What are we?

Malfoy, are you okay?

When he arrived in the entrance hall at eight o'clock that night, he found anunusually large number of girls lurking there, all of whom seemed to bestaring at him resentfully as he approached Hermione. She was wearing a pink dress with plunging neckline, her bushy hair tamed. She looked beautiful. As usual. 

When had Harry noticed Hermione's looks?

"Hi," Harry greeted and she beamed at him.

"Hi, Harry, let's go now," Harry said nothing but nodded, as the pair made their way to Slughorn's office. When they did, Slughorn immediately swept Harry up in a conversation with a bloke named Worple who was a journalist. If anything, almost worse than Rita Skeeter, and he wanted to get out of that conversation as soon as possible.

"My dear boy, the gold you could make, you have no idea —" 

"I'm definitely not interested," said Harry firmly, "and I've just seen afriend of mine, sorry."  That was obviously an excuse, but Harry couldn't have cared less as he pulled Hermione away to the outside of Slughorn's party. They both slowed their hurried pace. A comfortable silence fell over them,

"It must be hard, to always face journalists, and people who try and get your attention," Hermione suddenly prompted. Harry stared at her for a moment before replying,

"Yeah, a bit. Not as hard as it is when Voldemort's trying to kill you," A frown made it's way onto Hermione's face as soon as Harry said the name.

"Oh, Harry . . ." She started, looking at him worriedly with her dark brown eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but then she decided something better.

"None of that Harry. It's Christmas, and we're at a party. Let's not think about the Dark Lord," she said, determination fixed in her voice. Harry smiled faintly and gave a single nod. It took them a while to realise that they had both stopped walking and were standing rather close to each other. Hermione glanced up at her eyes widened slightly.

"Oh," She breathed, "Harry, a mistletoe," She looked back at Harry, and all of a sudden. A flurry of nerves ran through his body again. The idea of kissing Hermione again was both scary and- sort of exciting. 

"Well, bad luck if we don't," Harry said with a one shoulder shrug. The corner of Hermione's soft pink lips turned upwards. Since when had he noticed her lips? 

The both fall silent again, and time seemed to slow down. Everything around them froze, and for a second, Harry thought they were the only ones left in the party. This time, Harry hesitantly leaned forward, their noses barely touching and met Hermione's brown eyes again. They were quite pretty, prettier than Ginny's actually. 

Finally, Harry broke the stilled atmosphere around them by abolishing the space between them and capturing Hermione's lips with his own. And he felt elated, like he was running on clouds. He hadn't felt like this with Cho, and he knew this wasn't because Hermione was a good snogger. Hermione pushed deeper into the kiss as their tongues softly brushed, and then they were full on making out. Skin was touching skin and Harry firmly gripped Hermione's waist as her hands were tangled in his already unruly black hair. His glasses were discarded somewhere, he'd find them later. But what Harry was feeling now, it felt so good, he didn't want it stop. 

They pulled away, both breathless. Harry knew he looked absolutely dishevelled, and Hermione looked equally the same. They stared at each other for a long while, neither not knowing what to say. The perfect serenity was shattered as the familiar nasal voice was heard.

"Well of course it's Potter and the Mudblood," Malfoy sneered as he stared at the two of them in distaste. 

"You know, it's an absolute disgrace to be snogging in a formal party. But you wouldn't know that would you Potter? No mummy or daddy to teach you manners? Wouldn't say the same for you Mudblood, because you'd never even been to a wizarding party until now."

"Shut up Malfoy. What are you doing here?" Harry was immediately wary of Malfoy rather than angered by what the blonde had said. 

"None of your business, Potter," 

"No, it's my business Malfoy. You weren't even invited, are you gatecrashing?"

But why would he be gatecrashing?

There wasn't any reason for him to be at Slughorn's party, and Malfoy was being incredibly suspicious. It was the fact that Malfoydid, after all, look a little ill. But as Harry stared at him longer, it was the first time he had seen Malfoy closeup for ages; he now saw that Malfoy had dark shadows under his eyes and adistinctly grayish tinge to his skin.

"Yes. What are you going to do about it? Run to Dumbledore?" Malfoy sneered again. But his own sneer didn't even feel real anymore. It looked forced, like all the energy was drained out of him. And all of a sudden, Harry was compelled to be concerned.

"Malfoy, are you okay?" Harry blurted out the words before he could even understand what he had just said. Malfoy blinked and stared at Harry with confusion and shock in his grey eyes,

"What?"

"Nothing. Harry meant nothing," Hermione finally cut in and gave Harry a pointed look, "We'll be on our way Malfoy. Don't let Filch catch you," Hermione stared Malfoy coldly before looping her hand through Harry's arm and dragging him back towards the party.

Comment if you liked this too! I'm thinking of changing this a bit where Draco joins their side, because I feel like Draco was forced. before u mob me, yes on the train he was smiling that he was joining the whole thing but he only did it to literally protect his mother. I'm making Lucius bad in this, as much as i love a sassy lucius in a fic, i need a reasonnnnn.

Anyhoooo,

Remember to be strong, be different and be YOU!

BAIIIII, ILYSM POTTERHEADS!!!!! ❤️❤️😏😉