Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter five

She couldn't believe it. She'd had sex with Malfoy. Draco Malfoy! Her most arched of all nemeses and she'd just had sex with him!

She hadn't remembered much. One moment she's share a sweetly divine kiss with him, the next moment he had her pressed up against the singular desk in a sexual embrace. They were both naked and sweaty and Hermione could just remember her fingers digging into his back.

There had been no awkward after moment. Filch had come along just as they were getting dressed and both of them had to make a wild dash for their dormitories.

Hermione had passed out on top of her bed, completely exhausted from all the night's events, and didn't wake until very late the next morning, convinced that the night before had been a dream.

For the next month and a bit Hermione and Malfoy ignored each other. They stopped their lessons and when they did speak it was abrupt.

It didn't matter though, Hermione felt pretty confident that all her princess skills were down packed and when she was getting on her plane home for Christmas she felt completely relaxed, though maybe a little headachy.

"How was school, dear?" her mother asked when she returned home. Clarisse looked a little panicky when she noticed Hermione still wearing jeans and a boob tube. Hermione planned to surprise them on the night of the Yule ball.

"Fine…same as usual I guess…" Hermione wondered suddenly whether her mother knew that she and Malfoy went to the same school.

"That's nice. Oh, there's a little surprise in your room…just to welcome you back"

"I'll go up now." Wondering what it could be, Hermione collected Crookshanks under her arm and ran up the stairs. She had to stop at the top as a wave of nausea hit her but it was gone quicker than it had come so she thought nothing of it and opened her bedroom door. A high-pitched scream came from within and before Hermione had time to register she was pounced on by a girl with messy blonde hair.

"Mel?" Hermione pushed her friend off and grinned. "What are you doing here?"

"Your father flew me in this morning" she replied breathlessly. "Of course I had to stay in here all day but… god your room is MASSIVE!"

"How long are you here for?"

"Jeez Herm, don't sound so excited. I'm here until Boxing Day. I'm staying for your Yule ball. Great huh?"

"Yeah" Hermione frowned and let Crookshanks drop to the floor.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. I just felt a little dizzy. It's gone now. You want to go swimming? The pools heated."

Mel clapped her hands and jumped over to the duffle bag containing her clothes.

Kellie came in at that moment, carrying a basket of fresh laundry.

"Welcome back, miss!" she said, dipping her head fashionably.

"Hi, Kellie. We're going out for a swim and a sunbathe, ok?"

Kellie looked at the triangle bikini's Mel was holding, and then at the matching ones that Hermione had.

"You can't wear those!"

"What, to revealing?" Mel asked with a startled glance at Hermione.

"Not revealing enough! You don't want white lines on your shoulders for tomorrows ball, do you? Wait right here" she hurried out again, leaving Hermione and Mel looking completely mystified. Kellie returned moments later holding two matching white bikinis with strapless tops.

"Neat" Mel nodded in approval. The girls got changed and ran down to the pool where the garden surrounding it was kept clear of snow by underground heaters.

Hermione dived in first while Mel took her time, stepping in inch by inch.

"I have to savour it while I can" Mel informed Hermione when she finally got fully in. "I wont know how long it will be until I get to swim in a princess' pool again!"

Hermione retired to bed early that night. Despite the snow, she'd gotten a nice brown tan and a headache from the chlorine.

The next morning, Christmas morning, she was woken by Kellie at eight thirty.

There was a stack of presents waiting at the end of her bed and she began opening them at a rapid pace, wondering if Mel was doing the same in the guest room next door. She got the usual stuff from Harry and Ron; mainly books. Jane and Tom sent her some new clothes and a portable CD player. She was just about to open the present from her real parents; a tiny little box that was probably jewellery, when Mel came flying in, waving a set of keys.

"Your parents got me a car! YOUR PARENTS GOT ME A CAR!"

"WHAT?" Hermione tore open the box in her lap and a set of keys and a photo fell out. Hermione picked up the photo and saw a tiny yellow convertible, perfect for a teenage girl, parked on the lawn.

"Mine's blue" Mel thrust her picture at Hermione. "I also got a note saying that it's waiting for me back in London."

"Get dressed, Girls" Kellie came back into the room with a plate of fruit and a vacuum cleaner. "You have to go and get your gowns."

Clarisse was busy that day, setting up decorations for that night so she sent Hermione and Mel down to Gail's store by themselves.

In the Limo on the way down town, Hermione explained to Mel and Charlie how she planned to surprise her parents, and everyone else, that night with her new princess skills.

"Morning Gail!" she said confidently, striding into the store. "I bought a friend with me, will you be able to do two dresses by tonight?"

"Of course darling!" Gail replied, leading the girls up to the designer's floor.

"Ok. I'll have the strapless Red one with Black heels about…an inch. You remember my size from last time?"

"How could I forget?"

"And I'm having this one." Mel said a little more shyly than Hermione and pointed at baby pink, off the shoulder dress. "I'm half a size smaller and you'd better make my heels an inch and a half."

Now that the gowns were finalised, Hermione was ready to put her plan into action: wooing the Locals.

The locals seemed a little weary of Hermione but when she began showing kindness by saying hello to everyone and even buying a gourmet meal for a little homeless girl they began swarming her, asking for autographs and such. They were even asking Mel for hers! Eventually Charlie had to pull both girls out of the mosh pit because they were late for their appointment with Joe.

"That was fun! My hand has never been so sore!" Mel gasped, rubbing her wrists as they drove back to the castle. The trees and bushes outside had been decorated with fairy lights and some technical men were testing them out.

"Hello my dear!" Joe said, pulling Hermione into the parlour and seating her in front of a large mirror. His blonde assistants began doing Mel's nails.

"What are you having today?"

"Surprise me"

"Ah! You and your surprises!" he got to work trimming Hermione's hair and setting the lower layers in curlers.

"Actually" Hermione said, looking up from her magazine as Joe began taking the curlers out. "How about some nice blonde highlights?"

"I like the way you think, princess! Beatrice, bring the dye. And put a few streaks in her hair. And maybe a little toner. That's a dear!" he pointed at Mel's head with a round brush and Beatrice, the taller blonde, began rummaging through Joe's bag of supplies. Samantha, the other assistant, came and sat in front of Hermione and began filing her nails.

"What colour would you like?" she asked in a simpering voice, holding up a handful of nail polish samples.

"Better make them clear" Hermione said after a while. "I don't know what colour goes with red."

When the girls finally left the parlour four hours later they found the rest of the household in frantic mode. The chef was panicking because an order of shrimps didn't show up, Maids were knocking each other over in an attempt to gat the last corners of the castle clean. There was a few guests staying the night so guest rooms had to be made up and Clarisse was running around screeching because she couldn't find her makeup bag.

Hermione and Mel went upstairs to their rooms for a rest, which consisted of a nice hot bath and a plate of chicken pieces.

Gail had just arrived with the gowns when Mel came screeching into Hermione's room wearing nothing but a towel.

"Hermione! I need a tampon!" she whispered, dragging her royal friend into the bathroom. "I can't believe I got my period tonight!"

"I can't remember the last time I had mine" Hermione mused, rummaging through her bathroom cupboard. Mel gave a little laugh.

"Maybe your pregnant"

Hermione stood up bolt right, white with horror. Mel's smile faded slightly. "What? What's wrong? Could you be pregnant?" she clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh my god, your pregnant!"

"No I'm not" Hermione let out a shaky laugh.

"How far along are you?"

"Almost two months" Hermione clapped her own hand over her mouth as realisation dawned on her. "I couldn't be pregnant. Not after one time. No…"

"Come on girls… the guest are arriving!" Gail called in a singsong voice.

"We'll sort it out later." Hermione whispered as they left the bathroom. "Not a word to anybody!"

The final preparations went past in a blur for Hermione. Gail fitted her into the pretty red dress that had a flirtatious slit up the side, the application of make up and jewellery and the final setting of her hairstyle: straight with the ends flicking out. By the end she looked radiant but she hardly felt it. As they walked slowly along the corridor, ready to make their appearance, Hermione realised that she had to see her plan through. She couldn't let this little mishap get in the way. That's all it was: a mishap. She wasn't pregnant; she was simply late for her period.

They came into view of the main room where guest were loitering around, sharing gossip and such. When they saw the two beautiful girls at the top of the staircase they stopped to watch. Hermione bought an effulgent smile to her face as she took the steps, one by one, without fault.

A presenter introduced the both of them and they curtsied. Hermione had taught Mel how to do it the previous night so she did pretty well. When they were done they moved over to watch Hermione's mother and Father appear.

Clarisse had a boldly superior smile on her face as she stepped daintily down the stairs in her midnight blue dress, her arm linked with Alfred's.

"Thank you all so much for coming! It's an honour to be hosting the annual Yule ball! I prey you will all enjoy your night! There will be a feast starting any moment followed by a dance and much joy and drinking! Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" the crowd chorused, raising their glasses in a toast. The dining room doors opened wide to display a perfectly decorated room with the enchanted table covered in all kinds of food from all over the world.

Hermione found herself sitting beside Frederick again and on her other side, nine-year-old Princess Isaiah from Jerusalem. Mel sat a few seats up beside Frederick's cousin, Nigel. Once again Malfoy was last to enter the hall, this time with his mother. Narcissa sat at the end of the table near Hermione's mother while Malfoy came and sat opposite Hermione again. He gave her a slight smile before turning to Jamie-Lyn on his left and asking her about her last few weeks.

"Let us feast!" Alfred said loudly. Everyone cheered and began to dig in. Hermione felt another wave of nausea slide over her and she was once again reminded of her little problem. She waited until the feast was almost over before giving Malfoy a sharp kick under the table. He turned slowly and looked at her.

"We need to talk." She said quietly, leaning across the table so only he and a few others could hear. "In private." He nodded and turned back to Jamie-Lyn who seemed flattered by all the attention.

"Why does he get a private chat?" Frederick asked, reaching under the table and stroking Hermione's leg.

"Believe me, you wouldn't want to have the kind of chat we're having"

"Can I have a private chat anyway?"

"Maybe"

Classical music cued up out in the main room and people began getting up from their meals to dance.

The first thing Hermione noticed apon re-entering the main room was a group of men and two women standing off to one side, watching her.

"They're the officials," Malfoy whispered in her ear, sneaking up behind her. "They're here to judge you, see it your worthy of the throne." He glanced over at the happily dancing couples. "Shall we show them how it's done?"

He took her gently by the hand and led her out to the middle of the floor. She curtsied gracefully, watching Malfoy sadly as he bowed. How could this happen to her?

"So what did you want to tell me?" he asked as they twirled around the room. They were dancing so perfectly that other couples were stopping to watch in awe, the geeky, shy and common girl from London they had all seen in August was gone, replaced by a beautiful princess…

"I said in private"

"This is private."

"Not private enough"

"Well lets go and…"

"May I cut in?" Frederick tapped on Malfoy's shoulder and before Hermione could say anything he had swept her away.

Hermione didn't get to see Malfoy for the rest of the night. She danced with everyone, shared jokes with the elders, socialised with her own age group and rotated around the room, confident and happy on the outside, scared and miserable in the inside. The officials seemed happy with her because they said one word to her mother before making a quick departure. Clarisse seemed over the moon.

Things were just starting to settle down; people laughing and drinking in quiet groups, a few couples still dancing, when Hermione found herself cornered by Frederick. He'd had too much to drink; she could smell it on his breath.

"So how about that private chat."

"Chat away then" Hermione said, trying to edge away from him. He caught her by the arm and pulled her back.

"We can't have it here. We need a room"

"No we don't."

"Stop playing hard to get, Princess" he snarled, tightening his grip on her. She winced and once again tried to pull away. "I know you want me. You wouldn't have done all that flirting for nothing."

"I think you got the wrong idea, Freddie, I don't like you like that now please let me go."

"Uh…no" he laughed sourly and pressed himself against her. She winced again; her breasts were tingling with mild pain.

"Get off her, Frederick"

Malfoy appeared out of nowhere. He had taken his jacket off and was glaring at the other boy.

"Piss off, Malfoy" Frederick snarled before turning back to Hermione.

"Not until you get off"

"What part of piss off don't you understand?"

"Get off"

Frederick let out a cry of frustration before throwing himself at Draco.

Malfoy didn't stand a chance. Frederick was three years older, an inch and a half taller and almost twenty pounds heavier. Both of them went flying back into a cabinet full of crystal china.

Hermione screamed. As did a few other women watching. No one attempted to break them up; everyone was to shocked to do anything. Frederick began laying fists into Malfoy's face.

"Charlie! CHARLIE!" Hermione screamed as her bodyguard, and several others, came racing into the room. Charlie grabbed Frederick by the back of the shirt and pulled him up. As Frederick was being raised from him, Malfoy swung a fist around and hit his opponent heavily in the jaw. Frederick broke free and ran at Malfoy again. The blonde was ready this time and he hit Frederick in the stomach, then his eye and finally a blow to the temple sent the older boy to the ground.

Hermione ran to Malfoy's side and pulled him away. Other guest began crowding around Frederick and Hermione dragged Malfoy away from them all and up to her room.

"Are you ok?"

"I've been worse" Malfoy touched his bleeding lip gingerly as Hermione closed the door. She came and sat quietly beside him.

"Thank you" she whispered after a moment.

"No problem" he grinned and she suddenly burst into tears.

"What…what's wrong?" he looked startled but put a steady arm around her anyway.

Fate fell short this time
your smile fades in the summer
Place your hand in mine
I'll leave when I wanna

Ooh you'll never guess what happens next! please review