Harry potter one shots.

The Yule Ball

PART 2.
This is the continuation to the last part, set few days after the Potions project, on the day of The Yule Ball. Enjoy. :)

Despite the very heavy load of homework that the fourth years had been given for the holidays, Draco was in no mood to work when term ended, and spent the week leading up to Christmas enjoying himself as fully as possible along with everyone else. Slytherin Dungeons were hardly less crowded now than during term-time; it seemed to have shrunk slightly too, as its inhabitants were being so much rowdier than usual. He had had a great success with the 'Potter Stinks'/ 'Cedric Rules' badges he'd made, actually his father had asked him to do something to mock Potter, and then mocked him for coming up with such lame idea as badges. Who should tell his dad what a success they'd been.

Snow was falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds now. The pale blue Beauxbatons carriage looked like a large, chilly, frosted pumpkin next to the iced gingerbread house that was Hagrid's cabin, while the Durmstrang ship's portholes were glazed with ice, the rigging white with frost. The house-elves down in the kitchen were outdoing themselves with a series of rich, warming stews and savory puddings, and only Fleur Delacour seemed to be able to find anything to complain about.

"It is too 'eavy, all zis 'Ogwarts food," he heard her saying grumpily as he left the Great Hall behind her one evening, trying to get Granger alone to talk to him.

She'd read his diary. His personal diary, for Merlin's sake! The charm didn't tell if she'd just touched and stumbled past it or read the whole, as Pansy told him she'd sent Granger for the Potions book in his room. But it seemed she was never alone. She walked with Potter behind the veela, the Weasel skulking behind Potter, keen not to be spotted by Fleur. "I will not fit into my dress robes!"

"Oooh there's a tragedy," Hermione snapped as Fleur went out into the entrance hall.

"She really thinks a lot of herself, that one, doesn't she?"

"Hermione - who are you going to the ball with?" said Ron. Draco raised his eyebrows. He never thought someone like Hermione, would be interested in going to something stupid as The Yule Ball. He still wanted to know who she was going with, especially if it wasn't Potty and Weasel and she'd hidden it from them. However, Hermione merely frowned and said, "I'm not telling you, you'll just make fun of me." Draco sighed irritably. She was dancing around the topic. He got another idea.

"You're joking, Weasley!" said Malfoy, from behind the Golden trio. You're not telling me someone's asked that to the ball? Not the long-molared Mudblood?" He spat the word out, despite knowing how much Hermione loathed it.

Harry and Ron both whipped around, but Hermione said loudly, waving to somebody over Malfoy's shoulder, "Hello, Professor Moody!" He instantly went pale and jumped backward, looking wildly around for Moody, but he was still up at the staff table, finishing his stew. "Twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?" said Hermione scathingly, but the usual hatred for him was missing. The smirk on her face faded into something more contemplative and she went up the marble staircase with heartily laughing Potty and Weasel.

He was sure now. Granger had read his diary. He didn't know what to make of it now.

***

The day had passed by in a blur. It was time for The Yule Ball.

The entrance hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Those people who were meeting partners from different Houses were edging through the crowd trying to find one another.