"Crap!" Hermione sat up with a start, she glanced around to see if she'd woken anyone but thankfully she hadn't. She breathed a sigh of relief and laid back down turning onto her side. She was feeling three things at the moment; one of them was regret, one was guilt and the other and the most important was panic. She had made a mistake, a horrible mistake.
She looked at her watch; it was three in the morning. She'd never be able to sleep now she's figured everything out. So instead she reached under her pillow and pulled out her note pad, she realised a few seconds ago her biro was already in her hand and had scribbled poetry all over her pillow again.
She opened the book and grabbed her wand. "Lumos." She muttered lazily with a swish of her hand. She immediately started writing as soon as her light was balanced on her notepad.
Dear Draco,
I've just realised something while I was dreaming. Yes it is 3am but I needed your advice! I'm sorry if this wakes you I'm hoping you won't read it until morning but if Terra (the owl) wakes you, apologies.
Anyway as you so kindly figured for me yesterday I have the soul expression on me like you do. You received yours on Thursday when we were at dinner and it reflected and hit me, yes? Well, originally me and my friends fell out because I thought they were messing with my mind but obviously this isn't the case at all. If this were true it would mean my friends would have cast the spell on you while sitting right next to me. But this wasn't what made me doubt my accusation. It was the aim! The Hufflepuff AND Ravinclaw tables are between ours. Even I wouldn't be able to reach you from where we were sitting, it's impossible. So this made me realise two things, 1/ it was not my friends and 2/ it was someone in the Slytherin house that cast the spell. Anyone further would be impossible; there is too high a risk that it would hit someone else. And the fact the spell reflected all the way to me is highly unlikely as it is. I can only imagine how many other people have an expression on them.
So, anyway, now I'm here worried sick at what I've accused my friends of and more importantly that you are in danger! I don't know why the spell was cast on you Draco but if it was someone in your house you could be in danger. After all you come from a very wealthy pure line, some people would envy that.
I know we've only been talking since Friday but I've become rather attached to you in that short time. I'm literally feeling sick with worry for you, I think it might be the soul expression but that only controlled my body right? I'm confused… and worried and can't sleep. Which is quite ordinary for me but the small fact about it being 10 times stronger is kind of making it… unbearable.
Oh god, I'm babbling, I'm sorry Draco, this is most unlike me, but I guess the expression is changing me right?
Well, please write back, I know you'll be able to sooth my worry or at least help me with what I should do about my friends now. If not, same place tomorrow 7 o'clock, most people will be at dinner. I guess I'll see you around; I couldn't miss that gorgeous blonde hair if I tried!
Best wishes, 'Mystery Girl' /xXx
Hermione read through the letter and ripped it out her notebook. 'Should I send it?' She thought to herself. This thing with Draco was making her really emotionally attached to the Slytherin. And she knew she must remember that, he was Slytherin, pure blooded, prejudice and had an arranged marriage. She just knew she was going to get hurt. It was undeniable now that she fancied him after all what was not to fancy? He was honest, sincere, he listened and seemed very patient (since the expression anyway) and above all, he shared her love of chocolate! She reminded herself it wasn't the spell speaking or acting but the real Draco so she SHOULD stop being so hard on him. She smirked… how could she forget? He was of course devilishly handsome as well…
Thinking back to Friday morning when she'd awoken to find Draco and Ron fighting in the infirmary. What Draco had said… he obviously wasn't disgusted by her. He had even wound up Ron by saying something had happened. Hopefully, when he found out who she was, he wouldn't be too disappointed. She almost laughed at the thought of the fight that would happen if Ron found out. That night in the infirmary had been innocent; this wasn't involuntarily like that night. Well hopefully no karate chopping would be involved this time around.
Hermione lay and thought silently to herself for the next few minutes. She had made up her mind, she would send it. She trusted him and he'd helped her out even though he could have ignored her that day when he had heard her crying. But he hadn't and was still meeting her even though he didn't have a clue who she was. She could be feeding him a pack of lies for all her knew! Whereas she knew for a fact that he was Draco Malfoy. He trusted her so she would return it and send the letter.
She quietly climbed out of bed and sneaked to the cage in the corner. Terra wasn't her owl, she was Lavender's but she had never minded Hermione borrowing her before. So she opened the cage door and gently poked Terra awake.
"Terra, I need you to take this to Draco Malfoy, he should be down in the dungeons okay?" The owl ruffled her wings before flying out and onto Hermione's arm and stuck out her tiny leg. Hermione attached the letter to it with some difficultly as the only light she had was from the other side of the room. Once it was on properly Terra flew straight out the already open window.
Hermione climbed back into bed, hiding the biro from her twitching right hand and picked up her favourite book, 'Hogwarts: A history' if she wasn't going to sleep at obscene hours, then she would be constructive.
Draco was awoken by a persistent tapping; he opened one eye to see an owl hovering at the window. Who in their right mind would owl at this hour? The first person who came to mind was Snape, but then he even had the decency to wait until the morning.
He climbed out of bed just as he realised it might not even be for him. "Well, it best be for me or blood will be shed." Draco murmured to himself as he opened the window. The owl hopped onto the ledge and Draco untied the letter. Thankfully for his roommates, 'Draco' was scrawled on the front. He slowly opened it not recognising the hand but by the time he had finished reading it he was smiling. Whoever this girl was, she was adorable.
On normal circumstances Draco would have shooed the owl away and went back to bed but seems it was Mystery Girl she got special treatment. If he went back to bed he would be worrying about her worrying anyway. So at that moment he made a decision and grabbed a quill and a scrap of parchment from the desk by the window. He didn't have any idea who's they were but as if he cared anyway? He replied:
Mystery girl, thankfully for you I CAN soothe your worry and we can discuss your problem after you stop panicking. Come to the library NOW, like as soon as you get this. We'll meet in our usual place. I'll see you in a minute.
D.M.
P.s if you've fell asleep and you stand me up in the library I will find who you are and hurt you profusely.
P.p.s that's a lie sorry. But I won't be happy.
P.p.p.s (god that's ridiculous) Yes you did wake me but I'm kind of glad anyway because I'd prefer to be in your company, I enjoyed last night and you put me in a brilliant mood. I'd love to be that happy in the morning. :)
Draco tied the letter to the owl whispering "Return to your owner." He slipped on his cloak over his silk pyjamas. He was going to the kitchens first, hot chocolate sounded delicious at this hour.
When Draco got into the library and to his usual place he was surprised to find a pair of chocolate brown eyes staring at him through the bookshelf. He smiled.
"You know, if you keep that up I'll figure out who you are."
"I was worried, I thought something may have happened or you stood me up or something."
"I never would dream of it mystery girl, I was getting some hot chocolate to match your brown eyes." He said putting it on the shelf and sitting down.
"There not brown there purple remember." Hermione reminded him picking up her beaker.
"Oh yes, my mistake." Draco said seriously as he took a sip of his drink. Okay, this was really weird…
Silence.
Draco felt really strange, it was half three in the morning and he was sat in the pitch black library talking to a girl he didn't know. 'Yeah but she's mystery girl!' a voice whined inside his head sounding a lot like Blaise. Oh yes… Blaise.
"Okay here's the thing mystery girl. I know it's someone in my house; in fact it's why my friends fell out. But you can't tell anyone if I tell you, I'm not even sure why I am telling you to be honest."
"It's because you wove me and care about me." Hermione said in a baby voice, Draco smiled.
"Maybe…" He whispered.
"You know," Hermione pointed out, "you don't need to whisper to me anymore, I know who you are, so it doesn't matter if I recognise you're voice."
"Yes but it's weird to talk to someone who's whispering. Oh anyway, don't get me sidetracked do you want to know or not and can you keep a secret?"
"Of course I can, I'm not a gossiping bimbo."
"Oh crap, I can't go on knowing that, I was so looking forward to it! This relationship just isn't working, you can think for yourself, I just can't cope knowing that… " Draco then pretended to cry. He stopped suddenly, "I hate bimbo's, what's that one in your house… erm, Lavender Dun or something. She scares me immensely, I'm afraid she'll eat my first born…"
"Shut up. You're a fool Malfoy, if you hadn't have let it slip yesterday I never would guess it's you now." Hermione giggled.
"Well, it is!" Draco argued. "I'm just a little… Different around you, happier. ANYWAY! Before you sidetracked me again. Blaise Zabini came to me crying the other night; it was him that put the spell on me to make me feel love because he didn't want me to turn out like my dad." Draco explained. On the other side of the shelf Hermione's mouth formed a 'o'.
"Makes sense now, so you're not in danger?"
"Not at all, all Blaise is capable of is either laughing AT me or crying ON me." Hermione laughed.
"So, could you help me with the friend thing then?" Hermione questioned. "What would you do if you were me?"
"Well, personally I'm very stubborn so I guess I would just wait for them to come to me. They noticed something was wrong and automatically assumed you were attention seeking, which actually I don't know whether it's normal for you do I?" he paused. "Well, anyway they still accused you for attention seeking when there was something wrong. They should have sat you down and said we've noticed there's something wrong ect ect. Fair enough you decapitated there ego's and pride but you know, they'll live. You're the victim, so wait for them!" Draco tried to convince her.
"Well, but… I've been friends with them six years and it just sounded and looked so suspicious! They must have known what they were doing was making it look that way. And then what was Harry…et on about! She practically said it was her." Hermione held her breath after the slip up, he was bound to know who she was know! There was only one Harry in Gryffindor.
"Well maybe Harriet was talking about something else. Girls are paranoid and stress I'm so glad I'm not one." Oh my god. Hermione smiled, talk about bimbo. He was so cute though, and clueless. She smiled again.
"So, I just wait for them to calm down and when they approach me and apologise just… say sorry back and kiss and make up?" Hermione asked, swirling her hot chocolate into a little whirlpool in her beaker.
"Yes. Look see, you didn't even need my help did you mystery girl? You just wanted to see me!" Draco joked standing up and stretching his legs.
"No, you cleared my mind." She sighed picking at the beaker. "So does Dumbledore know its Blaise?"
"NO! And you can't tell him, you'll get Blaise in massive trouble. Not a soul must know okay."
"Know what?"
"Good, now that's the attitude!" he yawned. Draco was trying to keep his eyes open but failing miserably, but he didn't want to leave mystery girl yet. Hermione felt a cool hand on hers and she instantly grabbed it turning to her side. It was amazing how such a small gesture could make everything okay.
"Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"I was wondering… How, how do you feel about me?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Biting her lip and closing her eyes as she braced herself for the worse. Draco didn't hesitate or curse this time when he started singing, she smiled.
"I can't wait to fall in love with you, you can't wait to fall in love with me, this just can't be summer love, you'll see, this just can't be summer love. L-O-V-E. Come on and lemme show you 'round, let me take you out, bet you we could have some fun girl. 'Cause we can dress it up, we can dress it down any way you want it done girl
Or we can stay home, talkin' on the phone, rappin' 'til we see the sun girl. Do what I gotta do, just gotta show you that I'm the one girl. Well I'mma freak you right, each and every night I know how to do it insane girl. 'Cause I can make it hot, make it stop make you wanna say my name girl, come on baby please 'cause I'm on my knees. Can't get you off my brain girl, but who would've thought that you could be the one 'cause I... I can't wait to fall in love with you. You can't wait to fall in love with me. This just can't be summer love, you'll see. This just can't be summer love. L-O-V-E." Draco stopped singing and carried on talking. "Erm… I think I have a new interest in Justin Timberlake that no-one knows about. Including myself." Hermione didn't answer.
"What does all that mean though?" Hermione whispered after a while.
"Erm… I like you…. I thought that was clear enough…" Draco stared down at his ring thinking, but he asked anyway. "Do you like me?" Draco tried to keep the hopeful tone out of his voice.
"Yes, yes I do." Draco smiled a real genuine smile.
"Wow." he whispered, he didn't know that hearing words so simple could make anyone feel so amazing. "That's good." He whispered.
"Well, I suppose…"
"How so? Why do you only suppose?"
"Draco, you don't even know who I am. What if I'm some fat dirty greasy person? You wouldn't like me then."
"But I would, because I already do, and I happen to know for a fact you're not fat or dirty or greasy because I've seen some of you."
"Yeah but," Hermione protested. She was amazed Draco liked her back, but this façade couldn't go on forever, one day she would have to tell him who she was and what if he didn't want her anymore?
"Mystery girl, I like you, get over it. You won't make me stop, it's too late."
"What if liking me isn't enough? What if it runs deeper than that? What if I-"
"Are you asking me if I love you?"
Silence.
"No, but what if I love you?" She asked, not really thinking rationally anymore. They did need to talk about this.
"Well, there's only one thing I can say to that mystery girl, and it just happens to be another Justin Timberlake song." Draco said before he started singing, this time it wasn't a soul expression, but it was the only way he knew how to describe how he felt. "If you're love was all I had in this life,that would be enough until the end of time. So rest your weary heart and rest your mind. Because I'm gunna love you until the end of time." Draco cleared his throat. "Explanation enough?" Draco smirked.
"Yeah…" Hermione croaked out, this had never happened before. She'd never been in this situation before. No-one had ever, ever said anything like that to her before, let alone sing it. "Can we… take it slow then? I mean, give me time, to let you know who I am?"
"Of course. Wouldn't force you to do anything you didn't want to. I'm a Malfoy and more importantly than that, I'm a gentleman. Now don't you think we should be getting to bed? It must be late." Draco said yawning. Hermione agreed to herself that she would just see what happened, this was moving fast so she should just accept it for now, it would all work out for the best whether or not she ended up with Draco. She was just scared of getting hurt.
"Are you coming?" Draco asked standing up.
"Okay, erm… You go first; I'll be out in a minute, night, Malfoy." Hermione said standing up herself.
"Aww, don't call me Malfoy, it's so… Rival." Hermione almost laughed at the irony. "It's Draco or Draconis, or-"
"Draconis?" She'd always thought his name was latin, but obviously not, just his abbreviated nick name.
"Yep. Draconis Lucius Malfoy," Draco confirmed from the other side of the shelf. "Or Dray or Drake-" he continued.
"Okay I get the point, DRAY." She smiled. "Goodnight." She watched him walk out the library blonde hair reflecting the moonlight. Her stomach swirled and her throat tingled before, "When you walk away, I count the steps that you take, do you see how much I need you right now? When you're gone the pieces of my heart are missing you, when you're gone, the face I came to know is missing too. When you're gone, all the words I need to hear to always get me through the day, and make it okay. I miss you." Hermione gasped. What the hell just happened? She just sang, she just had a singing expression, not a writing one! It didn't make sense! Well so much for sleeping!
At the Slytherin table the next day Draco and Blaise were positively beaming as they ate pancakes with a ridiculous amount of syrup on them. Pansy was ignoring them both, or at least it seemed that way, she hadn't really spoke to anyone this morning in fear of blurting out to Draco who Blaise was seeing. Crabbe and Goyle were finally starting to pick up that something was going on behind their backs. Goyle was the first to speak.
"Hey, are you two like dating or something?" He asked curiously. Draco and Blaise's mouth dropped open still full of food and looked as though they'd been smacked in face.
"I was only curious…" He continued pressing the matter. Draco swallowed.
"What Goyle! Ew!" He said wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "That is totally disgusting… no offence Blaise." He added as an afterthought. And then carried on shoving pancakes in his mouth in a very un-Draco way.
"Nah, it's alright Draco." He sucked his teeth demanding Crabbe and Goyle's attention again. "What makes you say that?" Crabbe and Goyle exchanged a look.
"Well, you're both so happy and you've always bin close so I fought,"
"You thought wrong. I am seeing someone but not Draco, definitely not Draco, that would be like incest or something." He shuddered.
"Well, there are those rumours going around as well. I didn't know you two were THAT close…" Crabbe hinted. The Slytherins around the table were listening in unnoticed.
"WE DID NOT HAVE SEX!" Blaise and Draco yelled at the same time. The hall went quiet and they both blushed and carried on eating embarrassed until most of the chattering increased.
"Like I said," Continued Draco. "We didn't have sex, we're not together, Blaise has a boyfriend and I have a girlfriend… kinda." Now that got Pansy's attention. She choked on her juice and a girl next to her patted her back.
"WHAT! Since when, what happened to, Mr. I'm-marrying-for-money-and-social-status-only?" Pansy said completely gob smacked, if her friends didn't stop surprising her all the time she was sure she would have a heart attack.
"Well, things change and I changed, I think…" Draco shrugged, it was true.
"But it's just not you Draco, this spell-potion thingy, it's messing you up! This is all wrong!" Draco cleared his throat.
"There's a line between wrong and right and it's the width of a thread, from a spiders web." he sang waving a finger in front of her face. She scowled.
"If you're going to try and convince everyone you're not gay and shagging Blaise then wouldn't it be wise not to sing Katie Melua?" She asked challenging him.
"Pansy, you know I'm not seeing Blaise! What's wrong with you?"
"No, Draco, what's wrong with you? Now really, who is she? A poncy Gryffindor maybe?" Draco was speechless. "Oh, you're so open like a book Draco Malfoy, what are you and Blaise the Gryffindor fan club or something?" She shook her head in disgust before leaving the table. Blaise and Draco turned to each other at the same time.
"You're seeing a Gryffindor?" they said in unison.
"Wait…" Draco put his hand up. "You don't' tell me and I won't ask if you'll do the same." Blaise nodded and they both continued eating. Draco was lost in his thoughts until he spotted a very familiar owl swoop down onto the Gryffindor table… and right onto Lavender Brown's arm. He stared horrified… Surely he was in hell.
Hermione was rushing down to breakfast, she woke up late and by the time she had checked over all her homework breakfast was almost over. She just figured she'd grab a muffin and a goblet of juice but of course because she was so determined to do that before she had to go to Ancient Runes, it didn't happen. And it didn't happen because as soon as she walked out of the Gryffindor tower, an invisible hand wrapped around her mouth and she was lifted her into the air screaming and pulled her into a classroom down the hallway. She was roughly pushed in and came face to face with Ron, she turned around she see Harry lock the door, his invisibility cloak at his feet.
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Do you often kidnap people and hold them against their own free will or do I get special treatment." She snarled.
"Hermione, you're going to listen to us. We know what's wrong with you and we didn't do it. I don't know who did but hear us out." Harry bagged. Hermione leaned against the teachers' desk.
"Look, 'Mione were sorry for yelling at you that day, we were just worried okay. And, we both realise that there's been a misunderstanding and we need to sort it out." Ron explained.
"Basically, we miss you Hermione." Harry whispered and Hermione softened suddenly remembering why she loved these two boys so much.
"Oh you two! I'm sorry and I miss you too!" Hermione yelled jumping into their arms. "With this soul expression and everything that's happening between me and Draco," Hermione rambled on. Harry pulled away and Ron sprung away as though he'd touched acid.
"Soul expression?"
"Malfoy?" the boys both said at the same time. Expressions very different, Harry looked curious as to how she knew about the expression and Ron looked horrified at the mention of Malfoy.
"Yes yes, the soul expression it's what's wrong with me." Hermione said as if it was the most obviously thing in the world, which really it was if you thought about it.
"Oh and what about Malfoy?" Harry raised an eyebrow at her, this was going to be interesting, he could tell. Hermione fidgeted avoiding eye contact.
"Erm… well…." Mumble mumble mumble.
"What was that Herm?"
"We're kinda… seeing each other… very kind of…" She stared at the floor.
"WHAT! How can you stand that… that FERRET?"
"Oh Ron grow up he hasn't bothered us in ages." Harry snapped at his friend. "Hermione's a big girl she knows what she's doing." Ron looked shocked.
"How can you defend her Harry? Malfoys so… so Slytherin!"
"And what's wrong with Slytherin!" Harry said pushing off the table and staring challengingly at Ron.
"What isn't wrong with Slytherin?" Ron shot back looking at Harry as if he was completely mad.
"I was almost sorted into Slytherin and I'm okay! Or do you have a problem with me as well?" Harry yelled. Ron was too shocked to speak, Hermione decided it was her turn to jump in now.
"Boys don't fight." she said standing between the two that were now glaring daggers at each other. "We all just made up you can't fight okay. Just don't fight."
"Right then, we'll talk. What's going on, Harry?" Harry folded his arms and looked away.
"I don't want to talk about it you. I… I'm not ready to." Ron went to protest but Hermione gave him 'the look'.
"Okay Harry that's fine." Hermione said putting her hand on Harry's arm in a comforting way. "We should be getting to lesson, the bells about to go in about ten seconds." Harry nodded picking up his cloak unlocking the door and then walking out of the room leaving Ron and Hermione alone. "Ron, I don't want you bugging him about this and I mean it." Ron nodded slowly.
"Come on, I'll walk you to Runes, got Divination, I have to walk past your classroom." Ron said just as the bell rang. The two walked out of the room Hermione mumbling on to herself about muffins and goblets of juice.
Thank you for continued support with this story, this story is WIP and I am currently editing all the chapters but in total so far there are 30 chapters written.
Please continue to support me and leave reviews. If anyone has any song requests then please, leave me a message, when the story was originally written the readers played a large part on Draco's behaviour and song choice. I would like to continue this.
Please send me any suggestions!
I'm very excited to get back into Sing for the Moment, updates will be regular but if I get more reviews I'm sure I can be shoved into updating more often!
"Summer Love" is a song by American recording artist Justin Timberlake. The song was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, and Nate "Danja" Hills, "Till the End of Time" is also by Justin. "When You're Gone" is a song written by Canadian singer Avril Lavigne and Butch Walker. "Spider's Web" is the sixth single of Georgian born songstress Katie Melua and is the third single from her album.
Fanfiction is by Faith Valconbridge. These stories hosted on this website contain characters created and owned by J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic, Inc. and AOL/Time Warner, Inc., and may incorporate characters, locations and things created and/or owned by other third parties including but not limited to Joss Whedon, George Lucas and/or Lucas film, Fox, Paramount, Random House, Penguin Putnam, Inc., Ballantine Books, and a lot of other people. No permission has been given and since no money is being made here, no infringement is intended.