A/N Picture is of Hermione's Dress. Side note, I am SO EXCITED for this chapter! Happy reading :)
Two days later on New Year's eve, Hermione was sitting on her bed and Ginny was attacking her hair.
"Argh!" Ginny exclaimed. "I can't get it to stay! Hold on, I'm owling Pansy. Better yet, I'll send my patronus, it'll be faster."
Pansy joined the battle against Hermione's hair ten minutes later. Pansy was much more efficient than Ginny however, and Hermione's hair was pulled into a sleek updo fairly quickly.
At 7:30 Hermione was ready. Pansy loaned her some emerald earrings to match Ginny's dress before leaving to meet Blaise at her parents leaving a very nervous Hermione with Ginny.
"Are you okay 'Mione?" Ginny questioned as she adjusted her own dress in Hermione's mirror. Andromeda was keeping Teddy that night so that Harry could take Ginny out.
"Huh?" Hermione responded, shaken out of her thoughts by Ginny's voice. "Oh yeah I'm fine. Just a little nervous. Why am I so nervous? It's just Draco."
Ginny gave her an understanding smile. "It's going to be okay. Just pretend it's not a date."
"It isn't a date Ginny."
Ginny waved her hand dismissively as she continued to adjust her dress. "Yeah, yeah sure it isn't. Argh! This dress won't lay flat!" She tried to suck in her stomach.
"It is laying flat, you just have a baby bump," Hermione chuckled.
"I know," Ginny sighed. "And it's just going to get bigger!"
"That is the general idea."
"Anyway, are you sure you're okay?" She glanced at Hermione's clock that read 7:44. "I've got to meet Harry in about fifteen minutes."
"Yes Ginny I am fine! Draco will be here any minute. Go enjoy your alone time with your husband."
"You know I will," Ginny winked.
"Ew. Gross. Harry is like my little brother, I don't want to think about that."
"Oh grow up Hermione, you're almost as bad as Ron," Ginny said, laughing. "How do you think I got pregnant?"
The doorbell rang before Hermione was able to retort.
"He's here! I'm leaving, have fun Hermione! Tell the ferret I said hello and Happy New Year! And don't come back with a baby!" Ginny called as she ran to the fireplace.
Hermione frantically smoothed her dress down before answering the door. Draco was standing there in a grey suit with a black overcoat holding a beautiful bouquet. His pale blonde hair was messily styled and appeared to be slightly windswept, very unlike how he wore it when they were at Hogwarts. He flashed that brilliant smile of his and held out the flowers for her to take.
"A beautiful arrangement for an even more beautiful lady," he said as he stepped into the entryway.
"Wow Malfoy! Way to turn on the charm," Hermione teased as she closed the door behind him. "Thank you for the flowers. You're early though," she said, putting the flowers in a vase on her coffee table.
"I know. I wanted to explain what we're doing tonight."
She looked over at her friend warily. "You're taking me out of the country again aren't you?"
He grinned at her. "Top marks per usual Hermione. Yes I am whisking you away from London tonight. But first, a nap." He sunk down onto the couch and motioned for her to join him.
If she wasn't confused before, she certainly was now. "A nap? What on earth are you talking about Draco?"
"It's going to be a really long night and we need to be alert so we're going to take a nap."
Hermione sat down next to him and crossed her arms. "And what if I'm not sleepy?"
He smirked and pulled out a vial from his coat pocket. "Sleeping draught. Will last one hour." He glanced at his watch. "It is 7:50 now and we need to leave here at 8:55 sharp."
Draco handed Hermione the small vial. "Well you've thought of everything haven't you?" she said dryly. "Are you insane Draco?"
He shrugged. "Maybe, but we don't have time for questions right now, do you trust me?"
She looked deep into his stormy grey eyes and felt herself drifting away, lost in the abyss. Yes, she really did trust him. She nodded, unable to voice her agreement, and uncorked the vial.
He flashed that endearing smile once again and tapped his vial to hers, "Bottoms up."
An hour later, Hermione awoke and felt Draco stirring next to her on the couch. He was still asleep and it gave her the perfect opportunity to study him. His face was relaxed and peaceful, his long pale eyelashes unmoving. She traced a finger on his sharp jawline and he sighed happily; He really was beautiful to her. She was still caressing his face when he reached up and stroked her hand before kissing it lightly. She froze, embarrassed at being caught but Draco just smiled at her and stood up.
"Ready Herms? We've got two minutes to spare. Anything you need before we go?"
She recovered quickly and shook her head. "Let me just put my shoes and coat on."
A few moments later, she stood next to Draco trying to maintain her composure. Why was being near him so detrimental to her sanity? He pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it. Inside was a small object that Hermione assumed was a portkey.
Draco pulled Hermione into his arms and took hold of the portkey. He looked down and smirked at her bemused expression. "So you don't fall when we land." At least that's what he told himself. He inhaled her heavenly scent, strawberries and vanilla as the portkey began to glow.
Hermione felt a jerking sensation behind her navel and a moment later they landed in a location unknown to her. The strange sensation in her stomach, however, did not go away after they arrived. She wondered if that was due to the method of travel or her proximity to her travel companion.
Draco hadn't let go of Hermione nor did he want to but he eventually released her from his clutches rather reluctantly. "Do you know where we are?"
She looked around and shrieked in surprise. "Draco! Are we in Barcelona?!"
He smiled at the look of wonder on her face. "Yes we--"
"DRACO! Seriously?! The Sagrada Familia! Oh my goodness!" She was practically shaking with glee. They walked around for about twenty minutes, Hermione pulling Draco along and spilling facts about every historical monument they encountered.
"Herms," he said gently, trying to recapture her attention. "Hermione." She unwillingly turned her attention back to him. "We have dinner reservations."
She took his arm and followed him into a posh, upscale restaurant.
"Hola, senor y senorita," the hostess greeted. "Ustedes tienen una reservacion?"
"Si, una mesa para Malfoy." Draco responded in perfect Spanish surprising the small witch beside him.
"Oh! Senor Malfoy! Bienvenidos a Barcelona. Siguenme por favor."
They followed the waitress to the back of the restaurant and onto an elevator. Once they exited the elevator, they ascended a spiral staircase and stepped out onto the roof where a single table next to a beautiful stone fireplace awaited them. Hermione gasped at the sight in front of her. Rose petals led the way to the table and Draco had to pull her along because she had stopped walking. He pulled out her chair for her and she sat down, still absorbing her surroundings. There were candles on the hearth and fairy lights strung all around. They had a perfect view of the city from their seats and champagne was chilling next to the table.
Draco chuckled at the smile of awe on Hermione's face. "What's wrong Granger? You act like no one's ever treated you to a special evening before."
Her gaze finally fell on the man in front of her. "Special evenings, yes, but nothing this spectacular. Draco this is amazing," she breathed.
He reached across the table and stroked her hand. "You deserve this and so much more Herms," he said quietly. "Never settle for less."
Hermione's cheeks burned and she felt her pesky heart beating faster, threatening to burst out of her chest. His grey eyes were swimming, deep with emotion, trying to pierce her brown eyes to convey some message he couldn't quite articulate with words. She wanted to break the connection, to look away, but she found she couldn't. The arrival of the waitress with appetizers provided the distraction she needed. Not enough distraction for her not to notice that Draco hadn't let go of her hand. She knew she should, but she didn't want to pull away. So she didn't.
They chatted amicably about various topics for awhile. Hermione felt exuberant. She hadn't had a conversation so intellectually stimulating since...well since the last time she talked to Draco. She loved that he was her intellectual match; It made for great discussions and debates.
Draco didn't let her hand go until he needed his hand to pour her a glass of champagne. He held his glass up to her for a toast. "To a new year with an old friend."
She smirked at her friend as she brought her glass to his. "I'm only twenty-four Malfoy, I'd hardly call that old."
"Ha, ha Hermione, you know what I meant," he laughed.
"I do," she replied.
A comfortable silence fell between the two as their meals were placed in front of them. After they finished eating, Draco glanced at his watch and realized there were only five minutes until midnight. He took Hermione by the hand and walked with her closer to the edge of the rooftop. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Hermione sighed contently and leaned back into his embrace, looking out at beautiful Barcelona.
There went her heart again, beating irrationally fast. Surely Draco could hear it or at least feel it.
'This must be more than friendship,' Hermione thought to herself. 'I've never felt this way around Ron or Harry...then again they've never held me like this.' Her trance was broken by Draco turning her around to face him. She was suddenly aware of people counting down somewhere in the distance. But here and now, in this moment, was only him and her.
Diez, nueve, ocho, siete...
Draco brushed a stray hair out of Hermione's face and cast a nonverbal warming charm when she shivered. The cold wasn't the reason she was trembling.
Seis, cinco, cuatro...
He leaned down, closer to her face and dropped his arms to her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Tres, dos, uno! Feliz ano nuevo!
Their lips met as fireworks went off around the city and in their hearts. Six years of suppressed hidden feelings and pent up passion were released as they deepened the kiss, Draco's tongue grazing Hermione's bottom lip as it begged entrance. A few minutes later they pulled apart breathlessly and reluctantly. Draco looked into Hermione's eyes but she looked away from his intense gaze as a wave of shyness came over her.
He cupped her chin with one hand and pulled her closer with the other. He turned her face back towards him and kissed her on her forehead. "I've been waiting six years to do that Herms." He pressed his forehead to hers. "It was definitely worth the wait."
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