To the playlist:

wwwDOTplaylistDOTcomSLASH userSLASH 4374791

To the lyrics:

wwwDOTmp3lyricsDOTorgSLASH g SLASHgarth-brooksSLASHcowboys-and-angelsSLASH

wwwDOTmp3lyricsDOTorgSLASH a SLASHaerosmithSLASHi-dont-want-to-miss-a-thingSLASH

A/N: As I mentioned last chapter, debjunk, this chapter is for you...the 1st reviewer!!!! Thanks ever so much for the support and enjoy!!!

Hermione had set out her costume. It laid limply on her bed awaiting a body. She had placed it so it looked like what someone wearing it would look like. She wasn't sure if she'd gone over board or not. At first, she had thought of going as Cleopatra, maybe Joan of Arc. But when she'd passed this dress in the costume shop she had to have it. It was a wedding dress, one you could magically alter so that you looked like you just popped out of the ground.

But when she'd seen the twisted bits of cloth that hung from the bottom and the sleeves, she got the idea. Buying the dress, a pair of moccasin boots in matching colors, as was all of the outfit, a headband with feathers, wristbands with beading, and finding a book on hair styles in the shop down the street, she'd gone home happy.

Now, in the looming shadow of the Halloween Ball, she wasn't sure how to put on the thing. She didn't want to stand out. But the color she picked did everything but what she wanted. It was a perfect shade of white, with no flaws whatsoever. So was everything else. She didn't know how she was gonna make this work. She sighed, she hadn't bought it just to let it sit...might as well put it on. They wouldn't know who she was anyway, this was a masquerade. That had intrigued her, so she got some red paint to cover the top half of her face. With a charming spell to darken her skin and the greatest spell in the world that she'd gotten from the book on hair, she would be unrecognizable, without a mask.

She started getting ready, using the two hours she had like the best of time pinchers. With just thirty minutes til showtime, she looked at herself once more in the mirror.

Her eyes were still brown, as was her hair, though it looked darker in the low light. The top half of her face, from her hairline to the tip of her nose, was painted Gryffindor red. Parts of her hair had been plaited and lined with small beads and then tied off with a strip of leather.

She wore the form fitting dress that flowed loosely around her legs and was made of pure cotton, so she was the most comfortable woman. The sleeves, like the legs of the gown, were flowy, and revealed her beaded bracelet and lightly tanned arms. She wore a necklace with her birthstone, sapphire. It glowed subtlely in the dimming light.

The boots went up to her knees, and were also white. They had frayed material at the top and were soft faux fur all the rest of the way.

She had on no makeup, just lip gloss. There was intricate beading in red, yellow, and blue on the front. It more or less outline the hourglass shape on her body. It wasn't overwhelming, on the contrary, it was overwhelmed. The white seemed to shine. Hermione took a deep breath, licked the cherry flavored lip gloss and walked away from the mirror.

Severus adjusted the last parts of his costume, picking up the mask that fit the theme, though it was undecorated, and placed it on his face. His room looked so much more welcoming. So much more an escape. The foolish kids and Minerva's need to cause cheer!! He growled, appraising himself carefully before sighing. He had to go, he had to be in costume, and he couldn't leave til at least midnight. Again, he sighed. What was it that he'd done to have the entire world against him? He was sure he'd made up whatever debt he had, he was so sure.

Hermione crossed his mind, and he looked at the mirror again. He couldn't understand why she'd accept him. She really had something he'd never seen before, something that only she had ever shown him. Kindness. Yeah, lots of people tried to show him, lots of people attempted weakly to appreciate him when the war was done, but no one ever succeeded.

He tried not to think of what was about to grace their lives: what was hovering over him like a scary cloud. He was going to be a father....he was going to be a father.

Hermione got to the loud party just as it had begun. It was about seven o' clock, and the kids had upped the volume on the dance club music so that it bumped through the walls. The doors to the Great Hall were left open, but the music wasn't as loud where she was. She took a much needed breath and descended the stairs.

She entered the party smiling, wanting to dance to the music, she weaved through the crowd, joining the mosh pit that was at the foot of the stage. Flitwick was at the DJ booth, pulling out another magical ball of light and tossing it into the crowd.

They cheered, each touching it. Hermione did the same, feeling the water type quality of it. It made her thirsty. She made her way back to the punch table which was right next to the doors and picked up a cup. Her wand instinctively waved over it, making sure it wasn't spiked. It hadn't been. That meant Tarling and her posse' hadn't arrived.

Just as she took a sip, someone bumped into her. Her arm pulled the cup away, saving her dress from the mess. There was a group of fifth years making there way in, a tall man, dressed in head to toe black followed them. He was a cowboy, black hat, button down shirt, jeans, boots with silver spurs. His belt, though black, held onto a shiny silver buckle. A leather vest pressed over the shirt, his throat protected by a handkerchief.

He was scowling, but he looked like a seventh year, though tall. She looked away, watching the students dance, knowing she'd never be as free as they were now.

The music had slowed, most of the earlier party goers off in corners around the castle, doing Merlin knows what. Hermione would have done her job, would have broken up all those little fumblings right now, but the dark cowboy walked over to her and extended his hand. She awkwardly put down her drink, taking his hand and allowing herself to be taken to the dance floor.

There was still alot of people out her. Mostly dates moving slowly with each other to the music.

She knew this song, she loved this song. Taking her place opposite the cowboy, she started to dance. He was a magnificent dancer, so great in fact that the dance floor turned into just a crowd as they moved. They spun and twirled, they slid and jumped. They were the main attraction as the students talked amongst themselves, some running out the big open doors.

But none of this mattered to the pair, as he twirled her again, her hair flying around behind her. They were two opposites that collided on the dance floor.

Him, the dark abyss that cradled her, the bright stars. Her, the sudden bolt of lightning that illuminated the glorius storm cloud that, though dangerous, held it's own type of majestic beauty.

Soon the song would end, soon they have to stop this, and that was the furthest thing from her mind, the very last thing she'd ever want.

But the song did end, the dark cowboy holding her unnaturally close, but it felt right. His forehead laid against hers and she was glad the paint had smudge proof protection. The last thing she'd need was to stare at him after this perfect moment with her red paint on his soft black mask.

"Marry me."

Hermione, who's eyes had closed, soaking in the moment, opened her eyes and stared at the cowboy surprised.

"What?"

"I said, 'Marry me.' "

"Severus..." she knew it was him, had known ever since he asked her to dance. She looked at him longingly, wishing he could have said that somewhere else. All the students had gasped in shock, then the girls 'Aw'd' and the boys 'Whoo'd'.

Hermione didn't take her eyes off of his, just stared.

"I don't want you doing this because of the...baby." She whispered, the students catching it anyway.

"It's partially because of that, and partially because I love you and I don't want to lose you."

Again the girls, 'Aw'd', the boys laughed softly as their dates nudged them.

Hermione was quiet for a second. Alezandra Tarling busted out:

"Marry him, Professor! Say yes!"

The crowd laughed, as did the couple. He seemed sincere, he really did. He wasn't doing this just for the child, he loved her too. She smiled, glancing at the crowd. A few students nodded at her.

Looking back into his eyes, she grinned. "That's good, because I love you too. So....yes."

The students broke out in cheers, laughing and shouting. The music started up again, something celebration worthy and they flooded onto the dance floor, congradulating and smiling.

The couple made their way back to the punch table, where Minerva was standing, a cup in her hand.

Hermione, walking next to her new fiance' smiled at her.

"Congratulations, Hermione, Severus. I never thought I'd see the day."

Severus shrugged, a little smile creeping onto his face.

"Though you know you can only have it here. I won't give you vacation time if you don't. Something this monumental needs to happen in a monumental place."

Severus smile turned into a scowl. "More like a monument."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed, Review!!! XOXOXOXOXOOOXX