Dance with me, Malfoy

Part Six

"Do you need any help, darling?" her mum asked as she came up behind her. "Draco should be here any moment now."

"Just tell me if the back of my dress looks right to you," Hermione said as she put yet another charm on her hair to make sure it would remain neatly fastened in the chignon at the nape of her neck."

"It looks perfect to me," she assured her daughter. "Will you be wearing any jewelry other than your solitaire pendant and studs?"

"No, I want to keep it simple since the dress is so involved," she gestured at the way the back of her dress plunged down to waist-height in a perfect V. "Between the dress and my crystal Pigalle heels, I think I need to keep my makeup and jewelry minimalist."

"Good call," her mother approved.

"Hermione!" her father's voice called from downstairs. "Your date is here!"

"Is he trying to embarrass me to death?" she asked her mother, mortified, which only made the woman laugh at her. "Fine, laugh," Hermione complained, "but do it on your way downstairs. The last thing I need is for dad to scare the git away."

"Sure thing, sweetheart," her mother blew her a kiss, and left to do her bidding.

"You can do this, Hermione," she said to her reflection. "You have faced death eaters, you have been tortured, you have survived much worse than this." She looked apprehensive even to her own eyes, "it's just a party." Lifting the front of her floor-length gown, she left her room.

"There she is," her father said as soon as he spotted her in the staircase, a gigantic smile on his face. Draco turn away from the couple so that he could look at his date. It was quite comic for Hermione to see his eyes widen as his jaw drop the slightest bit. After nearly a decade of knowing him, she knew that such a reaction from the blond was tantamount of another man falling on his arse.

"Aren't you a vision in silver, darling," her father complimented, bringing Draco out of his shock. He quickly met her at the bottom of the stairs and helped her down the last couple of steps.

"Hi," she greeted him shily when he stayed quiet. "Fancy meeting you here," he nodded in response.

"You look absolutely ravishing," though he said it softly, Hermione heard him loud and clear. "I am honored to be accompanying you."

"Photo, you two," her mum called excitedly gesturing for them to stand together.

"Mum, I hardly think that's necessary and he probably doesn't—"

"No, please, by all means don't let me stop you," Draco interrupted her. "In fact, I have been instructed by my mother and aunt Andromeda to take at least one photograph together tonight," as he said this, he produced a wizarding camera out of thin air with his wand. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Anything for our parents, I guess," she said turning in the direction of her mum. They posed for a few photos while the magical camera snapped away every few seconds.

"You are extremely stiff," Draco whispered to her, "don't make me tickle you, bookworm."

"You wouldn't da—" she exploded with uncontrollable laughter as his fingers danced over her ribs. Soon they were laughing and holding onto each other like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Enough," Hermione said as she pushed him away playfully. "You're such a git."

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," Draco said pinching her nose softly.

"Oh, you've been reading the book!" she said excitedly.

"You gifted it to me," he said as if it were obvious he would read it, "what did you expect?"