Remain Nameless

Chapter 34

Reminiscent of their mornings in the café, Draco listened with keen interest, interjecting with a hesitant question every so often ("Sorry, what's a submarine?") and seemed to have a liking for pricey Muggle gin. Just as she was in full flow about the Allied and Axis powers, her ears pricked up as a familiar tune permeated the air. "Oh it's La Vie en Rose! This is one of my favorites!" she gushed.

"Er... life in pink?" he asked, translating it literally.

"Yes, but it's more of a colloquial way of saying 'seeing life through rose-colored glasses,'" Hermione clarified. "She's singing about a love that fills her with such happiness that she cannot help but view the world around her as full of bright colors..." she trailed off as a blush crept up her face. "Anyway, it was a very popular song after the end of the Second World War."

Draco raised a challenging eyebrow. "I thought you said your French was merely passable?"

"I can only understand a line or two, really," she shrugged. "But it's a beautifully composed piece and there's such emotion to the words... even if I can't quite understand them all."

Draco stared at her pensively for a minute; one of those penetrating looks of his that made Hermione feel as if she'd exposed her every thought and feeling, and only to him. An examination that both terrified and thrilled her.

"Did you want to..." his gray eyes flicked across the room and then back to her, "dance?"

"Yes!" she said quickly. A little too quickly, judging by his smirk.

Prat.

They'd never danced together before, Hermione realized as they approached the dance floor. But before she could panic, he simply drew her close as they mimicked the other couples surrounding them and swayed lightly back and forth to the slow melody. His hand fell to her lower back as she braced an arm around his neck, their free hands clasped together and held aloft. Draco maintained a rigid yet still fluid posture, and Hermione knew in her bones that he would be an excellent waltzing partner. He'd probably received professional instruction from some renowned dance tutor during his childhood.

She made a mental note to ask him later, not wanting to ruin this moment with any quips about his posh upbringing. Leaning her head against his chest, she closed her eyes and let the song and the rhythm of his even breathing overwhelm her senses.

A rumbling against her ear emanated from his chest and lulled her from a blissful reverie, and she realized the vibration signified softly-spoken words. She pulled her head back to gaze up at Draco in wonder, but he stared at the far wall over her head, his brow slightly furrowed in concentration as he translated the lyrics for her.

"When he takes me in his arms... he speaks to me softly... I see life in pink."

Hermione could only look up at him mutely, not daring to speak or even breathe too loud lest she interrupt.

"He tells me words of love... these are every day words... and they do something to me."

His words certainly affected her. No matter the manner in which Draco spoke to her, it never failed to ignite a strong surge of something within her, be it lust, exasperation, awe, irritation, love.

"He has entered into my heart... a piece of happiness... of which I know the cause."

Her cause of happiness existed here, now, pressed tight to her body and setting all her nerve endings alight. She would float skyward but for Draco's tender embrace.

"It's only him for me... me for him, for life... He told this to me, swore to me, for life."

Hermione gulped nervously as these murmured lyrics reached her ears, sped through her veins, and exploded somewhere behind her ribs. His silver gaze switched to her now, unblinking.