Disclaimer: In my feverish delirium, I at one point thought I owned Harry Potter, but then my drugs kicked in, and I realize, I didn't! I was disappointed. I also don't own the song "Small Umbrella in the Rain." It is from the fabulous musical Little Women. The music is by Jason Howland and the lyrics come from Mindi Dickstein. On the cast album, it's performed by Sutton Foster (who is Astonishing! Hee-hee! Musical theatre humor!) as Jo March and John Hickok as Professor Bhaer.
A/N: For those of you who are reading my other stories: I am offering this as a peace offering. I have been so sick this last week and a half. And then between work and classes, I'm barely getting anything done. I finished the next chapter of both The Siren and Much Ado about Something, and am currently working on the next chapter of Where I Belong. Then it's a simple matter of proof-reading. I should post them this weekend. This little number bit me in the ass this morning on m way to class and won't let go until it's written. Little Women offers some of the greatest music, and I'm rather picky! This song reminds me so much f Draco and Hermione, it's funny! If you'd like to hear part of the song, go to Amazon and look up the cast album. It has a 30 second snippet. Also, I think it's time I found myself a beta. I'm looking for someone who is serious and works fast, and preferably over the age of 17. I need someone who's willing to read several different pairings, because I can't seem to stick to one ship, and possibly stuff in other fandoms.. I mostly need someone to double check spelling and make sure I don't do anything stupid to the plot. If you're interested, go to my profile and send me a message. Thanks! Well, read on! Song lyrics are written bold and italicized!
Small Umbrella in the RainThe war was over. The good guys had won. Surprise, surprise. Not that Draco minded, that much. He was, after all, a good guy now. Had been since before the war. But did anybody say anything to him about it? No! No one cared that he'd fought along side Potter. No one cared he'd faced is own father in battle. No one noticed him.
Looking across the Great Hall, he realized that this was a lie. She was sitting there, quietly drinking her coffee, still half-asleep. Everyone else at her table was giving her a wide berth, learning over the last seven years that there was no talking with her before her morning coffee. That's one of the reasons the Head Girl went to breakfast early, to try to save as many people from her snappishness as possible. Hermione Granger appreciated his efforts in the war. She recognized his sacrifices. What she didn't seem to notice was his feelings concerning her.
Sometime between his change of sides and the war itself, Draco had fallen head over heels in love with the curly-haired Gryffindor witch. And he couldn't see to hide it. He wasn't trying anymore. The only one who didn't seem to know was the girl in question. He'd been flirting with her for ages now. He'd have thought she'd figured it out. Or perhaps she was just ignoring it, he didn't know. But today it would end. He'd decided that. Today was the day he found out for sure. Either she wanted him or she didn't. If she wanted him, well then, things would be great! And I she didn't, well—it was only early April. That left him until graduation in June to change her mind.
He watched her get up from the table with her coffee mug and head to the doors. Grabbing his small umbrella from beneath the table, Draco followed.
He was watching her again. She wished he'd stop doing that. It wasn't that she didn't want his attention. She did, desperately. But he'd never follow through. He'd watch her, and she'd get that warm, fizzy feeling in the pit of her stomach, as clichéd as that sounded. But whenever they were together, all he did was tease he. Then they'd fight. Most of the time, they'd skip the teasing and go straight to the fighting. One of these days, she was going to march up to the Head Boy and tell him she loved him, and that he should quit fucking around and tell her what he wanted! Yeah, right. And then she's become the Pope! Well, a girl's got to have a dream!
Hermione swirled her coffee, still thinking about Draco. Perhaps, today, she'd find that much lauded Gryffindor courage and tell the handsome Slytherin the truth. Yes, that sounded like a plan! Today, sometime before curfew. But for now, she had to get away from his gaze. Picking up her coffee, she headed for the doors, thinking that perhaps a walk would help her.
Of course, it was raining. Hermione hadn't realized that. She didn't care that much. She hadn't made it that far when she heard a voice calling her name. Of course, it couldn't possibly be anyone else. Karma could be a bitch sometimes. The Universe was obviously against her.
Draco caught up to her breathing a little heavily, a small umbrella protecting him from the rain. "Hermione, I was hoping to speak with you." She nodded, not saying a word, then continued walking. He followed her. Now was the time. His only chance. He couldn't screw this up. He had to make her see this the way he did. Yes, they fought, but they had passion. They could make it work.
"Hermione, we're not at all alike. We certainly have our differences. May I be blunt?" Like that had ever stopped him before. "Be blunt," she replied. "By all means." She wondered what all this was about. She waited for him to continue. Come on Draco! Three little words: I love you! Opening his mouth to say just that, he was surprised to hear is voice say, "I think perhaps it looks like rain." That was perhaps the understatement if the year. She was drenched, her white oxford shirt sticking obscenely to her curvy body, her hair plastered to her face. Not that he minded. She looked rather sexy like that. He'd love to take her right her, just like this. He could… But he couldn't let his thoughts travel down that road. It'd only lead to trouble. He had to say the words first. Then he could have her.
Looking at Draco standing dryly beneath his small umbrella, Hermione wondered why he'd said that. Well, she couldn't possibly admit to him she'd made a mistake coming out here. "The sky gets bluer by the hour," she replied, cheekily. He laughed. So, that's how she wanted to play! "The water falls in little drops," he said, the laughter evident in his voice. "That's why it's called a sun shower," she replied quickly. At her words, it actually started to rain harder. Yep, Karma is a bitch. Smirking, Draco replied sarcastically, "Ah! And now it stops." She glared at him. "You were about to be blunt?" she asked pointedly. Yes, yes he was. Shit! He was fucking this up!
They had reached Hagrid's cabin. He led her to a bench, far beneath an overhang, where they could sit away from the rain. He closed his small umbrella and sat down beside her. She was turned slightly away from him, staring into the contents of her coffee cup intently. Summoning up what courage he had, he started quietly, slowly, "If I say rain, then you say sun. If I say 'yes,' then you say 'no!'." He looked at her, to see if she had reacted. Continuing on, a bit more forcefully, "It seems before we start, we're done! We even argue at 'hello'!" He touched her wrist gently and she looked at him. "If I say, 'Share with me this small umbrella…'?" She glared at him and said impudently, "I say 'Who cares if I get wet'!" He laughed, then said, "We are as different as the morning and the night." "No! We're as different as the winter and the spring!" He sighed. This was getting off track. "We always seem to fight," he said with disappointment. Perhaps this wouldn't work. "We disagree on everything," she agreed quietly. Well, that was something at least!
He put his arms on her shoulders, turning her to face him. He looked at her seriously, honestly, openly as he continued, a bit rushed, "And yet…You make me smile. You make me laugh! You make me care! How can I explain?" He took her hand in his and pressed it against his chest so she could feel his racing heart. "Inside my heart, I feel a pain when you're not there!" He stood up quickly, hardly able to look at her as he continued, "Though we are not at all alike, you make me feel alive!" He tuned back to her, looking a bit scared, "If we had that in common…that one small thing in common…" he trailed off, unable to continue in her silence.
Love could be like a small umbrella in the rain.
Hermione was shocked. She couldn't speak. No one had ever said anything like this to her before! Obviously, Draco saw something he liked in her eyes, for he continued. "When people discover passion, they've come upon something rare. This fervor they have in common will shelter them anywhere!" He sat slightly behind her back, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders as he spoke again. "Though the rest may be rough, with such passion to share—I think we have more than enough!" he said with a laugh, before adding, quietly "Enough to make a marriage, if we dare." She stiffened. She'd never expected that! She turned to face him quickly and said, "You are proposing?" "No!…Yes!…Yes! I do not mean today," he added quickly. "Or tomorrow, or even next month! In a year, maybe, two years even! I'm a patient man."
Hermione stood up, watching the rain, before saying suddenly, "I won't be sweet, won't be demure." "This I prefer, this I adore," he assured her quickly. She turned to look at him and warned, "I'll speak my mind, you can be sure!" He grabbed her hand and said earnestly, "I'll be enchanted to the core!" She smiled at him slightly, then said, "If I said, 'Let me share your small umbrella…'?" He laughed and pulled her out into the downpour, and said, "I'll say, 'Who cares if we get wet?'!" She laughed with him as the rain soaked him as thoroughly as she was.
He pulled her into his arms, the two of them standing there in the rain. She smiled up at him shyly and said, "We'll be as different as a husband and a wife." It took Draco a minute to realize exactly what she was saying. When he finally understood, he let out a very undignified whoop of joy and hauled Hermione up into his arms, spinning her around as she laughed. H sat her back on her feet and said teasingly, "No, we'll be different as a woman and a man!" "We'll fight our way through life," she said with a laugh. "We'll disagree the best we can," he agreed. Hermione looked at him seriously, then said lightly, "And yet…"
They both repeated his earlier words. She repeated them seriously, telling him for the first time exactly how she felt. He said them lightly, unable t believe he'd had the courage to say such words to this exquisite creature before him. "You make me smile, you make me laugh! You make me care! How can I explain? Inside my heart, I feel a pain when you're not there." She reached out and took his hand, moving it to rest over her hear, as he had earlier. Hs hand brushed her breast briefly, sending shocks down both their spines. They continued breathlessly, "Though we are not at all alike, you make me feel alive!" "Yes, we have that in common," Hermione continued quietly. Draco pulled her closer. "That one small thing in common," ha said in a whisper.
And then their lips met for the first time. It was everything all at once, it was fire and passion and electricity and rather wet. It was pure bliss. When Draco finally pulled away, he finally said those words, quietly, "Hermione, I love you." She smiled, the only thing she could manage to say before se threw herself at him was, "I love you too!"
They fell back onto the muddy path together, neither one caring. Their lips met again, only breaking for much needed air. Finally, the managed to get to their feet again. Draco tucked Hermione beneath his arm and they walked back to the castle. "Our love is like a small umbrella in the rain," Hermione said quietly. "How so?" Draco asked with a laugh. "Well," she said, "we have everything against us. We fight, we have nothing in common But just like your little umbrella, we'll survive, somehow." "I suppose you right." He said thoughtfully, as he held open the door the castle for her. "But then again, who cares if we get wet?" And her laughter rang through the entrance hall.
Our love is like a small umbrella in the rain!
A/N (part II): Wow! This was fun to write! A real quick explanation. I love musicals. When I write a songfic, I write it like a musical. You have to kind of imagine them half-talking, half-singing, even if you don't know the song, for this to make since. Hope you enjoyed it! Check out the rest of my stuff! (Some shameless self-pimping!)