"I think the green would do nicely," The sales clerk said.

"I liked it but the blue is so much more elegant. What do you think, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

They were in the fourth shop already and it was only three in the afternoon. Hermione knew Ginny loved to shop but the girl had it down to a science.

"I think I need more caffeine," Hermione said from where she was standing on a small pedestal in front of several mirrors. She was wearing a seafoam-green floor-length dress in velvet. It was beautiful, but not really her color. Besides, colors had so much meaning in the British wizarding world. Everyone associated them with something or other and usually, Hogwarts houses were somehow involved. It was exhausting. She'd found a little black dress at the first store that she'd liked but Ginny had vetoed it completely, stating it wasn't formal enough.

"Okay. Let's take a break. We can come back if need be." Ginny said. Hermione nodded and fled back into the dressing room.

Moments later the two were meandering down the street looking for a cafe Ginny liked to frequent.

"Did you love any of the dresses so far?"

"Sorry Gin, no," Hermione said. Ginny linked their arms together.

"We'll find it, don't worry. Ah, there's the cafe!" Ginny pointed to a little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop that reminded Hermione of the French bistros she'd been to while on vacations with her parents growing up. Her heart panged terribly as she was thought of them and the fate she'd subjected them to. She shoved that feeling down as the girls entered the shop and placed their orders.

"We have appointments at two more places. I saved my favorite for last."

"I see. So you expected me to be picky?" Hermione asked, tucking into her scone.

"I know you." Ginny laughed. "You've only been to a few formal functions but nothing quite this grand. I counted on your nervs getting the better of you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, everything has to be perfect. This isn't just some dance. It's a pureblood, sacred twenty-eight event. Press will be there as well as every rich bitch in Britain. This will also be a big deal for you, specifically."

"Me? This is supposed to be about Draco,"

"You two are an official item now. This event will be your first real outing together where it won't just be speculation. Your picture will be taken. You'll be asked loads of questions-"

"Whoa whoa whoa... I don't think-"

"You're going to have to come to terms with it. I can help you as much as I can to prepare but once we're at the event, you'll have to rely on Draco and your own intellect to get you through." Ginny said. She added some sugar to her coffee and stirred it around with wandless magic. Hermione felt a bit of panic creep up her back.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," she said. Ginny placed a hand over hers on the table.

"You'll be fine. I'll make sure of it. Let's finish our pastries and go to the next shop." Hermione nodded in agreement but didn't feel as confident as Ginny sounded.

...

The next shop was a bust but the last shop produced hopeful contenders.

Ginny found the dress she wanted to wear almost instantly. They'd walked two steps into the shop when Ginny pointed out a green ball gown on a mannequin and insisted that she try it on. A few moments later, Ginny walked out of the dressing room looking like royalty.

"Gin! It's the one!" Hermione smiled big, fawning over the perfection of Ginny Weasley. The skirt was wide, stacked with taffeta and crinoline. The bodice was strapless, lacing tightly in the back for a corset affect. The dress had an ivy design that had small sparkling white stones here and there. The leaves started around her bust and seemed to float down into a single stem with leaves down her right side ending just past her waist. It was like art. She'd be the belle of the ball in that dress. What a way to make her first impression at a pureblood soiree than to beat out everyone else for best dressed. No one would besmirch the Weasley name with such a beauty in their midst.

"I'll take it!" Ginny said to the sales clerk who'd waited patiently for her to try on and come out.

"Delightful!" The clerk gushed. It was sure to be a large commission for her.

While Ginny changed, Hermione wandered around the store. There were so many beautiful gowns it was hard to pick one. A different clerk walked with her for a while, pointing out all sorts of gorgeous dresses Hermione might like to try. Nothing really called out to her yet, though. She let the clerk know she'd call on her if she needed assistance.

It was a pretty big store, with loads of dresses for every sort of occasion. Hermione felt a little overwhelmed and went to the back to check out the clearance racks.

That's when she saw it.

Hanging on a 'final sale' rack was a floor-length gold dress. Hermione walked over to it and ran her fingers over the material. It was silk and smooth to the touch.

"Hey Gin," Hermione called through the store. She picked up the hanger the dress was on and marched it through the store. Ginny was chatting up her clerk about shoes when she turned and gawked at the dress in Hermione's hands. "Well?"

"Go try it." Ginny said excitedly. Hermione grinned and did as she was told.

She went into the dressing room, changed out of her clothes and slid the smooth dress over her thin frame. Hermione had never been very curvy or, in her opinion, appealing in the slightest when it came to her own body. She'd always felt average. But as the dress smoothed out over her features and pooled at her feet, she felt a strange sense of confidence. The neckline dipped slightly in front and the thick, silk straps held everything perfectly in place, crisscrossing at her back. She brushed her palms against the material on her thighs and loved how the fabric felt. It was buttery and had zero imperfections. She could hardly believe she'd found it on a sale rack.

"Get out here!" Ginny commanded. Hermione opened the door and walked out, holding up the front a little so she wouldn't trip. Ginny gasped and the sales clerks looked on in approval as Hermione stood in front of a tri-fold mirror and smiled.

"This is it," Hermione said. "I feel so... so..."

"You're absolutely radiant! Like the sun!" Ginny squealed. "That color of gold suits you perfectly. It's dark enough to bring out the honey highlights in your hair but light enough to give you a glow! And with the right shoes, we won't need to hem it!"

"That's what I was thinking," Hermione said. "It's not too long at all."

"How much?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't look at the tag but it was on the sale rack." She replied. Ginny gushed.

"How perfect is that?" Ginny reached over and held up the price tag in the back. "Not bad,"

"How much?" Hermione asked.

"It's a little over 200 galleons-"

"200!?" Hermione gasped. "This is supposed to be on sale!"

"That is a sale for this place," Ginny shrugged. The clerks nodded together. Hermione's anxiety flared up. There'd be no way she could afford it. Why did Ginny have to bring her to such an expensive place? She knew the kind of salary Hermione made at the Ministry...

"I'll get it for you. My treat for convincing you to go." Ginny offered.

"No. I couldn't let you do that. I'll go to some muggle stores or something..."

"Please, Hermione?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Draco will be in a designer suit. You can't show up in a no-name dress-"

"Draco Malfoy?" One of the clerks asked.

Ginny and Hermione turned to her. Hermione half expected her to make some sort of judgy comment.

"Yeah," Hermione said hesitantly. The clerk smiled knowingly.

"Wait here just a moment." She instructed and walked off towards the front of the store. Hermione and Ginny exchanged strange looks before Hermione ultimately decided to go change back into her own clothing. Once she returned, she handed the dress to the other clerk who was chatting with Ginny.

"Sorry I suppose I'll have to pass." She said glumly. The clerk shook her head.

"I'm not so sure," The other clerk rejoined the group and handed Hermione a note.

"I received this by owl this morning. It states that should you find a dress you can't live without, and money ends up being an issue, Mr. Malfoy will attend to the cost." She said excitedly. Hermione blanched.

"How—what—this doesn't make sense!" She sputtered and then whispered to Ginny. "He's supposed to be hard up,"

"I just got done ringing this dress up with the financial information he gave me. You're all set to go once we get this dress all wrapped up!"

"This has to be some mistake," Hermione shook her head. Ginny elbowed her.

"He's a sly one, isn't he?"

"How would he even know we'd be coming here?"

"I did mention we were going shopping today," Ginny said. Hermione rounded on her. She held up her hands in defense at the brunettes agitation. "What? I can't help it if he knows my taste in clothing shops."

"Return this dress, please," Hermione begged the clerk. "I'll just give Draco his money back-"

"All clearance sales are final. Sorry," The clerk said.

Hermione stood motionless in the store a moment before the clerk holding the gold dress smiled tightly and offered to wrap it up. Ginny nodded and the lady flitted away, the other clerk on her heels.

"I don't know whether to be angry or-"

"Extremely pleased and flattered that he'd want to do this for you?" Ginny finished. Hermione stared at her a beat and nodded once.

"I'm also worried," Hermione said. "He's been living at our house because he hasn't the money for his own. Yet he can afford to be extravagant with something so frivolous?"

"He's spent hardly any money since he's been at the house, though, if you haven't noticed. Just chips in by coming home with groceries sometimes." Ginny mentioned. "I'm sure he has some reasonable explanation. I wouldn't be too concerned about it, though. He wouldn't have offered unless he knew he could afford it."

"I suppose..."

"I'm serious, Hermione, drop it. You might make him feel bad by bringing it up."

"Okay, fine," Hermione replied bitterly but in the back of her mind, knew she wouldn't be able to. "Let's just grab the dresses and go. I still have to shop for dinner tonight."

"Ah yes, I heard you two making plans. What are you going to make?" Ginny asked as they made their way up to the front of the shop.

"I'm not sure. Draco and I haven't discussed mundane topics like our favorite foods yet. Thankfully he doesn't seem too picky," Ginny pursed her lips in thought and released them with a small pop.

"Listen, being his friend for so long has its benefits. I know things. Things like his favorite meal, for example..." Ginny revealed. "I could steer you in the right direction if you'd like?"

"That'd be such a huge help, Gin. I was going to go to the market and wing it and you know how terrible that would have gone." Hermione said.

"Indeed," Ginny agreed. "Hermione Granger never met a shopping list she didn't like."

"I'm not that bad!"

"If only that were true." Ginny joked. The clerks handed them pristinely wrapped boxes with satin bows and the girls were on their way.

...

For those of you not current on wizard to muggle currency conversions, 200 galleons roughly translates to almost a thousand dollars US and a little over six hundred pounds UK. Next chapter will be an important one! Draco and Hermione are finally getting to their first date! Yay! (Also, bonus points for anyone who knows where the quote is from that I named the chapter after.)