I Am a New Day Rising

Chapter 6:

An hour before lunch, Draco and Hermione met in the common room. Both wore masks that successfully hid their nerves. The hour leading up to the meeting left Hermione and Lavender’s room in complete shambles. Practically every article of clothing she owned was now scattered across the tiny room. Every outfit she tried seemed so normal, so mundane. Draco had seen her in every one. Her nerves were a complete mystery. She had spent plenty of time with Draco over the summer. Their walks in Muggle London actually brought them closer together. She still remembered the first with fondness.

0o0o0o0o0

“Do I really need to walk, Hermione?” Draco complained.

“Yes.” Hermione said. “Walking is good for the body and the soul.”

“My soul is just fine.”

“Draco – It’s a week after the final battle; nobody’s soul is fine.”

Draco looked down at his feet. “Well – where are we going?”

“To my favorite park in London.” Hermione smiled. “You’ll like it.”

“How do you know?” Draco asked smugly.

“I just do.”

Draco dropped his head, trying to hide his hopeful smile.

0o0o0o0o0

He had liked it. Hermione could not drag him away from the quaint park until hours later. Cloud gazing had never been more fun. After that first walk, they spent every single day together; except for the one weekend she spent with her dreadful aunt.

Draco’s nerves circled around the ambiguity of the status of the outing. He was unsure if it was a date, or if she even wanted it to be a date. To him, it constituted a date. Through his years at Hogwarts, going to Hogsmeade with a girl, and no one else, was always considered a date. Yet this was Hermione, and they had hung out plenty of times before just on their own.

When they finally reached the village, Hermione and Draco headed straight to the Owlrey. Hermione planned to meet Lavender there to buy decorations for their room, and Draco resolved to buy some so as to make his room more ‘him’. The girls poured over the Muggle catalogues trying to match their items, but still maintain some individuality. Draco thought it was pointless to match the room. He wanted his side of the room to be all him. Seamus did not bother looking at the catalogues; he had no interest in sprucing up his room.

“We are only here for eight months, you know?” Seamus said as he held the door of the Three Broomsticks open for the two young women. Draco took the door from him allowing Seamus to enter after them.

“Yes, but the blanket and lamp they gave us are so depressing.” Lavender cringed as she pictured the two items. “I can’t feel at home with things so ugly.”

“I second that.” Draco said.

“Well. I’ll admit…I just wanted to spend money!” Hermione laughed.

Seamus rolled his eyes and looked at Draco. “You’re going to have your hands full with that one.” Draco smiled and nodded in affirmation. He would not mind if she kept him on his toes, even if it was financially. He would give the world to make her happy.

And that is pretty much how the rest of the lunch went. Draco threw comments at Seamus about dating Lavender, and Seamus reciprocated. Hermione never batted an eyelash at the insinuation of some of the comments. It crossed Draco’s mind that she let it slide for the sheer point of saving face, yet he hoped that was not the reason but instead she was considering this a date too. The group of four laughed over butterbeers for an hour after they finished their meal. Draco could honestly say he had never eaten a meal that was so laid back. If you were on a date with a Slytherin, she did not share her man. Slytherin girls were characteristically catty if other girls came around. Plus, his dates usually ended in his bed. He enjoyed the difference immensely.

As the small group split in two, Draco placed his hand on the small of Hermione’s back and guided her towards Honeydukes. “I’ve never been on a double date before.” He said before realizing it.

“Is this a date?” Hermione said softly. She was unsure if he wanted it to be a date, and did not want to look too eager.

“Do you want it to be?” Draco’s insides tightened in fear of a ‘no’.

“It would be nice if it were.” Hermione smiled, regaining a little more of her confidence.

Draco plucked up a little of his own courage and brushed his lips against her temple as they walked. “I agree.” He whispered in her ear. As he pulled away he could not miss the gorgeous grin that spread across her face. He gently wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He was in heaven. Sure he had guided her through Diagon Alley heaps of times, but this time, at Hogsmeade, she was his date. He could not remove the smile from his lips.

He opened the door to Honeydukes. It magically chimed as Hermione walked past him and into the sweet shop. “I think you deserve a sweet today, don’t you Dray?”

“Well, of course. I beat Potter at his own game – and I’m here with you.” He grinned.

Hermione pursed her lips trying to remain serious. “Yes…well. I was actually referring to the conversation you had with Harry earlier this morning.”

Draco raised his eyebrows. “Oh, he already told you.”

“You could imagine he was not easily able to contain his emotions.” Hermione smiled proudly at the blonde. “It was really nice of you to offer him two of the games, Dray. And Slytherin to boot.”

Draco’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the praise. “Well I couldn’t really play Slytherin and escape it alive. I gave him Hufflepuff too – that’s not too much of a challenge.”

Hermione dipped her hand into the jar of sugar quills and retrieved a few. “Even so…” She raised an eyebrow as she paid for her sweets.

Draco paid for the Chocolate Frog he had been contemplating during his short conversation with Hermione. Opening the package on his way out of the store, he lost control of the frog and it jumped right on Hermione. She let out a squeal of surprise and then laughed as the chocolate frog clung to her jacket.

“Lose your treat, Dray?” She picked it up and handed it to him.

“Thanks.” He laughed and bit off the head. Together they turned to walk down the main street of the town. They walked in silence for a few minutes until Hermione started to hum her usual song as she consumed the quill. “Hermione?”

“Mmm?” Hermione sucked the sugar quill diligently. Draco shifted his eyes back in front of him to maintain his composure.

“I was just…um…I mean we’ve never talked about it.” Hermione could tell the conversation he was looking to begin was going to be a bit awkward to discuss. She waited patiently for him to find his words. “Um…how did...uh…how did your parents die?”

Hermione frowned slightly, slightly regretting her decision to start humming. She had no aversion to discussing it, if he was truly curious. “A Muggle car accident. They were coming home from dinner one night and another car collided with theirs. I only found out because I tried to ring them the next day, and the Muggle police were at the house.”

Draco nodded. “And that’s when you moved in with Harry?”

Hermione shrugged. “I only have one aunt, and she doesn’t know I’m a witch. I was eighteen at the time, so I hardly felt obligated to move in with family.” Hermione paused to sit on a bench when she finished her sweet. “How are you doing? With your mum’s death, I mean.”

“It’s just as you said it would be.” He remained standing. “I’ve got good days and bad days.”

“And today?”

He smiled. “Good. Very good.”

“Well it’s going to get so much better.” Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him across the street.

“Where are we going?” He laughed, trailing behind her.

“The bookstore!” Draco did not know whether to laugh at the petite witch pulling him or roll his eyes. “Oh come on! We both love books.”

Draco decided to roll his eyes, and then followed her into the store. They spilt and found their favorite sections. Ten minutes later, Hermione found Draco searching the “Classics” shelf. She held up the book she had found. “I read this a few years ago. It’s really good, and it’s about vampires. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

“I would love it because it’s about vampires?” Draco flipped the paperback over to read the description on the back.

“Obviously.” Hermione replied sarcastically. She laughed when he scowled at her response. “No, really. It is a great book.”

Draco smiled. “Well then you have to read this one.” He took a book off the shelf in front of him and passed it to her.

“Pride and Prejudice. It’s the only Jane Austen novel I haven’t read, surprisingly. Have you read it?”

“No.”

“Then why are you recommending it?”

“It was Mother’s favorite novel.”

“I’m not going to try to hide my surprise.” Hermione whispered.

Draco chuckled. “She was nothing like the public made her out to be, Nee. I wish you could have met her.”

Hermione smiled sadly at him. Draco did not speak of his mother very often, and she did not pry. Hermione was well versed in the arguments that plagued friends when they pushed too hard. She knew that when he needed to talk, he would come. She was slowly learning how to maneuver a relationship with the Malfoy men. “I’m looking forward to reading it.”

Draco kissed her forehead once more that afternoon and guided her to the check-out counter. On their way they passed the “Adult Non-Fiction” section of the store. Catching a glimpse of The Complete Guide to Karma Sutra, Draco smirked as he randomly opened the book to ‘The Lotus.’ “Well I can’t imagine that would be comfortable for a female.”

Hermione looked up from Pride and Prejudice to see what he was reading. “Really, Draco? Karma Sutra?” She smiled at him and then peered over his shoulder at the picture. The woman in the photo was on her back with her crossed legs pressed to her chest as the man penetrated her. She shrugged. “I can imagine any discomfort may be overcome by the pleasure.”

Draco studied her for a moment. “You aren’t blushing.”

Hermione laughed. “Am I supposed to be?”

“We are talking about sex.”

“Aren’t you the master of the obvious? I don’t think that answers my question though.”

“Well…I guess not. I just figured you would.”

“I’m a virgin, Dray. Not a prude.”

“Oh. So you are a virgin?”

“What?” Hermione’s eyes darkened in anger and confusion.

“Ron said he saw you naked. So I was a little confused.”

She stared blankly at Draco for a few moments before speaking. “I don’t know what’s worse: him lying about something like that or you believing him.” She turned on her heels and found the cashier. Draco sighed, realizing he was in the wrong. He put the book back in its place and stood next to her at the counter. “I don’t lie to you, Draco. I never have.” She looked him directly in the eye to punctuate the truth in her statement. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Frustrated with himself, he quickly paid for his book and tried to think of something to say to apologize. He still had no idea when he left the store. He stood and watched her pace back and forth on the other side of the street. He had only seen her in such a mood when she was trying to work out something. He was positive her thoughts were bouncing around recklessly.

He sighed again, unsure of how he had gotten himself in this position on their first date. He looked down at his feet and prayed for an answer to come to him. A smile broke across his face when he laid eyes on a small patch of purple flowers. He bent down and plucked one from the ground.

To his surprise she stopped her pacing after he had made it half way to her. He stopped and locked eyes with her. She sent him a small, apologetic smile and started to walk toward him.

“I’m sorry.” They said together. Draco smiled at her and slid the flower behind her ear. She smiled brightly back at him.

“I’m sorry.” She repeated. “I shouldn’t have spoke to you like that.”

“Nee! I should have trusted you. I’m at fault.” He shifted his eyes to his feet. “I just don’t like him.”

“We’re together on that sentiment I assure you.” Hermione said. He smiled shyly, nodding in response. “Shall we go for a walk up to the Shrieking Shack?”

He smiled for what seemed like the millionth time that day as they walked in the direction of the Shack. As they went, his hand slid up her back and over her shoulder. She nuzzled closer to him as a fall breeze blew through the countryside.

“I’m cold.” She said when they arrived at the top of the hill.

“Well I hope you know how to conjure a sweater from the leaves, because I’m not giving you my jacket.” He smirked at her. He watched her jaw drop in mock shock. She had taken a few steps away from him when they reached the top of the hill to tie her hair back.

It was almost as if her body moved without her mind’s consent. She moved towards him swiftly, wrapping her arms around his waist, tucked under his jacket. He looked down at her in authentic surprise, unsure of how to react. He was not expecting that.

Her smile quickly dissipated when she saw the shock written on his face. Frowning she tried to unwrap her arms from around him and move away. “Sorry. I just thought…I…”

Realizing this was a do or die situation, Draco quickly composed himself and pulled her back to him. “Don’t.” He whispered. She gave him a small smile and replaced her arms around his body. His breath caught as her fingers rubbed circles into his lower back. He moved a stray piece of hair behind the ear in which the flower was poised. He could not remember a moment in his life when he felt so complete. He traced her jaw with her thumb for the second time that weekend.

Without giving someone a chance to interrupt, he kissed her. She gasped shallowly as his lips gently covered hers. Bliss was the only word Hermione could think of to describe it, just pure bliss. His lips moved over hers slowly as if he was asking permission. She gave it to him by opening her lips. Letting her emotions take over, she leaned into him. His arms wrapped around her and held on tight, afraid she might come to her senses and flee. Hermione’s hands slid up his back and clung to him. She traced his bottom lip with her tongue smiling against his lips when she heard his moan. The fire in his kiss grew at her advance. He moved a hand to her hair, removed her hair tie, and tangled his long fingers into her curls. Groaning into his mouth, she gripped his back in hopes to steady herself.

Coming up for air, she gasped and placed her head on his chest. She heard his heart beating fast and hard. A smile played on her lips, still feeling the tingle he left there. “Dray?”

“Yes.” He answered breathlessly.

She looked into his eyes. “Do that again.” He grinned at her before capturing her lips once more.