Hey, guys! Super sry for not updating in FOREVER. First, I'm currently on vacation. Second, I haven't felt much like writing. A lot has been going on outside and around my little world, and so I've just not had the motivation to write. Because of that, I'm not sure how great this chapter's going to be...I'll do my best!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Guess what? Only three chapters to go after this one! Yep, I'm planning to keep this story to 20 chapters! And I already have an interesting idea that I'd like to expand upon for my next Dramione fic. I promise to make those chapters much longer than the ones in this fic. Tbh, it's going to be a LONG story that will probably take several months for me to complete. But I am planning to write variously themed Dramione oneshots during the development of said story!

Disclaimer: I wish I could say I owned Dramione, at least...

It was a sad hug, yes, one wrought with pent-up emotions that had almost caused Draco to doubt the purpose or importance of his existence numerous times before he'd begun to forge a relationship with Hermione. But now that he was in a relationship with her, he knew that he'd never have to hide his feelings from her, however embarrassing or even shameful they were. Just as he was there for her, she was also there for him.

"Hermione?" Draco said, looking up from his coffee two days later.

"Mm?" The said witch said, glancing up at him.

"The Halloween Masquerade Ball is tomorrow, you know."

"And?" Hermione prompted.

"And would you like to be my date?" he asked, forcing the rising blush back down to wherever it had come from. Hermione set down her book - a lengthy one for Ancient Runes - and showed him a wide smile that displayed her pearly whites.

"I would like that very much," she admitted, and Draco couldn't help noticing the cute redness that had suddenly presented itself on her cheeks.

"Good," Draco said, smiling, leaning over to plant a soft kiss on her cheek.

Blast it, Hermione! Would you stop blushing?

While Hermione was appalled at her now constant tendency to blush, she was very happy that Draco had finally asked her to be his date to the ball, even if his request hadn't been the romantic gesture she'd fantasized about. "But we still don't have costumes," she pointed out.

"Well, we can arrange to get them. How does you, me, and two mugs of butterbeer sound?" he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Hermione stifled a snort at the cheesy pickup line and settled for a giggle. "It sounds lovely," she laughed.

"Great. We can head on over to the Three Broomsticks and then get costumes at that new place. What's it called?"

"Er - The Mask?" she guessed.

"Yeah, that's the one. But we'll have to ask McGonagall for permission."

"No, all the seventh and eighth years have been allowed to go to Hogsmeade for the past week to prepare for the ball," Hermione informed him.

"Oh. Well, that makes it loads easier. Why don't we head on over now?" Draco said, sweetly taking her hand.

Hermione considered this for a moment. "We'll have to walk there separately so no one sees us together, otherwise it'll spoil the surprise." Honestly, she was still very nervous about revealing their relationship to all their friends. She knew that none of them - save Blaise, perhaps - would take the news well. Ron would probably explode and attack Draco, Harry would get over it but would initially threaten Draco, and Ginny would probably force the Muggleborn to tell her if Draco ever laid a harmful hand on her.

With these lovely thoughts in mind, the two formulated a plan so that no one would notice them together. A few minutes later, Draco strolled out of their common room. After he had shut their door behind him, Hermione hurried up to the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, she muttered, "Crinus Muto!" Immediately, she watched in wonder as her long, frizzy brown hair transformed into sleek, soft blond curls that just barely brushed her shoulders. Bringing a hand to her curls, she briefly relished in their tamed and sleek stature. She and Draco had decided that they both needed to be somewhat disguised (Draco had changed his platinum blond hair to a shiny chestnut brown that would've given even the most beautiful centaur a run for its money), but they didn't want to stand out too much. Only having attempted that particular charm once, she'd been concerned that she wouldn't perform it perfectly. But, being Hermione Granger, she had done beautifully.

After taking another moment to admire her new look, she whispered, "Ristaris!" Instantly, her chocolate brown eyes melted into a mysterious kind of hazel with a few gold flecks sparkling around her pupils. She promptly gasped. She looked stunning! As she gazed into her reflection, she had a sudden disturbing, yet oddly comforting, thought. This wasn't her. She wasn't the blond-haired, hazel-eyed beauty staring back at her. No, she was the wild-haired, brown-eyed girl people used to make fun of. She wasn't the model type. She was plain. She preferred to be that way.

But something about her disguise comforted her. Maybe it was the fact that she was hiding behind a mask. There'd be no whispers of, "That's Hermione Granger!" or pointing fingers or awed stares. No, she'd be free to spend time with her new boyfriend in peace.

With renewed confidence, she marched down the stairs and out the door.

Draco had been waiting at the Three Broomsticks for nearly 20 minutes, and Hermione still hadn't arrived. Checking his watch, which he'd transformed into a plain old Rolex (Hermione had told him that it was a Muggle watch brand) instead of the fancy shmancy Purex one he'd received from his parents for his seventeenth birthday, he saw that it was already 2:32. He and Hermione had decided to meet at no later than 2:15, and it wasn't like the witch to be late.

Maybe she's been kidnapped! the paranoid voice in his brain went off, almost as if on cue.

Shut up!

As he sat there, trying not to take a sip of the warm mug of butterbeer in front of him because he wanted to wait for Hermione, he began to drum his fingers on the table. He was impatient because, though he'd never admit it, he was incredibly worried - almost to the point of a nervous breakdown - that someone would recognize him and Hermione as they hung out together. If he was honest with himself, and he rarely was, he was terrified of the following evening. He didn't want to surprise anyone! He wanted to keep them both a secret! It was easier! But he could hear the rational voice in him saying that, in the long run, it would be better to have a relationship out in the open.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a wave of something warm spilling all over him, drenching his robes. He shot up from his seat like a rocket.

"Oh, Godric!" someone groaned. "Ergh - sorry about that, mate." Draco looked up and found himself face-to-face with Ronald Weasley. His watery blue eyes stared apologetically down at him.

"Oi, watch it!" he growled. As he said that, Weasley's eyes narrowed at him suspiciously.

"Do I know you?" he said, ignoring the Slytherin's rude response.

"Er - no. Derek Davis. Hufflepuff. Seventh year," he blurted.

What the - Hufflepuff?! Seriously?! Get a grip! You could've at least picked Ravenclaw or any else besides Hufflepuff!

"Oh. Thought you looked familiar. Something about the nose. No, maybe it was the voice. I don't know. Anyway, sorry about your drink. I'd buy you another, but I don't have any money on me," he admitted, his ears turning beet-red.

God, is he always this chatty?

"No, I'm fine."

"You meeting someone?" Weasley yawned, leaning against the table, which annoyed Draco immensely.

Must he always be so nosy?

"Yeah. My girlfriend."

"Yeah, me too. Well, not my girlfriend." The Gryffindor's cheeks glowed as red as his hair. He opened his mouth to say something, but just then, Hermione plopped into the chair across from Draco with an exhausted sigh.

"Hey," she said to Draco before realizing that there was another being in their presence. "Oh, hi, R - hi there!" she checked herself quickly.

"Hi," Weasley said, again looking skeptically at Hermione. He shook his head. "Oh, er - nice to meet you. I'm Ron." Hermione casually shook the hand he offered.

"Eleanor. Eleanor Andrews. Ravenclaw Seventh year," she lied smoothly.

Weasley nodded. "It's odd. There's something very familiar about both of you. You sound just like..." he drifted off. "Wait! You sound just like Hermione," he realized, pointing a finger at 'Eleanor,' who promptly choked on her butterbeer.

"H - Hermione Granger?" she spluttered, clearing her throat.

Weasley ignored her and turned his accusing glare to Draco. "And you...I don't know who, but you definitely sound familiar, too."

"Sorry, but you're mistaken," Draco said, attempting to not drawl, which would probably give himself away.

Just then, Hermione stepped in.

"I don't really know what you're going on about. He's -" she glanced at him for help.

"Derek Davis," he mouthed.

"Derek Davis," she finished confidently. "And I'm not Hermione Granger either. So I'd appreciate it if you'd stop accusing me and my boyfriend - sorry, my boyfriend and me - of being people we, in fact, are not."

Weasley's eyes widened.

Ugh, he's going to say another stupid thing, isn't he?

"No one corrects themselves when they say something that's grammically incorrect except for Hermione," the redhead argued.

Draco chanced a glance at the Muggleborn, who, now that he'd gotten a proper look at her, looked incredibly strange in her blond-haired, hazel-eyed getup. She looked beautiful, but strange. Not like his Hermione.

As he looked at her, he could tell that she was just itching to correct the Weasel's pronunciation.

"I'm in Ravenclaw; it's a perfectly natural thing for me to do," she said coolly.

"But you even sound like Hermione! I've known her for nearly nine years, I think I'd know."

"And I think I'd know if I were another person," Hermione retorted. With that, she stood up and marched out of the pub.

As Hermione stalked out of the place, she thought frantically,

Oh, Merlin, he knows! He knows! And he's even onto Draco!

Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she saw Draco leaving the Three Broomsticks and walking after her. She slowed to wait for him. When he'd caught up, he whispered, "Well, that was interesting."

Hermione snorted. "To say the least. Darn me and my stupid need to correct myself mid-sentence! Ugh, we should've altered our voices, too, but I don't know of any charm to do so!"

"Well, it's alright," Draco said calmly, rubbing a soothing hand on her back. She shivered despite the warm feelings his hand was creating as she strolled alongside him through the chilly air. "We're breaking the news to them tomorrow, anyway."

"You're right."

"I will say, though, that Weasley is still a complete prat. He spilled my butterbeer all over me and didn't even offer to buy me a new one! Which reminds me..." Whipping out his wand, he gave it a complicated little wave, which prompted the wand to emit hot air. He then pointed it at his robes, which began to steam a bit as they dried.

"Well, you do know that he isn't exactly wealthy," Hermione pointed out.

"I know. Still, it's the polite thing to do."

"Maybe in your world. But not for us simple, inferior people," she joked, playfully slapping his arm.

"Oh, haha."

They walked on in silence until Hermione noted aloud that they should buy their costumes. Draco nodded, and the two walked hand-in-hand down the street. Finally, they found themselves in front of a modern-looking shop with huge letters that read "The Mask." The letters were flanked by Thalia and Melpomene, the two Drama Masks.

"I never did understand those masks. They're quite creepy, if I'm honest," Draco admitted.

"Draco Malfoy? Afraid of a mask? May the Heavens help him!" Hermione mocked.

"Hey, I didn't say I was afraid of them," the Slytherin muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Whatever you say..." Hermione giggled. With that, she led a disgruntled Draco into the shop.

As soon as they walked in, they were greeted by an overly ecstatic woman in her twenties who seemed to have consumed at least five espressos. "Well, aren't you two cute? I'm Cassandra, but you can call me Cassie! How may I help you? Are you looking for costumes for the Halloween Masquerade Ball at Hogwarts? All my customers have been."

"Er - yes," Draco answered, totally confused by the sudden outburst of questions from the woman.

"Hm, well..." Cassandra began, holding up her hands as though she were measuring something. "Ted!" she shouted. Suddenly, a young man with bright pink hair and green eyes rushed to the front of the shop. "Can you take care of this young man?" She motioned to Draco. "I think I have just thing for you...what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't, but it's Her - Eleanor," she corrected herself firmly.

"Well, I have just thing for you, Eleanor. Follow me!" With that, she pivoted on her heel and sped off into the back of the store. As Hermione followed her, she brushed past racks stuffed full of furs, feathers, and the like - all of about a million different colors. "Ah, here we are!" Without showing Hermione what she'd tugged off the rack, she pointed to a hallway and said, "The changing room's that way."

Hermione received the costume Cassandra had held out to her and sped off toward the changing room. Once in the room, she shut the door behind her and locked it. The room had a huge mirror that spanned from floor to ceiling and a rack for hanging costumes. As she moved to take off her clothing, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and sighed.

Halloween is such a strange holiday. Everyone gets to dress up and not be themselves for a little while. I guess that's nice, but it's weird, too. I'm not really going to be myself for another day.

Shaking her head, she stripped off her robes and the rest of her uniform. Holding up the costume, which was encased in a garment bag, she warily unzipped the bag. After doing so, a long dress of a green material with fake scales slipped out. Dropping the bag, she gingerly picked up the costume as though it were some monster about to bite her. As she took a good long look at the costume, she realized that it was a snake. The scales sparkled in the bright ceiling light. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something else that glittered in the light. From the folds of the garment bag, she could see a metal band peeking out. Kneeling to the floor, she grasped the band and pulled. The bag fell away, revealing a sort of metal piece that curled. After thinking hard for a moment, she realized that must be meant to snake around her arm.

Utterly fascinated, she slipped on the dress and then pushed the band up her right arm until it rested a few inches above her elbow. What she saw took her breath away. She looked gorgeous. The green of the dress brought out the slight green of her eyes. But something hit her. She didn't look like herself, so the costume might not even work for the real her at all. Finding her wand in the mess on the floor that was her uniform, she muttered the counterspell for her hair and eyes. Immediately, her soft blond curls transformed back into their usual frizzy brown state, and her hazel eyes became their normal, boring brown.

What she saw surprised her. While the look wasn't as utterly stunning as it had been in her disguise, she still looked pretty.

I just hope Draco thinks so, she thought anxiously.

That was another one of her fears. Draco could have his pick of any girl. And so she was afraid that he'd eventually tire of her. After all, she was one of the plainest, most boring women imaginable. Yet he'd chosen her. Somehow he saw a fire within her, a fire that made her beautiful to him. And as cheesy as it sounded, he loved her for her.

Oh, gods, she thought. I'm becoming one of those sappy girls who drool over men with washboard abs.

She shook her head to rid her mind of those overly romantic, not to mention disgusting, thoughts. Smoothing down one of the wrinkles in the costume, she took a better look at herself in it. The dress was a bodycon style, tight but not so much that she couldn't breathe. The resulting effect was quite nice, if she did say so herself. A few gallons of Sleezeaky's Hair Potion, some natural, yet noticeable, makeup, and she'd be good to go.

Ugh. I'm going to have to ask Ginny for help. And she's definitely going to ask who my date is.

That was a problem she'd have to deal with later, however.

Another thought popped into her mind. She was sure that Draco would appreciate the costume since it was a snake, and she'd therefore be showing her allegiance to him no matter what. That would be the perfect way to show her friends that there was no changing her mind. After all, she was infamously stubborn.

After one final glance in the mirror, she undressed and pulled on her stockings and the rest of her uniform.

They really do need to update this uniform. It takes forever to put on!

She carefully folded the dress and laid it neatly in the garment bag. Then she placed the armband on top of the costume and zipped up the bag. With that, she made to head out the door before realizing that she needed to re-disguise herself. She quickly performed the charms and rushed out the door. Once she had made her way back to the front of the shop, she was immediately lurched into real life by the slightly annoying voice of Cassandra. Ah, lovely Cassandra.

"There you are, darling, did you just love the costume? I thought you would! I think your boyfriend is about to finish up! He didn't change in the changing rooms; he just threw on the costume over his clothes! Didn't want to wait, I suppose. We really should invest in more changing rooms, don't you think?"

"Er - yes." Hermione knew that she was talkative, but she wasn't that chatty, right? Oh, gods, she hoped not.

As she waited, she began to impatiently tap her foot on the tile floor. What was taking Draco so long? Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting but was really minutes, she heard shouting.

"I will not, I absolutely will not be seen wearing a lion costume!" Hermione nearly facepalmed right then and there. Figures. Of course he'd been given a lion costume. And of course he'd refused to wear it. Not that she cared. He'd probably look good in anything you threw on him.

"You'd think you were in Slytherin, what with your absurd hatred of a perfectly good creature like the king of the jungle" came the retort from the other employee, Ted.

"I just happen to have...a fear of lions," she heard Draco weakly protest.

"Aha." Just then, the two came into view. Draco's face was flushed, and his shiny chestnut hair was all over the place.

"I'm sorry, H - Eleanor, but I cannot wear a lion costume. I just can't," he said apologetically.

She playfully rolled her eyes and sighed. "It's fine, Derek, but I just don't get what the big deal is."

"Like I said," he said with a pointed glare at Ted, "I have a fear of lions, remember?"

"Er - yes," she lied. "Do you have something else you picked?"

"I suggested a snake charmer, seeing as you've chosen a snake," Ted put in.

"Wait, you chose a snake?" Draco burst out, his gray eyes widening in incredulity.

Hermione nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.

"F - for me?"

"Mate, are you sure you're not in Slytherin?" Ted interrupted.

"Yes, I'm sure," Draco ground out through gritted teeth. Then he looked back to Hermione, and his face nearly glowed with appreciation. "I still won't wear a lion costume."

Hermione laughed. "You don't have to."

"Well, I guess I'll go try on that snake charmer costume," Draco said, wrinkling his nose a little in disgust. "But if I have to wear anything that shows my stomach, Ned..."

Hermione stifled another giggle as the two men walked toward the back of the shop.

"Your boyfriend is just adorable, isn't he?" Cassandra simpered.

"Yes, yes he is."

Wow, that was a pretty long chapter, at least for me! Betcha thought I was going to have Draco wear a lion costume, but I'm not that cheesy!

Hope you guys liked this chapter, and again, super sorry for the long wait! Pls lmk your thoughts by reviewing!

-RmR