I finished dancing with Viktor and Hermione. He agreed to get the two of us some punch. We went and sit with Ron and Harry. Padma had obviously escaped.

"It's kind of hot in here," Hermione said.

Ron scoffed.

"I honestly can't believe you," he said.

"Believe what?" Hermione asked.

"You and Viktor. It's not right. You're fraternizing with the enemy," Ron said.

"The enemy? Ron, he's not asked me once about Harry of the TriWizard tournament. Not once," Hermione said.

"Not yet he hasn't. But watch he'll be whispering sweetly into your ear and then just throw in a 'by the way what's Harry done with his egg?'"

"Honestly Ron you're such a jerk," Hermione said. Harry and I exchanged glances.

I got out my seat and walked away. It's best not to interfere with Ron and Hermione when they argue.

I walked over to the punch bowl even though Viktor was bringing me my drink.

Parkinson was over there with two glasses of juice in her hand.

Her dress was hideous. It was red and fuzzy.

I followed her discreetly knowing she would lead me to Draco.

When she finally did she shoved the drink into his hand. Upset at something.

"Get over your little attitude Pansy," Draco said.

"Well if you weren't talking about my dress I wouldn't have an attitude," she said.

"Well look at your dress. It's just. . . I'm trying to figure out how many Muppets had to die to make that dress," Draco said.

"I can second that," I said walking over to them.

"Hello, Potter," Parkinson said snootily. "Thought you weren't coming."

"So did I," I replie. "But when I heard Elmo died, I had to come pay my respects."

Parkinson stomped her foot and walked away. Draco laughed. "Here, you look thirsty," he said handing me his juice. I took it willingly and drank some. I didn't realize till afterwards how hot it actually was in here.

"So who'd you come with?" he asked.

"Me, myself, and I," I said.

"I think I brought Parkinson because she was-"

"Annoying? A pest? Obnoxious?" I asked.

"Well yeah," he said. "That and she was convenient."

"I'm sorry whatever girl you were after didn't want to go with you. She's such an idiot," I said.

Draco shrugged. "I feel like she'll come around actually."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Just a feeling," he said. "Do you wanna go for a walk?"

"That's cool," I said.

We walked outside the Great Hall and out the Entrance Hall. Just outside everything was lit with fairy lights. It reflected off the white snow that covered the ground and everything seemed to glow.

"It's beautiful," I said.

"Yeah, it is," he said. I turned to him and smiled.

"So why weren't you gonna come?" he asked.

"I don't know. . ." I lied. "It's. . . It's because. . ."

Should I tell him anyway even though he was interested in someone else? Would he hate me fore liking him after the fact.

"The truth is. . . There was this guy I wanted to go with but he was going with someone else and he liked this other girl and I'd totally missed my chance so I wasn't going unless I could go with him," I said.

"Who'd you want to come with in the first place?" Draco asked.

I shook my head. "Can't tell you."

"Oh, darn," he said.

I shivered involuntarily. It was freezing despite the beauty of the outdoors.

"Here," Draco said. He took of his robe and put it on you. It was still from his body and it smelled just as good as he did.

"Thank you," I said. "Do you wanna dance?"

"Dance? With me?" he asked. "That'd look a bit suspect don't you think?"

We strolled back inside. "Let it be suspect. We're two friends. We can dance together all we like."

Draco nodded and led me into the Great Hall just as a slow song came on.

"No way we'll warm up dancing to this," I said.

"Well, if you come a bit closer," he said pulling into his arms, "I expect we'll stay warm."

I laid my head on his shoulder and was pleased when he didn't pull away.

"I'm sorry, Hannah," he said.

"For what?" I asked.

"For doing this to you. For. . . For caring about you even though you care about someone else," he said.

"Wait, you still like me?" I asked looking him in the eye.

"Yeah, I mean, I thought it was pretty obvious that I was going to ask you that day in the library and I thought it was pretty obvious I'd been talking about you this entire time," he said.

"Well. . ." I started. "now in retrospect, yes."

Draco smiled. "You're silly."

"Well, if that's been the case this entire time I feel really foolish. . ." I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because. . . This whole time I was waiting for you to ask me out and it's all my fault that you didn't in the first place," I said.

Draco stared at me. "Are you serious?"

I nodded. "Yeah. . . I fancy you Draco Malfoy, as horrible and wrong as it may be."

"You think it's horrible for you? I'll never hear the end of it from my house. At least you Gryffindors are accepting of each other," he said.

"Yeah well everyone in Slytherin is your bitch so they won't fuss too much," I said.

Draco chuckled. "This. . . Unexpected."

"But welcomed," I said. "So. . . Now what?"

"Now, Hannah Potter, I'm going to do something that I've wanted you to actually welcome for a really long time," he said.

"What would that be?" I asked.

He took me, dipped me back, and kissed me, right there in the middle of the dance floor in front of the entire school. It was perfect.

"Hannah Potter, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked.

I smiled and then nodded. "Of course."

But of course, no perfect moment can last forever and the moment was ruined by none other than my notorious ex-boyfriend Seamus. When he saw Draco and me, I could practically see the rage in his eyes. He marched over to us.

"Getting cozy are we?" he asked. Draco's hold on me became tighter.

"Very cozy," he said.

"I thought you weren't coming Hannah," he said.

"I changed my mind," I said.

"Really? Why?" Seamus asked.

"Well aside from the Elmo mink, I'd say I decided to show up because I wanted to get 'cozy' with my boyfriend, Draco," I said.

I remained serious but on the inside I did a back flip. My boyfriend, Draco.

Seamus glared at me.

"You don't need him Hannah. You can do better," he said.

"Not being with you is a better decision," I said.

"And Malfoy is better than me?" he asked.

"Yes he is," I argue.

I could tell Seamus was pissed.

"Well if that's how you feel, then enjoy your time dating the Slytherin Prince," he said.

"Oh, trust me, I will," I said. I shooed him away and turned back to Draco.

After the ball, I ventured up to my room, completely pacified with the perfect evening, and I assumed the days to follow would be just as perfect

I walked into my room where Harry, Parvati, Emily all sat watching, Ron and Hermione go at it.

"You ruined everything you know that!?!" Hermione yelled. She and Ron were going at it as always.

"Well you're the one that came with Krum. I offered to take you," he said.

"Well next time don't wait till the last second to ask me when someone else already has and not as a last resort," Hermione said.

I made the mistake of closing the door and making my presence known. Hermione turned to me and pointed.

"YOU!" she said.

"Whoa, whoa. What did I do?" I asked.

"Malfoy!" Ron said.

"Oh, no," I said. I forgot I had to actually tell my friends I was dating the one person they hated more than anything else in the world.

Hermione turned to Harry who was confused. Obviously he didn't know.

"Oh, don't do it like this guys," I said.

"You won't tell him if we don't," Ron said.

"That's the point," I said.

Hermione shook her head. "Harry. . . Hannah snogged Malfoy."

Harry's eyes widened. "When the hell is he gonna learn to stop doing that? Do I have to kick his ass?" Harry got to his feet prepared to go play the part of the older brother.

I sat him back down. "Not this time, Harry."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because. . . Draco and I. . . We're-."

"No. Don't you dare say that. Don't you dare utter such absurdities!" Harry said.

"Harry. . . Draco and I are going out now," I said.

Harry looked genuinely hurt by this comment. "WHY?"

"Because I like him and he likes me, and. . . It just works," I said.

Harry rubbed his head. Parvati patted him on the back encouragingly.

"I think it's weird but as your friend I support you," Emily said.

"You're only saying that because you didn't think they would go out and now you owe me three galleons," Parvati said.

"If you don't stop talking about the galleons I'm going to put them in a very uncomfortable spot," Emily said.

"This sounds like a bad idea," Ron said.

"I agree, I mean, it's Malfoy," Hermione said.

"Maybe you guys just see Malfoy. I get that. But I see him in a way that no one else does. When he talks to me he's not sarcastic and ignorant and a jerk, he's real. He's a real person with real feelings and he's got this side to him that only comes out around me," I said. "Just give him a chance. Don't feed him to the wolves just yet."

Harry sighed. "Since I know my approval is the only one you're after. . . You don't have it. I don't approve one bit. . . But I will accept and respect your choice. . . But I won't like it."

I smiled. "Thanks, Harry."

He nodded. "Yep. Just remember this speech when I get Cho from Diggory."