A/N: Here's Chapter 10, my Christmas gift to all my readers! It isn't much, but I worked hard on it. Most of you already guessed who was talking in the end of the last chapter. If you're still not sure, read on!

Here's to my reviewers! Thanks a bunch for your great reviews, they brighten up my otherwise boring and humdrum day!

AJ the Ass Slayer: I'm sure you will be. J

elleI'm sorry I didn't e-mail you. I'm having some trouble getting into the Internet as it is. Something's wrong with my computer…

HHRLVR: You don't have to beg. J Oh please don't give up on my story! I'll finish it, promise!

Hermi De Harry: Definitely ok!

KcluvsMl: Aww… don't forget about it… Sure you can use the idea for your own story. I don't mind.

Dizziness: Thank you for thinking I'm a talented writer. It means so much to me for my story to be appreciated. J

meagz: Don't worry, they will kiss… eventually. J

Lsquared: Thanks. J I take some pride in my cliffie making.

alexian-goddess: The romance is sprinkled here and there, subtle stuff. It will be more obvious in later chapters though.

HarmonyRonita: Harry and Hermione will have some 'scenes' in future chapters, but nothing too shocking. Sorry if you're disappointed.

nanaluv56: Haha, too bad for you! J

Annie: Sorry, this chapter is even shorter… I think. Anyway, I'm no good at writing really long chapters, hope you won't mind too much.

follow-ur-dreams: Maybe, maybe not. I'm not really planning on revealing anything about Hermy's future kid. Sorry.

My gratitude also to Roe Merrifield, Pia O'Leary, HPgirl7, Emma Laraliean, Gabwr, Ashley Potter13, sundaym0rning, Jackie G, VictoriaM2006, OrLi'ScRaZyLuVeR, darknd-wrtr-w/-a-heart-of-gld, Hermione Graner Potter, PruePotter, XXXpinkkitty5467, sunhai guy, the-power-of-love, silver gaze, Sneto, Trinity Vida-Malfoy, Ami, Autumn Darkness, BrennaM, blue3ski, --- , Rockgirl21, princessash, TooSweet4Words, oasis, Silver-Silhouette6, midnite star watcher, Piwi, Angel of Ravenclaw, leolilly, Queen of Harry Potter, wockygal, and sally.

Next chapter coming up! Hope you guys like it!

Chapter 10

Hermione scowled. What did she do to deserve this?

"What do you want?" she said scathingly, then turned around to face him. Oh my.

Standing before her was an impeccably dressed and extremely handsome adult Draco Malfoy.

Draco smirked at the expression on Hermione's face, whose eyes were wide and mouth was open in disbelief.

"Now, now, didn't we agree to be civil towards each other the last time we met, after You-Know-Who's downfall?" he said with his usual drawl.

"Uh…" was Hermione's only reply.

Draco did not comment on her sudden muteness; it was either he did not notice or he was enjoying her stunned expression too much. Probably the latter, though.

"You're looking rather fetching this evening…" Draco continued, looking Hermione up and down, his gray eyes piercing.

Hermione blinked. Malfoy?! Complimenting her?! What was the world coming to? Well, even if he was git, at least he appreciated the effort she put into her appearance, unlike others.

Across the room, Harry was staring at them, green eyes narrowed. What was he doing here?

"Excuse me a moment." Harry told Boris Wickly, who after explaining the schedule of a photo shoot, was bragging about how his teenage son was made prefect. He didn't wait for an answer, but strode directly towards his best friend and Malfoy.

Draco had just relieved a house elf of a flute of champagne and was offering it to Hermione when a hand shot out and grabbed it.

"Hermione! You shouldn't drink! Least of all with ferret-face, here." Harry said bitterly.

"Potter, must you really be so juvenile? I would expect name calling from a toddler." Draco replied coolly. Harry glowered at him.

"Harry, it's perfectly fine for me to drink. I am an adult." Hermione said with a scowl. What right did he have to dictate her actions?!

"But Hermione, you're…" Harry trailed off, and glanced at Hermione's stomach.

Draco saw where he was looking and understood. "Well, congratulations," he drawled, "I believe this is the second one?"

Hermione, whose face was turning pink, nodded mutely. Harry! Her brain screamed. That was classified information! She shot Harry a glare.

"Come on." Harry said, starting to lead her away.

Hermione shrugged his hand off her elbow. "You don't own me, Harry. I can talk to whoever I want."

Harry gaped at her disbelievingly.

Draco looked from Harry to Hermione, his trademark smirk creeping back up his face. "Would you like to dance?" he asked Hermione. He cast Harry a superior look as he extended his hand for her to take.

Hermione took one look at Harry's now seriously infuriated expression and said, "I'd love to."

With that, she let Draco lead her to the dance floor.

That…that… Harry could find no words odious enough to describe that insufferable git, Malfoy. He stood there, mouth agape, as he watched Malfoy put an arm around Hermione's waist and clasp his hand in hers. Take your hands off her you… you…argh! He couldn't believe how jealous he was! Wait, was that what he was feeling? Jealousy? No, it couldn't be, Hermione was just his best friend. He was feeling… over protectiveness… right, that was it. It was perfectly normal for him to feel over protective of his best friend, especially when she was dancing with a detestable, despicable, vile and utterly loathsome creature like Malfoy. But jealousy? No, never.

Harry clenched his fist, aching to slam it into Malfoy's overly smug face.

"Harry…" said a sugary voice beside him. Harry turned.

"Amanda?!" he said, confused. "Wasn't your hair blonde?"

Amanda put a hand to her now chestnut-colored locks and smiled. "Do you like it? I thought it would match my robes better." She twirled around to bring attention to her hot-red robes.

"Would you like to dance?" Harry asked suddenly, casting an eye in Hermione and Malfoy's direction.

"Oooh, I thought you'd never ask." Amanda purred, and grabbed his arm, yanking him towards the sea of dancing people.

Different colored robes swirled around Harry as he moved in time with the music, gradually steering himself and Amanda beside Draco and Hermione.

"Can I cut in?" Harry said, and quickly changed partners.

Draco didn't mind, in fact he was rather enjoying himself. It seemed as though the "perfect couple" was having some sort of spat. Besides, the woman Potter ditched was really very attractive. He shot Amanda a disarming grin and she giggled.

"So now I can't dance with other people?" Hermione said stiffly, as she and Harry moved around the dance floor.

"You know very well he's only dancing with you to get to me." Harry replied flatly, as he twirled Hermione around.

"Well did it get to you?" Hermione responded icily, as she spun back and faced him.

Harry didn't know how to answer her question. Of course it got to him!!! But he couldn't very well tell her that. She might misinterpret whatever he was feeling as jealousy, which, of course, it definitely wasn't.

Hermione scrutinized Harry's face. He wasn't looking at her, but staring off somewhere, obviously thinking about something. A small smile crept up her lips. So her dancing with Malfoy had gotten to him! His silence answered everything. Was he, she couldn't help herself from thinking, jealous? Could it be that she wasn't the only one feeling something a little more than friendship toward the other? Yes, she had admitted it to herself already, she was definitely feeling something beyond platonic for her best friend.

Harry cleared his throat and finally answered her question. "It's just that whenever Malfoy's concerned, I just feel like I have to be on guard or… something. You know, constant vigilance!" he said, imitating Mad-Eye Moody.

"Constant vigilance, right." Hermione grinned weakly. "So you wouldn't mind if I were talking and dancing with other people besides Malfoy?" she prodded, just to make sure.

"No." Harry said briskly, though deep inside he wasn't so sure. He probably wouldn't have minded… to an extent that is.

"Oh. Alright then." Hermione said. Drat! He wasn't jealous!

Whew! Harry thought, close save. At least it seemed like Hermione had forgiven him, despite his feeble Mad-Eye joke. Hermione sighed. It was hard to stay angry with Harry. Besides, she was rather amused when she saw the robes Amanda the Airhead was wearing. They were the very ones she had chosen not to buy at Parvati and Lavender's.

The orchestra soon stopped playing, and a house elf announced in a squeaky voice that dinner was ready to be served. They were led into yet another grand room where a long table, much like the ones at Hogwarts, was set with elaborate and scrumptious looking dishes. A crystal chandelier hung above the table, and house elves were gathered around it, ready to attend to the guests.

Harry and Hermione sat down on richly upholstered, high-backed chairs and a house elf offered Harry some champagne. He stared at the drink and took a small sip.

"Hmm… this is pretty good." Harry murmured.

"Just water for me." Hermione told the elf, who nodded, his big ears flapping.

Harry took a swig and finished the champagne. Definitely good. The only thing with alcohol he had ever drunk was butterbeer, and that only had about two percent alcohol in it, maybe drinking wasn't really so hard. The house elf offered him another flute and he accepted graciously.

"You shouldn't drink, he says. Whatever happened to practicing what you preach?!" Hermione muttered under her breath angrily. They were back at the entrance hall, a little earlier than planned. She had her wand out and was levitating an unconscious Harry, who had passed out after he had downed his eighth glass of champagne, but not before throwing up all over some poor house elf. The house elf, instead of being disgusted was positively thrilled. "It is an honor to be thrown up on by the great Harry Potter, Mrs.!" it had squeaked delightedly after Hermione apologized profusely. It was then that Hermione had fully grasped how strange house elves really were.

"Are you sure you don't need any help getting home, dear?" Mrs. Wickly inquired concernedly, as Hermione was getting ready to leave with Harry. She had come out to check on them.

"No, no. We're fine. The portkey your husband is giving us is more than enough." Hermione replied, smiling sweetly at the middle-aged woman.

"Alright, dear. Well, I'd better get back to the party. Merry Christmas!" she called out, as she retreated back to the dining room.

"Merry Christmas! And I'm truly very sorry about what happened." Hermione called back.

Mrs. Wickly waved her hand as though to dismiss the whole thing, and with a smile, disappeared behind some doors.

"You've really put a damper on the festivities, Harry. But at least you got us out of the party early." Hermione told Harry as she lowered her wand, leaned him against the wall and maneuvered one of his fingers and her own to touch the portkey (torn Christmas wrapping) that would send them home. Harry's head lolled to one side in response. Hermione sighed.

Harry, who had been shaken awake by the journey through portkey, promptly retched again the moment they touched solid ground, outside their front door.

"Eww… Harry!" Hermione shrieked, as she tried to keep him on his feet.

Harry peered at her blearily. "Wha's goin' on? Where are we?"

"We're back at the house, Harry." Hermione informed him with a sigh. "Scourgify!"

Now that the porch was clean, she levitated Harry again. "Don't fidget, I don't want to accidentally drop you." She ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Harry said with a grin, his eyes unfocused.

Hermione rolled her eyes and opened the door.

"Lily? Dottie?" she whispered. The house was dark and silent.

"Dottie is here, Mrs." Dottie squeaked, as she appeared in front of Hermione with a loud CRACK!

Hermione nearly dropped Harry. "Don't do that!" she yelped, her pulse speeding up.

"I is sorry." Dottie says, looking down at her feet. After a moment, she looks up and spots Harry. She gave a frightened squeak.

"Mister Harry! What is wrong?" she squeaks, distressed.

"He's alright, just drunk." Hermione mutters, throwing Harry a look. Harry doesn't answer; he's passed out again. "Is Lily asleep?"

Dottie nodded, then said, "Before I forgets, Dottie has news for you."

"What is it?" Hermione asked, brow furrowed.

"Come." Dottie replied, and let her to the kitchen.

They approached and Hermione heard a soft hooting. She entered, with Harry in tow, and gasped. Hedwig was back, with a piece of parchment tied to her leg.

A/N: Kinda short, I know, sorry. Anyway, if you want me to write about Ron's date in the next chapter, let me know. Merry Christmas!