Draco Malfoy was the last young man to have to kiss Hermione Granger, and he was going to put it off for as long was humanly (or wizardly, whichever way seems most correct to you) possible. And he was doing an awfully good job of it, as Dumbledore could clearly see. He felt it was his duty to bring together the three young men who he knew to be most greatly involved with Ms. Granger's current…Predicament.
Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasley, two of whom were quite happy to join him in his office, and the other of the three who had seen it coming and was not entirely pleased at putting the inevitable kiss off any longer.
Dumbledore looked down at the three boys seated uncomfortably before him and grinned. "Mr. Malfoy is our last resort when it comes to Ms. Granger," Dumbledore spoke, and then opened his withered mouth to continue.
He was, unfortunately, cut off by Harry, who was looking rather stunned and defiant at once. "Her soul mate could be anyone Professor! He doesn't necessarily have to be at this school!"
"Nor does he have to be a he," Malfoy responded, sneering and smirking all at once, which is a feat that, up until he turned five, was thought to be utterly impossible.
Ron and Harry glared daggers at him while Dumbledore tried not to match the young Slytherin's smirk, for, as I have said before, he knew something the three of them didn't. Well, actually, Draco did know, as it had a lot to do with his personal tastes, but he didn't know how it applied at all to the matter at hand.
"Nor does he have to be in the age group we have set out. But I have a hunch," Dumbledore responded, though at this word all three boys shared glances, be it of doubt or mockery.
"A hunch isn't very much to work on," Ron spoke up finally, blushing at having three sets of eyes on him but also feeling very proud of himself for having voiced his opinion.
"Professor, with all due respect," Malfoy began, not looking like he meant at all, nor that he would ever mean it, "You did detail that kissing her was entirely voluntary."
"It's a simple kiss, Mr. Malfoy. I'm sure it's not something you're afraid of?" Dumbledore asked his trademark twinkling fairly evident. Trying to goad the young boy into a simple kiss would not be too difficult.
"I don't think it's a good idea, Professor," Harry spoke again.
"At least walk, the four of us, to the infirmary," Dumbledore suggested as if it were a simple, innocent thought that had merely meandered into his head as opposed to part of a certain plan of his.
Harry and Ron nodded and sighed, while Malfoy sneered but began to follow the other three anyways. He was as evil as everyone thought him to be, this is for certain, but he had never really had any true intentions to kill anyone. As grave as his life had been, as full of malice and hate and spite as he was, he did not enjoy inflicting death on others. He did, however, enjoy inflicting pain, and he was trying to find a way to work the entire situation in his favour. And while the black hamster with red eyes in his brain ran furtively on it's wheel, Harry and Ron were looking horrified as they walked behind him.
Perhaps it was because they were thinking about the test they had coming up in Potions, but I'd be inclined to doubt that as the true reason. Instead, Harry was horrified that the nagging thought in the back of his head that had been Draco Malfoy had suddenly because a neon sign in his head, accompanied by rather loud warning bells. Malfoy absolutely, positively, could not be Hermione's soul mate. If he was, per say, though Harry knew it couldn't be true, Ron would kill himself, Hermione probably would too, and then he'd be friendless. Or he's kill himself as well.
But, he though to himself, dragging his thoughts away from things like death and thinking on the single positive thought he could muster- Malfoy absolutely, positively, would not kiss Hermione. And so he relaxed. Slightly.
Ron, however, was not thinking of death, but nor was he anywhere near calm. The very thought of Malfoy kissing Hermione sent him reeling into a black spiral of bad thoughts perhaps even worse than Harry's, which involved a few weddings, one or two affairs, and a handful of murders and suicides alike. So it was, all in all, a good thing that the three boys were not sharing their thoughts with each other, or some sort of absolutely chaos may have occurred.
Dumbledore, who was walking ahead of the three boys, was feeling rather pleased with himself. Now, if you think back to the first chapter, you will remember I mentioned something about Dumbledore's plans and his knowledge of one of Draco Malfoy's weaknesses. It is at this point in the story that you learn what his weakness is- coconut lip gloss.
Draco Malfoy has always been partial to coconut flavoured foods, and partial to the girl he is with at any point in time smelling like coconut. However, it's not a particularly popular scent in the wizarding world, and so he will often be driven to absolutely mad things when he does happen across the scent or flavour.
And how do you get a positively spiteful boy to kiss a girl who may or may not be his soul mate who he, in turn, has absolutely, positively no intention of kissing? You tempt him with a flavour and scent he is addicted to. And so our esteemed professor Dumbledore has told Madame Pomfrey that she is to apply a layer of coconut lip gloss to Hermione's lips.
When the party of four arrived in the hospital wing, their thoughts were much the same, as were their expressions. Though Draco Malfoy's expression changed substantially as the smell of coconut wafted over to him, and he tried to fight the urge to go near it, and instead attempted to focus on whatever Dumbledore was babbling about.
But he couldn't. Instead, he began to walk slowly towards the scent, which was, of course, coming from Hermione. As Dumbledore watched in amusement and Harry and Ron in bewilderment and then horror, Draco Malfoy leaned down and kissed Hermione Granger square on the lips.
A/N: Sorry the update took forever- I have a small legion of fans and by failing to update, I may have none. If you're still there, review. And sorry this is so short.
