LOVE AT SECOND PUNCH

Chapter 10 (H)

The guests left the party early. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were given a guest room and so was Snape. Dobby left with Harry, the two of them on their way to find Hedwig. Hermione had gone to bed, overwhelmed. Draco oversaw the cleanup process. At about two AM, Malfoy climbed the stairs and quietly opened his bedroom door, afraid of waking Hermione. She was fast asleep on the bed. She must have really crashed, for she hadn't even gotten under the covers or changed out of her dress. Draco walked up to the dresser and placed his hands on the wood, sighing deeply. He was exhausted. Malfoy closed his eyes for a few minutes before he felt someone rubbing his back. He quickly turned around to see Hermione. She had gotten out of bed so quietly that Malfoy hadn't even noticed.

"Oh darling... I didn't mean to wake you," Draco whispered.

"I've had on and off sleep for the past couple of hours, it's okay." Hermione said quietly. "Draco--" she started.

"Yes?" replied Malfoy.

"I'm so sorry tonight went so downhill... We didn't even get to dance, and I just--"

"Who says we didn't get to dance?" whispered Draco.
"What?" Hermione asked. Malfoy held out his hand, a playful expression on his lips. Hermione took his outstretched hand, and the two walked out on the balcony. Tonight was a full moon, and the gentle rays of moonlight rippled on the lake's surface. The stars were bright, the breeze was cool. It was the perfect night-- at least in some ways. Hermione looked into Draco's face, illuminated by the moonlight. His hair was slightly tousled, and Hermione couldn't deny how lucky she was to have snatched someone like him.

"Despite everything, I couldn't have asked for a better ending to this evening," Hermione whispered as she and Draco swayed in the darkness to an inaudible tune. Malfoy held Hermione tightly, and she leaned her head on his shoulder as they stayed there.

"At the end of the day, it will always be us--" Draco began in a soft voice. "So who cares if our party was totally hijacked? All I need is you, and I have you."

"I'm starting to remember why I fell in love with you," Hermione smiled.

"Were you forgetting?" asked Draco, putting on an expression full of fake hurt.

"Of course not!" Hermione laughed.

"I never thought I would fall in love," Draco said seriously.

'Why's that?" inquired Hermione.

"Well, who could love Draco Malfoy?" Hermione looked into Malfoy's eyes.

"I love Draco Malfoy."she breathed, standing on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Draco's lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist and in that moment, it did really feel like they were the only people in the universe.

After awhile, Draco and Hermione went inside and crawled into bed, falling asleep in each other's arms.