Christmas Ball

"Who did you bring to the Ball, Harry?"

"Cho, she says that she felt like she needs to be protected by someone. Who else is better to do that job than The-Boy-Who-Lived?" Harry replied sarcastically.

Hermione looked at him with sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry. At least you're going with someone you actually love this time."

"I suppose so. Who's your date?"

Hermione looked down at the floor, biting her lip. Harry had miraculously never found out about her and Draco somehow. She knew that once he did find out, Harry would be upset and furious. Should she tell him? Should she tell him how her attacker wasn't Draco and that she loved him? Would Harry believe her?

"Harry, there's something I feel you should know. Me and—"

"Ready, milady?"

Draco hadn't given her the chance to answer Harry. Hermione's predictions were right.

"Draco! Oh Hermione, you have to be kidding me!"

"Harry, you don't understand...he didn't attack me! I love him!" Hermione outbursted.

Her friend cocked an eyebrow and glanced from Hermione to Draco.

"Hermione, out of all the Slytherins you could have chosen, you chose him? He's—"

Hermione sighed as she grabbed Draco's arm. "He's misunderstood. Why is it that no one else except you, and most likely Ronald, has a problem with us?"

Harry eyed Draco and then looked quickly back at Hermione. "Because unlike everyone else, we know you can do better. We want you to be happy. You need someone who will treat you with the respect you deserve. A Death-Eater's son will not do that for you!"

Hermione looked at Draco, who looked almost hurt by the comment. "Harry, his father is a Death-Eater, not him! What makes you think that just because he's in Slytherin, he's going to become his father? What gives you that right to think that? You always judge someone on their background or how they act or talk! If you really want for me to be happy, stop being so judgmental, step off, and become friends with my new boyfriend because you know what, Harry? I truly love him, regardless of what anyone thinks and he loves me. I'm not breaking up with him just because you and Ron despise him!" Hermione yelled at Harry.

This all took Harry back as he watched Hermione in surprise. She looked him one last time before going with Draco onto the dance floor.

"Well, you said some things that I never thought I'd hear you say." Draco commented as he placed his hand on her waist, starting to dance with her.

"Yeah, well...Harry needs to know his place. You come first. Just because I told him off, don't directly think that you can tease him. I love you but Harry's really a great guy." Hermione replied as she twirled around.

Draco smirked and nodded. "I know, I know. Please, skip the lecture. We came here to have fun and I'll be damned if Potter is going to ruin that for us."

As they danced to the soft music, Hermione looked over at Harry and Cho. She noticed that Cho Chang had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Harry looked deeply in love as he gently rubbed her shoulder.

"Harry and Cho make a nice couple. Don't you think?" Hermione whispered to Draco.

"Indeed they do. I always thought they were made for each other. Do you know what else I think?"

"What else do you think, Draco?" she asked, looking up at him. Even with heels, he was at least a few inches taller than her.

"I think we were made for each other. I think the saying is true about keeping your friends close but your enemies closer. You know how they say that opposites attract..."

Hermione chuckled. "Well Draco Malfoy, you're full of clichés tonight, aren't you?"

Draco nodded once. "You know what they say; the early bird gets the worm."

Hermione laughed as they continued to dance. "You are something, Draco Malfoy. Definitely something..."

Draco kissed her cheek. "A good something, perhaps?"

Hermione nodded and laughed again. "Sure, Draco. Why not?"

The two danced for hours in silence before one of them spoke up.

"Can I ask you something, Hermione?"

She looked tiredly at him but nodded. "Yeah, sure. Anything..."

"What are you going to do about Zabini? Are you going to do him in to Dumbledore?" Draco asked, his voice full of anxiety.

Hermione thought for a minute. If she did tell Dumbledore, then most likely than not, Zabini would put all the blame on Draco and then he would be expelled from Hogwarts.

"Draco, I honestly don't know. If I don't, then more girls will be attacked. If I do, then Blaise will put the blame on you and you'll be kicked out of Hogwarts. I don't know what to do...either way, someone is affected negatively."

Draco leaned in and planed kisses on Hermione's neck softly and then came in closer to her. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his own neck.

"I'm scared for you, Draco. I-I don't want you expelled. Maybe if you wait until the last day and tell Dumbledore..."

"Hermione, what Blaise is doing won't just get him expelled. It'll get him sent to Azkaban. If we don't tell Dumbledore, Blaise continues to rape and I'm still a free man. If we do tell him, Blaise places blame on me and I get sent to Azkaban for Merlin knows how long." Draco explained nervously.

"You can't go to Azkaban prison if you have proof that Blaise is the one attacking the girls...what if we catch him in action? Then you won't go to—"

"Hermione, you aren't suggesting that you use yourself as bait to lure the git in, are you?" Draco said seriously, looking straight into the young girls' eyes.

"We're not going to wait for some innocent other girl to walk in. I'm not going to let him rape me again. I'll be on the grounds, yes. He'll just be running towards me and then we snap the evidence. Professor Dumbledore isn't thick, you know. If I'm in a picture with a guy running towards me, then he'll think the obvious. Here's a girl that's about to get attacked, again. After you take the picture, run out, and freeze him. We run to Dumbledore and then he'll have Blaise sent to Azkaban." Hermione tried to reason.

By the look on Draco's face, Hermione could tell that he was really thinking about it. Draco half smiled and pulled back a few rebellious locks of hair.

"That sounds like a brilliant plan, Hermione. It sounds good, except it's easier said than done. No matter what we do to try to perfect the plan, it'll have its flaws. Are you alright with you doing this? When the flaws do happen, they'll happen to you."

Hermione nodded her head. "I know, Draco. I just want him to get caught. He shouldn't get away with what he's doing...it's wrong."

Draco chuckled silently. "You were always the rebellious one, as I do recall. You're always up for adventure. Honestly, Granger, is your life really that dull that you must put yourself in danger all the bloody time?"

She smiled proudly. "Of course. If I didn't always do rebellious things, I wouldn't be Hermione Emily Granger."

"Your middle name is Emily?" Draco joked.

Hermione stepped on his foot. "Shut up and dance with me, Malfoy."

As they danced over time, one-by-one couples started disappearing off to their own beds. Finally, Draco and Hermione stopped dancing and looked around. The only other couple left was Harry and Cho, who now had her head on Harry's lap, with Harry's arm on her own.

Hermione dragged Draco over to the couple. "Looks like we're the only couples left. Do you want to head to bed?"

Draco cocked his eyebrow jokingly before Hermione elbowed him hard in the ribs and gave him a stern look.

Harry laughed and nodded. "Yeah, alright."

When they reached the Gryffindor common room, Harry looked at everyone.

"Alright, now Harry and Draco...shake hands." Hermione demanded.

Harry and Draco looked at each other in disbelief and laughed. "What?"

Hermione took Harry's hand and then Draco's hand and put them together.

"Shake! Whilst I'm with Draco, you two are going to become friends, god damnit!" Hermione laughed.

As the two reluctantly shook hands, both simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"Oh, for the sake of Merlin...this is ridiculous." complained Draco.

"Hey, shut up. This is good, you two aren't ripping each other apart! Yay, you're friends!" shrieked Hermione excitedly.

Draco hugged her from behind. "Settle down, honey. I wouldn't say we're friends but we'll get along for the sake of our relationship."

Hermione hugged Harry and bid him and Cho goodnight before doing the same to Draco.

"Goodnight, Draco. I have a really nice time tonight."

Draco nodded once and then kissed her lips. "Me too, Hermione. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Draco."

Without another word, Hermione kissed his cheek and disappeared into the Gryffindor dormitories.