Behind the Mask

I don't own Harry Potter (war ended in 6th year)

Chapter 1

"Hermione, open up!" a feminine voice called from outside the portrait door. I sighed and closed my book. "Hermione!" a different voice called as they began to 'knock'. I quickly got up off the gold sofa and opened the door to see Ginny with her hand poised to continue her banging. Behind her were the Patil twins and Lavender Brown.

"What is it Ginny?" I asked sighing.

"Let us in and we'll explain. We can't very well do it out here! Someone might hear us." I rolled my eyes and let them into the head dorm.

"Is Malfoy here?" Parvati asked glancing around the gold and silver room.

"No, I believe he is out practicing Quidditch with the Slytherin team or something of that nature." I said as I was sitting down.

"Good." Ginny said sitting down beside me. She shoved my books and papers off of the mahogany coffee table and placed her own parchment down in its place. I sent her a look which she ignored, "The reason we're here is that we want to ask you to help us with something."

"What?" I asked trying to read the papers she had splayed out, and was disappointed to find they were blank.

"Well you see, we," she said glancing at the other three who sat on a silver couch across from us, "want you to help us organize a dance committee."

"What for? We don't even hold dances at Hogwarts."

"Exactly! If we started one then we could petition to McGonagall, and maybe we could start holding dances!" Lavender said excitedly. She was practically bouncing in her seat.

"I still don't see why you need my help." I said beginning to pick up my papers and books. I set them back on the table.

"Well you are McGonagall's favorite student, and as a Muggle-born you probably know more about dances than us because I'm betting your mom has told you stories from when she was a teenager." Ginny explained as she pushed my things back off again. I closed my eyes to keep from ripping her long red hair out of her head.

I pursed my lips. She was right, my mother had told me stories, and I suppose McGonagall did favorite me a bit. Only because I'm head girl! I reasoned with myself. "I don't know Ginny. There's so much that would have to be done. We would need someone to head food, decorations, music; we would have to plan a theme for each dance. I just don't know." I began picking up my things again.

"That's why you would be perfect for the job as president. You would give us jobs and we would do them. You would keep us organized and on schedule." Ginny pleaded. She and the other girls began to give me puppy dog pouts which I refused to look at.

"I don't know. I've got so many duties as head girl with patrols, and jobs from McGonagall, and this is our NEWT year too." I said beginning to talk my self out of yet another responsibility. I placed my things beside the table for fear of Ginny knocking them off again.

"You're the best in our year Hermione." Padma said. "You study enough as it is, plus this would be fun! I could do music."

"I could do decorations." Lavender said.

"I've got food!" Parvati said taking the remaining job.

"And I would be vice-president." Ginny said proudly.

I thought some more. It could actually be fun. When my mother had described her dances she always spoke of them with such joy. "I suppose I might be able to do it. I've already got most of my homework done through November." The girls looked at me pleadingly. "Oh alright I'll do it." I said finally giving in.

"Yeah!" they jumped up squealing. I smiled a little bit, and gave a small laugh. They looked completely ridiculous.

"Calm down! Professor McGonagall hasn't even said yes yet. We have to show that we're going to be professional about this. Which means we must already have at least half the first dance planned out before we present her with the idea, we need to know the themes of all the others dances, and roughly the dates. We must have at least three dates selected for the first dance so that the Professor can choose which one. Is that clear?" I asked beginning to become serious. The girls nodded and sat back down.

"Let's get to work then shall we?" Ginny asked as the portrait door opened. We all looked up as Draco Malfoy entered the common room.

I nodded at him and he glared in our general direction. His blonde hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat and he had come in wearing his practice robes. "I thought you said he was out practicing." Padma said scowling.

"I was." Said Draco glaring at her, "Obviously I'm not now because I'm here aren't I?"

I rolled my eyes, "Oh knock it off Malfoy."

Draco glared at me and marched quickly off to his room. A few moments later water was heard running, and I assumed he was taking a shower. "Anyways as I was saying the first thing we need to do is discuss themes. The entire dance is based off of the theme. If you don't have one for the first dance then we may be able to use it for one in the future. Any suggestions?" I asked as Ginny began busy scribbling down a category for each point of the dance on the different sheets of parchment she had brought with her.

Lavender slouched in her seat, and her eyebrows came together forming a crease in her forehead. Ginny tapped her quill on her chin, and the Patil twins got a far off look in their eyes.

"We could have one on All Hallows-Eve. It could be a celebration of that." Parvati suggested timidly.

"Interesting, anyone want to build on that?" I asked as Ginny wrote down the idea under themes.

"We could make it an autumn dance and decorate with only fall colors." Padma said glancing at her sister who nodded.

"That's good. Ginny are you getting this?" she nodded and dipped her quill back into her ink.

"We could have a masquerade ball!" Lavender said suddenly sitting up.

"Good, good. Any others?"

"Well," said Ginny, "we could," she was cut short by Malfoy entering the room.

"We could what?" he sneered, "Stop talking as soon as Malfoy enters the room? Honestly it's quite immature. It's not as if you're planning my doom although I wouldn't be too terribly surprised if Granger was."

"Oh and your not planning mine? I'm truly touched Malfoy, truly. Now if you'll kindly leave so we can continue with our discussion." I said pointedly so that none of the girls would accidently say anything that would jeopardize our plans.

"It's a common room Granger. I don't have to leave. Plus it's our common room. Not yours, not mine, but ours."

I glared at the pale boy who was standing in our small kitchenette. "I know that Malfoy." I said through my teeth, "I asked if you would kindly leave."

"Well in that case, no." Draco took the bottle of water he had gotten out of the refrigerator, and sat down in a chair near the fireplace. He picked up a book from beside the chair and began reading.

"We'll continue this later." I said motioning for them to pack up their things. "Think of things for the you-know-what. Ok?" they nodded and headed for the door.

"Bye Hermione!" they called as they left.

"Goodbye! Malfoy!" I turned to face him as the door shut. "Why can't you just read in your room? I'm sure it's probably much quieter in there."

Malfoy sighed and glared at me, "You know very well that it's more comfortable to read here than in our rooms. I bet that's what you were probably doing before Weaselette and company came here." I scowled, "Now why couldn't you just plan what ever in your room?"

"Because there were five of us, and we were here first. Are you even listening to me?" I asked as he turned the page of his book.

"Nope." He said popping the p. I glared at him.

"What are you even reading anyways?" I said folding my arms across my chest.

"Your puny little mind wouldn't be able to comprehend it Granger." he said looking down at me.

I rolled my eyes. "I was just asking to be polite. As if you would know the definition. Besides, why would I want to know what kind of trash you're reading about anyways? It's probably just some tiny kids' book." I said haughtily. Draco's look turned from loathing to murderous.

"I'm surprised Granger. I didn't think you could insult a book." He smirked.

"I didn't insult the book Malfoy. I insulted your intelligence, and this is a perfect example for proving my point, because you didn't see it before."

Draco became silent, and he resumed his reading. I turned away from him, and gathered my books and papers again for the umpteenth time because somehow Ginny had managed to knock them over again.

I took out a sheet of parchment, and began writing down my own ideas for the dances we would hopefully have. As I wrote I found myself actually getting excited for it.

Returning to school dance, I wrote then added, during October sometime near All Hallows-Eve.

I wrote down ideas weather actually worth our time or completely stupid for the better part of the next hour until I randomly decided to turn the sheet over.

"Would you stop that insufficient scribbling woman?" Draco yelled.

"Why is it bothering you?" I asked smirking. I deliberately began to make my strokes louder.

"Why yes it is thanks for asking." He said glaring at me,

"Well in that case, no." I turned my attention back to my parchment.

"At least go to your room and scribble. I'm trying to read."

"How did you put it? Oh yes, it's a common room Malfoy, I don't have to leave."

Draco glared at me again, and gathered his things to leave. I gave him a satisfied smile, and turned back to my 'scribbling'. Suddenly the parchment was ripped off the table, and Draco Malfoy stood above me reading our plans.

I stood, and tried to snatch it out of his hands, "Give it back Malfoy." I snarled and reached to tug it away from him again.

"Ah, ah, ah Granger, you of all people should know its rude take things out of people's hands." He smirked.

"You're one to talk." I glared at him.

"I didn't take it out of you hand. It was lying on the table." He corrected.

"I was writing on it!"

"More like drawing." He said studying the paper that was still out of my reach. "If this is supposed to be me, you have a lot of work to do."

I finally managed to take the parchment back. I placed it on the table and began to smooth the creases. "If you must know it's a drawing of a friend from home." As if I was actually friends with a boy from home. I looked at the sketch of a boy sitting in a chair reading. It actually was him. He made for such a good subject because he sat so still. Not that I would ever tell him.

"Of course it is." I turned back to my sketch and began shading his eyes, "It's never going to work you know." He said after a moment.

I turned back around frustrated because I couldn't seem to get the right look for his eyes. "What isn't?"

Draco plopped down on the couch across from me, "The dance thing. McGonagall will never say yes."

"We'll just have to see about that." I said narrowing my eyes. I gathered my school supplies and left the common room.

Once in my room, I threw my papers onto my Gryffindor red bedspread. Who was he to tell me weather or not something would work? I fumed. I vowed I would see this through and prove him wrong.

I snatched to piece of parchment I had been sketching him on and ripped it to shreds, and angrily threw the tiny pieces into the small fire place that was in my room. "Incindeo!" I whispered and watched as a piece with his silver eye stared up at me, and then was gone, turned to ashes by the fire.

What do you think? This is my first Dramione story, but I love the paring so I'm excited to see what y'all think. Thanks for reading, and please review.

~chocoyum4~