Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter books, nor ever will. All rights and most of my inspiration to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers.
Consequential Events
Chapter Five: The Evening Meal
(Spring Term at Hogwarts. In the Seventh Year-HBP not taken into account)
Hermione
"Hello?" Hermione called into the strange hallway. It was huge, white marble surrounded her in the Malfoy family fireplace. From further down the corridor came a boy with pale blond hair and red cheeks.
"Hey" He said quietly running his hands though his fine hair.
"Okay what is it?" Hermione asked stepping out of the fireplace and brushing herself off. The boy looked up and smiled.
"Oh, it's nothing, nothing at all." He grinned again "Now, I do believe this is Madame's first visit to my humble abode. Would you like a tour? I am fully literate in seven languages." Draco held out his arm and smiling Hermione took it.
"Would one of those languages be English?" Hermione asked playing along with Draco.
"Yes, I believe it is." He said steering her towards the grand staircase.
"Then use that one, but if you can't think of the English for something speak in French." Hermione said.
Draco took her the length and breath of the manor from the wide hallways of the main house to the tiny cramped one of the servant's quarters. Eventually he led her to the dining room.
"Now I was considering taking you out. However being seen in public with me might damage your unblemished reputation." Draco said pulling out a seat at the large table for her.
Hermione giggled playfully unsure of whether he was being serious or not. She looked up at him when he sat down admiring the way his blond hair fell artfully into his eyes.
A house elf appeared from behind a tapestry and strode up to the table. "Is it just Mister Draco and Miss …" the paused unsure of what to call Hermione. He looked down then fearfully up at a portrait at the end of the table. Hermione followed its eye line.
There on the far wall was a large oil painting of the current Malfoy family. Narcissa was sitting on a chair her husband behind her one hand on her shoulder and Draco next to his father looking directly out of the painting. Hermione was further intrigued to see the painting was not moving.
The real Draco lent forward and said to the house elf "Miss Hermione, our guest is Miss Hermione." The house elf broke out of its gaze and looked back at the couple.
"… Miss Hermione?" It finished looking at Draco inquiringly.
"Yes, I think I'll have the steak tonight, medium rare with new potatoes and peas. Also could we have a bottle of White Pixy Wine, the 1838 one I feel like celebrating." Draco said confidently. The elf nodded not seeming to need to write his order down. Then it looked inquiringly to Hermione.
"Err, Steak, rare please with some English mustard and new potatoes and peas also. Thanks." She said smiling at the elf that nodded and then bowed and strode away with the same sense of purpose.
"Finally a woman who likes her meat!" Draco said grinning like a madman. "I never thought I would live to see the day!"
Hermione laughed and said "What you had me down as a wilted salad kind of girl? No thanks!" Draco smiled and then looked at Hermione straight in the eyes for a moment too long. Feeling slightly uncomfortable Hermione looked down.
"What's wrong?" Draco said quietly.
Hermione looked up alarmed "Nothing, why would anything be wrong?" She said slightly too quickly.
"You seem a little bit far away." He said truthfully.
"I was thinking. I have been thinking for quite a while about our school and its groups. You know the ones I mean, Preps, Goths and those groups. Well I was wondering about myself and I came to the conclusion I am a nerd. And Harry and Ron? They are both obviously Quidditch Fans. But you I can't put you into a group. Not one." She finished.
"First, you are by no means a Nerd." Started Draco "Nerds, wear glasses, have spots, greasy hair and spend a lot of their time studying."
"Which I do!" Hermione interjected.
Draco shook his head forcefully "No. You are by no means a nerd. Nerd's accept the lessons they are taught. You don't you challenge, you argue and you almost always win." He paused thinking of something else to add. "I don't think one person really fits a category. Not completely."
Hermione sat back in her chair slightly stunned by his conviction. "However I, on the other hand am a quidditch fan, but tell anyone that I have something in common with Potter and Weasley and I may become a recluse." He grinned good naturedly.
At that moment a house elf appeared carrying a bottle of White Wine and place mats and glasses appeared at the click of his bony fingers. "Thank you Fleture" Draco said to the elf, who poured him half a glass and waited for him to try it. "Lovely." Draco said once he tasted the wine.
Fleture poured generous glasses of wine for both of them, returning shortly with two plates of steak. Talk and wine both flowed freely Draco enjoying himself immensely.
Fleture returned once the plates where empty and asked politely "Would Sir and Madame like to have dessert?"
Draco looked up "A coffee please"
"Err, and a cup of tea for me thank you." Hermione said.
"So have you enjoyed yourself tonight?" Draco asked sipping his steaming coffee.
"You have been the perfect host and this has been a wonderful evening. Really it will be a shame for it to end." Hermione sighed.
Draco regarded her for a moment "It doesn't have to you know, end that is." There was something about the way he said this that made Hermione look up at him. Something about how his voice had become husky with wine, and something about how nervous he looked with rang internal warning bells.
Hermione smiled "All good things come to an end." She said as Draco got up. She followed him out on to the patio and watched as he studied the stars.
He turned then paused for a moment as if thinking of something "Say that again." He asked.
"All good things come to an end." Hermione whispered again.
"Liar" Draco muttered pressing his lips gently to hers. Hermione felt her knees go strangely weak and her stomach which up until that point had been pleasantly full suddenly turn somersaults. Responding awkwardly she kissed back. Unsure as what to do as this was far from the little peck she given him before.
Draco congratulated himself mentally, he had wanted to do that the moment he laid eyes on her in his fireplace but had been wondering if she would give him another punch. He wrapped his arms possessively around her and ran his tongue gently over her lips.
They broke away "I always wondered what Hermione tasted of." Draco grinned not letting go of her just yet.
Hermione contentedly inhaled his smell. "What did I taste of?"
"I am not quite sure how to describe it, maybe I need another taste?" Draco said lowing his head again. Hermione smiled happily and stood on tiptoes to meet him.
The main door to the dining room was flung open, almost off its sturdy hinges and a figure strode in cane tapping on the marble floor. Draco broke apart from Hermione but kept a grip around her waist as the figure slowed and halted the other side of the table looking at them.
"To whom do I owe the pleasure of meeting on this lovely evening?" Lucius said quietly. Hermione stood still was it some sort of test, should she answer?
Draco was first to recover "Hermione…Hallow, father she is my girlfriend." He lied discretely.
"Ah, the Hallow Family haven't heard much from them for a while. Since I think your grandfather died- terrible wasn't it how he died." Lucius tested.
Hermione nodded 'the Hallow family…think Hermione …think!' She looked up at Lucius "Yes we never expected the muggle second world war to actually kill him." She finished just catching Draco looking impressed.
"Most unusual death." She murmured.
Lucius nodded gravely seeming to have passed her on the test. "Well Hermione, I'll be glad to meet your parents…"
"Oh you can't!" Hermione interrupted "My mother and Father are dead and buried in Azkaban." She said flawlessly recovering information from 'Deatheaters-Past, Present and Future'.
Lucius smirked and then turning on foot walked clean out of the dining room.
Draco literally deflated turning to Hermione. "You were brilliant out there, father has no idea who you are!" He smiled.
"No I wasn't, what happens every time I am in the paper or people talk about me, he'll eventually recognise me." She looked down at the floor then Draco lifted her face up with a finger. He pulled her into an embrace, holding her slightly too hard before releasing her.
"I really like you" He said quietly "I have since we were little, it's just a ten year old has no idea what to do to a crush except call her names. I am sorry."
Hermione leant up towards his ear "That's okay, but doesn't that logic mean you are attracted to Harry and Ron, especially Ron?" Hermione asked playfully.
"Oh yeah" Draco laughed unaware of the storm his father was brewing right now as he looked at the front page of the Daily Prophet. "Granger, Potter and Weasley to become the youngest Aurora's Ever!"
Lucius looked up, he would let his son think he had gotten away with this abomination then he would make him suffer. Until he learnt to respect his father's morales, and became a good Pureblood man, even if that meant killing him, Lucius vowed he would do it.
Draco Malfoy's days were numbered.
Sorry to leave it so scary
Thanks to…Princess Draco MalfoySlytherin!