I apologize greatly for the long update. Life has been keeping me very busy. I've only just returned home from a family holiday and have been out and about with friends. However, I assure you I am back, with my fingers glued to the keys.

Disclaimer: I most certainly did not come up with Harry Potter and I take no credit for the wonderful world.

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Attention Students:

A Halloween party will be held this Saturday, October 31st in the Great Hall.

The party is open to the 7th and 8th years only.

No alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

Signed, Headmistress Prof. McGonagall.

Ginny's squeals could have no doubt been heard throughout the whole castle. She ran as fast as her slender legs could carry her, crashing into confused onlookers as she went. She even toppled over the small charms teacher, Professor Flitwick, after he made an attempt to put out the flame that was running nonchalantly through the corridors.

Ginny Weasley loved parties.

"HARRY! HERMIONE! RON!"

Ginny burst into the great hall, yelling at the trio who were conversing casually with each other. However Ginny's little scene not only grabbed the attention of her friends, but also the hundreds of other students who had just sat down for dinner.

Ginny went scarlett. "Oh, just go back to your meals," Ginny said, making a gesture with her hands for the eyes in the hall to return to their plates.

She trotted down the table, sinking into the chair next to Hermione. But she immediately perked up and continued her excitement.

"Ahh, Gin, you haven't been canoodling with anyone have you? Seamus?" Ron questioned, frowning at his over excited sister.

"Hey! The only canoodling she will be doing is with me!" Harry shot at Ron who held up his hands in defence.

"Ginny, what happened?" Hermione cut across the boys who had started the, 'your my best friend dating my sister,' argument.

Ginny made a sort of squeal in the back of her throat, before screaming out the details of the upcoming Halloween party.

"You're this excited over a party?" Hermione said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Hermione had never been a fan of parties, hated them in fact. The dancing, dressing up, and socializing really didn't appeal to her, but she knew a party to her ginger-haired friend was a big event.

"This is not just any party Hermione, all of the 7th and 8th year students will be there! The great hall will be packed!" Ginny hardly took a breath, "we can use this weekends Hogsmeade trip to find the perfect outfit!"

Hermione inwardly groaned.

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It seemed that Ginny was not the only one looking forward to the upcoming party. The details of the party had spread like wildfire through the corridors of Hogwarts, hitting a particular blonde square in the eyes.

"This will be perfect mate!" Blaise slapped Draco on the back.

Draco felt his head nod, however, on the inside he had already begun thinking of excuses to get out of the darn thing.

"I say we match our outfits, what's scary and would make others tremble?" Blaise asked excitedly.

By this time the pair had walked into the great hall, greeted by the smells of a roast dinner.

"We don't exactly have to dress up Blaise...we are already scary and make people tremble…" Draco said through gritted teeth, his eyes flickering over to a certain bushy haired girl who was being attacked by a thrilled Ginny Weasley.

Blaise chose to ignore this comment and continued, "What about pirates...or werewolves...no i've got it… vampires!"

"Hey...I've got it...why don't we just go as lord voldemort, he was a bit of a scary bloke!" Draco scoffed.

"You know what Draco, just forget it!" Blaise snapped back, turning away from him and staring down at his plate.

Draco bit his lip. He had gone too far. He wanted to apologize, but when was it ever in Draco's nature to apologize?

Something made him look up, a feeling, an urge. His gaze fell on the bushy haired girl for the second time that night. Yet this time, she was staring right back. Her glossy brown eyes, full of warmth stared directly into his cold grey ones. And as quickly as the moment had come, it was gone with a nudge on the shoulder from the redhead sitting next to her, and her attention was averted back to her friends.

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Hermione could feel winter coming, feel the icy chill that was on the horizon. In a couple months, Hogwarts, her home, would be covered by a blanket of snow.

It was officially one week until the big halloween party. This set the stress level very high for a party crazed witch.

"'Mione how about this?" Ginny Weasley stood in front of a floor length vintage mirror trying on what seemed like the millionth costume.

Hermione strode over to the mirror and gazed at the reflection of the girl who stared back. Ginny's outfit this time resembled that of a princess, but not the turquoise princess from before, a pink princess.

"Yeah looks great…" Hermione yawned.

"Ugh...no, it doesn't hug my figure very well does it, there's gotta be something else around." Ginny began, sliding back into the changing room.

"There's gotta be something else around," Hermione muttered sarcastically which seemed to have gone unnoticed to the redhead.

"Any luck finding anything for you?" Ginny called from behind the curtain which hid her away from prying eyes.

"Nope nothing, I was thinking Gin, perhaps this party isn't for me, I mean, I hate all that dressing up, I just…"

"Don't think you can wriggle out of this one Hermione Jean Granger, you will be attending this party, now be the perfect little angel and hand me that sailors outfit over there," Ginny's hand popped out of the fitting room, wriggling around waiting for the outfit.

Hermione got up and handed Ginny the very exposing sailors costume and then went back to her original place in the corner, but as she sat back down, her hand collided with one of the costumes on a nearby rack which caused it to pull free from its coat hanger.

Hermione stopped in her tracks, eyes fixed on the white costume which had fallen at her feet. A smirk began playing on her lips. Well Ginny, if a perfect angel is what you wanted, then a perfect angel you were going to get.

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"You two honestly!" Harry said restlessly, "we've been waiting here for ages, I thought we were meeting here at five?"

"We tried on the whole shop Harry what do you expect?" Hermione rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Yes but we have the most perfect outfits!" Ginny practically squealed.

"Give us a look then," Ron said, attempting to peek into Hermione's shopping bag.

"You'll just have to wait until Halloween to see them," Hermione said, tugging away the bag from Ron's grip.

"How about you two then? Did you find your outfits?" Ginny asked.

"O' course we did! And we didn't even take five hours to choose it!" Ron said, pulling his arms around his head and sitting back in his chair, like he deserved some sort of award. Hermione scowled.

"I can't wait until Saturday, did you know, Seamus is going to try sneak in some of his irish liquor!" Ginny practically squaled again.

This time Hermione was the one to spill her beverage, "what! He can't! You heard what Professor McGonagall said, alcohol is prohibited!"

"Oh come on Hermione, the teachers aren't even going to be at the party so how on earth will they ever find out," Ginny winked at the frazzled brunette.

"Yeah lighten up a bit Hermione, it'll be a good night!" Ron clapped her on the shoulder, which made her wince. She hated his touch now.

"It'll be a good night until something goes wrong!" Hermione growled back, wriggling free from Ron's hold of her.

"It's a Halloween party Hermione, nothing bad will happen!" Harry grinned.

"As long as no one sets a troll into the great hall or we start hearing bodiless voices, i'm sure nothing bad will happen." Hermione snapped, throwing her jacket over her shoulders and exiting the busy pub.

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"I decided i'm not coming to the party."

Draco stood, towering over Blaise who was seated on one of the sofas by their common room fire.

"Whatever," Blaise mumbled back.

"How long are you going to stay mad at me for?" Draco asked.

"How long are you going to stay an ass for?" Blaise smirked, eyes set on the flames.

"Whatever," Draco said, before retreating out of the common room.

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Draco wandered about the castle, heading nowhere in particular. But if he was lucky, he thought, he might just wander into a bushy haired bookworm, who always seemed to be able to drastically change his shitty moods.

Draco leant up against a window and looked over the grounds, the sky was darkening, "Oh but of course, she will be out with the boy who bloody lived and his pitiful sidekick," he muttered under his breath.

"Who will be out with the boy who bloody lived and his pitiful sidekick?"

"Fuck," Draco went limp, yep that'd be right, of course she'd turn up at exactly the wrong time.

He slowly turned to face her. He imagined her fuming red face, the tap of her foot when she got angry and defensive. Yet when he turned around, a different sight was before him. She was smiling.

Hermione raised her eyebrow in a cheeky manner, "well?"

"The redhead, i'm looking for the redhead, " Draco stammered, panicked by the whole situation.

"And what would Draco Malfoy want with Ginny Weasley?" Hermione continued to press, her smile widening.

"She's well ah...the party fanatic right? I needed her advice for the party...I'm lost for an outfit."

That did it, Hermione burst into laughter.

"Hey! What are you laughing at?" Yet Draco could no longer contain his own laughter.

Their hysterics filled the whole corridor. If anyone were to walk around the corner they would no doubt die of shock. Not only were a Slytherin and a Gryffindor in fits of laughter but that Slytherin and Gryffindor happened to be Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger.

"Well.." Hermione gasped for air, "I can't wait to see what you come as then."

"Wait no, i'm not...I mean I wasn't planning on...are you going to be there?" Draco questioned, he just hoped she didn't hear the desperation in his voice.

"Well I have an outfit," Hermione gestured to bag in her hand, "And I have Ginny Weasley as a best friend so i'm pretty much inclined to go," she sighed.

"Your outfit, what is it?" Draco began reaching for the bag.

"No! It's a surprise, I suppose you will just have to wait to see it!" Hermione pulled the bag behind her back.

"Granger, my patience always seems to wear rather thin when i'm around you," he made a reach for the bag once again.

"Not happening!" Hermione began to step back, until she felt herself hit the brick wall behind her.

Draco stepped forward, smirking. She was backed up against a wall with no way of running. She had a playful tease in her eyes, and was grinning like a hyena.

Draco had moved so close to her that they were a mere few inches apart. Hermione's shopping bag was pressed between the wall and the small of her back. Draco would have to reach behind her to snatch away the bag.

And he attempted to do just that.

But just as he placed his hands on Hermione's petite form, a monstrous roar came from the end of the corridor, "GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER YOU DEVIL!"

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So I left you all on a bit of a cliffhanger! I have big plans for the upcoming chapter don't you worry, but in the mean time, let me know what you thought of this one by reviewing! Thanks heaps to the ones who regularly review, it puts a very big smile on my face!

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