Hello everyone, this is a gift fic for VanillaAshes as part of the Gift Giving Extravaganza 2021, so I hope you enjoy it and I apologise for it being late. Thank you to my alphabeta team Art3misiA and TheOnlyCeeCeeJ for helping me with this. I do not own any rights to Harry Potter; they belong to J.K. Rowling.
Optional prompts used: angst to fluff
Draco stood beside Blaise in one corner of Professor Slughorn's expansive office, taking a sip from his goblet of mead. He had to hand it to the professor, the way he had used an extension charm to make the small office larger was very clever. The Christmas party was well underway with a number of students from the Slug Club in attendance. He had felt glares coming from Potter and his friends but hadn't risen to the bait; he didn't want a fight tonight, all he wanted was to spend some time with Blaise, to relax. While he wasn't a member, Blaise was and it had been him who had invited Draco along.
"You need a break, Draco. I don't know what's going on with you this year, you've been avoiding me and Theo a lot. You know we won't pry but we are worried about you. Whatever it is, it's obvious to us that it's taking its toll on you. I think it would do you good to come to the Slug Club Christmas party."
Draco had agreed, knowing Blaise wouldn't have taken no for an answer. He wished that he could confide in his friends, but it was better that they didn't know about the task he had undertaken. He didn't want them to be dragged under alongside him, it wouldn't be fair and he wasn't about to have that on his conscience. But the break from trying to repair the Vanishing Cabinet was welcome, as he needed a distraction, the stress of the herculean task was becoming too much for him to handle.
Taking in his surroundings, he noted that the ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson and gold hangings, so that it appeared as though they were all in a vast tent. The light came from an ornate golden lamp that dangled from the centre of the ceiling in which fairies were fluttering within, each a brilliant speck of light.
As he surveyed the room, he noticed a small group of elderly warlocks through a thick haze of smoke at one table, deep in conversation with Slughorn while smoking their pipes. His attention, however, was drawn to McLaggen trying to make another foolish attempt at an advance on Granger.
It had been going on all night and Draco couldn't help but smirk each time Granger either dismissed the seventh year or simply ignored him. While McLaggen was a pureblood, Draco had never liked him. He was too arrogant and self-centred, but the main reason was he didn't like how McLaggen leered at Granger, as though she was a piece of property that he had to acquire.
He wasn't even sure why he cared about her wellbeing tonight. They had never gotten along and he knew that was down to him making her life hell for the first few years with his bullying, a fact that he deeply regretted. However, even he had to admit that she looked stunning this evening in a peach v-neck dress which dipped slightly, the dress hugged her body accentuating her curves. Her usually unruly, bushy hair had been tamed into curls that fell around her shoulders.
Draco watched with the utmost curiosity as McLaggen strode over to where Granger stood talking to Lovegood, close to some mistletoe that hung magically from the ceiling. But she must have seen him coming, for she walked away with Lovegood by her side, not giving McLaggen a backwards glance. Draco knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help but chuckle at how stupid McLaggen looked alone under the mistletoe.
"Draco, what is so funny?" Blaise inquired; his own curiosity now piqued.
Draco pointed to the spectacle of McLaggen and Blaise began to laugh too.
"What an absolute prat."
A few moments later, McLaggen turned and made his way over to them, having heard the laughter, his blue eyes darkening with anger.
"Care to enlighten me as to what it is that's so funny?" McLaggen fumed. From the tenseness of his leanly-muscled frame, he appeared like a cobra ready to strike.
Draco wiped the tears that had fallen from laughing and straightened up, grey eyes meeting blue.
"You, McLaggen, being put in your place time and time again by Granger. But her leaving you standing under the mistletoe… that was just priceless, right Blaise?"
Blaise nodded. "The best laugh I've had all night, thank you for the entertainment."
McLaggen folded his arms across his chest, his attention focused solely on Draco. "You know, I have to ask why she's of any interest to you, Malfoy? After all, you're just a Death Eater wannabe wanting to get into your father's good graces, aren't you? Besides the point, you've never liked Granger have you, given the names you called her in the past."
"Watch your tongue, McLaggen," Draco snarled, his voice like ice. "I'm not the stupid boy I was back then. If I'm honest, I actually respect Granger."
McLaggen chuckled then as a nasty smirk spread across his lips. "Oh, wow, now I see it. You're sweet on her, aren't you, Malfoy? I've always wondered what it would be like to have a sweet Mudblood like that writhing under…"
McLaggen never finished his sentence. Draco put his drink down before shoving him up against the wall and punching him hard, taking enjoyment from the satisfying crunch of the older boy's nose breaking, the blood erupting like a geyser. Stepping back, Draco watched McLaggen slide down to the floor clutching his nose, trying to stem the blood that was leaking through his fingers.
"What the fuck… you broke my nose, you wanker…" McLaggen stated furiously.
"And I'd do it again," Draco replied. "Stay away from her."
Draco turned to walk away when someone from the crowd that had gathered to watch the fight shouted, "Watch out!"
But it was too late when he felt someone bulldoze into him, knocking him to the floor, his face cracking to the side from the force of the punch McLaggen had dealt. Draco licked his lip and tasted blood, realising it had split. Before McLaggen could rain more punches down upon him, Draco brought his knee up, connecting with McLaggen's crotch. The older boy fell off him, howling in pain, his hands going between his legs.
Draco got to his feet, feeling the rage flood him but before he could go for McLaggen again, he felt a pair of arms go around his chest in a vice like grip, a silky, low monotonous baritone voice behind him said, "That is quite enough, Draco, you've made your point. I think it's best you leave."
Draco pulled away from his godfather's grasp and wiped his lip on his sleeve before meeting the onyx black gaze of the older wizard.
"Fine, I'd had enough anyway."
Turning, he saw Blaise ready to move and join him, but Draco shook his head. As he walked towards the door of the office, he noticed Granger within the crowd, a mix of shock and curiosity alight on her features. It was clear she had witnessed the fight, but he wasn't about to ask her how much she had heard.
Once he was out of the door, he picked up his pace making his way down the corridor and towards the staircase that would take him down to the dungeons. He was almost to the stairs when the noise of high heels clacking on the stone floor reverberating against the walls made him pause before he heard her voice.
"Mal… Draco, wait!"
He turned at her use of his first name. She'd never done that before, unless she'd only done it now to simply ensure that he wouldn't leave. She would be better off not being around him, she was light and he was dark, he couldn't destroy her.
"Go back to the party, Gra… Hermione," he said as harshly as he could.
"No, not until I know why. Why did you punch Cormac for calling me something you had no qualms calling me in the past?"
He sighed, running a hand through his white-blond hair. "Because that name… it's disgusting… I was a foul little boy back then who believed in my parents' views on blood purity and the like, who wanted to make them proud. I admit I'm not much better now, but you deserve respect, your blood status shouldn't be used in a derogatory way as a weapon against you. You're a brilliant witch, Hermione."
He breathed heavily when she stepped forward, closing the gap between them. Her cool lips brushed against his cheek for a moment, like a soothing balm he hadn't realised he'd needed until then. He couldn't help but close his eyes, revelling in the contact.
After a few moments, the touch of her lips to his cheek was gone and he opened his eyes to meet her chestnut gaze.
"Thank you for defending me against McLaggen. You didn't have to but I'm glad you did. You have changed, Draco." She said it as a compliment and yet he could hear the clear concern in her voice. He'd felt her eyes on him at the party and even now, he knew she had noticed the change in his appearance but she didn't know the reason why and hadn't asked, not yet. The thing was, it would be only a matter of time before her curious mind got the better of her and she did ask. He couldn't allow that to happen, he couldn't pull her into his problems.
He felt sick to his stomach with nerves and stepped back from her, needing desperately to put as much distance between them as he possibly could. He knew the best thing to do would be to turn and walk away, to never look back, but he couldn't.
"Don't do this, Hermione… we can't be friends. I'd rather you hate me, so, I won't ruin you, because that's what will happen if you try and get close to me," Draco begged, the pain evident in his voice, he was struggling.
"Whatever it is that you're going through right now, Draco… I'm not afraid. I know you don't want to do it. Let me help you. There's still time to pick a side. We can go to Dumbledore."
He watched as she stepped forward, closing the gap once more between them and touched his cheek. He sighed, wanting to close his eyes again, but instead, grey eyes met chestnut.
"How can you say that after everything I've ever done to you?"
"Because I can see good in you, Draco. You're afraid of something and need help. Let me help you."
He saw it then for the first time, it was as if a fog had been lifted from his eyes – she was his salvation and he knew that if he accepted her offer, he'd make sure that he would protect her, no matter what.
He didn't know what made him do it but he cupped her face in his hands and brushed his lips against hers softly, not pushing. His heart raced when she returned the kiss for a moment. As he looked into her eyes when they broke apart, his forehead pressed against hers, he knew he'd made his choice.
"Alright, Hermione."
If you enjoyed this, let me know what you thought by leaving a review.
I'll see you all soon,
S L Blake x
If you enjoyed this, let me know what you thought by leaving a review.
I'll see you all soon,
S L Blake x