A Visit from Draco

Hermione had also made plans for Hogsmede. She was going with someone completely unexpected; Draco Malfoy.

Saturday Evening

It was Saturday evening, and as per normal, Hermione was in her room working on her homework. She was working on a roll of parchment about polyjuice potion for Professor Snape when she heard a knock at the door. She didn't have a clue who it could be, so she quickly fixed her hair in the mirror opposite her bed before heading to the door. She opened the door to see Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway with his hands hidden behind his back.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione asked annoyed that he would go so far out of his way to insult her.

"Sorry if my presence offends you," said Draco. "I just wanted to give you these." He moved his hands out from behind his back and Hermione saw that he was holding a bouquet of flowers. He handed them to her.

"Have you put a charm on them or something?" Hermione naturally assumed that Draco would never give her anything that wasn't meant as an insult.

"I didn't do anything to them. They're just a gift from me. Accept them, okay?" Draco said honestly.

Hermione was surprised. Nobody had ever given her flowers before. "Thanks! They're beautiful!" she said.

"Not as beautiful as you," Draco said. He smiled at her.

Hermione was getting just a little freaked out at the moment. Everything was so surreal; Draco giving her flowers, calling her beautiful. If someone had told her earlier that day that that would happen she would probably have burst out laughing in disbelief.

"Um… thanks," said Hermione unsure of how to respond. "You're not too bad looking yourself." Hermione had only said this because she felt she needed to compliment Draco back. He's not actually that good-looking. Well, maybe a bit, but nothing compared to Harry. Hermione was startled she had thought that. I'm supposed to be over him, she thought. Then she turned her attentions back to Draco.

"You really think so? You've never seemed interested in me," Draco said.

"Yah, well you weren't exactly the nicest to me; calling me 'mudblood' among other things."

"It wasn't really you I didn't like; it was Potter. But since you hung around with him all the time I had no choice but to act as if I hated you too. I'm sorry. It just would've been suspicious if I was kind to you and cruel to him. Everyone would've figured out I liked you and that would've been a huge blow to my reputation. But now I can't stand acting horrible towards you any longer. I need to have you near me. I don't care about my reputation. I love you."

Hermione was so shocked by Draco's speech that she fainted right there in the doorway (she hadn't invited Draco in).

She woke up on her bed. Draco was hold a damp cloth on her forehead and had a very concerned look on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Hermione slowly sat up. "I think so. What happened?"

"I don't really know. When I finished talking you just fainted. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yah, I'm fine. Thanks for taking care of me while I was out."

"No problem," Draco replied.

Hermione started to stand up. "I need to be getting back to my homework. Thanks again for the flowers."

"You're welcome," Draco replied.

Hermione led Draco to the door of her room and opened it. Draco stepped into the hall. "There's something I want to ask you," he said.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"Will you go to Hogsmede with me next Saturday?"

For some reason Hermione didn't want to accept Draco's offer. Harry and I aren't going to ever go out again, she reminded herself. Stop dwelling on the past.

"Great!" Hermione said.

Draco smiled. "I'll see you then!" he called back as he started heading down the hall.

Hermione waved to him and went back into her room. Social life after homework, she thought to herself as she sat down with her roll of parchment for Potions.