A/N: Holy crap, I've written nothing for guard knows how long. This is bad. But, I've decided to write a little something for the holidays. Enjoy.

Hermione's eyes opened slowly, and a small smile spread across her face. It was Christmas. At the end of her bed would be a small pile of presents from her friends and family. She stretched as far as she could and her toes nudged one of the gifts. She sat up suddenly, wanting to tear into the goodies from her mom first.

Ten minutes later, Hermione looked satisfactorily around her. All the paper had been tossed to the floor below, and her pile of presents sat in front of her. There was the usual knit scarf and hat from Mrs. Weasley, the box of chocolates and a book of defensive spells from Harry, a book about beautification spells from Ron, and a stunning necklace that Ginny had found in a secondhand shop.

Her mother had sent a few hair products and some new clothes, along with her typical dental floss, mints, and fresh mouth wash. Her dad's gifts were a bit more… appealing. He had sent her two new mystery books, three boxes of hot chocolate mix, and a new mug. He knew her well.

Though the numerous books looked very promising, Hermione's stomach growled impatiently. She decided to grab some breakfast before starting on them. Ten minutes later, Hermione joined Harry, Ron, and Ginny at the breakfast table. All of them were still in their pajamas, a Christmas tradition they had started Hermione's second year at Hogwarts. Content with the breakfast she had just finished, Hermione looked around the room.

Almost everyone third year and over had stayed for that Christmas break. There was to be a Christmas ball that night. Hermione was still undecided about whether she was going or not. She bit her lip as the decision weighed on her mind. Ginny was begging for her to go, but she had nothing to wear, and it was different for Ginny… she had a date. With Harry, of course. If Hermione went, it was going to be by herself. There was no Viktor to take her to this ball. Everyone else had dates. Ron was going with Lavender, Harry with Ginny, Luna with Neville. It seemed the entire school had paired off. And she was the odd one out. Sighing, she stood and waved to the rest of the group. Ginny tried to catch her eye, but Hermione looked away intentionally.

Slowly, she made her way up to the Head dormitories. The portrait in front of the conjoined dormitories was of a small girl with dark curly hair, about the age of 5 or 6, playing under a weeping willow. She wore a plain white dress and a crown of wildflowers in her hair. Also in the painting, was a small boy of the same age leaning casually against the tree, watching the girl play. Sometimes he had a book or a deck of cards, but he was always watching her.

Hermione gave the password, "Silver Bells," and the little girl grinned at Hermione as she stepped through the doorway into the Heads common room. The Head Boy, Draco Malfoy, was reclined on the couch, a novel open in his long, slender hands. He glanced up at Hermione as she stepped into the room. He tipped his head down in a silent greeting, and she smiled at him as she crossed to her room. He watched her until she quietly closed the door behind her.

Once in her room, Hermione paced in front of her window, trying to make a decision. Growling in frustration, she crossed to her closet, going to grab her jeans to go help finish up the decorations for the ball. She opened the door and walked into her half-empty walk-in closet. As she turned to grab her favorite pullover, something in the back of her closet caught her attention. It was a large black plastic bag on a hanger. Walking closer, she noticed a zipper down the middle of one side. It was a dress bag. Slowly, she pulled the hanger from the rod overhead and walked back into her room.

She set the bag on her bed softly. Slowly she pulled the zipper down from the top of the bag. The dress that spilled out from the zipper was… perfect. She inspected it as she pulled it from the bag.

It was a floor-length red dress. Words couldn't describe how beautiful it was. The fabric slipped like water through her fingers. The scarlet silk cool to the touch. She crossed to her door. Draco was still laying on the couch reading a tattered paperback. Hermione cleared her throat. His frost-colored eyes traveled to rest on her features.

"Has someone been in my room?" she asked softly.

He hesitated, but it went unnoticed by Hermione. "No, no one's been in here lately."

She held out the dress. "This was hanging in my closet," she stated.

His brows pulled together. "Well, Hermione, where else would it be?"

She pulled it back to her. "I didn't put it there."

"Ah. I understand." He cleared his throat. "Are you afraid it's cursed?"

She was taken aback. That idea hadn't occurred to her. "Well, now that you mention it, that's a good point."

She walked across the room to the large table supplied for the Heads to work and spread the dress across it. Draco walked up behind her.

"That's a very fine dress. It reminds me of some I saw went I went shopping with Mother over the summer…" he trailed off, trying not to share too much.

Hermione paused. "If someone was trying to curse me, why would they buy me an expensive dress and hang it in my closet? Why would they not wrap it up and leave it as a Christmas present with all the others?"

Draco considered this for a moment. "The people who would try to hurt you know how you think. They would know that you expect them to do that, so they do what you least expect." Hermione looked up at him, studying him carefully. He continued, "If you'd gotten an unmarked dress at the foot of your bed this morning, there is no way you would have even thought twice about tossing it out or giving it to McGonagall to cast curse detectors all over it. However, by hanging it in your closet, they got you to look at it, touch it, hold it, carry it. They like to think with chess mindset."

Hermione looked back at the dress, gorgeous beyond belief. Without saying a word to Draco, she raised her wand and began to murmur detector spells on the dress. Nothing happened. Draco raised his wand. Watching the dress intently, he muttered a few things under his breath Hermione couldn't hear. Again, the dress remained still.

"Well," Draco said after a moment. "That was anti-climactic."

Hermione smiled at Draco. "So it's safe?"

His brows furrowed again. "From what I can tell, this is just a plain dress. Very expensive. And very beautiful. But nothing more, and not cursed."

Hermione draped the dress over her arm and began to go back to her room, when Draco interrupted her.

"Are you going to wear it?"

She turned back to him, not sure if he'd really said anything. "Excuse me?"

He tucked his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground. "Are you wearing that dress to the dance tonight?"

She considered for a moment. "Well, I guess I am. I mean, I wasn't planning on going befpre. But now, I guess I have to. There won't be another chance to wear this amazing dress again."

Draco swallowed. "I have a matching tie."

Hermione's stomach fell and her heart almost stopped. "What?"

Draco took a deep breath and looked Hermione in the eye. "I saw that dress in Madame Malkin's when I went to get my dress robes resized. And it made me think of you. I bought it on the spot. And the shopkeeper gave me the matching tie for free."

Hermione looked confused. "You bought me this dress?"

Draco nodded.

She thought for a moment. "Then what was all that about it being cursed?"

Draco smiled. "Well, if I had asked you out of the blue, what would have said?"

Hermione knew what she would say. A soft but resounding no.

"I… I don't know what to say. I can't accept-"

He interrupted. "You can and you will. That part is non-negotiable."

She chewed her bottom lip.

He smiled. He loved it when she did that. "How about this. If you'd like to accompany me to the ball, you meet me in front of the portrait at seven. I'll leave at precisely seven-oh-one. If you don't show up by then, I'll continue on to the ball, and you can wait until I leave to go down."

Hermione looked down at the dress in her hands, not sure of what she was going to do. She looked back up, but all she saw was him closing the door to his room.

She turned and retreated to her own room, still as undecided as before.