Slow Grenade

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Hogwarts had never seen so many students put their names down to stay in the castle for Christmas. Everyone in fourth year and above seemed to be staying, and all anyone could talk about was the Yule Ball. Hermione adored the decorations that had been erected for the occasion. They were, by far, the most incredible she had yet seen inside the school.

Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armour had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them.

It was less than a week before the ball and Hermione was climbing through the portrait hall to the Gryffindor common room. She smiled, finding Ginny crying with laughter on one of the huge sofas.

"What's going on?"

Through tears of hysteria, Ginny gasped. "Only Ron... asking Fleur... to the ball... in front of everyone."

Hermione's eyes widened in surprised. "What happened?"

"She said no, of course," Ron muttered, head in his hands.

"Cho said no to me too, mate." Harry told his friend.

Hermione briefly glanced at Ginny, sympathy in her eyes, as the redhead abruptly stopped laughing.

"This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left you haven't got anyone, well, except Neville. We heard he asked you, Hermione? But you turned him down because you're going with someone else?"

"Yes, I am," she replied, stiffly.

"No, you're not!" Ron continued, completely oblivious to the uncomfortable atmosphere settling over the group. "You just said that to get rid of Neville."

"Oh, did I?" said Hermione, her eyes flashing dangerously. "What makes you think that, Ronald?"

He ignored her. "Oh, come on, we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone has..."

"I've already told you. I'm going with someone," she said icily and strode off towards the girls' dormitories.

Heading up the stairs and into the cosy bedroom, Hermione lay heavily on her four-poster and sighed frustratedly. Although she didn't appreciate her image as someone entirely lacking feminine wiles, she wasn't actually annoyed at Ron. It was just that, since finding out that Draco was taking Pansy to the ball, Hermione could hardly stand to hear any more discussion of the damned event.

Christmas Day arrived, and Hermione had an enjoyable day with Harry and the Weasleys. They spent most of the morning in Gryffindor Tower, where everyone was enjoying their presents, then headed to the Great Hall for a magnificent lunch.

They went into the grounds in the afternoon; the snow was untouched except for the deep channels made by the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students on their way up to the castle. Hermione and Ginny chose to watch the resultant snowball fight rather than join in, and at five o'clock said they were going back upstairs to get ready for the ball.

"How are you feeling... about this evening?" Hermione asked Ginny as they traipsed up to the common room.

"You know I'd rather be there with someone else," she shrugged. "But, I'm excited all the same."

"Good, I'm pleased," Hermione gave a small smile.

Ginny looked at her shrewdly. "You'd rather a different date too, wouldn't you?"

Not for the first time in her life, Hermione cursed the rapid blush that she could never prevent staining her cheeks. Luckily, they had reached the portrait hole and she pushed forcefully through it, ignoring Ginny's question.

"You don't have to tell me, but I'm here, if you ever do."

"Thanks, Gin."

There were no opportunities for Ginny to press her further as the Gryffindor girls feverishly prepared for their evening. Hermione was not usually one for spending hours getting 'dolled up' but was pleased to have an outlet for her nervous energy.

Ginny spent a significant period of time charming Hermione's hair to fall sleekly below her shoulders, before twisting it up into an elegant knot at the back of her head. When she saw the finished product, Hermione gasped. "Oh, it looks beautiful, thank you."

"You look beautiful," Ginny corrected. "Now, let me get ready or I'll look like a Blast-Ended Skrewt stood next to you."

As Ginny headed to her own dormitory, Hermione padded over to the robes hung from the canopy of her bed. She had initially looked for something dark and inconspicuous, but found herself drawn to this periwinkle blue, floor length dress. It was made from a light, silky material that flowed through her fingers as she began to get dressed.

Hermione and Ginny both grinned when they presented themselves to each other. "We look fabulous!" Ginny declared, throwing her hands in the air. "Look what happens to your posture when you're not hauling ninety booked around with you, Hermione!"

She rolled her eyes in faux annoyance. "I'll let that one slide, but only because you've done such a good job with my hair."

Ginny smirked, offering her arm as they left the common room. "Come along then Miss Granger, everyone's left already."

Hermione stood alone at the top of the marble staircase, her left hand clutching the balustrade; Ginny had run off moments earlier, having spotted Neville in the crowd.

She looked around the Great Hall, and cautiously made her own way down the steps. It wasn't long before she felt the weight of Draco's gaze. Hermione met his eyes and her breath caught. She had to pause for a moment before continuing the descent.

Draco's hair fell across his forehead in exactly the way she liked, and the platinum blonde stood out brilliantly in contrast to his black velvet dress robes. His ensemble was perfectly tailored, of course, and Hermione could make out the lithe angles of his body underneath.

Her heart began pounding more desperately when she noticed him swallow and drag his eyes languidly over her dress. She didn't think she had ever seen him so flushed before and shivered knowing that it was because of her.

Tugging on his arm was Pansy Parkinson. Hermione looked down at the floor as Draco was forced to wrench his attention away from her and to his date. When he turned back, she had disappeared.

As the grand oak doors finally opened, Professor McGonagall called, "Champions over here, please!"

Hermione and the others were to enter the Great Hall in procession after the rest of the students had sat down. She joined Harry and Parvati, who both gaped dramatically at her new look.

Once everyone was settled, McGonagall told the Champions and their partners to get in line in pairs, and follow her. Viktor smiled as he gave Hermione a small bow and offered his arm. She flushed and they started walking up towards a large round table at the top of the Hall.

The walls of the Great Hall had been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

When the small group reached the table, Hermione sat herself between Harry and Viktor. She was initially confused by the lack of food on the glittering golden plates, but soon became distracted by her conversation with the Durmstrang boy.

"Vell, ve have a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I am thinking," he said. "Ve have just four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve have grounds larger even than these though, in vinter, ve have very little daylight, so ve are no t enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains – "

Viktor was interrupted by his Headmaster who berated his detailed description of their school. Hermione gave her partner a small shrug and changed the subject: how to correctly pronounce her name.

"Her – my – oh – nee," she said, slowly and clearly.

"Herm – own – ninny."

"Close enough," she laughed, catching Harry's eye and grinning.