A/N: Hi everyone! I am really sorry and I know that there is no excuse for not updating in over a month, but I was under a lot of stress with school and it seems fitting to update now. I want to thank halfbloodauthor, who reviewed, I am always grateful when you comment and I'll try to work on what you say. Yay! Twenty Reviews! And thank you to all who favorited and alerted. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All I ask for is a little common sense people. Clearly I am not J.K. Rowling and I don't think I will ever be so just read and review.

I sigh and flop down in a seat. Rose sits across from me.

Dan asks, "What's wrong?"

Rose smiles, "She has to choose between two evils."

"What are the evils?"

"I could stay in the library and be harassed by little kids, or I could head up to the dorms and have the girls freak out at me."

"Harassed by little kids?"

"They keep asking me out."

"Because no one under fifth year is allowed to attend unless they're on a Quidditch team or have a date."

"Then why isn't everyone else being attacked?"

"Because they all have dates."

"Al? Hugo?"

"Hugo's going with, Anna, that Hufflepuff third year?"

"Oh, she's so sweet, I've talked to her in the library."

"And Al made up some date."

"Smart."

"Yeah." She chuckles.

"Stop laughing at me. Its not funny."

"No, but your reactions are. That poor second year."

"He was getting on my nerves!"

"Going to the dorms can't be that bad." Rose and I crack up at Dan's ignorance.

"You've never lived with teenage girls, have you?"

"Nope."

"Well we get excited about things like this. Some just happen to be more sensible than others. Which is why Val and I were in the library and are now on food duty?"

Some of the boys just look confused, others snicker.

Rose looks at the clock, it reads 5:30, she sighs, "Time to go."

We stuff desserts and rolls into our bags and pick up as many goblets of pumpkin juice as we dare.

We rise, or try to. Neither of us can pull up. We growl, her at James but I suspected Fred.

As Prefects we had played victims to many of the pranks during the war. I had received one even from James as revenge for the honey shampoo. He turned my hair, eyes, and lips a bright shade of green. I had nothing to hold back for so I shrieked and screamed and cast the same spell on him in pink.

But in my opinion, the best prank was Roxanne's opening. She filled treacle tarts with a love potion that had James and Fred confessing their eternal love for professors McGonagall and Slughorn. It was rather obvious too.

Rose and I waste no time in undoing the sticking charm, casting one on each boy in return. As we leave its apparent we weren't the only ones to fall victim to the charm.

Rose asks, "What should I do for my hair? I know I want to leave it down but…"

Rose had long hair, which was stunning but very poofy, often because she didn't bother to try and manage it.

"Brush it out so it gets wavy and smooth, then pull some Sleekeazy's through it, or some hair gel, it will hold for the night. You could probably add a decoration to it if you wanted."

She nods, "Okay, thanks. Are you guys gonna need help?"

"Don't know. We shouldn't, but we'll come and get you if we do."

"Kay. Roxanne and I will probably join you guys later anyways."

"All set then, I'll see you later."

We break off of the corridor into our respective dorms. The girls have transfigured a desk into a vanity in the main room, in the front of it was sitting every beauty product the three of us owned. Lily perched on a chair in front of the mirror and Becky was behind her, doing Lily's hair. Both had those avocado mask things on their faces.

Becky calls out, "Val I need you to put your hands in Lily's hair and hold it in place."

I do as I'm told and Becky pulls back, grabbing another section and twirling it in place, holding it with a hair pin. She works Lily's hair, occasionally giving me directions, until twenty minutes later its all pinned elegantly to Lily's head, decorated with small black pearls.

"Val, do you mind casting a freezing charm? I just want to spray it down just in case."

"No problem." I cast the spell, one we were all grateful to have learned and Becky sends Lily to wash off her face.

Becky sits down and gets to work straightening her hair, which has now grown past her chin. When she finishes I grab a section of it from the front, twist it to the back and hold it in place with a small orange flower pinned to her head.

When she's done, I pull my hair back to a simple bun and leave a few strands hanging. I get to work curling them.

I hear someone calling me, "Val, Val, Valerie! Get your ass down here this instant." I let the calling continue and look at the clock, 6:26, I was wondering when they'd figure it out.

Lily sticks her head out of the bathroom, where she's doing her makeup, "You know someone's shouting for you right?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm busy, they can wait."

The yelling continues for two more minutes, enough time for me to finish my hair and freeze it into place.

I yank it open the door in time to hear a thump and alarm. Well, it looks like the stairs still work. I laugh and skip halfway down the staircase until I see Mitch about to step again.

"What?" I whine, I kinda want to mess with him a bit.

"Dan and I don't have dress robes."

"Your just now realizing this?" The boys' mothers knew this would happen, so I packed the robes when we first came.

"Yeah. What should we do?"

I summon the robes. "What would you do without me?"

"I don't know. Wear normal clothes?"

I roll my eyes, I send Dan's robes flying to him and throw Mitch's in his face.

He catches this as they fall. "And comb your hair too, it's a mess."

As I spin back the great idiot decides to be dramatic. "Oh Val, thank you so much. I shall be eternally grateful." He spreads his arm and drops to one knee, on the stairs. Before I can shout, I'm on my butt, sliding down the now non-existent stairs. I crash into Mitch and we go skidding into the back of a couch.

"Hey, I like your hair."

I start screaming words that are not very nice, getting creative with my swears, wishing very sincerely I had something harder than my hand to swat at him with. I am really glad I'm still in my school robes and that I put that charm on my hair.

I hop up and dash up the stairs in case Mitch tries to repeat the incident, he does, it doesn't work. I burst into my dorm and everyone looks at me like I'm insane, which granted I'm sure it does, but they could at least be polite enough to hide it.

Roxanne asks, "You okay?"

"Yeah."

She shrugs, lies back down on the spare bed, and resumes talking about the ball.

"And stay away from the pumpkin pastries, they'll be stuffed with jokes from Dad's shop. It's only them though, I think."

As she talks, she starts to braid her hair back on both sides.

I work on my makeup in front of the vanity with Rose and Becky. Mine is simple, mascara, sparkly lip gloss, and some little bit of glitter dust. When I'm done I tap each of my nails with my wand, painting the tips black.

I check the time again, 7:13. I announce this to everyone.

I look over to Roxanne, who's tapping her wand against her hand, making sparks fly out the end.

"What's the point count?"

"I can't say."

"Oh."

"No, really, I don't even know myself."

"Jeez. That takes away the fun."

"Yeah."

Lily walks out of the bathroom, the first of us to be ready, sort of. She taps her nails, painting them bright orange. She sticks her wand into a band around her leg, slides into her heels, and spins slowly, graceful.

Rose dashes into the bathroom with her dress before anyone can stop her.

Roxanne yells and curses at her, before standing up on the bed and yanking the curtains shut. All you can hear is Rose's laughter.

Both finish at the same time, Rose looking completely put together and Roxanne tripping off the bed, "Can someone pin my hair?" We all wince at the sudden change in volume, but Lily moves to help her cousin anyway.

The clock reads 7:38, well time to get my dress on. I kneel beside my bed and drag the dress box out from under it.

"You haven't taken it out the box in all this time, its just been sitting there?"

"Yeah. Where else would it be?"

The door clicks shut and I groan. "Seriously, Becky? Seriously?"

"You snooze, you lose!"

I dig around my bag and pull out my camera out from the bottom.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Its one picture."

Becky comes out and she reminds me of those dances from younger years.

I dash in, 7:45 we have fifteen minutes. How with two and a half hours to get ready am I still rushing around? I slide my feet into my shoes and tie my wand around my calf with some ribbon. I reach behind my head and pull the hook and eye into place.

I walk out, Roxanne flags down third year to take the picture.

As we line up Rose asks, "You'll develop copies right?"

"Yeah."

The flash goes off and we stumble down the stairs, us fifth years behind, arms linked.

Rose glides to Scorpius and kisses him passionately but modestly.

Lily happily skips towards Lucas, he kisses her on the cheek.

Roxanne and Becky would meet their dates in the Entrance Hall. I'm going to walk down with them.

Or I'm supposed to, James is dragging me to the Portrait Hole. "Your cousins want to see you."

He shoves me none to gently out the opening. "You could have just told me!"

The corridor is empty. "Is this a joke?" I start off to the Entrance Hall, hands grab my arms and yank me back. I spin, fists ready, and see the boys, dressed up in their wizards finest. I throw my arms around them and they grin.

"Milady." They bow, I roll my eyes. "Would you be kind enough to allow us to escort you to the ball?"

"Don't you two have dates?"

"Already walked them down."

"Well then yes, I'd be delighted to have your accompaniment. And may I say you two gentlemen look dashingly handsome this evening."

"You may. And I must tell you that you look simply stunning miss."

"Indeed you look ravishing this night dear."

I double over in laughter. "Okay. You two have gotten in my books,"

"Yep. But you look great, Val."

"Thanks. Now what time is it?"

"8:02."

"We're late. C'mon boys." I grab their hands and tow them behind me.

No one is in the Entrance Hall when we get there. "Alright, lets show 'em what we're made of."

"Hell yeah!"

I take a deep breath and loop my arms through theirs, taking the hands attached to the arms. As we step forward the grand doors open to reveal all of our peers. With their eyes on us our shoulders straighten, easy smiles slide onto our faces.

Some things don't change do they? I step purposely, my heels clicking and hips swaying. The boys swagger as they walk. We reach the bottom of the steps and everyone stops gawking.

"I don't care if you two have dates. I want a dance with each of you tonight." The music is classic, but I'd heard they'd throw in some more upbeat ones.

"Later," is my only reply as they each go to their dates.

I move out of the way of the dances, to the tables. I don't make it far before Aiden stops me.

My fellow Beater, only a second year, was already half a foot taller than me. He offers his hand, "May I have this dance?"

I smile, "You may." I take his hand and we dance, after only a minute we are interrupted by a sweet- tempered Slytherin, who asks to cut in. And I dance at least three hours straight. Going from one partner to the next, avoiding the nasty ones and the ones who had dates but ask anyway. Often the dance was cut short.

When they finally played some faster music I sigh in relief. I wave to the girls, all happily settled in the arms of their boyfriends.

Then I snitch a goblet of butterbeer and slip out the door.

I walk across the grounds about 300 feet, still enough light from the Hall and some from the moon. It's full, how fitting.

Then I kick off my shoes and use a wandless levitating spell to land my goblet on a branch. I prepare myself, find a good hold and climb the tree.

I sit and watch the lake for a good half hour before a figure walks out of the Great Hall. The light is behind him, so I can't see his face.

He paces for a few moments, walking around the small clearing, then he moves more purposely, looking for something. As he walks I see his face, Albus.

After five minutes, Albus comes upon my shoes, lying on the ground beneath my tree.

He looks around and then up.

I smile down at him, then I pull myself forward and let myself drop. I land on my toes, bouncing a bit. The rush of air felt so good.

"What's up?"

"I didn't see you inside, I thought maybe you came out here for a break."

"Yeah, I just wanted to breath for a minute."

"So you climbed a tree?"

"With the intent of jumping off."

"You're a different girl alright. But anyway I came out here to ask you something." He trails off, nervousness in his bright green eyes.

"What is it?"

"Could I have this dance?" He holds out his hand, an invitation.

"Yes." I take his hand and step closer to him. The music starts again, perfectly on cue.

We dance, stepping lightly on the grass.

It's under the moonlight that I realize how handsome Albus is. Tall and a muscular lean, fine aristocratic cheekbones and a high forehead. His dark hair, messily done, touches the tip of his brows, meeting his eyes, hidden behind the glasses sliding down his skinny nose, but still showing every emotion as he felt it.

This didn't even include the way he made me feel, like electricity ran all over my skin and there was a warmth deep inside me. As we dance the connection from two weeks ago reappears.

All too soon the music trickles to a stop, on the last notes Albus leans down and I edge up on my toes.

Our lips touch and I feel ready to explode, everything rushing to the surface, ready to bubble over.

But it doesn't last more than an instant, before we can deepen the kiss a male voice calls out, "Hey you kids, get back inside!"

We break apart, faster than I would have thought possible. I can only see the man's profile, his wand pointed at us, he squints. "Albus?"

Albus looks shocked at his name. "Teddy? What are you doing here?"

"Just checking the wards. You need to take the girl and get back inside."

"Okay, tell Victorie I said 'hello'. You might want to say 'hi' to James and Lily while you're here as well."

"Will do. Now go."

Albus takes my hand and pulls me back to the Hall, or well in that direction. He ducks behind a wall and pulls the Invisibility Cloak out of his pocket.

"Why do you have that? Where are we going?"

"To follow Teddy."

"You don't believe him?"

"The wards around the castle need to be reinforced at specific times. That's not now."

He throws the cloak over us and we walk silently after Teddy.

He turns suddenly, eyes glancing over the empty space where we are. He stalks up to us and looks directly where Albus' eyes are.

"Look, if you needed to know I would tell you. There is nothing wrong. You two go back to the ball and have fun. And Albus get some common sense, you know better than to follow me at a full moon. Now go and I will get you suspended if I hear you again."

He turns back, I move to follow but Albus shakes his head. "C'mon lets go."

When we get back to the Great Hall it is pure chaos.

Multicolored bats are flying everywhere, the candles are flickering back and forth. Fog is edging its way around the moving floor, shaking under people's feet.

Then there is a loud bang, stunning fireworks go off in the air. The entire Hall is mesmerized by the show, no one wants the end to come when it does, but everyone claps none the less.

I look over to James, Roxanne, and Fred, who are standing at the other end of the Hall, looking stunned. Shouting or mouthing versions of the word tied.

I chuckle still feeling bubbly, and I know why.

Albus Potter still hadn't let go of my hand.

A/N: So I finally got somewhere this time! Now as much as I need you to review I really need anyone who actually reads my author notes to tell me what Patronuses you think Al and Val should have. Please, reviews are always nice too.