Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter just using the great characters of JK Rowling
Thank you so much for all the great reviews and I am currently writing a storm, some parts for far in the future and lots I am pasting together!
I'm working fast, so hope you enjoy this long chapter!
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Part 8
As the rest of the Hogwarts students filed out of the Hall to return to their common rooms, Hermione walked a bit behind Harry and Ron. She saw Draco manuvaring around some other students to get close to her They exchanged glances as he quickly walked by, leaned in, and whispered "30 minutes". Hermione nodded in approval and he was off, making sure he pushed Harry and Ron as he past them, then headed down to the Slytherin common room.
~~~
When Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room she still received a few glances from the boys. She told Ron and Harry that she was going to go unpack some of her books.
Lavender and Parvati were up in their room already and Hermione had to brush off half of their
"Oh, Hermione this is so unexpected....why didn't you tell us you had so much potential last year... well I guess we should have remembered, the Yule Ball, Viktor Krum..."
Hermione had to cut in, "Everyone grows up sometime Lavender, and not everyone wants to spend as much time getting ready in the morning Parvati." 'That came out to harsh'
"I'm sorry, it's just I'm a bit tired of all the gawky boys in our school... you girls must know what I'm talking about" (complementary, laced with sarcasm in her head)
Both girls broke out into "Oh, yes, of course..."
Lavender- "Never mind us Hermione, just know you can talk to us whenever you need to!"
Hermione- "I know" 'Yah right!'
"Well I am going down to talk to Harry and Ron for a bit", she yelled back as she turned to leave.
~~~
Hermione stopped by the fireplace where her friends were playing a game of chess.
"Having a game of chess already, guess you two will be up late unpacking later. Not smart since we have potions first thing tomorrow morning" (smiling)
Ron- "Hermione why do you have to ruin a perfectly great night."
Harry- "Yah, I was having a blast losing to Ron AGAIN!"
"I'm off to the library to grab a few books for light reading"
Ron- "I assume your disappointed that Dumbledore held us back late or else you may have finish a book by now" (full of sarcasm)
Hermoine gave him a light smack on the head, while Harry laughed at the surprised expression on Ron's face.
"You deserved it Ron Weasley, you know how I am about books, I haven't changed that much," she said as she began backing up to the door, "Be back... soon".
~~~
After Hermione left
"She has changed a lot more than she thinks", Harry stated in a serious tone.
Seamus Finnigan, who was watching the chess game also piped up, "Yah, did you see what she was wearing before she got on the train!"
Ron- "We do have eyes Seamus, but Hermione is just the same Hermione as last year"
Harry looked down at the chess board, but he meant Hermione has changed in a different way as well, and he wanted to know why; because at this rate they will not even know Hermione Granger by next year.
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Hermione entered through the wall into Draco and her window sill. Draco was sitting, leaning against the side, flipping through a book. When he saw her enter he closed the book and stood up. They both just stood their in an awkward moment, neither knew what to say. This was the first moment where nothing... nobody would force them to put on an act.
Draco gave her a smirk, "So, Miss Granger, are you ready for your classes to start.
"Well certainly, Mr. Malfoy, I have already read all my books"
Draco turned around and went to sit back down, silently smiling to himself. Hermione removed her school robe and placed it by Draco's. They were both still in their uniforms, Hermione's still allowed her figure to show. Draco of course noticed this and had to prod...
"So has the chatter of your platform entrance entangled the minds of the Gryffindors tonight?"
"I found that school robes helped"
She found a seat on the opposite side of the windowsill, and they sat facing each other.
"If you want my opinion you look just as gorgeous to me in whatever you wear" (smirking a slightly evil look at her, but he had a tone of seriousness that Hermione picked up on)
"Thanks..."
"...But I am male..."
Hermione did not let him finish his sentence and leaned in and smacked him on the head
"Please stop there, how many boys do I have to knock so sense into today"
"You mean I'm not the first, let me guess, Weasel said something stupid as usual..."
Hermione just silent and smiled.
"I'm right aren't I..."
Draco had a feeling Hermione wanted to drop the subject. A few minutes of silence past as they just sat and looked out the window at Hogwarts under moonlight.
Hermione- "I'm glad were back at Hogwarts"
"Me too,... and if we want to stay in this school we better get back to our common rooms."
"I guess so..."
"But look on the bright side, we have Potions first thing in the morning"
"I have to admit I'm starting to enjoy potions"
Draco put a confused look on his face, "What, are you warming up to Snape"
"Yes, that is totally the reason (full of sarcasm), and Divination is my favourite class at Hogwarts."
Hermione said as they stood up, Draco held out his hand and pulled her up from her seat, and helped her into her robe.
He rested his hands on her shoulders and leaned up to her ear from behind her, "till tomorrow then" as he slowly ran his hands off her shoulders.
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Potions, as well as all Hermione's classes, past by fast. Between her hard work and high standards for homework and studying with Draco at night and on weekends, the year was passing fast. The Halloween celebration was a few days away and more plans were set for the dance.
It was to be held on November 30th, 7-11pm, formal dress robes were to be bought or sent by owls from home, and there would be two trips to Hogsmeade planned for fifth years and above. Dates were not required.
~~~
The night of the Halloween Feast had arrived. Draco and Hermione had snuck away from the festivities when no one noticed. They were up in the windowsill with the window open, feeling the cool autumn breeze, discussing plans for Christmas.
Draco was staying, so was Hermione, and to their luck Harry was going with Ron for Christmas. Now they only had the other students and professors to sneak around.
"Are you up for another broom ride this Christmas,... you did promise I could go faster this year"
"We'll see, Draco"...
~~~
The first weekend of November was the first Hogsmeade trip. Hermione travelled down with Harry and Ron, enjoying time with them she rarely did these days. But when it came to dress shopping, she told Lavender and Parvati to rescue her from the boys. They were both elated to help Hermione and quickly collected her when they got to town. She was now being pulled around racks in the wizarding robes shop looking at a lot of dress robes.
Lavender had found hers right off the bat, "I picked it out last month and had it sent in,... it's the only way to make sure I get what I want."
Lavender was now pulling out robes for Parvati as Hermione snuck behind a rack for a breather. She caught a glimpse of Harry and Ron on the other side of the shop looking at male dress robes. Harry was helping Ron pick out robes that went well with his hair. Ron recently bet Dean on a chess match and had saved enough so he would at least have some dignity at the dance this year.
Draco was also near Harry and Ron and Hermione smiled at him from across the store, Crabbe and Goyle were holding hideously coloured robes asking Draco's opinion while he was trying to pass time. His mother was sending his new dress robes, since he had grown a few inches since last year. Hermione turned back and a baby blue flash of colour caught her eye. As she removed it from the rack a memory flashed cross her mind. I was the same baby blue floating robe from her dream last year. She brushed past Lavender and Parvati right into the alteration room, this was the robe for her. The alterations were made at the flick of a wand and the dress was packaged. Hermione told Lavender and Parvati that they would get to see the robe she picked out when they prepared the night of the ball. After Parvati found a robe they parted and Hermione went to the Three Broomsticks to meet Ron and Harry for some butterbeer. As she waited for her friends, she wondered how true her dream with Draco was. Maybe divination wasn't all a bunch of crap.
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The second weekend of November was a weekend Hermione was not looking forward to. The Slytherin and Gryffindor Quidditch teams were playing each other. This would be their second match since the beginning of the season. Gryffindor won the last game, it was close...
~~~~~ Harry and Draco were neck and neck chasing the snitch for ten minutes straight until Harry's broom had hid Draco on the head and caused him to pause a second to regain his balance, that was all Harry needed to grab the snitch. Hermione was slightly upset and reminded Harry that he should have apologized, even if they were enemies, "Where is your sportsmanship Harry"
Ron- "Right in his palm, along with the snitch"
Fred- "Did you see the look on Malfoys face when he almost fell off his broom"
George- "Priceless"~~~~~
Hermione had to allow Draco to mop for at least a day as he allowed her to hold the ice pack to the lump on his forehead,
"You were close, you'll get it next time"
( he was still out of it, he had a slight concussion and had his eyes closed since his head was throbbing)
"Your amazing Hermione, you put up with the war between scar head and I, you put up with me moping over losing, and you want me to beat Potter next match. Even if it means your house loses"
"Well, both my friends need to have a chance to gloat, I just feel bad I can't cheer both of them on, since the Gryffindors would probably throw me over the stands if I cheered for Slytherin."
~~~
Hermione found her seat among her fellow Gryffindors and settled in for a long match of Quidditch...
The Quidditch game went from noon to past midnight, the score was 170-160 for Gryffindor before Draco out manoeuvred Harry and got the snitch. Slytherin had won. Hermione ran down and caught up to Draco outside behind the changing room
"Congradulations Draco"
"Thanks... I'm so pumped on adrenaline I'll need a sleeping potion to get to sleep, good thing it's Sunday"
"Lucky you, I have to go comfort Harry for a while, at least until I fall asleep"... (Hermione leaned and wrapped her arms around Draco, and he gently dropped his broom stick and hugged her back. She rested her head in his collar bone, paused a moment and ended the hug), "I knew you could so it"
"I know you did"
"You do know that because your took so long getting the snitch we didn't get our Saturday night studying in"
"We'll be ok, you better go, I don't know how long our curfew was stretched for us tonight"
"I'll see you tomorrow then, Goodnight Draco"
Draco picked up his broom and watched Hermione run back towards the school, at least he had something to pass the time before he got tired, using hi broomstick repair kit.
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The third weekend in November was the second trip to Hogsmeade. Hermione had her robes already so she was hanging out with Harry and Ron in town. She excused herself fro the table at the Three Broomsticks when she saw Draco walking around town without all his friends. "I need to get more potions for my hair..."
She ducked into an alley opening and waited for Draco to pass. She knew she could get him back for Diagon Alley...
~~~
Draco had finally lost Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy for a few minutes, and he couldn't stand being in the Three Broomsticks around Potter and Weasley, so he decided to walk around town. But as he past the Three Broomsticks he was pulled into an alley and he couldn't help but laugh, "Good try Hermione, but I saw you some in here"
"It was worth a shot, you did give me a heart attack this summer, I guess I'm not as deceiving as you"
Draco just replied with a smirk.
"So how is your day been going, are you ready for the Ball?"
"It's weird actually, last year after the Yule Ball, when I feel asleep on you,... I had the weirdest dream, flashes of the Ball, not the Yule Ball though. I'm not much a believer in divination but this dream felt so real. The only reason why I know it's not a premonition is that we were dancing in my dream, in front of the whole school..."
Draco's eyes were wide, he had the same dream, he just stood their in silence.
Hermione looked up into his eyes, and with a low quiet voice stated,
"But we won't get to dance, will we."
"No, I suppose not... (Draco changed his tone from serious to jokingly, to lighten the mood), well unless we want to spice up the party"
Hermione smiled at his attempt at a joke"I have to go pick up some potions for my hair, I'll see you later okay"
"Yah, later Hermione"
A few minutes after she left Draco leaned against the building. Draco knew one thing was going to happen the night of the Ball, he would dace wither Hermione Granger. Who said it had to be in front of the whole Ball.
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Hope you enjoy, I've had it written for a while, sorry for the long wait to post it but I got down to typing to get it up for you all!
