Chapter 14 – The Ball

Friday soon rolled around and nobody had asked Hermione, well Harry had then as soon as he had he changed his mind. They had had a small row because of this. Hermione told him that she didn't particularly want to go with him anyway and then he got really upset. She had only been telling him the truth, she didn't want him to think of her like that. She wouldn't ever be able to think of him in anything other than a friend's way and she didn't like the idea of him thinking of her in a girlfriend kind of way. In fact it made her tummy feel a bit weird. It was like the idea of snogging your brother or something.

So they weren't on the best of speaking terms at the moment. Draco had patiently listened to her whinge about Harry and Ron had tried to stay neutral but it was hard.

They had come to a sort of a truce by the time Friday had come and Draco was glad, it was hard making friends with people and it wasn't easy if they were going to start falling out and fighting soon afterwards.

Hermione went up to her room straight after dinner and started to get ready, she put on her dress and slippers. She then put her hair into a bun and had some tendrils framing her face a little. She applied her make up, she always went for the natural look, and then she looked at the clock it was 6:10 so she ran to the charms classroom. There was nobody there yet so she walked around for a little bit then came back. Draco was stood there wearing a prince charming costume. This was really just a white shirt and black trousers and a small crown. But he looked really nice and he gasped when he saw Hermione

"You look amazing" he told her

"Thank you your highness" she laughed and curtsied at him.

He took her by the arm and they made their way to the great hall.

As they entered they realised nearly the whole student body was already there and they had everyone's eyes on them,

Dumbledore looked up and he beamed at them, his eyes twinkling

"An announcement if you please" he said and all the students quietened and looked up at their revered headmaster

"I would like to thank our heads and prefects for the wonderful decorating they have done of our hall. It is definitely the only time I have seen decorations so carefully thought out. I do hope that you children can understand the meaning behind it" most people nodded, and the people who didn't soon had it whispered into their ears by whoever was stood with them

"I would also like to thank the heads for thinking of having a fancy dress party and letting the younger students attend. This is a first in Hogwarts history and I would like you to give a round of applause to Miss Hermione Granger and Mr Draco Malfoy"

Everybody clapped and there were some wolf whistles and shouts

Even the slytherins were clapping which scared Hermione a bit.

"Now I am sure you all want to get on with partying" Dumbledore said "but I would like to ask our heads if they would care to do the opening dance for the ball?"

Hermione looked at Draco "you can dance cant you?" she asked

"Of course" he looked indignant,

"Ok" she said and pulled him into the middle of the dance floor

Hermione had arranged for a dj instead of a band, the DJ was a muggleborn and had a lot of muggle music as well as wizarding music

Draco put his arms around Hermione and Mariah Carey's "without you" came on

Hermione put her arms around Draco's shoulders and danced with him. They seemed to fit together perfectly and had a rhythm that went together really well. Halfway into the song Hermione rested her head on Draco's shoulder and he leaned his cheek onto the top of her head. They danced for a while and as the song neared the end Hermione looked up and Draco looked down, their eyes met, Draco moved a tendril of hair out of her eyes and she looked at him questioningly

He bent his head down and pecked her on the cheek.

The song stopped and they separated. Dumbledore looked proud and McGonagall and Snape gave each other a quick glance. Hermione could have sworn McGonagall smirked at Snape.

They went and sat down next to Ron and Hannah

"Don't you guys want to dance?" Hermione asked them

"Excuse me Hermione but before I answer, I just want to say wow" Hannah said "you two looked great out there"

"Thank you" Hermione blushed

"Thanks" Draco said

"anyway I would dance but Ron told me he isn't much the dancing type so we thought we would just sit here and get to know each other a bit" Hannah said

"Fair enough" Hermione said "Draco would you like a drink?"
"I will get them" he said and walked off to the punch bowl. 'What did you go and kiss her for?' he was arguing with himself again 'because I love her' 'in front of the whole school as well' 'so what'

He returned with the drinks.

"So where's Harry?" Draco asked Ron

"He decided he wasn't going to come" The redhead told them

"Shame really"

"Yeah, he got a costume too didn't he" Hermione said

"Yeah" Ron said "I tried to talk him round but he wasn't having any of it really"

The ball flew by and Hermione danced with many of the boys from all houses and Draco danced with many girls.

Then Dumbledore stood again. There was only the fifth, sixth and seventh years remaining by now

"well can I have your attention again then please" he said "I know I am annoying but that's my job, anyway this the last song is coming up next and I would like for our head boy and girl to close the ball, you may all dance as well, I hope you all had a good evening and thank you again"

The last part was directed at Hermione and Draco who nodded in acknowledgement.

They stood to dance to the last song which happened to be Daniel Bedingfields (nothing hurts like love)

They danced in the same position as before, Draco's arms around Hermione's waist and her arms around his neck.

"Have you had fun?" he asked her

"Yes thank you" she said "have you?"

"Yes" he muttered into her hair "more than you could know"

the dance was quite a long one and Hermione looked into Draco's eyes, she loved it when he looked happy the grey flecks in the silvery steel colour looked so warm and inviting, she tilted her head towards him and he kissed her on the lips, it was a slow soft kiss, not like when they had kissed earlier in the year, the thought of that came rushing back to Hermione along with the same feeling she had had back then. None of the other students were dancing anymore they were too busy watching their head boy and girl, they were truly captivating, and to Hermione it felt that her every nerve ending was exploding. He pulled her closer and kissed her with a passion. And then the song ended. They pulled apart and looked at each other, it was a long gaze that lasted a good minute. They then went to say goodnight to their friends. Hermione looked over at the teachers table and saw Dumbledore, he grinned at her and she blushed at him. She also saw Snape handing money to McGonagall.

They made their way up to their rooms and as they entered the common room they saw Harry sat on their sofa. He was drunk

"You YOU!" he yelled at Draco "How dare you, how fucking dare you?" he yelled

"Harry calm down" Hermione said and went to make him sit back down
he flung his arm out pushing her away from him

"Don't come near me, you disgust me" he shouted

"Harry" Hermione shouted "what on earth is going on?"

"Hermione leave him, I will call for Dumbledore" Draco said

"You bloody would wouldn't you" Harry said

"What do you mean by that Harry?" Draco asked him calmly

"you always have to be the suck up don't you" Harry said "first you suck up to Voldemort then you decide you want to be good so you suck up to Dumbledore, doesn't matter what side your on you will always suck up to somebody"

"That's low Harry" Hermione said "especially from you, I expect better than that"

"Well" Harry said and sat down "who doesn't?, I mean I am the boy who lived, I am a nice boy, I should be nice to everybody at all times, I should never raise my voice and I certainly shouldn't get mad at people when they walk all over me"

"Harry what is this all about?" Hermione asked

"LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW" he yelled

"HARRY JAMES POTTER DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME" she screamed back at him.

"this is about you refusing to go to the ball with me and then going with that slytherin scum and kissing him, yes I do know about that" he told them

"Harry you asked me to the ball and in the same breath took it back. Plus I told you, you are like my brother, I couldn't go with you it just wouldn't seem right" she told him

"And I like Draco"

"You do huh? What's he got that I haven't?" he asked her

"Well when I kiss him it doesn't feel like I am committing incest for a start" she said, she was pissed off now. He was spoiling what had been a beautiful night.

"I see" Harry yelled, "so now for the rest of my life I am to be miserable just because you think of me as a brother, I don't want you to think of me that way. I want you to love me, I want to be by your side everyday, I want to kiss you, and I want to hold you"

"Harry that could never happen, I don't know why you cant accept it and just try and get over it, I cant give you what you want, and I don't see why you cant appreciate that" she said

if it hadn't been for the fact that Harry had just put the complete dampers on a lovely evening for him Draco would probably have laughed at this, there was five foot something Hermione giving six foot something Harry absolutely what for, she wasn't bothered at all, she just gave it to him. And Harry being Harry stood there and took it from the short woman before him

"Harry you need to go and get some sleep now, we will talk tomorrow" Hermione told him and led him by the arm to the portrait.

After seeing Harry off she turned to Draco, she walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek,

"Goodnight" she said and walked up the stairs to her room, just leaving Draco to stand there and watch her retreating figure

"Goodnight" he said