Hello everyone, I'm home from vacation! Sorry it took so long to get this out, but I promise once you read it you won't hate me anymore...well, at least when you get to the end :-)

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and who reviewed chapter thirteen--so glad everyone is enjoying this!

My standard A/N: If you recognize it, it's JKR's; if not, its mine.

Enjoy!

If Evey had thought things were bad at Hogwarts before, they became even worse when a month later, Professor Dumbledore announced that they were holding the Yule Ball during the Christmas holidays. The excitement level of the girls, already at an all time high due to the celebrity in their midst, reached a fever pitch as they ran about having constant panic attacks about not being invited to attend the ball. The boys had a similar frenzied reaction but this was due to the fact that they were now expected to ask someone to the dance…

Unlike her roommates, Evey had no desire to attend the ball, as it reminded her of the unbearable Christmas parties that her parents used to drag her to. However, if she were to go, she'd want Dax to be her date. Evey couldn't help but smile when she thought of him. Ever since the night he helped her with her essay (which she got an O on, by the way), they had spent several nights a week doing homework together in the library until curfew. Sometimes he'd help her with her assignments, sometimes they'd just do their respective work. Either way, they had so much fun together, frequently joking around and talking in French for hours before they realized what they were doing.

No, Evey did not want to attend the Yule Ball but if Dax asked her…well, she couldn't insult a guest, could she?

With just a week until the ball, Evey was in the library completing a Defence Against the Dark Arts essay Professor Moody had set for the holidays but she'd decided to finish up now, hating spending the free time studying, when two hands covered her eyes.

'Guess 'oo,' a familiar French drawl said.

'Hmm,' Evey said, pretending to think. 'Who do I know who has a heavy French accent and could possibly be here to bug me? Could it be…Dax?'

'You are no fun, Eevee,' Dax pouted as he lowered his hands and sat in the seat beside Evey.

Evey chuckled, 'Oh it was just a joke, Dax. Lighten up!'

Dax rolled his beautiful blue eyes as he chuckled, 'I weel never understand you Brits.'

'Probably not, no,' Evey said seriously before the two started laughing.

After a moment, Dax spoke, 'Eevee, I 'ave a question for you.'

Evey tried to look casual and relaxed, but inside she was a ball of nerves. Was he going to ask her to the ball?

'Sure, Dax,' she said, trying to hide her nerves, 'What's up?'

'Well,' he said as he lounged in the uncomfortable wooden chair, 'ze ball is next week and there is thees mademoiselle I want to ask. 'ow should I go about doeeng zat?'

'Oh,' Evey said, trying to figure out where he was going with this. 'Well, do you fancy her? Oh, er, font vous l'aiment ?'

'Oh, oui, very much,' Dax said, nodding.

'Well, perhaps giving her flowers would be nice. In front of people--perhaps in the Great Hall. And tell her how you feel and then say something like "would you do me the honour of accompanying me to the Yule Ball?" Girls love stuff like that.'

Dax mulled it over, then slowly nodded, 'Oui, I believe zat would work very well.' He stood, smiling widely. 'Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle. I weel see you later.'

'Bye,' Evey said, trying to maintain her composure.

When he was out of sight, she smiled widely. He was going to publicly ask her to the Yule Ball! How romantic! Too excited to concentrate any longer, she packed up her belongings and practically skipped back to the common room, trying to work out how she was going to respond to his invitation.

The next day, at every meal, she nervously kept an eye on the Ravenclaw table. She didn't tell anyone about what she and Dax discussed; she wanted everyone to be surprised. Besides it would be more romantic that way. Dax didn't do anything during breakfast or lunch. Evey told herself he was waiting until there would be more people around at dinner so he could ask her in front of everyone and let them know she was his.

So, she arrived in the Great Hall the moment they started serving dinner that night, and perched herself so she was facing the Ravenclaw table, and, consequently, the doors. Slowly, students trickled into the dining room, seating themselves then reaching for the food. By ten after six, it seems the whole castle was in the Great Hall…except for Dax.

She was starting to get antsy, squirming in her seat and picking at her dinner. Her friends didn't notice her anxiety -- the girls were happily chattering on about the ball and the boys were trying to talk about Quidditch and not get sucked into the discussion about dancing and dresses. Evey had her eyes on the door, waiting, barely hearing anything going on.

Finally, at twenty after six, one of the doors creaked open and a solitary figure slid gracefully into the room. Evey's eyes were glued to Dax as he swaggered into the hall, hand behind his back. Some other students had also noticed his late entrance, and had started whispering amongst themselves.

Dax's eyes suddenly caught Evey's, and he gave her a small smile. Evey smiled back, her body shaking with excitement and anticipation.

But her smile faded as Dax took an unexpected left and started walking along the space between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

Where was he going?

Talking in the hall had ceased, as all eyes were now on Dax. He stopped when he got halfway down the aisle and leaned down, whispering in a girl's ear.

A girl with curly, strawberry blonde hair.

A girl that wasn't Evey.

After a moment, Dax pulled something from behind his back--a bouquet of wildflowers. He presented them to the girl as he spoke and a minute later she was squealing with delight, leaping from her seat and embracing the handsome French boy. The Ravenclaw table burst into applause; the Slytherins snorted disdainfully and ignored the fuss; the Hufflepuffs smiled and returned to their dinner and previous conversations, and most of the Gryffindor table started hooting, hollering, and wolf-whistling as they stood on the benches.

All except one girl with wine-red hair who sat perfectly still, staring at her plate of barely touched food, tears threatening to spill from her sea green eyes.

When the ruckus finally died down and enough time had passed, Evey silently and swiftly left the Great Hall, and was in her bed in her dorm before her friends even noticed her disappearance.

For the next five days, Evey barely left the dorm. She slept late every day, her curtains sealed and silenced. She would only get up when the girls had left, shower, dress, then get back in bed to do homework or read her textbooks over and over again. She left the dorm once a day, for dinner, but she went late so she wouldn't risk running into Dax or Marietta Edgecombe. How could he want to take her to the ball? She was so…snobby! Completely stuck up and dumb as a rock to boot.

But who cares? Not Evey! No, the ball was a stupid waste of time; she'd just spend the night studying. Maybe she could check out that book on Animagus transformations she'd seen in the library a few weeks ago. She sighed as she walked down the stairs from her dorm, headed for a late dinner, and she was surprised when she saw the twins sitting on the over-stuffed couch, arms crossed, staring at her.

'What?' she asked as she paused at the bottom of the stairs, confused by their intent gazes.

The twins paused, looked at each other for a moment, then stood up simultaneously and charged at Evey, each hooking an arm under hers and lifting her off the ground.

'Hey! What do you think you're doing!' she complained as she kicked her legs and tried to wiggle out of their grasps.

But the twins stayed silent as they made their way up the boys' staircase and into their dorm, not letting her go until Fred had kicked the door shut and George locked it, also casting a Silencing spell on the room. Good thing, because Evey did not remain silent. She didn't stop fighting when they released her; turning on them and cursing loudly as she hit out at them.

'You bastards! What the bloody hell did you do that for?!'

The twins said nothing, and just let Evey get her frustration out. After a minute, she tired and her anger petered out. She suddenly felt completely drained and slumped to the ground.

'Are you done?' Fred finally said, looking down at Evey.

She silently nodded, and took their offered hands before they pulled her up off the ground. They moved over to George's bed and sat down either side of her.

'Something is wrong, Evey.'

'We know there is.'

'You've been acting strange for days now.'

'And we want to know why.'

Evey looked back and forth between Fred and George; she could see seriousness on their faces, and concern in their chocolate eyes. She sighed and looked down at her lap.

'I…I don't want to say. Its kind of a girly thing.'

'Well since you are a girl, I don't think that's a horrible thing,' George said gently.

'Come on, Evey,' Fred prodded. 'Tell us. Please?'

Evey looked up and groaned when she saw his face. 'No! Not the puppy dog eyes!'

George quickly caught on and mirrored his twin's pouty expression.

'Not the double! You know I can't stand that!' Evey said, falling backwards onto the mattress and covering her eyes with her arms.

'Pleeeeeease?' the twins said pathetically.

Evey groaned and flung her arms to the side, 'Fine! But no laughing!'

The twins crossed their hearts, something Evey had taught them years ago, promising they would not laugh.

Evey sighed, 'Well, it started a month ago. One of the French exchange students, Dax, came upon me struggling with a Binns essay, and he helped me out. He was really sweet. And then after that, we'd study together. I mean, true we didn't have the same homework, but we kind of helped each other.

'And then…then the other day he randomly asked me about how he could ask a girl he fancied to the ball. I don't know why but I thought…I thought he was talking about me. So I told him what to do, and he did it…for Marietta Edgecombe. So, there's me, sitting there feeling like a total moron. End of story.'

She stood and crossed the room, too embarrassed to be look at the twins right now. She could just imagine what they thought of her - she'd been presumptuous to assume Dax would ask her and now, she felt completely humiliated. It was true - pride did come before a fall. She felt tears well in her eyes, and surreptitiously wiped them away. A few moments later, she felt a pair of arms circle her waist and was pulled back against a warm body. She instinctively knew it was George; he smelled different than Fred and his arms around her always made her feel more safe and comforted than anyone else's did.

'He's a total wanker for not wanting to go with you, you know,' George said softly.

Evey shrugged, then sighed lightly as George turned her to face him, his arms still around her.

'I'm serious, you know,' he said. 'You're a great girl, and if that stupid Frog wants nothing to do with you, then it's his loss.'

Evey smiled a little, 'You're just saying that because you feel uncomfortable around me when I cry.'

George paused a moment, then nodded slowly, 'Well, yes, that's true. But I also mean what I said. I mean…I know if I had a chance to go to the ball with you, I would.'

Evey looked up at him, eyes wide, 'You what?'

George bit his lip as his cheeks (and ears) turned scarlet and he suddenly seemed to find his shoes fascinating. 'Well I…er…if you want to go to the ball still I would…you know…go with you.'

Evey blushed, 'You don't have to, you know.'

'It's ok, I want to. It would be fun, I think. And it wouldn't be a-a date if you don't want it to be. It could be as…you know…just one mate going with another,' George stuttered.

Evey smiled. 'Alright.'

George's face lit up, 'Brilliant! It'll be so much fun!'

He lifted a now giggling Evey off her feet in a huge hug, spinning her around before setting her back down again.

'I've got to go air out my dress-robes; they've been at the bottom of my trunk since I packed. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow,' Evey said, a wide smile on her face, as she backed towards the door.

'Yea, sounds good,' George said before mumbling the spell to unlock the door. 'See ya then.'

Evey smiled again as she left, closing the door behind her. She was surprised about how excited she was and sighed happily as she practically skipped to her dorm.

So Evey and George have a non-date date! Hooray! I wonder what will happen...well, Iknow what'll happen, but you don't yet lol. If you love me, read and review and make me a happy author :-)