A/N: Hello readers! Welcome to the second chapter of "At the Stroke of Midnight", a Cinderella story featuring Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. In the first chapter you'll notice I've listed the cast, and as a reminder some characters are more loosely based than others. Anyway, this must be a record for me to have out two chapters in two nights, which means I've been neglecting my homework and I wont have Chapter 3: The Masquerade Ball, out until early November.
"At the Stroke of Midnight"
Chapter Two: Madam Esmeralda's Masks
"Hermione, is it true you're having a ball for the seventh years?" Ginny asked anxiously, almost jogging to keep up with Hermione as she hurried to her Charms class.
"What? Oh, yeah…well, Draco and I are making the plans…maybe you can go with Neville…"
"No, I think he's taking Luna…they've been spending a lot more time together lately." Ginny said, looking dejected.
"What about Seamus?" Hermione asked curiously, trying to see if she was upset about Neville, or just wanted another boyfriend.
"Yeah, maybe…whom are you going with?" Ginny asked curiously.
"Ginny, I haven't even planned the ball yet, much less thought about a date!"
"Yeah, I don't know…I was kind of hoping Harry will ask me…"
"Harry?" Hermione asked, stopping so sudden the Ginny almost crashed into her.
"Yeah, well…it's not like I'm gonna go with my brother or anything, besides, you'll probably go with Ron, won't you?"
"If he asks. Listen Ginny, I'm sorry but I've really got to get to Charms."
"Yeah, I understand. Hogsmeade is in two weeks, you wanna go shopping for new dress robes?"
"Sure, that sounds great. See you after class, Ginny"
"See you, Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed, running off toward the dungeons for her Potions class.
Neville and Luna? Harry and Ginny? They hadn't even announced the ball yet, and already girls were finding their dates to the ball. Ginny had brought up a very good question, would Ron ask her to the Ball? All the Gryffindors would probably be expecting it, but Ron wasn't really good at that sort of thing. In fact, it was Harry who asked the Patil twins to go to the Yule Ball with him and Ron.
Hermione was doing her Charms homework in the library when she heard the chair next to her pull out and books hit the table. She looked up and locked eyes with Draco Malfoy.
"What do you want?" Hermione asked, slightly annoyed that he would interrupt her studying.
"Oh, relax Granger…the Charms homework isn't due until Wednesday! Besides, I thought we should get to work on planning the ball."
"Yeah, so we won't have the hear another lecture about what a bunch of irresponsible dunderheads the Head Boy and Head Girl have been in the past."
"You can't blame Snape for making such an accurate assumption, most of them have been Gryffindors…"
"Do you want my help or not?" Hermione had to keep herself from giving her usual stern look she gave Ron and Harry.
"It's not so much that I want your help, Granger. It's that we have to do this together, so we might as well get on with it."
"How charming of you, Malfoy."
"Yes, well, that's always been a trait of mine," Draco flashed Hermione one of his smirks, and took out a piece of parchment from his book bag.
Hermione, disgusted, closed her Charms book and pushed it off to the side.
"Well, Professor McGonagall always sees to it that the Great Hall is decorated for Christmas, so we really won't have to do much there other than moving all the tables out of the room. Of course we'll need refreshments, so we'll have to talk to the House Elves down in the kitchens, see if they'll make us anything…"
"Granger, they're House Elves, we'll just give them the menu and they'll make the food."
"Draco, that's a lot of extra work for them! How can you be so inconsiderate?"
"Look, Granger, I'm not in your stupid S.P.E.W club or anything, alright? That's what House Elves do, but if it'll get you off your high horse, you can go to the kitchens yourself."
"Fine, I will."
"Good! What else then?" Draco asked triumphantly.
"Invitations, Entertainment, and some sort of theme." Hermione replied, determined not to let Malfoy get the upper hand on this event.
"And that's all, then? Food, invitations, entertainment, decorations…and an...erm, theme?"
"Well, it takes a lot more planning than you would think. And yes, a theme. You know, an idea of how people should be dressed…like we could all wear Hogwarts colors instead of house colors to show unity…"
"I'm not wearing purple, Granger."
"Fine. Famous witches and wizards?"
"It's not a history lesson, it's a dance!"
"Fine, what about a Masquerade Ball?"
"A Masquerade ball, eh?"
"Yes, you know…where everyone wears masks…" Hermione said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yes, Granger, I KNOW what a Masquerade Ball is."
"Well, I suppose that does sound rather fun…"
"What about Entertainment?"
"Malfoy, I'm already going to the kitchens, and I thought of the theme, you need to contribute something to this ball!
"Fine! I have a better taste in music anyway! We wouldn't want anything muggle sounding, would we? As for invitations…we could just put up flyers in the dormitories."
"I suppose you'll want me to do that?"
"Well, seeing as you have girl handwriting, yes."
"Are we done here, then?"
"I think so. Oh, and you'll probably want to think of ideas for some other events. You wouldn't want me showing you up in our next meeting, would you?" Draco asked, his famous smirk returning.
"If you don't mind, I need to finish my Charms homework. Something you should think about doing if you actually want to get N.E.W.T's this year!"
Draco stuffed the parchment into his book bag and left the table without saying goodbye to Granger. Leave it to her to remind him of something else he was supposed to be doing for his father. At least with this ball, he could decide on a suitable girl. He felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest, having to pick some beautiful, completely stupid girl for his bride. I suppose he could blame his mother for always being such a hopeless romantic, because deep down he always dreamed of what it would be like to marry his true love. He liked to think that his father did love his mother in the beginning, but Lord Voldemort filled his heart with anger and hate. That's why Draco didn't want to join the Dark Lord, he was afraid of becoming a shell of his former self.
If Hermione thought their meeting had been horrible, her next Defense Against the Dark Arts was absolutely unbearable. How had Snape managed to be the only teacher to make it TWO years in the subject? Last year she had actually been counting on the curse to make Snape ill or something. Figures, she thought to herself, I always have the worst luck! Hermione continued to find Potions rather enjoyable now that Professor Slughorn was teaching it again.
Hermione's lessons and Head Girl duties were taking up a lot more time that she had anticipated, and she hadn't been to a Quidditch practice yet. She kept promising Ron, Ginny, and Harry that she wouldn't miss their games, which were more important than practices anyway, which they agreed with. Two weeks passed yet it seemed like ages to Hermione, whose days were occupied from sunrise to well after nightfall. It was finally time to spend some time with Ginny and Luna in Hogsmeade.
Ron and Harry had gone to visit Fred and George at their joke shop, leaving the girls alone to shop for the Ball.
"Who are you going with Luna?" Ginny asked curiously. Hermione noticed Ginny seemed to be very interested in whom the seventh year girls were attending the ball with. She couldn't quite decide is this was because she was seeing who she might be able to attend with, or seeing if she had any competition in getting Harry to ask her.
"Oh," said Luna dreamily, "probably Neville."
Hermione had to contain her shock, as this was the first time she had ever seen Luna Lovegood blush.
"He's a really good dancer," Ginny said immediately, "he took me to the Yule Ball in my third year,"
"Oh yes, I remember now. Are you sure we should be buying our dress robes so early? The Ball is still three months away, and that's plenty of time for the nargles to steal them."
"Don't worry, Luna. The nargles aren't going to steal your dress. Besides, we have to get ours before all the good robes are gone!"
"Oh, Ginny," said Luna, holding up a pair of green sparkling dress robes, "you should buy this pair. It'll match Harry's eyes."
Ginny's checks turned as red as her hair, "Harry hasn't asked me."
"Well, I'm sure he will. But if he doesn't, they'll look nice with your red hair," Luna suggested.
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Oh, Luna…you're hair and complexion are so beautiful. You should get something like these silver robes, you'd look like an angel…"
"These robes are different," said Ginny, pointing toward a rack in the front of the store.
"They look like muggle gowns," Hermione observed.
"We should get them! We could find some really pretty masks to go with them!"
"You don't think we'll stand out? Nah, it's a masquerade, right? Even witches wore this kind of stuff a hundred years ago. After spending sometime in the robe shop, the girls left to meet Harry and Ron at the Three Broomsticks.
"Hey, is that a new shop?" Ginny said, pointing to a very tiny, very dark shop with glowing green letters that read, "Madam Esmeralda's Masks".
"Ohh, that would be perfect Hermione! Let's go look…"
"Alright, but we only have a few minutes until we have to meet Harry and Ron…"
"Welcome, dears!" a witch said in a very low voice. She moved toward them effortlessly, almost floating. She had long black hair with a bright green bandana tying it back. Her robes were black as well and glided across the floor. She had lots of jewelry and bright makeup on. Her shop smelt like incense and paint. Hermione made a mental note that she looked like a very cliché muggle version of a fortuneteller. Hopefully she wouldn't be as unbearable as Professor Trelawney was with her nonsense about "an all seeing eye".
"I am Madam Esmeralda…come seeking a way to conceal your identity?"
"No," said Ginny is a quiet voice, "we're just…erm…going to a Masquerade Ball and saw your shop and thought we would…"
The rest of Ginny's words were drowned out by a shriek of laughter from Madam Esmeralda, "how exciting!" she exclaimed.
She turned quickly and gestured for them to follow her, mumbling different things to herself along the way. Hermione, Luna and Ginny were all exchanging awkward glances at each other until they reached their destination, an entire covered with different masks. They started out very simple at the bottom, the most intricate asks at the very top.
"My masks are very special, dears…they can conceal your identity. Once these masks are on, the effect will last only until midnight, then your identity will be revealed. They are perfect for your Ball, or anytime you want to go unnoticed. I also have true love glass slippers…"
"Did you say true love slippers?" Luna asked in her usual dreamy voice.
"Yes, dear. You wear these glass slippers to the dance," she said, holding up a pair of glistening glass slippers, "and you leave one behind. Your true love will find it, return the slipper to you and then you'll live happily ever after."
"Like Cinderella?" Hermione said, arching an eyebrow.
"What? Oh, yes dear, you must be a muggleborn. Cinderella is a true story you know, I know the women that was her "fairy godmother".
"Wait…are you telling me Cinderella is a REAL story?"
"Well, yes, all the Grimm Brother's stories are true. They were brilliant wizards, you know…"
"You've heard their stories, Hermione?" Ginny asked.
"Of course, we called them fairytales. All little girls grew up reading about Princesses' being rescued by their handsome Prince."
"And you can all have those happily ever afters, with enchanted products from my store!"
"Um, we actually have plans, but thanks so much for showing us around," Hermione said quickly, pulling Luna and Ginny out of the store and into The Three Broomsticks.
"That woman was absolutely mad, we don't need enchanted masks or magic slippers…"
"We use magic for everything else, why not to find our true love?" Ginny asked.
"Ginny, do you honestly think all of our true loves just happen to be at Hogwarts? It's completely ridiculous, fairy tale stuff!"
"Alright, I get it. Let's just find…"
"Oi!" said Ron, waving at them from across the room. The girls hung their cloaks on the hooks and made their way toward the table.
"What took you guys so long? I'm starving!" Ron exclaimed.
"You're always hungry, Ronald" Ginny retorted.
"That's because girls always take so long to do anything!"
"Let's just order," Harry suggested, trying to avoid an argument in which Ron would be severely embarrassed.
Before Hermione knew it, it was time for another meeting with Draco and the Professors. This time, Hermione and Draco were able to present solid plans to Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. They sat in silence while the Professors reviewed their notes, Hermione could tell by the small smile on McGonagall's lips that she was very pleased with their plans. Snape's pursed lips also told Hermione that he was probably trying to find flaws with their plans, and was failing.
"Excellent work, Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy, I am very pleased! When will these flyers being going out?"
"We thought it best to wait until after Halloween," Hermione replied before Draco had the chance.
"Yes, and Gran…I mean, Hermione is going to take care of the food and I'll be booking entertainment."
"Splendid!" Professor McGonagall seemed much more comfortable showing her delight to her stars students, revealing a very different side then the strict transfiguration Professor they were both used to.
Snape had an evil grin on his face, and Hermione knew he was going to insult their plans before he even spoke.
"How do you expect to pay for the entertainment? Anyone worth booking is going to want some kind of fee, I suppose."
"Well in states in our Code of Conduct books that each year the Head Boy and Head Girl are allotted a budget for the year's activities, so we'll take it out of there."
"Yes, well, you'll want to be careful or the money will run out before the year is through."
"Yes, Professor Snape, I'm sure they're both full aware how to budget. Well, I suppose that's all for this week. Hermione, dear, would you mind staying behind?"
"Of course not, Professor McGonagall."
Draco smirked at her as he packed up his book bag, oh how he hoped Granger was in trouble or getting extra work.
Professor McGonagall waited until Professor Snape and Draco had left before speaking again. She then went to a rather large box in the corner that Hermione hadn't noticed until now.
"Now, I know this is technically inappropriate conduct, but I trust this can be our little secret, Miss Granger."
Hermione's curiosity was definitely sparked as McGonagall passed her the box. Hermione examined the box before opening it. It was black with a bright green ribbon, and was someone very familiar. Hermione opened the box to reveal a beautifully decorated mask. The base of the mask was simple and black. Gold glitter had been sprinkled on the mask, and green and purple feathers were sprouting from either end.
Hermione gasped at the beauty of the mask, "Oh, Professor McGonagall, you shouldn't have…" As Hermione spoke those words, she flipped over the mask, which revealed small gold letters that read "M. E. Masks". It only took Hermione a few seconds to register that this was a mask from Madam Esmeralda's shop. Why would Professor McGonagall be giving me a magic mask?
"I thought it would be fun for you to wear such a nice mask to the ball, and not worry about it slipping. It says it stays on until midnight…"
Hermione went to put the mask back in the box, and realized something shimmering beneath more tissue paper. Hermione quickly pulled the paper out of the box, revealing the sparkling glass slippers she had also seen in the store.
"Professor McGonagall?"
"Well, Miss Weasley told me you chose a dress of ice blue, the slippers should match perfectly. You're not only Head Girl, Miss Granger, you're a Gryffindor, which means you should be looking your best."
"Oh, thank you!" Hermione exclaimed, giving Professor McGonagall a tight hug, which she returned only for a few seconds before clearing her throat, "now off to your lessons, Miss Granger!"
"Of course, and thank you again Professor!"
"Lucius Malfoy's robes glided across the floor as he made his way to Argus Filch's office. His cane and boots made alternating clicks against the newly polished castle floors. He didn't like having the trust in such an incompetent squib, but he'd rather leave this in his hands than Snape's. Lucius and Bellatrix still weren't exactly sure where his loyalty lied, and his son's future was of the upmost importance.
"Filch!" he demanded, rapping his cane against the door.
It took a moment for a disgruntled Argus Filch, who had one eye slightly larger than the other, and nappy brown hair. His cat, Mrs. Norris wrapped herself between his legs, purring.
"Malfoy?" he questioned.
"Are you going to make me discuss our business in the hall, or invite me into your office?"
Still looking slightly confused, Filch opened his door all the way and allowed Lucius to enter. "Keep an eye out," he told Mrs. Norris, shutting her outside with the door.
Lucius had already taken a seat at the desk when Filch returned from giving Mrs. Norris her instructions, and he took the chair opposite him.
"Mr. Filch, you have eyes all over this school. Therefore, I think you'd be the perfect man to employ for the assignment."
"Employ?" Filch asked, arching an eyebrow.
Lucius placed a large sack of galleons on the desk, "Yes, employ."
"And what would you want me to do?" Filch asked, his grin widening as he weighed the gold in his greedy hands.
"I want you to keep an eye on my son this year. He's supposed to be picking a Wife for himself, and I don't want any delays."
"So you want me to follow him around and make sure he's dating?"
"I want you to make sure that no complications arise. Let him use the Room of Requirement, stay on grounds past curfew, anything he needs. If anyone can do this, Filch, it's you. So do we have an accord?" Lucius asked, offering his hand to Filch.
Filch shook it quickly and said, "You best be on your way, Mister Malfoy. I have to go check for students out of bed,"
"Yes, yes of course. However, I expect a weekly owl as well. Good night, Mr. Filch" Lucius exited the office, and quickly made his way down to the dungeons and to the secret entrance to the Slytherin common room.
"Pureblood," he whispered.
The statue obediently shifted to the left and a small hole opened in the wall.
Draco Malfoy, who had been studying by the fire on one of their luxurious couches, turned around to see who had entered their common room at such a late hour, and practically fell off the couch.
"Father?" he half shouted.
"Quiet! Do you want to wake up the whole house?"
"What are you doing in here? Adults aren't allowed in!" he tried to say firmly.
"Draco, I'm a School Governor and a Slytherin Alumni, I can enter as I please."
"Well, what do you want? I'm studying."
"I needn't remind you that you shouldn't be taking that tone with me, Draco. I've come to see what your plans are for finding a wife."
"You'll be happy to know, father, that I'm having a ball and I'm going to be choosing then."
"Excellent, when is this ball?"
"Just before the holiday…"
"And you'll be bringing her home, then?'
"If all goes well, yes."
"Well, make sure all goes well, and don't take no for an answer. No I must be going, I have more business to attend to."
"Well, father, it was lovely to see you," Draco said, keeping his voice monotone and didn't even bother to check the expression on his father's face as he left the common room.
Draco strolled through Hogsmeade aimlessly that next weekend, thinking about his assignment. If he was going to choose his future bride at the Hogwarts Bride, he had to be certain she was beautiful, smart, obedient, and funny. He wanted someone who could give him beautiful children, challenge him intellectually, and truly love him for who he was. The more he thought about it, the more pleased he was with Granger's idea for a masquerade ball. With his identity hidden, he would be free to get to know girls without them pinning away for the Malfoy name. He would need a very good mask. Perhaps he should also change the color of his hair? His features were very unique and easy to spot; he didn't want his identity to be compromised until he decided the time was right.
Without realizing it, Draco had entered the outskirts of Hogsmeade. A loud door slam caused him to look up quickly, and it was then he noticed a little black shop with bright green letters that read "Madam Esmeralda's Masks". Perfect, he thought to himself.
"Welcome, Mister Malfoy!" a witch said in a very sensuous voice. She moved toward him effortlessly, almost floating. She had long black hair with a bright green bandana tying it back. Her robes were black as well and glided across the floor. She had lots of jewelry and bright makeup on. Draco was instantly reminded of Professor Trelawney.
"How did you know my name?" Draco asked, arching a brow.
"I know a lot of things, Mister Malfoy. The spirits have told me there is a Ball happening at Hogwarts soon. You must be seeking a very special mask…"
"Yes! I need something that's going to hide my identity."
Madam Esmeralda gestured for him to follow her to the back of the store, where a large wall was covered with all different kinds of masks. Draco took several minutes analyzing some of the more interesting masks. Finally, he settled on one.
"That one," Draco said, pointing to the highest mask in the right hand corner. It had a black base that covered the eyes and the nose, and was trimmed in green.
"Simple, yet elegant," she said, levitating the mask down into Draco's hands, "and I've already sold its match!"
"Its match?"
"Why yes, every enchanted mask has a match. There is always one female mask and one male mask. You find the girl with the matching mask, and you'll find your true love!"
"Perfect," said Draco, looking rather pleased with himself.
A/N: PLEASE R/R! Next chapter is the Masquerade Ball! Are you excited? I am! Draco and Hermione have NO idea what's in store for them! ;)
