Chapter 23-
AN-I love you guys soooo much! I have over 100 reviews! Thanks to everyone who reviews. I love each and every one of you!!
Well, on with the story. Happy Reading….
"Draco, I need to talk to you." Hermione said when she finally found him setting in front of their fire.
"Hermione?" he asked without turning.
"Yeah, Draco, I want to talk to you about what happened earlier." she said as she walked towards him and took a seat of the floor in front of him.
Before she could continue, Draco cut in, "Why are you afraid of me Hermione?" he asked in a sad, disappointed voice.
Hermione was stunned by his question and didn't know how to reply. She sat there for a minute and said nothing. Draco never turned and looked at her or made any sound.
"I-I--" she began, but she was at a loss for words. 'What does he mean? I am not afraid of him. It was just the dream. I was startled because he was in it, but I can't tell him that. He will think that I don't trust him.' she racked her brain for something to say that would explain her actions, but found nothing.
Draco waited for an answer and when he got none, he stood up and walked away from her. 'I can't believe that she didn't say anything. She could have at least lied.' he thought as he stormed to his room and slammed the door behind him. He then performed a simple locking charm and crashed onto his bed.
Meanwhile, Hermione was still sitting on the floor, dumbfounded. 'What just happened here?' she wondered. 'I was trying to apologize, but I think I just hurt his feelings. I need to go talk to him.' she decided as she got up and walked up the stairs to his room. She reached out and turned the handle only to find that it was locked. She got out her wand and whispered, "Alohomora." The door automatically unlocked and she walked inside. The lights were off and Draco was lying on his bed face down. He had apparently not heard her enter because he made no more to tell her to leave.
Hermione walked over to his bed and looked at him for a minute. She smiled and crawled onto the bed next to him. His head turned and he glared at her. She smiled again and cuddled up against him so they were in spooning position. She laid there for a few seconds before she said, "Tell me when you are ready to talk to me and we will talk."
After a short pause, Draco said, "What did you dream about?"
Hermione's body tensed, she didn't want to tell him. She forced herself to relax and said, "It was nothing. I just had a bad dream."
"No, it was more than that. You called out for me, but then you tried to get away from me. It was like you were scared of me." he said.
Hermione tensed once again, but this time she just turned to Draco and looked him in the eye. There was a moment of silence and Draco didn't think she was going to answer, but she finally spoke up. "Well, I had a dream where I was being chased by someone and then you showed up…" her voice trailed off and Draco waited for her to continue. Hermione took a deep breath and told him about the dream. She left out a few things, but he got the jest of it.
"Oh my God." was all Draco could say when she was finished. Draco's mouth was hanging open and he gaped at her. 'I had a dream like that too. I gave her over to the Dark Lord in my dream too. What is going on? I wouldn't do that, especially not now. I love her, right?' he wondered as he began questioning himself. 'No, snap out of it. You love her and you would never do anything to hurt her. Plus, you hate the stupid Dark Lord. You would never do anything for him even if it would get rid of Potter.'
Draco nodded his head to himself and focused back on Hermione. "You know that that's not true, don't you?" he asked.
"Of coarse." she replied. "I know that you love me and that you wouldn't let anything happen to me. I was just worried about telling you because I thought that you would think I didn't trust you or something." she admitted.
"No, I love you and I know that you can't control your dreams." he said as he leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Good. I love you too. 'Night."
"'Night"
And with that they fell asleep in the comfort of each others arms.
*****************************************************
The next few days flew by and it was already Saturday. The Halloween ball was tonight and Hermione and Draco were busy preparing the Great Hall. They hung up decorations that Draco had bought with Pansy in Hogsmeade. They were trying to hurry because they wanted to have plenty of time to put on their costumes and get ready.
"Where should I put these?" Draco asked, holding up a box of severed heads.
Hermione jumped at first, but then smiled. She scrunched her nose up in thought for a few seconds before she said, "I know, how about we enchant them to float around the room?" she suggested.
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Draco said enthusiastically. "I'll do it; you go hang up the streamers."
"Umm, okay." Hermione replied with just a second's hesitation. She was afraid of heights and climbing up a ladder wasn't really her idea of fun or safe. But, she didn't want to look weak so she agreed.
Hermione glanced over at Draco and then looked over to the ladder. She walked over to it and moved it around. She checked it steadiness a few times before going to get the streamers. She was scared out of her wits, and then a thought popped into her head. 'I know I won't have to get on the ladder at all.' she thought as she got the streamers and unrolled them. She laid them neatly on floor and pulled out her wand. She pointed it at them and said, "Wingardium Leviosa." The streamers immediately floated off the ground and she raised them to the ceiling. Being the brilliant witch that she was, this became an easy task and in the end it looked great.
"That was very cleaver." Draco said as he walked over to her and gave her a light kiss on the forehead.
"Thanks. Now get back to work. We have a lot to do and not a lot of time. You go transfigure the tables and chairs on that side of the room and I will do this side." she ordered.
Draco immediately obeyed and they both set to work. By the time they were finished, the Great Hall looked spectacular. Draco and Hermione stood at the entrance and examined their work. The Great Hall looked totally different. Hermione and Draco had transfigured the four house table into dozens of small round ones, the transfigured the chairs into old-fashioned hard wood ones with arm rests, there was four fog machines spread throughout the room, and there were jack-o-lanterns sitting on each table. The jack-o-lanterns hand colored candles in them that constantly changed colors and could only be put out with a certain spell. The multicolor gave the room a creepy haunted look which is exactly what they were going for, so it was perfect.
"Well. I think we are done here." Draco said proudly.
"Yeah, people are going to freak when they come in here." Hermione said. 'And since the only light in the whole room comes from the jack-o-lanterns, my plan will work perfectly.' she thought as an evil grin spread across her face. "I will go check the kitchens to make sure everything is in order and then I will meet you in our common room twenty minutes before the feast starts."
"No, you are supposed to meet your Weasley friend. I will go to the kitchens. It won't take me long to get ready." Draco said.
"You sure?" Hermione asked. When Draco nodded, she said, "Thanks!" and ran towards her common room to meet Ginny Weasley.
When she arrived, Ginny was already inside waiting. She was setting up all of her stuff. She had hair supplies, make-up, and her wand lying on the table. Hermione took a deep breath and walked over to Ginny. 'I hope I am ready for this.' she thought as she walked over top Ginny.
"Hey Hermione, I was going to tell you something earlier. You and Draco started something." Ginny said as she walked over to him.
"Huh?"
"Now that you and Draco 'came out,' there are a few other Gryffindor-Slytherin couples are popping up."
"Really?"
"Yeah, the 6th year Gryffindor, Tavia Henderson and the new Slytherin Keeper, Jimmy Hammons is together. They are a really cute couple."
"Oh. Cool. So, who are you going to go to the dance with?"
"Umm, well…I am going with Harry."
"Great! I am so happy for you! What are you guys dressing as?"
"Anthony and Cleopatra." she replied.
"That's a great idea! Draco and I are going as the King and Queen of the Fairies. King Oberon and Queen Titania."
"Isn't that from some muggle play?" Ginny asked as she started working on Hermione's make-up and hair.
"Yeah, A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare."
"How romantic. Now I am going to out a freezing charm on you so that I can do you make-up quicker, okay?"
Hermione nodded and Ginny said a few words and the next second Hermione opened her eyes and Ginny was smiling. "Finished." she said as she admired her work. Go look at yourself in the mirror. I have to start doing mine." Ginny ordered as she began putting on her own make-up.
Hermione walked over to the mirror and looked at herself. She looked amazing. She was actually staring at herself. Ginny had decorated her face in light blues and silvers. She also had glitter covering all of her exposed skin. Her hair was done up in a creative French bun with several spirals of hair falling down, framing her face perfectly. Ginny had out silver streaks into her hair and in had also showered her hair in beautiful silver glitter. Hermione knew that this would match her costume perfectly and she couldn't wait to show Draco.
Hermione looked back over to Ginny who had just finished changing into her costume. It was a long brown dress that had a high slit up each side. It hung around her figure perfectly. She had also magic-ed her hair black and was wearing a gold headpiece. Finally she had dark eyeliner around her eyes and gold bangles around her arms. She looked totally authentic. "Ginny…you look great! Oh, and thanks so much! You did a great job! Thanks a lot. I'll see you at the dance."
"Your welcome and I can't wait to see your costume! Bye!"
******************************************************Meanwhile downstairs*
"Hey, Malfoy." Harry said as he walked in the Head Common Room. "I am just waiting for Ginny."
"Whatever." Draco said in an obviously irritated voice.
Suddenly Harry looked at Draco for the first time. "Nice wings." he joked.
"Shut it."
"You are so whipped if Hormone got you to wear wings." he teased.
"I am not. I did this because she asked me to. If I didn't want to do something, than I wouldn't have to."
"Whatever."
Draco was about to say something, but both of their eyes were drawn to the top of the stairs when they heard a door open. Harry's jaw dropped to the floor when a black-haired, sexy Ginny walked out the door. She smiled down at his and began walking down the stairs.
Harry regained composure and walked over to the foot of the steps. "May I escort you to the dance, my darling Cleopatra?" he asked.
"Of coarse, my Anthony." she replied and they hooked arms and began walking towards the exit.
"Wait," Draco called after her. "Where is Hermione?"
"She wanted you to be the first to see her. She will be down shortly." she replied and they left.