Anyone But Me

Chapter Sixty-Nine

There was an unusual pep to her step as she made the long scorching journey up to the seventh floor. Things were starting to work out and it made her optimistic for the future. A future that might be muddled by numerous tribulations and calamities, sure, but one in which she had the slightest chance of getting everything she wanted. It was implausible and foolish to even hope...

And she didn't care.

She wanted to hold on to the belief that all of it was possible. They would win. No one else would die. Draco and her would end up together. Everyone would accept it. They would all live happily ever after. The End. Case closed.

Needless to say, she knew that wasn't the reality of the world she lived in. Yet, it was still nice to daydream as she rode the natural high of Katie's arrival back and the return to a fragile normalcy with her best friends. She thought of the night under the stars in December and how Draco had predicted this exact outcome.

Her smile widened as her contemplation moved to the boy who waited for her. She couldn't wait to hug him after their spat. Apologies went a long way in covering any lingering hurts. And yet, there was a marked difference in having the confirmation of his arms around her as they did something as ordinary as discussing their day or something else equally mundane. Another way to feed her new grand delusion of a regular life.

Once she was in front of the tapestry she turned to the section of wall directly across and wished that she could summon his room herself, but she waited patiently for Draco to come and get her. Trying not to let the reminder of hidden eyes damper her high spirits.

Hermione stood there under the muggy invisibility cloak. With the weather continuing to warm as Spring formally planted her roots, what was left of the winter chill that could still be found within the castle was swiftly dissipating. Leaving her with nothing to combat the trapped sweltering body heat and it didn't take long for her to start to worry she would look like a drowned poodle by the time he appeared...

As the minutes ticked on and the sweat started to pool in all of her crevices, she began to shift from one foot to the other. Beginning, despite her best efforts, to get annoyed with the fact that she couldn't whip out her wand and cast one of the many weather-modifying charms at her disposal. If there was a way she could guarantee that the two overworked house-elves were busy with their actual responsibilities... Instead of trailing the boy she waited for...

She sighed softly and opted to reach up and wipe the gathering moisture from her top lip.

More minutes went by and her displeasure moved towards the wizard on the other side of the wall. The one who knew she was out there anticipating his arrival... The one who was letting her wither like a wilting hydrangea in the summer heat...

After what felt like years, the door finally appeared and he popped his blonde head out, making a spectacle of checking for any witnesses as a way for her to sneak past. He didn't seem to notice when she slipped inside so she reached out and poked the back of his hand that grasped the doorknob in a tight fist. His startled jerk caused a smile to flash on her lips and she stepped back while he closed the door.

As soon as Hermione heard the latch catch, she ripped the cloak from her body, uncharacteristically letting it fall to the floor in her relief, "Took you long enough!"

"My apologies." He drawled. "Lost track of the time."

"So your plan wasn't to have me drown in a lake of my own sweat? Shocking..."

Draco's eyebrow cocked with his amusement at her outburst, "What is the sour mood for, Kitten?"

"It's hot under there!" She whined and indicated her drenched blouse.