Surprises, Surprises…

Definitely a lot more Hermione & Ron in this fic…though they are talking about Makoto & Draco. :P

-:-

Makoto released a heavy, dragging yawn as she stepped out of the dorm, movements slow and lethargic. After managing to dodge Herms and Ron's generally concerned inquiries, she had kept to her word and had gotten ready for class.

However, after a quick shower and dressed fully in uniform, the auburn-haired girl had decided to just lie down until the other girls were ready, not wanting to seem too eager to see her Slytherin husband. Then before she knew it, she was waking up in a sea of bed sheets with her clock blinking 7:46.

And now here she was, probably tripping over her own feet as she torpidly made her way down the stairs to the common room. Why hadn't the girls woke her? Or at least went to check on her after?

Makoto frowned darkly at that, promptly shoving aside the negative thoughts. It was her responsibility to set the clock, to sleep at a decent hour. She had no right to entreat on her roommates for the responsibility, no right at all.

As the tall brunette rounded the corner, she was forced to an abrupt stop as her heavy-lidded green eyes caught onto a lone individual standing within Gryffindor's common room. His platinum-crowned head lifted when she entered, familiar icy blue eyes looking back at her expectantly.

"Morning sleepy-head." He greeted softly with a half-smile, hands shoved in his pockets and dressed fully in uniform, robe and all.

The auburn-haired witch smiled brightly at that, practically launching herself at the tall male and burying her face safely into his sweater front. His smile widened, one arm circling around the middle of her back and the other around her waist, drawing her closer.

"Granger didn't want to wake you since you 'woke' up early." He announced lightly, resting the side of his cheek atop her crown of her head.

There was a moment of silence, save for the sound of their breathing, before either of them spoke up.

"How come you're here?"

Draco straightened fully at that, pulling back slightly as he suddenly pulled out a wand from a hidden pocket amongst his Slytherin robes.

"You forgot your wand in my room last night. I figured since you have a Herbology exam first period you'd need it."

She wrenched back with a surprised gasp, eyes wide and expression practically panic-stricken. She wordlessly snatched the wand before tearing out of the common room and onto the main hallway.

"What class do you have now?" Makoto huffed, clearly out of breath, as she wheeled down the staircases with her beau in tow.

"Charms, but I can walk you to the greenhouses."

The tall brunette came to a skidding halt with that, practically forcing her male counterpart to topple over his own feet in the process. She pivoted her heel and fixed her still-smiling companion with a gentle but reprimanding glare, huffing and puffing for breath.

"I am not letting you," she was forced to pause as she had to re-gather enough breath to continue, "…get a detention and point deduction on my behalf, Malfoy."

He made a move to protest but was quickly shut-up as she tugged him down for a haste kiss, tongue darting forth and parting his shut lips. It was brief, a little rough as well with her teeth clashing against his, but quite enjoyable despite it all.

"So go head to Charms before you miss the bell." She said after pulling away, placing a quick kiss on his cheek before spinning her heel and wheeling down the rest hallway, waving her hand in temporary fare-well.

Draco only blinked dumbly at that, wide-eyes watching as she finished the last leg of her trip and burst out the swinging double-doors that lead to the courtyard. And then, he finally turned away, head shaking as he began strolling back to the Charms classroom, a lop-sided grin pulling his lips the entire time.

-:-

Hermione glanced about the two teens seated before her, face puckered with perplexed bewilderment as she absently forked in a mouthful of rice and chicken.

Currently, the students of Hogwarts had recuperated to the Great Hall for lunch hour, talking avidly about the happenings that had occurred thus far. But unbeknownst to anyone, hell was freezing over and Voldermont himself was meeting with the Easter Bunny every evening for a cup of tea and some cucumber sandwiches, discussing the new colors for the eggs that Easter.

And how exactly did the slight little genius know that it was Christmas down under (no silly, not Australia)? Well, quite simply the fact that Makoto Kino, the very same Makoto Kino who had declared that the only thing she would ever receive from a certain Draco Malfoy was a head ache and high blood-pressure, was filling up the said boy another cup of apple juice.

Granted yes, it was a requirement to the marriage project that had been bestowed upon all seventh-year females, but this time she was actually genial about the whole thing. Not to say that Makoto was all smiles about it, just the fact that she wasn't at all blustering under her breath like she generally would. Hell, she wasn't even frowning!

Which was jarringly unsettling, very very jarringly unsettling.

Thinking about it now, back in Binn's class the said pair was talking, talking for the sheer pleasure of it all. Much like the rest of the class, they had their heads settled on the lab table, arms crossed beneath them with their head tilted to the side, facing each other.

They talked avidly but quietly, smiling every so and then while snickering quietly at other times. It went unnoticed, especially since the brief smiles and muffled laughs were forced away as soon as they had surfaced. Two unlikely of forces had something going on, an alliance or a truce, something of that sort.

And it left Hermione at an unease, a foreboding sort of unease.

-:-

"Where exactly are you taking me?" Makoto demanded softly with a faint edge of irritation in her voice, continuing to allow herself to be tugged about by her wrist.

Just after the final bell had rung in announcement to all that school hours were officially over, Draco had insisted that they leave immediately, without even changing out of uniform. She agreed soon enough, though just before he took her by the wrist and led her off Hogwarts grounds, beginning the short walk to Hogsmeade Village.

She had questioned several times about what he had in store for her exactly, what was so urgent. It was met with a mischievous grin and a twinkling glint in his eyes. 'A surprise,' he would say before turning his gaze frontward again, continuing to guide her through the masses, expression intent.

She never really liked surprises.

And then, the tall brunette released a heavy sigh of defeat, deciding it would save her a lot of time and aggravation to just let him 'surprise' her. She gave her bearings a quick-glance over, being as she was only given a moment to do so. Her sharp green eyes caught onto a familiar figure standing in the window boutique of Gladrags Wizardwear, dressed in bright yellow and deep purple.

Makoto smiled faintly at recognition, remembering fondly when she had finally found her wedding gown. Luna had been so sweet and patient, understandable of her prolonging nit-picky nature.

"And we're here."

The girl snapped up with a start at that, large eyes staring up surprised at the massive pastel pink and yellow sign hung over Honeydukes, Hogsmeade's resident sweets and candy shop. Fuzzy-warm, tantalizing aromas emitted onto the sidewalk where they stood, giving notice to passer-by pedestrians that a fresh batch of chocolate éclairs was just taken out.

"Sweet tooth?" Makoto mused aloud softly, tone thoroughly amused.

Draco only rolled his eyes, head shaking, as he continued to guide her through the small swinging doors of the bakery, murmuring something quietly under his breath.

It was a relatively small shop, with only two rectangular shaped tables and the cashier's desk occupying the immaculate, gleaming white tiled floor. A row of small square shaped compartments lined the pale-yellow walls, each one filled to the brim with a different candy or sweet, the label printed across the front in big bold lettering.

The massive wall opposite them was seemingly filled with the small candy cubbies, the tongs for a person to hand-pick their sweets hanging precariously at the edge of each box.

Makoto was forced to duck slightly as she passed under one of several potted canna bulb flowers that hung from the ceiling, Draco giving her wrist a gentle but persistent tug. She was wondering really what was in store for her now.

An exceedingly beautiful girl, who looked no older then nineteen, stood behind the counter, chin perched boringly on an open palm as she began to flip the pages of a fashion magazine. She twirled a hank of her shimmering gold hair between her fingers as she did, chewing whatever it was in her mouth rather obnoxiously, loudly.

Draco grinned widely, taking a quick side-glance at the female at his side, winking, before turning back to the store clerk.

"I can't believe they pay you for sitting around on your ass all day."

Startlingly bright green eyes fluttered up at that, irises narrowed slightly with her ire at the snide remark. Her expression changed a moment later however, into one of absolute delight, smiling brightly.

"Draco!"

Makoto blinked curiously at that, watching somewhat stunned as the male at her side came forth and gave the cashier girl a very familiar, welcoming hug. A feeling of pure and unadulterated jealousy tore through her in that very instant, as the store clerk happily returned the embrace, continuing to babble on how she had missed him.

"Sorry took so long Buffy, but I decided to bring my girlfriend." The willowy Slytherin murmured, stepping back slightly as he motioned towards the tall brunette just yonder them.

"Buffy Summers, Makoto Kino. Mako, this is Buffy."

The bubbly blonde smiled kindly at that, extending her well-manicured hand for a friendly introductory handshake. The Gryffindor remained leery, however, assuming a queer look before hesitantly taking the extended extremity, giving it a good shake.

"I'm Spike's girlfriend, in case you were wondering." The cashier girl suddenly informed, almost as if she had sensed the other female's rearing green envy.

Makoto's expression turned from uncertainly chary to utterly confused, pretty face puckered with puzzlement.

"Who's Spike?"

"That'd be me." A deep, virile voice rumbled from the shadows, rough and rich with a beautiful British accent.

A tall fellow (with a very well muscled physique) came waltzing out from the shadows of the back room behind the counter, forcing Makoto's inquiries to a shocked halt. He wore a pair of deliciously tight blue jeans, a tucked in skin-tight white muscle shirt and polished black leather boots.

But what gave the girl cause to pause was the fact the male looked jarringly similar to her Draco, what with the same silvery white-blonde tresses, though cropped shorter and slicked back. His eyes were a shade darker then her Slytherin mate's icy blue ones, a deep azure blue color. And the innately too-good-for anyone, oh-so-cool air that was often associated with the Malfoy clan was practically oozing from his pores, trademark disgustingly smug half-smirk tugging his lips.

"Apparently little dragon never told you bout me," he murmured, casting a mischievous side-glance to Draco through the corner of his eye.

"I'm Spike Malfoy; his twenty-one-year-old sexier, smarter, and just over-all better older brother."

-:-

"You're just imaging things, Hermione." Ron murmured with a sigh sometime later that night in the dormitory he shared with Harry, Neville, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas.

Hermione shook her head however, leery, as she continued to pace back and forth in the center of Ron's personal chambers, one hand clasped behind her back and the other rubbing therapeutically against her left temple.

"There is something definitely different between those two, something has happened." She murmured pensively to herself, face wrought with strained concentration.

She was suddenly forced to still as a pair of hands found their way at either side of her hips, firmly holding her in place. Bright green eyes stared down at her with the ever-present warmth, a lop-sided grin spread wide across his freckled face.

"Well whatever it is, I'm sure Mako can handle it. She would've told us so if other wise." He assured softly, gently as he bent forward and allowed his forehead to clunk against hers.

Then his grin turned positively wicked.

"Don't dwell on the small things, you fusspot."

The golden-brown haired female gasped with astonished offense, jerking away from his hold and stomping her foot stubbornly, childishly.

"I am NOT a fusspot." She cried firmly, arms crossing across her chest as she did.

"I am simply worried about her. She's been one of my closest friends for the past six years, Ron."

The flaming-haired male sighed somewhat heavily at that, catching the fuming girl by her middle and bringing her back up against him once more, expression solemn and wrought with severity.

"Well she's been one of mine too, baby." He murmured softly, assuring as one of his hands reached up to cup the left side of her face, fingers massaging across her scalp gently.

"But we can't go meddling in her personal affairs if she isn't ready to share them yet. She has to fight her own demons, whatever they are. That's the only way she'll overcome them. All we can do is trust her Hermione and be there for when she wants our help. That's all we can do."

The slender little genius simply stared up at the taller male with rounded, faintly surprised eyes, stunned into silence. For once she had no witty matter-of-fact comeback and she had no problem with that whatsoever. She grinned a little a moment later, moving in fully and burying her face deep in the front of his short-sleeved white shirt.

"When'd you get so smart?" she questioned in a small voice, arms squeezing tight around his middle.

He chuckled loudly at that, arms sliding around her middle fully and holding her in place once again. The lanky Gryffindor turned his head slightly downward, staring down at the thick mass of honey-brown tresses. He smiled.

"Well I've been dating you for three-years haven't I?"

-:-

Concerning Buffy Summer's eye color, several sources claim it to be a nice sky blue while others state otherwise. So in the end, I decided to base it upon Sarah Michelle Gellar's (the actress who plays Buffy in the television show) eye color which is a lovely green. And all you anti Spike/Buffy shippers well, bite me. I couldn't think of anyone else besides Buffy for Spike…so sorry. :\

Also, I do know that Spike's ORIGINAL name is William the Bloody.

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