Chapter 19- Yule Ball
"Hermione you look great. Lets go." Ginny pleaded dragging as best she could a stubborn Hermione from her room and mirror. Ginny smiled at her handiwork of making Hermione as beautiful as she could before continuing. "Come on Harry's waiting for me!" Ginny screeched at Hermione. Hermione grinned at her, playfully shoving her shoulder.
"Are you sure I look all right?" she asked, nervously twirling a strand of hair with her fingers. Ginny glared at Hermione until she calmed down.
"Fine, lets go." Ginny grabbed Hermione's wrist, successfully dragging her out the door and down the staircase. Hermione and Ginny had spent the last four hours getting ready for the ball. Hermione just realized who would be waiting in the Gryffindor common room for Ginny. She grew increasingly nervous as they silently moved towards Ron and Harry.
Harry stared at Ginny, in a loss for words. Her flaming hair neatly piled on her head, held up by a simple black barrette, several locks falling into a frame about her face. Ginny's flowing black dress reached the ground, trailing behind her. The sleeves were clasped together on each shoulder, creating a V-neck effect on the front, suiting Ginny perfectly. Ron caught sight of Ginny and turned red at the sight of his sister down the hall.
"You're not wearing that in public, are you?" Ron demanded breathing deeply, as to soothe his rage. Ginny ignored him; her eyes locked on Harry's, whose dark green robes matched his sparkling eyes perfectly. Hermione almost laughed realizing it was the same model dress robe Mrs. Weasley had picked out for Harry to wear at the Yule ball their forth year. Hermione's gaze turned now to Ron's ordinary black robe.
"He seems to have forgotten about Ginny already." Hermione thought smugly as Ron turned an even deeper shade of red at the sight of Lavender. Hermione realized how out of place she felt and made her way to escape through the portrait hole door. "Bye guys!" she called back quickly, reaching the door and slipping away before Ginny could call her back.
Hermione made her way down the familiar halls silently. Harry and Ron had not even spoken to her once since her and Harry's confrontation in the dungeons the week before. She could not help but feel like her heart was ripped in half by her two best friends. Hermione stopped as she reached the entrance to her common room. "Gryffindors suck," she murmured to the portrait, who looked rather disgruntled for no one had taken the time to make up a new password in such a long time.
"Dragon?" she called softly in the direction of his bedroom door.
"Yes?" Draco replied from behind Hermione, wrapping his arms securely around her waist and seductively pulling her closer.
Hermione pulled away slowly, smiling. She took a step back, scanning Draco's body. He was wearing a midnight-black robe with a silver clasp that had an "M" for Malfoy surrounded by a snake on the front. Giggling, Hermione reached forward and tousled his slicked back hair.
"Hey!" Draco protested, but smiled nonetheless. He looked Hermione over. Her beautiful dark green ball gown, tightened down to her hips to a point then smoothly flowed into a wide skirt. There a dash of sparkles across the dress brought out the green flecks in Hermione's eyes. Her smooth creamy skin matched perfectly with the sparsely makeup on her face, which consisted of a few swipes of mascara, a shimmer powder over her eyelids, and a clear lip-gloss. Her hair hung in dark brown curls, a chunk of which had been taken from each side of her face and twisted to the back of her head and pinned, giving her a medieval hairstyle to match her dress. Draco was speechless. He had never seen Hermione look so beautiful before.
Hermione suddenly became nervous under Draco's gaze and lowered her eyes. She felt Draco gently place a finger under her chin tilting her head up until their eyes met.
"You look radiant tonight, 'Mione." Draco whispered, his warm breath caressing her face.
"Thanks Dragon. You don't look so bad yourself." Draco grinned at her cheekiness, bending over to kiss her lightly on the lips.
"We're going to be late." Draco said, slipping his hand into Hermione's as they walked slowly towards the Great Hall.
~
Harry sat at one of the Great Hall's round tables, staring at Hermione and Draco. Ron and Lavender had left for some rose bush in the backgrounds and Ginny had taken the opportunity to get them both drinks. Harry couldn't believe how lucky he was to be with a girl like Ginny, and knew he was in love with her. Harry's eyes rested on Hermione alone who smiled happily at something Draco had said. Harry's eyebrows narrowed in fury. She couldn't love Malfoy the way Harry loved Ginny. How could she even stand to be near him? There's no way she could love Draco… could there? Harry snapped his attention back to Ginny as she sat down next to him, handing him a drink. "I'll talk to Hermione after this song." He resolved as he gently grabbed Ginny's wrist, anxiously steering her to the dance floor.
~
Draco's eyes didn't leave Hermione's face once. He was oblivious to the angry whispers from students shocked to see them back together. They had both prepared for it, but somehow nothing seemed to matter to Draco except being with Hermione on the dance floor. He leaned closer to her, breathing in her floral scent. Earlier in the year when they were planning the dance Hermione had begged him to agree to hire a wizard DJ to play muggle music at the ball. Draco gave in after she had blackmailed him with telling everyone she had found half of her muggle CD's scattered around his room one day. He now appreciated Hermione's persistence on the idea as the DJ put on a slower song that they both recognized.
"Oh I love this song." Hermione said softly, her voice muffle as Draco pulled her even closer to him.
This is my December
This is my time of the year
This is my December
This is all so clear
This is my December
This is my snow covered home
This is my December
This is me alone
And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all
The things I said
To make you
Feel like that
And I
Just wish that
I didn't feel
Like there was
Something I missed
And I
Take back all the
Things I said to you
And I give it all away
Just to have somewhere
To go to
Give it all away
To have someone
To come home to
This is my December
These are my snow covered dreams
This is me pretending
This is all I need
Hermione felt Draco's grip tighten around her. She looked up to see his stormy eyes, full of unexplainable emotion. "Dragon?" she questioned quietly. He looked down, smiling softly at her.
"I'm in love with you Hermione." He said gently, but as soon as the words left his mouth Draco felt terrified of what Hermione's reaction would be and if she felt the same way. Hermione could feel tears prickling in her eyes.
"I'm in love with you too, Dragon." She spoke clearly, while tilting her head to the side as she felt his lips descended upon hers covering her mouth completely. She shivered involuntarily as the kiss grew stronger. Draco gently probed his tongue against her lips and Hermione opened her mouth eagerly to meet him. Neither of them took any notice of half the room staring openly at their PDA. They had of course been going out, but seeing them re-united by making out on the dance floor was a little too much for both the Gryffindors and Slytherins. Ron looked like he was about to explode as he wandered into the Great Hall with Lavender trailing behind him. Ginny looked apathetic and Harry looked contemplative. Harry waited until the end of the ball before trying to talk to Hermione.
"Hermione!" He called to her as she headed to the staircase to her and Draco's common room. Harry shuddered to think about what they did in there. "Can I speak to you a moment?" Hermione looked confused but nodded. Draco looked livid. He marched up to Harry.
"What do you want, Potter?" Draco sneered, making Harry's blood boil. He desperately wanted to wring Malfoy's neck.
"Well if it isn't the amazing bouncing ferret." He snapped back, unable to constrain himself. "Who does Malfoy think he is, getting between me and Hermione?" Harry thought furiously. Her boyfriend… an annoying voice answered in the back of his head.
"Fuck you and stop harassing Hermione before I turn you into an amazing fucking worm, asshole." Draco hissed back. Hermione placed a pacifying hand on Draco's arm, gently leading him away from where Harry stood, rooted to the spot.
"Draco…" Hermione's eyes pleaded. Draco took a deep breath, regaining his composure.
"Right, I'll see you in our common room." He replied loud enough for Harry to hear, before kissing her longer than what was appropriate making sure Harry saw. Hermione rolled her eyes and waited for Draco to disappear down the hall before turning back to Harry.
"Sorry about Draco, Harry. He's just trying to piss you off." Harry snorted.
"I think I figured that out in our first year, Hermione." Hermione met his gaze and stared Harry down. She wasn't in the mood to put up with any more fighting. "Listen Hermione I'm sorry. He just kinda knows how to tick me off, ya know? I didn't call you back to get in a fight." Hermione could see the sincerity in Harry's eyes and sighed, sitting down on the bottom stair. Harry took a seat too.
"Do you love him?" he asked after a few moments of silence. Hermione seriously debated not telling Harry anything, but was too tired and decided just to be honest with him.
"Yes Harry, I do."
"Does he love you?"
"He told me he did tonight." Harry looked at Hermione intently.
"Then I'm sorry. You're one of my best friends Hermione, and I should have trusted you. I have no right to pass judgment on you and I hope that someday you'll forgive me." Hermione sat in shock.
"Are you really ok with it, Harry?"
"Malfoy isn't my first choice for anyone I'm close to. He's mean, conceited, deceitful, and just plain annoying. I just want to protect you, but I realize the way I've been acting isn't helping at all. If you care for Malfoy half as much as I care for Ginny then…" Harry trailed off and was startled as Hermione wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you Harry." She said quietly. "Your approval means the world to me." Harry was about to remind her that he never said he approved, but thought better of it seeing how happy Hermione was.
"I'll always be there for you Hermione." He said as they both stood up. Harry gave her one last quick hug before turning around.
"I'll always love you, Harry." Hermione replied, somberly. "Please always remember that," she whispered as Harry turned to leave.
A/N: Ok, first of all, so so so sorry to all my faithful reviewers, you rock. I know it took forever to get this out, but I needed my beta-reader to finish checking it over. I know this is a really corny/ cliché chappie lol but whatever please review and I promise to get the next chapter out sooner! ;)
Haha woops when I posted this before I forgot to credit the song its "My December" by Linkin Park so so sorry!