Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any part of the series
Hermione glanced behind herself once again. The feeling of being watched had been haunting her for some time now as she made her way down the deserted corridors.
All 6th years were due to the Great Hall this evening to discuss the Valentine's Day Ball.
Even though the meeting wasn't meant to start for at least another fifteen minutes Hermione found it her duty to be early if she ever wanted to be Head Girl next year.
After hearing another set of foot steps once again she whirled around. This time she was met with a body instead of an empty hallway.
Rolling her eyes she sped up her pace. "What's the matter, Granger," Malfoy drawled. "You look as if you've seen a ghost."
"Honestly, I am not in the mood to talk this evening, Malfoy," Hermione bit out angrily as she quickened her pace even more.
"You're never in the mood to talk to me," he mumbled to himself.
"What was that," Hermione questioned and stopped walking. She figured she had some time to spare.
"Nothing."
"No," Hermione demanded. "You wanted to talk, so what is it?"
Smirking Malfoy instantly found a cover up for his mistake. Seeing that it would most likely piss her off he gave it a go. "We still on for our date, Granger?"
Fuming, Hermione turned around and entered the Great Hall as the first person to arrive.
Sitting herself down at the Gryffindor table, where she knew Malfoy would never approach, she sorted through her bag looking for something to do.
It was halfway through her book that she felt a brilliant idea come to her mind. Honestly, why hadn't she thought of this before hand?
She would tell Malfoy she would go to the Ball with him. He would never show up with a muggle born. That would get him off her back for good, and even if he still preceded to go with her than she'd have to do something embarrassing to him. Something that would make him never speak to her again.
"To answer your question from earlier," Hermione mumbled over her shoulder. "Yes we are still on for our date."
Neither of them looked at each other in time to notice the big smirks plastered on each of their faces.
The meeting went smoothly. All students were assigned a job. The Gryffindors were in charge of decorations. The Ravenclaws were in charge of food. The Huffelpuffs were in charge drinks. And the Slytherins were in charge of music.
Draco sat calmly in the Slytherin common room with his feet resting on the coffee table that sat in between the two black leather couches.
He smirked his usual smirk as he watched the girls from year 4 through 7 survey the room for suitable dates.
He never understood how girls could be so insecure with going alone. It never mattered for the boys.
Many times today he had found girls staring at him or talking rather nervously to him.
It was no doubt that they were trying to drop subtle hints that they wanted him to ask them to the dance.
But he didn't have to worry about it. He already had a date. Granger. Well if they were going on a date together he might as well refer to her as Hermione.
Throughout this week he had been noticing feelings for her arise. He tried to convince himself that he was just trying to mess with her and her friends when he first asked her to the dance, but now there was no denying it. He liked her.
She was gorgeous and smart. It's not like he loved her or anything. He just thought she was cute. He would never admit his feelings to anyone though. If anyone asked why he was attending the ball with her he would merely say to embarrass her and that he had a brilliant Slytherin worthy plan for her.
Noticing the couch sink under added weight Draco turned his attention to the person next to him. Blaise Zabini. "So who are you planning on asking to the dance, mate?" Blaise started the conversation with the most obvious starter.
The dance was all people were talking about lately. It was sort of chaotic. "Already have a date."
"Seriously," Blaise gasped wide eyed. The dance had only been announced a few days ago. Not many people had dates, they were most likely waiting for the perfect person to ask or holding it off till the last minute. Why would Draco wait, though, if he already had the perfect date. "Who?" The question caught Draco off guard. He had run through this scenario many times through his head but as soon as the words escaped his best friend's lips he found himself unable to speak.
"Pansy?" Blaise questioned when Draco hadn't responded as quickly as he wished.
Draco shook his head as he racked his brain for a way to say what he wanted to.
As if right on cue, Pansy strutted through the common room and approached Blaise and Draco.
Many eyes were glued to the back of her head. They all feared this moment. The moment she would snatch the most worthy man.
"So Draco," she purred as she basically sat on his lap. Draco moved and lightly pushed her off of him. "What are you guys talking about?" "Draco's date to the dance," Blaise spoke without thinking. Instantly it was light a switch was turned on because Pansy's eyes started to glow with a scary look and she looked ready to kill.
She whipped her head and surveyed the girls in the common room sending each and every one a death glare that was surely to make them stay away for the rest of the school year.
"Oh," Pansy mumbled. "And who's that?"
Finally getting the courage to tell them Draco spoke, "Granger."
"Excuse me?" Pansy blurted. "That mud blood?"
"Yeah," swallowing he wiled himself to say his excuse. "But don't worry it's only to see if she'll actually think I'd go with her. I have an amazing plan."
"Ooo," Pansy lit up instantly. "I love plans. Can I help?"
"No," Draco rejected her offer instantly. "I don't need help."
"Of course you don't ," Blaise mumbled and Draco eyed him. It was as if he knew Draco's whole plan, but how could he. It wasn't as if he told anyone.
In one swift movement, Draco stood up to his full height, grabbed his books, and took his exit towards his dorm room quickly.
He had to get away from them before anyone found out about his feelings for Hermione.
Smiling slightly he laid down in his bed. Hermione, he thought, I like the sound of that.
In the Gryffindor Common Room not many things were different. All the girls were scared senseless over the fact of not having a date and all the boys were being complete dorks.
Hermione sighed as she glanced around the room. The homework she had discarded to the side wasn't able to catch her attention today and that meant something was up.
"What's wrong, Hermione," Ron questioned from his spot on the floor with Harry.
They were playing a game of Wizard's Chess in the middle of the Common Room just below the table Hermione was working at.
"Nothing, I've just got a lot on my mind," she mumbled as, now, both her friends glanced at her suspiciously.
"So, Harry, have you decided who you are asking to the ball, yet," Ron turned to his best male friend.
Harry's face turned red causing Hermione to have to stifle a laugh. It was no doubt that Harry was slowly developing feelings for Ron's sister, Ginny, and who could blame him? She was pretty, smart, and funny.
But whenever he talked to her, he instantly lost all of his Gryffindor courage. He was like putty in her hands and he would never be able to be with her if he didn't man up.
Ginny had always had a thing for Harry since the first time she saw him when he was a first year and she was a year away from attending Hogwarts.
And ever since Dean and Ginny had broken up she paid much more attention to Harry than she had been before.
Of course Ron was oblivious to all this. If he knew he'd wring Harry's neck at the fact that his sister liked him and the feelings were mutual on both ends.
Ron eyed Hermione as she tried to cover the almost laugh that escaped her lips once again by suddenly coughing.
Ron stood up and claimed that he had to go put the Wizard's chess set away in his trunk. Once he was out of ear shot Hermione turned to Harry. "I think you should ask her. She seems to like you as well."
"Her?" Harry tried his best to act as if he had no idea what Hermione was speaking of.
"Ginny," Hermione whispered loudly. "Go ask her before Ron comes back."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Hermione I think you are seeing things. I do not have feelings for Ginny and if I did I would ask her."
"Oh come on, of course you do! You're just scared of what Ron will think."
"No I'm not," Harry huffed and sat up from the ground to attend to the chair straight across from Hermione. By now his face was glowing of a strange bright red blush.
"Fine, be a coward," Hermione mumbled adding in a glare for effect.
"Who's being a coward?" Ron piped up as he descended the stairs and sat down with the other two.
"No one," Harry stated while Hermione rolled her chocolate brown eyes.
"umm, Hermione," Ron questioned nervously. Hermione let her gaze shift from her one best friend to the next. When she nodded Ron spoke once again," Can I speak with you?"
"Sure," Hermione looked at him.
"Alone."
"Okay," The two stood up and Ron led the way outside of the Common Room and into the corridors.
I wasn't past curfew yet so the students were welcome to roam the halls which was what they chose to do.
They had been lost in thought and soaking in the comfortable feeling of being together, when Ron stopped and waited for Hermione to do the same.
"Hermione this is very hard to explain," Ron suddenly spoke once they were all alone and walking down a empty hallway. His eyes were glued to the stone floor. He was far too nervous to look at Hermione.
"What is it?" Hermione spoke.
"Wouldyougotothedancewithme?" Ron rushed the sentence quickly.
"Excuse me?"
Taking a deep breath and sorting out his wording Ron tried one more time. "Would you go to the dance with me."
"I would," Hermione started and Ron willingly let a huge smile grace his face. "But I already have a date."
Instantly Ron's face fell. "Oh."
"Yeah," Hermione mumbled. The awkwardness had set in.
"Who is it?" "You wouldn't understand if I told you."
"Why wouldn't I," Ron seemed confused. "Just tell me who it is."
"Malfoy."
"What!" Ron's face went from sad and heartbroken to outraged and murderous. "Why him, 'Mione. That bloody ferret git is probably just using you."
"Well that's where you're wrong," Hermione let a smirk grace her face. "I'm using him."
"What?" Ron was suddenly surprised.
"He asked me and I'm going to use this to get back at him for all the things he's ever done to us. Something embarrassing, I'm just not completely sure yet."
"Wow, I didn't know you had it in, ya," Ron smiled and pulled her into a hug. "What do you say, Hermione? Friends?"
Giggling Hermione returned the hug. "When did we ever stop?"
At that the two walked side by side back to the common room. They were both joking about the things they could do to Malfoy. Stand him up, embarrass him in front of all the students, or just plain get him to be seen attending the dance with a muggle born student.
The only thought that never seemed to cross either of the friends' minds was that what if he actually had feelings for Hermione? What if he wasn't who they thought he was?
People do change sometimes. Everyone eventually grows up. And maybe, just maybe he already did.
In the end someone could really get hurt but it was a thought that was left out of the jumble of both of the 6th year Gryffindor's minds.
Thanks for reading. This chapter was a bit longer than the others. I am so sorry it took so long to update. I had a horrible flu yesterday and I was going to take that opportunity to update but I honestly couldn't do anything let alone think. So I'm sorry it took awhile! Please review! I am greatly inspired by the great reviews I had received.
-Laughter is Contagious
