"Please use the crutches Hermione. Just for two days. You wouldn't even be in this situation if you looked where you were going." Harry tried to reason with Hermione as she hobbled into her common room on the crutches, "Fine Harry! I will use them. And he wasn't looking where he was going either..." Her crutch slipped and she fell, Harry catching her last second. "Draco! Will you keep your bloody socks in your own room!" She shouted at the Slytherin behind the Gryffindor duo. "Would you like me to retrieve them from your room?" He replied cockily. Harry stopped, "You guys didn't?!" He asked sceptically, staring at the two. "No we didn't." Hermione said firmly. "Only because I pulled back..." Draco smirked and walked into his room.

"Hermione, what does he mean?" Harry asked, confused. "It was after everyone left. I was really drunk - so drunk that I can't remember half the night - and I may have tried it on with Draco..." Harry stood there mouth agape, before laughing. "I warned him... I warned him not to get you drunk! I can't believe it. I've got to tell Ginny and Ro-" Hermione cut him of, "No. You know Ginny doesn't like him. And Ron still hates him. You can't tell them. I'll see you at dinner okay?" She said before hobbling off to her own room. She opened her diary to see that she had missed a message.

Hermione, are you there?
Yeh mystery Slytherin. It's no fair that you know my name, but I don't know yours
Get over it :) What's your favourite colour?Red, why?
Because that's the colour we'll wear to the Christmas ball.
Only a week left. Who are you going with?
You...
Unless you're Theodore Nott, You're Nott.
Punny. And no I'm Not Nott.
If you're Not Nott then who are you?
Why are you going with Nott?
Why are you deflecting?
Because I'm not telling you who I am.
Apparently I agreed to go with him last night. But I honestly have no recollection of that night. Apart from one event.
Who were you going to go with?
A Slytherin.
I'm a Slytherin...
Maybe.. If I had known who you were...
You've never spoken to Nott before have you?
No, Which is odd...
That's what I thought... He's definately up to something. Stay away from him.
I need to know who you are before I trust you. For all I know, you're just jealous.
Maybe. But it does seem highly suspicious. The Hogsmeade trip is five days.I want you to meet me at the Leaky Cauldron, An hour into the trip so you've already got your dress.
In red?
Of course.
What's your favourite colour? Green? Silver?
Red. Snap.
We're going to be late for dinner. Draco usually reminds me of the time.
Draco? As in Malfoy?
Yes, he's actually really sweet when you get to know him.
Is he the Slytherin you were planning on asking?
Hermione pondered the question for a minute. Two names swimming around her head. Blaise, Draco, Bliase, Draco, Blaise.
Yes.
How can I compete?
Who knows, maybe I'll like you better. I don't know every Slytherin.
How much do you like Draco?
I kissed him.
See you at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Draco we're going to miss dinner!" Hermione shouted from outside his door. "Okay coming." He shouted back, as he tightened his tie. "How do I look?" He asked, smiling charmingly, "Dashing, now let's go." Hermione replied pulling him out the portrait. "Will you go to the ball with me Hermione? Instead of Theo?" Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, "Then who will his sister go with?" Draco looked confused, "What do you mean?" She looked at his face, looking for a sign that he was lying. There was none, "apparently, according to Theo, you're going with his sister." Anger flickered across his face and he began to storm off, fists clenched, clearly searching for Nott, when he felt Hermione's hand on his. "Don't. It's not worth getting into trouble over." He unclenched his hand, so he was now holding hers, "you're right." He said as he walked her to the hall.

Draco sat beside Hermione and Ginny on the Gryffindor table, Harry sat on the other side of her, and Ron sat opposite. "Did you retrieve your socks?" Harry asked Draco smirking, "Not yet. Might do tomorrow morning when I wake up on the bed next to them." Hermione saw what he was hinting at, "Oh really? That's highly doubtful." Ginny and Ron just looked on confused. "What if I collect them later tonight?" Draco asked, his face so close to her's she could feel his breath on her cheek. "In your dreams." She laughed. "Trust me, I know." He winked. "What is going on?!" Ron asked, mad that he couldn't follow the conversation. "Nothing much Weasley, just discussing how much Hermione wants me in her bed." Hermione shook her head disapprovingly, "Do you have to be so crude?" Draco smirked, "You and I both know you fancy me." Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Do I now?" Harry jumped in, trying to diffuse the situation "Does it really matter?" Draco smiled, ignoring Harry, "Yes, you do." Hermione frowned, "And what makes you think that?" Draco shot her an evil look, "Because you're going to kiss me. Right here. In front of all your house mates." She laughed, "And why would I do that Draco?" He stopped smiling and leaned close casually. "Because if you don't, I'm going to tell them what you tried to do last night..." He whispered, "So what'll it be?" Hermione looked at her table, scanning the faces of her friends. More importantly Ginny and Ron. They looked on pleadingly. "I'm going to kiss you."

Draco stood up coughing loudly to grab the attention of the hall. "Attention. Attention. Hermione something Granger is about to kiss me. So watch it and weep Theo! You too Blaise, I win." He shouted smugly. Hermione stood up confidently, walked to the centre of the room - where he was now standing - grabbed his hand and kissed it, before walking back to her seat. The room - particularly the Slytherin table burst out laughing, as he walked back to the Gryffindor table, head hung in shame and embarrassment.

"Why would you do that?" Draco asked, blushing. Hermione smiled, "You tried to trick me into kissing you remember?" He looked down, "I honestly thought you liked me..." He trailed off. She leaned in close, and whispered in his ear. "I do." She stood up and left the hall.