Chapter 12 The Saint Nikolas Dance
With the cold of winter upon them, throughout Durmstrang, all the students buzzed about the upcoming Saint Nikolas Dance. Hermione quietly studied in the library with Ginny when Draco placed a single yellow rose on top of the book she read. Politely, Ginny excused herself.
"Good afternoon, Hermione," he said.
"Hello," she replied curtly.
Draco sat next to her. "First, I wanted you to know that I don't subscribe to negative sentiments regarding Muggle-borns anymore, at all. Secondly, I hope you've just been busy and not avoiding me when we're not in class." Trying to think of a retort, she sat contemplating. "In case I've done something to offend, the yellow rose symbolizes friendship. Also, it is my way of asking you to the Saint Nikolas Dance. Will you do me the honor of being my date that evening?"
"Don't you have to clear it with Bianca? I won't be the other witch."
"So that is why you've been avoiding me," he said with jovial amusement. "She's my sister," he replied in a hushed tone while his eyes glanced around the room.
Before Hermione had time to think, the words blurted out. "Oh really? The resemblance is obvious."
At first, his mouth opened in shock while a hurt look crossed his face. Abruptly, Draco stood up, kicking back his chair and snatching the rose. As he strode out, he whacked it against one of the library shelves, showering petals everywhere.
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The next day, Bianca confronted Hermione the moment she was alone. "How dare you say something so rude to Draco! After his parents died, we worked so hard to convince him that he was a member of our family. Now you have reopened those wounds. Until you readjust that attitude of yours, stay away from my brother!" With a swift one-eighty, Bianca stormed off.
Now, Hermione felt more terrible then when she had uttered those words. Since Draco avoided her, staying away from him was easy. If they passed each other in the halls, he refused to look at her at all. During class, he treated her as just another student. To her consternation, several witches confirmed that Draco asked Gizelle to the ball and she accepted. For Hermione's part, she had no idea how to apologize for such an outburst.
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The evening of the Saint Nikolas Dance, everyone gathered in the dining hall for the traditional feast before the dance. Boughs of holly and wreaths of pine decorated the hall, along with cinnamon brooms that lent their spicy scent for everyone's enjoyment.
Turkey with sage and onion stuffing, carrots, cranberry sauce, figs, chipolata sausages, potatoes, cheeses and butter crackers lined the tables. Prominently, several loaves of bread were placed on each table. Once they learned the tradition behind the bread, each student sliced a piece for themselves. The tradition involved baking an old silver coin into each loaf of bread. To the lucky witch or wizard who got the piece with the coin, a prosperous new year followed.
Ginny nudged Hermione. "That must be a French witch's tradition." Directrice Morel buttered a small piece of bread and held it to Snape's lips. Snape looked hesitant but then Zoe whispered to him, so he let her feed it to him, and licked the butter off her fingertips while his eyes flitted about the room. Gizelle fed a few bites of bread to Draco, who kissed the butter off her fingertips. "Hermione, what's wrong? You look really pissed off."
"Nothing's wrong."
"Look at the bane of our existence go." Harry now noticed the spectacle of Snape and Zoe. With a mild grimace, Snape handed Zoe a Christmas Banitsa, a little piece of foil with prophecies for the coming year inside. Zoe smiled and kissed his cheek despite his protest, rendering him with a slight smile. "How in the world does he get her?" Ginny looked at Harry, perturbed. "You know I think you're the most beautiful witch in the world, and I prefer redheads, but you have to admit she's a stunning older witch."
"Not to mention the way she walks, like waves in a pond," Ron added. "Maybe he slipped her a love potion."
Ginny and Hermione shook their heads. "Wizards are completely clueless."
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Later that evening, in their ritziest finery, arm in arm, Harry with Ginny and Ron with Hermione, they entered the ballroom. The wizards wore long tail tuxedos while Ginny and Hermione wore ball gowns of white and silver, respectively. Chandeliers with rose shaped candle holders lit the room in a sea of inviting colors. Wreaths dappled the arched doorways with mistletoe in a few obscure corners. The group seated themselves at a table and enjoyed some punch.
Moments later, Hermione noticed Draco and Gizelle enter. The tips of Draco's hair now in green matched Gizelle's off-the-shoulder chiffon and satin ball gown. Continually, she whispered in Draco's ear, which Hermione found unbelievably irritating, especially when he laughed. For some reason, tonight Gizelle possessed an ethereal aura of enchantment which many of the wizards noticed it as well. Another wizard with long raven hair and very deep blue eyes, with Draco's tall build, entered behind them with Bianca, who wore a deep blue slinky ball gown. The ethereal aura surrounded Bianca's date also. Many of the witches and wizards seemed slightly transfixed by them as well, with the notable exception of several couples.
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On cue, the couples took to the floor for a lively waltz that started the set. Draco danced several waltzes with Gizelle. Towards the end of the ball, Gizelle took Draco by the arm and dragged him outside. "I don't care to have anyone hear us or they'll think I'm mad, plus, I'm quite famished. For the past few months, we've become friends, yes?"
"Yes, I consider you a friend."
Together they went to a private alcove within the castle. "Draco, I know that you're half veela, or at least I think you are." Not knowing how or if to comment, Draco sat wide-eyed. "Your secret is safe with me because I'm about to tell you mine. You wanted to see if Hermione noticed us and seemed jealous, so I used a rather unique ability that I have to make others take notice of me. However, the ability makes me hunger quickly. I'm Sang Juene or half vampire." Now Draco scooted several inches away from her. "Why do you think I'm immune to your veela charms and have been all along?"
"What do you intend to do?" As he became very self conscious of his neck, Draco leaned back. "Wait, how did you know about the veela thing?"
"Look, you won't turn into a vampire, nor will this hurt, but I do need to feed. Do you mind?" Draco hesitated still. "I know your secret because I fed from your father and tasted it in his blood." Now Draco's jaw clenched. "This was before he met your mother."
"Considering my own heritage, I guess I need to keep an open mind. Very well, let's keep it in the family, but only a little bit, and don't mess up the tux. I always knew there was something up with you." Deftly, she loosened his collar and bit his neck. After an instant of piercing pain, almost orgasmic pleasure followed, causing Draco to shift slightly.
Seconds later she tied his bowtie. "That wasn't so bad was it?" Draco shook his head. "Since I couldn't enrapture you earlier with my rather unique charisma, you've met your mate. It's Hermione."
"Possibly, I really care about Hermione but it just isn't happening."
"If it helps your cause, she stared at you the entire evening." A glimmer of hope from her admission showed in Draco's smile. "I have imparted this information to you in hopes that you will trust me?" Gizelle clasped his hands. "Draco, I'm a seer and for the past couple of nights, I've had visions. Please believe me when I tell you that you're in danger. During this competition, someone will engineer the upcoming events to make them more deadly."
"Why is someone out to kill me? Who is out to kill me?"
"I don't know. I will look out for you as best as I can. You should enlist the help of Hermione."
"I can take care of myself."
"Don't be so arrogant and foolish. If she is your destined mate, then she will want to help you." He shook his head. "Even if you don't believe me about your danger, if she is what you want, go get her. Draco Malfoy always takes what he wants."
"You're right; I do." Draco stood up and offered his hand to Gizelle.
"If it is any consolation, Pierre's charms didn't affect her at all. You do know what that means."
Draco smiled and kissed her cheek. "Thank you."
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Sitting at a table, sipping juice, Hermione wished to dance. However, at another table, Ron had been speaking to several wizards after only dancing with her for two songs. Sheepishly, several couples entered the dance hall once more, including Draco and Gizelle. Comments were made that the couples had been snogging, but were worried about getting caught, since the dance neared its end. Everyone suspected that Snape would bust them like he did at many Yule Balls at Hogwarts. However, Professor Snape and Directrice Morel were notably absent once the dance died down.
Draco strode directly towards her. "Would you like to dance?"
"No," she replied.
"Too bad, I requested the next song for us." Using gentle force, he grabbed Hermione's hand and escorted her to the dance floor.
"Were you afraid of getting busted for snogging Gizelle?"
"If you truly think I'm afraid of being busted for snogging, I'll show this entire dance floor how to kiss a feisty little witch to keep her from talking and ruining a mood." As Dear Prudence resonated through the hall, Draco twirled and dipped her, showing her his waltz moves. Towards the end of the song, Draco pulled her closer but kept a polite distance as he gazed at her silver lacey gown and the silver tinsel she had weaved throughout her hair. "You look captivating." When the song ended, he politely bowed and kissed her hand, which made her feel slightly flushed.
At that moment Ron joined them. "Hermione, you're my date. Don't dance with him."
"Well, if you were dancing with her like you should have been, I wouldn't have had the opportunity." Draco smirked with a snarky look in his eye.
Now Ron puffed up. "Why don't you back off, or else!"
"Or else what, you'll fight me? Or will you have her fight your battles for you?"
Because of Draco's remark, Ron looked dumbfounded. "Since you're so much about honor, stop insulting mine. I fight my own battles."
Draco's upper lip rose in a sneer. "Oh really and how could I think otherwise? Hmmmm…Could it be that you have her do some of your homework for you for Dark Arts? After all, you are so busy with Quidditch, no, my mistake. Assisting with classes? No. Teaching a class or participating in the tournament? No, you don't do any of that. As a matter of fact, you're even too lazy to at least copy the homework she does for you, so it can be in your own writing. If it weren't for my kindness, you both could have expelled. So we can be clear on the matter, I don't question your honor; I question your intelligence and your diligence." Draco bowed up and stepped forward. "I've had it with you!"
Before any of the few remaining, barely awake professors could take notice, Harry stepped between them as well as Nayden. Harry led Ron to a corner while Nayden led Draco away.
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