A/N: Sorry for late update. I've been really busy with organizing my schedule for school and packing to move houses. Not only that, I've been having writers block. I really had no clue what to write. I'm sorry if you find a lot of mistakes in this chapter. I really got to stop writing late at night. x_x''

Chapter 8: This Time Around

D r a c o M a l f o y

"Wow…" Goyle mumbled, sweat dripping from his forehead. "She's beautiful…"

Half of the room stared in awe surprised to see the brightest student in Hogwarts being able to turn all heads towards her tonight.

"I never knew she could dress up so well…" Zabini agreed dropping a scone to the floor.

Draco wasn't interested in Goyle's comment, until Zabini obviously agreed. Goyle and Zabini's taste in girls were way different from each other. He couldn't help, but wonder who caught their attention.

Draco turned his head dropping his glass of punch onto the floor, his jaw also falling in the direction of the shattered pieces.

There she was. Hermione Granger. Draco took a gulp noticing every detail from her face to her figure. He noticed her hair; it didn't look dull like it usually did. It looked extra shiny and luscious under the lighting. It was held up perfectly, not a strand sticking out. Each curl was flawless as it cascaded down her shoulder. He took a step forward watching her walk down the stairs. For the first time in his life he'd actually come to notice the figure of her body in that pink silky dress. Her feminine curves and cleavage being shown from that v neck dress made a desire creep up his spine. He wasn't feeling a sense of lust for her. He simply wanted to walk up to her and tell her how beautiful she looked tonight. At the same time he felt jealous. Half the boys in the room were staring at her just the same way he did, and to make matters worse, Viktor Krum was all hers tonight. Now he didn't want to tell her about how attractive she looked to him, he wanted to tell her to put on her robes and that such outfits should only be worn in front of him. Most of all, he wanted to tell her that she was supposed to be his.

"Jealous?" Zabini teased behind him. "According to our dare, that's supposed to be you up there. My sister has been dying to meet you too you know. Don't make her wait too long."

Draco snapped out of his trance sitting down at his designated table realizing that Hermione was just a dare. Nothing more than a dare… He looked up taking a quick glance at Hermione as she took Viktor's hand in hers. He stared at her lips as they curved its way into that smile. That smile that Draco simply admired since the first time she smiled at him in the library. He started to think about her lips and instantly started to remember the taste of the Liquorice Wand. Draco licked his lips remembering how her hair was incredibly soft, her cheeks being insanely smooth, but most importantly how her lips fit perfectly with his. He felt himself blushing remembering her eyes…

"Are you falling in love with her?" Zabini smirked making Draco instantly remember that Zabini was trying to talk to him.

"No!" he stammered, his cheeks flushing. "I was thinking of way how to get rid of Viktor Krum…"

"Oh really now?" Zabini raised his eyebrow. "You were just blushing a few seconds ago."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were." Crabbe interrupted proving Zabini's point right.

"See. I have witnesses." Zabini laughed. "Wait… Were you having a dirty thought?" Zabini laughed louder.

"NO I WASN'T!" Draco protested standing up from his seat punching the table. A few people around them turned to see what the commotion was.

"Relax… I was just messing with you." Zabini stopped laughing. "I always mess with you; you can't be getting mad now…"

Draco sat back in his seat feeling a bit embarrassed. He wasn't mad because Zabini would always tease him. He was mad because Hermione was just a dare. He kept telling himself that she was just a dare ever since they kissed, and that he should keep his eye on the prize. Right now he wasn't so sure. As the days passed by, he started to forget that Zabini even had a sister. He kissed other girls before, but for some strange reason this one felt different to him…

For the whole night, his eyes always magically made its way onto finding Hermione amidst the crowd of students and faculty members. Along with her, he'd see Viktor Krum being attached to her right arm. He noticed that Hermione's eyes have never left Viktor Krum's for more than a minute. It angered Draco that all she saw was Krum. Even when they waltzed together, Draco felt like he could do better. At least Zabini wasn't here to tease him anymore. He was too busy having fun dancing with the others.

Draco never left a table ever since he entered the room, except for when everyone went up to dance of course. He decided to sit in the darkest corner of the room during that time.

"You seem to be quite bored sitting here all alone." Pansy Parkinson said taking a seat beside him. "It's usually you up there."

"What do you want Pansy?" Draco gritted through his teeth. "I'm not in the mood to play games with you."

"Awes. You're way hotter when you're mad." Pansy gave him a wink.

Draco rolled his eyes again. "What do you want?" he repeated.

"It seems to me that the only reason the magnificent Draco Malfoy isn't up there having a good time, is because Hermione Granger is dancing with the one and only Viktor Krum."

"So…?" Draco clenched through his teeth wondering how Pansy would know so much.

"You must be disappointed because she's your key to complete the dare."

"What's your point?" Draco asked watching her stare at her fingernails.

"Let's make a deal."

Draco's eyebrows rose up questioning her words.

"I can help you win Hermione on one condition…"

"What?"

"When you finally win Zabini's sister, I get to humiliate Hermione so bad that she's not just heartbroken. She wishes she never entered this school." Pansy smirked. "I know this is something you'd like to do to finally get rid of that disgusting mudblood."

H e r m i o n e G r a n g e r

Hermione laughed along with Viktor Krum on the dance floor as he took her hand in his to give her a twirl. She never felt so calm in her life ever since they came back to attend their 4th year at Hogwarts. She felt that meeting Viktor Krum was one of the best things that happened to her. He was such a good friend to her, and gave her so much advice on how to deal with her Draco situation.

Hermione laughed a little harder feeling dizzy from all the twirls. Viktor let go of her hands letting her fall into his arms. She looked at him giving him a smile. "Thank you, but no more twirls please. I'm going to feel queasy."

"Sorry." He replied. "I thought you liked them."

"I do. Maybe not ten in a row though."

The two laughed more dancing beside each other.

Ginny finally came along pulling Hermione out of the crowd. "Sorry Viktor!" she yelled. "It's really important girl stuff!"

"It's alright!" he yelled back too busy feeling the groove of the music.

"Hermione…" she said a serious look on her face.

"What? You said it was okay for me to go with Viktor to the Ball. You said that it would be a good thing for the plan."

"Yes I know." Ginny smiled. "I just wanted to inform you that I think its working!"

"What is?"

"Draco isn't even socializing with any of the girls around here. I think he's jealous."

Hermione felt her heart skip a beat, the speed slowly increasing.

"Parvati even saw Pansy trying to talk to him a few minutes ago. She said Draco left the room almost punching her in the face." Ginny continued. "I really think that the plan is working well!"

Hermione stared at Ginny's excitement sensing that she had something up her sleeve. "What do you want me to do?"

"Go after him."

"What? Why? What about Viktor?"

"We need to make sure that he actually likes you. Parvati and I will dance with him telling him that you had to go to the ladies room."

Hermione roamed the hallways looking around each corner of the corridors. "Draco? Draco? Draaaaaaaaco?"

She tiptoed on her high heels walking through each hallway realizing that she wasn't near the dance room anymore. The things she'd do to keep her friends happy. She walked over to The West Wing exiting the building to get some fresh air. She took another step forward until someone grabbed her by her waist pulling her towards the wall.

Hermione turned around seeing that it was Draco. "I told you to never do that again!" she whispered loudly hitting his arm.

"No one's here." He said laughing. "No need to whisper. They are all at the Yule Ball."

"Why aren't you there?"

"I can ask you the same thing."

"I never saw you on the dance floor at all… and well I saw you being angered by Pansy. I got worried." Hermione answered half-heartedly. It wasn't exactly the right answer, but it was close enough. "Now answer my question."

"Blaine and Pansy have been getting on my nerves all night." He shrugged.

"Ahh I see… being punished by your own Slytherin mates…"

"So… you were worried for me?" Draco poked her side, a look of hope on his face.

Hermione's worries have all been put on him ever since she's been noticing that Ginny's plan was actually working. She would catch Draco staring at her all the time during class, and he wasn't exactly paying attention all the time. As much as she wanted to hurt him in the beginning, now she didn't want to hurt him at all. She was pretty much doing this to make her friends happy, especially Lavender.

"I've been worried for a while…" she whispered. "You've been slacking off in class… You've been getting in trouble a lot for not paying attention… You've lost like 50 points for your house."

Hermione's eyes widened just noticing that she accidentally said her inside thoughts out loud.

"Wow Granger… I never knew you cared so much…" Draco smirked leaning in to kiss her cheek. "I was worried about you too…"

"Why?" Hermione asked looking away. She felt her cheeks turning red now.

"…Because Pansy's after you. I mean I almost hit her back at the Ball because she told me she wanted to ruin your life."

"I order you to protect me then." Hermione looked up to give him a smile. "If you fail to do so, you must sing to me in front of the whole school while wearing a unicorn costume."

Draco laughed. "Alrights… Deal, but if I succeed by the end of the year, you must spend two weeks at my Manor as my personal maid."

Hermione was just joking around and didn't think that he would take this bet seriously. Every time she was with him, Hermione found herself forgetting about the expectations her friends had from her, and always had fun joking around with him. She wanted him to win, if it involved her getting to be with Draco for another extra two weeks after the school year ends. Hermione leaned in giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Deal."