Forgive and Forget: Dramione

He Hasn't Changed One Bit

Fast forward to dance bc I'm lazy af ily all sorry last chapter was so short lol I had to get here haha so yeah
Hermione's outfit above

Hermione
As I fingered my mask for the ball, the silky ribbon soft to my touch, I cursed myself for letting Ron hoax me into going with him. I'd had to let poor Seamus down easy, but I guess Lavender had wanted to go with him, so all was well.

After Ron had apologized profusely and I let him take me to the dance, the time in between had been nothing but doubts. Ron treated me terribly. He was the epitome of not boyfriend material.

Sighing, I stepped away from my vanity and to my closet door, which had a full length mirror.
I ducked past it to grab my heels so I could put everything on before seeing the full effect.

Changing into my dress, I slid the soft fabric over my head before sitting down heavily on the floor to slip my shoes on my feet. Standing up, I ducked past the mirror again to grab my black clutch and my mask.

I tied the mask on over my newly straightened hair, shiny because of the loads of product Ginny had weathered into it, and made sure I could see my door so I didn't look in the mirror.
I stumbled to my full length mirror, wondering how I could even walk in these heels, until I remembered: I couldn't.

Still staring at the ground, I stood up straight before looking up and surveying myself. I gasped. With straight hair and fantastically done makeup, courtesy of Ginny as well, I actually looked like a princess.

I had done Ginny's long red hair up into a bun, with loose strands curled and hanging down by her face, but she had done her own makeup. I was not talented in that area....
I smiled at my appearance, walking out my door and down the stairs to the common room.

I saw Draco, sitting on the couch in his suit, his mask clutched in his hand. His head was bent between his knees and his right hand gripped his left forearm tightly. For a moment I was confused, before I realized that's where the Dark Mark was. In the light of the dying fire I saw a tear slide down his cheek.
"Draco?" I whispered, sitting next to him on the couch and placing my hand on his back. He flinched, but I didn't move it.
"Draco, are you..." I stopped. Asking him if he was okay seemed so pathetic because obviously he wasn't. So I just sat there, my hand placed awkwardly on his back.

After about twenty minutes, he looked up at me, and his crying ceased. He sniffled, wiping at his eyes. "You didn't have to stay with me. I'm not going."
"That's ridiculous. Of course I would stay. You're my friend, and friends are there for each other. And you know what?"
He glanced at me. "What?" He sniffed.
I grinned. "You are going. And we're going to have a good time!" I said fiercely. I stood up, facing him and sticking my hand out for him to take.

He stared at me, his eyes flicking over me. "You look beautiful, Granger."

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself, Malfoy."

I'm sure I blushed ten shades of red, but nonetheless, he took my hand and allowed me to pull him up. I wrapped him in a hug.

"He's gone," I whispered. I felt him shake a little.
"But this isn't." I knew he was referring to his tattoo. 
I sighed. "It is to me."
He pulled back and looked me over again.

"Do you know why you're probably the best friend I've ever had?"
I shook my head, confused.
"Because when I feel like sticking my head in an oven, you pull it out, and you put cookies in there instead."
I laughed. "Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List!" I said, smiling. That was a reference to one of the movies we'd watched, one of our favorites. I decided to finish the scene. "Awww, that's sweet."
He looked perplexed. "Um, line?"

We laughed, and he held out his arm for me to take. I looped my arm through his and we walked out of the common room together. We were about halfway there when he stopped, surveying me again. "Red, Granger? Really?" He shook his head in disapproval before reaching the Great Hall, which we had completely redecorated for the Masquerade. I rolled my eyes.
Okay. I thought. Time to face the music. Literally. Wow that was a pathetic joke.

Draco let me walk in a couple minutes before him just to give him some extra time to cool off.
I met Ron, Harry, and Ginny at a table and sat down with them. Ron smiled at me, and I smiled back. I kept glancing at the door, but Draco never came in. Finally he did, and I stopped worrying and went to dance with Ron. Then I danced with Ginny, and again with Ron.

Ron excused himself to use the lavatory right before McGonagall stepped up after a few more songs and took the microphone from the band. They handed it over easily and she tapped it.
We all stopped dancing and turned to her.

"Well, it seems this dance has been quite a success, students. So, with one hour left until midnight, and the close of this wonderful night, I'd like us to give a hand to our Heads of House. The two of them organized this for you all, so if Ms. Hermione Granger of Gryffindor House, and Mr. Draco Malfoy of Slytherin House would come out onto the floor for a quick dance, after one minute I will release you all out onto the floor for the remainder of the song. Heads, if you will." She gestured out to floor, and Draco and I stepped out onto the dance floor from different sides of the room. The applause around us rose, and I smiled at him, receiving a grin back. We both ducked our heads as we walked towards each other. I was apprehensive about this, and the walk to each other from across the room felt like miles. (Kilometers? Idk) He held his hand out to me, his signature smirk playing on his lips.

We danced and talked, aware of all eyes on us but not caring at all. We didn't even realize when others joined us on the dance floor, and we didn't hear Ron walk into the Great Hall. We didn't hear him asking where I was, yelling at Harry, Ginny screaming for him to calm down. We didn't even see him storming towards us until he was at my shoulder.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THIS HERMIONE?!"

I jumped nearly a foot in the air.
"Ronald, I don't want to cause a scene." I protested.

"McGonagall's obligations, mate," Draco stepped in.
"DON'T YOU EVEN TALK RIGHT NOW MALFOY, YOU BLOODY DEATH EATER!"
The shocked realization on Draco's face was obvious, and suddenly I was furious.

"Hermione, he's right. We shouldn't have done this, I am a—"
I whirled on Draco before he could finish. "Shut up. You stay out of this! None of this is your fault, and you changed, but he," I pointed at Ron, shaking with rage. "He hasn't changed one bit!"

"HERMIONE, HOW CAN YOU DEFEND HIM?!" Ron yelled furiously.

"SHUT UP RON!" I shrieked. His jaw dropped.
"Hermione, I—"

"You invite me to this dance, that we put together," I gestured to Draco and myself. "—saying 'you want to start over, you want to try again,' so here we are. And then you do this. Draco Malfoy, is more of a man than you'll ever be. I hate you Ronald Weasley. You've crossed the line. I'm eighteen years old, I don't need my ex-boyfriend controlling my every move. Now stay the hell away from me."

Ron turned as if to go, shock etched across his features. I sighed, turning back to an obviously impressed Draco. He went to say something, looking relaxed and proud before his face changed completely. "Hermione look out!" He yelled, stepping awkwardly to the side and trying to pull me with him as I turned to look to the left. Ron came at me from the right, shoving me with all his weight. He had clearly meant to hit Draco, but, well, Ron had never had good aim.

I landed on the cold stone floor, skinning my knees and hitting my head painfully.
I sat up slowly, and all of a sudden Harry and Ginny were helping me to stand. Leaning on Harry, my vision focused just in time for Draco's grand moment. 

"Hey, asshole?"  And then he punched Ron in the face, harder than I ever could. Ron fell to the floor where I had been just moments ago, clutching his face. His nose was broken and bleeding.
(A/N I'm so proud of you baby you tell em)

I gasped, partially from shock and partially from the pounding headache that had just hit me. My hand flew to my temple, and when I pulled my fingers away they were wet and red with my blood. "Harry?" I whispered, showing him my hand. His jaw dropped.
"She's bleeding!" He yelled, right as my eyesight blurred and I saw Draco rush forward to catch me as I fell unconscious.