I stared at myself in the mirror, with Blinky behind me. I twirled in a circle as the gown spread out and shimmered. 

Today was the highly anticipated day. The Malfoy Ball. My first of many pure-blood parties allowed to attend. 

I heard a knock from the door. "Come in," I called. Narcissa stepped into the room, in her own ball gown which was a black mermaid evening gown we had both gotten at Diagon Alley. I shuddered as I remembered the shopping trip we had a few days before.

FLASHBACK!!! GUYS THE GOWN THAT HERMIONE'S WEARING IS SEEN ABOVE. IMAGINE IT WITH SILVER SPARKLES IN THE BOTTOM PART

Crack

We had just apparated to Diagon Alley. Though it was frosty, there were still tons of people bustling around in the streets.

"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy!"

"Good day, Mrs. Zabini."

I looked up to see Aunt Cissy kissing a woman who was absolutely stunning on the cheeks. That woman was dressed in robes, witch attire, but although her robes were a bit plain, it didn't dampen her bubbly personality nor her astonishing good looks.

"Narcissa, who is this sweet girl? I thought you and Lucius only had Draco."

"Amara, she is also ours, though she rarely goes out on family affairs. Hermione, meet Amara Zabini. I trust that you know Blaise from school? Amara is Blaise's mother."

I smiled, "Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Zabini."

"Good day to you too, Hermione. I trust that you are preparing for your first Malfoy Ball?" I nodded. "It's going to be the best evening of your life. Please excuse me now, I must get going before I'm late for a date with my new boyfriend." 

After saying farewell to her, Narcissa and I walked to Twilfitt and Tatting's first. "The gowns that I previously wore were all bought here. Hopefully there's something good enough this time for us." mumbled Narcissa as she pushed open the door, send a jingling noise into the shop, where it was obvious that a powerful Extension Charm was used as the shop was massive, stuffed everywhere with gowns.

"Good morning, Ms. Malfoy. Back for another gown to wear to the Malfoy Ball?" said a witch behind the counter with the nametag "Rosiett".

"Certainly. Rosiett, this is Hermione Malfoy, and she will be attending her first Malfoy Ball this year too."

"Such a pretty girl, I think rather few gowns in here would be suitable for her beauty. But feel free to have a look around for any gowns you would like to try on while I look for some that I think would look darling on you. Any preference on color, Ms. Malfoy?"

"I guess, lilac, thanks." I mumbled.

"Mmhhh. Indeed lilac would look great. Rosiett, grab a couple in a lilac-pale pink shade, sapphire blue and a few gold ones for the girl please." Aunt Cissy said.

"Will do, miss."

Soon after a few seconds, Rosiett returned with a shimmery golden gown in hand. "This is a cute dress, doesn't come too far down your legs though. Ends near the knee. Go on, try it on."

I tugged the dress on and looked in the mirror. Definitely not. I thought. It was way too short and uncomfortable. I pulled my clothes back on and handed it back to Rosiett, who exchanged the golden gown for a teal gown with sparkles, a lilac gown with tons of chiffon blooming out from the hip and another gold one, this time though, more silky and it was longer.

I sighed. This was going to be a long day.

Tons of rejected dresses stood in the corner, the pile growing taller and taller by the minute. True, there were some really pretty dresses that looked fabulous, but Aunt Cissy said firmly, "It isn't the one."

Rosiett looked a bit tired from rushing around to find new gowns for me and Aunt Cissy to try on. I had seen what she was going to be wearing. It was fabulous.

Aunt Cissy had stepped out from the dressing room with an off-shoulder, mermaid style, black evening dress. It swished as it moved and the black gleamed and shined. 

I had never seen someone wear something that was so extravagant and look as if the dress was just made for her.

In Aunt Cissy's case, I was a bit suspicious if the dress was custom made just for her.

"Mrs. Malfoy, this is the only dress we have that would fit Hermione. If this doesn't work out, try shopping at Malkin's. I don't think they will be as extravagant, but there might be something right for Hermione."

Rosiett handed me a sapphire blue dress and I quickly changed into it.

The first thing I heard when I stepped out from the dressing rom was oohs and aahs from Ms. Malfoy and Rosiett. 

"Take a glance in the mirror sweetheart, Mrs. Malfoy, I think this is the one." Aunt Cissy nodded.

I stood in front of the full-body mirror and gasped.

The dress looked perfect on me.

It was a sleeveless sapphire blue dress with silver sequins and beads making up for the top half of the dress, with a sapphire blue gown underneath. The sequins started at my neck, where there was an x pattern of ribbons trailing down my back until it joined at the hip with the shiny sapphire gown. It billowed and spread when I twirled and the silver patterns shone like the stars in the midnight sky.

This is the one, I thought. 

I can't wait when Draco sees it.

Of course, after the shopping of dresses, we had to go for jewellery. I swear, Aunt Cissy picked out so many different variations of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, that I could wear a different piece of jewellery every week and yet at the end of the year, I still wouldn't have worn every piece of jewellery that I owned.

Then, there were the Christmas decorations. First, Narcissa had insisted on a Christmas tree that was twice the size of her. Seeing it in real life almost made me pass out from shock.

Next was the tinsel, the baubles and the mistletoe. We bought hundreds and hundreds of boxes, and there were quite a few bags of mistletoe I was holding with my gown. Draco would love the mistletoe. Now we get to prank some adults!!

I was so grateful when I heard that there was a delivery system in Diagon Alley. Otherwise, how was Narcissa and I going to carry all the shopping items home?

I remember storing everything in my room that day, before collapsing on my bed from overexhaustion.

FLASHBACK ENDS

"Hermione, this looks perfect on you!" commented Narcissa. "Are all the decorations finished in the ballroom, Dinky?"

Dinky bowed. "Yes mistress. Dinky and Blinky and all the other house-elves have made sure every christmas decoration mistress bought is ready and perfect in the ballroom.

"Excellent. Dinky, get a chair and my makeup station from my room. BLINKY!!!" Aunt Cissy hollered.

With a crack, Blinky appeared, bowing her head. "Yes, mistress?"

"Help me set up the makeup station quickly. Hermione, sit down." I quickly smoothed the gown and sat down, leaving Aunt Cissy to help untie the ponytail I had did my hair in and let my hair hang it soft waves around my face.

Picking up the curling iron, Aunt Cissy made curls appear in my hair and used some hair potion to made sure it was bouncy and yet, not too frizzy. Then she called Dinky and Blinky over, and make a thin braid from my sideburns and knotted it in a flower at the back of my head, letting the rest of my hair to flow freely, waterfall style.

^^^ ATTACHED IS THE PHOTO OF HERMIONE'S HAIR

But I didn't have much time to relax after the hair session. Aunt Cissy then helped me with my makeup. I tried to beg her to let me go with a casual look, just a bit of lipstick and blush, no big deal, but she was determined to make me look adulty. "It's your first Malfoy Ball, Hermione. You have to look good."

So I complied without much complaint, as my eyes were shut most of the time during the makeup session. It felt really weird, having tons of stuff applied to your face over and over again, completely masking every bit of skin. 

First, Dinky and Blinky helped to wash my face, then i had a cucumber mask on to moisturize the skin. After the mask was off, i had a  moisturizer and primer applied, then a huge wad of foundation, foundation powder, and some bronzer applied to my cheekbones.

Next, Aunt Cissy picked out three colors of eyeshadow: ruby red, dark pink and light pink and covered my whole eyelid in it. Then she gave me some fake lashes, and she helped me do a winged eyeliner. She then took a brown eyebrow pencil and started filling my brow in.

Finally, she took a lipliner and lipstick, and applied a thick shade of burgundy to my lips and sprinkled some glitter on it.

"Hermione, you can open your eyes now." Aunt Cissy said.

I gasped. What I saw in the mirror wasn't what I saw an hour ago before my makeup session. I looked like a completely different person.

^^^ This is Hermione's final makeup look!

"Mother!" I heard Draco call. "Dobby says the guests are arriving! They're going to be coming soon. Father says you and him need to be in the ballroom to welcome the guests."

"Yes, Draco, I'm coming. Dinky, Blinky, tidy up the counter and the makeup station. Then go to the dining hall to prepare for the feast." 

"Yes, mistress!" With a crack, they disappeared back down to the kitchens.

"Mother, when is Hermione going to be ready?" I heard Draco ask. "We're supposed to open the ball together, you know."

"Hermione's going to be ready when she's ready, Draco. Besides, I can't have you two seeing each other before the opening of the ball."

Aunt Cissy then grabbed a pair of silver flower earrings and helped me to put in on. Then she took a blue rhinestone bracelet, and a silver emerald necklace with tons of emeralds drooping down and helped me to clasp it on.

"Mrs. Malfoy, Master Malfoy has said that Dobby is to take Mistress Malfoy to the ballroom to greet the guests. Also, Ms. Malfoy is to get ready for the opening."

"Thank you Dobby. Dobby, take Hermione to her opening balcony to wait for Draco. I can get to the ballroom myself."

So I followed Dobby through winding staircases and passageways, until we were on a small glass balcony, with gorgeous stairs leading to the ballroom. \

The stairs had a red carpet on them. And stepping down from the balcony was an open space where I guess I would meet with Draco when I stepped out from the hidden space of my balcony.

Peering down to the ballroom, i saw hundreds of guests chatting around. Everything looked super christmassy and so perfect for the Christmas Malfoy Ball.

"Sonorus!" I heard. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Malfoy Ball is about to start." I heard Narcissa's voice grow louder from the effect of the spell.

Two spotlights shone from the dazzling ceiling, which had been enchanted to look like the night sky, illuminating two circle spots of lights at the open space.

"Firstly, let us welcome Draco Malfoy!"

A spotlight shone on an opposite hidden dark staircase, and Draco stood in the spotlight, in a gery suit with a black tie, his white-blonde hair all slicked back, waving to all the guests with one hand before descending down the stairs and standing in the space.

"Next, let us welcome Ms. Hermione Malfoy!"

A spotlight shone on my staircase and I copied Draco's movements, standing in the spotlight and waving at the guests before approaching Draco at the open space.

He placed an open palm and I slid my hand into it. He then bowed and softly kissed it.

And our eyes were only for one another as we descended down the stairs.

A/N: Another chapter for y'all. Thank you Wattpaders for your everlasting support on this book and boosting it to 13K! WHOOP WHOOP! 

The next chapter won't be out too soon as I have half-term exams for a whole freaking three weeks? Or was it two weeks?

If you guys have half-term exams, good luck, and have a fun last day of 2018, or if you're in a time zone that's already 2019, happy 2019!!!

Also, if you've haven't noticed, a short story, "The Bite of Love" I've written for an assignment at school is published and on my profile. Do go check it out!!

Another thing is that upcoming chapters will feature the Malfoy Ball, telling Draco about her father, finding Nicolas Flamel, and planning to go down to find the Philosopher's Stone. There will be some content from the original book skipped, because I don't want this book to be ongoing for too long.

ThX!!