Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter just using the great characters of JK Rowling
I had a few hours to myself and decided to give you guys what you want since I will be busy with finals for a few weeks, so here is a long chapter for you all!
Enjoy!
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Part 9
Lavender and Parvati were very excited the night of the Ball. They, as well as all Gryffindor girls above year 5 were running around and getting ready. The air was full of rumours and talk of dates, they were optional, and some of the boys had gotten the guts to ask.
Extra mirrors were hung in the girls dormitory for Hermione and her room mates to get ready. Lavender and Parvati were fixing their hair and gossiped.
Lavender- "I can't believe that Dean didn't get up the courage to ask anyone.."
Parvati- "At least it's not some other girl instead of you"
Lavender- "Who did you think I meant by anyone... I'll get him to dance with me anyways"
Parvati- " I wonder who else is going with dates, my sister didn't really hear anyone talking..."
Hermione had just walked into the room and over heard the girls talking and had to but into this conversation to add information,
"Of course she hasn't, this whole Ball is enchanted from memory. Why else do you think none of us ever heard of this dance before this year"
Lavender- "Hermione that is a beautiful dress, I know why you didn't show us before, If I hadn't already ordered my robe in specially made I would have bought that dress for my self"
Hermione was standing in the middle of the room in her baby blue dress robe, it was fitted to her body and made her look gorgeous. The robe was made of the same kind of floating material from her formal robe last year, but had a more grown up style. Her hair was up in an elegant knot with curly strands that were loose in just the right places and she had a hint of make-up, which was on just to enhance her natural look.
Parvati- "You look perfect Hermione, you really will make an impression like last year. But you won't have a famous date, well unless you dance with Harry all night."
"Thanks you guys, you both look wonderful as well. I don't mind going to the dance without a date, you two both turned down lots of invitation..."
Lavender- "That is different it was either the wrong guy or.."
Parvati- "...we couldn't chose."
Hermione smiled at her roommate's, little did they know the guy she wanted to go to the dance with would make them the stars of the Ball.
Parvati and Lavender went back to gossiping as Hermione just sat down on her bed and mentally prepared herself for the night.
Parvati- "My sister told me Draco didn't ask anyone to the Ball either, I wonder why cause a lot of girls would go with him at the drop of a hat."
Lavender- "He's not even going with that pig nosed Pansy"
Hermione- "Why would he go to another Ball with her, he didn't seem to enjoy the last one"
Lavender and Parvati just turned and looked at Hermione curiously before putting the last touches to their hair.
Lavender- "I'm finally ready, why don't we head down to the Great Hall"
Parvati- "Yah, I told Padma we would meet right before the Ball"
Then the three girls headed downstairs, Hermione was trailing behind, a part of her had a horrible feeling about the night to come.
~~~
All the fifth, sixth, and seventh year students were in the lobby waiting for the doors to open and the Ball to start, Hermione was standing with Lavender, Parvati, Padma and some fellow Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. She did not want to see Harry and Ron yet, and she was in a situation where she could look for Draco and none of the girls would really notice.
Professor McGonagall showed at the top of the stairs and invited all of the students into the Hall. As Hermione was heading for the door Harry and Ron came up beside her and walked into the Hall with her. She smiled at both of the boys who appeared to be escorting her, yet both boys were acting slightly uncomfortable around her. Hermione knew it was because as soon as her figure was showing her friends became less of friends and more of boys around a hot girl.
"You both look quite handsome tonight, I like the new robes you picked out Ron."
Ron was starting to turn as red as his hair, but managed to cover by mumbling something. Hermione was just glad he was not being rude to her like last year when she showed up as Viktor Krum's date.
Harry- "You look great Hermione, It's good to see you didn't show up with another surprise date this year"
"Don't go there Harry, I see you guys didn't freak out finding dates"
Ron- "Who said we freaked out last year!" Ron put up his guard and become defensive. Hermione began to notice a pattern, he was doing this so he would be able to avoid her tonight, he didn't feel comfortable at all around her, at least Harry was trying to cover up being uncomfortable.
The three of them took a seat at a larger circular table that was set up, along with Lavender, Dean, Parvati, Padma, Seamus and Neville. Hermione was taking in the difference of the Great Hall. A hit song of the Weird Sisters was playing in the back ground and the Halls sky was clear with bright stars. Circular tables were set up and there was a large area open for dancing.
When Dean asked Lavender to dance and some others got up from the table Harry, Ron and her were just sitting there in an awkward silence. As Harry was about to say something to her she interrupted...
"I think I am going to get some punch..."
Harry- "I can get some for you", it came out more as a way to get away from the table, and Ron seemed to give Harry a shocked look,
"No, that's fine, I want to get a look around the Hall anyways."
As she walked through the crowd she saw many heads turn, the students must want to see what Hermione dressed up like this year, since last year when she surprised everyone. She got to the punch table and picked up a glass and turned to look at the large amount of couples dancing, that's when she saw him.
Draco was on the other side of the Hall talking to some Slytherins, he looked really good in his new black dress robes. She put a smile on her face and he turned and glanced right at her, his mouth opened slightly in awe. He quickly turned back to his friends and his mouthed moved for a minute before Hermione saw him making his way over to the punch table.
The music was playing and Hermione and Draco were standing on opposite sides of the table.
Hermione whispered across the table to him, "Harry and Ron are keeping a close eye on me,..."
"I know what to do just talk to you with expressions I use to, what they can't hear won't hurt them", Draco had one of his angry/evil smirks on and Hermione felt kind of crazy that they had to have a normal conversation as if they were spitting venom at each other.
"Would you do something for me?"
Hermione saw the softness of his question in his eyes, "Of course, what?"
"Will you try to get away, and meet me on the balcony in a few minutes."
Hermione looked back at her friends who were now standing in a group with some other Gryffindor guys. "Why put it off, I have a bit before they start looking for me."
Draco gave a quick look around to see if anyone was watching and grabbed her hand as they walked quickly for the door to the balcony. There was no one out there but it was decorated like the Yule Ball. They were on the balcony, standing on a stone path, away from the others, surrounded by bushes that were lit by fairies.
Draco stopped and turned to her, "There that's better, we can actually talk now... How has your night been so far"
"Terribly uncomfortable, but I am enjoying myself now."
"I haven't seen you out on the dance floor yet"
"No, no one has asked me yet, Ron and Harry just sat at the table looking at the table cloth until I got up, I think the depressing look of the three of us scared off the boys."
"Hey, you know the only reason I didn't ask you to dance"
There was a long silent pause and Hermione started to look a bit sad, as she looked right into his eyes and replied,
"Actually, No I don't"
Draco desperately did not want to bring up the fact about horrendous mistake both of them would be making if the whole school knew they were close friends, and he paused and changed the subject. He just looked at her. She was beautiful, and the radiant glow of the fairies made this environment very romantic, since they were now standing very close to each other he lowered his voice to a whisper,
"Your beautiful you know that,...", Hermione felt that Draco really meant what he said and a small tear formed in her eye, "... and it's not just tonight"
Draco needed a second to realize what he just told her, and turned his back to her for a second. When he looked back at her she was staring at her feet and looked like she was thinking. A slow song that had started earlier was playing and Draco knew this was probably the best chance he had to hold Hermione tonight.
Hermione, still looking at her feet, remembered why she was out there, "So what did you want to talk about?"
"Will you dance with me Hermione.", as he slipped his hand around her own, she looked up as he placed his arm on one of her hips. He knew the answer, and she directly put her head on his chest and her arms around his neck. Draco moved his other arm to her waist as she pulled herself closer to him. And they just danced, with their eyes closed. Hermione knew Draco had just made one of her fears of this dance come true, her relationship with Draco was taking steps to the next level, and her heart was beginning to let her.
Draco was holding her in his arms and thinking about the dream last year, he had had the same dream as her and no matter how hard he wanted to stay like this forever, he had to be a bit on alert. Because if the flashes in their dream was true Harry and Ron would soon interrupt their dance...
~~~
The Weird Sisters song seemed to go on forever, but before it ended Hermione's eyes shot open, she heard Ron complaining,
"Come on Harry, why do I have to help you look for her, I'm perfectly fine trying to get up the courage to ask Padma to dance"
"Ron, I want to ask her to dance, she's going to think I... we don't want to be around her..."
Before Hermione could make a sound Draco was reacting to the noises, he grabbed her hand and Hermione lifted the hem of her robes and they began to run farther down the path, he stuck out his free hand and disrupted a bush of fairies. Everything was going in slow motion, fairies were going everywhere and were blocking Harry and Ron's sight, Draco stopped and Hermione looked back at the Great Hall's balcony entrance, then turned back to Draco in awe of what happened in her dream came rushing back to her, some loose curls were being tossed over her face as reality set back in. Fairies were still circling where they stood,
"We can't run forever, Draco"
"I know"
"We have been doing this for over a year and I'm sick of sneaking around. (pause) I want to be able to talk to you in public (a small smile spread across her face)"
Draco then blurted out, "Will you dance with me again"
"Harry and Ron are looking for me, we shouldn't", a confused look crossed her face as Draco was sounding oblivious to the situation they were in.
"Not here, in front of everyone, lets use the Ball as a way to say we don't hate each other in front of the school"
A look of fear crosses Hermione's face but soon passed as Draco's confidence calmed her.
"Yes, I would love to dance with you Draco... just let me go calm my friends before they think I've been attacked by another troll."
"Another?!"
"I'll explain later", Hermione yelled back as she was quickly returning to the Ball.
Draco stood there and could not believe his idea, and he took a deep breath in and headed for the Great Hall.
~~~
Hermione returned to the Ball and almost ran right into Harry as she was not really paying attention.
"There you are Hermione, where have you been, you were taking a bit long getting punch and I wanted to... ask... tell you dinner will be served in a while..."
"Um, I just had a few conversations with people," Hermione's eyes were slightly glazed over and she looked jittery.
"Are you ok Hermione, you look like your about to cry"
"Oh, yah, I'm fine I just got some dust in my eyes"
Harry was continuing the conversation but Hermione was not paying attention anymore, her head turned as she saw Draco enter the Hall from the balcony and went to the band to request, what she guessed to be, an appropriate slow song. She quickly glanced back at Harry who's voice trailed off as Draco began to approach them. Draco just walked right up and held out his hand, and to Harry's surprise Hermione placed her hand in his. By this time the whole ball had turned, and saw Hermione turn to Draco and Harry left calling to Hermione.
"Hermione...", Harry just stood in awe of what was happening. Draco and Hermione walked out to the middle of the dance floor and he grasped one of her hand and put his other around her waist as she grasped his hand back and placed her hand on his shoulder, and Draco began to lead.
Thought this dance was nothing like their dance on the pathway, Draco kept his eyes strictly on Hermione, mostly to avoid the Slytherin glares, but took the occasional glance to return the glares of Potter. While Hermione was looking horrible, she was obviously upset, and holding back tears, she was nervously glancing around at everyone, and as the song came to an end she looked into Draco's eyes, he had the most sinister smirk on his face for all who were watching them and as he kept eye contact another place (returning Harry's death glare) he leaned close to her ear and whispered "Sorry it didn't work, make an excuse... say it was a dare", Draco pulled back and the second the song ended they dropped their hands. Hermione just nodded to him and tried to force an loathing glance back at him.
Hermione walked back to the very confused Harry and the now fuming Ron, as well as the rest of the Gryffindor group and began to explain that it was all a dare, that she couldn't let Draco Malfoy think Gryffindors weren't as brave as their reputation.
With that the large group of Gryffindors departed to the other groups of people waiting for explanations, while Harry and Ron took a bit more convincing. But after a few minutes of Ron freaking out and Harry looking extremely hurt and mad, they began to understand.
"Ron, Hermione was looking extremely upset when she got back from getting punch," he turned to her, "Malfoy was the one you talked to, the conversation you had"
"Yes, exactly"
The three of them turned to see a group of Slytherins looking pleased at Draco, that he got such a rise out of the Gryffindors.
Hermione forced a smile, "I' am going to go wash my hands to think where I touched that disgusting git, I'll be back before dinner ok"
Harry and Ron were both fine with that idea. But what they did not know was that she took a detour from the bathroom and headed onto the large balcony that overlooked Hogwarts grounds.
Draco had been watching her the whole time and followed her.
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Hope you enjoyed this chapter,
Sorry to leave on a cliffhanger.
Bye for now!
