Round Eight, Challenge One Voting Poll
It’s time for the week one's Words of Love!
Welcome all to the celebration of Dramione's Tenth Anniversary.
A couple of things to remember when deciding which drabbles to vote for (most and least favorite):
Guidelines:
As a voter, you have the option of leaving a brief statement about why you voted the way you did, for both most and least favorite. Your feedback will then be given to the drabble writer (if they want the feedback) ANONYMOUSLY.
Example: Most - #40: the ending was brilliant - OR - Least - #57: the ending fell flat
Please remember writers, that you may not vote for yourselves.
Here we go for week one!
Choose your favorite and least favorite drabbles. Favorites will receive +1 point per vote, and least favorites -1 point per vote.
FLOO NOTE: It is completely, 100% my fault that the voting post got posted so late. I will be extending voting time until 12pm, noon, EST, on Saturday, April 30th.
Voting ends at 12:00pm, Saturday, April 30th.
Words: Adore and Need
Definitions: post - Hogwarts
Related Forms: 100 - 499 words
1
Title: A-Tisket, A-Tasket
Author: bookishwench
Rating: PG
Warning(s): NA
Word Count: 498
The spring morning sunlight was slanting through the great mullioned windows of Malfoy Manor, but there was a decided lack of the cheerless sophistication that had been its hallmark for generations. Instead, the newest master of the old and noble name was sitting on the floor of what was usually his study, but this morning it was filled with a veritable forest of daffodils, lilies, hyacinths, and tulips in a rainbow of colors. They made the whole room look like a wonderland, but the battle currently taking place amidst their merrily nodding heads was decidedly less peaceful.
“If you come one inch closer, I’ll hit you with a hex so heinous it’ll make the Carrows look humane,” Hermione said, clutching her Easter basket closer.
“There is no possible way you can eat all of those chocolate rabbits and not get sick,” Draco said, trying to reason with her even as he continued to creep closer. “I’ll just have one or two.”
“No. Eat your own treats from the basket I got you,” she said, practically growling.
“My basket is filled with Toothflossing Stringmints, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and four carrots,” he said, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
“There was a chocolate egg in there!” Hermione said defensively. “Look under the grass.”
“I ate that two hours ago,” Draco moaned. “It took exactly one bite.”
“Well, you were the one who said we should focus on not overdoing things this Easter,” Hermione said, not relinquishing her grasp on her own basket one bit. “I simply took you at your word.”
“I meant that we shouldn’t invite over Ron and Lavender’s brood of… how many is it now?” Draco asked.
“Seven at last count,” Hermione replied primly.
“Yeah, but that was at Christmas. By now it might be up to a round dozen. You know, like eggs usually come in. Not unlike Easter eggs. Particularly chocolate ones like those sitting right there,” Draco said, pointing towards her pile, his fingertip dangerously close to snatching distance.
“Hands off!” she said, swatting him away. “You know how much I adore these things!”
“Come on, luv, just let me have a couple of the smaller ones?” he pleaded, practically fluttering his eyelashes at her.
“I don’t know,” Hermione said, considering him carefully. “I’d have to clear it with the Easter Bunny. Just how good of a boy have you been this year?”
“Not at all. I’m naughty right to the core,” Draco said, smiling. “Ask anyone.”
“Really?” she said, moving the basket to one side. “I think I may need proof of that statement before I make my decision. Do you think you can manage that?”
A highly memorable hour later, Draco reached over into her basket and unwrapped three foil eggs, popping all of them in his mouth at once and chewing contentedly.
“Convinced?” he said, letting the sweet taste of victory steal over his tongue.
“I suppose so,” Hermione said, laughing. “I may adore chocolate, but I need you.”
2
Title: Her
Author: akinriahtram
Rating: PG
Warning(s):Character Death
Word Count: 481
It is now four years.
“Draco, I love you, so stop worrying!” He sees her soft rosy lips curved into a displeasing frown as her eyes glared disapprovingly at him. “I’ve never regretted being with you.”
He misses her presence. He misses her warm embraces, her morning kisses, and her chocolate chip cookies. He misses her stern and disapproving expressions, her reprimands, and the catastrophe of all the books lying around the house. He misses her love and adoration. In all, he misses everything about her.
“I don’t want you following me, Draco. I can imagine you doing something stupid, so I entrusted your well-being to him. If he’s around, I know you won’t go after me.”
He closes his eyes and inhales the fresh morning air.
“You underestimated me, Granger. I’m not a prat or wonky like Weasel.” He opens his eyes, watching the snow petals falling from heaven.
He then thinks about the person who he was entrusted to and he grumbles, “And contrary to your plans, it is me who is taking care of him.”
“FATHER!”
A small body zooms across the graveyard and almost tackles him to the ground.
“Behave!” Draco chides as he picks up the small weight and put the young boy on his shoulders. Scorpius laughs gleefully from being high above the ground.
“Mother, Scorpius misses you lots. Father tries to be manly, but I see him cry when he thinks I’m not looking.”
“What are you telling her?” He lifts his son down to the ground and glares, but the features of a loving father are present on his face. The son replies with only a cheeky grin.
While Scorpius bores Draco’s physical traits, his personality is clearly inherited from his mother. It feels like Draco was seeing the twelve-year-old obnoxious, know-it-all Hermione Granger again.
“See what I have to deal with every day?” Draco grunts, “Who is taking care of whom now?”
“You can’t hate me Father. I resemble Mother too much.” Scorpius smirks.
“And what do you even know about your mother?”
“Everything there is to know.” Scorpius replies smugly. “Uncle Harry said I inherited Mother’s personality.”
Draco sighs in resignation while Scorpius grins triumphantly.
“Let’s go home.”
The son turns to the snow covering tombstone and touches it with his bare hands.
“Don’t worry Mother; I will take care of Father for you! I’ll make sure he behaves!” And he sprints away, knowing that his father would bully him for his crude remarks.
Once again, Draco sighs at his ten-year-old son’s immaturity.
“Right now, I’m living for our son. I need you, but Scorpius needs me even more. Once he's ready, we'll meet again.”
He can’t see her or feel her, but their hearts are still connected. He feels and knows that she is listening to him.
Above him, a beam of sunlight peeks out from the bare white sky.
3
Title:At The Corner Of Bitterness And Forgiveness
Author: strawberry_kait
Rating:K
Warning(s):None
Word Count:499
Draco thanked the attendant, accepting his coffee with both hands and stepping away. He took one sip, tasting the bitterness and cringed. The Muggle coffee shop was one he used to frequent, and just as he remembered, was practically buzzing with customers rushing in and out before work.
While adding two sugars, he saw her rushing through the glass doors, looking bedraggled. At first, she didn’t see him as she frantically scanned the room. But when at last she did, all he could do was stare back.
She moved towards him, stopping short. Hermione blurted out, “I’m sorry.”
Draco was unable to move. He broke free, returning to his coffee as though she wasn’t there. Hermione stepped closer.
“I know you were right,” she swallowed, reaching to touch him, but pulled back at his look.
“I know you hate me,” she said. “But I’m sorry.” She blinked back tears.
He couldn’t stand it. “How’d you find me?”
“Location charm,” she murmured. “On your … wand,” she mouthed. “I’ve missed you terribly, Draco…”
“Granger,” he said, exhausted from everything that brought them to this.
“Haven’t we put too much into this just to throw it away?” She begged, reaching for him.
He sidestepped her and instantly regretted it.
She continued. “Look, I know you’re mad - you have every right to be. But it was a mistake, a stupid, one time mistake!” Her voice rose, drawing more attention.
Draco shut his eyes, squeezing her name out once more. “Granger…”
“But I need you. I do. I…ache without you,” she rushed out between sobs. “No matter how strong I seem, I’m nothing without your love. And I will forever regret this. I don’t care how foolish I am - these people mean nothing to me, but you…”
“Hermione…”
She looked up, hopeful and completely vulnerable.
The past two weeks had been the worst he could recall from his adult life. He was exhausted from all the emotions running through him. Most nights he hated her for doing this to him, to them; for the doubt and pain. Some days he never wanted to see her again. Some nights he considered turning the tables on her, to see how she’d feel if he…
Holding his gaze, she whispered, “Please, Draco. Say you forgive me. I need you so much.”
“I don’t know,” he breathed out, breaking eye contact.
She physically wilted and a voice within him triumphed, but only for an instant. “I don’t know how to live without you, either. You’re everything to me. And I hate you for what you’ve done to us.”
He felt himself squeezing the coffee cup dangerously, so he set it down, and stepped towards her, taking her with both hands. Her surprise was evident. “God help me, I still adore you, Hermione.”
She smiled through her tears as he kissed her. Relief washed over him then. Vaguely he heard the applause of the coffee shop, but all that mattered was the woman he loved had come back.
4
Title: Much Needed Jealousy and Adoration
Author: hpfangirl71
Rating: PG 13
Warning(s): Implied Sex, Drunkeness, Possible Dub Con
Word Count: 435
Hermione Granger awoke in a strange bed, her head throbbing from her antics the night before. She was astonished to find she was naked and didn’t recognize any of her surroundings. If she’d been so pissed she didn’t remember a thing, then how had she gotten here?
Going out to Finnegan’s Tavern last night had been a very bad idea, especially so soon after her breakup with Ron. Seeing him there with that horrid Daphne Greengrass girl had hurt incredibly and she’d found herself alone at the bar, contemplating just what a bad idea it had been to come out. Allowing Pansy Parkinson of all people to goad her into a state of extreme drunkenness had probably been the worst idea of the entire sordid evening. The rest of the evening’s details were just a jumble within the recesses of her now fuzzy brain.
She jumped up, startled as she heard someone turning the doorknob, she was shocked to see Draco Malfoy enter carrying a breakfast tray.
“What the hell!” she shrieked as she tried covering herself with the sheets. “What are you doing here?”
Draco smirked playfully at her as he set the tray down on a nearby nightstand.
“Perhaps I’m here because I live here”
Hermione was shocked at this new information. Sudden images replayed themselves in her head: she and Pansy laughing at the bar, Draco approaching them and asking her to dance, herself dancing suggestively against Malfoy in an attempt to make Ron jealous… Oh goodness, surely she hadn’t gone home with Malfoy, had she?
“How did I get here?” she asked tentatively, unsure whether she really wanted him to answer that particular question.
“You were drunk at Finnegan’s last night. You said you needed help getting home and you practically begged for my help. What you forgot to mention was who’s home exactly you wanted to go to, so I brought you here.”
She watched as he smirked salaciously through his explanation. Why that Neanderthal! He’d taken advantage of her in her drunken state!
“Why exactly did you feel the need to bring me to your flat rather than mine?” she said in accusing tone.
He looked her over and suddenly his demeanor changed to a serious one.
“Because I’ve adored you from afar for way too long and as a Slytherin I saw my perfect opportunity”
Hermione’s face became red with rage as she threw a pillow at the blonde prat.
“How could you use me like that?” she screamed.
Draco ducked the shot and whispered, “Because you used me first, to make your Weasley jealous and it worked…”
5
Title: Never Be Another You
Author: pagan_toon76
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Abortion
Word Count: 499
Draco stared at the Muggle doctor his wife had insisted they consult.
Dr Newkirk had a solemn look on his face that Draco knew did not bode well. Draco felt his stomach clench, as if a thousand butterflies had suddenly grown teeth and were gnawing crazily at his insides.
“I’m afraid the only viable option is to terminate the pregnancy,” Dr Newkirk said quietly.
Draco heard Hermione struggle to sit up on the hospital bed. She wrapped her right hand protectively over her middle. “No.” She shook her head fiercely. “There must be something you can do,” she added pleadingly.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Malfoy, but the internal bleeding caused by the embryo implanting itself in your Fallopian tube doesn’t show signs of stopping,” Dr Newkirk said gently. “Ectopic pregnancies are usually detected very early on, but I understand you’ve been travelling?” he asked.
Draco nodded, not wanting to explain that the Healers at St. Mungo’s had not even discovered that the pregnancy was anything but normal. It had been the constant heavy bleeding and pain which the Healers couldn’t explain that had prompted Hermione to finally seek Muggle medical advice.
“It’s a miracle you’ve survived this long, Mrs. Malfoy. At eleven weeks …” Dr Newkirk trailed off, shaking his head. “Please, rest. Nurse will come prep you for the procedure.” He nodded and left the room.
Hermione reached out and grabbed Draco’s hand tightly. Tears were pooling in her eyes. She looked as though her heart had been shattered. Draco suspected he wasn’t looking any better as he sat next to her. “Oh, Draco,” she pleaded tearfully, “oh, please, please, let’s just leave this place and go back to St. Mungo’s. They said everything was fine.”
He swallowed; shook his head. “Darling, you know we can’t do that. If we continue with the pregnancy, you could die.” He heard the catch in his own voice. “Please.”
She started to cry in earnest. “I want this baby, Draco. This is our little Peanut; our baby. I - I can’t go through with it.” She shook her head.
Draco felt his heart break. “Hermione, I want this baby too. But I need you in my life.”
Draco stared at his wife: the most important person in his life. She was his cornerstone, his rock, his soul mate. She was his life. He adored her. “Without you - ” he broke off, overwhelmed by his emotions. He cupped her face in his hands, willing her - needing her - to understand all that he felt for her. “We will try for another baby, Hermione. But there can never be another you. Not for me.” He swallowed past the grief rising up in his throat. “So, please Hermione, please.”
Slowly, with tears streaming down her face, she nodded. “I love you,” she whispered brokenly.
He kissed her softly.
With tears in his eyes and a broken heart, he leaned over and pressed one last gentle kiss on her belly: over the spot where their little Peanut lay.
6
Title: The Right Words
Author: mihnn
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 499
"Would you stop fidgeting? You'll be fine."
That was the third time he had told her that, and it was the third time she had glared at him as a result. "I don't want to be fine, I want to be exemplary."
"You're meeting my parents; that's exemplary," Draco mumbled dryly.
He was just raising his hand to grab the large brass knocker when she pulled down his arm in panic. Draco subsequently groaned out loud before he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Now what?"
"I...um..."
He rolled his eyes. "Spit it out."
"What topics of conversation should we concentrate on?"
Draco shrugged lightly. "That's obvious. Stay on the one topic my parents could talk to anyone about."
"Oh?" she asked curiously. "And what's that?"
It was at that moment that Draco Malfoy stood straighter and smirked that award winning smile at her. "Me."
Hermione let out a flabbergasted, "Excuse me?"
Draco's grin didn't waver. "My parents are pure-bloods who have sired a son. I am their greatest achievement. So you need to compliment them on their greatest achievement."
Hermione tried her best not to let out a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry, I should have known. Please tell me, oh Greatest-Achievement-of-the-Malfoy-Family, what exactly should I say about you?"
"Well," Draco began seriously, easily playing along. "You could always mention how devilishly handsome I am."
"Uh huh."
"How charming and witty..."
"Of course."
"You could say how you adore me. How you absolutely can't live without me."
"Goes without saying."
"And how you worship me-"
"Worship you?" She raised a mocking eyebrow at him.
"Of course," he said seriously. "No one could be with a Malfoy without worshipping that said Malfoy. That's unheard of."
Hermione shrugged lightly and turned to leave. “Well then, I guess I'm not with a Malfoy."
Draco immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, a playful smirk on his lips as he dropped his head teasingly towards her. "You could also tell them that even though you absolutely adore me, I seem to absolutely need you."
Hermione looked up at him innocently. "Seem to?"
"It's difficult to say that I'm not when I can't get you out of my bloody mind."
Hermione was just about to say that she felt the same when she heard the sound of the brass knocker thud loudly against the grand door. She immediately narrowed her eyes at her companion who was getting too good at distracting her.
Draco simply smirked as he kept an arm around her waist and waited for the door to be opened.
It was thrown open by his mother, who had been eagerly expecting the arrival of her son. Her smile fell instantly.
"Mother, have you met my bride-to-be?" He pulled her closer.
Narcissa's features immediately turned grim.
It was obvious to Hermione that Draco had not in fact told his parents about her.
And this was the man she was going to marry? She hoped to Merlin she wouldn't get Slytherin children.
7
Title: Supply and Demand
Author: dollfaced
Rating: T
Warning(s): none
Word Count: 499
Hermione had opened a tiny apothecary on the outskirts of wizarding London shortly after her break-up with Ron. Her shop had a small clientele, specializing in exotic potion ingredients. The business wasn’t very profitable but it was her sanctuary.
Until the day he showed up.
From day one it was Granger, I need this. Granger, I need that. Granger, I need you to find me dried roots extinct wallow reed plant. Granger, I need a jar of pickled niffler tails today, not tomorrow. Granger, Granger, Granger!
Draco Malfoy had invaded her quiet little shop with his near daily visits. And his never-ending needs. She would have refused his requests but his purchases were all but keeping her business afloat.
She heard the door open. Spotting a flash of blond hair she knew exactly who it was.
“Granger, stop hiding. I know you’re back there.”
Drat. He wouldn’t leave until she’d helped him with whatever bizarre request he had today. Reluctantly, she made her way to the counter.
“What is you need now, Malfoy?”
He grinned like some mischievous schoolboy, reminding her that he enjoyed making her run around in circles. “Blood of an occamy.”
“Impossible!”
He leaned across the counter. “Nothing is impossible, Granger.”
“This is. I can’t. It’s illegal to transport by owl. And I’m not traveling to India just for you.” She walked around the counter and began dusting the many shelves that lined the wall. Maybe he would get the hint and leave.
He followed her. “Think of it as a holiday.”
She whirled around. “Holiday! It’s not a bloody holiday! It's you sending me off on another ridiculous errand just because you can. I don’t care how much money you spend here, I am not going. Get out and don’t come back.”
He look stunned. Odd. She'd thought he’d be angry. Without a word, he turned and walked out. Good riddance! Now it she could just get rid of the sinking feeling in her stomach.
***
It had been weeks since she’d kicked Malfoy out. The shop had been very quiet. Too quiet. Not that she wanted him to come back.
The door opened.
“Oh, it’s you.” She felt a small pang of irritation. What had taken him so long? “If you need me to get you something, don’t bother.”
He smirked. “I don’t need you to get me anything.”
“Why are you here?”
“I need something.”
“I knew it!”
Suddenly he came around the counter. “Granger... I need you.”
Her eyes widened. What was he on about?
“Did you really think I came here everyday for potion ingredients?” He chuckled. “No one brews that many potions.”
“I..”
He stepped closer. “It’s simple. I adore you. I should have told you a long time ago but...”
“You’re a coward,” she finished with a smirk.
“Something like that.”
She stopped to consider. “Blood of an occamy, right?”
He looked puzzled.
She smiled at him. “I’ll take that holiday to India but I will be needing an ‘assistant’.”
8
Title: How to Adore, How to Need
Author: eevilalice
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 489
Hermione entered the reception hall for the Ministry’s fifth annual interdepartmental soiree feeling sour and sheepish. Sour because Harry and Ron had weaseled their way out of attending and sheepish because, well, she was wearing entirely too much pink.
The point of the party was to get Ministry employees, especially new ones, out of their offices and socializing. That airhead Prissy Peppercorn had been in charge of the festivities every year, and every year she insisted on forcing them to participate in some foolish children’s game.
This year, everyone was assigned an abstract verb which they were to embody in their choice of dress. Hermione’s was “adore.” Adore. Vomit.
And how exactly did one dress adoringly?
Hermione’s vague answer was a frilly frock in multiple shades of pink, festooned with more ribbons and bows than the reception hall itself.
“Ms. Granger? Oh that is too adorable,” Prissy tittered from her post at the entryway. “Remember, no revealing your verb! And you’re going to love the twist,” she winked.
Hermione blanched and smiled tightly before making a beeline for the refreshment table. Ministry employees gathered in clutches or wandered about, some with magically enhanced ensembles that screamed or whimpered or flashed lights.
She did her best to go unnoticed, looking as preoccupied as one could while drinking punch. A few acquaintances chatted with her, rolling their eyes at the silly game but guessing all the same.
Prissy’s Sonorus-enhanced voice cut through the din. “Ladies and gentlemen, I see you’ve been enjoying our game! To challenge you further, know that each person has a match you’ll now be able to identify. It is your job to find your match and not only look but act your designated verb! First pair to guess correctly wins two days’ paid vacation! ”
Oh bother. She didn’t even care about the paid vacation.
Ignoring her fellow workers laughing and glancing about, Hermione made for the exit.
Doing the same was Draco Malfoy. Only he was glowing. Pink. And, now, gawking at her.
Bother.
Draco was new to the Ministry, having just finished a post-war sentence of house arrest. Many were not pleased with his appointment, but Hermione did her best to be friendly when their paths crossed.
He was dressed in simple but expensive robes, his usual. Swallowing, he fell to his knees and clutched at her satiny skirts. “Please, Granger,” he implored, “please get me the bloody hell out of here.”
Was he playing? Hermione decided she could work with a begging Malfoy, especially one who wanted the same thing she did.
Bending, she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. “Draco, darling, of course. Anywhere with you!”
He pulled back, arching a brow. “Adore?”
She chuckled. “I was channeling Pansy from Hogwarts. Need?”
“Merlin, yes. I hate that Peppercorn woman. I hate…most of them. Save me.”
“You didn’t dress the part.”
“My costume’s underneath,” he smirked. “Need is naked.”
She blushed. Pink.
9
Title: Queen of Hearts
Author: mister_otter
Rating: PG
Warning(s): none
Word Count: 366
It was Luna Lovegood’s version of a storybook wedding. Every guest, bridesmaid, and groomsman wore the costume of a fairy-tale or nursery-rhyme character.
As Draco strolled through the reception garden, standing out like a sore thumb in his elegant, grey morning coat, he came upon a fearsome quarrel between the Queen of Hearts and the Knave Who Stole Her Tarts. If the arguing couple had been stark naked, Draco thought, fewer of their secrets would have been revealed.
“Ron, try to understand,” Hermione Granger was pleading. “I do adore you. And I’ll need you in my life forever! You and Harry are my best friends.”
“But that’s second best in every way!” Ron yelled, gesticulating wildly with his presumably purloined plate of tarts. “What you’re saying is you don’t want me!”
“I’m so sorry.” Hermione’s voice was low, soft as the summer sky. “But no, I don’t. Not in the way you want me to.”
“Then here-take your bloody tarts and I’ll go!” Ron thrust the plate toward Hermione unceremoniously. It tottered on her fingertips just as Draco swooped in to rescue it.
“Steady there, Weasley,” he chided. “The lady said she adores you. And she needs you. Two out of three isn’t bad, you know.”
Ron’s face turned as red as the hearts decorating his satin doublet. He raised his fists.
Draco raised his eyebrows. “You’re dressed like a fool, Weasley. Do you want to prove the costume fits by creating a scene at Lovegood’s wedding?”
Cursing under his breath, Ron backed away and stormed off toward the house.
Draco turned to Hermione, who stood wiping her eyes miserably.
“I’m sorry, Granger. Breakups are never easy.”
“But this one should have been!“ she blurted, caught off guard by his gentle tone. “Ron knows we aren’t right together. He just doesn’t want to admit it.”
“At least he returned your tarts uneaten.”
“There is that.” Then, “Malfoy, Luna asked her guests to come as storybook characters. You’re obviously not in costume. What are you meant to represent?”
Draco grinned and offered her his arm. “Perhaps, if I’m lucky, the unexpected twist in the plot?”
Laughing in spite of herself, Hermione linked her arm with his.
10
Title: A Short Exposition on Hermione Granger
Author: a_contemplare
Rating: G
Warning(s): None.
Word Count: 319
There are just some things about Hermione Granger that will always remain unchanged.
Firstly, books are held in the highest reverence in her life. Where ever she goes, a book (or several) always follows, and I would say that it gets a little annoying at times, and I doubt this will ever change, but it’s something we have long accepted about her. Safe to say, Hermione Granger will always go hand-in-hand with books.
Secondly, she’ll never not have bushy hair. (She can’t be bothered with all the hair potions needed to tame that mane.) The hair had been, for a time after the war, quite popular with the young ladies. However, in my honest opinion, no one pulls the look off as well as the original. In a way, it could be said, then, that it is her trademark, of sorts, having had this style long before-and after-trends passed.
Thirdly, she loves Ronald Weasley, that red-headed and impulsive (as ever) git.
And then there are some others that have changed.
One, she’d definitely toned down (slightly) from her bossy ways in Hogwarts. Yes, she’s as much of a know-it-all as ever, but her need to display her knowledge of every single thing, Muggle and magical, is definitely not as strong. The occasional random tidbit that does surface can make for very stimulating conversation, admittedly.
Two, she’s much mellowed down from the over-anxious girl who handed in four feet of parchment instead of the required two, and although she still demands perfection in everything she does, she’s realized that it isn’t everything. There are other things that she can focus her time on, rather that nitpicking at the impossible.
Three, she loves Ronald Weasley-but only in every sense of the word ‘platonic’. Her romantic affections, I can confidently say, are occupied by one Draco Malfoy, and we are to be joined in holy matrimony this very Sunday.
11
Title: Your Touch Only
Author: ellielove_x3
Rating: PG
Warning(s): none.
Word Count: 212
Feeling a pair of familiar, graceful hands tracing her curves slowly, sensuously, Hermione closed her eyes briefly, wanting to savour the moment. Her husband was always affectionate in this way: touching her, kissing her sensitive areas, or simply staring into her eyes or roaming his gray eyes over her body. What she found affectionate, her oldest friends found possessive.
Draco scoffed at the word, though he never truly denied it. Hermione was his one true beauty that he never believed would accept him. After six years together - three married - and hundreds of nights showing their love outwardly, Draco knew that his wife was the only woman who could make him feel like a real man. He felt both powerful and reeled in by her beauty, charm, and sharp tongue.
Turning around, Hermione’s cinnamon colored eyes gazed into her husband’s gray orbs with a loving affection only they could understand. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, but was stopped by her growing baby bump. They shared a soft laugh, and he slowly rubbed her stomach, soothing their six-month old baby growing within. Resting her head on her husband’s chest, Hermione knew their child was enjoying the feeling of Draco’s hands soothing his - or her - mother’s stomach as well.
ooo
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Come Celebrate Dramione's Tenth Anniversary
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This Week: Adore & Need
Voting ends 12:00 PM EST (GMT -4) Saturday, April 30th
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Welcome all to the celebration of Dramione's Tenth Anniversary.
A couple of things to remember when deciding which drabbles to vote for (most and least favorite):
Guidelines:
- Which drabble best incorporates the prompt?
- Is the drabble clever, different, fresh? Does it evoke an emotional response (good or bad)?
- Does the drabble contain grammar, canon or spelling errors?
As a voter, you have the option of leaving a brief statement about why you voted the way you did, for both most and least favorite. Your feedback will then be given to the drabble writer (if they want the feedback) ANONYMOUSLY.
Example: Most - #40: the ending was brilliant - OR - Least - #57: the ending fell flat
Please remember writers, that you may not vote for yourselves.
Here we go for week one!
Choose your favorite and least favorite drabbles. Favorites will receive +1 point per vote, and least favorites -1 point per vote.
FLOO NOTE: It is completely, 100% my fault that the voting post got posted so late. I will be extending voting time until 12pm, noon, EST, on Saturday, April 30th.
Voting ends at 12:00pm, Saturday, April 30th.
Words: Adore and Need
Definitions: post - Hogwarts
Related Forms: 100 - 499 words
1
Title: A-Tisket, A-Tasket
Author: bookishwench
Rating: PG
Warning(s): NA
Word Count: 498
The spring morning sunlight was slanting through the great mullioned windows of Malfoy Manor, but there was a decided lack of the cheerless sophistication that had been its hallmark for generations. Instead, the newest master of the old and noble name was sitting on the floor of what was usually his study, but this morning it was filled with a veritable forest of daffodils, lilies, hyacinths, and tulips in a rainbow of colors. They made the whole room look like a wonderland, but the battle currently taking place amidst their merrily nodding heads was decidedly less peaceful.
“If you come one inch closer, I’ll hit you with a hex so heinous it’ll make the Carrows look humane,” Hermione said, clutching her Easter basket closer.
“There is no possible way you can eat all of those chocolate rabbits and not get sick,” Draco said, trying to reason with her even as he continued to creep closer. “I’ll just have one or two.”
“No. Eat your own treats from the basket I got you,” she said, practically growling.
“My basket is filled with Toothflossing Stringmints, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and four carrots,” he said, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
“There was a chocolate egg in there!” Hermione said defensively. “Look under the grass.”
“I ate that two hours ago,” Draco moaned. “It took exactly one bite.”
“Well, you were the one who said we should focus on not overdoing things this Easter,” Hermione said, not relinquishing her grasp on her own basket one bit. “I simply took you at your word.”
“I meant that we shouldn’t invite over Ron and Lavender’s brood of… how many is it now?” Draco asked.
“Seven at last count,” Hermione replied primly.
“Yeah, but that was at Christmas. By now it might be up to a round dozen. You know, like eggs usually come in. Not unlike Easter eggs. Particularly chocolate ones like those sitting right there,” Draco said, pointing towards her pile, his fingertip dangerously close to snatching distance.
“Hands off!” she said, swatting him away. “You know how much I adore these things!”
“Come on, luv, just let me have a couple of the smaller ones?” he pleaded, practically fluttering his eyelashes at her.
“I don’t know,” Hermione said, considering him carefully. “I’d have to clear it with the Easter Bunny. Just how good of a boy have you been this year?”
“Not at all. I’m naughty right to the core,” Draco said, smiling. “Ask anyone.”
“Really?” she said, moving the basket to one side. “I think I may need proof of that statement before I make my decision. Do you think you can manage that?”
A highly memorable hour later, Draco reached over into her basket and unwrapped three foil eggs, popping all of them in his mouth at once and chewing contentedly.
“Convinced?” he said, letting the sweet taste of victory steal over his tongue.
“I suppose so,” Hermione said, laughing. “I may adore chocolate, but I need you.”
2
Title: Her
Author: akinriahtram
Rating: PG
Warning(s):Character Death
Word Count: 481
It is now four years.
“Draco, I love you, so stop worrying!” He sees her soft rosy lips curved into a displeasing frown as her eyes glared disapprovingly at him. “I’ve never regretted being with you.”
He misses her presence. He misses her warm embraces, her morning kisses, and her chocolate chip cookies. He misses her stern and disapproving expressions, her reprimands, and the catastrophe of all the books lying around the house. He misses her love and adoration. In all, he misses everything about her.
“I don’t want you following me, Draco. I can imagine you doing something stupid, so I entrusted your well-being to him. If he’s around, I know you won’t go after me.”
He closes his eyes and inhales the fresh morning air.
“You underestimated me, Granger. I’m not a prat or wonky like Weasel.” He opens his eyes, watching the snow petals falling from heaven.
He then thinks about the person who he was entrusted to and he grumbles, “And contrary to your plans, it is me who is taking care of him.”
“FATHER!”
A small body zooms across the graveyard and almost tackles him to the ground.
“Behave!” Draco chides as he picks up the small weight and put the young boy on his shoulders. Scorpius laughs gleefully from being high above the ground.
“Mother, Scorpius misses you lots. Father tries to be manly, but I see him cry when he thinks I’m not looking.”
“What are you telling her?” He lifts his son down to the ground and glares, but the features of a loving father are present on his face. The son replies with only a cheeky grin.
While Scorpius bores Draco’s physical traits, his personality is clearly inherited from his mother. It feels like Draco was seeing the twelve-year-old obnoxious, know-it-all Hermione Granger again.
“See what I have to deal with every day?” Draco grunts, “Who is taking care of whom now?”
“You can’t hate me Father. I resemble Mother too much.” Scorpius smirks.
“And what do you even know about your mother?”
“Everything there is to know.” Scorpius replies smugly. “Uncle Harry said I inherited Mother’s personality.”
Draco sighs in resignation while Scorpius grins triumphantly.
“Let’s go home.”
The son turns to the snow covering tombstone and touches it with his bare hands.
“Don’t worry Mother; I will take care of Father for you! I’ll make sure he behaves!” And he sprints away, knowing that his father would bully him for his crude remarks.
Once again, Draco sighs at his ten-year-old son’s immaturity.
“Right now, I’m living for our son. I need you, but Scorpius needs me even more. Once he's ready, we'll meet again.”
He can’t see her or feel her, but their hearts are still connected. He feels and knows that she is listening to him.
Above him, a beam of sunlight peeks out from the bare white sky.
3
Title:At The Corner Of Bitterness And Forgiveness
Author: strawberry_kait
Rating:K
Warning(s):None
Word Count:499
Draco thanked the attendant, accepting his coffee with both hands and stepping away. He took one sip, tasting the bitterness and cringed. The Muggle coffee shop was one he used to frequent, and just as he remembered, was practically buzzing with customers rushing in and out before work.
While adding two sugars, he saw her rushing through the glass doors, looking bedraggled. At first, she didn’t see him as she frantically scanned the room. But when at last she did, all he could do was stare back.
She moved towards him, stopping short. Hermione blurted out, “I’m sorry.”
Draco was unable to move. He broke free, returning to his coffee as though she wasn’t there. Hermione stepped closer.
“I know you were right,” she swallowed, reaching to touch him, but pulled back at his look.
“I know you hate me,” she said. “But I’m sorry.” She blinked back tears.
He couldn’t stand it. “How’d you find me?”
“Location charm,” she murmured. “On your … wand,” she mouthed. “I’ve missed you terribly, Draco…”
“Granger,” he said, exhausted from everything that brought them to this.
“Haven’t we put too much into this just to throw it away?” She begged, reaching for him.
He sidestepped her and instantly regretted it.
She continued. “Look, I know you’re mad - you have every right to be. But it was a mistake, a stupid, one time mistake!” Her voice rose, drawing more attention.
Draco shut his eyes, squeezing her name out once more. “Granger…”
“But I need you. I do. I…ache without you,” she rushed out between sobs. “No matter how strong I seem, I’m nothing without your love. And I will forever regret this. I don’t care how foolish I am - these people mean nothing to me, but you…”
“Hermione…”
She looked up, hopeful and completely vulnerable.
The past two weeks had been the worst he could recall from his adult life. He was exhausted from all the emotions running through him. Most nights he hated her for doing this to him, to them; for the doubt and pain. Some days he never wanted to see her again. Some nights he considered turning the tables on her, to see how she’d feel if he…
Holding his gaze, she whispered, “Please, Draco. Say you forgive me. I need you so much.”
“I don’t know,” he breathed out, breaking eye contact.
She physically wilted and a voice within him triumphed, but only for an instant. “I don’t know how to live without you, either. You’re everything to me. And I hate you for what you’ve done to us.”
He felt himself squeezing the coffee cup dangerously, so he set it down, and stepped towards her, taking her with both hands. Her surprise was evident. “God help me, I still adore you, Hermione.”
She smiled through her tears as he kissed her. Relief washed over him then. Vaguely he heard the applause of the coffee shop, but all that mattered was the woman he loved had come back.
4
Title: Much Needed Jealousy and Adoration
Author: hpfangirl71
Rating: PG 13
Warning(s): Implied Sex, Drunkeness, Possible Dub Con
Word Count: 435
Hermione Granger awoke in a strange bed, her head throbbing from her antics the night before. She was astonished to find she was naked and didn’t recognize any of her surroundings. If she’d been so pissed she didn’t remember a thing, then how had she gotten here?
Going out to Finnegan’s Tavern last night had been a very bad idea, especially so soon after her breakup with Ron. Seeing him there with that horrid Daphne Greengrass girl had hurt incredibly and she’d found herself alone at the bar, contemplating just what a bad idea it had been to come out. Allowing Pansy Parkinson of all people to goad her into a state of extreme drunkenness had probably been the worst idea of the entire sordid evening. The rest of the evening’s details were just a jumble within the recesses of her now fuzzy brain.
She jumped up, startled as she heard someone turning the doorknob, she was shocked to see Draco Malfoy enter carrying a breakfast tray.
“What the hell!” she shrieked as she tried covering herself with the sheets. “What are you doing here?”
Draco smirked playfully at her as he set the tray down on a nearby nightstand.
“Perhaps I’m here because I live here”
Hermione was shocked at this new information. Sudden images replayed themselves in her head: she and Pansy laughing at the bar, Draco approaching them and asking her to dance, herself dancing suggestively against Malfoy in an attempt to make Ron jealous… Oh goodness, surely she hadn’t gone home with Malfoy, had she?
“How did I get here?” she asked tentatively, unsure whether she really wanted him to answer that particular question.
“You were drunk at Finnegan’s last night. You said you needed help getting home and you practically begged for my help. What you forgot to mention was who’s home exactly you wanted to go to, so I brought you here.”
She watched as he smirked salaciously through his explanation. Why that Neanderthal! He’d taken advantage of her in her drunken state!
“Why exactly did you feel the need to bring me to your flat rather than mine?” she said in accusing tone.
He looked her over and suddenly his demeanor changed to a serious one.
“Because I’ve adored you from afar for way too long and as a Slytherin I saw my perfect opportunity”
Hermione’s face became red with rage as she threw a pillow at the blonde prat.
“How could you use me like that?” she screamed.
Draco ducked the shot and whispered, “Because you used me first, to make your Weasley jealous and it worked…”
5
Title: Never Be Another You
Author: pagan_toon76
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Abortion
Word Count: 499
Draco stared at the Muggle doctor his wife had insisted they consult.
Dr Newkirk had a solemn look on his face that Draco knew did not bode well. Draco felt his stomach clench, as if a thousand butterflies had suddenly grown teeth and were gnawing crazily at his insides.
“I’m afraid the only viable option is to terminate the pregnancy,” Dr Newkirk said quietly.
Draco heard Hermione struggle to sit up on the hospital bed. She wrapped her right hand protectively over her middle. “No.” She shook her head fiercely. “There must be something you can do,” she added pleadingly.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Malfoy, but the internal bleeding caused by the embryo implanting itself in your Fallopian tube doesn’t show signs of stopping,” Dr Newkirk said gently. “Ectopic pregnancies are usually detected very early on, but I understand you’ve been travelling?” he asked.
Draco nodded, not wanting to explain that the Healers at St. Mungo’s had not even discovered that the pregnancy was anything but normal. It had been the constant heavy bleeding and pain which the Healers couldn’t explain that had prompted Hermione to finally seek Muggle medical advice.
“It’s a miracle you’ve survived this long, Mrs. Malfoy. At eleven weeks …” Dr Newkirk trailed off, shaking his head. “Please, rest. Nurse will come prep you for the procedure.” He nodded and left the room.
Hermione reached out and grabbed Draco’s hand tightly. Tears were pooling in her eyes. She looked as though her heart had been shattered. Draco suspected he wasn’t looking any better as he sat next to her. “Oh, Draco,” she pleaded tearfully, “oh, please, please, let’s just leave this place and go back to St. Mungo’s. They said everything was fine.”
He swallowed; shook his head. “Darling, you know we can’t do that. If we continue with the pregnancy, you could die.” He heard the catch in his own voice. “Please.”
She started to cry in earnest. “I want this baby, Draco. This is our little Peanut; our baby. I - I can’t go through with it.” She shook her head.
Draco felt his heart break. “Hermione, I want this baby too. But I need you in my life.”
Draco stared at his wife: the most important person in his life. She was his cornerstone, his rock, his soul mate. She was his life. He adored her. “Without you - ” he broke off, overwhelmed by his emotions. He cupped her face in his hands, willing her - needing her - to understand all that he felt for her. “We will try for another baby, Hermione. But there can never be another you. Not for me.” He swallowed past the grief rising up in his throat. “So, please Hermione, please.”
Slowly, with tears streaming down her face, she nodded. “I love you,” she whispered brokenly.
He kissed her softly.
With tears in his eyes and a broken heart, he leaned over and pressed one last gentle kiss on her belly: over the spot where their little Peanut lay.
6
Title: The Right Words
Author: mihnn
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 499
"Would you stop fidgeting? You'll be fine."
That was the third time he had told her that, and it was the third time she had glared at him as a result. "I don't want to be fine, I want to be exemplary."
"You're meeting my parents; that's exemplary," Draco mumbled dryly.
He was just raising his hand to grab the large brass knocker when she pulled down his arm in panic. Draco subsequently groaned out loud before he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Now what?"
"I...um..."
He rolled his eyes. "Spit it out."
"What topics of conversation should we concentrate on?"
Draco shrugged lightly. "That's obvious. Stay on the one topic my parents could talk to anyone about."
"Oh?" she asked curiously. "And what's that?"
It was at that moment that Draco Malfoy stood straighter and smirked that award winning smile at her. "Me."
Hermione let out a flabbergasted, "Excuse me?"
Draco's grin didn't waver. "My parents are pure-bloods who have sired a son. I am their greatest achievement. So you need to compliment them on their greatest achievement."
Hermione tried her best not to let out a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry, I should have known. Please tell me, oh Greatest-Achievement-of-the-Malfoy-Family, what exactly should I say about you?"
"Well," Draco began seriously, easily playing along. "You could always mention how devilishly handsome I am."
"Uh huh."
"How charming and witty..."
"Of course."
"You could say how you adore me. How you absolutely can't live without me."
"Goes without saying."
"And how you worship me-"
"Worship you?" She raised a mocking eyebrow at him.
"Of course," he said seriously. "No one could be with a Malfoy without worshipping that said Malfoy. That's unheard of."
Hermione shrugged lightly and turned to leave. “Well then, I guess I'm not with a Malfoy."
Draco immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, a playful smirk on his lips as he dropped his head teasingly towards her. "You could also tell them that even though you absolutely adore me, I seem to absolutely need you."
Hermione looked up at him innocently. "Seem to?"
"It's difficult to say that I'm not when I can't get you out of my bloody mind."
Hermione was just about to say that she felt the same when she heard the sound of the brass knocker thud loudly against the grand door. She immediately narrowed her eyes at her companion who was getting too good at distracting her.
Draco simply smirked as he kept an arm around her waist and waited for the door to be opened.
It was thrown open by his mother, who had been eagerly expecting the arrival of her son. Her smile fell instantly.
"Mother, have you met my bride-to-be?" He pulled her closer.
Narcissa's features immediately turned grim.
It was obvious to Hermione that Draco had not in fact told his parents about her.
And this was the man she was going to marry? She hoped to Merlin she wouldn't get Slytherin children.
7
Title: Supply and Demand
Author: dollfaced
Rating: T
Warning(s): none
Word Count: 499
Hermione had opened a tiny apothecary on the outskirts of wizarding London shortly after her break-up with Ron. Her shop had a small clientele, specializing in exotic potion ingredients. The business wasn’t very profitable but it was her sanctuary.
Until the day he showed up.
From day one it was Granger, I need this. Granger, I need that. Granger, I need you to find me dried roots extinct wallow reed plant. Granger, I need a jar of pickled niffler tails today, not tomorrow. Granger, Granger, Granger!
Draco Malfoy had invaded her quiet little shop with his near daily visits. And his never-ending needs. She would have refused his requests but his purchases were all but keeping her business afloat.
She heard the door open. Spotting a flash of blond hair she knew exactly who it was.
“Granger, stop hiding. I know you’re back there.”
Drat. He wouldn’t leave until she’d helped him with whatever bizarre request he had today. Reluctantly, she made her way to the counter.
“What is you need now, Malfoy?”
He grinned like some mischievous schoolboy, reminding her that he enjoyed making her run around in circles. “Blood of an occamy.”
“Impossible!”
He leaned across the counter. “Nothing is impossible, Granger.”
“This is. I can’t. It’s illegal to transport by owl. And I’m not traveling to India just for you.” She walked around the counter and began dusting the many shelves that lined the wall. Maybe he would get the hint and leave.
He followed her. “Think of it as a holiday.”
She whirled around. “Holiday! It’s not a bloody holiday! It's you sending me off on another ridiculous errand just because you can. I don’t care how much money you spend here, I am not going. Get out and don’t come back.”
He look stunned. Odd. She'd thought he’d be angry. Without a word, he turned and walked out. Good riddance! Now it she could just get rid of the sinking feeling in her stomach.
***
It had been weeks since she’d kicked Malfoy out. The shop had been very quiet. Too quiet. Not that she wanted him to come back.
The door opened.
“Oh, it’s you.” She felt a small pang of irritation. What had taken him so long? “If you need me to get you something, don’t bother.”
He smirked. “I don’t need you to get me anything.”
“Why are you here?”
“I need something.”
“I knew it!”
Suddenly he came around the counter. “Granger... I need you.”
Her eyes widened. What was he on about?
“Did you really think I came here everyday for potion ingredients?” He chuckled. “No one brews that many potions.”
“I..”
He stepped closer. “It’s simple. I adore you. I should have told you a long time ago but...”
“You’re a coward,” she finished with a smirk.
“Something like that.”
She stopped to consider. “Blood of an occamy, right?”
He looked puzzled.
She smiled at him. “I’ll take that holiday to India but I will be needing an ‘assistant’.”
8
Title: How to Adore, How to Need
Author: eevilalice
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 489
Hermione entered the reception hall for the Ministry’s fifth annual interdepartmental soiree feeling sour and sheepish. Sour because Harry and Ron had weaseled their way out of attending and sheepish because, well, she was wearing entirely too much pink.
The point of the party was to get Ministry employees, especially new ones, out of their offices and socializing. That airhead Prissy Peppercorn had been in charge of the festivities every year, and every year she insisted on forcing them to participate in some foolish children’s game.
This year, everyone was assigned an abstract verb which they were to embody in their choice of dress. Hermione’s was “adore.” Adore. Vomit.
And how exactly did one dress adoringly?
Hermione’s vague answer was a frilly frock in multiple shades of pink, festooned with more ribbons and bows than the reception hall itself.
“Ms. Granger? Oh that is too adorable,” Prissy tittered from her post at the entryway. “Remember, no revealing your verb! And you’re going to love the twist,” she winked.
Hermione blanched and smiled tightly before making a beeline for the refreshment table. Ministry employees gathered in clutches or wandered about, some with magically enhanced ensembles that screamed or whimpered or flashed lights.
She did her best to go unnoticed, looking as preoccupied as one could while drinking punch. A few acquaintances chatted with her, rolling their eyes at the silly game but guessing all the same.
Prissy’s Sonorus-enhanced voice cut through the din. “Ladies and gentlemen, I see you’ve been enjoying our game! To challenge you further, know that each person has a match you’ll now be able to identify. It is your job to find your match and not only look but act your designated verb! First pair to guess correctly wins two days’ paid vacation! ”
Oh bother. She didn’t even care about the paid vacation.
Ignoring her fellow workers laughing and glancing about, Hermione made for the exit.
Doing the same was Draco Malfoy. Only he was glowing. Pink. And, now, gawking at her.
Bother.
Draco was new to the Ministry, having just finished a post-war sentence of house arrest. Many were not pleased with his appointment, but Hermione did her best to be friendly when their paths crossed.
He was dressed in simple but expensive robes, his usual. Swallowing, he fell to his knees and clutched at her satiny skirts. “Please, Granger,” he implored, “please get me the bloody hell out of here.”
Was he playing? Hermione decided she could work with a begging Malfoy, especially one who wanted the same thing she did.
Bending, she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. “Draco, darling, of course. Anywhere with you!”
He pulled back, arching a brow. “Adore?”
She chuckled. “I was channeling Pansy from Hogwarts. Need?”
“Merlin, yes. I hate that Peppercorn woman. I hate…most of them. Save me.”
“You didn’t dress the part.”
“My costume’s underneath,” he smirked. “Need is naked.”
She blushed. Pink.
9
Title: Queen of Hearts
Author: mister_otter
Rating: PG
Warning(s): none
Word Count: 366
It was Luna Lovegood’s version of a storybook wedding. Every guest, bridesmaid, and groomsman wore the costume of a fairy-tale or nursery-rhyme character.
As Draco strolled through the reception garden, standing out like a sore thumb in his elegant, grey morning coat, he came upon a fearsome quarrel between the Queen of Hearts and the Knave Who Stole Her Tarts. If the arguing couple had been stark naked, Draco thought, fewer of their secrets would have been revealed.
“Ron, try to understand,” Hermione Granger was pleading. “I do adore you. And I’ll need you in my life forever! You and Harry are my best friends.”
“But that’s second best in every way!” Ron yelled, gesticulating wildly with his presumably purloined plate of tarts. “What you’re saying is you don’t want me!”
“I’m so sorry.” Hermione’s voice was low, soft as the summer sky. “But no, I don’t. Not in the way you want me to.”
“Then here-take your bloody tarts and I’ll go!” Ron thrust the plate toward Hermione unceremoniously. It tottered on her fingertips just as Draco swooped in to rescue it.
“Steady there, Weasley,” he chided. “The lady said she adores you. And she needs you. Two out of three isn’t bad, you know.”
Ron’s face turned as red as the hearts decorating his satin doublet. He raised his fists.
Draco raised his eyebrows. “You’re dressed like a fool, Weasley. Do you want to prove the costume fits by creating a scene at Lovegood’s wedding?”
Cursing under his breath, Ron backed away and stormed off toward the house.
Draco turned to Hermione, who stood wiping her eyes miserably.
“I’m sorry, Granger. Breakups are never easy.”
“But this one should have been!“ she blurted, caught off guard by his gentle tone. “Ron knows we aren’t right together. He just doesn’t want to admit it.”
“At least he returned your tarts uneaten.”
“There is that.” Then, “Malfoy, Luna asked her guests to come as storybook characters. You’re obviously not in costume. What are you meant to represent?”
Draco grinned and offered her his arm. “Perhaps, if I’m lucky, the unexpected twist in the plot?”
Laughing in spite of herself, Hermione linked her arm with his.
10
Title: A Short Exposition on Hermione Granger
Author: a_contemplare
Rating: G
Warning(s): None.
Word Count: 319
There are just some things about Hermione Granger that will always remain unchanged.
Firstly, books are held in the highest reverence in her life. Where ever she goes, a book (or several) always follows, and I would say that it gets a little annoying at times, and I doubt this will ever change, but it’s something we have long accepted about her. Safe to say, Hermione Granger will always go hand-in-hand with books.
Secondly, she’ll never not have bushy hair. (She can’t be bothered with all the hair potions needed to tame that mane.) The hair had been, for a time after the war, quite popular with the young ladies. However, in my honest opinion, no one pulls the look off as well as the original. In a way, it could be said, then, that it is her trademark, of sorts, having had this style long before-and after-trends passed.
Thirdly, she loves Ronald Weasley, that red-headed and impulsive (as ever) git.
And then there are some others that have changed.
One, she’d definitely toned down (slightly) from her bossy ways in Hogwarts. Yes, she’s as much of a know-it-all as ever, but her need to display her knowledge of every single thing, Muggle and magical, is definitely not as strong. The occasional random tidbit that does surface can make for very stimulating conversation, admittedly.
Two, she’s much mellowed down from the over-anxious girl who handed in four feet of parchment instead of the required two, and although she still demands perfection in everything she does, she’s realized that it isn’t everything. There are other things that she can focus her time on, rather that nitpicking at the impossible.
Three, she loves Ronald Weasley-but only in every sense of the word ‘platonic’. Her romantic affections, I can confidently say, are occupied by one Draco Malfoy, and we are to be joined in holy matrimony this very Sunday.
11
Title: Your Touch Only
Author: ellielove_x3
Rating: PG
Warning(s): none.
Word Count: 212
Feeling a pair of familiar, graceful hands tracing her curves slowly, sensuously, Hermione closed her eyes briefly, wanting to savour the moment. Her husband was always affectionate in this way: touching her, kissing her sensitive areas, or simply staring into her eyes or roaming his gray eyes over her body. What she found affectionate, her oldest friends found possessive.
Draco scoffed at the word, though he never truly denied it. Hermione was his one true beauty that he never believed would accept him. After six years together - three married - and hundreds of nights showing their love outwardly, Draco knew that his wife was the only woman who could make him feel like a real man. He felt both powerful and reeled in by her beauty, charm, and sharp tongue.
Turning around, Hermione’s cinnamon colored eyes gazed into her husband’s gray orbs with a loving affection only they could understand. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, but was stopped by her growing baby bump. They shared a soft laugh, and he slowly rubbed her stomach, soothing their six-month old baby growing within. Resting her head on her husband’s chest, Hermione knew their child was enjoying the feeling of Draco’s hands soothing his - or her - mother’s stomach as well.
ooo
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