The Slytherin Ball | #DRAMIONE ✓

014

HERMIONE
"It's people like you, Ron, who prop up rotten and unjust systems, just because they're too lazy to -"

Ginny was bouncing up to Hermione's side with a glint in her eye and a smile spreading from one ear to the other. They had barely crossed the Great Halls threshold and all eyes seemed to be on them and no one dared to remove their eyes.

"You've got a package" Ginny informed her. She grabbed Hermione's hand and led her towards where Harry and Ron was sitting still, staring at a big parcel that took up a large space of the table. They acted like it was a bomb waiting to explode, but Hermione knew exactly what it was.

She grabbed the box and lifted it onto her hip. She turned to Ginny and smiled. "Want to join me?"

Ginny grinned and nodded her head, the two dashing off towards the exit at each other's side. They didn't make much ground as a voice called out behind them, a specific white haired boy with curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

"What is it?" Draco asked, nodding his head to the box in their arms. Hermione and Ginny shared a glance, until they both flicked their hair over their shoulders and gave a small shrug.

"Good question, Malfoy. We're about to figure it out ourselves" Ginny replied monotonously. She turned to head towards the shifting stairs, but Hermione lingered behind for a moment. She sheepishly smiled at Draco who snuck in the smallest yet most seductive wink before Hermione's name was called.

Her body heated up and was filled with the urge to just run into his arms and stay there until they're old and grey. Malfoy wanted the same thing, but Hermione was already running up the stairs behind Ginny's hair that flew like fire.

They fled through to common room towards the stairs, to only be stopped by one devilish yet charming Cormac. He held his iconic smirk, and his gaze soon sought out Hermione after giving a quick look over of Ginny. There was once a rumour of Cormac attempted to pull the same seductive act with Ginny, but Hermione knew that as soon as he found out that she was Harry's, he backed off before anyone could whip out their wand.

"Ladies," he soothed charmingly, "what do I owe you the pleasure?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and Hermione sighed impatiently, instantly looking down to avoid his eager eyes. It pushed her buttons on how he thought he was everything that everyone needed, when really caused the only annoyance that Hermione felt – apart from Ron Weasley.

"Leave us alone, Cormac" Hermione ordered. "We don't want any of your flirtatious remarks that make us want to gag all the time."

Whilst Ginny hid a snicker behind her hands, Cormac chuckled and took a step down. "Wow, Hermione. I love the way you say my name." Hermione couldn't help but role her eyes. "You know there is still a chance of coming to the ball with me."

"And what? Drop Katie Bell with a wave of your hand? Hardly charming and chivalrous of a boy who preaches it so much" Ginny argued.

"Well, anything for Herm-"

"Drop it Cormac!" Hermione finally raised her voice with fury bubbling through her skin. The grip on the box was gradually becoming tighter and her knuckles grew white. Redness blossomed in her cheeks that highlighted the small freckles that dotted them. "I'm not interested so go bore someone else who is actually interested."

With box in hand and a stunned Ginny trailing behind her, Hermione pushed past Cormac who seemed to stumble down the stairs in pure astonishment. It filled Hermione with satisfaction, but irritation was biting at her nerves even more.

"Wow, Hermione. Never knew you had it in you!" Ginny beamed, still stunned at her sudden burst.

Hermione's lips were pressed into a thin line as she stiffly nodded. "Well, he just needed a little bit of a... firm hand" she noted. "Now, on with the dress..."

"Yes, to the dress. Do you think it's the one that you asked your mother to buy?" Ginny asked, gently patting the wrapped box on Hermione's bed. She didn't move to open it, building the tension and anxiety that hung in the air like smoke.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. Her hands were on her hips and she scanned the box, possibly imagining what other dress her mother would have picked. She had excellent taste, especially in beautiful dresses. But this one gave Hermione more jittery nerves than she had ever felt. The one dress that she had admired for so long had earned its own place in her heart, and it being ripped away would only leave her with burning disappointment.

With anxiety, she twisted Draco's ring around her finger, her nail lightly outlining the 'M' that was delicately pressed into the cold metal.

The act was something that had become a bad habit. Instead of twisting her lips around and furrowing her brows into an unattractive frown, her fingers instantly sought out the ring. Either it was a sign of how important Draco was to her or some silly thing she did without any thoughts, But she believed it was both.

Draco almost begged her to not leave him. He seemed like the kind of guy who seemed a strong as diamond, but was really as fragile as a china doll. His face was usually blank and unreadable, but Hermione was the only one who could see what was really going on inside of him.

"I'm not sure. They cannot contact me here, due to the different ways that muggles contact others. I'm purely doing it on hope."

Ginny merely turned the corners of her lips upwards with pity as she was from one of the most magical family known in Hogwarts, but still had the interest in the muggle world like her father. Hermione was loved by Mister Weasley as she knew everything about the muggle world, but even his power in the ministry of magic made it any easier to contact home.

Taking in a deep breath, Hermione unravelled the paper bow that was wrapped around the box, and slowly slipped off the lid, letting a sliver of satin shine its way through.

She stopped breathing.

Authors Note:

Out of all Characters in Harry Potter, Cormac would be joint first place with Crabbe. His Ego is bigger than my city's population. Any-who, let's get this to 50 reads and I'll update!

Don't forget to let me know if you like it or not what what your thoughts are about it, and don't forget to fave!

Love,

Matilda