99 ways to say I love you- Draco Malfoy

No.9

You look beautiful

"Hermione, do we really need to do this?" She questions with a groan as her best friend pulls her away from Harry and Ron and in the direction of a small boutique, currently full of Hogwarts students buying dress robes.

"Yes. Yes we do," she announces

"You've already got a dress," the girl argues, but allows her friend to lead her through the streets

"You don't-"

"'Mione, you know I can't afford a new dress. My parents cut me off last summer," she reminds "I have to save my money for things I actually need and when I get job I want to be in a position I can pay the Weasley's back. I need my inheritance for that,"

"You know they won't accept it," Hermione says with a light eye roll "plus you do need a dress,"

"I have plenty-"

"I'm not taking a no. Look have a 30 galleon budget of something," she suggests

"Fine," Emily sighs and allows her friend to pull her into the store.

The girls browse the shop, Hermione seemingly significantly more enthusiastic. But, as time passes Emily can't help but feel excited too, and let's Hermione pile up dresses for her to try on an excited grin on her face.

They are laughing and chatting excitedly as they enter the nearly empty dressing room. A group of Hufflepuff girls in one corner.

Emily's breath catches slightly when she sees him. He's sat on the leather sofa with Blaise Zabini and Theodore Knott. Blaise's girlfriend and Theodore's date both showing the boys dresses they are clearly trying on.

They had spoken since their argument. He had wrote her a letter profusely apologising and trying to explain why he took his anger out on her. Fred Weasley had punched him for what he said and she had apologised on Fred's behalf to which he said he deserved it. Then two weeks after it all happened she spoke to him in potions and they had been having polite conversations in class ever since, not yet seeking each other out when not in class but he would take what he could get.

"Hey," he grins when he sees her. She opens her mouth to reply, feeling weirdly happy to see him. But she's brought back to reality when the curtain opens and Pansy comes out in an orange and pink dress with too many ruffles. Instead she smiles politely in response before Hermione takes a seat on the sofa at the other end, waiting for her.

He watches as she tries on dress after dress. Enjoying watching her twirl and  giggle for her friend and imaging she's doing it just for him instead.

It's when she steps out in a black dress that his heart stops. It's silk with a corset top and a long skirt with a slight puff but nothing too eccentric. It shines in the light and has diamanté straps on each shoulder.

"Oh my god! Emily I knew this dress would be perfect!" Hermione squeals as she spins in front of her friend

"Yeah! 'Mione it's amazing. It's the one," she grins back excitedly.

He coughs slightly, gaining the girls attention instantly. She turns to face him, the dress swooshing at the quick movement.

"You look beautiful," he smiles

"Oh. Thank you Dray," she smiles back. His heart soars, the first time she had called him by anything other than his name since. He nods, going to speak again but the curtain is once more pulled open by Pansy and she turns back to her friend before he can say anything else.

He can't help but listen to the way she rambles excitedly about how she will do her hair and makeup.

"So how much is it?" She asks her friend. He noticed the gaping silence

"100," Hermione's voice is quiet.

"Hermione, You know I can't spend that much on a dress,"

"But it's so-" Hermione starts

"I can't," she sighs. "I'll just wear an old one," she adds "don't look at me like that. It's fine,"

"Why don't you get a different one? That navy one was pretty,"

"No. No I don't want to buy one that isn't this. I'll be fine, I have that red dress I wore to your birthday meal last year. I'll ask Molly to mail it," she assures.

"Are you sure?" Hermione questions, feeling insanely guilty.

"Yeah. I'll get changed and then we can go meet the boys for a butterbeer," she smiles.

**

It's the next day when she awkwardly approaches him at the Slytherin table. He's sat amongst his friends and she's fiddling with her hands nervously.

"What do you want?" Pansy sneers as she approaches. Draco quick to remove Pansy's hand from his chest

"Could I-uh- speak to you?" She asks him "alone," she adds hastily. He nods and stands up immediately. Striding to follow her out of the hall and into the empty corridor.

She comes to a stop in front of a stair case and drops down to sit on a chair. He sits next to her, enjoying the feeling of her body next to his.

"Draco, you shouldn't have brought the dress," she states. Looking away and seemingly having lost her usual nerve.

"What dress?" He smirks. Grinning when she rolls her eyes

"I mean it. It's a lot of money and-"

"I wanted to but it for you. You looked beautiful in it and you deserve all the nice things in the world,"

"And the shoes and necklace and earrings?"

"All the nice things," he smiles gently. She sighs and finally looks at him.

"You really want to buy them for me? You can tell me you regret doing it and I'll return them and-"

"You'll do no such thing," he stops her quickly "plus it's like 60% selfish. Now I get to look at you in that dress all night," he smiles. She laughs at that. And his heart feels like it's glowing when she drops her head to his shoulder.

"Can we go back to how we were before?" She whispers  "I miss you. And us. And all this arguing and avoiding each other, it just makes me tired," she admits. He laughs a little at that, his arm wrapping around her to pull her closer.

"Yeah. I would like us to be how we were before," he promises, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head.

They sit in silence for a while, letting themselves find a comfort that they had been missing without each other.

"Heard you are going to the hall with Elian after all," he comments. She hums in response and doesn't say anything and he realises there's no point in pushing it, after all he only just got her back.