A/N: Well wow. I didn't expect such a strong response already thanks guys. For those that have added the story for the alert, please review, I want to know what you liked what you didn't. Thank you guys!
Also, I'm looking for a BETA. Most of my writing gets done in the wee hours of the morning, or in the ever-dreaded calculus class. Ergo, it's not always as cohesive as I'd like it to be. Any takers?
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter I wouldn't be writing here would I?
Chapter 2
Hermione and Ginny sat on Hermione's bed in her chamber that was separate from the rest of the girls dorm, just one of the perks of being Head Girl. Ginny had a glazed look about her, and a smile that stretched the entire span of her face. Hermione knew better than to think she was not thinking over the events a million times. She could practically read her friend's mind as she watched her facial expressions change. With a sigh, Hermione handed Ginny a quill and a piece of parchment.
"Write to him Gin." She prompted. "Tell him."
"Tell him what?"
"Whatever you feel is appropriate." Ginny nodded and began to write.
Blaise paced back and forth through the Draco's dormitory.
"Sit down!" Draco snapped. "Your pacing is undoing even my nerves." Blaise took several steps towards his friend's bed and paused, as though in thought.
"Why didn't she take her mask off? She wasn't smiling, why didn't she smile? Was she judging me? Does she somehow think I am not good for her? Does she hold some odd prejudice of me?" He was in a panic. Rolling his eyes Draco smacked his friend across the face. Hard.
"She saw you. She knows who you are. You are a Slytherin. Of course she will hold that against you. Isn't that why you didn't tell Ginny who you were? You were afraid she was going to reject you because of who you are, that her bloody Gryffindor pride would be too big and her Slytherin prejudice too strong. Now you have revealed yourself, and you see what that has caused."
"Draco, one day, you'll find someone to care for like I care for Ginny, and then you'll take your words back."
"Oh will I now?"
"Yes you will." Blaise was about to continue when an owl dropped a letter in his lap. He hastened to open its precious contents.
"Well, what does it say?" An impatient Draco called to him.
TPOL
Hermione and Ginny were walking back from the great hall from lunch when it happened.
"Ginny!" they heard someone call from behind. The pair stopped and turned to find themselves face to face with Blaise and Draco. "Please, meet me tonight at the Black Lake for dinner. We have much to talk about."
"I'm sorry Blaise, but I cannot go."
"Why? Is it because you do not want to be alone with me? Are you afraid of me? Or is it some other reason, perhaps you are feeling ill? Would you like me to take you to the hospital wing? Or, if you would not like to be alone with me please bring your 'sister' along. I'm sure Draco would have no problem entertaining her for the evening." He let out in one single breath. Ginny smiled and his flustered appearance and could not reject the poor boy.
"Alright, if my 'sister' and Draco will be joining us then it is alright. We will see you at the Black Lake at seven. Goodbye" Ginny turned to Hermione.
"Shall we my dear sister?" She asked, a smirk playing at her lips.
"We shall." Hermione said. The two linked their arms and walked away.
"Blaise, please tell me what was in that letter?" Draco asked, staring at his best friend.
"She told me that she loved me." He answered in a whisper. Snapping out of his daze, he continued, "Who knew Hermione was the elusive sister? Now there is a match if ever I saw one. I mean after all, she has become a most beautiful girl, and now that she has money, she cannot be one of the girls who want just money and sex from you. Look at her, she is beautiful, and smart to boot. It was like she was made for you."
"So it would seem." He whispered under his breath.
TPOL
Hermione and Ginny made their way down to the Black Lake to dine with the boys. Hermione and Ginny had spent the rest of the afternoon preparing for the evening. Ginny had owled Blaise when they had returned to the room to ask what would be appropriate attire for the evening. He told her it was semi formal. Ginny dressed in a simple halter black dress that ended just above her knees. She threw her hair up loosely with soft ringlets falling our as though it was planned. Hermione decided, since Draco thought of her to be so plain already, to wear a nice pair of slacks and silver button down shirt, with simple black pumps, her hair pulled back in a simple, yet elegant pony tail Ginny practically had to force Hermione to look nice.
"Come on Hermione, what does it matter what he thinks? It was probably his pride that kept him from admitting the truth."
"Really Ginny, and what truth was that?" Hermione asked, digging through her expansive closet looking for something suitable for the evening.
"Think about it for a second Mione, he has always had a stick up his ass. He is too proud for his own good, and he probably told Blaise that he was not going to find anyone who caught his eye at the ball tonight, when in fact, you proved him wrong. You are positively radiant even now, but at the ball there was not one man who could take his eyes off of you, Draco included. Now for him to go back to Blaise and say, you were right, she is beautiful would go against everything he was raised with. You are his match in every way. Just you wait, you two will be together in the end." Ginny concluded, walking out of the closet with the ensemble that Hermione was now wearing.
The two completed their walk to the lake, and were shocked at the sight that met their eyes. There stood Draco and Blaise. Blaise came dressed in black dress pants and a simple ivory colored sweater, looking sharp and stopping all of Ginny's thoughts. Draco had come down in a similar outfit, except he had thrown a blazer on over his icy blue sweater. Hermione acted indifferent towards him.
"You ladies look wonderful!" Blaise exclaimed, walking up to Ginny and kissing the back of her hand. Draco's eyes were locked on Hermione again.
"Yes, quite." Draco added in a quiet voice. It was obvious he was very taken by Hermione's 'plainness.'
"Blaise, where exactly are we eating?" Hermione questioned him, seeing no table, picnic basket, or anything that could contain food.
"Well my dear Hermione, we have made arrangements at a very well to do restaurant in London. Now, since we are technically no longer in Hogwarts castle shall we apparate? I was thinking Ginny could sidelong with me, and Hermione you could go with Draco."
"Alright." Ginny agreed hurriedly before Hermione could protest. She grabbed Blaise's hand and the two took off.
"Shall we?" Draco questioned.
"I suppose we must." Hermione replied, grabbed his sleeve and they were gone too. The couple met up with Ginny and Blaise in the alleyway behind the restaurant. Hermione recognized the restaurant. It was called the Bronze Observatory, a well to do restaurant in London proper. It was famed for the ability to make the most amazing Italian food in all of England. The foursome walked in.
"Hello sir, there is a reservation for four under Malfoy?" Draco greeted the garcon slipping a fifty-pound note to the man. This was not unnoticed by Hermione. Her view of Draco continued to diminish.
"Right this way sir." He nodded and led the group to a private table in the back. "Shall I recite the specials, or would you like your usual?"
"I think we'll have four of the usual, with an extra basket of breadsticks, and we'll go with your vintage red wine."
"Bite your tongue." Ginny muttered under her breath to Hermione. She knew her friend wanted to start an argument with Draco. "Remember, tonight is about me and Blaise." Hermione gave her a small nod of understanding.
"So Ginny, how are your brothers doing?" Blaise politely inquired. Draco had gone back to a stoic impression as he tried to discreetly stare at Hermione who was staring right back at him.
"Well I'm the youngest of the Weasley clan, and I have six brothers. Ron, Fred, George, and Percy you all know, but then there is also Bill and Charlie. They are all very protective of me, and my mum and dad didn't have much to give us growing up. We barely had enough to get by sometimes, but somehow; there was always food on the table, and love in our hearts. It was hard growing up, especially with the war. But things are better now. Brighter almost." Ginny ended with a sigh.
"Must've been terrible for you. I wish I had known that, I would have helped."
"Let's not talk about such dreary topics. It is our first night out, let us talk about something much more enjoyable." Ginny countered.
"Tell me Blaise, what is your favorite book?" Hermione asked, still not taking her eyes off Draco.
"Favorite book? Well now I'm afraid I haven't read a full book in quite some time Hermione." Hermione finally turned to him and raised an eyebrow at him. Noticing his flustered appearance, Ginny stepped in and helped out.
"Well then again, there are just so many other things to appreciate other than books. I feel like there is not enough time to do even half of everything that I would like to do."
"Yes! Exactly!" Blaise said smiling at her.
"What about you Draco, do you enjoy reading?"
"When I find the time to I find it to be most enjoyable. I don't know if I could say I have a favorite book, but by far I have enjoyed Shakespeare more than any other writer."
"Indeed I do too." Hermione agreed, unknowingly dazzling him with a perfect smile. He offered a small smile in return. Dinner continued very pleasantly from then on. They ended up eating a beautifully prepared Fettuccini Alfredo, and even Hermione could not complain. After dinner, the foursome took a walk through the streets of London, Hermione and Draco walking a few paces behind Ginny and Blaise.
"So," Draco began.
"So…" Hermione repeated. "Dinner was lovely, thank you."
"You are welcome." They continued their stroll in the awkward silence. Just then Blaise and Ginny turned around back to them.
"Drake, it's getting late, we should return these lovely ladies back to the castle so they can rest for the Hogsmade trip tomorrow."
"Agreed. Shall we?" He asked offering his arm to Hermione. Blaise did the same for Ginny. The girls grabbed their hosts' arms and the four apparated back to the Lake.
"Goodnight my dear Ginny. Please, will you accompany me to Hogsmade tomorrow?"
"I would love to Blaise. I will meet you in the Entrance hall at 10 tomorrow afternoon."
"Most definitely." Blaise then pulled Ginny into his arms and kissed her passionately.
"Goodnight Hermione." Draco muttered, slightly embarrassed by his friend's sudden display.
"Goodnight Draco." Hermione said, before clearing her throat, grabbing Ginny's arm, and the two, arms linked, made their way back to the Gryffindor dormitory.
"What a night eh Drake?"
"Yeah. What a night." The boys headed back to their bedchambers, Draco anxious for his next encounter with Hermione, and Blaise excited for the next day.
A/N: not as long as usual, but I wanted to put an update out there for this week. I'm going to ATTEMPT to update at least once a week, but ideally I'd like to update twice a week, but I'm also working on another story called Baby Talk, a Doctor Who fic. I'll be posting it on Fanfic, and my LJ and EVENTUALLY on Teaspoon. Links are in my profile. Also, I'm going to work on turning this into an actual story, not just a HP Fanfic, so please forgive only one update a week.
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