A/N Thank you for reviewing.
"So Potter, have you found someone desperate enough to go with you to the Yule Ball?"
"Malfoy, when are you going to realize you're not Harry's type." Ron gibed.
Draco curled his fingers into fists as Harry muttered "Ugh that's disgusting." (A/N Don't hate me I ship D/G D/H D/Hr H/Hr and Hr/R.) Did Weasely really think he was stupid enough to unknowingly set himself up for that. Let them be overconfident.
"Poor Potter. Is it that you can't think of anyone who'll say yes, or you're so deluded you believe anyone would go with you, and you just can't make up your mind?"
"I don't think that."
"Does it bother you that no matter what you do, no Slytherin girl would ever give you the time of day?"
"Who'd want to go out with a Slytherin?" Ron said making gagging noises.
"What's your point? " Harry remarked "You couldn't get a Gryffandor to go out with you.
"Potter, everyone knows the Malfoys are blessed with incredible wealth, looks, and charm. You on the other hand, even if I told my housemates I couldn't care less who you dated, even if I encouraged them, praising your good qualities, or rather making them up, well I'm afraid you're just too repellent. "
"You've got to be kidding." Ron laughed.
"I'll tell you what" Draco offered. "I'll bet you that I can persuade, oh I'll give you a fair chance, I'll bet you I can persuade Hermione to go with me to the Yule Ball, whereas you couldn't get any Slytherin as a date."
"Done." Harry said impulsively shaking hand with Malfoy.
"Gotcha." Draco thought. "Good." He smirked. "I'll tell the gals that it might be entertaining to dance with the Great Harry Potter and you can tell Hermione you won't stand in her way when she acts on her attraction to me. Wizards word and all that." Draco walked away from them, his smirk expanding into a broad grin as he heard Ron scream.
"Harry, how could you agree to that!"
"Oh come on, Ron. Hermione would never go out with Malfoy. She's our friend."
"I suppose, but I don't like the idea of that ferret mooching on her."
"She can take care of herself. Besides, it's too late now, I gave my word."
*****
"You what?" It was the first time Hermione had ever been on the receiving end of Madame Pince's shushes, but Harry's account of the bet had startled her.
"I think… that is …if you want to go to the Yule Ball with Malfoy, Ron and I won't stand in you're way" Harry said. "We knew you would consider saying yes."
"I mean why would anyone want to go out with Malfoy?" Ron scoffed.
"You do realize that in order to win the bet you'll have to dance with Pansy or Millicent to the Yule Ball?"
"I know." Harry dropped his head on the desk. "He just got me so angry."
"Yes." Hermione commented. "Malfoy has a real talent for that."
*****
Hermione cornered Draco outside the Potions classroom.
"Don't say a word, Malfoy. I am not going to the Yule Ball with you. It was a brilliant move and you manipulated them perfectly, but there is no way I would ever go with you."
"You think it was brilliant?" Malfoy asked stunned.
"Sneaky, manipulative, and futile." Hermione revised.
"But brilliant. That's something coming from you."
"Why? You think a Gryffandor can't appreciate a good plan. Ron excels at Wizard chess and "
"No. Because you're the best student at Hogwarts." Draco interrupted.
"It was Hermione's turn to pause, flustered by his admission. "You can't just compliment me and expect me to change my opinion of you." She said after a moment.
"It would be nice, but far too easy." Draco admitted.
"I thought you enjoyed easy victories?"
"Well, usually I'm not stupid but I'm trying to change – not really but – " he stopped hating how the words wouldn't come readily when they lacked barbs. "Look this is important to me. Don't worry about the ball – just meet me later – to talk."
"I shouldn't." She sighed. "Where?"
Draco's grey eyes lit up. "You choose."
"Well, I'll be in the library late studying Transfiguration and then"
"The library's too public" Draco interrupted. "How about… how about the Histor of Magic classroom this evening."
"Not tonight."
"Tomorrow night then."
"Tomorrow night."
A/N Sorry for leaving it there but I have to plot and plan and see where this goes.
