Exasperation

Author: Fourmille d'idees

Characters/Pairings: Pairings to be announced ^.~

Rating: T; For language

Warnings: Completly and utterly cliched. AU

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: In seventh year, Head boy and girl are forced to attend a ball together. But theirs more to it then that, what if the whole school must attend with a forced date? AU(ish)

Chapter One:

Yesterday's letter's

"I am pleased to announce that we will be holding a ball in June for our fourth years and up." Headmaster Dumbledore began with a rather suspicious smile. Whispers immediately erupted throughout the room of the excited students. This was a pleasant surprise for all of them, as the year had been a pretty bad one.

In fact this year was proving to be one of the worst, starting with when Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger had been appointed Head boy and girl, all the way down to the upcoming summer when each student would basically have to pick a side for the war.

Ron looked up from his food and around the room in fear, a couple of his fellow Gryffindors sharing the same expression.

"W- what do we need another ball for?"

Harry looked up and answered with a shrug, a slight smile on his face. Hermione on the other hand was quite annoyed. She felt she had a right to know about this beforehand and judging from the look on his face, it seemed the Head boy hadn't known anything earlier either.

"For this particular ball, you will be assigned your partner for the night. Your partner from a different house." More whispers spread throughout the room, this time laced with anger and disbelief.

"Partners?" Ron complained, "What are we, five?"

"From a different house?" Ginny all but squealed in disbelief, her voice a tinge bit higher than intended.

"It might not be all that bad!" Neville tried, only to receive hostile glares and looks of disbelief. He sighed. "Who am I kidding, with my luck, I'll probably get some evil Slytherin!" He moaned into his hands. Harry shook his head sadly.

"Too bad, I was actually kind of excited about the ball…" Harry commented. "Until the whole partner thing." Hermione grinned at him.

"Aww, you were thinking of asking someone weren't you Harry?" Harry blushed, slightly. Lucky for him, Dumbledore said something that grabbed everyone's attention.

"… Will receive your letters tomorrow, revealing the name of your partner. Those choices are irreversible, as they are magically picked by our own sorting hat. It is advised you don't try trading, it won't work." Dumbledore finished.

"This is horrible! It- It- It shouldn't be aloud! A crime! What if I get some Gryffindor? Oh god! WHAT IF I GET POTTER? Then-"

"God Pansy, Shut up already!" A very irritated Draco yelled, interrupting the brunette's panic attack. On the inside, he was having one himself.

Draco Malfoy couldn't stand the idea of getting stuck with some stupid Gryffindor, a boring Ravenclaw or a sickly sweet Hufflepuff. It was disgusting. Though he had had someone in mind- But Dumbledore had bursted his bubble with his announcement. Not that there wasn't still a chance... But then, had there been one to begin with?

"Draco! I know you see the problem! For gods sake you know who you're getting stuck with, aren't you horrified?" Pansy continued. "I mean-"

"Wait, what?" He interrupted again. The Slytherin girl rolled her eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? You got Granger?" She announced as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, (Which you reader, have to admit, it kinda is). Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Tell me Parkinson, what makes this so obvious?" He just about growled. Again, she rolled her eyes.

"Well for one thing, you know how messed up that sorting hat is! And then their's the fact that your both heads! Face it Draco, it's written in the stone, your stuck with her!"

"You know Draco," Blaise entered the conversation, "Pansy's got a point." Draco merely shook his head furiously, refusing to believe it.

"You're both insane." He mumbled, standing to leave.

"... Then, as soon as we get our partners, if we still have appetites we'll eat and then we're out to get our dress robes!" Ginny finished happily.

"How can you be so happy?" Ron groaned ignoring the cushion his sister flung at him, "Why do we even need to get our stuff so early?" Ginny and Hermione rolled their eyes.

"Because! If we don't, then all the good stuff will be gone by the dance!" Hermione answered, fixing the cushion back into place. "And guys, try not to ruin my common room!" She lightly scolded, not noticing the portrait swinging open.

"A clean common room is a boring common room!" Ron mumbled.

"Gryffindors." A sneer caused them all to jump.

"Malfoy." Ron spat back. They were all visibly shocked when Ron wasn't met with a snarky remark. and the Slytherin only walked up to his room. Sulking.

"Yikes. It even got to him," Harry grimanced after the door slammed.

"Can't blame him," Hermione agreed, "You could get stuck with anyone." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Not like we can change it, so back to outfits!" The boys groaned.

The second Draco arrived in his room,. he collapsed onto his bed. Pansy and Blaise's words were ringing through his head.

One wouldn't think the great Draco Malfoy would care much- well, besides the fact that she was a mudblood- But he cared way more than he should. And not in the way he should.

True, he was, in ways, fretting over it, but not because he wouldn't want to be seen with Granger. It was because he shouldn't be seen with Granger. It was all about reputation and pride. That's how the Malfoy's worked.

In all honesty, the idea of going with her to that ball sounded... Wonderful! Having her all to himself for a night... But it was frightening. He would admit, he'd had a "little boy crush" on her since they met. Perhaps that's why he loved picking on her so much. That's how it started anymore. Anything to have her eyes on him- even if they were blazing with fury.

Sounds absolutely ridiculous? Well, that's how the mind of 11 year old boys work.

But now he was 18, should be way past that. Would be too, if she returned the feelings...

#_#_#_#_#_#

Draco didn't leave his room again for hours. It was a bit past eight when he did. The other Gryffindorks were gone and, no surprise, Granger was curled up in her favorite armchair with a book. He silently grabbed an apple and shuffled to the couch in front of her, loudly plopping down in it.

She still didn't look up. Wouldn't you be annoyed, being ignored and all?

Deciding to... Catch her attention, he LOUDLY bit into his apple causing a loud crunching sound, getting a flinch out of the Gryffindor bookworm... But she didn't look up.

And so he repeated the action. This time, she seemingly glared at the book as though it were in fault. He smirked as he chewed.

'Just one more...'

For the third time he bit into his apple, though this time it was followed by the slamming of a book (a rather large book), and Granger now stood over him, holding his apple, face flushed with anger... But eyes on him.

"What in Merlin's name is wrong with you Malfoy?" She shouted.

"I have no clue what you could possibly be talking about, Granger. I'm simply sitting here trying to eat my apple in peace." He answered innocently.

"Don't try being innocent, Malfoy, It doesn't suit you!" She basically growled, throwing the apple at his head, before stomping up to her room.

"Don't try violence Granger, it doesn't suit you!" He called after her, smirking, only to be met with an annoyed groan.

"Gods 'Mione, you look horrible!" Ron exclaimed. The golden trio err... including Ginny, were standing in the Gryffindor common room, just about to leave for breakfast.

"Gee, thanks a lot, Ronald." Hermione glowered. Ron scratched his neck nervously.

"Didn't get any sleep either, Hermione?" Harry questioned with a yawn. The head girls nodded.

"Too... worried about today." She sighed, "What if I get some slimy Slytherin git?" Ron snorted.

"At least your not in danger of getting Loony Lovegood!" He exclaimed, earning an elbow in the stomach, curtisee of Harry. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Leave Luna alone, she's nice!" He answered. Ginny eyed him suspiciously for a moment before breaking out into a grin.

"I got it! Harry likes Luna!" She beamed. They all looked at their now beet red friend, filled with comments, but before any could come out, Neville saved him.

"Guys! We're gonna be late, remember breakfast! Our letters!" That said, the tall boy scurried off followed by the other four Gryffindors.

"I've got Potter! Oh Merlin, I've got Potter, I could feel it in my bones!" Pansy moaned flopping down in her usual seat beside Draco. Beside her, Daphne giggled and pointed to Draco.

"Look at him! He looks terrible!" She giggled louder when Draco glared. At that moment Blaise sat down across from Draco and grinned.

"So are you ready for your date with Granger, mate?" He questioned, only to become the new target of Draco's glare.

As his best friend, he of course knew about Draco's little crush. So it only made sense that he taunted and teased him mercilessly. Doesn't that sound about right?

"For the last time- I don't, Have. Granger!" Draco answered through clenched teeth.. Blaise only howled with laughter.

"Mate, your in denial!" This caused Pansy to giggle as Draco's head dropped to the table in defeat.

That of course was followed by a flurry of Owls overhead, to emphasize his defeat. Each owl held a gold envelope with different house seals. Every student held their breath. Dumbledore on the other hand had a twinkle in his eye as he sipped pumpkin juice.

(a/n- Second story! Quite proud of it too, and for once, I actually have the next chapter already written out!)

(You see it too, right?)

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