Treasure Hunt | Dramione ✔

Chapter Three

Taking a deep breath, and gathering up all her Gryffindor courage, Hermione pushes the classroom door open. Her breath hitches in her throat, her mouth going dry. He's clad in a black tuxedo, nothing too fancy. But it's the first time she has seen him like this. His blond hair is not slick and sticking to his head, instead it's a bit ruffled, but still managing to look lush.

He's wearing a wrist watch, the glass catching the light, and blinding her for a moment. She swallows with difficulty, and moves her gaze away from him, because now he's watching her.

Theo walks up to Luna, and places a chaste kiss on her cheek. Hermione turns her head away from them, feeling completely out of place. Malfoy is still watching her, and she subconsciously runs her palm over her hair.

"We're running late" Luna says.

"Yeah, let's go" Theo says, and loops Luna’s arm through his own.

Theo and Luna leave, leaving Malfoy and her to suffocate in the thick silence.

Malfoy clears his throat, his eyes moving up from her throat to her face. He nods towards the door, and she walks out. He follows her, and begins to walk towards the Great hall. Hermione follows him, her eyes taking- drinking him in. His back is straight, and his hair shines as they pass the lit lanterns on their way.

Dr-Malfoy pauses, and turns to look at her through hooded eyes. She raises her chin then, and looks him dead in the eye.

"McGonagall's orders" he murmurs, and lifts his hand, offering her to take it. Her heart skips a beat, and she nervously lifts her hand, and places it in his large one. She almost sighs in contentment, because that's how good he feels. That's how good this feels.

Funny though, she didn't remember McGonagall saying anything like that.

His hand is cold and soft against her warm, moist palm. Her heart is beating so fast, and she wonders if he can feel it through the veins on her palm.

And that's when she remembers that she isn't even supposed to be holding his hand this way. He had offered her his hand, and last time when Viktor.....

He begins to walk, and she has to keep up with him, afraid that if she lagged, their little connection might be broken. They walk towards the Great Hall, hand in hand. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Pureblood, Muggle-born, Malfoy, Granger. And she thinks they've already defeated hatred.

°•○

McGonagall clears her throat from the other side, and Malfoy drops her hand. She immediately clasps her hands together in front of her and wills the wetness in them to go away. She's feeling chilled to her bones, her teeth almost chattering. The thrill, the rush of adrenaline in her body makes it hard for her to even breathe.

Their view of the hall is obscured by the heavy silver curtain in front of them. She hadn't known their entrance was planned, and she's wringing her hands together to dissipate some of the tension, but it all remains.

The curtain pulls apart, and Malfoy holds his hand out. This time, instead of holding it, she places her palm on his hand like she was supposed to, and they both walk towards the center of the Hall. Hermione keeps her gaze fixed on a random point at a wall, and her heart hammers painfully inside her chest as Malfoy comes to a halt, and pulls his hand away.

She turns to face him, her eyes wide and sparkling. The music begins to play and Malfoy bows his head, and offers her his hand. She swallows thickly before she accepts it, her heart picking up pace with the passage of every second.

The lights are turned low, and a spotlight appears above their heads.

She was not expecting this.