#Draco Hermione friendship

[oflights]

i know in retellings draco always befriends hermione because he's a nerd or whatever but this morning i was thinking of a retelling where draco befriends ron because he literally just bribes him. like he sees that harry won't bother with him and lbr no one wanted to be friends with first year hermione but ron seems like he'd be easily bought and draco's dad told him those are the easiest people to get on your side. and also wouldn't it be fun to steal away harry potter's anointed best friend?

so he's like "i'm willing to forget you laughed at my name on the train" and literally just buys ron things until he stops being indignant. he buys him a new wardrobe. endless sweets and toys. he writes to his mother like "hello i'm working on something here can u help" and narcissa is immediately on board.

and ron totally is easily bought. he really is. he pretends to still hate draco but also his mother taught him some manners so it's only polite to accept the little git's gifts. his siblings are sick with jealousy, it's great.

and slowly ron's like "maybe he's not so bad" and progresses to "yes he's weird but i've gotten him to stop with the slurs so" to actual friendship that harry and hermione eventually come around to, too.

[kissmypoets-hp]

just finished my 1:1 chat with my manager at work and i just found out she used to write DRAMIONE FANFICTION omg…. i wonder if i can get her to read drarry fanfiction in the year of our lord 2024…

[dutchbabey]

I love platonic dramione like when they realize they can both talk about their studies and what they’re doing and learning and they can learn from each other and Hermione learns about the wizarding world and it’s prejudice in a more intimate way and Draco learns about the muggle world and he realizes how much he has left to learn and the ways they both love their idiot boyfriends to death

[sofixx87]

Fears of Harry Potter characters

🌟Hermione Granger has atychiphobia.

For Hermione, grades were always more important than anything else. Before the exams, she worked all night and knew one hundred percent that she would succeed, but the crazy panic was still present. She was afraid that she wouldn't succeed. That the professor would look her in the eyes and say in disappointment: unsatisfactory, miss.

🌟 Ginny Weasley has pyrophobia.

After the Death Eaters attacked the Burrow and Ginny fearlessly jumped into the fire for Harry, she developed a fear of fire. She was afraid to even get close to the small source of fire. Weasley soon overcame this fear, but she could never use spells that cause fire again.

🌟 Harry Potter is claustrophobic.

Throughout his childhood, Harry spent the night and lived in a small room under the stairs. He was incredibly scared there, and he repeatedly begged his aunt and uncle to let him out of there, but they refused. For this reason, he developed a fear of closed spaces.

🌟 Ron Weasley is arachnophobic.

After yet another joke from his twin brothers, in which Ron almost ate a spider, he became terrified of eight-legged monsters. Weasley was ready to spend the night in another room if he saw a spider in his own.

art: Irina_kulish

[50044w44s]

Headcanons I have about Teddy Lupin <3

I don't picture father Harry much but i def picture godfather Harry like my life depends on it. Like, Teddy calling Harry "old man" and Harry finding it hilarious. Harry calling him Ted, or Ed, instead of Teddy, makes him feel important and validated.

And he calls them Mom and Dad, or Harry and Ginny, depending on the day. And he would occasionally talk about Remus or Dora and he'd say "My father" or "My mother" and people would ask him like, which one? And I think growing up he wanted to be an auror like his father (Harry) or his mother (Dora), but also growing up he came to realize that it wasn't that great of a job, and he decided for something else, maybe teaching.

He's really good at charms, and bad at transformations, he doesn't do bad at potions but he would never pick it. And for merlin's sake do not ask him to play quidditch because he will die and kill someone in the process. He's a big fan though.

I think he was the most gentle parented kid ever, along with the other Potter kids, and I think he has both surnames cause Harry didn't want him to feel left out of the family, but didn't want to take Lupin's name out. He hopes in the future Teddy will choose for himself which one to use more.

And I think that he wasn't traumatized by his parents deaths, he was able to process them and mourn them and finally listen happily to all the others had to tell him about them.

And I think Andromeda and Molly were the best grandmothers someone could ever ask for. And I think Draco was the cool uncle that offered him a smoke for the first time and was the one Teddy asked for advice with Victorie. And Ron and Hermione were the house he ran to to avoid all the rules Harry's strict ass had.

And he was a happy kid, who grew into a happy adult.

Anyways if you didn't notice, I love Teddy Lupin.

[elliebyrrdwrites]

Ended up working on this baby, instead. One more chapter left, my loves. And I am beside myself with how fun it is to write such a demented character. What that says about me, I do not know...

just a snippet, I suppose...

“Tell me about you and Draco, Hermione.” His voice was commanding and bitter. Something was very wrong. Dread sank into her skin, sparking along the endings of her nerves and causing her magic to pulse and flare inside of her chest. 

“No, I’m done.”

He stalked around the table, looming over her as she shuffled back toward the door. When her back hit it, she spun and began to pound onto the door.

“Pansy, Dawlish!” She called out, frantically pounding and pounding. Something told her that the door was sound proof and that all of this was futile.

She felt the energy rolling off of Beckett’s body as he came up behind her, pressing in on her as she spun to face him, her wand swiftly gliding to her hand from inside of her pocket.

Beckett was staring down at her, his eyes suddenly glassed over, with what appeared to be tears refusing to fall. He was crowding her against the door, and there was something frightfully frantic in the way he stared down at her.

“Do you have any idea,” He said, his voice near pleading, a single tear slipping out from the corner of his eye. “How beautiful you are?”

She inhaled sharply as he lifted a hand and tucked one of her curls behind her ear.

“Beckett,” She said his name like a plea or a warning. She wasn't sure what it was but, her voice shook and her wand trembled between her fingers.

He took in a long, slow breath as he leaned forward, his nose brushing against the tope of her head as his hand reached around her.

“Oh, Hermione.” He muttered. He sounded dark and whimsical.

[litamarch]

— You're awake again.

Theo turned and lifted his head to look at the girl standing before him. He was sitting on the floor, the lighter still in his hands, and a cigarette between his lips, which twisted into a smile.

— Can't sleep.

The girl shook her head and sat down next to him. She took the cigarette from his mouth, clamped it between her teeth, lit it.

— I thought good girls don't steal other people's things, Astoria.

Astoria scoffed and inhaled the smoke, filling her lungs with it, forgetting all the disturbing thoughts that had been going through her head before. She looked up at the stars. Peace.

Theo took out another cigarette and lit it, lighting it.

— What happened, Theo? Why are you here?

Theo was silent. He looked up at the night sky, which was clearly visible from the Astronomy Tower. Found the constellation of Cassiopeia, the Great Bear, and the Dragon.

— It's because of them, right? It's them again?

Theo rested his head against the pillar and turned his gaze to Astoria. She understood. Understood this gaze. He tried to smile but Astoria knew he was actually sad. She put out her cigarette, moved closer to Theo and rested her head on his shoulder, one arm around him. Theo's voice was hoarse when he spoke.

— It's always them.

my babies friendship and Theo's struggling because of Draco and Hermione

[katie-krum]

Little, short story ;)

Like a good old married couple - katiekrum - Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling [Archive of Our Own]

[lakeofflowerss]

never good enough for him

"I wished I was good enough for him but I guess he always knew.”

"What did he always know?"

"He always knew that I wasn't worth it, he always knew that he deserved so much better than I. What am I more than just a nerd?"

English:

Español:

[hp-fanfic-archive]

A Reflection of Yourself by Maeglin_Yedi Pairing: Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron Rating: T Word Count: 3k Podfic available here Read by: Maeglin_Yedi Length: 10-30 minutes Harry has a soulmate who lacks a soul. Hermione has a soulmate who is a twat. Ron has no soulmate at all.

find the full podfic library here

[minimindi]

Microfic May Day 17: worthy

@microficmay

[nidamae-approvedhpfanfics]

What Do You Mean No Quidditch?

Hold on to your hats, folks, Harry has an idea. Why is Quidditch so much more than a simple game? And why would Harry not take the chance to test himself against the world's best seeker?

Harry Potter, T, English, Humor & Friendship, chapters: 12, words: 53k+, favs: 776, follows: 465, updated: Jul 9, 2018 published: Jun 17, 2018, Harry P., Hermione G., Viktor K., OC

[solisitude]

Drarry prompt : Physical touch as their love language :)

So this may be like...2 years late. I have no excuses. I am so sorry. I hope you like this lmao, i haven't written for drarry in literal ages. It's short and cute and I wrote it in less than half an hour if im being honest.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Touch was special to Harry.

At first it was terrible, coming from a household where every touch was violent and love was rare.

Hogwarts changed that.

Ron would throw his arm over his shoulder after a quidditch match and Hermione would fall asleep on his shoulder while they studied late. It was odd, but soon it became as easy as breathing.

Soon touch became the way Harry communicate. He'd lightly shove Seamus with his shoulder and press his knee to Luna's when he'd sit on the floor with her to listen to her daily rants. He'd kiss Hermione's forehead before she left a room and tug on Ron's clothes to get his attention. He'd make sure that he was always touching someone at some point.

Harry Potter was not a boy who was shown a lot of love through touch, but he expressed it oh so generously.

When Draco and Harry became hesitant friends in 8th year, Harry was nervous.

The war had not ruined his affinity for physical touch as a means of comfort, in fact, it may have exacerbated it.

But Harry did not know if Draco liked to be touched and with a friendship so rocky, he wasn't willing to risk it.

But like all things with Draco, everything just sort of clicked.

When they sat together for lunch in the great hall (a fact that made Harry giddy with joy for some reason?) he found Draco sitting close enough that their arms pressed together.

When they sat next to each other in class, Draco's leg would be close enough to brush against his every now and then.

When they sat on the couches in the 8th year common room, all of their friends sitting together, squashed up on the couches, Draco and him would sprawl all over each other, limbs entangled and unbearbly comfortable.

All in all, Harry loved it.

It was when they started dating that it all came to a crux.

It was their first year out of Hogwarts, and with Draco begining his time consuming journey of training to become a potions master, a relationship was the last thing that you would assume could work out.

But they made it work, they always do.

Harry didn't care that Draco had odd hours because he had to sometimes check on potions at weird times in the night, he didn't care that sometimes Draco would spend entire afternoons reading on potions textbook or the other, he didn't care that sometimes Draco had to cancel plans last minute because his mentor was an utter ass and had Draco running at his beck and call.

It should have bothered him, especially as early as it was into their relationship as it was, but it didn't.

He didn't care becauss when Draco got back from his odd hours he would always kiss the crown of Harry's head, and get back into bed, going back to spooning him like he never left. He

didn't care because when Draco spent entire afternoons reading, he always did it on the couch next to Harry, his legs curled up next to him and his body leaning into his, and afterwards he would kiss Harry and thank him for being so patient with him. He didn't care because everytime before he got back from his mentor he would kiss Harry on the cheek, and hug him, tightly, promising that as soon as his internship was done he would never cancel plans again because he knew how important stability was for Harry.

Harry was never that good with expressing how he felt, but he loved Draco Malfoy, and he expressed that very clearly. He expressed it in the way he linked their pinkys together. He expressed it the way he hugged Draco from behind when he made coffee in the morning. He expressed it in the way he swung their hands when they walked anywhere.

And Draco loved him, oh how Draco loved him.

Draco loved him in the way he let Harry bury his face in his neck when he was cold. Draco loved him in the way he put his arm around Harry's chair when they went to pub nights with their friends. Draco love him in the way he pulled him close when they were dancing. Draco loved him.

Touch was everything to Harry, it was how he loved and how he wanted to be loved.

And oh, how he was loved.

[sofixx87]

Hermione: Pans, why are there so many difficulties in life?

Pansy: Idk, are you going to change clothes or are you going to go in these rags?

[filthy-mudeoki]

Always mine

She had known from the start that it was not true love. Yet, she had married him anyway. Perhaps this was the fates punishing her - a lesson learned, wisdom gained and all that shit... so maybe that accounts for the cheating spouse (soon to be ex), the meddling in-laws, and a new magical bond to content with. But that new fluttering craziness with her heart every time she sees him? It’s not wholly new but in a way it is now that everything is changing.

Either way, her life is a little (a lot) of a mess right now. She can’t help but think the fates are enjoying this a little too much.

Or

Ron and Hermione’s marriage comes to a startling and shattering end but her sassy, snarky lovely Slytherin’s don’t dare let her wallow in misery. They gently (and not so gently) help her heal and put back together her life, as a new bond is fighting to make itself known.

Read in AO3

[elliebyrrdwrites]

17.5

HERMIONE

Ron was dancing. It was awkward to watch. Mostly because he was not good at it. But also because when they were dating, he refused to dance at any event. The one and only time he had agreed to dance was at Bill and Fleur’s wedding.

And now he was twirling Alicia Spinnet around the dance floor, laughing and smiling and really, it was just infuriating.

She didn’t care that he was with Spinnet, really.

Hermione was upset because he never danced with her. She was upset because she was at a gala with Cormac stinking McLaggen and Draco Malfoy had taken her reluctant heart and twisted it with his neglect after spending the night with her. After having wildly good and passionate sex.

And he wasn’t here. He wasn’t here to see her with Cormac. She wanted to make him jealous because she wanted him to suffer. She wanted him to feel pain the way she did all the time when she thought about him. For years, there was pain punctuated only by small little moments of bliss and beautiful little moments shared, nearly in secret..

But those moments were the real problem here. Because of those moments, she felt terrible about being here with Cormac. Those moments made it impossible for her to feel good about everything she said yesterday. The things she said to Malfoy and the things she said after he had left.

She cried into the arms of Pansy Parkinson, which in itself was odd and somewhat surreal. But she had lashed out and called him horrible and selfish. Had said that she hated him.

But she didn’t. She couldn’t. Because he had said things to her that made her melt, that made her want to wrap herself into something small and infinitesimal and jump into his hand or his pocket or his chest. She wanted to bask inside of his soul, to look at all of the nooks and crannies that made up the complex and hard to understand wizard who had kissed her until she felt like collapsing.

She should leave.

Or she should find Malfoy, tell him that she wanted to go home.

With him.

Instead, she remained stuck to her chair, her thoughts heavy and consuming until a hand touched her back. Until the sudden nearness of Cormac’s mouth, almost touching her ear.

She nearly jumped out of her chair and leaned away from him, gaping at his smile as his eyelids lowered, his gaze taking on what she supposed was something seductive. He was waiting for her to respond, she realized, his eyes remaining fixed on her, a slight lift to his brow.

“What?”

“I asked if you wanted to dance.” His tongue drew out the end of the word, reminding her of a snake or a parselmouth. “Or, if you prefer, we could leave. You look rather bored.” Cormac straightened in his chair, as a grin began to morph his face into something more feline than snake like.

“Oh,” She bit her lower lip, her eyes darting to where Theo was standing. Theo, who had spent most of the night staring at Pansy but was till so attentive and alert that the second she looked over, his eyes met hers.

He was moving before she could answer Cormac.

She stood, pushing her chair back. “Dance.” She spit out, awkwardly as she watched Theo’s arm hook around Pansy.

She headed for the dancefloor, Cormac hot on her heels while Theo flawlessly swept Pansy into a waltz. He looked like a courtier, romancing a princess. Not like the guard and lethal wizard that he was.

Cormac’s hands were quick to find their place. One on her hip, the other wrapped around one of hers.

She swayed, awkwardly, as he moved her around the dancefloor. Pansy and Theo moved gracefully around them, their bodies were close, brushing close and Hermione felt a pang of envy. Theo’s left hand was at Pansy’s lower back, clenching at the fabric of her dress, pressing her chest against his.

Her eyes gave nothing away. But Hermione could feel the tension and the energy coming off of them.

She had to hand it to them, they were professional. They didn’t take their eyes off of the dancefloor, their gazes constantly shifting to where Hermione danced.

“I heard that you were staying with Harry.” Cormac broke the awkward silence.

“What?” She hadn’t told anyone at work. Aside form Harry, Draco and Theo, the only ones who knew were Pansy, Ron and Ginny. She assumed Ron could have told Alicia...though, that didn't seem likely. Ron was incredibly protective of his friends and had immediately taken the situation seriously. He didn't question any of the choices made, simply argued the case that she and Malfoy were in love with each other.

“Where did you hear that?”

Cormac shrugged, his square tightening as his eyes drifted up and over her head. “Just some office gossip floating around.” He guided her toward the edge of the dancefloor, albeit slowly, as if he had spotted someone worth schmoozing up to.

The doors to the ballroom opened and that was when the atmosphere in the room shifted. The guests grew quiet, slowly, one by one, as Harry and Malfoy stepped through the doors.

They were still dressed in their work clothes, though, Harry had at least combed his hair.

A hum of murmurs and whispers before flash after flash went off as photographers from every publication start to snap their photos of the pair. It was a hot topic for the gossip pages. Once childhood enemies turned crime fighting partners. Witch Weekly wouldn't stop raving about the two of them. The Prophet constantly called into question the choice of allowing Draco Malfoy, former Death Eater to join the department, let alone work alongside the Chosen One.

But mostly, they made inquiries about who he was dating. Often, they brought up some of the old photos of witches he had been spotted with throughout the years.

It was enough to make Hermione's stomach to sour.

Because, deep down, she knew that she wanted it to be her. And now, as she watched him stand in the middle of that ballroom, she knew she would fight to be the witch he would end up with.

Malfoy’s hair looked as wild as last night. Finger combed and unkempt. His eyes were dark and serious, the bruising more visible beneath the flash of lights.

But he looked beautiful to her. His back was ramrod straight, his shoulders drawn back with tension as his eyes scanned the room.

It only took a second or two for him to find her.

She felt a jerk to her body, the compulsion to move toward him. Instinctively, her body wanted to be near his.

But then Cormac was pulling her further towards the opposite end of the room, toward the edge of the dancefloor as if he sensed where she wanted to be, and he worked to pull her further and further away from Draco.

To where a brown haired server with bright green eyes stood, holding a black circular tray of champagne flutes. Only one glass remained full of champagne and Cormac reached for it.

Hermione kept glancing over her shoulder. Malfoy was making his way toward her.

Her heart felt too big for her chest. She could barely breathe as his eyes remained locked on hers, his tall body dwarfing those around him.

He had no coat, only the black oxford and black pants and the wand holster strapped around his broad chest. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, and she could see the dark ink of the dark mark tattooed there.

She was surprised to find how little it bothered her to see it. Because that wasn't who he was. He wasn't a Death Eater, he wasn't dark. It was something his father had desperately tried to mold him into but he had failed. And Hermione had to wonder if that was due to his mothers doing or simply due to the fact that Malfoy was his own man.

“I heard Harry and Malfoy are working on a rather grim case.” Cormac said into her ear. “Thirsty? Here.” He shoved the glass into her hand.

She took it without caring. Her eyes were on the figure coming toward her. He cut a striking contrast to the glitz and glam around him. He moved more graceful than the dancers he cut through, but there was something lethal about his precise movements. And his eyes were unyielding in the way they stayed latched onto hers. As if they were meant to communicate everything he had failed to tell her last night or the day before.

That he wasn't ever playing around with her. That she was not a joke to him, and that he was perhaps more serious about her than anything else.

“More office gossip?” Hermione asked, only half interested.

“Something like that. Drink up, the night is young.” He chuckled, again, putting his mouth too close to her ear.

She lifted the glass to her lips as she leaned away from him.

Malfoy was only ten feet away, now. Every muscle in her body tensed with his impending arrival. Her mouth was drying out. Her body ached with her need for him.

“Malfoy!” Ginny’s voice cut through the music.

Hermione pulled the glass away and watched as she shot through the crowd before throwing her arms around him.

He stopped, his eyes growing wide with what Hermione could only explain as alarm. Her mouth twitched as she fought the amusement as she watched him tense up with the human contact.

Malfoy looked down at the top of Ginny’s head as she pressed her cheek into his shoulder. “Weasley.” His lips pulled into what might have been a grimace or a poor attempt at a smile.

Ginny was dressed in a beautiful white, long sleeve dress that clung to her hips and flowed gracefully around her legs. Hermione thought her dress would work as a wedding gown and wished that she and Harry would just elope already.

Pulling away, Ginny smacked him in the arm, causing him to frown. “I cannot believe you.”

Hermione drifted closer, swallowing up four more feet of space between them.

“I’m sorry?”

Harry suddenly appeared behind Malfoy. “She’s trying to thank you for the wedding.” Harry chuckled as he slid his arm around his fiancé.

Hermione’s brow quirked. “What do you mean?” She asked Harry, but it was Ginny who spun to face her and replied as Hermione lifted the glass to her lips again.

Malfoy was staring at her, his eyes tracking over her.

She was wearing a dress picked out by Pansy. Rose cold organza material with lines of silver glitter that all seemed to accentuate her waist line and the flare of her hips. One of her shoulders was bare, and Draco’s eyes seemed to take in the dusting of freckles there before his eyes dropped to the skirt. Tulle mixed with organza, it was more sheer than the top and as it reached the floor it split open, starting at her mid left thigh, parting the dress nearly in two the further down it went, revealing her bare knees and calves.

She thought it was pretty before. But now, with his eyes on her, she felt more than pretty. She felt sexy, she felt powerful. She felt like she could take on the world when he looked at her like that.

“You don't know?” Her face was flushed, her eyes big and wide. “Malfoy gifted us his family’s vineyard to use for the wedding, free of charge! Including the catering!” Ginny turned to look up Harry. "Don't tell Ron but, Malfoy is a much better partner."

“What?” Hermione lowered the glass again. Her eyes locked onto Malfoy’s. He nodded but said nothing.

“Care for another dance, Hermione?” Cormac’s voice came just as his hand grasped onto her. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hip, causing her to jerk forward.

Malfoy’s eyes darkened on the wizard behind her.

“Oh, no. I’m actually rather tired.” Her eyes darted up to Malfoy’s, sending him a pointed glance.

His eyebrow lifted, reading the unspoken words. She wanted to leave. With him. She wanted to talk to him, to explain herself, she wanted him to explain himself to her.

But Cormac didn’t release her. “Malfoy, I see you dressed up for the occasion.”

With the full flute of champagne still in one hand, Hermione pushed on Cormac’s arm, forcing him to release her.

He didn’t.

“I’m certain I’ve told you once before, McLaggen, but allow me to refresh your memory.” Malfoy took a step closer, his chest now brushing up against her arm. “Don’t.” His hand darted out, his fingers wrapping around Cormac’s wrist. “Touch her.”

Cormac gasped and choked as Malfoy’s wrist twisted. The sound of tendons popping and bone grinding was nearly impossible to hear over the music and chatter of the ball room but Hermione was certain she heard it.

Pansy and Theo suddenly appeared on either side of her.

They formed a barrier around her, the three Slytherins, in the far corner of the room. Harry's eyes were narrowed in on McLaggen, occasionally darting around, as he seemed to have Malfoy's back.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you, McLaggen,” Pansy drawled, her hand moving to Hermione’s hips, slowly pulling her out of the line of fire. “When a girl says she’s tired at,” She looked at her wrist. There was no watch, only a beautiful diamond bracelet that glittered like a rainbow against the glare of the rooms lighting. “Eight fifteen, it means she isn't interested?”

“Parkinson?” Cormac choked as Malfoy dropped his hand. He held it up against his chest with a scowl. “Who let you in here? Weren’t you tossed into the garbage with the rest of these former Death Eaters?” He nodded toward Draco and his exposed Dark Mark, his scowl growing more and more horrendous.

Before anyone could respond, though, Cormach was lifting up into the air before being flipped upside down. Everyone gasped and screamed as his body flew several feet where it slammed into the wall. The back of his skull cracked against the plaster, creating little fissures to spread out behind him.

Draco’s pale eyes glittered with delight as he watched the scene unfold.

Theo stepped in front of them and approached Cormac, sliding his hands into his pockets.

It was Theo who had slammed Cormac’s body against the wall without a single flick of his wand, without a single utterance of a verbal incantation.

And it was Theo who was bending over, and lowering his mouth to Cormac’s ear.

“What the hell did McLaggen do now?” Ron was standing to her right, Alicia tucked into the side of his body, his arm thrown over her shoulder.

Hermione glanced up at Malfoy and Pansy. They were both watching Theo with something dark and something giddy.

She looked to watch as Cormac’s eyes widened slowly as if each word Theo uttered was another reason to be shocked.

She watched as fear sank deep into his features, forcing him to gulp, before Theo pulled away and nodded once. As though satisfied with the color of the paint chosen for the wall.

When he turned around, his bright hazel eyes went to Pansy, who lifted her chin, some sort of silent communication passing between them before Theo held out his hand for her, a slight bend to his waist.

She didn’t smile, but she didn’t roll her eyes, as she slid her hand into his.

Hermione watched in awe as he hauled her into his arms, graceful and flawlessly before they waltzed away from the group as Cormac fell to the floor with a loud grunt.

“Well, that was exciting.” Ron drawled, causing Alicia to giggle.

Hermione looked up as Malfoy lowered his gaze back to her. He said nothing as he held his hand out to her. He only arched his brow.

She held out the flute of champagne for someone, anyone, to take from her.

Someone did, Ron or Alicia, she wasn’t sure and she didn’t care.

Because Malfoy’s eyes were darkening with something that caused her stomach to clench, that caused her heart to race, her palms to grow damp.

“Where did Cormac go?” Harry asked, looking over the crowd, his eyes sharp as they scanned the room.

“Maybe he finally got the clue and realized nobody wants him around.” Ginny snorted.

“Like, ever.” Ron joked.

Malfoy’s lip twitched, a smile threatening to break free.

When she was free of the glass, she stepped forward, her hand reaching out for his.

They hadn’t spoken a word to each other. But somehow, everything was so loud and clear. He was there for her. And she had been waiting for him to arrive.

Their fingers brushed just as a glass shattered onto the floor.

“Alicia!” Ron was shouting.

Screams filled the small space around them before shouts of alarm filled the entire room.

Hermione spun around and slapped a hand over her mouth in horror when she saw Alicia Spinnet twitching on the floor, her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She was foaming at the mouth and Ron was leaning over her down on his hands and knees, repeating her name. Calling it out to her over and over.

An arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her away. Theo’s scent of pine engulfed her and Pansy was suddenly in front of her, her back pressed in tight against Hermione’s chest.

“Alicia!” Hermione gasped. But Theo was moving swiftly, His and Pansy’s body created a barricade around her.

“She drank from the glass you handed her.” He said into her ear through clenched teeth.

“Where’s Draco?” She was clawing at his arms, trying to push herself up onto her toes, trying to see over Pansy’s shoulder. “Where is he?”

“Cormac gave you the glass, Granger.” Pansy hissed over her shoulder and then they were suddenly outside of the ballroom, pushing through a throng of people rushing forward to watch the spectacle. “Draco went after him.”