Taboo

An hour before the Christmas Ball, Hermione stood in front of the mirror in the girls' bathroom applying makeup.

"Wow, Hermione," said Ginny, stepping into the bathroom with a hairbrush. "You look really nice."

"Thanks, you do too," she said graciously.

Ginny (like most other girls) had opted for a Muggle evening gown instead of the traditional dress robes. She looked stunning in a strapless floor-length emerald green dress. Her hair was elegantly held in place with a matching barrette. Hermione was wearing a flowing, blood red gown with a plunging neckline. She had used a hair potion and gently curled her hair in large ringlets that cascaded down her back.

"Let's go, they're waiting," she said, giving her hair a final fluff.

She and Ginny went downstairs where Ron and Harry were waiting to escort them into the Great Hall.

"You look nice, Ginny," said Harry, grinning and adjusting the bowtie on his tuxedo. They too had decided on Muggle clothing.

"Just 'nice'? Not 'beautiful'?" she teased.

"Hermioine," said Ron, taking her hand. "You look--you look--" He was lost for words.

They entered the Great Hall, which was decorated with glittering Christmas tress. Enchanted icicles hung from the ceiling, which imitated a starry sky. The banisters were adorned with wreaths of holly.

"Welcome, welcome," said Professor Dumbledore, in robes of midnight blue. "I am glad to see that so many of you were able to attend this very special event. I can see that you are eager to begin dancing. I will not keep you any longer. Without further ado, I give you--the Weird Sisters!"

The Great Hall erupted in applause and couples quickly filled the dance floor.

"Let's dance!" Hermione found herself being pulled into the crowd by a very excited Ron. He twirled her about, a wide smile on his face. She searched the sea of faces for Malfoy.

"Ouch!" Ron's reckless swinging had caused them to knock into Neville and Luna.

"Sorry!" called Hermione, as she was whisked away again. "Ron? Can you stop? You're making me dizzy."

"Oops, sorry." He stopped spinning her and began dancing more normally, though not less exuberantly.

After a few songs, they sat down to rest.

"Thanks," she said, as Ron handed her a glass of punch.

"Ahh." He drained his in one gulp. "You look really pretty tonight," he said shyly.

"Thank you," she said, smiling at the compliment. "And you look very handsome."

"Slow songs are starting," said Ron, ears now scarlet. "Want to dance?"

"Of course." She allowed him to lead her back on to the dance floor, where Ginny was dancing with Harry, her head on his shoulder. She smiled at them.

Hermione kept her head up, swaying slowly to the music. She felt Ron's hands twitching nervously on her waist. She was just wondering whether Malfoy was dancing with Pansy when someone bumped into them.

"Watch it, Weasley," drawled a familiar voice. Hermione turned to see Malfoy's pale face in the dim lighting. She stifled a laugh when she saw Pansy clinging tightly to him, arms encircled around his neck. Pansy glared at her.

"Well, if it isn't Mudblood Granger and Weasel King," sneered Pansy.

"You--" Ron released her and took a step toward Malfoy.

"Just leave it, Ron," said Hermione calmly. She put her hand on his forearm. "Come on, dance with me."

"Dance with her, Weasley," said Malfoy, smirking as usual. Hermione scrutinized his expression; she thought she detected a hint of sadness in his gray-blue eyes.

"I was, until you came along," mumbled Ron, turning back to her. He was silent and grumpy for the rest of the song. When the song ended, they went to sit at the table again.

"Stupid Malfoy..." muttered Ron.

"Hmm? What was that?"

"Oh...er, nothing. You're coming to the Burrow for the holidays, aren't you?"

"Actually...I'm not," said Hermione apologetically. "I've already written to your mum about it. I'm staying to do some...research."

"Great. Just great," said Ron, missing the hesitation in her response.

"I'm sorry, Ron. It's just that..."

"Just that what? Just that you think those stupid Horcruxes are more important than me. Isn't that right?"

"Of course not!"

"I get it now," said Ron, ignoring her. "You're just going out with me because you feel sorry for me and you didn't want to hurt my feelings. And then you sneak off to the library so you can get away from me. "

"That--that isn't true!"

"I should've seen it coming," he said bitterly. "I should've known you were lying all along. I'm not good enough for you. I'm not good enough for anybody."

"Don't say that, Ron! " she protested, tears welling up in her eyes. "I wasn't lying!"

"Well," said Ron coldly, standing up. "I hope you have a happy Christmas without me." He walked toward the door.

"Ron! Ron!" she cried. Several couples nearby had stopped dancing to stare at her. "Where are you going? Ron!"

He continued walking, not looking back at her.

"Ron!" she sobbed, but she knew it was useless.

Wiping the tears from her face, she wandered outside into the empty courtyard. She brushed the snow off a bench and sat down.

"I don't know what to do," she said, making circles in the snow with the heel of her shoe. "Maybe Harry was right. I have to choose. But I don't want to give up Draco...or hurt Ron. But I guess it's too late." She sighed. "Why is it that the only thing I want is forbidden? It's taboo for a Gryffindor to fall in love with a Slytherin, and yet I've done it. And look at the mess I've gotten myself into."

She stared at the sparkling, frozen ground, so deep in thought that she did not hear the approaching footsteps crunching on the fallen snow.

"It's a little cold out here, don't you think?" said Malfoy, appearing from behind one of the hedges.

She looked up to see who it was, then went back to staring at the ground. "Go away."

"You're going to freeze to death." He removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"I don't care," she said moodily, taking the jacket off and shoving it back at him.

"Well, I care." He put it back on her, and this time she left it there. He cleared a spot for himself on the bench and sat down next to her.

"I thought I told you to go away."

"Civil disobedience," he said, shrugging.

"Fine."

He stared at her, her tearstained face illuminated by the soft moonlight. Snowflakes floated down silently, landing in her hair. God, she was so beautiful.

"I saw what happened with Weasley."

Silence.

He tilted her chin up with his hand. "You know I love you."

"That's the problem!" she burst out. "You're not supposed to love me! You're a Slytherin, I'm a Gryffindor; you're a pureblood, I'm a Mudblood--we aren't meant to be!"

She stood up suddenly, wobbling on her high heels. He caught her by her arm and steadied her.

"This is all your fault!" She pounded his chest with her fists, half sobbing. "Why do you love me? You're not supposed to love me!"

"Is there ever a reason for love?" he said quietly, when she had stopped shouting.

"I just don't understand," she said, leaning against him. "I didn't understand it that night in the trophy room."

"Honestly, I don't quite understand it either," he murmured, holding her. He had waited so long for this.

"I don't know what to do, how to feel--"

"Shh. Don't talk, don't think." He stroked her hair, winding his fingers in the curls that were loosening from the moisture of the melting snow. "Everything's going to be alright. I promise."

They stood like that for a while, his arms around her, motionless in the frosty night. They could hear the music booming from inside the castle.

"Everyone please select your dance partner for the last song of the evening," came Professor Dumbledore's voice.

Malfoy let go of her and held out his hand. "May I have this dance?" She nodded, taking his hand. The music drifted outside, slipping in and out of the garden paths to the spot where they slowly revolved. Hermione rested her head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart--the heart that she had somehow captured. She smiled, feeling thankful.

"I love you," she whispered.

Miraculously, he heard her. They stopped dancing, looking intensely into each other's eyes. And then they were kissing as they never had before. His lips barely touched hers, yet she felt as if she was engulfed in flames and crackling electricity. Heart pounding, she wrapped her arms around his neck and let his jacket fall to the ground. She vaguely heard Dumbledore announce that the dance was over.

"Hermione," he said, several minutes later, "I think we should go."

"Oh, yeah," she said breathlessly, shivering a little. She picked up his jacket from the ground. "Sorry about your jacket."

"Don't worry about it." He escorted her back into the castle. Most of the other students had already gone to bed. They began going their separate ways to their common rooms.

"Draco?"

"Hmm?" he said, turning around.

"Thanks."

He smiled at her, a smile warm enough to melt all the snow in Antarctica. It was a real smile, and it made him more breathtakingly handsome than ever. "Any time."