Run
Chapter Five
Disclaimer: Still hasn't changed, I do not own anything related to Harry Potter!
When the song ended, Hermione gave Malfoy a small smile and moved away from him.
"Thanks Malfoy. My friends are waiting for me," she said and walked off the dance floor. She knew she probably sounded like an idiot, but she didn't care. Hermione couldn't put her finger on it but there was something different about Malfoy. It was as if he was trying to come on to her which was completely absurd considering the way he treated her at Hogwarts. She was astounded that he never once referred to her by that derogatory word he'd always been fond of using, "mudblood."
Draco watched her as she walked away from him. So Granger wants to play hard to get huh? We'll see about that Granger, I love a challenge Draco thought as he admired her from afar. He saw his parents seated at a table, so he went over and sat with them. His mother was after him before his arse had even touched the seat.
"Who was that lovely witch you were dancing with dear? I don't think your father or I have ever seen her before," Narcissa asked.
Draco smirked; he couldn't wait to see his parents' reaction. "Hermione Granger."
Narcissa and Lucius gave each other astonished looks. "The last time we saw her, she was so thin and that bushy hair," Narcissa said and shuddered. "She has certainly blossomed since that time."
"Oh she definitely has, you're right about that," Draco said as he looked towards where Hermione was seated with Potty and the Weasel.
"Draco, you can't possibly be thinking about pursuing someone of her status?" Lucius hissed.
"Status means nothing to me when I'm trying to get a witch in my bed," Draco replied in an offhand manner.
"Draco! We raised you with better manners than that. As for you Lucius, Ms. Granger is a well- respected member of the wizarding community. Draco would be lucky to be in her company," Narcissa stated. She was all about getting back into the good graces of wizarding society.
Lucius harrumphed and looked at Draco with a flat expression. "Do you really think you're shocking me with your raucous comments about bedding witches? You need to think about settling down. I think you've sowed enough of your wild wizarding oats."
Draco mentally rolled his eyes and didn't answer. He was listening to his parents, but his attention was still focused on Granger. He felt something stir in him that he hadn't felt in a long time. He loved that she seemed to have no interest in him. Draco was so accustomed to having women come on to him; it was refreshing to find a witch like Granger. She would definitely be his ultimate conquest.
The moment Hermione was face to face with Harry and Ron, they began firing questions at her.
"I can't believe you were dancing with Malfoy of all people! Are you under the Imperious curse?" Ron asked.
"Malfoy, Hermione? He's still such a git," Harry said.
Hermione looked at them with her hands on her hips. "I'm not under any kind of curse. Malfoy was actually courteous. I wanted to be the better person and not make a scene, so I danced one time with him. I have no plans to do it again. Why don't we forget about Malfoy and grab a seat with the Weasleys?"
The young men knew better than to question her further, so they made their way to where Ron's family was seated. As Hermione caught up with her friends, she couldn't help but notice how Malfoy kept looking towards their table. She shrugged it off and went back to enjoying her friends' company. After a few minutes, she looked towards the table where Malfoy was seated with his parents and was relieved to see that they were gone. When the reception was over, she was getting ready to leave when she heard someone call her name.
"Miss Hermione Granger, it has been a long time."
Hermione smiled when she heard the familiar voice and turned to see Professor Minerva McGonagall who was now the Headmistress of Hogwarts. "Professor McGonagall, it's so nice to see you," Hermione said as she hugged the older witch.
"Hermione dear, I was so happy to see you here. Are you still living in the United States?" Professor McGonagall asked as she returned Hermione's hug.
Hermione nodded. "Yes ma'am. I've been there for the past two years. I took two weeks off to attend Harry and Ron's graduation and to visit with my family. You look wonderful. How's it going at Hogwarts?"
"It's going remarkably well. This upcoming school year will be the largest student body Hogwarts has ever seen. There are many new programs being implemented. With the help of some very generous donations, we've added a horse stable. The students are very interested in the equestrian program, but I'm afraid it won't be taking place this year. The instructor I had hired for the program decided to stay at his current position, so now I'm stuck," Professor McGonagall.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I think it's amazing that horseback riding will be offered at Hogwarts. Is there no one else willing to take the position?" Hermione asked.
Professor McGonagall smiled. "Well, I was hoping I would be able to talk to you about that. I've been following your career in the muggle world Hermione. I think you'd be perfect for the job."
Hermione was flabbergasted. She was totally not expecting this. "Professor, that's quite an offer. Do you really think I'm capable of running such a program?"
"Of course Hermione, you always were one of the brightest witches ever to have attended Hogwarts. If anyone is capable, it's you dear," Professor McGonagall replied.
"Professor, can I think about this for a few days?" Hermione asked.
Professor McGonagall nodded. "Just remember the time is running out. If I don't have an instructor for the program by the end of this week, the Ministry will pull the funding for hiring. Why don't you come to Hogwarts tomorrow and tour the facilities?" she asked.
"I'll do that, thank you for considering me for this," Hermione replied. This was so exciting, but she was torn. She would have to do some serious soul searching in the next few days. Did she want to be back in the wizarding world or did she want to return to the muggle world?
The two witches said goodbye and Hermione walked over to the doorway where Harry and Ron were waiting for her.
"Why were you and McGonagall getting cozy?" Ron asked as soon as she approached him and Harry.
"Nosy much?" Hermione asked as she rolled her eyes, but then began to chuckle, letting Ron know she was joking. "I just got offered a job at Hogwarts."
"That's interesting. What kind of job?" Harry asked. He wasn't at all surprised that the Headmistress approached Hermione about a job. Hermione had always been very intelligent and capable; she was often referred to as "the brightest witch of her age.
"Can you believe Hogwarts will now offer horseback riding? Professor McGonagall needs someone to run the program. She had hired someone but he backed out on her at the last minute. I'll be going to the school tomorrow to tour the facilities," Hermione replied.
"So you're seriously considering taking the job?" Ron asked.
"I'm definitely going to look at my options, but yeah there might be a possibility," Hermione answered and smiled.
Hermione woke up bright and early the next morning. She told her parents about the Headmistress' offer and they were happy for her. It would be wonderful if Hermione accepted the job, because they had missed her these past two years. It would be nice to have her closer to home. Her father brought her to Kings Cross station and she headed to Platform 9 ¾ to take the Hogwarts Express. Hermione smiled as she boarded the familiar train; she never expected to board it again after finishing at Hogwarts a few years before. Something else occurred to her as she found a seat; Hermione truly felt like she was coming home.
When she arrived at Hogwarts she was met by Professor McGonagall, who was waiting for her in a carriage that took them to the castle. Hermione was struck with awe as she looked at her alma mater. After all of the destruction that had taken place at Hogwarts during the last wizarding war, it was amazing to see that the school had been restored to its former glory. Hermione couldn't wait to see inside. When they arrived at the entrance of the castle, they dismounted from the carriage and walked in.
Hermione looked around and said, "It's hard to believe what had taken place here. Hogwarts is exactly like when I first saw it when I was 11 years old!"
The Headmistress smiled and nodded. "That's how I see the school too. It still looks the same, but we were able to update and modernize the school in the process. Hogwarts has joined the digital age."
"You mean to tell me there's internet access? Wi-fi?" Hermione asked with an incredulous look on her face.
"I was against it at first, but as I learned more about muggle technology it seemed that this would be something Professor Dumbledore would have embraced," Professor McGonagall said and smiled.
As they walked through the castle to make their way to the stable, Hermione felt even more at home than she did on the Hogwarts Express. It was still mind-boggling to realize that she'd be able to bring her laptop and mp3 player to Hogwarts should she accept the position. Professor McGonagall's offer was getting more tempting by the minute.
The large, state-of-the-art stable was located near the quidditch pitch. When they arrived, they were immediately greeted by Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts. He and a few house elves were tending to the horses. There were 40 stalls in all, with 20 stalls on each side of the extensive stable. Hermione stopped at the first stall and her breath caught. There was the most beautiful black Arabian. The horse's coat was sleek and glistening. When Hermione approached the stall, it snorted lightly.
"Are all of the horses like this one?" Hermione asked incredulously as she ran her fingers through the horse's mane. He was a magnificent animal.
"There are 10 Arabians, along with American Paint and Quarter Horses. There are also a few ponies," Professor McGonagall replied as they began to walk through the stable. She watched as Hermione went to each stall and flattered each horse. The professor suppressed her smile; she was pretty sure by this point that Hermione was going to accept the position. "Hagrid and his staff would be assisting in taking care of the animals, along with helping out with the students."
Hermione took a look around and smiled at Professor McGonagall. "I'll do it."
Professor McGonagall's face lit up. "You cannot know how pleased I am that you'll be joining us at Hogwarts! Let's go back to my office so we can go over everything."
"I'll be returning to the States and I'll have to let my employers know of my decision. I'd like to give them a notice. How soon do I have to report to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Our staff will be here at the beginning of August, so that gives you a few weeks to get your affairs in order," Professor McGonagall replied.
Hermione nodded and had a thoughtful look on her face as they walked back to the castle. "You mentioned that the stable was possible because of generous donations. I was wondering where the donations came from, if you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all dear. Surprisingly most of the renovations were possible because of the generosity of the Malfoy family. I was a bit taken aback when I was told it was from the Malfoys, but I suppose they are making amends for what happened in the war," Professor McGonagall said quietly.
"Well, regardless of where the money came from, it's good to see Hogwarts restored," Hermione said and smiled, but was groaning inwardly. There was Malfoy popping up again. Is this all an act or are he and his parents truly trying to make amends, thought Hermione.
The next few weeks were hectic for Hermione. She returned to Daisy Springs to tell Joe and Nancy that she would be going back home. She told them that she had accepted a position as a riding instructor at a boarding school. Again, Hermione didn't like lying to them, but at least this one was partially the truth. When she broke the news to them, they hugged her.
"I suppose I always knew deep down that you'd return home. It was wonderful having you here," Nancy said sadly.
"You just remember that you'll always be welcome at Daisy Springs. Nancy and I feel like you're the daughter we never had," Joe said as he hugged her tightly.
"Aw, you're making me cry. Thank you so much, I enjoyed my time here, but I feel like it's time to go home," Hermione replied and wiped away her tears.
A little later that day, she met up with Pat. He gave her a sad smile when she walked up to him.
"I guess you heard the news," Hermione said.
Pat nodded. "I did, but I can't say that I'm surprised. I kinda figured when you went home that you'd realize how much you missed your friends and family. I'm going to miss you darling."
"I'll miss you too Pat," Hermione said and hugged the older man. "I've learned so much from you."
Pat smiled as he hugged her back. He patted her back and pulled away from her, because he felt tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He was a salty old bastard, but he was really going to miss Hermione. There was just something special about her. Like Joe and Nancy, he felt like Hermione was the daughter he never had. Pat said, "Follow me."
Hermione wondered what he wanted to show her. Pat led her to a small shed near the stables. When he opened it up, there was a female Border Collie with 4 lively puppies. Hermione squealed with delight as she picked up one of the black and white puppies and cuddled it. She looked at Pat. "Where did these come from?"
"I was thinking that Bo was getting up in age, so I decided maybe he needed a little help," Pat said and smiled. Bo was Pat's 10-year old Border Collie. "I suppose it was fate because the local vet's office gave me a call and asked if I knew of someone willing to take this mama and her pups. Some piece of shit had dumped them at the front door of the office."
Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "Some people. I'm glad you were able to take them. Are you keeping all of the puppies?"
"Nah, I'll be keeping the mom and one pup. I'll be giving the other 3 away to good homes. I was thinking of letting you have first pick, kind of a going away present," Pat said.
"Really?" Hermione said and nuzzled the puppy. She thought about it for a few moments. Border Collies were great with horses and livestock. Hermione didn't think Professor McGonagall would mind especially since the puppy would be a working dog. "I'll take this one if that's okay."
"She's yours," Pat said and smiled as he patted the puppy's head.
Hermione spent the next two weeks working at the ranch and assisting Pat in training her replacement. She had gone to dinner a few times with Raylene too. Raylene was devastated that Hermione was going back home, but she was glad for Hermione too. She noticed that Hermione seemed to be happier; Raylene truly hoped everything worked out well for her friend. She made Hermione promise that she would come back to visit her. Raylene and Dave were now engaged and she asked Hermione to be a bridesmaid in her wedding which was taking place the following summer. She was delighted when Hermione accepted.
"Thank you so much! I promise I won't pick out hideous bridesmaid dresses," Raylene chuckled.
"I know you won't. I'm really going to miss you Raylene," Hermione said.
"I will too honey. I can't believe you're going back home, but I know you miss your family and friends," Raylene answered.
"I didn't realize how much I did until I went home a few weeks ago. At least we have email and Skype," Hermione chuckled.
"We do but it won't be the same without you here. I'll miss you my friend," Raylene replied as she hugged Hermione.
Hermione returned the hug. "I'll miss you too."
Draco had been invited to dinner at Pansy and Roald's home. When they were done, he was playing on the floor with his godchild, Leo. Pansy smiled as she sipped her tea. Draco was lying on his back and held Leo up in the air. Leo gave shouts of delight; he loved his Dray.
"Leo adores you Draco. Who knew you were so good with children? You'll make a wonderful father one day," Pansy said demurely, but had a knowing look.
Draco gave her a side-eye look. "Don't start about me settling down Pansy. I'm getting enough grief from my parents on that crap."
"It's true Draco. You can't keep going like this. You never see the same witch twice. Remember Roald's cousin, Desiree?" Pansy asked.
"Not really," Draco replied nonchalantly as he smiled up at Leo and made a funny face.
Pansy rolled her eyes. "She was absolutely shattered when you didn't call her after you spent the night together. I was stuck having to listen to her whining for weeks afterward. Anyway, she got engaged this week."
"Tell her congratulations," Draco replied indifferently. He remembered Desiree. She was a beautiful girl, but a total ditz and boring in the bedroom.
"You're incorrigible! What I'm getting at is that by the time you decide to settle down, all of the good witches will be taken," Pansy hissed.
"Give it a rest Pansy. Draco has plenty of time to settle down," Roald said softly.
"Fine. Don't come crying to me when you're a crotchety old bachelor," Pansy pouted.
"Don't worry, I won't," Draco replied and chuckled. As Draco laughed, Leo laughed with him.
Pansy couldn't help it; she began to laugh too. She couldn't stay mad at Draco for long, but he just infuriated her. She was so happy with Roald and she wished that her good friend could find that kind of happiness too.
After Draco had rocked Leo to sleep, he left Pansy's house and went straight to The Leaky Cauldron. He was meeting Blaise and Theo there. When he arrived, his friends were seated at a table and waved him over.
"Over here mate. What the hell took you so long to get here?" Theo asked. "We've been here for about an hour."
Draco raised his eyebrows. "I was having dinner with Pansy, Roald, and my godchild. So sorry to have kept you waiting," he replied sarcastically.
Blaise laughed. "Chill out. Have a shot of Firewhiskey. The night is still young and I've spotted a bevy of beauties at the bar."
Draco threw back the Firewhiskey and looked towards the bar. There were indeed three witches seated there and they were casting looks in his and his friends' direction. Although his heart wasn't in it, he had a "rep" to protect, so he smirked at his friends and headed to the bar. As he began to chat up the young women, he couldn't help thinking about Hermione Granger and wondering if he'd ever encounter her again.
Hermione took one last look at the cabin she'd lived in for the past two years and sighed. She was going to miss Daisy Springs, but she was excited about working at Hogwarts. Making sure she had packed away everything, Hermione grabbed her bags and locked the door behind her. It was time to close out this chapter of her life and begin a new one.
She and her puppy, who she named Daisy after Daisy Springs, arrived at Hogwarts and settled in. Hagrid was delighted with Daisy; his large hound Fang was getting up in age, so it was nice to have a lively puppy. Hermione was very happy that her living quarters were at the stable; she'd be able to keep an eye on the horses at night. She would take meals at the Great Hall with the other instructors, but the majority of her time would be spent at the stables.
On her first night there, it was such a surreal experience for her when she joined the other instructors for dinner. She was so used to being a student, so it was strange to be sitting on the dais in the front of the hall with them. Hermione looked down at the tables below and her eyes went to Gryffindor's table. She felt a pang of loneliness for the days of when she and her friends were seated there. It wasn't going to be long before all of those tables were going to be filled with students again. Hermione couldn't wait to get started.
As she took a seat near Hagrid, she was greeted by many of her former instructors including Professors Slughorn, Flitwick, Trelawney, and Madam Hooch, who still coached quidditch and conducted flying classes. Hermione was also happy to see her friend Neville Longbottom, who was the Herbology professor. He had taken Professor Sprout's place after she retired. She was also glad to see Madam Pince was still the librarian and Madam Pomfrey still ran the Infirmary. There were also a few new faces, including a quidditch and flying class assistant. Neville had told her that the student body had grown so much, that Madam Hooch now needed an assistant to help her. Neville introduced Hermione to the young man who was Madam Hooch's new assistant. He gave her a bright smile and shook her hand.
"I'm Mark Draper, it's good to meet you Hermione. So you're our riding instructor," he said to Hermione.
"It's good to meet you too Mark. I'm excited to get started," Hermione replied. She noticed that Mark was very tall and fit; it was obvious he played quidditch on a regular basis. Hermione detected an American accent and wondered how he ended up at Hogwarts. Mark had short brown hair that was spiky in the front and warm brown eyes, which lit up when he smiled.
Mark nodded. "I was glad to see that Professor McGonagall found an instructor, the students are going to be thrilled. If you need anything let me know. I grew up around horses in Kentucky, so I know a thing or two about them."
"I may take you up on that," Hermione replied and smiled. The rest of the dinner went very well. As she left the Great Hall to head back to the stables, she thought about Mark Draper. He seemed nice, especially since he offered to help with the horses.
Mark watched as Hermione walked back to the stables. He had heard that Hermione Granger was going to be the new riding instructor and looked forward to meeting her. Mark had seen a few pictures of her from her years as a student at Hogwarts and thought she was a cute girl, but nothing prepared him for the polished beauty he met tonight. He was pleasantly surprised at how sweet she was; sometimes girls as gorgeous as she were a tad haughty and standoffish, but not Hermione Granger. Mark also admired the easygoing manner she had with everyone.
As Hermione settled into her new digs, she was delighted to find out that the muggle technology did indeed work at Hogwarts. She was able to send off emails and set up her mp3 player to play music throughout the stable. There was always music playing in the stables at Daisy Springs, so Hermione decided to do the same thing. She had no idea if the horses liked it or not, for they showed no reaction. She liked listening to the music while she worked and as the days progressed, so did the house elves and Hagrid.
August went by quickly and in that time, Hermione and Mark struck up a great friendship. She couldn't believe how well he could handle the horses; Mark had been a great help to her, by helping her to exercise the animals and grooming them. As they worked together, Hermione found out more about Mark. He was 26 years old and a half-blood wizard; his mother was a witch and his father was a muggle. While he was growing up, his mother had been content to be a stay-at-home mom while his father worked as a horse trainer for a large horse farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Mark often worked with his father and loved horses, but when he was accepted at the Bluegrass School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he also discovered a great love for quidditch. His father had always hoped Mark would follow in his footsteps and become a horse trainer, but when Mark turned 18 and had completed his schooling, he accepted a position with a professional American quidditch team. He and his father had a huge fight over this, resulting in Mark having little to no contact with his parents for the next few years. Mark was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where his team was headquartered, when one day his parents showed up at his apartment. They reconciled and his father even started attending his quidditch games. It was a bittersweet reunion however; not long after this his father was diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer. Mark and his mother were devastated when he passed away a few months later. Mark was so distraught that he quit playing quidditch and moved back home. He tried working at the horse farm where his father had been employed for years, but it was just too painful. After a few months of grief, his mother found out about the position at Hogwarts and encouraged him to apply for it. Mark resisted at first, but his mother reassured him that she was going to okay and this was what his father would've wanted. That was two years ago and Mark couldn't be happier at Hogwarts. Working with horses again now comforted him and made him feel closer to his father.
Mark smiled when he heard Hermione humming along with a song playing over the speakers in the stable. In the last few weeks he spent with her, he found that he was comfortable around her and she was so easy to talk to. Hermione had told him about her life and her time in the United States, but Mark sensed that there was something she was holding back. Sometimes a certain song came on and she had a wistful look, as if she was thinking about someone or something she once had, but now no longer did. He didn't want to ask her about it; Mark felt this was none of his business, but should Hermione ever decided to open up, he'd be there to listen like she did for him.
Hermione decided that she liked Mark Draper. In these last few weeks, they formed a nice friendship. She never once felt as if Mark was coming on to her, she felt very at ease with him. Perhaps it was because they shared a common bond of losing someone they loved, or in Hermione's case, someone she thought she loved. Maybe one day she'd tell Mark about Rory, but for now she didn't care to bring up the tarnished memory.
Draco was preparing to leave work one afternoon, when he received an owl. He didn't recognize the owl and wondered who this could be from. He chuckled when he realized it was from Hogwarts; it made him think of the time he had received his acceptance letter when he was 11 years old. As he gave the owl a few treats, he opened the letter and quickly scanned the contents. It was an invitation to a reception to welcome back the students for the new school year, and to tour the facilities to see the improvements made to the school. Draco had been attending these functions with his parents in the last few years; they were always invited because of their magnanimity towards Hogwarts. He briefly pondered if he could get out of going to this one, but he knew Narcissa would have a fit if he even mentioned not attending. Guess I'll have to get out the dress robes once again, Draco thought with a wry smile as he sent back his RSVP confirming that he'd be attending.
Hermione sat astride a palomino quarter horse as she watched the crowd gather at the stables. She patted the horse on the side of her neck, and she let out a soft snort. The horse's name was Tibby and she reminded Hermione of Treasure, the horse she left behind at Daisy Springs. She missed Treasure, but Tibby was proving to be a wonderful replacement. Hermione and a few of her more experienced students, who were also astride horses, were getting ready to give a demonstration of their riding abilities for the guests who were there for the open house reception. The students had arrived at Hogwarts the week before and in that time Hermione had been able to figure out the different levels of riding ability most of the students possessed. Even Daisy was doing a demonstration with Hagrid; he had started to train her to herd the sheep that were now part of the grounds of Hogwarts. The crowd laughed joyfully and clapped at the enthusiasm and skill of the young dog as she obeyed Hagrid's commands.
The riding demonstration went very well and everyone was impressed with the new riding facility. Hermione silently breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the expressions of various higher-ups of the Ministry of Magic nod their approval to Professor McGonagall. Quite a few of the officials also greeted Hermione and let her know that they were honored to see her amongst Hogwarts staff. Hermione and her students had let the horses cool down and were preparing to groom them when she was approached by Pansy Parkinson.
"You did a wonderful job out there Hermione. Leo here is fascinated by the horses," Pansy said happily as she gazed lovingly at the small boy on her hip.
Hermione kept brushing Tibby and gave Pansy a cool look. "Thanks. How are you Pansy?" she asked in a guarded voice. She was shocked to see Pansy Parkinson again. Pansy had not been one of the nicest persons when they attended Hogwarts, and that was putting it mildly. She had been a part of Malfoy's entourage who seemed to live to make Hermione and her friend's lives miserable.
Pansy sensed this and sent a tentative smile towards Hermione. "I know we were never friends, but I'm not the same person I was back when we attended Hogwarts. I regret a lot of the things I did and said when I was younger. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for the grief I've caused to you and your friends."
"First Malfoy making amends and now Parkinson? Wonders never cease, Hermione thought as she stopped brushing Tibby and turned to face Pansy. "I'm glad to put this all behind us and I'm sorry too. Is this your son? He's beautiful," Hermione said and smiled gently at Leo.
Pansy nodded. "Yes, his name is Leo and he's two years old." She beckoned to the man standing behind her. "And this is my husband Roald Chalmers. Roald, this is Hermione Granger."
Hermione shook Roald's extended hand and she made small talk with the couple as she continued to groom Tibby. Leo kept reaching for Tibby, so this gave Hermione an idea. She stopped brushing Tibby and asked if Leo would want to see a pony. When Pansy and Roald consented, Hermione brought them to the pasture and led one of the ponies to the fence so Leo could have a closer look.
"Is it okay if I let him sit on the pony?" Hermione asked.
Pansy looked at Roald and he shrugged. "I suppose it would be okay, he really loves all of the animals." Hermione knew that pony was very gentle and the small horse never budged when Pansy put Leo on its back. Leo squealed with delight as he sat astride the pony.
Smiling at Pansy and Roald, Hermione said, "I think Leo is a natural! Will he be attending Hogwarts?"
Pansy and Roald nodded and beamed at their child. "Yes, we'll be expecting to see his acceptance letter when he turns 11," Pansy said.
"Hey why is my godson astride that beast?" Draco asked jokingly as he approached them. His heart was beating a little faster as he took in Hermione speaking to his friends. Gods she is lovely, Draco thought as he took in the tight faded blue jeans and fitted sleeveless red blouse Hermione was wearing.
"Where have you been hiding? Leo loves all of this. Hermione thinks he's a natural," Pansy said proudly.
"Does she now?" Draco asked as he shot an appreciative stare towards Hermione.
Hermione felt uncomfortable under Malfoy's gaze; it was as if she could feel him mentally undressing her. She nodded at him. "Malfoy."
"What do you think of the facility? Is it up to your standards? I was a bit shocked to find out you were the new riding instructor, but you're handling this very well," Draco commented in that smug way of his. Indeed it had been a very pleasant surprise when he found out that Hermione was now a permanent staff member of Hogwarts. He was going to have to make it to Hogwarts more often.
"It's quite brilliant thanks to your family's generosity," Hermione said softly. She decided to make a quick exit. "It's been nice talking to all of you, but I'll need to get the ponies back in and make sure all of the other horses have been tended to. I'll see you at the reception I suppose," she said and was glad for an excuse to get away from Malfoy's searing stare.
"Thanks again Hermione, I know Leo had a great time! Roald and I are going to skip the reception and head home, but Draco will probably be there. It really was good seeing you and you're doing a wonderful job here," Pansy said sincerely.
"You're welcome, Leo is a delight. It was good to see you too and great meeting you Roald," Hermione said as she extended her hand. Roald shook her hand. He, Pansy, Leo, and Draco watched as Hermione, along with a few house elves, led the ponies back to the stable. When Hermione was out of earshot, Pansy turned to Draco with a mischievous grin.
"Merlin, put your eyes back in your head! You couldn't keep them off of Hermione Granger," she said and chuckled. Pansy had to admit that Hermione had turned into a beautiful and confident woman; she could see where Draco was attracted to her, but Pansy didn't think he could even get to first base with Hermione Granger.
"What're you going about woman? Roald I think you need to get your wife back home, she's delirious," Draco said in an offhand manner. Damn it, he should've known Pansy didn't miss a thing, Draco thought.
"Whatever Draco, but I know you. Surely you don't think Hermione will be one of your one-night stands? I hate to sound crude, but that witch is probably harder to get into than the most secure vault at Gringotts," Pansy snorted.
Roald gave her a shocked look. "Pansy! I can't believe you said that!" he exclaimed. Roald thought Hermione was very nice and was impressed with the way she ran the riding program.
"It's true Roald. Hermione was known as the Gryffindor Princess when we attended Hogwarts and was as pure as the driven snow. She might still be. I know she dated Ron Weasley briefly after the war, but I don't think there have been any other wizards in her life. I don't know what game you think you're playing Draco, but you'll be lucky if Hermione doesn't hex your bits if you try to get her into your bed," Pansy said.
"Gringotts security has already been compromised so anything is possible, even getting into the ironclad knickers of Hermione Granger, should I choose to do that," Draco replied arrogantly.
Pansy gave out a short laugh. "You can't possibly be seriously thinking of pursuing her?"
"What? You don't think I stand a chance?" Draco asked and raised his eyebrows.
"I don't know Draco, you and Hermione Granger? She didn't seem to be affected by your charm. I like her already," Pansy said and grinned. Roald just rolled his eyes; he wasn't getting in the middle of this.
Draco nodded slowly and said, "I predict within the next few months Hermione Granger will fall for me."
"I don't think she will," Pansy replied. This was getting more interesting by the second.
"Care to make a friendly wager?" Draco asked.
"Ooh, this is getting serious! A wager! If you can get Hermione Granger to fall for you, I'll pick up your tab at The Leaky Cauldron for a month. If you don't succeed, you can pick up my monthly tab at Madame Malkin's Robes for Every Occasion," Pansy answered with a smug look.
"You're on Pansy. Well if you'll excuse me, I have a reception to prepare for and a bet to win!" Draco said as he kissed her cheek. He hugged Leo and shook Roald's hand before walking away. As he was leaving, he grinned and made an "L" with his thumb and index finger, laughing as he showed it to Pansy.
When Draco was out of earshot, Roald turned to Pansy. "I can't believe you made that stupid bet with Draco. I won't be surprised if he has Hermione Granger in his bed by the end of this evening."
Pansy shook her head. "You underestimate me Roald. Draco is calling me a "loser" but I think he's finally going head to head with the witch who's going to bring him to his knees," she said with a smug look.
"That will be something to see," Roald chuckled.
Pansy and her family headed back home to London. She thought about the way Draco was looking at Hermione; she had never seen him look at another witch like that before. She couldn't help feeling that Hermione Granger was going to turn out to be much more than a one-night stand for Draco; he was falling for her.
After tending to the horses, Hermione returned to her living quarters in the stable. She took a long shower, which refreshed her. As she stepped out, she did a quick-drying charm on her thick hair and dried off the rest of her body. Hermione looked into the mirror in the bathroom and decided to put her hair up in a loose chignon. She put on her underwear and applied her makeup. Satisfied with the results of hair and makeup, she went into her bedroom. The dress she planned on wearing was attached to a hook on the door of her closet. Hermione put it on and then slipped her feet into a pair of black high-heeled sandals. She stepped in front of the full-length mirror near her bed and studied her reflection. The dress was one she had bought when she had gone shopping with Raylene. She smiled at the memory; it seemed like it was so long ago, when in fact it had only been a few months ago.
It was a floor-length black gown with a fitted body and a sweetheart bustline. It was sleeveless with thin halter straps that tied at the back of the neck. The back was open and cut low; it was definitely one of her more daring outfits. She grabbed her small clutch that was on the bed and headed to the castle.
In his immaculate and tailor-made dress robes along with being devilishly handsome, Draco Malfoy was by far the most dashing wizard at the Hogwart's reception. He was garnering many appreciative stares from young and older witches, and sneers from wizards. Draco was used to this; usually by this time he would've zeroed in on a witch for the night, but this night was different. He was looking for only one witch and she hadn't shown up yet.
Hermione walked into the Great Room and was immediately greeted by her friends. Harry was there with his fiancée Ginny Weasley and Ron was with his girlfriend of a few months, Lydia Arbuckle. They expressed their regrets to Hermione that they couldn't make it earlier to watch her demonstration with the horses, but they had a special Auror assignment and had just made it to the reception.
"Don't fret over that. I'm so glad that you're here now!" Hermione reassured them as she hugged them. Ron introduced her to Lydia. Lydia had been two years behind them at Hogwarts. She was a pretty brunette with green eyes, and she and her family ran an inn in Hogsmeade. Hermione thought that she seemed to be nice and it was obvious that Ron adored her. They couldn't keep their eyes off of each other.
As she and her friends were catching up, Mark Draper and his date, DeeDee Stover approached their group. Hermione introduced him and DeeDee to her friends. DeeDee was the new Muggle Studies instructor and Mark had been working up the nerve to ask her out. With Hermione's encouragement, he finally asked her to be his date for the reception. Hermione was happy for Mark; he and DeeDee seemed to be having a good time.
Draco felt trapped. He was standing near his parents when he saw Hermione enter the room. He again was struck by how lovely she was. He was about to approach her when he was cornered by one of his mother's friends, a frumpy middle-aged woman who was married to a Ministry official. Her husband was speaking to Lucius and she wanted to dance, so Narcissa suggested that she dance with Draco. Draco gave his mother an icy stare, but she stared back and motioned her head towards the dance floor. Plastering a fake smile on his face, Draco led the older woman to the dance floor.
Hermione danced a few times with some of the other instructors, including Professor Slughorn, whom Hermione discovered was quite the dancer, as he spun her around the floor. She stifled a laugh when she saw Malfoy dancing a waltz with a woman old enough to be his mother. He didn't look too happy about it either. After being whirled around the room, Hermione thanked Professor Slughorn and left the dance floor to get a drink. As she sipped on a glass of pumpkin juice, something occurred to her. All of her friends were paired off, but here she was the only single one. She had no idea why this hit her so suddenly and a lump began to form in her throat. Hermione decided she needed some air and hurriedly left the Great Room. Her friends didn't notice her sudden departure for they were all on the dance floor, but Draco did. He waited a few minutes, told his parents he was going to the men's room, and he followed her out.
Walking as quickly as she could in heels, Hermione went back to the stable. When she arrived near her living quarters, she slumped against a column near the front entrance. She had forgotten to turn off the music in the stable and was about to turn it off, but stopped when she heard the song playing. As she listened to the lyrics, she broke down and began to sob.
All those times we looked up at the sky,
Looking out so far,
We felt like we could fly.
And now I'm all alone in the dark of night,
The moon is shining,
But I can't see the light,
And I can't look at the
Stars,
They make me wonder where you are
Stars,
Up on heaven's boulevard
And if I know you at all,
I know you've gone too far
So I, I can't look at the stars-"Stars" by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Was she destined to be alone for the rest of her life? Would she ever find someone she could trust and love? All of these questions were flying through Hermione's head as she looked out into the luminous, star-filled night sky. Why did Rory have to turn out to such a fake? She fell so hard for him. When the song finished, Hermione wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. She was doing so well and hadn't thought about Rory in a while, but for some reason everything came flooding back tonight. All of a sudden, she was startled out of her thoughts when she heard someone speak.
"Are you okay? You ran out of there pretty quickly," Draco said as he approached her. His eyes raked over her exposed skin at the back of her dress. He wondered how it would feel under his fingers.
Hermione cringed inwardly. Gods, like I really want to deal with fucking Malfoy, she thought as she turned to face him. "Why are you here?" she asked.
"I was concerned. You left so abruptly, you didn't even tell your friends you were leaving," Draco said quickly. He hated being put on the spot.
"You're very observant," Hermione snorted.
"Look, I just came by to make sure you were okay. Excuse me for being concerned. I'll let you be and get back to the reception," Draco replied and turned to leave.
This made Hermione feel bad for being snippy. She decided to give Malfoy the benefit of the doubt, it seemed like he was only trying to be a gentleman. "Malfoy, I'm sorry I'm being so bitchy to you. I just needed to get some air."
Draco nodded. "Yes, it was a bit crowded at the reception. I saw you tripping the light fantastic with Slughorn."
"I was amazed at how he's such a great dancer. He gave me a workout," Hermione chuckled.
"Won't your date be looking for you?" Draco asked. He was fishing for information because he wondered if maybe that was the reason Hermione was upset; maybe her date stood her up.
"No, I went solo tonight. No one asked me to be his date," Hermione replied.
"That's a real shame Granger, because you look really lovely tonight," Draco said and held his breath for her response.
"Thanks Malfoy. Hey, do you want a beer? Oh, forget I asked, I'm sure you have to get back to the reception. What about your date?" Hermione asked.
Draco shook his head. "I'm solo like you and I'd love a beer," he replied and smiled.
Hermione smiled back. "I'll be right back," she said as she walked into her quarters. When she was inside, she went to the refrigerator and grabbed two longneck Bud Lights. She had acquired a taste for the American beer and had shrunken a few six-packs of the beer before leaving the States.
When she returned, Draco was leaning against the column. He gave her a strange look as she handed him the blue bottle. "Muggle beer Granger? I thought you were going to bring back two Butterbeers," he said in an amused tone.
"Just drink it Malfoy, I think you'll like it," Hermione grinned as she twisted off the cap and took a long swig. When she finished swallowing the beer, she licked her lips and said "Now that hits the spot."
Draco watched in fascination as Hermione's little pink tongue came out and licked her lips. He groaned inwardly and had to fight the urge to kiss her. He decided to concentrate on the beer. Draco twisted off the cap and took a sip. Liking the taste, he took a long swig like Hermione did. "You're right Granger, this is great!" Draco said, shocked at how smooth the beer was.
"I told you," Hermione said knowingly and for a moment Draco was reminded of the know-it-all she'd been while they were at Hogwarts. He watched as she sat down on the steps at the front entrance of her quarters. She took another sip of the beer and then looked at Draco. "Might as well have a seat Malfoy."
Draco sat down beside her and they began a conversation about the horses and Hermione's experiences in the States. He told her about his family's company, even sharing with her his hopes for the company. Draco was amazed at how easily he told her all of this. Before they knew it, one beer had turned into six!
By this time, they were giggling and laughing as Hermione recalled the time in their first year at Hogwarts and they had to serve detention in the Forbidden Forest.
"You were scared shitless Malfoy," Hermione chuckled and slurred a little.
"Oh and you weren't?" Draco snorted and laughed.
"Nope, not even a little bit," Hermione said in a serious tone, then began to giggle.
Draco stopped laughing and moved closer to her. Hermione stopped giggling and held her breath as he cupped her face and gently kissed her. He pulled away from her and looked at her. "I don't know what came over me, I just wanted to do that."
"It's okay," Hermione started to say as Draco leaned in and began to kiss her again. He groaned when he felt Hermione's mouth open and their tongues touched. She couldn't believe she was actually making out with Draco Malfoy. His lips were so soft and did he ever know how to kiss, Hermione thought as she kissed him back.
Draco couldn't believe his luck; he was making out with Hermione Granger! As he kissed her luscious lips and ran his hands over the soft, warm skin of her exposed shoulders, he forgot all about the bet with Pansy. Hermione awakened something in him; Draco knew there was no way he'd be able to have her only once.
As they continued their makeout session, Draco moved to her neck, planting soft kisses as he worked his way down. He was in ecstasy as he felt Hermione's hands in his hair. Everything was going beautifully until they heard someone call out Hermione's name. When Hermione heard, she jerked up and Draco moved away from her. He had to adjust his robes because of his straining erection.
"Hermione, are you there?" Harry called out.
"Yes, Harry I'm right here," Hermione called back as she saw him approaching. Ginny was with him and so was Ron and Lydia.
"We were wondering where you had gone off to," Harry said and was shocked to see Draco Malfoy sitting beside Hermione. If he didn't know better, he could've sworn they looked like they had just been snogging. Harry quickly pushed that thought out of his head; Hermione had better judgment than that. Still, it was strange to see Malfoy there.
"I just needed to get some air. Malfoy here was kind enough to keep me company," Hermione said lightly.
Draco nodded at everyone. Harry and Ron returned stiff nods. They knew Malfoy and his family was trying to get back into the good graces of wizarding society, but that didn't mean they had to like Malfoy.
"We just wanted to make sure you were okay, looks like you are. We're going to be heading out, Ron and I have another assignment in the morning. It was really great seeing you," Harry said.
Hermione stood up and went to meet her friends. "It was good to see all of you too. Maybe we can get together soon," she said as she hugged them.
Draco watched as she told her friends goodbye. He gave them a small wave and thought good riddance. Leave it to Potty and the Weasel to interrupt when things were going so well with Hermione. He smiled when Hermione walked back to where he was sitting. She sat down again and Draco moved towards her again.
"Shall we finish what we started?" he asked softly.
Hermione sighed. "I have to get up really early. I think I'm going to call it a night. Look Malfoy, I think we just got carried away a few moments ago. I think the alcohol got to us. Thanks for keeping me company."
Draco was floored. This had never happened to him before; no witch had ever been able to resist him! "Sure, no problem. Maybe we can do this again sometime. I really enjoyed talking to you Hermione," he said and wondered if she'd notice he called her by her first name. He liked the way it sounded.
Hermione fought the urge to kiss him again when she heard him say her name. It was the first time he had ever called her Hermione! "I enjoyed talking to you too Draco. Who knows? We might even become friends," she said.
Draco loved the way his name sounded coming from her lips. "I think we can call ourselves friends after tonight Hermione," he said as he stood up. "I sometimes have business in Hogsmeade and I could drop by here."
Hermione nodded and smiled. "Sure, we can do that. See you around Draco," she said as she stood up.
"Yeah, see you around Hermione. I better get back to the reception," Draco chuckled.
Hermione waved to him as she walked into her living quarters and quietly shut the door. She watched as Draco waved back and walked back towards the castle.
What a strange evening this turned out to be, Hermione mused. She thought about the makeout session with Draco and wondered how far they would've gone if they hadn't been interrupted by her friends. Hermione shook this thought off and figured it was the beer that made her and Draco get carried away. However as she prepared for bed, she couldn't help thinking that she was looking forward to seeing him again.
A little more Dramione interaction. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
As always, thank you so much for the reviews and alerts!