A/N: Thanks for the reviews and PM's! A little warning, after today my daughter starts back to school and next week I start back to my college classes! Being a junior at University with two children and husband is rough, but I am going tp try my best to update as much as possible! I'm hoping by the end of the day to have the next chapter posted! Enjoy!
The next week of detention was amazing for both Hermione and Severus. They spent their time talking, eating, reading together, kissing, and making sure Hermione left his quarters every night sexually satisfied. However, Severus would only please Hermione, mostly in the way he did in the woods, but he would never let Hermione return the favor like she wanted. Hermione didn't know why he would never let her please him, she had tried to do so many times, but every time she got close he would stop her. As much as she wanted to ask him about it, she didn't want him to get mad at her over it. Everything was perfect between them at the moment, so she decided that when Severus was ready to talk about it she would be ready too.
November came to a close and December came, bringing in mountains of snow as it did. At the start of December, Hermione and Draco began planning for the Yule Ball. Just like for the Yule Ball in fourth year, it was only for the fourth years and up, unless they wanted to bring a younger date. The difference was that there was no Triwizard Tournament this year. Professor Dumbledore thought that the school needed more celebrations and dances since there was no war to worry about, so now every year the Yule Ball would be happening. It was easier to plan this dance compared to the Halloween dance, because now they were used to it. They once again were able to get The Weird Sister to play and planned out all the food and how they wanted the hall decorated. Within a matter of a few days, they had it all planned out.
Hermione decided to order her dress for the Yule Ball after her and Draco had settled on decorations. She found the perfect dress in the catalog from Madam Malkin's that she had ordered her Halloween dance dress in. For the Yule Ball she had decided on a black dress. It was a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline that had a tight bodice. It was like her Halloween dress and clenched at the waist and flowed down to the floor. The difference was that this dress had a slit going almost all the way up her left leg. Hermione thought the dress was sexy, yet elegant at the same time.
A few days before the Yule Ball, which was being held the night before students left on Christmas break, Severus and Hermione were outside taking a walk by the lake during lunch. There were no students out, so they could walk in peace. They were holding hands and looking out at the water. Hermione could tell something was bothering Severus, but she didn't want to push him since he still had a bit of a temper, even with her.
After a few minutes Severus finally spoke up. "Hermione, when do you want to go public about us?" he asked.
Hermione had thought about that question a lot already and she knew the answer immediately. "Whenever you want to Severus."
"You're not ashamed of me? Or you don't care what others will think and say?"
"Why would I be ashamed of you? You make me happy. If people want to talk, let them talk. They are not a part of our relationship. If they think ill of us, then they can look the other way. I'm not going to waste my life trying to please others," Hermione stated evenly.
Severus was actually a little surprised at her declaration. "What about your friends though?"
"Well, if they are really my friends and truly do care about me, then they will want me to be happy. Anyway, I already know two of them approve. Ginny and Luna are quite happy for us."
"You told them?" he asked in a somewhat angry tone.
"Yes, when all of this first started between us I had to have someone to talk to. They have known the whole time. Plus you had Dumbledore to talk to about this if you wanted, so don't get mad at me for telling Ginny and Luna," she said, pulling her hand from his. She walked a little faster, obviously mad.
"Hermione wait," Severus called after her. Hermione stopped walking. "I was only mad that you didn't tell me that you told them, not that you actually told them," he explained.
Hermione looked at him and seen that he was telling the truth. "I'm sorry, I know I should have told you sooner. But why do you want to know when I wanted to tell everyone?"
"Well, Albus is going to hold a meeting with the teachers tomorrow to tell him of our relationship and I was also wanting to ask if you would like to go to the Yule Ball with me?"
Hermione was speechless. "Like as a couple? So everyone can know about us?" she managed to say.
"Well, yes. That's why I was asking you when you wanted to tell everyone."
Hermione thought it over for a minute and decided that it would be the perfect time to let everyone know. They could go to the Yule Ball as a couple and let everyone know of their relationship. Then the next day almost everyone would be heading home and she could spend a few weeks alone with Severus, while everyone else got over them being a couple far away from them. It was a brilliant plan.
"I would be honored to go to the Yule Ball with you, Severus," she said smiling from ear to ear. Severus grabbed her against him and kissed her. He couldn't believe she actually cared about him enough to go public with their relationship. For once in his life, Severus felt like a love sick school boy who couldn't wait to go and tell his best friend that she had said yes. As soon as they walked back to the castle and went their separate ways, Severus headed off to tell Albus the good news.
Hermione woke on the morning of the Yule Ball in the best mood. Classes had ended yesterday and now it was time to have fun and relax. She could not wait to be in Severus's arms, in front of everyone. It would be wonderful to no longer sneak around. Now the teachers knew of their relationship and even though some of them were not happy about it, there was nothing that they could do. While some of them tried to talk her out of it, they still treated her with respect because they realized that she was no mere student, but a woman who was mature beyond her years.
Hermione made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she was almost done, she started to hear grunting and moaning coming from Draco's bedroom. I guess he really has moved on, she thought. She was truly happy for him, but at the moment she could no longer stand to hear the noises coming from his bedroom. She finished brushing her teeth and quickly made her way to her bedroom. She quickly dressed in a green long sleeved sweater and pair of blue jeans. As she made her way out of her bedroom, she was not expecting to run face first into Ron, who was coming from Draco's room.
Ron's face became as red as his hair and before Hermione could speak, he ran down the stairs and out of the common room. Hermione stood there dumbfounded. Anyone with half a brain would know what the sounds she heard were. She knew that Draco and Ron had been spending a lot of time together lately because Harry and Ginny were busy with each other and planning a wedding, while Hermione was either in the library or sneaking away to spend time with Severus. I should have known that something was up when they started spending time together, she thought. Finally coming back to reality, she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Thankfully when she got there, Ron was nowhere in sight. Harry and Ginny showed up a few minutes after Hermione started eating.
"Hermione, have you seen Ron this morning? He never came to bed last night and wasn't in the tower when I left," Harry asked.
Hermione shook her head, "No, I haven't," she replied looking down at her food. Harry gave her a weird look but didn't push the subject. "Are you guys ready to decorate?" she asked.
"I am so ready to get the decorating over and start the beautification process!" Ginny exclaimed just a little too happily for it to be seven in the morning.
"You and Luna are coming up to get ready in my room right?" Hermione asked.
'Of course! Pavarti and Padama decided to get ready with some of the Ravenclaw girls who needed their beauty advice."
"Oh, okay. Well, as soon as breakfast is over, lets round everyone up and get started," Hermione said.
They finished eating their food and Ron finally showed up. He ignored all the questions asked and said he fell asleep in the library. No one believed him because Ron never goes into the library willingly, but everyone kept their mouths shut since today was to be such a great day. At ten thirty, Professor Dumbledore once again kicked all the students out, informing them that both their lunch and dinner would be held in their common rooms. The Yule Ball started later on at night, so students needed to be fed beforehand.
When everyone was gone except for Hermione, Draco, Harry, and the prefects, he asked Hermione how she would like the tables to be. Draco and Hermione had agreed that they wanted the dance floor to be bigger this time because the first dance was a formal one where the Head students and their dates, along with the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress, would start off the night. So far Draco hadn't said who he was going with, but right now she wouldn't worry about it.
So Professor Dumbledore banished the House tables and replaced them with sixteen round tables. They surrounded the stage and the dance floor like the Halloween dance.
"Miss Granger, if you and Mr. Malfoy need me for anything you know where to find me. Otherwise come and get me when you are finished," he said.
"Thank you Headmaster," Draco replied.
Professor Dumbledore left and they all got to work. At two o'clock they were finally finished and all of them were starving from their hard work. Harry had left to go and get Professor Dumbledore and the rest sat in chairs or laid in the floor to wait for them. Hermione looked around and realized that they had created the perfect winter wonderland. Everything was white, grey, or light blue. There were some Christmas trees that had the same color scheme and looked amazing. The tables were elegant and tasteful, while not being too fancy. They had bewitched the floor to look like there was a few inches of snow, but when you walked on the floor it still felt like normal. Everything was perfect.
Harry showed up with Professor Dumbledore who completely approved with the Great Hall. "If it is not snowing tonight Miss Granger, would you like me to make the ceiling have snow falling anyway?" he asked.
"Oh, yes sir! That would be wonderful," Hermione said enthusiastically.
"Well then, I will see you all tonight. Everyone needs to be inside the Great Hall by eight. Except Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy and their dates need to arrive in the entrance hall at ten after eight to enter the Yule Ball with myself and Professor McGonagall at eight fifteen. I have a feeling this is going to be a night of fun and also a night of gossip. I hope you are both prepared Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger," Professor Dumbledore warned. Hermione and Draco both blushed. If anyone else in the room would have turned around they would have noticed that Ron was behind them all blushing as well, but the only person who seen was the Headmaster. "Now, everyone head for lunch in your common rooms and I will see you all tonight. Please pass around to your House mates what time to be here. No one who is coming shall be late."
Everyone left the Great Hall. Hermione, Ginny, and Luna stopped outside the Great Hall to make their plans. After eating their lunch the girls would take their showers and head up to Hermione's room. Hermione would eat, take her bath, and be ready for them by the time they got there.
So she did just that. When Ginny and Luna finally showed up an hour and a half later, Hermione had ate, taken her bath, and almost completed her potions essay for the Christmas holidays. The girls were not surprised when they showed up and found Hermione doing homework. Most students would wait until the last few days of break before worrying about it, but not Hermione. She always finished it within the first few days so she wouldn't have to worry about it the rest of break.
Hermione quickly stopped what she was doing to spend some much needed time with the girls. They asked about her and Severus, so Hermione explained what had been going on in the sexual department. When she was done, she looked at them for some kind of advice.
Ginny had a very thoughtful look on her face and answered her. "Do you think that for him he don't like losing control of the situation? Or maybe he is embarrassed of himself? It is Snape we are talking about, no offense. But just from being his student I have realized that he is someone who wants to be in control at all times. Maybe letting you be the one to give him pleasure is giving you the control that he normally has. Or maybe he hasn't been with a woman in a long time and is embarrassed of himself. I know my first time, which really was with Harry before anyone asks, I was so afraid that my body wasn't adequate. Everyone has their personal issues with some part of their body."
Hermione thought about what Ginny just said and realized that maybe she was right. "Maybe while everyone is gone I will be able to talk to him about it. But truthfully, I plan on going all the way with him during the break. I am done holding back. Every time I am around him I just want to jump his bones. I'm ready."
Luna and Ginny giggled at Hermione, who sounded so serious. "Good luck Hermione. You are dealing with a man and not some crazy hormonal teenager like Ron or Draco," Luna said.
"No, they are crazy hormonal in their own way," Hermione replied in a whisper.
"Huh?" Ginny asked.
Hermione realized she had said that out loud, but she quickly came up with an explanation. "Oh, nothing. Just personal experience with them both."
Both girls seemed to understand and didn't ask any more about it. They spent some time just chatting and catching up. Hermione found out exactly how serious Luna and Neville had become, clearly surprised that Neville Longbottom had lost his virginity before herself. Ginny told Hermione all about the wedding plans her and Harry had made and that Kreacher was cleaning Grimmauld Place and getting rid of the screaming portrait of Walburga Black. Ginny was so excited to be finishing up school soon and truly starting her life with Harry. Hermione found herself quite jealous of both of her friends. Ginny knew what was happening with her life after graduation. She knew that her and Harry were getting married. Luna and Neville were so inseparable that they were for sure going to have a life together after school. Hermione on the other hand had no idea what was to become of her and Severus after school was over. As perfect as their relationship was, she wondered if he would want to continue it once she had graduated.
Hermione pushed all of her worries aside as they started getting ready for the Yule Ball. Hermione had decided she didn't want her hair put up in any way, she just wanted it perfectly curled and flowing around her face and down her back. When Ginny did her makeup she only used some eyeliner and mascara for her eyes and then added some red to her lips to give a seductive look to go with the seductive dress Hermione had purchased.
Luna was wearing a canary yellow dress that was short and strapless. The dress was different from anything Luna normally wore and it showed off her curves perfectly. She had decided to not wear any makeup and kept her hair the same as it normally was. All in all, she looked wonderful. Ginny had bought a beautiful red dress that had a tight bodice with sweetheart neckline that clung to her body until half-way down her thighs, then it flared out in a mermaid style. She easily put her hair up into an elegant twist and applied a decent amount of makeup that only enhanced her beauty.
Ginny and Luna left before Hermione to meet Harry and Neville in the entrance hall. Hermione left a few minutes behind them, finding Draco in the common room waiting for her.
"You look beautiful Hermione," he said.
"Thank you Draco. You look great. Who are you taking to the ball?" she asked.
Draco blushed, but smiled brilliantly. "You are just going to have to wait and see."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and said, "Fine. You will have to wait and see who I am taking as well."
Draco laughed and offered Hermione his arm. "Let's head down there shall we?" he asked. Hermione took his arm and they walked downstairs. They separated before they made it to where the others standing outside the Great Hall could see them. Draco looked at his watch when they separated and it read "8:07".
"Let's get this over with," Draco mumbled.
They kept on walking down the stairs and soon the Entrance Hall came into view. Standing side-by-side outside the Great Hall doors were Severus, Ron, the Headmaster, and Professor McGonagall. Draco looked over at Hermione confused, but she just ignored him. She just kept on walking and a huge smile lit her face at the sight of Severus in his formal dress robes. They were the same ones he wore to the Halloween dance, but Hermione didn't care. They made him look even sexier than already thought he was. According to Hermione, anyone could say anything bad about his nose that they wanted, because to her it gave him a darker, more distinguished look. As she made her way to him, Severus took her into his arms and she didn't even notice the looks of shock coming from Ron and Draco.
Severus whispered into her ear, "You are the most stunning woman I have ever seen."
Hermione blushed and pulled away from him. "Thank you. I'll tell you my opinion of you later," she said in a low voice that only he could hear and smiled.
Beside her Ron finally found his voice. "Hermione, what is wrong with you? Is he your date?" he asked.
Hermione turned to face him. "Yes, Ron, Severus is my date. But I don't understand what you mean about your first question. Nothing is wrong with me," she stated sweetly.
Ron looked at her as if she was insane. "Something has to be wrong with you for you to be with him."
Now, Hermione was getting mad. "You don't see my complaining about your relationship with Draco, Ronald. Why don't you stay out of my relationship with Severus? And yes, I know there is a relationship between you two. While I was in the bathroom this morning I heard you both," Hermione said.
Both boys blushed but said nothing.
"Now if you can remember, we have a dance to open!" Hermione stated in a rude tone that was completely foreign to her.
"Professor Dumbledore are you just going to allow this relationship between them to happen?" Ron asked the Headmaster. Until then the Headmaster had decided to stay out of their little spat, but now he figured he had to say something.
"Mr. Weasley, I have known about this relationship from the beginning and I fully approve. There is nothing in the rules against their relationship. All of the teachers in the school know and now they have decided to let their relationship become public knowledge. Their relationship is between them and them alone, such as yours with Mr. Malfoy is only between the two of you. Now, as Miss Granger has already pointed out, it is time for us to open the dance. Miss Granger, you and Severus will follow behind Professor McGonagall and myself. Mr. Malfoy, you and Mr. Weasley will follow behind them. Are we all ready?" he asked. Everyone nodded and got into formation.
Hermione sneaked a kiss to Severus's lips before the Great Hall doors opened. It's now or never, she thought as they started walking inside behind the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall.