Chapter 4
Malfoy looked at her like she was insane. "What are you talking about, Granger?"
She drew in a deep breath and launched into her explanation, not bothering to hide the look of excitement on her face. "You and I, Malfoy, we're both the most predictable people in school, right? You're always evil, everyone expects you to become a mini model of your father, become a death eater, the whole nine yards. Everyone thinks I don't like anything except books, I'm always supposed to be the best at all academics and never set a toe out of line. I'm head girl, I was a prefect, I don't do anything rash or unexpected. We're not even supposed to go out with anyone except from our own houses! I'm supposed to date Harry and Ron, and well, I've tried that, it doesn't work. You're supposed to date Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zambini, and forgive me for saying this, but I think even you have better taste than that. We've only got one month left at Hogwarts, do you really want to graduate with everyone thinking you're this completely one-sided person? With you and me it's all black and white. People don't think about us in shades of gray. It's Malfoy, the death eater, hates Granger, the know-it-all."
She paused to catch her breath. Malfoy looked overwhelmed for a moment, which wasn't surprising considering Hermione had barely paused in her entire speech. He soon recovered his composure, however, and just stared at her for about a minute. Then, unable to help himself, he said, "Go on."
"Well," She said, returning to her fast-paced mode. "The farewell ball for the seventh-years is in a week. I was going to go with Harry, but hell, that's probably not going to happen now. You've probably got a million girls lining up to ask you out, but knowing you, you're not going to ask one out until the day before the dance just to make them panic and to exert control over them."
Shit, she knows me better than I do! Malfoy said inside his head, then turned attention back to Hermione, who was still talking.
"…but if you and I go with someone totally unexpected, someone that everyone knows we hate, someone totally opposite of ourselves, and we act like we really like that person, everyone will be totally shocked, and our reputations would be changed completely! No one would look at us the same! We'd be rebelling against conformity! It's perfect!"
Malfoy was seriously beginning to doubt her sanity at this point. "Just what are you proposing, Granger?"
Hermione looked him straight in the eye. "I'm saying we should go to the ball together."
Malfoy was now positive that she was insane? "WHAT?!"
"Look Malfoy, it's perfect and you know it. We're completely opposite, everyone knows we hate each other. The Slytherin Bad Boy with the Goody –Goody Gryffindor. No one would know what to do!"
Malfoy just glared. "It seems that you'd be getting the better of the deal, Granger. You'd change your reputation for the better, you would be seen with me, which would skyrocket your popularity, and you'd get back at Potter for cheating on you. Tell me, what's in it for me? My popularity would die, and if my father found out he wou…"
Hermione cut him off. "Exactly! You do everything your father says. If your father says jump, you say how high. If he says kill a muggle, you ask him how many. Wouldn't it be wonderful to do something he'd hate, to defy him completely? You're an adult now, Malfoy, he can't legally control you anymore. And do you really like your fan club? They're all idiots and you know it. And, going to the dance with me would probably chase Parkinson away forever." She waited for his response.
She couldn't read his face at all. It was still in his expressionless stone mask. Suddenly, he threw back his head and began to laugh. Hermione was shocked. She had never heard him laugh like this before. It wasn't malicious at all, it was simply a laugh of pure delight. And it was infectious. She began to laugh as well.
"Hermione, you're a genius!" He said.
She stopped laughing. "You called me Hermione!"
"Well," he said, smiling at her. "If we're going together we might as well get used to calling each other by our first names."
She grinned at him. "Alright…Draco." Her expression turned serious. "Now, don't tell anyone. It has to be a surprise. And we still have to be mean to each other until the dance, okay?"
"Deal." They shook hands. Draco laughed again. "Hermione, I'm going to enjoy this!" He turned to leave, but after pausing for a moment, he swiftly kissed her, and then left.
Hermione smiled after him. She was beginning to enjoy his kisses.
A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, I've been writing a government paper that took most of my waking hours. I'm going to try to get the fifth chapter up by later today. Thanks to all the great reviews, they make me feel so warm and fuzzy!