AN1: This wasn't going to be up until around the middle of January, but I guess you guys got lucky.

Disclaimer: If I owned any aspect of HP at all...then the HBP movie would already be out. But, alas, I don't.

NOTE: I was inspired by fan-art to write this piece. I wish I could draw. Hm. Anyway, the link to the particular piece is on my profile. Check it out. It's incredible.

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I tap my foot impatiently. What in the hell could be taking my date so long to get ready? It's been twenty minutes since the ball had started and still, I'm standing at the foot of the staircase where I was supposed to meet her. Twenty minutes ago to be exact. I feel so stupid just standing here and waiting for her to finally show up.

I sigh and look around. At least I'm not the only one waiting. There are several other guys standing around looking just as impatient as I am. It doesn't take us blokes even a quarter of the time to get ready that it does our dates. They have hair and makeup spells I'm sure and that's just the wave of a wand. I don't see how they could take so long.

I hear the click of heels coming down the stairs. All the guys look up, including me, hoping that it was their date that was coming down the stairway. The fools shouldn't have even bothered. Obviously, it is going to be my...never mind. It's still not my date.

Damn it!

But wait. Who is that? I don't think I've ever seen her before. All of the guys there are taken with her, every single one; although I don't blame them in the least. She's gorgeous. She has beautiful caramel colored curls, deep brown eyes and a periwinkle dress that hugs her in all the right places. The dress has a 'V' neckline, but it isn't tarty, it is a modest neckline, but just revealing enough to make a guy want to see more.

Now where the hell was she when I was looking for a date? I've never been jealous of anyone before, but I truly do envy the lucky git who gets to dance with her. Crap. She can tell that I am staring at her. She looks my way and blushes when she sees that I'm watching her. I probably look besotted. That's not good. A Malfoy should never be besotted by anyone. We should besot others. Hm, besot. Is that even a word? I digress, that doesn't really matter. She knows who I am, that much is certain. And she looks surprised that I'm so entranced by her. But why? It's not like I loathe any person at this school other than members of the Golden Trio.

And I highly doubt that she's Granger and I really hope that she isn't Potty or the Weasel. I would be sickened beyond belief. Imagine. Me daydreaming about ripping off the clothes of Potty and Weasel and ravishing—okay, that's just wrong. I'm stopping. I am stopping that train of though now and I am sliding a steel door over my eyes to prevent any awful mental images.

But who is she? This will bother me until I figure it out. She does look vaguely familiar, but I can't place her. Viktor Krum approaches her and kisses her hand. Lucky man, lucky man. I crane my ears to hear how he addresses her.

"Herm-own-ninny, you look vonderful." He says to her.

Merlin's beard! It's Granger. Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire. Queen of the Mudbloods. Wow. How the hell did she manage to land an international Quidditch hero? And more importantly, how the hell did she manage to look so amazing!?

Granger smiles at him and takes the arm that he offers to her. Together they walk towards the double doors leading into the Great Hall. Before she is completely through the doors and out of my sight, she looks back at me. I wonder what she's thinking. It is times like these where I wish that I was a Legilimens. She sees me, still watching her. Her cheeks darken and she disappears into the Great Hall.

Now I know how ridiculous I must look right now. I'm staring at where Granger was just walking. I am completely and utterly floored that the beautiful person, who just passed by in the arms of Viktor Krum, could possibly be Hermione Granger. It's unbelievable. It's obvious that she put a ton of effort into her appearance. So why doesn't she do that everyday? If she did, I'll bet, in fact I guarantee that guys of all ages and houses would be swarming around her like flies.

Maybe Weasley would finally grow some balls and admit to liking her. I'm in Slytherin for Merlin's sake and I've noticed! I wonder how he's going to react to her being with Krum. I'd bet my entire fortune that he is jealous as hell and that he's going to say something stupid to her that will make her cry. I've seen it before.

Someone suddenly taps on my shoulder. I turn around and see my date, Daphne Greengrass. About damn time. Now don't get me wrong, she's very pretty, but after seeing the way Granger looks tonight, I know that nobody will measure up.

"It took you long enough!" I say to her sort of crossly. I'm not actually angry at her. If she'd have been on time then I probably wouldn't have seen Granger.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure I looked perfect for you." She twirled in her frilly pink dress. I didn't see that though. I saw a slim, figure-hugging, periwinkle one. She flashed her blue eyes at me hopefully. I only saw brown.

"Well, how do I look?"

"Absolutely breathtaking."

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AN2: Yay! This is longer than it was originally. Wahoo! Please review!!

lovelove,

Amanda