The Passion of a Dragon
By: xKatx
Author's Notes: Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!
Update on my NEW STORY: I've got fourteen pages of notes/plans/ideas for my new story! I've been researching it all—every little thing that could possibly be in my story. I've gotten my information from www.hp-lexicon.org It's a really nice site that has SOOOO much info your head will pop off if you try and remember it all! lol But I suggest it to any HP writers who want to be more thorough and correct in their descriptions/settings/etc. It's a very good site!
Anyway, the title of my new fic I'm planning is Substitute for Love—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::
Disclaimer: I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.
Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:
no new characters
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...She stared at him, wondering what he was going to do. She felt her heart jump into her throat once more. She was just about to say something when his hand moved from her arm around her waist, instantly pressing their lips together. She nearly gasped with shock, but quickly put her arms around his neck, letting herself sink into the kiss. His lips danced with hers, his hands on her back. She felt butterflies in her stomach, his strong masculine arms wrapping around her.
She pulled away, desperate for oxygen, but still wanting to be close to him. She pressed her forehead to his and looked at him.
"So," she said softly, "What now?"
He smirked, "Well, I think now we prepare for all the talk that's going to be going around the school about us."
Her small smile faded slightly, "Listen, Draco—"
"Time's up, Miss Granger," Madame Pomfrey called as she walked out of her office, only a few feet away.
Hermione quickly pulled away from him, and he swung his feet back onto the bed.
"Right," Hermione said, "When is he going to be out, Madame Pomfrey?"
The nurse looked at Hermione, and then inspected Malfoy with a keen eye, "I expect he'll be out tomorrow morning," she replied.
Hermione nodded, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, Malfoy."
He nodded, understanding that until they discussed things more, they were to continue putting on the act that they disliked each other.
She left the Hospital Wing and decided she needed to have a talk with all of her friends.
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Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room later that night when only Ron, Harry, Lavender, Ginny, Parvati and Seamus were there.
"Hey, 'Mione," they all greeted her as they sat around the fire.
She couldn't smile because she feared their reactions to what she was about to tell them, "Hello," she greeted them, sitting down on the floor in front of the couch and chairs they'd pulled in front of the fire.
Harry and Ron looked at her quizzically, "What's wrong, 'Mione?"
She paused, rubbing her hands on the thighs of her jeans, "Well," she began, her voice shaking so obviously that all six of her friends exchanged worried glances, "I... well I need to d-discuss something with all of you."
They nodded, sitting straighter and waiting to hear what had shaken their friend up so badly.
"Well, I guess I should start at the very beginning," she began, but Ron interrupted her.
"That's always a good place," he told her with a joking smile.
She nodded with a weak grin, but still couldn't calm herself down, "I need to ask one favor of all of you," she said.
"Anything," Harry responded immediately.
She sighed, pulling out her wand, "I need you all to stay completely silent until I finish everything—"
"Silencio!" She said, pointing to all of them. They were shocked that she'd taking these measures, but obviously could not verbally object.
She pocketed her wand, "I'm sorry I have to be so extreme, but you, Ron, are notorious for angry outbursts."
He blushed sheepishly as she began.
"Do you all remember last year, at the battle?"
The six Gryffindors nodded grimly.
"Well, umm... Harry, more specifically, do you remember when you saw Malfoy had cornered me against a tree and you hexed him?"
Harry nodded.
Hermione's voice continued to shake, "Well, umm... he hadn't exactly cornered me... he was..." she paused, taking a breath, "Well, believe it or not, only seconds earlier, he'd...he'd kissed me."
The expressions on their faces were enough to make anyone break out into hysterical laughter. All of their mouths formed immediate "O's" and they gave her looks of disbelief.
"Yeah, believe it or not he kissed me," she said, laughing nervously, "Anyway, ever since we came back this year, he's been remarkably civil—no insults I've never heard before," she paused again, taking a breath, "But after the whole prophecy thing came up...well... things started happening."
Ron and Seamus gave her puzzled looks while the other four seemed to have an idea of what she was talking about.
"He started offering me 'power' and 'money', and you guys know I don't have anything to do with that," she said, and they nodded, "And then he started offering me happiness... and... that's... well, that's when things changed."
She paused, needing a moment to think of how to tell them the next part.
"Well, I'm not going to lie to you guys," Hermione said, "And Harry, all of this will make sense to you now," He nodded, waiting, "Malfoy and I have snogged twice."
Ron's mouth started moving at an alarming speed, and Hermione was ever grateful she'd silenced him.
"Listen, Ron!" She asked, "There was nothing we could do about it—it was like this... this cosmic force or something was pushing us together. I swear to the Gods, I haven't slept with him or anything...but I'm being completely honest with you, since I've researched some things, I'm pretty sure Malfoy and I are the ones who have to fulfill the prophecy."
In one split second, every angry emotion in each of their faces died away. It was then that they realized if Hermione and Malfoy didn't fulfill the prophecy, they would die (not that losing Malfoy would be a terrible thing.)
"Now, I'm going to take the charm off of you, but all of you have to promise you won't storm off," she said.
They all shook their heads (Ron, albeit, reluctantly). With a wave of her wand, they could speak again.
"Hermione, was Malfoy the one you were telling me about?" Harry asked.
She nodded, and he smirked, "I knew it. I knew it. Today, at the Quidditch match—the expression on your face when he got hit."
"Hold on just one bloody minute," Ron said, "You're telling me you actually like this git?"
Hermione shrugged, "I mean, a year ago I didn't at all, but now with the prophecy and all..."
"Are you telling me that this fate thing has made you fall for Malfoy? What if after it's fulfilled, you don't like him anymore?"
"I doubt it, Ron," she said, "Because the last two that fulfilled it got married."
Ron's eyes became the size of platters, "You're kidding."
She shook her head.
"So what now?" Ginny asked, being the only one besides Ron and Harry to have spoken yet.
"Well, he wants the entire school to know," she admitted, "I guess that we're to be 'an item' or whatever..."
"But?" Harry quipped.
"But, we haven't discussed a lot of things that we need to," Hermione said, "Like my have no tolerance to him trying to curse or hex any of you."
Ron smiled, but she looked at him, "But I won't have any tolerance for you guys doing anything to him either."
"What about in a Quidditch match?" Seamus asked, finally speaking up.
"Well, I have no control over that, do I?" She asked.
Ron wrinkled his nose, "'Mione, you're not going to be all over him in public, are you?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Ronald Weasley, do you really think that I would do something like that?"
He thought for a moment, "No, not really."
"What about his dad?" Harry asked.
She shrugged, "That's his department. Mine was you guys. And I must say, you're all taking it rather well."
"Well, 'Mione, considering this prophecy could kill you if you don't fulfill it, we don't have much choice in the matter," Lavender said quietly. She elbowed Ron, and he nodded reluctantly again.
"I don't like it at all, 'Mione—in fact, had it not been Fate's decision, I probably would have been out of here already," he admitted, "But—since neither of you have any control over it—"
"Yes, and now," Parvati interrupted with a smile, "We finally see who has won the war: Hermione, isn't Malfoy hot?"
She rolled her eyes, "Damn near gorgeous," she admitted.
Parvati laughed and looked at the three boys, "Looks like you guys lost!"
Hermione laughed as she got up and all seven of them hugged, "Thank you guys so much for understanding," she said, tears flooding her eyes.
"Would we be good friends if we didn't?" Harry questioned, and the others made murmurs of agreement.
"No, I suppose not, but you guys had every right to hate me, and you didn't."
They were just about to reply when Seamus' muffled voice could be heard.
"Cripes, I'm being squished!"
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The next day passed quickly—Malfoy was released from the Hospital Wing, but couldn't seem to find Hermione anywhere, considering she was holed up in the library with the prefects, discussing the Christmas Ball.
He was just walking back from the Slytherin dungeons, having informed Blaise, Ivan, Mikail, and Devin of what was going on. They took it amazingly well, congratulating him over getting such a "hot young lady."
"Ohhh Draco, there you are!" Pansy purred, coming up beside him and putting her arm through his, "I was so worried when you were hurt yesterday—"
"I'll bet," he replied dully, not in the mood to put up with her childish games.
"Well anyways, I wanted to know if you'd be interested in going to the Christmas Ball with me??" She gave him puppy-dog eye that disgusted him to no end.
"Umm, no, Pansy, I'm not even sure I will be going," he informed her.
Her face fell and returned to the look of a pug that it always had, "Oh. Well, if you change your mind.." she let the sentence hang as she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, him shuddering at the gesture.
"Bye, Draco!" She called as she made her way back to the dungeons.
He shook his head in disgust as he looked at his watch, learning it was eight-thirty already.
He made his way to the common room portrait.
"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy," Elvira said.
"'Evening, Miss Elvira," he told her.
She smiled at him, "How have you been doing?"
"All right," he replied, "And you?"
She shrugged, "Just busy catching up on all the gossip about this prophecy."
Upon hearing the word prophecy, his head jerked up, "You know about the prophecy?"
"Well of course," she said, "I was here the last time it was fulfilled."
He stood for a moment, "You knew the two who fulfilled it last time?"
She nodded, "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I do. I guarded this portrait hole for them just as I have for you."
At that moment, it felt like a ton of bricks had fallen onto him. Draco Malfoy understood exactly what had been going on that year. Every one hundred years, the man and woman who stepped through that Heads Dormitory portrait hole were the ones to fulfill the prophecy.
He paused a moment before nodding, "I see. Thank you, Miss Elvira," he told her, "Infinigus."
"You're quite welcome, Mr. Malfoy," she replied with an all-knowing smile.
He walked into the common room and saw that Hermione was not there, nor was her light on in her room.
He stood, puzzled for a moment at where she was. He shook it off, walking into his room and to the window to open it.
It was then that he saw a small figure laying under a tree near the lake. And he knew exactly who that small figure was.
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Hermione lay in the cool grass, thankful she'd worn her gray American Eagle hooded sweatshirt, considering the wind was rather brisk. She caught a leaf that fell from the branches above her, and twirled it around before noticing a caterpillar was crawling onto her hand.
She brushed it off, pulled her knees up so her feet were on the ground, wiping her hand on her jeans in hopes of ridding the feeling of the bug crawling on her.
Malfoy approached her in the quickly fading sunlight, smirking at how comfortable she looked in her sweatshirt, jeans, and running shoes.
"Comfortable?" He questioned.
She didn't look up, knowing exactly who it was that was talking to her, "Yes, actually."
He smirked as she moved over, allowing him to lay down on his back, some of the ground already warmed from where she'd been laying.
They stared up as the stars began to come out, one by one, twinkling their presence in the disappearing sunlight.
"We need to talk about some things," he said at last, his voice very low, so as not to disrupt the quiet of the night too much.
Hermione nodded, turning her head to look at him, "Yeah, we do. I already spoke with Harry and Ron and all them."
He nodded, "I spoke with Blaise and Ivan and the lot."
"And?" She questioned.
He smirked, "No, you go first. My crew isn't the type to tear your head off; yours is."
She rolled her eyes with a smile, "Well, they weren't pleased about it at all—" she paused, "Well, Ron, Harry and Seamus weren't pleased about it at all, but the girls were."
Malfoy cocked an eyebrow, "Oh really?"
She nodded, "I'd better explain."
"Oh yes, you'd better," he said with a smirk.
She looked back up at the sky, "Well, at the beginning of the year, Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny saw what you looked like now, and from then on it's been an ongoing feud between the boys and those girls. The girls say you're drop dead gorgeous, and the boys, obviously, do not think that."
Malfoy couldn't contain the laughter at the expressions Hermione made when she told the story, "And I'm guessing you were the deciding vote?"
Hermione blushed a little, "Yeah, I was."
"And?" He quipped, pulling down the sleeves of his black turtleneck sweater.
"Well, in the beginning I helped the boys win," she said, "But as of late—"
"The girls have been winning?" Malfoy guessed.
She nodded sheepishly, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Why so ashamed?"
She shrugged, "Because I never thought I'd be saying to anyone that Draco Malfoy was gorgeous."
"Well, you wouldn't have to say it much—it is common known fact," he smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.
"Confident, or cocky?" She questioned.
He gave her another smirk, "Both."
There was a couple minutes of silence as they watched the last of the sun disappear over the horizon, and the light of the moon slowly growing more powerful.
"What about the Power House of Slytherin?" She finally questioned, "How did they take it?"
He couldn't suppress the smile on his face, "Well," he said, sliding his left hand over to her right hand, and linking their fingers together, "They congratulated me on securing such a 'hot young lady.'"
Hermione's eyebrows went up and she started laughing, "Are you being serious?"
He looked at her, "Does this look like the face of someone who would joke around?"
She looked at him before smiling, "Well..."
"Don't answer that," he told her, looking back at the sky, a smile still tugging at the corner of his mouth.
There were more seconds of silence, both of them basking in the coolness of the early December evening. Remarkably enough, they hadn't seen any snow yet.
Hermione listened to the water of the lake gently swishing against the shores of it, and it calmed her.
"You know," she said, "If we're going to actually be in a true relationship, we have to sort a few things out," she said, her eyes still at the sky.
He looked over at her, some of his silvery-blonde hair falling over his forehead, "Like what?"
She sighed, "Well, like for one, you can't get insanely jealous if I hug Ron or Harry or Seamus or—"
"—Xander?" Draco said, his voice suddenly getting guarded as he turned to look back at the sky.
She looked at him, taking in his profile, "Yes," she said, "They are my friends, and you can't get jealous over that."
He opened his mouth to object, turning to look at her, but she shook her head.
"You have to trust that the reason I'm with you is because I want to be. Just because I hug other guys does not mean I'm saying you're not good enough and I want someone else, all right?"
He nodded, "Fine."
She nodded as well, turning back to face the sky.
"If that's fair, then you can't spend weekends holed up in the library with your books and homework," he said, "You have something else to fit into your schedule now."
She looked at him, and saw he was looking at her. She smiled and nodded.
"All right," she agreed, "But don't expect me to drop my friends and spend every waking minute with you."
"Who told you I was expecting that?" He questioned, "I'm going to be spending time with my friends too—plus Quidditch."
"No hexing or cursing or fighting with Ron and Harry."
"As long as they—"
"I already told them."
"All right. I'll try."
There was a pause, and Hermione let out a long breath.
"What about your dad?"
Draco's mouth opened, then closed again. What was he going to do about his father? His father wanted him to marry a pureblood, heired to a life of wealth and power. Hermione was none of those, but she was intelligent, charming, regal... but Draco knew that wouldn't be enough for his father.
"Well," he said, "If he finds out, he finds out."
She raised her eyebrows, "You're willing to incur the wrath of your dad over something like this?"
He shrugged, "It's getting to the point where Lucius understands that I'm becoming a man and I can decide where I want to go in my life."
She opened her mouth to object, but he reached up and silenced her with a finger to her lips.
"I'll wait until after Christmas, then we'll deal with it."
She nodded as he removed his finger and replaced it with his lips on hers. She welcomed them graciously, smiling against them.
When they broke apart for oxygen and opened their eyes, they realized it was...
"Snowing," she said with a grin, holding her hand out to catch the falling white flakes.
"We'd better get inside," he said, standing up and offering her his hand.
She took it, and they walked back up to the castle together, never knowing that a figure had been hiding in the branches of that tree, and had overheard everything they'd said.
"Smile while you can, Malfoy," it hissed angrily, "Soon you won't be smiling—you'll be screaming."
And with that, the figure jumped down from the tree and into the woods.