Hermione frowned as the rest of her dorm mates were busy preparing for the ball. It had finally come, the dreaded ball.
" Hermione? " Lavender began, as she stood beside Hermione's bedpost.
" What? " Hermione said as she lay on her bed, wearing jogging pants and a shirt.
" Aren't you going to get dressed up now? " she asked.
Hermione groaned. " The ball is three hours away. "
" That's the whole point! " Lavender huffed. " Move it! " She poked Hermione's side and Hermione giggled. " Come on, Hermione! It's a masquerade! It's not like they'd know who you really are under- "
" Stop that! " she said. " You know how ticklish I am! " Hermione leapt from her bed and changed into some jeans and a shirt.
" Where are you going? " Lavender asked.
" Somewhere, " she replied with a grin.
Hermione put on her coat and started walking out of the room. She went down into the common room and was surprised at how quiet it was. There was a merry fire in the fireplace but the seats were unoccupied.
She started for the portrait.
" Hermione? " a voice rang out in the stillness.
She spun around. " Harry? " She approached him. " I didn't know you- What are you doing here? Alone? "
He grinned as he sat cross-legged on one couch. " I was bored, listening to the guys talking about how 'hot' their dates were. Besides, the ball is like three hours away- " He laughed. " Where were you going? "
Hermione shrugged. " Just away from the girls, " Hermione rolled her eyes. " Seriously, I just hate getting prepared and all for a formal occasion. Gets me all jittery… "
Harry smiled. " However you fix yourself Hermione, you're still nice to look at- "
Hermione blinked. " Did you just compliment me, Harry? "
Harry gulped. Damn! How could I have said that! Damn! Damn-
Hermione laughed. " You know Harry… you're going to get away with any girl's heart anytime soon. "
Harry smiled, but deep down, he wished it would be hers. " That's nice to hear, 'Mione. "
Hermione grinned. " If you'll excuse me, " she began.
" Where are you going? "
" Just somewhere…" She smiled warmly. " See you later, Harry. "
Harry stared at her. " Hey, " he suddenly said.
Hermione faced him.
" I'm still your partner, right? " Harry asked with a smile.
Hermione nodded, winked at him and left.
Harry stared at the empty spot where she had stood. He turned to face the fire and cursed himself. " What was I thinking! That was an ugly, awful line! Ugh! " he grumbled. " 'I'm still your partner, right?' What the bloody hell was I thinking! "
" Draco! " Pansy's high-pitched voice began.
He looked up irritably from the book he had been reading. " What Pansy? "
" How do I look? " she asked twirling in front of him. She had donned her best. Light pink with matching shimmery pink makeup. Still, Draco wasn't captivated by it.
" Nice- " he said distractedly.
She pouted. " You're not even looking-"
" Well, Blaise is. "
Blaise laughed. " You don't look half bad-"
Pansy huffed and strode off to some girls.
" Boy is she relentless, " Blaise commented.
" She never tires of herself, does she? " Draco said with a frown. He coughed.
" Is that possible? Getting tired of oneself? " Blaise asked.
" I'm tired of myself, " Draco replied. " Excuse me, whilst I tire of myself even more. " And Draco left the common room, with no plans of preparing for the ball.
He heard Blaise's late reaction to his sarcastic remark. Blaise was laughing as he exited.
Hermione walked around the near the owlery tower, wishing to be far from the flurry of preparations and overeager girls and sickening perfumes. There was a little area in one the gardens she had liked, the roses were perfectly preserved in ice and they burned bright red inside ice the despite the cold. Someone had taken a liking to roses well enough to preserve them for the winter.
She had liked that. She sniffed and sat on a cold bench, shivering as she did. She wrapped her parka around herself tighter than ever.
" This is going to be a fun ball, " Hermione muttered to herself as she looked at the lights shining inside the great hall.
" I'll take your word for it, " a voice said.
She spun around. Draco Malfoy.
She frowned and said nothing. He sat beside her.
" Great, you're still here to annoy me? " she finally said.
He shook his head and said nothing. He looked at the roses Hermione was staring at. Then he smiled.
" What? " she asked.
" Be careful- " he began.
" Oh what for! These are just frozen roses, preserved by some bored and witless- " and she picked one carelessly. " Ouch! "
He laughed. " I told you- they stay sharp even if they look frozen. "
She sniffed. " Now you're telling me- wait- how did you- "
" I preserved them of course. I'm you're bored and witless- what were you about to say? " he said laughing.
She placed her thumb inside her mouth and sucked the blood. " Bored and witless, unpredictable brat, " she finished.
He grinned. " I guess we can be civil now? "
" Is this another sport to you? Do you have hidden people in the bushes waiting to record my gullibility?"
He shook his head. " No. Nothing like that. "
" You're being sincere then? "
He nodded. " Well, technically. And you don't see this everyday- do you? "
She smiled, but it was coupled with a worried look.
" Hey, I saved you arse- " he began. And he extended his hand for a shake. She surprisingly took it. They both smiled.
" Why aren't you inside? " he asked.
" I hate going to the Yule ball. I never even went last year- but Harry's my- "
" So unlike the head girl- " he started. " But that's why I'm here too. And also to get away from Pansy. "
She laughed recalling Draco's admittance that he had bedded Pansy.
" I know what you're thinking- quit it. " Draco grinned.
" Why'd you stop hating me? " Hermione suddenly asked. " I mean- is it safe to assume that you no longer hate me? Since you saved me-? "
He looked at the snow laden ground. " I don't know- I guess you get tired of hating someone- or annoying someone- although I wouldn't mind annoying your male counterparts- "
She raised an eyebrow. He laughed. Then she laughed.
" I'll make a deal with you, Granger, " he began; his eyes glittering with pleasure. " Let me see you in that masquerade ball, dance with me- "
" And? "
" And if I see you, you'll get a reward. "
" Lame, Malfoy- " she began. But he held up a hand.
" Wait. You won't regret it. " He looked at her. " In for a challenge? It's not exactly academics, but just prove to me that you can dance and that you can handle any unexpected situation - "
She rolled her eyes. " I did, about two years ago- "
" Well? "
" The last time I got into a little dare, I walked out on you, remember? "
He grinned, the Moaning Myrtle comfort room incident still fresh in his memory. " You won't walk out on this. " He extended his hand.
And she took it, surprisingly.
" Impress me, Granger, " he said in a quiet voice. He held out a frozen long stemmed rose. " Take this with you when you come, it won't melt unless I let it- it's so that I'll know it's you. "
She gave a small smile.
TBC….okay give me your usual uplifting reviews now! lol!