For Every Action

Chapter IV

The note was unsigned, but I had a rough idea of who sent it.

Draco's taking such a typically Harry approach. I do hope it's Draco who's doing this. If it isn't, it would be incredibly embarrassing. But, why would he send it tonight?

I was feeling terribly giddy, and for some reason, though I don't know what, I walked around with a silly grin plastered on my face. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I realized I only had an hour before I was expected to arrive in the kitchens. Studying can wait.

With a flick of my wand, I stacked up my books, and set off for the Gryffindor Tower, praying that Harry was somewhere else. Anywhere else. Crawling through the portrait hole, I found the Gryffindor Common Room nearly deserted, only a few First Years were set up on the floor, playing a spirited game of Gobstones instead of reviewing for their coming exams.

Dinner must be early tonight. I took my time getting ready, ensuring that my scarlet dress robes were perfectly set, and that my aquamarine pendant hung just so on my neck. What if someone suspects? What should I do if I run into someone? Most importantly Harry...danced a little voice in my head. Shaking it off, I pushed a lock of straightened hair out of my eyes and grabbed my cloak out of my trunk. Skipping seemed the best plan, in case I was to eat with Draco you don't know Draco sent the note. It was in green ink. Just because he's a Slytherin doesn't mean that he's about to send you a note in green. Don't expect him there. How will you feel if it's Harry?

With that little reminder, I just about physically jumped as I finished tying up the cord on my cape. Sweeping out of the Common Room, I took the staircases down to the warm corridors of the kitchen. Fortunately, I ran into no one, and after descending one last set of stairs, I found myself in a long, high hallway with butter coloured stones. There was no one outside the portrait that concealed the kitchen. Disappointment filled me and I frowned miserably as I gazed with longing at the portrait of fruit.

Maybe it was Harry. Maybe he did it to annoy me, to depress me, or to frighten me. Who knows. With how he reacted, you really can't be sure if he's of stable mind. I smiled at the thought, and turned around to leave.

"I like it when you smile," a voice from behind me said. It was Draco.

I've heard that somewhere before......

"Hermione, I've got to go look after Ron, he's got into the Firewhiskey that Seamus had."

"Sure thing, Harry," I replied, trying to sound happy, but truthfully, my heart fell. I walked back into the Great Hall as Harry headed outside in to the frosty January evening, feeling as miserable as I thought possible. The enchanted ceiling let burst a clump of confetti every few minutes, the streamers swayed to their own tune, and the Weird Sisters were once again providing the entertainment. In fact, this ball was so similar to the Yule Ball the year earlier, I found myself amazed that Krum wasn't there on my arm. But then, he probably wouldn't have been able to find me in the sea of masked people.

"You look lost," a voice said. It came from the shadows near the door.

"Yeah, I feel so sometimes. Would you care to dance? I mean, there's three hours left, and my date just ran out on me."

"Sucks to be you. No, I'm just joking," he said hurriedly, responding to the crestfallen look on what he could see of my face. "I'd love to dance with you." I responded with a smile, and he emerged from the shadows with his arm held out.

"So, where did your date go?" he asked as we began to sway on the dance floor. The slow music drifted from the bandstand, and was a refreshing change from the rock previously attempted.

"Oh, he had to attend to a friend. He, er, he got into some liquor a friend brought. He's a little tipsy right now. Apparently, he made quite a mess out of his date." The mystery man smiled.

"Your mask suits you," he said.

"As does yours," I replied.

"Are you in my house?"

"I wouldn't know, you didn't tell me yours."

"What year are you in?"

"Fifth."

"Same here. Listen," he said quietly as he led me off the dance floor and out of the Great Hall, "meet me in front of the suit of armor near Dumbledore's office. You've been there, right?" I nodded. "Good. Meet me there tomorrow, after the trip to Hogsmeade, at 4:30."

"Okay, but why are you telling me now? Can't we take our masks off later? We basically have all night."

"Yes, well, my date didn't abandon me, and she's coming right for me, so I'd best say goodbye now. Look, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Wait," I whispered as I pulled him behind the door, careful to avoid the detection of the girl aiming for us. "Where was it again?"

"The suit of armor by Dumbledore's office. 4:30."

"Okay, I think I've got it," I replied smiling.

"I like it when you smile," he said softly as his hand rested on the back of my neck. His eyes were grey. Such a deep, alluring grey.

I shouldn't be doing this. I have a boyfriend. I have a boyfriend, and he loves me. That didn't stop you from flirting with him before.

"You know, you're the first person I've kissed after knowing only one night."

"You haven't kissed me yet," I whispered. He didn't reply. As he bent down, I moved up, and our lips met perfectly. With a sudden shriek that ushered from behind us we broke apart, and he spun around to face his screaming date.

"Go, now," he uttered almost inaudibly, "before she tears you apart." I just nodded, dizzy from the kiss we had just shared, so unexpected, so perfect. I slid out from behind the door as my mystery kisser warded his date off.

What am I going to do about Harry now? I can't possibly meet him near Dumbledore's office without anyone suspecting. I wish I could know who he is! Dumbledore's idea of a masked ball was cool, but the masks aren't allowed to come off until after midnight, and it looks as though he won't be here then. He was being dragged off through the Great Hall doors by his date, as having her witness the whole scene she was in rather a fury. Hopefully she won't come back here and scream at me. Then Harry would find out......

But she didn't come back, and neither did he, and I slipped back into the Great Hall and danced the rest of the night away with Harry after he had returned from assisting Ron back to the Common Room and into bed.

The next day, I was as distracted as possible. There was a chance to visit Hogsmeade, but very few went, as most were sleeping right through noon. When 4:30 arose, I was ready in anticipation at the suit of armor next to Dumbledore's office. Little voices in my head kept screaming "Get away! You're not meant to be here! You'll ruin your chances with Harry if you stay to find out who it is!" Those little voices were very right.

"You, Granger! What are you doing here?" Malfoy said severely. I sighed, and turned around to find him seething with anger at the thought of someone else taking up space that belonged to no one.

"Well, if you must know, Malfoy, I'm here to meet someone," I answered lazily as I leaned against the wall. His face turned a very pale pink, embarrassment and some other, indefinable emotion.

"It seems we have something in common, for once," Draco replied, not nearly as harshly. "You see, I'm here to meet someone as well. Did you, by any chance," he added, his head down as he stepped towards me, "kiss a certain person behind the Great Hall doors last night?"

Oh my God. It was him. It was him! What am I going to do now? What if Harry finds out? Well, I suppose there always was the 'what if Harry finds out' panic part, but Malfoy! I actually kissed Malfoy! Well, I mean it wasn't that bad, actually he's a very good kisser, but I kissed a Malfoy. Oh well, might as well do it again!

I didn't answer his question, I just walked up to him, kissed him very passionately for several minutes, and walked away, leaving him pressed against the wall with tousled hair and an expression of longing on his face.

I snapped back to the present as relief seeped into me and I turned, and found him striding up from the end of the hall.

"Sorry I'm late. I wasn't sure if you'd turn up. You looked so bored at the table in the library, I had to do something to cheer you up," he said.

"You weren't in the library, so how do you know I was?"

"Oh, I was there. You didn't see me, so I shall leave my hiding place a secret. Did you like the ink?"

"Green. Typical of a Slytherin," I teased. Draco was inches from me now. My breath raced as I stared into his placid expression.

"Well, maybe this won't be so typical of a Slytherin," he whispered as he took out a black leather box from his pocket. "I believe I was interrupted in this earlier. Hermione Anne Granger, will you marry me?" My heart nearly stopped. I didn't think he was serious in Potions. I didn't think he'd propose yet. Yes, that may be egotistical, but we were staying together, so the only sensible thing to do was get married. He was obviously serious now.

"Hermione. Hermione, are you there? Will you?"

Chapter V

Even though I still hadn't answered, Draco opened the box and slid a ring onto my left hand. It was smooth and cold, very much unlike the glittering stone set in the centre. A ruby, deep red as the heart of a coal, was set in the middle of the ring, while two smaller, yet equally splendid emeralds were placed on either side. Around the white-gold band was twisted a lion and a serpent.

"Oh, Draco, it's...it's...beautiful," I finally whispered, for lack of a better word. I looked up at him, my eyes shining with love and happiness, for in my mind I had already said yes. The worried expression of Draco's face reminded me to enforce that decision verbally. "Yes, yes, I'll marry you," I added, smiling at him, and the apprehensive exterior he held onto came crashing down. With a bright smile that released all his happiness, Draco kissed me, our mouths meeting perfectly as he hugged me tightly, so tight that I wanted him to let go but feared that if he did, he would leave. Finally, after what seemed like hours, yet seconds, at the same time, he released me and stood there, a boyish grin of excitement on his face.

"Can we get something to eat?" he asked boldly.

"Yes, definitely. I'm starved. I skipped supper to come here."

"Same here. Say, why don't we just hit the kitchen? The last time I was there, the house-elves weren't too helpful, but with you they may be."

"When was that?"

"Oh, it's a long story. We were hiding from McGonagall, the old cow-" I shot him a glance of warning as the kitchen door appeared. "-I mean, the lovely teacher," he finished sarcastically. The house elves were only too happy to assist us, and unfortunately, Dobby saw the ring on my finger. As he handed me a cup of coffee, his eyes lit up and he stared at the ring for several seconds.

"That's rude," Draco interjected, breaking Dobby's gaze.

"Sorry, so sorry sir. Dobby had no intention of being rude, but Dobby just think Dobby has seen that ring somewhere before," stuttered Dobby. I gave him an understanding smile, but he simply backed away. As we were leaving the kitchens, I turned on my heel and came face-to-face with Draco.

"What does he mean he's seen this ring somewhere before? It was a family heirloom, right? You didn't steal it from somewhere, did you?" I snapped loudly, causing a huddle of Third Year Ravenclaws to stare silently as they slid past us. Forcing a smile, I grinned at them and then dropped the faux exterior as I turned back to Draco.

"I didn't steal it from anywhere," he murmured as he pushed me against the wall. "It was a family heirloom. Why the lion was on the band," he bent in for a kiss, and my heart nearly stopped beating, "I'll never know." Draco kissed me again, so deep and forcefully this time that I ran out of air. Gasping for breath as he backed off, I pulled at his tie to bring him closer.

"No Hermione, no. Not here. Wait till we're out of school," said Draco softly, stepping away from me.

"Why not?" I sighed, slightly annoyed. "We just got engaged, and what stopped you before?"

"That was different."

"How so?"

"I didn't plan on getting you pregnant, or marrying you for that matter," Draco added as he pulled my sulking figure off the wall. "But I will have to admit this. Ever since our first kiss-" I grinned at the thought of his conquest of the unknown lady, "-you've certainly been much more attractive. By the day in fact. I hope it will go on like that forever. And when I think it over, you're by far the best match for me any day, whether or not I was willing to admit it."

"So?"

"So what?"

"So what's wrong with now?"

"Three weeks 'till school is out, then we'll pick out a house," he said. He pressed me back against the wall and sought out my mouth with his. Several minutes later, at the sound of someone coming down the stairs, we broke apart and I made as though I was admiring the bowl of fruit that was giggling in its gilded frame.

"And honestly, she's been with him for the past day," exclaimed a voice from the landing. Both of us stiffened visibly.

How does everyone know about this! It's like we're on the cover of Hello!

"Oh yes," replied another, "I hear she left Harry because he was cheating on her with some little thing from Hogsmeade."

The lead weight mounting in my chest receded, and I sighed with relief.

They think Harry cheated on me? Whoa, he mustn't be very popular with the whole school at the moment, for breaking up the 'Dream Team' as some labeled us. This was slightly more than I could absorb at the moment, so I stood there in a rather transfixed state, until Draco tapped me on the shoulder.

"Let's give them something to talk about," he whispered, and before I could reply he was all over me. Shivers erupted down my spine, and I kissed him as passionately as I had ever done before. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shell-shocked Anthony Goldstein and a stunned Ernie MacMillan. I shot them a grin as Draco released my mouth, and they turned and fled. Draco held on as I made a motion to pull away.

"Just because they left doesn't mean that we can't keep going."

"But-" I began in protest, however he cut me off. For an unmeasured amount of time, the kitchen hallway belonged to us, and then I came back to my senses.

"Draco, really, what if they went to get a teacher?"

"We'd get detention," he answered, placing kisses up and down my neck.

"No, seriously, I should go. We both have to study."

He stepped back and took a once-over of me. Okay, you win. This time," he conceded. The phrase look at you now flitted across my mind but I held my tongue, as not to spoil the night. Kneeling, Draco took my hand and kissed it, avoiding my eyes until he stood. A sign of passion.