Chapter XIV - Chance

Hermione awoke dazedly and cracked her eyes open to a strong golden sunrise. Daybreak lit up the small room, bathing everything in a fierce yellowish glow. The light was much too intense for her sleepy eyes, so she shifted, burying her face into the warm coverlet instead. As she settled back down, she felt Draco's form lying next to hers. For the briefest moment she had simply forgotten that he would be there. It was all still new for her. He was new to her. It seemed almost impossible to think, but it had only been a week since their first chance meeting in that dungeon hallway.

She closed her eyes and idly wondered if they ever could have arrived here under different circumstances, without the perfume's influence. What would have happened in that corridor if she hadn't been wearing the perfume? Would she have shrugged off Draco's insult, and kept walking?

Then there was the other side of the coin. What if she had worn the perfume, but decided on a long breakfast in the Great Hall, and not a work session in the library? Would she have met another admirer? Or would have she simply gone through the day, like it was any other? Or, what if she had run into Ron, and Ginny's initial plan had been successful?

It was too much speculation— and in the end none of it mattered. What was important was that she was here with Draco. But… she supposed that they were here because of the perfume. She doubted very much that Draco would have ever had the courage to try to ask her out, or even attempt a conversation. It had been that little push, that little shift in his eyes— the perfume— that had made him kiss her.

She remembered the raw emotion on Draco's face and the way she had moaned in response to his passionate assault of her mouth. Just thinking about it made her toes curl. It was hard to believe that a week ago she had been still cut up about Ron dating Lavender. That feeling was of course gone.

For a Gryffindor Ron was remarkably uncommunicative and positively childish when it came to his feelings. It had been so refreshing for Hermione to hear from Draco exactly how he felt about her. She admired his strength, and will to divulge something that personal. Hermione smiled at the memory from the previous night.

"Do you know how rare you are Hermione?"

Never in a million years would Ron have said something like that to her. Ron had never been so forthright with his feelings to her. They had spent the last couple of years circling each other, going tit for tat without really ever crossing a line. Sure, Ron had been jealous of Krum at the Yule Ball and made a complete scene afterwards, but he had never been forthright with her. Ron had only hid under the guise of loyalty to Harry, pretending that's all it was.

So here she was now— with Draco sleeping on beside her. She could tell that this was going to be real, that she and Draco were going to be more than just a fling. It was exciting and if she was honest a little nerve wracking, because now she had something to lose. She was done with games and schemes. Well— maybe just one more scheme.

Now it was later in the afternoon. The Gryffindor victory on the Quidditch pitch over Hufflepuff had carried back to the common room in usual fashion. Hermione was struggling to get through the crowd to find Ginny as bottles of butterbeer popped around her and sweets soared through the air.

Ginny had told her that it had been perfect flying weather earlier when the two of them were up in Ginny's fifth year dormitory, earlier in the day right before the match. As Ginny was pulling on her red and gold spangled robes over her head Hermione had filled her in on what had happened with Draco the previous night. Hermione had been as truthful as possible— she hadn't told Ginny the real reason he had blown her off— that would have felt like a breach of confidence between them.

Ginny threw open her wardrobe and began rifling through her clothes. She grabbed a pair of thick socks, her arm and leg gear, tossing them onto the bed.

"I broke up with Dean this morning." Ginny said as she laced up her shin guards.

"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Well it only just happened— coming back from breakfast." Ginny said matter-of-factly. "If you hadn't still been him in the Room of Requirement you would have been there to see."

"Oh Ginny, I'm sorry."

Ginny scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Don't be. It was a long time coming, believe me."

And that was that. The two girls had then walked down the staircase, and Ginny had left with the rest of the team for the pitch leaving Hermione ample time to work out her plan.

Hermione finally found Ginny in the crowd, talking with the other two chasers Demelza Robins and Katie Bell.

"Congratulations!" Hermione cried, throwing her arms around her friend. Unbeknownst to Ginny, Hermione had a small bottle of perfume concealed in the palm of her hand. And as Hermione hugged her, she quickly spritzed a little bit of the perfume on the back of Ginny's neck, maybe three or four hours worth.

"Thanks Herms! I've never seen you so excited by Quidditch before." She said laughing.

"Oh— what was that?" Ginny said, pulling away and feeling the back of her neck and hair.

"Hmm?" Hermione said distractedly.

"I thought I felt something." Ginny said.

"I didn't see anything." Hermione said quickly. "But hey listen— I wanted to ask you something." And she pulled Ginny across the room. As they made their way through the crowd, Hermione noticed the reaction of some boys in the crowd. It was the same disarmed raw look and she knew it had worked.

"What's up Hermione?" Ginny said, somewhat baffled. "You are acting very strange."

"Oh I just need you to cover for me, I'm meeting Draco in a bit." Hermione said in an undertone, at the same time scanning the room for a familiar shock of untidy black hair.

"I'll probably be back late." She couldn't help but smiling.

"Ugh. Don't make me puke." Ginny said sourly rolling her eyes.

"Oh stop. " Hermione said nudging Ginny on her shoulder. "I'll get some drinks, be right back."

She grabbed two chilled butterbeer bottles from a table, and spotted who she was looking for. "Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, catching up with him. "Congrats on the game, quidditch captain."

"Thanks Hermione." Harry said smiling. "You're in a good mood today."

"Yes, I am." Hermione said laughing. "Ginny was looking for you earlier. I think she's by the staircases over there." Hermione pointed and gave Harry the bottles. "Here— take these."

Harry made his way through the crowd, toward where she had indicated. She paused briefly, watching the back of Harry's tousled hair. For a moment she had an urge to follow him, and see her handiwork through, but she thought better of it and turned around. It was easy to slip out. She pulled the portrait shut behind her and set off down the corridor.

And, that's it folks! I can't believe I finally finished it.

Hope you enjoyed it :)

As always, review please!