No, I do not own Harry Potter...or Draco Malfoy. One can dream though, right?

"Hey Mione?" asked Harry seriously after a rather grotesque dinner, "can we talk?"

"Sure," she replied, stepping off to the side of the corridor. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if-" he paused, "-if I should ask Ginny to the ball. Do you think she would say yes?"

"Oh, what's this? Is someone afraid of rejection?"

"You have no idea," mumbled Harry, running his fingers through his raven hair, and Hermione had to smile. "Seriously Mione, would she accept? You have to know. You two tell each other everything."

Not everything.

"Well," she said, her tone rather pushy, "I would never tell Gin's secrets. The only way to really know would be to ask her, right Harry? But really, I can't believe you would ask something like that of me." Harry, catching on immediately, sighed in relief. "Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

Harry paused before answering.

"Actually," he said, "I was wondering about you. Are you alright Mione? You don't look well." Hermione laughed lightly as if to reassure him.

"Of course Harry, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. You just seem so…distant. You fall asleep in classes, and you always look so tired. Its gotten better lately, but you don't seem to be yourself. Its worrying me."

"No, I'm fine Harry. Just stressing over exams, you know?" Harry looked strangely at her, deciding what he should believe.

"Mione, those are months away!" he exclaimed. Hermione was relieved that he had decided to believe her.

"You know me Harry, always stressing over exams," replied Hermione with a shrug.

"And essays, don't forget about the essays," added Harry; they began to walk again.

"Oh please Harry, don't continue with this particular subject, it's embarrassing." Harry of course, being the good friend that he is, paid no heed to her plea and continued his list, Hermione's health aside for the moment.

Not long after she had separated from Harry, Hermione, upon turning the corner to the head's dorms, came face to face with none other than Ronald Weasley. He looked nervous, and Hermione dreaded what she was nearly positive that he would say.

"Hey Ron, what's up?"

"Hey, I've been looking for you." He ran his fingers through his hair, it was the same nervous gesture that Harry had. "I have something to ask you." Hermione indicated for him to continue.

"I was wondering if you would like to go to the masquerade ball with me?" Hermione let out the breath of air that she had been holding in and hoped that Ron would accept her answer gracefully.

"I'm sorry Ron, but I've already accepted another offer." Ron openly gaped at her.

"But it was just announced today!" he exclaimed to Hermione, who now found the floor a rather interesting topic. "Well," he said, attempting to hide his disappointment, "I guess I'll just have to get to you sooner next time."

"I'm really sorry Ron." He laughed.

"Well, you can't just take back your answer to the other guy, now can you?" Hermione didn't miss the hopeful question in his voice, though she pretended that she did.

"That would be rather wretched of me, wouldn't it?" She offered him a weak smile and turned away from him, slowly walking away.

Draco walked into the head dorms and let his bag fall from his shoulder to the floor with a loud thud beside the couch. He saw Hermione working, no doubt on an essay that wouldn't be due for quite some time, at her desk and he went to her. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek.

"Hello, beautiful," he murmured, Hermione leaning into his touch. "You look positively stunning this evening. I'm so lucky to have you."

"Hello, handsome," she replied. "And to what do I owe this pleasure?" Her tone was suspicious.

"Oh? I can't compliment my beautiful, perfect girlfriend without being suspected of something?"

"Oh, you could. This time you laid it on a little thick though. What is it that you want?"

"What are you planning with Ginny?" he asked innocently.

"And what makes you think we're planning anything at all?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps it's the way the two of you have been sneaking around, whispering over some book during meals. Or maybe, just maybe, it might have to do with the way she dragged you off the other night, declaring that the two of you had plans to make." H e looked at her expectantly, though Hermione was not going to crumble so easily.

"I don't think I want to tell you."

"Please?"

"Oh, now what would all those Slytherins say if they saw their mighty Draco Malfoy begging?"

"They'd say 'Oh please, mighty Draco Malfoy, allow us to trade places with you, if only for awhile'."

"Oh?"

"Most certainly, once they realized that I was begging the most beautiful girl in all the world."

"Oh, if only it were up to me," she mused. "But alas, Ginny would no doubt cause me bodily harm should I tell you what it is that we're planning." As if on cue, they heard a knock on the door, and Hermione, knowing that it was Ginny, went to let her friend in.

"Hermione, I've got the last preparations," she said the moment she saw her friend. However, when she saw Draco, she caught Hermione's hand and pulled her into her own room, closing the door behind them.

"Alright Mi," she said, pulling out the catalog that Hermione had grown so accustomed to seeing, "what colour?" Hermione pointed the colour that she liked best and Ginny abruptly shook her head with an explanation that the colour wouldn't look right on her.

"What about this one?" Ginny pointed and Hermione considered it, imagining the colour on her, and nodded her approval.

"I like it," she decided aloud.

"Alright then," said Ginny, going to the door and peeking out of it. "You don't happen to have a quill and ink in here, do you?" Hermione shook her head.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do," decided Ginny. "You distract that super hot boyfriend of yours, and I'll order the dress when he isn't looking. We've got to get that order form in today!" Hermione tilted her head and tried to make sense of Ginny's words until she decided that there was no logic to them.

"Or, I could just go out and grab a quill and ink. I assure you, he wont see the catalog that I'm not bringing with me." Hermione's suggestion received a shrug from Ginny, who didn't think that it was exciting enough.

Hermione stood and left the room, going to her desk. Draco, of course, was still there.

"Still plotting?"

"Voodoo," replied Hermione, her tone suggested truth. "We're nearly finished."

"Oh?"

"Yes, and spell cards too. We just needed the ink and quill. Otherwise, we couldn't curse you properly."

"I see, have fun," he called out as she closed the door to her room.

"Okay Gin, I've got it. Lets finish this." Hermione knelt beside her friend so that she could see the catalog clearly.

"You have to fill out here," she indicated with her finger, "here and here." Hermione nodded, dipped her quill and began filling out the required fields; the colour, style and size.

"Now, your dress should be here any minute so you can try it on," said Ginny. "If it doesn't fit you properly, we can send it back for alterations.

As if it were waiting for those words, the dress that Hermione had ordered suddenly appeared on her bed. She went to it and picked it up to show Ginny, who indicated for her to put it on, which Hermione hurried to do.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, Ginny gasped, positively beaming.

"Mione, when he sees you, he'll be speechless."

A/N: I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. It's been a crazy couple of weeks at school since college has suddenly decided to start to matter. I'll try to update more often, I promise! So drop me a review letting me know what you think? I hope you enjoyed this chapter:)