Sorry it's a very late post, sorry its short, I don't have a beta at the moment and I'm not very confident, so my apologies. If you see any embarrassing mistakes can you tell me and I will change it.
Also thanks to guest reviewer Elizabeth, I knew it was black, goodness knows why I put lestrange, so thanks for telling me. In correcting this mistake I noticed another plot error that I changed. I'm not sure anyone is following it closely enough for it to ruin the plot. I will be posting again tonight or if not in the next few days I hope.
The sitting room fire flashed green. A blond head stooped out from the dark chimney, the silver protruding nose of the mask entering the room first. After stepping free of the hearth, the young man lightly brushed his black robe down. Draco took of the mask, and looked around the warm inviting sitting room for somewhere to put it.
The room seemed empty, a coffee table stood in front of him, a small package lay on top of it, along with a few abandoned text books. Draco placed his mask on the table, then lightly fingered the package, he couldn't make out what the small rectangular object was, it was wrapped in brown paper, to the side of this was a black rose, with a silver ribbon tied to the stem.
A sudden noise from behind one of the doors made Draco look up."Hermione?" He shouted in the direction of the noise.
"Hi Draco, sorry, just give me two minutes." The muffled response came back from the adjoining bathroom.
"No worries take your Time." Draco replied. Walking back to the coffee table he picked up the package, 'maybe a book?' he thought, 'definitely a Gift'
'It seems Hermione has an admirer' he said to himself. Fleetingly he wondered why she hadn't gone to the ball with the unknown suitor. 'Maybe it's nothing, perhaps a gift from a friend.' He concluded, he then replaced the package back on the table.
A few minutes later the door to the bathroom opened and Hermione stepped through to the study.
Draco turned to greet her and was transported back to the Yule ball of a few years ago. He hated everything she represented back then, she had been teased and bullied mercilessly by him, yet at the Yule ball that easy target had blossomed to become a formidable enemy, that annoyingly, even he had been unable to find fault, in either her comportment or appearance. Now she was his benevolent benefactor, giving him support where even his parents had let him down, and she was stunning.
Her backless dress was fitted and hung tightly around her frame, dark green silk that rippled to a pool around her feet, her hair cascaded in a knot down her neck to nestle along her Shapley back,tiny white diamonds glinted in the folds of her tresses.
Draco blinked in surprise at the silver bangle that twisted in coils around her white upper arm. "A viper Hermione? Remind me, what house are you from?"
"Oh I'm a Gryffindor through and through, but tonight... I'm flirting with the Slytherins, and its all in the name of interhouse encouragement."
The young man withdrew his wand. Hermione looked at him in confusion, wondering about his intent.
He muttered an incantation, flourished his wand, and two books on the coffee table became crystal champagne flutes. From his pocket he withdrew a miniature bottle of champagne, that he had obviously shrunk for convenience. "Engorgio,"
The bottle became full size in Draco's grasp. Hermione didn't hear the spell that withdrew the cork, but she certainly heard the effect,the cork flew out with a loud pop.
"Nice Draco, you do remember this is not a real date don't you.?"
A cocky smirk graced his thin lips "I've not forgotten Granger, but I seem to remember, that this not really a date situation, was mutually beneficial, so tell me, who's the ignorant Slytherin your trying to attract?"
" Are we back to surnames? Anyway, who says its a Slytherin Malfoy?"
"Your dress does." He poured out the champagne with practiced grace and proffered a glass towards her.
She accepted the champagne with a challenging look in her eye. "You may be surprised, you see what you want to see. Thanks for the champagne but why the gesture?"
Draco was confused as to her meaning, but decided to let it go, he started to explain why the champagne gift seemed a good idea. "I will cut to chase, I'm nervous...shocking I know...the bubbles, the alcohol, it's a little infusion of confidence. Lets be honest here, we are about to show up as a couple to a huge ball..." He broke off to step forward and take Hermione's free hand, she flinched and spilt her champagne a little in recoil. Draco laughed "...and you, just jumped a mile at a little touch, from the wizard who tried to make your school days a living hell! Nobodies going to believe we're friends, the pathetic specimen I'm sure your trying to trap, will never get jealous and hot under the collar, by our turning up together, one look at us with our touch me and die faces on, would kill that little idea. So ...Hermione if we are to do this, lets do it properly, drink the damn champagne...and let's pretend we like each other... Who knows it might be fun." He let go of her hand and poured a glass for himself and raised it in a salute.
"Your beautiful." He said appreciatively.
Hermione smiled, "Your a charmer, I have to say, your not bad yourself in that outfit."
" Well you designed it... By the way, what's the deal with the tight trousers everyone is running around in, by your design again?"
"A girl likes to have fun." She replied saucily, already feeling the effect of the bursting,popping, bubbles, fizzing on her tongue. She smiled as she sipped her drink.
"You have a naughty sense of humour, although I will warn you, little Roniekins is on the warpath, I just told him what his clown outfit represented, clearly the idiot didn't know, he nearly thumped me, I just flooed away in time!"
"You didn't! Draco! Im going to have to plump his ego all night now. He's not an idiot, you are, just try and get on...please."
Draco sighed "I will try, just for tonight, lets finish the champagne and face the music."
"There's nothing to face Draco, you'll be fine." Hermione tentatively took his hand and led him to he sofa where they finished their drinks in comfort.
"Whats your costume meant to represent then?and where's your mask?" Draco asked making an effort at casual conversation as he transfigured his glass back to being a book.
"My costumes a little bit vague, I'm Inamorata, her character rarely wears a mask but when she does its hand held." Hermione reached over the sofa and picked up a delicate eye mask black with silver embroidery, dark green curled feathers to one side, with a silver stick to hold it against her face. She held it to her eyes and tilted her head coquettishly at Draco.
"Come on witch, let's go before I completely loose my mind, and make a play for you."
Hermione giggled, then she slipped the loop attached to the mask over her wrist. "Where's your mask then?"
Draco moved once again to the coffee table and picked up his mask charming it on to his face.
Hermione walked over to join him, "You suddenly look very sinister."
The curious young man picked up the black rose resting on the table.
"What's this?"
"I ... I don't know." Hermione reached for the rose in confusion, "it wasn't there earlier."
"Would you like me to fix the rose to your outfit?"
"That's Very gallant of you, let's fix it to my mask. Could you charm it to spiral around the handle."
"I think my limited magic could cope with that." The wizard replied sarcastically.
"It's got no thorns on it, so should be fine" Draco fixed the rose to entwine around the handle fixing the pretty ribbon to the bottom of the silver stick.
Thank you, I wonder who it is off? and what's the package, is that yours?"
"No it's not, I think it's a gift for you, open it, who is it from?" Draco passed the package to her.
"Your very nosey!" the young woman pulled the paper of the package to reveal a small green book with golden leaves. "Palgraves golden treasury of poetry." she read aloud.
"Poetry!" Scoffed Draco "What ponce has sent that?"
The surprised girl opened the book thoughtfully, she noticed the front page had been ripped out for some reason. On the contents list in the margin was a small note, that read; "I don't need this anymore, I think you might." No addressee and no addresser she noted. The book had two small markers highlighting certain pages. The first was a poem called loves philosophy by Percy Blythe Shelley. She read it very quickly, aware of Draco's growing impatience, Then she was transported back to the resonant deep voice of her dreams, "The same poem!" Hermione exclaimed, to Draco's amusement. Blushing under his scrutiny she turned to the other marker; "The clothes of heaven" she whispered.
'This could only be from one person' but considering his demeanour and attitude towards her it was surprising to get a gift when she could barely get a civil word. The rose couldn't possibly be from him, that was just inconceivable.
"Come on Granger, who's it off, spill!"
"Your such a gossip, no ... I don't know who sent it, lets go now anyway."
Draco raised his eyebrow disbelievingly. "Come on then gorgeous, lets go, but beware, I will know your little secrets before the night is out."
Draco offered his arm and Hermione took it. Together they left the study to make their way to the entrance hall.