." Hermione quickly looked down. Draco looked at her strangely. "I mean, well what I mean to say is that I always used to think: I pity the fool who has to ever kiss Draco Malfoy." Hermione laughed.
"That makes you the fool then, doesn't it?" Draco leaned against the glass wall.
"I suppose you're right. I don't feel foolish though." She paused in thought. "This is really weird." She grabbed his hand.
"You're babbling." He couldn't help but laugh at her.
"I am not! I'm just speaking my mind." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest. Draco grinned at her.
"I like your mouth better on mine then it babbling on and on about it being on mine." He leaned forward to take another kiss form her when the Eye stopped sending him forwards faster then he had expected. He held Hermione tight against the wall with his body on hers; his arms supported his weight so he wouldn't crush her to death. Hermione looked up into his eyes with surprise in her own.
"They must be letting passengers on and off" Hermione knew she was bright as the red on her sweater she had picked out to wear for the day.
"Good, that gives us more time." Draco dropped a hand down to her waist and pulled her body tight against his own and he bent down and gently began to suck on her collar bone, Hermione let out a small moan.
"Draco." She had actually wanted him to stop for a moment but he took this as an encouragement for him to keep going. He traced kisses up her neck getting closer and closer to her quivering lips.
"Your flight aboard the London Eye is coming to an end please prepare for unloading, we hope you have had a wonderful experience, thank you from all of us and have a safe and happy holiday." Draco pulled away quickly and looked around the tiny cabin.
"Who said that?!" His eyes roved the cabin looking for a sign of anyone who had been spying on them.
"That was the intercom, Draco." Hermione pointed to a speaker in the ceiling above their heads, she was thankful for the interruption, had Draco continued with what he was doing there was no telling what it would lead to and they would have to get off of the eye sooner or later. Hermione closed her eyes. She really liked the feeling of being in Draco's arms and having him hold her like that. It made her feel like she held something special that no one else could really touch, she had somehow broken down that cold barrier that he had built up around himself. 'This is all so strange.' She though. Hermione opened her eyes and looked over at Draco who was now staring up at the ceiling talking to himself in wonderment about the madness of muggles.
The Eye stopped again and the doors to their cabin were slid open, the same man who had escorted them onto the eye was the one letting them off. He eyed Hermione who was blushing profusely.
"Go get 'um mate." He patted Draco's back as he exited the capsule. Draco quickly reached up and grabbed his wrist and twisted it a little. The man's happy face twisted into one of confusion and fear.
"Don't touch me you filthy muggle or you'll soon find you'll have to worry about one last hand." He growled out in a low voice then pushed him roughly to the ground. Hermione stared mortified.
"Hermione." Draco called for her to fallow him as her brushed past her. Hermione mouthed a sorry to the man Draco had assaulted, he was being helped up to his feet by a few fellow employees who stared with astonishment after Draco.
"May I ask what exactly has gotten into you?" Hermione grabbed Draco's arm and hauled him to a stop. "You're acting very odd." She looked at him with a question in her eyes.
"Just because I've decided I want to be nice to a mudblood doesn't mean that I'm going to tolerate muggles putting there nasty hands all over me." Draco brushed hair out of his eyes that had fallen in his furry. Hermione's eyes teared up. Draco started to walk the same path that had taken them into the eye. He turned and looked at her with frustration in his eyes, There was a considerable gap between them and despite the area being a little crowded the air around them fell silent. Hermione's stomach was churning and she could feel hot tears spilling down her cheeks, Her shoulders slumped forward and her breath began to come out in small gasping sobs.
Draco's eyes lost their furry and his balled up fist relaxed at his sides, his posture slumped to mimic Hermione's and he let out a sigh. "What's wrong with me?" He asked out loud and looked intently at the snow as if the whiteness held some sort of answer. He had so many things inside of him to sort out. He had told and promised himself that he wouldn't let his father get to him but a fear of the man still lived inside of him, it wasn't just one of those things you could brush off with out another thought to it. Muggles seemed to be bringing out the worst in Draco lately but Hermione, whom he used to look at as worse then the muggles themselves, could bring out his best. He tired to get himself to believe that muggles weren't so bad but it had been mashed into his brain that muggles were the scum of the earth and no one had ever dared to utter opposite of this in fear of Lucius Malfoy's power and wrath.
"Hermione." Draco reached up and rubbed his temples. He trudged back to her and stood directly in front of her. Hermione bent her head down further the breeze caught her hair and tangled it in front of her face.
"I'm sorry, I just don't know what came over me. Hermione I know this is going to sound typical and like I'm just trying to make some excuse for myself but really, you need to understand that I'm not used to this. Muggles all around, bumping into me like its nothing treating me like I'm one of them."
"Draco you are one of them." Hermione interrupted him.
"How can you say that?" Draco scoffed at her his eyebrows knitted together and his eyes spelt out anger. How dare she make such a bold statement?
"Draco, what are you?" Hermione dismissed his question by asking her own, her voice was stronger now and a feeling of confidence washed over her.
"What am I, what are you getting at? I'm a Malfoy. I'm descendant of one of the oldest wizard families known to the race. I'm sure you've read about it in one of your little books of history." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Draco, look past that. Muggles don't know that you're a wizard. They don't even know that wizards exist. That's the way we want it, right? Our very own secret society that we keep the 'unworthy' out of." Hermione's tears were drying on her face now. "All they see is that you're just another human being." Hermione looked up at him. "And that's all you really are, you and me too, we just have a special gift, that's just how you have to think of it."
Draco's face relaxed and his mouth gapped open a little, he had never thought about it that way.
"You don't have to say anything, I know that you know I'm right. Be good Draco." Hermione stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, "Well now that, that's all over and done with do you want to co home or spend the day here in London?" Hermione took a step back from him.
"I really don't want to get back on that bus. Not until I'm in the right mind to sleep that is. I would like it to go by faster and if I sleep I know it will." Draco adjusted his coat on his shoulders deciding to let everything that just happened go. He seemed to be turning from Jeckle to Hyde constantly.
"Great!" Hermione was hoping he would want to say, she hadn't had a decent trip into London for quite some time.
"I'm sort of hungry, is it possible for us to stop for a bite?" Draco held his hand out for her to grab She took it in hers feeling a lot better than she had a little while before. She was sure that Draco could control himself and she was convinced he had him seeing things in a new light. "There is this wonderful little café, my father would take me there, its called Café Rouge, and we would always share a Dip." Hermione smiled softly at the childhood memory.
"The only thing my father and I shared.well never mind that you might start to cry again if I tell you." Draco looked over at her raising his eyebrows quickly and smirked.
"I was not crying." Hermione said, not wanting to admit that she had been emotionally distraught over Draco and the way he had been flipping back and forth with his emotions and views on her world.
"I saw you." Hermione only rolled her eyes in reaction to his comment. "See you were crying." He jabbed a finger into her side.
"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't, however, if I had been, which I'm not saying I was, it was only because I care about you." Hermione stuck her nose a little in the air.
"Care about me?" Draco said an air of pleasure in his voice. "The Granger, cares about me?" He was humoring her now.
"I do. And because I do I have decided to teach you a bit of manners." Hermione turned the corner at a busy street heading for the Café she had spoken so fondly of.
"Teach me manners? My manners are exceptional what could you possible teach me about manners what a load of rubbish. Manners." Draco narrowed his eyes a bit at the thought.
"We must have different ideas about what manners are, because if stomping on a man who helps you out of a room is the way Malfoy's were taught their manners then we have quite a bit of changing to do, that is, if you don't want to get thrown in the can or have some serious trouble fallowing you and I don't mean only from the magical side of the world but the muggle world as well. We can start at lunch." Hermione smiled brightly, another lesson to be taught. Funny how her lessons always seemed to lead to kisses though.
"How about I teach you manners?" Draco fastened his pace to keep up with Hermione who was taking bigger strides now seeing the Café Rouge neon lights ahead of her. "Again may I remind you that the café is going nowhere fast and we really don't have to be in a rush?" He pulled back on her hand slowing her down.
"Right." She smiled back at him a ting of a blush stained across her cheeks. "But you aren't teaching me any manners you have none to teach." Hermione waited in front of the door they had finally reached to the café. "Lesson one, any gentleman knows to open the door for a lady." Hermione waved her had at the door.
"I was going to do that but you distracted me." Draco heaved open the door and let her walk in before him. The found an open seat out on the patio and Draco sat, Hermione rolled her eyes when he did this. "Lesson two, any gentleman knows that he should always offer a lady her seat before he takes his own." Draco breathed out heavily and stood to pull her chair out for her, she took her seat and then nodded to him.
"You know you're getting really annoying." He leaned forward on the steal table before them.
"A gentleman never leans on a table, especially with his elbows." Hermione held up a finger as she explained yet another rule to him.
"Hermione." Draco said flatly shaking his head.
"Here come our waiter, remember a gentleman always orders for a lady, we're sharing a dip. He also always lets her choose the meal." Hermione ignored him giving him more tips.
"Good afternoon, ma'ma, sir." The waitress nodded politely to them both. "How has your day been so far today?"
"Absolutely fabulous." Hermione smiled up at him.
"Just wonderful." Draco said dully.
"It is an amazing day, isn't it?" She looked up to the sky. "Right than, what will you two be having today?" She looked over at Draco. Hermione smiled and waited for him to order. "Manners." She mouthed to him.
'I'll show her. Manners and conversation she wants, then that's what she'll get. F it all Granger." He huffed to himself then turned to the waitress and with the same enthusiasm she had shown the couple when she first walked up to the table Draco smiled and began his version of Hermione's manners. "It is a very nice day isn't it? My girl has been ranting on about this café of yours since we stepped foot and London. Is it really all that good?" He quickly glared over at Hermione who had a look of shock on her face.
"Yes all of its good!" Her round face smiled down on her.
"And I bet you've tried everything on the menu." Draco mumbled looking down. He than looked back up with a wide smile. "We're only here for the French dip, really." He shrugged his shoulders. "We'll be sharing it of course." He reached across the table and grabbed Hermione's hand. A look of question was in her eyes.
"It'll be right up!" She took off towards the kitchen area.
"Are you ill?" Hermione looked wide-eyed at him.
"You told me to be nice, mouthing manners and all at me. That was pretty rude if you want my take on it, she was liable to think you were making cracks to me about her size which I must say is rather large." Draco laughed and gave her hand a quick squeeze.
"Draco!" Hermione hissed. Draco only winked at her making her blush even more. "You do have to admit I'm right." He tried egging her on.
"Draco I am not going to form an opinion on someone based on their size." Hermione leaned across the table closer to him so she wouldn't have to raise her voice.
"It's only in fun Granger, take that boy over there. Kind of reminds me of Potter if you ask me." He pointed to a rather tall and skinny boy standing on the corner of the street near the café. "Is it going to kill him to say that I've seen dog bones with more meat on them than that?" Hermione let a little laugh escape. "See." Draco leaned forward shortening the gap between their faces. "You think it's funny and its really at no ones expense." He licked his lips.
"How did this go from a manners lesson to how to make cracks about someone without them knowing it?" Hermione noticed Draco eyeballing her and leaned back.
"I have perfect manners, I already told you so the conversation topic just changed from that, I felt like laughing." Draco took a drink from the water glass in front of him. "I'm starving." He held his stomach while it gurgled beneath his hands.
"French dips don't take that long to make she should be along any minute with it." Hermione looked over her shoulder to the kitchen doors waiting for her to come out with a tray.
"What are we doing after this? I should buy my mother something, she might just be crushed if I don't think of her while I'm off on holiday and dad just might have my head if I don't send something soon. He's not to hot on the idea of me being here in the first place." Draco's eyes lit up for a second. "Ah, here comes our plump friend, I hope she saves some of the dip for us." The waitress was bumbling her way towards the table. Hermione shook her head and looked down trying to hide the laugh she wanted to let out.
"Isn't that funny." Draco said to Hermione then stood from the table. "Here, I'll help you there, my friend here doesn't think that I have very good manners, maybe if I help you she'll change her mind." Draco took the try from the waitress and held it for her.
"Well I must say nothing like this has ever happened, how kind of you. I always seem to have trouble balancing these things." The waitress smiled at him as she set things on the table. Draco was attracting quite a bit of attention to himself. "There you are, that's the last of it." Draco handed her back the now empty tray. "Have a lovely day." He took his seat and laughed at Hermione who was hiding her face in the palms of her hands. "Enough manners for you? After all a true gentleman would never sit while a lady struggles with serving ones food, would he?" Draco took a half of the sandwich and began to eat.
"I love you sometimes, you know?" Hermione looked up at him her face was bright red from embarrassment during Draco's antics.
"Love me? Do you really?" Draco quirked an eyebrow.
"Oh come off it. You know what I meant." Hermione kicked him under the table. 'Very smooth," she told herself. She hadn't really realized what she had said and she wasn't sure that she loved Draco but she felt that she had feelings for him that were beginning to form. She hadn't wanted them to happen but it was like a snowball effect now that he wasn't so tense. She loved the little cracks he was making and the funny little quirks about him that were beginning to come out in the open. Draco was defiantly a special person who had a lot going for him if you could get under his skin and past that rough exterior. Hermione was grateful she had finally managed to do that.
"Do you think that if we go to one of those, what do you call them?" Draco paused in though. "Oh, shopping malls. Do you think that that would count for any of the things on our list?" Draco wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin.
"Maybe." Hermione smiled and took a bite of the dip. Draco had finished his half found himself staring at her like he had done before on many occasions. Hermione was really different outside of the walls of Hogwarts and away from the protective eyes of both Potter and Weasley. Draco could now see why they both enjoyed her company so much but Draco noticed one other thing that he never had thought about before, Hermione was really beautiful. Despite the ball of fluff on her head she had really grown up and it showed, he hair wasn't really that bad either, she had managed to tame it a little. Draco had found himself most admiring her lips, which were quickly becoming his favorite part of her.
"You know, you're beautiful Hermione." Draco said absentmindedly. Hermione looked at him, her jaw dropped a little but she quickly closed it realizing she was still in the middle of chewing.
"You think I'm beautiful?" Hermione was sure she felt her heart skip a beat. Draco nodded then half stood in his chair and reached over to take a kiss from her lips. It was a sweet gentle one just like their first one had been. "You've changed, or maybe it's just the way I'm looking at you now without the stress of school and the politics of friends saying who belongs with who and who is allowed to speak to whom." Draco rested a cheek on his fist. "Snakes and Griffins don't get along to well you know. Not that I care." Draco smiled.
"For once I'm glad you don't care about something." Hermione took the last bite of dip. "All ready?" She stood from the table leaving the money for the bill under a water glass.
"Ready." Draco reached for her hand.
"Tomorrow is Christmas you know." Hermione looked up, the snow had begun to fall again over the city giving it an even more festive feel.
"Of course I know. What do you want? I guess I should get you something shouldn't I?" Draco brushed a few flakes off of the top of her head of hair.
"You don't have to Draco, just you being kind to me is really enough, just keep it up and be nice to my parents will you?" Hermione hugged him suddenly. He wrapped his arms around her in response. "I got cold." She snuggled into him more.
"Oh is that all?" Draco tightened his grip around her. "You really should have worn more, it's freezing out here." He kissed her forehead; her skin was warm on his lips. "You feel warm to me though, for someone who is complaining of being so cold."
"Well I'm not." She shoved her hands into his pants pockets from around the back. "My hands are really cold." She bent her head down and rested it on his shoulder smiling to herself, almost laughing, she could feel the heat of a blush coming off of Draco's cheeks from what she had just done.
"We-well, w-warmer now?" Draco coughed a little and stumbled over his own words, he sounded as bad as Professor Quirll.
"A bit. I'm ready now." She was feeling a little playful and it really did feel good to have Draco on the other side of things being embarrassed rather then her. She gave him a little squeeze to the rear before sliding her hands out of his pockets and continuing down the walkway.
Draco reached up and felt his own cheeks they burned under his fingers. "Did that just happen?" He asked himself and stared after Hermione wide eyed, she looked back at him with a devious smile on her face. "Dear lord." He swallowed a lump in his throat and pushed back his hair. "That really did just happen."
Next chapter: Twas the Night. MWAHAHAHA!
I really need to start writing chapters where I don't have to do any research (blah!) this time I went: http://www.caferouge.co.uk/ right there! But the site didn't help much. I'm not sure if it's far from the eye. For the sake of the story let us hope it's in walking distance and in America Cafés sell grinder and French dips (both sandwiches) So I hope they also sell them in the UK at cafes too.
Also, I just realized that you had to be a member or signed in to review this story! I didn't even know! So I changed that, if you haven't had a chance to and you wanted to review back then please feel free to now and I'm really sorry that option was not open to you before. Sorry this chapter took forever and a day! This story might start to get a little racy.like in the next chapter nothing to lemon-flavored though. LOL just take note of the rating for the next chapter I guess.
To those who Reviewed (I love you all!): (Note: Next chapter I'm going to move these to the bottom.)
Lancer: Thank you for the tips, if I have any more slip-ups just let me know! I really have no way of knowing, you know? Thanks for the review
Molly-chan (and co?!): Yes! Go Draco; Hermione gets to have a little fun and "go Hermione-ness" at the end of this chapter! Thanks for the review!
Acnea: I know you said to write more quickly and I swear the chapter after this will come a lot faster, this one came very slowly (I had a ton of test this week.) Thanks for the review.
Paper Star: Draco, biscuits & bondage KAHAHAHA!! I had really wanted to go that way with this story but I don't think we're all ready but I have the next chapter all planed in my head its going to be called "Twas the night" and you can only imagine what's going to happen. My ratings going to go up I'm sure. Thank you for your review!
Lil-Spitfire: Go and tell me all about it! I want to go so badly!! I'm crying over here! Lol. Thank you for the review!
WormmonABC: What took me so long? To have them kiss you mean? I didn't want to rush It I guess, but now they have kissed and a whole new world has opened up for me, thank god I can write more freely now. Thanks for the review and mail.
Steff: Yes, Evil Draco is very sexy. I love the bad boys!! Thanks for the review.
Telemoo37: MOO! I hope I get to go there to it looks and sounds so cool fwee! Thanks for the review!
Book-Lover-210: Lol, I don't know what to say! Le agree ^^ Thanks for the review!
No Name: I'm glad you do, I do to! Thanks for the review.
S-Star: Did I really? I'm amazed at myself. LOL I thought I would be way off. (I know I got some things wrong but hey! ^^ Anyway, thank you for the review!
Draco Lover: A lot of people are glad they kissed, I'm glad they are to because now I get to have fun writing for them. Thanks for the review
Kai Shikaido: KAI! Thank you for the wonderful complements! I try my hardest. Sorry this chapter took so long, poo. I really wanted to get it out faster and I could have but I was having trouble with a few parts, I wanted to keep going but I had to break it off for reasons that really aren't still clear to me.but the next chapters going to be fun. Mwahaha. Thanks for the review!
Risquer: I rock! Whoot. Lol, Thank you for the review I'm so sorry this chapter took forever!
PheonixDreamer (I lover your name): Yeah, it's better to not rush two people who normally hate each other into a love fest lol. Thanks for the review.
Couch-Potato: I think so too! What an odd couple but its defiantly my favorite! I love Draco's hair. (that was random) he he. Thanks for the review!
Loves-kiss: More is here and soon will be the next. (Get it?) Anyway. Thank you so much for the review.
Lightningfire: I'm glad you like my story I wish everyone did. LOL thank you for the review.
Pudmuffin: The next chapter will be out much sooner then this one trust me and I'm going to try and get as much up before the end of this week before I leave for the winter week. But LOTR comes out next week.hum I know I'm seeing it twice already. Oh well I'll find time to write! Thanks for the review!
Broken-Hermione: I want him to! No freakin' fair!! You should go to the Eye, I would love to but there is an ocean between it and Me. LOL Thanks for the review!
Individualists: My break is starting soon to lol I feel your happiness! ^^ Thanks for the review. (?)
Sammie: He, I'm trying not to make it to mushy but thank you for your review!
DiOsA4u: WEE! Thank you again for your little nudge in the right direction, the next chapter after this is going to be so much fun for me kee-hee. I think I'll start writing it now! Thank you always for your great reviews!!
Chapter Six: Snakes and Griffins
Hermione stayed in Draco's arms looking out at the vast skyline of London. Suddenly lessons of muggle History didn't seem so important anymore, she felt him shift underneath her and then the weight of his chin was on her shoulder. Hermione licked her lips yearning to taste him again.
"Draco?" She turned her head slightly to see his face. He looked the most content he had thought the course of his stay with the Granger family.
"You want to know why I kissed you, don't you?" He smiled slightly at her.
"Well yes." She said with a little hesitancy in her voice. All she really wanted was another magical kiss 'But how exactly does one go about asking for something like that without making a complete idiot of ones self.' Hermione thought biting her lip.
As if sensing what Hermione had wanted most of all at that moment he leaned in to kiss her cheek. Hermione quickly turned her head catching his lips with hers instead, Draco, however, did not protest but depend the kiss. Hermione could feel the hunger inside her growing deeper as they became more and more engrossed in one another. She reached up and plunged her fingers into his silvery hair twisting her fingers in and out of the locks upon his head. Draco was tracing her fingers up and down her sides tickling her ever so slightly sending chills up and down her back. Draco's kisses became a little more demanding as he pulled Hermione tightly to his body she complied matching everyone of his movements. Each needing air they pulled back slowly their lips slowly parting.
"You did that on purpose." Draco leaned his forehead to hers.
"I-I did not." Hermione was blushing profusely as she stuttered her words out, it hadn't been her first kiss but it had certainly been her most heated one and with all people Draco Malfoy was the person she shared this with.
"I'm sure you didn't." Draco grinned cheekily. "What are your little friends going to say? Kissing the enemy granger? Tisk. Tisk." Draco shook his head as if he disapproved of her actions.
"Well you are too, what would your friends say? And you father?" She looked up into his steal eyes.
"Good point. But how are they to find out?" Draco shrugged his shoulders in a manner that suggested he really didn't care what anyone thought. He smiled slightly at her noticing her red cheeks.
"You know." She built up some confidence. "You are much more handsome when you smile instead of walking around with this awful look on your face like your smelling something rotten." She picked up the end of his scarf and began to fiddle with the fringe on the end braiding strands of it intertwined with her Gryffindor gold and scarlet one.
"You are a lot gentler then I ever thought you would be. I always imagined you like some kind of vampire or something. I mean not that I thought about kissing you before or anything." Hermione quickly looked down. Draco looked at her strangely. "I mean, well what I mean to say is that I always used to think: I pity the fool who has to ever kiss Draco Malfoy." Hermione laughed.
"That makes you the fool then, doesn't it?" Draco leaned against the glass wall.
"I suppose you're right. I don't feel foolish though." She paused in thought. "This is really weird." She grabbed his hand.
"You're babbling." He couldn't help but laugh at her.
"I am not! I'm just speaking my mind." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest. Draco grinned at her.
"I like your mouth better on mine then it babbling on and on about it being on mine." He leaned forward to take another kiss form her when the Eye stopped sending him forwards faster then he had expected. He held Hermione tight against the wall with his body on hers; his arms supported his weight so he wouldn't crush her to death. Hermione looked up into his eyes with surprise in her own.
"They must be letting passengers on and off" Hermione knew she was bright as the red on her sweater she had picked out to wear for the day.
"Good, that gives us more time." Draco dropped a hand down to her waist and pulled her body tight against his own and he bent down and gently began to suck on her collar bone, Hermione let out a small moan.
"Draco." She had actually wanted him to stop for a moment but he took this as an encouragement for him to keep going. He traced kisses up her neck getting closer and closer to her quivering lips.
"Your flight aboard the London Eye is coming to an end please prepare for unloading, we hope you have had a wonderful experience, thank you from all of us and have a safe and happy holiday." Draco pulled away quickly and looked around the tiny cabin.
"Who said that?!" His eyes roved the cabin looking for a sign of anyone who had been spying on them.
"That was the intercom, Draco." Hermione pointed to a speaker in the ceiling above their heads, she was thankful for the interruption, had Draco continued with what he was doing there was no telling what it would lead to and they would have to get off of the eye sooner or later. Hermione closed her eyes. She really liked the feeling of being in Draco's arms and having him hold her like that. It made her feel like she held something special that no one else could really touch, she had somehow broken down that cold barrier that he had built up around himself. 'This is all so strange.' She though. Hermione opened her eyes and looked over at Draco who was now staring up at the ceiling talking to himself in wonderment about the madness of muggles.
The Eye stopped again and the doors to their cabin were slid open, the same man who had escorted them onto the eye was the one letting them off. He eyed Hermione who was blushing profusely.
"Go get 'um mate." He patted Draco's back as he exited the capsule. Draco quickly reached up and grabbed his wrist and twisted it a little. The man's happy face twisted into one of confusion and fear.
"Don't touch me you filthy muggle or you'll soon find you'll have to worry about one last hand." He growled out in a low voice then pushed him roughly to the ground. Hermione stared mortified.
"Hermione." Draco called for her to fallow him as her brushed past her. Hermione mouthed a sorry to the man Draco had assaulted, he was being helped up to his feet by a few fellow employees who stared with astonishment after Draco.
"May I ask what exactly has gotten into you?" Hermione grabbed Draco's arm and hauled him to a stop. "You're acting very odd." She looked at him with a question in her eyes.
"Just because I've decided I want to be nice to a mudblood doesn't mean that I'm going to tolerate muggles putting there nasty hands all over me." Draco brushed hair out of his eyes that had fallen in his furry. Hermione's eyes teared up. Draco started to walk the same path that had taken them into the eye. He turned and looked at her with frustration in his eyes, There was a considerable gap between them and despite the area being a little crowded the air around them fell silent. Hermione's stomach was churning and she could feel hot tears spilling down her cheeks, Her shoulders slumped forward and her breath began to come out in small gasping sobs.
Draco's eyes lost their furry and his balled up fist relaxed at his sides, his posture slumped to mimic Hermione's and he let out a sigh. "What's wrong with me?" He asked out loud and looked intently at the snow as if the whiteness held some sort of answer. He had so many things inside of him to sort out. He had told and promised himself that he wouldn't let his father get to him but a fear of the man still lived inside of him, it wasn't just one of those things you could brush off with out another thought to it. Muggles seemed to be bringing out the worst in Draco lately but Hermione, whom he used to look at as worse then the muggles themselves, could bring out his best. He tired to get himself to believe that muggles weren't so bad but it had been mashed into his brain that muggles were the scum of the earth and no one had ever dared to utter opposite of this in fear of Lucius Malfoy's power and wrath.
"Hermione." Draco reached up and rubbed his temples. He trudged back to her and stood directly in front of her. Hermione bent her head down further the breeze caught her hair and tangled it in front of her face.
"I'm sorry, I just don't know what came over me. Hermione I know this is going to sound typical and like I'm just trying to make some excuse for myself but really, you need to understand that I'm not used to this. Muggles all around, bumping into me like its nothing treating me like I'm one of them."
"Draco you are one of them." Hermione interrupted him.
"How can you say that?" Draco scoffed at her his eyebrows knitted together and his eyes spelt out anger. How dare she make such a bold statement?
"Draco, what are you?" Hermione dismissed his question by asking her own, her voice was stronger now and a feeling of confidence washed over her.
"What am I, what are you getting at? I'm a Malfoy. I'm descendant of one of the oldest wizard families known to the race. I'm sure you've read about it in one of your little books of history." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Draco, look past that. Muggles don't know that you're a wizard. They don't even know that wizards exist. That's the way we want it, right? Our very own secret society that we keep the 'unworthy' out of." Hermione's tears were drying on her face now. "All they see is that you're just another human being." Hermione looked up at him. "And that's all you really are, you and me too, we just have a special gift, that's just how you have to think of it."
Draco's face relaxed and his mouth gapped open a little, he had never thought about it that way.
"You don't have to say anything, I know that you know I'm right. Be good Draco." Hermione stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, "Well now that, that's all over and done with do you want to co home or spend the day here in London?" Hermione took a step back from him.
"I really don't want to get back on that bus. Not until I'm in the right mind to sleep that is. I would like it to go by faster and if I sleep I know it will." Draco adjusted his coat on his shoulders deciding to let everything that just happened go. He seemed to be turning from Jeckle to Hyde constantly.
"Great!" Hermione was hoping he would want to say, she hadn't had a decent trip into London for quite some time.
"I'm sort of hungry, is it possible for us to stop for a bite?" Draco held his hand out for her to grab She took it in hers feeling a lot better than she had a little while before. She was sure that Draco could control himself and she was convinced he had him seeing things in a new light. "There is this wonderful little café, my father would take me there, its called Café Rouge, and we would always share a Dip." Hermione smiled softly at the childhood memory.
"The only thing my father and I shared.well never mind that you might start to cry again if I tell you." Draco looked over at her raising his eyebrows quickly and smirked.
"I was not crying." Hermione said, not wanting to admit that she had been emotionally distraught over Draco and the way he had been flipping back and forth with his emotions and views on her world.
"I saw you." Hermione only rolled her eyes in reaction to his comment. "See you were crying." He jabbed a finger into her side.
"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't, however, if I had been, which I'm not saying I was, it was only because I care about you." Hermione stuck her nose a little in the air.
"Care about me?" Draco said an air of pleasure in his voice. "The Granger, cares about me?" He was humoring her now.
"I do. And because I do I have decided to teach you a bit of manners." Hermione turned the corner at a busy street heading for the Café she had spoken so fondly of.
"Teach me manners? My manners are exceptional what could you possible teach me about manners what a load of rubbish. Manners." Draco narrowed his eyes a bit at the thought.
"We must have different ideas about what manners are, because if stomping on a man who helps you out of a room is the way Malfoy's were taught their manners then we have quite a bit of changing to do, that is, if you don't want to get thrown in the can or have some serious trouble fallowing you and I don't mean only from the magical side of the world but the muggle world as well. We can start at lunch." Hermione smiled brightly, another lesson to be taught. Funny how her lessons always seemed to lead to kisses though.
"How about I teach you manners?" Draco fastened his pace to keep up with Hermione who was taking bigger strides now seeing the Café Rouge neon lights ahead of her. "Again may I remind you that the café is going nowhere fast and we really don't have to be in a rush?" He pulled back on her hand slowing her down.
"Right." She smiled back at him a ting of a blush stained across her cheeks. "But you aren't teaching me any manners you have none to teach." Hermione waited in front of the door they had finally reached to the café. "Lesson one, any gentleman knows to open the door for a lady." Hermione waved her had at the door.
"I was going to do that but you distracted me." Draco heaved open the door and let her walk in before him. The found an open seat out on the patio and Draco sat, Hermione rolled her eyes when he did this. "Lesson two, any gentleman knows that he should always offer a lady her seat before he takes his own." Draco breathed out heavily and stood to pull her chair out for her, she took her seat and then nodded to him.
"You know you're getting really annoying." He leaned forward on the steal table before them.
"A gentleman never leans on a table, especially with his elbows." Hermione held up a finger as she explained yet another rule to him.
"Hermione." Draco said flatly shaking his head.
"Here come our waiter, remember a gentleman always orders for a lady, we're sharing a dip. He also always lets her choose the meal." Hermione ignored him giving him more tips.
"Good afternoon, ma'ma, sir." The waitress nodded politely to them both. "How has your day been so far today?"
"Absolutely fabulous." Hermione smiled up at him.
"Just wonderful." Draco said dully.
"It is an amazing day, isn't it?" She looked up to the sky. "Right than, what will you two be having today?" She looked over at Draco. Hermione smiled and waited for him to order. "Manners." She mouthed to him.
'I'll show her. Manners and conversation she wants, then that's what she'll get. F it all Granger." He huffed to himself then turned to the waitress and with the same enthusiasm she had shown the couple when she first walked up to the table Draco smiled and began his version of Hermione's manners. "It is a very nice day isn't it? My girl has been ranting on about this café of yours since we stepped foot and London. Is it really all that good?" He quickly glared over at Hermione who had a look of shock on her face.
"Yes all of its good!" Her round face smiled down on her.
"And I bet you've tried everything on the menu." Draco mumbled looking down. He than looked back up with a wide smile. "We're only here for the French dip, really." He shrugged his shoulders. "We'll be sharing it of course." He reached across the table and grabbed Hermione's hand. A look of question was in her eyes.
"It'll be right up!" She took off towards the kitchen area.
"Are you ill?" Hermione looked wide-eyed at him.
"You told me to be nice, mouthing manners and all at me. That was pretty rude if you want my take on it, she was liable to think you were making cracks to me about her size which I must say is rather large." Draco laughed and gave her hand a quick squeeze.
"Draco!" Hermione hissed. Draco only winked at her making her blush even more. "You do have to admit I'm right." He tried egging her on.
"Draco I am not going to form an opinion on someone based on their size." Hermione leaned across the table closer to him so she wouldn't have to raise her voice.
"It's only in fun Granger, take that boy over there. Kind of reminds me of Potter if you ask me." He pointed to a rather tall and skinny boy standing on the corner of the street near the café. "Is it going to kill him to say that I've seen dog bones with more meat on them than that?" Hermione let a little laugh escape. "See." Draco leaned forward shortening the gap between their faces. "You think it's funny and its really at no ones expense." He licked his lips.
"How did this go from a manners lesson to how to make cracks about someone without them knowing it?" Hermione noticed Draco eyeballing her and leaned back.
"I have perfect manners, I already told you so the conversation topic just changed from that, I felt like laughing." Draco took a drink from the water glass in front of him. "I'm starving." He held his stomach while it gurgled beneath his hands.
"French dips don't take that long to make she should be along any minute with it." Hermione looked over her shoulder to the kitchen doors waiting for her to come out with a tray.
"What are we doing after this? I should buy my mother something, she might just be crushed if I don't think of her while I'm off on holiday and dad just might have my head if I don't send something soon. He's not to hot on the idea of me being here in the first place." Draco's eyes lit up for a second. "Ah, here comes our plump friend, I hope she saves some of the dip for us." The waitress was bumbling her way towards the table. Hermione shook her head and looked down trying to hide the laugh she wanted to let out.
"Isn't that funny." Draco said to Hermione then stood from the table. "Here, I'll help you there, my friend here doesn't think that I have very good manners, maybe if I help you she'll change her mind." Draco took the try from the waitress and held it for her.
"Well I must say nothing like this has ever happened, how kind of you. I always seem to have trouble balancing these things." The waitress smiled at him as she set things on the table. Draco was attracting quite a bit of attention to himself. "There you are, that's the last of it." Draco handed her back the now empty tray. "Have a lovely day." He took his seat and laughed at Hermione who was hiding her face in the palms of her hands. "Enough manners for you? After all a true gentleman would never sit while a lady struggles with serving ones food, would he?" Draco took a half of the sandwich and began to eat.
"I love you sometimes, you know?" Hermione looked up at him her face was bright red from embarrassment during Draco's antics.
"Love me? Do you really?" Draco quirked an eyebrow.
"Oh come off it. You know what I meant." Hermione kicked him under the table. 'Very smooth," she told herself. She hadn't really realized what she had said and she wasn't sure that she loved Draco but she felt that she had feelings for him that were beginning to form. She hadn't wanted them to happen but it was like a snowball effect now that he wasn't so tense. She loved the little cracks he was making and the funny little quirks about him that were beginning to come out in the open. Draco was defiantly a special person who had a lot going for him if you could get under his skin and past that rough exterior. Hermione was grateful she had finally managed to do that.
"Do you think that if we go to one of those, what do you call them?" Draco paused in though. "Oh, shopping malls. Do you think that that would count for any of the things on our list?" Draco wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin.
"Maybe." Hermione smiled and took a bite of the dip. Draco had finished his half found himself staring at her like he had done before on many occasions. Hermione was really different outside of the walls of Hogwarts and away from the protective eyes of both Potter and Weasley. Draco could now see why they both enjoyed her company so much but Draco noticed one other thing that he never had thought about before, Hermione was really beautiful. Despite the ball of fluff on her head she had really grown up and it showed, he hair wasn't really that bad either, she had managed to tame it a little. Draco had found himself most admiring her lips, which were quickly becoming his favorite part of her.
"You know, you're beautiful Hermione." Draco said absentmindedly. Hermione looked at him, her jaw dropped a little but she quickly closed it realizing she was still in the middle of chewing.
"You think I'm beautiful?" Hermione was sure she felt her heart skip a beat. Draco nodded then half stood in his chair and reached over to take a kiss from her lips. It was a sweet gentle one just like their first one had been. "You've changed, or maybe it's just the way I'm looking at you now without the stress of school and the politics of friends saying who belongs with who and who is allowed to speak to whom." Draco rested a cheek on his fist. "Snakes and Griffins don't get along to well you know. Not that I care." Draco smiled.
"For once I'm glad you don't care about something." Hermione took the last bite of dip. "All ready?" She stood from the table leaving the money for the bill under a water glass.
"Ready." Draco reached for her hand.
"Tomorrow is Christmas you know." Hermione looked up, the snow had begun to fall again over the city giving it an even more festive feel.
"Of course I know. What do you want? I guess I should get you something shouldn't I?" Draco brushed a few flakes off of the top of her head of hair.
"You don't have to Draco, just you being kind to me is really enough, just keep it up and be nice to my parents will you?" Hermione hugged him suddenly. He wrapped his arms around her in response. "I got cold." She snuggled into him more.
"Oh is that all?" Draco tightened his grip around her. "You really should have worn more, it's freezing out here." He kissed her forehead; her skin was warm on his lips. "You feel warm to me though, for someone who is complaining of being so cold."
"Well I'm not." She shoved her hands into his pants pockets from around the back. "My hands are really cold." She bent her head down and rested it on his shoulder smiling to herself, almost laughing, she could feel the heat of a blush coming off of Draco's cheeks from what she had just done.
"We-well, w-warmer now?" Draco coughed a little and stumbled over his own words, he sounded as bad as Professor Quirll.
"A bit. I'm ready now." She was feeling a little playful and it really did feel good to have Draco on the other side of things being embarrassed rather then her. She gave him a little squeeze to the rear before sliding her hands out of his pockets and continuing down the walkway.
Draco reached up and felt his own cheeks they burned under his fingers. "Did that just happen?" He asked himself and stared after Hermione wide eyed, she looked back at him with a devious smile on her face. "Dear lord." He swallowed a lump in his throat and pushed back his hair. "That really did just happen."
Next chapter: Twas the Night. MWAHAHAHA!