The Battle of the Highest (Dramione)

Chapter 18: The After-party

*DRACO*

It's finally over. We both survived. I watch as the Ministry gets angry, telling off McGonagall that this wasn't supposed to happen. The students in the stands start running down to us, hugging us and lifting us on their shoulders.

"Congratulations, Draco!"

"You did it!"

"Yayyyyyyy!"

I know the students and teachers could see me and Hermione during the challenge clear as day, hearing what I was actually saying and what Hermione said. Only Hermione saw and heard Bellatrix.

McGonagall comes up to us, a stern look on her face. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione and I both say.

"I have to say...that was pretty impressive, Mr. Malfoy."

"Thanks, Professor," I say sheepishly.

"Can w-w-we go back to the common room?" Hermione manages. She clings to my side and I hold her close.

"Of course," McGonagall says. "I want you to be back at the Great Hall for dinner and seven o'clock so we can celebrate...both of your victories." She sends a grim look at us and strides away to tend to the Ministry and restless students.






"I have a feeling that the Ministry is angry," I say once we get back.

"Hah! You think?" Hermione spats. "Of course, one of us wasn't supposed to survive. I can't believe they'd do that to us."

She looks at me. "The whole point was for me to kill you...for you to taunt me enough to the point where I couldn't take it anymore, and then the spell would be gone from my system and I would see you there - lying in front of me - dead as a door nail."

"But at least it didn't go that far, right?"

She calms down a little. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She looks at me with a puzzled expression. "How'd you manage to convince me?"

I laugh half-heartlessly. "Well... I realized that at first, you heard, pretty much, the complete opposite of what I was trying to say, and then you started hearing what I was actually saying, and then I realized that you heard the opposite of what I was saying, like did and didn't, and won't and will. So it got pretty confusing when I was talking to you because I had to say the opposite of what I wanted to tell you."

She looks at me with astonishment. "Now, that was confusing."

We both laugh.

"IT just freaks me out though," Hermione says. "I just don't want to think about it. I don't want to celebrate being a victor of this, and I don't want to face everyone. We're going to be known throughout the wizarding world for this, you know that right?"

I shrug. "Yeah, but it's better than being number one undesirable and stuff like that."

Hermione huffs and slumps on the couch. "You taking this way too well," she says, shaking her head.

"I'd rather think positively of this than negative."

She continues to stare at the fire. "You changed for me?" she asks quietly. I walk over and sit beside her.

"I did."

"You meant everything you said?"

"Of course, Hermione. I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true."

She rests her head on my arm. "I love you," she says softly.

I kiss her softly. "I love you too."

McGonagall had come by, about an hour before dinner, telling us to dress nicely. The school was going to have a party, a dance you might say, in honor of me and Hermione, and McGonagall said that the Ministry wasn't thrilled that we both came out alive.

*HERMIONE*

I go to my room shortly after McGonagall left and look through my clothes for a nice dress. I end up finding one that's a deep red with a thick coat of sparkles at the waist that thinned out as it went down the dress; it's sleeveless as well.

I grab some silver stud earrings and put my hair up in my famous messy bun, and I grab some silver heels I had in my closet.

I walk out and there's Draco, dressed in a black tuxedo with a black undershirt and an emerald green tie, and emerald cuff-links. He didn't have hair grease in his hair, so it was naturally messy. I look at him in awe as he walks over to me.

"You look gorgeous," he says, smiling down at me. Even with my heels on he's still a great deal taller than me.

I smile back. "You look great, too," I say, even if it wasn't that great of a compliment. I lean up and kiss him, and we break apart just in time - McGonagall had just come through the portrait hole. Now, she had on dark blue robes instead of her usual emerald green.

"Ready to go?" she asks, smiling at both of us.

She leads us out of the prefect's house and down to the Great Hall which, as normal, is packed. The room is decorated with color - there are fabric banners of bold purple along the walls, the candles burning with a bright blue flame, the floor has been cleared and polished to an incredible shine, and of course everyone's outfits. Draco takes my hand and we step in as people start looking our way.

We walk in further and people start congratulating us again and patting us on the back as we pass.

"Gold job!"

"Congratulations!"

"You've done it!""

The party starts after McGonagall makes an announcement ("Let's congratulate our victors and PARTY!"). I go over to a table on the far left side where there is a buffet of snacks and drinks.

"Hermione!"

I turn to the direction of the voice and see Ginny. I smile widely and hug her.

"Hey, Ginny!" I say.

"I can't believe you did that. That's incredible."

"Well, I didn't really do anything. It was all Draco."

"Oh, please. The part before the challenge? When you got all defensive and stuff? Wow...I didn't know you had that in you, to talk to the entire school like that, I mean."

"Yeah, I know."

Ginny looks behind us to where the room has been cleared for a dance floor. "You want to go on the floor?" she asks.

"Sure," I reply.

We walk over to the dance floor, dancing and chatting with Harry and Ron. I feel hands grab my waist and I jump slightly.

"Hey," Draco says. I turn around to face him and smile softly.

"Hi."

"Want to dance?"

He places his hands on my waist and I wrap my arms around his neck and we sway to the slow music.

After several hours of drinking and dancing, Draco and I head back to the prefect's house.

"I can't believe we survived that," I say, shaking my head.

"Dancing?!"

"No, Malfoy, I meant The Battle of the Highest."

"Well, Granger, I can't believe we survived it either."

I huff. "I'm going to bed," I say stiffly, and I walk to my room.

"Can I Slytherin?" I hear Draco tease behind me.

"Shut up," I say playfully. I enter my room and change then curl up under the warm sheets.