healed (dramione)

8 : Hermione

Song for the Chapter : I Think I'm In Love ~ Kat Dahlia

Hermione's POV

I couldn't remember being so flustered over a stupid dress. Having dinner with Draco Malfoy wasn't supposed to be a big deal, but I still had to look the part, even if I didn't feel like it. I read somewhere that being sarcastic and punching people is even better if you're wearing a dress. Actually, that was probably just something that I lived by, come to think of it.

I didn't possess any dresses, so I had to turn to Ginny for help. Thankfully, she didn't ask me what it was for - if she had, I probably would have died from humiliation and embarrassment. But she did give me a silky black dress that was just informal enough to pass as a party dress. I mean, it looked like I was going to a funeral, but I guess that was the kind of look I was going for.

As I was dressing, I couldn't help wondering if Draco was making the same effort as me. Probably not. I was still busy wondering firstly if he'd gone mad, and secondly if he was lying about the whole dinner thing in order to embarrass me. I thought I'd embarrassed myself enough after hugging him and crying my heart out in front of him.

Apparently not.

With Ginny's help I had my hair braided down my back and pinned up with a small silver hair clip, something that rarely happened. I wasn't exactly somebody who knew how to do their hair, but Ginny seemed to be the expert. Once I was done, I checked the time. Almost six o'clock.

I used my black school robes as a kind of cloak over my dress as I strode quickly down the hallway and found the door to the Room of Requirement ajar. Checking both ways down the hall, I slipped inside, holding my breath.

Yeah, I thought as I entered, Draco Malfoy has definitely lost his mind.

The room was small and circular this time. It was cosy and dimly-lit, and there was a small table set in the middle for two. It looked revoltingly like a date night table. Yuck. I had to admit, though, it was pretty remarkable of him to have set it all up. I shut the door with a click behind me and set down my robes in the corner of the room, wandering around curiously.

"Malfoy?" I asked tentatively, wondering if he was even there yet.

"You look...different." I turned around, surprised. Draco was standing by the door, looking unusually flushed and something else - uneasy? I couldn't tell. He looked good - like, really good. His hair fell into his eyes, maybe on purpose or maybe not, I didn't know. He was wearing a shirt tucked into a pair of tight-fitted black jeans, and the effect was....good. The only way to describe it.

"So do you," I muttered. "I assume you want to take a picture, then."

"Excuse me?" Asked Draco confusedly. I sighed.

"Well, how else are you going to prove to all your friends that you got me to do this?" I said exasperatedly. "How else are you going to tell everyone that I fell for your joke."

"Okay, I think it's worth mentioning that I don't have brain damage," interrupted Draco loudly. "And this isn't a joke. I'm being...courteous. And you're being irritating."

"You're one to talk," I mumbled. I sighed again, and my eyes flickered to the little table. "Well, let's get this over with, then." Draco nodded numbly and took the chair opposite me as I sat down, suddenly self-conscious about my braided hair and thin black dress. I knew I should have been more casual.

I caught Draco's eye, shining curiously in the dim light, and suddenly the pair of us burst out laughing. A mudblood and a pure-blood, bitter enemies, eating dinner together. See what I told you? I knew that day could get weirder. And it did.

Author's Note: Hi! I just checked this book and it already has over 50 reads - that's so insane! Thanks to both asmith394 and bluedevils3 again for your hilarious comments, they make me smile :) Don't forget to vote and comment!