regina-terrae: sorry bout the slow pacing.. it should be going a little faster from here on out! at least i hope..
Finally! Hogsmeade weekend came rolling around the corner, and Hermione had almost pushed all the events from the week out of her mind.
Madame Pomfrey had agreed to babysit Heidi, leaving Hermione free to go where ever she chose. In return, Hermione promised to help out in the infirmary every Wednsday for a month
"Uh, so how are you taking the news?" Ginny and Hermione were sitting in the Three Broomsticks, both with a steaming mug of butterbeer between their fingers. They had just arrived at Hogsmeade in the horseless carraiges and decided to get something to warm themselves with.
"What news?" Hermione glanced nonchalantly at her mug of butterbeer.
"Didn't Harry tell you?" Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"Tell me what?" Hermione looked up.
"He didn't tell you?" Ginny's cheeks were starting to turn into red splotches.
"NO GINNY! Now out with it!" Hermione slammed her butterbeer onto the table, attracting wierd looks from the other customers in Three Broomsticks.
"Well..the father of the baby is-" Ginny started just as Madame Rosmerta walked up to their table.
"That generous young man already paid your bill, dear." Madam Rosmerta said smiling and pointing to the door.
Hermione turned just in time to see a blonde male walk out the door. "MALFOY?" She turned back to see Madame Rosmerta had already gone back to the counter.
Ginny sighed, so Harry had told Hermione that Malfoy was the father. "So you do know?"
Hermione mumbled an "Uh huh," without really understanding Ginny's question.
"And you are okay with it?"Ginny peered at Hermione closely.
"Sure." Hermione mumbled, once again not bothering to digest the question. Malfoy paying her bills, grabbing her around the waist, haunting her dreams, what was going on? Something must have happened in those five months before her accident, and she wasn't about to let it go without finding out.
"Well then," Ginny took a huge swig of her butterbeer, downing the last few drops. "We've got some shopping to do!" She sat, waiting for Hermione to respond.
Finally Hermione turned, smiling. "Oh yea! I could use a little shopping spree to get my mind straight." 'AND CLEAR!' She thought to herself as they walked out the door shoulder to shoulder.
"So what kind of dress are you looking for?" Ginny said, breaking into Hermione's wandering daydream.
"Hmm." Hermione pictured herself, walking into the Great Hall, arm linked through the arm of a strong hunky blonde--what?! black haired boy. The sudden vision of her and Malfoy walking into the Great Hall together sent a shiver down her spine.
"Mione? You alright?"
Hermione shook herself, gazing at her concerned friend. "Yea, I'm alright, I suppose. I just got carried away." She forced a smile onto her paled face.
"Well let's try this store first!" Ginny pointed at a shop they now stood in front of. It had a flashing neon sign with the huge letters: "MUGGLE WEAR 24/7."
"Wow," Hermione gasped,"When did this store get here?"
Ginny pulled open the glass door. "Beats me, but it sure looks like they have something that we could use."
The two girls ventured into the dimmly lit store to be greeted by a rotund wizard with greasy slicked back hair. "Excuuuush me." The man snorted. "I'm Tom. Do you need shuum help?" He squinted at them through his thick glasses, wiping away a trail of snot running down his face with the back of his hand.
"Uh, we were wondering if you had any-uh formal wear." Ginny glanced nervously at Hermione.
"Oh, yesh. Back of the shtore!" Tom pointed his grimy dirt-crusted hand to the rear of the store and resumed his position at the checkout counter.
Ginny took this as their que and quickly ushered Hermione towards the direction he had pointed.
"Oh man!" Ginny burst out once they were out of earshot. "He needs some serious hygiene courses." She burst out in contagious laughter and soon the both of them were clutching their stomachs as silent tears flowed down their faces.
Finally, Hermione took a deep breath and regained herself. "Ginny!" She prodded her younger friend in the back. "Come on! We have some work to do!" Hermione motioned to the dusty pile of dresses laying beside them.
"Oh, right!" Ginny took one look at the dust covered dresses and shook her head. "No way I am going through that!" She shook her head, drawing out her wand. "Scourify!"
Almost instantly, the dust flew off, leaving the two girls gaping at the treasures they had discovered. Every dress in the pile was unique in its own way and all magicked so that they would be a perfect fit. Hermione and Ginny each took an armload of dresses to the fitting room and spent the morning giggling and and gasping at the beauty of the dresses.
Harry and Ron had gone off by themselves to do some shopping of their own for the graduation ball.
"So who are you asking to the ball?" Ron asked Harry as they walked through the cobblestone streets windowshopping.
"Well, Hermione..." Harry's voice tapered off.
"And she's okay with it? She's not the least bit mad that you didn't tell her Heidi wasn't yours?" Ron arched an eyebrow.
"I-"
"You didn't tell her, did you, mate? Bloody, and I thought you had more sense than that!" Ron shook his head sadly.
"I TRIED, Ron! I TRIED." Harry stopped, shooting Ron his most serious look. "I-I just couldn't stand the look on Hermione's face!"
Ron shook his head again, this time in sympathy. "Women, the weakness of all men!" He smacked his forehead with a loud smack.
Harry looked at his best friend, his lips curling into a half smile.
"Bloody Harry! You've got to tell her!" Ron said, suddenly grabbing Harry by the shoulders and shaking him wildly.
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! Let me go!"
"Wow, you look fab!" Ginny covered her mouth in delight as Hermione spun around for her in a blue and turquoise dress. It was snug in all the right places, accentuating her curves and elegant long legs. Glitter was sprinkled down from the bodice all the way to the hem of the dress which ended a few inches above her right knee and tapered down to mid-calf on her other leg. "Absolutely gorgeous, Mione! Do you like it?"
Hermione blushed, she couldn't deny that she liked the way she looked. "Mmm, I like it." She murmured as she ran her fingers over the soft delicate material. "I'll take it!" She smiled and turned to see Ginny in her dress. Ginny also looked FAB-u-lous in her dress, a slinky red strapless with a flowing hem that barely went past her knees.
"LOVE IT!" Ginny's smile grew wide as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror.
"Let's go. We still got shoes, accessories, and not to mention all the make-up we need!" Hermione waved her hands around frantically, ticking off the different things on her fingers.
"Alright!"
Moments later, the girls emerged from the dingy little shop clutching their purchases tightly, muttering about what a deal they had gotten for those dresses, so wrapped up in their chatter that they weren't looking where they were going.
"HERMIONE, GINNY, watch out for the bench!"
The girls looked up to see Harry and Ron running towards them, and stopped right before they crashed into the bench.
"Whew, you guys've got to watch where you're going!" A flustered Ron said.
"Definately! You almost crashed into this bench!" Harry panted from his seat.
"Uh Ron, I need to talk to you for a moment.." She eyed her brother and as if he was reading her mind, he quickly nodded.
"Uh, right, some urgent..family business. We'll be right around the corner if you need us." Ron grabbed Ginny by the arm and led her away, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.
"So?" Ginny whispered once they were out of sight.
"He hasn't told her yet." Ron replied gravely.
"What? But she knows! She told me so in the Three Broomsticks." Ginny peered up at her brother.
"Really? Well there's one thing for certain, Harry didn't tell her." Ron rubbed his temple. I wonder who did.."
"MALFOY!" The two of the yelled together.
Hermione sat, hands clasped on her knees, next to Harry on the bench. She stared at the boy who she thought was her boyfriend.
"What? Do I have something in my teeth?" Harry asked self-conciously.
"Huh? Oh, no I-just was a little out of it, that's all." Hermione replied half heartedly.
Harry flashed a smile. "So what did you get the dress for?"
"I-I thought, oh nothing, just for the ball." Hermione stuttered.
"Someone asked you?" Harry joked as she blushed.
"No, I was just-"
"Well they'd better back off, cause you are my date." Harry leaned in capturing Hermione's gaping mouth in a kiss, completely forgetting to tell her about Malfoy.
Hermione sat on the couch, back from Hogsmeade and satisfied with her purchases, she had picked up Heidi from the infirmary and already tucked her in bed. Now, she spent some quiet time alone, curled up on the couch and absorbed in a good book.
She shifted slightly as she felt the weight of a second person weigh down the couch, and looking up, she realized it was her fellow Head.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione muttered, her head still stuck behind her book, she was in an abnormally good mood and not even Malfoy could ruin it for her.
"I was-uh wondering--maybe you would like to go to the ball with me?" Draco inquired, a slow genuine smile creeping up his face. Maybe he could finally tell her the truth about them.
Hermione looked up from her book, staring at Draco, doubtfully, wondering what the full 360 degree turn of personality was about. Was this another one of his mean jokes?
"Oh-sorry, Harry already asked." Hermione finished slowly.
"Well that's too bad then, maybe next time?" Draco turned to go.
"Wait.." Hermione glance up at him watching as he spun around, eyes lightening up hopefully. "Why me?"
"I- just thought maybe you would like to spend the night together, ya know, get to know each other a little better." Draco sat back down next to her."We've spent 7 years together in these halls, and I still feel like we are strangers."
Hermione started to snicker, her auburn curls falling into her eyes. "You're serious?" She stopped chuckling when she realized that no harsh response had come to her ears.
Instead, silvery eyes stared back at her, full of sincerity and--lust?