Hey everyone this is the last instalment on this story for a while because I'm going on holiday! Thank-you for the reviews, it's an incentive to keep the story going. X X
Ok the 'spot prize' idea isn't original because I went to a Ball where they did this. It was really good fun.
Christmas
It was December 4th and Hogwarts was buzzing with excitement. There were still ten days until school finished but they were destined to be great fun. On the evening of the 12th there was to be a grand dance and meal. Dumbledore had decided that some of the married couples needed to experience some of the more 'traditional' social events. He had also incorporated dance cards into the evening. Each girl was to be given a blank one with all the dances listed inside it. The gentlemen were to put their name by the dance they would like to reserve with any particular girl. It was a novel idea and most people were pleased with it. Ginny was ecstatic. She had always been immensely popular with the male section of the school and many had been gutted that they hadn't been chosen to be her Husband. At the dance, however, they could spend some time with her. To Ginny herself, it meant that she didn't have an obligation to remain at Draco's side all night. Ron was content for the same reason. He didn't enjoy dancing at all and planned to spend the whole evening sitting at a table with Harry. Snape, it transpired had other ideas. He announced in their next marriage lesson that every boy was to be given a number. It would be enchanted. If that number was not next to at least 4 dances then 'there would be a punishment so painful it was not worth testing.' Ron's number was 74, Harry was 28. Neville had been given number 13
'It would be wouldn't it' he moaned. 'Me all over. Unlucky.'
As well as the dance, there was to be an evening recital two nights before and an afternoon show. This was to involve many of the students. Each form was to contribute something to the afternoon. The fear, that their forms would be mocked and ridiculed, spurred, even the Slytherin Seventh years to put a bit of effort into it. The acts varied greatly. Several of the first year classes were doing short plays. Unbelievably the third years had sorted themselves out to work as a whole and produce a choir. They were preparing three songs, one classical, one modern number and one they had written themselves. The fourth years- with the exception of the Hufflepuffs weren't enthusiastic or interested. There were rumours that the Hufflepuffs were going to be giving a fireworks display. No one was sure what the Gryffindor fifth formers were up to but it involved long rehearsal schedules. The sixth years in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had had a brief meeting and as usual Hermione had come up with a solution.
'Stand up comedy. It's the end of term and no one wants anything dull. And it only requires one person- that's all.' It transpired that Gordon, a short, ginger haired boy was willing to do the job. He was quite good, as it turned out.
The biggest problem that was still facing the fifth, sixth and seventh years was mentioned yet again by Professor McGonagall one morning in an assembly.
'It is a requirement of the course' she explained 'for all of the couples to spend Christmas together. This can be in either yours or your partner's home or, if neither can be agreed on' she looked directly over at Ginny and Draco 'then you will spend the Christmas holidays in school.'
Some people came to an agreement quickly. Hermione and Ernie were going to spend a week with her parents and then a week with his. Harry and Katie were spending the entire holiday with her family. Harry hadn't felt it was fair to expect Mrs Weasley to cater for yet another person, though he knew that she would have if had asked. Pansy was being forced to go to Neville's home for Christmas. She had flatly refused when Neville had asked on behalf of his Grandmother, but quickly changed her mind when she received a startling red envelope in the post the following morning. Ron and Cho were at logger heads. Cho had insisted that they go to her mother's home for one week and her father's for the second.
'That what I always do' she explained.
'Well I always go home to the Burrow'
'Well you can't this year. We'll be with my family.'
'Hey no that's not fair. We should do a week at my house and a week at one of yours.'
'But then that's not fair on the other of my parents. They would feel that I was showing favouritism.'
'It's not fair on me that I should spend my entire holidays in your houses just because your parents are separated. If they were together we would only do a week. If my parents weren't together I wouldn't ask you to do a week with each.'
'Oh you're so heartless Ron you really are.' There were tears in Cho's eyes. Ron was feeling uncomfortable. He didn't like it when girls began to cry.
'Erm…what if we spent half a week with your mum, half a week with your dad and the other week with both my parents.' He looked at Cho desperately. She sniffed.
'Fine.'
At the other end of the school a blazing row was taking place. Ginny was standing at one end of a corridor and Malfoy was at the other. There were plenty of people milling around, most of them watching, but nobody tried to placate either.
'-so we are going to my mother and father's at that that' roared Malfoy.
'No we are not' screamed Ginny. 'I never agreed to do that.'
'Yes you did.'
'No I didn't'
'You did!'
'I didn't'
'Did!'
'Didn't!' There was a sudden flash or red sparks and Professor Snape appeared. The air went cold. The crowd started to disperse at such a speed that within seconds, all bar Ginny and Draco had gone. Snape beckoned Draco down the corridor towards where he and Ginny were standing. In silence they followed him down to his office in the Dungeons. He shut the door with a snap.
'Sit' he hissed at them. They sat, glowering at each other. Snape turned 'I am disgusted and ashamed of the pair of you. Sixth years rowing in public like that. I am aware that you have you differences but arguments of that ferocity are not accepted in this school. You will both write me 100 lines of 'I must learn to control my temper.' Ginny looked hard at Snape. Why had he given her and Malfoy the same punishment? She been expecting to get a far worse one than him, Malfoy being Snape's pet and everything.'
'Furthermore' continued Snape 'I am making the executive decision. The pair of you will spend your Christmas holidays at the Malfoy Mansion. There is to be no discussion Miss Weasley, it sounded from your shouting match that all has been arranged. Should you break this rule then both of you will spend Christmas in one of the dungeons- together.' He waved his hand at the pair of them. 'You may go.' As they exited Snape's office Malfoy whispered
'Seven, six'.
The end of term was fast approaching. The Christmas concert had been a huge success. Everyone had roared at Gordon's antics clapped appreciatively at the plays performed by the first years. It turned out that the Gryffindor fifth years had concocted a fashion show, where the models remained on stage the whole time and the remaining fifth years used magic to change the outfits from the wings. The biggest success of the night had been the Ravenclaw seventh years. They had put together a display of their magical talents. Not only did they turn Professor McGonagall's hair bright blue, they managed to turn all the heads of the people in Slytherin into squares. One boy had attempted to jinx Snape but alas he had been too quick and deflected the curse. It landed on Neville whose ears immediately began to grow at an alarming rate and churn out spiders.
The evening recital had been good to. Everyone had had to sit with their marriage families including children. There had been an interval during which ice-cream was served and there had been a buzz of contentedness in the air.
The dance was almost over too. The dance cards had been a roaring success. Several girls including Ginny had had cards that were completely full. They hadn't sat down all evening. Others, such as Eloise Midgen had only had a few reserved dances to begin with. However the boys soon discovered that not only was she quite a good dancer, she was easy to chat to as well. Throughout the night there had been spot prizes on offer. In the gaps between songs Dumbledore would call out
'Prize for the first person to come and show me a hole in their sock.'
The staff noticed that some couples were practically glued together for the whole evening. Harry and Katie were among these. The teachers grinned. They wouldn't have guessed they'd be like that. Others, such as Ron and Cho hadn't been near each other since the food. Cho was another of the girls who had also had a full dance card.
And all too soon it was the final day of the term. Parents were saying goodbye to their children, who as second years were not allowed to go and stay with their school parents for the holidays. Harry and Katie went off happily and so did Seamus and Luna. Neville was content even if Pansy wasn't as they made their way down to a vacant carriage. Ron and Cho had left early that morning. It transpired that Cho's mother (who they were visiting first) lived in India and her father currently resided in Alaska. They had a few long journeys ahead of them. Ginny was standing in the Entrance Hall watching Hermione and Ernie leave. A hand touched her shoulder. She turned. It was Malfoy. He inclined his head
'Come on. Our car is waiting.' Ginny let out a gasp. Parked at the school gates was a long, sleek, black limousine. In spite of herself Ginny grinned. Malfoy saw her face.
'It'll do to get us home. We wouldn't want to be drawing attention to ourselves would we?' And ushering her down the steps, he and Ginny got into the back of the luxurious car. Ginny looked round her. This holiday was definitely going to be one full of surprises.
Hey it's only a filler chapter to move time on a bit and nothing really happens but I hope it wasn't too dull. Any suggestions of what you want to happen to any of the chapters just let me know! I'll update as soon as I can.
