Hey all. I apologize for the huge delay in my writing. I've been so busy. Ugh.
Thanks to all who have reviewed. I really appreciate it!
Disclaimer
: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, settings etc. I do own the plot and Hermione's dress, Pansy's dress and Draco's tights. They're mine. Ron's are up for grabs I also own anything that you probably don't recognize. The medieval ball is my idea and not yours. *nyah*Darkside
Chapter VI
The Hogsmeade trips had been flourishing since the announcement of the Ball. It was the Wednesday before the ball, meaning that there were only 2 more days, really, to prepare. Hermione was bustling about her room when she heard a knock at the Slytherin Portrait hole.
"Yes?" She called out.
"It's me. 'Mione!" Pansy voice echoed through the large portrait of Salazar Slytherin.
Hermione ran over and opened the portrait to find a very different looking Pansy.
"Pansy! What have you done to yourself?"
Pansy's hair was a soft chocolate color and her eyes a twinkling blue. "Do you like it?"
"I love it. But, it's so not you." Hermione noticed that her best friend had a parcel in her arms. "Is that your dress? Let me see!" Hermione pulled the girl inside and placed the box on her bed.
Inside the box was a beautiful crimson gown adorned with silver and gold. There was a mask of all gold highlighted in crimson. "Do you like it?" She smiled, prideful.
"It's gorgeous… but it's Gryffindor colors."
"So? I'm… going… with a Gryffindor…"
"What? That's practically committing suicide, Pansy! They cannot be trusted. They don't support our Lord, my father!"
"Your… Father? How can Lord Voldemort be your father!? He has no heir that we know of." Pansy retorted.
Hermione covered her mouth, realizing her mistake. "Pansy! You cannot tell anyone what I have said! Lord Voldemort is my father." Hermione lifted up her right sleeve and showed Pansy the mark.
It was Pansy's turn to gasp now. "You.. Why..? Please don't report me!!!"
"Why would I do a silly thing like that, Pans? My father need not know that you're going with a Gryffindor. Who is it!?"
"Umm… It's Ron… Weasely."
"He's practically Harry Potter's other half. Lord Voldemort will love that. Good job. When did he ask you?"
"Two weeks ago." Pansy smiled giddily and recalled the day.
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"Pansy!" Ron called, running up behind the blonde. "I need to talk to you!"
"Yes?" She said timidly. They had grown into greater friends since the day that they were forced together for Snape's class. They actually talked often now.
"Pansy… I've been thinking. Will you go the dance with me?" Ron said, gazing shyly at the ground.
"Oh wow. That was unexpected. Yes, Ron, I'll go with you." She smiled and hugged the Gryffindor. "I have to go though." She said and ran off through the halls, leaving a stunned and giddy Ron behind."
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"That's awesome, Pansy. I hope you have fun."
"Thank you Hermione. Have fun with Draco. I have to go. I'm meeting Ron in the Library. He needs some help on his Care of Magical Creatures report." She said walking through the portrait.
"See ya, Pansy." Hermione closed the portrait hole behind her.
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"You're what!?" Harry bellowed. "Parkinson!? Of all people."
"She's a really great girl, Harry. You just have to get to know her…" Ron trailed off.
"So that's there you've been ever day after quidditch practice; Snogging with a fucking Slytherin."
"She's not like the others."
"She's a fucking death eater, Ron!" Harry roared.
"What's going on guys?" Ginny said, walking calmly into the boys room, having bypassed the portrait so many times to snog with Harry.
"Go away Gin. This is between Ron and me." Harry said, shooting a look toward his girlfriend and best friend's little sister.
"Harry's pissed that I'm going to the ball with a Slytherin."
"A Slytherin? Really? Wow.. Who?" Ginny said, running over to a Neville's bed, which was the closest, and sitting on it.
"Pansy Parkinson." Ron said calmly.
"Ooh. She's really pretty. Probably a death eater, but hey, if you like her, then go for it, by all means." Ginny said, smiling.
"Why do you have to be so damn optimistic." Harry said, cruelly.
"Merlin, Harry. It's not like Ron was going with Lord Voldemort himself.
"Fine. Whatever." Harry said, storming out of the room. He's a traitor.
+++
The ball was now only five hours away and Draco and Hermione had barely had time to talk to one another throughout the previous days. Both came stumbling into the room after a light snack from the kitchens. Draco collapsed on a couch and Hermione, in his lap.
"Hi." She said, smiling.
"Hello, do I know you?" Draco grinned. "I haven't seen hide nor hair of you this week."
"I know. We've both been busy." She smiled and rested her head back onto his shoulder. Draco kissed her cheek gently.
"Tonight's a big night, m'love, for both of us."
Hermione lets out a soft sigh. "I get to meet my real father, I get whisked away from Hogwarts to learn the dark arts. Then we get to come back and conquer it. Won't that be fun?" Sarcasm echoed in her voice.
"It'll be hard, m'love, but you're capable of it."
Hermione looked down at the delicate green and silver watch on her wrist. She gasped. "I only have five hours? Crap!" She jolted off of Draco's lap and up to her room, screaming "PANSY!!"
Draco chuckled soflty. "Women."
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Pansy and Hermione rushed about Hermione's room, making sure they both looked perfect for the ball. It was now only 30 minutes away. They had needed every second of that five hours. Hermione's dress alone took an hour to put on, not including the jewelry and the shoes.
But now, they were almost completely ready, and both looked stunning; Pansy in her Crimson and Hermione in Green and Silver.
"Draco!!" Hermione yelled down the stairs, barely cracking the door, so he couldn't see her.
"Yes, M'love?" Draco answered from the couch.
"Go to the Slytherin Common room. Pansy and I will meet you there." She smiled through the crack in the door.
"Okay. I'll see you there." Draco got up from the couch and walked through the portrait to the Slytherin Common Room.
"Okay, He's gone. Where are you meeting Ron?"
"At the great hall. We thought it best not to make a spectacle of walking in together, since you know how the houses are about Gryffindor and Slytherin's being together."
"Perfectly understandable. Shall we?" Hermione smiled and gestured toward the portrait.
"Definitely. You look so radiant. Where did you get that dress?"
"My… umm… Father sent it to me."
"Which one?"
Hermione laughed softly. "The important one."
"Oh. How'd he know?"
"He's coming for Draco and myself tonight to train in the dark arts. There will be decoys placed in our absence that are exactly like us in everyway. Clones you might say."
"You're leaving?" Pansy started to tear up.
"Pansy don't cry, you'll mascara will run. But yes, only for a month or so though. You're the first one I'll come talk to when I come back. "
"You'd better, 'Mione."
"Of course, Pansy, Now, we mustn't keep our men waiting." She smiled and opened the portrait, letting Pansy get quite a bit ahead of her.
As she walked down the steps she heard a lot of oohs and ahhs as Pansy entered the common room. She caught a glimpse of silvery blonde hair waiting for her at the end of the staircase. Apparently Pansy had told them she was coming. She carried her Silver and black mask adorned with sparkling emeralds in her right hand as her left traced the banister. She reached the bottom of the stairs and saw Draco, clad in tights, waiting for her, his hand held out to help her from the last stair.
"You look absolutely stunning, my dear, Ariana." He said Ariana very quietly so that the whole of the Slytherin's didn't hear. He kissed her hand and led her into the common room.
She smiled and thought about Draco wearing tights. It was quite a funny image. But she liked it, nonetheless.
The Slytherin common room cleared out quite quickly after her entrance, all of them headed to the ball. It was customary however for Draco and Hermione to fashionably late. After a few moments of silence, Draco finally spoke.
"Shall we, Ari?"
Hermione nodded. "Certainly."
"Did I mention you looked stunning?" He commented as they walked toward the potrait hole.
"Did I mention I love those tights?" She grinned.
"You just had to mention them didn't you?"
"Of course, Draco. They're very sexy." She laughed softly as he lead her to the great hall.
"Do you have your mask?"
She smiled. "Of course." She placed it over her face, as did Draco.
Trumpets sounded as the walked through the doors of the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore stood up from his position at the Head Table. "It appears our Head boy and Girl have arrived." He motioned toward them, bowing.
The crowd turned toward and gasped. They were the most elaborately dressed couple tonight.
Hermione swept herself into a grand curtsey and Draco bowed elaborately. Our of the corner of her eye she could she Pansy with Ron, both in crimson. She smiled and was glad that Pansy had found someone, even if he was a Gryffindor.
Draco immediately whisked her away onto the dance floor. Everyone ooh-ed and ahh-ed at how well they danced and how glamorous they looked.
Hermione noticed, as Draco whisked her around the ballroom, that no one was around Pansy. With her new appearance she must have looked like a Gryffindor. It was clever of her to attempt to fit in. The few in the Slytherin Common Room wouldn't have remembered what she looked like. Most were guys and were too stupid. She saw Ron approach her. Hermione turned back to Draco and smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, while a slow song was filling the air.
Draco looked around the Great Hall, at the decorations. Their committee of Prefects had done a wonderful job. There were tapestries for every house, one on each of the four walls. There were golden goblets and silver table cloths adorning the little tables that were set around the edges. Everything looked gorgeous, it was a regular room out of time, the 16th century was now in the room.
Draco looked down and saw that Hermione's eyes were closed. He wondered what she was thinking about. He bent down and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. He saw her smile. A fast song began to play but they did not break away, instead they looked intently at each other and shared a very passionate kiss, with the world spinning all around them.
Draco leaned down and gently brushed Hermione's ear with his lips, speaking the softest and sweetest words he could. "I love you, Ariana."
Hermione smiled and bit her lip slightly. He had never said those words to her before. At this moment she realized the spell had taken toll on her as well. She loved him too. As well that the spell was broken, they would love one another for eternity.
"I love you too, Draco." Draco nuzzled her neck and kissed it gently.
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Ron cradled Pansy in his arms. It felt so good to have her this close. She looked even more beautiful with brown hair and blue yes. She looked like herself, but she didn't. He knew it was a disguise but he didn't really mind. She had made herself to look like a third year in Gryffindor and she had done a very good job of it.
Pansy and Ron stood outside on one of the many balconies that were adjoined to the great hall.
"Pansy?"
"Yes, Ron?"
"Ever since we got to know each other that day during Snape's class, I feel drawn to you. I want to get to know you a lot better. Well, what I'm saying is… Pansy, will you be my girlfriend?"
Pansy grinned and hugged Ron tighter than before. "I thought you would never ask."
Ron leaned down and kissed her forehead gently and cradled her in his arms.
+++
"We should head out to the terrace m'love." Draco said, while they were dancing.
"It's that time already?" Hermione pouted.
"Yes, Ari. Your father will be there, and we mustn't keep him waiting."
"You're right Draco, let's go." Hermione turned back to the ballroom and gave it one last look.
They walked out to the terrace and waited. He wasn't there yet. Then again it wasn't exactly midnight either. It was about two minutes 'til midnight. Hermione saw figures in the distance. Two were dressed exactly like Draco and herself. She gripped Draco's hand tightly as they approached. A black cloaked figure loomed behind the two.
"There's Lord Voldemort." Draco pointed out.
The figures came onto the terrace and Hermione removed her mask. The figure in black embraced her.
"You're as beautiful as your mother, Ariana." He said as he embraced her.
Draco looked rather shocked, the Dark Lord never touched anyone.
"Thank you, Father."
"It is time, We must leave. These two will take your place. They know how you act how you speak and everything. Just tell them what you go by at school."
Hermione walked over to the girl. "I go by Hermione Ariana Granger."
Draco stood next to the boy. "Draco Kael Malfoy."
"Very well then. I see your mother changed your name, Ariana. We must go now." Lord Voldemort said as he whisked them away over the grounds.
The decoy Hermione and Draco went back inside and danced the night away, just as the real couple would have done.
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