The Debutante Ball
A fanfiction novel by sizzleberrylicious
Chapter Eight
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Hermione walked briskly through the empty corridors, headed towards the Head Commons. It was dinner time, and most of the students were in the Great Hall, enjoying the lavish feast set out before them. Hermione had gulped down a bowl of chicken soup and left immediately, ignoring Harry and Ron's calls as she swiftly exited the Hall. She needed time alone in her room, time to think about what's been happening these past days, weeks. Hermione was confused; what had gotten into those two Slytherin's heads? They had suddenly liked her with such a force that it.. disturbed her. Immensely. Draco had attacked his best friend twice for harassing her, and, well, Blaise had kissed her! This was all too much for the poor Gryffindor to handle.
She marched up the marble steps, eager to enter the peaceful warmth of her Head Girl quarters. She approached the Heads portrait and mumbled the password quickly before charging through in a flurry of hair and robes. She made her way around the lush red and silver (a mesh of Head colours) couches and rushed into her room, charming her door with a quick yet surely effective silencing and locking charm.
Hermione scrambled onto her four poster bed and sat cross-legged in the middle, hugging one of the soft, feather down pillows to her chest. Crookshanks, her large ginger cat, leaped gracefully onto the bed and slowly made it's way over to her, purring delightly at the sight of its mistress.
"Hi, Crookshanks," Hermione said, softly, scratching the cat behind its ears. Crookshanks' purrs grew louder as it rubbed itself slowly into Hermione's side. "I've got to ask you something."
Hermione tossed the pillow aside and gently grabbed her cat, lifting the animal slowly onto her lap. Crookshanks meowed up at her as it pawed around in circles before finally settling down as a purring, warm bundle of ginger fur. Hermione stroked its soft fur with a sigh. "Crookshanks.. What would you do if, say, two cats wanted you so badly that it was dangerous? And you weren't exactly on the best terms with those two very cats. But the thing is, you actually seem to.. like them, no matter what they did to you in the past. It's the oddest feeling, Crookshanks. I don't know what to do."
Crookshanks turned it's head to look up at her with it's intelligent lamp-like yellow eyes. It lifted a furry paw in the air and reached up towards Hermione, meowing. Hermione smiled as she held onto Crookshanks' paw. "I wish I could talk to Harry or Ron, Crookshanks," she muttered, hugging her feline towards her, her face buried in Crookshanks' thick fur. But they'd obviously think I'm Polyjuiced, brainwashed, or in need of serious medical attention. They just wouldn't understand.. Their relationship with Malfoy is strictly hate-hate. Harry might eventually accept it, though he might not entirely understand, but I'm sure that Ron would think me mad and most probably jeopardise our friendship."
Hermione lifted her large kitty so that their eyes were level. "That's what I like about you, Crookshanks. You'll listen to everything I say, but never judge me."
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After several hours of hugging Crookshanks to her and thinking of nothing, Hermione decided to confront Draco about all that's happen. "He's sure to tell me what's going on, right?" Hermione snuggled into Crookshanks' soft fur before placing the cat gently on the carpeted floor and watching as it slowly padded away.
"Okay, take a deep breath, Hermione," she coached herself, sucking in a deep gulp of air and releasing it. "You can do this. You CAN do this. Yes! I CAN DO THIS!"
Hermione pumped a fist in the air, grinning triumphantly. She jumped off her bed and rushed out the door. Draco wasn't in the Commons and his Head Boy quarters door was shut, so Hermione decided to knock.
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KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Draco looked up from his Potions textbook with a frown. He shut the book and placed it on his night stand before getting off of his bed and walking towards the door. He opened it in one fluid motion and raised an eyebrow when he saw Hermione, her fist raised to knock again. "Yes, Granger?"
"Malfoy, I.. uhm.. I came to talk to you," Hermione began, staring at a point just above his shoulder.
Draco rolled his eyes. "I know that, Granger. You just stated the blatantly obvious."
Hermione bit her lip and felt the colour rising in her cheeks. "Well, Malfoy.. I," Hermione stuttered, her earlier confidence deserting her. "I.. uhm.. well, I want to know.."
"You want to know..?" Draco smirked at her nervousness.
"Iwanttoknowwhat'sgoingonbetweenyouandBlaise," Hermione garbled quickly, blushing. Draco quirked a perfect eyebrow.
"What, Granger? I didn't quite catch that."
Hermione took a deep breath. "I want to know.. what's going between you and.. uhm, Blaise."
Draco's expression quickly hardened, his eyes flashing. "It's none of your business, Granger."
Hermione glared at him, fuming. "Draco Malfoy, I have every right to know!"
"It's none of your business, Granger," Draco repeated, his tone sharper than before. He clearly thought it was the end of that discussion, but Hermione wasn't going to stand for it.
"I have every right to know, Malfoy!" she said, her eyes pleading. "I.. I know it's about.. me. And I want to know if I could.. uhm.. help," she finished awkwardly.
Hermione thought she saw Draco flinch, but brushed it away as his stony facade reappeared in a split second. "Do you really think you'd want to help, Granger?" he asked her quietly. "Would you really want to help once you found out what all this commotion is about?"
Hermione bit her lip. "I'll need to know the problem to try and fix it, right?"
Draco stepped up close to her and Hermione froze. He brought his lips to her ear and whispered huskily, "We want you, Granger. We want you bad."
Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine at the contact of his hot breath on her ear."I.. I.. excuse me?"
"You heard me, Granger," Draco continued to whisper into her ear, sending shiver after shiver rolling down her spine, teasing her mercilessly. "We want you. But I want you more." Draco pulled back and ran his tongue against his lower lip, not breaking their electrifying eye contact.
Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "W-what?!!"
Draco rolled his eyes. Way to ruin the moment, Granger.
"Really, Granger. I sincerely thought that you had more to your vocabulary than that."
Hermione blushed. "You.. you.. you want ME??!"
"It's not really that hard to believe, Granger. You're quite an attractive young woman now, you know," Draco stated with a shrug, flicking his bangs out of his eyes nonchalantly. Hermione's mouth hung open. Draco rolled his eyes. "Shut your mouth, Granger, it's very unattractive."
Hermione blinked and snapped her mouth shut in a huff, crossing her arms across her chest. "As if I care about what YOU think, Malfoy."
"You know I know you do, Granger. My opinion matters greatly in your social well-being."
Hermione scoffed. "Bragging isn't going to get you anywhere, Malfoy, so you can just give up."
"Oh, I know bragging won't get me anywhere, Granger. But I do know what will."
And for the second time in less than a week, Draco leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Hermione let out a muffled squeak in surprise. But this time, the kiss wasn't as fleeting and soft as the first one. It was more roguish and hungry, something that sent rolls of excitement coursing through Hermione's veins.
After several moments, Draco pulled back, smirking.
Hermione frowned. The suddenly cold on her lips startled her, and she longed to have Draco's lips on hers once more.
"Did that get me anywhere, Granger?" Draco inquired quietly.
"Uhm.. Ahh..," Hermione whimpered helplessly. She bowed her head and took a sudden interest in her feet.
"Did it?" Draco repeated, slightly more firmly. He reached out and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Did it?"
Hermione bit her lip. "Yes," she answered softly.
Draco let go of her and nodded. "That's all I needed to hear."
Hermione stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. "Er.."
"Be mine, Granger," Draco said, clasping her hands together with his. His eyes bore into hers, making her jump.
"WHAT, MALFOY?!!"
"Be mine," Draco replied simply. "You have no reason not to."
"Nor do I have any reason to," Hermione replied hotly.
"Ahh, but you know you want to," Draco stated, tightening his grip on her hands.
Hermione had a mental battle with herself. Oh, Merlin!! Malfoy wants me to be his girlfriend!! This can't be happening!! It cant!!
Oh, but it is. And you know that you're loving every second of it, another voice retorted in her head. Hermione frowned to herself.
I don't!! ..Oh, but it does give me a fuzzy feeling- Wait! No!!
Give in to it.. You know you want to.., Hermione's inner voice tortured her.
AGGHHH!! This is mad. WHO ARE YOU??
I'm you, silly. I'm the part of you that wants Draco Aquillis Malfoy so badly with every fiber in your being. He is, as Ginny says, one fine piece of ass, after all.
I am not thinking that.. I am not thinking that.. Ohhh..
"Well, Granger?" Draco's voice pierced through her mental battle. She looked up, embarrassed.
"Uhm.."
"Really, Granger, must you debate with yourself about something as undebatable as this?"
Just do it!! Hermione's inner voice screamed at her. She shut her eyes tight. Uhm.. It's not like anything bad will come of this.. right? Right?? Right. Well..
"Oh, alright, Malfoy," Hermione finally squeaked out. She was surprised to find him looking rather relieved at her decision. "But only under one condition."
"And what would that be?"
"No calling me your personal whore, or whatever it was that you called your sluts," Hermione said firmly, lifting her chin and staring at him.
"Aww, but, Granger-," Draco whined playfully.
"Malfoy."
"Fine."
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Disclaimer: You know the drill, folks.
Author's Note: Phew! I've finally gotten to the part when they're actually together. Be warned, though. This ain't no happy ending so soon. They're going to go through many hazardous bumps and turns that might just knock them off the path and back down to Singleton. Oh, well. Alright, alright. Well, first of all, I've noticed the increase in reviews stating that my chapters are too short. x Aww. Okay, then, I've taken action! Incase you guys didn't notice, this chapter is slightly longer than the others. If you compare this chapter's length with the previous chapter's length, there's a good-sized difference. x I just hope that I can keep it up. Haha.
Now, I'd like to thank my brilliantly wunnerful readers and reviewers. You make me feel so special. xD THANKYOUS to: Abby, Danusha, Miss Loh, Gueneviere, I lUv JeSsE mCcArTnEy, dracoisthesexiestmanalive, -NH- Jackie - BL-, oneamsoundstage, and Beautiful-Me89!
Abby: Thankyouu, thankyouu, I know I'm just sooo unimaginable as an old grandma. x)
Danusha: Er, thanks, DD. I feel your love. x) Ahaha! Thankyouuu.
Miss Loh: I'm rather slow in updating, I know, but I already stated on one of my previous Author's Notes that I'd be updating roughly once a week, due to homework loads. Not to mention I have no Science teacher, so I have to do the studying MYSELF. Huff. Lucky. .
Gueneviere: Ahaha!! Hermione? Date TWO people at once? Whoaa, that's so OOC, man! x) But it's cool. I might consider it.. ;)
I lUv JeSsE mCcArTnEy: Ahaha, thankyouuu for that wunnerful compliment. :) And no, I won't be abandoning this story!! Writing is my life, hon. I wouldn't abandon this!! Well, not in the near future at least. ;) Nahh, I'm just kidding.
dracoisthesexiestmanalive: Thankyouu, and I will do my best, I promise!!
-NH- Jackie - BL-: Thankyouu for reading this. :) I'm improving my chapter lengths, as you can see. Oh, and there will be more drama. By the truckloads, in fact. ;)
oneamsoundstage: She's just so confused, the poor girl. :) Thankyouu, it's nice to know that my readers like what they're reading. I do hope the quality is the same. I'll do my best to try and gradually make my chapters longer. It's just that each chapter has it's own specific plot, and I have to end a chapter at a certain place so that the next plot can take up the next chapter. Er. If I'm not making any sense, I'm sorry. x)
Beautiful-Me89: Thankyouuuu for reading!!
Thanks again to everyone who reviewed!! You guys make me feel really happy whenever I read your reviews.
Ttfn. 'sizzleberrylicious. xx ♥