Um well, I guess I'll see you tonight?" he replied with a shy smile
"sounds great" she said back, smiling at him. Hermione walked back out of the hallway, opposite way of Draco, and when Ron asked where she was, she just smiled.
"Seriously Hermione where were you?" Ron yelled at her in the Gryffindor common room.
"Oh, somewhere, getting a date to the Yule Ball tonight." she said back with a smile.
"Really? Who!" Harry shouted back.
"You'll figure out tonight." she snapped. "now if you don't mind, I only have 5 hours to get ready and I haven't even got a dress." As she walked out of the library, Ron gave Harry a confused look.
" Do girls really take 5 hours to get ready?" he asked, as they walked to the Gryffindor room.
4 HOURS LATER
"Hey guys do I look ok?" Hermione asked , doing a 360 in front of a mirror. She had her hair down over her shoulders, and had a long fluffy blue dress.
"Um yea, great" Ron replied, struggling to find the words.
"Are you sure? I mean this part of the dress-" She started to say.
"Hermione! You look beautiful! Now who is your date to the Yule ball!" Harry yelled.
"Draco! It's Draco! He asked me and I said yes! Happy?" She screamed at them.
"THE FERRET?" Ron screamed back, obviously pissed.
"Don't call him that!" she snapped back.
"Ron, she likes who she likes. Don't be rude." Harry added in.
"Thank you Harry, by the way, can you zip me up?" Ron stepped up but Hermione shot him a glare that said she meant Harry. When Harry zipped her up, Ron stomped off, muttering something like "...Malfoy...bloody hell...murder...what was she thinking..."
"Thanks Harry." she said, turning around to face him.
"No problem. You know, I have to be okay with whoever you like. I have to know I can't change you." he brought her into a hug and she started to cry.
"Why are you crying Hermione?" Harry asked her.
"I don't know if I should trust him Harry, but I love him." she whimpered and fell to the ground."I don't want to be hurt, because I know I won't be able to get free from him. That's how much I love him Harry."
"I'm sorry Hermione, I really don't know what to say. I don't trust him either but if he didn't love you, he wouldn't have asked you to the Yule Ball."
"Your right." She sniffled and stood back up slowly. " Thanks."
"Any time Hermione". Harry went off to find Ron, and Hermione went to finish getting ready.
30 MINUTES LATER
Draco held the cold railing of the staircase that would take him to the Gryffindor common room. Standing in front of the painting, he heard the trio coming.
"Ron! Calm down!" Harry yelled.
"Why him?" Ron shouted.
"Ron! Get it together!" Screamed Hermione. As she walked out of the painting of Sir Nicholas, Draco had to catch his breath watching her. She was wearing a fluffy light blue dress and her hair was pinned back and wavy.
"Do I look okay?" she asked him, taking his hand.
"You look..beautiful..amazing..actually" He stuttered before Ron started yelling again.
"You're just saying that! What are you trying to do here Malfoy? Good job! You won!"
"RON! CHILL OUT!" She screamed at him.
"Ron I already told you to let her like him if she wants to". Harry said back calmly.
" Thank you Harry, and thank you Draco". Hermione said. They walked down the stairs to the Room of Requirement where the Yule Ball was being held; Draco and Hermione, arm in arm, and Ron and Harry walking dateless behind them.
When they got to the door of the RoR, Draco opened it for Hermione and Ron scoffed at him. When the two walked in, all eyes were on the most unexpected couple.
"Everyones staring at us" she whispered to him.
"Just because your the most beautiful girl in the whole room." he replied with the same smile that made her heart melt.
"Oh get over yourself Malfoy." Ron said back, ruining the moment.
" Ron I'm going to beat you if you don't leave him alone. Hermione is trying to have a good time with him."
"Ya good luck with that one." Ron snapped back.
"Ron leave. Now." Harry said back sternly. After he walked away, Harry apologized for Ron's behavior and followed after him.
"I was totally serious about you being the most beautiful girl here and were gonna have a good time no matter how many times Weasel tries to ruin it." Draco said, taking Hermione's hands in his.
"Don't call him weasel." She said back, taking away her hands."You'll call him Ron as long as were together."
"Fine. But do I have to call Potter Harry?" he asked.
"Yes." she said, resting her hands around Draco's neck."Were at a ball. We have to at least dance to one song." As soon as she said that, Gravity by Sarah Bareilles came on, and Draco wrapped he arms around her waist.
"If you insist." he said back with a smirk, and Hermione rested her head on his shoulder. Ron, getting a lecture from Harry, saw Hermione and Draco dancing and completely lost it.
"What are you doing?" He screamed, getting the attention of about half the school. He ran up to Draco, shoved him off of Hermione, and pushed him onto the ground. Draco sprung back up, and shoved him back.
"Have you gone mental? I'm dancing with my girlfriend! Does this action offend you?" He yelled back. Before he could look back at Hermione, which had already run off crying, Ron punched Draco in the face hard enough to get blood out of his nose. Before things got too rough, Harry got between the two and used Stupify on Ron, taking him outside. Draco, wiping blood off of his nose, ran after Hermione yelling her name.
"Hermione! Wait! I'm sorry!" He yelled, trying to at least get her attention, but she had already gone inside the Gryffindor common room. When he knocked on the frame of he painting (he didn't know the password) Hermione yelled for him to go away.
"Hermione, I'm sorry! I got mad when Ron kept trying to ruin our night and I lost it. I'm sorry! I-I don't wanna lose you.." He said, whimpering out the last part.
"It's not you! It's Ron! He just can't be happy for me! It's practically impossible for him!" After sobbing a bit, she came out of the painting, wiping off smeared makeup.
"I don't think this will work unless Ron can learn to accept us." Hermione whimpered out, hugging Draco. She started sobbing again, and Draco held her tight.
"Hermione, please, I..I don't want to lose you..." Draco said, choking on a tear he ws trying to hold in.
"You barely had me in the first place." She whispered back. She lightly pushed him off, and ran down the hallway crying.