I Keep Dancing on my Own
Chapter 1 - I keep dancing on my own
And I'm right over here, why can't you see me?
And I'm giving it my all
But I'm not the guy you're taking home
-
Draco couldn’t take his eyes off her. Hermione Granger was easily the most stunning witch in the entire hall. She was so beautiful; he couldn’t even be jealous that she was dancing with Victor Krum and not him. Her periwinkle dress was the only one he could focus on and it was possibly even more glamorous than Pansy’s slytherin green one.
Pansy was currently off snogging a girl from Durmstrang and so he sat by himself. Draco didn’t have any issue with his best friend being into girls and was happy for her to pretend to be in love with him so her family didn’t suspect. Draco could only imagine how her father would react. He was glad that his parents had always been there for him, even though they and their methods were far from light. He wouldn’t replace them for anything.
Hermione even laughed like an angel. Gosh, when did she manage to figure out that hair? It was nothing compared to the bird’s nest it had been when he first met her. If only he could actually speak to her. His parents wouldn’t hate him for talking to a muggle-born but it was too risky, especially with the inevitable return of the Dark Lord nearing closer and closer.
Draco decided then that he needed some air. He couldn’t watch Krum fall over the girl he’d fallen hopelessly in love with right in front of him. And he’d had enough of the stupid ball anyways. His mother’s were better. He’d been missing the annual Malfoy Yule Ball for the one at Hogwarts for the first time in his life and his mother had been so disappointed to find out he wasn’t coming home at Christmas. Draco loved his mother but she was definitely too concerned about him, probably the consequence of being an only child.
-
“Hi,” Harry said as Hermione approached him and Ron. Ron didn’t seem to say anything.
“It’s getting hot isn’t it?” she said, fanning herself with her hand. “Victor’s just gone to get some drinks.” Ron just glared at her.
“Victor,” he said. “Surprised he hasn’t asked you to call him Vicky yet.” Ron said in that awful tone of his. Hermione just glared at him.
“What’s up with you?” Hermione asked. Not that this behaviour was new, Ron had been really off recently and she couldn’t place her finger on it.
“If you don’t know,” Ron said scathingly, “I’m not going to tell you.” Hermione stared at him and then at her best-friend. “He’s from Durmstrang!” spat Ron. “He’s competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You - you’re -” Ron was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione’s actions. “Fraternising with the enemy, that’s what you’re doing!”
Hermione just glared at the red-head in disgust. “Don’t be so stupid!” she uttered after a moment. “The enemy! Honestly - who was the one who got all excited when he arrived? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who’s got a model of him up in their dormitory?” Hermione was fed up with him and his hypocrisy.
Ron chose to ignore this. “I s’pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?”
“Yes he did. So what?” Hermione huffed, the pink patches on her cheeks glowing more brightly. “And for your information, I haven’t told him a single thing about Harry or the next task and he hasn’t asked!” She needed some fresh air, so she got up and walked out of the great hall.
The front doors were open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as she walked down the front steps. She carried on walking along one of the winding paths through the rose bushes, but she’d only gone a short way when she bumped into Draco Malfoy. He pressed a finger to his lips and Hermione nodded, staying silent as she heard a familiar voice.
“... don’t see what there is to fuss about,” came the voice of her potions professor.
“Severus, you can’t pretend this isn’t happening!” That was Karkaroff’s voice. His voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be over-heard. “It’s been getting clearer and clearer for months, I am becoming seriously concerned, I can’t deny it -” that caused Draco’s eyes to widen. Hermione didn’t understand what it meant but it must’ve been important for Draco to react like that.
“Then flee,” said Snape’s voice curtly. “Flee, I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts.” Snape and Karkaroff then came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rose bushes apart, his expression most ill natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them. “Ten points from Hufflepuff, Fawcett! And ten from Ravenclaw too Stebbins!”
“What was that about?” Hermione whispered to Draco.
“Not here,” he whispered back. And for some reason, Hermione followed him.
-
Draco didn’t watch if she was following him as he ventured up to the seventh-floor corridor and to the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy. He could tell that Hermione was giving him a weird look as he began to pace in front of the empty wall; he didn’t even need to see her face. Draco sighed with relief when the door appeared and he opened it to a cosy room with an emerald green sofa beside a fire.
“What is this place?” Hermione asked in awe. Draco smirked at the fact that there was something he’d discovered before the Gryffindor trio.
“The room of requirement,” Draco said as he flopped onto one of the couches. “It transforms into anything you need it to be. Pretty useful when you want a secret room to shag someone.” Hermione stared at him in horror. “I’m only joking Granger. I am still a virgin, if you need to know.”
“What…” Hermione spluttered. “Nevermind. Why the fuck are you being so nice to me? I’m Hermione Granger; do you remember? Or have you been secretly drinking firewhiskey all night.”
“For your information, I am too sophisticated to get pissed at a stupid Hogwarts ball. I have no intention of ruining my reputation because of some firewhiskey.” Hermione reluctantly sat down on the other end of the sofa as she realised that her feet really were hurting from wearing heels all evening. “And you asked me a question. I intend to answer it, and that’s only because I trust you.”
“Why on earth do you trust me Malfoy? I’m just a filthy little mudblood, remember.” Hermione scoffed.
Draco winched at that. “Don’t call yourself that. It was a mistake and I’ve realised now that you are a great witch, muggle-born or not. You are no less of a witch than my mother, and she’s as pureblooded as they come.”
Hermione just sighed. “Anyway, what were Snape and Karkaroff on about? It’s obvious that you understand more than I do.”
“Fine.” Draco said. “But promise me that it won’t leave this room.”
Hermione hesitated for a moment before saying “Fine.”
“Okay, so Snape and Karkaroff share something in common …” Draco started.
“What?” Hermione asked, startled. “No unbreakable vow or anything, surely…”
“I told you Granger,” Draco cut her off. “I trust you. And that means I trust your word as well. Maybe I shouldn’t and it will backfire in my face. But I trust that if you say it won’t leave this room, it won’t leave this room.”
“Why do you trust me so much?” Hermione asked curiously.
Tonight she’d seen Malfoy in a completely different light. He was much different than she thought. And he was devilishly handsome. Hermione could just imagine how he would feel under her touch…
No. She couldn’t have these thoughts. He may have been nice to her tonight, but it was Draco, my father will hear about this, Malfoy. Even though he said he didn’t care about blood, there was no way that he’d ever be able to even consider dating her. His social circles wouldn’t allow it. Much less his parents. She could only imagine how they’d react to her. She hadn’t seen his mother personally, and had only briefly conversed with his father, but from just the stories Ron had told her, they’d never accept her. Draco was enamoured by Pansy Parkinson anyway. There’s no way he’d ever want her: a know-it-all, muggle-born, bushy-haired, swot. No, she couldn’t get her hopes up. She couldn’t bear her heart being broken.
“It doesn’t matter,” Draco simply stated. “Snape and Karkaroff were death eaters.”
“We knew that already,” Hermione said matter-of-factly. “Sirius told us.”
“You mean my cousin who wants to kill Harry. Works for the Dark Lord?” Draco asked in confusion.
“He was innocent. It was Peter Pettigrew.” Hermione stared at him in confusion this time. “I thought your parents would know all about that. Former death eaters and shit.” Did he really not know that Sirius was innocent? Surely the former death eaters knew it was Peter. His parents were never caught or charged for it, but the entire wizarding world knew they’d been death eaters. Then she realised what he’d just said. “Wait! He’s your cousin?”
Draco shrugged. “Yeah, my mother is a Black by birth. She was one of Sirius’ and Regulus’ cousins. Didn’t know Sirius was innocent though.”
“One of them?” Hermione questioned. Sirius had never mentioned his cousins. She’d never even heard the name Regulus before, she presumed it must’ve been Sirius’ brother.
“Yeah. Andy is an official blood-traitor after marrying that Hufflepuff muggle-born,” Draco explained. “Forgot his name though; Tonks I think. Then aunt Bella has been in Azkaban for as long as I can remember. Mother told me that she went insane after leaving Hogwarts. I’ve never met her though, she was imprisoned with her husband and brother-in-law after the Dark Lord vanished. Tortured the Longbottoms or something.”
Hermione was overwhelmed by all of the new information that Malfoy was giving her. His mother was a Black. The Longbottoms were tortured by Malfoy’s aunt. Was that why Neville lived with his grandmother? Hermione had so many questions.
“Anyway back to Snape and Karkaroff. They were talking about the dark mark,” Draco said. From Hermione’s confused expression he explained “It’s the mark that the Dark Lord gave to his followers, it’s on their left forearm. Father says that it’s been getting darker since the summer. That’s why there were death eaters at the world cup. It’s only a matter of time before the Dark Lord returns and he isn’t a forgiving person. All the death eaters that weren’t locked away are scared that they’ll be punished for not being loyal to him all these years. Including my parents. Father has been terrified since summer; it’s only a matter of time before everything goes to shit again. That’s why Karkaroff said he wants to run away. He gave loads of names and got loads of death eaters locked away. The Dark Lord won’t be pleased with that.”
“Why do you call him the Dark Lord?” Hermione asked. “You aren’t who I thought you were. But, if you don’t care about my blood then why are you using the term the death eaters call him.”
“Father and mother call him that. They’re too scared to call him anything else. Mother calls him a fucking megalomaniac sometimes, but other than that.” Draco shrugged. “It’s just a habit I guess.” He didn’t mention to her that he’d probably end up being a death eater one day too.
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
“Draco,” It was the first time that she’d used his first name, which definitely caught him by surprise. “Why are you being so nice to me? I thought you hated my guts.”
“Do you remember that day in third year, when you punched me?” Draco asked her. Hermione nodded her head. “I remember thinking that it was a badass move. That’s when I realised what a powerful witch you are, and you’re really smart. It made me realise that I’d been wrong about blood, you’re great and you don’t need wizarding parents to prove that.”
“Thanks Draco,” Hermione smiled. Then she looked at the clock on the wall. “Shit. It’s two in the morning. I’d better go.”
“Night, Hermione,” Draco said as she turned to walk away. “Keep this a secret?” He asked.
“You have my word.” Hermione confirmed as she left the room. And it wasn’t just his trust in her that told him she truly meant it.
-
He was glad that tonight happened. He couldn’t tell her how he felt about her - maybe he never would - but he was glad that they could maybe be friends. But it was interesting what she’d said about Sirius. Did that mean Pettigrew was alive again? Was that the reason the Dark Lord was on the verge of returning. He needed to write to his mother.