A/N: This may be confusing to some but be patient…we're getting there.
I will read this again…hopefully there are no major mistakes. My time is limited and I really want to get something out.
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The Eyes Never Lie…
It was a fifteen minute ride to the castle and Hermione had somehow managed to keep her mind clear the entire time. She had refused to allow herself to dwell on what was coming.
The carriage had arrived outside the castle and she now sat, immobilized, staring at the steps that would inevitably lead her to her destiny. Do not fear the future. Do not fear being lonely. The words echoed in her head.
The driver jumped down from his seat and opened the carriage door for her. "Miss?" He said. "Excuse me, Miss? Are you ready to disembark and join the ball?"
Hermione turned to him with fear reflected prominently in her eyes. This is it. She thought. What if I mess it up?
She turned back toward the stairs and took a deep breath. "How can you mess it up? Whatever happens will be a reflection of the choice you make. Just pay attention and make the right one." She said softly to herself.
She took another deep breath and turned back to the driver who was watching her curiously. "I'm ready now." She said.
"Is everything all right Miss? Is there anything you need?" He asked.
"No. No thank you. I'm fine. Just a little nervous, that's all." She said, her voice shaking slightly. She made a move to exit the carriage.
"Yes, Miss. Can I help you?" He asked as he offered her his hand.
"Thank you." She said. She held tight to his hand as she stepped out.
He looked at her appreciatively. "Pardon me, Miss. If you don't mind my saying so, you do look quite lovely this evening." He said softly.
She put a hand on his shoulder, partly to steady herself and partly to reassure him. "Thank you, once again." She said. She looked around at their surroundings before she turned back to him and smiled. "I feel very much out of place here and your kind words are appreciated." She replied.
He nodded. "Do you need an escort to the door, Miss?" He asked.
"No. I'm fine. I believe I can manage it. Thank you." She replied.
"Very well. Have a good evening then, Miss." He said as he climbed back into the driver's seat. "I'll be waiting here at midnight."
"I'll be here." She said.
With a nod he pulled away, leaving her standing there staring up the stairs once more. She walked forward to the base of the steps and tentatively placed her foot on the first one…the path to happily-ever-after is never easy. As she took the first step she thought back to something her father used to say, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." She'd never really understood that until now. She took a deep breath and slowly ascended the stairs.
When she reached the top of the stairs she gasped. She couldn't have pictured a more beautiful place if she'd spent her entire life creating it in her dreams. The lawn was immaculate; lush green and flawless in the twilight. The decorations were sparse with only a large fountain and circular drive completing the landscape. The lights shining through the numerous windows lit the night and gave the castle an ethereal glow. Steps led up to the front entryway and columns ran from top to bottom on either side of the double oak doors which had been left open; an invitation for all eligible maidens to enter.
If I'm still here, I'll have to come back and take a better look at this place during the day, she thought. As she was already late, she did not linger any longer than it took to get through the entrance. More than a few dozen guards were stationed along the entry hall. High cathedral ceilings and columns much like the ones outside ran from floor to ceiling every few feet. She thought half the student population of Hogwarts could have fit into the hallway alone.
She followed the sound of music which played louder and louder the further she walked along the hallway until she came upon another set of double doors; this time leading to the ballroom. She walked through, expecting to see the procession of eligible maidens awaiting their chance to be introduced to the prince. She saw no such line so she assumed the introductions were over. She made her way to the side of the room to observe. She wasn't really sure if she was waiting for `the' prince or just `her' prince; she knew only that her destiny awaited her and she was sure that she would recognize him the moment she saw him; she longed to see his face before she made her presence known.
She watched carefully for any sign of familiarity. She caught a brief glimpse of a pale yellow dress floating across the dance floor. Cho, she thought. She stepped forward to get a better look. A sudden thought, maybe a memory, nagged at the back of her mind; something she could swear that Cho had said to her. It almost felt like she'd heard it in a dream but she could vaguely remember the girl saying something about someone being here that she wanted to look good for. What she could clearly remember her saying was that she wanted to pay Hermione back for what she'd done to her. What have I done to her? She wondered. And if she truly said it, who is here that she wanted to impress?
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and focused her attention once again on the now crowded dance floor. She continued to catch occasional glimpses of Cho's pale yellow dress but she had not been able to see her face or to catch sight of the man with whom she was dancing. She decided to take a chance and move closer.
As she stepped closer to the dance floor the music suddenly stopped and the dancing couples turned to stare at her. She looked around, surprised at the sudden quiet. "What's going on?" She wondered aloud to herself. She quickly decided that the best course of action was to act like she knew exactly what she doing so she continued to move forward toward an unknown destination.
Movement to her left caught her attention and she turned as he emerged from the crowd…
"Oh my…" Hermione said. "It can't be. You?" She stood rooted to the floor, temporarily stunned to see the man walking rapidly toward her. An overwhelming sense of disappointment filled her as she watched him. This can't be it, she thought. It can't be him.
"Hello. I've been waiting for you." He called out to her as he waved.
Hermione quickly collected herself and ran toward him. "Ron!" She hollered excitedly as she ran into his arms. He was, after all, one of her best friends and she'd missed him terribly. "It's so good to see you."
He instinctively pulled her into an embrace but as her words registered with him he pulled back and looked at her questioningly. "Ron?" He said.
She looked into his eyes and saw heartbreak reflected back at her. "Yes. Ron. What's wrong?" She asked concerned by the way he looked at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He quickly regained his composure. "Right. Ron." He said; his voice tinged with sadness. "Nothing's wrong. Nothing at all. I'm just surprised to see you, that's all."
"It's been a long time." She said, worriedly. "Aren't you happy to see me?"
"Yes. Of course I am." He said. "Will you excuse me, please?"
Hermione was too shocked by his behavior to answer so she only nodded. She watched as he turned to the band and gestured for them to continue playing. He then walked toward the crowd. She watched him for a moment before her eyes focused on his destination…Cho. Now what does Cho want with Ron? She looked closely at the other girl and saw her smug expression, "I told you I'd get what I want" was practically written in ink across her face. She watched as they began dancing once again.
"Something's not right here." She said to herself. "This isn't right at all."
She looked up at the clock and saw that it was already 10:30. One and one-half hours remained.
"May I have this dance?"
Hermione turned abruptly and saw a handsome young man standing beside her. Deciding that dancing would be the best way to keep her close to Ron she quickly agreed.
"Yes." She answered. "Of course."
"I'm Brian." He said.
"Hermione. It's nice to meet you Brian." She said.
"Hermione. That's unique. Beautiful." He said as he spun her around.
They danced for a long while. Hermione paid just enough attention to him so as not to insult him or lose her excuse to keep a closer eye on Ron and Cho.
"Is everything all right Hermione?" He asked. "You seem a bit distracted."
Damn. She thought she was paying just enough attention to him. She looked up at him and smiled. "It's just been a long couple of days, is all; my mind just seems to be drifting from one place to another. I'm sorry I seem so distracted." She said.
"That's all right. I suppose that for now it should be enough for me to know that I'm dancing with the most beautiful woman here and she hasn't made the slightest effort to run away from me yet." He said smiling.
She laughed. "Do you often cause the girls to run away? Is there something I should know?"
"No. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Although, the part about you being the most beautiful woman here was certainly not a joke or an exaggeration, no one else holds a candle to you." He said.
Hermione blushed. "Thank you." She said. "I'm sure that's what you say to all the girls."
"Have you noticed how long we've been dancing? I've not made the slightest effort to move on, have I? If I were merely a player, don't you think I would be making my way around the room until I found the one sure thing?" He said.
"Perhaps." She answered shyly. "I really wouldn't know. This is my first ball outside of school and I haven't spent that much time around anyone other than my two best friends."
"And who might these friends be, if you don't mind my asking?" He asked curiously.
"Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." She said without hesitation.
"Oh. So that would explain why you've spent so much time watching the other couples…or should I say `couple' dancing." He said.
"You noticed?" She said; embarrassed that she'd been so obvious in her attentions.
"Oh yes. How could I not when I've spent so much time looking at you? You haven't even noticed, have you?" He said.
She looked up at him. "No. I didn't. I'm sorry." She answered. She wasn't sure why, maybe it was just a matter of self-justification, but she felt a sudden need to explain, "It's not that I'm attracted to him, it's just that…well…it's hard to explain; especially when I don't really know what I'm trying to say. It's just…something's not right, I just don't know what it is."
"Why don't you ask him dance so you can talk to him?" He suggested.
Hermione laughed. "Now why didn't I think of that?" She said. She looked up at the clock and saw that the time was 11:40. "Where has all the time gone?"
"I told you. We've been dancing for a long time. I am surprised you hadn't at least realized it's been over an hour." He said.
"Thank you." She said. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
"What was that for?" He asked, pleased and yet shocked by her forwardness.
"Nothing…and everything." She said, hoping that he would understand.
He nodded and released her. "Good luck Hermione." He said; then he turned and walked away.
Hermione walked quickly toward Ron and Cho. When she reached them she tapped Ron on the arm. "Excuse me." She said. They stopped dancing and turned to look at her.
"Yes?" He said.
"Can we dance?" Hermione asked. "I have to leave soon and I'd like to dance with you before I go."
He looked at Cho and back to Hermione. "Of course." He said.
She was so wrapped up in figuring out what was happening with Ron that she missed the venomous look that Cho threw her way.
She stepped into his arms and they danced away leaving Cho standing there staring after them.
"Can you tell me what's going on? What are you doing with Cho?" She asked.
"Is this the reason you asked me dance?" He asked.
"No. Well…yes…but no. I wanted to dance with you but I also need to know what's going on. I don't understand why you've been avoiding me." She said.
He stopped dancing and looked at her. "Avoiding you? Is that what you think I'm doing?" He asked.
She looked again into his eyes. Slowly she said, "There's something different about you. Something about your eyes."
He looked back at her. "You didn't answer my question. Do you really think I've been avoiding you?"
"Yes. That's what it feels like. You've barely spoken to me. Can you tell me why?"
"I thought that would have been obvious from the moment you saw me." He said. "From the first word you said."
Hermione thought back. "Ron." She said. "Isn't that the first thing I said? What's wrong with calling you by your name? I don't understand."
"You can't see me. That's the problem. She told me that the first man you recognize will be the one you've chosen. You didn't see me." He said softly; his eyes drifted down to the floor. "I hadn't realize you'd see him when you looked at me. I wasn't prepared for that. Maybe that's what hurts the most; now I know I am invisible to you."
"What are you talking about? I still don't understand. I've not chosen anyone and I don't understand how you can say you're invisible to me when you're standing right in front of me." She said. She touched his chin and raised his head so she could look at him again. She stared deeply into his eyes for what felt like forever; it was a place she knew she could easily, willingly get lost. "Who are you?" She asked softly. "I see who you are on the outside but somehow I feel that what I see is not the truth." She continued to look into his eyes as she went on, "I'm not sure who I expected to find here tonight but I do know that my heart does not belong to the image I see before me. But your eyes…eyes cannot lie and I can see myself reflected so clearly in yours. They're so familiar to me. Please." She implored. "Tell me who you are."
"I can't." He said sadly. "That is something that you are to discover on your own, if that's what you choose. No one will be able to influence your choices. No matter how desperately I may long to."
"Dance with me." She said. She was desperate to hold onto him as they began to dance once again.
"Excuse me."
Neither heard the voice that attempted to interrupt them as they continued to dance.
"Excuse me!" Came the voice, a little louder this time.
This time they heard it and they stopped dancing to look at her.
"Yes?" He said.
"Can we finish our dance now?" Cho asked. She'd been watching them and had felt a desperate need to interrupt.
Hermione looked at her. "When we finish, Cho. Not a moment sooner. What do you want with Ron anyway?"
Cho smiled a little too brightly. "Oh. Ron." She said. "Nothing. I want nothing with Ron that can't wait a little while longer." She looked at him and smiled. "I'll look for you later then to finish our dance." She said and turned to walk away.
That was too easy, Hermione thought. She is definitely up to something and I'm going to find out what it is.
Hermione looked back at him as something he'd said finally dawned on her, "Did you say that `she' told you that the first man I recognize is the one that I've chosen?"
He nodded.
Fearing the answer, she asked the question anyway, "Tell me. Who is `she'?"
"Cho." He said looking directly at her. "You're not surprised by that, are you?"
"No. It's just as I feared. I think she put a spell on me earlier and I'm wondering if she hasn't somehow managed to do it again." She said.
"A spell? What do you mean? What are you talking about?" He asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She replied. "Suffice it to say that Cho has been trying
to sabotage my life for a while now."
"Why?" He asked.
"That's the question. That is what I need to find out. Unfortunately I don't have much time in which to do it. I think this is supposed to end tonight." She said.
"End tonight? What's supposed to end tonight? Are you sure you aren't being a little dramatic?" He said.
She looked up at him. "Kiss me." She said.
"Excuse me?" He said.
"Kiss me." She repeated.
"Are you all right?" He said.
"It's just a kiss. I don't have much time. Can't you just kiss me?" She pleaded as she glanced up at the clock. 11:55…only five minutes.
"I don't know what's going on here but if you're sure this is what you want…" He said as he bent toward her…
She watched him as he leaned toward her. Fiery red hair and freckles coming closer and closer…emerald eyes boring into her own brown ones…
She gasped…
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Harry had reached the part in the book where Cinderella was dancing with the prince and the clock had begun to chime. He set the book down so he could watch Hermione. There had been no further reaction from her and he had decided to make the story last a little longer.
He pulled his chair up closer to her bed and rested his chin in his hands as he watched her.
He jumped when he heard her gasp.
"Hermione?" He called out. "Hermione? Can you hear me?" He sat beside her on the bed and grabbed her hand to hold it close to his heart. "Hermione, it's me Harry. I'm here Hermione." He said excitedly. "Come back to me now."
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He stopped before he kissed her. She was staring at him in surprise and he smiled gently.
A questioning look appeared on her face, "Ha…" she began.
Before she could finish a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her away from him…just as the clock began to strike midnight…
Dong…
Dong…
Dong…
Dong…
Dong…
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