Cassie woke up before Serena for once, which was even more surprising since there were no classes. She contemplated going back to sleep, but then suddenly sprung out of bed and shook Serena awake.

"Go away." She grumbled, swatting at Cassie's arm.

She stifled a laugh, as she grabbed the covers and ripped them from Serena's grasp.

"Uh, you didn't!" Serena gasped, wide awake, as she hugged herself.

"Oh, but I did." Cassie laughed, before smiling. "Come on, grumpy, we're going dress shopping with the girls, or have you forgotten already?"

"Oh!" Her face brightened, as she jetted towards the bathroom. "I can't wait!"

"Me neither!" Cassie laughed, before the two got ready.

Cassie was ready first, as always - despite the fact that Serena was always up before her - and left their room, to wait in the Common Room for her.

"Hey," She turned to see Draco, as he appeared by the doorway from the boys dorms.

"Hey," She smiled, before patting the spot next to her on the couch.

He sat down, and neither said anything, before Draco broke the silence.

"I heard what happened." He grimaced, as if he were in pain at the thought. "I really thought he was a good guy, Cassie, I really did, despite everything else. But then he goes and asks her. He led you on and hurt you, Cassie. I can't -"

Cassie could've sworn Draco was more worked up about it than her, but this was Draco, her over protective little brother, what did she expect?

"It's okay, Draco. I'm fine." She smiled, placing a comforting hand on his own. "Fred's a big boy, he can do what he wants, make his own decisions. He was never mine to have, Draco. Besides, I'm going to have fun, regardless."

He grumbled to himself, but before he could retaliate, she cut him off.

"So, who are you going with?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"Pansy." He winced.

She knew he didn't like her, and to be honest, she didn't either. Pansy wasn't even one of those people you could say were nice without the influence of others, she was just plain horrid. However, she knew that the person he really wanted to go with was already taken, and she couldn't ever imagine him actually asking her anyway.

"Why?" She asked, wondering why he was going with her, due to his deep running hatred.

"Father owled me and told me, I had no choice." He said, looking away.

She knew how he felt about him. He always felt powerless, he never could deny his wishes.

"I'm surprised he never arranged a date for me." She said, offhandedly.

"Yeah..." Draco said, looking away.

"Draco?" She narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"

"Well," He said, sheepishly, as he fiddled with his fingers. "Let's just say that Father thinks you're going with that Jexson boy."

"What?" She asked, confused.

"I might have, kind of, told him so that you could go with whoever you wanted, with him thinking you were there with him." Draco explained. "I mean, I did think you would be going with Fred after all. I just wanted you to be able to go with the person you wanted to."

Even though, she wasn't going with Fred, she was still grateful for Draco's idea. Now, her Father's prying eyes wouldn't be as fixed on her, as he was under the assumption that she was going with TJ of her own accord.

"Thank you, Draco." She smiled, pulling him into a quick hug.

"Speaking of the idiot," Draco said, failing to keep the hostility from his voice. "I happened to overhear he and his brother arguing in one of the quieter corridors, after leaving the Great Hall."

"You did?" She asked, she couldn't deny that she was curious.

"Yes," He said. "It seems that even his twin didn't know he was taking someone else. However, I was too infuriated to stick around to listen."

Flashback to that moment

George dragged Fred to an empty classroom as soon as they were free to go. He had found it extremely hard to keep his mouth shut, especially as he worried about Cassie, after she had rushed out. The others had continuously shared concerned and confused looks for the remaining duration of the class. They shared a common thought. What the hell?

"I can't believe you!" He said, trying to remain calm. "You didn't even tell me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Fred said, as he crossed his arms.

"Don't play stupid, Fred. You know exactly what I'm talking about!" He said, bawling his fists as his emotions went on a rampage. "What happened to asking Cassie, huh?"

He felt betrayed, that he hadn't told him, confused that he had asked Alicia instead of Cassie like he had planned since the mere mention of a 'ball', and guilty, because he subsequently lied to Cassie about Fred asking her. He had been so sure, so what the hell happened? It was all Fred had talked about since their first dance lesson.

"She's going with Cedric," He said stubbornly. "That's what happened."

"Merlin, Fred, you're an idiot." George said, not buying it. "I've spent this entire time convincing and reassuring her that you were going to ask her, dammit! And she looked pretty damn upset."

"Well, I don't know why," He said, feeling a continuous pang of guilt striking his heart. But she was going with her Pretty Boy Diggory. "Because she sounded thrilled to go with him!"

Then he stormed away, his insides constricting in unnatural ways, as a mixture of feelings consumed him.

Draco didn't have time to say anything else, as Serena came bounding into the room with an ecstatic smile on her face.

"Ready to go?" She asked, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Yeah," Cassie smiled, before ruffling Draco's hair, to which he immediately pushed her away. "Later, Draco."

"Don't have to much fun!" Draco joked, as the two left the Common Room.

Cassie and Serena rushed madly to meet the girls at the doors of the Entrance Hall, puffing madly as they came to a stop as they finally reached the group.

"You'd think you'd just run a marathon." Angelina smirked.

"Slytherin's," Ginny teased. "Ever the dramatics."

"Come on," Hermione said, leading them down the cobblestoned path. "We need to make good time, if we want good dresses."

"You know, Hermione," Angelina said, raising a brow. "You never did say who you are going with."

Cassie internally grinned, knowing fine well who the younger girl was going with. After all, who do you think Hermione had come running to, bright red in the face, relaying every aspect of what had just happened to her?

"That's because," Hermione grinned. "It's for me to know, and you to find out."

Cassie and Alicia were a little behind the group, which worked in the latter girls favour.

"Cassie, I just want you to know that I'm not the least bit interested in Fred, and the last thing I ever wanted to do is hurt you." Alicia rambled. "I only agreed to go because-"

"Alicia," Cassie forced a laugh. "It's okay, it's not like he was ever mine. We're good."

Cassie and Alicia had always been friends, and Cassie saw no reason for their to be any void between them.

"Thank-"

"Hey, we're nearly there!" Ginny announced, as Hogsmead came into view.

"There it is!" Serena squealed, excitedly, as she pointed to 'Gladrags Wizardwear' which featured many dresses in the windows.

Angelina pushed the door open, which caused a ball to ring.

"Oh, hello," A young woman said, from behind a rack of dresses. "My name's Claudia - just give me a shout if you need anything!"

"Thank you." The girls replied, with a smile.

Because they had left so early, the shop was fairly empty, with only a group of four girls and two or three boys.

"Well, ladies," Angelina said, rubbing her hands together, much like she did before a quidditch match. "Let's hop to it."

They each split off, sifting through rack upon rack of dresses. Angela was the first to announce that she had found a dress she liked. It was a tight velvet dress, with spaghetti straps, a deep purple colour. Ginny was very picky and tried various dresses on, before setting her eyes on a pastel pink and green dress. Alicia wasn't as picky, as she pulled the first blue dress she spotted, from the hanger. Serena spent the entire time, muttering about what Benjimine would prefer, until Cassie reassured her that he would like her regardless, then she decided to go with a silver/grey dress, with a beaded bodice and thin straps.

Hermione and Cassie were taking so long, that the others resorted to helping them, flashing different dresses at them left, right and centre. Hermione had never been interested in dresses and girly things, so it was only natural that she was hesitant with picking out a dress. Cassie, on the other hand, was just basking in the feeling of freedom the task relieved her with. She found herself putting a lot of thought into her decision, as this was a big deal for her - she'd never been allowed to choose her own dress for herself. In her home, decisions were always made for her.

Soon enough, Hermione had pulled a pink dress, with ruffles, off of the rack and went off to try it on.

Cassie started to worry that she wouldn't find a dress she liked, but then she lay eyes on it. The dress. The other girls watched her, as her dull expression brightened immediately.

"This is perfect."