A/N: Okay, thanks for everyone who reviewed. Oh, and if everyone would direct their attention to the review page, please read the beautiful flame amandil wrote me. Ten billion brownie points to anyone who can point out two things wrong with it.

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Emerald Flame

Chapter 8

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****Hermione's POV****

The Hogshead trip finally came and me and Ginny decided to go shopping together for our gowns. Mr. Weasley had become Minister of Magic last year after Fudge decided Voldemort was to much of a hassle and resigned, so she dragged me to the most expensive gown and robe shop to get our gowns. Mum and Dad had given me enough money to buy a good gown so I was able to buy an expensive gown as well. We walked in and immediately saw Harry and Eliza looking for dress robes for Harry. We waved at them and continued to the back of the store. We saw Neville, Hannah, and Ernie there, all looking for ball clothes. We forced our way by them and kept going to the back of the store until the only person we saw was…Draco. He was going through a rack of solid black dress robes, a slight smirk on his face. Ginny pulled me past him and forced me over to a rack of black, blue, and red gowns. She then started to go through them quickly, every now and then pulling one out and handing one to me or putting one over her arm.

"Can't I get a yellow gown or something?" I asked as she handed a long red gown to me.

She looked at me with a strange look on her face.

"Hermione," She said slowly, "You live with me at least three months out of every year and I can assure you: black, red, and blue are -your- colors."

"Really," I sighed as she put a red gown over her arm, "So what're your colors?"

"I only have one color," She said, putting another gown over her arm, "And that's--"

"Red, right?"

She laughed slightly.

"How'd you guess?"

After two more minutes of gowns being thrown into my arms Ginny grabbed my arm again and pulled me to the changing rooms.

"If you're not out in fifteen minutes I'll blast down the door," She said simply before she went into one of the changing rooms. I blinked for a second before I went into the changing room next to the one Ginny was in and started to try on the gowns…

She had given me twenty gowns. Of those twenty, only ten fit me correctly. Of those ten, I only really liked two. One was a black gown that made me look like a Goth and the other was a blue one not unlike the one I had worn to the fourth year Yule ball. I tried the blue one on first and went out into the hallway to see how I looked in the mirror. I decided it didn't look ridiculously bad so I went back to the changing room and tried on the black one. I went back out into the hallway and looked in the mirror. I didn't realize the back on this one was so low, but it suited me well. I spun around twice and realized when I looked back in the mirror that someone was watching me. A particular blonde…

"Go with that one," Draco said, stepping out from the shadows of the doorway.

"Alright then," I smiled, "Then I'll go with the blue one."

He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned slightly.

"That's just wrong…"

"So what'd you buy?" I asked him, leaning against the steel door frame to the changing room. I regretted it a second later as I felt the cold metal against my bare back.

"Nothing, actually," He smiled, "I have four different dress robes back at the castle."

"So why'd you come here?"

"To see if they had anything better than what I already have."

Just then Ginny came out of her changing room with one of her red gowns on. She looked between this for a second before her eyes settled on Draco.

"Well you've grown sexy since last year," She said.

I nearly fell down from shock. Draco looked slightly taken aback for a moment, but then he smiled slightly.

"Why thank you," He said, "You've filled out quite well yourself."

"Thank you," Ginny smiled as well before she took my spot in front of the mirror. I shook my head and went back into the dressing room to change back into my regular robes. I had decided on the black one, so I left the blue one in the room. The store's house elves would pick them up. I walked out with the black one on my arm and went to the checkout line. Ginny joined me a second later and we bought our gowns. We walked out of the store and while she went to the Three Broomsticks I headed back to the castle. When I passed the Shrieking Shack I saw Draco leaning against the fence and when I passed he started to walk along next to me.

"Are you going back to the castle?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said, switching the bag with my gown in it to my other hand, "You?"

"I don't have anywhere in particular I need to go," He shrugged, "I might as well go back."

"So what d'you do when you're not in the Room of Requirement?" I asked. He had been disappearing every now and then for hours at a time.

"I go flying," He said, kicking a stone on the ground, "I just fly around the lake."

"I've never been flying," I said. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me with a strange look on his face.

"-Never-?" He said.



I shook my head and smiled slightly.

"Never."

"D'you -want- to go flying?"

"I can't," I laughed, "I'm scared of heights."

"Well so was I."

"My fear's to deep."

"That's what I thought."

"Really…"

"Don't tell me you're going to try to get me over it…"

"No, not unless you ask me to…"

"You're trying to get me to ask."

"Yes I am."

"And why do you want to fly with you?"

"I just want you to ride my broomstick."

I stopped and looked at him.

"You little pervert," I said, allowing a smirk to creep up onto my face.

"Isn't it wonderful?" He smirked and walked past me, looking over his shoulder at me. I shook my head and followed him up the road.

"You're disturbing sometimes."

"So are you."

"Like when?"

"Like when you know every little thing about every little thing."

"It never hurts to be smart."

"It never hurts to be stupid."

He thought about what he had just said and raised a hand to his chin.

"Wait a second…"

"You're so blonde!"

I shoved him slightly.

"But you love me anyway." He smiled at me.

"Whatever Draco."

We stayed silent for the rest of the trip back to school. I headed towards the Room of Requirement while he went to the kitchens to get some butterbeers. I ran my fingers through my damp hair and collapsed into one of the armchairs. Draco came in the room ten minutes later with two butterbeers in his pocket and damp hair hanging in his face. He flicked his head back, making his hair flip back out of his eyes and handed me the drink before he collapsed into the chair next to mine.

"What took you so long?" I asked him. It usually only takes five minutes to get to the kitchens and back from the Room of Requirement.

"Filch," He frowned, "Wish he'd just die and save us all a lot of grief."

"Don't say that!" I said, glancing at him, "What if he really does die tomorrow or something?"

"Then I'll send a dead flower to his funeral."

"Now that's just cruel.:

"I know."

"Freak."

"Know-it-all."

"You evil person."

"No, I'm not quite there yet. I'm just slightly mean and rude."

"Sure…"

"You're being mean now…"

"So?"

"You're supposed to be nice."

"Says who?"

"Says McGonagall. You're a Head, remember?"

"Well so are you."

"But I don't like being a Head. Unlike you, I don't strive to be perfect all the time."

"I don't strive to be perfect -all- the time."

"Oh, yeah, sorry, you only strive to be perfect three-fourths of the time…The rest of the time you're sleeping."

"You're being mean again."

"So?"

"And now you're repeating what I said."

"And now you're repeating what I said."

"Moron!"

He inched back and looked at me with a strange look on his face.

"Honestly, Hermione, you should really learn to grow up."

I blinked at him a few times and thought about starting another tickle war, but I decided against it. He really -was- strong.

"What time is it?" Draco asked a second later.

"Er…Six fifty-nine."

"Okay," He got up and walked to the door, "I have to go do some homework. See you tomorrow."

"Bye Draco."

He walked out of the door and I was left alone in the Room of Requirement. I stayed for ten more minutes before I got up and left as well. I got lonely when he wasn't here…Wait, did -I- just say that?

****Draco's POV****

Five days left to the dance and I didn't have a date. Amazing. Well, actually I predicted this. But like I said, I'd still go to the ball. Apparently, Dumbledore had hired the Weird Sisters again and they really were a cool band. Yes, I'm a music freak. Deal with it.

Classes were hectic. The teachers were giving us tons of work now so no one would have any work for the holidays. Since everyone was coming to the ball, Dumbledore had decided to move the holidays forward so they would be from the day after Christmas to the first Monday after New Years day. But I didn't really have to worry about that. After all, I was just going to stay at Hogwarts anyway. I mean, where do I have to go? In fact, where was I going to go after Hogwarts? I had no idea what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go…But I did have the Malfoy fortune still in my possession. According to the wizarding world, Lucius was dead, thus leaving me the heir to the money. But what was I going to -do- with it? I'd buy a new house, that was for sure, but after that there was nothing to do with it all. I guess I'd just figure it out when the time came…For now I'd just try to get through school…

On Christmas Day I got up early. I was surprised to find two presents at the foot of my bed. I thought for sure I'd get nothing at all. I picked them both up and looked over them. One was from Hermione and the other was just printed with the letters WWW. I opened Hermione's first and pulled out a miniature figure of a black Vipertooth dragon. It looked at me and roared softly. I set it on my nightstand and looked over the other package. I finally figured it was safe and opened it. A blast of silver sparks erupted from it and a mistletoe flew up and positioned itself just out of reach over my head. I looked up at it for a while before I noticed a letter had come along with it in the box. I pulled it out and quickly scanned over it.

-Dear Mr. Malfoy,

You have just received the newest product from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, the Enchanted Mistletoe! When you get near the person you like (even if you don't realize you like them) the Mistletoe will shoot out silver sparks and you will be forced to kiss them! Do not try to destroy it. You will not be able to. It will wilt and die on its own by tomorrow. But for today there is nothing you can do about it.

Sincerely,

Fred, George, and Virginia Weasley-

I blinked a little as I stared at the paper, then looked up at the mistletoe hovering innocently above my head. I got up and got dressed. I didn't like anyone. What did I have to worry about? I still cursed myself for opening the package as I walked to the Great Hall, but everyone I passed had a Mistletoe hanging above their heads as well so I didn't feel as stupid when I reached the Great Hall. It seemed like the Weasley's had gone a little out of control on this one. It seemed like -everyone- had a Mistletoe over their head. Seriously, even a few of the teachers had the charmed mistletoes hovering over them. Even he Gryffindors got a hit from this one.

I smirked slightly and went to sit at the Slytherin's table. They didn't look very happy about the object over their heads, but seeing as how they couldn't do anything about it they just let it be. I searched the Gryffindor table and found Ginny. She looked at me and smirked evilly. I glared at her and she threw her head back and laughed while pointing upwards. She too had a mistletoe over her head. I had a slight feeling of satisfaction from this. I kept scanning the table until my gaze settled on Hermione. She was talking to Harry about something. Suddenly, a silver spark shot out of the Mistletoe. Just one. I looked up at it, then back at Hermione. Another silver spark. I left my food and headed back to the Common Room. I couldn't like Hermione, could I? 'Even if you don't realize it.' That's what the letter said, right? I went to my room and spread out on my bed. I decided I wouldn't leave my room until the ball. If I met up with Hermione and the Mistletoe made me kiss her I'd probably lose the only friend I had at the moment. I only had ten hours until the ball…Yeah, -only- ten…

****Hermione's POV****

I walked down to the Great Hall, my black gown trailing on the ground. There was an astounding amount of couples kissing with silver sparks erupting in huge streams from the Mistletoes above their heads. I too had one hovering above me, but I didn't like anyone…I think…I mean Draco was a good friend but I couldn't like him…Could I? I hadn't seen him all day. Well, just a glance as he rounded the corner to go to the Common Room. Oddly enough, when I saw him a single spark shot out of the Mistletoe. The words from the letter I had received with it had haunted me for the day after that, but I just shoved it to the back of my mind. I didn't need to waste my day worrying.

I ran into Ginny at the bottom of the stairs and we started talking while she waited for her date.

"Excellent hair, Hermione," She told me. I had straightened it again and streaked it with purple and braided a few pieces of it before teasing it slightly so it gained volume.

"Now aren't you glad I chose your gown for you?" She asked.

"Yes," I smiled, "Thank you for picking my gown out for me so I could go totally Goth for the ball."

"Finally! I get some appreciation around here!"

I rolled my eyes.

"I have to go," Ginny had spotted her date, "See you Hermione."

"Bye Ginny."

She went on to the Great Hall and I followed soon after. I hadn't gotten a date, so I didn't have to wait and mill about the staircase. I took a seat by myself near the back. Mostly everyone had been through the routine to get the food and those who hadn't were being taught by the teachers and the seventh years, so everyone was already eating. I saw Draco enter when everyone was nearly done with their food. He sat down in the table nearest to the door and tried as hard as he could to become invisible. A silver spark shot out of the Mistletoe again and I looked up and glared at it. It was really getting annoying…

Dumbledore stood up after a few minutes and the noise slowly died down.

"Students are allowed to go outside and walk around the grounds," He started, "There had been an ice maze set up in the Quidditch Pitch, so you may also go there. Now, everyone, may I present the Weird Sisters!"

The curtain on the magnificent stage that had been placed against the wall and the Weird Sisters started to play. I stayed through the first song before I got up and walked out the door, heading towards the Quidditch Pitch. I wanted to see the ice maze…

It truly was amazing. The walls were semi-transparent so you could see the shadows of people traveling along through the maze. It was incredibly hard to get lost in this maze. There were maps set on every turn. I quickly made my way through the maze, slowly making my way to the center. As I passed a 'hall' (it's the only thing I can thing to call it) I looked down it and kept going, but then stopped and went back. Harry and Eliza were against a wall, apparently sharing their first kiss. Silver sparks exploded from both of their Mistletoes as they kissed, creating an odd glow about them. Eliza opened her eyes and caught sight of me. She lifted a hand and made a shooing motion at me. I smiled and moved on, getting closer and closer to the middle of the maze. I finally made it after five minutes. There was a fountain in the circle that spurted clear water as well as ice benches surrounding the place. No one was there, so I sat on the on of the ice benches. There was a spell on everything, so the ice was warm and it wouldn't melt. I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes. I let my thought drift until I heard someone coming. I opened my eyes in time to see Draco come into the center. Then three things happened nearly at once. I stood up, silver sparks erupted from both of our Mistletoes, and I felt an invisible force shove me forward until I was less that an inch away from him.

"Well," He said, looking down at me with a slightly surprised look on his face, "I think my question was just answered."

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A/N: Well, there's Chapter 8. Hope you like. Please review.