Saturday came fast. Hermione had met up with Krum only once. After that, something or the other didn't allow her to meet Krum.
Hermione, Ginny, and Luna were making the final adjustments, with the help of Draco.
"....Food and drinks?" Said Hermione.
"Check." Said Ginny. Hermione nodded and ticked her list.
"The New Wizards music band?"
"Done." Said Draco, kicking his legs up on their couch.
"Tables and chairs?"
"Done." Said Luna, playing with her hair.
"Great!" Said Hermione. "Did I miss anything?"
"Apart from that hundred item list? No, I think not." Said Draco, throwing his arms up and falling on his back, on the couch.
Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes.
"Actually, you did." Said Ginny suddenly.
"What?"
"Your date for the ball! Who are you going with?" Ginny asked eagerly.
Hermione had forgotten. She shook her head. "I'm sorry Ginny, I forgot. I've been so busy that I didn't have time to..." And then she got carried away in her thought.
"Okaaaaaaaaaayyyyy." Said Ginny.
"Going with Harry?" Asked Hermione suddenly snapping out of her daze.
Ginny nodded happily. "I am! He asked me yesterday!"
Hermione smiled and asked Luna who she was going with. "Neville. He asked me almost immediately after they announced to go to the ball."
Hermione smiled at the girls, they were chatting excitedly.
"What about you, Draco? Who are you going with?" She asked.
"Well," he said, "I'm going to ask a girl today. But I hope she says yes."
"But Draco, don't you think it's a little late? She might be going with someone else? Oh wait, it's Parkinson right? I heard she was waiting for someone and rejected everyone else. I had a feeling that's you."
Draco's eyes widened in horror. "Parkinson? Hermione no-ew. She - she was just a friend of the old Draco. But even the old Draco couldn't handle her. No, the girl I'm asking doesn't have a date yet."
Hermione snorted. "All the girls have dates, unless you count me and Parkinson, you should've asked a week before-" She waved at Ginny who said she and Luna would be heading for class. Draco and Hermione had a break.
"-even yesterday would've been better."
"Who are you going with?"
"No one. I don't want to go with Ron, he seems like he's in a bad mood these days."
"What about Krum?"
Hermione sighed. "We haven't got a chance to meet each other properly. I met him once for like, five seconds and then Professor McGonagall called me to her office. Good news- my parents and Hagrid are located!"
"That's lovely! Where are they?"
"She wouldn't tell me."
"Oh."
They sat in silence.
"As I was saying, me and Krum don't get to meet up! But I bet he's already got a date."
"So you're not going with anyone?"
"How many times do I tell this to you?"
"Until it clicks in your brain."
Hermione thought for a while.
What does he mean?
"What?" She asked him with a blank expression.
Draco looked at her, eyebrows raised. "For a smart witch, you really don't catch signs, do you?"
Hermione shook her head confused.
Draco sighed. "Fine. Hermione, would you like to go to the ball with me?"
Hermione stood their, frozen. "Did I just hear it right o-or did you just ask me to gowithyoutotheball?"
Draco chuckled. "Slowly, Granger. Didn't know you were so excited."
"Shut up, Malfoy." She said comically.
"So is it a yes or a no?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes." She said, clapping her hands in excitement.
Whoa, calm down. You're acting like some undignified first-year, she thought.
Draco let out a short laugh. "Good. Didn't I tell you the girl I was going to ask didn't have a date?"
"There could always be Parkinson." Hermione mumbled.
"I heard that."
Hermione laughed.
The fact that Draco asked her shocked her. She was excited, even. But I wonder, she thought, whether Ron will be okay with it? But she shrugged it off. Why should he make my choices?
"Hello?" Draco asked, waving his hands over her face.
"If your done with your thoughts, I was asking you the colour of your dress so that my tie would be that colour too."
Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't decide whether I should use dark blue, pink or gold."
"Oh- well, don't use pink please." He asked almost sincerely.
Hermione laughed. "I'll have to let Ginny decide that, Draco."
"Oh Gosh- no! Don't do this to me! Please, I hope this is not payback for all those years."
"What, wearing pink is payback? Are you kidding me?"
He nodded.
"But pink is just a colour!"
"It's not! It's Parkinson's favourite colour. She used to give me pink stuff! She uses Pink for everything! Have you seen her house? It gave me Pink-o-hexes. And her pink perfume? Gosh- that's a biological weapon!" Draco said, his eyes widening considerably.
Hermione burst out laughing. Draco struggled to keep a straight face.
She continued to laugh and eventually Draco joined her.
Suddenly the door flew open and Harry came running in.
"Hermione and Draco- your late for transfiguration class!" Harry shouted to the giggling pair.
Hermione's eyes widened. "Not again!" She said rushing to her room to get her books.
Harry turned to Malfoy. "What we're you laughing about?"
"Just some disturbing stuff." Then he shuddered. "Truly disturbing."
Harry nodded.
"I did it." Draco whispered.
Harry looked at him questioningly.
"I asked her."
"Oh! What did she say?"
"Yes!" Draco whisper-shouted.
Harry smiled at him. "That's lovely! Didn't I tell you she'd agree?"
Draco nodded and Hermione entered the room. The she left, running.
Draco groaned. "Why does she always do that?"
Harry looked at him, puzzled.
"Never mind." And both of them rushed to class.
Hermione, Draco and Harry reached class at the same time.
She knocked. Professor McGonagall looked at the three of them, with their hair flying and robes messed up.
"So nice of you to join us, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger." She said sarcastically
Hermione turned red.
"Miss Granger, this is the second time you're late to class this year. One more time and you get detention. As head girl I expect you to be responsible and on time. Am I clear?"
Hermione nodded.
"As for you, Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said, looking at him properly,
"Since this is your first time, I will excuse you. You as Deputy head boy should also be on time! Really, what is the matter with the smart students this year? Next time you are late, there shall be no consideration. Have I made myself clear?"
Hermione and Draco nodded.
"Come inside, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter."
Then the three of them rushed in and sat down.
"Now all of you, today will be about transfiguration of invisible matter. Or let's say, really small matter. Like ashes."
The class groaned. Professor rapped her desk. "Now, I heard about what happened in your Defence Against the Dark Arts class. So we will be transfiguring ashes to blocks of wood. Now follow me closely."