Hermione's point----

Hermione is walking at the 5th floor corridor. She faced the 3rd floor from the left of Boris the Bewildered. She spoke in a soft voice and said "P for prefect". The closed door in front of her opened in an instant without her touching it. She went inside to find that almost all the people are reading or studying. She cleared her throat and said "Excuse me," all head turned to her. A Head Girl in the midst of the pool of prefects. "Fifth year prefects please assemble here." She added in a clear voice for all of them to hear.

Some people dropped their study and stood to approach her while the others remaining presumed on their study. "Right," she said in her normal volume. "I need you prefects to keep people from entering the Great Hall this week, unless of course it's breakfast, lunch of dinner. Here are your schedule in you shift." she added handing each of them a short piece of parchment with their names and times of when they would do the guarding.

"I have a question," said a Hufflepuff boy. "What would they be doing on the Great Hall?"

"They are currently decorating it for Christmas," Hermione said. "This year, they have scheduled a Christmas Ball which would be happening on Saturday night next week, same time as the Hogmeade weekend. They decided to give us all fun before you all go away on Sunday for the holidays."

"So, it's like the Yule Ball? We weren't allowed then. Do we need dates?" he continued.

"As a matter of fact you do."

"Why is the notice too late?" a Ravenclaw boy asked.

"I think Professor Dumbledore reckoned he liked the idea of us panicking for dates with given only a week. He'll be announcing it later on dinner. Don't worry," she added at the sight of their disapproving faces. "I only found it out earlier, so, like you all, I still don't have a date myself."

Exhales of satisfaction from them all. "Very well, that's all." Hermione said patiently. They all went back to their studies and she went out of the prefect's room. She went down the entrance hall and to the cold outside of Hogwarts hoping to see Malfoy somewhere. She didn't have to look long. She caught sight of someone seated under a tree, face buried over a book on one hand and a quill on the other. It was a bit hard to see him for his pale skin and white blonde hair facing her. The only thing that made Hermione identify him, as Draco Malfoy, is his will to be alone on the cold grounds and sitting on snow as if becoming a loner. She approached him through the deep snow and when she was finally twenty-four inches away from him, she said, "Hey Malfoy,"

Malfoy looked up from his book, surprised to see someone talking to him. "Oh, hi Hermione." he said in a considerate voice, smiling at her.

Hermione searched for something solid to sit on and sat at a huge stone on the ground covered with snow. "So, I came to you to say that I have accepted your invitation." she said in a soft voice.

Malfoy smiled widened as Hermione looked at his gray eyes. "It's settled then," he said happily. "On the entrance hall on ten on Saturday then?" Malfoy assured.

"Okay," she answered. Malfoy didn't remove his eyes off hers. His eyes settled on her brown ones. Hermione was so certain the kindness of his heart is now visible in his deep eyes. "Anyway Malfoy, me and Ginny decided to tell Harry and Ron about you. I believe that they already know."

"Really," he said widening his eyes. He felt a little nervous about them knowing it. "So, how did they react about it?"

"I don't really understand them." Hermione said, her face a little screwed up. "They don't trust you yet well enough. And sure they were shocked about it."

"I know that they wouldn't believe it instantly." Malfoy said.

"Yeah, well you know how they are. But I'm glad that they are my friends. They give me support and love on anything." Hermione said.

"I wish you could also feel my love." he murmured to himself looking at a different direction.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked frowning.

"Nothing," Malfoy said quickly. "Have you told all the new prefects about their duty this week? Draco asked

"Ah yeah, I think they became a bit overwhelmed about that Christmas Ball." Hermione said.

"So, do you have someone that will take you already?" he asked still assuring his casual manner.

"Not yet really," Hermione said.

Silence flamed from their spot. Malfoy continued writing on his essay, leaving Hermione to stare at the semi-frozen lake. "Listen, I have to go now. I'll be helping Harry on his homework, see you on Saturday then."

"Yeah, see you, bye Hermione." Malfoy said looking up. Hermione stood and waved him goodbye while smiling.

She entered the entrance hall and up to the seventh floor.

"Does Hermione know that Malfoy is inloved with her?" Harry asked.

"Of course she knew, or I mean, she felt." Ginny said. "Women have like the power to sense the emotion from another, specially towards them. It could be hatred, anger, pity, most especially, love. They feel it but don't give a word that she knows it. That is the reason why female people re good in emotion and giving advices. Malfoy didn't tell her that he love her but just simply felt it."

Both Harry and Ron's mouth are once again, open. "So it's no good keeping secrets from women because they could know it without anyone telling it." Ron asked.

"It's still good. Al this feeling and stuffs are just hunches. None of them are positively sure of." Ginny said.

The portrait hole opened and in came Hermione carrying a decent face. "I've told him already that I'll date him." She said sitting between Ginny and Harry.

"Hermione, do you love him?" Harry asked casually. Hermione's eyes opened very wildly. Her mouth fell open and in the middle of laughter or shock. Her cheeks became slightly pink. "Well?" he asked.

"No," she said decently. "As for now, I'm not inloved with anybody."

"Right on." Ron said in mockery.

"Well I believe you." Harry said wisely.

Ron looked at Harry and asked, "What?"

"I don't think Hermione is inloved with him. It's fine by her to have fans all over the world but she answers to them in order to not look big headed. She was not inloved with Krum when all the world is inloved with him and he is inloved with her. But still, she answered his letters and everything, same as Malfoy." Harry said con-sistently looking at the expression on Hermione's face.

"Thanks Harry," she said to him. Harry just grinned at her. "Do you need any help in that Transfiguration essay?'

"No, thanks anyway. I've finished it already." Harry answered politely.

"Good," she answered. She stood up and went over to the 3rd years by the window, who was attempting to throw off Crookshanks. Obviously, they didn't know Hermione owned him. Hermione went back carrying Crookshanks on her arms and said, "Ron, aren't you supposed to be working with Professor McGonagall now? She will assign you to something."

Ron's eyes widened and yelped, "Oh yeah, I forgot!". He stood immediately and went out of the portrait hole very swiftly.

Hermione sat at the empty chair of Ron which is the closest to the fire. "I better go strolling the corridors now." Ginny said. She, as Ron, stood up and waved goodbye to them. She went out of the portrait hall as well.

Hermione scratched Crookshanks behind the ears while Harry sat closer to her on Ginny's empty chair. "Ron told me that there is another ball coming up." Harry said facing her.

"Yes. Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you." Hermione said looking concerned at him.

"It's alright," Harry said freely. Silence was in their midst but over powered by other students chatting merrily at their back. "Listen," Harry said clearing his throat. "If you haven't got a date yet, would you go to the ball with me?" he added smiling but still much confident than with Cho.

"Sure, you got it." Hermione said. "It will be fantastic."

"Thank you. I don't want to be left dateless once again up to the last minute like last year." Harry said. They both laughed together.