Drew's hands ran down Victoire's back gently, sending shivers up her spine. He tilted her head backwards slightly as they kissed, his tongue tracing round her lips before rolling it into her mouth. She tangled her fingers in his dark hair, as he pulled her closer to him, the kiss getting faster and more passionate by the second. Drew pulled away teasingly, a wicked grin across his face as he trailed kisses on to her neck. Victoire exhaled heavily. This had become a common pass time of theirs, sneaking away after dinner to have a cheeky snog behind the greenhouses.

'I can't believe we have to spend two weeks apart,' said Drew, resting his forehead on hers, Victoire sighed, looking into his deep eyes. She felt closer and closer to him every day, and couldn't bare the thought of not being him for what seemed to be such a long time.

'We don't have to,' she said, Drew's eyes widened, 'I've been thinking,' she said, 'how about a few days between Christmas and New Year?'

'Great idea!' Drew exclaimed, grinning.

'That way my Grandma wont go mental at me for missing Christmas… but I'll still get to see you,' she planted a kiss on his lips, 'do you think it'll be ok with your dad?'

'Of course it will be,' said Drew, 'he's been dying to meet you,'

'Oh, you've told him about me?' Victoire raised an eyebrow,

'Obviously, he's been pressing me for details,' Drew chucked,

'Oh really?' asked Victoire, 'what did you tell him?'

'That I'm going out with the most intelligent and beautiful girl in Hogwarts,' he smirked down at her.

'Shut up,' she grinned at him,

'What do your parents know about me?' Drew enquired,

'Oh, er,' Victoire stammered, 'I actually haven't told them about you yet,' she looked away from him.

'Oh,' said Drew, sounding rather hurt.

'It's nothing to do with you, honey,' insisted Victoire, 'you're perfect… it's just… my parents can be a bit…difficult,'

'Of course,' said Drew,

'I thought it'd be best to tell them face to face… you know, I've never had a boyfriend before,'

'Good plan, sweetheart,' he said, brushing her hair out of her face. 'Hopefully your dad won't have a heart attack when you tell him you'll be spending part of the Christmas break at the house of a boy he's never met before,'

'Oh god,' said Victoire, biting her lip, 'it may be more difficult than previously anticipated,'

'Don't worry about it, pumpkin,' Drew rubbed her back, 'you're smart,' he said, 'you'll work something out,'

'Mm,' Victoire murmured before Drew pulled her back in for more kissing.

It'd been a cold winter so far, snowing almost every day on December. Nobody had been complaining though… except Millie Boot.

'It's snowing again,' she hissed looking out the window the morning of the 17th December. She crossed her arms,

'What's wrong with snow?' asked Jenna,

'it messes my hair up,' spat Millie, looking at Jenna like she was an idiot.

'Stop winging,' sighed Victoire, rolling her eyes, 'it's just a bit…besides, it's fun,'

'It is most certainly not fun,' snapped Millie, 'you call slipping over, getting freezing cold and having to wear hideous coats all the time fun?'

'Come on,' sighed Victoire, 'don't you like the cross-house snowball fights? It's a laugh…' she trailed off,

'Stop being such a child, Victoire,' Millie sniffed, 'I thought you'd matured this year,' she turned her nose up.

'Don't be so full of yourself Millie,' Jenna intervened, 'come on, let's go outside,' Millie pulled on a completely inappropriate sequin hat before lumping on a few more layers of jet black mascara.

'Do you really need all of that?' Victoire raised an eyebrow, 'we're just going to go and play in the snow… it's not a fashion show,'

'Victoire, I literally couldn't give less shits about what you have to say if I tried,' she snapped.

'Somebody needs to calm down,' Jenna muttered as they descended the stairs of Gryffindor tower.

'Don't worry about her,' Victoire shrugged, linking arms with her friend. The pair of them made their way out into the courtyard before breakfast, where the majority of Hogwarts seemed to have already gathered. Victoire loved Saturdays. It wasn't long before she was hit in the side of the head with a slushy ball of ice, she couldn't help but laugh, retaliating by throwing an equally sized snow ball at the fourth year Ravenclaw. Jenna and Victoire were in hysterics as they ducked under snow flying their way, and slipped on ice as they did so. It was a great community spirit… it soon went from the houses competing against each other into a giant free-for-all; Victoire found herself hurling chucks of ice and snow at Janette Wood and Andrew Bell, among many other Gryffindors.

A rather out of breath looking boy from the year above ran over to Jenna as she slipped on a sheet of ice,

'NO!' she squealed, 'not fair, let me get up first!' she said, expecting the boy to drop a fresh load of snow on her.

'Don't worry,' he panted, 'take my hand,' Jenna looked skeptical at first, but eventually did as he said. He pulled her to her feet.

'I'm Paul,' he said, 'I'm in the year above,'

'I- I know,' said Jenna, dusting snow off her jeans, 'you used to be a chaser on Hufflepuff Quidditch team, right?'

'That's me,' he nodded.

'Why aren't you on the team anymore?' she asked,

'Ah,' said Paul, 'Last summer I fell off my broom and busted my shoulder,'

'Can't magic fix that?' she looked concerned,

'They tried, but apparently there's some crucial damage even magic can't mend…' he looked sad, 'No more Quidditch for me,'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' said Jenna, not knowing how to respond,

'Look,' said Paul, 'this may seem a bit abrupt, but I was wondering if you'd like to come to the Yule Ball with me?'

'Oh!' Jenna exclaimed,

'I've been wanting to ask you for ages… I just never found the right opportunity,' he explained,

'Oh…er… well that'd be really nice,' said Jenna,

'Oh phew,' Paul exhaled, 'I was so worried,'

'Really?' Jenna couldn't help but grin,

'Yeah... worried you'd say no...' he said, 'but I figured this was my last chance to ask...and you know, I thought I may as well go for it... because it's Christmas,' he blushed,

'Well I'd love to go with you, Paul,' said Jenna, beaming,

'Great!' said Paul, smiling wildly, 'So I'll chat to you later then, yeah?'

'Yeah,' said Jenna, rather breathlessly. She waited until Paul had walked a sufficient distance away before turning around and gawping at Victoire. 'What just happened!' she squealed,

'Oh my god!' said Victoire, 'this is amazing!' she jumped in excitement. Excellent! Henry had finally asked one of his friends!

'You have to help me get ready!' said Jenna, in a way that was very out of character. She wasn't usually into the girly getting ready thing.

'Of course!' said Victoire, 'you have your dress, right?'

'My mum's sending it to me for breakfast today,' Jenna explained,

'Sounds great!' said Victoire, 'we better get inside then,' Jenna nodded and they made their way into the castle, only realizing then how sopping wet and cold they actually were.

Millie and Poppy were already sat at the breakfast table when the girls arrived, picking at pieces of toast and sipping on pumpkin juice,

'Have fun, kids?' said Millie without looking at her, Poppy giggled.

'It was great,' said Victoire, 'Paul MacPherson in the year above asked Jenna to the Yule Ball,' Millie's eyes widened slightly,

'Paul MacPherson?' she spluttered, 'Sexy Paul MacPherson?' Jenna went red as she smiled, 'absolutely no way,' Millie crossed her arms, 'you're joking,'

'I'm not!' said Jenna, 'he said we should chat later too…'

'Pfft,' said Poppy, 'are you sure it's not a bet?' Millie cackled cruelly. Jenna looked hurt,

'It's absolutely not,' said Victoire angrily, 'he said he'd been trying to ask her for ages,' Jenna smiled at Victoire gratefully.

'Whatever,' Millie shrugged. 'Who're you going with again, Pops?'

'Henry McLaggen,' she giggled, Millie nodded,

'The one with the curly hair?' she asked,

'Yeah, that's the one,' said Poppy, smirking.

'And you're going with Drew, boring boring,' Millie dismissed Victoire with a casual wave of the hand,

'You're going with James Greene, right Rach?' said Poppy,

'Yeah,' Rachel giggled,

'Bitch,' coughed Millie,

'What was that?' Rachel turned to her,

'I was dating him over the summer,' Millie spat, 'you're a shitty friend,'

'You did not date him!' Rachel demanded, 'you met up with him once… maybe twice,'

'Yeah, and we made out,' said Millie,

'That's irrelevant,' Rachel shook her head, 'you're just jealous because he asked me and not you,'

'No I'm not,' Millie growled, 'besides, I've had it with silly fifth years… I'll have you know that a seventh year asked me,'

'Who's that then?' Jenna asked her,

'Joseph Davies,' she stated, 'you know, like, the most popular guy in Hogwarts,' Victoire choked on her juice,

'Joseph?' she said, 'he's a git!'

'No, you're just jealous,' Millie mimicked Rachel's words, 'I have an older man, and you don't'

'Let me remind you that I heard Joseph's been with about 5 girls in the last month…' Victoire said,

'I don't care,' said Millie, 'he asked me… that's all that matters,' Victoire sighed. Even Millie didn't deserve to go to the ball with that creep.

All of a sudden, a great swarm of owls swooped through the open windows of the hall, flying towards their allocated students. Jenna jumped with excitement.

'You're dress!' Victoire exclaimed, searching the sky for her parcel,

'There it is!' said Jenna, pointing towards a large brown owl, 'that's my mum's owl, Poinsettia!' The owl lunged downwards, dropping the parcel on the table in an elegant sweep.

'Come on, open it then,' Millie demanded, 'let's see it,' Jenna paused for a second,

'Hmm,' she said, 'I don't want everyone to see it though,'

'Don't be a baby,' said Millie, 'go on,'

'Come on, Jen,' said Victoire, 'let's go upstairs and open it there,' Jenna nodded, grabbing a slice of toast to go.

Once they'd returned to the dormitory, Jenna dumped the package on her bed, and rummaged around for a knife to cut the string which held it together,

'I can't believe Millie's going with Joseph!' Victoire mused,

'I know, Victoire,' sighed Jenna, 'that's all you've been talking about all the way up here!' Victoire grumbled to herself, 'any body would think you had a think for him,'

'What!' Victoire spat,

'Well… you kind of sound… jealous,' said Millie,

'I do not!' Victoire said, 'he's a total tool! I told you about him!'

'Yeah yeah…' said Jenna, unconvinced. 'Right,' she said to herself, as she began to saw at the rope. She ripped the brown paper open, and lifted the dress from it's remains.

'Oh, Jenna,' gasped Victoire, 'it's stunning,' Jenna held up a dress of a spectacular turquoise, that flowed like water.

'Wow!' she squealed, 'It looks even better than I imagined,'

'Where did you get it?' Victoire asked, examining it,

'My Grandmother's a dress maker,' she said, 'she made it for me,'

'It's going to look amazing with your hair,' said Victoire, touching Jenna's frizzy copper locks. Note to self- help Jenna sort out the frizz on ball night. She was sure her Aunt Hermione had talked about a spell that could do something about it before.

'Oh you think so?' Jenna beamed, 'this is all coming together, now I have my dress and a date!' she said,

'I know, it's so exciting,' Victoire enthused,

'I'll write to my mum to say thank you,' said Jenna, 'and tell her about Paul,' she added with a girlish giggle to her voice that Victoire had never heard before.

The 21st of December really would be a night to remember.

Here we are! At last! Sorry that was a bit of a late update!

So the long awaited Yule Ball chapter will be next! I'm actually brimming with excitement myself! Let me know what you think of this chapter, the key events, and what you think will happen next!

Thanks SO much to everyone who reads (and double thanks to everyone who reviews!) you all mean so much to me, and hearing what you think makes my day- so if you could just take a few seconds to submit your thoughts I'd absolutely love it. As I said before- I read absolutely all of the reviews I get- if you want to ask me questions, I always PM an answer!

Anyway, lots and lots and lots of love darlings,

Em x