Well! I finally got this chapter out!! It was really fun to write, actually ^_^ We're getting closer to the fluff!!! And Christmas is almost here, in Hogwarts!!! Woot woot! Lol. Yeah, I'm happy :D And thanks for the flames that some people sent! I used them to warm myself up, because I have a little cold! *atchu*
And for all of those who told me to e-mail them back, don't worry, I promise I will!! Ok? It's just that lately I'm busy with homework and tests, and I have to fit the story-writing into my schedule. But I promise I'll write! Just be patient with me…
333 reviews!!! *does the happy 333 reviews dance* THANK YOU!!!! Thanks to: KeeperOfTheMoon, -=notti_gal=- , DracosGirlMakayla, paw-'O'-print, Shivohnsonqbreeze, blithely-imagine, Emily, EclipseKlutz, DracoMalfoy, Gliniel of Tirragen + Malfoy, Kate, Marille, VanillaStar, Milk, GerHPfa, Zubie, tainted black, LuvCr84TomFelton, cheerchik113, Chirista, Chibi Videl San, The Adoorable Kitten Fluffy, Brent, Hermione18, TriGemini, Hatokirei, Jokester515, Blade Griffin, YingRui, Cho Chang, Starry Skies, dancing dolphin, tom felton's babe, lil-spitfire, SVZ, leogirl, kianhpotter, waterdemon900, Jen, slytherins-undercover, Jessica, fdfgfdfdfdsfdfgfsg (didn't understand a word of that review, lol) Crystalline Lily, and Kristi!!!! I love you guys!!
Thanks specially to Jessica, because she gave me an idea in her review!! ^_^ I knew how I was going to do it, but I liked her idea much better, and I used it in this chapter!! Thanks a lot, Jessica!!!
And lots of people are saying that Draco's changing fast, and here comes Milk. Thanks for your review!! I couldn't have said it better myself: I don't think you're going too fast at all since sometimes love just hits you suddenly and you wake up loving someone.
Yeah, that was my point ^_^
And, lol, thanks Brent for printing my story!! Yeah, that was a crazy thing to do, but we all do crazy things, don't we?
******
Hermione climbed the portrait hole, and dashed upstairs without being seen by Harry and Ron, who were talking on one of the best couches near the fire.
It was almost dinnertime, and she still had to put Harry's cloak back in his trunk. She pushed the door to the boys' dormitories slowly, and peeked inside.
It was empty except for Neville reading on his bed.
She walked inside, and headed for Harry's trunk.
"Hermione!" Neville gasped. "You scared me!"
"Why?" Hermione asked, opening the trunk.
"Because you only invade this room at Christmas morning," he replied, looking at her over his book.
"Yeah, well…" Hermione stood up, having just put the cloak back in place. "I come more often now,"
She left quickly, leaving a blinking Neville behind. She entered her dormitory, to find Lavender sitting on her bed.
"What did Malfoy say?" Lavender asked frantically.
Hermione grinned, and took out the small lavender and brown broomstick from one pocket, and the map from the other.
Lavender gasped. "What! How…?"
Hermione laughed. "I got it!"
"How did you get it?"
Hermione didn't like to lie. She would've gladly told Lavender what had really happened, and she would've given Draco all the credit he deserved… but had told her not to tell anyone.
"I went to the dungeons and, well… Snape wasn't there, so I just opened his drawer and took it out," she lied.
"You shouldn't have!" Lavender exclaimed. "That's a dangerous thing to do! And a brave one, too."
Hermione's stomach squirmed. It was Draco who had done it, not her. She wasn't supposed to be given that sort of praise.
Then Hermione felt the small broomstick wiggle in her hand.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, as it moved furiously inside her closed fist.
Lavender giggled. "It's detected Ron,"
"What?" Hermione asked, grabbing her hand and trying to keep it still.
"The broomstick will follow Ron everywhere," Lavender explained. "It didn't follow him at potions because Snape put it inside a drawer, and it couldn't sense Ron in such a closed up space. But now it can,"
Hermione unclenched her fist, and a lavender and brown blur shot out of it, towards the closed door. It hit it, and bounced back. The broomstick stopped, as if recovering, and then hit the door again, and again.
Lavender sighed. "It wants Ron," she said, and then added silently as she opened the door. "And so do I,"
The broomstick flew down the stairs and out of sight.
"I'll give him the map," Hermione said, as she heard Ron and Harry cry out in astonishment from the common room.
She went down the stairs and found her two friends looking at the broomstick, which was floating on top of Ron's knees.
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed as she sat down next to him. "How did it get here?"
Hermione smiled. "I got it," she lied again. "Look what was inside it!" she gave him the map.
Ron surveyed it, as if making sure of what it was. Then his face lit up, and he grinned. "I've always wanted one of these!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe… I can't believe I have one! Was it really in the broomstick? How's you get it back?"
"I sneaked inside potions class, and snatched it back,"
"Wow! Thanks, 'mione!"
Harry didn't say anything, though. He was examining Hermione's face. He had known her for six years now, and he knew she was lying. That was a fake smile. Her face wasn't relaxed. She seemed nervous.
She glanced at him quickly, and saw his solemn face. Then she turned away, and looked down at the floor, biting her bottom lip.
So she was lying.
He'd find out one way or another.
***
As if Ron's surprise hadn't been enough, they had another one awaiting for them at dinner.
The Great Hall was chattering enormously, when Dumbledore stood up. It took a few seconds for everyone to be quiet as they looked up at him with wondering eyes.
He smiled, and his eyes twinkled behind his half-moon shaped spectacles. "I have a special announcement to make," he said. "We wanted to wait until the last minute to tell you, so it would be like a Christmas surprise, since Christmas vacation is only a week away," he paused for effect. "So, it is my pleasure to announce that this year in Hogwarts we will hold a Christmas Ball,"
Ron started choking on his sausage, and everyone started talking at once.
As soon as Dumbledore had said those words, though, Hermione's eyes seemed to travel, for no apparent reason, towards Draco.
And he was looking at her.
They both turned away as Dumbledore spoke up again over all the noise. "We thought it would only be fair, as we had a Halloween masquerade."
When Ron recovered, and drank from his goblet, he turned to Harry and Hermione. "Ok," he said, pointing at Dumbledore. "He's overdoing it now,"
"And he tells us a week before Christmas holidays?" Harry asked.
He had been silent all this time, and Hermione was wondering if he had noticed that she hadn't been telling the truth.
She shrugged. "He wanted it to be a surprise,"
"A surprise!" Ron exclaimed, banging his fist on the table and almost smashing his broomstick. "Well, it's so a surprise that I won't find anyone to go with me!" he glared at the broomstick, which was floating on top of his peas. "And this thing is starting to annoy me," he said, waving his fork at it.
"Why don't you try Lavender?" Hermione asked him casually.
"Nah, I don't think she'd go with me," he took a bite out of his chicken. "She probably found me a 'great bore' and won't be going with me again,"
Hermione sighed. "Just try, ok?"
"Say, 'mione," Ron said, looking at her. "Why don't you ask her and save me the humiliation of getting dumped in the face?"
"No," Hermione answered. "It's your problem. I'm not going around acting like a match maker."
"Oh, come on!" Ron insisted.
"No," she said, a bit louder, and settling the matter.
Ron groaned, and continued eating. She looked at Draco again, and he looked at her. For a brief moment they stared into each other's eyes, and then turned away.
Hermione didn't know why, but she had felt a bit embarrassed about looking at him so intensely when Harry asked her what she had been staring at. As if she had been doing something she shouldn't have done.
And as for Draco, he had just felt… strange. He had felt a weird sensation of happiness because she was looking at him, paying attention to him.
The weirdest thing was that she had looked at him, too, after Dumbledore had announced the Christmas ball. He had looked at her because… he didn't know.
Draco still wouldn't admit to himself that he had enjoyed the masquerade, and that he wanted to be alone with Hermione.
Pansy eyed him curiously, and sighed sadly. "You're looking at her again,"
Draco ignored her and ate his peas, careful not to drop any.
"And I'll have to do something about it," she said in a whisper that was only heard by her salad.
***
They reached the common room, and Ron yawned. "I think I'll just go to bed, ok?" he asked, going up the staircases and stretching.
"Ok, good night!" Hermione called after him. Then she turned to Harry. "I think I'll go too," she said. "I'm exhausted."
She turned around, but Harry grabbed her arm, and spun her around.
"Hermione, I know you weren't telling the truth about that broomstick," he said louder than he'd intended to as she turned around and looked at him.
For a moment, she was scared. Harry was looking so serious, and had grabbed her so roughly…
Harry sighed, and let go of Hermione. "Sorry about that," he muttered, looking away.
She smiled, relieved. "It's ok… I guess." she looked down at the floor. "How did you know I was lying?"
He shrugged, and looked at her. "I've known you for six years now… so I can read most of your faces," he grinned. "You're not a very good liar!"
She punched him playfully.
"So what really happened?" he asked.
She sighed. "If I tell you, Harry, then you must promise not to tell anyone."
He nodded.
"I mean it. No one,"
"Ok. I won't,"
She took a deep breath. "Draco snatched the broomstick," was the only thing she could say. She knew this was going to be a big shock for Harry.
She had promised Draco she wouldn't tell anyone… but Harry wouldn't stop until she told him. And if she made up a lie, he would know.
For a minute, he didn't say anything, just looked at her with a bewildered face. "Malfoy?" he finally stuttered.
She nodded miserably.
"How? He wouldn't! He-"
"It's true," Hermione whispered, her gaze on the fire. "I think he's changing, Harry,"
"But, he wouldn't do that for Ron!" Harry insisted.
"No, he wouldn't," Hermione agreed. "But he did it for me," she smiled, still looking at the flames. "I was going to get it, but he offered to do it himself."
Harry was silent.
"I'm going to bed," Hermione said, yawning. "It's been an exhausting day. Night, Harry. And don't tell anyone,"
"Night," Harry muttered.
But he stayed where he was. As he watched the dancing flames, and as the shadows licked his face, he couldn't help but think that Draco was up to something.
***
The next two days went by as usual. Even if they only had some few days of lessons left, the teachers didn't seem to mind. They gave their students homework to ruin their holidays, and tried to stuff as many information into their heads as possible before it was Christmas break.
Snape was specially nasty, since he had, of course, noticed that the broomstick was missing. Today they had potions, and Snape was eyeing them angrily.
The problem was that the broomstick still followed Ron everywhere.
"Is it ever going to stop?" Hermione had asked Lavender.
"Only once Ron finds out who sent it," Lavender answered helplessly. "I didn't know he was going to take this much to find out,"
Before entering potions class, Hermione had put a small cloth tissue on top of the floating broomstick, and stuffed it inside Ron's backpack.
"Just in case it gets out," she told Harry and Ron. "Snape won't know what it is at first sight, since it'll be covered with this cloth,"
"It'll only take him a minute to find out," Harry pointed out. "He already knows it floats around,"
Just then Snape had yelled at them to sit down, and had taken ten points from Gryffindor.
And as Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together, glancing at Ron's backpack every once in a while, they could see little bumps on it as the broomstick tried to get out frantically.
Ron gulped as Snape started to speak.
"Apparently, someone has taken Weasley's broomstick without my permission,"
Hermione looked at Draco. He was looking at Snape as he always did, with his gray eyes fixed upon him, and his arms crossed.
"Potter!" Snape barked. "It was you!"
Hermione saw Harry's fists clench. As usual, Snape was accusing him of something he hadn't done.
"It wasn't me, sir,"
"Dear me," Snape said sarcastically. "Then who was it?"
Harry didn't say anything.
"Who was it?"
"I don't know,"
"You lie," Snape spat.
Harry knew this was a perfect chance to get Malfoy into trouble. But he wouldn't do it. Not only because he had promised Hermione he wouldn't tell anyone, but because, even though he hated to admit it, Draco had helped Ron.
"I'm not lying," Harry said.
Hermione got even more nervous as Snape walked towards them silently. He stood in front of Harry. "Potter, I want to know who did it this instant,"
"I don't know!" Harry yelled.
Snape burned his eyes into his green ones. "How dare you talk to me like that, Potter? Do you think you're special? Do you consider yourself better than the rest of us because of having that scar?"
A nerve snapped. Harry stood up, almost knocking down his chair. "I don't know who did it!" he yelled. "And I don't consider myself special!"
"Out of the classroom, Potter, you liar! Go to the Headmaster!" Snape yelled back. "We all know it was you! And thirty points from Gryffindor!"
They stood there, glaring at each other. Harry didn't know what to say. He was so angry, he would've gladly cursed Snape right then and there. But he didn't. He got his backpack, and started walking towards the door.
Then Hermione stood up. "It wasn't him, professor," she said. She was a bit pale, but her voice was firm. "It was me."
Everyone started muttering, and Harry stopped walking, and looked at her.
"Granger?" Snape said, coming closer to her, and said in a sneering voice, "Our perfect Granger has done something wrong?"
"I came for it the day you confiscated it," she went on.
Draco watched in amusement. How could Gryffindors be so stupid and so… brave at the same time?
Snape watched her for a moment as if deciding what to do. But it didn't take him long to decide, as he loved to bully Gryffindor students. "Then you shall go to the Headmaster also,"
Hermione got her backpack and started towards the door, leaving a wide-eyed class after her. Harry followed her.
She was almost out the door when she heard someone chuckling.
Draco chuckling.
She stopped, and looked at him. She couldn't believe this. Draco was laughing at them?
"What is so funny, Draco?" Snape asked irritably.
"Oh, nothing professor," Draco said in an obnoxious voice. "I was just thinking that Gryffindors can be even more stupid than I thought,"
Snape smiled in amusement. "Yes, quite true, Draco,"
"I mean," Draco went on. "It's quite obvious that neither Granger nor Potter did it,"
Hermione breathed in slowly, Harry looked at Draco in bewilderment, and everyone stopped whispering to each other.
"I'm afraid I don't know where you're going," Snape said through gritted teeth.
"Granger wouldn't have done it," Draco explained. "She would never put her clean record at risk, not even for Weasley."
Hermione was shocked. Where was this going?
"Why would she want to risk getting in trouble for something as pathetic as Weasley's broomstick? Besides, I thought that Weasley and Granger weren't speaking to each other. I thought I had seen them yelling at each other this morning. It was just a stupid attempt to save Potter from going to the Headmaster. But Potter didn't do it, either,"
It seemed that Snape's smile was pasted on his face. Here was his favorite student, ruining his bullying session.
"I thought that you were inside the classroom that afternoon, sir,"
"And I was, Draco," he said.
"Then you would've seen who had taken it. Did you ever go out?"
"A few minutes, to consult something to the headmaster. Anyone could've entered at that time."
"When was it stolen?" Draco asked.
"Before dinner time," Snape answered. It was clear he was trying to stay calm.
"Then Potter couldn't have possibly gotten it at night," Draco said. "Was it stolen before or after I left from my afternoon visit?"
"After,"
"Ah, yes, I thought so,"
"What?" Snape asked angrily.
"I'm sure I saw Filch's cat go inside the classroom as I went out. You went to say something to the headmaster after I visited you, is that right?"
"Yes,"
"Then there's no other explanation. After I went out of the classroom, I was at the dungeons for a while, waiting for someone, and I would've seen anyone go inside."
"So what are you saying?" Snape snapped.
"That Filch's cat must've opened the drawer, and taken out the broomstick. I did see Mrs. Norris come out, and I'm sure she had something in her mouth,"
Ron looked at his backpack, where the broomstick was still attempting to come out. What was Malfoy talking about?
"So if you'll excuse me, sir, I'll say you're wrong,"
If looks could kill, Draco would've died just then under Snape's glare.
"It's not like I want to defend Granger or Potter, of course," Draco said quickly. "But I'm angry with Filch. The other day he accused me falsely of bullying some Hufflepuffs, when all I was doing was telling them something. So it would be nice if you did something to Mrs. Norris instead," he grinned evilly. "That would hurt Filch immensely, and you would save two fools from going to the headmaster. He'd probably spare them, since, after all, you're sending Potter," he made sure he said that with disgust.
Snape didn't say anything for a while. He just stared at Draco angrily for the first time in his life, and then turned to Harry and Hermione, who both had their mouths hanging open.
"Sit down," he muttered.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then at Draco, who was glaring at everyone who dared look at him, and then they hurriedly sat back down.
That had been weird.
***
When they got out of potions, Hermione didn't have the chance to thank Draco, because he sped out of the classroom before she could say anything. All throughout the day he seemed to avoid her. He didn't look her way, and if he saw her at the halls, he would silently walk another way.
She wondered if he was embarrassed of what he had done.
But, no matter how he felt, he'd have to face her tomorrow at their Joggart Meeting.
***
That evening, Draco sat on his bed, thinking. He had had the strangest reaction in potions. As soon as Snape had told Hermione to go to Dumbledore, he had come up with a plan, and used it.
He didn't want her to be in trouble.
Besides, she hadn't done it. In fact, it had been him.
But he wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for her.
It was both his and her fault. But he wouldn't let Snape get her into trouble. She had been brave to defend Potter like that… and also stupid.
So he had jumped in and defended her, and also Potter. He had only done it for her. Not for that fool…
Only for her.
And then he'd avoided her all day. He didn't want her to say that she had been stupid to do that, that she had things under control… that she was very grateful.
Or maybe he did.
He was still thinking when a tapping noise caught his attention. He looked at the window, and saw his eagle-owl tapping the window with his beak.
Draco stood up, and opened the window, letting in a chilling breeze. The owl flew in and stood on the chair, stretching out his leg, from where a parchment was attached.
As soon as Draco took the letter, the owl flew off into the night again, apparently in a hurry. He probably didn't want to share the owlery with other owls.
Draco opened the letter, and saw that it was from his father.
Draco,
I write to inform you that this Christmas I will hold several parties with our friends, the death eaters. But you are not invited, I'm sorry to say. I would show you off to everyone, but I'm afraid that I have nothing to be proud about in you. I've received a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson. They have no good news. Apparently, you've been spending more time than needed with that mudblood, Granger. Their dear, charming daughter, Pansy, has told them. And I'm glad she has. How dare you humiliate the Malfoy name by spending time with a mudblood? You should go with other people, like Pansy. There's an example of a respectable family. I'm warning you, boy: leave Granger alone. If the Parkinsons tell me that you've started to fancy her, then you'll be sorry.
Maybe staying at Hogwarts on Christmas will make you come back to your senses. If anyone asks, say that you've chosen to stay on your own free will. We don't need any more humiliation from your part.
Lucious
Draco re-read the letter again.
Damned Parkinson! How dare she write this sort of rubbish to her parents? Fancying Hermione?
That stupid Parkinson would pay. She was a stupid fool who didn't know in how much trouble he could find himself in with his father. She was jelaous because he was spending time with Hermione, and not her. And now she thought that he fancied Hermione?
Of course not! Although he liked being alone with her. And spending Christmas here with her sounded good.
He went down to the common room, and threw the letter into the fire. "Thank you, father," he said, watching as the paper crumpled as the flames licked its surface. "You don't know how happy I am to stay in Hogwarts this year. Anything to be away from you, and from your party of death eaters."
And he stood there, watching the letter burn until there was nothing left.
***
"Draco, thank you so much!" Hermione exclaimed the next day as soon as she got a glimpse of him.
He sat down on the stairs. "Why?" he drawled.
"Don't be modest," Hermione said. "You know exactly why I'm thanking you,"
He shrugged. "It was nothing, I just… I did it because…"
Hermione smiled as she sat next to him. "I don't know why you did it, but I'm grateful. You shouldn't have done it. You could've got in trouble yourself," she looked up at him. "And Good thing you're in Slytherin. Those cunning plans really come in handy sometimes, huh?" she laughed. "Thanks,"
He shrugged again.
"I mean, you even stood up for Harry! That was so, so nice of you! I… I just want you to know that if you ever need something, I'll do it, ok? I owe you one,"
He nodded, a warm feeling at his chest.
She started writing. Bluey had grown a lot, and was bigger that Draco's hand. It wasn't easy to carry him around one's pocket anymore.
Draco was silent. Too silent.
"Is anything wrong?" Hermione asked.
Draco didn't say anything, and only shook his head.
"Are you sure?" she asked again. Her brown eyes reflected worry.
Draco nodded.
Hermione continued writing, but stopped after a while. "Something's wrong," she insisted. "You're not talking,"
Draco sighed. She was getting to know him better, and knew just when he was feeling bad.
"My father wrote to me," he said slowly. "He's holding some death eater parties. So I'm staying at Hogwarts this Christmas, something which I've never done"
He wouldn't mention the part about fancying her.
"Oh…" Hermione said. "I'm sorry, Draco,"
He shrugged. "I'm better here, anyway. I won't have to spend time with all those death eaters."
Hermione nodded. "Well, then I'll be seeing you around here."
Draco looked down at the floor.
"It won't be so bad," Hermione assured him. "Besides, this year we have a Christmas ball… so many people will stay here. You could say that you wanted to stay to go to the ball,"
"I don't have anyone to go with," Draco pointed out.
She kept on writing, thinking. In truth, she felt glad Draco wasn't going with anyone. She was sure that if she saw someone else dancing with Draco, she would be jealous for some reason.
Then she got an idea. Even if Harry and Ron said she was crazy, she would do it.
"So… you're not going with anyone," she said slowly.
He shook his head.
"Then… would you like to come with me?" she asked quickly.
Draco looked at her in surprise. Hermione was asking him to the Ball. He could dance with Hermione again. Twirl her around, get her round the waist. Look into her eyes the whole time. And she had chosen to go with him. She wanted to go with him, and with nobody else.
"Sure," he heard himself answering.
She smiled, getting a little red. "Ok. That'll be great."
"It's not that I like you that way, or anything," Draco said quickly. "It's just-"
"Don't worry," Hermione said, smiling. "I know just how you feel,"
*********
Ok, I don't know if your understood what Draco said in potions class, so here's his lie:
Draco went out of the potions classroom, and saw Mrs. Norris go inside. Then he stood near the classroom, waiting for someone. After a while Snape came out to say something to Dumbledore. While he was gone, Mrs. Norris came out of the classroom with something in her mouth.
This was all a lie, of course. Anyway, did you like the chapter?? Do you think a Christmas Ball is a good idea? I know it's not very original, but… well, it's part of the story ^_^
Again, thanks to Jessica for giving me the idea of Pansy sending letters to her parents!