Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Author's Note: Glad you liked the old chapter. Hermione and Blaise's relationship will start to crumble in this chapter, so be prepared all you Hermione/Blaise shippers! Just giving you a little warning. I'm starting to get bored with this story, so I will probably end it soon. Another warning for you! Also, sorry it's so short, I'm having a bit of writer's block.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Hermione pushed a piece of hair out of her face, and hung it behind her ear. She was in the Head's common room, working on some homework. She glanced up at Draco. He was doing the same thing, but was seated a few chairs away from her. Draco felt someone watching him, and looked up. Hermione quickly averted her gaze, Draco gave a small sigh, and returned back to his work.

It was about two days after their little make out session. Hermione had pushed herself off of Draco, and had gone running back to the school, leaving him in the snow. He had tried to talk to her later that day but she wasn't having any of it. She avoided Blaise as well. Blaise thought that she was acting a little distant; however, he had been catching up on sleep and homework, and hadn't really spent much time with her.

Draco was surprised that Hermione was able to not talk to him for so long. She was eerily silent and spent most of her day in the library. He knew that, since Ginny wasn't here, she may not say anything for a really long time.

Draco didn't regret the kiss at all. He knew that he had just renewed his relationship with Blaise, and that it probably was a bad thing to make out with his girlfriend, but Draco didn't care. He loved Hermione and wanted to do anything to steal Hermione from Blaise. He wasn't actually sure what he was going to do, but he sure as hell was going to try.

"Hermione, can we just talk?" Draco said, breaking the silence, his voice pleading.

Hermione stood, cleared her throat. She began gathering her things. "I think I'll go to the library. It's getting a little...stuffy in here." She turned to leave the room, but Draco was faster than her. He grabbed her by her arms and forced her to look at him.

"Can't you just talk to me? Please?"

"I can't," Hermione said, averting her eyes. "I can't...do that to Blaise. I've already hurt him so much."

"But he doesn't know! Can't you talk to me, if only for a few minutes?"

Hermione sighed but nodded. She let Draco lead her back to the couch and sat next to him, about half a foot apart. "Talk," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I--" Draco didn't get anything out because a knock at the door interrupted him. Draco sighed but went to answer the door.

It was some fourth year, who looked like she was quivering with fear. "Yeah?" he said, staring down at her, pissed because she had interrupted him telling Hermione how he really felt.

"H-headmaster D-Dumbledore wants to talk to you two," she said, her voice shaking. She turned on her heel quickly and practically ran away from him, almost tripping three times in the process.

Draco turned to Hermione. "Dumbledore wants to talk to us." Hermione sighed and stood and followed Draco out of the room.

"After the success of the Halloween dance," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling, "I think it would be a good idea to hold a masquerade ball, right after Christmas break. Since you handled the Halloween dance so wonderfully, I am giving you full reins. Well?" He looked at them expectantly.

Hermione and Draco were seated next to each other, in Dumbledore's office. Hermione glanced at Draco, who looked at her, and they both nodded simultaneously.

"Wonderful!" Dumbledore said. "I suggest you start planning, as I want the dance to be a day or two after everyone returns. The train arrives on a Wednesday, so I suggest the weekend afterwards. Good luck."

Hermione and Draco stood, and he let her go ahead of him. They walked down the hallway in silence. They entered the common room together, and Hermione started to go to her room.

"Wait," Draco said. Hermione turned around. "Weren't we going to talk?" Hermione sighed, but sat down.

"I love you," Draco blurted. Hermione's eyes widened, and Draco hurried on. "I know that's surprising, and I don't mind if you don't return my feelings. I just had to tell you. I've loved you since the beginning of the year, but I could only admit it now. I know you're dating Blaise, and I don't want to hurt his feelings, but I can't control myself. If I didn't tell you, I would burst." He took a deep breath, and hung his head.

"I-I can't talk about this now," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I-I can't do that to Blaise. I just, um, need to go." She stumbled over her legs, trying to get to her room.

Draco sighed and leaned back, entwining his fingers together. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Hermione and Draco spent the next two weeks planning the dance. Hermione tried not to talk to Draco about anything other than the dance. She spent time with Blaise, but always felt really guilty afterwards, and wasn't very talkative when they were alone.

Hermione was ecstatic when Ginny and the rest of the students returned from break. Hermione didn't let Ginny get a chance to unpack before pulling her into the library. She found them a secluded table and her story tumbled out.

Ginny sat across from her after she was finished, her mouth open a bit, shock evident on her face. Suddenly, a smile broke out. "God, Hermione," she said. "I leave you alone for two weeks, and you can't control yourself around him! Do you need to wear a shock collar?"

"I'm being serious," Hermione said. "What am I going to do? I've barely talked to Draco, and I think that Blaise might know that something is up. I mean, should I tell him?"

"I'm not sure," Ginny said. "If you did, you would probably break up. But if you didn't and he found out somehow, you would be totally screwed."

"That helps a lot, Gin," Hermione said sarcastically.

Ginny sighed, smiling. "Maybe is you just wait until the new year? See how you feel then? I definitely think you should tell him, but I don't know if telling him right now is such a good idea." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Thanks. So, are you excited for the dance coming up?"

"Yes!" Ginny said. "Your last one was a hit, and, since this will be a masquerade and all, it will be totally better. I haven't decided if I'm going to take a date or not."

"I don't know if it's a good idea to take a date, unless you've been with them for a while, and can recognize them based on, like, their walk or whatever. Say you bring some random seventh year, you get separated for twenty minutes, and then you find him making out with someone who kind of looks like you. You'll be broken and he'll feel horrible, because he probably didn't know that it wasn't you."

"Wow, I guess I won't take a date," Ginny said, smiling. "I guess it's better not to take someone, 'cause then I will be able to dance with as many guys as I want."

"Exactly," Hermione said, smiling. She turned sober. "Thanks for this, Gin. I really needed this talk, and I feel so much better."

"Ah, I'm going to start crying," Ginny kidding, pulling her into a hug.