Title: Beautiful Deception

Chapter: Three

Pairing: Hermione/Draco

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

Feedback: All comments are appreciated. The more the merrier.

Creeping back into the common room, she took a seat by the window and tried to sort out her thoughts. She didn't notice the hours slowly creeping by her as she tried to figure a way out of this mess. Only when Ron announced his presence by crashing his schoolbooks to the ground did Hermione finally break out of her reverie.

"Hi Ron."

"Hermione?!" He just stared at her with his mouth agape, looking rather foolish. "What the bloody hell happened to you?"

"Oh, um, it's nothing really. Just a makeover spell. I was bored. It looks silly, I know." Not wanting to deal with the wisecracks that were sure to come out of Ron's mouth next, she tried to play it off as though it were nothing. Of course, nothing could keep Ron from making a joke.

"Ridiculous, is more like it. Sure that wasn't a make-under spell?" He snickered as he sat down on the chair across from her.

"You...you mean you don't like it?" Hermione couldn't hold back the tears that were threatening to fall much longer and she ran out of the room. She slammed the girl's dormitory door just as she caught Ron's exasperated "mental" remark and flopped facedown on her bed. Screaming into her pillow, she couldn't believe Ron's reaction. The way Draco had responded, she was sure her friends would have been more supportive.

Sitting up, she wiped the tears from her eyes. How could he be so insensitive? Determined to get even with him, her mouth twisted into a wicked smile as a thought formed in her head.

She was going to the Yule Ball with Draco. And Ron was going to have a fit.

The sounds of her fellow housemates filled the air, as Hermione let go of her vengeful thoughts. A quick glance at the clock revealed she had only a half hour before Draco's arrival. Flipping once again through her spell book, she quickly grabbed her wand, yelling out "Vestio!"

Sapphire blue satin wrapped around her, drawing attention to curves she never realized she had. With the makeover spell's effects still in place, she looked gorgeous.

Wiping her sweaty palms on the fabric, she entered the common room acting as though she was completely oblivious to Ron and Harry standing in the corner. She heard Ron call her name, but refused to turn around. Taking one glance at the clock, she headed out the door at precisely 6:59 to wait for Draco to arrive, still in complete disbelief she was going through with this.

Spotting a blond head making his way up the steps, she felt every muscle in her body tense up as her heart raced. Why was she so nervous? It was only Draco. Not as if she cared about how this date ended.

"We meet again," he said once he reached her. "Care to tell me your name?"

Fearing that he might recognize her voice if she spoke, she just smiled and lightly shook her head.

"You're a strange one," he muttered as he took her hand in his and led her back down the steps towards the ball. She took note of how perfectly their hands intertwined, only to forcefully shove the idea out of her mind a moment later. "This is Malfoy," she thought to herself. Remember that. He's only being nice because he doesn't know who you are."

She just needed to keep telling herself that.