Draco sat, alone, in the common room for three hours, waiting for Hermione.
She was in no hurry to get back, so after three hours of looking around, buying a few new books, and deciding that she had made the right choice, she returned.
Hermione's POV
I didn't know exactly what was wrong with Draco but I figured it was just one of those mood swings of his. He was like a pregnant women sometimes, minus the vomiting.
When I returned, Draco was still on the couch, unmoved, staring into the fire.
"Draco?"
"Hm," he answered, gaze not wavering.
"Uh- What are you doing?"
"Watching the fire," he said like it was obvious.
"Why?"
Only then did he look at me. He squinted his eyes slightly. "What do you want," he asked not as harsh as earlier, but still cold.
Just some more of his pregnant lady hormones, I thought and mentally giggled. "I was just seeing what you did today," I said cautiously.
His face softened. "Oh nothing much," he said in the voice I had become accustomed to. Casual, and laid back. Just like him - most of the time.
"Oh," I said putting my bags on the table and sat on the armchair. "So..." He didn't answer. After quite a while, I thought of a brilliant idea. The perfect idea.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him off the couch into the kitchen.
"Granger," he groaned, "what are we doing in here?"
"Whenever I'm home for Christmas, I always bake cookies with my mom."
"So we're baking cookies?" He had a puzzled look on his face that made him look so adorable. No, I did not just think that.
"Yes," I said cheerfully.
He let out something that would be considered a moan. "I don't even know how to turn on the oven, how the hell am I supposed to make some damn Christmas cookies?"
"I'll help you." I walked over to the fridge. It should work like the Room of Requirement, right?
I closed my eyes and thought of the ingredients I needed.
"What-"
"Shhh!"
I opened the fridge, and everything was there. It had worked!
"Now lets start baking!"
"Yay," he said sarcasticly.
I got a big bowl to mix, and set it on the counter. I went to dump the flor into the bowl but it became airborne and I started choking on it.
Draco was laughing so hard he leaned on the counter so he wouldn't fall over. "Are you sure you know how to do this?"
"Oh shut up," I managed to croak. He continued to laugh. The nerve of him...
I looked down at the bowl of flour on the counter. A moment later, I was in front of him - him laughing to hard to notice - and had thrown a handful of flour at his face.
He didn't stop laughing immediately, not until he registered what had happened.
His face became dead-serious, almost scary looking. I took a few steps back afraid he was gonna blow, but he was moving forward. My back hit the refrigeration, and he still stalked forward.
"Draco," I called nervously. No reply.
He raised a clenched fist, and I closed my eyes as it came down. I waited and waited, but nothing came. Then, I felt it. The powder like substance hit my cheek, and I opened my eyes.
Draco was holding up a white hand, and had a smile plastered on his face - like the goofy looking, toothy, smile. There was flour on his cheeks, in his hair, and on his clothes. I probably looked the same.
"You had me worried there for a second," I said after a while.
"Oh, no worries," and then I received another face full of flour.
I reached over and grabbed the bowl, and started to throw handfuls, one after another, while he blindly felt around for the bag. Once he found it, it was war. We ducked and dodged - getting hit every so often - as flour flew around the room, until it was all scattered across the floor, counters, and ourselves.
The last of it hit me square in the forehead. I stood there stunned for a second as a smiled played onto his lips. Then I laughed. He looked at me like I was crazy, but here we are, standing in the kitchen, covered in flour - some worse than others - , and all the while, we were supposed to be baking cookies. It was just so bizarre. I sat down on the floor and started drawing my name into the floor. Then I layed on my back and started to make a snow angel - well flour angel - and Draco soon joined me.
Whatever had happened this morning, he had completely forgotten.
Draco's POV
As I swung my arms and legs, I was reminded of a better time.
Years ago, before anyone thought Voldemort would come back, before blood status mattered, playing with a girl from down the road - Marie, I think - making snow angels in the snow. Then I was reminded of a time shortly after that. Father bringing me into the family room, after I had just asked to go play, and telling me I wasn't allowed to see her anymore. I didn't know why - just like I hadn't completely understood with Hermione - but I nodded, and went back to my room. I never saw her again. But years later, after he had risen, her parents being tortured in the family room, and my aunt Bella forcing me to watch, just like she had with Hermione, because it was a "learning experience", that I would never forget.
Suddenly it wasn't very fun anymore. Hermione sensed that I had stopped moving.
"What's wrong," she asked.
I looked at the clock. "Dinner's in 30 minutes," was my excuse. "We better clean up."
"Why, are you embarrassed to go out into public like this," she asked while smiling brightly.
"Yes Granger, I prefer to not be seen while covered in flour."
"Oh, okay," she said while standing up and brushing off. "But, it looks like you're gonna have to wait!" Then she took off, sprinting, and locked herself into the bathroom. A smile found its way to my lips, and I shook my head to myself.
"Fine, Granger. You can use the bathroom first." I sat down on my bed, my heart racing.
She did this to me, I thought, She's the only one who makes me feel like this. All her.
Hermione's POV
By the time I was undressed and in the shower, my heart was beginning to return to it's normal rate. It was pounding so furiously that I thought it was going to break free from my chest at any moment. He could make my heart beat a mile a minute, I told myself, even though it was so cliché and cheesy. He just makes me feel like I'm someone. Like I'm more than the nerdy, bookworm. I can be anybody when I'm with him.
I had to be in the shower for quite a while when I heard Draco.
"Hermione, hurry up already!"
I hadn't even washed myself yet. "Well sorry, but there's flour every thanks to someone."
"Yeah, yeah," he said through the door. "Just hurry up!"
I actually started washing myself now, and I finished relatively fast. I called Draco as I stepped into my room, and he mumbled something like, "About time."
I smiled to myself. I got dressed in fresh clothes, did my hair, and went into the common room. Draco was just coming out of his room also. He was, I noticed, half-naked. He had on his pants but his shirt was in his hand.
I giggled like a little schoolgirl and his cheeks blushed, as he tried to put on his shirt.
We walked together - like actually together, side by side - down to the Great Hall. Everyone was already eating so they didn't notice our arrival.
I went to sit with Luna but I couldn't find her, so I sat alone. I found Draco sitting alone too. Our eyes met, and I realized how lonely I was without him. How my heart thudded hard against my chest. I wanted him to be here next to me.
I pushed myself off the bench and walked across to the Slytherin table. People gave me weird looks and whispered if there was anyone to whisper to, but I payed them no attention. When I reached the table he looked up at me curiously.
And I sat down at the Slytherin table.
*A/N
So, I hope you loved this chapter like I do. I just loved the flour scene, and I don't care what any of you think because I like it. Anyway, I've probably said this before but I'm only 13 and writing a love story is hard for me, so I'm sorry if things move fast and/or slow at times. Just bare with me. Love you guys who stay with me, you're awesome :P Keep calm and read on!
"Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody."
Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
OxMrsMalfoyxO