Warning:

This chap might be a little long…ok, very long…

Ok, warned ya, read!

As they walked along the streets, Hermione prayed they wouldn't run into Malfoy.

Half way through their day, they decided to stop in the three broomsticks, for a drink.

When they entered the pub, it was crowed with mostly Hogwarts students, all talking and laughing loudly.

Hermione saw red hair amongst the browns and black hair.

'There's Ginny.' Hermione said to Ron and Harry, leading them over.

'Hey herms!' Ginny smiled warmly when she saw them.

'Hey Gin.' Hermione smiled back, sitting down.

Ron and Harry smiled and sat.

'I'll be back, you want a butterbeer?' Ron asked, standing up.

'Sure.' Hermione said.

'Yeah, I'll come with you.' Harry said, standing up and following Ron to the bar.

'Herms, when do you want to go shopping?' Ginny asked when the boys had gone.

'I don't care.' Hermione said, looking around the bar.

She spotted the one person she really didn't want to spot.

He was on the other side of the bar, smirking at something that Jamie boy was telling him.

Hermione ignored him as best she could.

'So, how about after we have a drink?' Ginny asked.

'Yeah, sure, sure.' Hermione turned back to her and smiled.

The boys came back, carrying the drinks, and sat down.

'Here you are.' Ron said, sliding a butterbeer across the table to Hermione.

'Thanks.' Hermione said, taking it.

When they where done, the girls excused themselves from the table, and told to boys to amuse themselves for a couple of hours.

When they where out of the crowed pub, Hermione and Ginny began looking around for Lavender.

They had decided that if they couldn't find her in ten minutes, they would shop without her and prey that they would run into her.

They found Lavender in Honeydukes, with Parvati and some guys from Ravenclaw.

'Hey Lavender.' Ginny said coming over to her.

'Oh, hey guys!' Lavender said, turning when she heard her name.

'What cha want?' she asked, smiling.

'Well, you said yesterday at the Quidditch Pitch that you'd like to come shopping with us…and we thought to come and get you.' Ginny answered.

'Sure, I'll met you outside, ok?'

'OK.' Ginny said, leading Hermione out of the sweet shop.

They waited outside for five minutes when Lavender appeared through the shop door.

'Ok, let's go shopping!' she laughed.

'Ok, I wanna take you guys to this shop I found last time we where here, it's really cute, small wise, and it has some great clothing in it.' Ginny said, walking away, leaving Hermione and Lavender to catch up.

'Where is it?' Hermione asked as snow started to fall.

'Just up here.' Ginny answered, turning off the main street and into an alleyway.

She stopped outside a little green door, and smiled at her friends.

'Its just here.' She said, turning the door knob.

Above the green door there was a wooden sign, which read "Cute little clothing"

Inside she walked, Lavender and Hermione following curiously behind.

The little shop was a pale pink when you walked in to door, but then, it darkened as you walked along a narrow corridor.

When they reached the end of the corridor, they came to a big room.

Along the walls, there were dresses, pants and shirts.

In one corner, there was a cash register, with a little plump woman, reading the paper sitting behind it.

She looked up when she heard footsteps and smiled at her customers.

'Good morning my dears.' She said, smiling warmly.

'Good morning.' Hermione replied smiling.

The three friends looked around the store and tried on clothing.

'Hermione, try this one!' Ginny called to Hermione who was the dressing room.

Hermione wasn't really even looking, as she was more often than not found in the dressing room trying on clothing that lavender and Ginny brought her.

'Ok, toss it over!' Hermione called back.

At the moment, she was in a dress that made her look like a hooker.

'Oh my god!' she said when she saw her reflection.

'What?' Ginny asked.

'Look at this!' Hermione yelled, opening the door.

Ginny saw her friend, and then cracked up laughing.

'Who brought me this?' she asked when Lavender came over carrying some robes.

'Not me.' They both said innocently.

Hermione glared before she returned to the dressing room, snatching the jeans Lavender handed out.

Hermione thought that the robes looked better than the hooker out-fit.

The robes where a baby blue and had lines of white.

'What about this?' Hermione called coming out.

'Looks good.' Lavender whistled. 'Of course, I picked it out so…' she laughed as Hermione smiled and chucked the clothes she had already tried on at Lavender.

Ginny heard what Lavender said and playfully hit her.

Hermione rolled her eyes and returned to the room.

She kept coming in and out showing off the clothing that lavender and Ginny brought her.

'Ok, let me look at the crap you two are bringing me.' Hermione said, coming out.

'Wait, try on this,'

'No, I wanna look around for myself.' Hermione said, heading over to the closest rack of clothing.

The minute Hermione reached the rack, she saw a dress that she would die for.

It was a blood red with a corset as the chest. White lace was running down the corset. For the arms there it had long sleeves. The sleeves flared at the end with faded white strips, which made it look like the white strips melted into the blood red material.

Hermione carefully took it off the rack and headed to the changing rooms.

It fitted her perfectly.

She looked like a Medieval Queen.

'Hey guys, look at this!' Hermione called.

'What?' both girls came over and waited for Hermione to come out.

Hermione breathed and opened the door.

'Wow.' They both gasped when she opened the door.

'Do I look ok?' Hermione asked.

'You look beautiful!' Ginny gasped.

'I think I'll wear it at the ball.' Hermione said, looking at herself.

'Sure, Malfoy will fall through the floor.' Ginny laughed.

Hermione snapped up her head and glared at Ginny.

'Malfoy?' Lavender said looking confused.

'Don't worry, its just Ginny being stupid.' Hermione said.

'I'm more interested in what Ron's going to say.' Hermione said.

'He'll love you.' Lavender smiled.

Hermione smiled back and shut the changing room door.

She changed back to her normal clothing.

Folding up her dress, Hermione came out and walked over to the cash register.

'Hello dear.' The woman said.

'Hello, can I please have this dress?' Hermione asked.

'Sure.' The lady said smiling and taking the dress from Hermione.

Hermione smiled as she paid the lady and left the shop with Ginny and Lavender.

'Where to now?' Hermione asked as they walked out of the alleyway.

'Mm don't know.' Lavender said.

Ginny didn't say anything.

'Gin?' Hermione asked, turning around.

'Hello?' Hermione asked waving her hand in front of Ginny's face.

'Sorry, just thinking.'

'thinking of?' Lavender smiled.

'Leave her alone.' Hermione laughed.

Ginny smiled as she bumped into a blond haired person.

'Jesus, Weasel, watch where you're going!' Malfoy snapped.

'Watch where you're going ferret boy!' Ginny snapped back.

'Ooo I'm so scared of you weaselette.' Malfoy smirked.

'Leave it Malfoy,' Hermione said.

'Granger, we need to go…shopping.' He cringed as he said it, and it seamed like every word was costing him all his family's fortune.

'Jesus Malfoy, don't sound like your looking forward to it.' Hermione rolled her eyes.

'I'm, I can assure you-'

'Malfoy, I was joking!' Hermione snapped.

'Well, can we please just get this crap over and done with?' Malfoy drawled.

'Ok, I'll see you guys later.' Hermione said to Ginny and Lavender.

'Where are we meant to go?' Hermione asked.

'I spoke to Dumbledore and he wants us to pick up some orders.' He said.

'Let's start there. Where are the orders?' Hermione asked, shifting her bag.

'What's that?' Malfoy asked, pointing to her bag.
'Clothing.' Hermione said.

'What kind of clothing? Maids uniform?' Malfoy raised his eye brows.

'No! It's what I'm wearing to the ball next Saturday.' Hermione answered, walking along the street.

'Really? What is it?'

'A dress.' Hermione answered, 'Do you have to pick up anything in Honeydukes?'

'Yeah, show me the dress.'

'No.' Hermione said, opening the door to the sweet shop.

The rest of the day was pretty boring for Hermione, well, the only parts that she spent with ferret.

She kept talking to herself, trying not to remember what it felt like to kiss him.

She took pride in the fact that when they collected a box, she would give it to Malfoy, and he would have to balance it, so his full concentration was on the boxes, therefore, he couldn't say anything insulting.

When they where done, Hermione and Malfoy where walking back up the main street, and Hermione ran into Harry and Ron.

'Oh, hey guys!' Hermione smiled.

'Hey herms!' Ron smiled.

'Catch you later Malfoy.' Hermione said, smiling and walking off with Harry and Ron leaving Malfoy to take care of the boxes.

The golden trio headed up to the castle for dinner.

The week pasted really quickly for Hermione.

Dumbledore called on Hermione and Malfoy on Thursday night and they discussed the ball for Saturday afternoon.

Come Friday, Hermione and Malfoy helped the teachers set up the hall, which didn't take a long time.

Hermione talked to Ginny and Lavender on Friday night at dinner, about what they'll do on Saturday night.

'I think we should spend most of the day together, that way we can help each other get ready for the ball.' Ginny said.

'Yeah, ok we'll spend tomorrow together and like you both can bring your things to my room and we'll get ready there. Ok?' Hermione smiled.

'Yeah, ok, your rooms bigger.' Ginny smiled.

'And we'll get to see what Malfoy's wearing before anyone else.' Lavender smiled and winked.

Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled.

Saturday came and Hermione met her two friends in the great hall.

They had their things in bags and where waiting in the Entrance Hall.

'Hey herms.' Ginny smiled.

'Hey guys, follow me.' Hermione smiled.

They followed Hermione to her common room, and up to her room.

'Dump your stuff there.' Hermione smiled as Ginny and Lavender put their things in a corner.

'Ok, now what?' Ginny asked, throwing herself on the bed.

'Mm, well, two hours before the ball, we can have a swim…how's that?' Hermione asked.

'Sure.'

'Ok, and before that?' Lavender asked.

'Mm, we could go for a walk.' Hermione suggested.

'Ok.'

Lavender and Ginny followed Hermione out the door and down to the grounds.

They ran into Harry and Ron in the grounds, and joined in a snow- ball fight.

When 3 o'clock came, Hermione called to Lavender and Ginny.

'Come on guys, we'll go for our bath.'

'Ok.'

They said goodbye to the boys and arranged to meet them in the Entrance Hall.

When they where in Hermione's room, Hermione disappeared into the bathroom to run the water in the swimming pool thingy.

It was ready in ten minutes and the girls jumped in.

They swam in the water and talked about everything.

When it was 5 o'clock, Hermione called it quits and they began to get ready.

Hermione waited while her friends used the shower.

When it was her turn, Hermione used some mango oil rub, and washed her hair with mango smelling shampoo.

When she came out in a towel, Hermione saw Lavender had put up a spell that covered her while she dressed, and Ginny had followed.

Hermione got her dress and returned to the bathroom to get dressed.

When she had it on, she entered her room to see Lavender standing in front of Hermione's mirror and doing her hair. Ginny was beside her doing her make- up.

'You look great Hermione.' Ginny smiled.

Hermione grinned as she got her wand and blow-dried her hair. When it was dry, she brushed it and looked in the mirror.

'How should I have my hair?' Hermione asked.

'Mm, how about a pony tail?' Lavender said.

'Nah, too normal.' Hermione said, she pushed past Lavender playfully and looked at her hair.

'How about like this?' she said, rolling it up like a cylinder and sticking it their with her wand.

'Mm, not with that dress.' Ginny said.

Hermione waved her wand and half of her hair went into little curls and put itself into a little bun.

'That's more like it.' Lavender smiled.

'But I don't anything about make- up.' Hermione said.

'It's ok, that's why we're here.' Ginny laughed, coming up behind her with the make- up bag.

Hermione turned to face her and she smiled.

'Just don't make me look like Malfoy.' Hermione laughed, so did Lavender and Ginny.

'Don't worry, we wont.' Ginny smiled.

Lavender got the foundation and carefully put it on Hermione's face.

Ginny came next with the blush.

Lavender put the eyeliner on, and Ginny did the eye shadow.

Hermione did her own lipstick.

She looked lovely, well, that was Lavender and Ginny's opinion.

Lavender and Ginny left Hermione and waited in the common room.

When she met them, she saw Malfoy there, in a black tux.

His mouth dropped when he saw Hermione.

She smiled and walked past him to Ginny and Lavender.

'Come on.' She said.

They met up with Harry and Ron, who almost died when he saw Hermione.

'Hermione you look…' he looked her up and down and smiled. 'Lovely.'

'Thank you.' Hermione smiled, noticing him in his tux.

When they entered the hall, many males turned to look at Hermione. She simply smiled and waved.

She sat down at a table and talked to many people who stopped by and said hello.

Malfoy came over to her and held out his hand.

'Come on, Granger, can we get this over and done with?' he asked, shaking his hand.

'Oh, yeah, hang on!' Hermione said.

Ron looked protective.

'Hermione…' he said.

'No Ron, it's ok, I have to, and it'll be over soon.' Hermione said, taking Malfoy's hand.

They walked out into the middle of the hall.

They stood there for about three minutes before Malfoy coughed and put his hand around Hermione's waist and took her hand in his.

Hermione gulped and slid her hand onto Malfoy's shoulder.

They started dancing to the music, and very quickly attacked many eyes and a lot of attention.

'You look…nice.' Hermione said, trying to look anywhere but the people around them…which left Malfoy!

'Thanks…you too.'

They finished dancing without a word.

When the music stopped playing, they sprang apart, and the dance floor filled with other couples.

Hermione saw Ron coming to wards her, and smiled.

Ron got to her, and asked in a very gentlemanly manner, that Hermione "would share this dance" with him.

Hermione smiled and took his hand.

Ron and Hermione were still dancing, then the middle of the ball came.

Hermione tried going to sit down so she wouldn't have to dance, and she made it to their table, but Malfoy dragged her by her arm onto the dance floor.

This time, no one else really watched the head boy and girl dancing, as they where having to much fun themselves.

Only the teachers watched them to make sure that they danced.

'You're so dumb.' Hermione muttered, not really meaning for Malfoy to hear her- but he did.

'Excuse me?' He asked, raising an eye brow.

'Uh?' Hermione said, coming out of her daze.

'You just called me "so dumb"' Malfoy said.

'No I didn't…' Hermione said, looking innocent.

'You're such a Mudblood.' he spat.

'You're such a dumb ferret!' Hermione snapped back.

'Your such a-'

'Dumb ass.' Hermione said, looking away.

'Stop insulting me Mudblood!'

'Stop breathing ferret!' Hermione said, 'It would make the world so much happier.'

Malfoy scowled.

They exchanged insults for another three minutes, until Ron came up to them.

'Er, Hermione, you've danced with ferret for two songs now…'

Hermione, who was using a glare that could freeze hell over at Malfoy, snapped her head at Ron, and her gaze softened at once.

'Sorry, what was that Ron?' she asked smiling at her boyfriend.

'Well, I just thought, do you wanna let Malfoy go? You've danced for about five minutes…'

The second Hermione heard that, she released Malfoy at once and walked off with Ron, who shot a look at Malfoy, who smirked and headed of to sit down.

'Draco…dance with me?' Pansy asked when Malfoy sat down.

Malfoy looked at her.

She was wearing what looked like a hookers outfit, mini skirt and top.

Malfoy was almost sick when he saw her face.

She had the same sort of make- up attack that he had had when Mudblood had her friends over.

'Please?' she looked pleadingly. 'It's what gentlemen would do…'

How dare she hold that against me? I mean, yes, a gentlemen would dance with anyone who asked…but pansy was a different matter…Malfoy thought.

'It's what a Malfoy would do.' she said, coming closer.

Jesus! Fine, I'll dance with you…her…it…Malfoy thought as he smirked.

'Your right pansy, yes, I'll…dance.' he cringed, but followed her onto the dance floor.

The ball went by fast.

Hermione was asked to dance by many boys, and she danced with most, but when the Jamie Silverstone from Slytherin came up to her…it was tough.

'Miss Granger, dance?' he was dressed a in a tux, like all the boys, his hair was loose around his face and his tie was loose as well, suggesting that he had danced a bit.

'Er…' Hermione turned to Harry, who was the only one at the table.

'Harry? do you mind?' she asked half hoping he'd say yes.

'Nah, go for your life.' he smiled.

Hermione looked back at the Slytherin, and then extended her hand.

He led Hermione out into the dance floor, next to pansy and Malfoy.

Malfoy saw Jamie with Hermione and looked shocked before he smirked.

'Nice partner there, Jamie.' he smirked.

Jamie turned to him and smirked back.

'And to you.' he said, nodding to Pansy.

Both boys laughed.

Malfoy had his back to pansy, who didn't like this.

Malfoy cringed when pansy touched him on the shoulder and waited for him to turn around.

When he did, she smiled that she had got his attention back on her.

Hermione turned around, her back to Jamie, and looked around the hall.

Everyone was smiling and having a good time, but not her, she had to dance with a Slytherin…well, ok, maybe she didn't have to, but…

Then a thought popped into her over- loaded brain, and she turned to ask Jamie a question.

'Where's Aj?' she asked.

He was talking to Malfoy, but at her question, he turned back to face her and smiled.

'Over there, I believe with your red headed friend.' he pointed over Hermione's shoulder.

She followed his finger and saw Aj there, dancing with Ron, who was smiling.

Aj saw Hermione and waved, Hermione waved back.

Aj was in a blue dress, with white parts, looking much like the red and white on Hermione's own dress: the white melting into the colour.

The head girl turned back to her dance partner, and started dancing, like she was supposed to.

Jamie danced along, just being cool.

He didn't seam like most Slytherins, in fact, he was much like Aj to Hermione: if you didn't know better, you'd have thought he was in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

He talked to Hermione perfectly friendly, and laughed when she said something funny.

After two more songs, Hermione excused herself, and headed out of the crowd.

She ran into Ginny on her way of the hall.

'Hey herms, where are you going?' she asked.

'To the bathroom.' Hermione answered, smiling.

'I'll come for a walk, I need it.' Ginny grinned, excused herself form the arm of Dean Thomas, and walked out of the electric hall.

'Had fun so far?' Hermione asked making conversation.

'Yeah, it's ok…though I've lost track of how many people I've danced with!' she laughed.

Hermione laughed and turned right into the girls bathroom.

Ginny waited out side, spotting Parvati and said she'd wait there for Hermione.

Hermione nodded.

When Hermione was in the bathroom, she heard the door open, and the terrible voice of Pansy and her friends, so she quickly ran to one of the cubical and shut the door.

Being absolutely silent, Hermione heard what they where talking about.

Pansy was talking to her friends.

'I mean, 'she laughed, 'Did you see that dress? Who's she trying to impress?'

Her friends laughed.

'I don't have try that hard for Draco…she thinks she's so special cause she gets to dance with Draco three times…well, I have news for that Mudblood, HE DOESN'T WANT TO DANCE WITH HER! He loves dancing with me though; did you see the look of desire on his face when I asked him to dance?' she shivered, 'I will never forget it…'

her friends laughed again.

'Let's get that Mudblood, we'll get her tonight, make her stay away from my Draco, make her remember the dirt that she it…' her friends sniggered.

Hermione opened the door a crack, and saw pansy and her friend's refection in the mirror.

'Maybe, ' one of pansy's friends said, ' we could make her dress fly up when she dances with Draco?'

'Nah, who wants to see what's under that dress?' pansy snapped.

'But did you see her shoes?' pansy snorted, applying more eyeliner on.

'Yeah, they'd look better in the dump!' someone said.

'No, their lovely!' pansy snapped, 'They just don't disserve her! They should be on my royal feet.'

Hermione almost snorted.

'Someone as low as her has no right to look like a princesses.' pansy said.

'So you think she looks like a princesses?' one of her friends raised and eyebrow.

'No, but you have to admit, that dress disserves someone in the right place to wear it, someone like me!' pansy said. 'I wonder where she got it from.'

'I dunno.' someone replied.

'She's so dumb to have come between you and Draco.' someone else said.

'Yeah.' someone else agreed

'Hey, when the dark lord comes and takes over Hogwarts, lets trap her in her room and burn it!' someone suggested.

'Yeah! She'd disserve it!' Pansy agreed.

'Can you imagine the screams?'

'Can you imagine her reaction when will kill her boyfriend and Potter in front of her?'

'Shh, don't say it too loud!' someone snapped.

'Well, she's dirt, and a Mudblood, her blood is the muddiest of Mudbloods, that's the only queen she is, and Draco knows that. So, let's go back to the hall and plan something to show her what she really is. She's getting burnt! Burnt like a cane- field!' pansy said, gathering her things and heading for the door.

When the door shut, Hermione came out of her hiding spot and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She hugged herself; frightened of what pansy and her friends might do…she needed her wand.

She put cold water on her neck to calm her nerves, pansy said exactly what she had seen in her nightmare, even the part about Hermione burning like a cane- field…

She splashed cold water on her face, then headed out of the bathroom.

'Herms, what happened to you?' Ginny asked, seeing Hermione come out, very pale.

'Nothing.' Hermione said, looking in a daze.

'Ok, if you're sure, let's get back to the hall. Did you see pansy and her friends? They went in there about three minutes after you…'

'Nah, I didn't see them.' Hermione lied.

Hermione and Ginny headed back to the hall and looked for Harry and Ron.

'Herms are you sure your ok?' Ginny asked, when Hermione looked around her, trying to see where pansy and her friends where.

'Yeah, I'm peachy…'

When they reached the table, Ginny spoke to Harry in a whisper.

'Something's up with her.' she whispered, then explained how Hermione was acting.

'Ok, I'll keep an eye on her for you Ginny, now, go and dance, that Ravenclaw guy keeps watching ya!' Harry winked, and Ginny slapped him playfully.

'Ok, cya later guys.' Ginny said, then walked off to the Ravenclaw.

I told you it was long!

Well, I don't know how long the next chap will be… anywayz, ill warn you at the beginning like I always do if its long.

please R&R!

thanks 4 the reviews! they really make me happy, and I update soon cause I'm soo happy!

Ok, next chap

Malfoy's sleep over, finishing of the ball, and a scene where we look at pansy and her friends, and see what they're planning to get Hermione back….if you have an idea, tell me, cause I have some, but A FRESH EYE NEVER HURTS!

ok, thanks again!

aj