Fremione: 1998

24 Days of Yule Ball Preparation - with a Slytherin Twist

Seamus grinned.

He closed his eyes and then took a deep breath.

"Expecto patronum!"

Out of his wand came a bright blue, galloping fox. Seamus roared with delight and the rest of the class began cheering and clapping.

Almost immediately of Seamus's patronus, Hermione cast her charm.

"Expecto patronum!"

Out of her wand came an otter, diving between dancing lights and gliding through the air.

Soon, the Room was full of yelling students practising their Patronus. The Room was brightly lit from the blue-ish glow. But Fred wasn't able to cast a single Patronum.

As the clock struck ten, Harry had to call it a stop.

"I'm sorry guys, but we have to end today's lesson there. Who is generally confident with their own Patronus'?

The group mumbled something of the sort of  'yes.'

"Good. The more confidence you have in that charm, the more success rate you will have as I saw here today. Alright, you may go now, but walk in groups in order to not be suspicious. Good job guys."

Then in groups of threes or fours, the D.A. club left the Room.

Harry grinned as Hermione attempted the last-minute patronus.

"Expect-expecto patronus," she said.

A wispy formation of an otter drifted out of her wand.

Her face fell with her hopes of a successful patronus.

Harry approached her with a feeling of strong concern. Hermione is never like this.

Hermione heard him approach and she smiled sadly.

They wandered out of the Room and sat on a bench outside the corridor.

Hermione blinked. A tear rolled down.

Harry sat there, shocked. Was it something that he did?

"Was it something I did?" His voice echoed his thoughts.

"I'm sorry to alarm you," she whispered. "But I've just been a bit down lately. It's not your fault."

Harry sighed in relief. "Good," he said softly. "Is it alright you tell me? Or is it a bit too private?"

Hermione slumped in her seat.

"It's just..."

"Just what, 'Mione?"

"Just that..... it's Fred Weasley, that's all!"

Harry frowned. Fred was one of his most trustworthy friends. What could he have done to 'Mione to make her cry?

"It's just that.. I think I love him, Harry!"

Harry's eyes widened in astonishment. He knew about Fred's feeling towards the bookworm. But this...

This is certainly a game changer, Harry thought.

Hermione wiped away a few more tears then stood up. She cast a simple charm on herself to get rid of hints that she may have been crying. Harry stood up then they walked to their Gryffindor common room. Harry stepped through the portrait.

"I'll meet you there," Hermione called out. Harry nodded and disappeared into the wall.

She suddenly felt afraid, alone in the castle walls. She glanced nervously as she walked through the dark corridors.

She felt as if she was being followed. She grabbed her wand out of her pocket and walked around cautiously.

"Wingardium Levisoa!" she yelled as her follower was swept off their feet. They yelped in surprise.

She lowered her wand and looked into the darkness, in the direction of the struggling figure.

"Let me down! I say, Hermione, let me down!"

What?

Draco?

She muttered the counter-curse and Draco fell splat onto the cold stone floor.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Hermione said in a far more snappy tone than she had wanted.

"Well," he muttered as he rubbed his head. "I was bored. Pansy was getting weird and Crabbe and Goyle were getting too stupid."

"Didn't realize that until now?" But Draco didn't hear because he was too busy trying to mutter another charm to fix his bleeding nose.

Hermione sighed and with a lazy flick of her wand, his nose was repaired.

"Thank you, 'Mione. I really-"

Hermione's eyes flashed. "You dare call me that, you dare-"

Draco's eyes lit up with fear. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He stumbled back as Hermione rounded on him, with her wand out. But before she had a chance, he made his move.

He took her head and pulled it closer and he kissed her. Hermione's eyes widened in shock as the warmth from his mouth released the unwanted endorphin from her brain.  She wondered why he was doing this but then Draco broke the kiss.

Hermione almost whined from the loss, but remained her ground.

Draco smirked. "Thank you, 'Mione. Now I'l get to the point. I came out here to see you. I kissed you because I love you. Now, be my date to the Ball?"

Hermione stood, speechless. Did the Slytherin Prince seriously just ask her out to the Yule Ball? It was a very big offer. But she wanted to go with Fred...

"I... I shall think about it," Hermione managed to say.

Draco nodded. "I understand," he said. "After all those pranks I played on you, I understand it is a big ask. I'll give you a week to think about it."

He gave her a flirtatious wink and he walked off towards the Slytherin common room, his figure soon swallowed by the darkness of the castle.

Hermione felt a blush creeping up on her face.

Great. Another shit to worry about.

But he's a good kisser, Hermione's subconscious said to her.

She tried to wipe off a goofy smile on her face as she pushed open the Gryffindor portrait.

She perhaps didn't wipe it away fully because when she stepped into the warm room, Fred, George, Ron, Harry and Ginny all stared at her.

There was a very long silence.

Ginny cleared her throat.

"'Mione, where have you been? We've been worried sick!"

She stepped closer and frowned.

'Are you alright 'Mione? You looked like you have just been asked out to the Ball!"

The little colour left in Fred's face drained away.