Hello everyone, thanks for the reveiws and what not. Enjoy this next chapter, and sorry for my inconsistancy.
Chapter 16
Hermione was nervous. She was looking at herself in the mirror, and it was making her nervous. She was wearing a dress that made her nervous.
She sighed as the door opened and Pansy stepped in, gasping. "Hermione, look at you!" She grinned. "You look amazing."
Hermione smiled at Pansy. "So do you." She said humbly. Pansy grinned. "Who are you all dressed up for?" She asked coyly.
"Well, it is a ball." Pansy said coolly, though her cheeks were colouring. "And... I was hoping to knock Blaise off his feet." She mumbled and Hermione giggled at her.
"Oh, that's so sweet. You and Blaise." Pansy blushed more. Hermione sighed and looked at herself again. "I don't want to wear this."
"What? Why not? You look beautiful." Pansy said quickly.
Hermione was wearing an emerald green strapless gown. It was tight until it reached her hips, where it flowed out gracefully, touching the floor at the back. She looked beautiful in the dress.
"I feel... I don't know. I guess it makes me nervous to be so... so..." She tried to explain.
"Beautiful?" Was offered from the doorway. Ginny stepped in, smiling softly. "Hermione, you're nervous because you look beautiful in that dress and you don't want another Krum to come along and do that to you again."
Hermione froze. She looked at Ginny for a second, before she was hugging her tightly. "I've missed you." She whispered.
Ginny grinned and patted her back. "Me too, honey." She said soothingly. "Hey Pansy." She smiled. Pansy nodded, attempting to be nice. "I love your dress." She remarked to Pansy, who was wearing a silver dress.
"Thanks. I was so worried it wouldn't look good." Pansy admitted. Ginny said it looked brilliant and she blushed more. "So, Hermione, are you going to wear the dress or not?"
Hermione looked at them both. "Fine." She said. "I'll be okay. I've just got to keep a head on me." The other two laughed. "Okay, shall we go? Everyone's waiting."
They nodded and led her out to the main staircase, where their 'escorts' were waiting. Ginny said she'd meet them down there.
The escorts were very handsome men, hired to wear suits and help the ladies down the stairs. Hermione and Pansy took their arms, taking the first steps down the steps, the crowd silenced.
Draco was speechless. She looked beautiful. And-and it was in green, too. Oh Merlin, he was having trouble breathing. He stared at her, a small smile on his lips. She was... Hermione.
His mother giggled at him. "Draco, don't look so shocked. She cleans up well. I told you Pansy would be a suitable wife." He nearly choked at her words.
Pansy? How could she be seeing Pansy when Hermione was so clearly out-glowing her?! Or maybe it was just him and his undying love.
"Yes, mother. So you've told me, over and over again." He whispered back. She shrugged. Hermione reached the bottom of the stairs, leaving behind her escort as he bowed to her. She followed Pansy through the crowd as they gave their greetings. The first person she spotted was Harry.
"Harry!" She said, giving him a hug for the first time in months. He hugged her back. "How have you been?"
He chuckled. "Typical you, Hermione. Always asking how I am when I should be asking you." He said. She flushed. "I'm good, though. Ginny and I have some news for you later." He grinned. "How are you?" He asked, concerned. "Relieved?"
She nodded, smiling. "You have no idea." She sighed. "Where's Ron?" She asked.
"He's on duty tonight. He sends his congratulations and says that he might stop by later with some of the other aurors." Harry said. She nodded. "I'll let you go mingle." He said, going in search of Ginny.
She looked around as the music started to play and waved at Pansy as Blaise led her on to the dance floor.
"Hey Granger." A smooth voice interrupted her thoughts, making her smile. She turned around to face Draco. "How about you and me show off our dance skills?" He asked, smirking down at her.
She looked at the dance floor and was about to say no, but thought better of it. "Okay." She smiled.
Draco was momentarily frozen. She had just smiled at him. He gathered himself again and led her over to the dance floor, where a slow song was playing. He took her waist and she took his shoulders, sighing.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" He asked softly. She looked up startled, but smiled.
"Nothing... I was just wondering why I feel so self conscious." She rolled her eyes at herself, and let out a little laugh.
"I think you look beautiful." He stated boldly, his heart beat speeding up and his cheeks colouring. "In green." He added quickly. She laughed. He smirked. "Never thought you were a Slytherin at heart."
She laughed and thwacked his shoulder as they moved about the dance floor. "Haven't we had this conversation before, Malfoy?" She asked. He nodded, smiling and she grinned. "Still as immature as ever." She mocked.
He rolled his eyes and spun her out quickly, making her squeak in surprise. "Immature, eh?" He asked coyly when she came back to him.
She mock glared at him. "Yes, immature." He quirked an eyebrow. "I am not a yoyo." She scolded quietly. She looked over to see Pansy and Blaise grinning together as they danced. "What do you make of that?"
He looked over and smiled. "I think they're good for each other." He stated simply, with a gentle caring that surprised Hermione.
"You're not jealous?" She asked.
He looked at her strangely. "Why would I be?"
"I always thought you liked Pansy or something..." She muttered, embarrassed. "Sorry." She said.
He let out a laugh. "Oh, Merlin, no! That's why Pansy hates me." He began. "My mother is always trying to set us up, and I've only ever thought of her as a friend. She only thinks of me that way, too. She made that pretty clear." He muttered. Hermione laughed. "I finally gave up on denying my mother and proposed to her. She said no."
"I don't get why she hates you for that..." Hermione mused.
He shook his head. "That's not the end of it. She told me that she would never marry for anything less than love. And that she didn't love me. Well, that was when I told her no one would ever love her, and that she was just better off doing what she was told." He admitted, looking ashamed.
Hermione gasped. "That's horrid!" She said.
He nodded. "I hated myself for ages after that. But I think she's over it." He said, looking back over at the two. It was true, she was over it. After all, she had given him love advice.
The song ended and Draco took Hermione back to the crowds. "Draco," She said softly. "She's over it. Not that it wasn't a horrible thing to say," she scolded. "But she's fine."
He smiled at her. A real, genuine smile that was hardly ever seen. She smiled back and for a moment, Draco forgot that he was at a ball and that he needed to control the urge to kiss her.
So, it was fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how you looked at it) that she turned away to get a drink from one of the waiters just as he was about to kiss her.
"I'll see you around, Hermione." He said, leaving a kiss on her hand and going in search of his mother.
He didn't have to look long. "Mother, are you enjoying yourself?" He asked. She turned to face him, a scowl on her face.
"No." She said unhappily. "Your bride is off gallivanting with Blaise Zabini." She said annoyed. "I think she's in love with him. Draco," She whined. "That is not good. Get her back."
Draco stepped back, shocked at the vicious words coming from his mother. "I'm not going to 'get her back', mother. She's happy with Blaise and they're both my best friends. Why can't you just let it go?" He hissed quietly.
She huffed at him. "No, I will not let you let her get away. She is as pure as they come, and beautiful, too." She hissed back. "All of the other girls, you've scared away. Draco, you must find a wife soon and continue the Malfoy name."
He was getting angry at her. "Mother," He gritted. "I don't want to be married off. Honestly, you can't just let me fall in love, can you?"
"Love?!" She yelled, causing people to look over, including a very concerned Hermione. "Do you think I married your father for love?! Love is for the dreamers, Draco. Love is for those who have their heads stuck up in the clouds!" She laughed cynically.
"Love IS real!" He bellowed. "I've seen it, I've felt it. I'm feeling it NOW!" He yelled, before realising that he'd said that out loud. With a glance at Hermione, he stalked out of the hall, his cheeks flushing crimson, and the image of her concerned face flooding his mind.