Chapter 10
"Goodbye, Harry, see you in a few weeks," said Hermione as Harry boarded the train in Hogsmeade.
"See you later, Hermione. Have a good holiday. Are you sure you won't come with us?" asked Harry. Ron was waiting behind Hermione on the platform.
"Yes. I need some time alone. I need to think."
"I understand that, what with Malfoy hanging around and actually being nice like he has been," Ron commented from behind her.
Hermione sighed. "Have a good Christmas, Ron. I'll see you all soon! Give everyone in London my love!" The train pulled out of the station, carrying Harry, Ron, and Ginny to Grimmauld Place and leaving Hermione at Hogwarts. Little did she know her relaxing holiday would not be as relaxing as she thought.
* * *
Draco had decided to stay at Hogwarts over the Christmas hols. Not that he could go home. Snape had offered him the safe house, but he decided to stay at school instead. He needed the time to relax and think and sort out his feelings for a certain bushy-haired Gryffindor. Why did she have to be so damn intoxicating? He could hardly sleep when he thought of her, he couldn't eat. He didn't know what to do.
He sat in the library, waiting for something to happen, to show him what to do. As if by Fate's sardonic sense of humor, Hermione came swaying towards him. At least she looked like she was swaying. Maybe she was just walking. Maybe angels look like they're swaying when they walk (A/N: major cheesiness!).
"What are you doing here, Malfoy? Didn't you want to go home and see your father over break?" she didn't have the biting cruelty in her voice he had half expected, and he didn't react as such, which surprised her.
"I told you before; my father is dead to me. I have no father."
"Oh," said Hermione. "Well, seeing as we're two of only twenty students staying over the hols, would you like to take a walk?"
Draco looked into her magical brown eyes, the gentle curve of her cheekbone, and the smooth bud of her lips. "Sure," he said softly.
Hermione didn't know what possessed her to ask Malfoy to go for a walk with her. Maybe it was the way the fading sunlight had caught his hair and made the hard lines of his face go soft for half a second. Or maybe she had just lost her mind.
They walked in silence for a few moments. Hermione's hand accidentally brushed his. They both felt the electricity that time. Draco stopped when they reached a rose bush.
"Do you like roses, Hermione?" he asked.
"They're all right, I suppose. I never really thought about it."
"I don't really like roses. They seem rather overrated. I like lavender."
"Why?" Hermione asked. The sun had dipped just beneath the horizon and a chill pervaded the air with the distinctive smell of a winter sunset.
Draco turned to look at her. "It's so simple, but so beautiful. Just one long slender stalk rising out of the ground, with a sweet-smelling tuft at the top," he fingered a strand of her hair that had fallen into her face. She leaned into his cool touch. "Hermione," he said.
"Draco," she breathed.
"May I kiss you?" he whispered into her ear.
She looked straight into his eyes. "Please," she said.
He gently touched his lips to her, like soft rose petals brushing against each other. She responded instantly, tilting her face up to meet his, seeking more of his lips. He deepened the kiss and she snaked her arms around his neck, never wanting to let him go.
When they finally pulled away, neither of them could say anything. They just gazed at each other with the untamable gaze lover often share. They walked back to the castle, hand in hand, and heart in heart.
* * *
"Things have become a bit more complicated, Albus," said Snape later that day in Dumbledore's office.
"I know, Severus. They haven't left the other's side all evening."
"What do you propose we do?"
"There's really nothing we can do," Dumbledore had stood and was now pacing the office, something he did only when extremely agitated or distressed.
"We must tell them, they cannot keep on as they are now. It's getting to dangerous, Albus. He will make his move soon. He knows."
"I know that, Severus!" said Dumbledore, banging his fist on the desk. "But do you have any idea how we separate keep them safe without destroying the other? You know the words. He must find her--"
"I know, Albus, you don't need to lecture me on that!" Snape was equally angry. "But we can't tell them, what would they do if they knew?"
"They are young adults, Severus, not children! We cannot keep up the charade any longer! I need you to bring her here first thing tomorrow."
"Why just her?" he asked, then instantly realized he shouldn't have.
"Trust me, my friend. It will be all right. As long as Harry is safe, we have hope."
"As you wish, Headmaster; I will see Hermione knows of our appointment."
"Thank you. I hope this meeting will not be like the last one I had with a student."
"As do I, Albus."
* * *
A/N: Well, sorry about the major cheesiness. I'm just in a really cheesy mood. This chapter was going to be longer, but I'm crunched for time and I'm tired of typing, so I hope you like this one and review please! The next one should be up soon, I hope!
"Goodbye, Harry, see you in a few weeks," said Hermione as Harry boarded the train in Hogsmeade.
"See you later, Hermione. Have a good holiday. Are you sure you won't come with us?" asked Harry. Ron was waiting behind Hermione on the platform.
"Yes. I need some time alone. I need to think."
"I understand that, what with Malfoy hanging around and actually being nice like he has been," Ron commented from behind her.
Hermione sighed. "Have a good Christmas, Ron. I'll see you all soon! Give everyone in London my love!" The train pulled out of the station, carrying Harry, Ron, and Ginny to Grimmauld Place and leaving Hermione at Hogwarts. Little did she know her relaxing holiday would not be as relaxing as she thought.
* * *
Draco had decided to stay at Hogwarts over the Christmas hols. Not that he could go home. Snape had offered him the safe house, but he decided to stay at school instead. He needed the time to relax and think and sort out his feelings for a certain bushy-haired Gryffindor. Why did she have to be so damn intoxicating? He could hardly sleep when he thought of her, he couldn't eat. He didn't know what to do.
He sat in the library, waiting for something to happen, to show him what to do. As if by Fate's sardonic sense of humor, Hermione came swaying towards him. At least she looked like she was swaying. Maybe she was just walking. Maybe angels look like they're swaying when they walk (A/N: major cheesiness!).
"What are you doing here, Malfoy? Didn't you want to go home and see your father over break?" she didn't have the biting cruelty in her voice he had half expected, and he didn't react as such, which surprised her.
"I told you before; my father is dead to me. I have no father."
"Oh," said Hermione. "Well, seeing as we're two of only twenty students staying over the hols, would you like to take a walk?"
Draco looked into her magical brown eyes, the gentle curve of her cheekbone, and the smooth bud of her lips. "Sure," he said softly.
Hermione didn't know what possessed her to ask Malfoy to go for a walk with her. Maybe it was the way the fading sunlight had caught his hair and made the hard lines of his face go soft for half a second. Or maybe she had just lost her mind.
They walked in silence for a few moments. Hermione's hand accidentally brushed his. They both felt the electricity that time. Draco stopped when they reached a rose bush.
"Do you like roses, Hermione?" he asked.
"They're all right, I suppose. I never really thought about it."
"I don't really like roses. They seem rather overrated. I like lavender."
"Why?" Hermione asked. The sun had dipped just beneath the horizon and a chill pervaded the air with the distinctive smell of a winter sunset.
Draco turned to look at her. "It's so simple, but so beautiful. Just one long slender stalk rising out of the ground, with a sweet-smelling tuft at the top," he fingered a strand of her hair that had fallen into her face. She leaned into his cool touch. "Hermione," he said.
"Draco," she breathed.
"May I kiss you?" he whispered into her ear.
She looked straight into his eyes. "Please," she said.
He gently touched his lips to her, like soft rose petals brushing against each other. She responded instantly, tilting her face up to meet his, seeking more of his lips. He deepened the kiss and she snaked her arms around his neck, never wanting to let him go.
When they finally pulled away, neither of them could say anything. They just gazed at each other with the untamable gaze lover often share. They walked back to the castle, hand in hand, and heart in heart.
* * *
"Things have become a bit more complicated, Albus," said Snape later that day in Dumbledore's office.
"I know, Severus. They haven't left the other's side all evening."
"What do you propose we do?"
"There's really nothing we can do," Dumbledore had stood and was now pacing the office, something he did only when extremely agitated or distressed.
"We must tell them, they cannot keep on as they are now. It's getting to dangerous, Albus. He will make his move soon. He knows."
"I know that, Severus!" said Dumbledore, banging his fist on the desk. "But do you have any idea how we separate keep them safe without destroying the other? You know the words. He must find her--"
"I know, Albus, you don't need to lecture me on that!" Snape was equally angry. "But we can't tell them, what would they do if they knew?"
"They are young adults, Severus, not children! We cannot keep up the charade any longer! I need you to bring her here first thing tomorrow."
"Why just her?" he asked, then instantly realized he shouldn't have.
"Trust me, my friend. It will be all right. As long as Harry is safe, we have hope."
"As you wish, Headmaster; I will see Hermione knows of our appointment."
"Thank you. I hope this meeting will not be like the last one I had with a student."
"As do I, Albus."
* * *
A/N: Well, sorry about the major cheesiness. I'm just in a really cheesy mood. This chapter was going to be longer, but I'm crunched for time and I'm tired of typing, so I hope you like this one and review please! The next one should be up soon, I hope!
