Chapter 13

Hermione swept into the ballroom in a flurry of cream that it almost seemed pearl pink. She had half her hair up and masses of curls down around her face. Mildred artfully arranged baby's breath through her hair giving her a younger look. She pulled at her matching gloves with the heavy diamond bracelet hanging on her wrist. The ballroom was filled with every flower imaginable, filling the air with an almost over powering aroma. Candles covered every inch, lighting even the darkest of corners. The orchestra was on their stage warming up and tuning their instruments while Hermione went through the ballroom completing last minute tasks for the Marchioness.

The servants were hurrying about in their best livery giving last minute touch ups to flower arrangements or refreshments set to the side. They had an early dinner to honor The Marchioness leaving enough time for everyone to rest and get ready for the ball. Hermione was almost overwhelmed with the elegance of it all. She had been to many parties since being here, but this ballroom seemed more breath taking than any other she had seen.

She thought back to dinner and how Lady Victoria or the Earl of Canton had been present. Lady Victoria with the excuse of being indisposed; Canton having to take care of business that had come up from nowhere. In truth Hermione was more grateful for that moment than any other. She didn't want the hostile stares of Victoria or the uncomfortable feeling of Canton's eyes on her.

She stood in the middle of the ballroom spinning around slowly with her face up towards the ceiling. That's how Draco found her; with a soft smile gracing her lips, her cream skirts twisting around her. She looked more at peace than she had the whole time they'd been there. His heart tugged at the image. She looked stunning, carefree. If he could have commissioned a painting of her he'd do it without second thought.

The Orchestra started playing a warm up waltz and Draco went over to her. He grabbed her about the waist and drew her hand in his while she laid her hand on his shoulder. Magic was tingling so thickly in the air it was almost tangible. Draco led her about the empty ballroom under hundreds of dazzling candles. Her eyes were a liquid brown tonight; she stared unerringly into his eyes, the smile still hovering about her lips.

His arm tightened about her waist, pulling her closer than what was decent. Draco felt an electrical charge move through his body. Hermione's lips puckered slightly and he knew that she felt it, too. Her hand slid from his shoulder to brush lightly over the side of his neck. His hand caresses the side of her waist and hip he was holding. Around and around they went until Hermione was sure that they'd dance all night.

The orchestra ended their warm-up and still they stood together staring into each other's eyes. They heard clapping from the edge of the ballroom and the spell that had entranced was broken. Hermione slowly pulled away from Draco's grasp and dropped her hands down. She turned towards the small crowd that had gathered and blushed brightly. Draco gave a half smile and bowed to the crowd.

"What lovely dancing, dears!" cried one of the older matrons.

"Such a handsome couple." Came another voice.

Hermione turned towards Draco and gave a curtsy for show. "Thank you, sir, for the lovely dance."

She moved off to the side of the ballroom that everyone was at. She spoke quietly with the Marchioness. The servants started to move to their designated posts as The Marquess and Marchioness went to the front to form the receiving lines. Slowly the country gentry started to arrive as did many neighbors. The ball was not a crush by ton degree, but it was still a big size for the country.

Hermione and Draco were introduced to many witches and wizards that were hiding in the upper classes of society. She was so delighted to meet other people with their abilities she almost couldn't constrain herself. Draco held her hand in the crook of his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze every time she started getting overly excited.

Draco need not bother, they were enthralled with Hermione. She was "refreshing" as they so put it. He gave his head a shake. The upper class at home wouldn't find her so charming in her over exuberance. The Marchioness and Marquess took to the dance floor for the opening dances. Lord Hawkins came to Hermione to claim her hand.

Draco stood to the side speaking with the new people he had met, one being the Baron of Haverling. The man was stocky with greying hairs and mustache. He barely reached Draco's shoulders.

"So you say you found a book that has spells in it that are now banned in your time?" The man asked in a low deep voice.

Draco nodded. "That I have. You see, as I told you, I brought a piece for an old friend to look at and tell me what she thinks about it. Next thing we know we are here. I was trying to see if there was anything that could be of use to us."

"How peculiar, do you have this piece still?" He asked.

"Yes, sir, I do. It's up in my room with the book." Draco replied.

"I shall be staying at the Hog's Head in the village, quaint place, if you would let me look at it you can find me there tomorrow."

Draco bowed to the man. "Your help will be most wanted."

"Quite the lovely lady that you have there, best you keep her close before another one snags her; and I'm not just talking about this time period." The rascal old man winked at him.

The next set was beginning and Draco left to claim the Marchioness. He bowed low over her hand and led her to the floor. She smiled conspiratorially at him. "That was some dancing you did earlier, sir. You two look quite the romantic couple that you read in books."

Draco gave a low husky laugh. "Madam if you knew us from our school days you'd not think that any longer."

She gave him a knowing look. "Sometimes those days don't matter. It only matters how that person perceives you as you get older. I quite hated my husband when we were younger. His estate was next to my father's and he was my childhood bully while he was chummy with my brother."

"You couldn't tell that from now. You two are very well suited and quite obviously fond of one another." Draco twirled her about.

She laughed gaily. "Yes, yes we are. But I did not feel that way until I was older and he was back from Oxford. I could now not tell you what I would do without the man. As a child I wished him to the devil more than once."

Draco laughed again. "I'm glad that you found the happiness you deserve, ma'am, but not all of us are destined for that. Some of our pasts are too shrouded in darkness."

"Draco, dear, even those shrouded in darkness need the light." She curtsied to him as the set ended.

Draco led her back to her husband and bowed to the Marquess.

He grabbed a glass of champagne and moved out to the terrace looking at the stars. He never believed that he could be pulled back from the disgrace of the war. She was wrong, once shrouded in darkness you don't always deserve that hope and glimmer. Light was something that didn't come for you. He took a drink, relishing the bubbles on his tongue.

He closed his eyes and bent his head down. A small breeze wrestled with the trees bringing a familiar scent to his nose. The smell of lilacs made him turn up and look at Hermione.

"What can I do for you, madam?" he asked.

The tone of his voice caught her attention. He sounded worn down. She studied his face, his face was blank but his eyes told her a different story. They looked almost silver in the moonlight. She moved closer until she was just a breath away from him. He didn't dare move, least of all breathe. She stood up on her toes and brushed her lips lightly against his.

She couldn't say why she did it, but she saw the anguish in his eyes and did the only thing that seemed to make sense to her. She cupped the side of his face and looked intently up at his.

"You carry so much, Draco, learn to let it go." She said so softly he almost didn't hear. He watched her turn and leave thinking maybe it was all a dream.

Hermione didn't know what drew her outside or compelled to kiss Draco. She just knew that it didn't feel wrong. That's what scared her most of all. Things with him were starting to feel like they were right. Her sense of right and wrong must be getting jumbled. Something powerful had drawn her out there, like a voice calling.

Hermione and Draco didn't see each other for the remainder of the ball. Since it was a country party it ended earlier than one in the ton. People started to trickle out around midnight. As the crowd started to dwindle Hermione slipped out of the ballroom and up to her bedroom.

She had told Mildred not to wait up for her. She shed her ballroom gown and slipped a robe on. She sat at the vanity and pulled the baby's breath from her hair, slowly letting the thick masses of her curls fall down around her face. She looked different from the first day they were here until now. She had somehow matured in a way she didn't know.

She also felt more relaxed than she had been in years. Even the worries of trying to get back home didn't feel as bad as those as before. She was finally not the odd man out here. Harry and Ron were both happy with their significant others and she was left as the tag along. She didn't have the stresses of work tagging along with her all the way home. She didn't have reporters snooping around her house. She could breathe. She picked up her book from the bookstore she had gotten earlier and relaxed in an armchair in front of her fire.

Draco was just getting back to his room. He removed the cravat from around his neck and took off his jacket. His vest followed next. He didn't bother to change out of his breeches or shirt sleeves. He picked up the book he was telling the Baron of Haverling about. He opened to the faded page he had been studying for days now. He hadn't told Hermione about his findings yet. Getting home looked bleaker than normal.

He traced his fingertips over the swirling letters in front of him.

Love's Song

"Two hearts beat together

Two souls entwine

Two who need the other

They soon become one"

He sighed and closed the crumbling tome.

That night two figures met out among the arbors of Abernathy. A tall cloaked figure waited rather impatiently for his co-conspirator. He didn't like to be kept waiting. He studied the clear sky with all the bright stars. Funny he never noticed them before, but he wasn't given to poetic thoughts. He heard a rustle beyond the trees.

A slight figure appeared in a red cloak moving towards him determinedly. The figure through back the hood of the cloak.

"You kept me waiting," the man said surly.

The slight figure shrugged. "'Tis not always easy to sneak away, you wouldn't know being a man."

"Do not let it happen again." He growled.

She lifted a delicately curved brow. "Or what? I'm essential to your new plans so you had best learn when to curb that tongue of yours. Unlike your precious Sofia I am a woman who has no problem with retribution."

The man gave a slow smile. "Which makes you all the more alluring to me."

The woman gave a knowing smile. "Why is it you demanded I meet you out here?

His eyes travelled over her body hidden by the cloak, but he already knew the body well. "Victoria, my love, you know why I called you out here. We mustn't let that damned wedding proceed. I thought you said you firmly had the Duke in hand."

The look she gave him was poisonous. "I did until that meddling woman got in my way. But never fear, I plan on getting what I want."

"Keep acting the way you are and you'll miss out."

"Tell me, Canton, how did you win the fair Sophia's hand? Oh, but you didn't" She said.

Canton grabbed Lady Victoria roughly to him and brought his lips down hard on hers. He felt his desire rise like it always did when he was with her. The woman was just as wonderfully devious as him. His hand travelled to the underside of her breast to cup it.

"Just do as you're told," he said harshly.

Lady Victoria pressed teasingly into his hand. "I cannot do it if you cannot win Lady Sophia back, so do not think to start putting all the blame where it is not due, sir, for you are not as nearly as cunning as you wish to think you are."

He crushed his lips back against hers stopping whatever words were about to flow forth. She became languid in his arms and he pushed her up against the bark of a tree. He had promised himself he wouldn't sell his soul to the devil that night, but the woman was always too tempting by half.

Sorry for taking so long to update, my internet was acting up and then I had prior engagements I had to attend to. Enjoy this chapter! I have a lot of things planned. For one, Harry's appearance in the story.