It was the night of the Yule Ball. The night where Hermione finally gets her time to shine. Hermione decided that she would try and look her best tonight.
That year, Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion for the Triwizard Tournament, asked Hermione to the dance. Ron was furious and booming with anger when he found out that Krum asked Hermione to the Yule Ball when he should've.
Little did Hermione know, Ron wasn't the only one who didn't take the news well.
Draco Malfoy, for the first time, punched a fellow Slytherin when he talked about how Krum asked Hermione and how she said yes. He didn't know why he did it, he just did. He got detention and nearly was not allowed to attend this year's Yule Ball.
Despite being known as a bully he is, Draco had never actually physically hurt someone -let alone a Slytherin.
He knew Krum asked Hermione to the Ball because of a dare and that he was going with a Beauxbaton girl and it made him much angrier.
Draco decided against going since he wasn't going with anyone, anyways. The girl he thinks he fancies is going with Krum and it would hurt more seeing him with her.
When Pansy heard about it, she immediately bombarded Draco with 'barbaric' statements.
"Draco, you like Granger! You are so oblivious. My gosh, Drake! How did you not see this? Are you just thick or what?"
"Pans, for the last time I don't, okay?"
"Come on, we both know you do. Just admit it Draco. You like Granger!"
"No, I don't!"
"Oh yes, you do!"
"How many times, Parkinson?"
"If you don't, then...Why did you punch poor Theo earlier, huh?"
"I don't know..."
"You don't know? Nonsense!" Pansy snapped.
"Pansy, are you gonna stop, or am I gonna have to put a silencing charm on your bloody mouth?"
"If you're going to do that, it would just prove my point, Draco. Anyways, I know you like Granger and are just denying it so, stop it. Drop the act. Behind all those pureblood crap, I know how much of a softie you are inside. And I know you have fancied Granger ever since we were eleven."
"Why would you know of all people?"
"Because...I'm a girl and that's exactly how Theo was when he found out he liked Luna."
"I- I don't k-know anything about love..."
Pansy was silent for the first time.
"Even if I did like Mi, she wouldn't talk to me, let alone like me back."
When Pansy heard Mi, she smirked. She knew Draco uses this instead of 'Granger' whenever he was not paying attention.
"Draco, that's it...That's why you wouldn't admit you like her."
"And your point being?"
"What I'm saying is – you're afraid that she'll reject you. And I'm guessing this whole bullying thing is just to catch her attention."
"Pans..."
"Shut it! Change into your robes and go get your witch."
"Oh, I definitely will."
"Now, that's my Drakey!"
"For a second, I thought of how you're not such a bad friend but I was wrong."
"Okay, Drakey-poo!"
"For Salazar's sake, please stop."
"Whatever, Drakey-poo. Good luck." Pansy said in a sing-song voice.
And with that, Pansy left Draco's dorm while Draco, on the other hand, changed into his dress robes as fast as he could.
☾ ☾ ☾
When Draco was sprinting to the Great Hall, he caught a glimpse of 3 people arguing near the stairs. He quickly hid behind a wall.
It was Hermione! His Hermione - with Saint Potter and Weaselbee.
Potter and Weasley were going up the stairs and Draco waited when they were no longer in sight before he approached Hermione.
"Hey..." Draco played out, cooly.
"Malfoy, if you're here to make fun of me, please make it quick and you're lucky that I'm tired so I wouldn't be able to come up with a clever retort."
"Hey, I didn't come here to make fun of you. I saw what happened and I'm sorry."
"Excuse me, come again?"
"I'm sorry." He said clearly this time.
"For what?" asked Hermione.
"For picking on you and bullying you for years and for calling you the M-word. Mi, I think you're a wonderful witch and I have always admired your bravery and cleverness. Believe it or not, I think you're beautiful - "
"Mal - "
" - I love how your bushy brown hair bounces whenever you move. I love how your brown eyes glimmer whenever you answered a question right or when you earned your house some house points, or how you furrow your eyebrows whenever you're thinking for an answer to a question. I love how your hand shoots up whenever you know the answer to a question, which is all the time." He chuckled.
"Draco..." She said, her voice softer this time.
"Love, wait. I'm in the middle of the speech for my declaration of love so, you're going to have to wait."
"Anyways, I could go on and talk all night about things I love about you but I'm sure you're tired right now and you want to go to your dorm so, to sum everything up - "
"Draco - "
"I love you, Hermione."
"Dray, I don't know what to say..."
"Then don't say anything."
Hermione smiled and she went closer to Draco. She wrapped her arms around Draco's neck. He wrapped his arms around her small waist and they stayed like this for a long time.
"I love you too, Dray." She whispered, which made him smile from ear to ear.
☾ ☾ ☾
author's note
first one shot, what do y'all think?
i swear to merlin i luv this version
of pansy WAY better. by the way,
she was also the one who put theo
and luna together *wink wink*
— malfoyish-
