A/N: Morning everyone! How are you guys today? Hope your all good :) So here's chapter 17, I hope you like it. Please R&R but more importantly ENJOY!

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I sadly do not.

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One Unforgettable Year

Chapter 17: Halloween Ball Part II & Missing.

Info you need to know: "Talking".

Hermione walked to Draco and he smiled at her and offered her some punch. She shook her head and he grinned then got her some water he knew she wanted. She smiled her thanks and took a sip of the refreshing cool liquid. Draco smiled down at her and shook his head and took his own sip, but of the spiked punch.

"How was your dance with Weasley?" Draco asked after they were done with their drinks and took a seat at the table were Lavender, Ginny, Harry and Blaise were sitting around. Hermione sighed and shrugged.

"Alright, we talked. I told him to keep his distance from us so he could have some time to think and get his head straight." Hermione said and leaned back in her seat. Draco moved closer to her so he could put his arm around her shoulder. She smiled up at him and immediately relaxed.

"Did he agree to that?" Blaise asked, leaning back in his chair and he too hung one arm around his girl, though his was obviously Lavender not Hermione. Ginny and Harry had their hands intertwined under the table on Ginny's lap and Ginny's legs were lying on Harry's lap. Hermione shrugged again.

"I didn't give him time to answer, he said my name and before he could say anything else I told him goodbye." Hermione said, she sounded sad and Draco knew that it was hard for her to really let go of Ron like she had just done. After all, Ron had been a big part of her life for seven years, he knew it wasn't easy for her to suddenly let go of that. Draco squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and she sighed and leaned on his side. It didn't go unnoticed by the other members of the table but they decided (except Blaise seeing as he already knew) that it would be best to ask about it tomorrow. So they ignored it, for now.

"Goodbye? As in you're not going to speak to him anymore?" Ginny asked, quietly. Hermione nodded.

"He needs his space from us, so he doesn't keep on just fighting with us and only thinks about how much he hates Draco. If we stay away from him then he can mull things over in his mind. I just hope it means he'll eventually accept our friendship with Blaise and Draco." Hermione explained. The others weren't sure what would happen to Ron but they nodded. If Hermione wanted them to stay away from Ron then they would. Besides maybe if they kept their space they could go a day without an argument for once.

They just sat and talked for a while, there were loads of upbeat songs and Blaise and Lavender danced to a few of them. Ginny and Harry got up and joined the other two so now it was only Draco and Hermione. They were happy enough with that though, they could talk just the two of them.

Pansy was nearby and she glared at the secret couple. She wondered where her partner in crime had gone and she looked around The Great Hall and found him by the punch. Downing drink after drink, Pansy sighed and shook her head. The idiot was getting drunk. Pansy stormed over to him and swivelled him around like he had done to her earlier. Except she hadn't been drunk. Ron stumbled and almost fell to the floor which he found hilarious.

"Seriously, Weasel? Sober up. We have to think of a new plan." Pansy snapped in his ear. He just laughed at her and stumbled over to the closest seat. Pansy groaned but followed him and sat opposite him.

"What'ss the poiint?" he slurred. "If we break of their friendsshipp all its goingg to causse is them to be angryy at uss." Pansy sighed; obviously Hermione had talked him out of it somehow. She growled quietly and then sat next to Ron so she could whisper seductively in his ear.

"Listen, Weasley. If we don't do anything about their friendship then they'll begin to really like each other. Maybe even go out and if Draco makes Hermione fall for him then that's it for you big guy. Gone forever. Draco will become the man of her life and you'll just turn into the sad, old, forgotten ex-boyfriend. But we can stop all that Weasley, if we make them see they're not right for one another then we'll both be happy. They will too, in the long run." Pansy whispered into his ear, using all her charm that she had. Hopefully it was enough for Ron.

"I sstill rememmberr you're lasst pllan didn't briing themm appart att alll." Ron slurred. Pansy growled quietly so Ron wouldn't hear her then she smiled a sickly sweet smile at him.

"Yes, well if we work together then we can form a plan that will work." Ron sighed but looked at her for a moment then back at Hermione who was laughing at Draco and he was smiling at her.

"Fine. I'm in." Ron said and Pansy smirked once more. Now all they had to do was think of a plan to get rid of Hermione. Ron hadn't realised that Pansy planning on the ruining of Hermione and Draco meant that she was only targeting Hermione. He looked at Pansy smirking evilly and thought to himself: What have I gotten myself into?

~The Great Hall. 12.00am, 22nd October 2012~

Hermione watched as the last few students left The Great Hall. It was only the prefects left now and they were supposed to tidy up but decided that they would have one last dance. Draco who had been talking to Blaise over by the food table walked to Hermione and held out his hand. She smiled up at him and took his head. He pulled her up and they walked into the middle of the dance floor. Hermione placed her arms around Draco's neck and he placed his arms around her waist. For what was probably at least the tenth time that night they swayed to the music, in their own little world.

"Did you have a good night?" Draco said quietly to her as they swayed. She beamed up at him and nodded.

"Yes, it was amazing. Thank you, Draco." He chuckled and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"You're welcome. Thank you for wearing this dress." Draco said and she giggled. He leaned down slightly to whisper in her ear. "Next time, wear it just for me." Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes and Draco smiled and spun her around on the spot. The song was staring to fade and at the last beat Draco dipped her, their eyes locked and Hermione was impressed with his dancing skills, even if she had only gotten a small glimpse of them. Draco smirked at her but refrained from leaning down to kiss her, knowing that people were watching now.

Instead Draco gently lifted her back up but so that her body slid slightly against his. Her slightest of touches sending shivers down Draco and making him have Goosebumps. Hermione reacted the same way. During all of that their eyes never left each other and they just stared at one another, their insides tingling warmly. Draco had to admit (at least to himself) that he had honestly never felt this way before towards a girl. Hermione definitely did something to him that no-one else could. Truthfully, he liked it.

Hermione had to admit too (also just to herself) that when she was with Ron (or any over guy for that matter, i.e Viktor Krum) she never felt like she did now. Nervous and jittery yet confident and excited at the same time. The smallest of touches from Draco seemed to send shivers down her spine and his voice whispering seductively in her ear, even if was just her name, seemed to send Goosebumps all over. No, Ron had definitely not caused Hermione to feel like this before. No-one had. Except Draco. Hermione liked it that way.

Draco was the first to pull away from Hermione. He blinked and he was back to reality, he could feel other people's gazes on him and Hermione and he sighed and reluctantly let go of his girlfriend. She sighed too, even though she knew it had to happen. Didn't mean she liked it though. Draco and Hermione walked side to side back to their friends. Whom had been watching them with curious and suspicious expressions, except for Blaise who smirked knowingly. Hermione inwardly groaned knowing she would have to spill everything to Ginny, Lavender and Harry tomorrow. They said goodnight to their friends but Draco and Hermione left alone with one another.

"Mmm hmm, something's definitely going on between them." Ginny said as they watched Draco and Hermione walk off, not touching but still pretty damn close.

"We'll ask them about it tomorrow. It's late now, Gin. Time to go, preferably to sleep." Harry said tugging on her arm like a little kid did to its mother. Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Alright, we can go. See you two tomorrow!" Ginny called her goodbyes as her boyfriend dragged her away. Harry was tired but he still wanted to say goodnight to Ginny. On their own. Blaise chuckled as he watched his other friends walk away together he then looked at Lavender and held his hand out to her. She took it, wondering why he was offering it but not questioning it. She didn't mind after all.

"Come on, I'll walk you back to your room." Blaise said, Lavender smiled and nodded and Blaise took his girlfriend back to her common room, to bid goodnight.

Hermione and Draco reached their common room and entered it when it was empty. Everyone by now was asleep, save Harry who was saying goodnight to Ginny. Draco walked to Hermione's staircase which led to her room and they stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Draco leaned down and gave her a sweet kiss which she happily returned.

"Night, Hermione." Draco said, softly when they broke apart. Hermione smiled at him.

"Goodnight, Draco." Hermione replied, he gave her a goodnight kiss on her forehead then they both headed their separate ways.

~ Next morning. 22nd October 2012. 8.00am ~

Draco had slept with a smile on his face last night. The Ball had been a glorious night and Hermione had looked so beautiful and sexy in her little devil dress. Draco woke up to his cover being ripped off him and the cold morning air immediately hit his bare torso, arms and legs. Draco slept in only boxers so was cold pretty much everywhere when the warmth of the duvet was suddenly gone. He groaned and tried to curl up in a ball to get warm.

"What the hell. Give me back my duvet and five more minutes." Draco mumbled, sleepily. Half-awake because it was now so god damn cold but still too tired for his brain to be properly functioning.

"Stop whining, stupid child." Came the menacing reply. Draco's eyes widened at the familiar horrid voice and he was now fully awake. Nothing woke you up more than having your 'dear' father suddenly appear at your school. Draco shot up so he was sitting on his bed. He grabbed his wand on his bed side table and muttered a spell so that jeans were now on him. He left his torso bare not really bothered to dress up for 'dearest daddy'.

"What are you doing here, father?" Draco asked, trying to sound as if he wasn't bitter or scared. Or both. His father, Lucious Malfoy narrowed his eyes at him.

"I've heard some disturbing news about you, which you better hope is just a rumour." He snarled. Draco gulped; he figured he knew where this was going. He hoped that Hermione was with Potter right now and not on her own.

"What is the news, father?" Draco asked, quietly but emotionless. Though inside him he was raging with panic and worry, not for himself. He's faced his father's wrath countless times and could deal with it again but the worry and panic was for something he cared about most in the world. It was for Hermione.

"Apparently, you're going out with the Mudblood Hermione Granger." Lucious hissed. "You better hope for both your sakes, that it is just a rumour." He threatened then grabbed Draco. Pulled him out of the common room (no-one saw them because they had their backs to them and it was only Hannah Abbott downstairs) then continued dragging him until they were out of Hogwarts. Once they were out Lucious apparated far from them and Draco could only hope that his father would concentrate on punishing Draco and stay away from Hermione.

Draco knew that wasn't likely. His father would punish him with the thing that would hurt him most. If Lucious was as smart as he made out to be then he would know the one thing that would hurt Draco right down to the core of his soul. That was hurting Hermione. Draco prayed to Merlin that Lucious didn't realise that and that Hermione stayed with Harry all day or at least not on her own.

~ Prefect Girl's Bedroom ~

Hermione woke up to being nudged gently. She opened her eyes and saw Ginny's and Lavender's head over hers. She groaned knowing what they had come to ask her but she sat up and stretched. Knowing that she could no longer avoid the subject they were about to talk about.

"Morning, 'Mione." Ginny greeted and Hermione mumbled her 'morning' back still half-asleep, she rubbed her eyes trying to rub the sleepiness out of them. "Quick question, Hermione. What exactly is going on between you and Draco?" Ginny asked no longer being able to wait for the answer.

Hermione sighed, she muttered under her breathe about Draco not being here. She figured he was downstairs knowing exactly why Ginny and Lavender were up here and using the excuse that he couldn't go into the girls' room to avoid whatever reaction Ginny and Lavender were going to have. She muttered 'stupid, coward of a boyfriend' under her breathe and thankfully neither one of them heard.

"Draco and I, we're sort of going out." Hermione mumbled quickly and quietly hoping they wouldn't hear but they did. They squealed delightedly and hugged Hermione. They demanded to know every detail about them and Hermione told them everything from the day they got together to last night.

Hermione's ears practically burst as they squealed again once she was finished telling the story. She was gathered in a group hug once more and she was just glad they weren't mad that she had been keeping it from them for so long, though she had explained that it was dangerous for them to be together. Hermione smiled at her two best girlfriends and was happy that they finally knew.

But Hermione's happiness was short lived when the door burst open and Blaise and Harry stumbled in. Harry looked worried but Blaise looked pale, panic and worry clearly evident in his eyes. The girls turned to see the boys and they stopped hugging and squealing, all happiness suddenly gone. Hermione frowned, worriedly at her two best guy friends.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, quietly. Afraid of the answer.

"Draco's missing."

A/N: It's just one problem after another for Draco and Hermione isn't it? If it isn't Ron then it's Draco's insane pureblood father after them! Of course you guys know that Lucious has Draco but any guesses for where he's taken him? So review telling me your thoughts, please. Thanks :) Hope you liked this chappie!

Until next time - Tilda