Title: And She Will Be Loved

Author Name: Melissa Spitfire

Author email: Melissa underscore spitfire at yahoo dot com

Category: Romance

Sub Category: Angst

Keywords: Draco Malfoy Hermione Granger Auror

Rating: R (but not just yet)

Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP, a little HBP there but I won't tell where

Summary: She never ever felt that she really belonged; never ever felt that she was really wanted. She is nothing but a shadow. But he is the ground where the shadow was cast, and it is in his deepest desires to make her see herself otherwise.

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/n: Highly inspired by Maroon Five's "She Will Be Loved." So I don't suppose I should say that this is a songfic? Anyways... My first ever attempt on a Harry Potter fic, so please take this easy on me! ::grins sheepishly::

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Verse Three: Midnight Rush

I don't mind spending everyday

Out on your corner in the pouring rain

Look for the girl with the broken smile

And ask her if she wants to stay a while

She will be loved

And she will be loved

Hermione bustled about in her flat, fixing the living room that Ernie and Justin managed to cause havoc in, while she waited for the pumpkin pies to finish. The Hufflepuffs decided to appear all at the same time while Neville, Lavender and the Patil twins were helpful enough to arrive early and help her with the food, and the rest of the Gryffindors arrived at five in the afternoon. Millicent, Gregory and Vincent dropped by and gave her a half-finished pack of chocolate frogs before heading to Bulgaria, and she was sure the pack was half-empty because the two lard-induced boys couldn't keep their hands in their pockets. But she thanked them anyway.

"Hermione, all the bottles of firewhiskey are empty. Would you like me to buy some more?" Neville came out from the kitchen, where Lavender was indulging on the licorice wands she set aside for later.

"Would it be too much if I asked you to?" Hermione placed the round throw pillow on the divan near the door that led to her kitchen.

Neville was already placing his robes on. "Yeah, don't need to ask. And don't fret. You look nice, Hermione." And then, Neville put on his hat and disapparated to Hogsmeade.

Once Neville was gone, Hermione sighed audibly and sat down on the rocking chair beside the small side table across the now warm fire. She pulled up the zipper of her saffron turtleneck dress and folded the neckline halfway, then pulled down on the short edge of the dress. She still couldn't believe Parvati talked her into wearing this, when in fact she'd be much more comfortable in her hazel fleece and denims. But then, she did want to look different even just once... She just had to endure the skimpy dress for around three hours, and then she'd plop herself on her bed in her comfortable flannels soon after.

She glanced at the clock again, and almost sighed when she saw that it was almost eight in the evening. The Ravenclaws haven't arrived yet, and so with the other Slytherins...

Slytherins…

Hermione wanted to see Pansy for some unknown reason. Sure, Pansy wasn't the most pleasant girl in school, what with their bitter history, but ever since they became civil towards each other, the loathing she felt towards her vanished almost instantly. It was like looking at a younger sister that she never had. Pansy even told her one time how lonely she often got whenever she was left alone in their villa and had no playmate but her dolls, and that up until that time she still wished for an older sister. Hermione herself wished she had her own little sister too, and clandestinely, she considered Ginny and Pansy as such.

She knew she was missing Pansy, and that she knew that the other girl was also lonely sometimes, but even now that Pansy owled her a response that she'd arrive, she still felt unsettled. Why was she restless?

Pushing her thoughts aside, she shifted slightly on the rocking chair, and turned to the side table. Her gaze landed on the issue of the Daily Prophet yesterday. She picked it up gingerly, and placed it on her lap, her gaze skimming the front page of the periodical...

"Hermione! The pumpkin pies are cool enough. Should I bring it--" Lavender entered the living room and found Hermione staring blankly at the newspaper. She walked towards Hermione before kneeling in front of her. "What's wrong, Hermione?"

"L-Lavender!" Hermione jumped slightly. "A-Are the pumpkin pies done already?"

Lavender nodded, though she was frowning. "What's the matter, Hermione?"

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing, really. Just... Tired. I'll just rest for a few minutes and... I'll be fine later, don't worry." She smiled up at Lavender, and then looked down on the newspaper on her lap again.

Lavender followed her gaze and saw the yesterday edition of the Daily Prophet. "You miss them, don't you?" She asked as she stared at the picture of Ron and Harry on the newspaper.

Hermione nodded dumbly, though she was looking at a smaller picture at the upper right portion of the paper. Maybe he was just concerned, even if he was incapable of compassion towards someone like her... Maybe he was just trying to help... Was she too harsh on him?

"They're in Würzburg now... I remember Luna telling me that some Wilhelm Ronald Roentgen discovered a mysterious radiation of some sort there... Something called X-Scroll, if I could remember." Lavender continued.

Lavender's words cut through her train of thoughts. "Y-Yes... Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen. It's called X-Strahl then, but they refer to it as x-ray today."

"X-ray?"

"It's a muggle thing, Lavender. Even my parents use that in their--"

A black-clad figure suddenly apparated in front of them, cloak ballooning as he landed on his feet with a thud. Lavender shrieked, dropping the licorice wand in her hand, and Hermione, her Auror skills kicking in, jumped to her feet, brought out her wand and aimed it at the newcomer.

"Hold up Hermione! It's me!"

"Neville!" Hermone shouted as Lavender gathered enough courage to look at him.

Lavender was visibly shaking. "Y-Y-You scared me...!"

"Sorry, Lavender. I was just rushing, because..." Neville placed the bottles on the table and wiped the sweat trickling down his temple. "... I was walking back here to Niveus Estage and saw the Ravenclaws nearby, and I was running to overtake them so I could arrive first, and then I thought I should have just apparated instead, so--"

"It's okay, Neville. Now, sit down and breathe." Hermione pushed him into the nearest chair and grabbed the bag he brought home. "So Mandy and her friends are coming... Lav, come on, we've got to prepare the food!"

"Uhm... Okay!" Lavender replied, the second licorice wand she had in her pocket stuck up in her mouth as she entered the kitchen.

Hermione was placing the tray of pumpkin pies and cauldron cakes on the service table when the sounds of the knocker made her spin around, making her drop the potholder in the process. She picked the piece of cloth up, threw it on the counter and was about to walk towards the door to open it, when Neville shouted.

"I'll get it for you, Hermione!"

"Thanks, Neville!"

She returned to fixing the treats that Lavender brought out from the kitchen and automatically straightened her skirt again. She was reminded of Pansy suddenly, with her clothes somewhat girly and skimpy-looking, but she always managed to look comfortable and confident. Hermione sighed. Pansy should be garbed in decent and stylish clothes, so...

"H-Hermione..." She heard Neville stutter.

"Hermione!" A voice called her; just a tad lower than a shriek, and a pair of arms went around her shoulders. "Happy Christmas, Hermione!"

Hermione turned around and expected the sight of all the Ravenclaws smiling to greet her a Happy Christmas, but a flash of silver-blonde stilled her.

Standing before her was not the group of Ravenclaws she was expecting, but instead, there stood Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and -- wonder of all wonders -- Draco Malfoy.

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His breath caught in his throat.

When Hermione turned around, her auburn, wavy locks spun in the air; and her golden dress, albeit not her typical choice of clothing, complimented her. Her hazel eyes locked with his gaze, and he thought he saw the slight surprise in those orbs.

Draco saw her tear away her gaze from him and placed it on Pansy instead.

"P-Pansy! Happy Christmas to you, too!" Hermione returned the embrace. "It's been five months..." She trailed off as she saw Draco remove his hat, and Blaise doing the same. "Zabini," she nodded towards Blaise, and then turned to look at Draco. "Malfoy."

"Happy Christmas, Granger." Blaise lifted Hermione's hand to his lips. "Though it would be nice if you would address me as Blaise instead." He kissed her knuckle.

Draco felt like punching the person next to him, which at that moment, was trying to snog the living daylights out of a certain Auror's hand.

Pansy saw Draco's face darken and his knuckles turn white. She was wondering if Draco chose the wrong robes to wear, since she couldn't practically see him in his chartreuse wardrobe.

Despite her attempts not to, Hermione blushed. "O-Okay... Blaise." She withdrew her hand and immediately turned towards the living room, gesturing them to follow her. "Please, please, make yourselves at home and have a seat."

Pansy and Blaise sat down together on the couch, while Draco sat on the window seat.

"Draco, why--" Pansy stopped herself from calling him. It was obvious that he felt like sitting alone instead of beside her and Blaise, and she figured he was in his brooding beauty mode. 'Maybe that brooding session he decided to have at the moment would enlighten him.'

Lavender came in the living room, holding a tray of sweets and placing it on the center table. "Parkinson, Zabini! How have you two been? Oh, and Malfoy! Hello to you too." She smiled at Pansy and Blaise, who smiled at her in return. Earning no reaction from Draco, Lavender seated herself on the lounger perpendicular to the settee Pansy and Blaise were sitting at.

"Oh, you know, the usual... Being sent and ordered around by manipulative parents and all..." Pansy shrugged and reached out to grab a chocolate frog, but Blaise leaned over to get the chocolate frog for her and a bottle of firewhiskey for him. "Thanks, Blaise." She thanked him before turning back to Lavender again. "Say, Lavender... Uh, you don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

"No, no." Lavender shook her head before biting into her licorice wand. "You were saying, Pansy...?"

Blaise stared at the two girls as they talked animatedly about whatever entered their minds, and he was fairly sure that Pansy has yet again set another record for starting a friendship within ten seconds. He smirked behind his drink, shaking his head slightly, thinking of how huge and amazing Pansy had changed since fifth year. 'Pansy, Pansy...'

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Standing in the doorway, Hermione smiled inwardly as Pansy, Lavender and the Ravenclaws talked noisily about whatever she was trying to drown out; she wasn't particularly interested in what they were talking about just yet. She was just glad that Pansy and Lavender became instant friends, a proof that Hogwarts definitely could do away with the house rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Speaking of Slytherin...

She was pretty sure that a pair of smoky eyes of a certain Slytherin was on her. Why was Malfoy watching her every move? Hermione lifted her gaze to look at Draco, who was currently sipping his mug of firewhiskey from the window seat and looking straight at her.

His gaze made her stop from bringing the pumpkin pies to her guests, and she could almost hear her heart beating erratically out of her chest. What was happening to her?

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Blaise, unlike the boisterous Ravenclaws, Gryffindors and the undeterred Pansy before him, watched as Hermione and Draco eyed each other.

Clucking his tongue in annoyance, he stood up, placed his bottle of firewhiskey on the table, and crossed the room to step up to Hermione.

"I'll do it for you." He placed himself within the vantage point of Draco and got the tray from a startled Hermione.

Hermione almost jumped when she heard Blaise's voice. "N-No, it's okay. Y-You're the guest and--"

"No, no. I insist." Blaise beamed at her, and Hermione looked down in embarrassment. "Now where should I place this, fair lady?"

Hermione couldn't help but grin at Blaise. "H-Here." She led him towards the round table beyond the fireplace.

While walking, Blaise turned his head towards Draco's direction and grinned evilly. He was victorious as he saw Draco's face darken and his eyes turn into slits, glowering at him. He could almost hear Professor Snape speaking from a distance, awarding him points for proving to the world -- and especially to the Slytherin King himself -- that he wasn't sorted into his house for nothing.

'Fifty points to Slytherin,' he smiled smugly.

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He knew better not to trust his fellow Slytherins. Even if it was his best friend since who knows when.

Draco could practically ::feel:: Blaise's victorious flaunting of Slytherin skills. True, he, Draco Malfoy, was -- is, and forever will be -- the Slytherin King (that pathetic excuse of a Dark Lord slash Tom Marvolo Riddle could rot in nothingness and he wouldn't even give a damn about him), but Blaise was definitely hamming up to the role of next in line. Everyone in his house knew better not to cross the paths of Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini, but never has it occurred to him that Blaise would use his skills at him.

He would get back at him for that. Draco Malfoy was never beaten at the art of Slytherin performance, most especially when his crown is on the line. He'll definitely get back at him... And he sure as hell would make sure of that.

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The grandfather clock in Hermione's flat told her that it was eleven forty-five, and she didn't expect to still have the three Slytherins in her living room. After all, the Ravenclaws, Neville and Lavender left about an hour ago. But she wasn't complaining; in fact, she was quite happy. She surely missed Pansy and her stories, and she never thought that she'd see the day that Blaise Zabini would be acting like a gentleman trained for knighthood. He wasn't exactly the perfect gentleman back in Hogwarts, but Hermione forgave him for that already; maybe it was because he had to keep up with his image, much like someone else she knows...

Said someone else now sat beside Pansy on the couch, farthest from where she was sitting. Occasionally he would butt in with his snarky but welcome remarks about their past experiences in Hogwarts. One would say he was in his own world, because he looked like he wasn't even listening at all, just melting the twelfth chocolate frog in his mouth (she actually counted that surreptitiously) and intermittently sipping some butterbeer (her firewhiskey, much to a hostess' embarrassment, went out just after the tipsy Lavender and blushing Neville stepped out of the apartment) while gazing at the flickering flames of the fire. Unconsciously, she followed his stare and marveled at the playful shadows cast on the walls of the furnace.

Shadow...

"Oh dear," Pansy interjected her thoughts, and she tore her gaze from the fire. "Hermione, I hate to go, it has been really a nice talk, but I fear that my overprotective parents would go into a rage when they find out I haven't been home since ten." Pansy stood up and straightened her peach robes.

"Ten?" Hermione echoed as she too, stood up. "Oh, I'm sorry about that, I totally forgot--"

"It's all right, Hermione." Blaise placed his hand on her shoulders and squeezed it affectionately. "I'll see to it that she's going to arrive safely. I'll drive her home, and I'm expecting Aunt Brigitta and Uncle Francis will be hovering in the Floo, so I'll be the one who will do the explaining to them."

"Oh, okay." Hermione smiled at Blaise. "Thank you."

Blaise kissed Hermione on the cheek and embraced her briefly. "I should have been on friendly terms with you since Hogwarts, Hermione. I can't believe the Sorting Hat made a horrible mistake at sorting you into Gryffindor... Well, not really horrible, but still..." He pulled away and smiled at her.

"Yeah, I know, I know. You could sort me into all of the houses." She waved her hands dismissively and led them to the door, and she handed out their cloaks and hats from the clothes and hats rack. She shivered slightly at the contact of someone's long, slender fingers against her hand when she handed out the thick, chartreuse trench coat.

"Maybe we should meet some time, Hermione. Say, this weekend?" Pansy spoke and saved her from melting against Draco's fleeting touch, and Hermione was thanking her silently as she provided distraction and saw her brush her bangs out of her eyes. "Or are you busy?"

"I don't think so... No, I think I'm not. I'll owl you, don't worry." Hermione kissed Pansy on the cheek. "Thanks for coming, by the way." She smiled at Blaise, and somehow she found it difficult to bring herself to look at the other man beside Pansy. She did so anyway, smiled briefly, but immediately averted her gaze and opened her door to usher them out.

After the usual courteous goodbyes, Hermione closed the door and locked it, smiling to herself. It had been a tiring but wonderful get-together, and she felt happy that she thought of inviting all her batch mates instead of the Gryffindors alone. Too tired to clean the house the muggle way, she waved her wand at the living room, shouted 'Scourgify', and did the same with the dining area, the counter and the kitchen. Within seconds the whole house was clean, so she headed to the bathroom, took a very quick shower, and changed into her black flannels.

She was about to lie down on her bed when she heard the knocker again. 'Who could be here at this hour?' She wondered. Stealthily, she marched down the stairs, wand in hand, headed to the door and peeped through the eyehole. She inhaled sharply, forcing herself to calm down, building some control in her system. Why was he here? She swung the door open.

"Oh, forgot something, Malfoy?" She greeted the scowling boy in front of her doorstep.

Draco pushed past through her and stepped into her flat, took only a stride and looked around the house before replying. "As a matter of fact, yes."

Hermione opened her mouth to ask him what he forgot, since she couldn't remember anything unfamiliar in her living room when she fixed it, but her question remained unvoiced as a hand moved under her chin to make her look up at the tall blonde boy before her, and she felt the late-night intruder's lips capture hers.

Draco pushed Hermione against the door, rendering it close, as he deepened the kiss. His lips moved against hers, reveling in the sweetness and softness of her lips. She tasted of sun-kissed strawberries, of tangy kiwis, and of something he couldn't quite put a finger on, but could only associate with her.

Hermione let out a guttural sound that she could compare to a moan, and she was taken aback when Draco's tongue traced her lips, probing her mouth open, and to her surprise, she was complying. She inhaled his scent inadvertently; and she reveled in the spicy and limey scent that reached her nostrils. She could still taste the firewhiskey and the chocolate frogs he had a while earlier in his mouth, and she was sure that she would never ever taste better firewhiskey and chocolate frogs than those that lingered in the deep caverns presently attached to her mouth.

Teeth clashing, breaths mingling, bodies trembling, skin brushing against skin... Draco was sure he had never kissed anyone this intensely, and Hermione Granger was one hell of a good kisser.

They both jumped when they heard the grandfather clock sound from across the hall.

Draco's breathing was ragged; his hands resting on the door on either side of Hermione's head supported him. Hermione, on the other hand, grasped the doorknob tightly, preventing her from melting into the marble floor. Draco leaned his forehead against hers, his silver eyes gazing heatedly at her auburn ones, his lips hovering just above hers, taking shallow breaths that blew into her mouth, and steadying his breathing but still managing to gaze at her intently. Hermione watched as he took a glance on his wristwatch.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione." She felt -- rather than heard -- Draco whisper against her lips, his breath grazing her fevered lips before giving her a mind-blowing kiss. She could still hear the grandfather clock announcing the time slowly, torturing her and making her feel like floating all at the same time, and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and run her hands through his soft, moonlight-colored hair.

They parted after a long while, long after the grandfather clock stopped ticking, both gasping for air. Draco ran his hands through his silvery-white fringe. "I-I should go... I'll see you soon, Granger." He stepped back, and all Hermione could do was nod dumbly and step out of the way and open the door for him to head out. Draco turned around to give her a chaste kiss on the lips, fleeting and evanescent, that she didn't have the chance to respond, before walking down her front steps. When Draco reached the low gate, he turned to look back at Hermione. "By the way... You forgot to lock the gate, Granger." He gave her a devastating smile before walking away and fading into the darkness.

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»Some Additional Notes«

X-Strahl - from what I know, X-rays were named as such by Sir Wilhelm Conrad (excuse the Ronald there, that was intentional) Roentgen, or William Röntgen -- which ever you prefer, before it even became popular as x-ray. 'X' meaning 'mysterious' or 'unknown.' I'm quite confident with this one. Hahaha. If you don't believe me, go translate 'ray' in German; it would give you 'strahl,' the masculine form of ray.

Würzburg, Germany - I am absolutely clueless about the history of Würzburg to know if it is even associated with Witchcraft or Wizardry or Sorcery or Magic. All I know is that it's a city in the region of Bavaria, and this is where Würzburg University was built (duh), where Matthias Grünewald was from, and was generously destroyed after the World War II. Sorry if this place isn't even a place of practice of the "Diabolical Witchcraft." Oh and yes, Roentgen did discover x-rays in Würzburg.

A/N: Thank you for those who reviewed! And for those who didn't, thank you still! I'll try my best to post everything according to the timeline of the story, so you can be sure this is done on New Year's Eve… That is, if I get to go online. Stupid school, I have to do a lot of homework.

Ciao!