I recently received a review giving a rather lengthy complained and detailed explaination of exactly why Harry would not be friends with is clearly some kind of issue with people just not understanding that this IS an AU story, and that does undoubtedly come with some OOCness. Also, considering I have at least another thirteen chapters planned, Ron's character and the story have not yet begun to even develop and show other ides to him, although I have already tried to add slight indications and hints towards this. If you think my story is 'ridiculous' then please, don't read it, and don't feel the need to call it so! If I'm not doing enough to give hints of what is to come with Ron or if people are now getting bored and just want me to unveil the entire plot and finish the story within the next two chapters so that he seems more like the standard Ron, then I will, please let me know and please review! I personally enjoyed writing this chapter the most! P.S pearls-and-crystal-blues, this is for you!
Disclaimer: It all belongs to J K Rowling, apart from the obvious changes :P
Chapter Seven: It Started With A Dance
"Viktor, I can't! I just can't!" Hermione flapped her arms about at him wildly, very thankful that they were alone whilst she did so to save herself from embarrassment. The two were both sat, side by side, upon a small patch of luscious grass by the Great Lake, staring out over the dark waters, into the visible distance and towards the sugar-dusted, looming, remote mountains.
"Vy not? The girls must ve masked, no von vil no it's you." He gently placed a hand upon hers, smiling suggestively, almost pushing her into agreeing.
"Viktor! Muggleborns aren't even meant to know about this, do you understand the repercussions if I'm found out?" He groaned at her and rolled his eyes as obviously as he possibly could,
"Herm-own ninny! Yoo cannot possibly leaf me wiz the girls of this school. I haff only escaped the year last because of yoo." Viktor looked to her pleadingly, seeing her close her eyes tightly, a torn look plastered upon her already shocked and confused face. Her face had been tending this way ever since she had met up with him but an hour ago by the Transfiguration Courtyard, where she was quickly swept away by him, up to the lake where they could be alone. A secret Christmas Ball was due he had told her eagerly, one that apparently occurred every single year without any of the Muggleborns knowledge or awareness, kept hidden and undisclosed. Meant as a bonding ceremony, the boys would dress in their finest, the girls made beautiful and anonymous through intricate masks and large dresses, curiously but tastefully designed. Yet, now as Hermione though back to the Yule Ball the previous year, she remembered first seeing her Master in his dress robes, feeling certain that she had seen them somewhere before, late in the night as he had ushered her away upon various duties before disappearing for the night. Yet she had pushed this from her mind, thought herself stupid or mistaken, and knowing only now that she had been perfectly correct. "Besides, I haff already purchased a dress vor yoo." Hermione looked to him idiotically, thinking only that surely what he was asking of her was absurd, ludicrous even, something that she couldn't possibly do without arousing suspicion, something that could not be accomplished without punishment. Yet, he had already bought her a dress, and she had had a truly wonderful time with him the previous year, Hermione's mind began to whirl, perhaps she could get away with it, and learn how the other half of the school lived their lives fully,
'I could do this...' She thought, the possibilities of defying her position as a slave exciting her passionately, causing her heart to beat riotously. She looked up at his determined figure, her face full of fear and exhilaration, barely able to breathe, "Alright then."
~x~x~x~
Ron was stood side by side with Harry, the two of them admiring themselves in a full length mirror that they had had brought up to them by Dobby but an hour before. The two of them were clad in an oversized formal black robe with a white, buttoned-down shirt tucked tidily underneath, clearly made of quite expensive material. "You know what Harry, this must be the best thing I've ever been given. I can't bloody believe Fred and George." Harry chuckled at his best friend, knowing that they had only bought them for him due to Harry giving them his winnings from the Triwizard Tournament the previous year and joking to them about purchasing Ron a set. He clapped a hand to Ron's back, giving a small look behind him to see Hermione chancing a sneak peek from his bedside where she was casually folding Ron's clothing, making it far too obvious that she was pretending not to notice them both. He saw Hermione become aware that she was being watched and tinge pink, returning quickly to her folding and allowing Harry to return to facing the mirror.
"Well you should be glad of it; especially after those awful things you wore last year. Ancient..." Ron cringed at Harry's words and the mere thought of the repulsively embarrassing robes he had worn the previous year. They had been full of frills and lace, a more traditional form of robes, lovingly bought second-hand by his mother who had suggested that if he wished to instead go naked, Harry could deliver a photograph of the momentous occasion. Even though a reluctant Ron had eventually agreed to wear them, he had attempted a badly performed severing charm which, although got rid of the lace, left the edges looking frayed and worn, causing just as much humiliation, and did not deter those around from laughing at him. Even now, Ron could not push the disgusted face of Padma Patil from his mind, who had arrived in bright turquoise robes, looking beautiful with her various pieces of traditional Indian gold jewellery and having allowed her long black hair to fall free, only being lavishly decorated with small golden clips. Her normally beautiful face had contorted, barely able to even speak to Ron.
"She hated me dressed like that didn't she?" He laughed, Harry giving a small smile in return, never himself wanting to return to that night. There came a small, barely heard cough from behind them,
"Master Ron?" They both turned suddenly to look at Hermione who nonchalantly held up a pair of his bright orange underpants to fold, causing Ron to redden instantly and almost shamefully.
"Granger! Put those away will you!" She gave him a sneaky grin and proceeded to fold them using large sweeping movements, taking as much time as she possibly could,
"Please Master Ron," She said sweetly, sugar coating each and every word that escaped her lips, "Why are you dressed in your robes of finest? Surely there is nowhere for you to go in them."
"Nowhere!" He snapped at her, still full of mortification at her brandishing of his undergarments, "Go wash my Quidditch kit!" She sat there stunned into silence by his sudden outburst, unsure of whether he actually wanted the kit rewashing or it was just to get rid of her, disallow her from asking anymore questions regarding the 'secret' ball.
"But of course Sir!" She said slyly, almost daring herself to laugh at him, encouraging herself to push him as far as she could, "But may I say, those robes are simply divine, much better than those ugly shreds of cloth you boldly dared to entertain us all with last year." She knew before she had finished she had gone too far, seeing his face swell with every word that left her lips. She dived suddenly as one of his shoes flew at her, followed by the other, narrowly missing her head by millimetres. She saw his hand fly into his robes, yet did not emerge as Harry quickly pulled him free and back them both into a wall, whispering something to him that Hermione could not hear, nor decipher. Still furious Ron looked back to her murderously over Harry's shoulder,
"NOW!" Hermione didn't need telling twice, hurriedly gathering his scattered kit into her arms, not daring to drop a single thing. She was glad of the excuse to leave him before she created an even worse situation, also giving her the chance to thoroughly prepare herself for the coming night and to try to remove the daunting prospect from her mind of Harry having just saved her from being punished magically for the first time.
~x~x~x~
Hermione could feel her organs physically shaking inside of her with every rattling breath, nervousness engulfing her entire body like never before. She had never attended anything that caused her so much peril, not even her surprise entrance at the Yule Ball could compare to this. She stood in the warm and busy kitchens, surrounded by house elves, wishing her luck and complimenting her stunningly different appearance. Hermione stood, legs shaking and ready to buckle, suddenly contemplating whether she could really go through with what she was about to do, unable to understand if the outcome to the risk was worth it. Her bare shoulders prickled with goose bumps, and she attempted to warm herself, taking off her elbow length white silk gloves and rubbing her skin furiously to little effect. "Bloody freezing," She muttered to herself, feeling rather stupid and honestly preferring her floaty periwinkle blue dress from the previous year, but a chuckle from behind her caused her to turn unexpectedly. Justin and Kevin stood before her, having supposedly just appeared out of the fireplace, smiling widely at her in admiration. Crookshanks sat upon Kevin's shoulders lazily looking over to his Mistress, before jumping down and skipping over to her, and under her dress, entangling himself around her ankles lovingly. She lifted up the front of the slim dress, just enough to reveal the feline as he up at her purred playfully. "You silly old cat." She knelt down slightly and pulled him out and up into her chest, seeing the two boys now moving towards her out of the corner of her eye.
"Here," Justin said, holding a small black cardboard box out towards her, "They're not much, but I thought they would help." She looked at him quizzically, but reached a hand forward regardless, opening the box slowly by one corner to reveal a small pair of high heeled white peep toe shoes that were studded around the clasps, more beautiful than she had ever seen before. Her face lit up, illuminated further by the bright lights of the kitchen, and she grinned at both of them, face full of joy,
"For me?" Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, but she managed, only just, to hold them back, not wanting to smudge the light brushings of make-up over her already flattering eyelids.
"Well, we can't let you go to the ball with no shoes now can we Cinderella? Or even worse, your serving shoes!" Justin laughed, pulling them out of the box eagerly and placing them on the floor in front of her. She slipped them on carefully, wobbling indefinitely, causing Crookshanks to jump from her arms disapprovingly and slink away towards a large barrel of salted fish at the other end of the kitchen, disappearing amongst the various elves of the kitchen. She looked down to her feet, admiring their cleanliness, and wishing she had never missed out on such things in the previous years, wishing she had had the opportunity to fulfil her dreams of living a normal teenage girls life. Yet her face fell a little, apprehension apparent in her features, remembering the end of her last ball where she had embarrassed her Master beyond ever before, shouting at him properly for the first and last time, "If you've got such a problem with Viktor then next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" She had shrieked at him wildly, in front of the entire common room, those words now ringing through her mind clear as when her infuriated and confused brain had presented her with them,
"It's almost eight Hermione, you should be going." Justin interrupted her train of thought, smiling down at her and giving her a little hug about her waist.
"Yeah...I'm not sure that I can do this you know, I mean, what if I'm found out? They could kill me! They could actually kill me for this you know..." She looked up to him pleadingly, almost begging him to talk her out of it, to tell her to run, wash her Master's kit and be done for the night,
"You've already agreed with Krum though, and besides, no one will know. I promise you." He smiled and then beckoned to Dobby, who had just recently dragged an unkempt Crookshanks from the fish and placed the heavy lid over the barrel, earning various hisses and whines from the animal, who continued to paw at the barrel, desperate to worm his way back inside. The elf ran forwards, holding a rather intricately designed white eye mask, itself studded, which she took and placed to her eyes, adjusting it delicately.
"Can barely tell it's you Mistress!" Dobby gasped delightedly, clasping his hands together excitedly. "Though, the earrings give it away somewhat." Hermione lifted her hand to her ear, having not remembered that those pieces of torment even still dangled there, now so used to their weight upon her head. She sighed heavily, thinking hard. Then she snapped her fingers together, an idea formulating,
"Wait!" She ran towards a small cupboard at the back of the kitchen, near Crookshanks who was now face first in fish once more, knelt before it and opened it slowly. She took out a small bag and opened it, retrieving a thin chain of silver that held a heart shaped charm along with a small silver hair piece, which spiralled around as a galaxy would, amongst a field of stars. Turning to them, she held it out for them to see, "My grandmother's, from her wedding day. My mother sent them to me last year for the Yule Ball, but I kept them hidden, in here. If Master had found them, he'd have taken them from me." Walking back towards them, she gathered her hair high upon her head, placing the piece amongst the strands, holding it up and allowing only a few locks to fall back to her face. She arranged it almost messily, so that her ears were fully covered, the earrings tucked safely away inside, "Better?" She asked them eagerly, seeing their nodding heads grinning back at her.
"You look great Hermione." Justin beamed,
"Beautiful..." Breathed Kevin to her, his cheeks flushing pink slightly, causing hers to do the same. A silence fell over them for all but a few seconds before she cleared her throat loudly,
"I had better go then." She made her way past them steadily, barely wobbling in her shoes, giving them a last fleeting smile, and then walking down the corridor out of the kitchen and out of sight.
~x~x~x~
Viktor stood waiting at the bottom of the flight of stairs leading up from the kitchens to the landing of the Entrance Hall. He was nervous in himself just waiting for her, remembering being in the same position the previous year. Clad in his full Durmstrang uniform, he had his hands clasped tightly together and was nodding disappointedly as various gaggles of girls passed him, fluttering their eyelashes and giving small flirtatious waves of their hands, waiting for a smile from him that never came. He had expected this of course, thinking back to the Yule Ball where he had only escaped them by palming them off to his fellow students and sticking as close to Hermione as he possibly could. He remembered the first time she had walked down the steps from the seventh floor and into his open and waiting arms, wearing a beautifully flowing pastel blue dress that had fluttered around her as if enchanted itself. Hermione had looked wonderful to him and both of them has enjoyed a truly magnificent night, until, as she had returned to her common room, a certain Ronald Weasley had appeared, upsetting and causing her to come to him and cry upon his shoulder for the rest of the night. 'This time, it vill be different.' He thought optimistically, refusing to let Ron create a bad situation for them again, 'No von vill no her.' There came a small interrupting cough from behind him and he turned to see a smallish girl, dressed in floor length white material which was bound by a silver band at her waist. The flowing material fell over a barely recognisable Hermione, illuminating her normally scruffily hidden beauty, the only piercing colour amongst all of her pastel like appearance, was her sharp red lips, which contrasted strikingly with her soft features. She smiled widely at him, showing her small white teeth, and she hurried a little up towards him,
"Viktor!" She breathed, a pink tinge enlightening her cheeks slightly. He took her hands within his lightly and kissed the back of them,
"Hermy-own-ninny. You look vondeful." He tucked a long, loose strand of hair back up into the rest and smiled sweetly at her, pulling a hand through his small trimmed beard and then through his short hair, "But remembers, you must not speak. To anyvon." She nodded thoroughly, understanding the need and the urgency of his words and how her actions could impact the situation. He held out an arm for her, which of she took gratefully, slipping a covered arm around his and held a hand gracefully over it. "Gloves?"
"Oh," She looked up to him, rather embarrassed, "I have very rough hands, people may suspect if they're seen. They're not exactly a Mistresses hands." He nodded at her, noting the ingenious idea, wondering what she could have possibly become, ever given the opportunity to studying magic, to reach her full potential and see the world differently. They slowly made their way up the stairs and out onto a deserted landing, walking across the Entrance Hall, ready to enter the Great Hall, the looming wooden doors seeming bigger than they ever had before, like an impassable range of lonely, desolate mountains, never before breached by man. Viktor could feel her physically shaking beside him, both knowing that, apart from the Muggleborns, the entire school stood inside the hall that they were about to enter, boys dressed smartly in their best dress robes, masked girls clad in large yet beautiful dresses, no doubt about to turn and stare at them amidst their various dancing and socialising. He placed his free hand upon her already linked one and held it tight,
"Do not vorry, I am here vor you." She nodded slowly and then breathed deep, both of them staring forwards, slightly stonily. He removed his hand and held it up pushing hard against the wood, allowing the doors to swing open gradually, permitting them to walk arm in arm into the packed, bustling hall.
The room fell silent except for a few background murmurings and the current soft music, that of which Hermione presumed was a wizarding equivalent of Tchaikovsky, playing through the hall as all eyes turned to the couple who had just entered. Hermione drew a great breath only releasing it as Viktor pulled her forwards, out towards the centre of the dance floor, a vast open space that the four full length tables had once occupied, which was instead now surrounded by many smaller round tables, each of which had a large ice-sculpture in their centre, and a vast accompaniment of chairs rather than benches. The ceiling above them was a midnight blue, wisps of cloud whirling through it creating a marble effect, a scattering of stars aiding the floating candles in enlightening the entire hall in a soft basking ephemeral glow. A large Christmas tree stood in the back corner to the side of the Professors' table, decorated with large amounts of tinsel, candles and baubles, randomly floating about the fern, topped with a large bright glowing star. Hermione stared up at it in awe, but was suddenly spun around roughly and unexpectedly to face Viktor, suddenly being held very closely to his chest. She took his hand in hers and placed the other upon his shoulder, resting her elbow high upon his arm, remembering how she had felt the first time, knowing his safe and comfortable touch. She looked into his smiling eyes and nodded confidently, indicating that she was ready for him to take the lead. "Valtz?" He asked, moving his right foot forwards even without a response, allowing her to move backward to accommodate for him, beginning a dance that she had taught him but days before their Yule Ball, knowing that he had learnt it perfectly. Hermione soon relaxed into him, allowing the music to take over her, and let him lead her about the currently deserted floor, oblivious to those watching her who seemed disgruntled and disheartened in their desperate attempts to decipher the identity of the girl before them. Suddenly, from the crowd a boy stood forward, his blond hair plastered back into his pale head, stood tall and completely in black. "Hermy-own-ninny." Viktor whispered, drawing her from her dream-like state and panicking her slightly, her desired world beginning to crack. "Say nothing. A boy iz coming vor you. The son of the deputy minister, I am thinking." Hermione stiffened, barely able to keep herself moving along with him,
'Draco Malfoy? Oh Merlin, he's recognised I'm a slave! I knew it was him that day Viktor arrived, he's recognised me...' She waited and waited for the shout of discovery to come, quivering and barely able to lift her head for fear of throwing up all over her dance partner, waiting for herself to be punished and tortured severely for her noncompliance and defiance of wizarding rules. Yet it never came. Instead, a soft yet cold hand was placed upon her bare shoulder, causing her to positively freeze and then swivel rather unattractively on the spot, eyes wide as a hunted fox. Draco smiled at her, a strange a scary smile that chilled her blood, and pricked at her skin. She gave Viktor one last look, almost begging him to whisk her away immediately, and then accepted his lifted, open hand, being steadily pulled into the arms of a boy who could and most likely would, have her destroyed in an instant if discovered. Yet, he did not regard her as something that had been dragged through a field, spat upon and left for dead in its rightful place, instead showed a more charming side towards her, despite being overall rather arrogant and standoffish in himself. Hermione was very grateful when another tap upon her shoulder came, and as other couples filled the dance floor, she was whisked away by various students of all houses, desperate and eager to dance with the mystery maiden whom no one could decode. Eventually able to escape, Hermione collapsed upon a chair near the very back of the hall by the still wide open doors, allowing a draft of cool air to come over her to freshen her aching body and sooth her slightly swollen feet. She sighed heavily, realising exactly what she had gotten herself into; closing her eyes, before becoming readily aware that someone was now sitting beside her. She opened her eyes slowly and almost swallowed herself, seeing who was nervously fidgeting beside her. Her master sat, looking at her uncomfortably, running a hand through his ginger hair which was brushed back and tame, no longer wild and messy, seeming as though he could find no words to say.
~x~x~x~
Ron and Harry both sat, accompanied by Ginny, by a large bowl of non-alcoholic punch, topping their goblets up as often as possible, looking lazily out over the dance floor as many girls fussed and giggled around them. One in particular, a dirty blond-hair girl who was giggling excitedly, repeatedly kept tugging at Ron's sleeve and demanding that they dance together, Harry and Ginny both having to stifle their giggles as her alarmingly large dress threatened to engulf him. They knew that Lavender Brown was not a girl who liked 'no' as an answer, especially not from a boy, and seemed also not to even understand the fundamental meaning of the word, or that of ignorance. Ron himself was becoming increasingly frustrated with the girl, aggravated with her incomprehension of his distaste, and her unawareness of his refusal to dance with her, or anyone else for that matter. "Lavender, please! Just stop! I don't wanna dance," He tried once more, attempting to reason with her eccentric personality, to calm her, to get rid of her if he could. A creek from the doors near them saw them swing open, and the small group turned towards the couple who had just entered. Ron's jaw practically hit the floor, seeing Viktor walk in, just as he had the previous year, an unexpected woman upon his arm.
"Who is that Harry?" Ron heard his sister whisper to his friend, slight excitement in her voice, a longing for knowledge about this new girl.
"Not a clue, Gin. She's gorgeous, whoever it is." Ginny huffed, clearly disgruntled with Harry's statement, and upset that he could say such a thing about a girl he had not met before, "Though I will say, she looks so familiar."
"Good job, Granger might give up on Vikky now and get back to scrubbing my floor." Ron said, a slightly twisted smile upon his face as he spoke, giving them both a cheeky grin. He looked back over to the now dancing couple, barely visible through the sea of people who crowded around them, and Ron had to admit, this girl was attractive. Very attractive. He watched her change dance partners, gliding swiftly around the floor, never faltering, never tripping, maintaining her composure and seemingly enjoying ever movement and ever step she took. Harry chuckled at him, and he looked around at his friend, "What?"
"Go ask her to dance you idiot."
"What?" Interrupted an erratic Lavender, who threw her arms around wildly and ragged her dress about herself, "No! If he won't dance with me, he's not dancing with anyone! That's unfair! I will not allow it!"
"Lavender! Will you piss off?" Ron shot at her, trying again to push her away, "I can't dance anyway mate, it's not something I do." He turned to Harry, looking down and solemn, disheartened by his lack of ability.
"No need mate. She's not dancing anymore." He nodded over towards the girl, who was now sat alone at a table by the double doors, lazily fanning her flushed face, watching couples waltz about the floor, graciously declining any further requests to dance as many more boys made their way towards her, asking for her hand.
"No! Ron! Please!" Lavender took his hand, trying to drag her with him, instead feeling herself being torn away as Harry clamped her arm, dragging her away,
"Come on Lav Lav! We've not danced together yet." He threw her in front of him, pushing her towards the floor, despite her protests and need to get back to Ron. The siblings watched them amusedly, chuckling slightly, before Ginny shot her brother a disapproving look,
"Well don't just sit there stupid!" He squinted his eyes at her, unsure of what she was referring to, "Go to her! Harry doesn't give out opportunities like this often idiot!" Ron flushed a little, but nodded, struggling to stand up. He began to walk towards her slowly, flopping down upon a chair beside her. He saw her flinch a little and then stare round at him, large eyes staring at him from under her small mask.
"Alright?" He asked, to which she gave him an amusingly blank look, leaving him unsure of whether he should continue to speak to her, whether she would scream at him in disgust, or even worse, scream at him as though she were a fan girl, another Lavender. "Err...do I know you like?" Again, she stared at him, clearly unable to speak even if she had wanted to, "Erm, is that a no then?" She stood suddenly, as thought electrocuted, and then began walking away from him, seemingly intent on finding another's company, and escaping his presence, perhaps back to one of her previous dance partners.
~x~x~x~
Hermione couldn't take it, she had to leave, get away from him, go to Viktor, now terrified that her Master would recognise her if he hadn't already done so. "W...wait!" She heard him call as his long fingers closed over her wrist tightly, pulling her back slightly and stopping her in her tracks. She turned her head back, and saw his eyes slide to her wrist, instantly releasing her, "Sorry! I...I just, you know, if you wanted to, I thought we could...maybe...we could dance?" Her head lifted slightly and studied him carefully. He was so different to what she knew, so gentle, so caring. Almost fragile. She saw his expression fall, almost accepting defeat, accepting that someone like her would not dance with someone like him, especially with his terrible dancing skills, or lack of them. Yet she smiled sweetly and moved a little closer to him,
'What am I doing?' Her brain questioned frantically as her arm stretched out and took his hand in her own, leading him back to the floor behind her. She slowly turned to face him and placed his hand upon her hip, pulling him slightly closer to her and placing her hands upon him, just as she had with Viktor. Yet this time, it was different, there was something else there, something that made her stomach flutter and knot uncomfortably. 'This is so forbidden, he'd murder me if he knew who I really was.' She thought sadly, noting the peaceful look that his eyes had adopted, sparkling slightly in the soft candlelight. Ron was however, very clumsy when it came to dancing, barely able to keep up with her graceful long learned movements, her own expertise only just covering his blundering arrangements. She gave a light giggle as he pulled her a little closer as he stumbled over his own feet, trying to keep himself upright.
"Sorry." He apologised once more, looking embarrassed and ashamed of himself, but she only smiled back at him. His face was so close to hers, barely inches away she could feel his breath upon her. Hermione could have easily leaned forwards into him and allowed them to touch one another, but instead she pulled away, looking to where her feet would be beneath her slim dress. Letting him go, she placed her hands together over the front of her dress and bent her head slightly, bowing to him, as she had always done in front of her Master. She looked up intent upon meeting his eyes directly, only to find him bowing back to her. Hermione almost choked upon the humid air encircling them both. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought that she would ever see her Master, her Ron, bowing to her, not when she had been forced to do so for him so often. To her, an understanding has passed between them, even though she felt obliged within herself to bow longer than he did for her. A hand extended towards her, lightly brushing her chin and guiding her head back up to face him, to stare into his eyes, as an equal. His hand moved to the side, taking a fallen strand of hair and tucking it up by her ear sending a warm feeling through her which shook her body unexpectedly. She pulled away a little, gasping in shock, unsure of what had happened or passed between them. He looked slightly alarmed at her movements, and as she shifted back forwards trying to communicate that he had indeed done nothing wrong, Viktor interrupted them, coming up behind her.
"Mistress," He held out a hand, waiting expectantly for her to take it. Hermione looked to a now furiously sulking Ron and then back to Viktor, "May I haff this dance?" She seemed to take a second, wondering whether to remain with her Master, or take the hand of the kind, caring and handsome man before her, who respected her whether he knew her Muggleborn or not. She hesitantly took his hand, though ultimately confident and now feeling safe, allowing herself to be lead away, giving her Master one last fleeting look as he made his way back towards Harry, a twisted look upon his face. Viktor lead her to the centre of the dance floor, pulling her into him, steadily beginning to dance once more, and continuing their earlier endeavours. He was refined and elegant in his movements, mirroring her perfectly, his body in unison with her own. Yet she put barely any effort into this dance, allowing her body to move with the music, before he stopped her before him rather abruptly, the music reaching its crescendo. Viktor leaned forwards and into her, capturing her lips with his own in a perfect, sweeping, fairytale kiss. She held it for a few seconds, her eyes fluttering open slightly, and meeting with his tightly closed ones. They wandered lazily slightly to the side of his head, spotting Ron who had recently come back to them, joined by both Harry and Ginny, staring shocked at the scene before him, hurt etched into his features. Hermione's eyes snapped open fully and she pushed Viktor from her, holding the back of her hand to her mouth, her face flushing scarlet. She began breathing heavily, panicking slightly, looking to a confused Viktor and then to her Master, not knowing what to do in herself.
"No..." She breathed, giving Viktor one last look before gathering her dress into one hand and bolting from him, pushing hurriedly between Ron and Harry, sprinting for the door and not looking back to any of them. Harry flew to the floor, suffering the brunt of her run, only able to watch, stunned, as she fled through the doors and out of their sight.
Hermione sprinted as fast as she could, despite the restrictions of her heels and dress, determined to run from the look upon her Master's face, to hide from that unknown person that had watched her with another man. She collapsed noisily down the stone staircase heading for the kitchens, waking several of the snoozing portraits around her as she did so, who began grumbling at her for her 'rudeness' and 'insolence'. Buckling against a large painting of a bowl of fruit she gentle touched the pear, watching it squirm and giggle and then transform itself into a green doorknob. She shakily took hold of it and pushed it wide open, slamming the door behind her and running down a short passageway towards the kitchens. The loud clattering of her heels sounded her imminent arrival, and as she arrived at the doorway, widening out into the large culinary room, she whipped of her mask and threw it to the floor, and allowed her shoes to fall from her feet as she stumbled over to a nearby table.
"Hermione?" Came the baffled voice of Kevin, who was sat comfortably sewing yet more of his Mistresses clothing upon a small stool near her. He placed his kit down carefully and stood to look at her tear stained face, her heaving chest and straggled hair. She gave a strangled cry and flew towards him, her body failing her slightly, causing him to have to catch her and fall to the floor together with her. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Her sobs began to soften slightly, "Is it that arse Ron again? Or that Krum?" At this she began to cry even more so at the mention of their names, yet in herself, completely unaware of the reason why her body flushed these pent-up emotions forward and out of her. "Hermione." His voice sounded impulsive and urgent, alarmed almost. She steadied her breathing as much as she could to look at him through the tear-filled eyes, gulping in as much air as she could.
"Yes?" She gurgled up at him,
"One of your earrings is missing."
Japan's Arc Angel x
