A Wonderful Fortuitous Love

30. Shoes of Welcoming

“DRACO!” she screeched, looking up at his amused face sourly. “Get out of my way or help me find… my shoe…” The last two words left her mouth slowly as Draco dangled the missing item from his finger, hooked around the heal, right in front of her.

Hermione made to grab it but he held it higher out of her reach, waving a finger in the air. “Ah, ah, ahh. Where’s my thank you?”

Hermione let out a frustrated growl, and gritted out, “Thank you.”

The beginning of a smirk was toying on his lips. “Say it like you mean it.”

She gritted her teeth and tried in a calmer tone. “Thank you,” – Draco lowered the shoe – “ferret boy.”

He raised it higher in the air again, though Hermione swore she saw a smile. “That was low, I thought we’d matured better than that, beaver girl.”

“Just hand over the shoe, Draco,” she said, holding out her hand expectantly.

He definitely smirked now, still dangling the shoe tauntingly above their heads. “You had your chance, Granger.”

“Draco,” she took a step closer, “Malfoy,” another step, “give me my,” and another, “shoe back!” His back hit the wall as she advanced on him. Hermione realised with a feeling of triumph that she’d effectively cornered him.

But then in a flash of his navy blue shirt and blonde hair, he’d grabbed her around the waist and did a turn, so that now it was her who had her back to the wall.

She gave him her dirtiest look, but as he leaned in closer and closer to her face, her anger momentarily ebbed away to be replaced with uncertainty.

He lifted his hand and gently tucked a stray curl from her bun behind her ear, and whispered, his breath hot on the side of her face and making her shudder. “If I give you your shoe back… what’ll I get in return?”

Her breath hitched. He was too close.

He chuckled and Hermione felt her shoe touching the tips of her fingers. Without looking away from him, she took it, and he stepped away. 

The moment left as soon as it had came.

Hermione had to breathe in and out a few times to get her heart rate down again, and then lifted her gaze to him. “What’s gotten into you?” she asked.

“Hm?”

“You’ve been following me ever since breakfast and you’ve been doing everything in your power to annoy me, more so than usual, so what…” Her eyes grew wide.

Draco frowned at the look on her face. “What?”

“Unless,” she started slowly, her theory unravelling, “you’ve been prolonging my being here because you don’t want me to go…”

He scoffed. “That is ridiculous.”

Hermione, who only had a few more minutes until she was supposed to be at the Burrow, rolled her eyes at him and did a quick scan of the apartment, mentally ticking down what she’d already packed for the night; pyjamas, toothbrush and other toilet necessities, clothes for the next day, socks, shoes, underwear…

She nodded satisfactory to herself and went to the door so she had enough space to Apparate. When she turned, she was a little surprised to see that Draco had actually followed her to the door, not annoying follow like he had all day, but just trailing behind.

She paused awkwardly and shuffled her feet. Should she say goodbye? It was only one night… but then again, it was also Christmas, and Hermione didn’t know what time Christmas night she’d be home…