Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters.
A/N: Thanks Captain Oblivious,Halfling,Siria-good guess but not quite,Jaid Ziaen, Mia Hindo, prettyprincess and Purple monkey in da dishwasher- shh, don't tell anyone else.
A Different You by Lina Shay
Chapter Fifteen: Tender Moment
After having a pleasant conversation and some tea, Draco and Hermione decided to get some air out on the balcony. The crisp air was quite refreshing and the moonlight exuded down upon them as Hermione leaned on the railing of the balcony.
"Can I ask you something?" Draco muttered, looking at the ground.
"Sure," Hermione said, glancing over at him.
His soft profile was so kind and warm. It was the first time Hermione had ever realized how truly handsome Draco was.
"What caused it?" Draco asked, still watching the ground.
"Caused what?" Hermione retorted.
"The change," Draco said, glancing up at her. "I mean, last month you would have rather pretended that I didn't exist. Now, here we are, standing on my balcony together. It's just so surreal."
"Tell me about it," Hermione smirked.
"So, what caused it?" Draco asked again.
Hermione looked straight ahead, trying to think of an explanation. The truth was just too outrageous. He would think she was mental for sure. Hermione disapproved of lying under normal circumstances, but it was sometimes necessary.
"I'm not sure," Hermione finally said. "I think I just one day looked around me and asked 'Is this what I really want to be?' Did I want to be someone that nobody really takes seriously, someone who's only use is to look pretty-" Saying this made Hermione laugh to herself. "The bottom line was, did I want to ignore people just because they weren't as conceited as I was? Even if they could turn out to be really charming." Hermione blushed. "The answer was no."
Draco watched her for a while before finally turning away. His gaze on her brought this warm shiver just under her skin. It was a strange sensation. She didn't know what she was supposed to do about it.
"Remember fourth year," Draco muttered, staring out at the stars, "when I asked you to the Yule Ball and you turned me down?"
Hermione gawked at him. He had asked her to the Yule Ball in this reality? Draco looked at her and smirked awkwardly.
"Don't worry," Draco went on, "I didn't expect you to remember. After all, to you, I didn't exist."
Hermione continued to look at him, not sure what to say.
"Anyway," Draco began, "after you had laughed in my face, I was really feeling like a loser. I went to the dance alone. And as I watched you dance with Potter, I just felt like an idiot for even bothering to ask. Why would you ever have said yes to me? You were just so beautiful. I knew you were miles above me."
Hermione was embarrassed at how he flattered her.
"I knew that you were the most beautiful, perfect person in creation," Draco muttered. "I was wrong."
Hermione had thought she knew his point, until that moment. She was just confused. Draco glanced into her eyes, staring with great intensity.
"Hermione," Draco said, looking at her, "You're different now. You're something better than beauty and charm. I can't even really describe it. But, Hermione, you're everything."
Hermione's heart began pounding and warmth ran up through her. She wanted so badly to tell him that he was her everything as well, but the words just would not come out. There was only one way she could think of to convey her feelings without words. Hermione lifted one hand up to his blonde hair and ran her fingers through around to the back of his head. Then, she leaned slowly toward him, joining her lips to his. Draco made no movement for a few seconds, then his arms slipped around her waist and he deepened the kiss. Hermione could almost feel this energy pulsing between them.
"Draco, Hermi-oh!" came Sirius's voice.
Draco and Hermione pulled away from each other, quite embarrassed.
"Forgive me," Sirius insisted. "I didn't mean to...interrupt."
Hermione glanced over at Draco. He was running his fingers through his hair nervously.
"Uh, there was something in the Daily Prophet I wanted you to hear," Sirius went on, holding the paper up to his face. "Here, listen to this. 'Harvest moon in December foretells unsuspected danger.'"
"You came out here to tell us the horoscope?" Draco asked, sounding irregularly irritated.
"It's not just a horoscope, Draco," Hermione insisted. "It's almost incomprehensible that a Harvest moon should show in December. There is something indeed wrong."
"Do you think it has anything to do with Wormtail and that basket?" Draco queried.
"I don't know," Hermione shrugged.
Sirius looked at his watched. "When are your parents expecting you home?"
Hermione heaved a discontented sigh. "I doubt they even know I'm gone, but I best going home anyway."
"Do you want me to take you?" Draco offered.
"No, I'll signal for the Knight Bus, thank you," Hermione told him.
"I'll show you to the door, then," Draco insisted.
Hermione smiled and nodded. The two walked by Sirius and headed to the door. Draco opened it for her and Hermione walked out into the night.
"I w-will see you soon, right?" Draco asked.
Hermione looked back at him and said, "I hope so."
Draco smiled.
After Draco went back into the house, Hermione caught the Knight Bus and headed back home. When she got there, the lights were already out. She entered quietly and made her way her room. She was going to go straight to bed but a passing car illuminated a owl on her windowsill. It dropped a letter and flew off. Hermione reached down and picked up the letter. It was from Snape.
"Miss Granger,
We are pleased to invite you to a formal affaire on the evening of December 24th at the Snape household. RSVP by owl as soon as is convenient. We hope you will grace us with your presence.
Sincerely,
Severus P. Snape Harry J. Potter"
Hermione tapped the card against her knee thoughtfully. It didn't make much sense that they would invite her to the party, considering the trifle between her and Harry. It almost seemed wrong somehow, as if a mistake or a joke. Maybe Parvati thought it would be a great hoot if Hermione showed with a fake invitation. If it were that, though, why would Parvati have also sent one to Draco, since it was quite the same circumstance where Draco's invitation was concerned. Why would Harry and Snape invite a person whom they both despise so? Hermione set the card on her nightstand, turned out her lamp and climbed under her covers.
A/N: Thanks Captain Oblivious,Halfling,Siria-good guess but not quite,Jaid Ziaen, Mia Hindo, prettyprincess and Purple monkey in da dishwasher- shh, don't tell anyone else.
A Different You by Lina Shay
Chapter Fifteen: Tender Moment
After having a pleasant conversation and some tea, Draco and Hermione decided to get some air out on the balcony. The crisp air was quite refreshing and the moonlight exuded down upon them as Hermione leaned on the railing of the balcony.
"Can I ask you something?" Draco muttered, looking at the ground.
"Sure," Hermione said, glancing over at him.
His soft profile was so kind and warm. It was the first time Hermione had ever realized how truly handsome Draco was.
"What caused it?" Draco asked, still watching the ground.
"Caused what?" Hermione retorted.
"The change," Draco said, glancing up at her. "I mean, last month you would have rather pretended that I didn't exist. Now, here we are, standing on my balcony together. It's just so surreal."
"Tell me about it," Hermione smirked.
"So, what caused it?" Draco asked again.
Hermione looked straight ahead, trying to think of an explanation. The truth was just too outrageous. He would think she was mental for sure. Hermione disapproved of lying under normal circumstances, but it was sometimes necessary.
"I'm not sure," Hermione finally said. "I think I just one day looked around me and asked 'Is this what I really want to be?' Did I want to be someone that nobody really takes seriously, someone who's only use is to look pretty-" Saying this made Hermione laugh to herself. "The bottom line was, did I want to ignore people just because they weren't as conceited as I was? Even if they could turn out to be really charming." Hermione blushed. "The answer was no."
Draco watched her for a while before finally turning away. His gaze on her brought this warm shiver just under her skin. It was a strange sensation. She didn't know what she was supposed to do about it.
"Remember fourth year," Draco muttered, staring out at the stars, "when I asked you to the Yule Ball and you turned me down?"
Hermione gawked at him. He had asked her to the Yule Ball in this reality? Draco looked at her and smirked awkwardly.
"Don't worry," Draco went on, "I didn't expect you to remember. After all, to you, I didn't exist."
Hermione continued to look at him, not sure what to say.
"Anyway," Draco began, "after you had laughed in my face, I was really feeling like a loser. I went to the dance alone. And as I watched you dance with Potter, I just felt like an idiot for even bothering to ask. Why would you ever have said yes to me? You were just so beautiful. I knew you were miles above me."
Hermione was embarrassed at how he flattered her.
"I knew that you were the most beautiful, perfect person in creation," Draco muttered. "I was wrong."
Hermione had thought she knew his point, until that moment. She was just confused. Draco glanced into her eyes, staring with great intensity.
"Hermione," Draco said, looking at her, "You're different now. You're something better than beauty and charm. I can't even really describe it. But, Hermione, you're everything."
Hermione's heart began pounding and warmth ran up through her. She wanted so badly to tell him that he was her everything as well, but the words just would not come out. There was only one way she could think of to convey her feelings without words. Hermione lifted one hand up to his blonde hair and ran her fingers through around to the back of his head. Then, she leaned slowly toward him, joining her lips to his. Draco made no movement for a few seconds, then his arms slipped around her waist and he deepened the kiss. Hermione could almost feel this energy pulsing between them.
"Draco, Hermi-oh!" came Sirius's voice.
Draco and Hermione pulled away from each other, quite embarrassed.
"Forgive me," Sirius insisted. "I didn't mean to...interrupt."
Hermione glanced over at Draco. He was running his fingers through his hair nervously.
"Uh, there was something in the Daily Prophet I wanted you to hear," Sirius went on, holding the paper up to his face. "Here, listen to this. 'Harvest moon in December foretells unsuspected danger.'"
"You came out here to tell us the horoscope?" Draco asked, sounding irregularly irritated.
"It's not just a horoscope, Draco," Hermione insisted. "It's almost incomprehensible that a Harvest moon should show in December. There is something indeed wrong."
"Do you think it has anything to do with Wormtail and that basket?" Draco queried.
"I don't know," Hermione shrugged.
Sirius looked at his watched. "When are your parents expecting you home?"
Hermione heaved a discontented sigh. "I doubt they even know I'm gone, but I best going home anyway."
"Do you want me to take you?" Draco offered.
"No, I'll signal for the Knight Bus, thank you," Hermione told him.
"I'll show you to the door, then," Draco insisted.
Hermione smiled and nodded. The two walked by Sirius and headed to the door. Draco opened it for her and Hermione walked out into the night.
"I w-will see you soon, right?" Draco asked.
Hermione looked back at him and said, "I hope so."
Draco smiled.
After Draco went back into the house, Hermione caught the Knight Bus and headed back home. When she got there, the lights were already out. She entered quietly and made her way her room. She was going to go straight to bed but a passing car illuminated a owl on her windowsill. It dropped a letter and flew off. Hermione reached down and picked up the letter. It was from Snape.
"Miss Granger,
We are pleased to invite you to a formal affaire on the evening of December 24th at the Snape household. RSVP by owl as soon as is convenient. We hope you will grace us with your presence.
Sincerely,
Severus P. Snape Harry J. Potter"
Hermione tapped the card against her knee thoughtfully. It didn't make much sense that they would invite her to the party, considering the trifle between her and Harry. It almost seemed wrong somehow, as if a mistake or a joke. Maybe Parvati thought it would be a great hoot if Hermione showed with a fake invitation. If it were that, though, why would Parvati have also sent one to Draco, since it was quite the same circumstance where Draco's invitation was concerned. Why would Harry and Snape invite a person whom they both despise so? Hermione set the card on her nightstand, turned out her lamp and climbed under her covers.