Chapter 3 - The Wooing of Hermione Granger
When Hermione Granger woke up the next morning, there was a lovely scent of flowers and . . . something else. Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped. All around the walls were nothing but vases of red roses, at least a dozen in each vase - and her bed covers were covered in rose petals! Had Draco Malfoy done all of this himself?
A little squeaking sound caught her attention next to her bed and when she bent down, there was the cutest little pink pygmy puff, like Ginny's except lighter pink. "Aww, how adorable!" she squealed, and watched it roll around in the rose petals, liking to toss them up with its tiny paws and then letting it fall on the little paws, just to repeat the same process.
A knock came at the door that joined hers and Draco's and when her only response was to giggle at the little pink fluffball, Draco came in, a single red rose in one hand, and a small rectangular box in the other. Hermione immediately got suspicious.
"What is that you have?" she asked, and Draco grinned, swooping down like one of his favorite teachers at Hogwarts, and brushed his lips against her hairline. "Well, why don't you just open it and find out?" he teased, first handing her the single red rose. "I thought this room could use a touch of feminine grace, so the roses were a nice touch. And here's one that I'll give you personally." he said and winked.
She took the rose, and as soon as she did, the top petals of the rose began to glow a beautiful gold color and to twirl down until it reached the yellow anther - and a beautiful little fairy appeared in gold glitter, twirling around. It was almost like a muggle snow globe without the globe, and much, much more beautiful. As the fairy danced, it started to play 'Unchained Melody'.
"Oh Draco - its so beautiful - I don't know what to say." she whispered, still looking at it in awe. "Sooo. . . do you want your second present now. . . or later?" he asked teasingly.
This caused Hermione to raise her brow. "Second? Don't you mean fourth, if you add all of the beautiful roses, the rose, the pygmy puff and whatever your holding there?" she asked teasingly. He thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Oh, that's not the end of it, darling. Today is the beginning of the two weeks I have to woo you, and Granger, I intend on just that." he said, giving her his cocky smirk as he set down beside her. She lay the rose very carefully on the bed and he handed her the jewelry box. "This is just something I thought you could wear today while we go shopping." he said, and watched as she opened the box.
Inside were a pair of teardrop shaped citrine earrings, necklace, ring, bracelet and anklet. "I thought gold and citrine would compliment your skintone nicely." he said, taking the box from her for just long enough to take the ring out, then set it on her lap, then taking her hand in his. She flushed pink as he raised it to his lips, giving it a quick kiss before sliding on the ring that he had bought her.
"Now my soon-to-be wife, why don't we head down to grab some breakfast?" he asked, extending out a gentlemanly arm for her to grasp. She did so, and the two walked down to the table where there were several dishes laid out, almost like a miniature buffet similar to Hogwarts'. After they were done, Draco paused just a moment, took a look at her, and nodded. "First, lets get you some clothes, and then we'll focus on hair and nails."
Hermione looked at him as though Draco had just grown a second head - or as though he had just grown into a cerebus. He paused inbetween his bite of eggs, and raised a brow. "What? I know your not really the type to care about your hair, but you will need some clothes - I thought most girls loved to go shopping." he asked. Hermione just laughed. "Sorry, I suppose I'm not used to that sort of thing. My family doesn't go out often as my parents are dentists, and work from noon till around eight at night, when the best shops closed. Sometimes we went out on weekends though." she explained, and now Draco looked at her as though she was the one with two heads.
She rolled her eyes. "What?" she asked. Draco frowned and asked what den-teest were. "Well, my mom and dad work on teeth in the muggle world." Malfoy's eyes widened a bit and asked if it was dangerous work. She laughed and shook her head. "But this boy, I don't remember his name now, did bite my dad. He had to get ten stitches." she said, and when he merely blinked at her, she elaborated. His look of horror made her laugh. "Man, that'd hurt worse than getting summoned, or at least for the next little while." he groaned.
A few minutes later, she and Draco were in his car, the chaffeur having opened both of their doors and closed them whenever the riders were inside. They drove for a little while and then the car stopped at a very popular clothing store in London.
Draco stepped out and gave a look to the chaffeur that plainly said to allow him to get her door - the chaffeur was not a stupid man, and he merely stayed in the car. "Go on home, Miss Granger and I can handle ourselves." he said and the man drove off. "Now then Miss Granger, shall we?" he said and took her arm in his.
As soon as he was in the store, he caught the attention of every cashier and every retail person in sight. With a snap of his fingers, he ordered the head retailer to find certain outfits in the sizes she was measured for last night, and everything went in a whirl, first having outfits thrust into her arms and then having herself thrown into the fitting rooms. Half Draco didn't care for, the other ones he bought.
She felt dizzy as she was swung from one clothing store to another one, then it was jewelry, socks, sunglasses, (she picked out her undergarments to the chagrin of Malfoy) and soon was on the way to the hair salon where she would have her nails done as well.
When all was said and done, Hermione had some light, natural looking ash blonde hilights in her hair, it was cut two inches shorter, and had her nails (both sets) cut and painted in a french manicure. Hermione now had over a hundred outfits, with shoes to match at least half of them. And they had gotten an appointment for next week at the stylist and nail salon.
That night, Draco took her out at a wonderful little authenic italian restaurant, 'Primavera' that had lovely pictures of Italy. Draco ordered a spagetti plate, while she ordered lasanga. "So, do you like your new outfits?" he asked, his silver eyes glowing brightly as he smiled at Hermione.
"Draco, they're too much though!" she complained and he merely smiled at her. They were so lost in chatting about what would look good on her that they didn't see Pansy Parkinson slip into the restaurant and take a booth behind the two, Pansy sitting in the booth right behind Hermione. . .
