The shower was warm but it did little to comfort her. Jade would never admit it but the words Ava said upstairs hurt her. She didn't have enough time to figure out what she would do about Draco, she thought she'd save it for something to think about when she was going to bed, but when Ava came over to them, gloating over the fact Draco wanted to talk to her about something tomorrow, possibly to ask her to the dance, it made her heart fall into her stomach. She didn't want Draco to go with Ava, not because it would ruin their stupid group plans, but because she wanted him to ask her. Properly. As his date. She thought he was going to too, the way he was acting earlier when they were dancing. Jade let out a deep breath, begging herself not to let the foolish tears fall from her eyes. It was a stupid reason to get upset, a boy asking someone else to a dance, but it still bothered her tremendously. Why wouldn't Draco ask Jade? Why wouldn't he? They've been best friends for four years. When she wasn't with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, she was with him, they spent all their time together. Maybe that was it. The realization hit her as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair. Maybe it was because she was off with the Gryffindors all the time. Maybe it was because he didn't think she would want to go with him. What if he thought she'd go with Harry or Ron? She could see the steam rising from the shower stall but the heat barely touched her skin. She grabbed her bar of soap and spread it down her arm, or she tried to. It faltered to a stop halfway down her arm, as if her skin wasn't wet enough. She'd been standing here in the shower for half an hour, just letting herself think, she should be wet by now, on the verge of pruney. She looked up at the showerhead to find the water was working, but it was falling around her, not a single drop touched her body, it was like there was some kind of shield blocking the water from her. She looked to the left and down, to see the water hitting the floor a few inches away from her foot, but not even that splashed back onto her skin.

"What the hell?" She mumbled, reaching a hand up only for the water to part away from her touch. "Great, now I can't even finish my shower." As soon as she finished her grumble of a sentence the water fell back onto her, getting in her eyes and making her recoil to rub them. It ran down her body now, she felt the soothing drops again. She paused for a moment before continuing to soap her body. It was strange but it didn't happen again, for a moment she questioned if she imagined it, but she couldn't have, why would she? She quickly finished and turned the water off, stepped out of the shower, and wrapped her towel tight around her body. She looked at herself in the large stretch of mirror above the sinks in the bathroom. She looked unhappy. She couldn't bring herself to smile, she couldn't wrap her head around Draco asking Ava to the dance. He never even glanced twice her way, rarely spoke to her unless he had to or had something rude to say. But just like Jade had, just like they all had, they changed this year, physically. They were starting to look different, starting to grow up. Maybe he saw something new that he liked. Her eyes flicked down to the sink and turned it on, she stared at it for a long minute, and then placed her hand under it, just like it had before, the water fell around her hand, refusing to touch her skin. She shut the faucet off quickly and left the steamy room. She didn't know what was going on with her, with her magic. Jade slammed the door to her room behind her and Pansy was waiting on her bed.

"Have a nice shower?" She asked. Jade didn't answer right away, how would she even explain what happened?

"Shouldn't you be at dinner?" Jade questioned instead.

"Just wanted to make sure you were alright." Jade rolled her eyes at that.

"I'm fine, Pansy. Go get something to eat."
"Aren't you coming?" No. She didn't want to. She didn't want to go up there and see Ava sitting next to Draco, in her spot, she didn't even want to look at him. Maybe she would see something she hadn't seen before. A glance in Ava's direction, an appreciative gaze of her figure, a curve of his lips at something she said. She didn't want to see that.

"I'm not hungry." Jade rolled her eyes as she searched for something to wear to bed.

"You said that at lunch. I know you're hungry by now." Pansy accused her and Jade locked eyes with her as she stood there in her towel, ready to change, Pansy sighed and turned to look at the wall, giving Jade some privacy. "I've seen you naked before, we live together, Jade."

"Ew." Jade huffed as she threw her shirt over her head.

"It's not ew, it's natural," Pansy argued. "You've seen me before."

"Yep," Jade replied shortly, wiggling into her pants as they tried to stick to her still damp legs. "Okay, you're good." Pansy turned back around and immediately scowled.

"If you're not going to dinner, can I bring you something back?" Pansy asked, choosing to allow Jade to ignore telling her the real reason she wouldn't go to dinner.

"Sure, if that makes you feel better." Jade threw her towel into their laundry bin and sat down at her desk. She wanted to make sure her Potions work was right, Snape would be testing them tomorrow.

"Fine." Pansy rose from her bed and stopped as she opened their door. "He's not going to ask her to the dance, Jade," Pansy spoke quietly and Jade set her quill down but didn't turn around. "Trust me, I've got a theory." Before Jade could ask her what her theory was, Pansy left, closing the door softly behind her. Jade's eyes found the red candle at the top of her desk and she grabbed it.

"Okay, I know I'm not mad," She mumbled to herself.

Jade couldn't avoid Draco forever, but she could definitely avoid breakfast, that was when he would talk to Ava. Simple as that, she didn't go. Pansy was worried about her 'lack of appetite' but Jade felt fine, she ate everything Pansy brought her back the night before. They both knew it was an excuse but Pansy didn't push her. She wouldn't avoid him all day, she had to go to her classes. He tried to catch her at Transfiguration but couldn't get to her before class started and she ran off to Astronomy the second the bell rang. He didn't sit next to her in either of those classes. He watched her, though, how she kept her eyes down, how Pansy looked at her every once in a while. He didn't know what happened to her but he wanted to help. She was so happy the last time they spoke, she couldn't possibly be upset with him, it must've been something else, maybe something happened at home. When that class ended he practically jumped out of his seat to get to her but he lost her in the crowded corridors. He'd see her at lunch, then. She was acting like she was avoiding him, but that was just him probably being paranoid. He sighed when he saw the rest of his friends sitting in their usual spot but she was missing. He threw his bag down in her seat and placed his hands on the table, right in front of Pansy.

"What's going on with Maddex?" He asked her.

"She's not feeling well." Pansy's eyes narrowed up at him.

"Bullshit." He said bluntly. Pansy looked at Theo and Blaise and then rolled her eyes, getting up from the table and grabbing Draco by his sleeve as she dragged him towards the Great Hall's entrance.

"She's upset." She said quietly.

"Yeah, figured that much, thanks."

"Would you quit it?" She hit him roughly on the chest.

"Ow."

"Shut up. She's upset because you asked Ava Lane to the ball."

"What?" Draco chuckled. He couldn't help it, she was glaring at him and he knew he shouldn't laugh but it was too funny. "Ask Lane to the ball? Are you mental?"

"You… you didn't ask her to the ball?" Pansy stuttered.

"No!" He huffed. "No, I was going to ask-" He stopped himself. "Someone else." Pansy tilted her head and stared through his poorly veiled explanation.

"Well, go ask her." Pansy sighed. "Go, she's in the Common Room." She stated. Draco nodded.

"Could you grab my stuff and bring it to-" He was cut off by Pansy raising her hand to hit him again and he ducked out of the Great Hall. He made his way to the Common Room, thankful no one was around to see him practically running to it. The brick wall gave away slowly and he stepped inside as soon as he could. There she was, her back turned towards him as she grabbed a book from the bookcase.

"Jade?" He called to her and she turned around, her eyes going wide for a moment before she composed herself.

"Hi." She said quietly, turning back around so he couldn't see the burning in her cheeks.

"What are you doing?" He asked her.

"Reading." She said lamely. "Did Ava agree to go with you?" She asked a bit louder.

"I didn't ask her," Draco told her and she faltered as she reached to put the book back.

"Oh?" That was all she could think to say, nothing else came to her mind. So she had to wait even longer, she had to wait and keep herself away until he finally did. She didn't know why he was taking so bloody long. "I thought you-"

"I talked to her this morning, but it was just to get my Potions notes back."

"You should ask her," Jade tried keeping her tone light as she pretended to scan the bookcase for a specific book. "I bet she'll look stunning in her dress." Draco didn't say anything while Jade stood there with her finger resting on the spine of a thick book. He was watching her, trying to decide if he should choose now as the moment to say how he really felt about her. He should, she was focused on something else, if it ends badly he can just leave the room without ever having to see her revolted reaction, he could play it off as a joke. But if it didn't end badly…

"I only ever met one girl I'd truly call stunning." He treaded carefully, eyeing the waves in her long dark hair as he closed the distance between them silently. Jade sighed as she pulled out the book and read the title in big bold letters, she didn't care to hear who Draco wanted to take to the dance.

"Yeah? And who's that?" She turned, her arms wrapping around the book and holding it close to her chest, when she looked up from the floor she saw that Draco had moved from across the room to right behind her and was now face to face with Jade. She had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes, there was something in them that she rarely saw, she'd only seen it once or twice, and she only saw it when he was opening up about something. Vulnerability.

"You." He spoke quietly. He read the shocked look on her face. Blaise had been right, she had no idea that he felt more for her than a friend. Since he was risking rejection anyway, he slowly raised his hand to her face and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear that had been covering her eye. "Will you be my date to the Yule Ball?" He asked and bit his lip before they spread into a nervous smile. Jade's eyes flicked down to his lips before she could stop it but she quickly corrected herself and brought her gaze back to his eyes. Of course, he noticed the quick disconnect and it caused his smile to widen.

"Yeah." She answered quietly, she groaned inwardly at how stupid she sounded and cleared her throat, "I mean yes. Yes, I will go with you." She spoke louder and slipped into a smile of her own as his face lit up.

Jade couldn't stop smiling, she smiled all through Potions. Draco noticed, Pansy noticed, Jade felt like everyone noticed, she looked foolish. She smiled during Snape's lecture and all through their test. She couldn't help it though and Draco didn't mind, he snuck a glance at her whenever he could, glad to know he was the reason she was happy. He was happy too, happier than he'd been in a long time. She agreed to go with him, not to a group, just him. He didn't know what that meant, he didn't know if that made them more than they were but he wouldn't assume so. They were friends, he kept telling himself, they were friends who were going to the dance together. Jade couldn't wait to tell Pansy, the petty side of her couldn't wait till Ava found out, but she wanted to tell Pansy more so than rub it in Ava's face. That's exactly what she did. She walked with Blaise and Draco to the Common Room and found Pansy and Theo in her room.

"Theo? What are you doing here?" She asked, a suspicious look narrowing her eyes as they flicked between Pansy and Theo.

"We're just talking," Theo said, he was sitting on Jade's bed, a good distance away from Pansy.

"Mhm, well, stop because I have news!" Jade clapped her hands, barely containing her excitement. Pansy's eyes lit up and she shrieked.

"He didn't!" Pansy rose from her bed.

"He did!" Jade shrieked back.

"Who's he? What did he do? Why are we yelling?" Theo asked, comically raising his voice louder to match their excitement as the girls began hugging each other.

"Draco!" Jade huffed as she let her go, opening her arm to invite Theo into their hug but he didn't move.

"What did he do?"

"He asked her to the Yule Ball!" Pansy answered for her.

"Oh… nice." He grinned at Jade. "You said yes?"

"Yeah!" Jade smiled, it fell a little, not understanding why he wasn't excited like they were.

"Why?"

"Theo-" Pansy frowned at him.

"No, no, I'm happy for you. I just think you could've done better."

"That's sweet of you." Jade smiled, plopping down on the bed next to him. "Draco's a little… rough around the edges." Jade nodded.

"Like a diamond in the rough," Pansy added helpfully.

"Yes. Or a chewed-up shoe." Theo grumbled. "Alright, then." Theo got up from her bed and they watched as he made to leave.

"Where are you going?" Jade asked, a little upset.

"I'm gonna go ask Gretta," Theo told them with his hand on the door handle.

"Gretta?" Pansy asked.

"Yeah, that way she can come with us."

"Aw, Theo. That's so sweet of you." Jade smiled.

"Yep, that's me. Sweet." He sighed, leaving them alone in the room.

"Okay, so what now?" Pansy turned back towards Jade.

"Now… I'm going to tell Hermione and the boys." Jade was worried about this part. She didn't know how they would react.

"What? Why?"

"Hermione would want to know."

"Why?"

"Because she's my friend." Jade chuckled. "And because I talked to her before… about something."

"About what?" Pansy's eyes narrowed, jealous to be kept out of something that Jade allowed Hermione Granger to be a part of but not her.

"I'll tell you, but then I have to go, when I come back we can talk about it more." Jade offered, watching Pansy think it over before quickly agreeing. "Draco has feelings for me." She sighed and Pansy snorted.

"Is that it?" She asked and Jade stuttered. "Oh, come on, Jade. I already know that."

"What? How do you know?" Jade asked, rising from her bed.

"It's obvious."

"Yes, apparently it is." Jade huffed. "How come everyone knew before I did?" Pansy shrugged and then hummed pleasantly to herself. "What?" Jade asked.

"That means my theory is half right."

"Again with this theory-"

"It's only half right. I have to wait a bit more to see if the rest is right."

"Just tell me what it is, Parkinson!" Jade said impatiently.

"No, Maddex! If I tell you it would ruin the fun of it."

"Fine! Then I'm leaving!" Jade threatened as she inched towards the door.

"Go ahead. We can talk about the dance later." Pansy nodded, not budging on revealing more information to her. Jade groaned but then made herself leave. She walked through the Common Room, through the dungeons, through the Entrance Hall, and up seven flights of stairs.

"Fairy lights," Jade told the painting and the Fat Lady inside glared down at her.

"We just changed it yesterday, how could you possibly know it already?" She asked suspiciously.

"It's a useful thing, having friends," Jade smirked up at the painting. "Go on, let me in, I gave you your little password." The Fat Lady glared down angrily but silently allowed her inside. She felt like she was walking in on a funeral. There weren't many people in their Common Room but she noticed Ron and Harry immediately, both looked miserable, and Ginny was rubbing Ron's back soothingly. "What's going on in here?" She asked.

"He asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," Ginny explained with the twitch of a smile on her lips. Jade knelt down in front of Ron.

"I'm sorry, Ron. Hey, that's okay! She's no good, anyway."

"Don't say that!" Ron said. "I just… blurted it out, and made a fool of myself."

"Harry?" Jade turned to look at her other friend, who was clutching the golden egg close to his chest as he looked into the fire. "What happened to you?"
"I asked Cho Chang, she said she's already going with Cedric."

"This is mad," Ron spoke. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone, well, except Neville. Hey, guess who he asked? Hermione!" Ron chuckled before they could ask who.

"What?" Harry looked away from the fire at this news.

"Yeah, I know! He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff, but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville. I mean, who would?"

"Don't!" Ginny stopped him before he could say anything else. "Don't laugh."

"Jade, what about you?" Harry asked. "Would you go with me to the ball?" Jade's stomach rolled.

"I'm sorry, Harry, that's actually what I came to talk to you guys about. I'm going with Draco." Ron opened his mouth but before he could say anything Jade stretched out a finger to point at him warningly, "And don't ruin this for me because I'm very excited." She told him and Ron thought about it for a second and then surrendered.

"Now I'm even more depressed." Harry then took a breath to say something but as he did, Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole.

"Why weren't you two at dinner?" She asked, coming over to join them.

"Because," Ginny started, "Oh shut up laughing, you two, because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" Ginny finished. That shut them up.

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," Ron's smile fell.

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" Hermione folded her arms under her chest. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you." Hermione quipped and Jade stared at her proudly.

"Easy, love." Jade laughed. "Your Slytherin side is showing." Hermione's cheeks flushed, but Ron just stared at her.

"Hermione, Neville's right. You are a girl."

"Oh, well spotted," Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. Jade believed Ron tried to make it a compliment but his delivery was rubbish.

"Well, you can come with one of us!" Ron smiled.

"No, I can't," Hermione snapped.

"Oh come on, we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has-"

"I can't come with you," Hermione said quietly, "because I'm already going with someone."

"No, you're not." Ron ignored her. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

"Oh did I?" Hermione spat again. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!" Ron stared at her and then he grinned again.

"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl, that do? Will you come now?" Jade rolled her eyes at how hopeless Ron was.

"I've already told you!" Hermione sighed. "I'm going with someone else!" Without another word about it, she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories.

"She's lying," Ron said, watching her go. Jade noticed his eyes flicked down her body as she retreated but Jade didn't say anything, just stepped in front of him a little to catch his attention, and his face burned at the fact he got caught checking out Hermione.

"She's not," Ginny told them quietly.

"Who is it then?" Ron asked.

"I'm not telling you, it's her business,"

"Right," Ron looked very upset with this, like he wouldn't accept the fact that Hermione would have anyone else to go with other than him, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just-"

"I can't," Ginny said, red coloring her cheeks. "I'm going with, with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought, well, I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year." She looked extremely miserable. Jade knew she was probably kicking herself now, Ginny had such a huge crush on Harry and for her brother to tell her that she could've gone with him if she hadn't already agreed to go with Neville must have hurt her. "I think I'll go and have dinner," She excused herself.

"What's got into them?" Ron turned to Jade for understanding but she shook her head. Harry had noticed something over Jade's shoulder and was getting off the couch.

"Wait here," He told Ron as he and Jade went to follow him, Jade shot him a look behind her shoulder to rub in the fact she was allowed to go and he wasn't. "Parvati? Will you go to the ball with me?" Parvati went into a fit of giggles and Jade rolled her eyes.

"Yes, all right then," Parvati blushed.

"Thanks," Harry offered her a smile. "Lavender, will you go with Ron?"

"She's going with Seamus," Parvati told him and the two of them began giggling again.

"Can't you think of anyone who'd go with Ron?" Jade asked, hoping that it would get them to stop.

"What about Hermione Granger?" Parvati asked.

"She's going with someone else," Jade told them.

"Ooh, who?"

"No idea," Harry said shortly. "So what about Ron?"

"Why doesn't Maddex go with him?" Lavender spoke up.

"I've got a date already, Brown." Jade scoffed. Even if she had just gotten that date earlier today, they didn't need to know that.

"Who?" The two of them asked in unison.

"Malfoy," Jade said shortly, this only triggered another fit of giggles.

"Yeah, about that-" Harry started.

"Well…" Parvati went on, ignoring the fact Harry had begun speaking. "I suppose my sister might, Padma, you know, in Ravenclaw. I'll ask her if you like." Harry looked at Jade and she looked at him, she'd seen her around, she was pretty, she didn't think Ron would mind. Jade tilted her head slightly.

"Yeah, that would be great," Harry smiled at Parvati. "Let me know, will you?" She nodded and then the two of them went off whispering.