Title: Dance Fever and Some Bad Dreams

Disclaimer: None of the Harry Potter characters are mine. Sorry, Draco.

Muse: Emerald Flame aka Liz

Note from forementioned annoying muse: Hey all! I just wanted to say that I'm JUST as excited as you all are...but I have ONE small confession to make. wince Well....I have kinda had these past 2 chappies on my comp for oh.......probably three weeks. IM SOOO SORRY!!!! After all my bugging to genski, I keep forgeting to update. Isn't that typical.

ANYWAYS.........here we goooooOOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOoooooo!


Chapter 15: Interruptions, A Past that Never Died, and One More Surprise


Draco POV


We ran down the hall together laughing and playfully racing out of the
dungeons. Hermione was a head by about a foot and I could smell her hair leaving
traces of orange smelling shampoo. It was hard not to think about what had
just happened back in my room.

I had woken up before the sun was able to peer through my window. It was only
when I sat up, did the full effect of what I just did, hit me. I had woken up
without a wet forehead from sweating. I had woken up without a dream that I
could remember!

I was overjoyed and turned to my bed so I could fill Hermione in on my
happiness. When I saw her sleeping face, however, I just couldn't bring myself to wake
her up. Her breathing was soft and sweet. Her long lashes made delicate
half moons under her sleeping eyes.

Without waking up my angel beside me, I pulled myself up from the ground and freshened
up with a warm shower. When I came out
of my bathroom, Hermione was still sleeping soundly. So I walked to the other
side of the bed and laid my head back on a pillow that smelt of oranges like
Hermione's hair.

For about fifteen minutes I breathed in her delicious smell until I could
hear her stirring. I guessed that the sun had woken her and silently blessed the
sun for it's annoying rays of light. She turned around and opened her eyes to
see me staring right back. We had spoken for a little while then I started to tease
her. She had pushed me off the bed with much giggling.

Then it had all happened so fast. First she was teasing me with straddling
her legs on either side of my stomach. Her boldness was a very pleasant surprise
to me. I never knew she had it in her. She had looked pleased when she saw my
shock. Then she sunk lower into me and teased me with her almost kisses,
which I have to say drove me crazy.

She finally let me kiss her and before I knew it we were both completely
committed to each other. I was the slightest bit fearful that I would push to hard
and scare her off. But it was when she pushed harder on the kiss and I was
sure she was open to me.

My mind was racing and soon enough her stomach was on mine and we were fully
wrapped up one another. Then Goyle had to come bursting in. I swear that oaf is the most idiotic thing that ever walked the planet.

But that didn't matter because a while after he was gone and Hermione and I
were just about to leave I had almost said three important words. I pushed
myself to say them, telling myself she wouldn't push away but I couldn't and ended
up saying something around the lines of what I had been thinking. Hermione
seemed pleased with my words and excepted them graciously.

Hermione had suggested that we start down to the Great Hall and again I
teased her, which resulted in this chase up from the dungeons onto the main level.
I tried to catch up with her. However I would never have guessed that Hermione
was such a fast runner.

"Come on! I know you're faster than that!" she called over her shoulder.

I grinned and picked up my pace. She rounded a sharp corner instead of going
straight and before I reached the corner I heard someone cry out, "Hermione!" and then a thudding sound.


Herm's POV




I felt myself collide with something hard and then I felt the cold floor
hitting my rear, "Ouch!" I looked up and saw, "Ron!" then I heard Draco's feet
coming down the hall and he called out,

"You ok?!" Ron looked towards the corner where Draco would emerge from at any
moment,

"Who was that?" I panicked and leaped to my feet saying a bit too loud,

"That was just Peeves! You know how he likes to play around with the
students, Ron." I prayed that Draco would get the message to stay hidden. For I knew
if Ron connected my full speed running and Draco chasing me he would think that
Draco was trying to hurt me or something of that nature. Ron rubbed his
stomach that I must have bumped into and narrowed his eyes toward the corner,

"Since when did Peeves go through puberty? His voice is supposed to be like
way up there with the dolphins."

I tried to pull his attention by saying, "Well I'm famished. Shall we go to breakfast?" Ron tore his attention from the corner to smile at me and held out his arm saying in a mock gentleman way,

"It would be my pleasure." I tried my best to giggle while my heart was
recovering from the minor heart attack I had just received. I placed my arms
through his as he escorted me to the Great Hall talking about something along the
lines of a Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match.
However I didn't really bother listening to him as I peek a look over my
shoulder mouthing, "I'll see you later!" to Draco who was peeking around the corner.


Draco's POV


Wow. I can't remember when something like that has happened to me. First I was chasing a girl and then the next second she was holding the arm of another ?

I shrugged knowing that she had just saved me a couple punches from a red headed git. Now don't get me wrong I have all the respect in the world for Hermione, but Ron is a very different story. I decided to take a different route to the Great Hall and arrived there about five minutes later than it would have taken me, had I followed Hermione.

When I walked into the Great Hall I could see Hermione sitting between Harry and Ron, indulging in a conversation with Ginny sitting across from her. I tried my hardest to look as dismal as I always looked when I was around the Great Hall. I found my way into an empty space at the Slytherin table. From there I took time to exchange glances from my toast to Hermione. She looked up suddenly and caught me staring. Her eyes laughed and she tried to hide her
smile from her friends.

Crabbe grabbed the coffee pot with his pudgy hand and offered, "You wants some coffee, Draco?"

I tore my gaze away from Hermione and looked at the coffee in disgust and shook my head, "Not today, Crabb." Some where around five Slytherin students looked up from their breakfast and stared in shock, "I just don't feel like drinking the damn coffee." I pushed Crabb's hand away and returned to locking eyes with Hermione, though she was now scolding Ron for what looked like talking with his mouth full. I chuckled under my breath.

A few minutes went by before Dumbledore called for silence in the Hall, "Good morning all. Now it is not normal for me to give announcements in the morning. However, I felt that this was important enough to settle right now." He took his time looking around the Great Hall at all the faces of his student he was so proud of.

Dumbledore had always seemed to take all the time he wanted to say something no matter how important. I could see some student leaning so far out to hear his next words.

"As you all know, we are having our Winter Ball in just a couple days. What you might not have heard is that we have invited two schools to join us for our Ball."

All the sudden a burst of excited whispers flowed the Hall. Students turned to one another murmuring things like, "I told you so."

"No way!"

"Which schools do you think we've invited?"

Dumbledore lifted his hands for silence. Once he had it, he let his hands slowly fall to his side before he started again, "As they are both a fair ways away they will be spending a week with us. They will be arriving tomorrow. Therefore, I ask you to be as gracious as possible to our guests and remember that your representing our school. Just for a reminder, the 4th years and up are invited to the Ball. As for those under that year, you are not permitted to attend unless invited by an older student. However you are allowed to go to Hogsmead for the day." There were groans from the younger students. Apparently some of the students couldn't take the suspense of hearing who the guests were, and someone from the sea of students shouted out, "Who are the
schools?!"

Dumbledore looked to where the voice had come from and smiled warmly, "Well, Mr. Dean Thomas, if you must know, our guests are to be coming from the renowned schools Beauxbatons and Durmstrang." At his last words there was a loud clatter coming from the Gryffindor table. Almost every head including mine turned to Hermione Granger who was fumbling with her fork and hastily placed it onto her napkin.

I tired to catch her eye to give her a 'what's wrong' look. But she put one elbow on the table and covered her eyes with that hand. The look of Dumbledore's face seemed as if he understood Hermione's embarrassment. I was now very curious and made a metal note to pull Hermione aside after breakfast and ask her what was wrong.

Dumbledore broke the awkward silence that was settling over the Hall, "Thank you for your time and attention. Have a wonderful day." The noise in the Great Hall steadily raised in volume until it was back to the normal dull roar.

If I had thought I couldn't take my eyes off Hermione then my cautious staring was nothing compared to what I was like now. For the rest of breakfast I wondered what could possibly have caused Hermione to lose her cool when she heard about the schools.

After people started leaving the Great Hall to get ready for the first classes, I took my opportunity to take Herm aside and ask her what was wrong. I waited, then raised myself from my bench when I saw that Hermione get up. I tried to catch up, although there were a couple of girls walking between Herm and me. I was starting to work around them when one of the girls hissed loudly into the other girl's ear, "Do you know why Hermsie like flipped out when she heard
about the schools that were visiting?"

They girl who was asked the question grinned slyly and replied, "Because she dated one of the students there, for like nearly three years! I heard they had gotten really serious ? You know he was like way older than her. Last I heard he was teaching there at Durmstrang." She giggled to her friend who instantly asked, "So what was his name?"

The other girl leaned in and responded with, "Victor Krumb!" the two girls burst into fits of giggles. They then started gabbing about how cute and muscular he was. I felt sick and angry. I decided that right now wasn't the best time to confront Hermione when I was in a heated
mood.

I switched my tracks to head back to my room. I avoided talking to anyone and when Pansy walked into my path, I simply kept up my pace and walked right around her, and slammed the door.

How the hell can I feel all of these emotions in about two hours into the day?

I sat down on the edge of my bed where Hermione had been sleeping just a few hours before and rested my head in my hands. I had knots in my stomach, warning me that there would be some more difficulties in my caring for Hermione than I had anticipated.

I wasn't exactly worried about Hermione cheating on me. I knew that she knew my feelings for her and I knew how she felt about me judging from the moment they had shared in the past month. She was not the kind of person to throw something like what we had away to the dogs.

However I was worried that Krumb would come back to Hogwarts and see Hermione's new look and fall head over heels for her once again. There was no doubt in my mind that he would go after Hermione. Practically everyone in the school had noticed Hermione's changes in her look. And if that girl he had overheard was right about how they had been getting serious in their relationship when she had her bushy (and somewhat cute) hair and smaller chest then there was no telling how far they would go if they were to start their relationship again.

I tried to throw this new thought into the back of my mind. The last thing I wanted to be thinking about was Hermione going all the way with anyone but me-

Wait. Did I really just say that?

I knew I had very strong feelings for Hermione but were they enough to sleep with her?

I lifted my fingertips to my mouth, which had been hers just this morning. Confusion flooded my thoughts. I had my first class in a few minutes, where I would be day dreaming for the entire eighty minutes about how to deal with the issue of Krumb next time I came across Hermione. I wasn't sure about anything right now.

All I was truly sure was that this week would completely suck.


Herm's POV


Maybe he won't come. After all he is a teacher and it's the students that are invited to the ball, right? Well then again last year all the teachers were dancing there on the floor with the rest of the students. Bugger.

I tried my hardest to concentrate on the chalkboard where the ingredients of one of Snape's impossible potions resided. I frowned scratching at my parchment that three cups were needed of vampire blood not two. This was impossible!

My thoughts started to travel to Draco, and knew that it was practically impossible for him not to know that Victor was the reason for my clumsiness during the morning announcement. I had heard about three groups of people gossiping about it on my way up to get my books for Potions. One pair of girls were even blabbing about it right behind me as I was walking up the stairs. Idiots!

I don't really know why I was freaking out about Victor- Wait... Yes I do!! The girls that were talking about Victor and I were right about the getting serious part. On the summer of my fifth year going into sixth year I had been at his mansion for about a week. And on the last night things had gotten a little crazy.

I had been extremely close to going all the way with him before I backed out at the last moment. I had to leave his house in the middle of the night. The night things went a smidgen too far. From then on our relationship had gone all down hill.

He stopped sending me love mail. And our dates gotten very uncomfortable. He was always asking me if I was ready. I never was. Yet, I understood that he really wanted to do it. He was older than me and probably thought my behavior about sex was childish. After all, he was about three years older then me. He had more experience than I had ever had. Then in the middle of sixth year I had gotten my last letter from him basically saying, "You took too long. So I
found someone else." In a really nice prick way.

It took me till the end of the year and a little bit of my summer to get over him. Despite his pressure he had been the nicest guy I had ever known.

But then, what about Draco?

There was no question about it, Draco cared for me in a way Victor never could. But this didn't make it any easier to come face to face with him tomorrow. I sighed and went back to making the potion thinking that I was very unsure about just everything in my life.

Once thing I did know was that this coming week was going to totally blow.


intermission (just imagine the annoying little tunes you hear in an
elevator)


The day moved on slower than usual until finally it was Dance Class and I nearly ran up to the Great Hall. I slide in through the doors on the freshly cleaned and waxed floor that the house elves must have straightened up after lunch.

No one was there yet. I breathed a sigh of relief that I had achieved my goal. Now I could only hope that Draco would have the same goal in mind. My question was immediately answered when I heard footsteps coming in through the Great Hall doors.

I turned around to see Draco. I smiled and walked over to him and said in a low voice so anyone outside wouldn't be able to hear them together, "I have been waiting the whole day to talk to you."

He looked pleased after I told him this, "Why is that?" he asked with a half grin making my heart beat a little faster. I wanted to look away but his bright eyes captured me.

"I think you heard about the Krumb thing." He nodded as his grin fading a bit, "And I just want to let you know that I did have a past with him but..." I looked away feeling a hint of the pain that I had suffered from when he broke it off with me, "He hurt me...badly...and I'm going to make sure I never forget it and neither does he."

I now was consumed in memories of crying over him night after night. I scowled at the ground. Then I felt Draco bring his hand up under my chin. And he looked at the scratch that I had gotten when rolling under his bed, earlier this morning. He ran his thumb over it and then kiss it softly. I closed my eyes and rested my hands on his shoulders and allowed one to creep around his neck.

He then whispered in my ear, "I would never hurt you, love." I brought my head up and he looked down to me and rested his forehead on mine like he had done a while ago in the library where I had witnessed his first feelings for me. My heart still beat in the same fast motion. Maybe even a little faster than before.

Then I heard it in one ear. Footsteps! I hastily pushed away from Draco and turned around to face the wall where the line of benches and tables had been pushed.

"Hey, Hermione!" It was Ron followed by Ms. Shnopsie with what looked like a CD case. I spun around to meet Ron with a large smile hopping he wouldn't hear how fast my heart was beating. Twice, Ron had almost caught Draco and I.. And twice, I had pushed Draco away so no one would find out about us. It was when I glanced over at him and his back was turned and his head hung downward, did I feel a cold grip of guilt squeeze my stomach.

Ms. Shnopsie set her things down a bench at the side of a room and was about to start sorting through the case when Ron called over to her, "I don't think Harry or Cho are going to be here today, Ms. Shnopsie!"

The dance professor smiled and nodded, "Ok thank you for telling me Mr. Weasly!"

I brought my attention to Ron's words and asked curiously, "Why is that?"

Ron grinned and whispered, "Let's just say Harry and Cho have their hands full...with each other."

"Ew." I said trying to scratch my brain of what I just heard.

Ron chuckled and shook his head, "It's almost funny how grossed out you are about Harry and Cho."

I rolled my eyes and commented, "I just think they're a little too public with their relationship. I don't need to see them eating each other's faces off."

Ron nodded in agreement, "I get you. So listen about this ball that's coming up. Would you go with me?" it was then that I felt my entire body react to what I had just heard. My back went ridged, my eyes opened, my mouth dropped open the slightest bit, and my heart stopped momentarily.

And what was my response was an ever so elegant, "Why?"

Oops. That didn't come right. He laughed in a low rumble and answered me like a mock kindergarten teacher voice, "Well, because it's a ball. And usually people ask other people to go with them." I shook myself mentally and noticed that over his shoulder both Ms.
Shnopsie and Draco were watching us closely. Then Ms. Shnopsie slowly turned her
head to see Draco staring intently at Ron and I.

I could have sworn I saw Ms. Shnopsie grin at Draco, who was still staring at me, but I was
distracted when Ron's voice came back into my head, "So will you go with me?"

My mind raced as I saw more people trickling into the Great Hall including Malcolm. I searched for the right words before I blurted out, "Fine! Okay! Yes!"

Ron's eyes widened and a grin seeped through his lips, "All right, it's on then." He winked at me before stalking off to go tell one of his mates.

I rubbed my temples trying to understand what had just happened. Ron just asked me out to the ball?? Open-mouth-chewer, Ron. What in Merlin's name was going on around here?! So far this year I had been asked out by total hunk, but total jerk, Malcolm Riley, I had slept in the bed of my worst enemy, not to mention I had a morning make out session, Draco Malfoy, and then was asked out by one of my best friends, with the worst table manners, Ronald Weasly! Bloody
hell!

Apparently the thoughts in my head were showing on my face cause when I looked up I was surprised to see Draco chuckling at me! I would have thought that he would have been mad that I had said yes to Ron. But, noooo. He just stood there chuckling at my terrible predicament.

My jaw dropped like it had this morning when he teased me about being a monster while I slept. All of the sudden, like a gift from above there came the shrieking of Pansy running towards him at full speed. "Drakey-poo!" She ran into his stomach hugging him so tightly that from the pained look on his face that he was finding it a struggle to breath, "Go to the ball with me! Please?! I have waiting to ask you all day! You aren't going with anyone else are you?"

Draco pried her off of his stomach and muttered, "No, I haven't asked anyone, yet." Pansy's face was one of the most profound joy I have ever seen on a human being,

"Oh, please go with me! If you don't, I swear that I will just die! I will simply die!" she cried. People all over the Great Hall were turning their attention to Pansy's over the top begging.

It was then I first saw Draco blush. It wasn't anything compared to my strawberry face but it was still a blushing Malfoy! Now I have seen everything. I couldn't help from laughing myself almost to tears.

"Fine, I'll go with you!" Draco gave in and started pushing Pansy off of him as he hissed, "Just pull yourself together, woman!" Pansy nodded and backed away blowing kisses at Draco.

I wiped away my tears of laughter as Draco straightened his robes and glared at me with a slight smile creeping through his lips. Though I didn't have much time to exchange looks with Draco before I was pulled away by someone.

"Whoa!" For a moment I had thought that the hand that was pulling on my arm belonged to Malcolm. Yet, when I spun around I saw Padma dragging me over to a bench, "Oh, it's you."

Padma looked around to me, "Who else would it be?" she asked not really expecting an answer.

So I didn't give her one but changed the subject, "What's the matter? Honestly, you're pulling my arm off."

Padma stopped a few yards away from the bench where Parvati was holding her head in her hands, "What's wrong with Parvati?"
"Don't look!" she lightly slapped my cheek. It was more like a tap, but it still hurt.

"Ouch!" I said, more out of habit than pain.

Padma didn't apologize. Instead she went on talking in a low voice, "She'll freak out, again! Ever since she seen like five girls get asked out by guys, including me, and then she tried to ask out Malcolm Riley who told her he was already going with someone, she started freaking out and crying about how she ugly and like no guys like her."

I furrowed my brow and said, "But she's one of the cutest girl in the whole school!"

Padma nodded along and threw up her hands, "That's what I've been trying to tell her! But she keeps on bawling like a baby!"

I glanced over Padma's shoulder to Parvati who was now making some of the people around her stare. I shook my head at the scene.

I hadn't known Parvati to be so insecure, "Ok." I sighed, "Lead the way."

Padma turned around and continued walking over to her sister with me following closely behind. She sat on Parvati's right side and wrapped an arm around her sister. I kneeled in front of her so that my head was just higher than her knees. I winced at the sound of her loud and over dramatic sobs.

"Hey, Parvati. How you feeling?" I kicked myself for this idiotic question. Especially when she looked up at me where I was face to face with a splotchy, teary-eyed, makeup running, Parvati. She glared at me and then went back to whimpering in her palms.

I wasn't going to give up that easy, "Come on, Parvati. Tell me exactly what is the matter." I commanded as softly as possible.

Parvati cried into her hands, "No one wants to go to this stupid ball with me! Like everyone has someone they're going with! No one wants to go with me!"

A boy named Gregory overheard her last comment and walked up to say, "I'll go with you, Parvati!"

Without looking up she snapped, "Beat it, Gregory!"

I gave Gregory a sympathetic look and mouthed 'Sorry' before he turned a walked away looked hurt.

I looked back at Parvati and tapped her leg, " Why did you have to go and do that, Parvati! He just asked you out! Almost any guy in this hall would gladly go to the ball with you!"

Parvati sniffled and looked up into my eyes, "Not Draco." I sighed trying to push all the thoughts of Draco kissing me out of my head. I felt a bit guilty as I looked back into her eyes. She had loved Draco from the first day of school. It wasn't fair to her.

"There are tons of more guys than Draco." I replied, not really believing my own words, "There has to be at least one more person in this room that you would go with." Parvati rubbed the tears off her face while she searched around the room.

Finally she pointed at a guy who was talking to Draco, "Kevin Stone." She said with forcefully. Kevin was a Slytherin jock that was supposedly friends with Draco back in forth year. They had grown apart after fifth year. The year Draco got quiet and more to himself. They still spoke to each other occasionally about things such as Quidditch. Kevin was not bad looking at all. He had
sun-streaked hair and a large frame. But he was more into himself than any girl. Once in a while, I would see him whip out a black comb from his robes and touch up his hair. This kind of behavior made me sick.

I looked back at Parvati with disgust on my face, "Stone?" she nodded ignoring the look on my face, "Fine. If that's what you want. Go for it." Parvati was about to rise and walk over to him when I stopped her.

Now I am not a person who cares too much for appearances. However, Parvati looked a mess. I took out my wand and touched her cheek and murmured a clean up and simple make up charm. Instantly her face was whipped free of all the makeup that had started running down her face. In my opinion she looked best when her face was not attacked by makeup.

She gave me a hug and whispered, "Thank you." In my ear and pulled away to stalk over to Kevin Stone and put on her charm. I pulled myself up from my kneeling position to sit up next to
Padma and watch Parvati make her move.

Parvati had always had a way with making guys feel the way she wanted them to. This time was no different. She didn't even ask to interrupt the conversation he was having with Draco. She stepped right in between them and pulled Kevin down to her level by the collar of his shirt and whispered into his ear words we couldn't hear. By the shocked look he wore it was no doubt something naughty tied in with going to the dance with her.

Once she pushed him back up to his original height he nodded quickly with a devilish grin on his face.

Padma and I laughed and I turned to her and asked, "So who are you going with?" She smiled and turned to point at Dean Thomas who was talking with Ron. She blew a kiss to him. He blushed and waved slightly. We both laughed and I leaned back on the bench and sighed, "This ball is going to be crazy."

Padma nodded in agreement, "Sure is. But I think it will also be very interesting." I couldn't disagree with that. Though I didn't tell her why. I then thought back to what Padma had spoken of before.

I turned my head to face her and asked, "So who is this bimbo, going to the ball with Malcolm?" It was then that Padma snapped her head to look at me confused.

"You."


Another chappie finished!! Now don't think that Herm is gonna lay back and take this crap. She been through a lot with Malcolm. And all of you that HATE Malcolm will be glad to read the next chapter! Also stay tuned for a library scene between Herm and Draco while they figure some stuff out. and next chappy is gonna have the arrival of........Victor Krumb. Don't worry I'll make this fun to read.... I Love You ALL!!!!! please Review and Be Kind. Thanx! xoxox!!!!!