Chapter 8- The Masquerade Ball and Draco's Gift

That year, Christmas for Draco, for once was a happy one. Draco found out that he couldn't care less about the presents he received (also because most of the gifts he got were stuff like broomstick kits from his dad, a book on how to get the girl of his dreams from his mother, a box of condoms, also from his mother, etc., etc.) but the fact that they were spending Christmas like a normal family should.

Of course, the usual lavish Yuletide furnishings were in place, but Draco wouldn't've cared less if they had spent Christmas in a hovel (which he was sure Weasel was doing).

The next morning, Draco woke up to something tapping on his window. He opened his eyes to see that an owl was there, carrying a letter from which Draco could make out the Hogwarts crest, and a small, silver tinsel wrapped package.

Stupid owls! That damn post office should know better than to send their delivery owls this early in the morning!

Draco unlatched his window and let the owl in. When he had unburdened the owl of the package and the letter, he decided that he wanted to take out a little revenge on the owl for waking him up so early (even though it was already past ten).

"BOO!" he screamed at the poor owl.

When the owl squawked and flew off in a panic, Draco clutched his stomach and rolled around on the floor, cackling madly.

Deciding that he felt better after he had given the owl what that bloody bird deserved, he opened the tinsel wrapped gift. When he did, a note fell out. The gift was from Hermione.

He saw that Hermione had given him a beautiful snow globe of Hogwarts, with a little enchanted figure of someone with white blond hair walking on the grounds, and who screamed obscenities at you if you shook the globe.

He felt an odd, warm and tingly feeling in his stomach when he thought about Hermione being kind enough to get him something for Christmas, and a feeling of guilt when he realized that he had nothing to give her.

He thought quickly, and rushed over to the huge pile of gifts that he had received yesterday, and rummaged around when he found what he wanted. He hastily wrapped the said object, and sent it with his sleek, black owl, Midnight, to Hermione.

At least that's over with. Hermione could really put those to good use. Besides, I didn't have much use for a box of cherry flavored, ultra thin condoms anyway.

He was about to leave for breakfast, when he remembered the letter from Hogwarts. Tearing the letter open, he read the thin, slanting lettering, getting more and more excited as he finished each line.

Dear Ms. Malfoy,

This year, the staff and I have decided to rekindle the traditions that were lived through for generations but which have been forgotten decades ago. In short, we have decided to hold the New Year's Masquerade Ball, an event which I am sure your parents attended together.

For this reason, we will be asking all students to return to school one week earlier than usual. Because it is a Masquerade Ball, you will, of course, be wearing a mask and a gown.

Because you are Head Girl, you will be required to meet with the Head Boy sometime this Christmas break in order to plan the Ball.

Best wishes and a Merry Christmas,

Albus Percival Brian Wulfric Dumbledore

Draco was thrilled. He told himself that it was because of the ball that he was excited, although deep down, he knew a portion of his excitement was a chance to see Hermione earlier that he thought.

He bounded down the steps, shouting for his mother. Narcissa came rushing out of the kitchen, looking worried since she was not used to Draco shouting at the top of his lungs.

"What's wrong, Draco?"

Draco beamed at her, and instead of answering, thrust the letter into his mother's hands. She scanned the letter quickly, after which, shouted over her back to Lucius.

"Lucius, Draco and I are going shopping!" before rushing off to get dressed.

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Hermione lay on her bed with her hands behind her head, staring up at the ceiling. She wondered if Draco would like the enchanted snow globe she had sent him, and wondered why she cared so much anyway.

I suppose I've gotten used to being around Malfoy for some time now.

Although you couldn't exactly call them the best of friends, Hermione was sure that they weren't the bane of each other's existences either. All through the entire ordeal of changing sexes, the only people who truly understood what she and Draco were going through were each other.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a tawny brown owl tapping on her window pane. She saw that it was a letter from Hogwarts, and wondered what on earth she could have done to be sent a Hogwarts letter to during vacation.

Oh no! I must have violated some Hogwarts rule about changing sexes that Dumbledore remembered just now! Maybe I'll lose my badge, or worse, get expelled! Oh no, oh on, oh no…

She slit open the letter, her hands trembling so badly that she nearly tore the letter inside.

After reading the letter, she grinned, thinking about how stupid she was when she thought about all those preposterous things about being expelled.

However, there was the Masquerade Ball to worry about. She remembered when she was in fourth year, how she fretted about bringing a date to the Yule Ball, and how relieved she had been when Viktor Krum had asked her to go with him.

Now, though, she doubted whether anyone would want to bring her to the Ball. Little did she know, most of the girls in Hogwarts drooled over her now, and when she was a girl, lots of guys could hardly ignore her development over the summer.

Almost as soon as the Hogwarts owl flew off, a large, black owl swooped in through her open window and dropped off a messily wrapped package before taking off just as soon as it had arrived.

Hermione unwrapped the gift and a red box fell out. Curious, Hermione picked it up from the floor and, just as she touched it, letters and pictures appeared on the box, advertising whatever what was inside.

Hermione took a closer look and immediately blushed to the tips of her hair when she realized what the box was full of.

DO YOU WANT ADDED PLEASURE?

NEED TO ADD A LITTLE SPICE TO YOUR LIFE?

THEN TRY YUMMY CONDOMS! THE ONLY CONDOMS WITH AN ADDED FLAVOR!

Then, a moving photo of a woman with impossibly large breasts appeared. She was winking suggestively and holding a whip. Hermione grimaced with embarrassment when she saw the woman.

Trust Draco to give me something as disgustingly obscene as this.

She opened her cabinet and wrapped the flashing box with an old blanket and made sure that she stuffed it really securely into the deepest corner of her cabinet.

When she was about to leave the room, she saw in the corner of her eye that apparently, a note had come with the present. It read:

Hermione,

Happy using! nudgenudgewinkwink