*ducks behind computer* Sorry it took me so long to update! Wow….life gets in the way. But I won't bore you with those details. Enjoy the next long-awaited chapter of Wicked Intentions!

Chapter 21

The Ball

The day of the ball had finally arrived. Hermione and Ginny had insisted upon spending the entire day together getting ready while the boys were off preparing themselves for the ball, or more than likely, playing Quidditch all day. It had been such a long time since the two girls had gotten some one-on-one girl time so they were very excited for the prospect of a whole day without any men.

Both women were seated at opposite ends of Hermione's vanity that was in her own private bathroom. The room provided perfect lighting and mirrors that thankfully were charmed not to voice their own opinions. The girls were applying their make-up carefully while chit-chatting about their own lives happily.

"So how are things going with you and Severus?" Ginny asked with a knowing grin.

"Honestly, things have never been better. I'm so happy with him. He makes me feel genuinely loved," Hermione gushed girlishly to her best friend, "But I can't seem to get him to forgive himself for what happened to me. It's a daily struggle."

"You were in pretty bad shape, Hermione," Ginny said pointedly as she turned from her mirror to face Hermione, "I can understand why he blames himself still. But he really does need to move on. You have your whole lives ahead of you!"

"I know. Hopefully the Aurors will catch Lucius soon or I fear the both of us will go absolutely mad. I think the only way Severus will be able to put the whole thing behind him is when they catch the bastard," Hermione sighed as she put down her own make-up brush.

Ginny went up and put her arm around Hermione and pulled her into a friendly hug and whispered, "They'll catch him. Don't you worry. Harry and Ron and the rest of the Aurors have been working day and night trying to catch him. Nobody wants that to happen to anyone ever again."

With one last squeeze, Ginny left her and returned to her half of the vanity to apply more mascara to her long eyelashes.

Hermione turned back to her mirror and started fussing with her hair when she asked, "Speaking of Harry and Ron, how upset are they with me regarding this whole Lucius and Severus issue?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny said while still looking at herself in the mirror.

"Well about how Severus treated them while I was gone and about the headlines Severus, Lucius, and I made the other day. They can't be very happy with me," Hermione said.

"Oh! Don't you worry about the boys. They were a tad disappointed to be hearing about their best friend's new relationship through the trashy gossip rags instead of from you first, but you know boys. They got over it rather quickly," She said as she began to tease her hair, "They're just glad you're happy and safe. And don't you think for one second they believed any of that garbage that was printed about Lucius. They may be daft about most things, but they definitely know you better than that."

Hermione smiled at her friend in response. Ginny always knew the best way to cheer her up from any bad mood.

The sun was now beginning to set and both ladies had already dressed in their beautiful evening gowns and were putting the finishing touches on their hair and make-up.

As Hermione was taking one last glance in the full-length mirror, she couldn't help but be overcome with apprehension. Ginny noticed immediately and put her arm around Hermione's shoulders and asked, "What's wrong?"

Hermione refused to make eye contact with her in the mirror and whispered, "I'm afraid that he'll show up tonight. They still haven't caught him you know."

Ginny hugged her tighter before saying, "Don't worry about that Hermione! There are Aurors absolutely swarming the place. And besides that Severus, Harry, and Ron would never let anything happen to you. We'll be surrounded and protected all night. He will never get to you."

Hermione took a deep breath and nodded her head silently before saying, "You're right. If there's one place I shouldn't have to worry about him it's tonight."

Ginny smiled back before smudging a small eyeliner mark off of Hermione's cheek. She then snatched her arm in hers and headed off to the Great Hall entranceway where they were to meet their dates.

As Hermione descended her way down the stairs towards him, he swore he felt his heart beat faster. He had never seen anyone lovelier than she looked tonight. That green dress would be the end of him! Forget this blasted ball, he just wanted to snatch her up and carry her back to his bedroom and spend the night there.

Alas that was not to be. He could never disappoint her by taking her away from a ball in her honor.

'Besides there's always time for that later,' he smirked to himself.

Once she was about a meter away from him, he noticed the small blush that adorned her cheeks and his heart melted. She would be the only woman for him as long as he lived.

He took one step closer to her before wrapping her in his arms and whispered into her ear, "You have never looked more beautiful than you do tonight, my love."

This made her blush even deeper and she snuggled in closer to his neck to feel his warmth. Severus tucked his index finger under her chin and brought her lips to his in a chaste kiss.

The moment was ruined when Harry and Ron began to chuckle loudly in response to the newly announced couple.

"It's about bloody time you two got together!" Harry exclaimed while still attempting to suppress his laughter, "You've only been in love with each other since forever."

Hermione disentangled herself from Severus in order to give Harry a swift jab to the arm.

He turned the jab into an opportunity to squeeze both her and Ron into one big giant bear hug. He didn't relent until not one of them could breathe.

They all broke out into laughter before Harry jokingly said, "Now don't think you can hide anything this big from us again! Remember, you're stuck with us for life."

Hermione simply rolled her eyes in mock irritation before grinning back, "Deal."

She then scurried over to Severus's side and grasped his arm tightly in hers so they could enter the Great Hall together.

The hall was beautifully decorated and completely filled to capacity with people. Anyone who is anyone in the wizarding world was within the confines of the Great Hall tonight.

Even the paparazzi were allowed in, much to Severus's chagrin. Hermione and Severus were required by duty to pose for a few pictures for the lot of them despite the events of the recent past. Severus scowled at each one of them due to their deplorable articles from the previous week while Hermione posed gracefully.

As they began to walk away from the lot of press Severus spat, "I don't know why we had to pose for more bloody photos for them. It's not like they haven't done enough to sabotage our lives yet…" before he was interrupted with a kiss from Hermione.

"Shhh, Severus. Don't let them ruin this night for us," She whispered against his lips before kissing him one last time and leading him towards the head table.

Being the guests of honor, Severus and Hermione were seated next to each other in the center of the table while being flanked by Minerva, Healer Watson, and other government officials and sponsors.

After dinner and all of the mandatory congratulatory speeches from the seemingly endless amounts of representatives, awakening potion patients, and their families, a resounding standing ovation was given to Hermione and Severus for their duties to the wizarding world.

Hermione squeezed Severus's hand under the table when she noticed how uncomfortable he looked from the attention the audience was giving them. It was her turn to comfort him when he needed it most.

He simply smiled down to her and rubbed his thumb over her hand in thanks.

Eventually the tables were cleared away and the band took the stage. The dance floor began to swarm with the rowdy crowd immediately.

Normally Severus wouldn't partake in such a pointless activity as dancing, but any excuse to have Hermione in his arms was one he wouldn't pass up. So he offered her his hand and guided her to the middle of the dance floor. She truly had made him a changed man.

After a quick spin to a fast paced song, the tempo slowed down and the dance floor cleared except for all of the couples. Hermione leaned close into Severus's chest as he held her hand over his heart.

A few measures of the song went by before Hermione broke the silence between them and whispered into his chest, "I'm worried about him. I'm worried at all times that he's just around the corner plotting his next attempt to kill me. I can't even enjoy a simple moment like this with you without him ruining it. When will it end? I can't live like this. WE can't live like this. When do we get our happy ending?"

"Shhhhh," Severus shushed into her hair while holding her closer to his body, "You are safe. I'm never letting you go again. Not until after he's caught. I love you and I will not ever let him touch you again."

Just then Severus gasped and reached into his back pocket and pulled out a galleon. Hermione immediately recognized her own invention as the galleon the DA used to use for meetings. She stared up at him as he deciphered something on the coin before seeking out Minerva who was standing up at the Head Table. Hermione noticed her silently gesture for him to follow her.

Severus quickly dropped her hand from his before escorting her towards Harry with a firm hand on her lower back.

"What's going on?" Hermione whispered under her breath to Severus.

Without making direct eye contact with her he answered, "I'm sure it's nothing, just something I must check into."

With that she found herself thrust into the arms of Harry while he seethed, "Potter, take care of her. If she's in any way harmed when I get back there'll be hell to pay."

Harry nodded his head and swore to keep her safe while Severus turned on his heel and quickly began to walk away.

Hermione began to run after him without making a scene before he gently grabbed her upper arms and lead her back to Harry.

"Please don't make this more difficult than it has to be, Hermione. I will be back shortly. There's nothing wrong. If there is I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone," He whispered in her ear and placed a kiss on her lips before handing her off once more to Harry.

Hermione huffed and plopped into her seat.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing, Hermione," Ginny reassured her friend, "Besides if it was anything terrible I'm sure both Harry and Ron would've been warned too."

"You're probably right. But I don't have to be happy about being left here," Hermione huffed in return.

The three of them sat around the table while Ginny and Harry made idle chit chat and Hermione pretended to listen. But inside, all Hermione could think about was Severus.

After who knows how long, Harry and Ginny jumped out of their chairs as their favorite song came on. They begged Hermione to dance with them, she declined vehemently but she promised she would stay put until they returned. Harry shrugged in return and carried Ginny onto the dance floor. Hermione would be alright by herself for just one song after all. There were too many people around to not notice her disappearing.

Hermione couldn't help the terrible thoughts that were racing through her mind every minute Severus was gone.

'What was taking Severus so long? What if he was hurt? What if there really was a threat? Did he really expect her to just sit by and do nothing while everyone else risked their lives for hers?'

After another few minutes her concern ebbed away into annoyance and anger with Severus.

'There's no way I'm sitting here any longer! I was sorted into Gryffindor for a reason! I'm going to find out exactly what is going on myself,' she thought to herself as she stood up out of her seat and headed stealthily towards the doors of the great hall.

'As long as I can get out of here unnoticed I should be able to track down Severus myself,' she continued to think to herself as she cracked open the giant doors of the hall, 'Just a brief peek into the hallway just to make sure everything is ok. Severus will probably be beyond enraged with me should he ever find out. But maybe he shouldn't have left me here by myself either after just promising he would never let me go.'

She glanced up and down the hallway before she stepped into the extremely dark corridor.

The last thing she saw before she blacked out was a black leather gloved hand covering her mouth with an odd smelling white cloth.

A/N: I'm back! Thanks for sticking around and welcome to my dark and twisted world to the newbies. I swear….updates will never ever take this long again. I apologize!