*Disclaimer ~ Don't own the characters – Do you guys believe me yet?*

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Falling Head Over Heels

The Story of Hermione Granger and

Her relationship with Draco Malfoy

By: Befuzzled Chapter Nine ~ Taking Charge

"Find a honey that's standing on the wall
All the girls get their guys on the floor
From the front 2 the back, let's go, hear this...

Somebody hit the lights
So we can rock it day and night
People gettin down, that's right...from AM to PM
Everybody lookin' like stars
All the chicks and the fellas in the bars
All of y'all bumpin' this in your cars...from AM to PM"

~Christina Milian

Hermione gracefully and easily balanced her schoolwork through out September and early October.  It flew by rather quickly but she couldn't help but feel something was missing.  She was supposed to be a Prefect but she was doing the exact same things as the past few years with the added bonus of being able to award and take away points.  It just didn't feel right to get credit for doing nothing.

She tried to think of something to do for the rest of the student body.  Get everyone to learn something about the other people they walk the halls with.  She tried to recall something, which would be fun and social, something where everyone can mingle and casually talk and absorb information about the others surrounding them.

She raked her mind trying to remember when she had learned about other people:  The TriWizard Tournament.  No, not everybody could partake in that and that would take months of planning.  What else?  The Yule Ball!  Well not exactly.  She could try to convince Dumbledore to have a ball – a masquerade ball.  The teachers could pair them with other people they thought they could be compatible with and want to get to know.

But how could she convince the dear headmaster of the ball?  She decided to gather the other Prefects for a meeting in the library after classes that day.  In Potions while she and Draco worked on smashing worms' tails she mentioned her idea and asked him to gather Terry and Hannah in the library.  He nodded trying to conceal his curiosity.

Harry and Ron pestered her throughout the entire day, trying to get a hint, any number of words or a phrase to give them some idea at which Hermione was plotting.  She answered the question all the same way.  "If it works out, you'll find out soon."

"Common Hermione, just one clue.  One word," pleaded Harry.

"If it works out, you'll find out soon."

"Does it involve us?" pestered Ron.

"If it works out, you'll find out soon."

"Do the other Prefects know?"

"If it works out, you'll find out soon."

"Does Dumbledore know?"

"If it works out, you'll find out soon."

"Please Hermione."

"If it works out, you'll find out soon."

"What's the answer to the fifth question in Charms?"

"If it works out, you'll….RON!!"

"HAHAHA, gotcha Hermione!"

"Oh you're impossible sometimes."

Ron just grinned, "Oh I know.  It's my goal in life to annoy you."

"Mission Accomplished."  Hermione packed up her things as her friend finished dinner.  "I have to go prepare for a Prefect's meeting."

"But you're going to miss practice tonight!"

"Harry?  Have you forgotten?  I'm not actually on the team, I just run while you train."

Harry chuckled slightly, "I know but now you're just like a comfortable fixture out there."

"Yeah whatever.  I'll see you two um in the common room later."  Hermione strode out of the Great Hall.  Hannah, Terry, and Draco tailed her.

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Hermione had just set her stuff on a far table in the back of the library.  She had been so excited about the meeting that she hadn't noticed the three other Prefects behind her.  Draco tapped her on the shoulder and began, "We're all …"

Hermione turned around at lightning speed grabbing Draco's wrist in the process.  The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff cracked up laughing.  "Oh sorry Dra-Malfoy.  I didn't hear you guys behind me.  Are we ready to start?"

"Yeah.  Just as soon as you let go of me."

"Right."  Hermione quickly dropped his hand and took a seat.  "Has Draco filled you all in on my idea."

"Vaguely.  Something about a Masquerade Ball after the Halloween Feast."

"Yeah.  I thought the teachers could pair us up with people we don't know much about.  They could assign us costumes with famous muggle or wizard partners; like Mickey and Minnie, Donald Duck and Daisy, Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood and Maid Marion, you get the idea. 

"We would all be in masks so we wouldn't know who we were talking with.  So the partners could be restricted to tell their name, house, or such.  Then everyone could be revealed at the end of the evening."

"I like your thinking Hermione."

"Thanks.  I just felt like I was neglecting my duties as a Prefect."

"Okay.  Let's go talk to McGonagall and Dumbledore."

"We'll get to that.  I thought it would be best to make a list of a bunch of famous couples.  Maybe two-hundred or so just so they have a start."

"Okay.  So do we do this all together or separately?"

"Let's start working alone then we can magically combine the list so it crosses out the doubles."

They worked for the greater part of the hour.  Hermione had thought of one hundred and twenty three ideas.  They were mostly from muggle cartoons and Shakespearean plays.

In total they had gathered their goal and reach two hundred and thirteen names.  "It's still pretty early, " said Hermione glancing at her watch reading 7:33, "Should we go ask the Professors now?"

Draco chimed in, "The more notice we give the better the chances they accept our proposal.  That way they have enough time to match the partners."

"Good thinking," chirped Hannah.

The four walked off in the general direction of the Headmaster's office.  They ran into him about half way there and took turns laying out their plans and showing the lists of couple costume ideas.

His eyes were glowing and understanding.  His voice spoke with enthusiasm and encouragement.  "Now, whose idea was this?"

"Mine, Sir.  But without Draco, Hannah, and Terry I never could have put it together."

"Well Miss Granger I commend you all and give each of your houses twenty-five points.  Do you have any suggestions on how the Professors might pair up the students?"  The twinkle in his eye suggested that he knew about thirty ways but let the students ponder their thoughts.

"Um, sir?"

"Yes Mr. Malfoy?"

"I was thinking, isn't there a potion that well connects you to the thoughts of a person you care about or is your perfect match?"  Dumbledore nodded lightly.  "Well maybe we could do that and then after we found out we tell Professor Snape and then he could erase our memories of the moments where we met the person.  So then it will be a surprise when we go to the ball."

"Good thinking Mr. Malfoy."  He received a smile from the towering head master and the appreciative Hermione.  It was clear she hadn't thought that far ahead into her plan.

They all thanked the Professor and walked back off to their dormitories.  They all were bombarded with questions as soon as their portrait doors were opened.

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In potions the next day all students were required to drink a previously made potion, letting their minds wander into the thoughts of a person the cared about – a perfect match for them or at least someone they had secretly wanted to get to know more about.

Of course none of them remembered this as Professor Snape spoke 'obliviate" to each as their secret was revealed.

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Dumbledore approached Hermione during dinner after classes.  "Miss Granger could I have a word with you?"

"Of course, Headmaster."  She left her seat and walked out with him into the entrance hall.

"Hermione, we have a slight problem and wanted to know how you want to go about fixing it."

"Er..okay."

"We have a few students who all, want to get to know the same person."

"Um could I ask how many students want to know the same person?"

"Just two, Miss Granger."

"Are they both from different years?"

"Yes."

"Well I guess I would go from the one from the different year.  But I don't really know because I wouldn't consider myself acquainted with many of the other students in my year, especially the Slytherins.  I'm sorry I couldn't be more help sir."

"You've been plenty of help Miss Granger."

Dumbledore walked off to his office as Harry and Ron approached her coming from the Great hall.  "We're having an extra practice today, are you going to come?"

"Of course.  I need to run again I feel a little sluggish."

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Does anyone else see where this was going?

Well if you don't I'm sorry.  But the next week we have finals.  After finals are over, that same day, is the premier of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  Then the following week is scheduled to allow time to adjust to my new classes and the start of winter workout for track.  So basically what I'm saying is that:

Unless by some miracle, Costumes and the Masquerade (Ch.10) won't be out until around the 22 (November).

I know that's a long time, and I promise if I get the chance to post more I will.  If you want to be notified of the updates give me your e-mail address in the reviews (that I know you write at the end of each chapter so I don't have to become one of those people that demand reviews before I post.) or email your email address to me at befuzzled@hotmail.com  Again, I'm really sorry.  Blame the teachers.