"You're not serious!" hollered Ron the second Hermione told him she was going to the Ball with Draco.

"Shhhh," shushed Harry. "She seems serious. Although, I must admit, Hermione, it's really odd that you---"

"He saved my skin with Blaise, okay?" snapped Hermione, "When you two didn't move a finger! You know about my past with Blaise and yet you didn't do anything to stop him accosting me!"

"He wasn't doing anything except asking you to the dance," retorted Ron furiously.

"What is Malfoy's game?" asked Harry, trying desperately to keep there from being bloodshed. "I mean, why is he suddenly nice and.....Gryffindorish?"

"Gryffindorish isn't a word, Harry." Hermione said.

Harry chuckled, "I don't care. You know what I mean. Why is he suddenly so likable?"

Hermione shrugged. "He said he was doing it to repay me for pretending to date him for that one day."

"But didn't he cover for you with Snape for that?" Ron reminded her. "And by the way, thanks for telling your friends about it right off." Hermione had only just told them that it had been a deal.

Hermione waved her hand around impatiently, "That's beside the point."

"Not really," muttered Ron.

"ANYWAY," shouted Harry, glancing around the busy common room. Some people were watching them with great interest, others had actual things to do. "You didn't have to say yes."

"Maybe I wanted to say yes," said Hermione quietly. "I've had a hard....year...lately and aren't I entitled to some fun?"

"With Malfoy?" Ron scoffed, "That's bloody likely."

"Ron! Shut up, all right!" Hermione sighed as loudly as she'd yelled. She sank back into her chair, letting herself calm down. Her thoughts were swirling around in her head like a tornado and a headache was creeping up on her.

"Lavender!" She yelled across the common room. Lavender stopped what she was doing (gossiping with Parvati) and looked at Hermione.

"What?" She asked, her hands on her hips.

"Do you have any more Trilinal's Magic Ache Remover pills?"

Lavender nodded, "Yeah, up in my room. I'll go get you a couple."

Hermione yelled thanks at Lavender's retreating back. Then she sighed and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," said Ron, shaking his head.

"It's okay, forget it."

"No, I've been a complete prat to you since we broke up. Seriously. I'm sorry."

Hermione opened her eyes and looked at Ron. "Thanks. Apology accepted." She smiled at him.

"So, Ron, did you get a date yet?" Harry asked his red haired friend.

Ron sighed very loudly and collapsed into his chair, messaging his head. "I need some Trilinal's Magic Ache Remover pills."

Hermione giggled, "They're mostly used for cramps, but by all means, I'll ask Lavender to get you some."

Ron sat up, "Erm, no thanks." Pause as Ron jumps up from his chair, "Look! I'm all cured!"

"Just like that," said Hermione sarcastically.

"I don't have a date yet." Ron said directly to Harry. "Do you?"

Harry shrugged. "I was thinking about asking....Lavender."

Hermione threw a hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles. Harry didn't know what was so funny but he realized it when Ron burst into a loud fit of booming laughter.

Lavender was standing behind Harry, holding out pills and a glass of water to Hermione. She looked like Christmas had come early. "I'd love to, Harry!" she squealed.

Harry smiled up at her as Hermione graciously took her water and trilinal. When Lavender went scurrying off, he put his head in his hands and said to Ron, "Why doesn't this get easier? We've had Balls for the last three years! It should be easier to ask girls out by now!" Harry sighed, "Your turn, time to make a complete arse out of yourself too."

"No way," replied Ron, shaking his head. "Nothing doing."

Harry looked up, a horribly scary glint in his eyes that could only mean one thing. "Hey!! Parvati!!!"

Parvati and Lavender turned to look at them. "Yeah?" she yelled.

"Wanna go to the Ball with Ron?" Harry asked her, smiling.

Ron smiled cheekily, but inside was plotting something horrible against Harry.

"Sorry!" she called back, "I'm already going with Dean!"

Dean was smirking from the other side of the room. Ron stuck his tongue out at Harry in a childish display of Ronness.

Harry looked like he was racking his brain for another idea. "Yes!" He shouted, pumping the air with his fist. "Pansy! She's not going with Draco!"

Ron turned very green. Hermione fought back giggles.

Harry made a turn towards the portrait hole, but Ron grabbed him round the knees, pulling him the ground. Ron tumbled down to the ground soon after.

"RON!" Harry shouted, struggling to break free. "Le'go!"

"Lego?" Ron asked. He turned to Hermione. "Isn't that a Muggle toy?"

"LET GO!" Harry yelled. Ron let go of Harry and Harry stumbled to his feet. Hermione burst into uncontrollable giggles soon after.

Harry was grinning while he watched Ron get to his feet. "Don't you dare, Potter."

Harry tried very hard not to laugh, "Come one step closer and I run for it, Weasley. I can hear Pansy now, 'Like, I'd love to, like, go, like, to the, like, ball with, like, Weasley!' How can you resist her, Ron?"

Ron laughed in spite of himself. He didn't think this was much of a laughing matter, but he couldn't help it. Harry's impression of Pansy was right on target. Pretty soon, nothing could be heard in Gryffindor tower except the constant laughing of its house members.

*

Hermione was getting really sick of her 'new' hair. She wasn't paying much attention to it anymore. She had better things on her mind, like Oliver, Malfoy and too much homework. On the night of the Ball, she didn't even bother with it, but let it go as it would look normally.

Going down the steps to the common room, she was beyond nervous. Her hair was piled on the top of her head and messy. It had only taken her two minutes. She wore new dress robes of a rose color which went with her hair and eyes very nicely.

Harry was at the bottom of the stairs waiting for Lavender and checking his watch.

"Hey," said Hermione quietly. "She's on her way...in about 20 years. Still on make up. Hasn't even done her hair yet."

Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You look great."

Hermione smiled, "Thank you."

"Where's Draco?"

"He can't very well meet me in here, now can he?"

Harry shrugged, "Ron's already gone down with that fifth year....Rosaland."

"Rosaland Rose? She's nice." Hermione sighed. "I better get going. I'll see you down there."

Harry nodded and watched her walk away. She wasn't walking with her normal confidence, and someone could easily tell she was nervous beyond words.

When Hermione reached the entrance to the Great Hall, heads turned to look at her. Not becuase of who she was...but because of who she was with.

Hermione looked around, wondering why they were all staring at her.

"Hi," chuckled someone to her right. "Are they looking at you? Or me?"

Hermione looked and saw Oliver Wood. He was standing there in very lovely dark blue dress robes. She smiled at him, "I don't know."

Oliver nodded, looking around at the sea of hundreds of eyes. Ron's carrot top emerged from the sea and greeted both Hermione and Oliver.

"I didn't know you were coming together," said Ron.

"We're not." Hermione replied.

"We didn't," said Oliver quickly.

"Oh," said Ron. He introduced Hermione and Oliver to Rosaland. She was wearing very pink dress robes and looked like a bimbo chewing on what had to be Flikmer's Forever Chewing Gum.

Oliver put a hand on the small of Hermione's back, making her feel as if she'd just stepped out of a warm shower. "I better go. You look smashing by the way." He nodded to Ron and then disappeared.

"He is so hot," whispered Rosaland. Ron rolled his eyes, but Hermione chose not to reply because she saw a silvery/blonde head heading toward her through the sea of eyes....and ears.

Draco cleared his throat when he reached the stairs where Hermione, Ron and Rosaland stood.

"Hello," he said clearly, nodding to Hermione and barely glancing at Ron and Rosaland.

"Hi," replied Hermione. She was looking around for another glimpse of Oliver, but it seemed he had gone. Draco on the other hand, looked very nice in black satin dress robes with green trim.

By the time Harry and Lavender arrived, everyone was already dancing in the Hall. Hermione, surprisingly, was having a good time with Draco although they made sure to steer clear of all Slytherins. She knew that everyone in the Hall was watching her, but she didn't let it show that it bothered her.

"They look like they're having fun," remarked Harry, sitting beside Ron at a table. Rosaland and Lavender launched into a heated discussion of lipsticks: Pink vs. Red.

"Yeah," replied Ron. Just as he said that, Hermione and Draco stopped dancing and parted the crowd to approach them.

"I need some air," whispered Hermione in Draco's ear.

"I'll get us some punch and see you in a few minutes." Draco looked very uncomfortable to be standing so near Harry and Ron so he walked off.

Hermione nodded, smiled at Ron and Harry, and left the Hall.

The air was icy cold when she walked outside, but her dress robes were quite warm. She sighed, deeply breathing in the cold night air.

"Hot in there," remarked someone from the bottom step.

Hermione looked down and saw Oliver, polishing a broomstick.

"Yeah," she replied, walking down to sit beside him. "What are you doing out here?"

A figure stepped out onto the steps, where she had been standing. He craned his neck to hear their conversation.

Oliver shrugged, "I don't like to go to those things without a date." He grinned at her and then resumed his polishing.

Hermione nodded and looked around, out at the dark grounds. "What broom is that?"

"A Hurricane. Just came today. I ordered it a week ago."

Hermione leaned over to look at the name. In gold lettering was the word, Hurricane, on the handle. She looked up at him, still leaning over.

"It's lovely," she said. The figure watched as Hermione stared up at Oliver expectantly. When Oliver didn't do anything to lean back from what could have been a kiss, the figure disappeared into the Hall.

Hermione got the picture and pulled back. "Is that the newest model?"

"Yeah, well, there's a new one coming out in a couple weeks called the Tornado. Wizards are starting to like weather, I guess."

Hermione giggled, "Sounds like it."

*

Draco set his two punch cups down with a clang on Harry and Ron's table. Red punched spilled everywhere. Then he raced out of the hall. He needed to find Hermione, and fast. If he knew, then he'd tell Dumbledore........

"HERMIONE!" Draco screamed in a loud whisper once he was outside.

"What?" Hermione asked him. "I'm coming right back in."

Oliver gave her a surprised look, but said nothing. It seemed he didn't know she was there with Draco.

"Blaise said you were kissing Oliver! He told Snape..."

"We didn't kiss," said Hermione, standing up.

"That's not what Blaise said," countered Draco. "Come on, we have to get out of here. If Dumbledore sees---you could be expelled--and he--"

"Could be fired," finished Oliver. He didn't make a move to standup, but urged Hermione with a motion of his head, to go on.

She ran up the stairs and followed Draco into the castle once more.

"I didn't kiss him," she said to him on their way down to the dungeons.

"Don't tell me that," replied Draco coldly. "It doesn't matter. We're not dating. You don't have to answer to me."

"I wasn't....I really didn't kiss him. He's a Professor."

Draco pulled her into a vacant room. One that Hermione had never seen before. It looked to be a classroom, but judging from the cobwebs all around, was no longer used.

Hermione was breathing heavily as she leaned against the wall for support. Draco clutched at a stitch in his side. They'd run very fast and made it to the dungeons in record time.

"Are you dating him?" Draco asked about two minutes later.

Hermione, who had been leaning out the door, shook her head. "No. There's nothing there. He said so himself."

"But you want there to be," prompted Draco. Hermione tried very hard to put some of her hair back into place. It had fallen out all around her face during the run.

Hermione shrugged, "Not really." She wanted to tell Draco about her feelings, but knew that she shouldn't.

"So you weren't kissing?"

"Not even close," replied Hermione. "I was looking at his broomstick."

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, "Really."

"A Hurricane."

"Oh, you mean a real broomstick."

"Yes," said Hermione, grinning at him.

"Hmmm." Draco leaned out the door again, to check for teachers and then came back inside. "I don't think they're looking for you. Maybe they didn't believe him."

"Well, regularly, they probably wouldn't. But with all the stupid accusations on me and Oliver....." Her voice trailed off. She'd heard footsteps pounding down the dungeon stairs. Draco had heard them too, apparently, because he put a silencing finger to his lips.

"I don't think they're down here, sir." It was Blaise. "They wouldn't come to the dungeons."

"Probably the Astronomy Tower," muttered another voice. Snape's.

"That's overly used as it is," said McGongall's voice.

"The library, perhaps?" Dumbledore asked calmly. It seemed everyone agreed, because a second later Draco and Hermione could hear footsteps retreating.

"That was fast," whispered Hermione.

Draco was quiet for a moment, he looked like he was counting, "Wait. That wasn't enough footsteps....."

Suddenly, they both heard them. Soft footsteps approaching the door.

"Oh no," said Hermione, frozen with fear. Draco clamped a hand over her mouth and pulled her into the darkness, backing them against the opposite wall.

From where they stood, Draco and Hermione could easily see someone getting closer to the semi-open door. As a head appeared around the corner, both Hermione and Draco silently gasped.

"They're looking for you," said Oliver Wood, entering the room.

Draco let go of Hermione in an instant and she fell to the ground, still shocked.

"Oliver!" She gasped. "I thought we were goners---"

"You still may be. I AM a Professor." said Oliver.

Hermione was helped up by Draco, then they both went to the middle of the darkened room to stand in front of Oliver.

"What are you two doing?" Oliver asked them, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Nothing," replied Hermione quickly.

Draco shrugged, but didn't say anything.

"Then maybe you should go back to your dorms...for you know...your sake." Oliver suggested. "They're looking for you, Hermione. They want to ask you if we kissed." Oliver rolled his eyes. "This is mad."

Draco shrugged again and made a move toward the door. "I'll see you in Potions tomorrow, Granger." Then he left. Hermione could hear his footsteps going down the hall to the Slytherin common room's entrance.

"Are you dating HIM?" Oliver asked her.

"No," replied Hermione. "Not really."

"Not really," echoed Oliver. "Interesting."

"Just friends," shrugged Hermione. "I better go."

Oliver nodded and gave her an encouraging smile. "I'll tell them to check the dorms in about 10 minutes."

Hermione nodded at him before leaving.

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