Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Invitations to Hermione - 81

Aphry

Dimitri wasted no time in asking me to accompany him to the ball. The next morning at breakfast, he came in with a large bouquet of white roses and asked me to be his date. I accepted but was honestly rather surprised he asked in such a grandiose way, considering our relationship was well known by most students regardless of house or school.

As the day went on, rumours only grew as to who had asked whom. Daphne and I waited patiently for Viktor to tell us if he asked Hermione, but days passed and he never said a word. Daphne warned him that it was prudent that he ask before someone else did.

The next Monday, Hermione, Daphne, and I had our free period and were completing our Arithmancy homework together.

Daphne and I were able to see Viktor come in, as Hermione's back was turned to him. He looked around, obviously on a mission to find something.

Or someone.

His eyes finally settled on our table, and he headed in our direction. I collected myself. Walking in our direction does not mean that he is about to ask Hermione Granger a very important question.

He stood at the unoccupied end of our table, casting a shadow over us. Hermione lifted her head, and her quill stopped as she looked at him. "May I have a vord?"

Hermione looked at us curiously. The two of us smile and nodded, encouraging her.

"Certainly," she said, a bewildered look on her face as she followed Viktor to a mostly secluded area of the library.

Daphne turned to me, a bright smile on her face. "Is he asking her to the ball?" she whispered in an attempt to avoid being scolded by the school librarian.

I smiled at her. "I'm not sure, but I think so!" Small squeals of delight escaped us, earning a stern warning look from Madam Pince.

After a brief moment, Hermione came back. A light disbelieving smile on her face. She sat down slowly in her seat. Then lean forward to us. We eagerly leaned forward as well. "You won't believe this..." she gave a small, incredulous huff. "Viktor Krum just asked me to the Yule Ball!"

Looking at Daphne, I was sure our excited, wide-eyed smiles were identical. I looked back at Hermione. "Well, what did you say?"

She smiled almost bashfully. "I said I would think about it."

WHAT? I shrieked in my mind. I struggled to keep my composure. I didn't want to startle her and change her mind altogether. "What's making you hesitate?"

Her lips pursed. "Well, there's a couple of things." She said. "First, I was..." she blushed. "Maybe hoping Ron might ask me."

I sighed. "I want to put this as gently as I can...." I said. "I believe Ronald..." I huffed, how am I going to say this? "Lacks the... maturity... to realize that you might be a suitable date for the ball."

She sighed. Was I was getting through to her? "Well, the other thing is...it's Viktor Krum!"

Daphne's brow furrowed. "I don't see the problem," she responded.

"He's a world-famous quidditch player!" Hermione exclaimed, earning a sharp hush from Madam Pince. "Why should he go with me instead of one of his... fan club floosies?"

I laughed at that, earning an inquisitive look from Daphne and Hermione. Looking between the two, I said, "Well, Hermione that's exactly it. He doesn't want to go with someone who's going to fawn over him the entire night like he's a poster on a wall. He likes that you don't regard him as a celebrity. You treat him as any other person."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "Hmmm. That's sort of respectable..."

Smiling, I added. "I also have it on good authority that seekers can make fantastic dancers." That earned a smile from Hermione. I think I had gotten to her. "Now, Hermione Granger. I strongly advise that you go accept that offer before his fan club finds him in here."

Grinning, Hermione rose from her seat, going in the direction that she came from with a sense of determination.

"This is mad," Ron said, several days later while we had another study period. I was sitting next to Draco, down the table a bit from him, and listened to Ron's conversation with Harry. "At this rate, we'll be the only ones in our year without dates."

As predicted, he still hadn't even attempted to ask Hermione. In fact, Hermione, who had only told a select few that she'd been asked already, was sitting right next to him!

It was a shame that I was right, but I was right.

At that point, Snape, who was overseeing the study period, shoved Ron's head down, causing the redhead to cry out in pain. Finding it amusing, I snickered a bit, and the professor spared me a glance.

Recovering quickly, Ron continued as soon as Snape walked off. "Well, Us and Neville."

Harry responded, "Yeah, but, then again, he can take himself." He and Harry chuckled.

Hermione then interjected. "It might interest you to know that Neville's already got someone."

Ron groaned. "Now I'm really depressed."

I subtly glanced past Draco down the table. Fred and George had slipped Ron a piece of parchment. Ron waited for Snape to pass by before asking. "Who are you going with then?"

Fred turned, throwing a piece of paper at Angelina Johnson to get her attention. She seemed irritated at first, but after he played pseudo-charades to ask her to the ball, she quickly nodded her head in agreement. Good for him.

"Anyone tell you it's rude to eavesdrop, Cytheria," Draco said with amusement in his voice.

I looked at him, smiling saccharinely. "It's not eavesdropping when you're as loud as Ron Weasley." Draco, amused by my comment, smirked even harder than he previously was.

I turned back to my entertainment for the period.

"Oi, Hermione. You're a girl."

"No," I said, unable to control myself. Draco muffled his own laugh.

Hermione slowly turned her head to Ron. "Oh, well spotted," she said sarcastically.

"Come with one of us?" Ron said, just before groaning in pain as Snape whacked him on the head with a pad of parchment. Then followed with Harry for good measure.

I leaned into Draco, who doubled over as we both attempted to stifle amused laughter.

Snape walked in the opposite direction, and Ron continued.

"Come on. It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone. For a girl, it's just sad."

"Oof. He needs to work on his manipulation," I said. Too bad for him, I had gotten to Hermione first.

Hermione was offended, I could tell by the tone of her voice. "I won't be going alone, because, believe it or not, someone's asked me." She snapped her book shut, returning it to professor Snape. Then returned to snatch the rest of her things. "And I said yes!" She said strutting away, curls bouncing up and down as she left the great hall.

I smiled proudly at her. Ronald deserved that.

Harry and Ron continued muttering to each other, unbeknownst to their most hated professor behind them. Severus Snape pulled down his cuffs slightly, lifting his hands over the boys' heads, and promptly shoved them down to look at their assignments.

Draco and I could not contain our laughter anymore. I was nearly crying. And when I looked back to my godfather, who was looking back at me and Draco, I could swear I saw the faintest hint of a smile.