Shush | Dramione

1

NOTES:
Art by Avendell
One shot inspired by Avendell's fanart

—

Hermiones eyes were drawn downward at the deck of cards laid out on the mahogany wood coffee table. Mentally, she was elsewhere, but to anyone watching her gaze, it looked at if she were fully invested in the game of poker.

Her stomach flooded with an agonizing sensation of guilt and her mouth was overtaken with the sour taste of nerves.

Hermione had been pulled onto Draco's lap an hour ago when Ginny declared they were going to have a huge 'couples poker match'.

Blaise with Daphne, Harry with Ginny, Ron with Lavender, Neville with Luna, Theo with Pansy, and of course Draco with Hermione.

Her legs were crossed as she sat on his lap with one arm thrown across his shoulder. Draco had snaked an arm around her waist and his fingers gripped her hip firmly as he focused on the match.

Every once and a while he would give her a soft squeeze — noticing the absence behind her eyes. She'd blink a few times and force a smile at him. She noticed the way his eyebrows would thread together as he looked at her curiously before turning his attention back to the match.

She refused to speak or look any direction upwards since the moment they all sat around this small table. Luckily for her, all of her friends were too invested in winning a few galleons to notice.

But Draco noticed.

He also noticed the way Theo would glance at her from across the table ever-so-often. The way he bit the skin on his thumb and constantly clenched his jaw. His eyes were begging her to look up at him.

Draco wondered if Theo had offended her tonight. Or maybe they got into one of their usual repetitive arguments over who was ranked first in Defense Against the Dark Arts all those years ago.

Perhaps that's why she is so absent.

Should he ask her about it? Maybe it will comfort her to get it off her chest?

At the realization that Hermione could be upset, Draco pressed a warm kiss against her shoulder in hopes of comforting her until they would be able to get some time alone.

Hermione turned her head at the gesture and looked at him. He was already turned back forward and playing again.

Her eyes glanced around to the details of his face and her lips curved weakly as her heart swelled.

She loved him. Nothing could change that. Not even...

Her eyes shifted across the table to Theo and her heart sunk to her stomach when his eyes were already devouring her.

She gasped silently and quickly turned away from him. Her eyes slammed shut and she tried to calm down the knots that tied in her stomach. Fucking bastard is going to ruin everything.

"Bollocks! That's a load of complete fucking bollocks! Somebody is cheating!" Blaise stood from his chair and protested. Hermione's eyes shot back open at the accusation.

Draco snickered deviously and pulled Hermione's waist closer to him. "I'm afraid you've lost you touch at gambling, mate."

"Zabini, just take your loss and go grab a few more galleons. We can play again once I win this." Ron waved him off and cracked his knuckles.

"HA!" Draco rolled his head back amused, "You're an amateur, Weasel. The only thing you're winning tonight is first place in bankruptcy."

Pansy scoffed from on top of Theo's lap. "You boys are pathetic. Theo here has been playing poker with his father since he was nine. You wankers really don't stand a chance." She said confidently and rubbed her hand across the neckline of Theo's jumper.