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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“I might have to take you up on your offer. My dad would love you for that,” she said with her warm, rosy smile.

“Goodnight, Draco.”

“Good night, Hermione.”

He drove away, appalled that he would even consider leaving.

Because now? Now, he may stay for quite a while.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“Definitely.”

She turned to walk up her steps.

“Oh and Hermione?” Draco called out.

“Yeah?”

“If you want to work on your driving in the meantime, I’m here to help. We actually passed my flat on the way here, so we aren’t too far from each other.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“No, no! It was fine. It was…nice, actually.”

Draco smiled.

They pulled up to her flat not too long after.

“Thanks again, Draco.”

“Anytime.”

They stared at each other for a moment longer, both wondering if they should—or shouldn’t…

“Welp, I’m going to head in. See you next show?” she asked.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“Let me have it.”

“Well,” she continued, avoiding his eyes, “you know our…kiss?”

“Yeah?”

“Well…that was—it was actually my first—“

“That was your first kiss?”

She nodded.

No way.

“Well,” Draco swallowed, still trying to process what she just said. “Gee, I hope it wasn’t awful.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“That kind of stuff has always been pretty hard for me, you know? I’m not too good with people, obviously,” she joked.

Draco laughed. “I mean, even roses have thorns. Maybe people don’t know you, yet. The real you.”

She laughed nervously. “I don’t think you understand, Draco.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

He caught himself after it had already came out.

Nice one, Draco.

He took a quick glance at her to see that she was blushing.

“I mean—objectively speaking, of course. I mean I—“

“It’s okay. Thanks, though.”

She went quiet, absentmindedly picking at her nails.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“And should have never said dance was all you were going to have. I’m sure you have people that care about you, or people that want to get to know you. Hell—I bet you may even have some secret admirers—you’re very beautiful, after all—“

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“Draco, I’m so sorry,” she said, turning towards him. “I should have never said that, you’re a great dancer—I mean that.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“I mean, how could I blame them? There’s no amount of talent you could have when the all casting directors already know the other guy’s name. And then I see others that are far more talented, and I wonder if I really deserve this.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“You know, there have been times when I walk into an audition, and when some of the other male dancers saw me, they would just walk out.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“Well, you weren’t too far off with what you said, either. I always wonder if I’m actually a ‘good dancer.’ It’s hard to tell when everyone in the room already knows your name because of your parents.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

Draco never thought that he would find himself feeling bad for Hermione Granger. But now, he finally understood her.

She was lonely.

She made it to the highest of her career with very few people to celebrate it with her.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“But I started dance at what? Nine? And now I’m twenty-three. And every waking moment in those fourteen years has been just dance.”

Her voice got quieter.

“That’s why I got pretty mad and threw water at you. When you said, ‘dance was all I’ll ever have,’ you were kind of right.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“Oh no, it’s literally what he brings up every time I see him. ‘We need to find time to work on your driving, Mione. I don’t like the idea of you taking the bus late at night,’” she mocked.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“So you were going to take the bus at this hour?” he joked.

“I mean, it’s how I get everywhere. Force of habit.”

“You ever think about getting a car?”

“Um…I don’t have my license….”

“Seriously? Like, you never learned? Your dad never taught you?”

She shook her head.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“No, no,” he said. “As much as you got on my nerves—and I mean, last nerve—a lot of the time, you were right. I do feel like I became a better dancer around you. So in a way, thanks.”

The moment passed with them two just smiling at each other until Draco broke the awkwardness.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“Um…sure, I guess. I get it—you’re passionate. You love your craft. All good.”

There was another beat of silence between them.

“I’m sorry, too,” he said. “For what I said. Especially for calling you a bitch. And a cunt.”

She laughed. “I mean, I threw water at you. I kind of deserved it.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

The drive was quiet at first. Draco tried to ignore the silence by blasting his music. Until she spoke.

“Thank you, again.”

“No problem.”

He saw her chew on her lip.

“No, I mean thank you. For ‘putting up’ with me, I guess. I know I’m not the easiest to be around.

She got that right.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

He walked her to his car and opened the door for her. He immediately turned on the heat and put his seat warmers on because she was freezing. Although it was the beginning of spring, the London air showed no mercy. She wouldn’t have last another five minutes out there.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

No Draco, no! Stop! STOP!

She pondered for a bit.

“Um…okay,” she said softly.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

No, Draco. You don’t have to be a Good Samaritan. She can find her way home—

“Hey, you need a lift?”

She turned, her button nose now red from the cold air.

“Oh, no—I’m fine! Thank you,” she said politely.

“It’s pretty cold out. And quite late. My car is parked just around the corner.”

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

Dinner ended and people caught their cars, cabs, Ubers, or walked back home. Draco had his car, thankfully. As he left out of the restaurant, he saw Hermione sitting with all her things at the bus stop. Alone.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

She didn’t talk much the entire dinner. Only small nods, properly timed chuckles. That’s when Draco realized something.

She’s awkward.

Extremely talented? Yes. But socially inept for lack of better words. For someone who knew so much about dance, she had nothing to say.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

The rest of the crew was shocked to see that Hermione actually came. Eyes followed her as she was deciding where to sit.

Draco saw her discomfort.

“Here, sit next to me.”

She gave him a small smile. Probably the first real smile ever.

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dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social @dramaqueenlyra.bsky.social · 17h

“Oh… okay,” she said, awkwardly.

“I suppose we’ll leave you to it, then,” Narcissa said. “Draco, we love you—we’ll call later. Hermione, brava, beautiful work! Bart, so good to see you. And you relax on the wine, you hear me?”

Bart threw up his hands. “Figlio mio, you see what I deal with?”

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