A/N: Hey all, well, this is the second last chapter of this story...it's only taken me 2 years to finish it. Anyway might as well get into it...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything...really...

Morning, before the ball

Dear Draco,

Hey, you were still sleeping when I left the house, I didn't want to wake you. I have gone to pick up my dress for the ball. I will probably be a while so don't panic if I'm not home straight away.

Love

Hermione

Draco found this note sitting on the kitchen table the morning of the ball. He assumed that Hermione would be out most of the day doing girly things, like getting her hair and nails done or something. It was quite relaxing to be at home by himself.

Draco thought back over the last week, everything that had happened since that night had been bliss; they had watched movies curled up on the lounge together, laid under the stars at night and talked about their lives so far, their ideas about each other up until this month and how they planned to spend the rest of their lives. He was amazed at the kinds of things that he could tell her, thing he hadn't even realised he wanted, he wanted to be a healer more than anything else and he wanted a family who he could support. She wanted to be an auror and fight the good fight for all the people who couldn't, she wanted to be a mother and she wanted Ginny to be her bride's maid.

She was the most beautiful person he had ever set eyes on, she was beautiful when she was in an over sized t-shirt and jeans or dressed in her bikini. She was smart and wasn't submissive in the slightest, if she had an opinion he knew about it, sometimes even if he didn't want to know about it. After 7 years they actually knew each other.

After eating something and going for a swim it was nearly 2 o'clock in the afternoon and Hermione still hadn't returned from town. Draco was beginning to worry but he tried to distract himself by watching a movie. This effectively distracted him until around 4:30pm when Hermione arrived home.

Hermione walked past the lounge room and headed to her room with her dress hidden in a dry cleaning bag. Her hair was also pulled back underneath a piece of fabric. She had been out for a long time and Draco couldn't really see what for.

"Sorry I took so long, the dress wasn't ready when I got there and then the hairdresser had double booked me so I did a lot of waiting around" Hermione explained plonking herself exaggeratedly on the couch.

"Oh, well I've done a grand total of nothing today so I guess my day has been better than yours" Draco replied kissing Hermione on the cheek.

"How productive of you," She said snuggling up, "what are you watching?"

"Chocolat" Draco replied, "This Johnny Depp guy is great."

"Yes, I can't agree more. The majority of female muggles love him" Hermione said instantly mesmerised by the vision on the screen.

The couple stayed as they were until 5, giving them about and hour and a half to get everything ready. Hermione needed to do her make-up, take her hair out and get dressed. Draco on the other hand still required a shower and a shave. Hermione rolled her eyes at him when he said that he still had a lot of getting ready to do and asked why he hadn't had a shower when he had gotten up. He poked his tongue out in reply.

After Draco had showered me returned to his room where Hermione was waiting in her bath robe, her hair still up but her makeup done. He smiled as he approached her and sat down.

"I wrote to Dumbledore I have a 10 minuet window to do this so you need to sit still and not complain, ok?" Hermione said sternly.

"Sure" Draco answered getting comfortable.

Then Hermione set to work with her wand pointing it at Draco's head a muttering various spells to cut and style his hair to look like an 80's T.V star. Then Hermione pointed her wand at his ear, Draco yelped in pain as a small hole appeared and she put a red feather earring through it. Then she swiftly left the room so Draco could get dressed.

Examining his new look Draco couldn't help but be impressed, his hair was an inch longer and styled back like Elvis, without the sideburns and curl at the front. Then he looked at his ear, it had hurt when Hermione had pierced it but it did suit his overall appearance. Moving to his cupboard Draco removed his suit and shirt. He examined this costume, wondering if it was too much, not that he could go back now anyway. So with that thought in mind he pulled his pants on over his boxers, tried to hold them up without doing them up but still being able to use his hands, this meant his legs ended up quite far apart. Then as quickly as possible he tugged his shirt on and buttoned in up, then he tucked it into his pants and did them up. He pulled his jacket over the shirt and straightened it up, pulling at the collar and doing his best 'sexy' face for the mirror. Then he smiled at his reflection and slipped his shoes on and tied them up. He slipped his mask over his face and looked at it, Hermione had made both of their masks, though he had not been allowed to look at hers, he understood now what she had meant about having a bit of imagination. His mask was grey with a raised matte red pattern. The grey made his eyes appear bluer than they usually did and was of course a break from his usual black and green. The red allowed for a bit of personality in his attire, something that dressing in similar clothes everyday did not allow.

Roaming from his room Draco knocked on Hermione's door and was unceremoniously told to bugger off. So he went back to the lounge room and sat patiently, waiting for Hermione to immerge. He had booked them a limo, which was due to arrive in the next 10 minutes, so he prayed that she wasn't going to be much longer. There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and he turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway.

"What do you think?"

A/N: Ok so it's not brilliant but I'm hoping I make up for it with the next chapter which will of course be the last one (FINALLY...lol). I love to hear what you guys have to say so review...nnnnnnnow!

Much love and later dayz

Manda