Chapter 4 – Slytherin Ball

"Hurry up! We're late," Ginny said crossly as she paced Hermione's room.

"I'm hurrying," she replied, still wondering what the fuss was all about. Dropping her books on the bed and grabbing her handbag, she followed her friend out.

A few days ago, an invitation card had appeared on Hermione's table with bold green and gold lettering and the symbol of Slytherin House on the envelope. Hermione sank down on her bed and sighed.

Ginny.

Hermione had been telling her that she was not interested in the Yule Ball but Ginny still persisted. After much thought, she relented -- Ginny was her friend and she couldn't let her down with her own unfounded insecurities about a certain Slytherin boy. Today was THE day and they were going to a wizard spa, which had recently opened in Diagon Alley. Ginny couldn't stop blabbering about the latest craze that had hit wizard world where exotic attendants and magical herbal massages rejuvenate the weary soul.

They came to a lotus covered pond in the middle of the town. Ginny muttered some magic password and a portal opened in the water. A youthful woman came out and welcomed them. Once inside, svelte nymph-like creatures immediately attended to them. Hermione was stripped of her clothing and dipped in a large pool filled with rose petals. Fragrant waters cooled her skin, as they bathed her. Later, strong hands worked her back and legs as she drifted off into a deep relaxing sleep.

After the massage, Hermione met Ginny at the garden lobby and they overheard some ladies chatting loudly in one of the rooms. One voice was distinguishable from the rest – Pansy Parkinson. She was talking excitedly about tonight's ball and that Draco had bought her a beautiful dress just for the event.

Draco Malfoy was coming to the ball! Of course, you idiot!

Hermione bit her lower lip as butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of seeing him again. Perhaps it was not too late to pull out but Ginny just rolled her eyes and tried to mimic Pansy's mannerisms causing Hermione to cover her mouth to suppress her laughter.

While waiting for Ginny to pick up her gown at a boutique in Diagon Alley, a blue gown on display distracted Hermione; a halter neck dress with ruched sleeves held together with silver arm-clasps.

"Would you like to try it on?" the proprietor asked, taking the gown down from the shelf. "It's our latest arrival from France."

Using her magical wand, the proprietor made the gown attach itself on Hermione. The material felt light and silky and the gown was a different shade of blue from each angle.

"Ooh, Mione. It looks lovely on you!" Ginny exclaimed as Hermione was ushered towards the mirror.

"I look fantastically stupid. Everyone will laugh at me," she said with a wince. "No thanks."

"Nonsense," Ginny scolded her in a mocking tone. "Trust me on this. I can't wait to see the look on Pansy's face when she sees you in that dress!"

As evening came, Hermione stared at herself in the reflection of the window leading to the Great Hall, unable to believe Ginny had persuaded her to purchase the dress for the ball. Her eyelids were colored with sparkling powder that matched her dress and her lips were painted a deep shade of red. She had magically set her hair in wavy curls instead of letting them down and tiny flowers adorned her crown.

Taking a deep breath, she walked into the hall.

Hermione was greeted with miles of green and gold bands of fabric that hung from the tall pillars and tiny gold confetti dropped like snow from the magical ceiling. Hundreds of little tongues of light illuminated the hall, giving it a soft hue. Everything was in theme from the decor to the tablecloths. There was an air of merriment as students and teachers dressed in their finest mingled. She scanned the hall for Harry and Ron and found them standing with their fellow Gryffindor quidditch mates.

"Yuck, Slytherin colors!" she overheard Ron snort loudly.

"Well, I've never seen anything like it," she commented. Ron and Harry quickly turned to her direction when they heard low whistles coming from their juniors.

"Mione, you look gorgeous!" Harry beamed as she approached her friends. Ron gaped at her with admiration.

She smiled and hugged them. "Thank you. Ginny has done a good job organizing this event, don't you think?"

Ron nodded reluctantly. Then she saw Ginny coming towards them, dressed in a light green robe.

"Mione," she said with a wink. "I've never seen magic that could turn grown men turn into lovesick puppy dogs like you can."

Hermione blushed furiously. "Ginny, stop it."

Before Ginny could tease her, one of the committee-members called her away. Apparently one of the cooks had trouble with the soup pot. Sighing wearily, she apologized to her friends and scurried off in the opposite direction.

"Draco Malfoy is here?" Harry said incredulously when he spotted him speaking with Professor Snape at the main table. Draco was immaculately dressed in a dark green robe and his blond hair neatly swept back – he seemed deeply engrossed in conversation with the professor.

"He should be…Malfoys love the attention and limelight," said one of the juniors.

"There goes all the fun," Ron bristled.

"Come on you two. We will not let Ginny's efforts go to waste," Hermione said, shooting a warning look at Ron and Harry. "Shall we eat?"

During the meal, she couldn't help glancing toward the Slytherin table where Draco had seated and next to him was Pansy Parkinson who was wearing a black dress with a plunging neckline. It was disgusting to see the boys ogling at her 'assets' -- a typical Malfoy trait to show off their possessions. She tried to ignore them but she still felt a twinge of jealousy as she watched Pansy draping herself all over Draco, obviously seeking his attention.

As if he sensed her stare, Draco looked up and met her gaze across the hall. Then Pansy caught on and gave her an ugly scowl. Startled, she quickly looked away and pretended nothing had happened while smiling secretly to herself. She hadn't expected Draco to look at her but Ginny had been right. Pansy was jealous!

After dinner, Hermione was talking to Ginny when she noticed Draco striding toward them without Pansy by his side.

Why is he coming this way?

"Miss Weasley," he said stiffly. "I am impressed by your efforts in putting up this event."

"Thank you," Ginny replied with a cautious smile.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Ron was nearby when he saw Draco talking to his sister. He quickly reached Ginny and glowered at him.

"Before you jump into your protective mode, Weasel, I was just complimenting your sister on a job well done," he said icily.

Then turning to Hermione, he merely nodded and walked away. She almost forgot to breathe as she watched him disappear into the crowd of dancers. There was something about the way he looked at her that unsettled her.

A tentative hand touched hers jolting her out of her reverie. "Mione?"

"Yes, Harry," she answered, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Would you like to dance with me?" he asked.

"Um, sure."

Draco watched her from across the hall, even as she moved around the dance floor effortlessly with her partner. But the prince of Slytherin could only imagine what it was like to dance with her, to touch her and smell the perfume in her hair. He hated it -- the feeling of helplessness that had plagued him the moment mudblood Granger appeared. She was a vision of loveliness in the blue gown. The scars that had marred her back were hardly visible.

Careful, Malfoy. She's taboo for a pureblood, his mind cautioned him.

There it was again -- she had stolen a quick glance in his direction.

Every time their eyes met, she would look away – she had done that twice to him tonight and it was driving him insane. Angrily, Draco downed his wine and made his way towards the exit, fending off the people who came to him. He was in no mood to socialize.

"Draco, where are you going?" Pansy called after him.

Sighing impatiently, he said, "I'm going home Pansy."

Pansy looked dismayed. "But the party just started."

"Stay if you want. I'll make arrangements with Goyle to take you home," he retorted and left a dumbfounded Pansy in the middle of the hallway. He was waiting for his driver to come round the school's entrance when he heard a whisper calling his name.

Draco…Draco…

Taking out his wand cautiously, he said out loud, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

There was no answer instead he heard a child's giggle echoing in the empty and dark hallway. The sounds led him to the garden.

Come, Draco… this way…

From behind some bushes, he spotted a figure sitting alone on a garden bench.

Who could be out here alone at this time of the night?

The blue gown looked familiar as he drew nearer. It belonged to a girl who was bending down and rubbing her feet, muttering to herself. His heart almost missed a beat when he recognized her – it was Hermione Granger.

Was she waiting for him? he wondered.

Draco decided to make his presence known as he stepped out of the shadows. "Why did you call me here?"

"What!" Hermione yelped and glowered at him. "Malfoy, you idiot! I could've hexed you."

"You've never hesitated before," he supplied.

"Well, I…I wasn't expecting anyone, especially you," she snapped while rubbing her sore ankles.

It was obvious that the high-heeled shoes she wore did not fit her. However, Draco was not paying attention to what she was saying as his gazed was fixed on the gown that had ridden up her thigh and afforded him a view of her slender legs and ankles. A smile crept unto his lips -- he still remembered how beautiful she was.

Suddenly, Hermione's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"

He could tell she was annoyed at the intrusion.

"You sent for me," was his honest reply.

"I certainly did NOT," she said with an incredulous look on her face.

"Did you see or hear a child come by?" he pressed on, curious to find out the truth.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about." Hermione grew uncomfortable as she hastily put on her shoes and said, "I'd better return to the hall…"

"You must be joking! You can hardly walk…" Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed her hand before she lost her balance. The fall propelled the both of them into each other's arms.

"Let me go! I don't need you to take care of me. This isn't Venice anymore," she blurted out, pushing him away.

Stung by her words, he muttered, "You're right. This isn't Venice anymore."

Hermione looked dismayed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…err, I didn't mean it that way, really. Goodbye," she babbled hastily and turned to walk away.

She sounded sincere in her apology and it pained him to see her leave. He longed to tell her of his sleepless nights and gaping loneliness since she left, the many months he spent traveling Europe trying to get back some measure of control over his life. It was only at his mother's insistence that he had to return to England to oversee his wedding arrangements. He knew they would inevitably bump into each other but he didn't count on the feelings that had stirred inside him.

"There was no one else," he finally said.

It came like a whisper in the wind but it was enough. Hermione struggled to stem the emotions that had rippled within her; hope, despair and a little love. Turning around she demanded, "Why are you telling me this? It won't change what you and your friends did to me."

"You could've reported us to the Ministry – my friends and I had conspired to kidnap and murder you in Venice. Why didn't you?" he challenged, eyes blazing with anger.

Why?

Hermione wringed her hands -- it was the same question that she had asked herself many times. Perhaps deep inside she still hoped that it wasn't true, that Draco could still be redeemed. Looking straight at him, she said, "Don't think for a second that I won't expose your wrongdoing just because you decided not to kill me."

"Well, I'm glad we finally put things in perspective," he said with a vague expression.

He was about to leave when suddenly a wall of green vines sprung from the ground and blocked his path. He fell back cursing loudly, "What in Merlin's name!"

Turning around, he pointed his wand at Hermione. "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Hermione protested – she had no idea who was behind this nasty trickery. Suddenly, the same bushes tore at her dress as she screamed. The plants began to overwhelm them, forcing the couple to flee into the direction of the Forbidden Forest. When the vines didn't pursue them anymore, they stopped and looked around.

At full moon, the giant oak trees looked ghostly as their branches stretched toward the sky. She had been into the Forbidden Forest a few times before. All she needed to do was stay away from the werewolves and Aragog. But first, she needed to know where she was. Taking out her wand, she whispered, "Lumos."

A faint light appeared at the tip of her wand. With it, she saw a path leading into the forest. There was no way back but to go forward. Swallowing hard, she turned to Draco but found his wand pointed at her neck instead.

"Evil witch! Look what you've done," he accused. "I knew you would plan your revenge on me."

"If you think this is my doing then kill me now," she said, lifting her head bravely. "I'm not afraid to die."

She sensed his hesitation as he lowered his wand. Then something caught her eye – Draco's arm was bleeding, probably grazed against the thorn bushes as he tried to fend off the hostile plants. That was not a good sign.

"You're bleeding," she said, reaching for his arm. "Let me look at it."

Draco roughly pulled his hand away from her. "Don't touch me! I don't need your help."

"Fine." He was the most stubborn and infuriating bastard ever!

She turned away angrily and started up the path alone.