Hermione's POV
Ginny was about to open the door, but before she could, I stopped her. "Gin," I stopped her, "wait."
She drew her hand away from the handle, and came back to me. "Is something wrong?" She asked.
Yes. My head was starting to spin again, not unlike yesterday in Draco's room, and I was starting to feel weak. "I'm getting... dizzy... again," I got out, trying to keep my thoughts clear.
"Here," Ginny said, and I felt her lead me over and drop me into a chair, even though I couldn't exactly see her. I felt a headache coming on. Not now, I begged my body, please.
"Should I get Draco?" Ginny asked, concerned.
"No!" I exclaimed, but the volume hurt my head so much I dropped it into my hands, "I'll be fine, just... give me a minute."
She stood beside me, and I felt her hand holding onto my arm tightly. I took my opposite one and held onto her hand, and using that stability tried to pull myself back up. I sighed with relief as my vision started to clear, and the sharp pain in my skull turned down into a steady throb.
"Are you alright?" She asked me.
After a few seconds I was, and my head felt as though nothing had happened. "Yes," I confirmed, standing on my own now.
"What's happening?" She asked, a hand still on my shoulder, "Why are you having these dizzy spells?"
I shook my head. "I'll tell you, just not now," I explained, hoping it was the truth, but it wasn't exactly Ginny's business at the moment, as rude as that may sound.
Luckily, she seemed to understand that, and she nodded. I smiled. "Open it," I said, gesturing to the door, trying to sound confident.
Ginny pulled the door open, and stepped out first. "Harry," she said to her date when he appeared in the doorway, "You look fantastic."
"Not as fantastic as you," was his reply, and he pulled her into a kiss right there.
I looked around in the hallway. Ron was standing there too, with Lavender on his arm. "Hi Lavender!" I greeted her cheerfully, and she came up and hugged me in response, I did the same.
I smiled when she released me. We had been dorm-mates for several years, after all. I stepped further through the doorway and stopped in front of Draco, who was also standing there. "Hi," I said simply, waiting for him to say something.
He just stared at me for a few seconds, not saying anything. Then, to my surprise, he pulled me into his arms. "I'm glad I'm satisfactory," I said after a few seconds, grinning.
"You look perfect," he replied over my shoulder, "absolutely stunning."
I smiled. I broke away from him a bit, but we were still hanging onto each other. "Any chance I can get one of those?" Draco joked, looking at Ginny and Harry, who had just broken apart from a very long kiss.
I laughed. "Maybe later," I told him, and turned back to the other two couples standing feet from us, "Let's go, guys."
Draco took my hand, and we walked beside each other, Ginny, Harry, Ron and Lavender following behind talking. "You must be tired of these parties," I said to him, "Going to one every year."
He nodded. "Sometimes," he said, smiling softly, "but I always end up enjoying them if I'm with the right person.
I wonder who he's come with in the past, I thought curiously, but decided against asking. "Are you nervous?" He asked me.
I thought about it, and shrugged. "Maybe," I replied, "I mean, it's packed with wealthy pureblood families, isn't it?"
Draco laughed softly. "All family friends, I suppose," he said, looking ahead, "I only know about half of them, but yes, they are all very wealthy."
I nodded with understanding, and sighed as we had finally reached the ballroom doorway. The huge, black doors were being held open by magic, and many people were going in and out of them. Me and Draco continued to lead our friends in, and I gasped softly when I saw what awaited inside.
"Merlin!" I heard Lavender exclaim from behind us, and I smiled.
"This is fantastic!" I said to myself, but Draco heard me and grinned.
"Only the best for you," he joked, nudging me.
The Malfoy's ballroom easily bested the great hall at Hogwarts in size and decorum. The entire place was decorated for the theme of winter, and it was beautiful. The high ceilings featured several crystal chandeliers, each with crystals that dropped a few inches from their silver branches.
Not unlike Hogwarts, a light dusting of snowflakes fell from the ceiling, decorating the air above us but never reaching the ground.
I was snapped out of my awe-struck daze when Draco extended an open hand out in front of me, and gestured to the floor in the center, where many different couples were already dancing.
"Care to dance?" He asked, and I nodded, smiling.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
So far, the Malfoy's New Year's Party had left the Yule ball in the dust. Instead of a hundred teens hanging out together showing off new, fancy clothes, these were mostly adults, which I didn't mind in the least.
As me and Draco danced, I saw several people steal glances at us. Perhaps it was because everyone knew Draco and his family, but didn't recognize me because I wasn't part of the pureblood community.
Either that or they recognized both of us and were surprised we weren't currently cursing each other. On this I was concentrating while both thinking and dancing, and Draco must have noticed.
"What's wrong," he asked, looking down into my eyes.
"People have been looking at us," I admitted with a sigh.
"That's because," Draco started quietly, "As far as they know, you are the Muggle-born Hermione Granger who helped to bring down You-Know-Who, and I am me. And we are currently dancing together in my manor at a Holiday Ball. I would stare, too."
I laughed softly. "I suppose so," I admitted.
We continued to dance for a while, but suddenly he stopped, and his hands dropped from my waist. "Draco?" I asked, but he didn't reply, he just stared off into space.
"I'm... fine..." He paused, and looked down at the floor, eyes shut, "Actually, can we sit down?"
I nodded, but we hadn't taken a step before he faltered, and had to lean on me. "You're not fine," I told him jokingly, but he didn't reply.
I lead him over to a table, and he fell down onto a chair. I didn't sit down, but stood in front of him, watching intently. "Draco," I said, urging him to say something.
"I'm fine," he tried to assure me, shaking his head.
After only a few more seconds, he blinked several times, and focused back on me. "I was just," he continued after a pause, "dizzy for a bit; from the dancing."
I didn't believe him. "Maybe we should take a break," I suggested.
He seemed to think it was a good idea. "Yeah," he replied, "I'll grab us some drinks."
He started to get up, but I put a hand on his chest, stopping him. "I'll go get drinks," I told him sternly as he sat back down, "You need to sit for a minute."
"I can do it!" He tried to convince me, but I was already walking away.
I was both surprised and not to run into a few students I recognized, all from Slytherin. I saw Blaise, there with his parents, and I said hello of course. I also saw Theodore Nott there, Ginny's transfig partner, but I didn't approach him.
As I approached the long table of food and drink, I saw a familiar face. "Ama?" I exclaimed, and took a few quick steps up to her.
She didn't seem surprised to see me, but she smiled. "Hey there," I said, and gave her a quick hug.
"It's good to see you!" She greeted me.
"Well you look fantastic," she continued, "I've never seen a dress so gorgeous."
"You look amazing yourself," I told her, and she smiled brightly.
She was a short, light blue, ballgown style dress that went down to her knees in fluffy tulle. "I suppose you're here with Draco?" She asked, looking around non-nonchalantly.
I nodded. "And you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "Are you here with Dean?"
She seemed to tighten up at the mention, and took a look at the floor. "I have no date," she said stiffly, but then seem to lighten up, "but I am here with a friend."
"Hi," a familiar voice said, and a girl appeared, "Fancy seeing you here, Granger."
I recognized the black hair and tall figure immediately. "Pansy," I said nervously, and was about to take a step back when she interrupted.
"Don't look so afraid, Granger," she joked, laughing softly, which surprised me, "I'm aware of your situation, and despite your expectations, I'm not here as part of some elaborate scheme to humiliate or endanger you and steal Draco. I'm here with Ama to enjoy a nice night in the home of some family friends."
I was flabbergasted at her explanation, but smiled. "Well in that case," I sighed, "Let me compliment you on your dress."
She was in a dress similar to Ama's, but in a darker, midnight blue. She nodded in thanks. "And you," I started, turning back to Ama, "Are you a family friend of the Malfoy's as well?"
She shook her head, and laughed softly. "Mrs. Malfoy is my father's second cousin, I believe" she explained, and then her voice grew to a whisper, "it's where the Veela blood comes from."
I nodded. "So, that means what?" I asked, still smiling, "You're his... third cousin?"
She shrugged. "I have no idea," she admitted, and we all laughed.
"Well," I sighed, "Draco will be wondering where I've gone, I only came for a drink. I'll see you both when school begins again."
They both smiled, nodding curtly, and I returned it. They left to join others near the dance floor, and after I grabbed the two drinks, I did the same. As I headed back to return to Draco, I thought a bit about Ama.
I wonder what happened with Dean, I wondered, but then remembered how tense I became when I had been separated from Draco for several days and someone mentioned him. Maybe that's it.
As I finished the thought and approached where me and Draco had been sitting, I noticed that our four friends had joined him at our table .
"Here you are," I said to him as I handed him one of the drinks and he took it gratefully.
"Hey guys," I greeted the other four of my friends who were sitting around the table.
"Why were you gone so long?" Draco asked me as I took a seat next to him, "I was beginning to worry."
I shook my head. "I just ran into some friends from school," I said to all five of them, "Ama and Parkinson are here as well."
"Yes," Draco smiled sighed, "They are here every year. Many of my classmates are."
I nodded, and looked around at my friends. They all seemed to be having a great time here, and that in itself made me happy.
After finishing drinks, we returned to the dance floor to continue the night on the dance floor. We hadn't been dancing long when I began to think again.
You should tell him, I thought suddenly, what happened before with Ginny.
"Draco," I started, not sure how I was going to go about this.
He raised his eyebrows, and I could tell he was sensing my uncertainty. "What is it?" He repeated.
"Before me and Ginny left our room," I explained, "It happened again; I felt dizzy all of a sudden, almost exactly what happened to you not an hour ago. I almost passed out, and it took a minute to recuperate."
He sighed, and looked past me, obviously thinking. "It's just going to get worse, isn't it?" I asked quietly.
He looked back at me, and shrugged. "I have no idea," he said honestly, "but don't worry about it."
How was I supposed to not worry about it, I thought, when I'm close to fainting at random every day.
I was struck out of my thinking once more when a commotion started around us. Many started to cheer, and drinks were raised to one another. I was about to say something, but Draco beat me to it. "It must be midnight," he said, barely loud enough for me to hear.
I smiled, and he looked down at me, doing the same. "You know," I started, "There's a muggle tradition of kissing someone at midnight on New Years; it assures you won't be lonely for the rest of the new year."
He smirked. "Well we couldn't have that, could we?" He joked.
I smiled, and he started to lean in again; but this time instead of stopping him, I did the same, and in half a second our lips were together. Except this time it was for real, and it definitley felt like it.
Soon he had wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, and I did the same, putting one hand on his neck and running the other through his blonde hair. Unlike the other kisses we had previously had, this one wasn't subdued, like we had both waited years to kiss like this.
It must have lasted for a faultless minute or two before I pulled away, catching my breath. We both smiled, looking into each other eyes, before connecting our lips once again. And in that moment, everything was perfect.