Chapter Two
A/N: Hey guys! I promise that I will NEVER be late like this again. I will update every week and this is a promise. I've been really busy with school I guess. But it's only been two days :P So this is chapter two and I seriously hope you guys liked Chapter one. This Chapter is going to have another Draco and Hermione conversation and I want you guys to look forward to it. Enjoy! Also, sorry to my previous readers for the re-upload, my computer crashed, and messed up a lot of my fanfiction work, causing me to restart it all. Patience guys!
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING OF THE HARRY POTTER WORLD! ALL OF THE CHARECTERS BELONG TO JK. ROWLING! ENJOY...
"Hey Draco!" shouted Blaise as the Slytherin's entered their common room. Pretty much everyone was sulking after hearing the news of their assigned date. Draco particularly dreaded this and prayed that this 'date' would be a Slytherin like him; however the look that Dumbledore gave him seemed to undermine this thought. Draco couldn't go to a ball with, or even touch, a mudblood. He didn't care if she was a dog with fleas as long as her blood was pure. He was a Malfoy, he couldn't associate with anything less than perfection.
He turned his head now and looked at the boy coming up to him, trying to hide his thoughts. Blaise was running up to him with his hair ruffled and his shirt opened. His eyes were huge as he stumbled in front of Draco, and let out a huge sigh as he hugged his knees, panting.
"What's the problem, Blaise?" Draco asked now, leaning against the nearest wall.
"She's crazy!" Blaise panted, pointing a finger toward the opened door he had just previously emerged from.
"Who's crazy?" Draco asked, feeling a bit amused at how panicked his friend was, "Since when can't you take on a girl, mate?"
"Amusing." Blaise responded, glaring at him.
"Well, whoever she is, she's gone now. You can get your tail from between your-"
"No mate, she's just hiding back there!"
"Who is?" Draco asked, taking a step towards the doorway. There was indeed a girl in the darkness, who stepped back immediately when she saw Draco. He saw her face briefly before she ran off into the darkness, it was Lavender Brown, the Gryffindor. What the hell was she doing anywhere near us!
"Why was she here?" Draco demanded, pointing towards the door. He was pissed. Slytherin's never came near their commons, why the hell did those damned Gryffindors always feel they were an exception to the rule?
"I just told her she was an embarrassment to wizards! I tell her that everyday and she doesn't even care! Today I say it and she attacks me!" He looked down at his shirt and made a whining sort of noise. "I liked this shirt!"
Draco looked away from his friend and closed his eyes to calm himself. In order to do so, he had to conclude himself to two consumptions. One, he wouldn't have to go to a ball with a mudblood, the universe wouldn't do that to him; And two, he would deal with those Gryffindors the way he always did. By humiliating the living hell out of them. This thought earned a smirk as he made his way towards the boys dormitories.
"As usual," he said to Blaise now, "I handled this like only I could. By making her run like hell at the mere sight of me." Blaise had caught his breath now, and slammed the door vulgarly, earning shouts of disturbance from sleeping Slytherins in their beds.
Draco laughed now as Blaise leaned against the door. His paranoid state seemed to be dissolving and was leaving behind embarrassment. He was looking around at the few Slytherins left in the commons, who were staring right back at him, laughs escaping their mouths. "You all can go to hell!" Blaise snapped at them before storming past Draco, who was trying his best to keep his composure cool. His chest was beginning to ache from holding in his laughter.
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Hermione had just made it back to the commons when Ron grabbed her hand and smiled. "I have something for you," he said, digging in his pocket and pulling out a little heavy red box. He caressed her cheek with a big freckled hand. She looked up at his blue eyes, carefree and full of love and smiled at him. She grabbed the box from him and set it down on the table next to her. He looked down at her confused, "Aren't you going to open-" he began before being cut off by Hermione as she stood on her toes to kiss him.
He immediately pulled her closer, submerging his hands in her hair. He inhaled her smell that he was addicted to, Jasmine and Honey. Their kiss began soft and sweet before Ron began to feel himself lose control and he pressed her harder against him, possessing her, wanting her as close to him as possible. He did this until Hermione squirmed uncomfortably underneath him. He pulled back unwillingly and gazed down at her. "Sorry Mione, didn't mean to get that carried away luv."
"It's fine." She laughed, before hearing a retching noise behind them. Harry stood there, imitating himself throwing up. Hermione felt herself blush and look down, still smiling. She thought they were alone. Ron just laughed and said, "Isn't it funny that whenever we kiss, your there?" he asked, jovially. Harry rolled his eyes and smiled. "Not willingly, I promise you. I just came down to see if Ginny was here, but the pair of you must have scared her off."
"She's asleep in our dorms. She was pretty disappointed with the whole 'pick a date' news. She really wanted to go with you." Hermione said sadly.
"That," Harry said, "Is what I wanted to talk to her about. I'll just wait until tomorrow. If you two will do everyone a favor and not shag on the couches, we would appreciate that."
"Come off it, Harry." Ron sighed, turning back to Hermione as the other boy ran up the stairs to the boys dormitories. He picked up the red box and handed it back to her. She took it happily and opened it. Inside was a red ruby, shaped like a heart. There were little designs of swirls and curves at the bottom of the beautiful heart and smaller white diamonds spotting the black curves of the lower designing's. She felt herself gasp as she looked up at Ron, his eyes wide and waiting.
"Do you like it?" he asked worriedly. She looked up at him and could only give him a very toothy grin. She was speechless. Ron smiled at her and gave a restful sigh. "Is that a yes?" She only nodded, still beaming at the beautiful necklace in her hand. Then a thought hit her, that made her stomach drop a little.
"Ron, how much did this cost?" she asked, looking up at him with wide, curious eyes. The question seemed to take him by surprise and he frowned suddenly. His light blue eyes darkening.
"Why?" he asked, the mirth in his voice turning bitter.
"It's just...you didn't have to...I know that you financial situation is-"
"Is what? Tight? Listen Hermione," she looked up at him, he didn't say her full name unless he was pretty upset, "I don't need to hear that crap. If I get you something, I know I don't have to. I hate having to sit and listen to you worry about me spending my money! If it makes you feel better, that used to be my grandmothers! It's been passed down! Meaning I didn't have to spend a thing!" He was red and staring at the crackling fireplace. They sat in silence for a while, Ron watching the fireplace, and Hermione watching Ron's face as it gained it's natural color and relaxed.
"Ronald?" She asked and he looked down at her, eyes millions of times softer than before. "Can you put it on for me?" she asked, raising the necklace carefully.
"Yes." He lifted it around her neck, where it fell heavily, leaving the coolness of the ruby on her skin. She pulled up her hair as Ron clamped the ends of the necklace securely. She turned and looked at him, smiling gently, and he gave her his usual crooked grin she loved. "You look beautiful." He said this with compassion and Hermione tried to return the look with her eyes before reaching up and ruffling his red hair.
"This is just in case you and me don't get paired up for the ball later. When whoever he is dances with you, that heart is a symbol of me, ok?" Hermione smiled and said teasingly, "When if I don't want a symbol of you?" Ron snorted and kissed her between her eyes.
"Well, it's not for you," Ron said simply, "It's for the guy that your dancing with. A reminder to him that your mine." Hermione nodded and he kissed her lightly on her lips, not wanting to get to carried away. They stayed like this for a while, In each others arms until they both decided to head to bed. When Hermione arrived, Ginny way sleepy soundly, with her blankets covering her head like usual. Hermione wanted to sleep with the necklace on, it made her feel...safe.
As she lay in bed, she started to ponder who she might be paired up with. She wondered why Dumbledore gave her that weird look. But more than anything, she wondered what would happen if it was someone she hated. She played with her hair as she thought, closing her eyes to sleep. A pair of steel gray eyes flashed under her eyelids making her bolt up. What the hell? She rubbed her head with the palms of her hand and sighed. She didn't just see what she thought she saw. Or at least she hoped not...
She laid back down gingerly, afraid to close her eyes. But she did anyway. Only then, as she calmed, did she realize that she could hear her heart pounding away in her chest. Only then, did she think of the gray eyes and their owner. She felt her hand clench around the necklace as she thought about Malfoy. Trying to convince herself, more than anyone, of how much she hated him.
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The next morning, the weather was beautiful, and the suns rays shone in the girls dorm with a cheerful bright light. Hermione had just opened her eyes to find Lavender sitting on the bed next to her, eyes wide open. She was making little sniffling sounds, as tears fell freely down her face. Hermione sat up slowly, and cleared her throat softly. Everyone else was still asleep and she didn't want them to be woken up. In her best comforting tone Hermione asked, "Lavender? What's wrong?"
Lavender jumped at Hermione's voice and turned to look at her with a tear stained face. She hadn't slept all night and it was visible on her tired face. Her hair was a tangled mess around her shoulders and her face was flushed. She looked horrible as she sat up straight and earnestly wiped the tears from her face.
"Nothing, I'm just tired." Hermione looked at her for a moment before moving to sit by her on the bed. "Lavender, tell me. It's ok. I hate seeing by friends upset." Lavender said nothing, but she let out a shaky breath and began to cry silently. She reached out and hugged Hermione, who rubbed her back comfortingly.
"It's going to be a shock but...it's Blaise Zabini." Lavender started, making Hermione's brow crease in confusion. "We had kissed the night before Dumbledore's announcement of the ball, and I thought in the back of my gullible head that he would ask me to go." Hermione tried to keep her face set. This was all news to her. A Gryffindor and a Slytherin? The two couldn't be more opposite. It's like Winter and Summer. Did Lavender honestly, expect it to work out? She said nothing however, only listened, nodding every few moments to show her interest.
"He never asked though," Lavender continued, "So I went up to him to ask him and do you know what that lying bastard said to me? He said, 'Look! It's the little mudblood that disgraces the wizarding world!' I was so pissed that I literally saw red, next thing I know, Malfoy's coming at me and I'm by the Slytherins common room. I ran off, but it took everything in me not to hex Blaise at the spot."
Hermione sighed. She hugged Lavender tighter, feeling sorry for her. Her mind was still racing from the fact that she actually kissed Blaise. How could she just keep something like this a secret! Sudden anger coursed through her as she thought of what Blaise had done to Lavender. Those damn Slytherins always found a way to hurt everyone around them.
"He's stupid, Lav." Hermione said rubbing her back a little faster. "A stupid, arrogant, spoiled Slytherin who pretty much always gets what he wants."
"He made me believe that he loved me and-"
"He's incapable of loving anyone else but himself. Did you sleep with him, Lav?"
"No, but I was going to. That's what hurts the most."
"You didn't though. Thank, Merlin you didn't." Hermione looked over at Ginny who's eyelids were beginning to stir, along with a few others. She turned her attention back to Lavender. "You should tell Ginny. In the mean time, people are starting to wake up, so go wash your face and relax." Lavender nodded and rubbed her red rimmed eyes.
"Can you send Ginny in the bathroom with me when she wakes? I want to tell her in there. Somewhere private." Hermione tried to give her a warm smile and wiped a few tears from Lavender's cheek. "Absolutely." Lavender nodded, and with another sigh, she stood and walked toward the bathrooms.
Hermione looked out of the windows once again. This time, the sun's rays weren't beaming at them, but shining elsewhere. It probably was going somewhere it felt it's cheerful glow would actually be appreciated. Hermione stared at it lustfully. She wanted the cheerfulness it brought her. She simply sighed and leaned back against Lavender's pillows; Awaiting for Ginny to rise from her peaceful sleep.
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It took about an hour in the bathroom with Ginny before Lavender came out her usual bright self. They all dressed into their robes and met the boys in the commons. Having had to pass the Slytherins table and Lavender's mood seemed to evaporate slightly, but she kept her head up and face clear of any emotion. Hermione saw Ginny beside her shoot the Slytherin table a disgusted look and she nudged her side. "Let it go, Gin." She made a small huffing noise but looked away.
As everyone sat in their usual seats, Hermione glanced around the Great Hall, and a big polished golden pot was sitting at the front of the room, a little bit above the professors table. It seemed to be bubbling, but instead of there being liquid, what was bubbling was strands of paper. Somewhere inside was my name and my mysterious date's as well. She felt her stomach tighten as she remembered that today was the day we found out who they would be going to the ball with.
"Mione' stop playing with your hair." It was a nervous habit that she tended to do and could always count on Ron to point it out. "It calms me down Ron."
"Why are you nervous?"
"Because I want to actually have a good time at this ball and not have to worry about being paired up with someone I hate. Why aren't you nervous?"
Ron shrugged. "If I get paired up with someone I hate I just won't dance with them. No one said that we had to actually...you know...talk or anything. The rules clearly said that we just have to go together."
"I'm sure that common sense would tell you that they want you to dance with your mystery date."
"Well," he said, leaning against the table, "They should have said that."
Harry pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled at whatever it was that Ginny had just said. He look over at Ron and said in a breezy sort of voice, "Your sister is a little upset about this whole date thing." Ron smiled and said in almost the exact same tone, "As are most of the girls in this bloody school. Mione' was just worrying about it." Ginny tucked a stand of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat, before saying, "She, like most of the girls at this 'bloody school'," she said using her fingers as quotation marks, "know the importance of the fine art of a dance. Men, such as your self's, think that a dance is just a small thing that can be attended and dismissed. But what your not understanding is that it's something that's supposed to create memories. Something that your supposed to tell your children about. Who want's to say to their kid, 'I remember when I went too a ball with that guy or girl I hated.'
Ron rolled his eyes and Harry blinked at her. It looked as if he were about to say something before the sound of Professor Dumbledore's voice boomed across the Great Hall.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please!" Everyone instantaneously went quiet. "This morning you will be assigned your date for the upcoming ball. This, again, is not a punishment, but an open door for many up-coming possibilities." Ginny rolled her eyes and mumbled something foul under her breath.
"This is the order in which your date will be assigned. Several pieces of paper from the Golden Pot will immediately travel across the room to you. Afterward, you will eat your morning breakfast and head for your first class. Today, we all hope that you get who your honestly need to be your partner. Happiness is not the absence of your problems, it's the ability to deal with them. With that, enjoy the rest of your day!"
All was quite until pieces of paper started flying in many different directions of the room. Some people looked up at them fearfully, hoping that good luck was on their side. Others looked at them longingly, excited about who their dates would be. It seemed like hours went by as Hermione waited, though she knew it could've only been a few seconds before a small piece of paper landed delicately in front of her.
She didn't even have to pick it up to read the finely written letters of the note. She took a deep breath and decided to pick it up anyway and read the note she thought about all night:
Hermione Granger,
We are pleased to enlighten you that your
date for the End Ball will be Mr. Draco Malfoy!
We hope that you both enjoy this special opportunity!
Hermione felt her eyes widen as she whipped around staring at Malfoy, who had only just received his note. No way! She thought, feeling herself stiffen. She looked at this letter again, reading it again, and again. Thinking, hoping, that it would change. Please don't do this to me!
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Draco eyed the ballroom, watching everyone's reactions to the small papers that were one by one finding their way to their person. Everyone was quite and looking up. As hard as it was for him, Draco tried to make himself appear bored and uninterested; But in reality, his stomach was dancing to find out who his date was. He began cracking his knuckles, a nervous habit he had that no one knew about.
Blaise got his note first and as soon as it hit the table, Blaise greedily grabbed it and held it up, a smile on his face. Draco watched hid friend's smile go from huge, to moderate, to non-existent. Before he could ask Blaise who he had been assigned, a small piece of paper landed right n front of him. Draco stared at it, praying that it was someone pure. That's all he wanted.
Cautiously, he picked up the thin paper and read the cursive letters:
Draco Malfoy,
We are pleased to enlighten you that your
date for the End Ball will be Miss Hermione Granger!
We hope that you both enjoy this special opportunity!
Draco blinked at it. Then, almost immediately, it clicked. Of all the impure mutts in this damn school, they pair me with the dirtiest! The paper tore in half, and he realized that he had been squeezing it tightly. He felt the blood in his veins begin to boil as he looked at Granger. She was looking at him, and then at the note. And with as much passion as he could muster he stared at her right back. They looked at each other before, she stood and began storming out of the Great Hall. She walked right past him, glaring the whole way towards the exit.
"Your out of your mind if you think I'm going anywhere with you!" He spat, before she stopped half-way to the door, her hand balled up tightly.
"Malfoy, I promise you that the day I grace you with my presence, you'll be all dressed up in you casket." Draco stood up.
"Was that a threat Granger?"
"And if it was Malfoy?"
"Then this breath will be your last, and yes, this is a threat." Hermione spun on her heel, close to tears. She was halfway to the door when Draco grabbed her arm and spun her around. She immediately grabbed her wand and pointed it square at his chest, and he let go. The Hall went quite, as students watched.
"I dare you, mudblood," he hissed, glaring at her.
"Don't underestimate me. I'll hex you and won't blink an eye." She had meant to say this with more confidence, but instead, it was a shrill whisper.
"Then do it."
Harry and Ron had just turned to see why the Great Hall had gotten so quite, when they saw the scene; Hermione, small compared to the Malfoy in front of her with a wand pointed steadily at his chest. Her eyes were sharp and her hand unwavering. Draco was staring at her, his face set with a look of hate and anger. Ron was the first one up, followed by Harry.
Professor Snape was also nearly to the two anger students.
"DO IT!" Draco spat, stepping closer to her so that her wand dug deeper into his chest. Hermione flinched, and bit down on her jaw to keep it from chattering. He was scary, she couldn't deny that fact.
"Expelliarmus!" Professor Snape shouted, sending Hermione's wand flying. Ron had reached them by then and was looking over Hermione to see if she was at all hurt. Harry was glaring at Draco, daring him to make another move. Snape on the other hand was glaring at all of them. In his usual strict and yet calm voice he said, "Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy, if you'll please follow Professor McGonagall to her office where you will proceed to receive your punishment for such...reckless behavior. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasly, if you would take your seats.
"Professor, she didn't do anything wrong! If anything she just defended hers-"
"I said sit down!" Snape snapped, his voice sharp. Ron turned and went red all over, his fist balled. Harry looked over at Hermione and she nodded, as if to say, 'I'm okay.' Harry nodded in reply before turning and heading back to the Gryffindor table. The Rest of the Great Hall chattered furiously as Hermione and Draco left, buzzed over what had just happened.
As Hermione followed Professor McGonagall to her office she kept all eye contact with the boy next to her to an absolute minimum. And he didn't have a problem with that at all. As McGonagall scolded them the whole way to her office neither were paying much attention, both had enough on their minds already. Number one being not killing each other before, the week is over. Scratch that, before the night is over. And with one look at the pair of them, anyone could tell it would be easier said than done.