Chapter 6 Downfall And a Ball

Hermione played a double life after the wedding. When she was with the rest of the school, she acted happy and carefree, but when she got back to her common room, she showed her true emotion of depression and unhappiness. Even in the common room, Hermione ignored Harry. One day, after dinner, he decided to do something about it. He went down to the common room before her and when she came in, she looked at Harry and tried to run up to her room but Harry stopped her.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" Asked Harry.

"Because I realy don't want to talk to anyone." Snapped Hermione. She wiggled out of his grip and went up to her room.

Harry, who was worried about her, followed her up to her room. The door was unlocekd so he went right in and saw her sitting on her bed, crying. He went up and sat next to her. She tried to get up and leave but Harry stopped her.

"Just talk to me!" Said Harry.

"Would you talk to me if you were just forced to marry someone you've hated for the past 6 years!" Yelled Hermione before storming out.

Harry didn't try to talk to Hermione for a while. She still was ignoring him, just not as much. Finally, before dinner, Hermione went up to Harry.

"I'l talk to you after dinner." Was all she said before heading donw to their common room. Harry, instead of going to the Great Hall for dinner, went into the kitchens. He was instantly greeted by a dozen house elfs and of course, Dobby.

"Good Evening Harry Potter, sir." Said Dobby, bowing to the ground with his nose almost touching the ground, "What does you want?"

"Could I get 2 dinners to bring into my common room?" Asked Harry.
"Of course. Anything for Harry Potter." Said Dobby, Leaving and returning with 2 plates full of food.

"Thanks Dobby."

He went across the hall to their common and immediatly saw Hermione sitting on the couch staring at the fire. He walked over to her and sset the food on the coffee table.

"I brought you something to eat." He said, sitting next to her.

"I'm not hungry." She said, continuing to stare at the fire.

"You need to eat. I don't remember seeing you at lunch today either."

"I'm realy not hungry." She said.

"You need to snap out of this! Soon Voldemort will be defeated and you can live a normal life without Malfoy." Said Harry.

"He's not defeated yet though. I still have to be married to that overgrown ferret!" Sobbed Hermione as she started to cry.

"It won't last forever though." Reasured Harry.

"Yes it will. Unless I get blood from Voldemort after he dies, it will be forever." Said Hermione.

"Don't worry, you will."Said Harry trying to get her to stop crying.

Just then, Ginny and Ron came bursting through the door, dragging Malfoy, looking very happy.

"There's going to be a ball!" Exclaimed Ginny.

"It's going to be on Halloween for 4th years and up!" Said Ron.

"Cool!" Said Harry. Hermione finaly smiled.

"So who's going with who?" She asked. Harry smiled because Hermione seemed herself again.

"Well, me and Mrs. Malfoy have to go together." Said Malfoy. Harry frowned.

"We all know that." Said Ginny. She seemed a little disapointed.

"How about you ask Luna, Weasley." Said Malfoy with a smirk. Ron just blushed slightly.

"Well, seeing how I'm taking your first choice.." Said Malfoy with a smirk. Ron and Hermione blushed a little bit.

"And who are you asking Potter. I know I saw you and MALFOY kissing the other day." He said.

"Shove off Ferret!" Said Harry.

"I don't have to be here. I'm only here because the carrots dragged me here." Insulted Malfoy.

"Then why don't you leave!" Said Hermione.

"I will then." Said Malfoy, marching over to the Slytherin door, cursing the whole way.

"I don't know how you put up with him 'Mione." Said Ginny.

"I just hold it in untill I have something I can curse to death which is usually some rat I 'rescued' from the dungeon." Said Hermione.

"So what are you going to wear for the ball?" Asked Ginny.

"I don't know." said Hermione.

"Want to go practice quidditch?" Said Ron to Harry.

"Definitly. I reckon they're going to be talking 'girl'" Said Harry with a laugh.

Later that night

Hermione was just about to go to bed when Harry came through the door marked 'Gryffindor'.

"So how was your one-on-one practice?" Asked Hermione.

"Good. Ron saved every goal." Said Harry, sitting next to Hermione on her couch.

"Well, I'm tired so I'm going to bed." Said Hermione.

"Me too." Said Harry.

They went to bed.

A month later, Hermione was getting ready for the ball. She decided to wear the same thing she wore in 4th year since she bought it big and now it fit snug around her. She did her hair just slightly different leaving 2 strands in front curly, letting them fall loosely in her face. She went down into the common room where Harry, Malfoy, Ron, Ginny and Luna were waiting. Harry was going with Ginny and Ron was going with Luna.

"Everyone ready?" Asked Ginny.

"Yep" Replied Harry.

They walked down to the Entrance Hall and waited for the Great Hall to open for the ball. Before it did, Professor McGonnagle found Harry and Hermione.

"You two will be opening the ball with a first dance with your partners." Said McGonnagle. "the Ball is about to start so follow me."

She lead them off to the side of the doors. She opened them and every one filed in. After everyone was in, Hermione, Malfoy, Harry and Ginny walked in hand in hand and started the dance. hermione and Harry kept glancing at each other, unnoticed by the other students. Once everyone was danceing, Hermione, Malfoy, Harry and Ginny stopped dancing to find Ron and Luna. They found them sitting at the farthest table in the corner, big enough for all of them. Everyone but Harry wat down.

"Could I talk to you for a minute 'Mione?" Asked Harry.

"Sure" Said Hermione, standing up.

They walked out onto the grounds, which were decorated like they had been for the Yule Ball but instead of faries, there were bats. They walked along the lake until they were on the opposite side of Hogwarts were you could only see them from the 6th or 7th floor. They sat down near a tree.

"I brought you here to ask you about the other night, when I told you that I loved you and then you kissed me." Said Harry, not looking at Hermione at all.

"Why?" Asked Hermione.

"Why did you kiss me?" Asked Harry.

"Because I feel the same way." Replied Hermione, making eye contact with Harry. He smiled.

"You do?" He asked.

"Why else would I kiss you?" She asked.

"I don't know." Said Harry.

"How long have you known this?" Asked Hermione.

"Since summer before 6th year when me and Ron stayed at your house."

"Oh. I remember! You were precticly my shadow the whole time." Said Hermione. "Why didn't you tell me then."

"Ron. He's had a crush on you forever. I told him that I did too after we left your house and he freaked and tried to kick me out of his house but Ginny stopped him. He ignored me the rest of the time." Said Harry.

"That sounds like him." Said Hermione, "Remember when I was dating Viktor, how he acted."

"Yeah. One minute he was his hero, next he was insulting him." Laughed Harry.

"What happened between you two anyway?" Asked Harry.
"I realized that I liked you and felt guilty whenever I was with him or writing letters to him. Even when I was reading his." Said Hermione.

"It was because of me that you broke up?" Asked Harry.

"Yeah. It would of never worked anyway." Said Hermione.

"Well its getting late. The and our dates are waiting for us." Said Harry.
"Oh yeah." Said Hermione, "I forgot about Malfoy."

They walked back to the castle and joined there dates.
"What took you so long?" Asked Ginny.

"Snape." Said Harry simply.

Dinner was already served and soon everyone was dancing again.

A few hours later, it was time for the last dance. Hermione realy wanted to dance with Harry but Malfoy had already lead her to the dance floor and tey started dancing.

"Over the past few months of being married to you, I've started to want it to stay like this and not get divorced." Said Malfoy.

Hermione abruptly stopped dancing causing Malfoy to step on her foot.

"What!" Wispered Hermione loudly.

Malfoy kissed her and since they were in public, Hermione couldn't stop it.

The song ended and everyone started leaving. Hermione practically dragged Malfoy out and into her common room.

"What did you say!" Yelled Hermione.

"That I've fallen in love with you." Said Malfoy.

"You can't though!" Said Hermione.
"And why is that?" Asked Malfoy.

"Because I don't love you and I never will." Said Hermione.

"But what about when we kiss?" Asked Malfoy.

"I only pretend to like it. Thats what I'm supposed to do." Said Hermione.

He kissed her and since they weren't in public, Hermione pushed away and slapped him.

"I told you, I only pretend to like being kissed by you. Here I don't have to. i can show my true emotion." Said Hermione.

"Just wait. I'll get you back for this." Said Malfoy with an evil glare.

He went into the Slytherin Common room right as Harry, Ron Ginny and Luna came in. Hermione ran up to Harry and hugged him.

"Hey, thats MY date your hugging there!" Said Ginny.

"Sorry." Said Hermione and she stopped hugging him.

"Oh. I need to talk t you after every one leaves 'Mione." Said Harry.

"Actually, we were just leaving." Said Luna, dragging Ron to the House doors and pushing him through the Gryffindor one before sh ewent into the Ravenclaw door.

"You should go too, Ginny." Said Harry.

"Why?" Asked Ginny.

"Well, its getting late." Said Harry.

"Whatever." Said Ginny, sulking into the Gryffindor door.

As soon as she thought it safe, Hermione screamed.

"Whats wrong?" Asked Harry.

"Malfoy!" Yelled Hermione

"What'd he do?" Asked Harry.

"He doesn't want to get a divorce!" Yelled Hermione.

"Why?" Asked Harry.

"He said that he's fallen in love with me." Said Hermione.

"But he can't!" Protested Harry," He's hated you for so long."

"What am I going to do? I need his blood for the divorce!" Said Hermione. "Its his fault I'm in this any way."

"Calm down for a sec." Said Harry. "He probly said it just to freak you out."

"Oh. I didn't think of it like that." Said Hermione.

"Yeah. Its getting late. Ginny made me dance to almost every song so Im tired." Said Harry.

"Kay. See you tomorrow." Said Hermione.

Harry kissed her before going up to his room. Hermione went to bed shortly after.