♕ ten

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 "Alright, Luna. When Ron walks in, you are going to..."

"Ask him if he's seen Hermione," Luna replied accurately. Draco nodded. 

"Dean and Seamus, you will be..."

"At the DJ, ready to play breakup songs when he enters," they answered in unison. 

"Ginn-"

"I will be lying in wait, ready to ambush."

"Harry, you will..."

"Be ready with a glass of pumpkin juice to spill on Ron, so that he is forced to go to the restroom and clean up, where Hermione will 'accidentally' bump into him."

Draco nodded in satisfaction. Everyone knew their roles, and the plan was set. It was 6:55; people would soon be arriving.

"Alright, places everyone! he announced, clapping his hands. The first people were beginning to arrive as Blaise greeted them at the door. Draco walked over to Hermione. 

"You ready?" he asked.

"I think so," she stammered. Draco gave her a quick pat on the back. "You'll be fine," he reassured her. "If you ever need a second to breathe or a shoulder to cry on, I'm here." 

Hermione nodded gratefully and turned determinedly toward the door as Draco stepped back, ready for the party to start. 

Across the room, Hermione wrung her hands.

she told herself.

As guests started to trickle in, Hermione moved to the front to say hello. Roughly a hundred people had accepted the invitations, which was great; but it meant that Hermione had to deal with her fear of crowds. 

Many people came over to say hi, offer her drinks, and ask backhanded questions about the breakup. Hermione tried to stay as positive as possible and remembered what Draco had said about being there if she needed him. The thought gave her the strength to keep making her rounds about the party, greeting everyone she recognized. The sun was just beginning to set outside, and so the glowlights were turned on around the dance floor. Dean was doing an amazing job of DJ'ing, taking requests and keeping the party going. The dance floor was packed and so was the bar; everyone seemed to be having an amazing time. 

But Hermione was getting nervous. Even an hour into the party, Ron still had not arrived. Even without him there though, the party was at its peak. There was a game of spin the bottle going on at the back of the room, and Dean kept the crowd excited by enlisting a few slow dances, for couples. Hermione watched jealously as Draco was asked many times to dance by Gryffindors, Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws alike. Her cheeks flamed especially red when a very pretty Hufflepuff, Sierra Harrison, asked him if he'd like a drink. 

Hermione shook her head suddenly. Why on earth did she care? He was welcome to dance with whomever he pleased. 

Besides, Draco declined every invitation he received and stayed at the far side of the room. Hermione grinned. 

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Neville whispered, sidling along the wall "inconspicuously" before returning to the dance floor. Hermione turned around to face the entrance of the room and saw Ron entering. She began to fume at his mere presence, but kept her calm. Ron needed to see that she could be fun. 

Attempting to show a little spontaneity, Hermione made her way over to the bar and grabbed a glass of butterbeer, sipping it contentedly. Over by the entrance, she saw Luna approach Ron and ask him a question. The plan was already moving along. 

"You know," said a voice, interrupting her thoughts, "I haven't seen the hostess out much on the dance floor."

Hermione turned quickly around to see Cormac McLaggen raising an eyebrow at her, a glass of butterbeer in his hand. 

"Oh, I'm not much of a dancer," she answered hurriedly. McLaggen gave a low chuckle. 

"I'm sure you could handle yourself out there." He gestured toward the dance floor. 

"No, really..." Trying to make her way past McLaggen without seeming rude, Hermione looked hurriedly around for someone to help her, but there was no one around. Dean and Seamus were already playing breakup songs by the DJ, to Ron's clear disappointment. 

"I'm sorry, McLaggan, I've got to-" Hermione glanced around frantically for an excuse. 

"Come on, Granger! Come dance with me," McLaggen murmured, taking her hand. Hermione tore her arm away. 

"I apologize, but I-"

"Hermione, darling, there you are," came a voice that immediately cleared the nerves from her system. Before she could even begin to be confused as to why he had called her 'darling,' Hermione felt Draco's strong arms wrap around her shoulders. 

"Sorry, McLaggen," he said, grinning, "but I've gotta take this one for some alone time. You know how it goes," he winked. 

McLaggen, clearly taken aback, wore a shocked expression but soon covered it up with a small frown. "I didn't know you two were a couple," he said sourly.

Draco nodded, grinning.

"Had to ask about a dozen times before she agreed. This one's easy to fall for, but harder to catch."

McLaggen nodded coldly. "Well, congrats. See you around, Granger,."

Hermione smiled nervously but dropped it into a glare as soon as McLaggen was out of sight. She whipped around to face Draco. 

"What the hell was that!?" she hissed, trying to keep it quiet but still wanting to be heard over the noise of the party. "Why did you put your arms around me, and- and-"

"Call you my girlfriend?" Draco finished for her, sounding rather monotone. Hermione stopped, forgetting to breathe for a second. 

The feeling of his arms around her shoulders, protective but not overbearing... she allowed herself, just for a second, to imagine Draco as her boyfriend. Moonlight strolls on the grounds, nights out dancing in the village, late night study sessions and falling asleep on his shoulder...

Time seemed to freeze. The noise of the party slowed to a quiet hum. Draco's gray eyes held a hint of sadness, of longing, of something Hermione couldn't read. 

Suddenly, as if it had never stopped, time resumed its usual tempo, and Hermione was sucked back into reality.

"I was just trying to help you, Hermione," Draco said, a hint of biterness in his voice. "If you don't want me to do it again, then I won't do it again. I'll make sure to let McLaggen drag you away next time."

She watched hopelessly as he slipped back into the crowd before she could call out to him, leaving her confused and very much alone at the end of the crowded bar. 

Neville appeared at her shoulder. he whispered, ducking under the table and attempting to do a forward roll, but instead coming up and whacking his head on a Ravenclaw's high heel. 

Hermione shook off what had just happened and reminded herself that she was on a mission. She looked over to the bathroom, where Ron was just emerging with a slightly less noticeable pumpkin juice stain. Hermione hurried over, accidentally bumping shoulders with him. 

"Ahh, watch where you're going! This shirt just got ruined by some bumbling idiot, I don't need you to tear it up!" Ron exclaimed angrily, ripping more napkins hurriedly off the table. He looked up indignantly, his anger vanishing when he caught sight of Hermione's stony expression. 

"Oh, H-Hermione, I didn't know it w-"

"Save it, Ron," Hermione growled. "I specifically told Draco not to invite cockroaches. So why are you here?"

Ron's frown turned into a glare. 

"I knew that you couldn't have planned this party, Hermione," he snarled. "Of course you had to have the old Malfoy git plan it for you because you've got about as many fun ideas in that brain as Professor McGonagall. Less, actually. 

"I'll have you know that I plan this party," Hermione retorted. Ron rolled his eyes. 

"Bull, Hermione. You can't plan a party to save your life."

As if she had been lying in wait, watching the exchange, Ginny strode into the conversation at the exact right moment.  

"Hermione, I can't believe you planned all this!" She exclaimed, giving a hug to her friend. Hermione put on a winning smile and hugged Ginny in return. 

"Well, I couldn't have done it without you. Thanks for storing the butterbeer I ordered!" 

"Oh, please," Ginny laughed, waving a hand nonchalantly. "You're the real hero of the day. And to think, I wanted to have this party at the Three Broomsticks!" The two friends shared a convincing laugh before Ginny turned to Ron. 

"Oh," she said sourly as if just realizing he was standing there. "Hermione, I thought you said not to invite roaches to the party."

"I am not a roach!" Ron exclaimed angrily. He pushed past Hermione and Ginny, whirling around to point a daring finger at the two. 

"This isn't over."

With that, he stormed out of the party. A few of the guests were surprised, but only for a second; they resumed their festivities without another thought. Ginny turned to Hermione. 

"That went amazing!" she exclaimed, as the clock neared 10. Guests were starting to file out of the building. Many came over to thank Hermione for the party. As soon as everyone had left, Draco, Dean, Neville, Seamus, Blaise, and Luna came over to congratulate Hermione. 

"That was so great!" They exclaimed, exchanging hugs and bro-shakes. They had all succeded in their plan, and Ron had obviously been jealous. 

"But he's not jealous enough," Ginny reminded them. "Next, we need to show him how romantic Hermione can be."

"Let's meet up tomorrow?" Blaise suggested. It was decided that they would all meet up in the library to discuss tactics for turning Hermione into a hopeless romantic. 

The rest of the group trickled out slowly, laughing and reminiscing about the priceless look on Ron's face. Soon, only Draco and Hermione remained at the back of the room. 

 She risked a step in his direction. 

"Draco, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

Draco was silent for a moment as he discarded some empty firewhiskey bottles. 

"No, Hermione, I get it," he said finally. "I shouldn't have sprung that on you, it wasn't right of me. It won't happen again."

Hermione struggled to find a response. Her cheeks began to flush. How was she supposed to tell Draco how she'd felt when he put his arms around her? Safe and happy... like she had come home. 

"No, Draco, please-"

"Goodnight, Hermione," Draco said, an air of finality in his voice. He smiled quickly before turning around and walking away, leaving Hermione confused and alone in the dark, silent space.

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