A/N- It's awesome to know that my story is getting so much attention. 85 reviews! Does a happy dance...er, ok enough of that. This is the chapter you've been all waiting for, or at least wondering about. THE BALL. As a big change, the lyrics will be mixed in the chapter as apposed to being right in the beginning. If you've read up to now, you know just how big a change of pace this is, but bear with me. It all has a purpose, the change I mean. Oh whatever, you guys are smart enough to know where this is going! On with the show!

Disclaimer: That's right, laugh it up. I already know I don't own Harry Potter...it's not nice to laugh at people...that's enough! Will you just be quiet already! I will murder you in your sleep T-chan! Oh yeah, and I don't own Transylvanian Concubine or I'm Under Your Spell either.

Chapter 10: Dancing Under a False Sky

Hermione was sitting in History of Magic, doodling on a piece of paper, while the ghostly Professor Binns' voice hovered over her ears like the hum of a fly that just wouldn't go away. She was drawing a picture of the beautiful gown she had bought for the Halloween Ball that would take place at the end of the week. (A/N- Yes, I will continue to put off describing her costume until the beginning of the ball. I would just like to say to one reviewer who will remain anonymous: I meant for it to be a vague description, and you are will just have to be patient. I've known what her outfit would look like since before I wrote the second chapter.) Hermione, believe it or not, was planning on becoming an artist before she got her letter. She had a real flare for drawing and painting. Once she got her letter, that all changed. She became determined to know all about this world that seemed too amazing to be real. Like most Muggle children, she was raised to believe that magic (by the wizarding world's standards at least) was impossible, and it was foolish to think otherwise. How wrong that turned out to be! She let out a bitter laugh, startling everyone in the room, except for Professor Binns, who continued to drone on about some wizard named Raging Mardoc. How did he manage to make such a interesting story so horribly boring? The only interesting thing about this class was how tired he could make you only 2 minutes into the lecture. It was an amazing talent, to be sure, though not one to be proud of.

Seamus had returned from the Hospital Wing after the incident in an odd state. He couldn't answer any questions as to how he was attacked. All he would say is he heard voices around the corner, and then everything went black. Dumbledoor told Draco and Hermione, since they were the ones who found him and were Head Boy and Girl, that he suspected someone had Obliterated his memory, which would explain the near-concussion-like state he was found in. It still bothered Hermione, but with the dance coming up, she had no time to ponder over it. A paper airplane hit her head, and she turned almost sleepily to the bit of parchment that was hovering near her head. She spread her hand out flat, and the plane landed on the surface and flattened itself out to be read.

Draco watch her as she read his letter. A smirk spread across those perfect lips he was now so captivated by. As their friendship had built, so had his feelings towards the curly haired girl. He felt apprehension shoot through his body every time he was near her, hoping once that she'd show some definite sign of returning his feelings. She had become more open with his friendship with him, so much so in fact that it was a miracle beyond miracles that neither Harry or Ron seemed to notice anything, and yet she hadn't given any of the usual signs that a girl like him. Though, truth be told, their relationship prior to the truce made all the giggling and flattery seem ridiculous, and she wasn't like any of the other girls. That was why he liked her after all. Her independence, her spirit, her total lack of the air headedness that so many other girls seemed to acquire at their age. It's what made her so perfect.

By this point, he was gazing at her so hard he didn't seem to notice the continuous bumping he was receiving from the returned note. It started to ram into him harder until it hurt, and he realized that it was there. He held out his hand and read the note:

H,

Have you heard from the Weird Sisters about our reservations?

D

D,

They said they would arrive on the 30th, which is in 3 days! I'm not sure if all the plans will be finished by the dance...are you positive that we've got everything organized?

H

He scribbled down a reply and sent the note off again. It was a good things this teacher didn't notice anything that went on in his classroom. They would never be able to get away with writing notes in class with any of his living professor.

He thought it was so cute how uptight she got about things. She was always worried she forgot something or missed some minute detail that most people wouldn't even give a thought to, but then that's why she's the most brilliant witch to ever step in the doors of Hogwarts, at her age that is. She would add in little things that would seem totally irrelevant to everyone else, but the teachers would give her the best grade in the class. It didn't hurt that she memorized the textbooks either.

The Halloween Ball would be that Saturday, and she was more concerned with the preparations than the actually event. He assumed she already told Potter and the Weasleys about them going together, but he severely doubted that she told them she didn't mind. It was probably more than likely they didn't even know about the truce. At the thought of that he felt anger arise in him. Was she ashamed of their friendship? Did she care so little about their new found peace? Did she care so little about him?

His thought process was interrupted by the bell ringing. He would talk to her later about it; right now he had to get to his next class.

The next four days consisted of classes, panic attacks (in Hermione's case), checking and rechecking every preparation, and a lot of giggling girls in hallways for the two Heads. In Draco's opinion, it was a miracle Hermione's head didn't explode with how much stress she was going through, but finally the day of the dance arrived, and every person was undeniably excited and anxious for the night to come (okay, only the 5th, 6th, and 7th years were, everyone else was sullen because they couldn't attend.)

Draco spent his day finishing homework that he couldn't do earlier because of last minute changes or completions of the plans for that night. Hermione spent the day with Harry and Ron down by the lake. They, Draco and Hermione, had agreed they needed a break from the planning and work that had become their life for the last few weeks. Hermione had been spending almost no time with her two best friends, and his grades were slipping. They figured that it would be best to spend the day separately... okay, she decided. As she put it, absence makes the heart grow fonder. He just sat there and nodded his head: he would get to have her to himself the entire night anyway.

"Hermione, what's your costume going to be?" said the red-headed boy, who was leaning against the oak watching the giant squid lift a tentacle out of the water and bring it down creating a huge wave.

"Yeah, what is it? We couldn't possibly know, seeing as you didn't go shopping with us," Harry grumbled.

"You guys said you didn't mind! And anyway, it's a surprise. Draco agreed it should be--" she replied only to be interrupted by Harry and Ron.

"DRACO! Since when are you on a first name basis!" they asked simultaneously with shocked expressions.

"Since we called a truce," Hermione said defiantly.

"Why would you do a daft thing like that?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"Because he's really a nice person when you get to know him, plus it's kind of hard to work with someone if you're constantly shouting insults at each other," she defended. "So, who are you guys taking to the dance?" The change of subject was so blatant neither of them noticed, and they continued talking until it was four o' clock at which time Hermione said her goodbyes and hurried off to get ready for the dance.

She rushed up to the common room and went to her room to get ready; she didn't even notice Draco sitting on the couch. She took a shower, put her hair up, added a small amount of hair gel to the loose parts, and applied make-up. (A/N- I will describe in detail later. Being vague on purpose again? Who me?) She grabbed her costume, and in the process of putting it on, realized she needed help. She walked down the stairs to the common room, holding the dress on.

Draco heard Hermione descending the stairs around 6:00 and looked to see someone else. Someone only able to be described as perfect. She had her hair piled on her head in a triple tiered style that looked like it came out of ancient Greece with heart-shaped clips shimmering at random places. Her eyes had cat-eyed eyeliner. Bright red lipstick adorned her lips, but it didn't look whorish. It just fit. She was holding onto herself a dress, but calling it a dress seems to not do it justice. The top was a blood red bodice that was embroidered with roses. The skirt was a many-layered bell. The first few layers were translucent so when she moved the skirt seemed to be of different shades of red. Then he realized why she was holding it up. The back had many ribbons that laced it up. The ribbons were shades of red that varied from cherry red to a red that was almost black, and as she was only one person, she couldn't tie them herself.

"Draco, a little help please?" emerged Hermione's voice from the goddess. Oh, so it was her. He realized he was staring and shook his head to clear it as if it was an 8 Ball. He walked over and fixed the ribbons so that they joined at a great bow at the small of her back and then draped down the back of her skirt. She turned around, said, "So, what do you think?" and gave a little spin.

He went with honesty. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he admitted and was rewarded by her blushing scarlet and looking away.

"Well, um, shouldn't you be getting ready?" she muttered, suddenly shy.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, let me just go do that..." he stuttered and hurried to change.

He emerged 20 minutes later in a black and red suit. His hair was in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. There was make-up under his eyes to make them look sunken in, but it did not shade how handsome he was. The suit jacket appeared to have the sleeves ripped off to reveal a blood red dress shirt underneath. The rest of the suit was pretty basic except for the fact that he wore a dog collar and chain.

They stood side-by-side, hand-in-hand, and, in their own way, personified love and hate, and they matched. The funny thing is love can beget hate, and hate can beget love as well. She wore something complicated and beautiful. He wore something simple but dark. The emotions and outfits fit them perfectly. So as love and hate, they went to the ball.

They arrived in the Great Hall at 6:35 and did one last run-through to make sure everything was in order. At 6:45 opened large oak doors to the students. En masse, all their waiting peers entered the world they two had thought up. The decorations turned the Great Hall into the complete horror movie haunted house that they had envisioned, or at least Hermione had envisioned. The second everyone was inside, the band started up.

If you want to know how

To fly high, then go now

To the place where all the concubines...

Meet and converse with them

Marvel at their pale skin

"Would you like to dance?" Draco held his hand out to Hermione, and they began to dance to the music.

Wonder how they chew on their pointy...

Teeth and hair are beauty

They know it's their duty

To be countess in their hearts and their...

Minds that have to whisper

See in them a sister

Look into their eyes and you'll become

Transylvanian Concubine.

You know what flows here like wine.

Stay here with us, it's just time.

Transylvanian Concubine.

Sorrow is their master

Cackling with laughter

Now he's having just one piece of...

Cakey is their make-up

Catholics try to shake up

All the things that form their lives, but

they're...

Dead, their sighs, their songs

They know what they do is wrong.

They danced together, not even noticing the looks people gave them (especially pansy). They were completely oblivious to the world outside their own. No one seemed to be able to accept that they were friends, or more than friends, but they couldn't care less. They were happy for the moment.

Stay here with us, it's just time.

Transylvanian Concubine.

Candelabra's lighted

Satan has been sighted

Never has there been an evening like...

This is what they wanted

Always to feel hunted

You can never be too rich or too...

Thin. The blood has run out.

Fangs ruin any cute pout

Morning has come now they've flown

What have you learned from what has been

shown?

That song ended, and they went to the refreshment table to get something to drink. The butterbeer was still warm, another miracle of magic. They sat down at one of the tables that were set up near by, which was orange and black and riddled with candy. It was a while before either one said anything (either because of lack of breath or shyness is yet to be determined.)

It was Hermione to break the silence, "It turned out perfect, didn't it?"

"Of course! What have you ever done that wasn't perfect?" he asked jokingly.

"I got an E on my Astronomy OWL," she replied seriously. He feigned a heart-attack.

"Merlin, Hermione "Book Worm" Granger got an E! How do you live with yourself?" he teased, not even trying to hide his laughter.

"Hey! I was distracted by what that horrible woman, Umbridge, was trying to do to Hagrid!" she said defensively, then began laughing herself. "I am pathetic, aren't I?"

"No you're not. You're perfect, so perfect that sometimes I think I just can't compete. Hell, I know I can't compete!" he said in all seriousness, but Hermione being insecure as most girls are thought he was just being nice.

"It's alright. I know I have no life. You don't have to try to cheer me up."

He looked like he wanted to object, but a slow song came on, and he got a better idea. "Shall we dance, mi lady?" he asked, once again holding out his hand. She put her hand in his and walked with him to the dance floor.

He put his arms around her waist and held her close. She laid her head on his shoulder and placed her arms around his neck.

I live my life in shadow

Never the sun on my face.

It didn't seem so sad, 'tho.

I figured that was my place.

"You really don't have anything to be insecure about. You're the brightest, most beautiful, kind-hearted witch I have ever met," he whispered in her ear.

Now I'm bathed in light.

Something just isn't right.

"I don't agree, but I won't argue. I wish that we could just stay like this and never have to worry about other people or Voldemort again," she whispered back.

I'm under your spell.

How else could it be

Anyone would notice me?

It's magic, I can tell.

How you set me free,

Brought me out so easily.

"I just wish that was an option," he whispered, pulling her in closer.

I saw a world enchanted,

Spirits and charms in the air.

I always took for granted

I was the only one there.

"How did we get here, Draco? What made us go from hating each other to...this?" Whatever this is, Hermione thought.

But your power shone,

Brighter than any I've known.

"Well, let's see. You showed up in Diagon Alley looking amazing, then totally blew me off in a cute little huff," he accounted.

I'm under your spell.

Nothing I can do.

You've just took my soul with you.

You worked your charms so well.

Finally I knew. Everything I dreamed was true.

You make me believe.

"Then I had the dream about you and I on the train," she added.

The Moon to the Tide.

I can feel you inside.

"Ha, you admitted it was about me! That wasn't so hard now was it?" he joked.

I'm under your spell.

Surging like the sea.

Drawn to you so helplessly.

I brink with every swell.

Lost in ecstasy.

Spread beneath my Willow tree.

You make me complete!

"Then I blew you off again when you wanted to call a truce," she whispered, completely ignoring his last statement.

You make me complete.

"Then you made me kiss Harry," he whispered.

You make me complete.

"I felt so guilty about that," she admitted.

"You could make it better," he whispered, running his hands down her back. She pulled back a little.

You make me complete.

"How?" She barely got it out before his lips came crashing down on hers. She was shocked for a minute, but she recovered quickly. She closed her eyes and leaned into him.

They were just about to deepen the kiss when a rude voice yelled, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing to my Mione, Ferret!" The kiss broke off, but they didn't separate. Hermione looked to see a fuming Ron dragging Lavender Brown, his date, behind him.

"Ron, will you just mind you're own business?" Hermione said, a little more than impatient.

"You can't be serious! This is Malfoy, the Ferret, the boy who's called you Mudblood since first year!" he fumed.

"It's okay, Hermione. I'll go. I don't want you to lose a friend over me," he said calmly, though he wanted to punch the Weasel with everything in him. He started to pull away, only to have her hold on tighter.

"Don't you dare! I won't let this idiot ruin one of the best moments of my life," she said loudly to make sure Ron heard.

"Mione, you would choose him over me?" Ron asked in a small voice, sounding hurt.

"Ron! Get this through that thick red head of yours! We ended a long time ago! It didn't work then; it won't work now! Of course I would choose the man I love over you!" she said quietly but sharply. Ron winced at her words.

"You love me?" Draco's voice asked from behind her.

"Yes, but can we talk about this later?" she replied turning to him. Not waiting for a reply, she turned back to Ron, "Will you leave now? I want to get back to my date." She turned back to Draco. "Want to go for a walk?"

Draco nodded his head and took her hand. They walked off leaving a heartbroken Ron and his furious date behind. They could just hear Lavender yelling, "What am I to you? Nothing? Why did you ask me out if I'm just a replacement for her?"

They sat down once more at one of the tables.

"I love you, too," Draco said after he was pretty sure she had calmed down.

"I'm truly sorry about that. I should have told Ron and Harry not to interfere when we were together today, but after their reaction to me telling them about the truce..." She stopped when she realized he was grinning. "What?"

"You told them about the truce. I was worried earlier that you were ashamed of me or something and hadn't told them, but you did. I think that deserves another kiss," he said pulling her over to him. She ended up in his lap, with his mouth once again on hers, and she knew that this, this was bliss. They just kissed and kissed for what seemed like an eternity until they heard a cough from a few feet away. Hermione looked up to see a grinning Harry and Ginny.

A/N- Okay, that's all you get for now. I'll continue ASAP. I've got a lot of reviews this time, so bear with me! Now you know your job! REVIEW!

Babiblue754- Snape should let himself die instead of fulfilling the Vow! But hey, since Draco didn't complete the mission, it proves he's not all bad! Maybe he'll join the Order. That would be awesome!

anonimousXoXo- Sorry bout the Seamus thing. It's going to be part of the main plot, so I can't tell you yet.

Alyssium- Thank you for once again reviewing! I hope you liked this chapter too!

Queen of Duct Tape- JTHM is a comic they sell at Hot Topic about a guy who is, well, a homicidal maniac. One of the main questions he presents is since he knows he's nuts, then is he? I agree the whole world is nuts, although I thick you may be more so than others if you wear duct tape on your head. Does it hurt to take off? Doesn't it rip your hair out?

Demoncross/animegirl- Half the ball done, half to write left.

Kait1991- Do you actually say nifty? That's grand!

Janangel- Thanks!

his-lil-shortie- Yay! Thank you!

Hazelocean- Just did.

Riley Malfoy- I'm sorry I spoiled HBP for you. My sister ruined it for me and so I quite literally feel your pain.

diabolicalone18- Danke schun! (translation- Much thanks!)

WindKitsune21- Once again, I have won over someone who doesn't like HermioneDraco pairings! This is the awsomest!

silver slytherin serpent- You know, when I first started this story, someone told me they didn't like the lyrics at the top. I told them I wouldn't change it, but they didn't have to read it. I'm glad I didn't change it now so that I could make someone happy.

righteye0604- Your wish is my command! Tada! A new chapter!

Steelo- I elaborated. Do they make sense now?

Slyzerin- Yes, Renaissance is in English too. It applies to the time period after the Middle Ages when their was an increase in learning and the arts. Also translates into "rebirth". I'm using it as a time period reference. Are you actually French or are you learning French currently? Thanks for the review!

supafly09- Sorry can't tell. It's a secret!

draco2hot4me- Thanks, and I hope you like the new chapter!

pheonixfeathersx3- I'm glad that suddenly people are telling me they like the lyrics. I was told at the very beginning that they annoyed someone. I didn't change it, and they stopped reviewing. It makes me happy that other people appreciate them.