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Disclaimer: HP and the world of HP are not mine and I make no money from the penning and posting of this story.

Ch. 21

Sunday Evening

Eighths' Table

The Great Hall

"You know, it's England v France over the hols, and we said we'd go to a match. Do you want to to? It's on the Isle of Wight this year," Harry asked Hermione, who nodded quickly. "And Ron could get us good seats."

"That's right!" Neville overheard him and, excited, turned to Daphne. "You'll go, yeah? I think we'd have a good time." Before Daphne or Hermione could answer, all of the wizards at the table were murmuring assent.

"I know Luna'd love it. We're in," Draco said.

"Everyone wants to go?" Harry looked around, surprised. "Right then; I'll owl Ron tonight."

"We all need matching scarves. I'll be in charge of getting those," Hannah put in.

Pansy smirked. "I'll help. If we can get them ordered by Tuesday, they'll be here in plenty of time."

"I'll call the Ministry about a Portkey, and we can Apparate back."

"Or we could camp overnight. I bet they'll have the grounds set up. Then get a Portkey back the next day."

Hermione's mouth ticked up on the side. "We could charm a tent to use."

"So, Malfoy, what's McGonagall going to do about you being married?" Terry asked as the chatter about the logistics of attending the game died down. "Is Luna going to move into your room? What about Harry? That'd be awkward."

"She's thinking about it. She wasn't too pleased that we didn't wait to get married, but she knows we have the right to be together." Draco smirked. "Potter might have to room with you."

Harry shrugged. "That'd be fine with me. Or they could convert an empty classroom on the floor for you. Then I'd get a single, and that's perfect."

"I doubt that'd be necessary," Hermione mused. "They'll probably gather the professors and perform the dilatatio structuram. Of course, with the way the tower's built, they'd probably add two rooms for the structure to remain balanced, and they'll need time to get the materials here." She shrugged and went back to her salad.

"Blimey, Hermione, how do you know that?" Neville gasped.

"I read it. I was curious about how they added the tower so quickly." She cocked her head to the side as she considered him. "You weren't?"

"That's the Hermione I know and love." Harry planted a brief kiss on her cheek. "Always looking for answers."

Before she could answer, two owls swooped in with official-looking envelopes for them both. They exchanged a speaking glance, and she tucked them both in her bag to read later.

Justin couldn't contain his curiosity. "What were those?"

"Just bollocks from the Prophet. Nothing to worry about," Harry assured him.

The letters were requests for comment on a tip the Prophet received about their time living in the tent. Hermione directed them to Sirius for comment, but Harry took a more direct approach.

To the editors of the Daily Prophet:

I have no comment on the preposterous allegations set forth in this so-called 'tip' your paper received. Further, if I see even a single word in print regarding this rubbish, I will sue you for defamation of character, slander, and libel. If you have further questions regarding this matter and continue pester me with them, I will notify the Ministry for Magic and have you cited for harassment.

Sincerely,

Harry J. Potter, Order of Merlin First Class

"I like it." Harry nodded. "I think they'll get the point. And you don't think adding the bit about the Order of Merlin is too much?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. I think they need to be reminded whom they're dealing with. And Sirius is going to set the solicitors on them, so I think we're good."

Nothing appeared in the paper that week.

Monday Afternoon

The Great Hall

"Calm down, Hermione; we can make this work. You've got all the decoration charts and the music planned; I've got the menus and arranged for the food with the kitchens. It's going to go off, even if we don't have quite the right number of candles or icicles," Ginny reassured her. "Now, let's go over the floor plan one more time, the tent placement, and I say we call it good until Saturday after breakfast."

Outside, materials began arriving to expand the Eighths' Tower; the delivery of several tons of stone seemed a bit excessive, but no one questioned the Headmistress.

That evening, the faculty gathered in the Eighth's common room and constructed an upstairs tower with a pair of stairs on either side of the Floo leading to eight new rooms, four on the right and four on the left. Draco and Luna had first choice of new rooms, leaving Harry with a single that suited him perfectly.

Wednesday Mid-Morning

Rouen, France

Trallop tossed aside the copy of the Prophet in disgust. Nothing. First that Greengrass brat announced her engagement to Neville Longbottom, blunting any threat, and now the paper was refusing to print the very juicy tale of Black in the tent with two teenage boys for weeks. Her plan had gone sideways. How much worse could this get? She was beginning to reconsider having gone after the know-it-all. That bushy-haired witch was the one responsible for dye on her hands, and the horrible itching that wouldn't go away, and the constantly raw, bleeding palms. The itching and, consequently, the bleeding got worse every time she touched money - any money. At this rate, she'd have to wear gloves for the rest of her life!

Friday

Rouen, France

The two Aurors, a male and a female, arrived with wands at the ready, Portkeys in hand.

"Good morning, Professor, or should I say former Professor Trallop? You're under arrest for extortion, attempted extortion, and the illegal use of Legilimency."

Shocked, Zoe Trallop lunged for her wand on the table a few feet away.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Frozen, she overbalanced and landed on her face, breaking her perfect nose.

"They always go for the wand. Why do they always go for the wand?"

Friday Evening

Hogwarts

A letter drifted onto Hermione's plate.

Miss Black,

Please meet me in my office after dinner this evening at 7:30. Bring Miss Greengrass as well. The password is fortitude.

M.M.

Silently she handed it over to Harry; he read it while she told Daphne about the impending appointment.

"I'll wait for you at the bottom of the stairs," Harry said when he gave her the note back. "I'm sure they've got her now."

Hermione confirmed his suspicions when she and Daphne met Neville and Harry after the meeting. "They're holding her over at Azkaban for a private trial before the Wizengamot."

Saturday Afternoon

Hogwarts

"I think we're good." Ginny waved over the Gryffindor committee. "Anything else? The band is setting up outside in the tent by the dance floor. The food will be here with the formal dinner for all students, then Fourth years and up will be able to go to the dance. We're finished decorating in here. What do you think?"

Hermione nodded as she made a final check of her list. "We're done. But, let's meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss how it went, see if we want to make it a tradition to have a formal dinner beforehand so everyone can enjoy the Yule before the winter break."

Eighths Tower

Before the Ball

Hermione turned slowly in front of Daphne, showing her every detail of her dress. "So, what do you think?"

"It's gorgeous. The black lace over the cream is sublime. Harry's going to want to take it off of you."

"Me? What about you? Neville'll be hard pressed to keep his hands to himself." Hermione gestured to Daphne's vibrant blue, one-shoulder column dress. "You look stunning."

"Thank you. Now, let's go show them how lucky they are."

Midnight

Yule Ball

Harry and Hermione rotated in a slow circle near the center of the almost empty dance floor. Detritus from the earlier fountain incident lay, forlorn, on the ground.

"You were the most beautiful woman in the room tonight," Harry murmured her ear, his hands clasped loosely at the base of her spine, riding just above the curve of her bum.

She pressed her cheek into the curve where his neck met his shoulders. "Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself, Mr. Potter."

"I have a very important question to ask you."

Hermione stiffened infinitesimally, "What's wrong?"

"Can we leave now, maybe sneak away before the Truffle and Kiwi play their last tune? I want to spend some time alone with you."

She chewed on her lip, briefly. "Well…."

"Well, nothing. Ginny is Head Girl. She can handle this." He leaned down and nipped her ear, sending tingles down her spine. "Unless you just want to stay and dance to the band's latest hit? The one we can hear every other song on the wireless?"

"But, the Headmistress…."

"Won't mind if you let the Head Girl do her job."

"You just want Blaise to suffer because he charmed that fountain, and that poor Hufflepuff tried to kiss me."

"Maybe." Harry grinned and amusement flashed in his emerald green eyes. "But I really would like to kiss you. The fact that Zabini will be here at all hours is just a bonus."

"You've got a mean streak in you; you know that, right?"

"Well, the Hat did want to put me in Slytherin."

"Did it really? I mean, you're just so obviously a Gryffindor."

He shrugged. "Now, maybe. But when I was eleven? I was a Horcrux. And I'd have done anything to get away from the Dursleys. I learned very early on to take care of myself, so maybe it wasn't as much of a stretch as it seems. You saved me. Ron, his family, this school. You all saved me." He glanced around again, "Now, let's leave before you get roped into cleaning up this mess."

"But…," She looked around, voice trailing off. In one corner, the fountain had met with complete destruction when someone lost their inhibitions and attempted to kiss the wrong person's date. In the other, the water was leaking steadily from where an exuberant foot dancing a jig had put a hole in it just at the water line. Draco had been responsible for that charm. All in all, she was glad they'd conjured the massive tent rather than subjecting the Great Hall to the revelry that had been the Yule Ball.

"Come on, Hermione; come with me." Harry took a step back and held out his hand. "I promise, the clean-up crew can handle this. You've earned the free time."

She glanced around one more time, wincing at a fifth year who was still belting out the Hogwarts song between verses of Truffle and Kiwi's song. She placed her hand in his. "Where are we going?"

"I thought we'd try the RoR," he answered as he pulled her towards the door leading to the Great Hall and the school proper.

"You're kidding; you know Neville left with Daphne ages ago."

"Damn." His brow furrowed.

Hermione giggled at the chagrin in his voice. "Have you forgotten you have a single now? And that we've caught our blackmailer?"

Face clearing, he grinned a bit lasciviously. "That's right, I do have a single, but what did you have in mind that we would need so much privacy?"

"Hey, Harry! Hold up!" Ernie McMillan, on campus to escort Hannah to the Ball, entered the Great Hall with Hannah in tow. "I thought we could all catch up. Where are you headed?"

"Uhh, well, we'd thought to head back to the Tower."

"Great, we'll go with you!" He kept up a stream of chatter as they made their way to the Eighths' Tower. "Have you heard that the Ministry is discussing a Marriage Law? The last census had all bad news."

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, causing a small pile-up as Hannah failed to stop in time, bumping into her. "What was that?"

"Yeah, I'm working in the census office, and with everyone who died, well, it doesn't look good."

"But a Marriage Law? What's that? It sounds barbaric! A violation of Human Rights!"

Harry groaned softly. So much for any fun activities. "Way to go, MacMillan."

"Well, I don't think they have enough information to actually do anything yet. It was just one census. Really, the population drop was to be expected, right?"

Harry seized the moment. "Exactly, so nothing we need to worry about right now, is it?" They stopped in front of their portrait where Sir Cadogan was chatting with a group of Quidditch players. "Plimpton Pass."

"Hey! Welcome back! Nice threads! Wouldn't want to wear those when you're trying for the Snitch!" The players in the painting cheered them as it swung open, revealing the cheerful environs. Draco, still wearing his dress robes, turned around to greet them, Firewhiskey bottle in hand, arm draped around Luna's shoulders.

"Perfect! Blaise just got back and we don't want to drink alone. He's gone to get the glasses."

"Shouldn't Blaise be helping clean up the mess he made?"

"Please, Potter, you underestimate him. He's got that all taken care of. What are younger students for?"

Blaise appeared in his door, promised glasses in hand, and raised his eyebrows at the extra people. "I don't think I brought enough. Be right back." He returned moments later with enough for everyone. "Well, what are you lot waiting on? The Hogwarts Express? Sit down. Get comfortable."

An hour later, high heeled shoes were strewn about the floor, dress robe coats were tossed carelessly over the backs of the furnitures, and all of them were feeling the mellow glow of aged Firewhiskey.

"See, I told you this would be better than spiking the punch bowl." Draco smirked at Blaise. "Your kissing charm was genius, though."

"You just think it's funny because no one tried to kiss your wife, Malfoy. Some fourth year idiot Hufflepuff - no offense -" Harry tossed in the direction of the Hufflepuffs curled on the two seater.

"None taken." Ernie waved his glass in Harry's general direction as Hannah rolled her eyes.

"Tried to kiss Hermione."

"You know I can take care of myself." Hermione, legs draped across his with her body snugged up against him, leaned up slightly to kiss him on the cheek. But, instead of landing the kiss where she'd intended he whipped his head around to catch her lips in a kiss that held.

"Yeah, I do know that." His lips kicked up in a small smile. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it when you get accosted by fourth years."

"Break it up you two." Blaise's lazy voice intruded. "Some of us don't have anyone to snog with, so we'd just as soon not watch you two suck face."

"Serves you right." Hermione sniffed. "I'm glad Ginny's not here - it was your fault we had to break up a makeout corner in the first place."

"Oh come on, Gran - Black. That was funny and you know it," Blaise argued.

A low creak from the portrait opening had them all lowering their drinks below eye level. "Oh, it's just you two. Come on in." Draco waved Neville and Daphne over. "No need to ask where you've been. Care for a drink?"

Daphne flushed. "Really, Draco. Be nice."

"I am being nice! I offered you a drink of my father's finest Firewhiskey. Now here - take it." He handed them both a measure of the intoxicating spirit.

Neville draped his coat over the back of his favorite two-seater and sat down with Daphne, draping his arm over her shoulders. "What are we drinking to?"

"To a Yule Ball that was much more fun than the one back in fourth year," Justin, who'd been largely silent to that point, answered.

"Hear, hear!" Terry toasted. "To the Yule Ball!"

"Yeah, I have to give it to the Gryffindors. They do know how to throw a party."

"If you like that kind of thing," Pansy sniffed. "The Graduation Ball is going to be much more refined."

"I rather enjoyed the enchanted bubbles. And the fountains were a lovely touch." Luna's voice was dreamier than usual. "It's really a shame more people didn't touch the water in the music fountain. We could have had a lovely chorus for the Hogwarts song."

"One of you lot " - Neville waved his drink-laden hand at the Slytherins - "needs to get your House in order. Some fifth year tried to kiss Daphne."

"I think it happened to all of us," Hannah put in, glancing around the room for confirmation. "What was that enchantment, Blaise?"

He shrugged. "It just had the power to suggest that you should find your secret, well, crush, for lack a better word, and to kiss them. Seems harmless enough. If you were strong minded enough, you wouldn't do it."

"That's hilarious." Ernie snickered into his drink as he watched Luna stand and dance around Draco's chair, slowly drawing the golden chains on her dress over his chest and neck. "Maybe I should have come back. Why don't we play a drinking game?"

"No." Daphne, Hermione, and Hannah all vetoed the suggestion.

Twenty minutes and a heated kiss later, Hermione closed her door behind her and Daphne. She sighed. "I'm tired of waiting, Daphne, but I don't feel right staying with him while we're here."

"Why have you been waiting?" Daphne, looking in her mirror while taking off her earrings, met Hermione's eyes. She turned around. "I mean, you've had opportunities, right? And you lived with two boys for months. And there was Krum. With everything you've said about Muggle society, it seems like you'd have taken a chance with one of them."

"Well, I know I lived with Ron and Harry, but it was both of them. And I wasn't going to have my first time be like that, you know? And Krum? I was a kid. And I wanted it to be special, you know?"

"I do. But you're so independent and smart and worldly. Sex - well, it just seems like something you'd have already tried."

"Yes, I'm all those things." She shrugged. "But I wasn't ready to take that step before. Now I am - I just don't want to take it here, at school. Do you know what I mean?"

Daphne nodded. "I get that. Do you think Harry understands?"

Hermione laughed out loud. "If there's one person on the planet who gets me, it's Harry Potter. Trust me, he understands."

Thanks for sticking with me, my beautiful readers! I hope you liked the chapter. If you did, let me know! We're coming to a close soon - I think we'll get to Ch. 25. :)