57Hey guys...I'm so glad that you like the story. Just wanted to address some of the reviews I got.
arwenundomneil- Yeah, that is a bit young, lol but Draco is a bit of a jerk. He would do something like that. At least in my story. Anyways he was only flirting harmless fun, to him. lol
Sevvy101- I didn't really notice that it was in his POV but once i read that I was like 'wow, she's so right.' But I'm glad you like it.
SquishyGirl- sadly yes. I haven't finished. I just don't want it to end. I can't bring myself to do it, sad I know.
To everyone who reviewed you are amazing and thank you. I'm glad you responded so positively. I think you'd be happy to know that this story isn't effecting Surrender that much. I'm actually four chapters ahead in this story, so what your reading was written a while ago. lol
You are soo gonna hate me.
Disclaimer: No ownership papers, no ownership.
Staring Problem
The night seemed to whiz by, for the morning came to quickly for Hermione's liking. This was the first day of the longest week of her life and she knew that there was nothing that she could do to postpone what would happen that evening, nothing short of breaking her leg that was. But she knew that even that wouldn't stop the dance, for Madam Pomfrey would just heal her right up.
She had set her alarm for an early time, figuring that since there was so much that she and Ginny needed to do to get ready for the Ball that they might as well get started early. Ginny would need to pick out a specific colour for her dress, therefore picking out a specific colour for pieces of Harry's Muggle tuxedo.
The Heads ball was decidedly Muggle fashion only, for it was easier to find a fancy dress than a set of dress robes. More children would have to leave the castle and travel to Madam Mulkin's in Diagon Alley to get fitted for dress robes instead of traveling to the formal wear shop that resided in Hogsmeade.
Hermione threw off her covers and wandered to the closet, pulling out a white tank top with small silver stars all over it. Then she dove back inside for a small jacket that ended just below her breasts. It was green and zippered up, the sleeves short and belled. There were also small silver stars for the two things had come as a set.
Heading to her dresser she grabbed a pair of denim capris that were tight at the hips and thighs and ended just below her knees. With it she grabbed a black studded belt. Gathering up all her things she walked to the door of the bathroom. Knocking and hearing no reply she entered, placing her clothes on the counter between the two porcelain sinks.
Hermione took a short shower in the stall that stood beside Malfoy's door to the bathroom. She'd made sure that his door was locked before doing anything because the last thing that she needed was for him to enter and see her without her clothes.
When she'd finished Hermione stepped out wrapping a thick white towel around her thin frame and approaching her sink. She wiped the fog from the mirror and stared at her reflection. After studying it for a moment she began to dry her hair with her wand. It curled automatically, something she came to love for it meant less time styling.
After her hair was complete she dressed herself, tossing her damp towel into the hamper that stood in the closet beside her door. Between the closet and stall shower was where the bathtub was located, a clear curtain hung on the rung that circled above it like a halo. The clawed feet made the entire thing look as if it could get up and walk away at any moment. Turning away she sifted through a basket beside her sink for a simple black headband. Finding it she carefully put in her hair.
"Granger are you finished?" Draco's voice sounded from the other side of his door.
"Hold on." She said simply.
Gathering together her pyjamas and tossing them into her bedroom, Hermione turned and approached his door. She turned the lock the click notifying Malfoy that the door was now open and the bathroom was his. As she turned away he opened the door. Hermione grabbed her wand as she passed her sink and closed her door behind her.
Once inside her room she could hear the sound of Malfoy moving about within the bathroom. Slipping her wand into her pocket she slipped on a pair of black flats and grabbed a book. She would let Ginny sleep for a few more minutes, at least until eight thirty. It was to early even for breakfast to be served.
Draco was in the bathroom wondering why it was that Granger was up so early. Draco was clothed in his Quidditch practice uniform, for he had called a practice for the Slytherin team the day before. Their first match against Ravenclaw was coming up and Draco wanted to make sure that their team won the cup that year.
She was sitting on the couch in the common room when he exited his room, broom in hand. She didn't look up but instead turned the page and it wasn't until he reached the common room floor that he noticed the things in her ears. There were ropes from them down to a small flat looking piece of plastic with a glass screen. He'd seen a few of the Mudbloods in the school walking around outside with them, he believed they were called IPods.
He didn't bother trying to speak with her because from what he knew of those things you couldn't hear a bloody word anyone said when you used it. Instead he marched past her, pushing the portrait hole door open. As he was leaving he chanced a look back at her, but noticed her eyes were already trained upon him, something that caught him off guard.
'She was staring at me.' He thought as he walked down the corridor to where the stairs were. 'Granger of all people was staring at me.'
It was no secret that the two hated one another. He was a Slytherin and she a Gryffindor, but beneath their houses there was more that made them despise one another. Hermione had always been the top in there year, something that had earned punishments for him. His father took great pride in his ability to be both smart and cunning but the fact that he was constantly being beaten by a girl who happened to be a Mudblood made Lucius Malfoy furious. But it went even further than that.
Since birth he'd been schooled on how Mudbloods did nothing but taint magic. They destroyed the purity that magic had once been. It was impossible for someone to suddenly gain the power to perform magic when it wasn't running through their veins to begin with. Draco had been taught to hate her kind, and that was just what he was going to do.
Now as he wandered down the stairs through the halls and out the front door he still couldn't understand her look. She'd had a smile on her face. It was small, barely even visible, but he knew it. She'd been smiling at him, though he didn't see it. His curious side was now aching to know just why she'd been smiling so, and his suspicious side was creating all sorts of scenarios in his mind.
'She's planning something against me.' He thought wildly as he mounted his broom beside the pitch. 'And she thinks she'll get away with it.'
Back in the common room Hermione was closing her book, sitting it down on the table that sat before the couch. She rose from her seat and stretched, yawning slightly as she did so. She then hurried from the room, for she had to wake up Ginny and get the red head out of bed before it grew entirely too late.
She also had so much to tell the girl that had come to be her closest female friend. She told Ginny just about everything, including how she felt about boys and her fears and dreams for the future. She could talk to Harry and Ron about some of it, but obviously some of the things her and Ginny discussed were far too strange to talk about with two teenage boys.
Ginny would be shocked to learn about the dance lessons and the fact that she had to dance with Draco at all. Hermione still couldn't even believe it and she was the one that had to report to the Great Hall that evening to begin training. She wondered as she hurried down the stairs, just how she would survive the next week. It was hard enough living with him, let alone seeing him every evening for lessons on a dance they had to perform once.
She however did wonder what this dance would be like. She thought back to all practiced dance scenes she'd ever seen in movies, where only the two people performed. She couldn't really think of any however that had ever happened between enemies. All the people in the Muggle movies that she'd watched as a kid had been in love, or realized by the end of the dance that they were in love but nothing like that would happen to them.
But as she walked she couldn't help but think about Malfoy, and the fact that they would be in such close proximity for the next week. They'd be touching every single day. He would be holding her and twirling her and dipping her. It would be so strange to feel his arms about her body, where no ones arms had been in so long. It was also intriguing to think about what it would be like. The closest she'd ever been was the slap she'd given him in third year, and this week would surely be nothing like that.
She reached the Gryffindor common room and gave the Fat Lady the password, smiling at the congratulations that she offered. Upon entering she noticed that very few people were awake, and those who were weren't her three friends. She then wandered up the stairs to the girl's dormitories, and when she opened the door she noticed Ginny sound asleep in her bed.
"Gin get up." Hermione said shaking her friend gently.
"Too early, come back later." Ginny said turning her head away from Hermione.
"Fine, then I guess you don't want to know what happened to me and Malfoy last night." Hermione said smiling. She knew if there was one thing that would get Ginny up, it was gossip.
Ginny's head slowly rose off the pillow and turned to face Hermione, her blue eyes wide her mouth agape. Immediately she was sitting upright the blankets thrown off in a heap at the end of the bed. She was almost bouncing she was so excited.
"Oh do tell, what happened?" Ginny asked excitedly.
"Not until you're dressed and ready for breakfast."
"Hermione, you're no fun you know that."
"That's what they tell me sometimes. Now go get dressed."
Ginny reluctantly wandered to where her trunk sat, and pulled out some clothes to wear for the day. She left the room to head to the bathroom, leaving Hermione by her bed. Hermione didn't stay there for long but instead wandered over to the window where she was able to gaze out upon the sun drenched grounds.
She could see in the distance the Quidditch fields, and flying about out there was Malfoy. Her thoughts began to run away with her again. She was standing there, wondering about the mysterious boy that she knew one side of, but no one could be that awful all the time. He had to have another side, a side that maybe no one knew, a side that truly was good.
She'd heard all the rumours about the Slytherin Prince, the boy who could have it all. Supposedly he'd had a relationship with half the females in the school, but for some reason she didn't believe it. She figured there had been many, yes, and she'd seen him around the grounds with them, but she knew that wasn't how he wanted to stay. Being with a girl long enough to get almost everything from her, sometimes everything, then leaving her.
But she had to wonder if he didn't think about a particular girl, whether he knew her or not, that he could be with forever. She wondered if he ever thought about love. Sure everyone, even her, thought that love was an unknown concept for Malfoy, but was it true? Did Malfoy not know how to love? Or did he just choose not to?
"If you're trying to spot him, you won't unless you use my telescope." Ginny said as she reentered the bedroom a moment later tossing her pyjamas on her bed.
"Spot who?" Hermione asked turning her attention towards the red head. Her thoughts had still very much been on Draco Malfoy.
"Malfoy. The pitch is to far away to make anyone out clearly." Ginny said sitting herself down on the bed and smiling at Hermione.
"I wasn't looking for Malfoy. Plus how'd you know he's on the pitch." Hermione knew she sounded guilty, but she was telling the truth, sort of.
"On a team remember. We know the other teams practice schedules so we don't double book the pitch." Ginny explained. "But you don't have to lie to me, now what happened between you and him anyway?"
"I wasn't lying Gin. I was only looking out the window." At Ginny's eye roll Hermione answered her question. "You know the ball is next Saturday right?"
"Yeah everyone does."
"Well from tonight until Friday, Malfoy and I are taking dance lessons. We have to perform a dance on the night of the ball, a tradition for whenever the Slytherin and Gryffindor houses are Heads together."
"You and Malfoy will be dancing together." Ginny looked just as shocked as Malfoy had.
"Yup, and he's not looking forward to it." Hermione said leaving the window to join her friend.
"Oh but I bet you are." Ginny mumbled but Hermione caught every word.
"Why do you seem to think I have some sort of thing for Malfoy?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know Hermione. Ask me again tomorrow." Ginny said being her usual secretive self, but it frustrated Hermione this time.
Of all the things for Ginny to think it was the worst. How could her best friend think that she had feelings for her worst enemy? Wasn't it apparent by how often she talked bad about him and belittled him that she despised him? Wasn't it obvious by the way he insulted her that he hated her with just as much fiery passion? The thought of there ever being feelings between them was ludicrous and frankly just insane.
"Let's go to breakfast I'm starving." Hermione stated, tired of trying to think. She was beginning to get a headache from trying to understand the strange things that were happening that school year.
Draco wandered inside after practice; his muscles tight and warm from the nice work out they'd just received. The last six years of Quidditch had done wonders for his physic, leaving his arms and abs toned and tight. His strength had grown as well as his speed and agility. His reflexes however had prospered the most, for being a seeker required quick reflexes.
Having not had a shower that morning but instead opting to wash his face and use the bathroom before leaving the dorm all together, Draco wandered up to the place that he shared with the Head Girl whom he hoped was not currently sitting on the couch as she had been when he left. When he entered his room he immediately stripped off his robes and hurried into the shower. He allowed the cool clean water to wash away all the dirt and impurities that had blemished his pale skin. It cascaded down his back, the muscles of which twitched and rippled from being worked that morning. His amazing blond hair was plastered to his forehead, his grey eyes shut against the violating water. He allowed it to pound down upon his back, relaxing him before he washed his hair and body. When all was finished Draco shut the water off and opened the stall door, grabbing a white cotton towel and wrapping it about his waist.
With the towel fixed securely Draco entered his bedroom and immediately sifted through his belongings for something to wear that day. He settled on a pair of dark blue denim jeans and a soft cotton black button up shirt. He towel dried his hair, shaking out whatever droplets still clung to it before putting on his socks and shoes and leaving the room for the Great Hall below, his stomach rumbling.
Upon entering the Great Hall the usual whispers and giggles ran rampant through the throngs of girls seated at their house tables. He smirked, satisfying them for the time being and continued on his way. When he reached his table he made to sit, first glancing up and over to where the Head Girl was seated at her table, however she was once again staring at him. Her face was devoid of all emotion as she watched him but that didn't stop him from smirking her way, just for her.
Hermione had seen him enter and had watched him cross the hall heading toward his table. The girls at her table all seemed to be watching the same thing, even Ginny. Her chocolate brown eyes danced from his damp hair to the black shirt he was wearing that hugged his gorgeous body. She ignored that thought, believing it to be placed there by the simpering girls all around her.
He moved with grace, something she'd never noticed before. He moved with perfect posture, his head raised and shoulders back, no doubt taught from birth the ways of a pureblood. His presence even from far away was commanding and regal. He was the poster child for pristine spoiled rich people.
Hermione snorted at a nearby girl that stated something about how amazing he must be as a boyfriend and, but Hermione missed the rest for the girls voice dropped to a whisper. But he couldn't be a good boyfriend; you have to be a good person to be a good anything.
She watched as he approached his friends and made to take his seat, but before he could sit on the bench he looked up right at her. Their eyes connected, and she was sure that the smirk that crossed his face then was meant just for her. She shivered there, but recovered quickly and diverted her eyes to Ginny who had watched her pointedly.
"What was that little exchange?"
"I don't know, ask me tomorrow." Hermione said turning to her plate. Ginny merely smiled beside her.
Not long after they began their breakfast did Harry and Ron appear, both looking tired and grumpy. Hermione watched as they entered, Harry getting the stares and whispers just like Malfoy, only he ignored them. He leaned in and gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek before taking his seat beside her, Ron seating himself beside Hermione.
"What's wrong with you two?" Hermione asked them cautiously.
"Neville kept us up all night talking about his bloody plants. We didn't have the heart to shut him up." Ron said grabbing for things to put on his plate. Harry however said not a word but instead silently picked at his eggs.
"Harry?" Hermione said knowing that there was something wrong.
It was strange but it seemed that Hermione knew Harry better than anyone, even his own girlfriend. Hermione always seemed to know when something wasn't right with him and was usually the first to bring anything up. She questioned him about his scar and his dreams, not carrying if it bothered or even angered Harry.
"What?" the boy asked as if nothing were wrong.
"Did something happen? Did you dream something?" she pressed.
"Hermione this is not the place to discuss this." Harry said sternly.
"Fine, you tell me after breakfast, or you won't find out what happened last night in McGonagall's office."
Hermione then continued to eat not saying another word though they pressed with questions. They even questioned Ginny but she said nothing because Hermione sent her a hard look. They were not going to learn anything until she learned whatever it was that had really kept them up late last night.
Draco sat over at the Slytherin table watching the exchange with interest. Potter seemed to be keeping quiet about something and Granger wasn't happy for she had the look on her face that she got only when she was having difficulty with a question. His concentration was broken however when Blaise joined the group, having been late to breakfast.
"Hey Draco, so how'd the meeting with McGonagall go last night?"
"Terrible. She told us that we have to report here ever night after dinner till Friday for dance lessons?" Draco said sipping the orange juice in his goblet.
"Wait, dance lessons!" Pansy shrieked beside him. "With the Mudblood!"
"Shut up Pansy or she'll hear you and take points." Draco said angrily. "And yes dance lessons with Granger. We have to perform a dance at the ball, so from seven to ten we have to be here learning the steps and practicing."
"That's terrible. First you have to take her to the ball, then you have to dance with her as well. Next thing they'll do is state you have to kiss her or something." Pansy looked disgusted at her own words.
"You really are far to over dramatic." Blaise said simply before turning back to his friend. "Bad luck mate."
"Tell me about it. But I have to if I want to keep my title, and father would thrash me good if I lost that." Draco said thinking about his father enraged.
"So I guess we'll have to move the meeting up then." Blaise said. "Six o' clock ok?"
"Fine by me. Six Monday?"
"Yeah. Not to much longer, thought of anything?" Blaise asked turning his attention to his loaded plate.
"Not really." Draco said turning back to his plate.
"I have. I know exactly what I'm going to do to that stupid Mudblood. But Draco I'll need something from you."
"What's that Pansy?" Draco asked not looking at her.
"Oh you'll find out." Pansy said in a sickeningly sweet voice.
"By when?"
"The meeting." Pansy said before rising. "I have a dress to pick out, see you later Draco."
Draco waved half heartedly, not even turning his head to look at the girl. She however beamed at him before traipsing out of the hall. Draco was glad to be rid of her, for her presence annoyed him drastically. He didn't have the energy to stomach her silly voice and infuriating giggles that morning and he was sure if she hadn't left soon he would have.
"Bloody nightmare." Draco said softly.
"I hear you mate." Blaise said clapping Draco shoulder before turning his attention to his neglected plate.
As Hermione waited for Harry and Ron to finish their breakfasts, her gaze wandered over to the Slytherin table once more. It had been doing that from time to time since he'd entered the room, but so far he hadn't looked up at her. She was scolding herself mentally for even looking again, but it was hard not to when he'd smirked at her the way he had. It was infuriating how something so simple as that got her riled.
"Hermione." Harry said softly, waving a hand before her eyes.
Rapidly her eyes blinked for a moment as she rejoined them. Her thoughts had run away with her again, giving her a spacey look. Her head turned and she looked past Ginny to where Harry was sitting.
"Yes. What is it?" Hermione asked as if she'd been paying attention the entire time.
"You were staring off again. What are you thinking about?"
"When you're ready to tell me what you dreamed last night I'll let you know what I was thinking about." Hermione said smiling mischievously.
Harry nodded and Hermione noticed that he was ready. She turned her head and saw Ron's plate clean as well and smiled. They all rose, struggling to get from the bench that they'd been sitting at. They wandered together from the Great Hall, not drawing much attention except by one pair of grey eyes that followed them all the way out.
They wandered through the halls until they came to a suitable empty classroom. Hermione ushered them all in, knowing that it was possible that it wasn't safe to discuss there, but she couldn't think of anywhere else to go. Once everyone was inside Hermione closed the door and turned to stare at Harry.
"Now spill." She said taking a seat at a desk.
"It's nothing important. I just saw what he was doing again. He was talking to Malfoy's dad about some plot he had. I didn't catch much because he forced me out. He said something about how this could ruin everything if not dealt with accordingly."
"So he has a plan that involves Lucius Malfoy, and something is hindering that plan. But what could it be for? Where do you think it's being conducted?"
"I don't know Hermione, but after he forced me out I got sick. Ron was up with me first helping me to stay conscious then helping me clean up. That's why we're so tired." Harry said looking somewhat ashamed.
"You really should try to block out these dreams. Try Occlumancy again, maybe it will work for you this time." Hermione suggested.
"We both know that will never happen, but now it's your turn. Spill."
Hermione laughed as the boys turned their attention upon her.
"Malfoy and I have to perform a dance at the ball, so for the next week we have to take dance lessons."
"What, that's ridiculous!" Ron shouted. "When?"
"From seven until ten." Hermione said as Ron's shocked expression grew bigger if that were at all possible.
"How'd he take it?" Harry asked.
"Much like Ron in fact." Hermione said shrugging.
"You don't seem bothered though." Harry said after sharing a look with Ginny.
"There's not much I can do. If I protest I get stripped of my title. And I'm not losing my Heads position because of a stupid dance." Hermione said in a tone that said the discussion was over.
"Well all I'm saying is that you need to be careful. He's dangerous." Ron nodded in agreement as Harry finished.
After a short discussion on the dangers that Malfoy posed to Hermione they parted ways, the boys heading back to the common room where they had to work on the homework that they were already behind on while Hermione and Ginny went up to the Heads dorm to design their dresses.
They arrived to see Draco sitting on the couch, a book clutched in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He looked up from his book, looked at the girls then continued with his reading. Hermione crossed the common room while Ginny lingered on looking about mystified at the place. This was the first time that she'd gone inside and it always took newcomers by surprise.
"Come on Gin." Hermione said standing on the bottom step.
Ginny turned and started toward the staircase, giving Hermione a look as she passed the couch where the Head boy sat, silent. Hermione narrowed her eyes in return and they started up the stairs and into Hermione's bedroom. They closed the door with a snap and Ginny rounded on Hermione.
"You never said anything about the living quarters being so close. You guys almost share a bedroom. I bet you can hear when he brings girls in and takes them up to his room to ha-" Hermione however stopped Ginny before she could finish the sentence.
"Ginny, it's not something I brag about. It's not a good thing as Harry would say." Hermione said plopping down on her bed.
"I don't see what's so bad about it. If I were you, a pretty single girl, I wouldn't mind constantly being near such a specimen." Ginny said much to Hermione's surprise.
"Ginny can we focus please?" Hermione asked loudly, getting sick of the conversation.
The girls spent the rest of the day discussing colours and shades and lengths. They picked materials, and designs according to what they saw the perfect dress looking like in their minds. They drew out rough sketches, for that was what they'd take to the designer in Hogsmeade so that their dresses would be ready by Saturday for the dance.
It was dinnertime by the time they'd finished everything. They were discussing Hermione's robes from the Yule ball and how amazing she'd looked. Hermione was blushing as she opened the door to her room, her eyes focused on Ginny over her shoulder. When she turned her head however she noticed that Malfoy seemed to be leaving his bedroom, looking as if he'd just woken from a long nap.
Hermione walked forward, her eyes darting away from the boy who turned, seemingly just noticing their presence. She turned laughing at something Ginny said about Ron's dancing, or lack there of, hoping that he continued down the stairs to the common room. She heard the sound of his feet carrying him swiftly down the stairs and breathed a silent sigh of relief. He hadn't noticed her staring for he certainly would have said something.
They followed his lead, heading down the stairs and across the common room, exiting through the portrait hole and wandering down the castle halls until they reached the Great Hall. They giggled and laughed as they made their way across the room towards the Gryffindor table where Harry and Ron sat eating enthusiastically.
Draco, who had arrived in the Great Hall a few minutes before Hermione, watched as she and the Weasley girl wandered in, caught in a fit of giggles that made Hermione's cheeks turn bright red. Draco watched as they joined their fellow Gryffindors, seemingly not a care in the world, but he knew that Granger was thinking about that night and what it would hold just as much as he was.
He'd been sitting in the common room when they'd walked in and it was strange to see anyone else in that room besides Granger. He'd been hoping that he wouldn't have to see much of her that day until it was necessary and was grateful when they wandered up the stairs to Granger's room to do whatever it was that they were there to do. After that he was hoping that his mind wouldn't become overloaded with thoughts of her and the next week they would spend together, but as soon as he heard her voice drifting through the door above and into his ear he was bombarded with them.
He couldn't understand this sudden fascination with Granger. He had a new habit of glancing at her whenever she entered his line of vision and sometimes his eyes would unconsciously follow her as she moved. He had to admit, the sight that was being beheld wasn't a bad one, but still it was something he shouldn't be doing. Yet he still found himself thinking about her, wondering why she'd looked at him a certain way, why she did something a certain way. It had been going on since the train ride to Hogwarts that year.
It had been the first time he'd seen her since the day before his attack on Dumbledore. Then she'd looked so haggard, almost like she'd been awake for hours working on some essay or another. She'd been dressed in the frumpy robes she was always seen in, her figure masked by their bagginess. She'd been walking quickly, seemingly in a hurry for whatever it was that she had to do. But Draco hadn't really had time to torture her for there were other things that preoccupied his mind, like the events of the day to come.
After the summer from hell, Draco was excited to leave his home and head back to school. On the train he'd been wandering the car halls, looking into the windows of the compartments, watching the other students as they went about their daily routines. He saw first years, sitting together talking nervously, getting to know one another as the train sped on its way to their new school.
As he stared into the windows of compartments with open shades or half open shades, he came upon the compartment of his favourite threesome. They were sitting in what seemed like silence for he saw none of their mouths moving. Instead he saw Potter and Weasley playing a game of wizard's chess while Granger read a book he'd never heard of.
She was sitting there, looking much different than he'd ever seen her. He couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from the sight, for it was a welcome change to the uptight bookworm that he'd known her to be. Her clothes fit tighter to her body than any he'd seen her wear before, hugging to the curves that she now possessed. She probably had the most amazing figure of any girl on that train, and Draco couldn't deny it.
But as he stared, his eyes drinking up the vision that she was, her eyes shifted, landing directly on him. He wondered if she'd known he was there all along, and picked that moment to shift her gaze to him. She didn't appear shocked as their eyes connected, nor did she appear angry. She only seemed curious, much the way she looked when receiving a hard question on a test. He was sure any moment she would bite her lip, as he knew she did when thinking hard.
However, Draco didn't get to stare at her long enough to see that action as his name was called from somewhere behind him. The shrill voice that called his name in what she believed was a loving manner belonged to none other than Pansy Parkinson. Draco turned his head to glance down the hall at the annoyingly loud girl and upon turning back found the shade to the compartment closed.
Ever since then questions about her wandered into his mind, and he unconsciously thought about her all the time. Sometimes he would catch himself, and therefore scold himself for thinking about a Mudblood, but it never seemed to work. She was constantly near him, always just a glance away, and now she would be just a touch away.
His mind was spinning with the thoughts and memories that had to do with Granger. It was like she was a disease that he had and couldn't seem to cure. He couldn't explain it. At the current moment his eyes were locked on her, and not even Blaise's voice was bringing him out of his thoughts.
Hermione could feel his eyes watching her; much the same way he'd been watching her all week. It was strange but now that she thought about it, Draco Malfoy had been staring at her all week long. She caught him on the train ride and numerous times throughout the feast and the sorting. Then during the week in classes she would see him glance her way and during meal times as well.
But when he was in the common room it was completely different. It was almost like he avoided her there, opting to walk past her and not say a word. Since they'd moved in and started classes and such, there had been no great fight. There hadn't been much talking at all, only mutual ignorance on both sides.
Hermione was not used to this new Malfoy, the one that opted to be silent and not torture her when there were so many obvious chances. She in fact preferred the one that insulted her all the time, for at least she knew what he was thinking. All she knew now was that he was constantly found staring at her, a fact that unnerved her more than the word Mudblood.
Lifting her gaze from her plate to across the hall where she knew he sat she saw that once again his grey eyes were trained upon her. She wished that he would sneer, or smirk or even whip out his wand and hex her, just as long as he stopped staring at her in such a way.
"What are you looking at Hermione?" Ron asked noticing that she was staring off again.
"Nothing." She said softly trying to get the image of Malfoy's eyes boring into her own, out of her head.
"Thinking about tonight eh?" he asked pressing the matter.
"I guess." She answered. "I've been trying not to think about it though."
"It's when you don't want to think about something that it comes up the most." Harry stated. "Happens to me all the time."
"I'll bet." Ginny added smiling.
The room around Hermione was slowly starting to empty. The time was nearing seven, and most of the students had finished their dinners and were heading off to other areas of the castle until curfew. Hermione wished that she could be amongst them, wandering about aimlessly, but sadly she was stuck there, waiting until the room emptied and the tables were pulled away.
Draco seemed to be doing the same thing though his attention was now on his friends instead of her. She'd caught him glancing at her a few times but as soon as she caught him his eyes flicked away. Harry and Ron left her ten minutes before seven to head back to the common room where their homework still sat waiting to be finished.
Ginny stayed, keeping Hermione company until she couldn't any longer. When her friend walked slowly out of the Great Hall leaving her and the Head Boy alone, Hermione was beginning to wish that she'd protested as well.
"Wonderful." Malfoy mumbled.
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, catching the sarcastic tone that he'd used.
"I wasn't talking to you Mudblood." He spat out.
'Good, keep insulting me. Then at least I'll know you're back to normal.' Hermione thought as she opened her mouth to retaliate. But she was cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
"This is no way to start off a lesson." Said a small skinny witch only slightly shorter than Hermione. She'd been standing behind them by the entrance.
"You must be the teacher."
"Madam Peruge at your service. But hatred is no way to enter into this. Apologize for using that filthy word. From now on you will call each other by your first names only in my presence. No nicknames, no insulting names, just your own names. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am." They both said.
"You will call me Madam. Now apologize." She said sternly looking at Draco with hard eyes.
"I'm sorry Hermione." He said through gritted teeth.
"Now, since we have but one week to do this, we will have to work hard and quickly. It will not be easy and you will have to practice often. All your free time should be spent practicing this to learn every step by heart. I want you to know it so well that you could dance in your sleep."
Hermione watched as the woman glided gracefully across the floor, her robes flowing softly behind her. She was walking over to a table that had materialized before their very eyes. On the table was a gramophone, the horn of which was tarnished and dented. There were records placed beside it, their sleeves yellowish from age.
Hermione studied this woman, taking in the entirety of her. She reminded her a bit of Professor Trelawney for her clothes consisted of shawls and long flowing robes of different colours. Her demeanor however was that of Professor McGonagall. She was stern and wouldn't take any nonsense from either of them while they worked together.
"First I'm just going to show you the basic way you will stand. Now come over here."
The two walked side by side towards the woman and the table. Hermione stood beside Malfoy as the woman looked at both of them. She then stared down at their feet, and shook her head.
"Before I can even show you that I will have to change your shoes. Since this event is a formal one you will be wearing formal attire. So I want you to report to these lessons wearing the types of shoes you will wear that evening. You must be accustomed to dancing in them."
With a wave of her wand Hermione felt her flats change into heels. Her height grew but only and inch or so, nothing to the six foot two inches that Malfoy was. She looked down at his feet and noticed a pair of shiny black dress shoes.
"Now Mr. Malfoy, when it is time for your dance to be performed they will ask that the dance floor be cleared. The song will come on and you will walk over to Miss Granger. You will offer her your hand and when she takes it, you will lead her to the center of the floor. Display this now."
Draco turned to Hermione, offering his hand the way he'd been taught during the summers. He'd been instructed on the ways of a gentleman, something every pureblooded male learns. Holding out his right hand palm up Hermione slipped hers softly within, their fingers barely touching at all.
Holding their joined hands before him they glided side by side toward the center of the floor. As Draco stopped he led Hermione to stand before him, pausing for a moment to look into her eyes. Their eyes connected and for a moment the world was left behind. But the sound of Madam Peruge moving forward to speak to them broke their gaze.
"Very good Draco. If you both continue to demonstrate things like that upon the first request we will get through this no problem. Now after you've turned her to face you Draco you will place your free hand on her waist. Hermione your hand will rest on his upper arm, not his shoulder. So many people get that wrong. Now try it again."
Hermione walked back to where she'd been standing before only this time Draco approached her as if coming from another area of the dance floor. He took her hand and again led her out to the floor however this time when he offered his hand their eyes locked and the gaze wasn't broken until again when Madam Peruge spoke.
"Perfect. Another thing I've noticed is that you both look at each other rather than your feet. That's good, looking anywhere but in your partners eyes can cause missed steps."
The teacher began to show them the opening steps of the number. After every new group of steps she made them go all the way back to the beginning and start the entire thing over again. Hermione was also getting annoyed at the fact that they were doing this in complete silence with not a note of music.
"Madam," Hermione asked as she was walking back once again to her starting position. "Why haven't we used music yet?"
"Because my dear, the steps are hard enough to learn on their own. You must master them before you can master them to music."
Hermione liked this woman, for she had a certain flare not found in Hogwarts. It's as if everything she knew she learned from dance. She smiled widely when she watched them dance as if she was remembering a better time in her life. She clapped her hands a lot, something that made Hermione giggle a bit. This was a woman she could see herself having tea with to discuss what an amazing life she possibly had.
As the end of the lesson came around Madam Peruge gave them both a paper that explained the next group of steps that they had to learn as well as a moving couple on the page that demonstrated it.
"This is your homework. I expect to come into this room tomorrow snap my fingers and see everything you've learned so far, including these steps. Understood?"
Hermione and Draco nodded. Madam Peruge then simply bowed her head before shooing them away with her ringed fingers. Hermione picked up her things and started from the Great Hall, Malfoy following behind. Once they were out of earshot of the Great Hall and halfway up the marble staircase she could hear Malfoy grumbling behind her.
"What?" Hermione asked stopping and turning on the stair to look down at him.
"I wasn't saying a damn word to you Granger." He said glaring up at her.
"Well maybe you should think your complaints then Malfoy or people might begin to suspect you're mental." She said turning and continuing on.
Not another word was spoken until they reached their common room. Draco entered, slamming the portrait hole behind him and dropping the paper onto the table between the two couches before the grate. He plopped down on the couch and ran a hand through his hair trying to ignore Granger who was standing beside the couch.
After her not uttering a word Draco grew fed up and almost shouted, "What?"
"We have to practice." Hermione said softly not having the patience to argue with him about it.
"Can't we do it tomorrow? I'm tired." He said his voice almost a whine.
"When tomorrow?" she asked.
"After lunch. I have another practice tomorrow morning. Unless you have a previous engagement with one of your boy toys."
"After lunch is fine." Hermione then started toward the staircase only to stop and turn on the bottom step. "You do realize that other than that last comment, we just had a civilized conversation."
"Don't get used to it." He threw over his shoulder not even bothering to look at her. "Mudblood."
Hermione rolled her eyes and turned away. Her feet were beginning to ache from the height of the shoes that she was wearing, and she wasn't in the mood for him. When she reached the top she paused to slip off the agonizing shoes, and continued into her room barefoot, closing the door softly behind her.
Draco heard the click and breathed a sigh of relief. Though the first lesson hadn't been as terrible as he'd predicted, it did cause a whole different set of problems. While he was sure that his insulting skills were at the top of their game, he couldn't use them during their sessions, the times when he'd need them most. They would be the only disguise to the little staring problem he'd developed.
He couldn't explain what went on inside his body when he looked into her eyes. The feelings he got when he looked at her and the feelings he got when their eyes connected were two different feelings completely, but both were new and strange to him. It wasn't the same as when he looked at a random pretty girl, though that was what she could be considered. What was wrong with him?
The feelings were so strange and unknown that he couldn't explain what they felt like, or where they started. It wasn't like he grew short of breath or his stomach did somersaults as had happened on quite a few occasions with a number of females, it was different. It was as if something inside him had released. When he looked into her eyes something within him was released, his thoughts grew fuzzy, his mind eventually cleared and it was as if he were lost in a haze. It was worse than a veela.
Another thing that made the feelings worse was when she touched him. He'd been so against it, but when she'd slipped her hand into his, so delicately it was as if something else within him had taken over. He didn't need music, for he could hear it in his head. He knew just what to do as if he'd done it a million times before.
Such simple gestures, fingers brushing, her hand on his arm, her grip tightening in his hand, it all excited him somewhere inside. After everything was over and their gaze was severed he regained his composure but just barely before they were doing it again. He was growing frustrated with himself. Their relationship was to remain the way it had been those six years prior. She was supposed to despise him and be his own personal victim. They weren't supposed to be living so closely, they weren't supposed to be civil and they certainly weren't supposed to touch.
"Why does it seem like every year I grow older the more complicated my life has to get?" Draco asked the empty room around him.
Warily he rose from his seat on the couch, and gathered his things. He used his wand to extinguish the fire that still smoldered in the grate. Then turning in the moonlit room he wandered up the stairs to get some rest. For the next day would probably be just as complicated as the last.
Ok...so let me know how you feel about this. Look out also for some more coming attractions, to be exact four new Hermione/Draco shipped stories, all of them with the most amazing plot twists. I am truly proud of my terrible twisted mind. I have put these characters through hell. lol
Starry.