In Love & Hatred - Dramione

CHAPTER five- Seed of Curiosity

Hermione

"I do not wrinkle my nose!", Hermione exclaimed.

A small flood of embarrassment overcame her thinking someone had heard her shout but was thankful no one else was in the common room to hear. 'Another one' she thought. Carefully, she studied the handwriting on the piece of parchment. As far as she could remember, it belonged to no one that she recognized. She was intrigued. Someone clearly wanted to grab a hold of her attention but who? For a moment she had considered Ron to be the culprit but thought against it. His handwriting was not like this. Usually reading through Ron's homework was like trying to decipher written codes used by hens or perhaps toads. This handwriting was a bit more smooth flowing and had considerably more flourishes than what she had seen between either Harry or Ron. She could not help but to feel giddy as she had never received this sort of attention before let alone something this mysterious. 'But', she questioned, 'Who saw me wrinkle my nose? Wait.. Is that something I even do?'

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The next day came and sped by before anyone could grasp. Hermione repeatedly cast her eyes towards the window in thinking that she would see the image of the owl appear again. 'Don't be silly' she thought, 'everyone has been in and out of classes. Who would have time to make their way all the way to the owlery and back in time to not to be late?' She had to admit, this was something that enamoured her entirely and was dead sent on uncovering her admirer. Eagerness and slivers of hopefulness were brought about her spirits when she thought she would soon receive another message or perhaps something more revealing to the person's unknown identity.

As she walked further away from potions, she eyed something small fluttering from around the corner. Hermione furrowed her brow and fixed her eyes on the object trying to focus on what it could be. The object drew nearer and seemed to be made of a yellowed and thin material complete with a set of wings. The winged object bobbed and fluttered furiously through the corridor but retained an element of grace stopping in front of Hermione. The small item hovered in front of her all the while flapping its small wings. 'Oh! It's a butterfly!' she thought. Hermione extended her palm beneath the paper butterfly. It nestled gently into the center of her palm and slowed its wings to a gentle beat. 'Could it.. Could it be another message?' she hoped. With caution, she unfolded the parchment and read the words written;

'Curious?

I thought so. If you so wish to find out who I am, meet me in Hogsmeade in the weekend coming up. There is an entrance around the back of the Three Broomsticks that leads to a private apartment. This is where I will be at four. Come and find me..'

She couldn't believe it! After this pained curiosity she would finally get to meet the person responsible for captivating her attention. Just then, a whiff caught her off-guard.

"Amortentia!", she cried.

Her sudden outburst caused several of the passing students to jump with surprise.

"Oh, sorry", she apologized with embarrassment.

The scent radiating off of the parchment was the very same musk she had smelled in the love potion. No doubt this was the most appealing out of the three aromas she detected. Her inquisitiveness burned like wildfire. Hermione took off at a fast-pace. She couldn't wait, she had to see if whoever it may be was still close by. Maybe she could catch a glimpse of him. As she rounded the corner, no one of interest was to be seen. The majority of the few students passing through the corridor were in deep, amusing conversations with the others that strode next to them. No one had paid her any mind or looked remotely interested that she had just barreled through the halls. Disappointed, she tucked away the letter and made her way down to the library.

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Draco

During potions, Draco decided that it was time to make his most daring move yet and provide Hermione with a place and time to meet him. It needed to be somewhere secluded enough for them not to be intruded on accidentally but not too far away were it would arise suspicion. Without drawing attention, he pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote out the necessary information for her. He had to be one of the first out of the classroom to gain enough ground ahead of her without being detected.

"Alright class, you have your assignments laid out for you. I understand that the first Hogsmeade weekend is fast approaching. That does not excuse you from neglecting your work! I trust you all will finish with plenty of time to enjoy your weekend. Dismissed!", Slughorn shouted above the rustle of papers and clanging of cauldrons.

Draco hastily shoved the rest of his scrolls and books into his bag. With the letter clutched in one hand, he rushed past the rest and down the corridor to around the corner. He laid the parchment flat in his palm and pulled his wand out of his robes with the other.

"Papilio stabulum", he muttered while touching the center of the parchment with the tip of his wand.

With one swift motion, the paper folded itself into a delicate, little butterfly. He waited until he heard her voice drift closer to where he stood. Wand in hand, he swirled the tip around the paper insect resulting it to flap its tiny wings. Draco pointed his hand toward Hermione's direction and raised the heel of his hand towards his chin. Gently, he blew a thin stream of air into the back of the butterfly to set it in motion. He thought briefly back to his third year when he had used a similar technique on Potter. In that case, he had crudely drawn a picture mocking Potter falling off of his broom during a Quidditch match. Dementors had swarmed the area and the sheer number of them cause him to faint and fall all the way down to the pitch. Back then, he had used a bird to send to Potter. It was roughly the same concept as now and equally as effective as it had been then.

Draco held his breath. He couldn't risk peeking around the corridor to check if the butterfly made it to the intended target. He hoped that she would give some sort of sign. At that moment, he had heard her cry out the word 'amortentia' immediately followed by her apologizing. He chuckled. She must have startled someone with her outburst. 'Wait', he thought, 'She must be talking about the smell! There can't possibly be another explanation for it. That paper must have given off my cologne!' He thrust his fist and elbow downward in excitement. This gave him the confirmation he needed. She may not be aware of it yet, but, there was something about him that she was attracted to. Now, he only needed to find a way to make her realize her interest.

Suddenly, he heard quick footsteps ring closer to him. 'Shit', he thought, 'I need to get out of here'. Quickly he rushed passed oncoming students to duck behind a wide, nearby pillar. He couldn't risk her finding out about him at this very moment. When the time was right, he wanted to set everything to be perfect enough that she wouldn't immediately think it was some hoax. Carefully, from the behind the pillar he eyed her search around the hall. Hermione looked disappointed as she turned to leave. She had definitely come to look for him and only missing him for a split moment.

Draco made his way back to the Slytherin common room to pass the time before the dinner feast began. He needed some time alone to come up with a plan to approach her. Any way he did couldn't seem threatening or forced. She could easily believe that this was some new way to humiliate her and never give him the chance. Many people had written him off as a Death Eater and thought no other way about him. That was the last thing that he wanted from Hermione is for her to write him off and never give him the chance to prove that he wasn't. He wanted to prove that the passed was thrown upon him forcing him to work horrendously under vile threats and shallow praise. Nerves and excitement flooded his insides. It was too long to wait for the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.