This is Tom again.
October 9th with no date.
Rosemary did it so EASILY. She just asked Silvanus Fowler with no trace of embarrassment in her voice. And she didn't really ask -- she screamed across the Gryffindor Table.
And Amos Diggory asked Anna casually. Anna just smiled and said okay.
The Ravenclaw Prefect, Poseidon Griswold, asked Lila like it was no big deal too.
What about me?
I really, really, REALLY want to take Magnolia to the dance,
I'm just not brave enough. I know I have to ask her soon before anyone else does, but it would be much simpler if girls didn't move from one place to another in packs, like wolves.
I have to ask her in private.
HOW can I ask her in private, she'll always with her friends!
I'll just have to think about it tonight...
* * *
It was 8:47 in the evening.
I was going to take a bath in the Prefects' Bathroom.
I said the password and I entered the bathroom.
Now, guess who, of all people in this school, was swimming in the pool?
"M-m-Magnolia! Sorry -- I didn't know you were here -- I'll just leave now --" I stammered. That sounded really stupid.
Magnolia stopped swimming.
"Hi Tom," she smiled, "No, you can stay, I'm wearing a swimsuit." And she dived underneath again.
I was wearing a swimsuit too, and I wasn't thinking about how she had gotten the password to a Prefects place.
I was thinking about the dance.
Awkwardly, I went into the pool and swam a little bit.
"Been thinking about the dance, huh?" she said.
"Yes." I answered.
"You never told us who you were going with." she said.
"I -- I haven't asked anyone yet." I replied, diving underwater.
"You're just waiting for someone to ask you or are you building up the courage to ask someone in particular?" she asked.
"Thinking about the things that could go wrong if I ask her." I said.
"Maybe you should just ask her. I think you're afraid of rejection. Don't be, because whoever you ask rejects you is not a very good person." she said.
"Really? Are you sure?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yup." Magnolia started swimming and diving again.
I started swimming again. I was still a little unsure about asking her anything yet. It was 9:30 and I still didn't ask her to the dance.
Magnolia was getting tired of swimming, so she sat by the edge of the pool, wrapped in a towel, with her feet in the water.
I sat down beside her. Now or never, Tom, I told myself.
"Would you go to the dance with me?" I said.
Magnolia smiled. "Of course, Tommy."
What had taken me six weeks to ask took her less than six seconds to answer.
"It's a date?" I asked.
"Yes, it's a date." Magnolia said.
"Oh, Professor Snape is not going to like this..." I muttered.
"Yeah, his Prefect, his Quidditch Captain, dating a 'little show-off' as he calls me." Magnolia said.
We said goodbye and I went to my dorm room while she went to meet her fellow sneaky friends before another one of her night time adventures.
I have a date for the dance, and it's exactly who I wanted to go with; Magnolia.
Now, I have to practice Quidditch to be able to beat the Star Chaser Rosemary of Gryffindor.