A/N: Much different from the other stories that I've done. This is a ONE-SHOT based on a really lovely song, Strange and Beautiful by Aqualung. Hope you enjoy.
I've been watching your world from afar,
I've been trying to be where you are,
And I've been secretly falling apart,
Unseen.
Watching was far more tedious than it seemed. For months now, Draco Malfoy had come down with a certain sickness all caused by Hermione Granger. He had missed out on becoming head boy, but of course, like expected she came out as Head Girl. Draco's sought after position went to Hermione's boyfriend – Ronald Weasley. There was nothing more he had ever wanted, desired so much that he couldn't sleep properly, eat, even something as simple as breathing. He had told no one, not even Hermione about the sudden change, but people did notice.
No longer was he rude, and pushy. Oh not at all. Every time Hermione was near him, or even twenty feet away he just went into this trance. He watched her, and admired her grace. The grace he only saw when she walked, the way she talked, even the way her hair fell over her shoulders. He wondered if she was one of those ballerinas as a child. They were graceful – from what he knew. Hermione though would be the best ballerina, she would excel in everything, and show up all the others. Draco almost felt sorry for the figments of his imagination; he could see the children, even a girl that was in reality as pretty as Hermione pouting because Hermione was getting all of the attention….
"Malfoy?" A distant voice question.
He opened his eyes and looked above him to find, "Granger?"
Hermione placed her hands on her hips and raised a questioning eyebrow. An odd site to see Malfoy day-dreaming under an oak tree by the lake. It was almost as if seeing Harry Potter joining alliances with Voldemort. Maybe not that dramatic – Still it was odd.
All he was thinking about though was how good she smelt. Warm vanilla, even a touch of cherry-blossom. His senses were going into a frenzied state, and no longer was he thinking, but very lightheaded.
"Malfoy, are you alright?" She asked.
Thank Merlin there wasn't anyone else outside, because Hermione was embarrassed for herself, and even for Malfoy who seemed to have gone off his rocker.
"I--," He tried putting the edge in his voice, "Look, sod off will you?"
She smirked at his antics, "Aren't you too old for this? Draco Malfoy you never cease to make me laugh."
He made her laugh? Did he really? His heart fluttered for a second before he stepped into reality once more. Draco looked up at her, and curled his lip into a sneer before she saw what he really was feeling, "Really, just leave. Go off with that weasel of yours and end up in a broom closet somewhere."
Please don't.. He secretly hoped.
She threw her hands up in the air, "Why do I even try?" Hermione started off towards the castle, "You will never change."
Helplessly, he watched as she went off. The few that were around watched her, either in curiosity or to satisfy their own needs by watching her skirt sway side to side with the rhythm of her hips. There was no doubt that she was a beautiful young woman. Not 'hot' as some of the boys would say, she really was magnificent. Her hair, her eyes … her smile. Merlin she drove him mad.
She drove plenty of boys mad, but Draco actually cared for what was deeper than her looks. Her charm, and her way of living just intrigued him so much that he possibly couldn't go on watching as her and Ron sat at dinner together, laughing, telling jokes, being the couple they were destined to be. Draco knew deep down inside that somehow if he could just stop being a stupid, spoiled prick he could woo her, and make her swoon over him, but that's not what he wanted. What he wanted was her to see past his good looks and money and just like him for being that same spoiled, prick he was and would always be.
He knew that he was insane for thinking such absurd things.
To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,
You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,
You turn every head but you don't see me.
After potions one day he made sure to think of some diversion that would require Hermione to stay after. So he slipped a vile of some gooey looking stuff he found on Snape's desk, under her chair so that she stepped on it causing fumes to corrode the air. Snape was furious and instructed her to clean it up. The head girl protested, Snape was unwavering in his punishment, and instructed her to on top of clean her mess up to clean out his cabinets while he stepped out.
She did. Every little nook and cranny was cleaned, and devoured of all dust or grime.
It wasn't long before Draco put his plan into order.
Walking in, Hermione immediately noticed the new presence but was not expecting who it was, "Professor Sn—" When she caught the blonde hair, her lip curled into a sneer, "What do you want?"
Draco hesitantly walked to her, and she noticed how strange it seemed, "Are you alright?"
The blonde nodded at her words and bowed his head. Although he had worked this plan numerous times in his head, he just couldn't do it. He couldn't seduce her into wanting him. If she was happy – she was happy. That's what he wanted for her, right? He thought it was, but he realized her happiness made him miserable.
Out of no where Draco threw his hands up in the air, "Hermione don't you see? I mean your so damn smart, but you can't see the simplest things? Why?"
Hermione, alarmed, started backing up towards the shelf full with the potions she had just arranged, "What on earth are you talking about?"
"You!" He shouted, taking more steps towards her.
She blinked. Always Draco had seemed off, but now she honestly didn't know where he was coming from. Where had all these emotions come to him, and why was he all of a sudden so interested in her?
"I can't go on like this, I'm lying to myself when I should just tell you what's going on," He paused before advancing towards her, but before he got to close, he stopped himself, "You by far have captivated me more than anyone or anything I have ever been around."
Her question was answered.
For a second or two they both caught up on what just occurred. Hermione more so than Draco. For the life of her she couldn't figure this out. Was he crazy, or did he lose a bet so he had to come and pretend that he loved her? Nothing made sense, not even the truth of him just plain being attracted to her. She started shaking her head and tried getting past him, "Malfoy I'm going, and I'm pretending like none of this happened."
Draco grabbed her arm to stop her, "Don't."
"Don't what!" she shouted, pulling herself away, "Just leave it. You told me this nonsense and now I'm off to pretend you aren't insane, because truthfully Draco I like to think of you as the Slytherin I'm afraid of – not some Romeo that fell out of a play."
He raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me? Romeo?"
She forgot he had lived his entire life in the wizarding world.
"Forget it, but I'm going to dinner," bluntly said as she walked towards the door.
Draco shouted at her, "Fine, Hermione, go. But look – just talk to me alright. Say anything! Yell at me, call me names, but speak to me; it's all I want."
Hermione stood motionless as he poured out these well-hidden emotions. She thought she was going insane, but obviously it wasn't her. She turned slowly to face him; a look of confusion plastered upon the face he loved so dearly, "Are you absolutely mad?"
"About you – yes."
She laughed uncomfortably.
He tilted his head to the side before walking towards her, taking her arms in his hands, "Don't think I'm crazy, Granger. Don't. Because I have no idea why I feel this way about you, but all of a sudden these feelings hit without warning. If I could make them go away, I would, because it's killing me."
Hermione lifted his chin with her finger and tried not to show any emotion towards him, "Leave it, and do please hold your head up when you walk in the halls, because if this is why you've been so sloppy and – not the stupid prat we all know over the past few months, I want it to stop. I can't stand seeing you like this."
"Why?"
She took her finger away but made sure he kept his head up, "Because it's stupid. That's why."
With that she left towards the great hall, leaving him watching after her.
Sometimes, the last thing you want comes in first,
Sometimes, the first thing you want never comes,
And I know, the waiting is all you can do,
Sometimes...
She acted as if nothing happened. That night she sat with Ron and Harry, smiling and laughing, and not once she looked over towards him. But if he had looked closer he would notice that although she showed joy, she didn't see it. Her eyes were cloudy, as if she was fighting something. She was …
Pansy placed her foot in-between Draco's legs trying to get his attention. She caught his attention alright, but not in the way she wanted, "Get your fucking foot out of there Parkinson."
She immediately went into a shell, "Draco you haven't talked to me in weeks. In fact who do you talk to anymore? Because obviously the Slytherins aren't high in your mind anymore. You're never around -- "
After that he stopped listening to her to see that Hermione was leaving by herself. He watched her intensively, before deciding that he would follow. When she had been out for a few moments, he rushed towards the door, leaving the Slytherin bewildered, and Pansy Parkinson so hurt that she started to cry only to be comforted by Blaise Zabini later that night …
How fickle girls like her were.
Draco followed her for awhile until she came upon a picture, one she picked out herself to be the entrance to her room. Continuing to watch, he saw that she stood there for a few moments until she muttered the password – which he could not hear. Just as she started to go in, Draco jumped from out behind the wall.
"Hermione! Hermione, wait!"
He ran over to the brunette, who was now rolling her eyes, "What do you want now."
"To talk."
"We have talked," she said as she started to walk inside. But then guilt set in. Turning to him she shrugged, "Okay, promise though nothing – well you know right?"
"Hermione, please –"
"Promise."
"I promise."
She nodded in approval and led him inside, making sure the portrait closed behind her.
Her room wasn't as he thought. Not all books, but many. It was warm and cozy too. Her bed was coated in scarlet linins, a contrast from his dank ones. There were pictures all around, none which he wanted to gander at. It expressed who was under that costume of the prissy head girl, and Draco admired that about her.
"So what is this all about?" Hermione finally asked, breaking the silence.
He looked at her and shrugged, "What do you mean?"
"You know perfectly well what I mean. This crazy stuff about suddenly being in love with me. Don't forget you're supposed to hate me, remember that? I'm sure you haven't forgotten all the times you called me a mudblood, or made fun of Harry and Ron. Have you!" She was getting more worked up about this than she anticipated.
Draco noticed her fury and took a seat on her couch. And even though he was in this hopeless romantic stage, he sat like the prince he was. Legs sprawled out, his head resting attentively on his hand. She crossed her arms over her chest and took a seat across from him, just waiting. Smugly he looked at her, and realized that, yes he had been a jerk in the past but, "People change. I changed that's for sure, you've changed, everyone has changed. It just so happened that in this change I noticed the true beauty in things,"
There wasn't a word to say from Hermione.
"Look, I saw past our petty differences a realized how truly – really I don't even know how to say what I think about you. You're corky, and you're intelligent, you actually give me butterflies when you're near. Hermione, I don't know what to say to make you realize that I am not lying or playing some game!"
"Stop! Just be quiet will you!" Hermione got up from her chair, arms crossed over her chest, and her back now turned to him, "Draco just leave it. You're gorgeous, you know? And I don't know what girl wouldn't want to have you. You could have any girl …any girl you wanted, but you chose me."
"Yes, Hermione, I could have any girl I want, but you are far better than anyone. Pansy Parkinson for example, she's the fucking hottest girl here – as everyone says, but have they seen you? Do they have eyes, because you are by far more beautiful than anyone I have ever seen."
He, like her, got up from his chair and crossed to where she was standing. Cautiously he placed his hands on her arms and bit his lip, "Don't hate me anymore."
She leaned into the warmth of his body, but quickly realized it was wrong. As tears started streaming down her cheeks, she threw her hands up in the air, turning to face him, "I have a boyfriend, one I love very, very much. I would never do anything to jeopardize that love I feel for him. Draco had this been said before when you hadn't had done all those hateful things to me, yes there would be a possibility, but not now. We can never be, and you and I know that."
"Her—"
"No."
Draco hung his head, only to be slapped by Hermione, rather fiercely, "Stop! Can't you stop with this? Get over me! Just forget all about me and be the arrogant, spoiled brat you are!"
"You want me to be mean to you!" He yelled as he clutched his cheek.
"Well in a way no! But yes, yell at me, call me names, but stop being this."
He did not get this, for this is not the reaction he was looking for. Hermione looked at him with the emotionless masked she learned how to put on in her third year. Draco didn't know what to do, so he left without a word, leaving her to watch as he went off.
It hadn't even been a minute before Ron was looking at her, and asking if she was alright. Hermione wiped her tears quickly, and felt her cheeks becoming hot from embarrassment, "Ron I had no idea you were coming up."
"Well I thought I'd come tell you I had practice tonight," he sighed before taking her face In his hands, "I just saw Malfoy leave from here, did that have something to do with you crying?"
Hermione's eyes widened as she shook her head in a lie, "Oh you know I don't even know why I'm crying, but Malfoy just came in here to ask about homework …"
Ron looked at her suspiciously, but in the end believed her, "Well are you alright? I mean no one cries like this over nothing."
She nodded, "I'm fine, it's just – you know, stupid stuff."
"Are you sure? Because I'm not leaving until you're fine."
Smiling, she wiped her tears, "Ron, I'm fine."
He embraced her in a warm hug for a few moments. Hermione ran her hands through his eccentric red hair, until they both pulled away. Ron took her hands in his, and kissed her fingertips before getting off of her bed, "Do you feel like coming to watch tonight?"
"I would but I'm not feeling –"
"You don't have to explain yourself."
Hermione tried smiling at his sweet words; instead she showed just how much she took them to heart. Getting up, she crossed over to him, and gave him a fervent kiss. Neither wanted to pull away; but Ron finally realized that he had to. Hastily he kissed her once more and was out.
She did until he was gone.
It took her awhile to realize that she needed sleep. Not bothering to change, she climbed into bed, pulling the covers over her, and closing her eyes. Soon she drifted off into a restless slumber.
I'll put a spell on you,
you'll fall asleep 'cos I'll put a spell on you,
and when I wake you,
I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me, yeah...
As she felt a warm breath upon her face, Hermione blinked a couple of times to regain her sight. What she found hovering above her was enough to give her a heart attack. She jumped pushing Draco out of the way, and moved towards the wall as he stood watching her.
"What are you doing here? And how did you get in?" She asked frantically.
Draco shrugged.
"Answer me!"
Once again Draco stayed silent.
Hermione shook her head, grabbing her robe and covering herself up. She made her way over to him, placing her fingers around his chin, making them eyelevel. "What is it with you?"
"You," He leaned forward, breaking the space between them and placed his lips to hers as gently as he could be. Hermione though fiercely tore at his lips, not wanting this to end. Draco knew she was passionate about things, he saw it with S.P.E.W, but now he felt as if Hermione was being too passionate, he didn't care though. He kissed her back, making sure not to even come close to breaking. Her fingernails clawed into his shirt, and his hands gripped the small of her back. So much emotion was pouring out of Hermione, that as she kissed him tears ran down her cheeks, making their way onto his as their heads moved in a rhythm. His hands roamed her chestnut tresses, enjoying the way the felt through his fingers.
But as he moved to remove her shirt, Hermione pulled back and placed her head in her hands.
Draco tried to lift her head up, but she shook him off, crossing to the window, "I can't."
He stood, baffled, "Why not? I thought--"
"You thought right, Draco, everything you're thinking is right, but I just can't do this."
She turned to him, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I have a confession too, Draco, since you've poured your heart and soul to me. Yes! I have felt something for you since the day I first saw you. It just so happened though that my hopes were crushed when you opened that mouth of yours, making what I wanted go away."
"Hermione, I can explain!"
"Explain what? It's done. It's over," She groaned, "I love you, alright. I love you and it's a fucking shame I can't do anything about it."
Both of their hearts broke at that moment.
"Get out!" She screamed.
Draco didn't move, but as she screamed again, he backed away slowly, knowing she meant it. But just as he reached the portrait hole, Hermione put her hand in the hair singling him to stop, "If this wasn't the way it was – if I… Draco just know that we could've been. But this ends now, no more from me or from you. Got it?"
He left.
Never before had Hermione packed her things so hastily. Without a single tear, even though this was the last time she would ever see Hogwarts. The next though, she wouldn't have to ever see Draco Malfoy's face again, or hear that spoiled mouth of his, or hear his cocky laugh. They'd be out of each other's lives, onto better things. Correct? Hermione hoped so desperately.
I'll put a spell on you
The ride had been a bumpy one. Everyone knew something was going on with the two, for neither spoke to anyone. Hermione could hardly breathe; in fact she was seriously afraid of fainting at some point. Draco bit his fingernails, a nervous habit he regained the night before. They were in opposite compartments, but both knew that the other was just as miserable as they were feeling.
But they knew, at least Hermione knew that it would never last; that this was a temporary thing that was caused by raging hormones of sorts. Was it though? Would she really force herself to believe that this was all a made up love story? Because she knew, deep down, somewhere inside – that this was a real as it got.
"Hey you," Ronald said, breaking her from the trance she placed herself in, "We've arrived."
She blinked up at the redhead and nodded; getting up without help and passing him up without a word. Everyone noticed the tension, but couldn't place where it was from. Aimlessly she moved along with the mess of bodies off of the train, trying to get away from Harry, Ron and Ginny before they asked her to come with them. She finally made it off and spotted her parents with her bags waiting with grins upon their face. This was it; she started over until his hair caught her eye. He was walking to his parents as well, and it was now or never.
"Draco!" She shouted, as she broke into a run.
He kept walking, until she grabbed his wrist pulling him to face her. "I know – I know that I said that it was over, that … listen. Come with me, just forget everything and come with me, if you completely hate me again with a few hours we can arrange that you get back home, but I know if you go to your parents right now we will never see each other again."
"Hermione," he said, "Look it's not that simple."
"Yes it is! Just come with me."
"Your parents, I'm sure they hate me."
She shrugged, "I'll explain to them!"
Draco looked to Ron and his family who were looking for the brunette in front of him. The pro's were more interesting than the cons, and in a spur of the moment decision he nodded, and Hermione took off with him lugging after her. As they approached the Grangers, Draco knew they knew who he was and were quite curious as to why Hermione suddenly had an affinity for him. But she explained that she wanted him over for dinner before he left to France tomorrow – she had always been good at thinking on her feet. And like good people do, they greeted him warmly.
"Good to finally meet you, Draco," Mrs. Granger said sweetly, embracing him in a hug.
"Same here," And Mr. Granger greeted him with a handshake.
Hermione pulled Draco into the back seat with her, while her parents sorted her bags, and finally got in the car.
Hermione felt a pang of guilt as she watched Ron looking after her with sad eyes, but he would understand later. Everyone would. Now though, she needed Draco for unknown reasons. But it was obvious that he needed her too.
As the car drove on, Hermione looked out the window, oblivious that Draco watching her. But he had always watched her world from afar – now he didn't have to.
She was right there.
Finally his and he was finally hers.
A/N: Just a fun little story I did awhile back. Different from most of the other stories that I've wrote, but … fluff is nice to have.