This was not happening.
He had expected anything but this to happen at the Yule Ball. Have a date with Pansy, laugh at people attempting to dance, the usual ball routine. Then Hermione Granger showed up.
She looked stunning. Blue dress, amazing hair, makeup… This was not Granger. Draco had lived in close proximity (he had never thought about it that way before) with her for nearly four years, and she had never looked like this. He was sure of it. He would have noticed…
"Draco?" Pansy simpered. "Are you feeling okay?"
"What? Oh, yeah. I'm fine," he replied. His eyes followed Granger. That dress was quite low…
"Draco," Pansy persisted. "I don't think you are okay. Come on, let's get some punch." She took his hand and led him over to the table. She filled a goblet with punch and handed it to him. It really didn't help that Granger was sitting three seats away from him.
"I can't believe that's her," a Hufflepuff sixth year whispered to another other nearby. "She's usually so uptight. I can't believe she's actually pretty." To Draco's left, Pansy snorted.
"Just because she's got make up on, everyone's acting like she's something amazing. She's still Hermione Granger. At least you're not acting like that, Draco."
"Yeah, stupid Granger…" The voice didn't sound like his. He found it hard to insult her tonight. He vaguely wondered why he had asked Pansy to the Ball, not Granger.
Ah, that was right. She hated him.
"Oh God, here she comes," Pansy sneered. Sure enough, Granger was walking towards them. He sat up straighter and tried to look nonchalant. Apparently it didn't work; when Granger walked past, she cast him an odd look. Draco sank low in his chair again.
"Come on, Draco, let's dance!" Before he could reply, Pansy dragged him off onto the dance floor.
~X~
Draco raised an eyebrow as Granger stormed out of the hall. Moments earlier, she had been shouting her lungs out at Weasley, and the experience had not helped her appearance. Her hair, once so beautiful, was falling out and curling around her neck, and her dress was crumpled. She stalked past Draco, cheeks flushed.
"Made quite a scene, I see," he commented.
"Be quiet, Malfoy, I'm not in the mood."
"I was just commenting, Granger."
"Well next time, don't," she hissed, moving to march up the stairs.
"… Granger?"
"What, Malfoy?"
"You look really nice." Draco had no idea what made him say it, but it certainly stopped Granger in her tracks.
"I… what?" She stared at him. Draco's pale cheeks went pink.
"You look nice in your dress," he repeated quietly. Granger's face became just as coloured.
"Um… thank you…" she murmured. "I'd better, um… Viktor wanted to see me, and…" she trailed off. Draco nodded and watched as Granger ran up the stairs, looking slightly confused.
"Draco?" Pansy's hand slipped into his. "Where's you run off to?"
"Just getting some air," Draco replied. Granger's red face was still in his mind.
"Let's go back in, then," Pansy said. And as she dragged Draco back into the Great hall, he was smiling.
~X~
This is… meh. I'm getting used to writing FanFiction again. Anyway, this is for HollyWrites, for her birthday. Which was three weeks ago. . I'M SORRY. *glomps her* I'm not usually a fan of Dramione, but since she write a Ronmione story for my birthday, this is the least I could do… Silly Microsoft Word, of course Weasley is a word! In regards of my other writing, I may or may not be starting a new story called "How to get Silver to hate you." Yes, that Silver. From Pokemon. The hot one.
Anywho, happy birthday, Holly! (From three weeks ago)
-M the Gate
