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It was a bright, blustery fall morning. Wisps of cloud skated across a brilliant blue sky, backdrop to the stunning fall foliage of the Forbidden Forest: reds, yellows, browns, and oranges, interspersed with clusters of evergreen. The village of Hogsmeade sat nestled between the edge of the woods and the Black Lake.
All along the village's main road, storefronts were preparing to open, setting out colorful carts of goods and enchanted signs advertising their wares in anticipation of Hogwarts students. Located across the lake, Hogwarts School had existed for over a thousand years. Hogsmeade visits were a longstanding tradition for the students, and today's crowd would begin trickling in any minute.
Hermione inhaled deeply, eyes closed to fully appreciate the first hint of one of her favorite smells: snow. It hadn’t snowed just yet, but the chill of late threatened a nice dusting soon.
Opening her eyes, she shrugged her coat and scarf more tightly around her as she joined a group of students walking down the road towards the Three Broomsticks.
She was looking forward to getting out of the castle. Sure, she could always spend time out on the school grounds when she was feeling restless, but nothing beat a trip to Hogsmeade. Halloween was approaching and while the feast was always enjoyable, the holiday always seemed to bring trouble. A day spent shopping and enjoying a butterbeer or two would help her de-stress.
The sound of footsteps behind her gave per pause as she neared Shrivenshaft’s. Ducking into the shop quickly, she turned into the first aisle and grabbed a book at random. Her ears practically twitched as the door opened again.
“Are you expecting, Granger?”
Hermione closed her eyes and scrunched her nose. The voice of the person she had least wanted to see right now. The current bane of her existence. Right behind her. "Expecting? Not as much as I was not expecting you here," she chuckled weakly.
They’d had a plethora of underwhelming DADA teachers over the years. She had to admit the current professor was much more experienced than previous occupants of the position, but didn’t relish seeing him everyday any more than she had as a student. She also had to admit that she was relieved at discovering the footsteps had simply been an irritating colleague rather than an aggressive stalker.
War instincts. Some habits die screaming… She placed the book back on the shelf, and turned slowly to face Draco. “How are classes treating you?”
Draco grimaced for a moment before smoothing his features. "They're going well, although the students can be a handful. Not that you wouldn't know; getting the nuances of Transfiguration through their thick skulls must be difficult."
Hermione didn't know what to make of him. He had been attempting to strike up conversations with her all term. Sometimes he was perfectly cordial, but others he would fling veiled insults like they were still schoolmates. Sometimes he'd flip between the two in the same conversation! It was making her head spin, and she had yet to determine his motivation for seeking her out.
Opting for cautious optimism, she extended an invitation. “I was heading to pick up some new parchment and ink. Would you….” come on, Hermione “would you like to join me?”
Draco’s eyes widened a bit as though taken off guard by the offer. “I… yes, I would. Did you have any books to get while we’re here?”
"I was looking at getting a new potions text. I read in the Daily Prophet that the author was a genius and pioneer in their field. Supposedly, they write about a new technique to make beetles even more potent." She rushed the words out, hoping to start a conversation on a topic they both knew well.
He joined in quickly, replying with a vague dismissal of the author’s sources and a suggestion of a better testing environment and control system. They volleyed back and forth, not dropping their discussion even when she found and purchased her items, and they eventually found themselves strolling along one of the smaller dirt roads along the residential area on one side of the little village.
She gestured to the field on one side with a smile. “I know it’s not farmland but I’ve always loved the beauty of growing things out here. The wildflowers are beautiful this time of year. It never ceases to amaze me that some magical species bloom so well year round.”
"Yeah, well, they only grow here year round because of the unicorns. Most places don't have fields of wildflowers being buried in snow, magic or not," Draco countered, looking out over the field.
Hermione nodded. "Yes, we're fortunate to have them living here. You know, when I first found out I was a witch and that magic was real, the first thing I asked Professor McGonagall was if unicorns were real. She told me that yes, of course they were, and that Hogwarts had a herd of them living nearby. She could have said anything after that - anything; told me witches had to eat a dozen live frogs every day - and I still would have agreed to come here. I had always been enthralled by unicorns, and to learn they were real! And yet, I've only seen them once since coming here, in Care of Magical Creatures."
Reflecting back to the class, it was exhilarating. The snow white horse made even Ron look tan and the horn looked sharp as a Stanley knife, though they hadn't been allowed to actually touch the creature. The fact that they were hunted for the healing properties of their blood was horrible. Harry had told her about Voldemort doing such a ghastly thing in their first year, what a shame. Having been lost in her thoughts, she only caught the tail end of whatever Draco had been saying.
"...If you'd like," Draco finished, now clearly waiting for her input.
"Oh, well, I—could you repeat the question, please?"
Draco rolled his eyes and reached out to grab her arm.
"Come on, Granger, just follow me."
Hermione trotted alongside him, keeping up with his long strides as he headed towards the gate separating Hogsmeade from the forest.
Nothing could have prepared her for the sight she beheld as they crossed that boundary. She’d known there were flowers. She hadn’t dreamed that there was an entire field of assorted winter blossoms. Clearly magical, some opened and closed with the breeze; others glittered like the surrounding snow in the days sunshine. Still more writhed here and there, before swelling and spitting out bursts of snowflakes and ice chunks.
The overall effect was utterly enthralling, and yet it all paled in comparison to the herd of unicorns which slowly stood as they approached.
“Draco…you…?”
“I’m a virgin, Granger. Shocking though it may be.” He rolled his eyes at her.
She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the unicorns for more than a moment but still managed to glance at him. “Sorry. I always just assumed that you and Pansy…”
“So did most people.”
Clearly she would get no more of an answer. She let her attention return to the beautiful creatures before them.
"They're gorgeous." She watched, enthralled, as a foal cantered between the adults. It was pure magic.
Hermione and Draco stayed for nearly an hour, just watching the unicorns and enjoying the fresh air in silence. As the sun started to set and a chill came over her, Hermione shivered.
"Oh, my god, we have to get back to the castle!" Hermione gasped, coming out of her reverie. "We've been out here for so long!"
" Relax , Granger. We've got plenty of time before they send out a search party. Fancy a drink?"
They walked together, shoulder to shoulder in the shared afterglow of the unicorns’ presence, and ducked in for a nightcap of firewhiskey and butterbeer. It was the beginning of a beautiful… something… as yet undefined, but glowing in its warmth and promise. Glowing like snow…or unicorns.