Chapter 10: Masquerade
"This is amazing!"
"I know! You guys really saved my butt helping my plan this dance." Hermione said embracing the three people in front of her.
"No problem Mi." Said Blaise putting his arm around Ginny. The two hadn't been dating for a week and Ginny had already brought out the best in her new boyfriend. Not to mention they looked perfect together. Especially with Blaise wearing his black dress robes and Ginny wearing a bright red mask and dress that brought out her hair.
"Crap Potter looks like he's getting suspicious, you guys should go." Muttered Pansy.
"No he's fine." Said Ginny looking up at Blaise.
"No I really think you guys should go." Said Pansy
"Fine." Said Ginny rolling her eyes, grabbing Hermione by the hand and walking towards Harry and Ron, who happened to be at the other end of the hall looking over at the punch table.
"Where were you guys? It's like you disappeared into thin air." Harry exclaimed
"Um… Ginny had to go to the bathroom."
"You said you'd bring me punch." Ron pouted.
"Well it spilled on the way back from the bathroom, stop sulking." Snapped Ginny
"I wish Parkinson would hurry up and play some music." Said Harry rolling his eyes.
"I know she's such a lazy whore. How did she end up in charge of music in the first place?" Asked Ron giving Hermione an exaggerated stare.
"Malfoy and I didn't want to do it so Parkinson is." Exclaimed Hermione.
"She's probably off snuggling Zabini somewhere." Joined in Lavender, who had managed to ask Ron to the dance at the last moment. "I hear they've been dating so they're blowing off Malfoy all the time and that's why he's been hanging around Theodore Nott so much."
"Can we just shut up about the Slytherins for 5 minutes." Snapped Ginny "I'd like to enjoy this dance thank you very much and I can't if you're talking about those prats." Then as if cue Pansy voice was heard through out the great hall.
"Here's collide by Howie Day."
"Hermione would you like to dance?" asked Harry
"Sure"
The dawn is breaking
A light shining through
You're barely waking
And I'm tangled up in you
Yeah
I'm open, you're closed
Where I follow, you'll go
I worry I won't see your face
Light up again
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find
You and I collide
"I can't believe that tomorrow my group is putting the Veneficus Abeo potion to the test." Hermione told Harry as they gently swayed back and forth.
"I know, I hope it's you. You'd probably be something really interesting."
"But Dumbledore didn't approve the second type so we brewed the 3rd. You wouldn't get to talk to me for 3 days." Pouted Hermione, Harry kissed her.
I'm quiet you know
You make a first impression
I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find
You and I collide
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find
You and I collide
You finally find
You and I collide
You finally find
You and I collide
For the remainder of the song Hermione basically danced with Harry and did nothing interesting while Ginny and Blaise made out at the end of the hall. Malfoy was on his umpteenth cup of punch while fighting off Millicent Bulstrode who appeared to be his date. When the song ended Harry looked at his the clock in the hall.
"Shit Parvati's shift is over, Ron and I have to watch our fox." He rolled his eyes. "Your so lucky you can trust your fox not to get into trouble.
"I know." Hermione smirked. Harry gave her a look
"Don't do that again, you look like a Slytherin." He muttered before leaving with Ron.
Hermione seized the opportunity to talk to Ginny and Blaise, who were still making out. She cleared her throat and the couple broke apart. Ginny blushed.
"No need to blush Gin, its not like I expected less, you told me this morning when we all woke up."
"I was excited!" Ginny exclaimed. Then for the first time in a month there was silence between the three friends until they heard Pansy's voice again.
"Flavor off the week, by American Hi-Fi."
She paints her nails and she don't know
He's got her best friend on the phone
She'll wash her hair,
His dirty clothes are all he gives to her
And he's got posters on the wall
Of all the girls he wished she was
And he means everything to her
"Oh Hermione I love this song lets dance." Squealed Ginny as she jumped up and down.
"Sorry Ginny I like music that has actual depth and meaning, not just songs about getting girls. Besides, I can't dance."
"Hermione your so emo." Laughed Ginny. "Besides don't lie, everyone in Gryffindor knows you've been dancing since you were six and are phenomenal. Remember that time when we were all high on sugar last year and you danced around Lavender's room to 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun.' By Cyndi Lauper in nothing but your under-"
"You know this song really isn't that bad let's dance!" Said Hermione ushering Ginny to the center of the hall where people were dancing.
Her boyfriend, he don't know
Anything about her
He's too stoned, Nintendo
I wish that I could make her see
She's just the flavor of the week
It's Friday night and she's all alone
He's a million miles away
She's dressed to kill
But the TV's on
He's connected to the sound
And he's got pictures on the wall
Of all the girls he's loved before
And she knows all his favorite songs
Her boyfriend, he don't know
Anything about her
He's too stoned, Nintendo
I wish that I could make her see
She's just the flavor of the week
Yeah
Her boyfriend, he don't know
Anything about her
He's too stoned, he's too stoned
He's too stoned, he's too stoned
Her boyfriend, he don't know
Anything about her
He's too stoned, Nintendo
I wish that I could make her see
She's just the flavor of the week
Yeah she's the flavor of the week
But she makes me weak
Hermione immediately let her body take over; she immediately became the center of attention and regretted giving into Ginny immediately. She hated attention when outside the classroom, one of the many reasons she lied about her fear of heights to get out of joining the Quiditch team. Hermione's dancing even got the attention of a specific blonde, masked, Slytherin.
Draco Malfoy had no clue that the dancing girl was Hermione, her mask hid her identity, as did his to her. He knew that when Pansy played the next song she was his. The next song began and he charmed his hair so it turned dark brown and he tanned his skin. He then approached her.
"Excuse me." Draco said as he approached her. "Would you like to dance?"
"I'd love to." Hermione replied. Harry was gone, and what he didn't know couldn't hurt him, so she took the masked boy's hand. Her gold bracelet glistened in the light.
All of a sudden Draco knew who this girl was. Granger! He recognized her bracelet. But he didn't care anymore because he wanted her. They danced to the music, slowly drifting back and forth, he would have to find some way to thank Pansy for this.
I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph; I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel light when you're gone away
You've gone away
You don't feel me here
Anymore
"I've seen you somewhere." Mumbled Hermione examining him closely.
"Well we are in the same year, at the same school, what are the odds?"
"Yeah but."
"Shh." He whispered, "Just enjoy the music."
The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
Then they sang together
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel light when you're gone away
You've gone away
You don't feel me here
Anymore
As the song ended, Hermione saw Harry and Ron enter. She instantly broke away from her partner.
"I have to go." She mumbled, but he didn't hear her because she was already at the other side of the hall.
Harry caught Hermione in an embrace. At that moment she knew the Contentus Amor had gone out of effect.