The Slytherin Ball | #DRAMIONE ✓

004

           

HERMIONE

"Have either of you seen my copy of 'Numerology and Gramatica'?"

The Gryffindor Quidditch team flew past Hermione within a blink of an eye. The brooms left a gust of wind to blow back her locks of hair, but left a small smile on her lips. Ron was nervous as he waited at the end of the pitch, whilst Harry and Ginny were zipping around together. All her friends were out in the large space, working hard whilst someone else was on their broom, watching Hermione in the grand-stands.

She didn't see him hovering in the distance with a smirk on his lips. It wasn't until he came up to her, that the joyful smile she held was spoiled. Cormac leaned against the railing in front of her. His seductive smile lighting up where he stayed and along with other girls nearby. But, Hermione was hardly affected.

"Hello, Hermione" he said sweetly. "Enjoying us training, hm?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and tightened the jacket around her torso. "You could say that."

Cormac chuckled and Hermione could hear girls behind her swoon in delight, feeling their love-sick emotions kicking in. She merely rolled her eyes and narrowed that at Cormac.

"I'm playing this weekend. You should come, you're my lucky charm."

Gag.

Hermione wanted to walk away with her hands in the air, not wanting to give any attention or any piece of mind to the boy. But having more maturity he as there were only intentions of having her in his bed, she shook her head.

"I'd rather stick hot pins in my eyes."

Girls behind her tutted and whispered, blindly commenting on how she was mad on refusing the Cormac McLaggen. They weren't the only ones who disapproved of her comment, as Cormac frowned but held his grin.

"Come on Hermione, give me a chance" Cormac pleaded, not a sense of acceptance that she did not want him anywhere near her. "It's Gryffindor playing, anyway."

"Is he annoying you?"

Hermione looked around to see none other than Draco Malfoy, glaring at the girls who shuffled away. Draco's gaze locked onto hers before switching over the Cormac, who challenged him. A telepathic conversation was happening between the two boys. It must've been a male thing, as Hermione was as clueless as a second grader taking a sixth grader exam. Well, a second grader who was not named 'Hermione Granger.'

Cormac was the first to back away on his broom, briefly give a dazzling smile and a wink at Hermione before zooming off and finally contributing towards his training. Draco watched him leave, pleased with his success, and took the seat next to Hermione. She distanced herself from him only an inch, feeling the awkwardness since the last encounter they had.

"Self-absorbed, jerk" Draco muttered, a scowl crossing his face. "Wants nothing more than someone to cater to his needs. But I really want to know if the rumours are true."

Hermione ignored Draco trying to speak of Cormac, but when he said 'rumours', she strangely wanted to know. Draco knew that she wanted to hear it, as she looked at him slowly out of the corners of her eyes.

With a wicked grin, he spoke. "Apparently he spends hours on his hair and practicing his smile. And if it's not right... well..." Draco shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Apparently he has a tantrum."

Hermione snickered behind her hands, not quick enough to stop it. When Draco picked it up, he was pleased that the wall between them was slowly breaking down. It boosted his hopes that she would say yes to accompany him to the Slytherin Ball.

"I wouldn't be surprised" Hermione said, finding Cormac trying to race the other players but shamefully came last. "He seems like one of those pathetic boys."

Draco and Hermione sat together quietly, watching broomsticks fly past at lightning speed, and the calls of Harry and Ginny as they led the team with a strong stance. Hermione knew that Draco played Quidditch, but she rarely saw him training as hard as everyone else. Maybe being head boy was a lot harder than what meets the eye.

"How is the planning coming along?" Hermione asked, breaking the choking silence between them.

Draco bounced his leg softly as he blinked a couple of times, thinking about the topic. "Haven't done much. Only told this morning and was trying to battle those rumours about who I am suspected on taking." He laughed bitterly and shook his head. "Man, that whispering gets annoying."

"So who are you taking, if not Pansy?"

He shrugged his shoulders and turned to her. "I don't know. I hold a vague idea but I doubt she would want to come."

Hermione flashed back at how she told him that he was feared by everyone and his sudden change within a blink of an eye. She couldn't say that she fell under the spell of the rumour, but she also couldn't say that she didn't. It was a complicated topic, and she held no clue on how to respond.

They sat quietly again, following the players from one end to the other with their movements synchronising in time.

"So who is it?" Hermione questioned.

Draco smirked and shook his head, leaning back on the bench. "She's pretty amazing. She's bright but quiet, she's smart but still wants to know stuff, and she's more brave and opinionated than other girls."

"Do I know her?" Hermione frowned when he shrugged his shoulders. She wanted to probe more, until Ginny, Harry and Ron stopped on their broom-sticks to look over at Hermione sitting with the last person that they thought she could handle.

Draco saw their sudden territorial stance, and decided it was time to leave to keep the drama at a minimum. He really didn't want any more attention than he already had.

"I better be off." He stretched his shoulders and fixed the cloak that he wore. "See you around, Granger." With a wink, he hovered off just as soon as Ron came over, Ginny following behind.

Ron looked disgusted at Draco's back, whilst Ginny gave a sceptical look at Hermione.

"What did Malfoy want?" Ron questioned. "That Jerk was probably snitching on in our practice."

"He wasn't" Hermione said. "He actually saved me from Cormac."

On cue, everyone turned around to see Cormac doing the drill led my Harry, his nose high as if he was the absolute best. Onlookers said otherwise.

"Malfoy defending?" Ginny said. "That sounds hardly believable."

"He was. Then just sat and watched. Talked a little bit about the Slytherin Ball and left when you two came up. Almost knew you were going to attack him." Hermione shot a deadly glare the Ron, who ducked back in defence. "You really don't see the Brightside of people, don't you? Have you ever considered that he never wanted that stupid life that his father forced upon him?"

Ron and Ginny shared a look, falling back as Hermione stood and left. She realised that she had said a little too much for her likings. They probably thought she was going onto the dark side, but she saw no issue on defending someone who she thought was nice... right?

Authors Note: