Hermione and Draco didn't talk for the following week unless forced to. Daphne and Theo had more or less understood what was going on and did nothing to make the situation worse.

On Thursday, while having lunch, Hermione was trying to make peace with the idea of the following double Potions with Draco, and Daphne decided she wanted to make their day even better, letting her know that, once again, Jaime Knight was staring at her. Hermione repressed the impulse to roll her eyes and just ignored her, refusing to turn around and check whether her friend was telling the truth or not. She could, on the other hand, see Draco turn around and scowl at Daphne after hearing her comment.

She decided to take her time walking to the dungeons, so she would have a little more time to wrap her head around the idea of being forced to interact with Draco for the following two hours, but mere minutes later she felt like she was being followed. At first she let it go, since it could be a student that, like her, didn't want to have to run to class but when she noticed that, two hallways later, they were still following her, Hermione stopped and turned around, pointing her wand at her follower's throat, whom she found out to be none other than Jaime Knight, Slytherin. His eyes widened and stared at her half scared and half curious.

"You have ten seconds to tell me why you were following me before I decide to ignore every single rule about attacking another student," she stated, unmoving.

The boy gasped and she heard Snape call her name. "Miss Granger, what are you doing?"

With a grudging look, she lowered her wand and turned around. "Obtaining answers."

"You're aware that being a Death Eater does not authorize you to kill another student, aren't you?" The Headmaster was looking at her quite amused – as amused as Snape could ever be.

"I wouldn't have killed him. Maybe severely injured, but not killed him," she tried not to roll her eyes.

"Mr. Knight, don't you need to go to class?" He ignored her and addressed the Slytherin behind her, who nodded and quickly walked past them. "Miss Granger, you and Mr. Malfoy, and I am sure you will not divulge this information, are responsible for the planning of a welcome ball for the Durmstrang students that will get here on Saturday. I confide you will be discrete about this and, if I hear any rumors about the matter, I will know whose fault it is."

Snape clearly caught her confused look and rolled his eyes, but explained, "Not that it's any of your business, but the Dark Lord has recently requested Igor Karkaroff's presence and, as you know, he is the Headmaster of Durmstrang. Consequently, there's no reason why the Hogwarts students shouldn't merge with them and a few of their professors for a few days." His eyes were not disgusted, or bored, as he usually was when talking to her, so did he know about Viktor's visit? It was not impossible, after all, Filch wouldn't let anyone in without the Headmaster's approval, but did he know the motifs behind his visit?

Besides, Viktor Krum had come on the Order's behalf, Snape would have all the reasons to know about it. Since she'd learned that he was actually a member of the Order, Hermione didn't really know what to do with the information on a day-to-day basis, since he was so good at hiding things from everyone. He could be playing her, for all she knew.

Hermione had only recently learnt Viktor would be the new assistant Quidditch instructor at Durmstrang, since he had already graduated, but one thing was for sure: Draco wouldn't like that. She told Snape she would get on the plans for the ball as soon as possible and hurried to the dungeons. Every single time she thought she could have a nice, quiet day, there just had to be something to prove her wrong.

Once she got to class, answered Slughorn's greeting, sat down and took a deep breath, she opened her book, looking for a way to could tell Draco so that he wouldn't make a scene. Easier said than done.

Not even a minute later, he sat down next to her and shrugged his bag off on the ground without paying much attention to it, asking her what Snape wanted, claiming he had seen them confabulate in the hallway.

"He just wanted to tell me we have to plan a ball for Sunday night."

"A ball? Why? There's nothing to celebrate, it's January." He surely wasn't thick, she knew that well.

"Dark Lord's orders."

"What does he even care about a stupid ball? What's going on?" He was starting to get annoyed.

"If I tell you, promise you won't make a scene about it in front of everyone." She cast a spell, just in case, so others couldn't hear them. He nodded. "The Dark Lord wants to see Karkaroff." Hermione was really hoping he would understand the implications of that without having to say it out loud.

Clearly, he didn't. "So what? Karkaroff can't dignify us with this presence without a ball in his honor?"

"Igor Karkaroff is Headmaster to Durmstrang, Draco."

He sat perfectly still for a moment. "Are you trying to tell me his bloody students will be here as well?"

She nodded. "His students and a couple of professors, among which there will be the Quidditch instructor and his assistant. I am sure you know what this means." When she saw him about to get up and take his wand out, she caught his wrist and threatened to hex him before he could even say his name. "This is confidential news, Draco. Don't you dare tell anyone, or Snape will have our heads."

His calm façade only lasted for the time they were in the classroom and she was certain he would explode before they even got to dinner. Hermione sighed and packed her bag as well, ignoring the looks she was getting because of Draco storming off the dungeons.

While she was walking back to the common room, Hermione kept her mind busy with the planning of the damn ball. She had to look for a band or something like that, organize the disposition of the Great Hall and somehow inform the students they would have to invite someone by Sunday night so no one would be without a date last-minute. Then, talk to the Elves about food and drinks, ask Snape if there should be alcohol and find enough teachers willing to patrol and overwatch everything so there wouldn't be incidents among the students. And it was already Thursday afternoon. There were tons of things to do and way too little time.

Her torment would only last until Saturday, when, as Hermione was running through the castle making sure everything was perfect and would go as planned, she was told the Durmstrang students would arrive by dinner. Besides that, the Dark Lord would be present at the ball for at least some minutes, just to make sure Karkaroff would come, instead of running as he did after the Tournament.

Hermione suspected Lord Voldemort's call had something to do with the episode but she didn't have time to think, she had to make sure everything was going as planned.

That morning, at breakfast, McGonagall had announced the ball, although she didn't mention the motive as to preserve the surprise effect. Everyone had, of course, embraced the enthusiastic atmosphere. She could only hope for the best.

Ever since they got to know about the stupid ball, Daphne and Theo wouldn't leave him alone. He wanted nothing to do with that nonsense, all because Igor damn Karkaroff couldn't bring his precious ass to Hogwarts without a ball in his honor. Plus, he had found out the Bulgarians would stay for another week, attending class with them.

In the last two days, he had been forced to admit to Daphne he was jealous sick. Not being publicly together with Hermione was ridiculous, especially because of people like bloody Viktor Krum, who just stormed off to Hogwarts first chance he got, went out with Granger and asked her to his bloody match, which he hated to admit he wanted to see.

Now he'd be back, after not even two weeks, and demand she goes with him to the bloody ball and, like that wasn't enough, Daphne wouldn't leave him the fuck alone.

You need to talk, she would say. You have to invite her before someone else does, she insisted. And she always concluded her monologues with, if you dare to even scowl at whoever invites her before you do, I will hex you senseless. He was tired.

"Come on, you know what's gonna happen if you don't move your lazy ass," Theo said. "Hermione's hot and smart, someone will invite her, she will say yes and then we'll have to endure you complaining about it."

Of course that's how it would go. Bloody Viktor Krum was coming and he would invite her, so Draco would spend the night trying not to send any Unforgivables his way. The was a pretty easy solution, though. He could invite Granger to the ball. Except that would mean admitting he was wrong and he could allow no such thing to happen. He was a Malfoy.

"Don't you dare. I know what you're thinking and I forbid you to think it," Daphne hissed.

"You forbid me to think, Greengrass, really?" He snorted.

She merely ignored him. "I will not let your stupid I'm-a-Malfoy ego come before Hermione, you hear me? Now man up and go invite her to the damn ball."

Daphne was pointing her perfectly manicured finger in his face like he was a child and like she always did when she felt he needed to get things spelt out for him, because you're a man and you just don't get it. Theo was just grinning at him like the jerk he was.

He knew perfectly well he had to apologize but he refused to admit he was wrong, because, clearly, he wasn't. Krum did see her like more than just a friend but he still refused to admit he was jealous. He couldn't be jealous, it didn't make sense. She was a Mudblood and he just didn't… He didn't even know what he was thinking. Draco had seen her bleed several times and her blood had always been just like his.

While Daphne was still lecturing him, he could only think about what he could do to figure things out. Granger had been clear, she wouldn't let him win that one.

The Durmstrang students arrived a few minutes before dinner, Draco was already glaring at everyone and everything as Karkaroff entered the Great Hall, along with his students. The murmuring had started as soon as they stepped in, realizing what the ball was all about. He was struggling to keep his expression as blank as possible when he saw Krum smile at Hermione and her smiling right back.

Snape gave the welcome speech for Durmstrang and announced the subdivision of the students would be, just like at Hogwarts, based on the year. That meant bloody Viktor Krum would stay in the staff dorms, being a teacher and all that, but all the other seventh year students would be in the dungeons. That was going to be a rough night.

Damn dinner and damn ball and damn bloody Viktor Krum and damn Karkaroff, who could have deigned to come alone. And damn Granger for being so bloody nice all the time.

He ate close to nothing, repeatedly asking the charmed glasses that were supposed to automatically refill that night Firewhisky, with no success. Bloody Elves who followed Snape's bloody orders. Besides that, he couldn't leave early, since apparently it was disrespectful. Perfect night, really.

When they finally finished dinner, as Theo had forced him to stay at the table not to do something impulsive, he saw Granger talk to Krum not too far from them, although it was clear she was in a hurry, for some reason. So he just sat there and eavesdropped, grateful neither of them had cast a privacy spell.

"Me missed you," he said, hugging her, and Draco heard her laughter.

"I missed you too, though it's not been that much time since our last encounter."

"Speaking of ball-" Krum didn't get a chance to finish what would have most definitely been an invitation as McGonagall approached the two, calling Hermione.

"I'm sorry, Viktor, I have to check everything is in order for tomorrow, if anything goes wrong I may seriously hurt someone." She didn't even let him answer, she just stormed off to McGonagall, waiting for her at the entrance of the Great Hall.

First time ever he was actually grateful to the old cow and it looked like Theo was glad as well, since he knew he would have to be the one listening to him complaining for weeks, if Granger actually agreed to go to the ball with Krum. Well, it was time to get some use of the privileges being a Malfoy brought.

Once she was finally allowed to get back to her room, after checking everything was going right as planned, she just let herself fall onto the bed, without worrying about anything that wasn't her pillow. As comfortable as her bed was, though, Hermione decided she didn't want to sleep in her uniform, so she got up and changed, then noticed the big, emerald box on her desk.

Hermione opened the package, wondering how on earth it even got to her room, after making sure it wasn't hexed or something. She only found a black formal dress, simple but with a golden metal snake replacing the fabric on the, making the dress completely backless. The snake was tied to the rest of the dress with tiny golden chains and there was a piece of parchment inside.

Will you go to the ball with me?

D.M.

No greeting, no apology, nothing. Just the invitation. Although, she knew him by now and was pretty sure that had cost him a lot, since he was probably still convinced he was right. Hermione smiled and looked at the dress, so Slytherin it was an explicit invitation to be worn by Draco's side. She heard knocking and she honestly didn't know what else to expect but she found it was only Daphne, smirking at her.

"What's going on?"

"Viktor was looking for you, I told him you were still with McGonagall. You're welcome." She leaned on the doorframe and smirked. Honestly, did all Slytherins do that?

"Why did you do that? It could have been important." She was about to go look for him, but she stopped her as she saw the dress on her bed.

"What's that?"

That was how Hermione knew there was no way she would let her go. "The dress for the ball," she unwillingly answered and patiently waited for her friend to calm down. When she suddenly grabbed her shoulders, staring at her, Hermione knew the interrogation had officially begun. "Who? How? When?" Daphne made it past her and walked into her room. Great.

Hermione sighed and closed the door. That was going to be a rough night.

"Daph, can you tone it down a little?"

"No, I cannot. It's bad enough you didn't tell me the Durmstrang fellows were coming, now be a good friend and tell me everything." She sat on her bed and stared at the dress in awe.