Chapter 9

The Weird Sister's latest release was playing in the background, and so far most people were around the edges of the dance floor sipping on drinks. The hall looked astounding, and the students could clearly see Professor Dumbledore's strange sense of humour as the decorations were as far from 'Christmasey' as you could possibly get. The normally starlit ceiling was now lit with streaks of magic fire, which flew in tiny circles and gave the whole room a definitive orangey glow. The tables were laid with terracotta coloured cloth, and decorated with a burning rose made from fire in the centre. The drapes were golden, red and yellow surrounding the hall, projecting images of palm trees from within. The dance floor was the colour of an oasis, and seemed to be moving like real water, but onlookers could see that this was just one of Dumbledore's many amazing effects as couples danced in the 'water'. The Christmas Ball, looked like it was a holiday in the Caribbean, but most people seemed to like the idea.

"It makes you feel nice and warm, which is great considering how icy cold it is out there" commented a girl named Sally Moore, a 5th year from Ravenclaw,

"I've got so much energy, I just wanna dance the night away!" cried a voice from the dance floor.

"Flippin' heck!" shouted Seamus Finnigan pointing towards the doorway, "check it out!"

Heads turned to look at what Seamus was shouting about, and sure enough, Harry, Jasmine, Ron and Hermione had just walked into the room. All eyes were suddenly upon Jasmine and Hermione, the boys stood jaws dropped and those who were dancing were glancing over whenever they could get the chance. Most of the girls seemed irritated at losing their dates' attention and glared at Jas and Hermione enviously – particularly Pansy Parkinson who had been just about to ask Draco to actually dance with her. Harry ignored all the eyes upon his date and swiftly asked Jasmine to dance, with Ron and Hermione soon following suit.

Slowly, everyone began to loosen up again, and by half eight, the atmosphere was electric. Every couple was on the oasis dance floor and it was starting to get heated as all the bodies drew closer and closer. Jasmine was almost dancing upon Harry and with them both facing the same direction Harry had his arms around her waist as she pressed against him. Jasmine was enjoying herself, until she looked up and saw Draco dancing with Pansy – though somewhat less exuberantly than everyone else was. Draco didn't seem to be paying much attention to Pansy and it was then that Jasmine realised he had been looking at her the whole time. As their eyes met, everything the others had told Jasmine came flooding back and she looked at Draco with doubt, but even though still remembering the 'truths', with pure desire. The fact that he was touching someone else made her want him even more for some reason and she felt a deep longing inside of her. Draco's eyes were echoing with jealousy as he watched Jasmine dancing with Harry, and he was burning inside, trying not to erupt with yearning of that beautiful body so seductively clenching to her dress. Jasmine felt as though Draco was undressing her with his eyes and she had to turn around and face Harry to stop herself from getting intense.

"Harry I need a drink babe" Jasmine whispered in his ear, and he held her hand to lead her off the dance floor. Jasmine sat down at the table as Harry went to get her a drink, and Jasmine was taking short rapid breaths while fanning herself to calm down. She gazed at Ron and Hermione who were now kissing passionately while dancing, and she suddenly felt a twinge of envy. If only she could have that with someone. If only she could have that with Draco.

"Here Jas I got you an apple juice," said Harry sitting himself down beside her.

"Thanks Harry" she replied, gulping down the drink in one go.

Harry couldn't believe how brilliant the night had been so far. He had danced the whole night with Jasmine and felt grossly satisfied with the loathing in Malfoy's eyes. Malfoy couldn't have Jasmine and it killed him, and frankly, after the years of torture Harry had had to endure from Malfoy he thought that he deserved it. Harry was ready to get up and dance again but Jasmine sweetly told him that she needed a bit of a rest – her feet were killing her.

Harry looked around and saw Ginny stood tapping her feet to the music, her boyfriend Dean was dancing with Susan Bones and Ginny appeared to be aching to dance.

"Jas, do you mind if I ask Ginny to dance?" asked Harry

"Of course not silly," she replied, "you can dance with whoever you want to babe, you don't have to ask my permission!"

Harry laughed with her and jogged off to ask Ginny for a dance. Jasmine sat thinking about how she had just felt on the dance floor and decided that she needed to get some fresh air, she told Parvati where she was going in case Harry asked and headed off through the doorway. From the other side of the hall, Draco had noticed Jasmine leaving alone, and he looked around to see if anyone was watching, then paced off after her. The night had only just begun.

Ron and Hermione were strolling along the Hogwart's gardens hand in hand, in the moonlight. They sat down under a tree, and Hermione lay back on Ron's lap.

"It's such a beautiful night Ron, the stars are shining and there's not a single cloud in the sky, its so romantic" she sighed.

Ron stroked Hermione's arm and kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you Ron" she whispered delicately. Ron felt his stomach tighten. She'd said it. She'd said those words. Those words he never thought he'd hear her say. Ron's happiness erupted,

"I love you too Hermione" he replied, turning her around to look at him. For a moment they lingered in eachother's eyes, before Ron spoke again,

"Hermione I love you more than anyone else in the world, and…and I want to show you just how much…" he finished, stroking her cheek.

"Ron…" she started nervously, had Ron blown it? " I thought you'd never ask…" Ron sighed with relief at these words and Hermione giggled quietly.

"And I know just the perfect place," Ron said, pulling Hermione up, "come on, I'll show you"

Ron led Hermione to the room in which last year, they had held the sessions for 'Dumbledore's Army'. On noticing this, at first Hermione seemed a tad disappointed, from what she could remember, the room was not exactly what you would call romantic. But on entering the room, Hermione realised that there was something called magic, and Ron had transformed the room into a candlelit heaven. A lavish canopy bed was placed in the centre of the room, draped in white and red. Pink rose petals were scattered around the room, and the essence of vanilla filled their nostrils as they walked in. Hermione gasped with surprise and joy at the beautiful sight that lay before her eyes.

"Oh Ron…it's gorgeous, thankyou so much" she choked tearfully.

"Don't thank me Hermione, you're worth it" he replied soulfully.

Hermione smiled at him as she sat down on the bed – which was fluffy and soft, feeling smooth on the skin. For a while, Ron merely stood watching her. This striking woman, in a tempting red dress, was sitting and waiting for him, he just wanted to remember this moment forever and treasure it for the rest of his life. Walking towards the bed, Ron realised that all his nerves were gone, kissing her softly they lay down and were wrapped in eachother's arms. Sighing with pleasure, Hermione drifted off into a new world, ready and waiting for Ron to show her his love.

Jasmine floated slowly under the archway, and stood just underneath so that she was still inside the school but she could feel that well-needed air rushing in from the gardens. Jasmine took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and looked out into the night, the stars shining brightly. It was so quiet, so comforting, so enchanting. The grounds looked beautiful at night, almost glistening from the ray of the moon and stars, it was like a wonderland. Jasmine closed her eyes and sighed.

"Jasmine?" a whisper came from in front of her. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Draco standing before her. Jasmine immediately moved away.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" she said nervously. She had only just recovered from the desire moments before and didn't want to fall into that longing again.

"I saw you leaving on your own…and followed you" he replied from behind her.

"Well you shouldn't have ok Draco? I really don't think its wise for anything to happen anymore," she said difficultly,

"Jasmine, please listen to me," Draco started, "look, the past is the past, why does it have to affect the present? Ok, I know that I've not been the nicest guy around the last few years but…but I want you so much…and I know you want me"

Jasmine laughed at these words, and turned to look at him, "Oh but Draco, there's no way we could possibly be together is there? I mean, you're a Slytherin and I'm a gryffindor," she cried, "we're sworn enemies, remember?" she finished patronisingly.

"Jasmine I don't care anymore," Draco replied, "watching you in there, with that…that freak with his hands all over you, touching you…I couldn't take it…that should be me not Potter" he said acidly,

"That freak is one of my closest friends Draco, so you better watch what you'd say darling ok?" Jasmine enforced.

Draco laughed, "Friend! Closest friend! Oh Jasmine, I really think Potter wants a little more from you than close friend, in fact I'd say he wants to get a lot closer to you than you appear to realise"

"What are you talking about? Harry cares about me as a friend, he doesn't want more than that, and if you think he does Draco Malfoy then you're more crazy than I thought you were!" she shouted

Draco grabbed her by the arm and drew her closer, Jasmine gasped and struggled to grasp free,

"You're damn right I'm crazy Jasmine!" he cried, "crazy about YOU! I never thought I could ever feel this way about anyone until you walked into my life that morning and every day I've gone through torture thinking about you, watching you and itching to hold you in my arms, and don't you dare tell me that you don't feel the same way 'cos I know you do!" he finished breathlessly.

Jasmine looked into his eyes tearfully and pulled herself free,

"Draco please don't do this to me!" she choked, "I can't do this! Those three mean everything to me, and I can't hurt them ok? I can't do that to them!"

Draco pulled her back, "Them? You can't hurt them? What about me? Doesn't what I feel mean anything to you! What about how much you'll hurt me? Or don't you even care!" he yelled spitefully

"You know I care Draco! But sometimes you've gotta sacrifice the things you want! Sometimes life just isn't fair! And I'm sorry ok but unlike you, I wouldn't have to face those three everyday knowing how much I've hurt them, especially Harry," Jasmine protested, "so this is one option that I just can't take!" she ended choking back the tears.

Neither Jasmine nor Draco knew, but from behind a statue, someone was watching them. It was Harry. He had been walking around trying to find Jasmine and heard two people shouting, so decided to see what the noise was about. Harry had only just arrived, and had heard merely Jasmine's last few words. As he watched Draco with his hands gripping Jasmine, his stomach sank. He felt like running out and punching Draco in the face, but he knew Jasmine would never speak to him again if he did so he stayed back listening.

"Jasmine please…" Draco muttered with a lump in his throat. Tears were now rolling down Jasmine's cheeks,

"I'm sorry Draco…" she sniffed and turned to walk away from him. But Draco couldn't let her go. He couldn't let her do this to him. In the heat of the moment he grabbed her hand and snatched her back kissing her on the lips. Harry felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Jasmine pulled away furiously and slapped him. Then suddenly as she looked into his silvery-grey eyes, she felt an overwhelming urge to kiss him again and lunged forward grasping him around the neck. Draco pushed her against the wall and they were lost within eachother kissing passionately. Draco's dream was no longer a fantasy, it had become real, and it was everything he had imagined it to be.

As Harry watched from a distance he felt something inside of him begin to crumble, and he wished that he was the one kissing Jasmine so intensely and that it was him who she wanted so much.

As the moment lingered on and Draco had got what he wanted, he suddenly saw someone flash before his eyes. It was his father Lucius. Images flew through his head of his father throwing him out of the house ('You're no son of and mine!') he saw himself being pushed aside by his friend's in Slytherin. He could see his mother's face before him, shaking her head in disappointment ('Oh Draco, I had so many high hopes for you') and Draco rapidly drew away from Jasmine and turned away with his hands behind his head in agony.

"Draco? What…" Jasmine began,

"I'm sorry Jasmine…I can't…I…I wasn't thinking straight" he stuttered clenching his fist in distress.

Jasmine gave a tiny sob, "Oh you bastard…" she muttered.

"Jasmine I'm sorry…"

"You want me do you Draco!" she screamed sobbing, "you want me! You didn't want to get hurt!"

"Jasmine…" he whispered reaching forward,

"Stay away from me you pig! Just stay away from me," she cried stepping away, "I hate you Draco Malfoy!"

Jasmine ran away down the corridor sobbing. Draco watched her in pain and kicked the wall in frustration.

"You fucking idiot Malfoy, you fucking IDIOT!" he yelled.

Harry couldn't help but smirk and stepped out from behind the statue clapping. Draco turned abruptly to see who it was.

"Congratulations Malfoy," Harry spoke, "you've officially blown it!"

Malfoy glared at him fuming.

"Potter! You better stay away from her or I'll…"

"What? You'll what? Get your little thugs to beat me up? Oh I'm sure they'd love to hear that their leader has fallen for a gryffindor don't you? It would be interesting to see how they take that wouldn't it?" Harry teased bitterly.

Malfoy clenched his fists in anger and looked at Harry with purest revulsion. There was nothing he could say in defence.

Harry chuckled, "Now if you'll excuse me…there's someone I have to go and comfort" he continued, smiling at the look of hatred on Malfoy's face. This was torture, "See you around Malfoy, and who knows? Maybe next time you could actually kiss Jasmine without thinking about your stupid reputation"

Harry laughed at him and shook his head walking off towards the Gryffindor common room. Draco could only watch as he saw Harry disappearing, knowing that he had now lost Jasmine forever…