A/N: It such a shame that school starts, as my computer time is very limited because my brother, who could easily beat me up if I oppose him, is always on. My only time is weekend mornings while everyone's still asleep. Sigh.

*The Yule Ball and A Boyfriend Fiasco*

*The Yule Ball, Year 2*

Of course, Draco told me of the Triwizard Tournament at the Garden Party, so I was already fully prepared for that, but what he didn't tell me (a rather usual tidbit of information), was easily revealed by Father after a few minutes of prying. There was going to be a ball, the oh-so fabulous Yule Ball that took place on Christmas Eve. This meant if I went I could miss the Malfoy Christmas Party, which would be perfectly unbearable unless Draco was there, and I knew for a fact he wouldn't be. So knowing this, I thought up a simple, but beautifully brilliant plan to keep me in Hogwarts and away from the Malfoy's during the holidays.

I needed a date, which was quite effortless; I was very easy on the eyes, as Father liked to put it. It would be child's play to get a boyfriend my age, but a fourth year was a problem. They were two whole years older than me, and dating older girls that were busty and womanly. I would have very little chance at one of them. However, before I even thought about thinking up some schemes, I asked Father's friend in the Ministry to check out several of the potential suitors' genealogy so I could be sure I was getting the purest of blood. After that, I had very few choices.

At the very top of my possible boyfriend list was Blaise Zabini, who was perfectly gorgeous and charming, but at the time, he was dating the prettier of the two Bulstrode sisters, a curvy, rather chesty fifth year named Veronica. I knew it wouldn't last long, but I had no time to wait it out. So, I had no other alternative but to ask out Theodore Nott.

Though no Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott was quite suitable for a date. He was tall, which was good; thin, which was even better; and I could just tell that he would look magnificent in a suit. We'd look quite well together, as long as he chose a color of tie that kind of matched my dress, without us looking too matchy. And he did have a decent looking face, though his eyebrows curved a bit around his eyes, and a rather cute smile. It would work out well, I was sure of it.

I began my plan by simply smiling at him in the halls, then gradually going into a greeting, which he delightfully returned. Eventually we were exchanging sentences (mostly on what class we were going to, how much homework we had, etc.), and then I was having full conversations with him in the common room, then sitting beside each other in the Great Hall at dinner. By December, we were officially an item. It was the perfect solution to my little problem; I was quite lucky that Theodore was that lonely, that he would actually accept me.

When I first thought up my plan, I half expected my fake boyfriend to be totally annoying and then I'd have to deal with him for a couple excruciating weeks, but with Theodore, it wasn't the case. He was very shy and quiet, and since he obviously never had a girlfriend before, he had no one to compare me to. And he put up with all my gossiping and prattling on with irrelevant topics, and I put up with his constant need to play Wizarding Chess, which, by the way, I was ghastly at playing. Of course, he put up with this because he fancied me, I put up with it because I had to, or I'd be alone all through the Christmas holidays.

By the time Christmas Eve came, we had been going out for nearly four weeks (three weeks and five days), and had everything planned. We were to meet in the Great Hall promptly at quarter past, then proceed to the Ball together, and I was to wear my purple gown, with delicate silver beading around the neckline, and he was to wear a black suit with a silver tie. I wasn't normally this organized, but when everybody in Hogwarts I loathed was going to look their very best, I had to do even better.

I wore that gown, a rich plum colored strapless mermaid dress, paired with metallic silver heels and a sparkly white shawl. I curled my hair into tight ringlets (my brown hair was naturally straight, but extremely thick, so there was always a couple waves in it), and put in some diamond jewelry I borrowed from Mother. Theodore kept his promise as well, knowing how much it meant to me, and wore his silver tie.

"Astoria," began Theodore, taking my hand as I descended the stone staircase, "you look beautiful." Theodore's face brightened the second he saw me, he blushed as I returned his gaze, and he looked almost breathless as I kissed him lightly on the lips. He was so cute, and absolutely mad about me. Maybe I won't dump him after this is all said and done, I thought, having a boyfriend like Theodore has it's perks, I suppose.

"Don't I always?" I said, grinning. Theodore always showered me with compliments; they kind of lost their meaning after a while. "Shall we? The first dance will be starting soon; I don't want to miss it."

The first dance began. Cedric Diggory was utterly smoldering in his dress robes, and he danced with this okay looking Asian girl I had seen in the hall a couple times. She looked pretty in her gown, but it was obviously inexpensive. Potter, though I detested him, actually looked handsome, but his dance partner, a Patil sister, was dragging him around like a dog. The French girl, Flower or something, was gorgeous as usual, and her dance partner was as well. She was quite graceful, but her partner, Davies, messed up on his steps, too busy gawking at her. And Krum! Though he was never handsome, and probably never would be, he looked nice next to his partner, a beautiful girl I didn't recognize.

"Is that – is that the Mudblood girlfriend of Harry Potter?" whispered Theodore.

"What? No, it couldn't be." But as I looked closer, they did seem rather similar. They had the same face shape, and the same posture. No, it was impossible! That Mudblood was haggard and disgusting. She couldn't look that good, better than me! "No, I don't think so," I repeated, clenching my teeth.

The first dance finally stopped, and a new song came on. Theodore and I danced together for the first three dances (he was good, not graceful, but he knew the steps and was pretty coordinated), then someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Could I borrow Tori for a dance or two?"

"Oh, er – sure," answered Theodore, quite surprised. Draco smirked. "Uh, Astoria, I'm just going to sit over there." I nodded.

Of course, the minute Draco came near me, the slowest song on the Weird Sisters' repertoire began playing. Draco placed his hands on my hips, and I placed mine on his shoulders, which was difficult, as he had grown at least three inches since the last time we formally danced.

"So, how exactly did you sneak in here?" asked Draco, after a few moments of silent swaying.

"Oh, easy! I just formed an elaborate plan of getting a fourth year boyfriend, which I think turned out pretty well." I paused for a second to glance at Theodore, who was watching us from a table nearby. "You honestly didn't notice us together at all within the last month?"

"No, actually," he said with a smile. "I never pay much attention to anyone but myself." Ah, we were so alike. He suddenly laughed. "I can't believe you're going out with Nott!"

"What? He was the only suitable, single fourth year!" I cried defensively. "I mean, I could've gone for Blaise Zabini, who is superior in probably every way, but he was dating Veronica Bulstrode. And – and Theodore is nice! He likes me, and I like him!" I stopped myself. "Well then, Draco," I said icily, "who did you come here with?"

"Pansy Parkinson," he answered. I knew the name, but I didn't remember what she looked like.

"Pansy Parkinson…she's one of Daphne's mates, right?" He nodded. I thought for a moment. "No, I don't know who she is. Probably horrifying, though, if she is a Parkinson. Her sister Daffodil is in my year, and she looks like a constipated Chowchow. What does this one look like, a pug?" I smiled as Draco glared at me.

His eyes turned to slits; I seemed to hit a soft spot. Lovely. "Well, Nott's a cry baby with no friends. I mean, I suppose he has a decent face, but no one likes him. He hasn't even had a girlfriend before, just a right hand –"

"Draco!" I cried, outraged. "How dare you mention my boyfriend mas - masturbating, like I really need that image! And anyway, don't bother trying to get me all rallied up about this; I'm just going out with him so I could go to the ball. I'm dumping him tomorrow." The whole room was silent. The song had reached it's end as soon as I began talking, and everyone was listening as I made that final announcement. Theodore stood up.

"So, you just used me to go to the Yule Ball?" he began loudly, so everyone could hear. "I thought you actually cared about me, Astoria. Well, you know what? I'm dumping you!" And with that, Theodore hastily took off his silver tie I bought for him, threw it at me, and stormed out. A couple girls near us giggled, whispering excitedly to each other.

I turned to glare at Draco. "Thanks a lot. Well, for a punishment, I'm hanging out with your lot for the rest of the night."

We danced the next three dances together, as Pansy ran off to gossip with her friends about Theodore and me. I was still pretty angry with Draco for ruining my relationship. I was actually considering keeping Theodore around, and now I had no chance at all. Of course, now that I was officially in the dating world, the question was if I wanted to remain in it, and if I did, who of the very few suitable people I was going to choose.

Draco then introduced me properly to his chums, Crabbe and Goyle. They seemed nice, I suppose, but utterly dim-witted and stupid as well. They didn't add much to the conversation (we just doing the regular gossip about who was dating who, that kind of thing), and they probably didn't understand much of it either.

I wondered why Draco would keep such friends. Sure, they had their perks. Having them around would make you seem so much smarter, and good looking, and just altogether better. But they'd get annoying, wouldn't' they? With all their stupid questions and daft expressions? It seemed like the kind of thing I would try for a day or two, but not the four years Draco has devoted to them.

When the dance ended I went up to my dormitory, which was feeling bare without my girlfriends and their things, and got ready for bed. I threw my gown on the floor, stepping on it as I walked to my four poster bed. It was pointless to keep it now, as it was considered blasphemy to re-wear gowns at the Malfoy Christmas and Garden Parties. We usually just threw them out.

Ah, my first year of my life I didn't attend the Malfoy Christmas Party, and it wasn't really a success, but it wasn't a failure all together. I guess there were other lonely boys out there whose ages I could take advantage of.

A/N: Ah, don't you love Hogwarts/highschool drama? I adore it! Everyone gossiping and going on about who dumped who. . .