A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I have to say that it has been a bit difficult trying to match Jane Austen's characters with Harry Potter characters. For those who are not yet clear, Thus far, Hermione is Elizabeth Bennett, Draco is Mr. Darcy, Lavender is Jane, Ron is Charles Bingley, Ginny is Caroline Bingley, and Harry is Mr. Wickham.
It may see weird that Draco and Ron are best friends, but it was a lot easier to make Ron Bingley instead of Harry since Harry has no other sibling. Harry obviously cannot be Mr. Darcy because that wasn't the point. But seeing how Draco, Ron and Ginny are purebloods, I guess that's something they have in common right?
Chapter Two: Encounters at the Yule Ball
The Great Hall was decorated in the most elegant of Victorian grandeur. All the tables were removed to make room for the dance floor. The chairs were placed against the wall, while a long buffet table was placed in the corner of the room. As the girls made their way in, the ball was already well on its way.
Hermione, Parvati, Lavender, Padma, Susan and Hannah found a spot against the wall where they can collect together. One by one, a student would walk up to them and request a dance. An hour passed, and the most anticipated students have still yet to make an appearance.
"Do you suppose our guests from Durmstrang are not coming?" Hannah asked anxiously.
"Very discourteous if they don't, considering that they are visitors of our hospitality," Padma stated sternly.
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Meanwhile on the dance floor, lively polka music accompanied the Jenny Lind.
"Don't you think we danced beautifully together Harry?" Parvati teased as she twirled around him.
"I suspect you danced beautifully, Parvati," Harry bowed, "I know I don't."
As Parvati encircled him again, he glanced off. A girl with cinnamon brown hair dancing next to them caught his eye. The girl noticed his stare as she encircled her own partner. She smiled at him politely.
"Tell me," Harry asked Parvati as they continued to dance, "Who is that lovely creature in the blue dress robe?"
Parvati turned around and looked, "That lovely creature is my friend Hermione," she answered as both of them went spinning.
"Ah, then I'm in luck," Harry replied as the two spins away from each other, "Please present me when the dance is over."
Parvati with a look of disdain took his arm abruptedly, "Mione," she called out to her friend.
Hermione turned to acknowledge her, giving a curtsy.
"This is Harry Potter," she introduced in a huff, "He wants to meet you. He thinks you're a lovely creature."
Harry bowed and held his position. Parvati annoyed, grabbed his hand and encircled him.
"Someday, I'll tell you what sort of a creature you are," Harry remarked slyly.
The music reverted through the chorus signaling the exchange of partners. Hermione and Parvati switched places.
"After that introduction, I hardly know how to begin Hermione," Harry bowed to his new partner, "Should I offer a remark on the weather?"
"If you can make it fit for a young lady's ears," Hermione curtsied.
"You're right," Harry took her arm; "The weather's too dangerous a subject."
"To be quite safe," said Hermione, "I shall ask you how you like it here at Hogwarts."
"Ah, that's anything but safe!" Harry replied lightheartedly as they danced, "I'm just discovering I like it prodigiously!"
Hermione smiled as she moved off, spinning with a new partner before heading back to Harry.
"I hope you would ask me when I began to like it so prodigiously Hermione," Harry continued.
"I will," she curtsied again and asked him playfully, "When did you?"
"I - "Harry was cut off as they changed partners again. He was unable to talk to her until she turned back to him on the next chorus.
"The moment I saw you," Harry grinned as they twirled.
"Very pretty sir," she responded, curtsying again, "Shall I tell you what I thought the moment I saw you?"
"Only if it's pleasant," he replied amusingly.
"Oh it is! I thought - "Hermione's voice trailed off without finishing. They switched partners again.
On the next return, Harry grabbed her arm, "You were going to say Hermione?"
"Oh yes! I'm sorry, I forget," she smiled playfully and reverted back to her original partner for the end of the dance.
Once the music stopped, some of the students started to clear off the dance floor. As they made their way to their respective corners, three figures walked into the Great Hall.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the elf by the door announced, "Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Weasley."
The students examined them before starting to gossip among themselves.
"Very distinguish!" Padma remarked.
The newly arrivals took some time to survey their surroundings. After a few moments, the music started to play again.
Ginny tapped Draco on the shoulder, "A waltz Draco? How modern!" she commented facetiously.
"Yes, indeed," he replied, looking bored.
She extended her hand to him, "Shall we have our dance now?"
"If you care to," Draco took her hand and bowed. They join the others on the dance floor.
Meanwhile, two Ravenclaws walked over to the girls and requested a dance with Hannah and Susan while the rest of them sat on the sidelines still observing the exchange students. Lavender leaned against a pillar.
"What a handsome young man that Draco is," Padma admired.
"And rich too," Parvati agreed.
"His family is one of the most influential and prominent in the wizarding world," a nearby student informed them.
"Did you hear that Lavender?" Pavarti asked, "Most prominent!"
"And doesn't he know it!" Hermione observed.
"I like Ron better," Lavender replied, still looking at him, "Draco is so-"
"Supercilious," Hermione finished for her, "My goodness, he does have an air about him," she added, studying the lanky figure on the dance floor.
Lavender blushed as Ron met her gaze. She quickly looked down.
"I say, Blaise," Ron asked from the other side of the room, "Who is that uncommonly handsome girl?"
"Huh?"
"Over there," Ron clarified, "Next to the pillar."
"Oh.uh that's Lavender Brown of Gryffindor," Blaise replied.
Harry made his way over to Hermione, "This is our dance," he extended his arm. Hermione nodded and accompanied him to the floor.
Lavender, still standing by the pillar suddenly noticed Ron and Blaise walking over to her direction. She quickly turned away nervously.
"May I introduce to you, Ron Weasley," Blaise presented, "Padma, her sister Parvati, and Lavender."
Ron gave a polite bow and started to approach Lavender, who at this point, was looking away, carrying quite a crimson complexion.
"Ron," Parvati stopped him by holding out her hand, "We're all so delighted that you have decided to spend the year with us here at Hogwarts."
"Thank you," Ron shook her hand politely before directing his attention to Lavender.
Parvati noticed and decided to assist her friend, "Lavender dear, why don't you say something to Ron here?"
Lavender slowly turned around, "Good evening."
"May I have the honor of this dance?" he asked, offering his arm.
"With pleasure," she accepted his arm and they made their way to the dance floor.
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As the Waltz proceeded, Draco and Harry accidentally bumped into one another. Harry turned around and bowed apologetically. Draco, realizing who it was, merely flinched at the sight of him. Without a word, he turned back around and waltzed off.
Harry shrugged it off and continued their dance. "Is this Ginny engaged to Draco Malfoy?" he asked his partner.
"If she is, she ought to break it," Hermione remarked.
"Why?"
"No man can be in love and look so bored," she stated simply.
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"Did you ever see such people Draco?" Ginny said snidely as they danced, "Really, I think my brother ought to apologize for bringing us to a place like this. He's so dreadfully indiscriminative. He seems to be able to enjoy himself in any society."
"I'm not surprised that he is being able to enjoy himself," Draco replied, "In THAT society."
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"I don't understand how you can do such an extraordinary thing," said Ron, gliding Lavender on the dance floor.
"What?" she asked.
"You have talked to me about all your friends in Hogwarts without saying one malicious word," he told her.
Lavender chuckled, "But they're all such agreeable people, so kind and pleasant."
"That never prevented anyone from talking maliciously," Ron replied amusingly.
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"My goodness! What a party!" Padma exclaimed as she and her sister made their way to the buffet table with their plates.
"One is only young once," Parvati agreed as they both passed by Draco, who was standing around aimlessly while looking indifferent.
They started filling their plates up, "That odious Malfoy," Parvati whispered to her sister, "Looking down his nose at everybody. Does he think he's too good for us? Come sister."
Draco overheard them as he took a sip of his punch. With nothing to do, he turned around to walk away, but instead, accidentally bumped into Hermione and Susan. With a quick bow, he excused himself and made his way across the room by himself.
"Isn't that delightful," Ron remarked as he walked with Lavender, "You liking flying as much as I do. I hope we may fly together sometime."
"Yes, that will be nice," Lavender smiled.
"Why Ginny," Ron greeted his sister as she approached them.
Ginny nodded to her brother before looking over at Lavender, "Will you take a little stroll about the room with me Lavender?"
She glanced at odd look at Ron before replying, "With pleasure."
Ron started to follow until Ginny held him back, "No Ron, you were not invited. There are a million things I want to ask Lavender."
With that, the two students walked off together. Ron decided to seize the opportunity to catch up with his friend.
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Hermione and Susan were taking their own stroll around the Great Hall before coming to rest on a bench against a rather large pillar.
"Isn't this better than brazing it out in the open?" Susan said as they sat down.
"Why is Hogwarts cursed with many more women than men?" Hermione laughed.
"Draco!" Ron called out as he noticed his friend standing near the other side of the pillar, "Draco! Come, I hate to see you stalking about by yourself in a stupid manner. Why don't you dance?" He walked right up to his friend. The two girls on the other side stopped chattering and was able to overhear their entire conversation.
"With whom?" Draco asked stiffly, "Your sister is taken and there isn't another woman in the room that it wouldn't be a punishment for me to stand up to."
"But the place is full of pretty girls," Ron pointed out.
Draco chuckled, "I have noticed only one, and you seem to have monopolized her."
"Yes," Ron agreed happily, "Isn't she lovely? But there's that friend of hers, Hermione. They say she has quite a lively wit."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Provincial young lady with a lively wit. Heaven preserve us! And there are those friends she surrounds herself with."
"It's not her friends you have to dance with, just her," Ron argued, "She is charming."
"Yes, she looks tolerable enough," Draco responded with a yawn, "But I am in no humor tonight to give consequence to the middle classes at play."
The two friends then walked off. Hermione watched them until they were completely out of earshot. She turned to Susan, furious, "What a charming man!" She stood up, glaring after Draco's direction. "Of all the arrogant, detestable snobs!"
"Oh but Mione, he didn't know you were listening," Susan tried to justify in order to calm her down.
"What difference does that make? He would have said it just the same if he had!" Hermione placed her hand on her hip and mocked Draco's voice, "Oh she looks tolerable enough. But I am in no humor tonight to give consequence to the middle classes at play."
Susan giggled at her imitation. "Oh look, its Roger Davies" she spotted a figure walking towards them, "He doesn't know the steps, but he likes the exercise. And it gets me away from the wall," she explained as she left her friend.
Glaring at Draco one more time, Hermione made her way to an empty bench by the wall.
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"As I was saying-----" Flitwick said.
"I was about to ask you," Draco interrupted without really caring, "If you would me do me the kindness of introducing me to Hermione."
"Oh certainly," Flitwick replied, "Dancing is a charming amusement for young people in my opinion. Its one of the first refinements of a polish society."
"May I add sir, that it being one of the first refinements of savages," Draco added, leading the way.
"Yes, yes, quite so," Flitwick muttered in agreement.
The two of them went over to where Hermione was sitting, "Oh Ms. Granger, may I have the honor to present Mr. Draco Malfoy," Flitwick introduced, "He is eager to invite you to dance."
Draco gave Flitwick an odd look before the professor left the two alone. He chuckled nervously before bowing slightly, "Now that you have been forewarned of my eagerness to dance with you. May I hope that you would do me the honor?" He extended his hand.
Hermione's eyes grew wide. With a fixed expression on her face, she replied, "I'm afraid the honor of standing up with you, Mr. Malfoy, is more than I can bear. Pray, excuse me."
Draco asked with a vexed expression, "Am I to understand that you do not wish to dance with me, Hermione?"
"Sir, I am begging to be excused," she repeated, not even looking at him.
Draco's face fell, "The lost is mine I'm sure."
"You perhaps know best about that," she smirked confidently.
Draco gave a quick bow. He was about to walk off when Harry approached Hermione on the bench, "Hermione, if you're not engaged, will you honor me with the next dance?"
"I shall be very happy to dance with you," Hermione responded cheerfully. Noticing the scowl on Draco's face, she added, "Oh, this is Harry Potter, Harry, Mr. Draco Malfoy."
"Malfoy and I have met before," Harry stated offhandedly.
"We have indeed," Draco grumbled, walking off without giving him eye contact.
Observing this strange behavior, Hermione exclaimed, "The man must be mad!"
"Mad? You are too charitable Hermione. If you were better acquainted, you would see in him another man." Harry explained as he took a seat beside her.
"Have you known him a long time?" she inquired.
"Yes, much too long. But as you saw, we're not on friendly terms."
"Without knowing anything about it, I'm on your side." Hermione stated plainly.
"Why thank you Hermione," Harry smiled.
The music in the Great Hall started playing again.
"Oh!" Harry recognized, "the Polka Mazurka. I didn't find Hogwarts abreast with the new fashion."
"You underrate us, Harry," Hermione took his hand, "Hogwarts is abreast with everything." Glaring at Draco's direction one last time, "Everything except insolence, and bad manners. Those fashions however, we do not admire!"
