Dramione - Fire and Ice

Chapter 4 (Draco/Hermione)

"Granger, we're running late," drawled Draco, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, waiting impatiently by the exit to their shared common room. 

He glanced down at his attire. Granger had the bloody idea no one would be allowed to wear their house colors to the ball. He sported all black aside from the red silk handkerchief in his breast pocket. His mask was black with a red accent. He heard her door open and close upstairs, her footsteps approaching. 

"Finally," said Draco, with an eyeroll. "You'd have thought -" but whatever snide comment Draco was about to say was lost on his lips when he saw her.

In front of him stood Hermione Granger; however she looked very different than the know-it-all Muggleborn he knew. Her brown hair had been tamed, and curled down to her bare shoulders. Her emerald green dress hung off her shoulders and accentuated her waist before flowing to the floor. A large slit in her dress going up to her thigh drew attention to her long legs and she wore black heels which was held by a ribboning pattern up to her calf. 

He finally looked into her eyes behind the matching green mask and noticed how bright her warm brown eyes contrasted with the green. Granger was chewing on her deep red lips, obviously nervous about her appearance and his reaction.

Draco cleared his throat and glanced once more at her long slender leg peeking out from the dress. "You look stunning, Granger."

A subtle blush could be seen on the edges of her mask. His thoughts had begun to venture into questionable territory as he raked over her slender shoulders and the visible top of her breasts. If his father knew what he was thinking...

"Thank you," she said quietly, walking closer. 

"Quite sexy in green," he said with a wink, attempting to put her at ease as well as distract himself from her figure. 

She laughed and shook her head, the blush deepening. "The flattery is unnecessary."

"I was talking about myself," he smirked, holding his arm out. 

Her laugh was more genuine this time when she looped her arm into his, the temperature of their proximity causing a thin sheen of sweat on the back of his neck. 

They exited their common room into the empty corridor. 

"Has it hurt your ego that I haven't said anything over your appearance?" teased Granger, the portraits eyes' following them as they made their way to the Great Hall. 

This fact seemed irrelevant considering how she looked tonight. "Of course," Draco said, placing his free hand on his chest, feigning hurt. "It's practically in shambles."

She smiled in amusement, the sound of their footsteps echoing down the corridor as they neared the faint source of music. 

"You're not wearing much red, but it does look rather dashing," she said with a smile, looking over to him warmly. 

He had the sudden urge to pull her aside and ravish her lips with his until they were swollen, but he resisted the blasphemy of such a thought.

They finally reached the outskirts to the Great Hall and were mere feet from view. 

"Ready?" Draco said, his grin genuine at being given the honor to escort the gorgeous witch beside him. He was determined to keep any thoughts of blood purity from his mind. What damage could be done by putting aside his upbringing for one night?

"Ready."

***
  
Hermione had to admit she was impressed with what they managed to create in the Great Hall. It was elegant to the likes of the Yule Ball, but with a splash of color from all four houses on tapestries. They even created miniature animated creatures of their House mascots who were chasing each other on tables.