b (A/N: I debated a lot about this chapter. It's the Christmas Ball chapter, so it seemed fitting that there would be dance scenes involved, however ballroom dancing at a school function just didn't seem realistic to me, and I could just see the reviews now, " i Why would you have them dancing tango at a school dance? No one does that anymore you dummy! /i ". Never fear, there is dancing, but not the kind that Draco and Hermione have been doing in the previous chapters. Also, Ron and Harry make their way back into the story. Enjoy. Oh yeah, and there will be a second part to the Christmas Ball.) /b
"Miss Granger! Mr. Malfoy! Wait!" Draco and Hermione turned and saw a disgruntled looking Professor McGonagall coming towards them. "Professor Dumbledore would like you to wait and enter after everyone has arrived. He says that he would like to make a small thank you speech to you two and he would like everyone to be there." She said trying to catch her breath.
"But Professor, we have almost thirty minutes before the ball starts. What are we supposed to do until then?" Hermione asked.
"That I do not know Miss Granger. I'm sure that you will be able to come up with something to occupy yourselves. I must say, I am very proud of you both for choosing to accompany one another to the Ball this evening. You are setting a wonderful example of house unity. Now if you will excuse me." With that, she turned on her heal and walked hurriedly to a group of Slytherin boys who were trying to sneak in Fire Whiskey under their dress robes.
"Well, now what are we supposed to do?" Hermione asked Draco.
He took her hand. "Come with me." Draco led her around the corner and down the corridor. He stopped in front of a small door and opened it. He stepped in and pulled Hermione in after him then shut the door behind her.
"Draco where are we? Are we in a closet?"
"Sort of," He replied. "I found this place in the third year. It's kind of like a closet I suppose, but I always thought of it as my own little hideout." The room was very small. It was just big enough for two people to sit comfortably.
"I can't see anything." Hermione said fumbling around in the darkness. Draco flicked a little switch on the wall on and a dim glow was cast around the tiny room. Hermione noticed an old easy chair that looked like it had once belonged in a house common room. Draco sat down on it then motioned for Hermione to sit on his lap. She did, and he pulled her closer so that his face was right at the nape of her neck.
" i You are so beautiful Hermione Granger. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I thank Merlin that I did. You look absolutely dazzling tonight. I couldn't breathe when I first saw you coming down those stairs. /i " Draco whispered softly into her ear.
"So, was I worth the wait?" She asked with a smile.
"Defiantly."
His lips brushing lightly against her earlobe sent a tingling sensation throughout her making her body hum. She pressed her lips against his tenderly then rested her head on his shoulder. Draco licked his lips.
"Hmm, so it really does taste like peaches." He said. Hermione chuckled quietly. "Any chance I could get another taste?" he asked slyly. Hermione laughed, but then turned very serious on him.
"Yes, but if so much as mess up one hair on my head then so help me Merlin, I will hex you into oblivion."
"I'll be on my best behavior, I promise." Draco smirked. Hermione could see the lust in his eyes and she knew that he must be lying. He snaked one hand up her back and around her neck cradling it and drawing her closer to him. Their lips met softy at first, but soon became more needy and frantic. Hermione adjusted herself so she was sitting more comfortably on Draco. She moved her knees so there was one on either side of him, straddling him. He moaned into her mouth and ran a single finger down her spine, making goose bumps appear along her arms and legs. She leaned back a little bit because the heel of her shoe was digging into the back of her thigh. Draco made a noise that sounded like a low growl. He broke the kiss.
" 'Mi, don't…move…" He said breathing heavily. Hermione looked at him concerned.
"What's wrong?" She asked. He groaned again.
"When you do that I get… I mean, just trust me. If you move like that again you may be starting something you don't want to finish." He looked almost in pain. Hermione realized that she had been grinding her hips into him every time she moved, and her previous self adjustment had not helped the matter.
"Oh Draco, I'm sorry. You know, I think we should just head into the Ball now before this, before i we /i , get out of hand." She got off of him and straightened out her dress and then turned to wipe her lip gloss off of Draco's face. She took her hand in his and they went back to Great Hall. They could hear Dumbledore speaking as they walked in.
"And I would like to thank our Head Boy and Girl for working so hard, along with our prefects, to make this Ball a success. Mr. Draco Malfoy and Miss Hermione Granger, thank you. And to everyone else, have a wonderful evening." Dumbledore said nonchalantly to a crowd of stunned Hogwarts students.
All eyes were on the couple that had just entered. Draco and Hermione fidgeted under all the stares. Everywhere Hermione looked she saw an angry Gryffindor or a disgusted Slytherin. It was her fears confirmed; everyone hated the idea of them being together. The room was so quite you could hear a pin drop. A Ravenclaw boy nudged his friend and said in a triumphant whisper, "You owe me three galleons!" Hermione and Draco walked through the crowd over to the table that had been reserved for them. Dozens of pairs of eyes followed their every move. Music started playing but no one could tear their eyes away. Finally, Draco had had enough. He twirled Hermione into him and bent her backwards into a deep dip. He kissed her deeply on the mouth and gasps echoed throughout the room. Pulling a very embarrassed and flushed Hermione back up to her feet, he turned to face everyone.
"There! Is that what you were all waiting to see? So we're dating. Big deal! Now leave us the bloody hell alone before I make you!" He shouted. People started backing off and leaving to go find their friends. Hermione looked around and saw Ron in the corner standing next to Harry with clenched fists. Harry appeared to be mumbling something though gritted teeth.
"I'll be right back." She told Draco. She walked over to her former friends and attempted to make polite conversation.
"Hi Harry, hi Ron." She said tentatively.
"Do you hear something Harry?" Ron asked.
"No, I don't believe I do." Harry answered.
"Oh come on you two! Stop acting like such children. It's not a big deal really…" Hermione tried.
"Not a big deal!" Ron scoffed. "Snogging our worst enemy in front of the entire school is 'no big deal' to you!"
"In all fairness I wasn't expecting him to do that." She said defensively.
"What do you want Granger?" Harry spat. Hermione cringed at Harry's cold tone.
"I want you two to give Draco a chance." She said. Ron laughed but she continued. "If you would just get to know him then you would know that he's a really sweet guy, and he's not like his father. Honestly, do you think I would even give him the time of day if he was? You know how much I despised him when we were younger, so you should know that I wouldn't be dating him if it wasn't true that he has grown up. Unlike i you two. /i Think about it. I still want us to be friends, its both of you that are being unreasonable." With that she turned on her heal and walked away. She returned to Draco, who held a drink out to her.
"Thanks." She said accepting it and taking a sip.
"So how did things go with Potter and Weasley?" He asked. Hermione shrugged.
"I don't know. It's up to them now. I've said what I wanted to say." Draco took her drink from her hand and set it down on the table.
"Come on," He said. "Let's dance." She put her hand in his and swayed her hips as they strutted onto the dance floor. She let herself get lost in the music. For an instant, she was back on her parent's deck with the beat pulsing through her body. However, then she was alone, now she had a partner. Draco sandwiched his leg in between Hermione's and he pressed his hand on her lower back, drawing her to him. This was not the dancing that Hermione was used to, but for tonight she didn't care. She was enjoying the closeness and music and just the whole atmosphere.
"You did a brilliant job with this Ball Hermione." Draco said in her ear.
"Well aren't you just full of compliments tonight." She said laughing. He had been nothing but a gentleman all night. Actually, it was starting to bug her. She loved how sweet and gentle he was with her, but sometimes she missed his bad side. She leaned in and put her lips right up to his ear.
"You know, I wouldn't mind if the bad boy Draco made an appearance tonight…" she said lightly biting his earlobe. She knew that was the last thing he was expecting her to say, but he wasn't complaining. He pulled her closer so she was pressed tightly up against his chest and he was moving harder against her. Grinding, if you will.
"Oy, Ron, did you know she could do that" Harry asked shocked as they watched Hermione and Draco dance.
"Huh…what? Oh, no I didn't. But Malfoy is getting a little too touchy feely if you ask me. I don't like how far south that hand of his is going." Ron said.
"But she's laughing, Ron. How can she be okay with this?"
"Merlin knows. She's changed though. And I'm not sure if I like it."
"Maybe we should…I don't know, try to be civil with Malfoy?" Harry suggested.
"What? Harry are you hearing yourself? Trust Malfoy? You must be off your rocket mate."
"No, I don't mean be friends with him, I just think that maybe we should apologize to Hermione. Look how happy she is. He can't be that bad if he makes her happy. Plus we could keep a better watch on him if we were all friends again."
"I guess your right, but I still don't trust him. Stupid ferret…OH! Now he's got his hand all over her arse! That's it! I'm going over there!"
"Ron, Ron, RON!" Harry yelled, trying to hold his friend back. "Just let her be. She's a smart girl, she'll stop him if she wants to. We'll talk to her about it tomorrow." Harry said rationally.
"But Harry! He's all…and his hands are…and that's i my /i , I mean, i our /i 'Mione! He can't do that to her." Ron insisted, still trying to break free of Harry's grip.
"Ron, if you go over now, she is going to get mad and you two will end up in a row like always. I can see it now; i 'Ronald! How dare you march over here and tell me how to act! Why don't you use some of those brains you've got in that red head of yours? When will you learn to trust me?'" /i Harry mimicked. "We will talk to her tomorrow."
Ron grumbled unhappily. "Tomorrow…by tomorrow that damn ferret will have his hand all the way up her..."
"Enough Ron." Harry stopped him. "Just quit while you're ahead mate. Just quit while you're ahead."