Essence of Hermione

Chapter 6: Invitations

Four days into Christmas holidays Harry stood at the back of the library, brooding. Something was wrong with Hermione and she refused to tell him what it was. She had brushed off his attempts to figure it out, trying to explain away her frequent disappearances by saying that she had been tired, or that she was in the library, but he knew that it wasn't true. She had never been very good at lying. The thing was, he had no idea what it could be. She looked happy enough, but she was never around anymore. He had been looking forward to the Christmas holidays to just relax and talk with his two best friends, but now the only one who ever seemed to be around was Ron. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but still. It was creating problems. Ron seemed to be taking it out on himself, positive that he had said something to make her angry with the two of them. Harry sighed, and then spotted Ginny and Kendra across the library. Striding up to them, he grabbed hold of Ginny's arm. She gave a start before realizing who it was.

"Harry! Don't do that, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Ginny, what's wrong with Hermione?"

He saw her glance at Kendra before shrugging.

"I wasn't aware that there's anything wrong with her. What makes you say that?"

"Don't lie to me, Gin. I know something's going on. She's always disappearing, and then making excuses, and she comes back all flushed and absent. I know she tells you everything, so what's going on?!"

"If you want to know, I suggest you ask her."

"Damn it, Gin! I did ask her and she was just as evasive as you! If something's wrong then I need to know what it is!"

Ginny looked at him calmly and Kendra came up to stand next to her, putting a hand on Harry's arm.

"Whoa, easy love. Don't go getting your knickers in a knot," she said.

"Hermione's a big girl and as much as you don't want to believe it, she can take care of herself. You don't need to be her hero, Harry."

Harry looked at her and slowly released his grip on Ginny's arm. If anyone else had said that he would have come back with some cutting reply, but it was Kendra. She always said what she thought, no matter who it hurt or what it implied. People just got used to it after a while.

"Kendra's right, though I don't know if I would've used that choice of words," said Ginny, rolling her eyes at her best friend, who in turn shrugged and flashed a grin. "If Hermione wants to let you in, she will. And until then you know you're just going to have to wait."

Harry nodded, resigned, and Ginny and Kendra turned away from him.

"Harry," began Ginny, pausing and turning back to him, "does Hermione look upset to you?"

He shook his head.

"Trust me then. If anything was wrong, you'd be the first one she'd go to."

Harry stared after the two girls, even more determined to find out what was going on with Hermione then before.

Hermione lay on her bed, eyes closed, with a slight smile playing on her lips as she remembered the past few days. Since that day in the prefect's bathroom she had been spending an increasing amount of time with Malfoy, and, as grudgingly as she had admitted it, she had started to look forward to when she would get to see him again. Ginny's words flickered through her mind, make sure you don't start to get feelings for him, that's when he holds the power, but she pushed them away uncomfortably. That was exactly what was happening, but she wasn't about to admit it. She sighed as her thoughts turned to the night before.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise as she entered the Astronomy tower. "I didn't know anyone would be here..." she said, trailing off.

Draco, for that was whom Hermione was addressing, shrugged and turned back to the window.

Hermione went over and stood next to him, not too close. Draco had to be the most confusing person she knew. The day before, when they had been in the broom shed once more, and he had actually cut off the snogging so that they could talk ... well, she thought that she had finally gotten through to him, but here he was, being just as cold as ever. She sighed, she would never really get used to it.

"What are you doing up here, Granger?" he asked suddenly, startling her out of her thoughts.

If it had been a few days before she would have snapped at him and told him to mind his own business, but she had soon learned that the best way to deal with him was with quiet truth.

"Just needed to clear my head," she told him.

He nodded in acceptance, and she hoisted herself up to sit on the ledge, pulling her legs up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. She sat staring out at the sky, and when she turned back she found herself being assessed by his gray eyes.

"What?" she asked him, folding and unfolding her hands nervously under his constant gaze.

He shook his head and turned his back to her.

"Nothing."

She sighed. Seeing him there, so cold and distant, all she wanted to do was put her arms around him and hold him close. There was a terrible ache in her from being so close, yet so far away. She shivered. He was doing thinks to her, making her think unthinkable things and making her want to do unthinkable things. He was driving himself into her thoughts, even when she didn't want him there, and she knew it was dangerous. She knew that if anyone ever found out that she was... what was that term Ron had used at the Yule Ball so many years ago... fraternizing with the enemy, Harry and Ron would be out for blood. His blood. But despite all these rationalities, she wanted to be with him. She needed to be with him. He made her blood boil and her body ache in a way that nobody else could. He could cause her to burn with anger, and then placate her with something as simple as a light touch in the right place. He, who was so cold and distant, but who could also be passionate, almost caring.

She shook her head. Had she just called Draco Malfoy caring? She was going mad. There was no other explanation.

She was startled out of her musings by a hand on her thigh.

"What were you thinking about?" Malfoy asked her, his cool eyes watching her face carefully.

"Why?"

"You looked... disturbed."

"I was just... thinking," she replied.

"About me?" he asked her, and she blushed, shrugging, reluctant to admit him right.

"Disturbing thoughts, were they?"

"I was just thinking how... how weird this is. How weird it is that I'm up here with you and we're not at each other's throats.

"Would you rather Weasley?" he asked her, raising a brow.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something and then paused, closing it slowly. Truthfully, she hadn't thought about Ron since... well since that first night in the broom shed with Draco.

She shook her head slightly and Draco smiled a small smile.

"Really now," he said, very softly so that Hermione actually had to lean in to catch it.

"Yes, well," she said, suddenly flustered.

She made to move away from him further back onto the ledge, but he put and arm on her waist to stop her and moved his long, delicate fingers gently up her thigh, causing her to shudder with need. But instead of giving into her temptations she put a hand firmly over his so that he couldn't move it any further. Her resolve had been becoming increasingly weak when it came to him lately, and once he had her wrapped in his arms she found it hard to say no to anything. This scared her and she knew she had to try and avoid such situations.

"No," she said, her voice catching, "we really shouldn't."

"Last night was for talking," he told her, and she could see the heat in his eyes. "Tonight," he said, leaning forward to brush her lips and causing her a cascade of emotions, " is for actions."

Hermione wasn't sure at what point it was that their hungry kisses became desperate touches, or how she ended up on the floor with Draco below her. Some deep need had awoken inside of her, and she didn't stop him when he ran his hands over the slight ridges of her rib cage and fingered the bottom of her bra. She gasped slightly as his nimble fingers undid the haspe and his hand slid over the smooth skin of her breast. He caressed her nipple gently as he trailed butterfly kisses down her neck and she moaned softly, running her hands through his silky hair. He brought his lips back up to hers and she fingered with the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning them slowly so she could run her hands over the smooth muscles of his chest. They had lain there for a while like that, just touching and kissing, never saying a word. What was there to say? He could have taken it further, could have forced her into something, but he didn't, and though she wondered why, she was extremely grateful. Because she knew that if he wanted something, there was no way she could say no. He could render her incoherent with just a single touch, could cause her body to do things that she would have never imagined with his gentle fingers, and soft lips. But despite all that, she was beginning to trust him. He had never, ever forced her into anything she didn't want to do.

Hermione came back to the present with a little frown on her face. Draco, no, Malfoy, was so different then she had thought he would be. Sure, he was still the snotty brat that he had always been, insulting her and her friends, but she had seen another side of him too. Not that he had shown her willingly. In fact, she wasn't sure that he realized he had shown her at all. But however hard he had tried to maintain his 'image', she had seen through it to a slightly softer side. She actually enjoyed his company. He didn't bug her for homework, or pump her with questions. When she was with him things weren't complicated or simple, they just were. She could almost forget he was Malfoy.... Almost.

Hermione sighed. These were just the type of thoughts that would get her in trouble. Ron may have been an insufferable prat of late, and Harry just plain distant, but they were still her best friends and she loved them dearly. She didn't want to hurt them, and if they ever found out what she was doing with all her free time... well, things wouldn't be pretty.

A knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts.

"Hermione?" came Ron's voice through the wood.

"I'm here," she said, and he opened the door slowly, peeking around the corner before entering.

"How'd you get up the staircase?" she asked him, suddenly realizing that there was no way he could or should be there.

He gave her a lopsided grin.

"Well me and Harry found a way, didn't we?"

Her eyes narrowed even further at the thought of her two best friends breaking rules, especially this rule.

"How?"

Ron's grin faltered under Hermione's scrutinizing glare.

"Well, Fred and George showed us before they left. Figured it out in their fourth year..."

Hermione sighed.

"Should have known," she muttered. "So, never mind how you got here, what on earth are you here for?"

"Ah," he said, and shuffled his feet. "Well... you see... the Yule Ball."

"What about it?"

"Well... wouldyouliketogowithme?"

"What?" asked Hermione in disbelief.

"Would you-"

"No, I heard you," she said, still a bit stunned. "I just never thought, well that is to say..." she trailed off blushing furiously.

Stop it! she told herself. After everything you do with Draco Malfoy you can still blush at something like getting asked to the ball?

She opened her mouth to tell him, yes, I'd love to, but what came out was something altogether different.

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"Wha- why not?"

Hermione sat there stunned. Had she just said that? Surely she had not just turned down the person who she had wanted to ask her since the year started.

"I'm going with someone else."

Now she'd done it.

"Who?" Ron asked suspiciously and she shrugged airily.

"I can't tell you."

"Vicky's not coming in, is he?" asked Ron, a very ugly look on his face.

Hermione flushed red with anger.

"If he was I wouldn't likely tell you, would I Ron Weasley?" she yelled at him. "Half the time you act like you don't notice me, and the other half of the time you accuse me of things that you don't know anything about! I'm not some extension of you and Harry you know! I do have other friends, Victor being one of them! Who I go to the Ball with is my business, and I'll go with whom I please!"

Hermione glared at him, panting slightly. Ron glared back, and then turned and strode out of the room. Sighing, she fell back onto her bed and covered her eyes with her hands.

"Oh no," she moaned.

Why hadn't she said yes? Now she had no date and Ron was mad at her. What made her say these things? Why was she so stupid? Caught up in her thoughts, she didn't notice the owl swoop in the open window until it gave a hoot. It hopped down onto the bed and she reached out to untie the package from its leg. After fooling with it for a few seconds, and not being able to open it, she found a note attached.

Will you go to the Yule Ball with me? The package won't open until you speak your answer aloud, and once you do I will be informed of your decision. Choose well.

-Draco

Hermione stared at the note. As if she hadn't had enough of a surprise having Ron ask her, now Draco? Was he mad? She couldn't waltz into the Ball with him on her arm... she could just picture the faces of her friends... and of the Slytherins. She sighed. She couldn't do this. She wanted to say yes, God she wanted to. But some things just couldn't be. She lay back against her pillows and then decided she needed someone else's opinion. Getting up, she stuffed the package under her bed and tucked the note into the front of her robes and then set out to find Ginny.

She found the younger girl in her dormitory, deep in discussion with Kendra. As she walked in, the two girls looked up.

"What's up, Hermione," Ginny greeted her and Kendra grinned at her.

"Erm, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Kendra got up.

"I was just leaving. I'll see you guys later," she said, and flounced out the door.

Ginny smiled.

"So, what's on your mind?"

Hermione sighed and passed her the note. Ginny read it quickly.

"Is he mad?" she asked incredulously.

"That's what I said too. I mean, he's got to be completely crazy to want to pull this off. Harry and Ron would wreck him!"

Ginny nodded thoughtfully and smiled a small smile that Hermione knew wasn't meant for her.

"Ron might be too occupied to notice you and Draco though..."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing. But, I'm going to the Ball too. Ron's never been very... mature... on the subject of me dating," she said, rolling her eyes. "Because I definitely can't handle myself."

Hermione laughed.

"So, you know who you're going with then?"

Ginny shrugged.

"Let's just say that Ron definitely won't be pleased."

Hermione nodded.

"Anyways, back to you... do you want to go with Draco? Because, well, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you this but my brother was going to ask you..."

"He already did. I said no."

Ginny's eyebrows shot up.

"I know, I know, stupid. I also told him that I already had a date. Don't ask where that came from. Ugh," Hermione moaned, rubbing her temples.

"So, you said no to my brother, but you're considering going with Malfoy?"

Hermione sighed.

"I don't know. I'm just so confused."

Ginny put a hand on her shoulder.

"I say you go with who you want, I'm guessing Malfoy, and then tell Harry and Ron and whoever else who says anything to grow up and start worrying about their own lives and leave you to handle yours."

Hermione laughed.

"That easy, huh?"

"Well... Harry's already started to ask questions. He's worried that something's wrong and your not telling him. Maybe getting all this out in the open will be a good thing."

"Harry's been- what! What did you tell him?" Hermione said, suddenly panicked.

"Nothing, nothing, calm down. Me and Kendra were in the library earlier and Harry demanded to know what was going on with you. We told him that nothing was wrong and not to worry. If you were in trouble you'd go to him."

Hermione moaned and slid down onto Ginny's bed.

"All I need is Harry snooping around."

"Don't worry! Look, go with Malfoy, I'll deal with my brother and Harry."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"That's an awful big task."

Ginny laughed.

"The Weasley women always were the most fearsome of the bunch."

"So, you really think I should?"

Ginny sighed.

"Yes. I really do. If you want to of course."

Hermione nodded.

"What's this about a package?" Ginny asked her, referring to the note.

"Oh! I almost forgot that part. I don't know, it's up under my bed. Let's go see."

Ginny nodded enthusiastically, and they raced into the seventh year dormitory. Hermione took out the parcel carefully and laid it on her bed. She sighed.

"It says it won't open until I give my answer. Trust Malfoy to come up with something like this."

"Well," said Ginny, "what's it gonna be?"

Hermione looked at Ginny.

"Are you sure it will be ok?"

Ginny nodded, smiling and Hermione took a deep breath.

"I don't know how exactly I'm supposed to do this," she grumbled and held up the note.

"Y...YesIwillgototheballwithyou," she said, very fast.

The parchment shimmered and disappeared, and package opened to reveal something wrapped in silvery tissue paper. Hermione let out her breath and reached out a hand tentivly. She peeled back the layers of tissue and gasped. Ginny's mouth dropped. Inside was a pair of dress robes. Hermione pulled them free of they're box and held them in front of her. They were beautiful, and by the looks of it, horribly expensive.

"Try them on," Ginny whispered, her voice suddenly coming to her, and Hermione raced into the bathroom.

Five minutes later she emerged. The robes were gorgeous. Dazzling silver in color, they clung to her in all the right places, their flowing fabric accentuating her curves. Thin, spaghetti straps that seemed to be made from diamonds sparkled up across her shoulders as the light caught them. The gloves were made from the same soft fabric as the dress, and came up just past her elbows.

"You look amazing," breathed Ginny. "They must have cost a fortune!"

Hermione nodded, bringing a hand up to her throat.

"Something's missing-" she began before her eyes flew open and she raced to the chest at the end of her bed.

She emerged holding something glimmering and went over to the mirror to fasten it around her neck.

"Where did you get that!" exclaimed Ginny as Hermione turned around to show her the thin silver necklace.

"Draco gave it to me a while ago. And he said something that I didn't understand at the time. 'It would look stunning with those silver robes you have for the Ball'."

Ginny raised her eyebrows.

"You mean, he meant to ask you all along?"

Hermione just shrugged.

"I really have no idea. He's far too confusing."

"Well, at least now you have a date. And something to wear. Now all you have to figure out is your hair!"

Hermione groaned.

"And what to tell Harry and Ron."

Ginny grinned at her and then glanced at her watch and her eyes opened in surprise.

"I didn't think it was so late!" she exclaimed. "I've got to go and leave you with that happy thought, but I wouldn't worry too much. They'll figure it out at the Ball," she said, and with a little wave, disappeared through the door.

Hermione glanced at the bed and noticed a little piece of parchment that hadn't been there before. Curious, she picked it up.

I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall in two days time. 7:00 sharp. Hope the robes fit; I'd hate to have your blue ones clash with my green ones. I'm sure they looked dazzling.

-Draco

Hermione rolled her eyes at the note. What had she gotten herself into?