This is how I always imagined it should have happened, the students are wearing dresses and tuxedos though, instead of dress robes. For this to work, Ginny doesn't have a date, and third years are allowed to go to the Yule Ball
Getting Ready
It was the day of the Yule Ball. Everyone was excited. Hermione and Ginny were in Hermione's room getting ready.
"What are you going to be wearing?" Ginny asked Hermione.
"Oh, just this old dress of my mother's, she was wearing it when she met my father. Hermione pulled it out of her school trunk. Ginny gasped.
"It's gorgeous!" she exclaimed. The dress was made of a shimmering, periwinkle material. It was straight down and reached to just below her ankles. The sleeves were full length, and attached by a length of cloth, to the back of the gown, like wings.
Hermione smiled. "When my mother heard we needed a gown for school this year, she started to freak. She was running all over the house, looking for some box. Then, she checked the attic, and the box was stuffed right behind an old, grand piano." Hermione laughed. "I was so surprised. The dress is beautiful." She looked at it tenderly. Then, Hermione looked at Ginny, concerned. "Are you even going? I mean, I know the guy you wanted to go with didn't ask you…"
Ginny looked stricken, then she smiled. "Oh, don't worry. I don't mind going by myself. Do you honestly think I would miss the dance of a lifetime? Besides, there is going to be so much gossip…" Ginny laughed; though it sounded strained. Then, she smiled again.
"When mother heard about it, she and my older brothers and I all pitched in and got a dress. Then, we used charm work to fix it up." Her eyes glowed as she pulled it out from the box that she had put on Hermione's bed earlier. This time, it was Hermione's turn to gasp.
"Merlin's beard, Ginny," was all she could say. The gown was of a deep, rich, green and cream color. The gown was strapless. It cinched at the waist and then went out into a bell shape at the bottom. On top, was the green, and at the waist it split in two so a triangle on the front was missing. Underneath, you could see the cream skirt. The petticoats were also cream. Around the waist, though, were a strand of small rocks.
"Ginny, why are there rocks around the waist?"
Ginny looked at Hermione sheepishly. "Well, my mom and I both agreed that some jewels around the waist would look real nice, but we don't exactly have a lot of money. I was wondering, because my mom and I aren't that good at transfiguration, if you could transfigure the rocks into emeralds and pearls, I mean-not real ones, I know that would be wrong, it's just, you're the best in the school and…" Ginny started to ramble.
Hermione cut her off, smiling. "Don't worry, I can do look alike, it might take a while, though."
Ginny sighed, "Good, but I have two more strands, one for my hair and a necklace."
Hermione smiled again, "Don't worry, I can do it"
Half an hour later, after a lot of spellwork, the girls were finished. Hermione and Ginny took turns soaking for an hour at a time and got dressed. Hermione had used so much hair straightener, Ginny thought the room would smell until the next millennia. Hermione, though, thought Ginny had used too much hair spray, even though her hair was beautiful. It was in tresses and piled high on her head, with the emeralds and pearls woven throughout. Hermione's was in a bun, with one curl dangling down. When the two girls looked at themselves and each other in the mirror, they were speechless.
"We're beautiful," stated Hermione in amazement. Ginny could do nothing but agree.
