A/N: Hi people!!! I'm here. Yeah. This chapter isn't long but the next chapter…may be…*wink, wink*
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or his world.
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CHAPTER XVI – Just when they were…
The long and eagerly waited Saturday came. The Valentine's day ball was going be that night! Hermione was so enthusiastic about it. And she wasn't the only one. The ball was the only thing that the in Hogwarts girls talked about.
Even though Hermione wasn't going with Draco, which she wanted, she still was very happy. Ron was the best partner she could ever wish… well if Draco doesn't count. And it could be worse. Going alone wasn't really tempting.
But before the ball had Hermione and Draco to decorate the Great Hall.
"okey…where should we start?" Hermione pondered out loud.
Draco walked beside her. They looked around the Great Hall feeling already exhausted even though they hadn't even started. They should decorate the Great Hall in three hours so they had to be very quick. Luckily the house-elves would finish decorating if Draco and Hermione couldn't make it in three hours.
"uh…dunno…how about those tables…?" Draco suggested.
"yeah…maybe…"
Hermione sighed. She was already dreaming about the ball; how she would look. She would be so beautiful, or she would at least try to be. And at the whole time at the ball she would give smiles to Draco so that he would see what he's missing. Hermione smirked to herself. She would make Draco want her.
"so…" Draco drawled.
"should we enchant the tables to the corners or just get rid of them?" Hermione asked turning to Draco.
"lets just get rid of them. But I think it's good if we leave one table where people can get drinks and snacks and stuff…" Draco said.
"yeah, you're right. Lets do that", Hermione grinned.
She pointed her wand towards the tables and muttered a spell under her breath. The tables disappeared. Well actually they came ten times smaller. So small that those tables fitted perfectly to her palms. Hermione grabbed the tables and put them into her bag.
"I think we should decorate those walls now", Hermione said pointing the Great Hall walls.
"yeah", Draco muttered.
Hermione heard Draco sigh deeply.
"I know…" She replied to his sigh.
It took nearly two hours to decorate the walls though they both had wands. Draco and Hermione had to be very careful not to break anything. Few times they did, and few times Draco was about to quit.
"just think about the ball, Malfoy", Hermione encouraged. "This is soon over and then we can go get ready for the ball."
"ugh, that too", Draco sighed.
"what? Don't you want to go to the dance?" Hermione asked.
"rather not."
"why? I thought you couldn't wait to get Pansy to warm your bed", Hermione said coolly.
Draco laughed a bit.
"how do you know I already haven't?" Draco smirked.
Hermione glanced him quickly. Draco looked her somewhat amused.
"I know I asked you this before but I'll ask it again: are you jealous?"
Hermione burst into laughter.
"yeah right", she muttered.
And they continued decorating.
"ugh, Dumbledore should do this!" Draco whined when he accidentally made a rare flower explode instead of making it float like a cloud. "I mean doesn't the whole wizarding world say he's the greatest wizard ever!"
Hermione laughed at this statement.
"and what are you laughing?!" Draco exclaimed.
Hermione didn't say anything. She continued laughing but tried to stop it. Draco gave a faint smile.
The joking candles had come in five big brown packages. Hermione picked one of the packages and tried to undo the knot that held the package. It was very tight and she couldn't get it open. She frowned and took her wand. She pointed it to the knot and muttered a spell that should open it. It didn't work though. It only went tighter. Hermione frowned again. Draco looked her amused. He burst into laughter when Hermione looked like she could hex that package to China. She glared at Draco. He bit his lower lip still chortling.
"why is this so impossible!?" Hermione exclaimed and tried to open the knot with her teeth.
Draco laughed now.
"you open it then!" Hermione snapped.
Draco walked to her and stopped just few inches in front of her and took the package.
He obviously was very clever with his fingers because he opened the package in three seconds.
"oh…" Hermione said blushing.
Draco smirked at her and she blushed even more.
"and you don't even need a wand to open it", Draco laughed, "nor teeth."
"yeah", Hermione muttered.
Draco put the package down and stood up. He still was just four inches apart from her. This made Hermione bit tense. It wasn't like she wanted Draco to move away but what should she do? Should she try to push him away from her, which she absolutely didn't want, and continue open the packages? Or should she stay there and look into his eyes…and maybe…kiss? And if she did kiss him, would he like it? There was always the possibility that he just was toying with her and she would make a fool of herself if she did a move.
It was already getting pretty awkward standing there and nothing happens… Draco smiled at her and then the smile faded. Hermione felt something touch her hand. It was Draco's hand. He stroked her arm and brought his hand to her neck. Hermione relaxed. His touch felt so good. She looked into his eyes and saw no coldness. Draco wasn't smirking, not smiling, not frowning, nothing. His face was expressionless. He stroked her cheek with his right hand and his left hand touched her hip. Hermione looked down and when she lifted her head back she saw Draco leaning down. He was so close now that Hermione felt his warm breath against her mouth. He smelled like green apples. Sweet apples…Wonderful memories came to Hermione. Summer, sun, every single happy moment in her life. She saw glimpses of her childhood and then…she came back to reality.
Draco's lips were brushing lightly hers. Those soft lips… Hermione opened her mouth few millimeters as Draco did too. Draco came closer and –
"ehem!"
Hermione and Draco broke quickly apart. They saw Dumbledore standing next to them smiling. Hermione looked down and blushed. Draco looked down too. A slight pink appeared to his cheek-bones. Dumbledore looked at them and laughed a bit.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything", he said.
"no", Hermione mumbled. 'YOU ARE!' Her head screamed.
"I just came here to see how you two were doing…but I can see that you are just fine", Dumbledore laughed.
"yeah", Draco mumbled lifting his head up.
"I see you already have decorated the whole hall…" Dumbledore said walking and looking around the Great Hall.
"well we still have to put these few candles here", Hermione said.
"oh I'm sure the house-elves can do that. I think you have done excellent job and can go get ready for the ball", Dumbledore smiled.
Hermione glanced at Draco. She would've wanted to stay there with him and continue where they had left before Dumbledore interrupted them. Hermione couldn't say that of course so she settled on saying: "ok." And she and Draco left.
They walked in silence. When there wasn't anyone around Draco saw his chance had come and he opened his mouth to say something.
"so… where were we?" He smirked.
Hermione laughed just a little. She sure wanted to continue kissing him. She stopped walking and so did Draco. Hermione came closer to him. But when she saw Harry and Ron walking towards them behind Draco she quickly took three steps back. Draco looked her surprised but noticed soon too that Harry and Ron were near them.
"hi Mione!" Harry greeted.
"hi Harry. Hi Ron."
Ron and Harry gave glares at Draco. He smirked back.
"you've already decorated the Great Hall?" Harry asked turning to Hermione.
"yeah", Hermione grinned.
Ron never stopped glaring at Draco. Hermione saw this.
"Ron?"
Ron didn't break the eye contact with Draco. He was glaring dangerously and Draco just smirking like he knew Ron wouldn't ever be able to beat him up.
"Ron?" Hermione repeated.
"yes?" Ron answered not breaking the eye contact with Draco.
"er… I have something to say to you", Hermione lied.
"come here", Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him to the corner.
"you had something to say", Ron said giving glares at Draco.
"yes!" Hermione exclaimed and made him look into her eyes grabbing his jaw and turning his face to face hers.
"it's about…er…Ginny…yeah.."
"what about her?" Ron asked.
"er…how is she?" Hermione asked quickly laughing nervously.
"good…" Ron said looking her suspiciously. "Why?"
"I- er…I…" Hermione stammered.
"this wasn't about Ginny, right?" Ron said.
"hehehe…no…" Hermione now laughed.
"I just don't want you and Dr- Malfoy to fight. You're seventeen and it's your last year here. I'm just trying to help you to forget those childish fights with him", Hermione explained.
"I know I'm seventeen. Isn't that a good reason for me to handle my own problems?", Ron laughed. "and besides, I can't understand how you can stand him."
"well sometimes I can't", Hermione laughed.
She wished she could tell Ron how she felt for Draco. How sexy he was. How cute he was. How attractive he was even though he was extremely annoying. And even though he had always been so mean to her, she liked him.
"but most of the time he's ok", Hermione added.
"ok?!" Ron exclaimed.
"er…yeah…" Hermione said.
"ok", Ron said somewhat disgusted.
Then there was an awkward silence between them.
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A/N: How short chapter!! Argh! …lol. No, seriously, next chapter WILL BE about the ball!!!!! I know many have waited that one, even I have!! Lol.
Special thanks to my reviewers:
Apie – well next chapter will be about the dance!! Lol!
Nina217 – lol! Thanks
Feather-quill – lol!
Jessie – thanks. :)
Areilla – I guess I could say thank you for being honest. Really, I mean it. But you don't have to waste your time with this story if you don't like my style or something… but do what you like. Thanks for telling me your opinion.
Mik – sorry, this wasn't the ball chappie yet :( but the next one will be!!! :D
Meg – here you go ;) thank you for reviewing!
Draco'sGal13 – thank you so much! =)
Thank you all who reviewed! I totally appreciate your opinions and suggestions! It's good to know what you want to have in this story :) Keep on reviewing!!!
Angel Innocent
