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Tango	By : Alcoholic_Rootbeer Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 18416 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I will not make a profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Thank you to everyone for the amazing feedback and love! It means the world to me. Seriously.
LightofEvolution deserves credit for Harry's proposal idea.
Beta love to LondonsLegend!
This chapter is extra silly and plot advancing. Hope you enjoy!
~A.
"Trust is like a paper
Once it's crumbled
It can't be perfect again."
~Unknown
Downstage Right: ENTER Draco and Astoria
Setting: Dance Studio Uno, cont.
It wasn't easy stepping into Dance Studio Uno that day. Draco felt nauseated and wanted nothing more than to slip back into the green flames of the floo and pretend he hadn't just severed the only connection to a good thing he had during the week. Canceling lessons with Hermione had been difficult, but it was effective; Astoria was pleased as pie, and so was Draco's mother. It showed a 'vast sense of maturity' according to them both, but really, all Draco felt was immature for inwardly pouting at the loss of seeing someone he rather enjoyed.
If he hadn't had been such a dolt last night, he wouldn't be in this position now. Why did he think interrupting Hermione's date would do any good? He was a selfish boy playing with people's fates, just as he always did before the war. Hermione seemed to bring it out of him; that sense of childlike need to have all eyes on him. Ironic, considering when it came to his wedding, he was quite the opposite. There was something about Granger that made him forget himself and where he stood in life.
"Draco?" Astoria asked, leaning into his side as they walked hand in hand down the hall.
He pulled himself out of his thoughts long enough to answer her. "Yes?"
"Are you sure you're prepared for this?"
Draco straightened his shoulders, thinking how very much he was not prepared. "Of course, Tori. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Just checking."
They wandered into Dance Studio Uno with five minutes to spare, which really meant they were extremely late. Blaise and Daphne were already there, casually talking to the other couples in the corner of the room. Blaise exchanged a healthy smirk with Draco upon their arrival, nudging over to the far corner, where Hermione, Ginny Weasley, and Greg Diggle were deep in conversation. It was Greg to notice their arrival first, casually sending Draco a lofty nod of the head, which cued Hermione to turn her head and follow his gaze. The moment her eyes met Draco's, he knew he'd stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Hermione's eyes rested on him for only a few seconds, but it was enough to burn a hole directly through his conscience. Her eyes pulled away, and she went back to talking to her friends as if he never mattered at all.
His stomach lurched, and he coughed to hold back his vomit.
"Draco?" asked Astoria.
"Fine," he muttered, overcome with something. What the Hell was this blasted emotion, and why did it pick now of all times to surface? Was this shame? Is that why it left such a bad aftertaste in his mouth?
"Seen uomo divertente baffi about?" asked Blaise as he strolled up to the two, his hands in his pockets.
"What does that even mean?" sneered Draco. His eyes kept flickering back to Hermione when he was sure Astoria wasn't looking. Not once did the brunette on the other side of the room acknowledge him after her initial glare. That had to mean only one thing; Greg had shared Draco's betrayal.
"Loosely translated? Funny mustache man. - Daphne and I did some damage control. You shouldn't expect any rumors to be grinding in this classroom."
"Thank you for that, Blaise," said Astoria, patting him on the shoulder. "Draco and I have yet to do some of our own, starting with Miss Granger."
"Oh, um, I wouldn't," Blaise advised her, his eyebrows creasing together, causing Astoria to gape at him, perplexed. "I said I fixed the rumor mill, not the situation. Granger, she's...well, I wouldn't go around her right now, if I were you."
"Nonsense. It's not as if I was caught out with her husband-to-be, now was I? If anything-"
But Draco wasn't listening. He was already halfway across the room on his way to the curly-haired friend he'd come to admire, all of his upbringing and pride out the window. He tapped her on the shoulder lightly, and she turned to meet him with a hardened expression; one that said 'touch me again, and I'll hex your testicles off.'
"Hermione," he began, "How are you-"
"You have some nerve, Malfoy," interrupted Ginny, leaning forward and muttering under her breath. "I would think you had enough fun putting Hermione through the ringer without pretending to be interested in her feelings-"
"-Gin," Hermione scolded, eyebrows creasing together. "It's fine. I can handle this." She looked between her friend and Greg, silently asking them to leave them be. Reluctantly, the pair did, leaving Draco alone with Hermione, which, potentially, could have been very dangerous. Once alone, Hermione turned her sights on him and started in, "Ginny's right, though. You do have some nerve."
"I have some nerve? I didn't plant the story in the paper. I'm just as shocked as you are."
"If you think this has anything to do with the paper, you're gravely mistaken." She crossed her arms defiantly. "I think we both know the reason for my less than cooperative attitude."
Draco opened his mouth to answer, but it was Astoria's voice that carried over his shoulder, interrupting him from his fumble of words. "Miss Granger, just the witch we were looking to see today."
"That statement is redundant," Hermione muttered under her breath, but Draco caught it. "Astoria," she nodded as if she hadn't said it at all.
"How are you holding up?" To Draco's surprise, it was asked with the utmost sincerity.
Hermione seemed to soften ever-so-slightly, and she blew a lock of frizzy curls out of her face before replying, "I've been better, thank you."
"We just wanted you to know, we were so shocked when it all came out this morning," said Astoria, curling her arm around Draco's and leaning her head on his shoulder. Draco felt warmth crawl up his neck and settle in his cheeks. It was hard to look at the person he fantasized about nightly and pretend he wasn't confused about what he wanted. "My father is friends with some higher ups at the Daily. This entire mess will be sorted out by tomorrow, for sure."
Hermione curtly noddedd. "Wonderful to hear." She refused to look Draco in the eye, settling her face on Astoria's instead.
"But of course," Astoria continued, "I want you to know that there's no ill will between us. We," she tightened her grip on Draco, "have a very trusting relationship, and I know that Draco wouldn't cross a line like that."
Hermione's lips pulled back into a tight smile, but her eyes burned with intensity. "I, myself, have no interest in crossing any lines. Draco is a former classmate, nothing more."
Draco looked beyond Hermione over to where Greg and Ginny were talking in hushed whispers some feet away. They must have caught his desperate expression, because Ginny simply smirked and Greg looked as if he was enjoying himself immensely at Draco's discomfort. Arrogant sod…
"We thought we might invite you out for tea as a way of burying the hatchet about this whole misunderstanding," Astoria offered, her grip on Draco painfully tight now.
"Tea?" Hermione's voice caught. "Um...I…"
Draco saw his in. "What? Are you too good for tea, now?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Tea sounds wonderful," she said defiantly. "Could I invite a friend along?"
"As long as it isn't Diggle," Draco mumbled, catching the interest of both women, whose claws seemed to come out in the moment. "I mean, er, invite whomever you like."
"Perhaps we could make it an outing of friends?" Astoria offered in her most chipper of tones. She was trying, Draco had to give her that. "I could invite Blaise and Daphne, and of course, Miss Weasley is invited, too. Perhaps Auror Potter would like to join us as well?"
"Astoria," Draco warned.
"No, that sounds lovely," said Hermione, smirking in Draco's direction but never quite making eye contact. "If it gets the press off our backs and stitches up this entire debacle, I'm on board."
"Lovely." Astoria reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand; Draco waited for the clencher of a backhanded compliment, but what came out instead was, "I appreciate you being so cooperative with us, despite my fiancé's idiotic exploits." Oh, so there was a backhanded compliment - it was just aimed at him.
Hermione, to her credit, squeezed Astoria's hand and replied, "That's an understatement if I've ever heard one."
"Wonderful," Draco rolled his eyes. "We'll be in touch." He ushered Astoria away, glancing back behind his shoulder to, finally, catch Hermione's stare. He wished he hadn't; it was all he could think about during dance lessons.
Center Stage: Harry and Hermione
Setting: Hogsmeade
"Really, Harry, Honeydukes? You know Ginny doesn't care for sweets as much as you, don't you?" Hermione chided Harry two days later as they strolled down Hogsmeade. They planned to meet up with Ron and Ginny before heading into Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop to meet up with Draco, Astoria, Daphne, and Blaise. Since Ron and Ginny had been preoccupied with helping Molly tend to her garden earlier in the morning, it left Harry and Hermione time to discuss, in secret, how he would plan to propose to Ginny.
The only issue was, Harry was terrible at ideas.
After the fifth attempt, Harry threw his hands up in the air and sighed as they continued to walk. "I give up, Hermione! How would you suggest I propose to her, then?"
Hermione bit down on her lower lip, knowing that her rejection of Harry's ideas had nothing to actually do with Harry. They all only sounded terrible because any thought of proposal brought up the thought of Draco and Astoria, and while she was very good at pretending it didn't hurt, it did. Seeing them together, knowing that he'd chosen to forego his dance lessons with Hermione to keep the peace with Astoria, had burned a hole inside Hermione's heart like a cigar held far too long to paper. Damn it, he's not mine! she scolded herself.
"I'm sorry, Harry," she apologized. "I suppose I'm not great company today."
"You wanna talk about it?" Harry offered, holding the shop door of Honeydukes open for her. Hermione stepped inside and caught sight of Ron in the far left corner, eyeing a towering chocolate frogs station. Pressing her lips together, she shook her head to answer him.
"Thanks, but I'm just not in the mood to discuss my feelings right now. All of your ideas were lovely."
"They were rubbish," he admitted as the door shut behind them. He waved at Ron and curled an arm around Hermione as he began walking her toward their friend. "Okay, I've got one last one. You tell me if it sounds alright."
"If wha' sounds alrigh'?" asked Ron, his mouth full of chocolate frog.
"Ronald, I hope you planned on paying for that," Hermione scolded. Ron merely gave a shrug as Harry held up one finger to enunciate his proposal idea.
"What if I surprise her on the Quidditch pitch in the semi-finals? Go out there during the halftime show, put a ring in a snitch and propose to her on a broomstick in front of her fans?"
Ron, his mouth still full of chocolate, stopped mid-chew and raised his eyebrows in consideration. Hermione, meanwhile, fought the urge to wipe the corner of his chocolate-drenched mouth and instead thought about Harry's plan.
"That's...not half bad, Harry," she said.
Harry smiled triumphantly. "Yeah?"
"Gin 'ould 'ove eh!"
"Oh, Ronald, swallow your food!" Hermione chastised.
Ron gulped, swiped at his mouth with the back of his sleeves, and said, "Gin would love it. She says she's not gaudy like that, but we all know it would make her weak in the knees."
"It does sound romantic," agreed Hermione.
Harry grinned like a fool. "Great!" He sounded a bit aloof and lost. "I'll, um, talk to the...and...uh…"
Rolling her eyes, Hermione ushered Ron up to the front desk to pay for his chocolates as she said over her shoulder, "I'll write up a letter to the gameskeeper of the pitch and help you work something out."
"You're the best, Hermione."
When the three stepped onto the sidewalk of Hogsmeade once more, they set off in search of Madam Puddifoot's in quiet chatter about how to make Harry's proposal that much better. It did wonders for Hermione's soul, knowing that she could take her mind off of Draco, if only for a moment. However, when they arrived at the tea shop, all of that freedom was lost on her the moment she spotted him inside the shop window, seated with his back to the glass. His blond hair gave him away, but even if he wore hair as dark as Harry's, it would have been easy to tell it was him by the way he sat so rigid and proper in his chair. Astoria sat next to him at a large, rounded table, and when she caught sight of the trio in the shop window, she waved. Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes as she grumbled, "Can I vomit?"
"S'free lunch. You sure you wanna do that?" Ron jostled her in the side with his elbow, a lopsided grin on his face.
"You two go on. I'm going to wait for Ginny," said Harry.
"Don't worry, 'Mione. I'm right here with you," Ron offered, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Knowing the Slytherins, all of the bad jokes will be aimed at me, not you."
"That's not what I'm worried about," she told him as he reached out and pushed the door open, dragging her in. "Astoria's far too friendly for a woman whose future husband was caught out at night with another woman."
"Pureblood women," Ron shrugged. "That's just their way - kill you with kindness, and I mean that literally. My mum thought my dad was seeing some witch in accounting once - she baked him pies until he gained thirty pounds. Then she realized he was only talking to her to try to save money so they could go on a vacation...Mum started baking the accountant pies for a whole month!"
Stepping up to the table, Hermione noticed there were two empty chairs on both sides of the table, separating her party up amongst the Slytherins. Hermione gulped as she was about to choose the chairs furthest from Draco when Astoria waved her on and patted the available chair next to her. "Miss Granger, right here!"
Cringing, Hermione took the seat, thankful when Ron took the chair next to her, and inadvertently, beside Daphne.
"Hullo," he said quietly, already reaching for the scones provided in the middle of the table.
"So glad you could make it," Astoria said, reaching over and clasping Hermione's hand. Draco sat next to his bride-to-be, his head tucked down as he stared into his glass of water.
"There aren't any cameras around," Hermione replied, trying her best to keep her voice neutral. "You don't need to hold my hand."
"That's just how Astoria is," offered Daphne, dabbing at the corner of her crimson lips with her napkin. "Believe me, I've told her to stop trying so hard to be your friend, but it doesn't seem to work."
The table grew instantly tense, and Astoria dropped her hands into the middle of her lap.
"Well...kneazle's out of the bag, yeah?" Blaise tried, toasting his glass of iced tea. "To my darling wife, who knows how to make any situation more awkward with one sentence!"
Ron snorted in laughter, blowing bits of scone onto the table. Hermione sighed, unraveling her silverware and swiping the bits of pastry from the table.
"...Forgive me, Miss Granger," said Astoria quietly, drawing the attention of the table. "I'm just unsure how to act in this situation."
"Believe me, I think we're all right there with you," muttered Hermione, sending a hearty glare in Draco's direction. "And hello to you, too."
He lifted his eyes and glanced around the table as if he'd forgotten everyone was there. "Are we really going to attempt pleasantries?" he sneered dully.
"Really, Draco," scolded Astoria.
"Hmph." He turned his head and waved the group off as if he had nothing to say. Perhaps he didn't. It only made Hermione feel worse.
A moment later, Harry and Ginny stepped into the shop, taking their seats across from Ron and Hermione. Harry sat next to Blaise and Ginny next to Draco, completing the circle.
Apparently, this had been what Blaise was waiting for. "Potter, just the man I've been wanting to talk to."
"Er...that right?" Harry asked, his hand still clasped in Ginny's.
"Have you ever thought about a career in modeling?"
Ron now all-out chortled into his water as Harry's eyes went wide. "Can't say I have, considering I've been spending most of my career putting away dark witches and wizards…"
"I think you'd be just the right fit for a new line of clothing I have coming out," Blaise continued.
"Oh, not this again," Daphne rolled her eyes.
"He's not talking about what I think he's talking about, is he?" asked Draco, finally back from his thoughts again.
"I've got these trousers, Potter, short trousers that would really accentuate your calves-"
"-Oh, great. We're back to the damned shorts."
"What's wrong with my shorts?" Blaise asked innocently.
Draco pointed his salad fork at his friend accusingly. "They're about as tight as those ridiculous underwear."
"Do I want to know?" Hermione couldn't help but ask Daphne, who shook her head as if to say, 'No.'
"Harry, a model!" Ron threw his head back in laughter. "Now that I'd pay to see! Come on, Harry! Strike us a pose!"
"I'm really not interested, Zabini," Harry shook his head, cheeks dusted with red.
"You do have nice calves," Ginny noted, making Harry roll his eyes.
"Oh, see? We're all getting along so splendidly!" Astoria exclaimed, drawing all of their attentions and bursting the bubble of natural friendliness.
"Tori, dear," said Draco, "if you have to point out that everyone is getting along, it tends to make things awkward."
"I realize that now," she blushed, taking a sip from her water.
The waitress arrived, to everyone's relief, and they each ordered their teas and some bakery goods for the table, all on the Malfoy bill. Good, Hermione thought. He should pay for it. Getting me into this mess...I could have just shagged Greg and gotten Malfoy out of my mind, but ohhhh, no! He had to go and be charming, and eat icecream, and boop my nose with his finger, and tell me how symmetrical my face was...the codfish.
"I'm thinking us ladies could all do with a bit of alcohol as well?" offered Astoria. "We'll take a round of snapdragons, and the men…butterbeers, gents?"
"I'm not gonna turn down free alcohol," said Ron with a grin.
Astoria's eyes lit up. "My sentiments exactly. Thank you, Mister Weasley."
"Ron," he offered Astoria before leaning over and whispering in Hermione's ear so only she could hear, "She doesn't seem that bad, 'Mione."
I know, she thought. She's making it difficult for me to dislike her. If only I could...it would make things so much easier. She tried her very best not to keep glancing over at Draco, but she failed after another minute went by. The moment she did, she was caught in his silver irises. He looked just as frustrated as she did by everything, but he said not a word in her direction.
"Some free lemon-bread for the table," the waitress said a moment later, setting down a loaf for the group. The moment the steam wafted in Daphne's direction, she paled, covering her mouth with her napkin.
"Daph?" asked Blaise, rubbing her shoulder gently.
"I'm going to...oh, goodness…" In a flash, Daphne leaped from the table and dashed off in the direction of the bathroom. Blaise was quick to throw down his napkin, but he didn't make it two feet from the table before they all could hear (and see) Daphne puking into a display vase near the door.
"Oh my goodness," Astoria gasped.
"Yick," Ginny muttered. "Poor girl."
"It's a common occurrence," said Hermione without thinking. "There are some women that experience morning sickness their entire pregna...ncy…" Her eyes went wide the moment she realized what she'd said. Her eyes instantly jerked over to Astoria, praying, by some twist of fate, she hadn't heard. But of course, she had. The young witch's eyes grew round as saucers as she laughed nervously and set her napkin down on the table.
"What? Daphne's not pregnant. I'm her sister. I would know if she was…" She turned her attention to Draco. "Isn't that right?"
Draco only sat in silence, glaring furiously at Hermione.
"Draco?" Astoria asked. When he said nothing, only hardened his mouth into a thin line, she realized the truth. "...You knew." She looked around the room. "Did everyone know?" Her eyes set on Blaise. "Did they?" Her head jerked back in Draco's direction. "You knew?"
"For the record, I didn't know," Ron said, and Hermione nudged him in the ribs to be silent. Harry and Ginny exchanged awkward glances with her, knowing this wasn't their scene.
"Tori," Draco began, but Astoria slammed her hand down on the table, silencing him.
"You knew. How long did you know?"
"...Since they arrived back from Italy?"
"Unbelievable!" Astoria was in full blown embarrassment now, and it showed by the distraught, betrayed look in her eyes. "And yet, she knows." She pointed to Hermione.
"I guessed!" Hermione tried to explain. "No one told me."
"But you knew," Astoria spoke to Draco still.
Daphne was still puking in the vase, offering background music to the event.
"Astoria, love, calm down," Blaise tried, but it only infuriated her more.
"Calm down!? Calm down? My own sister is pregnant and no one thought to let me know!"
"Oh, we thought about it," said Draco quietly. "We all just knew you'd act exactly the way you are now."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Dramatic." He threw the back of his hand on his forehead for show.
"Dramatic! I am not dramatic!" Astoria shouted, stomping her foot. She realized what she did because she sobered almost immediately and said her next words very quietly. "I see...if you'll excuse me." And with that, she pushed out her chair and stormed off in the direction of the bathrooms, tears in her eyes.
"Er...I gotta use the loo," Ron said, breaking the silence. "I know, I know, bad timing and all…" he stood and headed off in the direction of the bathrooms as well. Blaise went to check on Daphne, leaving Harry and Ginny to watch the carnage unfold between Draco and Hermione.
Hermione prepared for the worst. What she got instead was an eerily calm Draco Malfoy setting his folded napkin down on the table before growling, barely above a whisper. "Granger. Outside. Now."
Very excited to hear everyone's thoughts!
Oh, and to the dear who said all these "Draco and Astoria scenes are gross." Um, it's called character development and being an adult who understands how relationships work? I -did- say it was going to be a slow burn, and I -did- say Astoria and Draco were together in the summary. If you didn't get that, I'm terribly sorry.
As for the rest of you (hearts) will this finally be the turning point for Astoria and Draco?
#TangoTuesday is a thing. I plan to update Tuesdays! Just giving everyone the heads up. Follow me on facebook to get extra snippets and keep posted about important events!
~A.
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