CHAPTER FOUR

Masquerade, My Swan

The Masquerade Ball was coming up soon. Hermione and Blaise helped in the planning of the event. They had decided on Bringing My Future as the theme. Everyone's costume had to represent something they wanted to be part of, or become in their future, even if it was in some abstract way. It was going to be perfect. Beautiful even. Ron decided he was going as Sherlock Holmes. Harry was going as Vincent Dale, the star Quiddich Seeker. Ginny was going as something strait out of Disney, Esmirelda from Hunchback of Notre Dame. Hermione wasn't talking about what she was going to go as yet. It was a surprise. Blaise decided he was going to go as Watson so he could pester on Ron all night.

With all the preparations in place, Hermione wrote in her journal to DPC, and got no response. The words did not fade. He must not have been near his book. The next night was the same, the words were still there from the day before and had not been read. Hermione started getting nervous. This went on and on, no responses.

The night of the ball, she dressed and made herself ready. Looking in the full length mirror in the common room, she definitely decided she looked damned good. Even if you couldn't really tell it was her with her large feathered mask. "Oh I hope he recognizes me..."

"Who recognizes you?" Blaise called out taking in her looks.

"Wow! You look amazing!" He added... "But who are you supposed to be?"

"You wouldn't know. It's a muggle thing." she replied. Her dress was made of leather, with belts that were buckled all around the front with a wide leather skirt that had a lace and flower patter embroidered along the bottom. A tight corset around her torso that held over her breasts and pushed them up. The neckline hung low, it was made to look like it clung onto her breasts. There were no straps, just sleeves that started just below her shoulders. A line of fur encircled over the sleeves and over her breasts. In her arm she held a stuffed animal cactus. She wore red and purple beads around her neck and her make up was very dark indeed. Her hair was up in a neat Japanese style bun with long braids that hung down from it. She had purchased contact lenses to make her eyes appear a deep cherry wood color. She wore fishnet stockings and ankle high boots with quite a heel on them. She tucked the vile of verivestum serum in a small pocket hidden between her breasts. She chuckled a bit remembering what the tailor that fit the dress to her called it.. it was her booby trap. Her dark purple lipstick was sure to be the kissable kind. She didn't want to have to keep reapplying it all night long.

She turned to Blaise, the chirping in her ear was loud. "Your date is here, Blaise you really could have done yourself better than that... hussy."

"Wellat least I have a date, Granger," he snapped coldly.She walked off. Just then Pansy knocked at the portrait. Hermione went to her room and closed the door. She waited until she heard them leave. Ready set go...she thought to herself and headed down to the ball.

People were being announced by their costume, not by name. So when she walked in, she was announced as "Final Fantasy Ten Character...Miss Lulu" she watched as people turned and stared. The costume was something they had never seen before, but the looks she was getting were also ones of "Who is that?" and other such stares. Soon the ball resumed from it's staring and went about it's merry way.

"His Lordship, The Dark Prince Charming.." Hermione froze. Turning her head to the door she watched a man enter, long black hair waving down his back like a flowing piece of silk, burning blue eyes shone from under his mask of golden and black feathers. DPC... Dark Prince Charming... Ohmigod... he was here... finally he was here... He wore a poet shirt, flouncy at the wrists, with a silk black and green vest with silver buttons, a dark hunter green long coat and baggy, but exceptionally well styled matching dark green and black pants that were held fast at the ankle by a pair of riding boots. She tried to surmise who it was, but for the life of her she flat didn't recognize him. But the sorting hat had announced him, so obviously it knew who he was and allowed him into the Ball.

Prince Charming didn't stop to chat to anyone really, and made a beeline for her. She watched him approach trying to read indescribable features. Such perfection, it had to be a spell of some kind.

"Why good eve Swan," he said in a soft whisper. "Would such a lovely lady care for a dance?" He said offering a gentlemanly arm. She curled her angel sleeved arm into his, letting go of the cactus stuffy, it decided it was going to go do some dances of it's own thanks to the Weasley twins.

"It would be an honor milord," she said taking a low curtsey. He bowed in return and arm in arm they made their way onto the dance floor.

Taking her hand and an arm around her waist, he led in an elegant waltz to the slow song that was playing.

"You look spectacular," he whispered into her ear.

"You are looking rather dreamy yourself, Prince Charming," she said as they took another wide turn. People watched and either smiled or fumed. Pansy was absolutely green with envy. You could just see it in her face when they took another spin around the floor. Every giggle Lulu gave, just made her more angry for some reason.

"Do any of them know who you are?" she smirked at Pansy on their last turn around the floor as the song was ending.

"Just you and the sorting hat," he whispered. As the song ended, he stepped back from his Lady of the Eve, and bowed to her as she took another low curtsey.

"Would the Lady be so kind as to give me a tour of the gardens?" he smiled brightly.

"But of course Milord," she said with mock sincerity. He offered his arm, and again she took it as they headed toward the doors to the garden. The cactus jumped up into her other arm as they left the ball, it's applause for their dance and fuming jealousies behind them.

They quickly made their way to their favorite meeting place and with a wave of the wand their barrier was in place. She leaned up against one of the posts, and took off her mask. He did not take his off.

"I believe you have something for me?" he sat down on the bench.

Hermione reached between her cleavage and pulled out the vile of clear fluid.

He reached out and took the vial, and opened the cap. In a soft whisper he looked deep into her eyes. "Here's to anonymity, remember Hermione," he seemed far less confident as usual. " I said I was wrong about you, don't forget that," and he drank the vial down with ease. "Ask away."

"Alright then, are you marked yet?" she sat down next to him.

"No," he seemed confused by that. She hadn't asked who he was first?

"Do you think they will still come after you to mark you?"

"No," he replied.

"Why is that?" she asked softly.

"I think they'll try to kill me, but not mark me," he replied softly.

"Okay, why is that?" She asked again.

"I turned them all in to the Ministry, even my father," he looked away from her. His costume was indeed impressive. He didn't look like anyone in Slytherin House.

"Hmm… how old are you?" she asked.

"Seventeen, same as you," he replied. Still puzzled.

"What are your feelings for me?" she asked with a sly smirk on her face.

"I have no feelings for Lulu," he replied. Nice dodge, way to go.

"How about for Hermione Granger?" she asked.

"I'd really like to get to know her better, I care for her," he replied.

"Do you wish it to be more than just a friendship?" she asked.

"Maybe someday, I don't think you'll trust me right now," he said quietly.

"Why wouldn't I trust you?" she asked.

"As soon as you ask who I am, you will leave," he replied. Shaking his head he felt the effects wearing off. "It's wearing off Hermione."

"Good, you sound like a robot on that stuff," she said quietly making herself comfortable on the bench across from the gazebo from him.

"You had a chance to ask who I was and get an honest answer, you didn't take it?" he asked, going over the steps in his head he had taken to conceal his identity.

"If you are Slytherin House, you are probably used the immunity venom to Verivestum," she grinned.

"You know about the venom?" he seemed puzzled. "And you still trusted me?"

"Yes I knew, and I still trusted you," Hermione smiled.

"Plus, we are both in this up to our eyeballs. We don't have Dumbledore to help us anymore," she watched as his eyes averted away from her, she stood and crossed the gazebo to him. "So now all we have is each other unless we want to get those we care about killed. And I'll be damned if any of them are going to get hurt. I think I figured out why HE wants me."

"Oh what is that?" he asked, as her finger hooked his chin and made him look up at her.

"He is a halfbreed, and should I grow to love someone, say from a pureblood line, it could breed his nemesis," she said softly. "Plus one of his parents was a complete muggle. I'm muggle born, but still a witch. Thusly the child, may be stronger than him in the long run," she said quietly. "Or so the fears of a paranoid wizard may be."

"Good job Swan," he whispered. He looped a hand around her waist and pulled her against him. "No wonder he fears your existence, I think I would too if you were my enemy."

"You never told me why you call me Swan," she smiled.

"Have you ever seen a baby swan?" he asked. She shook her head. "They are ugly, grey balls of feathered fluff. They sound like mistuned trumpets. They have no grace, no dignity, no poise. Then they grow up… and they turn into the most graceful beautiful creatures on the water, with vicious tempers ta'boot." he nuzzled his cheek against hers whispering into her ear. "Describes us both if you ask me."

"Are you trying to seduce me Mr. Charming?" she giggled.

"Is it working?" he whispered pulling his face back to look into hers. She stared into his eyes before he slowly leaned in, lightly touching his lips to hers, just a chaste, gentle kiss. Slowly his hand rose to the middle of her back, she could feel his fingers just below her shoulder blades, he cupped his other hand around her cheek and looked her deep in the eyes.

"Can you love a total stranger?" he whispered, never leaving the eye lock.

"You are far from a total stranger, DPC," she answered with a sweet retort, mimicking his cadence to her. "You are my savior, my friend, my confidant."

"Remember that in times to come," he said, slowly leaning forward, he softly placed his lips on hers. Hermione gasped slightly, letting herself melt into his soft lips. This was all so crazy, so unreal, so fairy tale like. So illogical... so now...

He kept the kiss fairly chaste, but softly lingering. As he pulled away, he looked her deep in the eyes once again. "Do you know what I love about this?" he whispered, pulling her gently into his arms embracing her against his body gently, protectively.

"Hmm..?" she answered, soaking in his body warmth.

"I'm so free right now," he whispered. "I could be anything, a troll for all you know, but you are here with me."

"You are not a seventeen year old troll going to school at Hogwarts," she let herself a small giggle.

"That's true," he gave a small chuckle himself. "But if the world were to ever catch us," he sighed... refusing to finish the sentence.

"Then we should go back to the Ball, and show them all up. If this is the only night we can be ourselves, then we should show them all exactly what is growing right under their noses. Even if we are the only ones who know it," she said nuzzling her cheek against his.

"Your wish is my command," he whispered and he lifted her bridal style from the bench. "But one condition."

"What's that?" she smiled.

"Tomorrow, you come away with me," he smiled, eskimo kissing her nose.

"Saturday, I just have to be back in time to do my rounds tomorrow night," she said.

"No you don't. Blaise will cover them for you," he grinned. "Because you are going to be very ill, in your bed resting," he looked pleadingly into her eyes.

"Does Blaise know about you?" her eyes widened marginally.

"Yes," he whispered. "I need someone to help me pull off all this smoke and mirrors," he whispered. "Don't push him on it please."

"Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow," she smiled softly.

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, then put her down onto her own feet offering his arm. She took it, her hand grabbing her mask and sliding it back on.

"Well Lady Lulu, shall we make them all jealous?" he gave a smirk.

They moved back to the dance, he took her to one of the tables, got their dinner and drink like an absolute proper gentleman. The professors were all questioning who was who around the room. Harry popped by with Ginny on his hip, DPC was nothing less than absolutely cordial. Hermione introduced him as DP to her friends. Ron came by with Blaise hounding him about astounding facts and absolute brilliance, being as they were dressed as Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Ron whined about getting the Slytherin to leave him alone, but neither Hermione or DP could be bothered. Blaise chuckled and followed after Ron like a lovesick puppy dog, pestering the hell out of him, but it was all no harm no foul.

After they ate, DPC offered an arm to Hermione and they were off to woo the dancefloor again.

They danced to two more waltzes before the more modern music picked up. She thought for sure he'd use it as an escape, he didn't seem like the type that would dance to more modern music, especially the particularly dirty hip hop that was playing, but oh gods yes he could do that too... and do it with finesse! Well with about as much finesse as two people who were practically shagging with their clothes on could have.

The candles in the hall all burned to life, letting the attendees know that the Ball was coming to a close. DPC looked to his date with a smile.

"Would you allow me to walk you to your room Milady?" he said offering an arm.

"That would be absolutely fabulous," she smiled taking his arm.

He just patted her arm and escorted her toward the exit. Headmaster McGonagal was watching as they all filed out.

"Headmistress," he said respectfully "tipping" the had he wasn't wearing.

"Sir, Lady," she said. "Take care now, and not to be late to your dorms."