Forbidden Shadows (Dramione)

Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Hermione had spent the night at Cher's flat. She was sitting on her bed in the spare room thinking about what had happened the night before. Why would Draco say that? He probably didn't mean anything by it. But still. "Hermione, why won't you tell me what happened?" Cher sat down next to Hermione on the bed and put her arm around her shoulder.

Hermione shrugged. "Do you want the truth?" Cher nodded. "Draco asked me to dance and for a couple of minutes it was really nice. We were being our usual selves by insulting each other with witty comebacks and stuff. It was like we were friends. He started telling me about how handsome he was and I said that I wasn't into ferrets. Then he told me that I was into weasels. Which is what he used to call Ron."

Cher frowned, "Oh Hermione, are you okay?"

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, I guess. It's just; it just caught me off guard. I was having a really nice time and then he just had to bring Ron up. He probably doesn't even know what he did wrong. Am I overreacting?"

Cher ducked her head. "Well, maybe a little. I can't believe I'm about to say this but I think that you should apologize to him."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

Cher nodded meekly. "As much as I hate to admit it, he deserves it 'Mione." Hermione immediately got up and began to change. As she grabbed her purse Cher called her. "Where are you going?"

Hermione turned to face Cher. "I'm going to apologize to the egotistical ferret." Hermione apparated to the sound of Cher's laughter. She appeared at the front door of Astoria's Manor. She pulled out her key and let herself in.

"Draco?" She called for him all around the house. "Draco? Dra-" Someone covered her eyes and she screamed. The person turned her around to face them. She came face to face with the man she was looking for.

"Looking for me?" Draco was wearing his signature smirk.

Hermione took a couple of seconds to compose herself. "Yes, um, listen Draco about last night-"

Draco put his hand up. "Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have said what I did. It was uncalled for."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I overreacted. It's just that I was actually having a good time and then you had to bring him up. You know what they say, all good things must come to an end."

Draco scrunched his eyebrows together. "I hope that you don't mind me asking but what happened between you and the wease-Ron?"

Hermione looked down at her feet. "I'd um, I'd rather not talk about it right now. Let's just say it wasn't a clean break up." Draco simply nodded in response. "Anyway, I was just looking for you to apologize. So, I'm sorry."

"Really it's no problem, Granger." Hermione gave him a small smile. Draco began to walk up to his room. He stopped at the top of the stairs and turned his head to face her. "Oh and Hermione, you should find Astoria and continue planning. She's probably making a million decisions without you." He went into his room without waiting for a response.

Hermione was frozen in her place. He had just called her by her first name and hadn't even realized it. She liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. It sounded so- I can't be thinking like this! Draco is engaged to Astoria! Hermione was in trouble.

Hermione barged into Ginny and Harry's flat. "Ginevra Molly Weasley-Potter! Get down here this instant!"

Almost instantaneously Ginny came waddling down the stairs. "What the bloody hell is so important Hermione Jean Granger?"

Hermione sat down on the nearest couch and put her head in her hands. "Oh Ginny, what am I going to do?"

Ginny sat down next to Hermione with much difficulty considering the circumstances. "What happened?"

Hermione gave a big sigh. "I'm so attracted to him Ginny."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Attracted to who?"

Hermione took a large breath. "Draco Malfoy. Draco bloody Malfoy, Ginny! Oh my Merlin, if Cher finds out I'll be dead. Or worse, if Astoria finds out I'll be worse than dead, I'll, I'll be-"

Ginny put both her hands out in front of her. "Okay, okay, Hermione you need to relax. Everything will be okay. Look, it's no secret that Draco Malfoy is gorgeous. Every single woman in the wizarding world thinks so. You're not committing a crime here, Hermione. Look, if I were you, I'd just keep the information to myself, okay?"

Hermione nodded. "What would I do without you, Gin?"

Ginny shook her head. "Nothing, you couldn't possibly survive without me." Both girls burst out in laughter. They continued to talk until Hermione realized how late it was and bid her goodbyes to Ginny and Harry who was home by the time she was leaving.

Hermione was sitting at a round coffee table with Astoria and Draco discussing the plans for tomorrow. "So tomorrow we'll go cake testing. We could also pick tablecloths and chairs. Astoria, you are going to have to help me pick out a dress for the wedding. Since you're forcing me to say a speech at the reception, I at least want to look good doing it. I think that if we time everything right then we could have this done a week before the wedding. By the way the wedding is in three weeks, just reminding you."

Astoria hadn't spoken since they had sat down at the coffee shop and Hermione wanted to know why. "Astoria, is everything okay?" Astoria looked down at her hands with a guilty expression on her face. "Astoria, what is it?"

Astoria glanced up to face Hermione and Draco. "Well, um, you see- Okay, I need to go back to Paris to finish tying up some loose ends and to grab my friends for the wedding."

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows together. "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Hermione glanced at Draco but he looked just as confused as she did. "Astoria, why didn't you just say something before?"

"I'm going to be gone for two weeks. I'll be getting back a week before the wedding. You and Drake are going to have to plan the rest of the wedding."

Hermione's eyes widened. "But Astoria, we need you for this. I can't possibly pick out the things without you."

Astoria locked eyes with Hermione. "Hermione, there's a reason as to why I picked you as my wedding planner. I trust you; I believe that you will make my wedding the happiest day of my life. I'm sure Draco agrees with me on this as well. You are the best at what you do. You just have to believe in yourself."

Hermione sighed. "Oh alright, but you can't leave tomorrow without saying goodbye." Hermione turned to face Draco. "If you don't help, Astoria will be a widow before she even gets married. Do you understand?" Astoria began to laugh as Draco nodded swiftly with a scared look in his eyes. This was going to be a long two weeks.