Damage Control Part 2
Chapter four: Damage Control Part 2
“HOW HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF ADAM LAMBERT!” Theo wails. He had conjured a chandelier and was currently swinging from it whilst pretending to sing along to the record. “GO BACK AND PLAY IT AGAIN!”
“Just wait until you hear Sia.” Hermione mumbled.
Two bottles of wine and one bottle of firewhiskey had been shared as Hermione charms the deep green carpet into a bright pink leopard print. Theo and Blaise are both wearing their ties around their heads. She takes the carpet and drapes it around Draco’s shoulders and smooths the hair back from his face.
“You ABSOLUTE MUGGLE! Granger! What are you doing to me!?” Draco practically wails as he takes a deep sip from his goblet.
“Quiet now,” Hermione chuckles, “or I’ll make your hair match your cape.”
“You…wouldn’t dare!” Draco tried to sound formidable but failed.
“It’s a good look on you mate,” Blaise says encouragingly, “it brings out your eyes. Actually, you remind me of the peacocks at your Manor. Quite refined. Quite regal, to be honest. Oh! Lets glamor you into a peacock!” He draws his wand and Draco’s eyebrows sprout into long, proud iridescent peacock feathers. “Go ahead,” he chuckles, “take a strut for us”
Draco scoffs, but a soft smile appears on his lips as he looks at Hermione and holds the cape around his shoulders. He stands still while his friends take a myriad of photos.
“Malfoy, you’re scowling again.” Hermione chides. Theo refills Draco’s goblet.
“These feathers are heavy, Ms. Granger,” he says in a low drawl. She waves her wand and his eyebrows return to their blindingly blonde brilliance.
Jumping down to the floor, Theo says “Granger- no- Hermione, darling, I am having the time of my life!” He walks to the table and pours another round for them. “I need…no! I must be introduced to more muggles! Please tell me you know this Adam Lambert bloke!
Chuckling, Hermione takes the offered glass. “I’m sorry Theodore-“
“No! It’s Theo to you!”
“-Theo- I do not know Adam Lambert. But I can see when he is touring next and we can go see him in concert.”
Theo’s face brightens. He picks her up and folds her into a big hug. Blaise snaps another photo.
The night continued in this fashion with a joviality that was a surprise to them all, taking photos and videos and posting everything and tagging Draco.
Despite being from different houses, the four of them are quite enjoying themselves. Even Draco, who hasn’t frowned for at least ten minutes. (A record, his friends think)
Theo charms his hair into a wild, curly mane and grabs his chest as Blaise takes a photo. He scrolls through Draco’s embarrassing Twitter feed. Finding the right tweet- “Hermione Granger’s tits”- he replies with his photo of Theo-mione.
“See?” Hermione said, grasping Draco’s hand, “damage control.”
It was as if a lifebulb (or whatever Muggles called those electric orbs of light) went off in his head. At the spur of the moment, in the middle of the night, Hermione had taken the time to get dressed and traipse across the castle down to the dungeons to his dorm to help him. Bloody Gryffindors, always altruistic. But this seemed to go beyond a basic need to help. Everything he had put on the blue bird and FaceDictionary, all the embarrassment and ridicule, was being woven into a crazy plausible story. To protect him. All this, coming from a witch that didn’t owe him anything, especially after what his insane aunt had put her through.
And yet, here she was, seemingly enjoying herself. Touching him, by her own volition. Laughing with him. He was stunned. He was in awe of her. She had occupied his most secret thoughts for years, and yet everything he imagined had never compared to what she was doing right now.
He needed a moment to himself, so he walked to the round table with the record player. He studied the discs for a moment.
“What’s this one?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Oh! That one has some of my favorite Muggle songs.”
“Put it on!” Theo cheers, taking another drink. Hermione hopes they have hangover potions on hand. She hadn’t anticipated having an actual party when this all started, but she wasn’t complaining. Tomorrow was Saturday, so no classes.
“Theoooooo,” Blaise croons, drawing out the “o” in his name, “I think you’re missing something.” Without another word, he transfigures Theo’s shorts into a shortened version of the skirt worn by Gryffindor girls.
Theo squeaks, “Oh this is grand!” Hermione, doll, let’s do yours next!” Before she has time to protest, he grabs his wand and turns her skirt into Syltherin colors and it shortens from being just above her knees to barely covering her backside. “Here you go Draco! Hermione Granger’s arse!” He doubles over in laughter. “Time…time..” he huffs, “time to fix that tweet! Hermione, come stand next to Draco. And Draco, get on your knees. Blaise, you’ll have to take the picture.”
Having had enough liquid courage to lower their inhibitions, they all comply. True to form, Draco grumbles a bit and sips on his goblet of wine before settling on his knees, his gloriously hideous cape around his shoulders and pooling majestically onto the ground.
“Now Hermione, this is what we will do.” Theo stands at Draco’s left, knees slightly bent, his arse inches from Draco’s ear.
She looks at the two of them, smiling. “You’re missing something Theo.” She conjures one of his white dress shirts and magically ties a knot with the ends right over his navel.
Theo looks down at his bared abdomen and grins maniacally. “Witch, you are brilliant! Now come on! Blaise, get ready!”
Hermione walks the short distance towards Draco. His face is flushed. She leans over in front of him, staring into his steely silver eyes. Cupping his cheek, she whispers, “don’t get too excited now, love.” With a wink, she steps to his right, mirroring Theo’s pose.
“This is going to be epic.” Blaise states reverently. A few seconds pass and he says, “I took a video too!”
Tap tap, click click. Posted.
Draco groans. The other three laugh.
Draco points a finger at the wizards. “You two have turned against me.” He says, without conviction.
“Oooooh noooo!” Theo gasps dramatically. “Will your father hear about this? Hippogriff 2.0?” He doubles over in laughter, and Hermione and Blaise follow, the laughter overpowering the record player. After a moment of accusatory stares, Draco joins in on the mirth.
“Mate, I haven’t heard you laugh like that since third year!” Theo says as he wipes tears from his eyes.
“Accio Draco’s Quidditch jersey.” Hermione says with a mischievous glint in her eyes, smiling innocently up at Draco.
“My..my..what?” Draco stutters as the jersey flies into her outstretched hand.
“Turn around boys! Backs towards me for a moment!” Hermione says as she removes her tie and shirt to replace it with Draco’s jersey and tying her hair up into a bun.
“Allright. Turn back around now. Draco, come here.” Draco turns and her eyes find his, capturing him in her gaze. She is wearing his jersey, his name emblazoned on the back in bold letters. Her skirt is still barely covering the curve of her bum. She ties the jersey up around her waist, and as Draco steps forward, she removes the leopard cloak and puts her arms around his neck.
“Brilliant!”
“Oh that’s hot!”
Take some photos please, Hermione says, her warm brown eyes staring into Draco’s. He is about a foot taller than her, so she stands up on her toes. Gently fisting the hair at the nape of his neck she says, “I am a brilliant bloody swot, aren’t I?” She opens her mouth slightly and pulls him down for a kiss.
Draco’s first instinct is to freeze. Granger is kissing him. Hermione is kissing him. On purpose. And she’s wearing his jersey. Slowly, hesitantly, he wraps his hands around her waist and tentatively responds to her gentle yet fervent kiss. His left hand slowly skirts lower, cupping her bum that is exposed by her short skirt and pulls her gently in and closer to his body.
In this moment, the world has gone silent for Draco and Hermione. They don’t hear Theo and Blaise talking about the photos and videos. They don’t hear the record player. It is a moment that they never thought would be realized, and yet, here they are.
Until the sound of stilettos is heard echoing off the stone corridor outside their dorm. The door flies open and Pansy walks in, perturbed. “How DARE you have a party and not invite me-“ she looks around the room, her lined eyes getting large and finally narrowing as they settle on Draco and Hermione in an embrace, oblivious to her intrusion.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?”