It was the only thing people seemed to be talking about these days. The Yule Ball. All the girls fluttered around wearing extra lip gloss, shorter skirts and spent more time ogling over the boys that walked by. Allison was the worst, getting ready in the morning now was a two hour extravaganza that involved extra hair product, perfumes and more mascara than I could even fathom. She had always been beautiful…but now she was going for hot.
Me? I was the same as always. Cute. Pretty. Sweet. My hair was still straight and sleek as ever, but the red had matured into something richer and deeper than any of my brothers. My freckles that once populated my entire face had now calmed to just a sprinkling over my nose and I was proud to announce the beginnings of some curves starting to appear. Small curves…loose waves if you will, but some shape at least. I would never be beautiful like Allison, but at least I wasn't completely hopeless.
It was hard to focus on what Professor Snape was saying as my eyes caught yet another girl in my year quietly fawning over the note that had been left for her this morning asking to be a date for this damn ball. I wanted to roll my eyes but couldn't understand exactly why. Was I jealous? Not particularly. Nervous? Always. These days there weren't many other emotions I was as acquainted with like anxiety. How could I not? After the events at the world cup the rumors floated non-stop about the return of pockets of death eaters… the return of you-know-who on the horizon… and then of course there was this dreadful competition that Harry was being forced to compete in.
My stomach knotted itself when I thought of Harry. Things hadn't been the same between us in a long time. Yes, he was friendly enough…yes, we got along pleasantly when he visited my family, but I had resolved myself to give up those feelings. Move on…be more than just the youngest Weasley and find someone who saw me for who I really was.
The cute, pretty, and sweet Ginny.
Still, as I listened subtly to the giggling whispers of the Ravenclaw girl behind me talking about this stupid ball again the flare of disappointment hit me again. I knew why I was so upset…because it's one thing to tell yourself you're over someone. It's an entirely different to actually believe it. I wanted so desperately for Harry to ask me…so utterly, pathetically, embarrassingly much. He was my personal hero, and my hearts one true desire. Even if my brain disagreed most of the time.
"…well I don't know if he's asked anyone officially yet…but the rumor is that he can't stop looking at Cho!" my blood froze. Cho Chang… if I ever hated anyone as much as he-who-should-not-be-named it was Cho bloody Chang. Yes, she's a lovely girl. Yes, she's smart, popular, athletic…and beautiful… I had spent too many meals watching sullenly as Harry would try to catch her eye and smile. The way he blushed when she looked back at him…
SNAP
The room all turned to stare at me as I realized I had broken the quill I'd been writing with between my fingers, black ink spraying all over myself and my parchment.
"Miss Weasley…is there a particular reason you decided your quill was no longer an effective writing instrument?" I kept my eyes cast down as I silently shook my head. Snape typically did not give me trouble. It seemed every time he wanted to yell as he would have at Ron or the twins he simply glared and stormed off.
"I'm sorry sir." Hastily trying to clean up my mess as best I could. I could hear the snickers around me and fought hard to not cower and blush. He can't stop looking at Cho! I ground my teeth together and locked my jaw. Snape eyed me suspiciously but did not press any further.
"Go clean yourself up and come back when you're more presentable." Nodding I scrambled to grab my items before rushing out the door, grateful to have a few moments to myself to calm down. As I hurriedly walked through the hall ways I tried to take deep breaths. Who cared if Harry asked Cho to the ball? Not me, that's for sure…It was silly… I was over Harry. So over him and his piercing green eyes… his lopsided grin…the way his laugh echoed right to my heart…
Yup. Completely over him.
Shrieks up ahead pulled me from my thoughts as I spotted an older group of girls jumping around and laughing.
"I can't believe he finally asked you!"
"What did you say?"
"Of course she said yes you prat! HOW did he ask you is the better question!"
Yule ball. I rolled my eyes and picked up the pace until the frosty chill ran down my spine that was Cho Chang's voice.
"Oh, he was so sweet and shy… He could barely get the words out I had to ask him twice what he was saying!" she giggled and I saw flames.
"You know what this means don't you! Going to the ball with a champion? You'll be involved with the first dance! Everyone will be watching you!" more giggles, more flames.
"Are you going to kiss him?" I stopped dead in my tracks, not wanting – but needing to hear her answer. I tried to swallow a heavy lump in my throat and found it impossible to do so. I looked up, the girls standing barely ten feet away from me now and I knew if I ran right now – sprinted past them and up the stairs I wouldn't have to hear her answer. I could live my life in the fantasy realm where Harry and I went to the ball together…where Harry was MY first kiss. I could still do it. I could live in a world of my own… or, I could be a Gryffindor and be brave. I kept my normal pace as I continued towards them, my head held high as I looked straight at Cho, waiting for her answer.
"Well…" she smirked slyly. "He kissed me after I said yes!"
I can't tell if I went deaf from the blood leaving my face…or from the glass shattering squeals from the Ravenclaw harpy's…but a few things happened all at once. I could feel my heart shatter, I could hear the air rush out of my lungs and I felt the last string of hope I'd held onto snap. It seemed to be at this moment that Cho finally looked up to see me standing there. She tilted her head and regarded me with confusion and amusement. I held her gaze, holding my chin high and my eyes free of tears as I kept a steady pace walking by and up the stairs.
It felt like a week had passed before I reached the common room. Glancing at the clock on the wall I made a mental note that really, it had taken me less than ten minutes to get here – which meant Snape would be expecting me back in another five.
"Ginny? What are you doing here? Don't you have potions?" I peeked over my shoulder and saw Neville sitting in a chair surrounded by charms books. I forced a limp smile on my face as I gestured to my ink stained robe.
"Had a bit of an accident, just popping in to change before heading back."
"Wait! I'm … I'm uh… actually glad that you're here… I…well I've been wanting to talk to you for a while now." My brows pulled together in confusion. I turned to face him when I heard him set the books on the floor and stand to walk towards me. As he moved he kept his hands nervously in his pockets and … was he blushing?
"Sure, what's up? Did you need more help with your Herbology?" I teased knowing it was his best class already. He smirked and ran a hand through his hair making it spike on the end. Sweaty hands being the culprit no doubt.
"Well… we've been friends for a while now right?" my stomach knotted up – this was not a good start to any conversation.
"Yes we have."
"Well, I was hoping…that is if you wanted of course…I was thinking that you…and me…" I kept my eyes locked on his knowing how nervous he got and that the only thing to do was wait. Mentally I counted the seconds as they ticked by knowing I had even less time to get back to class now.
"Would you do me the honor of being my date to the Yule Ball?" I stare back blankly at him because I'm not sure if this is really happening or not. What I want is to politely tell him not a chance in hell. If only so I can avoid seeing Harry there looking extremely handsome in the arms of another girl… but…this could be the best way to prove to him…prove to myself that I'm done waiting for the boy who lived to notice me.
Neville looks at me fearfully, waiting for my rejection and my heart constricts. Screw my selfish reasons, my friend needed me and in truth, that was the only reason I really needed.
"Neville, I would love to go with you." The smile on his face was enough to soothe my broken ego as for the first time; I was actually excited for the dance.
Allison paces behind me, curling strand after strand of my hair tutting, pinning, sighing and spraying trying to make it stay put. I wait patiently; glad to have her with me to help. I know she's disappointed she wasn't asked to the ball, and so she's putting everything into me she would have done for herself. I'm grateful, but as the makeup goes on, the less I see of myself. Somehow she's made my eyes darker, my skin smoother and my lips fuller. The dress she picked for me to wear is one of her favorites, a vibrant green silk gown with an over layer of lace that somehow compliments my hair and slim figure. She eyes my chest again in the mirror and I recall our debate on whether or not to stuff my bra a bit to give the dress a little extra oomph when I reminded her that I was only 13 and didn't necessarily want the oomph. I want to look pretty, and right now I think I pull that off with a little extra without going overboard.
"We still haven't picked out shoes" she mutters as she pins another curl to the top of my head.
"Oh, I thought I would just wear my white flats…no?" she glares at me through the mirror.
"No. I have some short heels that'll look great! They're silver so they match just about anything." Finally she smiles at her work and steps away. "There! Your hair looks –" and I laugh as the pins immediately fall out, wave after wave of soft curls fall down over my shoulders and spill down my back. We stare for a moment, horrified at the hours of work gone in an instant before both bursting into laughter.
"Your damn hair… I swear it hates being confined in any sort of way." She picks up a curl and bounces it playfully. "Well, at least it looks like it'll hold as waves. It's something!" I smirk back at her and stand to give her a hug.
"Thank you for everything." She hugs me back and I hear her sigh in longing.
"Just go have fun for the both of us ok? I want to hear all about it when you get back!" she rushes to the chest and pulls out a pair a strappy silver shoes with a short heel – for which I'm grateful to avoid falling flat on my face. She walks me down to the common room where the older girls shuffle around in a mild panic as they help each other with last minute modifications. They all look beautiful, and older…I suddenly feel my age and want to run back to my room and hide. I'm too young for this. Luckily for me, Allison has the mental mindset of these older girls and pushes me through to the door.
"Tell Neville I said hi!" she whispers before shoving me out to the dark hallway and pulling the door shut behind her. The corridor is dark, and even though I've walked these halls a thousand times – tonight is different. Tonight I feel vulnerable as the silk swishes around my legs, the little clicks of my heels echoing off the walls.
I can hear the party down stairs, the boys all waiting at the end of the grand staircase waiting for their dates to appear from their respective common rooms… music plays softly in the background and I panic as I wonder how I'll ever find Neville. As I near the end of the hall way I turn to look over my shoulder, the feeling suddenly hitting me that someone is here with me.
His hair catches my eyes first and I narrow my gaze suspiciously.
"What are you doing here Malfoy? Shouldn't you be down in the dungeon with your cronies?" He doesn't say anything as he pushes off the wall and walks towards me purposefully.
"Not that it's any of your business, but I was waiting for someone." He looks at my hair and my dress before cocking an eyebrow. "You're going to the ball?"
"No, this is how I dress to go practice quidditch." The sarcasm drips from my tongue and I see his eyes widen in surprise before he gins maliciously.
"You obviously had to borrow your ensemble." He comments as he scans my outfit from top to bottom, his eyes lingering on my hair. "There's no way your family could possibly afford you to wear something as sophisticated as this dress." He takes another step closer and pinches the material at my waist and rubs it between his thumb and middle finger. "Whoever it really belongs to has good taste in material … and color." I flush and pull myself away from his reach. He's intense and I can feel the blood rushing to my face. He grins at me, knowing that he has the upper hand in our little verbal spar and I want to smack the smug look off his face.
"Is he bothering you?" A too familiar male voice cuts in from the top of the stairs a mere dozen feet away and I groan the same time Draco does. Malfoy looks at me with a confused expression before turning his attention to the newest guest and frowning.
"I don't believe our conversation included you at all Potter. But, as usual, you feel the need to stick your head where it doesn't belong." Harry quickly walks over, his dress robes rustling and I fight the urge to turn and look. Afraid that if I see how wonderful he must look I'll come undone.
"There is nothing you could possibly need to talk to Ginny about. Especially tonight… leave her alone or you'll have to deal with me." Draco pushes around me to get in Harry's face. At this I turn around and feel my heart stop. They stand nose to nose, hatred spilling from their pores as they narrow their eyes. I feel the need to cut in and break this up before anything serious starts to happen and we draw more of a crowd.
"I can handle Malfoy myself Harry." I hold my chin high and ball my hands into my skirt, trying to steady myself against my nerves. Both boys look back at me, likely having forgotten I was even here. Draco scoffs and rolls his eyes.
"As if I would waste my time with the Weaslette. She's all yours Potter." He catches my eyes one more time, confusion and disappointment hidden behind a stony look as he brushes by Harry, making sure to shove him with his shoulder as he heads down the stairs. Harry glares after him until the other boy is out of sight.
"Are you alright Ginny?" I bite my lip and nod my head.
"Of course. I can handle myself Harry." He takes a step forward and surprisingly – I take one step back. He stops in his tracks and runs his hand through his hair, my reaction startling him.
"But thank you." I add on softly, looking up at him from under my eye lashes, my face fully blushing now. He looks at me and smiles, tenderly, friendly. We're silent for a moment and my heart begs for him to tell me I look pretty. Tell me anything. Give me some sort of hope that I shouldn't give up just yet. That there is a chance in the future for us…anything.
"I forgot something up in my room… I'm glad I came up this way though." I smirk against my better judgement.
"Yeah? You are?" he grins back and I take a step towards him, fluttering my eye lashes just a bit.
"Definitely. Who knows what Malfoy would have said to you if I didn't show up. He's bad news Ginny." My grin falls flat.
"Yes well… I don't intend to be alone with him ever. You can relax about needing to protect me." I sound a bit snarky and he opens his mouth to comment but I cut him off, knowing my pride can't stand another blow tonight from this boy. "Isn't Cho waiting for you? I doubt you'll want to keep her waiting." I'm aware that my tone is laced with resentment when I say the older girl's name, but I don't care much right now.
"Cho? Oh… No… I'm going with Pavarti."
"Pavarti?! But I thought… I mean she…" he raises an eye brow at me curiously and I shake my head, embarrassed that I got that upset over nothing. "I should go find Neville." He lets me past, scratching his head as he starts walking down the hallway. I give myself a moment to take a deep breath before starting down to join the party.
"Ginny!" Harry calls after me. I glance over my shoulder at him and see him smiling. "You look cute tonight." I grin despite myself and float down the rest of the stairs to find Neville.
Maybe the ball won't be so bad after all.
A/N: To see a picture of the dress Ginny is wearing click on the below link. Please R/R!