Grins

Seams like you all liked my cliff hanger?

OK, no more delay…

Then…Malfoy sat up so quick, that girls all screamed.

Malfoy darted up, got Hermione around the waist, since she was closer, and ran over to the pool, and jumped in with her.

Hermione was screaming- under water…

Malfoy grinned to himself, as he swam to the surface, seeing Granger following.

'Malfoy! That wasn't funny!' Hermione shrieked, as she hopped out of the pool.

'Yes it was! You should have seen your face!' Malfoy cackled.

'That wasn't a very nice joke- we thought something was wrong!' Aj said, but she was smiling all the same…so were Lavender, Parvati and Ginny.

Hermione seamed to be the only one who took Malfoy's sad, but scary joke seriously.

'Well, it couldn't have been that bad, cause your all laughing.' Malfoy grinned.

'It wasn't a funny joke!' Hermione screamed, grabbing her towel, and drying off.

'Sure it wasn't.' Malfoy smirked.

'Come on, girls.' Hermione said, collecting the food, which lay abandoned by the pool.

Hermione led her friends out of the bathroom, head held high.

The head girl dumped the food on her bed, then turned and faced her friends.

'What a creep.' she said, starting to blow- dry her hair with her wand.

'Come on Hermione, it was funny.' Parvati said, smiling.

'It was only funny to you because it wasn't you that was standing closest to him, nor was it you that he grabbed and jumped into the pool with!' Hermione snapped.

'Oh, clam down.' Ginny said, grinning.

'I have to say, you too would make a great couple.' Lavender said, before Hermione burst out laughing.

'Have you gone completely mad?' she shrieked, controlling herself.

Lavender shrugged, before smiling.

'Hermione and Malfoy, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g-' she sang.

'Ok, stop right there!' Hermione screamed, not wanting to hear that song that she knew so well.

'Well, what about our other plan?' Ginny asked, sitting on Hermione's bed, pushing aside the food.

'Excuse me, but what "our other plan"?' Parvati asked.

Hermione explained, and Parvati grinned.

'Well,' Hermione said, 'We could do that to him tonight…while he's asleep!'

'Yeah!'

'Fantastic!'

'Cool.'

Hermione grinned, and her friends all sat on her bed, and ate, talked and laughed.

When it was one in the morning, Hermione rose, and looked in the bathroom.

'Ok, he's not there; I'll check the common room.' She retreated over to the door, and walked through it.

When she came back, she grinned.

'He's not there, so he must be asleep…'

The girls left in her room grinned wickedly.

'Ok, but let me check that he's asleep.' Hermione said, walking back to her bathroom door.

She creped across the bathroom, careful not make a noise.

When she reached his bedroom door, she opened it soundlessly, so she could see through a small crack.

Hermione looked through her small crack, and saw the blond hair cocooned in his blankets.

Closing the gap, Hermione ran back to her friends.

'He's asleep!' she said. 'Get your equipment!'

Her friends smiled as they collected their make- up equipment, and their wands.

'No, I'll take mine.' Hermione said, getting it from her bed side table.

'Ok, let's go.'

They all smiled, and headed into the bathroom.

They moved without a single sound as they approached his door.

Hermione opened it a crack again, checked to make sure he was still asleep, then opened it silently.

'Come on.' She mouthed.

Her friends followed soundlessly, as they moved across his bedroom.

'Start.' Hermione mouthed to Ginny.

Ginny silently opened her bag, and got out some eye liner.

Walking closer to his bed, she searched for his eyes in the dark- they couldn't light their wands, the light would wake ferret up, well, at least not yet!

Malfoy was sleeping face up, a perfect target for a make over.

Ginny was ten inches from his eyes, when Parvati, who had lipstick came and sat next to her.

'Shh!' Ginny mouthed as a floor board creaked.

'Sorry!' Parvati mouthed

Hermione glanced at Malfoy, and saw that he had not idea that the floor board had creaked, or that 5 girls were around him, about to attack him with make- up!

Lavender was next to move, and she had the foundation.

Aj was last, with the eye- shadow.

Hermione wasn't going to do anything to him, because if he waked up when Lavender put the foundation on, she was to immobilize him, and force him to watch as they applied girly things to him.

Lavender, Parvati, Ginny and Aj were watching Hermione, waiting for the GO sign.

Hermione nodded to Lavender, who grinned, and silently squirted some of the foundation on the palm of her hand.

Hermione raised her wand, ready, just in case.

Lavender closed the small gap between her and the Slytherin prince, and she slowly rubbed the foundation in Malfoy's skin.

For about three seconds, he didn't move, then the coldness of the cream hit him, and he shot up.

He only had time to see Hermione, Lavender (who only just pulled back in time), Parvati, Ginny and AJ, before Hermione reacted and immobilized him.

He had three seconds to look flabbergasted, shocked and angry all in one go.

Hermione walked over to him, and looked at his pathetic life form.

Because Hermione was very talented, she was able to release Malfoy's top half, but not him bottom half.

'GRANGER!' he screamed when he could move his mouth.

'Yes?' Hermione asked casually.

'LET ME GO!' he shrieked.

'Mmm.' Hermione paused then said, 'No.'

She moved closer and asked her friends to help get Malfoy in a sitting position- that was the only reason Hermione released him.

They got him a sitting position, and then sat around him.

'You know,' he smirked, 'This is the most girls I have had on my bed?'

Hermione rolled her eyes, as she froze him again.

They began their handy- work, with the light coming form Hermione's lit wand.

Lavender firstly, finished applying the foundation, and then Aj put the eye shadow on, then Ginny with the lipstick.

By this stage Malfoy looked absolutely ridiculous.

The eye shadow was pink, and they eye liner was purple.

Parvati approached Malfoy with…BRIGHT ORANGE LIPSTICK!

She grinned evilly as she lent down and applied it.

All three girls stood back to see the new and improved Malfoy.

At this point, they noticed he was topless.

They hadn't before, cause they were laughing and to excited to, now however…

'Get ready to run.' Hermione said, as she raised her wand, ready to release Malfoy from his spell.

Her friends all bolted to the bathroom, Hermione behind them.

'Get ready to close the door!' Hermione yelled to her friends, as she realsed Malfoy from his spell.

He yelled, and Hermione continued bolting through the bathroom.

Malfoy was fast, and he would have caught her, if she hadn't had the head start.

Hermione reached her bedroom door, screamed through, as Parvati, Lavender and Aj slammed it behind her.

They heard Malfoy curse as he slid to a stop, just before he slammed into the door.

'I'll get you Granger!' he shouted.

Hermione shouted a spell at the door, so he couldn't open it when he tried.

Hermione and her friends sat there in silence for three minutes before they heard Malfoy curse very loudly.

They all grinned and realized that he must have seen the new him in the mirror.

The rest of the night, they tried to avoid going in the bathroom, at least until 4 in the morning.

When they woke on Saturday morning, Hermione grinned as she remembered the conversations she had had with her friends the night before, and of course, Malfoy.

Hermione was first to wake, then sat and read, while she waited for her friends to wake as well.

They woke at about ten o'clock, and then they all dressed, and headed off to the great hall for lunch.

Aj departed them and headed for the Slytherin table, as the rest made their way over to the Gryffindor table.

Hermione smiled as she saw Harry and Ron sitting down, talking to Dean.

Hermione said goodbye to Lavender, Parvati and Ginny, as they went their separate ways.

Hermione whispered to Harry what they done last night, and he had burst out laughing.

Ron looked at them, then turned back to Dean, and started talking louder than necessary.

Harry shook his head, and then drank.

'Harry,' Hermione said in a whisper.

'Yeah?' he asked.

'What's wrong with Ron?' she asked, looking at him.

'Hermione…' he looked uncomfortable. 'It's not really my place…'

'Yes, Harry, because I've asked him, and he wont tell me!'

'Well, I shouldn't tell you if he won't.' Harry said.

'So you know!' Hermione said, pointing at him,

'Yes…' he said, warily.

'Harry, please tell me!' Hermione begged.

'Hermione…I cant…' Hermione sulked.

'That's exactly what Ron said!' Hermione said.

'I'm sorry.'

At that moment, Dumbledore stood, and the hall went quiet.

'I need to see the head boy and girl shortly, but now, I wish to inform you something. There will be a ball soon, three weeks from today to be exact.' The hall buzzed, but Dumbledore silenced them. 'Please, let me finish. You will all be dancing, and you must have a partner.' Dumbledore smiled to his sea of students. 'Head boy, girl.' He sat, and Hermione made her way to him.

When Hermione reached the old wizard, she saw Malfoy, whose face was red from were he had been scrubbing off the make- up.

'Didn't like your make over Malfoy?' Hermione asked.

'Shut up, Mudblood.' he snapped.

Hermione grinned.

'Please,' Dumbledore interrupted. 'You two shall dance three times at this ball.' Both groaned, and Dumbledore raised an eye brow.

'Wont be that bad,' he said, smiling, 'But you will open the ball, dance half way through, then officially close it.'

'Three times!' Malfoy shrieked.

'Yes Mr. Malfoy, three times.' Dumbledore said.

'Don't worry ferret, you can still dance with Pug face.' Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

'And you can still dance with Weasel King!' Malfoy snapped.

'Clam yourselves!' Dumbledore said. Both quieted.

'There will be a Hogsemade trip tomorrow, and you two will be expected to help set up. You are dismissed.'

Hermione and Malfoy walked their separate ways.

'Hermione? Can I talk to you?' Ron asked when Hermione sat down.

'Sure.' Hermione said, getting back to her feet.

'Come on.' he said.

Hermione followed him to the library, where, when she entered, she saw no one in it- well that's what she thought.

Ron led her to the back of the library, and sat down, Hermione following.

'What is it?' Hermione asked when she saw his panicked face.

'Hermione…can you…I mean, could you…' he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

'Ron, spit it out, I wont get angry or laugh or anything.' Hermione said.

Ron shifted uncomfortably, and then sighed.

'Ok, Hermione, will you come to the ball with me?'

Hermione turned around as she heard a stifled laugh.

'What?' Ron asked, fear grabbing his stomach…hoping…praying…she can't say no…well, she's gonna…

Ron was so sure that Hermione was going to say no, when she turned back to face him, and smiled.

'Yes. Of course.' Hermione hugged the shocked Ron, then pulled back and laughed at his expression.

Ron's brain caught up with what she had said, and he smiled back at her.

'Thanks Hermione!'

Hermione grinned, and said 'At least this year I'm not the last choice.'

Ron cringed and apologized.

'Ron, relax, its ok!' Hermione laughed.

He looked uncomfortable again.

'Hermione…I really like you…like, more than a friend.' Hermione's eyes widened in shock for a slit second before she smiled.

'Thanks Ron.' she said, hugged him again, and then they walked out of the library smiling and laughing.

They hadn't realized that a blond Slytherin boy had been watching, had been laughing at the ugly couple, and now, was angry as he saw her walk out, laughing at something the pathetic Weasley said.

Malfoy followed Hermione and Ron out of the library and headed off to his dorm, to do some homework- something that reminded him too much of a curtain Gryffindor.

Hermione and Ron headed out to the Quidditch Pitch, were the Gryffindor team was practicing.

Ron walked off to the changing rooms, and Hermione headed for Ginny, who was talking to Lavender.

'Hey, Gin, Ron just asked me out!' Hermione grinned.

'Really? Wow!' Ginny said, turning to Hermione, smiling and hugging her best friend.

'I think you two will make a great couple!' Lavender said, also hugging Hermione, who was now grinning so much, she thought she might crack her face.

'But Gin,' She said, her smile disappearing, 'he's my first boy friend…I don't know how to act!' Hermione said.

'Calm down Hermione, it's not that hard, nor bad!' Lavender laughed.

Hermione was almost hysterical, and then she took three deep, calming breaths.

'Ok, I'm ok…' Hermione plunked herself on the chair beside Ginny.

'But Ginny, you have to help me!'

'Ok, herms, calm down. Tomorrow, at Hogsemade, come and get me, and we'll go shopping.'

'Yeah, can I come?' Lavender asked, 'I love shopping.'

'Yeah ok.' Hermione smiled.

Hermione scanned the pitch's stands and saw a group of green on one side, watching the blurs of the Gryffindor's fly past.

Hermione groaned as she saw Pansy and her friends sitting there, and Malfoy's friend, that Jamie Silverstone.

Hermione didn't know him that well, except for a few words that they had exchanged when she first met Aj.

But other than that, she hadn't said a word the him. But she thought that if he was in Slytherin, hanged around Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins, he couldn't too nice to anyone else.

Hermione looked for Aj, but didn't see her.

She was lost in her thoughts of everything, when Harry and Ron pulled up in front of her in the air.

'Hey Hermione!' Harry called out, trying to heard over the rush of wind.

'Hey Harry!' Hermione called back.

'Hermione, come on!' Ron yelled.

Hermione's eyes widened.

'W-w-what?' she stuttered.

but Ron didn't hear her.

'Meet me down on the pitch in 5 minutes!' he called, and then zoomed off with Harry.

'Go on Hermione!' Ginny called, nudging her on.

'But Gin, I hate flying!' Hermione complained.

'So?'

'So! SO! Gin, listen to me very, very carefully, I hate flying!' Hermione almost shouted, waving her arms hysterically.

'Herms, you might actually like it. Just give it a go.' Lavender said, trying not to smile at Hermione's hysterics.

'Ok.' Hermione sighed. 'I'll give it a go…'

'Good on you!' Ginny said, patting her on the back.

Hermione glared at her before leaving to head down to the pitch.

Meanwhile, the Slytherin prince, who had finished his homework, only entered the pitch's stands because he couldn't find any of his so- called –friends in the castle.

What he saw when he sat down next to Pansy was laughable.

Granger was on the other side of the pitch, visible because of her hair- her personal trademark, which Malfoy could have seen in the biggest of storms, and she seamed to be having a fit or something, she was waving her hands hysterically, and was shouting about something to the little weasel, but the wind wouldn't carry it to his ears.

As he watched, what ever she was fighting about, she must have given in, because she got up and walked away.

Hermione walked almost crying as she made her way down to the pitch.

Ron was there waiting for her as she entered, and Hermione spotted Harry hovering above him.

Hermione tried to smile, but she just couldn't manage it.

'Are you scared?' Ron asked as she approached him and his broom warily.

'Yes, I'm absolutely terrified.' Hermione answered with a bit of a laugh, but it was at least honest.

'Well, come on.' Ron mounted his broom, and waited for Hermione.

Just as Hermione walked closer, ready to hop on, someone's voice was shouted and echoed around the stadium.

'Are you sure she will be safe riding a broom with you, weasel?' it was Malfoy.

Hermione, Ron and Harry looked around the stands, spotted the ferret, and then heard laughter coming from all around him, echoing horribly.

'I mean, your broom is second hand, is it not?' Malfoy called again. 'It might break under the strain of Mudblood's hair!'

More laughter.

'She's better off with me than with a ferret like you Malfoy!' Ron called back.

'Why weasel? Why would she be? I mean, at least if she flew with me, which shall never happen, she wouldn't fall off the broom because you dint know how to fly!'

This time the laughter was loud enough to make you go deaf.

'Ron.' Hermione said quietly. 'Let me fly on my own.'

Ron's mouth opened in shock.

'What?' he shrieked. 'Hermione, you have never flown! Don't believe Malfoy, I can fly, honest!'

'No Ron, it's ok, I will never believe ferret, but I want to fly on my own.'

'Ok, but Harry will fly near by just in case.' Ron sighed, hopped off his broomstick, handed it to Hermione, and called Harry down.

Ron told Harry what Hermione planned to do, and Harry also protested for a few minutes before giving in, and agreeing that he could get Hermione out of the air if he thought she needed it.

'Agreed.' Hermione said, now mounting the broom.

'Oh Merlin, are you really going to let her fly on her own!' Malfoy called from the stands.

'What does it look like ferret?' Harry called, casting off.

Hermione gulped, fixed her hair so it wasn't in her face, and kicked off.

MMM do we like? or not?

well, please R&R and tell me what you think!

thanks Aj