To Be or Not To Be

By cenagurl

A/n: here's the final installment for you guys. :D enjoy, and don't forget to review…

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Chapter 4: Narcissa Foresees the Future

"You're smiling," Narcissa commented as she watched her son lounge lazily by the balcony facing the garden with a contented smile on his lips.

Draco turned to his mother and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Good morning, mum," he said lightly, then turning to gaze out at the garden once more.

"May I know why my son seems exceptionally happy today?" Narcissa queried, and her son let out a relaxed sigh. He only grinned in response, and Narcissa cocked a pale blonde brow at him.

"Is this concerning a woman?" she asked. Judging from her son's widened smile, she had guessed right. "You and Pansy did not get back together, did you?" she asked suspiciously. Draco shook his head and just kept on smiling.

"So you've found a new one then," Narcissa concluded. "I just hope she's worthy of your attention, Draco,"

"I think you'll find her perfectly fitting, mum," Draco said confidently.

"And who might this young lady be?" Narcissa asked. "You'll meet her at the ball on Friday," Draco promised, elaborating no further, and his mother decided not to prod any longer.

"Speaking of the ball, have you gotten your costume?" Narcissa asked.

"Of course I did, I'm just adding some finishing touches to it," Draco answered proudly, and Narcissa beamed at him. "So you managed to endure going to all those muggle shops?" she asked.

"It wasn't too difficult at all," Draco said. "In fact, I found it rather… enjoying," he added, recalling Hermione.

"So you no longer care about blood status?" Narcissa asked softly. "I don't," Draco responded sincerely. "Were father alive, he would have been spitting mad, but I wouldn't give a damn,"

"Yes, he would be quite furious how we have suddenly become blood traitors," Narcissa agreed. "And I wouldn't be alive today if a mudblood did not exist," she said wistfully.

"Mum?" Draco called quietly. "Do I still need to live up the family tradition? You know, marrying a pureblood?"

Narcissa turned her blue eyes on her son. "I would accept whatever would make you happy, dear," she said, and Draco gave her a tight hug.

"Thanks, mum."

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"You look beautiful, Herms,"

Ginny Weasley breathed that statement in awe as she surveyed her best friend standing nervously before her.

"Promise?" Hermione asked in a frantic voice. Ginny nodded solemnly. "Go look into the mirror if you want further proof," she advised, and Hermione walked over to her vanity mirror to check if Ginny wasn't lying.

As she looked into the mirror, she saw herself wearing a white satin floor-length Grecian-styled gown with floaty material designs. Her hair was piled up in a loose bun, a few tendrils of curly brown hair framing her small face. On her back were transparent wings made of tenshi-bird feathers and atop her head was a yellow circle she charmed to glow brightly.

"Wow," Ron had just entered the room, and he was gawking at Hermione as though he couldn't believe what he just saw. Luna followed behind, and a huge smile split on her face when she saw her friend.

"You look terrific, Hermione," she said, and Hermione gave a feeble thanks.

"You better go, the party would be starting soon," Ginny suggested, and Hermione picked up her purse and gave them a wave before apparating outside the Malfoy Mansion.

The place was already packed with guests, and Hermione brought out her white mask which covered half her face and wore it on. She could feel people staring at her, fascinated as she ventured towards the ballroom, hearing their intrigued whispers about her identity.

"May I ask you for a dance?" said a smooth voice behind her. Hermione turned around and saw a tall guy with light-brown hair wearing a blue mask extending a gloved hand to her. She noticed he was wearing a prince charming costume.

"Uh, perhaps later," she said slowly. "I'm looking for someone,"

"Wait a minute, your voice sounds familiar…" the man said, giving her a curious look. "It couldn't be… Hermione Granger?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes," Hermione said crisply. "And you are---?"

"Cormac. Cormac McLaggen," he answered, taking a step towards her. Hermione felt a twinge of nervousness at the way he looked at her.

Just then, someone gave her a rather heavy tap on the shoulder. She spun around and saw a woman standing stiffly in front of her, wearing a deep red gown with a plunging neckline and a red horned mask. She had long straight blonde hair that looked vaguely familiar to Hermione.

"What's a mudblood like you doing here?" she asked icily, and Hermione quickly recognized her. "Oh, hi, Pansy," she said sweetly, and the blonde's eyes narrowed.

"I was invited," Hermione continued in the same sickeningly sweet voice. "What about you? How did you manage to snag an invitation? Stole it from someone, I suppose?"

Pansy's eyes flashed. "For your information, this is a party hosted by my fiancé, you little bitch," she hissed, and Hermione gave a laugh. "Fiancé? Are you talking about Draco Malfoy?" she asked.

Pansy was about to say something when a man wearing a costume which greatly resembled Peter Pan's grabbed her arm. "Parkinson, leave now before Draco sees you and throws you out himself," he said, and she spat out a string of curses as the man steered her away.

Hermione looked around and sighed in relief when she saw that Cormac had gone. Darn, she wanted to see Draco!

She walked further into the room, passing by familiar looking people whom she could only guess who because of their masks. She was asked again to dance by a lot of guys, but Hermione shyly refused them.

Just as she was about to head to the refreshment table, a woman with long, silky white-blonde hair walked towards her, wearing a gorgeous pale blue gown and a matching glittered mask.

"Hermione!" she said, and Hermione immediately recognized her as Narcissa. She rushed over to her friend and gave her a hug.

"How are you, my dear?" Narcissa asked when they pulled away. "Seven years have passed and I must say you've grown into a beautiful woman,"

Hermione smiled at the woman's praise. "Just for tonight, Narcissa. I don't usually look this grand in my regular days," she said, and the older woman laughed.

"But you look totally stunning tonight, dear. I reckon you've been asked to dance a lot of times already?"

Hermione gave her a sheepish smile. "Just nine," she said.

Narcissa was gazing across the room now. "Draco's outside at the balcony, taking a breather," she said nonchalantly. "The girls were all over him since he came out wearing that Zorro costume,"

Hermione felt a stab of jealousy at the mention of girls hanging all over Draco.

"I heard you assisted him in purchasing his costume," Narcissa continued, looking at Hermione amusedly. "He wasn't the same ever since,"

"What do you mean 'not the same'?" Hermione queried, bewildered.

"There are more guests arriving, I must attend to them. Please excuse me, I'll chat with you later," Narcissa said in a voice that slightly reminded Hermione of Luna, giving her a sly smile before disappearing into the sea of dancing people.

Hermione then turned to walk towards the balcony, as she was truly dying to see him in his costume.

As she stepped outside, a cool breeze of the evening air welcomed her, tousling the stray locks around her face. Her gown swished with the air, brushing smoothly against her slippered feet.

She saw him standing there by the railing, his back to her. His white-blonde hair shone under the soft light of the moon, his black cape waving with each blow of the wind.

Then, as though sensing her presence, he turned about, a smile crossing his lips. Hermione felt her heart ram against her ribcage at the sight of him. He wore a black mask which really accentuated the silver of his eyes, a white long-sleeved saffron shirt, a black satin waistband, a pair of snug black pants and shiny boots. A sword was slung casually on his hip, and the smile he wore made his costume all the more perfect.

"Hello," he said, walking towards her with the same disarming smile still on his lips. Hermione stayed immobile, staring at his handsomeness in open fascination.

He stopped when he was just about an inch or so from her. Hermione wished he would touch her, but he didn't. He just grinned mischievously down at her, his gray eyes twinkling.

"I—I—" Hermione was at a loss of what to say to him, as her mind went totally blank. Draco looked at her questioningly, and she mumbled, "I think we should go inside,"

Draco leaned closer to her, so close that Hermione could smell his cologne—a scent so intoxicating she wanted to pull him to her fully so she can bury her face in his shoulder.

"Pardon? I'm afraid I didn't catch that," he said, his warm breath fanning her face, and she bit her lip to stop herself from screaming for him to get away because her heart was racing so badly she felt breathless.

She swallowed before she spoke again. "I think we should— I think we should go inside,"

Comprehension dawned in his eyes, and he offered her his arm. "Shall we, then?" he asked, and Hermione reluctantly curled her arm around his as he led her back inside the ballroom.

"Since I have so gallantly escorted you inside, shall I have this dance?" Draco asked when they reached the middle of the dance floor. Hermione nodded mutely, and felt her whole body heat up when he gently placed his warm hands on her hips and he leaned over to whisper to her, "You have to put your arms around me,"

She did as she was told, and he graciously led her in the dancing, as she had suddenly become as stiff as board.

"Loosen up, Hermione," Draco told her as they swayed to the music. "I'm not going to eat you, although you look quite delectable tonight,"

His comment made her all the more stiff. Her face was red too.

"Stop that," she whispered in an aggravated tone. "I won't be seduced by you tonight, Draco, by God I swear it," she said, and he laughed.

"So my tactic's working by the sound of your tone," he said cheerfully. "Should I kiss you now?"

"NO!" Hermione seemed to have said too loudly that the people around them stared. Draco was still chuckling at her.

"Alright then, since I am a gentleman, I shall do it somewhere more private—and more convenient, because for all we know, we just might end up married," he kidded, and Hermione shot him a venomous look.

"Ah, forgive my humor, Hermione, I just missed you because I had not seen you since you last rejected me for a kiss,"

Hermione flushed. "I did not reject you," she said. "I was simply preventing something uncontrollable to happen,"

Draco was looking at her seriously now. "Why are you so afraid anyway?" he asked.

"You have been my enemy for the past years, if you must remember, and I'm not even sure if the way you're treating me now is for real," Hermione told him flatly.

"Can't you tell?" Draco asked softly as he pulled her closer to him. Hermione's heart was back to beating at an amazingly fast rate again. She did not pull away though. He felt so damn good to resist.

Slowly, she encircled her arms around his neck, and he tilted his face and leaned until his lips were just a breath away from her own. Hermione's heart was in danger of leaping from her chest now, and she closed her eyes in anticipation. She had been dreaming of this moment since she last saw him.

But Draco Malfoy was surely up to some game. Instead of kissing her on the lips, he went for her chin instead. Then he stepped away, giving her a bow.

"May I dance with you, fair sir?" a young girl with bouncy red hair asked Draco, a saucy smile on her rouged lips. Hermione glared at the girl, while Draco grinned as he gently declined the offer.

Then, before Hermione could react, he dragged her back towards the empty balcony and hastily removed his mask. He backed Hermione into the cool wall and he slowly took her own mask off, his fingertips brushing sensually against her smooth skin.

When he was done with the task, he brushed his thumb across her trembling lips.

"Where shall I kiss you first?" he mused out loud. Hermione stared at him, her brown eyes mirroring her nervousness and anticipation. "Here?" he brushed his knuckles lightly against her cheeks, and she shuddered with delight. "Or here?" he gently touched her neck, his warm hand sliding down towards the spot below her collarbone.

Hermione felt ready to collapse. How could she have entangled herself in this situation?

Without another thought except having him kiss her now, she dragged his head down to hers and kissed him with all the whirlwind of emotions she had been feeling since the night began.

He seemed pretty surprised to respond at first, then, in a quicksilver moment, his body was draped over her as he kissed her back with the same urgency, his warm mouth brushing over hers in a manner that made her whole body pulse with need.

"Oh!"

A woman's startled gasp made the couple break apart, Hermione red and looking very embarrassed and Draco looking annoyed that someone had dared to interrupt them.

"Oh, Blaise, hi," Draco said dryly when he spotted his friend standing beside a petite woman with a heavily coiled brown hair. "What a nice time for you to show up,"

Blaise Zabini was looking at Hermione with the usual look she received back at school from the pureblooded Slytherins. She felt ashamed when she felt tears building up her eyes.

She should not have let that stupid kiss happen. How was she so sure that Draco was not secretly giving her that very same disgusted look?

"And I thought you had class, Draco," Blaise said, shaking his head in disappointment. "You're better off alone than trysting around with a mudblood like there's no other girl left,"

Blaise's words sent a knifing sensation into Hermione's heart, and two tears leaked out from her eyes. Draco saw this and he gently wiped the wetness away with his thumb.

"Don't listen to him," he whispered, before turning to walk towards Blaise, who was still standing there with his woman.

"I don't care about blood status anymore, you hear me?" Draco said in a dangerously soft voice, and Blaise cocked a brow at him.

"You might be pretty smitten with her right now, but I'm sure you'll be regretting in the future that you dared to touch her filthiness," Blaise said cruelly, and Draco's hand fisted into a tight ball.

"If you haven't got anything better to say, I'd suggest you leave this party now before I bring out my wand," Draco said, and Blaise gave Hermione one last malicious look before disappearing back inside with the girl.

When they were alone again, Draco turned and saw her slumped against the wall, her face obscured by the locks of hair that had fallen from her coiffure.

"Hermione…" slowly he walked towards her, and she gave a low sob.

"Don't come near me," she said weakly, but he did not pay heed to her feeble plea. He kneeled in front of her and brushed the strands of hair from her tear-streaked face.

"Hermione…"

"Don't touch me," she whispered, more tears falling down her face. "I'm a mudblood, and you might dirty your regal hands," she bit off, pushing his hand away.

Draco eyed her in disbelief. "You still don't trust me, do you?" he asked in a hard voice. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't give a bloody damn anymore of blood status?"

"You can stop being grateful to me for saving your mother because I do not need your gratitude, Malfoy," she said, her voice rising as well.

She could have sworn she saw Draco roll his eyes as though they were speaking of petty things.

"You're really daft, Hermione Granger," he said exasperatedly. "Listen to me. I am not doing this to you as a show of gratitude for your heroic deed seven years ago. I am doing this because I like you as you are. Damn, I can't believe I just admitted that!"

His last comment made her smile. "You really like me?" she asked shyly, and he gave a solemn nod. "Want me to prove how much I do?" he asked challengingly, his hands moving to the sides of her face.

"I'd love that," she whispered as she met his lips in a sweet kiss that told her he meant what he just said.

From the doorway, Narcissa thanked Blaise for playing along with her plans, where he just waved her off, saying, "He looked like he wanted to punch me, that ass. He doesn't know Isabelle here is also muggle-born," and kissing the dark-haired girl lovingly on the cheek.

Narcissa smiled at the couple, then turned her gaze back to her son, who was wrapped in a passionate embrace with the girl she had once thought unworthy of their race, but had made had made a very big difference in her life.

She guaranteed a marriage in the next month.

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…And so it's done. Please let me know what you think. :D