It was a brilliant summers day in Diagon Alley, and Draco Malfoy was enjoying every second of it. Sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, reopened after the war by his son. He was done reading the Daily Prophet, there was never anything good in it anymore. Just a whole lot of silly advertisements. Seeing all the happy couples walking through the street hand in hand, conjured up strange feelings inside him. Jealousy.
Now life for Draco Malfoy was pretty good at the moment. With his father in prison, and with new guards at Azkaban there was no chance of him getting out any time soon. And the little matter of Voldemort well and truly taken care of by Harry Potter there was no reason at all to be depressed about the state of things, but alas there was.
Now he wasn't to shy not to admit that he was a good-looking man, heck he'd even go so far as to say there weren't many better looking than him. Witches everywhere were throwing themselves at him, not to forget a few wizards (GW – but that's another story). However the one he did want didn't seem to return his affections.
If he was being really honest with himself he'd say his feelings changed for her when she was with someone else. I know! What a cliché, don't realise what you want till you can't get it. Not that the guy really deserved her, heck he wasn't sure if he even deserved her. Beautiful, smart, funny, caring, just about everything a guy wanted. He thought he did a pretty good job of hiding his romantic feelings towards her, but someone picked up on it.
The youngest Weasley, Potter's girl. She didn't say anything, but then again she didn't have to, the knowing looks she sent him, when a wave of jealousy hit him. Seeing her kiss him, be close with him, just holding his hand was enough to chip at his heart. Although he was friends with the Golden Trio, plus Ginny, he still knew he was on unsteady ground – didn't want to rock the broomstick by making a play for one of their girls.
However the devious little witch Ginny had other plans, sure she wouldn't tell what she suspected but she had other plans. It was Potter's 21st and the party was winding down, only the young ones left, so what do young drunk witches and wizards do at parties? Play Truth or Dare of course. What did she do, she sent us into the cupboard for a kiss. Now we had to kiss, any kiss would have released it, but I realised that this was my chance. With my Dutch courage I kissed her.
I think my brain temporarily left my head then, because she kissed me back, and I was in heaven. It was absolutely perfect, her lips so soft, she smelled divine, and her hair I just wanted to keep my hands in her hair forever, and to feel her body up against mine…
"Hi Draco."
Oh my god, there she was. She looked like a goddess in the late afternoon sunshine. It took me a moment to snap out of my daydream.
"Uh…hey Hermione…how are you?"
"Can't complain," she answered with a smile.
Gods she is beautiful.
Focus man.
Don't stuff it up.
Don't let her get away.
"Do you want to join me?"
"Ok, can't stay long though. I'm meeting Ginny.'
Damn. "How is the little Weasley?"
"Careful, you don't want her to hear that, she is the last Weasley you want to cross." She replied laughing.
"Believe me I remember, just getting over the last hex."
"Spots all gone then?" That giggle of hers should be illegal.
"Yeah, took a while though. So how are the wedding plans going?"
"Terrific, nearly all done, thank Merlin. Do you have a date yet?"
You?
"Uh…not yet." He managed to choke out. Regaining his confidence. "Just keeping my options open, you know."
"Oh, of course. Don't leave it to late." She looked a bit nervous.
"Are you alright Hermione?" She was starting to look a little pale in the sun.
"I'm fine, too much sun I think. Oh my god is that the time, I have to go…oh that book you wanted to read, it's in my bag. Let me get it. Where is it?"
"How much stuff do you have in there Hermione?"
"A fair bit, planning a wedding is complicated business. Ah…here it is." Taking a miniature book out of her bag and casting an engorgement charm on it. "No hurry return it when you're ready."
"Yeah thanks…so I'll see you later?" he asked.
"Definitely. See you Draco." She said as she hurried off.
Draco watched as she left. She gave him one quick backwards glance and then she disappeared into the crowd. He let out one huge sigh.
"You should tell her how you feel."
Draco practically jumped out of his skin.
"Who?" He asked Francis Fortescue.
He was already off talking to another customer.
Time to go. So he put some galleons on the table, picked up his Daily Prophet and the book Hermione had given him, when out of the book dropped a smaller book.
Looks like some sort of journal. Oh Merlin, it's her Diary. Way to test self control man. Don't read it…maybe just a little. At least look at inside…just to make sure it's hers…
Dear Diary,
I'm a little confused at the moment, had lunch today with Ginny, and we engaged in a somewhat enlightening conversation.
Maybe, just a little…I don't know if it would work with Draco, but I would be willing to try. Underneath the extremely hard shell is a soft and gentle, tender person. With the right amount of an edge. Things with Ron would never have worked out after the kiss.
I think I've got my answer right there, its pretty obvious isn't? But the question is, does he feel the same way, should I go for it? I don't know if I could take that kind of rejection. I think I need to think about it some.
Thanks for your listening as always,
Hermione Granger
This is interesting.