Chapter 9

Draco's point of view

Ever since she said those two words I couldn't help but look at her in a different light. Instead of seeing her as a friend I began to contemplate what we could be. Yes we were husband and wife but to us the marriage was just a label- it meant nothing. Why couldn't it be disregarded and why couldn't we live a life in the proper chronological order? Why couldn't I ask her to be my girlfriend? Despite my change in views I could never gain the courage to tell her how I really felt. I was a death eater, how could she love someone like me?

For the next few months we fell into a comfortable routine. In the morning we would get up and walk down to breakfast. Sometimes we would talk about the homework we had or the lessons. Then in those lessons we would sit next to one another and do the work. The only real thing that differed were the life counselling classes; Professor Shade had us doing trust exercises, looking after fake babies and cleaning. All to prepare us for our life ahead. In the evening after dinner Hermione might go to the library to do her homework, when she got back we would talk on the sofa about the day, what made us laugh or the latest book we had read. Then we would go to bed where we would fall asleep in each others arms.

Every day I felt us getting closer. Most of the other couples were to the stage of kissing, they hadn't been forced into highly difficult couples. I even think that someone was pregnant. I always felt that pressure to progress things with Hermione but she had showed no other intention of kissing me since the incident at the lake and I didn't want to pressure her. We would take it at our own pace and it only mattered that she was pregnant before the end of the year.

It was now December, the leaves had long since browned and fallen to the ground in great masses and snow had begun to gently create a white carpet blanketing the freezing grass. Decorations for the Yule Ball were beginning to be put up, as always Hagrid heaved a massive snow into the Great Hall from the forbidden forest. I loved this time of year, my father and mother would always go away together so I could stay at Hogwarts and actually enjoy Christmas without the fear of being punished. This year I felt more nervous about the Christmas holidays as I still hadn't asked Hermione to go to the Yule Ball with me. I had a massive plan for that evening:

1) Ask Hermione to the Ball.

2) Dance with her.

3) After her feet get tired take her outside.

4) Take her to my favourite place (the lake spot) and confess my feelings and hope she feels the same way.

5) Kiss her.

I know it was all cliché, I had watched many romantic comedies and read many stories and I just wanted the evening to be perfect for her, and me of course. I hoped that everything would go smoothly.

Hermione's point of view

The Christmas Holidays were a week away and the Yule Ball was two weeks away. Every day that passed was a day that I wondered when Draco would ask me to go with him.

"Maybe he doesn't even want to go Gin." Me and Ginny were in Hogsmeade, in the three broomsticks drinking Butterbeer. The air was alive with human activity so I was not scared of being overheard.

"Why are you waiting for him to ask, ask him yourself. There's no reason why you can't. Harry obviously assumed that we were going to go together so I started talking about what dress I would wear because I had no one to colour coordinate with, it was actually very funny seeing his panicked face and he said 'Ginny I thought we were going together' and I said 'Well you thought wrong.' His face went so red and then he asked me to go with him. I waited a whole day before I said yes."

My face scrunched up at the thought of Harry. I hadn't talked to him in months, he and Ron were always hanging out on the Quidditch pitch if they weren't with their significant others and Ron still hadn't apologised for what he said about me and Draco. It hurt to know that he could be happy without me in his life. To escape the misery I felt whenever I saw them I distracted myself by talking to Draco and Ginny but I still missed the laughs that I could be having with them.

"Sorry 'Mione. I did try talk to Harry but you know how stubborn he and Ron can be."

"It's fine, I know he and Ron are closer. I mean they spent months on the run without me and it has been awkward since Ron rejected me."

"He's always been an idiot."

"Yeah I know." I smiled sadly, despite Ginny's best efforts to cheer me up I knew in my heart that those months without me had shown them that I was only there to help them keep out of sticky situations. We hadn't really talked at all over the summer even though we had all stayed at the Burrow.

I drained the last of my Butterbeer and me and Ginny headed back to the dress shop that we had gotten our wedding dresses from. I know the ball is two weeks away but we wanted to go when it wasn't be busy. The theme of the Ball was simply that it was going to be a grand ball, which meant that I would have to wear a proper ball gown with plenty of skirts and petticoats. I was dreading it.

The lady directed us to the back of the shop. I was looking for only 5 minutes when I saw it. It was perfect.

When me and Ginny had both paid we walked through the town and bought some presents before going back to the castle through the falling snow.

Draco's point of view

Hermione walked through the door, cheeks bright red from the cold and melting snow in her hair. She was holding multiple bags and when she saw me she immediately hid them behind her back.

"You have to stay down here okay?" I didn't question it but I was a bit confused.

"Okay?" She quickly sprinted up the stair and after a lot of thumping later she reappeared and walked over to me.

"Draco will you go to the ball with me?" My head whipped up from the book I was reading and looked at her. She was sitting across from me biting her lip nervously. I hadn't been expecting that but I quite liked that she wanted to go with me and decided to take control of the situation. It actually just made me fall for her a lot more.

"I'd love to."

"I bought you something." She pulled a small bag out from behind her back and handed it to me. I accidently touched her hand and where our skin touched fireworks ricocheted though my body, our eyes met briefly and electricity sparked. Shaking off the feeling I pulled a smallish box out of the bag and opened it. Inside was a tie and it was a greyish blue colour.

"What's this for?"

"It matches my dress." I smiled at her and she smiled back. I can't believe she bought me a tie. I knew that without a doubt that this was now going to be my favourite tie. It was from her and it showed me that perhaps we could be something more and that gave me more courage to go through with what I had planned.

A/N:Please review.