Author's Note: I should premise this with the fact that this is an excerpt from my long since abandoned and removed Dramione story, Renewal. I pulled that story earlier this year after deciding I would never get back to finishing it. The muse decided it wasn't meant to be. I ask that you don't beg me for more of this story. There will be none. I'm still hesitant about sharing this excerpt because of the bad memories it brings back. Additionally, much has been removed and edited from this scene because I simply didn't want to deal with the questions certain plot points would have evoked. Take it as it is and leave it at that. I do hope you like it, nonetheless. This was always one of my favorite parts of that story. Any mistakes you find are my own as this was not beta read. Much love, xxDustNight

Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to either J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.

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Renewal
Rated: T
Pairing: Hermione/Draco
Summary: Hermione and Draco share a dance that illuminates the fact that there might be more than meets the eye to their new friendship.
Prompt: 31 Days of Fanfiction: Day #20 A Never Finished Fic

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Renewal

31 October 1998

Nervously, Hermione applied the finishing touches to her makeup. She had no idea why she was as nervous as she was over a silly little ball. Keeping her makeup simple, Hermione then fussed over her hair which had taken far longer to wrangle into workable condition. Her curls were straightened and twisted into a knot at the back of her head with a simple braid across the top. Happy with her appearance, Hermione stood from the vanity in her dorm and turned to see her reflection in the full length mirror against the wall. She stared at her reflection, the idea that she was possibly starting to have feelings for Draco making her stomach flutter with nerves.

Sighing, she moved away from the mirror, deciding she better get dressed if she wanted to make it downstairs in time for the masquerade ball. This was the moment she'd been waiting for all day, finally getting to put on her new dress and slip into her heels to see the finished product. With a small smile, she opened her closet and pulled out the dress hat as hanging on the back of the door. Her hands were shaking, though she couldn't say why, but she was able to get it off the hanger without issue. Slowly, she let her robe fall away from her body. Stepping back, she clasped her hands under her chin; she'd chosen the beautiful, navy blue dress-the one Draco had mentioned was lovely.

Taking a deep breath, she slipped on the dress and then stepped into the silver heels. Turning back to the mirror, she gasped; the dress was everything she'd imagined. The silver gems in the gown twinkled when the light hit it as if illuminated from within. With a sigh of relief that the dress fit as it should before turning to grab her silver masquerade mask to complete the outfit. Carrying it in her hand, she hurried to the door to meet her friends downstairs in the common room. She found Ginny waiting by the fireplace just as she'd promised.

Ginny squealed with delight upon seeing her friend. "Hermione! You look gorgeous in that dress!"

Hermione smiled at her friend. "Thank you. Should we head downstairs?"

Quickly, Ginny grabbed her arm. "How do I look?" She slipped on her black mask so Hermione could get the full effect. She was wearing a dress of deep maroon which was overlaid in black lace. She'd chosen to wear black heels and her long, coppery hair was loosely pulled back with curls falling delicately over her shoulders. She looked beautiful, and Hermione told her so as they exited the common room and made their way downstairs to the Great Hall.

Instead of the usual candles floating in the air, there were carved pumpkins. It was both eerie and festive, Hermione thought as they entered the hall. The four long tables had been moved out and there were now little tables scattered around the edges of the room. To the left, the band for the evening, Ghoul Time Lovers, was set up with a large area to use as a dance floor. At the front where the head table usually set up had been transformed into a buffet table. Taking in the decorations, Hermione smiled at Ginny as they came to a stop by the buffet table.

The redhead poured them both cups of punch and then turned to survey the room. "We did a great job pulling this all together in just under two weeks."

Nodding, Hermione sipped the punch. "Yeah. It's really something, isn't it?"

The two hung out for a while before Ginny wandered off to find Luna, who was wearing a bright magenta dress with a matching feathered mask. Hermione couldn't help but laugh as the strange girl pulled her other friend away, but the laughter died away as she quickly realized she was now alone. With a sigh, she placed her empty cup on the table where it disappeared. As Head Girl, she was in charge of keeping an eye on everyone.

After her first sweep of the room, she leaned against the wall towards the front of the hall near the doors. She was secluded in the shadows of the dark corner so she could watch for anyone trying to sneak off somewhere more private. She was starting to wonder where Malfoy was when she noticed someone enter the hall. She recognized it as the current star of her thoughts by his blond hair even with his mask covering his face. What startled her entirely was the fact that his mask was the exact shade of her dress. She followed him with her eyes as he made his way through the hall towards the buffet table.

He walked slowly and kept glancing around as if looking for something. When he reached the table of food, he poured himself a cup of punch and selected a pumpkin pastry to eat. As Hermione watched him, she realized that her heart started to beat faster and her palms began to sweat. That's when she spotted Luna and Ginny making their way back up to the buffet as well. She knew there was going to be trouble the moment Malfoy turned and said something to the two girls.

She saw, as if in slow motion, Ginny poking him in the chest and scolding him for whatever he said while Luna stood to the side staring up at the enchanted ceiling. Hermione pushed away from the wall and meandered through the crowd, trying not to bump anyone in her haste to get to them before things could get heated.

She came to stand by Ginny and held her hands out in front of her. "What's going on here?"

Ginny faced her. "Malfoy made a snide remark about Luna's mask and then proceeded to ask where you were hiding. I told him Luna could dress however she wanted for the ball and that he had no right to ask where you were." She was standing with her hands on her hips and glaring at Malfoy, who looked a bit put out about the situation.

"Ginny, I think he was just joshing around," Luna simply stated as she lowered her gaze from the ceiling to her friend. "I'm not offended."

"That's not the point, Luna!"

Hermione watched as Luna merely shrugged and then waved at Padma and Parvati from across the room. Luna took that as her opportunity to leave the conversation and headed over to visit with the twins. Ginny glared at her back as she left before turning her attention back to Hermione. "Still, I don't see why he needed to know your whereabouts."

"Ginny, we're Heads; he might have had a question for me, or possibly something else to discuss. Draco has every right to ask where I'm at." She startled at the fact that she'd just called Malfoy by his first name aloud, and she was pretty sure both he and Ginny noticed as well because they visibly stiffened.

Ginny sighed angrily and threw her hands into the air. "He's impossible. Hermione, and so are you anymore." She stormed off into the crowd and Hermione glanced up at Draco. He was standing there awkwardly, holding his cup and staring at the place where Ginny had disappeared to. Slowly, he turned to face her causing her breath to catch in her throat at the heated stare he was giving her with his icy eyes through the dark blue of his mask.

"I apologize for Ginny; she means to protect me, but she forgets that I can take care of myself."

"I see."

"What did she say to you?"

"That I should leave you the hell alone."

"Really?"

"Yes, and then she poked me in the chest."

"You're lucky she didn't hex you."

He chuckled and set his cup aside. They both watched as it vanished before turning to look out at the hall. Many of the tables were filled with students munching on Halloween treats, while others danced on the floor to the upbeat song the band was playing. "Everything looks great."

"Yes. Nice call with the ball, by the way."

"Thank you." He smirked then looked her up and down, causing a light blush to flush her cheeks. "I see you chose the blue dress."

"I did."

"It really is lovely."

"I was leaning towards it. I liked the silver gems."

"Granger?"

"Draco?"

"It looks lovely on you."

Hermione blushed and looked down at her feet while letting her hands slide down the sides of her dress, feeling the soft chiffon under her trembling fingers. Draco complimenting her was something she'd never in her entire life expected, and she didn't know how to respond to him. She felt shy all of a sudden, slowly lifting her eyes to meet his steady gaze.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"You're welcome," he replied without any trace of a smirk.

She cleared her throat and shrugged, "I guess I'll get back to patrolling." She made to turn away, but felt a hand placed gently on her bare shoulder. She felt herself turning back towards Malfoy before she actually realized what was happening. He let his hand fall from her shoulder but held it out, palm up, in front of her. She stared at it for a moment before looking into his face. A slow song was shimmering through the air around them.

"Dance with me, Granger?"

Instead of answering, Hermione lifted her hand and placed it within his. She shivered as his hand closed around hers, feeling as if a jolt of electricity passed between their intertwined hands. Draco led her down onto the dance floor, but she was barely paying attention. All she could think about was her hand in his and the feeling that was overtaking her entire body. He pulled her close, placing her other hand on his forearm and his free hand on her lower back, all the while never breaking the contact of their hands. Draco took a deep breath that Hermione felt to her very core, and then, they started to dance. It was a beautifully slow waltz, and Hermione found herself getting lost in the magic of it all. He twirled her around, never letting their hands separate as the music cascaded around them. It was tragically romantic and Hermione let her eyelids slip shut as he pulled her close once again for the end of the song.

When it was over, she opened her brown eyes and gazed into his silver ones waiting for the room to come back into focus. The dim light from the hovering jack-o-lanterns was shining down onto his face giving it a beautiful sort of glow. Hermione never noticed how utterly handsome Draco was until now. Sure she'd thought he was nice to look at, but it was different now, she was different now. Draco, yes Draco, not Malfoy, was different now. Something had changed within him, and she could sense that now. Maybe it was because they had spent so much time together or maybe it was because she too, had changed.

Draco stepped in front of Hermione and smiled, "I had a very lovely evening, Granger. Thank you for the dance." And then he took her hand in his, lifted it to his mouth, and gently placed a kiss upon her skin. The entire time, they never broke eye contact, and when his lips parted from her hand, he straightened up, gave her one last lingering look, and then promptly left the Great Hall, leaving Hermione standing there trembling as the students continued to dance around her.

At some point later that evening, Ginny could be heard calling her name, but she ignored the girl. Instead of heading out of the hall with everyone else, she turned and stared back at the decorations and magic of it all. Something was changing within her; something drastic. She shivered as the jack-o-lanterns were extinguished one by one leaving her to only be illuminated by the light of the moon shining down from the enchanted ceiling.

A/N: Again, I ask that you do not beg for more of this story. I will not be continuing it. I do not write Dramione explicitly anymore. It is not where my heart lies. Thank you.