Veela Love

Chapter Twenty-Four: An Uncommon Ball

            "Draco, what's this?" Hermione held up a shoe box full of what looked like notecards. It turned out Cissa and Hermione shared the same shoe size, and Hermione was enthusiastically going through the woman's shoes, looking for the perfect shoe for her date with Draco that night.

Draco lifted his gaze from his book for only a moment before explaining. "Mother likes to save a copy of whatever invitation she sends out for the New Year's ball, so she doesn't repeat herself." He rolled his eyes. "Not that she ever would."

Hermione felt her eyes grow wide. "There's been this many balls?"

Nodding as he flipped the page, Draco added, "There won't be one this year of course. Mother's crushed."

Hermione frowned. "Why not? Did something happen?"

Finally setting down his book Draco stared at Hermione incredulously. "No one wants to associate with a Malfoy."

Hermione felt her cheeks heat up, silently berating herself for not seeing the obvious. "Oh."

Draco's face softened. "It's okay. Why would it occur to you? You're not a social pariah."

She fingered the neatly packed envelopes. Her heart ached for Cissa. "She really loved these parties, didn't she?"

"She always did. They were one of the highlights of her year."

An idea started forming in Hermione's. mind.

"Uh oh, that smile is scary, babe." Draco inched away from Hermione.

Excitedly Hermione hopped up from the closet floor and started pacing, her brain whirring a million miles a minute.

"Hermione?"

"Shh I'm thinking," she hushed him. She felt his eyes on her, but he didn't say anything else. Finally, she paused in her pacing and twirled to face Draco. He paled slightly at the gleam in her eye. "We're going to throw a New Year's Ball for your mother. As a thank you for all she's done for us... for me."

Draco snorted. "Darling, no one would come and that'd be even worse than no ball at all."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione hopped onto the couch next to Draco and snuggled up to him. "Maybe not any of the people you used to invite," she shuddered, "but I know of quite a few people who would happily attend."

Draco arched an eyebrow. "Who?"

Hermione smirked – she knew she was getting better and better at the look. Maybe one day she really would be a Malfoy. "You'll just have to wait and see. All you need to know is that you're going to take your mother out tomorrow night for the fanciest dinner you can think of."

Draco opened his mouth and then closed it. He nodded. "I can do that. Anything for my mother."

Hermione went back to picking out a pair of shoes, her mind whirring.

The next night Cissa stood before Hermione, worrying her hands in a very unladylike manner. "Are you sure about this, Hermione?"

"Yes of course Cissa. Go have some time along with your son."

"But you'll be all alone..." Cissa brushed a lock of hair from Hermione's face.

"Mother, I don't think you can call Blaise and Ginny's company as 'being all alone'." Draco said, stepping into the entryway. "You look stunning, Mother."