Background
It had been 2 years since Hermione had graduated from Hogwarts. Hermione is completing her first year as a member of the Hogwarts staff, teaching potions. In fact she is the youngest ever instructor in the history of the school.
The story starts at a fancy dress masked ball for the wizarding community of Europe, held this year at Hogwarts academy.
Part 1.
Hermione entered the great hall, suddenly anxious about her costume. What if someone else had thought of coming dressed as a Vampire? Just then her alternative costume walked past; a black cat costume. Thank goodness she had trusted her flat mate Ginny and gone with the slinky long black dress with a high neck and open back. And if no one liked what she looked like she was still happy because she had hidden her face behind a mask that covered her eyes. She had also used Tonks' favourite spell and her personal favourite straightening tongs to change her hair colour and texture to a straight shiny black. Tonight she planned to have fun and dance with as many eligible men as possible. She scanned the room and was disappointed with the amount of possible dance partners. The room was over three quarters full of women. It seemed that they had thought along the same lines as her.
She was lost in her thoughts when a muscular shoulder bumped into her back. She turned to look angrily at the man who interrupted her thoughts when she caught herself. This was a perfect specimen of the male physique. His broad shoulders and toned arms could clearly be seen in the tight white shirt that he wore. The ruffles down his chest only accentuated his masculine curves. Not to mention the tight leather pants which left very little to the imagination. He too was wearing a mask. Who was the man?
"Sorry, are you alright? " he asked in a very deep and attractive voice, while wrapping an arm around her as if she were about to fall. "These places are hell to move around in." Draco looked her up and down, liking what he saw. This is what he came here to find, now all he had to do was find out whether she had a brain to make this the perfect woman.
She stood for what seemed like an eternity not able to respond before she realised that he was staring.
"Miss, are you ok?" He squeezed her slightly trying to get a response.
"Yes I'm fine, thankyou," she finally found the words is her unresponsive mind. "You're dressed like me!" The words just flew out of her mouth. Embarrassed she looked to the floor.
He laughed. "Well not quite. Although that looks extremely sexy on you I believe that if I wore that, I would not be aloud in." He liked that he had caught her off guard. He could tell by the way that she was starting to blush that she had not meant to share her thought.
Who was this man, she thought to herself, and how could he be so smooth with a woman he just met, she always found herself tripping over her words in front of a man that she was attracted to. However he was he had to be a pro. At that moment she realised that she was still in his arms. She stood a little straighter, signalling to him that she was truly fine and that he should give her some space. He took the hint. He slid his hand back off of her, but not before feeling her exposed back, tracing the lines of her shoulder blade around to the edge of her dress. Before she could help herself sheclosed her eyes and shivered, God it felt good to be touched. She hadn't been touched in this manner since she was a student at Hogwarts.
He smiled. Damn he was too cute for his own good. She found herself smiling back, what was she doing?
"So fellow creature of the night, may I have this dance?" How bowed low, just like the men did in the time of chivalry and honour. How could she resist.
She held her hand out and he lead he to the dance floor. The music was not suitable for a traditional couple's dance, but the way he led her it didn't seem to matter. He held her close so that she could feel all of his rippling muscles. Oh god he was superb. She had to bite her lip before she moaned in appreciation. Taking a quick glance around the room she realised that all eyes were on her and this hunk of a man.
"So what is it that you do Miss?"
"I teach potions here, the youngest instructor at Hogwarts in its history."
"OOO, very nice."
"How about yourself sir, what profession has drawn you in?"
"Oh, I'm not saying," He smiled at her and she noticed his familiar cheeky grin although couldn't pin where she had seen it before.
She looked up at him and smirked. She put on a Transylvanian accent made famous by the many Dracula movies and said "Ve have vays of makink people talk"
At this he laughed, no woman had ever made him laugh this much since he attended Hogwarts just over two years ago. "Ok, I am training to become a valuer at Gringot's. I deal with the more dangerous customers because my family are fairly well known."
She wanted to know what his name was although that would lead to her having to give out her name and she wasn't quite sure whether she wanted him to know that yet, so she let it slide for the time being.
Closing her eyes she relaxed and let him lead her around the floor. Dance after dance she followed, talking the whole time about nothing in particular. They swayed, dipped and twirled and to everyone in the room it seemed that they were the perfect pair. Before she knew it, the last song was being announced. So much for her plans of meeting many new and eligible men, but for some reason she didn't care. She smiled to herself at the thought.
The last song finished and they reluctantly pulled away from each other.
To be continued…