Chapter Twelve
"Daphne Greengrass, Carrow-"
"Flora or Hestia?" Hermione asked.
Draco sent her a what-do-you-think look.
"Both of them?" she asked in disbelief. Draco nodded.
"Monster," Hermione thought, and struggled to not say it aloud. She knew Draco would get hurt by the words.
Hermione slowly began eating her served dinner, and sipped to her Butter-beer.
"Surprised by my hidden talent, Granger?" Draco asked after a while of silence.
It took a while for Hermione to come up with the words to speak. She had certainly not believed Draco to be such a.. man whore. But maybe she was judging him too fast -he could be one of those guys who easily fell in love.
Hermione shook her head a bit discreet. No, Draco did not fall in love easily. He was just hungry after the opposite sex.
But an unfamiliar feeling filled up Hermione. It made her feel sick, but also longing to be one of those girls. Why, she had no idea. She wanted to stay a Maiden until marriage, she had always been sure of that.
"More surprised by your use of it," she finally spoke. "And call me Hermione, please."
"What about you, eh?" Draco asked. "Taken that Weasel out for a ride, have yeh?"
Hermione instantly blushed. She was sure Draco knew she never had. He was just trying to irritate her with those questions. "Or was The Chosen One maybe your Chosen One?"
Draco was enjoying this, Hermione could tell by the smirk on his face.
"Oh I know, Cormac! You only asked him to the Christmas Party because you've heard about his, er, reputation."
"Enjoying yourself, are you?" Hermione asked with a chuckle. She continued her meal with a smile.
Draco ordered a fire-whiskey from the old man.
"You drink too?" Hermione asked, though she was not really surprised.
"Nah, one time's got to be the first, right?" replied Draco, and drank the small glass of whisky in one hand movement.
He continued like that for the rest of the dinner. Their conversation got a bit more awkward and crazy after he'd passed ten glasses.
"You're mental!" Hermione laughed. Her stomach aching from all the laughter.
"What? I'm just saying it's obvious that Snape and McGonagall's got something going! I mean, don't you see how Snape lightens up every time McGonagall enters the room?" Draco was laughing hard too.
"He does not!" Draco, that's absurd!"
It was clear to Hermione that Draco was drunk. She wanted him to stop drinking, but he kept ordering, and there were nothing she could say to stop him from doing it. Oddly enough the glasses seemed to get empty every time Hermione turned her head or lost concentration for a minute.
"Well I don't think it's absurd, 'Mione. I think it makes sense!" Draco kept on.
"Can we change the subject because I am getting these really disgusting pictures on my mind," Hermione revealed with a giggle.
"Sure, sure," said Draco. "So what colour lingerie are you wearing?"
They both burst into laughter. Hermione had to place her hands on her stomach in pain. But she enjoyed herself -she was having the time of her life.
"That was the best meal I've ever gotten," said Hermione.
"Agree. I had not expected that," Draco said, hiccuping.
Hermione giggled. When she stopped, she found herself studying Draco's pale face.
She had never quite noticed how nice he actually looked with a smile on his lips.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Draco.
Hermione flew out of her thoughts, and back to reality.
"I was just thinking that it actually has been a great night. I've had fun."
"You say that as if you had not expected to have fun," noticed Draco. He still had the cute smile planted on his lips.
"Well, I honestly did not know what to expect. You've been.. avoiding me lately," Hermione admitted, blushing a bit.
At first Draco did not reply. He ordered another fire-whiskey, and drank it immediately.
"It disappointed me that you forgave Weasel and Potter," Draco said at last.
"Oh.." Hermione did not know what to say. She'd always been friends with them, and she sure would not drop them for Draco.
"Anyway, maybe we should -hiccup- leave before -hiccup- it gets too late," said Draco, and got up from his chair. He yelled after the check.
It was a warm and star-full night, so they decided to take a stroll around in the town before they went back to Hogwarts.
Arm in arm they marched through the streets of Hogsmeade, talking about every thing that came to mind.
Draco yelled irresponsible things aloud due to his drinking. Hermione tried to shut him up, but he would not listen.
"Draco, they're going to come after us!" she said, and placed her right palm on Draco's lips.
"So hat, 'Mione? We're aluved oud!" mumbled Draco. It was hard for him to talk with Hermione's hand covering his mouth.
"What?" she asked with a chuckle, and let go of his mouth.
"I said, we are allowed out. We won't get in trouble for having a bit fun," he repeated with a smirk.
Draco was full of energy, so to burn it off he ran around on a grass field just on the outskirts of town.
Hermione was running after him, and trying to convince him to calm down.
She did not succeed. Draco did instead grab her waist, and together they fell to the ground.
The grass was cold against Draco's skin, but with Hermione on top of him he did not really care. She was warm, and heated him up.
Both their chuckles faded out as they realised how they were lying. They did not stop though. They both found their position quite comfortable.
"You want to know a secret?" whispered Draco. His breath smelled of alcohol.
"Sure," Hermione replied, a bit worried what Draco was about to tell her.
"The Dark Lord wants Dumbledore dead -and I must kill him," said Draco -still whispering- and then broke into a laugh.
Hermione quickly got off Draco, and stood up.
"You are going to murder Professor Dumbledore?" she yelled with a surprised look on her face.
Draco rose from the ground too, and stood opposites Hermione. He placed one finger on her lips and Shh'sed her.
"Don't tell anyone, okay?" he asked, moving closer and closer to Hermione. "It's a secret."
He laughed again, as did he find his up-coming murder hilarious.
"Draco, this is serious! You can't just kill Dumbledore. You're not a killer!"
"'Mione, if I don't succeed he will kill me and my family. And you don't want me dead, do you, Granger?"
"Don't Granger me!"
Hermione was furious. How could Draco do such thing? Why did he not try to save himself in some way?
But when Hermione thought it through one more time, she realised that Draco in no way could escape the Dark Lord.
.. And she did not want him dead.
"Draco, maybe you can talk to Dumbledore -tell him your plans. He is wise enough to come up with something to save the both of you!" she suggested.
Draco did not answer, he just laughed.
"Draco, please, listen! You don't have to do-"
Draco cut her off. With a kiss. He planted his lips on hers, and his fingertips on her chin.
To Draco's surprise Hermione kissed him back. She intertwined her fingers with his blonde hair, and messed it.
Draco's hands travelled from Hermione's chin to her hips. He felt her amazing body beneath his palms.
The kiss got intense. Hermione felt something in her gut that she had never felt before. It was as if she could explode at any second.
Draco let his tongue escape from his mouth, and into Hermione's lips, begging for entrance.
Hermione let her lips separate, and Draco's tongue entered her mouth.
Draco had to admit that it was the best kiss he had ever had. He had kissed several of girls before -Pansy, Daphne, Flora.. And a whole bunch more. But with Hermione it was different. He was not kissing her because he needed to, because he wanted to sleep with her, or because his father thought it was a good idea. No, he kissed Hermione because he wanted to.
Draco realised that it had been years since he had last done something because he wanted to do. He had always been told what to do, and had never self had an opinion to say.
Hermione -against her own will- gently pushed Draco away. She wanted more, but she had to resist. Time was running away from them -they needed to get back to Hogwarts.
"Draco, I-"
"Sh, don't say a word, 'Mione."
Hermione chuckled when she spotted the red lipstick stain that she had left on Draco's skin. He did not seem to realise.
Draco took Hermione's hand, and intertwined their fingers. They walked back through the town, and found their carriage still in front of Hog's Head.
None of them said a word on the way back to the castle.