I'M SORRY! SORRY! I know... I know... I'm so pitifully pathetic. This chapter had caught me in the middle of my half-yearly exams (which I am sure I failed everything...:( urgh damn) Half of this chapter is just frivolous stuff, simply to differenciate my stories from other but also to emphasize the attraction between the two... and besides I'm rebelling against the GoF movie! I mean its cool and all but Herms dress is supposed to be BLUE! So I wanted her to wear something blue... (don't worry, you'll get what I mean later once the chapter is read). Oh and to the readers who reviewed! THANK YOU. So much. But especially sweet-witch I think it was you who constantlydemanded that I update. LoL thanks for that I needed that stern push to cut time out of my studying and actually finish the chapter, so thanks :D... ohcrap myComputers Teacher is here ( skool at da moment)... ok he just caught me... g2g ENJOY! hopefully. I'll update quicker next time.
Chapter 12 – Frivolity and the tutorial begins!
As the season of winter settled in, Hogwarts students skipped merrily towards the nearby town of Hogsmeade, in fact they did more than skip towards the small town, for it was the last Hogsmeade trip before the Christmas Holidays and there were presents that needed to be bought. The three inseparable friends Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in a cramped and buzzing Three Broomsticks bar warming up as they sat around a small table sipping their Butterbeer.
"I can't wait to start my Christmas shopping." Smiled Hermione brightly as she sipped a coffee fervently, savouring its warmth. "Where are we off to next?"
"Honeydukes or Zonkos?" Suggested Harry. "I feel like a cockroach cluster… for a strange reason." He turned to Ginny as she walked through the door and waved. She waved back with a smile and sat to the other side of the bar with Luna and other fifth year friends. Harry had assumed she would join them at their table but the bar had been rowdy and crowded that day due to the number of students. "What about you Ron?"
Hermione elbowed Ron forcefully. "What are you looking at?" Asked Hermione suspiciously. "More likely who are you looking at?" Ron's dreamy gaze left the bar and tuned into the conversation.
"What? – Oh nothing, No one." Said Ron resurfacing from his dreamy fazes. "What were you saying Harry?"
Hermione looked sceptical. "And I suppose this alleged 'no one' is currently serving drinks at the bar. Honestly Ron, just because Lavender rejected you," She paused and reworded as to not offend him, " - I mean because she declined your rather, eccentric invitation – it doesn't mean that you have to jump back onto your old crushes with Madame Rosmerta." She rolled her eyes as she realised Ron still nursed a 'soft spot' for the barmaid.
Ron looked resentful. "I don't see you with any blokes." He muttered. However, Malfoy's smirking expression immediately appeared into her head and she fought down the urge to blush.
"Well just because I'm a teenager, it doesn't mean I have to conform to the tradition of pouncing myself on the nearest moving male organism and calling them a boyfriend." Hermione retorted promptly. "I'm perfectly fine thank you very much." She said proudly as she (with quite some difficulty) forced the image of Malfoy out of her mind.
Without warning, a group of drunken men knocked quite violently into their small table, spilling drinks and causing Hermione - who was in mid sip - to spill her coffee… all over herself.
"Bloody Hell!" Cried Ron shoving the two men away in obvious annoyance. "Get back to your own bloody table, you drunkards."
"Hey! Get off." Cried Harry in agitation as he joined Ron in forcing the two men back to the other side of the bar. As they returned, Harry just noticed the rather large dark brown stain tainting and soaking a enormous stain into Hermione's white blouse. "Oh…"
Hermione glowered at the stain with ultimate disdain and made attempts to soak up the coffee with a tissue. "Oh damn." She cursed darkly, "And the coffee was black too."
"Er um, Hermione is there anything that we can do?" Asked Harry, Ron appeared beside him eyes glazed with silent laughter. Her head snapped to him.
"You had better not laugh Ronald." Warned Hermione in the process of cleaning the stain. "Oh where is my wand? Didn't I bring it with me? … Oh where the bloody hell is it? If I had my wand I could remove this stain in a second." She muttered briefly. "Ronald hand me your wand," She commanded sharply as she rummaged through the pockets of her jeans and suede jacket, how could she have forgotten her wand?
"Sorry Hermione but I didn't bring mine either, I thought we just be shopping so I thought I wouldn't need it." Said Ron guiltily. Harry checked his pockets.
"I'm sure to have brought it with me…I think I left it in the dorm after the Potions Exam last night…" Said Harry in the middle of a once over in his pockets.
Hermione shook her head. "Now really…Reliability…"
"This is perfect!" Cried Ginny who happened to appear as if she apparated to Harry's side from thin air.
"What's perfect?" The other three asked in unison.
"I can buy you another blouse for Christmas, I was in a mull over what to give you, but since this happened I guess I can spare a few galleons to do you a favour." Said Ginny looking relieved. "I'm not usually into fashion and the such, but you could use a few clothing items…" Ginny surveyed Hermione's casual yet plain appearance in concern.
"Or you could do me the favour of allowing me to borrow your wand, so I can just siphon this coffee off." Said Hermione serenely, holding out a hand.
"Yes, yes okay, here's my wand, but our purpose here is to shop for presents you know, and Hermione you're coming with me." Said Ginny tersely handing over her wand.
"Tergeo" Said Hermione as she began to siphon off coffee and slowly the stain magically disappeared before their eyes as if someone had been sucked out of the fabric. "Honestly Ginny it's not necessary, I'd rather a new quill or a book… I don't need clothes…it's not me."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Do you think I'd spend my entire day inside a store trying on robes?" She asked giving a mirthless laugh. "I'd rather play Quidditch, you know me, I'm not like that but honestly Hermione, when was the last time you have done something so ridiculously girly that it's actually considered to be fun?" Asked Ginny knowingly.
Ron lifted his eyebrows. "…Well Hermione, she's got a point you know."
"You're agreeing with her? But, but you're a boy! You're supposed to be opposing the prospect of stereotypical feminism! You're supposed to insist that we go to the Quidditch supply store or Zonkos or, or something!" Argued Hermione, it was not that she opposed feminism; she thought women deserved equal rights as much as the next ambitious egalitarian, but it was unlike Ron to be agreeing to something of this context.
"We are." Said Ron nodding scintillatingly, "But just Harry and I, we know how much you find those places a bore."
"Harry?" Hermione rounded to him, her eyes beckoning for support.
"Just go and have fun Hermione, we'll see you when we get back." Said Harry genially. "You need it, you've had at least three months couped up in the Library every second night with Malfoy of all people."
She was about to argue that the experience with Malfoy wasn't that bad but she shut her mouth and walked away begrudgingly as Ginny tugged on her arm, almost practically dragging her to the exit. Hermione looked longingly back to their table as a recruit would to his home as if she were conscripted to war. They stepped outside; a cool breeze blew nippily against their faces as the sun peeked from behind a cloud.
"Wow." Said Ginny, "It sure has gotten warmer since we entered the Three Broomsticks." And it had, it was an unusually warm day for that time of the season, the sun had even chosen to venture from the darkness of the clouds. Grabbing Hermione's hand, Ginny lead Hermione to the nearest female clothing store. Hermione took one look at the clothes displayed in the window and whipped right around.
"No! No-ho-ho No! Nooo way. I am not shopping for skirts like that to wear. I think they've got the date of their shipments wrong. We're in the second half of November not the middle of July! I can't believe they make dresses that short…" Said Hermione as she strode away. Ginny grabbed the sleeve of her coat and dragged her back to the window.
"Nope Hermione, you sound like my mother, you are coming in with me – just give it a chance, you might actually find something remotely decent. You are coming or I will jinx you." Warned Ginny with a maniacal glint glistening in her eyes.
Hermione folded her arms. "You can try."
"Oh yes I can, I have a wand and you don't." Said Ginny smartly. Hermione let her arms fall as she deflated, realising how Ginny was completely right.
"You got me there. But I am not going in." She stated defiantly.
"Oh yes you are!" Cried Ginny as with all her might, she dragged a loud and angry raving Hermione into the store…
Over an hour later, they exited. With past and intense deliberation, out stepped a girl in a provocative outfit, looking more disgruntled and irked than pleased… Hermione.
"I am not forgiving you for this Ginny. I will never forgive you for this. This is unfair. This is coercion. This is mean. I will never forgive you for making me wear this" Muttered Hermione vehemently through her heavily gritted teeth, looking positively livid.
Despite her continuing threats, Ginny looked unfazed. "I know you will Hermione, you'll forgive me, because you know you look good. I'm just enhancing the assets of the God given beauty you harbour, that you are still oblivious to." She skipped a little ahead of Hermione and shoved a few shopping bags into her hands. "These are yours, here's a few more blouses, etcetera."
"Ginny you know I am not going to wear these. They'd probably be stashed somewhere at the back of my wardrobe collecting dust…How did you get the money to afford all this anyway?" Said Hermione timidly, as to not offend her best friend about her family's financial dilemmas.
"Dad got a promotion at work remember? So he earns a lot more now and now I have more to spend on those I care about." Said Ginny happily. "Oh and I'm sure you'll wear them sooner or later. I know that you know you like them, or else I never would have bought them."
Hermione looked down at herself. True the dress was pretty but she could NEVER imagine herself even considering wearing something of this flirty audacious nature. She envisioned these types of dresses on pretty girls, tall girls with long blonde hair and blue eyes that were always popular - surely not her the studious, bushy-haired brunette. It was a very form-fitting dress, a pale shade of blue, and a tinge lighter than the shade of the sky. The bottom just finished above her knees and the skirt had the uneven sort of jagged flirty design, 'hanky' she thought they called it. The bodice was quite simple but it exposed almost all of her shoulders, just two blue spaghetti straps reaching up and crossing at her back. There was a touch of a few rhinestones here and there to give it a subtle dazzling look that Hermione liked, but still she felt uncomfortable. What was the point in exposing so much skin anyway?
"Ginny… I feel so… exposed" Said Hermione worriedly, "I look dressed up as if I'm going to some sort of nightclub for my eighteenth birthday, not shopping around Hogsmeade with the school just around the way."
"Get a grip Hermione!" Exasperated Ginny, "I'm the one that should be worried, walking here next to a little slice like you, especially in that dress."
"Huh? But I don't want to be a 'little slice' I'm happy with the way I dress, at least with that I don't feel like I'm wearing something close to lingerie… and these shoes, I rarely wear anything that has a heel higher than an inch…" Mumbled Hermione examining herself as she would examine a diseased lab rat.
For the umpteenth time, Ginny rolled her eyes. "You look great Hermione. And honestly you don't look as bad as you're making it out to be. You're not that exposed. So your shoulders show, at least I didn't get you a dress without straps, or any strappy heels. I want my friends to look great and pretty, not Parisian prostitutes."
Hermione fretted for a moment or two. Deciding, Ginny was only trying to look out for her, she sighed. "…Fine, I accept your gift. I guess I could try and see this from your point of view. But really the bottom is a bit too short; can't we alter this a little lower? Besides it's going to get cold soon."
"Jeez… you will always be Hermione." Sighed Ginny. The two girls walked down the street and into the Quidditch supply store, which was unfortunately packed suffocatingly with boys from all years in Hogwarts. Hermione hung her head and begged desperately to Ginny for her coat.
"Please Ginny." Hermione demanded sternly. "They're all staring at me, I don't like all these perverted teenage boys 'enjoying the view', especially as I am their Head Girl!" Hermione tugged at her coat that was obstinately secured in Ginny's arms. "Ginny! This is no way for me to exercise leading by example! I shouldn't be looking like this! I'm their Head Girl!"
"Enjoy it while you can Herms, I get it a few times too." Said Ginny, smiling evilly. She grinned at them all.
"I didn't come here or buy that dress to flaunt and live the life of Pansy Parkinson! Now hand me my coat!" Hermione demanded using a tone that would make most shrink away from and run out of sight.
"Okay, obviously Harry and Ron aren't here so let's leave." Ginny pushed her way through the greedy eyes, towards the door and shoved it open.
"Watch it Weasley!" Barked an outraged voice from the other side. Malfoy. Ginny stepped out angrily and Hermione was eager to follow suit. There was only one thing that could redeem Ginny from forcing Hermione to wear that dress at that moment: The look on Malfoy's face when he saw her. It was something close to shock and amusement...and perhaps even liking. Hermione's cheeks glowed an angry crimson as she gave him a quick glance and made her way to the door. In the brief moment that they passed each other, Malfoy whispered:
"Room of Requirement, later."
She gave a quick nod and almost smiled as she left. But little did she notice, Malfoy poking his head out of the door and eyeing her behind as she walked away in that short little blue dress.
"Malfoy's such a git." Muttered Ginny as Hermione joined her.
"Can I have my coat back now?" Asked Hermione.
"Oh yeah sure." Ginny handed to her and smiled. "Ooh a few whistles and lustful stares have gotten our Hermione even redder than a tomato."
"Shut up." Said Hermione, eagerly putting her coat back on. "Now I feel comfortable. C'mon I think the boys are in Honeydukes."
They entered the surprisingly warm store and pushed through the barrage of students finally making their way towards the back. There they found Harry and Ron around a rather large and extravagantly coloured display of chocolate.
"No, I don't reckon Hermione will like those…" Fretted Harry as he examined a bag of sweets labelled: Tooth Blackening Fudge – Be disguised as a petty toothless thief in an instant! "I don't think Ginny will like them either."
"Do you think I should give Lavender some Honeydukes chocolate? You know to make up for what happened?" Asked Ron thoughtfully as he picked up a few chocolate frogs.
"You fancy her don't you? – Oh hi! Hermione, Ginny." Said Harry abruptly, hastily stowing the tooth-blackening fudge behind his back.
"Hi Harry, Ron. So, where are we off to next?" Asked Hermione. "Or are we staying in here for a bit…?"
A quarter of an hour later they all exited Honeydukes with bags stuffed with sweets and chocolate. "Say, can we visit the Quidditch Supply store for a moment?" Asked Ron as they trundled down the street. Hermione hung her head and blushed a deep crimson as Ginny smiled sympathetically. "What's the matter with you Hermione?" Asked Ron.
"Nothing, nothing." She replied furtively and hid her face in her coat as they reached the store. A few of the male students who had recognised Hermione gave a whistle as the door opened; some gave her a wink and a glance. "Ginny and I will wait out here until you come back."
Harry entered the store completely confused. Even more confused when he came out. "What's that all about Hermione? Do those guys know you or something?"
She shook her head vehemently. "No, no I don't know them either. They're just interested in… well, never mind."
"They're just interested in this new dress I bought Hermione." Ginny supplied evilly. "We popped into the store to check if you were in there earlier. Some had a choice glance at Hermione without her layered attire."
"Ginny I am so going to kill you!" Whispered Hermione angrily, and not to mention loudly.
"Hey! Show us the dress!" Cried Ron, feeling deceived. "You failed to reveal to us your best friends, what this whole ruckus is about." Hermione clung tightly to her coat, daring never to open it. "Show us Hermione! I want to have a reason to beat those guys to a pulp."
"No"
"What do you have to lose?" Asked Harry.
"No."
"Hermione!" Yelled Ginny.
"Fine! It's just a bloody dress!" Said Hermione, feeling very vexed as she reluctantly opened her coat.
"Blimey…" Breathed Ron, his mouth hanging open.
"Yeah…" whispered Harry, in a mild state of shock.
"So you've had your look now let's buy our presents and get back to the castle." Snapped Hermione, hastily buttoning up her coat as she stomped away, in quite some difficulty due to the heels. She made a mental note to curse Ginny for this. A few minutes afterwards, they found themselves in a small gift shop, by Hermione's request, purchasing Christmas cards.
"It seems like enough." Said Ginny eyeing Hermione's thick pile incredulously, "looks like you've accommodated everyone." But in fact, Hermione hadn't, she counted the number of cards again.
"No I need another one." She fretted.
"For who? With all these, you could practically give the entirety of London a Christmas wish." Said Ginny lazily. Buying Christmas cards wasn't exactly her ideal shopping experience, neither was it for Harry or Ron.
"Oh it's no one…just a friend." In truth the extra card had been for Malfoy. She smiled and chose another card, she planned on giving it to him at the Ball. That was if she was able to attend, she wasn't quite sure if her plan was feasible yet. It would be more than pleasant attending an extravagant high society banquet, but the reason behind her willing desire to attend the Malfoy's Ball was that, really… she didn't think she would be able to stand it if she ever disappointed Malfoy. She cared about his feelings, and she didn't want them to get hurt. For a second she saw the look in his eyes, it was not even a moment, something brief and perhaps even imaginary - but she knew it hurt her inside.
Several hours later, they returned to school with bags full of presents – (in Hermione's case, also cards) - and were prepared to collapse straight into the squishy chairs by the fire. Unfortunately, a rowdy number of fifth years had beaten them to it. Ron almost howled in outrage. "We're seventh years!" He cried, "I want my chair! It's my right to sit in that chair!" Harry simply sighed and dragged Ron to the boy's dormitory muttering something about seriously needing sleep before exams. Ginny glanced longingly towards the stairs wishing for a bed, huffed, said goodbye and followed suit.
Hermione was left in the common room with the rowdy students and her coat wrapped tightly around herself. Wincing, she glanced towards her heels, fretting on how much they ached. "I'm going to kill Ginny for this." She muttered as she quickly strode up the stairs and into her dormitory. Hastily, she removed the provocative dress, changed into a pair of jeans and a decently covered top and ran back down. She knew she could have been late in meeting Malfoy and didn't bother to stop to massage her feet, still wearing the heeled shoes. It was a great ordeal, having to run up stairs to the seventh floor and down the hall towards the Room of Requirement… in heels. The arduous effort it was to hasten herself up the never-ending staircases, lead her to nostalgically thinking of muggle elevators back in London. As she turned into the corridor of the tapestry with the dancing trolls, she found Malfoy leaning in his suave nature by the wall where the door of the Room was to appear.
He heard approach before he spotted her, the echoing clicking of heels was enough to give her away. "So you came Granger" Said Malfoy as she reached him. "I almost thought you weren't going to attend."
She smirked. "I wouldn't miss this for the world." She replied sarcastically, though she couldn't help but admit that there was a hint of truth ringing around her mind. Draco closed his eyes for a moment, thought hard and the door appeared beside him. Opening the door and stepping aside, he held the door open for Hermione, secretly hoping he could sneak a look at her as she strode passed – he decided to leave that opportunity for later.
"I see you're not wearing that hot little number you were wearing this afternoon, Granger. Why the dramatic change? Now you just look like yourself." Commented Draco as he shut the door behind him, and locking it. Hermione turned bright crimson and cleared her throat.
"No one should have seen that." She muttered in embarrassment.
"Really," said Draco as he approached her, "I know people have coping mechanisms to exam trial stress but I didn't think a trip to makeover-mountain would be down your alley."
"I'm not trying to change myself!" Cried Hermione.
"Then how could you explain the whole…"Draco trailed off and finished his sentence in a form of a series of gestures with his hands, which were supposedly mapping out the hourglass curvaceous figure of a woman's body. Hermione's features contorted into a look of disgust.
"You're such a pervert!" She snapped.
"I'm not a pervert, I'm simply appreciating certain aspects of the opposite sex's anatomy." He stated simply, as if this statement contained no effect at all.
"You…" Began Hermione, "You…there are no words for you. You are insufferable." She spat incredulously.
"Yes…" he sighed, "You've mentioned that. Now can we actually move on to the pressing matter at hand? The Ball perhaps?"
Her eyes widened. "Oh yes! That. Now what did you want to teach me?"
"A lot." He replied. "You must know how to speak, how to act and how to carry yourself. These are all vitally crucial for this to be a success. You must know our politics and exactly what we talk about. You must also know the dance which will perhaps account for fifty percent of your performance, if you can perform the dance with perfection you will accepted."
"Now I feel like I've just stepped into an examination room." She muttered heavily, wishing nothing more than to join Ginny in her slumber.
"Well that Ballroom will be your examination room." Stated Draco with a professional teacher-like air about him. "Now, are you ready to begin?"
Hermione shrugged then nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be." She said bracingly.
"Good. Now sit there." Said Draco pointing to a spot in the middle of the room. Hermione looked inquiringly at the piece of floor he had chosen for her to sit on and was about to question him, when from thin air, out popped a high backed chair.
"Right" she muttered, seating herself. Draco stood in front of her and fretted for a moment.
"We shall begin with the introductions." He began to pace. "When you enter the Manor, as a guest you will be directed by a house-elf to the Grand Ballroom. This is up the main stairs and through the doors. Upon reaching these doors, you will notice the gold-laced design upon the handles. Now as an aristocrat, you are not to touch these. That is the work of the announcer. Before proceeding into the door you must inform the announcer of your name so that he may announce your status formerly to the party – yes you have a question?"
"I'm a seventeen-year-old muggleborn. Now what status shall be announced for me? I highly doubt you snotty-nosed aristocracy would enjoy a simple label, such as my name." Said Hermione sceptically, frowning a bit.
"Well I was getting to that." Said Draco quickly. "A status is only ever needed for those who either are filthy rich or simply have an extremely high class in society, minors for example you or even Pansy, don't require a status attached to the end of their names. You may simply say Miss Hermione Granger – well of course I'll be giving you an alias, my father would recognise you in an instant if you were announced. However, if you're like me, the announcer usually says Master Draco Malfoy heir to…so and so forth."
Hermione nodded, her mind absorbing the information like a sponge. "You're society is so… superficial. It's quite unnerving."
Draco rolled his eyes. "You get used to it. But that's beside the point. Now, you must wait at the doorframe for the announcer to of course announce you." Said Draco tersely. "Oh and it would help with the whole image if you'd try to look like you own the place." He added as an after-thought.
"Oh? So being a condescending bastard is actually taught to you people? I thought it came naturally with you." Joked Hermione almost sarcastically. "So I could simply imitate you and I 'd fit right in."
"Precisely, but then, what we be doing here?" He asked. "Now, so your name has been announced." He paced some more. "You step into the hall and try to converse with people. If you sit on the sidelines like a wallflower, people will be suspicious. Remember this is taught from birth." Draco stressed. "Do not talk about the weather, or the music, or anything about the night. Avoid politics if possible, unless you know what side the person is on. If it's an alleged Death Eater for instance - "
"There are Death Eaters at these things?"
"Yes Granger but -"
"But even ministry officials attend these things. Won't they know? We could capture these criminals!"
"Granger shut up. I'm a Malfoy, you might as well arrest the entire Ballroom. Besides, my father isn't stupid enough to invite a known Death Eater to a Ball along with the company of a few ministry officials. Merlin no. He is cunning. He knows who to invite." Said Malfoy, growing a little annoyed. He sighed, conjured a chair and sat across from her. "What was I saying, now you've made me completely lose track…"
"You were saying something about what to talk about." Hermione implied, leaning comfortably into her chair.
"Oh yes, that's right." He answered, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Yes now if you know they're on the darkside then imply in some way that you support their cause and you think Voldemort is totally right etcetera -"
"Are you telling me to lie?" Asked Hermione incredulously. "I can make a basis of conversation but certainly no! I am not going to tell a man I support that evil, evil freak. No, I can lie, but saying something like that is beyond me."
"Granger please shut up… ok then you don't have to say that. Just stay away from politics or any headstrong idealism, especially SPEW."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest but then shut it upon receiving Draco's glare. "So what do I talk about?"
"Indifferent things." He answered. "At times you don't even have to talk at all. If per chance you are conversing with a rather wealthy gentleman, bring up the subject of his finances – that's only if he doesn't bring it up himself, but on most occasions he will – wealthy men love boasting about how rich they are so just play along. Nod and smile as they speak to you, even if you have no idea what they are talking about." Draco continued to stroke his chin thoughtfully. "It would also help to flatter them or compliment them whenever they stop to take a breath. If they ask for your opinion, tell them that you would like to hear more about them, and your ideas can be saved for later."
"But what if the person is incomprehensibly tedious?" Asked Hermione innocently.
"Then flicker your gaze to the dance floor." Said Draco. "A lady must never offer the man to the dance floor. That is the man's obligation. A lady who offers a man to dance is seen as too forward and lacking in correct upbringing…if you can get this right, then I applaud you. Pansy always failed in that area." He chuckled. "If you keep flickering your gaze to the floor, he'd obviously get the hint that you want to dance and he'd ask you. (Unless he's extremely dense) But hopefully, I'd find you before you need to do this."
"So what happens after you find me?" asked Hermione, propping her face onto her elbow on the armrest of the chair.
Draco took a deep breath. "Well, it's my duty to introduce you to my family and their associates."
"I-Introduce me to your family! Are you insane?" She cried, straightening up.
"You'll have your bloody mask on." Drawled Draco, "Now I will say: Mother, Father May I present Hermione Granger, she is a fellow student of mine and she is delighted to attend at our Grand Ball." Said Draco in a stately manner as he rose, pretending his parents were actually present. "After I say this, you say: I thank you for this wonderful occasion and I am graciously humbled for you to be allowing me into your hallowed estate."
"I thank you for this wonderful occasion and I am graciously humbled for you to be allowing me into your hallowed estate." Hermione repeated. Draco winced.
"Can you come here for a minute?" He asked holding out a hand. Hermione stood and walked to the place beside him. "Now say it again."
"I thank you for this wonderful occasion and I am graciously humbled for you to be allowing me into your hallowed estate." Hermione repeated once more. "What's wrong?"
"Posture straight," Said Draco "and try to say it as if you honestly mean it, there should not be a hint of pride as you say this… now let's try once more, only properly." He took her hand in his and lifted it so their arms were linked, looking as if he were escorting her.
"W-What are you? … Oh ok - I thank you for this wonderful occasion and I am graciously humbled for you to be allowing me onto your hallowed estate." Said Hermione gratefully, she reduced her voice to such a softness that it was almost un-Hermione-like. Draco gave her a genuine smile.
"Perfect." He whispered to her. "Ok… so are you ready for the fun stuff?"
"…Which is?" she inquired eagerly.
"The dance." He replied promptly. With pride. "It's good you have those heels on, because that's what you'd probably be dancing in on the night."
Hermione gulped and nodded as Draco took a step back from her. "It begins with a bow." He said bowing and extending an upturned palm as Hermione curtsied as best she could. "Good, you know what you're doing." He smiled, Draco knew what was going to happen next. He simply didn't know if he could keep a straight face while doing it.
"What happens now?" Asked Hermione, her cheeks tinting pink.
"Your hand receives a kiss." He replied. Hermione gulped, not in fear but to quell the growing sensation inside of her when he took her hand and lightly placed his lips upon it, soft and gentle. His eyes never left hers. For a moment everything remained silent as the tension between the two mounted as their eyes locked. His silver orbs glistened as they met her umber gaze, caressing the angles of her face with utmost intensity. Slowly, he took his lips away from her hand and shifted his gaze to the floor. He let her hand slip from his and took his back furtively. Hermione let out a silent but drawn breath. Her cheeks shone an angry crimson ablaze with fire.
"You're flushed." He said quietly, not quite meeting her gaze.
"…" She swallowed and cleared her throat. "Malfoy, I -" She paused and took a breath, barely able to stand the awkward and unwavering tension filling the air. "You know these feelings… you and I have… I still care about you, you know." She whispered.
Malfoy made no comment or indication to reply instead he looked grave. "… I know." He stated finally, a whisper levelling hers.
"We have to deal with that." Said Hermione said succinctly.
"I know." He repeated tonelessly. However, beneath his stoic and rigid surface, his insides raged with an insatiable desire. It was difficult to control. The simple act of kissing her hand was maddening as he thought swam around his mind that it should be her lips his lips should be caressing instead. "Come on." He said suddenly. "You have a dance to learn."
"Ok. But I'll be needing a break in a short while…I'm exhausted, and besides, the heels are killing me."
A/N: I know I'm an idiot... haven't updated in a LONG! time. So extra long chapter... please review! Even if it is to tell me how much you hate me for not updating fast enough. (reasons are on my profile) But I'll try to get the next chappie in sooner. It'll be a big one!