Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling.
Chapter 5
Before the Ball
Draco lay in his four-poster staring at the ceiling, disgusted at the Slytherins and disgusted at Goyle in particular. Not that Goyle was a Slytherin anymore. He'd watched as the Aurors had handcuffed him and Dumbledore had snapped his wand before they left. Goyle's belongings had already been packed and sent to his parents along with an explanation of what had happened. He rolled over and buried his face in his hands. I should have seen this coming! I should have known one of them would have tried something like this. Someone entering the dorm room interrupted his self-recriminations.
"I thought I said I didn't want to talk to anyone." He snarled.
"I'm sorry," said Crabbe edging into the room, "but this owl has a note for you and he won't give it to anyone else."
"All right give it to me and leave." He said getting up from the bed. Crabbe brought the owl over and let Draco take the note off. Draco noted absently that it was a school owl. When Crabbe left he opened the note. It was the note he had sent up to Ginny with the costume via one of the school house-elves. Written underneath his request was only one word:
Yes
Suddenly the day seemed much better.
"So Dean have you asked her yet? There's only a week before the Ball you know." Ron leaned over the chair as he said this.
"Um…no I haven't." Dean responded flushing.
"Well go over there and say something. If you wait much longer Neville is going to ask her you know." Ron smiled as he prodded the darker boy. Dean looked up surprised and then over to where Ginny was working on some homework. Taking a deep breath he got up and walked over to where Ginny was.
"Ginny…um…" Dean began.
Ginny looked up, "Yes Dean," she sighed, "is something wrong?"
"No I just…um…was wondering if you…well…I was thinking if you weren't going to the Ball with anyone if you would…" Dean stammered.
"No," Ginny interrupted, "Thank you for asking but I already have a date for the Ball."
"Oh, I guess I should have known Longbottom would beat me to it," Dean seemed pretty dejected.
"Actually Neville did ask me last week but I'm not going with him either." Ginny said.
"You're…you're not?" Dean asked surprised.
"No, I'm not and no, I am not telling you who I'm going with either," Ginny replied, "You'll just have to wait to find out just like everyone else."
Unaware of the conversation taking place between his sister and Dean, Ron approached Harry.
"What I said to Dean applies to you too you know." Ron smiled to take the sting out of his words.
"What?" Harry asked puzzled.
"There is only one week till the dance, you need to ask her before someone else does you daft git," Ron said, "As I recall this is what happened with the Yule Ball our fourth year."
"Oh for crying out loud!" Hermione cried exasperated. She got up from her seat and dragged Harry from his. Pushing him out the portrait hole she looked at the Fat Lady, "He's not allowed back in here until he can prove he's asked her to the Ball. She doesn't even have to say yes as long as he's asked."
The Fat Lady smiled then said chuckling, "Very well dearie, now go on, sooner begun, sooner done." And she waved him on his way as Hermione shut the portrait. He was still staring when Professor Snape came round the corner.
"What are you doing outside your common room Potter?" asked Professor Snape.
The Fat Lady was still chuckling, "He's not allowed back in until he has a date for the Ball."
Professor Snape smiled silkily, "Well I believe Miss Parkinson still needs one. That is, if you can lower yourself to ask a Slytherin."
Harry mumbled something and walked away. Professor Snape watched him go with a sneer on his face.
Harry made his way to the Great Hall where dinner was still going on thinking Why is it so hard for me to do this? I mean Ron's right, I had no fault in what happened to Cedric but my heart says that if I had just let it be he'd still be here. And at least then I wouldn't feel guilty about liking Cho so much. Because then I could actually have someone I could compare to. I mean how do you compete with a memory? Before he knew it he was there. Looking in he saw that Cho Chang was still at the Ravenclaw table. Taking a deep breath he walked over.
"Um…Cho could I…um…speak to you for a moment?" Harry asked nervous.
"Sure," said Cho getting up from her seat as the girls near her started giggling. They walked a short distance away.
"Um…Cho are you going to the Halloween Ball with anyone? Because if you aren't I was wondering if you would go with me…please?" Harry was so nervous he thought she could feel it.
Cho smiled sadly, "I'm sorry Harry but I already told someone else I'd go with him."
"Oh right um…sorry to bother you." Harry turned and walked away. Cho watched him for a moment sadly before returning to her seat. Stupid, stupid. Guess Ron was right. I shouldn't have waited so long. He looked at the Slytherin table. I can't believe I'm even considering this. Well it's not like I have much choice is there? He walked up to Pansy. Visibly steeling himself he tapped Pansy on the shoulder.
"Yes?" she said looking up.
Harry cleared his throat, "Pansy I was wondering, if you don't have a date already would you to the Halloween Ball with me?" It came out a little rushed.
Pansy shot Draco a look that plainly said –Are you going to say anything? - and when she got no reaction she smiled sweetly at Harry and said, "I would love to. We can discuss costumes tomorrow in Hogsmeade."
"Uh…right," he turned to go and then remembered, "Um…Pansy could I get something from you? I…er…I'm not allowed back into the common room without proof from my date." Snickers erupted at the Slytherin table.
"You mean a token like the old knights?" Pansy was obviously thrilled at this idea. She reached up and pulled a ribbon from her hair, "Here you go my prince." She said as she kissed him on the cheek. Harry thought his face was on fire as he took it. Pansy quelled further snickers with a glare down the table.
""Right, I'll talk to you tomorrow then," he left before there were any more reactions from the Slytherins.
"Well?" said the Fat Lady when Harry got there. Harry simply held up the dark green ribbon. "Oh, well done dear," she said clapping lightly as the portrait opened.
"So do you have a date?" Hermione asked as soon as she saw him.
"Yes," he replied sitting down.
"See I told you Cho'd say yes," Ron said.
"It's not Cho, she already had a date." Harry told him.
"It's not?" Ron was bewildered.
"So who is it then?" Hermione asked.
"It's…um…well it's Pansy Parkinson," he said at last throwing the ribbon at Ron and Hermione. They both stared at him in shock. "Professor Snape told me she didn't have a date so when Cho turned me down I asked her and she said yes. She wants to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow to find costumes."
Ron was still gaping but Hermione seemed to find her voice, "And Draco didn't say anything?"
"Actually he looked relieved for some reason." Harry told her as puzzled by this reaction as Hermione was.
"Um…well all I can say is I hope you don't regret it." Hermione told him. Ron just stared as Harry fled up to the relative safety of his dorm room.
A/N: Well it's that time again. Time for me to thank all of you wonderful people who have reviewed (and not given up on me J).
Glory: That's okay I've been using British Lingo also and I'm Mexican-American J
Emma: I'm glad you thought the rape scene was well handled, I did worry about it a little but it was unfortunately necessary to the story.
Dewi: I still need to finish
this story before I write the sequel you know. J
Julia McGonagall and
Krissy: As you can see Goyle got what he deserved…well not quite but close
enough. J
Alynnia*McKinnon: Oh
my I didn't think it was that good. ::blush:: I hope I can stay up
to your standards.
Victory on Wings: Thank you for your kind words on "The Note"
and don't worry about Dean he found a date, I promise.
A special thank you to the repeat offenders…um…reviewers J:
Arabesque1, Dobby@Winky, Arime Setta,
Shadow Knight.
Thank you for adding me to your favorites lists it always gives me a warm fuzzy when you do: Victory on wings, Julia McGonagall, EmeraldDragon GoldenFire, Emma, Draco crazed teen girl
To everyone: I promise I am getting the chapters out as fast as I can.