Disclaimer: these characters are not mine – they belong to JK Rowling
AN: Hi all! We're finally at the Ball! I wanted to say that the small interaction in the last chapter between Tom and Hermione at Honeydukes, as well as the scene between them at the ball in this chapter was adapted from The English Patient…which is a fantastic movie (If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend…and well…if you need more incentive, Ralph Fiennes is HOT in it.) to see the actual scene I used, go to youtube and do a search for : "The English Patient Dance With Me" …It was too perfect not to do. I hope you all like this chapter, and please leave me a review! xo
~~{0}~~
The next few weeks passed in a flurry of classes, studying, and excitement amongst the students as the ball crept closer. Tom had not approached Hermione again, although she still caught him looking at her when he thought no one was looking. His words had stung back at Honeydukes, but she could see it in his eyes that she had hurt him too. Orion of course was attentive as ever, walking her to and from classes, carrying her bag, and trying to get her alone in hidden alcoves at night for a snog. She allowed it a few times, if only to see if he could make her feel the way that Tom had, but there was no jolt of electricity when he touched her, no pulse of desire as his lips moved against hers.
"Hermione…" He whispered against her neck as he pulled her closer against him into one of the secret passages behind a suit of armor.
"Orion, I need to get back." She whispered back to him as he trapped her against the wall with his body capturing her lips and pulling her hips against his so she could feel his arousal.
She gasped in surprise and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss and slide his hand down to cup her breast through her blouse.
"Stop…Please…" she said as she pushed against him until he took a step back from her, and she stepped away from him turning away from his eyes.
"It's because of him, isn't it." He said flatly, anger lacing his voice.
Hermione sighed. She really didn't want to hurt him.
"It's not…I'm just…not ready, Orion. Please understand." She said reaching out to him to take his hand.
He gave her a tight smile and nodded, "Of course, I apologize. I shouldn't have assumed…" he started before he trailed off looking away from her.
Hermione stepped closer to him and reached up to cup his cheek to make him look at her.
"I really appreciate you being so patient with me." She said smiling up at him, and he returned her smile more genuinely now and dropped a light kiss to her forehead.
"Not entirely patient." He chuckled giving her a boyish grin, and kissed her again, allowing her to set the pace this time. A few moments later, she broke the kiss, and he walked her back to the common room dutifully.
When she stepped into the dorm, Dorea was there lying on her stomach on her bed flipping through a magazine, Witch Weekly, it looked like.
"Hey Hermione! So I overheard Effy gushing about how Fleamont finally asked her to the ball. It looks like Harry's finally rid of her." Dorea said smirking.
"Oh? That's a relief. And what about you? How is operation make Cygnus jealous going?" she asked as she shrugged out of her blazer and flopped down onto her own bed.
Dorea sighed, "A bit slow, actually, but I'm sure it's working though. Cygnus has always been difficult to read, but he's still glaring at Harry every chance he gets, and I've caught him looking at my legs more than a few times in the last week, so it's progress I suppose. What about you? Orion seems to be quite taken with you." Dorea said wagging her eyebrows suggestively.
Hermione covered her hands with her face remembering exactly how smitten Orion was with her.
"Yes, I think he is." Hermione said in a tone that left something to be desired.
"But?" Dorea asked, knowing Hermione wasn't as excited as she supposed she should be.
"But there's not…I mean, he doesn't make me feel the way that I did when I was with Tom." Hermione admitted, blushing.
"Ah. So you are still in love with him then." Dorea said knowingly.
Hermione groaned. She knew Dorea was right, but her pride wouldn't allow her to run back to him, letting him win.
"Why are you torturing yourself then?" Dorea asked her bluntly, "I mean, it's obvious that he still fancies you, even if he's going to the ball with that stupid cow. Why not just tell him how you feel?"
"You of all people should know why, Dorea. I wouldn't be a very good Slytherin if I did that, now would I?" Hermione chuckled.
"You're not a good Slytherin anyway, Hermione, so why worry now?" Dorea laughed as Hermione's pillow hit her in the face.
"I just…I can't." Hermione said not wanting to elaborate on all of the reasons she could not bring herself to forgive Tom Riddle.
"Suit yourself, then." Dorea said as she tossed Hermione a piece of chocolate and went back to reading her magazine.
~~{0}~~
Hermione awoke the next morning to the sound of giggling in the girl's dormitory. Today was the day that every girl, except for Hermione, that was fourth year and above had been anxiously awaiting; it was Halloween, and more importantly, the day of the ball. She could already overhear conversations about hairstyle ideas and makeup, and Hermione groaned wondering how anyone could care about such things that early in the morning.
Reluctantly, she pulled herself from her cozy bed, and headed to the bathroom so that she could shower and get dressed. Despite the ball taking place that evening, the students were still expected to attend morning classes, although all afternoon classes has been cancelled for the occasion.
She headed down to breakfast and slipped into the seat next to Orion who was already sitting across from Harry and Dorea. As she turned to greet Orion, he was smirking at her, and wandlessly transfigured an apple he had been holding into a deep red rose. The movement instantly recalled her first 'date' with Tom to the slug club party, when he had done very much the same thing with a twig he had been holding in the common room. She took the rose from Orion, and held it to her nose, noting that it actually still smelled like an apple. She tried to bite back a smirk when the thought crossed her mind that Tom's transfiguration skills had been far superior, but she kept that thought to herself and thanked him graciously all the same. It was the thought that counted after all, right?
"I'm looking forward to tonight." Orion whispered in her ear, and giving her a naughty grin that she could tell had nothing to do with dancing. Clearly, he was hoping that she would be ready to take their relationship to the next level, and the thought made her more than a little anxious. He was definitely attractive, that wasn't the issue, it was just that…well, he wasn't Tom.
Classes passed by in a blur, and before Hermione knew it, it was time to start getting ready for the ball. Hermione took her bathrobe and slippers, along with a few toiletries and decided to slip off to the prefect's bathroom for a soak before it was time to get dressed and begin taming her riotous hair. After about an hour, she pulled herself from the rose scented water, and slipped her bathrobe on before making her way back to the dungeons, since she had agreed to let Dorea style her hair. By the time Hermione arrived, Dorea had already managed to tame her own black hair into perfectly coiffed victory rolls held in place by a few ruby hair pins. She looked every bit a vintage movie star, and she was sure even Harry would drool.
"There you are, I was about to send out a search party." Dorea joked as Hermione walked in, dropping her toiletries on her bed.
"I had a soak in the prefect's bath. I still can't believe that no one ever uses it, it's amazing." Hermione admitted.
"Well, you're right on time, take a seat." Dorea ordered as she went to work running her fingers through Hermione's unruly damp hair.
"Straight or curly?" Dorea asked.
"Huh?" Hermione asked in confusion.
"Do you want me to straighten your hair, or do you want to keep it curly?" Dorea clarified.
"Oh…um…" Hermione thought for a moment, "I suppose you can keep it curly, maybe just relax the curl a bit so it's easier to work with?" Hermione suggested.
Dorea nodded, "I know just the thing."
Hermione took the magazine that Dorea handed her, and she idly flipped through the pages looking at the wizarding world's gossip of the 1940's.
Thirty minutes later, she heard Dorea finally clear her throat and say, "Alright, tell me what you think."
Hermione looked up into the mirror that Dorea handed her and she gasped. Her hair was loosely curled, and pulled back from her face, pinned into place in a loose chignon using the emerald hair pins Hermione had purchased in Hogsmeade.
"I love it!" Hermione said genuinely admiring Dorea's handiwork.
Dorea blew out a relieved breath, "Thank God, because I don't actually have time to re-do it." She laughed, "Now, let's do your makeup, and then you can get dressed."
A few quick makeup charms later, and a special sticking charm for their lipstick completed their looks. Dorea had gone for Bold dark smokey eyes with blood red lips, where Hermione chose light eye makeup just enough to accentuate, and a nude shade of lipstick. When they had finished getting dressed and slipped on their shoes, Hermione felt a nervous fluttering in her stomach. Her whole plan initially had led her to this moment; she wanted to make Tom jealous by going with Orion and looking irresistible. Now that the ball was here, and she knew Orion truly liked her, she was feeling a tad guilty, and also quite a bit nervous. She had made Tom Jealous, several times over, but what had she hoped to gain? He would be at the ball with Isadora, and she would be there with Orion. The thought that she and Tom were well and truly over made her stomach clench. She took a deep breath, and looked up at Dorea and gasped. Simply put, she looked stunning. Her crimson red satin gown draped her frame, accentuating her figure in all of the right places, and paired with her pale complexion and black hair that was styled reminiscent to old Hollywood, which, she supposed was actually not so old at the present, and her dark red lips, she was sure just about every man in the room would be admiring her. Hermione on the other hand, was more Audrey Hepburn to Dorea's Rita Hayworth. She gathered her emerald silk wrap over her arms, and brushed her fingers over her emerald tear-drop pendant that sat in the hollow of her throat.
"Ready?" she asked Dorea as she took one last glimpse at her reflection in the mirror.
"As I'll ever be. If Cygnus doesn't leave the ball with me tonight, I give up." Dorea said sighing.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Hermione smirked.
~~{0}~~
"Is everything prepared?" Edmund whispered to Cygnus in the dormitory after the others had already headed down to the common room to collect their dates.
"Yes. Everyone knows the plan and will be looking for my signal come midnight." Cygnus replied quickly, making a show of straightening his tie and making sure his hair was neat.
"Excellent. I wish to be rid this particular problem as soon as possible." Edmund said, his nose wrinkling in distaste as he fiddled with his silver cufflinks.
Cygnus didn't respond, but smirked up at Edmund in the mirror before he too left the dormitory to meet his date, Evelyn Greengrass. Edmund took a deep breath, and steadied his nerves. Tonight, Tom Riddle would be brought to his knees before his superiors like the pathetic half-blood that he was. Edmund smirked just thinking about how Tom would scream under his wand, before he headed to the common room.
~~{0}~~
As Dorea and Hermione stepped into the Slytherin common room, a few audible gasps were heard and many necks craned around to admire them. Orion had been chatting with his brother Cygnus when he noticed Cygnus' mouth drop open, and his attention clearly elsewhere. Orion turned to see what he was looking at, when he noticed Dorea and Hermione. Hermione looked stunning, but he knew Cygnus was focused completely on the vision in red. He smirked, turning back to his younger brother, and lifted his hand to close his mouth for him before he whispered close to his ear
"Careful brother, she isn't your date."
Cygnus smirked in return as his eyes flicked from Dorea to Harry, then back to Orion, "She may not be going with me to the ball, but she'll be leaving with me."
Orion chuckled at his brother's confidence and walked away to greet Hermione.
"Hermione, you look Stunning." Orion said, once again offering her a rose, this time a white one that he slipped over her wrist as a corsage.
Hermione's eyes met Orion's blue ones, and she gave him a smile. She looked over at Harry, and couldn't help but chuckle as Harry tripped over his own feet walking towards Dorea, completely stunned by her beauty. It was then that she saw Tom step into the room, and her breath caught in her throat as their eyes locked. He looked even more handsome than usual in his pristine black dress robes. He had stopped in his tracks the moment his eyes fell on her, and she saw his adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallowed before quickly looking away. She watched him cross the common room and slip out of the portrait hole most likely to go collect Isadora from Ravenclaw. The thought momentarily darkened her mood, but she quickly shook it off as Orion, who also looked quite dashing pulled her arm through his and led her to the door so that they could make their way to the Great Hall, which had been transformed into a Halloween themed ball room.
As they strolled into the Great Hall, the enchanted ceiling was a replica of the night darkened sky filled with thousands of floating candles. There were round tables complete with Jack O'Lanterns scattered around the room, and a long table along one wall that held punch, wine, and light refreshments. There was also a large dance floor with a jazz band assembled on the dais. Many couples had begun to assemble in the hall, claiming tables to set down their belongings so they wouldn't have to hold them while they danced. Not long after, Professor Dumbledore took to the stage and welcomed all the students to the annual Halloween ball, and reminded them all of the rules before bidding them to have an enjoyable evening.
Orion immediately dragged Hermione to the dance floor and she laughed as he pulled her along. The last time she had been at a dance was in her fourth year at the yule ball with Viktor Krum, and she had remembered how much fun she had dancing. She was glad to see that Orion wasn't going to act like Ron or Harry and sit the entire evening, never asking her to dance. She had already lectured Harry as well, telling him that she didn't want this ball to be a repeat of the yule ball, especially since Dorea had so been looking forward to it, and he promised that he would dance with her.
As it turned out, Harry didn't need much encouragement, and he held out his hand to Dorea asking her for the first dance. She nodded graciously, and placed her hand in his as he swept her onto the dance floor, pulling her close.
"You know, I never thanked you for going along with all of this for me." She said quietly as she rested her head against his shoulder. In the time leading up to the ball, they had spent quite a bit of time together, and had actually become quite good friends.
"Yeah…um…you don't need to thank me." He said awkwardly as he rubbed his thumb over her exposed skin at the small of her back.
She felt the small movement, and lifted her head to look up into his green eyes. Her eyes searched his, and she realized that at some point along the way, he had truly begun to like her. She tilted her face up towards his and his head dipped slightly to brush her lips with his, and she leaned closer to him, picking up on the light scent of his aftershave, and smiled softly. She couldn't deny that she was attracted to Harry, and despite having asked him to go along with her charade, at this moment, she didn't have to pretend.
Across the dancefloor, Hermione looked around the large hall as she swayed to the soft music in Orion's arms, and she saw Isadora and Tom walk in. Isadora was wearing a pale blue gown that hugged all of her curves and Hermione had to grudgingly admit, that it looked quite good on her. She knew it was too much to hope that Isadora would be wearing some god-awful hideous dress, considering how pretty the girl was, but Hermione just sighed and said a silent prayer for Isadora to have a wardrobe malfunction. Or that maybe someone would spill a glass of red wine down the front of her dress. She bit back a smirk and looked up at Orion who was gazing at her intently.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, having watched the emotions playing out on her face.
"Nothing really, just taking in the atmosphere. What about you?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to hear what he'd been thinking, or most likely fantasizing about.
"Me? Well, I was just thinking about a beautiful witch who happens to be in my arms, and about all of the wicked things I'd like to do to her later…" Orion smirked at her.
She smacked his arm playfully, "You're incorrigible." She laughed as the song finally ended.
"Would you like a drink, Hermione?" Orion asked politely as he relinquished his hold on her.
"Wine would be excellent, thank you." She said heading back over to the table she and Dorea had chosen.
By the time Orion returned with her wine, Dorea and Harry had joined them at the table, and she couldn't help but notice that Dorea's eyes hadn't once strayed from Harry's. Interesting.
She elbowed Harry to get his attention and nodded towards Effy and Fleamont dancing closely over on the dancefloor, completely caught up in each other. Harry smiled at the sight of his grandparents, knowing that eventually, they would marry and give birth to his father, James.
Dorea caught sight of where they were looking, "They do look good together, don't they? Like they were meant to be." she said wistfully.
'You have no idea', Harry thought, but smiled and nodded his agreement.
Hermione finished her wine, and before she knew it, she was following Orion back onto the dance floor to dance to some of the more upbeat songs, laughing as he was trying to show her his moves. A little while later, another slower one began, and Orion once again pulled her close. Partway through their dance, Orion felt someone tap him on the shoulder, and he turned around.
"May I cut in?" Hermione heard someone's voice say, and she looked up to meet the dark brown eyes of Edmund Lestrange. Orion didn't particularly like Edmund, but had no reason to deny him, so he looked back to Hermione for her permission before stepping aside. Edmund took Hermione's small hand in his, and rested his hand on her waist as he gazed down at her with an unreadable look.
"I had wondered what it was the he saw in you, but now I think I understand." Edmund said as he squeezed the hand at her waist and leered at her.
Hermione gasped and made to pull out of his grasp, but he held her firmly, "Tsk, tsk, hasn't anyone told you that's no way to treat your superiors?" He said as he brushed his lips against her cheek, inhaling her scent.
"Is there a problem, here?" A familiar voice came from behind her, and her heart began to beat wildly in her chest.
Tom.
"Not at all, Tom, Hermione and I were just getting acquainted, weren't we, Hermione?" He said giving her waist another squeeze.
Her breath hitched, and that was all Tom needed to hear to know that something was wrong.
"Edmund, I believe I saw your date looking for you over by the refreshments. You wouldn't want her to get the wrong idea, now, would you?" he said silkily.
Edmund smirked before he took a step back, releasing his grip on Hermione, "Of course not," and then he looked back to Hermione with a fake smile, "Thank you for the dance" before he strode away.
Before Tom could say anything more, Orion stepped back up to Hermione's side, and looked from her to Tom.
"What are you doing here, Riddle?" Orion asked barely containing a snarl.
Hermione looked up at Orion and placed a calming hand on his chest, "Don't... Please…" She saw Tom's jaw clench at her whispered plea, but before she could think on it, Orion wrapped his arm around her and pulled her back to their table. When he offered to get her another glass of wine, she nodded and then walked out of the Great Hall and out of the castle's front doors to get some air. She stood on the steps, looking up at the night sky and the thousands of stars twinkling above, and she shivered, pulling her silk wrap tighter over her shoulders.
"What did he say to you?" Tom's voice came from behind her once again. He stood in the doorway, his stormy grey eyes meeting hers.
"He was just reminding me of my place." She said bitterly turning away from him once again to look up at the stars.
She heard his steps moving closer, and her eyes slipped shut, and her stomach fluttered at his nearness when she felt the jolt of electricity that she always felt at his touch when his fingers skimmed the bare skin between her shoulder blades. She could feel his body press against hers from behind, and she bit her lip as she fought the urge to melt into him.
"What do you want from me, Tom?" She whispered, trying to keep her voice even
"I've watched you, I've watched you in class, and at meals…dancing with him...How can you stand there? How can you stand there and smile as if your life hadn't capsized?" he said through gritted teeth
Hermione's heart was beating wildly in her chest, and a tear slipped down her cheek at his words, "You know why." She said softly.
He dipped his head lower, nuzzling into her hair, "Dance with me." He whispered.
She didn't trust herself to speak, and she shook her head.
"Dance with me…I want to touch you…I want the things that are mine, which belong to me." he said more forcefully, skimming his fingers down her spine making her shiver.
She turned to face him then, letting him see her tears, "Do you think you're the only one who feels anything? Is that what you think?" she said before she attempted to move past him to go back inside before he caught her arm and pulled her back against his chest, "Tell me you feel nothing for me, and I'll walk away."
She held her breath, unable to speak. After several moments he released his hold on her and stepped away from her, walking towards the doors before she called out to him in a desperate plea
"Tom!" she cried, her hand outstretched, her heart clenching painfully in her chest at the thought of him walking away, and he stopped. He turned slowly to face her, and she rushed into his arms, their lips crashing together in a desperate kiss, pushing all of the emotions they had been feeling the past weeks into it.
Neither one of them noticed Orion step into the doorway holding her glass of wine.