Author's Note: I do not own any characters or the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, that belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling. I have uploaded the first two 'chapters' in order to get a good start on this story. Following these two I will probably begin uploading one chapter at a time. I should hopefully be updating at least once a week. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please leave me a note and I will respond as quickly as I can. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Hermione and Ron are off to a memorial ball.

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Chapter 1: The Gryffindor Princess

Ron stood at the bottom of the stairs, checking his watch and tapping his foot, "Hermione! Hurry up or we'll be late for the ball! Harry and Ginny already left!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. She stared at herself in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She had on a burgundy floor length, A-line, sweetheart neckline gown that hugged her in all the right places. She accented it with golden accessories: peep toed heels, a cross necklace her mother had given her years ago, some elegant love knot studs, and her engagement ring. Her hair fell down in soft ringlets over her shoulders and seemed to shine almost as much as her Gryffindor gold accessories did. To everyone else, she'd look the part of the Gryffindor princess that defeated the darkest wizard of the century. But she knew that this wasn't the case. Sure, she had done some remarkable things, but at what cost? Her parents had been murdered, she had 'Mudblood' etched on her skin, she lost some of her best friends to wretched people, and now she was stuck with Ronald Weasley - Quidditch manager, drunk, and cheater (though she'd never proven it, she was sure it was with Lavender Brown).

Coming down the stairs slowly so as not to fall she took in Ron as he kept staring at his watch and tapping his foot. The war had taken its toll on him, his hair looked dull, his eyes had dark bags underneath them, and she knew by this time of night his breathe would reek of FireWhiskey. Hell he barely even knew how to dress, his suit was ill-fitted, his shoes not shined, and his tie was tied on all wrong. Breaking him out of his annoyed thoughts, Hermione drawled, "Honestly Ronald, when will you remember I always set your watches 20 minutes fast so YOU are not late? Besides this ball is in remembrance of the war and to honor those who passed and all of us who survived, so even if we are late I'm sure no one will say a thing."

He sneered at her, "Well if I remembered every time, then I would be late now wouldn't I?" She rolled her eyes as she took the last step and grabbed onto his outstretched arm. They walked over to the fireplace and flooed to the ministry. Hermione made sure to school her features and smile for the cameras even though she was upset - she looked breathtaking tonight and of course Ronald had not said a damn thing.

As soon as the smoke cleared, the flashes of light began and a roar of questions came from the crowd of journalists, "Miss Granger, how is wedding planning going?", "Mr. Weasley, what do you think the Canons record will be this season?", "Mr. Weasley, who is your celebrity crush?" "Miss Granger who designed your dress?" At that moment, Hermione was saved by Blaise, as he stepped up and gave her a warm hug and a kiss on each cheek and shouted at the journalists, "Why me of course! Miss Granger always looks breathtaking in my original designs, so I just insisted that she wear this Gryffindor Red tonight!" All the while he put a hand on the small of her back and helped her through the throngs of people. Ron, however, stayed in the crowd and answered questions while smiling. Hermione knew it'd be some time before Ron would return to her side. He loved the attention more than she ever could.

"Thank you so much for saving me yet again. I don't know what I'd do without you or your lovely designs," she winked at the tall Italian man.

He chuckled, "I think you just like me for my designs! You look ravishing tonight by the way, I told you I knew what I was doing!"

She smacked him playfully on the chest, "I have never doubted you! Now let's go inside and have some fun!"

After dropping their belongings off at coat check, Blaise and Hermione walked into the ballroom. She'd never get over the beauty of magic. The ceiling was covered with a night sky and each star was twinkling with the sound of the soft melodic music playing. The entire place smelled of the decadent food that would be served with dinner while waiterless platters slowly moved around offering everyone flutes of champagne. The tables were covered in a dark linen accented with gold plates, knives, forks, and spoons. The centerpieces were tall and had the most magnificent flowers in each of them. It reminded Hermione of a wedding, but simple and lovely.

She turned to grab a champagne flute from a platter and her amber eyes found the silver orbs of another. There was a storm brewing inside those eyes and Hermione could not tear herself away from staring at him. His hair hadn't changed from 6th year, but his face wasn't nearly as pale. He stood tall, in his all black suit with a thin emerald green tie. His shoes looked Italian, she was sure Blaise had helped him with that since they were best friends after all. He no longer held his infamous sneer, in fact, was he smiling..at her? Dare she say, he looked handsome? Shaking her head to finally get out of the fog, she finally looked away from him, but she could still feel Draco Malfoy staring at her intensely.

She looked to Blaise who had an amused look on his face, "Like what you see huh?"

"Oh shut it Zabini," she said seriously, but he noticed the blush that had crept up on her cheeks.

The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, raised his champagne glass and started tapping it with his knife. Right before he started to speak, Ron appeared next to her looking a little disheveled. She noticed a certain trampy blonde had come in as well and taken her seat at another table. "Tonight, we remember. We remember those who valiantly fought for their lives 2 years ago. We remember those we loved and lost. We remember that terror was struck down and good prevailed. Please enjoy tonight and the lovely feast we have prepared." At the clap of his hands, food appeared on the golden plates reminding Hermione of her first year at Hogwarts.

Not long after everyone had finished eating did the music begin and couples started taking to the dance floor. Hermione looked expectantly at Ron who had a smirk on his face and was staring off at some other table. Hermione looked to where his eyes were and she found none other than the trampy blonde, Lavender Brown, dressed literally in a frumpy lavender dress with a brown belt around the middle. Gods, could she be anymore predictable? She cleared her throat and Ron looked back at her with a sneer on his face now, "I think I'll go get me a drink." Ron left the table and Hermione did her best to hide her shame, she didn't need anyone to know there was 'trouble in paradise' after all.

The song ended and another began, this time someone tapped her shoulder. She looked up to find those silver orbs once more. He smirked down at her and put out his hand, "May I have this dance?" Surprised, Hermione took his hand without thinking and soon enough he was twirling her gracefully around the dance floor.

After a few moments, Hermione looked up at him, "Why did you ask me to dance?" Hermione never enjoyed the small talk that accompanied these dances, so she figured she'd jump right to the point with her old rival and enemy.

"Well if I remember correctly, you do enjoy dancing don't you? You're always dancing at these balls or charities, though never with your fiancé." Malfoy replied honestly.

She was startled, did he really notice her at every event they went to? Any why would he even ask her to dance and not someone else? Was he questioning her relationship? And if he was questioning it, who's not to say everyone else was too? "That doesn't really answer my question Malfoy. I am the Gryffindor princess after all," she replied, making sure she laid on the sarcasm of Gryffindor princess, "I will get asked eventually. So I'll ask again, why did you ask me to dance?"

He stared at her for a moment, the storm returning to his eyes. He slowly began to speak, "Well, you appear to enjoy dancing so I thought I'd give you your first dance of the night and I also wanted to see if you were still the awkward, clumsy, Gryffindor princess you've always been."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at that, "And am I?"

Draco chuckled, the storm disappearing from his eyes and a twinkle appearing, "Not in the slightest. You're still the Gryffindor princess though," he teased.

At that, Hermione smacked his arm playfully. He twirled her one last time as the song ended. Draco pulled her back in and whispered, "You look incredible tonight, don't let the Weasel get you down." Draco let go of her and strolled away hands in his pockets. Hermione just stood there at the edge of the dance floor, not even trying to school her features away from the surprise that she was sure had taken over. Draco bloody Malfoy had just complimented her. She was obviously going mad.

Hermione finally shook herself out of her trance and walked away from the dance floor as another song began. She headed towards the bar to get something stronger than the champagne they were serving tonight when an ugly lavender frock disappearing behind a curtain caught her eye.

Using her newfound grace and quietness thanks to her Auror training, Hermione walked towards the curtain and listened closely. What she heard next would haunt her for the months to come.

"Oh come on Ronnie, why don't you leave her? The press loves you more anyway. She always disappears before she answers questions." Hermione recognized the annoying high-pitched voice immediately, Lavender fucking Brown. Great.

Ron sounded completely sloshed, "Because Lavy," really Lavy? Like a damn lavatory? Well she was as gross as a bathroom, "the world knows us as the Golden Trio. What will happen if 'Mione and I break up? No more balls, no more events, nothing where I can sneak away with you." No wonder his disgusting ass wouldn't dance with her.

More whining, "But Ronnie, you don't love her. Just be with me. I'll make you happy."

At this point, Hermione had had enough, she stepped out from her hiding spot to just to see them completely indecent. Apparently they wasted no time. Ron looked at her with a mixture of horror and dizziness (probably from the alcohol), but Lavender looked absolutely victorious. Hermione tried her best to keep calm, but failed and angrily said, "Yes, Ronnie, why don't you just be with Lavy? I mean nobody should hide who they truly are." And that's when Hermione hexed him, his nose started to take the shape of a pig snout and a curly tail started to form on the back end of his trousers. Hermione ripped the ugly golden ring off of her finger and handed it to Lavender who looked absolutely horrified, "You'll get more use from this Lavy." And with that Hermione walked out from behind the curtain, determined to get drunk and have a good night.