I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But you have an update now. So there. And thanks to all the reviewers. Laters. Bye.
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Hermione's POV
As Hermione watched Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati bounding down the stairs, she thought, 'This is going to be one of the best nights of my life.' She laughed to herself, shook her head, and continued down the stairs.
Draco's POV
When Hermione walked down the stairs, Draco's breath caught in his throat. She looked stunning. Her outfit suited her in every way. She smiled at him, and he knew. Tonight was the night he was going to tell her. But not yet, he'd wait a bit longer.
Normal POV
When everyone was downstairs, Harry, Seamus, and Blaise's arms encircled around their girlfriends' waists, while Draco and Hermione just stood there, a bit uncomfortable, but nothing too disconcerting.
Harry looked at his watch and sighed impatiently. "My goodness," he said, looking at Draco and Hermione, "If the others don't get here soon, you two are going to have to go on without us." He finished.
"Others" Hermione and Draco said blankly.
"Huh?" Harry looked up, confused. "Oh, I must've forgotten to tell the two of you. Ron, Dean, and their dates are meeting us here also."
"Oh," Hermione said, "Who are they taking, then?"
"Well, Ron asked Luna Lovegood yesterday," Harry said, "And Dean's taking Chelsea."
"The one in Ravenclaw?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded. "Cool."
It was at that precise moment that there came a knock on the portrait. Ginny went over and opened the portrait, letting Ron, Luna, Dean, and Chelsea in. Ron and Dean went immediately over to talk to Harry and Seamus, and Luna was in conversation with Ginny, which left Chelsea standing there, all alone, so, Hermione went to talk to her.
"Hello," she said. "You must be Chelsea."
"Yeah, that's me," Chelsea replied as they headed out the door towards the ball.
As they walked, Chelsea turned to Hermione. "You're really lucky, you know that?" she said.
Hermione looked at her. "How so?" she asked.
"You're pretty, popular, and you have the eye of one of the hottest guys in Hogwarts!"
"Oh," Hermione said, "Who's that?"
Chelsea snickered and said, "Why, Draco Malfoy, of course!"
At this, Hermione began laughing softly, "Draco. Like me? No way! We're just friends."
Chelsea looked at her, a bemused expression on her face, and said, "You mean you don't see the way he looks at you?" She looked back quickly, "Like right now?"
Hermione looked back carefully. Sure enough, there was a little something in his eyes as they momentarily locked with hers. But why hadn't she seen it before? Oh well, what mattered was that it was there now, and it was most likely the culprit behind the slight giddy feeling in Hermione's stomach at the present moment. It was then that she realized that that "friend" he had been talking to her about had actually been her. It all fit.
She looked at Chelsea, who had an "I told you so" look on her face. "You're right," she giggled.
By then they were at the Great Hall. They separated, and sat at the four person tables provided for the feast that was to occur before the actual ball itself. Harry, Ginny, Draco, and Hermione ended up sharing a table. As they ate, they all chatted merrily, including Draco as if they had been friends forever.
Soon enough, the feast was over, and it was time to begin the ball with the opening dance. Draco and Hermione walked out onto the floor, and the music started. Draco drew Hermione to him, and put his arms around her waist, holding her close. Hermione put her arms around his neck, and lay her head against his chest.
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I'm not a perfect person
There's many things I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
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Hermione smiled. "I like this song," she said, her voice in a lowered tone.
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I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
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She could feel Draco nod his head. "Me too," he said. "It kind of mirrors our situation, in a way, don't you think?"
"How so?" Hermione asked.
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I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That's why I need you to hear
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Draco smirked. "You say you know the song, you figure it out," he said cryptically.
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I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
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But Hermione already had. She smiled to herself, wondering if he was going to come out with it and tell her he liked her anytime soon, or if she would have to tell him she knew. She sighed, leaning against Draco for the remainder of the song.
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I'm not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you
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When the song ended, a fast song came on, and everyone took the floor to dance. Once the many couples and groups of people had taken the floor, Draco leaned down and whispered in Hermione's ear, "Hermione, can I talk to you outside for a moment?"
Hermione nodded, knowing where this was going. So Draco took her hand, and started to lead her towards the grounds.
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Harry/Ron/Ginny's POV
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Harry, who had been drinking punch with Ginny, Ron, and Luna, looked up just in time to see Draco and Hermione exit the Great Hall. Ginny, who had seen them exit too, said, "I wonder where they're off to."
Harry looked at her, and said, "Well, if you must know, Malfoy likes Hermione, and I think he's going to go tell her." Next to him, Ron choked on his drink. "Excuse me, I thought you just said that Malfoy, good for nothing calls Hermione the "m" word Malfoy, likes Hermione."
"Not exactly in those terms, but yes, that's what I said."
"Oh, I've got to see this. Come on, we're going to hide in the bushes."
Ginny looked about to protest, but before she could, Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "Do you have any idea of what he's capable of against Malfoy when it comes to the people he loves?" he asked. Ginny nodded, comprehension dawning upon her, and they ran after Ron, who had already gone out the door. When they got there, they crouched down behind some bushes, and waited for Hermione's reaction.
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Draco/Hermione's POV
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When Hermione and Draco got to the grounds, Draco led Hermione towards the fountain in the rose garden. There they stopped and stood. Then it began to rain.
Hermione smiled. She'd always wanted her own rain scene.
"Hermione, I have to tell you something." Draco said.
Hermione smiled inwardly, knowing what he was going to say. She also noticed that he hadn't dropped her hand, but she said nothing except, "Alright, go on."
"I, um, I like you Hermione," Draco said.
"Draco," said Hermione, but Draco cut her off.
"No, wait, let me finish, Hermione," he said. "I know that we haven't even really been on speaking terms until this year, but it was this year that I figured out that everyone, regardless of their heritage, has the potential to be great. Heck, most purebloods I know are horrible people, now there's a few, like Blaise, who aren't that bad, but most of them…my goodness, I'm rambling now, the point of all this is, that I want you to give me a chance, to give us a chance. Alright, now you can talk."
"Alright, what I was going to say was that, Draco, I like you too." Hermione said.
"Y-You do?" Draco asked.
"Yeah, I do, and I'm willing to give it a chance."
Draco smiled, and kissed her, holding her to him, just as he did when they danced.
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Harry/Ron/Ginny's POV
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When she saw them kiss, Ginny sighed. "Don't they look cute together?" she asked Harry and Ron.
Harry smiled. "Yeah, Gin, they kind of do."
Ron snorted. Does anyone besides me see all the problems that could come about from this?" he asked.
Ginny looked at him. "Yeah," she said, "But so what? There's problems in every relationship, some more than others. But what does it matter? He likes her. She likes him. What more do you need now. A betrothal?"
Ron mumbled an, "Okay, Gin, whatever you say," but still looked angry.
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Draco/Hermione's POV
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When they broke apart, Draco asked Hermione, "Do you want to go inside now?"
Hermione nodded. I'll be in in a minute. There's something I have to do first."
Draco nodded. "Let me guess," he said, "Does it have anything to do with the three hiding in those bushes?"
Hermione nodded, "Well, I'll leave you to it then," Draco said, kissing her on the cheek, and heading back towards the castle.
Hermione waited until he was gone, before saying, in a voice loud enough for them to hear, "Alright Harry, Ron, Ginny, you can come out now. Show's over."
"Awww, Mione," Harry said as they stepped out of the bushes. "How'd you know it was us?"
Hermione smiled. "With their hair, it's kind of hard to miss. Sorry guys." Ginny nodded and waved it off
"I still don't get why Malfoy, of all people, though," Ron said.
Harry looked at him. "I will explain later," he said. "Now come on, let's get inside." "
I'm all for that," Ginny said, and they all headed back towards the Great Hall once again.
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Well, there it is, the chappie you've been waiting for. Looking back on this, I've realized that the quality of the writing is kinda bad, but oh well. I have to get this posted. Laters!!!