Speechless

Hermione gasped as she slipped the third dress over her head, twisting her hips to look at it from all angles. It was a strapless silk slip dress under an off-the-shoulder lace bodice with half-sleeves and a flowing chiffon skirt.

"Hermione come on out." Pansy's voice filtered through the curtains. She shoved them aside, and Astoria gasped.

"What the fuck. I'm speechless."

Pansy clapped her hands with delight- it was one of her dresses- and raised a hand imperiously, twirling her finger in a circle.

"Spin."

Hermione spun around, the skirt fanning out like a flower blooming at an impossibly fast pace. Pansy clapped her hands again, a large smile on her face.

"That one. ."

Hermione grinned. "I guess this is the dress I'll be wearing?"

Pansy scowled. "If you don't show up in that, I will Apparate to your apartment and get it and drag you to the washroom and make you wear it."

Hermione held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll get it."

Pansy smirked in triumph. "Perfect. I think we've all made our choices."

Léonine nodded. "Alright. I'll ring you up downstairs and then I'll bag those up for you." She scooped up the three dresses and Pansy was practically skipping down the stairs as they followed her to the first floor. Astoria grinned.

"Skipping, Pans? I don't think I've ever seen you do that."

Pansy scowled lightheartedly, shoving Astoria lightly into the wall. "Oh, shut up."

Astoria shoved her back, smirking. "Wait 'til I tell Theo you were -"

Pansy's face burned. "Oh no you won't-"

Hermione grinned. "What's wrong with skipping, Pans?"

"Well, basically, when we were fifteen, she said she'd never skip again because it was too girly." Astoria's eye's were mischievous as she relayed the story, Hermione shaking her head in half-exasperation.

"That's it. That's really it."

"I mean, yes, but it's a Slytherin thing. It's like you say it, and you're not going to take it back."

Hermione sighed. "What's the point in remembering it if no one else will?"

Astoria shrugged. "It's just something that's ingrained in us, you know? A weird habit. We don't really tend to go back on our word."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. Astoria shrugged.

***

Hermione came home, shopping bag in hand, rather pleased with her find. Draco raised a brow as she shoved it in the closet.

"Don't I get to see?" Hermione smirked mischievously.

"Absolutely not. I'm under explicit orders from both Pansy and Astoria to not show you this dress until Christmas."

"Really." Draco's tone was skeptical.

"Yes, really." Hermione rolled her eyes, shoving past him to take her turn at making dinner. "And I will know if you touch that bag, because I've got a protective charm on it."

Draco huffed. "Women and their secrets."

Hermione called from the kitchen. "I heard that, and if you want to see that dress on me at all you'll shut it."

***

Time flew by, and it felt like Christmas was coming up faster than ever. It was already December 16th, and Hermione had spent time the week before decorating the office- now covered in tinsel and real holly that bloomed every day

Sifting through her scant paperwork- the company was really starting to crack down on paper use and shifting to computers whenever possible- Hermione kept an eye on the clock; thirteen minutes until the office was empty and she'd be able to head home.

Draco knocked on the door, poking his head in with his jacket already on. "I closed the office early today. I think I'll close it early every day until after New Year's. Everyone deserves a break."

Hermione looked marginally horrified. "I haven't finished my to-do list for today. It'll only take six or seven minutes."

Draco shook his head- "It'll take you the same amount of time tomorrow morning. C'mon, take the break." He ducked into her office, brushing his blonde hair out of his eyes impatiently.

Hermione looked down at the pages before sighing and sliding her arms into the jacket.

"Oh, all right." She shuffled the few papers into an organized pile and stacked it neatly on her desk, her computer was packed into her bag and the lights were extinguished.

"Ready?"

"Mhmm."

They twisted on the spot, Hermione shuddering as they appeared back into the apartment, recovering from having her internal organs mashed together and then separated.

Draco raised a brow at the shiver. "Still not used to Apparition?"

Hermione scowled. "Have you not noticed? I'll never be. It's the most awful sensation. I only do it because it's quick and efficient."

"Leave it up to you to be uncomfortable and counteract it with practicality." Draco chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Hermione giggled- giggled- before unwrapping his arms and setting the table for dinner, Draco sidling into the kitchen to heat up their leftovers- maple planked salmon, marinated in soy sauce. They were just about to eat when an owl flew into the room, hooting, bearing a letter. Draco untied it and grinned. "It's from Blaise."

"What does he say?"

"He says to say hi to you and that..." Draco scanned the rest of the letter before rolling his eyes and sliding it back into the envelope. Hermione's curiosity was piqued.

"What else does it say? It can't possibly be an owl just to let you know to tell me 'hi'." She scooted over to take the envelope, Draco grabbing it at the last second and holding it out of reach. She pouted.

"Draco."

"Nope."

Hermione smirked. "Guess I'll have to play dirty then."

Draco tensed, before Hermione languidly uncurled her limbs from the stool and reached up to kiss him teasingly, sending an electric shock he'd never get used to through his body. Instinctively, he reached down and settled his hands near her waist; immediately she made to snatch the letter, but he moved it out of reach just in time. She scowled; he tapped her nose.

"So close."

"The fact that you're keeping it away from me only makes me want to know what it says even more." She smirked at the look on Draco's face, who relented and sighed.

"He said not to make a fool of myself at the Christmas Gala like I did at the Yule Ball." Hermione arched a brow.

"You made a fool of yourself at the Yule Ball? I think I would've remembered."

"Well, it wasn't a fool of myself as in doing- what is it muggles call it? The bird dance?" A peal of laughter escaped from Hermione's lips.

"The chicken dance."

"Whatever. Blaise will tell you I made a fool of myself by staring at you the whole night."

Hermione's features softened.

"Did you really?"

"I don't think there was a bloke in that room who didn't that night, Hermione. You were so beautiful. I think I was actually speechless when I saw you come down the stairs- doubly, because you were gorgeous and because Krum was your date."

"Draco-"

"You were the most beautiful girl in the room that night. And then I heard that Weasley had shattered it, and I wanted to beat him up for what he did but I couldn't, couldn't have done it because the Dark Lord was back-' his voice was shaking now,' and if anyone found out about how I felt one or both of us would have died. And I couldn't take that. So I didn't say a word."

Hermione reached up to kiss him again, harder, nearly crashing her lips against his, the letter falling from his hands as his hands snaked their way to her mess of curls. He tilted her head back gently, dipping her backwards ever so slightly to access her mouth a little better. Hermione pulled back, face flushed and lungs devoid of oxygen. Draco smirked a little.

"Now you know what I was thinking of all night, that night."

Hermione flushed even harder.

***