I own nothing but the plot.
The night of the Halloween Ball came quickly with a flurry of excitement. Teachers didn't bother attempting to teach and students-well, they weren't exactly the most attentive students that the school had seen. Classes had been shortened so that students could prepare, and Ginny and Hermione were hurrying to do just that.
"Hey Gin?" asked Hermione as she applied a small amount of makeup. "Can you lace this? I can't reach."
"Only if you charm my mask like you did yours," replied Ginny. She went to Hermione and laced the back of her gown. "Do you think Harry will like my costume?"
Hermione stared at her blankly. Was this the same person who was constantly telling her that she needed to have more self-confidence?
Ginny had dressed as a vampire. She wore a slim red dress with a slit that stopped about 6 inches from her hips. Her shoes, which Hermione thought were much too dangerous to even walk in, let alone dancing, were high heels of shiny black. Elbow length black gloves adorned her arms. Her hair was in a messy bun and her mask, which Hermione would soon charm to stay on without aid, was red with black lace around the edges.
"He'll love it Gin," replied Hermione as she checked her own appearance in the full-length mirror opposite from her.
Hermione had dressed in a ball gown in the style of the romantic era. Her gown was a powder blue of silk with white trimmings along the edges. It was a semi-low-cut dress with white lace along the square neckline and it was laced up the back with thick blue ribbon. The bodice had an intricate design sewn in that was just barely shades darker than the rest of the gown.
She too, wore elbow length gloves of white; a single strand of pearls adorned her neck, matching tear-shaped earrings that dangled from her ears. Her mask, which was also charmed to stay on without aid, was a shimmering white with soft blue lace along its edges. Her hair fell in soft, delicate ringlets along her back and shoulders, a gold barrette holding the curls from her face.
"Are you ready Gin?"
"Yeah, hold on a bit though," replied the redhead. "I'm going down before you so that I can announce you to your dashing date."
"Do we have to?"
"Yes." Ginny's tone provided no room for argument and she left the room to where Draco was waiting.
His costume was so perfect that it was comical. He had dressed in a Victorian suit of black. Atop his head sat a black top hat and the shirt under his suit jacket, as well as his mask, was the same shade of ice blue as his eyes, not to mention Hermione's dress.
"Is Hermione ready yet?" he asked politely. Ginny grinned at how eager he was to see his girlfriend.
"She'll come down when I call her," replied Ginny. "Are you ready Mr. Malfoy?" He rolled his eyes and nodded. Ginny called up to Hermione, claiming that the prince was in the castle. Draco shook his head in embarrassment, but laughed nonetheless.
His laughing abruptly stopped though, when he saw Hermione. His breath caught at the sight of her as his eyes traveled over her form. She was beautiful.
Hermione, now on level ground, walked to Draco, who offered his hand to her in a daze. She took it and he led her closer to him.
"You look beautiful," said Draco, bringing her hand to his lips. Hermione blushed and thanked him.
"You look rather handsome yourself Mr. Malfoy," she replied with a smile.
"Okay," interrupted Ginny. "As much fun it is to stand here and watch the two of you gawk at each other, I think I hear a certain Harry Potter at the door. I'll go and let him in. then you can make introductions."
Ginny walked-much to Hermione's surprise-to the portrait and let her date in. Harry's eyes traveled along Ginny's form, taking note of the form-fitting dress that she wore, and he quickly complimented her. He saw Hermione standing behind Ginny and he went to her.
"Wow Mione," he said, "you look great! And that dress! It looks wonderful on you!"
"Thanks Harry, you look really good too," she replied; Harry had dressed as a knight. "This is my date." She indicated to Draco, Harry's eyes narrowing for the briefest moment in suspicion before he spoke.
"You're lucky to have her," he said. He then turned his attention back to Ginny, who had suggested that they get going. Harry opened the door and held it for them. When Draco went to pass though, harry stopped him.
"I meant it," he said, his voice low. "You're lucky to have her. Don't do anything to ruin your chances with her. If you hurt her, I wont forgive you." Draco merely nodded in acceptance and motioned that they should get going.
In the corridor, on the way to the great hall, they met Ron, who had dressed as a pirate, and his date, Lavander, who was an angel. They exchanged greetings and compliments and Lavender gave Hermione an approving smile in her choice of men.
They entered the transformed great hall and Hermione decided that she was right to leave the decorating to the prefects, for they had done a wonderful job. It was decorated in oranges and blacks, and the ceiling was charmed to show a cloudy full moon, bats flying about.
The music was loud, but not so loud that it restricted conversation. There was a table of refreshments along the wall and round tables spaced nicely, black cloth draped over them.
They decided to dance, and they continued to do so nearly all night. When the slow songs began, Hermione and Draco stayed on the dance floor, as well as Harry and Ginny. Lavander had left Ron at the refreshment table in order to have fun since he hadn't danced through a single song all night.
As beautiful as Hermione was, nobody asked Draco to cut in. everyone was able to tell that she was completely spoken for. As for Ginny, everyone knew who was behind her date's mask, and nobody had any great desire to ask the famous Harry Potter if they could steal his date away, if even for a dance.
Hermione placed her arms upon Draco's shoulders, her hands clasped at the back of his neck, and he laced his fingers around her waist. They silently swayed to the soft music and Hermione rested her head on his shoulder.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Harry and Ginny kiss, and she was happy that they had each found the happiness that they both deserved.
Draco kissed the top of her head gently and sople softly. "I love you Hermione," he murmured. "I love you so much."
Hermione hugged him, looked into his pale blue eyes and said, "I love you too Draco." He leaned in and kissed her softly, pulling her closer to him. He felt an emptiness inside at the knowledge that the first and only woman that he had ever loved was going to die at the end of the year. He hugged her closer to him.
"Draco? Are you alright?" Her voice was laden with concern.
"I don't want to lose you Hermione," he said quietly, his grief poorly hidden in his words. "I don't want you to go." Hermione laced her fingers through his soft hair and gently brought his lips to hers and drew back, gazing into his sorrowful eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere yet," she said firmly. "I'm going to stay here, with you, for as long as I can. I'm going to fight this as hard as I can Draco."
"And I'll stay beside you," was his instant reply. "I will stay with you and protect you for as long as you're with me."
"It's a promise then," said Hermione with a smile.
"Lets seal it with a kiss." His tone was less serious than before, a grin playing at his lips.
"My, aren't you greedy tonight," said Hermione, complying readily enough.
As the Halloween Ball came to an end, Hermione bid her friends farewell and Draco escorted her back to their rooms, where they changed into more comfortable clothing.
They then met back in the common room where Hermione led Draco outside to the brisk air and shimmering stars of the balcony.
Draco leaned over Hermione, his hands rested on the stone rail, chin nuzzled between her shoulder and neck. She let out a soft sigh of contentment.
"This feels nice," she mumbled through fatigue, "the air I mean. It's nice out here."
"Yeah," came his reply. She allowed her eyes to drift closed as Draco wrapped her in his warm arms. Her cares faded away as they always seemed to do when she was with him, and then her knees gave out and she collapsed into his arms.
A/N: Heh, an evil cliffy for you all. Thank you so much for the reviews, keep it up! I'll give chocolate frogs to everyone that drops me a lovely review. I swear, they shine with splendor in a theoretical trophy case in my mind.