A week before the Christmas Ball, Hermione, Draco, and the prefects were running around the corridors, putting up Christmas decorations. Hermione pushed Draco and her feelings to the back of her mind. She needed to concentrate on the Ball for the time being. They didn't touch the Great Hall and wouldn't until the day of the Ball.

Hermione sat on her bed with all of her muggle CDs she had asked her mother to send. She had three Britney Spears CDs, one N'Sync CD, one Christina Aguilera CD, two Aaron Carter CDs, two Backstreet Boys CDs, two Now CDs, and one Pink CD. These were all the ones she used to listen to. She shook her head and opened another box. More of her better CDs were in that one, She had one Good Charlotte CD, one Lostprophets CD, an Evansence CD, a Switchfoot CD, two Papa Roach CDs, two Green Day CDs, a KoRn CD, a Story of the Year CD, a Simple Plan CD, a Linkin Park CD, and a Shania Twain CD.

Hermione sighed and stared at her CDs. She knew she wanted Green Day, KoRn, Papa Roach, and Shania Twain CDs, but wasn't sure what else. She finally decided with those and Evansence, Switchfoot, Simple Plan and Linkin Park. She packed the other CDs and put them in the corner. She wrote them down on a piece of parchment and walked out of her room. She put the piece of paper on the desk.

She turned around and headed back to her room, but since she wasn't looking up, she gently ran into a man's chest. She looked up and met eyes with Draco, who was leaning on her doorframe. She backed a couple of steps, muttering a sorry. "Well, I put my list of muggle artists on the desk," she muttered without looking up. She blushed slightly.

"Um…sure," said Draco. For some reason, seeing her said pained him. He missed her cheery, happy smiled. He didn't like her frown at all. Some part of him wanted to go and hug her forever, but he ignored that urge. Somehow he thought that wasn't what she wanted at all, especially by him, the one who she didn't like too much. Seeing as she didn't want to talk to him, Draco went to his room.

Hermione watched him leave and went back into her own room. She flopped on her bed and stared at her star ceiling. She just felt like crying, but Christmas was coming soon and she needed to be happy for Harry and Ron. She named a couple consolations before falling asleep.

Hermione, Draco, and the prefects were in the Great Hall for almost the whole day. The Great Hall was just a little-ok, a lot better than it was every Christmas. Hagrid hauled in twelve Christmas trees for the teens to decorate, with the help of Professor Flitwick of course.

About two hours before the Ball started, Hermione and the other girls left to go get ready. The boys rolled their eyes and continued doing last minute decorating. Hermione went to her bathroom to take a shower. She decided to take a shorted one than she had been. She got out of the shower and twenty-five minutes later and put on her bathrobe. She walked to her closet and opened it. She ran her fingers over the hangers until she reached near the back.

She pulled out a beautiful glittery midnight-blue dress. It cut low in the front and went to her knee. It was cut at an angel. She took out the black hells and panty hoes. She slipped on the dress and panty hoes. She looked in the mirror and smiled. It fit her perfectly, though she did saw one or two negatives, she still thought it looked good. She went to the bathroom and lightly did her make-up. She put her hair up in a bun like she did in her fourth year. She pulled on her heels and looked into the mirror again. She smiled and sat on her bed near the little dresser. She opened the drawer and pulled out a small box. She opened that and pulled out her mother's diamond studded bracelet. She put it on and walked out.

Draco leaned against the couch and waited for Hermione. His black tux lay nicely on his body; instead having his hair gelled back, he decided to leave it hanging around his face. He sighed patiently and twirled the rose around gently. 'Why the hell am I going to give her this rose? Who am I anymore? I don't even know,' he thought as he waited a little longer.

He heard the door open and looked up. What he saw wasn't what he thought or ever imaged. He jaw wanted to drop, but he didn't dare let it. Hermione was absolutely beautiful. She was like an angel he never knew existed. He stared at her for a few before he remembered that the Ball the worked so hard on couldn't begin with them there.

"Um…we should…ehm…be going," said Draco. "Oh, um." He held out the blood red rose for her to take. She looked at him funny before taking it. Inside she was jumping for joy.

"Thank you," said Hermione as she sniffed it. She conjured up a vase with water and put the rose in it. "We're going to be late if we don't leave now." Draco nodded and they left the common room.

They walked side by side without touching and didn't talk. She figured they would dance the opening dance and that was it. She didn't want to dance with him for only five minutes. She wanted to dance with him forever, but she knew she was just imaging the impossible. She glanced at Draco a couple times. Each time, he was deep in thought about something.

Once they got to the Great Hall, most of the students were already there, waiting for the dance to begin. Music wasn't playing or food was being served. It wouldn't until Draco and Hermione danced in front of all the 5th, 6th, and 7th years. In about five minutes they would start dancing. For the time being, they just stood on either side of a smiling Dumbledore.

"Welcome to Hogwarts first annual Christmas Ball. Let's give a hand to the Head Boy and Girl, Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger, with the help of the prefects, for preparing this wonderful Ball." The hall filled with claps and cheers for a moment before they died. "But, before we can open the dance completely, Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger will completely open it by sharing the first dance."

The whole hall looked shocked as Draco and Hermione walked to the middle of the hall, holding hands, as Dumbledore said to. Immediately, whispers filled the halls. Both Draco and Hermione gulped then took a deep break and waited for the music. There was a few seconds of piano and guitar before the words started. Draco pulled Hermione her close, wrapping a firm, but gentle arm around her waist and held her hand with the other. Hermione rested her hand on his shoulder. They started to dance slowly with the song.

They tell you where you need to go
They tell you when you need to leave.
They tell you what you need to know
They tell you who you need to be.

As the song got slowly faster, so did Draco and Hermione. She couldn't believe good he was at dancing. It absolutely amazed her.

But everything inside you
knows there's more than what you've heard.
There's so much more than empty conversations
filled with empty words.

And you're on fire
when He's near you
You're on fire when He speaks
You're on fire burning at these mysteries.

Give me one more time around
Give me one more chance to see (yeah)
Give me everything You are
Give me one more chance to be near You. (Ya-yeah)

When everything inside me
Looks like everything I hate
You are the hope I have for change
You are the only chance I'll take

And I'm on fire when You're near me
I'm on fire when You speak
I'm on fire burning at these mysteries.

"I didn't know you can dance," muttered Hermione when the only the piano and guitar were playing. He twirled her gently. When she was back into his arms, she looked up at him.

"There's a lot you know about me," muttered Draco after a moment. He led her around the floor expertly and gently. She followed without holding back. 'You're a great dancer too,' he added to himself, not wanting to say it allowed.

I'm standing on the edge of me
I'm standing at the edge of everything I've never been
And I'm standing at the edge of me, standing at the edge.

Hermione and Draco slowed down as the song ended. Hermione really want to tell him her feelings, but was afraid of his reactions. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Whispers were all around her. She could hear them loud and clear after the music died. She wanted to scream, shut up, but decided against it. That would only embarrass her more.

Hermione kept her eyes closed and ignore the whispering and hissing as they got louder. She didn't even realize that Draco was still holding her hand as another song started and the whole hall was filled with dancing couples, although all eyes were staring or glaring at them. They both ignored everyone, enough though Hermione still had her eyes closed and her mind still blocked out any and all sounds. She didn't want to see or hear anyone right now.

Draco, on the other hand, heard and saw everything. He glared at everyone. He didn't like this at all. So what if he was dancing with Hermione? So what? She was human and a witch too. Who care what he did? He glanced at Hermione. She had her eyes closed and she was shaking slightly. He still had her hand and didn't know why. He looked around again. Everyone was still glaring at them.

Draco didn't know what made him pull Hermione into a hug, but he did. He heard her gasp and saw her eyes fly open. He watched as her eyes glanced around and then she dug her head into his chest. He hugged her tighter, but it was still gentle. He rested his chin on her head, closing his eyes. A smiled tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Dumbledore and the rest of the staff smiled at Draco and Hermione. This was a good thing, even though most of the other students didn't seem to think so. His eyes twinkled more than usual. His eyes left them and looked for Harry and Ron. They were sitting at a table chatting like nothing unusual was happening. He was surprised he didn't find hem fighting with Draco. That made him smile even more.

Hermione and Draco stayed in each other's arms for a while. Neither of them wanted to go, even if they didn't admit it. They both felt complete, warm, and protected where they were. "We need to talk," Draco heard her whisper and was brought out of his thoughts. He nodded in agreement and let go of her, but still held her hand. All eyes were on them as they left.