Hello again! I'm back! Thank you to:
DMHg 2GETHER 4EVER – I love it too! Hehehe
Laudatepueri – Here's more for you!
draco's 1 lover – I tried to hurry as fast as I could but with college and work, it gets kinda hard to find time to write… I'm sorry for the delay! But here is Masquerade!
Hidden-Me-05 – I'm glad you like it that much! So here is what happens…
Xputteckx – The first chapter is supposed to be a present day glimpse and the story is from the past. I got this idea from how "Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera' was made. Love that movie and the title of this chapter is based on the song 'Masquerade'. Fitting huh?
Sirius Star Holder - Thank you for the review! I didn't want to use all the characters from Phantom… it was originally suppose to be just Draco but then when I thought of Hermione's costume, Christine was the last thing in my mind but it came out similar to hers anyways!
Evelyn Lupin – It did suck that the links didn't work and I'm sorry to everyone who tried them. But you can see them at any Phantom of the Opera website or Gerard Butlers own website. I kinda snuck another look of the Phantom's in the end, but you'll just have to wait and see! And I'd prefer 'Death by Chocolate' hehe… thanks again for the review!
I really appreciate all the reviews guys and I hope you keep them coming. Tell me what you thought of this one!
Disclaimer: Once again…. All characters and names are from the brilliant mind of JK herself and the chapter title isn't mine either… I just put it there because I felt it fit this particular chapter…. Please don't sue me… I own nothing! I'm a poor college student.
Enough of me… here's Masquerade!
Masquerade: Paper Faces on Parade
She hated being late. Even fashionably late was unacceptable for Hermione, but late she was indeed. Damn Draco for having to bother her in the shower. She blushed slightly as she smiled, remembering how he ran the sponge along all her most private of parts and how she licked him clean below the waist. Never before could she believe to be so daring, especially with Draco Malfoy of all people! But she had no time to think about that. Now, she had to think about getting to the Great Hall in time.
Her heels clicked along the stone floors as she had her skirt held above her ankles so she wouldn't trip and fall. The white mask that was covering the top half of her face hid her eyes, which were darkened from eye makeup, her nose and high cheekbones. Her hair was left curly, but with a 'Frizz-Free' lotion from Hogsmeade, her hair was glossy and was nothing but curls.
She wore a white gown with a corset top, pushing up her already full breasts, the shoulder straps falling down onto her arms. Thin layers of white silk made up the skirt and were layered at different lengths. The white tear drop, frosted crystal pendent that hung around her neck bounced up and down as she ran down the hall past Professor McGonagalls classroom. Her heels made her three inches taller, a whopping 5 foot 11 inches.
'Still too short,' she thought as she rounded the corner and stopped in front of the Great Hall oak doors. They were opened but it seemed that someone hung a curtain of miniature pumpkins down to the floor, hiding those inside from those out. The music was playing what seemed to be a modern type song that wasn't muggle. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the curtain and entered a different world for one night.
Hermione's breath caught as she looked around at what use to be the Great Hall. It looked like a totally different place all together. A huge ball was suspended in the air without strings, but by pure magic. Snow flakes fell from a sky with only stars being seen and a moon with two clouds shielding it for now.
Where the staff usually sat, there were speakers with a good size band playing music that was magically enhanced, each note sounding perfect. The long dinner tables were gone and small circular tables sat in their place, with a huge area laid out for dancing. No one was dancing at the moment. All were either too scared or snaking on the treats on each table that magically refilled when emptied.
She smiled as, even with the masks, she recognized some of her friends. Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnegan wore matching costumes; him in a prince's outfit and her as the muggle fairytale character Repunzel. Ron wore a knight's costume and Harry wore what seemed to be regular dress robes with a plain black mask. Ron wore what appeared to be a king's wardrobe: a cape, what appeared high class materials colored purples and gold's, and a crown. A purple mask covering his face. Parvarti and Padma Patil wore matching outfits of belly dancers, a thin material matching the color of their outfits covering their faces from the nose down.
Many people she couldn't recognize because of the masks but when all eyes turned to her, she blushed crimson before smiling and moving towards Harry and Ron.
"Hello Harry. Hello Ron," she said cheerfully coming up behind her best friends.
They both turned at the sound of their names and froze as an angel looked over at them. She seemed to almost glow as she smiled at them lovingly.
"Hermione?" Harry looked a little confused as he looked at the girl who sounded like his best friend.
"Who else? This is a masquerade ball so you shouldn't really recognize me." She smiled warmly as Ron blushed slightly when he caught a glimpse of how much the corset pushed up her breasts.
"Oh stop ogling Ronald." She shook her head before turning back to Harry. "Why isn't anyone dancing?"
"No one wants to be the first to dance."
"Someone has to be the first. Hey," she called when someone roughly pushing into her. She turned and gasped when she saw a young woman dressed in a revealing emerald dress. Green streaks were seen in her usually black bob. A green mask with feathers hid her eyes but she could tell who it was immediately. Pansy Parkinson did everything over the top. Obviously not recognizing Hermione, Pansy did something amazing.
"Sorry, thought you were someone else. Where's Draco Millicent?"
"I'm going to get some punch, I'll see you in a bit," Hermione said, raising her voice to be heard over the music. Harry and Ron nodded in agreement, obviously not wanting to end their conversation about Quidditch… again.
As she walked towards the table, many eyes wandered in her direction and she did her best to try and ignore them. But even when she reached the table, the feeling of being stared at wouldn't leave her.
"Hello Miss Granger." Hermione turned and smiled up at Lupin.
"Hello sir. I must thank you though. This room looks absolutely wonderful. You really pulled it off."
"With your plans of course. We couldn't have done it without your brilliant mind working on it." He smiled an attractive smirk as she blushed slightly. "I must make my rounds to make sure no students decide to play Halloween pranks on anyone. Have a lovely evening Hermione. And find someone to dance with, you deserve it." He winked before bowing slightly and turning in the opposite direction.
"I was waiting for that dog to leave you alone," a voice whispered to her from behind. Hermione turned to look at the student behind her and was shocked to see the man now in front of her.
He wore a black cloak that appeared to be somehow attached to his matching coat without looking it. He wore a maroon vest that was the only coloring in the whole outfit over a barely visible white shirt. Black gloves covered his hands that were crossed in front of him as he stood looking at her. Black pants hung nicely to his form and he wore shoes that seemed to shine. Half his face was hidden behind a white mask, his blonde hair gelled back. He looked stunning. The only thing recognizable was the light hair and the infamous smirk that always seemed to grace his features.
"What do you think?" He turned around slowly, bringing up his cape in a dramatic way that would have impressed Snape.
"Where did you find that?"
"It was lying around my closet at the Manor and when I heard about the Masquerade this year, I though, why not?" While he spoke, he had walked around her, each step coming closer to her, examining her costume before standing right in front of her.
"And how did you acquire a 'Phantom' costume when it's a muggle opera?" Hermione smirked at him as he looked her up and down.
"It may be muggle, but it's my mum's favorite."
Silence passed between them as they stared into each others eyes: neither of them realizing the looks of envy and jealousy that were thrown their way. Only when Draco's favorite dance began to play did he break their connection.
"I do believe Miss Granger, that it's time for the Head Boy and Girl to dance." He took her hand easily into his and began to pull her towards the dance floor.
"No one else is dancing!" She tried to pull away but he held firm. Hermione recognized the sound and began to get nervous.
Her father taught her the steps when she was younger and when she lied, saying she forgot the steps, she secretly danced up in her room when her parents were out.
"Malfoy, do you realize what song this is?"
"Yup," his step never faltered as they reached the middle of the floor. Every conversation fell silent as two figures were how seen on the dance floor.
The music paused as they took their places and with a wave of his hand, Dumbledore caused the moon to become a spot light. Then the music began to play. The beat was slow at first as their feet began to move in unison. He stepped forward, she stepped back; she stepped forward, he stepped back.
His hand on her waist was firm as he led her to the left, pulling her closer slightly so he could feel her body move against his own.
Draco turned her around, spinning her around and pulling her back to him. Crushing into his body, he dipped her down, taking his free hand to run along her neck, through the valley of her breasts to her waist, pulling her back to him.
Their eyes met in a challenging way as they continued to move their bodies as one. He slipped his leg between hers, rubbing his thigh against her before she pulled back and turned around in a spin.
"What's going on," Harry asked Seamus who was standing, watching something on the dance floor.
"Who is that dancing with Malfoy?" Ron looked to the floor, his jaw dropping as he saw Hermione's arms go around his waist, rocking her hips intimately with his.
"They look beautiful," Ginny sighed as she watched enviously as Draco danced with Hermione so seductively.
"That's not beautiful," Ron pouted, glaring at Ginny.
"You have to admit Ron, they are pretty good," Lavender sighed as she too watched with awe.
"Where do you think they learned to dance like that?"
"Are you sure that's Malfoy?"
"That can't be Hermione."
All comments were said but not heard as the conclusion of the song drew near and for a finish, Draco dipped Hermione once again. Her head fell back, leaving her neck and chest area vulnerable. He saw her best friends watching carefully, watching every move he made. And deciding to give them a show, he brought his head down, closing his eyes while lightly touching her breasts with his lips through the material before turning his head to the side so his face rested on her breasts, her hands holding his head gently. His eyes met Ron's and he smiled cruelly before pulling her back up to a standing position.
The teachers and students all applauded as Draco and Hermione looked at each other, both panting heavily before walking towards the crowd.
"Hermione!" Harry grabbed her arm, pulling her close. "What the bloody hell was that?"
She looked over his shoulder as Draco walked by, her eyes meeting his. He looked at her with such sadness at Harry's concern.
"The tango," she whispered before smiling and turning to get that drink she originally wanted. Harry stood there, gawking at her retreating form.
The rest of the evening went by in a blur. More couples danced after their little show and the time seemed to drag. Hermione seemed to be asked to dance by a thousand people, each turning them down; only accepting when Harry or Ron asked once. She didn't see Draco for the rest of the night.
Only when she entered her private dormitory after the long night on her feet, with her shoes in hand and her body exhausted did she meet up with him again. But he wasn't in his costume; all he wore were the black pants and the white shirt that was hidden underneath his vest.
When Hermione walked in, her shoes dangled from her hand, her feet seemed to drag and she was yawning, never before did a woman look so appealing to him.
"Where did you escape to," she asked as he leaned against the door frame.
"I went for a walk, had to clear my head." He smirked before walking towards her softly, taking her shoes out of her hand and throwing them carelessly to the floor.
"I was hoping we could continue what we started on the dance floor." He raised an eyebrow suggestively and she smiled before rising up and kissing him. Her long awaited rest would come later, now all she wanted to do was continue their dancing between their sheets.
That's the end of 'Masquerade'! What did you guys think?
Don't forget to review!