Disclaimer: Don't own it! (forgot to put it at start)

A/N: Thanx to my reviewers, you made my day x

Chapter 4

"Oh my God. I still can't believe you know Dray, and didn't tell me" Lizzie squealed the following day

"That is kinda cool" Ally added

"Guys, for the last time. I went to school with Malfoy; we did not get on. I did not know that was his band or that he had a band so there was nothing to tell" Hermione exasperated.

Since they had left the gig the previous night all the girls had talked about was meeting the band and how awesome they were, but mostly about how incredible it was that Hermione knew Dray.

"How can you not like him, are you blind?" Lizzie screeched

"I didn't say he wasn't good looking, I said we didn't get on" Hermione stated

"For a brief second after the shock he seemed happy you were there" Ally started carefully

"Are you two ever going to shut up about Draco bloody Malfoy?" Hermione shouted

"Sorry" Ally said quietly

"I just don't see how..." Lizzie started to whine but her mother cut her off

"Lizzie, I think Hermione has had enough of your pestering. Go and do something else"

"Fine, come on Ally" she huffed


The following day Hermione as sitting on her sofa thinking about recent events and once again feeling a touch of guilt about Draco, why couldn't she just give him a chance like everyone else? But there was this little voice inside reminding her of the times he'd reduced her to tears.

Also there was a little thing that she'd never admit to anyone else, and that was the crush she'd once had on Draco. Even when Hermione had sworn to herself she hated him, it was still there buried deep and when he changed in their last year she knew that it would have been possible for her to fall for him and her stubborn pride was not about to let that happen. So Hermione resolved to ignore him and swore to hate Draco.

A thought then struck her, didn't Harry and Ginny still speak to him occasionally, and with Ginnys profession surely she'd have come into contact with him. They must have known and deliberately not told her. With that thought she apparated to their house

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione demanded of Ginny as they sat in the kitchen

"Well, I thought if you knew about Draco then you wouldn't have gone. I did it for Lizzie" Ginny tried to say

"Damn right I wouldn't have gone" Hermione shouted, but Ginny gave her a look "OK, I would have gone for Liz, but at least I'd have been prepared"

"Prepared for what, it's not like you had to acknowledge each other" Ginny countered

"Ginny, Lizzie won a competition to meet the band!" Hermione enunciated

Ginny felt immediately guilty

"Oh, I'm so sorry Mione. If I'd known that I'd have warned you"

Hermione looked at her friend, saw the pleading look on her face and forgave her

"So, how'd it go?" Ginny asked warily

Hermione told her what happened and how she did feel a bit guilty about the way she spoke to Draco.

"Hermione you're my best friend, but that stuff with Draco was over five years ago. He's changed, he changed in school, but you refused to see it" Ginny told her straight

"I gave him a few chances and he threw every one in my face" Hermione replied

Ginny looked sadly at her friend, she knew Hermione was stubborn, and Ginny had a hunch that Hermione might have had a thing for Draco to make her act this way.

"Mione, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer truthfully" Ginny said

Hermione nodded but didn't like what she heard

"Did you have a crush on Draco?"

Hermione looked at Ginny with an annoyed expression and huffed.

"I knew it" Ginny squeaked

"What?" Hermione asked in confusion

"Well, I noticed you always used to steal glances at him when you thought it was safe and the way old insults seemed to hurt you more than they should have. At first I thought I was imagining it, then when he changed and you refused to speak to him I knew he'd hurt you a lot because you gave everyone a second chance" Ginny admitted

"Fine, I had a tiny bit of a thing for him. But it didn't last long"

"I'd say it was still going" Ginny commented

Hermione gave Ginny a glare, and Ginny and knew she'd hit the nail on the head.

"Mione, no matter how hard you try you will never be able to hate him, even if he was a complete git"

"Watch me" Hermione stated firmly.


A month passed and although Hermione had not seen Draco, she constantly heard Oblivion on the radio or saw their music videos on TV at Lizzies. Ginny's words played in her head, even if she didn't hate Draco she could pretend, she was not going to give in!

Lizzie still asked the odd question about Hermione and Draco, but had now decided that they would make a cute couple, but how to get them in the same room let alone speak was going to be a problem.

Unbeknownst to Hermione, Lizzie ad Ally and seen the way she looked at Draco in the videos, it was different from the look of realising how good he looked, it was more one of regret and sadness. Lizzie needed help, she thought of Harry, Ron and Ginny, they'd know the history between Hermione and Draco. But Lizzie didn't know how to get hold of them, until one day she and Ally overheard Hermione talking to Cassie and saying she had to owl Ginny.

"She has to what?" Lizzie said in confusion thinking Hermione had gone mad

"Owl" Ally said

"I heard that, but what the hell is that?"

"A bird, you know, usually big and nocturnal" Ally commented which annoyed Lizzie

"Stop stating the obvious!" Lizzie shouted. "what does it mean?"

"It means she wants to send Ginny a message" Ally said simply

Lizzie stared at her friend as if she was from a different planet

"How do you know that" Lizzie asked impatiently

"My cousins a wizard, its their normal means of communication"

"Oh my God, have you been eating Smarties again?" Lizzie asked carefully

"If Hermione is owling Ginny it means their witches or one of them is anyway, so..." Ally started but saw the look of disbelief on Lizzie's face "I guess they haven't told you yet"

"Told me what?"

"Brace yourself for this one" Ally commented and proceeded to tell Lizzie of the magical world

After a bit of convincing Lizzie believed Ally and agreed to keep it quiet, and decided that they'd owl Ginny as well.


Ginny received a shock when she got Lizzies letter asking all about Hermione and Draco, and that Hermione didn't know what she was upto or that she knew Lizzie had knowledge of the Wizarding world.

Ginny agreed to meet with the girls to talk to them the next week.

"Wow, Draco really was nasty" Ally said in shock as Ginny told them about their Hogwarts days

"But he did change, and now he's really nice. I also can't believe he's a wizard " Lizzie defended

"I know" Ginny told them "it's not me you have to convince"

"You should have seen the look on his face after their last meeting, he looked so upset" Lizzie said

"Do you think there's anyway we could get them in the same place?" Ally asked hopefully

Ginny thought for a moment

"Maybe there is"


Draco was in the middle of writing a song when a tapping interrupted him. He walked over to his window and received a letter from the ministry of magic. It was an invitation to a ball being held by the minister of magic, Arthur Weasley, in aid of the children's wing at St. Mungos.

Draco had often donated money to charities and attended functions such as these. He wondered if Hermione would be there. She didn't attend functions as she was usually at work. Draco couldn't stop thinking about her and it was driving him up the wall, his band mates noticed he was distracted and guessed the reason. Zac had just told him to give her some time then try talking to her again. Draco knew that wouldn't work, she still hated him.

He replied accepting the invite and tried to carry on writing.


Hermione received the same invite and debated whether to go, she never went to these things so maybe it would be a change. Then she thought of Draco, he was sure to be there. She felt guilty not going as she had no pressing work to be dealing with, so she decided to go and if she saw Draco she'd avoid him.


One night when Hermione was sitting with Lizzie, watching TV Lizzie inadvertently asked Hermione whether she was going to the benefits ball

"Yes, it would be rude not to seen as...wait a minute how do you know about that?" Hermione asked

"Oops" Lizzie mumbled

Lizzie ended up telling Hermione about Ally's cousin being a wizard and that's how she found out about the ball, omitting the part about speaking to Ginny until she slipped again

"You really should give Draco another chance..." Lizzie started but got a look from Hermione

Lizzie then had to tell her about meeting Ginny and finding out about her and Draco.


The night of the ball came and Hermione was going to arrive with the Weasleys, she looked stunning in a red gown with her hair up with bits framing her face. Hermione had allowed Ally to sort her hair and make- up which looked perfect.

As they walked in Hermione felt slightly nervous, Ginny assured her she'd be fine. An hour into it and so far so good, then she saw him, looking sexy as ever in a black suit. Her heart jumped and she gasped, Ginny who was at the side of her noticed and grinned.

Draco also spotted Hermione and felt butterflies in his stomach; he didn't know what to do. He slowly walked over to them, he had the excuse that he was greeting Arthur Weasley who was also by them. Draco shook hands with Mr Weasley and Harry, then said hello to Ginny.

He turned his attention to Hermione who was looking at the floor. This was it he had to do something to get her attention so he gently took her hand and kissed it softly

"Hermione" he said in a husky voice

Hermione was stunned, she was rooted to the spot and couldn't think. How dare he do this thought one part of her whilst a bigger part was ready to fall into his arms. She had to reply, if just to be civil

"D-draco" she stuttered

Draco looked at her, she said his name, his first name and not angrily he thought, while she was thinking, 'shit I said his name, so much for cool and distant. And I stuttered'.

They were shaken out of their thoughts by the announcement of Arthur Weasleys speech.


Throughout the night the two stole glances at each other. This was noticed by Ginny and Blaise who had turned up later.

They both longed to dance with each other but Hermione wouldn't give up and Draco was unsure of whether to ask her.

Towards the end of the night another announcement said it was the last dance, Hermione and Draco looked at each other then quickly looked away. Blaise and Ginny were telling them to ask the other to dance but with no success.

As the song started Draco gave in and walked over to Hermione

"Would you dance with me please?" he asked softly

Hermione looked at him, she was trying to hate him but he was making it very hard.

"I know you don't think much of me, but can you forget that for one dance?"

The look in his deep silver eyes and the sincerity of his voice made Hermione weak at the knees. How could she refuse him, she looked up at him

"OK" She whispered

Both of their hearts fluttered when he took her hand and led her to the dance floor, and when he put his arm around her waist so they were close neither could think straight.

Lady in red

Is dancing with me

(Cheek to cheek)

There's nobody here

It's just you and me

It's where I wanna be

But I hardly know

This beauty by my side

I'll never forget

The way you look tonight

As they danced to the haunting 'Lady in Red' by Chris de Burgh, they could feel themselves getting closer. Both Draco and Hermione had to force themselves to breathe. It felt so right to be in each others arms, and that scared Hermione she was supposed to hate him, how could she fall for the one person that made her school days hell.

When the song finished Hermione looked up and met Dracos entrancing silver eyes, he gazed down in to her deep brown ones and they could feel themselves falling, Draco moved his hand to gently caress her cheek but she moved away

"I –I can't do this" she breathed

Hermione turned and walked quickly out, Ginny saw her leave and went to go after her, she stopped when she felt a hand on her arm

"I'll go, we have to sort this out" Draco said with a sigh

"Good luck" Ginny said giving him a reassuring smile

"How do you think it's going to go" Blaise said coming up behind her

Ginny shrugged her shoulders and hoped for the best.