DISCALIMER: I do NOT own Harry Potter or any characters associated with the books…only the OCS and the plot are mine.

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Chapter 12: Farewell Banquet, Two days to go

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"You're a model I would think you'd be able to pick out one pair of shoes to go with your dress," Draco sighed looking at Hermione's reflection in the mirror.

It was the night of the farewell banquet and dance. They would be leaving Hogwarts in two days. Hermione was standing in front of a floor length mirror wearing a strapless silver gown with a slit up the right leg. The slip had an intricate beaded design around it. The same design was also around the bottom of her poofed out skirt. Her curly hair was pulled up with a few curls fall down her back and soft tendrils framing her face. She looked perfect other than the fact that she couldn't pick a pair of shoes. There were at least six pairs lying on the floor in front of her.

"Well they all would technically go," Hermione, admitted her reflection staring back at him through the mirror. "But certain ones might be the best choice." She chewed on her bottom lip in frustrated thought.

"I highly doubt anyone will be looking at your feet," Draco smiled lovingly at her. He was already dressed in his black tux with a black dress shirt and white tie. The tie was quickly becoming a problem since he had never really had to tie a muggle tie before.

"Need some help?" Hermione turned to face him.

"No, I'll get it," Draco replied fiddling with it some more.

"Stop being a stubborn male," Hermione took the tie from him and untangled the mess he made so she could start over.

Draco watched in silent admiration as Hermione expertly tied his tie. She finished quickly giving him a kiss on the cheek when she was finished then returned to her shoes.

"How about I just pick for you?" Draco offered knowing that if she didn't choose fast they would be late for dinner.

"Alright," Hermione agreed taking a step back from her line of shoes. "But if I really don't like your choice I can overrule you."

"Fine," Draco complied wanting it to be over. He glanced over all the shoes she had narrowed it down to pretending to be thinking hard about his decision when really he knew which ones he wanted from the beginning. "These."

Draco held up a pair of silvery white ballet style shoes that matched Hermione's dress color perfectly. They were flat with a silver ribbon that tied up around her ankle. Draco thought they were sweet and sexy just like Hermione.

"Nice choice," Hermione beamed at him. "I was leaning towards those myself." She gave him a quick kiss as she took the shoes from his hand.

"What can I say? I've got great fashion sense," Draco smirked. "I can only imagine what the kids are like."

Hermione smiled. "Kendra is a fashion diva in the making. Caden on the other hand could use a little help with color coordination."

"Sounds like me," Draco chuckled. "But I do pretty well considering black goes with everything."

"Yes it does," Hermione agreed. She sat down on the couch to tie up the ballet shoes. "Alright let's go."

"One thing first," Draco said sitting down on the couch beside her. "I need you to promise me something." His expression turned serious. He took Hermione's hands in his letting their fingers intertwine. "Promise me that you won't leave the Great Hall without me and not to wander off alone. Professor Dumbledore thinks that the person might decide to strike tonight."

"Draco, they've left us alone for a long time now. I don't…"

"Please promise me," Draco said again giving her hands a small squeeze.

"I promise," Hermione obliged. "But you have to promise me that you will let me and you have some fun tonight. I don't want you being paranoid the whole time."

"I promise," Draco agreed. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know that," Hermione moved closer to him so her lips were almost touching his. "I just don't want to be with a stiff date the whole night."

Draco smirked and captured her lips with his. He would never tire of the way her lips felt against his. He felt her bring her hands up against his chest. She grasped on to the front of his jacket and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. Draco's hands slid down her back to rest on her waist so he could hold her against him.

"We should stop or we're never going to make it downstairs," Hermione said breathlessly backing away from him a little. Draco nodded and got to his feet. He extended his hand and helped Hermione up.

The Great Hall was decorated like what Hermione would have considered to be a muggle high school dance. Instead of the four long tables there were small circular tables on either side of the room that fit about eight to ten people around them and the center of the room was left empty for the dance floor. The ceiling was a dark night sky with silvery stars and a bright full moon.

There were couples already on the dance floor while others were sitting down at the tables chatting. Hermione spotted Ginny and Harry sitting at a table with Ron. She pulled Draco with her in the direction of her friends.

"Evening everyone," Hermione greeted them with a smile. "May we join you?"

"Of course," Ginny beamed patting the seat beside her for Hermione to take. Draco took the seat beside her. "You two look great. I love your dress."

"Thanks," Hermione replied. Her hand found Draco's under the table and she gave it a quick squeeze. He returned it and then fell into easy conversation with Ron and Harry about Quidditch.

"You look great too," Hermione complimented her friend after taking a sip from her water goblet. "I love that color on you."

Ginny's dark green dress worked well with her red hair, which she wore straight with a little, flip at the ends. Her dress was a simple floor length dress with and empress waist and cap sleeves. The fabric around her middle had a small bump where her stomach was beginning to grow.

"Thanks," Ginny beamed. "I wanted something that wouldn't look awful with my now larger stomach." Hermione smiled remembering what it had been like when she was pregnant. "I'm gonna miss wearing all my smaller clothes."

"Gin, just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you have to give everything up. Muggles just buy the clothes in a larger size to accommodate the belly," Hermione said with a chuckle.

"That is a good idea," Ginny nodded thoughtfully. "I'll have to try that but for now I can still fit a few of my robes."

"If I could have everyone's attention please," Dumbledore stood up on the stage in front of the live band that had stopped playing. "I'd like to welcome you all to the final banquet and dance of the reunion. The past two weeks have been fun for everyone despite the few mishaps some of you seemed to experience during some of your lessons." Hermione couldn't help but blush even though she knew she wasn't the only one who had problems. Blaise had set his partners cloak on fire during a spells lesson. "Hopefully you have relearned some of the things that you may have forgotten after ten years. For now let lessons be forgotten once again and enjoy the evening." Dumbledore gave a small bow as everyone clapped and food appeared on the plates in front of everyone.

Dinner consisted of your typical meat, mashed potatoes, and vegetables but of course it wasn't the food that mattered. What really mattered was that they were altogether.

Hermione felt herself smiling all through the meal. Everything seemed more perfect than it had in a really long time. For one she was back with Draco and there were no secrets. He knew all about the twins and why she had to leave. Secondly Ron and her had cleared up the discomfort between them and it seemed like their relationship was just like it had been before. And now after spending more time with Ginny, Hermione was starting to regret accusing her friend of trying to tear apart her and Draco. Ginny was happily married to Harry and they were going to have a baby. Everything was how it should be.

"Mione?" Hermione blinked at the sound of her familiar nickname. She didn't realize that she had been staring across the table at Ron making him feel rather uncomfortable. "You okay?"

"Oh yeah," Hermione looked down at the food on her plate. Almost all of it was still there she had just moved it around a little with her fork. "Kinda spaced out there for a moment. Sorry bout that Ron."

"No problem," Rom replied his eyes showing concern before returning his attention back to his own plate.

Hermione felt Draco's eyes on her but she didn't turn to look at him. She figured he would either question her later about it or just forget either way now was not the time to talk about any suspicions.

"Oh look people are starting to dance," Ginny smiled causing everyone else at the table to follow her gaze. The band had started playing again and a few couples and groups were starting to dance along. "Come on Harry let's go!" She grabbed her husband's hand and pulled him onto the dance floor without complaint.

"Hermione?" Draco took her hand. She knew he was asking her to dance with him but Hermione couldn't leave Ron at the table alone. She looked across the table at him. He was looking back at her.

"Go dance," he urged her.

"But Ron…"

"Go," he replied flatly almost demanding it.

Hermione allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor. Draco pulled her into his arms. He took her arms and brought them up to rest on his shoulders. He put his hands on her waist.

"Are you going to be staring at him the whole time we're dancing?"

"No," Hermione looked up at him. Her expression was thoughtful. "I'm just worried about Ron that's all. He admitted to liking me back when we were in school. Around the same time that you and I started dating. I know he has a thing for Lavender but she's engaged."

"Well that doesn't seem to be stopping her from being friendly with him," Draco said turning her so she could see the table where they had been sitting.

Sure enough Lavender was sitting in an empty chair beside Ron and they were deep in conversation. Hermione noticed that Lavender had put her hand on Ron's arm. It was hard not to smile at the sight even if she knew that Lavender was engaged to Justine Finch-Fletchly.

"Does that make you happy?" Draco asked her pulling her gaze away from her friend and back to her boyfriend.

"Yes," Hermione beamed back at him. "And aren't you happy that nothing has happened yet?"

"Yes but don't get too comfortable," Draco replied an edge on his voice. "The evening isn't over quite yet." Hermione nodded and rested her head on Draco's shoulder as they continued to dance.

Much to Draco's surprise and Hermione's delight, the rest of the evening went off without a hitch. Hermione persuaded Draco to let her dance with Ron and Harry but she could see him watching at all times. She knew it wasn't out of jealously but because he was worried something would happen to her. He seemed on edge most of the night.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief once they were back in their dorm room at the end of the banquet and dance.

"Finally," Draco smiled. He removed his suit jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch before taking a seat. The couch was way more comfortable than the chairs they had been sitting in throughout the evening and Draco found himself melting against the soft cushion behind him. Hermione sat down on the edge of the couch beside him and untied her ballet slippers.

"You make it sounds like you couldn't wait for tonight to end," Hermione frowned slipping out of her shoes. "Was it really that bad?"

"No," Draco agreed with false reluctance. He pulled Hermione further up the couch so she was resting against him. "I'm glad you had fun." He placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"And nothing bad happened," Hermione beamed at him.

"You're gloating."

"Of course I am," she replied with a smile. "You need to lighten up Mr. Malfoy."

"I will once the person behind all of this is caught," he informed her, pulling her even closer.

"So you ready to meet the children then?" Hermione asked, biting her lip in anticipation. They would be leaving Hogwarts in two days. In two days Hermione would be introducing her children to their father. A father that hadn't been around for the past ten years. How were they going to take it? She had no idea.

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There it is…chapter 12 and it didn't take me forever to update…I don't think so anyway…lol. Thanks to all of you who reviewed. I'm so glad that you like this story. I will keep writing as long as you keep reviewing and are enjoying the story. Thanks again. Hope that wasn't too much of a cliffie for you.

Till Next Time

Miss Wright

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