Bound

Chapter 29

"I am spending Christmas with Malfoy." Hermione said this for what seemed like the tenth time. Her eyes widened at her own sentence and she groaned before dragging her hands down her face. Fuck, she was stupid. So very stupid.

Daphne, who sat the closest to her, wrapped her arm around Hermione and smiled understandingly as she said. "Draco wouldn't have asked you if he wasn't sure, I am sure you will enjoy spending Christmas with Cissa."

"That doesn't matter! What matters right now is what you will wear! Ginny, come on." Pansy exclaimed, gesturing for Ginny to follow her.

Ginny smirked and followed Pansy, and the both of them started searching through Hermione's clothes.

"What are you going to wear to the New Years Ball?" Daphne asked as a way to distract Hermione.

"The what?"

Pansy went rigid, her shoulders squaring as she turned around to face her.

"You don't know about the ball?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"No." Hermione shook her head, looking at Ginny who shrugged.

"Ginny, do you know about the ball?" Daphne asked.

Ginny nodded and sat on Hermione's bed. "Yeah, Blaise told me. His mother always organizes a ball at the end of the year."

"I am surprised Draco didn't tell you, but again, Draco never really cared for the ball." Pansy shrugged and sat on the bed, resting her back against the headboard.

"The ball is a very famous event. Mrs. Zabini is an amazing host. You will receive an invitation soon, since Blaise always helps with sending them." Daphne explained, smiling fondly as she did so.

"That's not the problem! What are you going to wear?!" Pansy exclaimed, widening her eyes.

"I have a dress that might work." Hermione muttered as she thought of the beautiful dress.

Pansy smirked. "You're coming through, Granger. Come on, show it to me!"

Hermione smiled and nodded before standing up and going to her closet. It didn't take her long to find the dress, the dress was like a rose in the middle of white tulips. It's color shone more than the rays of the sun.

She turned around, showing the dress to her friends.

Ginny and Daphne both gasped as Pansy widened her eyes.

She looked at Hermione with a mixture of awe and fondness in her eyes. "Well, Granger. Looks like Draco won't be the only enchanted person in the ball."

***

They stood in the foyer, Hermione looking around nervously while drumming her fingers on her legs. Her hands sweated as she took in the familiar room, but at the same time, not so familiar anymore.

Last time she was here, the Manor looked gloomy, dark, and somber. She almost felt the dark magic that took hold of the place sink itself into her heart, plaguing her very existence and emptying her mind. But now, the place looked...peaceful. White instead of black, light instead of dark, full of life instead of dead. Hermione almost felt at ease. It was a weird feeling, that. Feeling at ease in the place that she was once tortured in.

She almost laughed at the irony. Because this time, she was here to spend Christmas. Christmas with the Malfoys. She had never thought that this would actually happen. She didn't mind though, she welcomed the ease without hesitation, but the anxiety had a strong grip on her, and it wasn't willing to let go.