A while later, Hermione and Dawn descended the stairs into the common room. Harry and Ron, who had changed sometime while they'd been in the dorm, gaped, wide eyed and mouthed. Hermione was wearing a deep blue dress with tiny spaghetti straps. The material was loose and flowing from the waist down, and moved constantly. She'd spent ages battling with her hair, taming it into delicate curls that framed her face. She grinned shyly to Ron, who spluttered something along the lines of, 'You…beautiful…' Harry tried very hard not to make the same pronouncement to Dawn, as she followed Hermione in the 'kick pink' dress. ('The Prom' Btvs S3) She'd curled her hair into perfect loose ringlets, and they were somehow invisibly tied back so that half were up, half down. Harry swallowed, and said,
"You look great."
Dawn grinned,
"So do you." Both the boys were wearing black suits, white shirts and ties. Harry's tie was the colour of his eyes. "Shall we?" Dawn said, nodding to the portrait hole. They all nodded, and Ron wordlessly held out his arm to Hermione. She hooked hers through it and they left the common room. Outside, Harry turned to Dawn and said, sarcastically formal,
"May I escort you?" and held out an arm.
"Why thank you kind sir." She grinned, and took his arm.
When they reached the entrance hall, the girls were greeted by many looks very similar to Harry and Ron's. Most of the bearers of these looks got sharp nudges in the side from their dates. Pavarti gasped,
"You're going with Harry? That's the big secret!!??"
"Nope." Dawn grinned, releasing Harry's arm. "He was just being a gentleman." Ron snorted a laugh, and Harry punched him softly on the arm.
"So who!?"
Dawn just smiled, and glanced around. Draco was standing near the door to the Great Hall. He smiled, and nodded a greeting. Dawn nodded back, but stayed with Harry and the others. They weren't about to give the game away yet.
"Harry!" Cho called across the hall, pushing her way through the crowd to him, in an emerald green dress.
"Cho! You look amazing!" Harry exclaimed,
"You too." She smiled, kissing him on the cheek. Harry flushed pink, and Dawn rolled her eyes. He has to stop doing that! She thought. A couple of minutes later, the doors opened, and the students flooded into the great hall. Draco waited for Dawn by the door until everyone was inside. Hermione gave Dawn's hand a nervous squeeze before going ahead of her with Ron. Dawn grinned to Draco,
"Hey." She said.
"You look… gorgeous." He decided, kissing her.
"You don't look too bad yourself." She replied. He was wearing a black suit, shirt with a high, straight collar and tie.
"Shall we?" he said. They linked arms and entered the hall. Everyone who saw them had to do a double-take. Dawn tried very hard not to crack up when she saw Pansy Parkinson's face as they joined the others at a table. Dawn sat beside Hermione, to ensure a decent gap between Draco and Ron. Harry was beside Ron, with Cho, and some of her sixth year friends took up the rest of the table. Everyone gaped at Dawn and Draco.
"Dawn, you for real?" asked one of Cho's Gryffindor friends Dawn had spoken to a couple of times.
"Course." Dawn answered. She smiled apologetically to Draco. She knew this would probably be harder on him than her. The band struck up a lively tune, so many students made their way to the large dance floor. Harry and Cho joined them straight away. "You ok?" Dawn whispered to Draco.
"Yeah. I'm fine. My rep. is now officially non-existent, but… I'm ok." Dawn grinned,
"You were the one who asked me!"
"I know." He smiled. "An' Y'know what?" Dawn tilted her head to one side,
"What?"
"I'm glad I did." He kissed her gently, and she grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Oh, god, get a room you guys." Ron said, disgusted, and finally agreed to dance with Hermione, simply to get away from them. Dawn couldn't resist a giggle, she still found Ron's reactions so amusing. A minute late, a slower song began, and Draco carefully took Dawn's hand, not even needing to ask. They walked to the dance floor, and Draco changed his grip on her hand, holding it up close to his shoulder. Then he slipped one arms around her waist, and she rested her other arm around his other shoulder. They began to move a little nervously. Dawn had never really done this before, not properly; and Draco had never done it with someone he actually wanted to be with. As they rocked slowly, Dawn soon relaxed, resting her head on his shoulder. Draco pressed his face into her hair; it was fragrant with girly shampoo. Across the room, Hermione squeaked, and pointed. Even Ron couldn't frown or make a disgusted comment; they looked perfect together.
The evening continued much better than the one the year before, Ron and Harry enjoying it immensely, even the dancing. Both Dawn and Hermione were asked to dance by plenty of boys in their year and others, (except Slytherins, of course, who were all just giving Dawn nasty looks.) and although at first Ron insisted on giving everyone who asked Hermione the biggest of evils, he soon gave up.
Hermione was off dancing with Harry (Cho was also in great demand) when Ron plucked up the courage, and squashed his pride enough to turn to Dawn and Malfoy.
"May I?" He asked, holding his hand out to Dawn. Draco frowned a little, making Dawn laugh.
"Don't be silly, Draco!" she said, poking him. "Sure." She replied to Ron. Draco opened his mouth to protest, but Dawn stopped his words with a kiss. "I'll be back." She promised. Ron led her to the dance floor and they both smiled, dancing happily together.
"I still don't get it." Ron grinned, "You are way to good for him."
Dawn poked him,
"Hey! Ron…" she was cut off when strong hands pulled her away,
"'Scuse us." Fred said to Ron. Dawn found her self being whipped away by George Weasley.
"Hey there Dawn." He grinned.
"Hey." Dawn replied, eyebrows raised,
"Now rumour… and my eyes… tell me you're here with Malfoy!" his voice was laced with the same distain Ron's usually was.
"Yeah, well…" she was twirled into Fred's arms before she could finish,
"See, we were wondering if he hasn't bewitched you or something. Y'know to make you like him."
"Why would he…?" George again, while Fred grabbed the nearest girl.
"So we whipped this up, it should deal with any love spells." He flicked some sparkly power in Dawn's face, and she sneezed violently.
"Hey!" she exclaimed.
"Sorry." Fred said, taking her again. "Had to be sure. So now what d'you think about being here with Malfoy?"
"Absolutely fine!" she said before he could say anything else. "He asked me, I said yes- we've been going out most of the term!" she said firmly. Fred's eyes widened,
"George, we need more…"
"No you don't!" Dawn said, breaking away. "For god's sake, you people!"
"Look Dawn, you just don't know him like we do. He's obviously done something to you…" Dawn slapped him. Hard. You don't live with a vampire slayer without picking up a wicked right swing. Dawn just stuck a palm on the end instead of a fist. Fred looked positively shell-shocked. Ron finally fought his way through the crowd back to Dawn.
"What the hell are you guys doing!" he exclaimed furiously. Dawn was pleased to see genuine anger in his face.
"Doesn't matter." Dawn muttered, taking his hand. Ron glanced back to his brothers, then resumed dancing with Dawn, wincing as she squeezed his hand a little harder than necessary.
"What did they do?" Ron asked, still fuming.
"Nothing. They just think like… you."
"What?" Ron gasped, "…oh. I see." He looked very guilty, "Sorry, Dawn. I can't believe they freaked to this extent though. God…I'm sorry."
"It's ok." Dawn answered, forcing a smile, "They just… I get what they're saying, but I wish people would just give him a chance."
"We did, Dawn; Over four years ago. With most people, he threw it back in their faces." Dawn dropped her gaze,
"I know." She said quietly. "I know." At that moment, the sound of shattering glass filled the room, and at least twenty dark robed and masked figures flew through the windows.
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Dun dun dun!!! Lol. Please review and ill update as soon as poss.