Why Don't We Go There (A Dramione Story)

Fifteen

The castle was buzzing with the arrivals of the other schools, it seemed that all anyone could talk about were the beautiful girls from Beauxbatons Academy and Viktor Krum, whom, if Pavarti Patil could be believed, hadn't found a date to the ball yet.

"Herm-own-ninny" I heard a heavy accented deep voice say, I turned from my spot on the grass to see Viktor Krum standing behind me. "You get more beautiful every time I see you."
'Hello Viktor." I smiled as he sat down next to me. I felt my cheeks blush at his words.
"How are you?" He asked after a moment.
"Well, and yourself?" I picked at a loose thread on my skirt.
"Good, it's veird, yes? To be back here after everything that happened."
"Yes, very weird." Poor Cedric.
"You haff not been sending letters."
Guilt flooded through me instantly, letters from Viktor that were mostly unopened sat on my trunk in a pile.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, I've been so busy with classes that I haven't had much time for anything else." It wasn't a complete lie, I suppose.
Viktor let out a deep rumble of a laugh, a sound that would have made me swoon. Somewhere in the back of my mind Draco's laugh sounded in my memories and suddenly Viktor didn't sound quite as irresistible as he used to.
"It's okay, Herm-own-ninny." He shook his head in exasperation. "I knew you would be in books now." I smiled in thanks.
"I ask you a question in last owl." He continued, his broken English making it difficult for me to understand. I raised an eyebrow, hoping he would continue.
"Question?" I prompted when it became apparent he wasn't going to say more.
"Yes, do you haff answer?"
"I'm sorry, I've been so busy. What was the question?"
A confident grin came over his face, "vould you like to go to the ball vith me?
"Oh," I murmured, my eyes on a small group of girls who were idling close by. "As friends?"
"Sure, friends." Viktor said, though his smile looked slightly less enthusiastic.
"Okay," I agreed, glancing back to the group of girls but they had disappeared. "I've got to go, I'll see you later."
"Bye."
I walked away as quickly as I could without breaking into a run. I had to find Ginny.

When I found Ginny in the common room, I raced over to her - the words spilling out before I had a chance to really think it through.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Ginny exclaimed as soon as I'd finished, a couple of people turned to stare.
"Gin, please." I whisper-yelled, glancing around at everyone.
"No," She exclaimed again, "I'm sorry Hermione, I love you but you are so stupid sometimes."
"I'm sorry?" Ginny's words were like a slap in the face.
"Don't you see the problems this is going to cause?"

"I just didn't want to face him alone." I suddenly felt very sick.
"Merlin's beard, Hermione." Ginny's exasperated voice pulled me out of my internal wallowing. "Did you seriously think that we were going to make you go alone?" When I didn't answer, she continued.
"Come to the ball with Harry and I."
"What?" I backtracked through our last few conversations. No, she definitely had not told me about that. "You're going to the ball with Harry?"
"Oh, didn't I tell you?" She asked, though I could tell she was barely holding her excitement at bay.
"No, you did not!"
"Well he only asked me a few days ago, I thought for sure I'd dreamed it but apparently not." She beamed.

"Aw," I grinned despite my glum mood. "I'm so happy for you."

"What are you going to do though?" Her expression turned serious.
I shrugged my shoulders, "I'm going to go to the ball with Viktor like I said."
"That's not going to sit well with the boys, I hope you realise."
"I've already told him I would, I can't back out now." I told her. "Harry was already coming around to the idea of me going with Draco, so if he can accept that then I'm sure Viktor wont be a problem. It's just Ron that I have to worry about."

"It wasn't Harry that I was referring to. Anyway, Ron will get over it. It was really Malfoy who I meant."

"That doesn't matter anymore, he's made himself pretty clear."

"That may be so, but he might just still be angry. Do you really want to ruin all chances by going to the ball with Viktor?"

"All chances were ruined the moment I let Harry and Ron believe I was going with him in the first place."

"Whatever you say." Ginny finally relented.
"What are you going to wear?" I tried changing the subject and it seemed to have worked because Ginny's face lit up again.

"I was thinking of purple or light blue."
"You look really nice in purple, wear that and Harry won't know what hit him." Ginny turned a bright shade of red and a giddy smile spread over her face.
"I can't believe he actually asked me." She whispered after a while, a far off look on her face.

"It's been a long time coming." I agreed.
"Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

I shook my head, "I wasn't going to, are you?"
"Yeah I am, come with me."
"I'm not sure, who are you going with?" I chewed my lip nervously, the last thing I wanted was to cause more issues.
"I was going to meet up with Harry at the three broomsticks." She murmured, a light blush covering her cheeks.
"Well, I don't want to intrude."
"Intrude?" Ginny laughed, "are you daft? You're my best friend, Harry's as well. You couldn't intrude even if you tried."
I couldn't help but grin, "Well, when you put it like that."
"So, I'll meet you back here tomorrow morning after breakfast?"
"Yeah okay."

"Great," she stood from her spot on the couch. "I've gotta run, don't want to be late for Quidditch practice."

"Right, I'll see you later." I waited until Ginny had walked out of the room before I trudged upstairs to my dormitory, grabbing my DADA book and some parchment and my quill and made my way to the library.

I stopped short when I saw how crowded it was, people were seated at every table and it seemed the only seat left was at a table with Draco and Pansy. I cringed and felt as though my heart had jumped into my throat. I hugged my book closer to me and settled down in one of the book aisles.
I was only half way through my homework when I was interrupted.

"Oh, I'm sorry -" Pansy's voice broke off when I glanced up at her. "Oh, Granger, it's you."
"Well spotted." I murmured, leafing through a chapter of my textbook.
"Why are you sitting here?" Pansy asked, a smirk on her face. "Can't find anybody who likes you well enough to let you sit with them?"
"I'm not in the mood, Pansy." I grumbled. "So if you will excuse me, I have to finish my homework."
"I'll take that as a yes." She made a noise that sounded like a laugh.

"Pansy, leave me alone or at least get better insults."
She chuckled out loud this time. "Tell me, Granger. What are you going to do now that Draco has moved on from his ridiculous chase?"

I glanced up at her and her eyes narrowed. That was a new one.

"That's right, he's moved on." An ugly sneer crossed her face. "Draco asked me to go to the ball with him."

I heard my breath catch in my throat but hoped in vain that she didn't hear it - I was sure my emotions were written plainly on my face.
"Did you honestly think he would want someone like you?"

I swallowed around the lump in my throat, "are you done, Pansy? I really need to finish this." I tried to sound bored but it just came out whiny.

"See you around." I watched her walk off, a new bounce to her step.

A fought back the bile in my throat, so Draco has already moved on.