HELLO lovelies!
The end of this chapter has been fighting me for days, but I finally managed to get it done. Originally this chapter was going to be longer, but I decided that it would probably be way too much in one chapter if I didn't take the other thing and give it its own chappie.
For those of you who wanted more Draco/Marlene then you definitely get some of that in this chapter, so I hope you like it!
Thank you all for your lovely reviews. They mean so, SO much to me.
Please, please leave a review and let me know what you think ;)
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Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the story line and any OC's belong to me.
Friday, December 5th, 1975
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Draco and Hermione Potter's Sixteenth Birthday
"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Hermione! Happy Birthday to you. From good friends and true, from old friends and new, may good luck go with you, and happiness too!"
Hermione blinked blearily, absently rubbing the sleep out of her eyes whilst pointing her toes and stretching her legs out. When her vision cleared properly, she saw the pale sunlight filtering in through her curtains, and four of her favourite faces were obscuring everything else from view as they happily looked down at her.
Right, I didn't use locking charms last night, just silencing ones in case I had any nightmares, Hermione thought as she sat up, ghosting a hand over her messy curls.
"Happy Birthday, Mione!" Lily exclaimed as she dove forward and engulfed Hermione in a tight and warm embrace.
Hermione giggled as the other girls followed suit, until they were all practically lying on top of her. Hermione took a slow and measured breath—as the girls had stolen all hers away—and said, "thank you guys. I love you all so much."
"I love you's" eagerly chorused back to Hermione, and her grin only got wider.
Merlin. Sixteen. Time sure does fly, Hermione mused with a hint of sadness. Knowledge of what was on the horizon weighing down her mind and dampening her spirits slightly.
Hermione smiled brightly as the girls bombarded her with their gifts, laughing and chatting nonsensically as she unwrapped them all; the girls all sat on the sides of her bed—trying to be as close to her as they could be.
Alice had Sir Nicholas held firmly against her chest, his tan fur slightly faded after years and years of use. Nancy burst into random chords of song with her charming yet haunting voice. Kira fought to tie back her insane and unruly, kinky and beautiful curls whilst Hermione opened her gift—a pair of bright blue hot pants. Lily was right beside Hermione, taking all of the wrapping paper from her and folding it into a neat pile at the foot of the bed.
Almost half an hour later, Hermione was adjusting her tie, loosening it and making her way up the stairs to the Fifth Year boy's dormitories.
The large wooden door was slightly ajar, and although Hermione didn't hear anything she did smell mint. Mint. It invaded her nostrils and drowned out everything else.
Well it looks like Draco is still here, Hermione thought with a twist of her lips, taking a deep breath before she pushed open the door.
She faltered almost immediately, and her knees wobbled for a moment.
Draco turned towards her, barechested, a small white and fluffy towel in his hand—he had been rubbing it across his damp locks right before she entered.
Hermione blankly stared at Draco, forgetting the basic human functions needed for survival—like inhaling and exhaling. Her hazel eyes travelled the length of his torso, to all its dips and curves; Hermione fought to subtlety exhale the breath she had been holding as she observed his muscles move whilst he continued to dry his hair.
"Happy birthday," Hermione said meekly, blinking rapidly as she gathered her wits about her. Fishing in her front blouse pocket for her gift to Draco. With it enclosed in her fist, she slowly approached the raven haired boy.
"Happy birthday," Draco smiled wryly, dropping the towel on his trunk before reaching for his shirt. He had just started buttoning it up just as Hermione reached him.
Hermione bit her lip as she closed the distance between them, she tilted her head back to look up at him and smiled, "turn around."
"Pardon?" Draco cocked an eyebrow at her, buttoning the last button at the bottom of his shirt.
"Turn around and bend down a little," Hermione rolled her eyes. When Draco remained stationary, Hermione fixed him with a withering stare.
Draco shook his head, stormy grey eyes swirling with curiosity but he did as she requested.
Hermione's gaze moved along the planes of his back, up to his nape. She closed her eyes for a second before going up onto her tiptoes, and deftly she clasped either side of the chain as she went over his head with it. She brought both ends to the back of his neck, and secured the clasp mere moments later.
Hermione took a few steps backward and Draco's head lowered as he took in what was on the silver chain.
"It's a locket like the one you gave to Sirius and Remus. Is this just a rite of passage?" Draco teased when he turned around.
"I suppose you could say that, it's exactly like theirs except on the inside there is a little note for you...as well as a picture of James on one side and our parents on the other side," Hermione said softly.
Draco stiffened, and nodded curtly. "Time keeps passing...where does it keep going Hermione? We just got here. You know what I mean?"
"I think...I think it'll never be enough time. It's never enough time," Hermione said sombrely.
Draco stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. Hermione was shocked for a moment, they had barely touched each other recently, but tingles ran down her spine and she sighed softly. She always felt safe with Draco, and she was sick of them not talking.
Hermione was about to say something on that specific topic, but the words were stuck in her throat, refusing to budge.
Before she knew it, Draco was withdrawing from her and the muted words, "we need to get downstairs, or breakfast will be over and we won't have gotten a scrap of food," reached her ears.
Hermione nodded numbly and muttered a goodbye before hastily exiting the room, leaving Draco all alone.
Hermione entered the Great Hall with flushed cheeks and hunger pangs nagging her incessantly. However, as soon as her foot crossed the threshold, she wanted to turn around and go back from whence she came.
"Oh, fuck," Hermione mumbled as she watched Sirius and James jump up from their seat, take a couple steps back and then lunge forward, somersaulting in the air until they landed firmly on the Gryffindor table—clearly they had planned this since the space they were standing on was devoid of any food or drink.
"Happy Birthday, Miss Potter!" The two nutjobs started, both with sure and steady voices, and if she wasn't mortified then she would have actually enjoyed their singing since they had lovely singing voices.
"What in Salazar's name—" a deep voice said from right behind Hermione, and she could feel the heat radiating off on his body envelop her. Draco. She wasn't taken off guard by his appearance, she could smell him coming after all. The mint had gotten stronger and stronger, until it was all she could smell, not to mention her ears had picked up his light footfalls due to her heightened hearing.
"Our brother and best mate are absolutely mental," Hermione shook her head in amusement.
"Well Minnie is about to put a stop to the pleasantries," Draco said, jerking his chin forward.
Hermione glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before she saw James do a backflip off of the table, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose when he landed, a wild grin lighting up his face. Sirius took a bow to the right, then a bow to the left before following suit, gracefully running down the aisle with a giddy laugh erupting from his mouth.
Hermione shook her head as James stopped to plant a messy kiss on her cheek, and to ruffle Draco's hair before sprinting past them; Sirius had a similar idea, except he spun Hermione around in a circle, and gave Draco a loud smack on the lips.
Leaving her 'twin' in disbelief and sputtering out incoherent noises as he tried to ascertain exactly what had just happened.
Hermione covered her mouth with both of her hands, but one snort laugh burst forth and Draco immediately sent her a dirty glare.
She was just about to go into the Great Hall before she saw him—Remus Lupin was a few feet away, and working on closing the distance between them. When he reached her, Remus leaned down and took her lips hard. The kiss was oceans deep and left her weak in her knees.
Remus pulled away and the flash of gold and amber in his eyes made her smirk cockily, it was only then that she noticed that he had two strips of bacon in one hand and a small midnight blue box in the other. Remus held out a piece of bacon, and she caught it between her teeth, holding it there as she accepted the box.
Hermione made a noise of enthusiasm, and she was so caught up in the moment that she didn't notice that Draco had slipped past both of them and was making his way over to Peter.
Her heart rate picked up with anticipation as she gingerly lifted off the lid.
Hermione marvelled at the silver bracelet neatly nestled in glittery, light blue tissue paper. There was a simple 'H' charm attached to the bracelet, and she smiled brightly at Remus, bacon in her mouth and all.
She held out her right wrist, and the box that was held in her left hand. Remus's cheeks were a bright pink as he removed the bracelet and quickly fastened it on her wrist.
"I'm sorry it isn't something bigger but—" Remus cut himself off when he saw Hermione shake her head incessantly.
Hermione held onto the end of the bacon and bit off a large chunk, letting out a pleased noise as she chewed. When she swallowed, she angled her head upwards and puckered her lips. Remus quickly took the hint and dove forward, his soft lips on hers in moments.
"I love it, Moony. Thank you," Hermione murmured against his lips.
The radiant grin that lit up his face in that moment made it better, it made everything just that much shinier, and just, better.
It is turning out to be a fantastic birthday, Hermione thought as she tucked herself into Remus's side, nibbling on her bacon as she headed towards the rest of her friends. A fantastic birthday indeed.
There was a soft clink as the blonde fastened the necklace around her wizard's neck. She peered down his partially unbuttoned shirt and spotted a silver locket. At least it didn't clash with the silver necklace she had given him (which was adorned with a small emerald pendant). She figured that Hermione must have given it to him for his birthday.
"Happy Birthday," she whispered before her lips brushed against his as soft and light as a feather. One of her hands was on his nape, the other on his cheek.
They were veiled in darkness, hidden away in a secluded corner on the Sixth floor—practically everyone else was in the Great Hall enjoying their supper, so they didn't have to worry about anyone stumbling across them and interrupting their moment.
Of course Draco cast a Notice-Me-Not charm just in case.
The kiss deepened and Draco got lost in the sweet taste of Marlene, swimming in a sea of jasmine and honey. Draco's hands snuck under her untucked shirt and spread across her back, and in response Marlene properly climbed into his lap, straddling his hips.
Draco's breath hitched as Marlene ran her nails along the back of his neck, suppressing the urge to shudder.
One of his hands travelled down to her arse and gave it a firm squeeze. He revelled in the resulting yelp of surprise, even if she broke their kiss in the process; her head fell back slightly, and Draco seized the opportunity to gain access to her neck.
Draco lazily kissed along the side of her neck, and Marlene's hands buried themselves in his hair. After a few moments, she yanked his head back and slanted her lips over his once more.
The hand not on her arse slid smoothly across her skin, from her back to her ribcage, and then up to her breasts—wasting no time in slipping underneath the baby blue lace.
Draco kissed Marlene fast and hard, swallowing her moan as he rolled her taut bud between his forefinger and thumb.
"THERESA!"
The loud outburst caused the two teenagers to jump, instinctively moving to clutch each other tighter. Draco blew out a frustrated noise through his nostrils and he noted that whoever it was didn't pass by their corner, they must have turned down the other corridor, their voice simply rebounding and echoing in every direction.
"I think that's a sign," Marlene pursed her lips, running her hand through his hair as she kissed his temple.
"Can we stay here a moment longer?" Draco murmured against her jaw, placing a tiny kiss there.
Marlene was silent for a moment, but then affectionately she said, "yes, but you have to remove your hand from its current location."
Draco scoffed, but consequently both of his hands shifted until they were both looped loosely around to the small of her back. Draco cocked his head to the side as he gazed up at his girlfriend.
"I love you, Draco Potter," Marlene whispered as if it was a secret for just them, and them alone. She pressed her forehead against his, her arms around his neck, the lengths of their bodies pressed against each other's.
"I love you Marlene McKinnon," Draco responded, tracing a light pattern across her back.
They stayed there a little longer, but eventually they untangled their limbs and strolled down a few corridors, before climbing the flight of stairs to the Gryffindor Tower.
Draco was sneaking his girlfriend into his room to spend the night, not to try anything, just to sleep. To sleep and hold each other in the dark.
When they got back to the Fifth Year boy's dormitories, they were greeted with the Marauders and company drinking and joking about heavily.
Hermione was strewn across Remus's lap in one of the chairs, pressing sloppy kisses to his cheek at every opportunity. Sirius was sitting on James's lap on the floor as they shared a fag between them. Alice was leaning back against Frank's chest, a serene expression on her face. Kira, Lily and Nancy were on the edge of the misshapen circle, not drinking but still laughing as Sirius tried to balance a chocolate on his nose for whatever reason. Peter was sitting beside Sirius and James, now handing Sirius various objects to try and balance with a delighted laugh.
Draco simply stood in the doorway, Marlene pressed against his back and peering around him. In that moment he just felt like he may explode from the heated warmth that was roaring in his chest cavity.
"Happy Birthday to us!" Hermione exclaimed, raising a flask above her head in a toast; Hermione's eyes met Draco's just as she put the flask to her lips and she raised her eyebrows in amusement at him. Everyone else seemed to finally notice his presence, and they all excitably jumped up as they chorused, "happy Birthday Hermione! Happy Birthday Draco!"
Happy birthday indeed, Draco thought as James swarmed him with a warm hug, and Kira giddily grabbed Marlene's hands and dragged her into the room—it was all Draco could do to not to burst out laughing as his girlfriend's eyes rounded in shock.
Happy birthday indeed.