Saving Each Other - Dramione

Date

We stand in the entrance hall waiting for Filch to check our names off the list so we can walk across the grounds to Hogsmeade.  Harry and Ginny are waiting with Draco and I but the two of them will leave us when we leave the castle.  I am so nervous right now because I am sure that I will embarrass myself in front of Draco and somehow screw everything up.  

Harry starts to talk to Draco about quidditch, the one topic of conversation that boys always seem to turn to.  Ginny grabs my arms and pulls me away from the two boys so they can still see us but if they keep talking they won't be able to hear what we're saying.

'I got Harry to distract Draco for me,' she says quickly in a low voice.  'So?  What's happening?  I need to know everything.'

'Nothing's really happening Ginny.'

'Oh come on you're going on a date with Draco Malfoy that's what's happening.'

'It's not even a date.  This morning I just told him that all my friends were going on dates so I was going to be left alone and he said he'd come with me if I wanted.  He wasn't even planning on going.'

'Exactly!  That just shows that he wanted to spend time with you.  Look, just tell him.  It's so obvious that you like each other and he wouldn't say no.'

'Merlin, no.  I can't "just tell him" it will make everything awkward.'

'I promise it won't be. Just trust yourself okay.  We'll see you for lunch at twelve and I'm sure I will be congratulating you on your newly acquired boyfriend.'

Without giving me time to protest, Ginny takes my hand and leads me past a group of fourth years and back to where the two boys are waiting.

Eventually, our group reaches the doors of the entrance hall where Filch waits with a number of rolls of parchment, a long quill and his beloved cat, Mrs Norris at his feet.

'Year?' He demands.

'Oh, Seventh year,' Ginny answers and Filch picks up one of the rolls of parchment from the ground at his feet.

'Name?'

Each of us gives our name and Filch takes his time in marking us off his list.  Then once both he and Mrs Norris have eyed the four of us suspiciously Filch jerks his head and grumbles, 'off you go then,' and we all walk out into the sunny grounds.

'Well you two have fun,' Ginny looks back at Draco and I.  I roll my eyes at her suggestive smile.  'We'll see you later.'  With that she takes Harry's hand and starts skipping off in the direction of Hogsmeade and Harry is pulled along, running after her.  I feel a smile automatically tug at the corners of my mouth when I see the two of them stop and turn to each other laughing about a hundred yards away from us.

'I haven't seen Harry look that happy in ages,' I say to Draco as we start to walk after them.  'Maybe, even if it's just for today, he might get to be free.'

Draco just nods and says, 'the Weaslette is good at making Potter happy.'

I ignore the names he uses for my friends because I know that it will take him a long time to call them by their real names, and instead change the subject.  'So what should we do in Hogsmeade once we get there?'

'Well, I want to choose a new quill because I broke my eagle feather one but other than that I honestly don't mind.  We can do whatever you want.'

'Well obviously I want to go and look in my favourite shop which...'

'Let me guess. Is it the bookstore?' Draco cuts me off.

I laugh, 'Well yeah of course.'

'Alright then, we'll go to the bookstore.'

We walk in silence for a while until Draco speaks again.

'Hermione?'

'Yeah?'

'I... Oh never mind.'

'What is it?'

'Nothing.'

'Oh you can't just not tell me, now I'm curious.'

'Well I don't want to make this awkward but... I just ... is this like a date?'

I feel my heart beating faster but I try to stay calm. 'Do you want it to be?' I give him a nervous smile.

'Well I mean if you want it to be.'

'I would...'

'I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry. We're just friends I know. Pretend I didn't say anything.'

'I was going to say I would love to go on a date with you.'

'Wait really?'

'Yeah of course.  This is now officially a date.  Come on.'

I take his hand and we walk through the archway into Hogsmeade.

***

We make our way down the high street of Hogsmeade.  We visit Honeydukes and come out with pockets full of sweets.  Draco chooses a very fancy looking fwooper quill and then before I have realised he buys a second one for me.

Draco takes me to look at the music shop, Dominic Maestro's, where I am surprised to learn that Draco can play both the violin and the piano.  Apparently musical instruments are one of the few muggle inventions that even families like the Malfoys do not disprove of.

There is a large grand piano on display in the corner that Draco walks over to.  He lifts the lid off the keys, sits down on the stool and starts to play.  I sit on the stool next to him and watch his fingers fly over the keys.  I knew how to play a little bit of piano but I could never play anything as beautiful as this.

When he finishes he takes his hands off the keys but his foot remains on the pedal so the last chord continues to ring.  I look up at his face and see a single tear running down his cheek.

'My mother taught me that piece.  I learned it ages ago but I never forgot it.  She didn't want me to come back to Hogwarts this year but I did and I left her alone in that enormous house.'

I take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze.  'I'm sure she misses you but you will see her soon.  She will cope without you because you have to lead your own life as well.'

We sit there together for a few more moments before Draco stands up and I follow him out of the shop.

***

I wait patiently while Draco looks at quidditch supplies in spintwitches and then I have to drag him out of Gladrags before he buys me a very fancy set of dark blue dress robes which I had gone in to look at.

I see a number of fellow Hogwarts students turn to whisper to their friends when they see Draco and me together and even a few poorly masked looks of horror when they see our entwined hands.  I hold my head high and do not react as I have endured worse.  As long as my two best friends approve I don't care what anyone else thinks.

Every so often I can help but just start smiling.  I am on a date with Draco Malfoy; I couldn't be happier.