Chapter Thirty Six
Draco opened the door quietly.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Hermione screamed, not knowing which part of her nakedness to cover up. She opted for one hand to the north and one to the south not managing to cover either area particularly well.
"Hermione?!" Draco shouted, averting his eyes after unintentionally starring at her flawless perfection for a little too long, "what are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here!" Hermione yelled, "What are you doing here?"
"I won the prize too remember!" Draco said, "I didn't think you'd be coming after you stood me up." Draco's voice was bitter and anguished and he clenched his teeth trying to fight back the pain in his voice.
"I didn't stand you up, you fool!" Hermione yelled, "I was attacked on my way to your apartment. I woke up in the bloody hospital. If you hadn't been in such a hurry to think the worst of me and leave the bloody country you would know that by now!"
"What?" Draco said, stunned. Looking up at his beautiful angel. He noticed then that her eyes were not their usual brown colour but were instead a deep sea blue. "Your eyes?" Draco said, sounding confused.
"Yes, I was in a silly fashion show for Aurelia, it wasn't my idea." Hermione said, sliding lower into the bath in order to hide herself better.
"You were?" Draco said, "Realization dawning in his relieved mind.
"Look, can we continue this conversation when I am not in this awkward position?" Hermione said.
"Oh... yes... of course." Draco said smiling, "Although the view from here surpasses even those of a Venetian night."
Hermione blushed as Draco turned and left the room. Her old hopes were rushing back to her with increasing potency.
She stepped out of the bath and put on one of the hotels luxurious bath robes, she let her hair down and went to join Draco in the other room.
Draco tapped the sofa beside where he was sitting and Hermione sat down gently next to him, he had poured them both a glass of champagne and offered hers to her.
"I loved your book." Hermione said softly, after taking a sip of the bubbly champagne. "your words really touched me."
"Is this the part where you say but..." Draco asked worriedly.
"No buts." Hermione said, "I have read it through – twice."
Draco's eyes filled with pride and then he remembered what she had said about why she hadn't come to him at his apartment, he had been so overjoyed that he had completely forgotten.
"Who attacked you?" He blurted out, anger rising inside of him.
"Nobody really knows for sure," Hermione explained, "But it was dark magic that was responsible and Luna is convinced it has something to do with Bertram Villanos II– you know the evil spirit in the upper east wing, or the back alleys of London or wherever he is now!"
"Your joking!" Draco exclaimed, "And right outside my building? God, I feel like such an idiot! There was I thinking you had rejected me when all the time you were in danger and I was moments away from you. I'm so sorry Hermione, if only I'd known..."
"I'm fine Draco," she said, "some muggles scared my attacker off before anything bad occurred and all that happened to me was that I slept for quite a few days."
"Yes but it could have been so much worse." Draco said feeling responsible and ignorant.
"But it didn't Draco, and I'm here now... with you. That's all that matters now."
Draco poured her another glass of champagne and then said, "so what do we do now? Draco winked, and Hermione felt her temperature rising.