Dance With A Serpent

Dance Of Winter

"McGonagall said that she is to decide when the dance is to be." He told her through the door.

"WHAT?!" Hermione shrieked as she dried her hair with the towel.

"I said..."

"I heard you, Malfoy. I just...you know.."

"Yeah, right, well she told me yesterday that she was to announce the dance." Draco sat on the stairs leading to the Head-girl's room with his back resting on Granger's door. She was getting ready for the ball and he wasn't allowed in, naturally. But since they needed to go over the details anyway, and girls took twice the time to get ready, he had parked himself by her door.

Hermione seated herself by her mirror and made a loud noise of disgruntlement.

"Tell me about it," Malfoy's voice said through her door.

"You said your partner wouldn't show up," she told the door.

"True. Must suck to be the rest of you then." Hermione could hear his gleeful smile. "Is your guy showing?"

"Sadly," she replied. What was she to do with her hair? She knew from experience that if she wanted a good hairdo, she shouldn't shower the same day. She sighed and looked at the hated tangles. It wouldn't turn into someone else's hair by just staring at it. She charmed her blow-dryer silent so she could keep speaking with Malfoy.

"Doesn't the poor guy have any redeeming features?"

"No!" Maybe some, but very few and definitely not while she was angry with him.

He was Severus Snape and that was a flaw all by itself.

"Harsh."

She sighed again. She hated Snape, but she hated Miss Winter more for being able to dance with him. Hermione hated her for being someone Snape wouldn't be ashamed of. And vice-versa.

She should have fallen for a man who her friends wouldn't detest the mere notion of.

"One more sigh from you and I'll go camp out by my door."

"You do that, I think we have covered the basics. Our duties, the décor, our arrival, the guests, the food, and McGonagall's sudden need to hold us all in suspense as to when our public humiliation is to occur."

Malfoy stood up, not that Hermione could see that. "Splendid. Then I'll see you half past, yes?"

"Yep."

She heard him go downstairs and start his own preparations.

She stood up and walked over to her red bed, the aquamarine dress laid out over it. It had been fortuitous that she had Madam Malkin do it for her and that she hadn't tried fixing it by herself. It was beautiful. She had found a similar colour in transparent and had Madam Malkin make the dress in two fabrics instead of one, making it look more sophisticated. If she was to make an older man like her, it would be a good thing not to point out her own youth.

She descended the stairs in her fantastic dress. Hair up with tasteful makeup and fitting jewels, she was a princess. And possibly looking five years older.

Mature, yes she looked mature.

The Winter Skank didn't stand a chance!

"Hey, you don't look bad," Malfoy greeted her from where he'd been waiting on their couch.

"Same back at ya," she said with a twirl.

Malfoy stood up, wearing his black dress robes with silver embroidery. He smirked at her and offered his arm. "Shall we?"