Because I went away on my camping trip I'm giving you all two chapters :D How nice am I lol! (I'm not really I'm just grovelling)

Disclaimer: Own nothing D:

2 weeks in Romania

Chapter Nine: At the Vampire Ball

"I wish we could go into town," Ginny moaned as she and Hermione lay out in the scorching Romanian sun. Hermione, who had been deep in thought, peered over at her best friend through her sun glasses. "Like I said we'll manage," she reiterated to the groaning red-head. She then sighed and closed her eyes. The sun felt great on her skin but she was starting to get just a little bit too warm.

"Girls! Come in now and get ready!" came the echoing voice of Molly from across the hotel garden. Hermione and Ginny huffed and puffed as they got up from their beds, slipped on their flip-flops and made their way into the hotel to get showered and dressed.


Like the day they went to the dragon reserve and on their first day of the tour a small pop was heard and Charlie was once again seen walking towards them as they waited at the entrance of the hotel. This was starting to become Hermione's most favourite part of the day, because she could get to admire Charlie without anyone interrupting her. Today he was clad in a light grey t-shirt which had something written on it in Romanian. It clung to his body and Hermione swore she could see a six-pack beneath the material. He wore on his legs a pair of light brown, knee length combats and a pair of ankle canvas shoes on his feet. Today they were a charcoal colour. His hair was styled in a messy fashion once again with styling potion and Hermione couldn't help but wonder where he got his wonderful sense of style from.

"Afternoon everyone, we'd better hurry up and get to Vladimir so he can take us on the next part of the tour," he said cheerfully as his mother went to give him a big hug. Hermione felt Ron grasp her hand suddenly as Charlie came towards them. She got the sudden feeling that Ron was like a lion protecting her, his lioness, from another older, stronger lion. She grimaced as Charlie passed them to go and talk to his sister.

"Okay lets go," Charlie called from behind Hermione.


"Today we will take a journey through a genuine Vampire village," Vladimir told his tour group as they walked into a small village with many different houses. "Most muggle's believe that this is a haunted and deserted village and so do not venture here," he said as he point around the apparently 'deserted' village.

As Vladimir informed them about the town Hermione felt Ron's hand tighten around hers as Charlie walked past them with Fred and George. Charlie peered around at her and gave her a puzzled look and glanced at Ron's hand which was like a vice around hers. She merely shrugged at him and he shrugged back and continued on with his brothers.

"Now we will go back to Count Dracula's castle and prepare for the annual ball," said Vladimir in his slow Romanian accent. Ginny came bounding over to Hermione and grabbed onto her hand as they prepared to apparate. Ron took this as his cue to let go of his girlfriend and went to stand beside Harry. Hermione discreetly rubbed her hand on her jeans as Ron had left it rather sweaty. With a single pop they then arrived at the entrance to the castle just as the sun had set.

"Enter if you dare!" came a loud booming voice and a maniacal laugh. Vladimir sniggered and then said lightly, "That Dracula…such a joker."

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you again," said the Count as they entered into his castle. He bowed low to the ladies and then said to them, "I know that you've been thinking that you have nothing to wear for the party. Please feel free to wear one of my many dresses that I have collected over the years," he said to them in a civil manner. "After 1000 years one does tend to have many wives that leave dresses behind," he said somewhat enigmatically. Molly, Ginny and Hermione thanked him gratefully and then were shown by Vladimir to the room where the dresses were kept.

Count Dracula then turned to his remaining guests and said politely, "You must excuse me for I have to step out for a moment. I haven't eaten in several days and have gotten rather hungry. If you are worried about what to wear to the ball feel free to borrow some of my clothes. Vladimir will also show you where they are," the vampire said and with that he transformed into a large bat and flew out of an open window.

"That was so creepy," Ron said after the bat had gone out of sight. "Ron you're just a big pansy!" Fred said with a laugh as they waited for Vladimir to return.


Hermione was awestruck. The amount of gorgeous dresses present in the room was innumerable and she was allowed to choose anyone she wanted.

"Look he's sorted them into which century they are from," Molly said as she looked through dresses from the 14th century. Hermione felt butterflies in her stomach as she looked at dresses from the 19th century. The excitement of the ball was getting to her and these dresses were really getting her going. Ginny was practically bouncing off the walls when she found a beautiful bottle green dress in a pile of dresses that was labelled 16th century.

"I found my dress!" she exclaimed as she ran to try it on. "Me too," said Molly in a girly fashion as she too went to try on a dress. For another couple of minutes Hermione scanned through the dresses and finally came across an immaculate dress from the 13th century. It must have belonged to royalty at one point because if she could remember her history well, dresses like this didn't usually belong to common folk of the time. It was a long, elegant, dark purple dress with silver lining and long sleeves. It had a rounded neck and was made of a surprisingly soft material. She draped it over her arm and then went to try it on to see if it fitted her.

Charlie, Arthur and Harry waited in the foyer for the women to come down from getting dressed. The ball had started and elegant music was being played throughout the castle. Molly and Ginny were the first to appear at the top of the stair case and Charlie gave them a polite smile. "You look lovely mum," he said as his mum and sister went into the large ball room, with their partner, which was just to the right of the foyer. He waited almost impatiently now as he waited for the final woman to come down the stair case. When he seen her he couldn't help but let his heart skip several beats. She looked absolutely stunning in a dark purple dress which had silver lining. Her short hair fell loosely about her neck and she was wearing what looked like silver eye make-up and black eyeliner with mascara.

"Herms…you look…stunning," Charlie said as Hermione made her way over to him. She smiled shyly at him and then asked him a question she'd been burning to ask since she seen that it was only Charlie waiting for her.

"Where's Ronald?" she asked as calmly as possible. Charlie sighed and rolled his eyes. "He's in scoffing his face with food, so I thought it would be only good manners if someone was here to greet you and take you into the ball room," he said as he linked his thumbs into his blazer pocket. Hermione groaned, "Typical," she muttered to herself. She then noticed that Charlie was holding an arm out for her. She was glad she was wearing light blusher as it was able to conceal the light flush that was creeping up her face. Ron would never have offered his arm to her as freely as Charlie just had; she always had to grab him.

"Shall we?" he said in a gentleman like voice. Hermione couldn't help but giggle as she took his arm. "What?" Charlie asked as he too started to chuckle; he always felt that Hermione's laugh was contagious.

"It's nothing lets go in, I'm dying to see how everyone looks," she said as Charlie started to lead her into the ball room.


Hermione sat at the edge of the room sipping a glass of rosé wine lightly as she watched the elegant people around her dancing and enjoying themselves. Ron had once again disappeared off to the food table and left her sitting by herself in a room where she only knew a handful of people.

"Would madam care to dance?" came a silky voice from behind her. Hermione clutched her glass of wine and glanced behind her to see who was asking her to dance.

"Count Dracula? Oh thank you sir I would love to dance," she said in an almost shocked fashion. The ancient vampire gave her a glittering smile and went around to offer her his hand. She took it rather eagerly and almost recoiled at how cold he was, but she got the better of herself and got up and started to dance with the vampire.

"You look stunning," Dracula whispered in her ear as they waltzed about the dance floor. Shivers flew down Hermione's spine as she felt his cool breath on her ear. "That dress belonged to my wife Sofia. I met her in 1270 and she was without a doubt one of my favourite wives, I loved her deeply. Her beauty resembled yours," Dracula continued to whisper.

'1270? He's loved her since then?' Hermione thought sadly to herself. "Yes I've loved her since then," Dracula stated to her as he twirled her gently. "Excuse me Count but did I allow you to read my mind," Hermione said playfully, the fine wine must be going to her head.

"You have her spirit," he then said with a dry chuckle as the dance came to an end. "It was a pleasure dancing with you Miss Granger. Some day you will see who truly deserves your hand," said the famous blood sucker and with that he seemed to rapidly disappear into the crowd. Hermione was dumbstruck as she stood in the middle of the dance floor. 'Some day you will see who truly deserves your hand?' she thought wildly to herself but before she could elaborate on her thoughts Ron came bounding up to her.

"Let's dance," he said as he took her hands in his greasy ones. Hermione nearly gagged as she felt her hands slip in the grease of the food he had been eating.


Hermione drunk the last dregs of her wine as she once again sat and watched the dancing couples on the floor. Her head was slightly dizzy and she couldn't think properly but the worlds that Count Dracula had so bluntly said to her still rang around in her mind.

"Don't look so glum…look where you are!" exclaimed someone who had plonked themselves down on the empty chair next to her.

"Hey Charlie, I thought you were on the dance floor," Hermione said without even looking at him.

"I was but then I seen you sitting here getting drunk all by yourself whilst my idiotic brother stands and stuffs his face with pork," he said as he ran a tanned hand through his stylish hair. Hermione looked at him, "He's only danced with me twice tonight," she said glumly. Charlie put a sympathetic arm around her delicate shoulder, "It's alright. Just think of it this way…Count Dracula only danced with 4 people tonight and you were one of them," he said to her as he took a fire whiskey from a floating tray of drinks.

"Really?" she said in a tone that told Charlie she was more than astonished. "Yeah really. He danced with Countess Petronela, Madam Harlington, Madam Svahnstrom and you Miss Granger," he informed her as he sipped at the fire whiskey. Hermione pondered what Charlie had told her inside her slightly fuzzy head but before she could come to any conclusions she noticed Charlie had gotten up and was holding his hand out to her.

"Would Miss Granger like to dance with a lowly man like me," Charlie said jokingly. Hermione gave him a sparkling smile and took his hand gratefully. She had to control herself as her hand made contact with his because it was vastly different to that of Count Dracula's and Ron's. Whereas Dracula's hands were cold and smooth to the touch and Ron's had been hot and greasy, Charlie's were warm, soft and had a firm grip.

"Charlie your hands are really soft," se stated as the words seemed to tumble out of her mouth.

"Thanks, once I started getting big, dirty calluses just below my fingers I had to start using moisturising potion because what woman wants to hold a hand which is rough and dry. But you don't know that okay," he said as they danced gently to the soothing music. Hermione barely managed to suppress a giggle and gave him a reassuring wink; they then continued to dance without uttering another word. Hermione, who had her hand on Charlie's muscular bicep, started to relish the fact that he was a much better dancer than Ron, who tended to step on her feet. Charlie, who had his hand tenderly resting on her lower back, simply started to relish the fact that Hermione was dancing with him.

"Oi! Let go of my woman!" came a sudden, crude shout from across the room. The music stopped abruptly and everyone stared at Ron who was staring at Hermione and Charlie. Hermione felt something inside her snap and her face went bright red and burning tears started to well up in her eyes. She practically flung herself away from Charlie and ran out of the ball room. Ron glared at his older brother who was staring at the door Hermione had just left through. Charlie then turned on his brother, "Can you not just let her have a good time!" he exclaimed and then ran after the terribly embarrassed woman, shouting her name as he went.


A/N: OOOOO Scandle :D I love it don't you?? Review please and thank you :D :D :D