Song as Old as Rhyme
By Darkening Whispers
OOO
Hermione Granger was the Head Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and therefore she had responsibilities, which included setting up student events. She and the Head Boy, Draco Malfoy, had put aside their differences for five minutes to get an idea, a ball, and the rest Hermione would do. So Hermione stood just inside the doorway to the empty Hogwarts Ballroom, and took in it's enormity. It was going to take a lot of work.
First of all, it was dusty. The Ballroom was rarely used—most dances were set inside the Great Hall. Second, it was huge. Giant pillars lined the circular walls, and huge windows towered over her. Then there was the chandelier. It hung above the ballroom, and was made of crystal and glass.
This is like the ballroom from Beauty and the Beast, thought Hermione, and she walked to the center of the Ballroom. "Let's get to work!"
"Scourgify!" The dust flew off the walls and windows and everywhere else, and disappeared.
"Accio candles!" The hundreds of candles she had brought zoomed towards her.
"Taberno!" The candles lifted high into the air and stayed.
"Hmm. It needs. . ." Hermione started to say to herself, but couldn't think of anything more to decorate the ballroom with. I'll ask Ginny and Luna, they'll have ideas.
She walked out of the ballroom, her footsteps echoing, and closed the door behind her. She made her way up to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Password?" said the Fat Lady.
"Jungle Fern," replied Hermione.
"Right-o!"
Hermione nearly ran into the Common Room. "Ginny! I need help!"
"What! Are you-?" Ginny rushed to her from her seat.
"No Ginny, I am not pregnant."
"Oh, okay good." Ginny breathed out, and erupted into a fit of giggles. Hermione rolled her eyes. "You are so immature."
Ginny smiled. "I know!"
"But I do need help. With this stupid Ball. I don't know how to decorate and I don't even have a dress!"
"Okay, 'Mione, first—simplicity is good. You put up those candles?"
"Yeah."
"That should be perfect. Remember when Belle and the Beast danced in Beauty and the Beast?"
"Yes?"
"Was the ballroom super decorated?" Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"No, it was already beautiful."
"Like our ballroom. As for your dress, me and Luna are going shopping on the next Hogsmeade trip in two weeks, you can come!"
Hermione smiled. "Okay!"
~oOo~
The next morning, Hermione went back down to the Ballroom, just to admire it. This really does look like the Ballroom from Beauty and the Beast, she though, and the song popped into her mind. Then she began to hum it.
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Hermione started to dance with an invisible partner.
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
She swirled around the ballroom by herself, with only the sound of her humming to guide her.
Just a little change
Small to say the least
She closed her eyes. For once she felt like a princess.
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast
Then Hermione felt something—a firm hand on her waist and in her raised hand. She opened her eyes, but continued dancing.
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
She was dancing with Draco Malfoy. She continued humming, and she could hear him singing I under his breath.
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As he sun will rise
So they danced. If anyone would have walked in, they would have stopped, but no one did. They danced.
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Hermione internally laughed. This was unexpected. How had he gotten in anyway?
Certain as the sun
Rising in the East
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast
Draco smiled. It was a real smile, not his trademark smirk.
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Hermione decided to speak. "What are you doing in here?"
Beauty and the Beast
"I am Head Boy, am I not? And I believe you are Head Girl?" he raised his eyebrows.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I think I knew that already. I meant, 'Why are you in here dancing with me, you're Draco Malfoy and I'm Hermione Granger and we hate each other'!"
"You hate me. Who ever said I hated you?"
Hermione gave him her best death glare, and stormed out of the room.
~oOo~
Two and a Half Weeks Later
Hermione slipped on the dress she had bought with Ginny and Luna. It was an olive green, and tied with a golden sash in the middle. It was a halter dress and went down to her knees. Lavender had already insisted on doing her makeup—it wasn't too heavy. A bit of gold eyeshadow and brown mascara, some lip gloss, and a tiny bit of blush.
She walked down with Ginny, who was wearing a light blue dress.
The ballroom was crowded, and the candles she had put up were lit. Every one was dancing and Hermione smiled with pride at her work.
"Well," she said, "let's dance!"
At the fast dances she danced, but when a slow dance came around, she'd go get some punch, since she didn't have a date.
After a few hours, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
She turned around to see Draco Malfoy. "I believe," he said, "You owe me a dance."
"You want me. To dance. With you? Is this a joke?"
"No, why would I do that?"
"You're Draco Malfoy."
He laughed. "You have a point," he said, and took her hand. They walked through the crowd together, and they stared, wide eyed, as the Gryffindor Princess and the Slytherin Prince danced. They danced as they had the day when the Ballroom had been empty. People cleared away from them, and they danced together, alone, while everyone watched. It would have been awkward, but neither of them noticed anything but each other.
Fin.
Hermione's dress: w w w. Camdendrive . com / short – olive - green -halter -top -dress -cd1023 . html
Ginny's dress: http:/ images. Windsorstore. Com/ images/ products /1_94824_FS. jpg