A/N: NO, NO, NO!!! I kept putting this chapter off, and I'm so mad that it had to happen! Anyways, I'm off my grounding time, and I'm back, and I know I should've worked on this chapter while I was offline, but I was stuck with some major projects this past week at school. (Argh, doesn't school suck?) Once again, I'm sorry, and I will try to get the next two chapters up soon because there is going to be a three-day weekend!

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but Oliver Wood is WAY out of character. He, obviously, isn't the same boy he was when he was back at Hogwarts. He's not really much of a Quidditch nut, and he's got a LOT of other things on his mind ever since he graduated and found himself mingling in the real world. Actually, I think he really takes after Oliver's portrayer, Sean Biggerstaff. Sean is cheeky and cocky, and that's a bit how Oliver is. Basically, that's how I see Oliver for the most part, and I just wanted to clear that up for anyone that wasn't exactly sure.

I'll get to my individual reviews later. Right now, I should just get to the story, kay?

Okay, one more thing: FLUFF ALERT!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Chapter 15: The Winter Ball



"George, I can't do this." Alina said as she dropped George's hand.

"What?" he asked as the two of them locked eyes.

"I know why you asked me to the Ball, and I admit it hurt so much to hear your real intentions of this. You played me for a fool. I was actually thrilled by the fact that a seventh year had asked me to the Ball, but now I don't know what all my fuss was about." Alina said as George's face dropped at every word.

"I was going to drop you to go with Alicia tonight, but I got to know you, and you're not worth it." George said sincerely.

"I was going to drop you tonight, too. I got to know you, and I thought you were a wonderful person. I stood up for you when my friends had talked badly of you. Now that I've really gotten to know the real George Weasley, I'm going to go ahead and drop you anyways." Alina retorted as George looked at her, bowled over.

"Who're you going to go with then?" George asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oliver Wood. Don't tell me you didn't notice the extra time I've been spending on the Quidditch pitch." Alina said. George frowned.

"I thought you were practicing Keeper strategies with...Oliver Wood. Oh, I get it. We're even now, huh?"

"I guess we are. Please, don't ever try to convince me that we're more than just friends. It was fine the way it was before the Ball." Alina said, backing away from him slowly. She smiled at him kindly before turning around to find Oliver. It turns out that he was easier to find than she had imagined.

"Whoa, you okay?" someone gripped Alina's shoulders after she had collided them. She looked up to lock eyes with those muddy brown ones of Oliver Wood. He smiled down at her, and she could barely get a squeak out of herself. "Where's George?" Oliver asked, looking past Alina.

"We...broke up." Alina said ineptly.

"Really?" Oliver asked, doing the eyebrow thing again.

"Yeah, really. And that means I have no date for the Ball, and I would hate to go alone." Alina said as she gave him that same forlorn look he had given her the night he tried asking her to the Ball. Oliver's face fell.

"I'm sorry, my most divine," Oliver said smoothly, causing Alina to blush, and give him questioning looks at the same time, "but when you said we couldn't go to the Ball together...I kind of found someone else."

"What!?" Alina questioned, "Who am I supposed to go to the Ball with?" Oliver tittered. "Why are you laughing? I just dumped George because he's the most-" Oliver kept smiling. "Why are you smiling at me!?"

"I'm only joking. C'mon darling, they're letting us in." Oliver said as he took her hand.

******

"Ron, look!" Megan nudged Ron, and forced him to look up at Oliver and Alina as they walked past.

"Where are they going? Wait-that's not George!" Ron said.

"Of course not! You know the story. Well, after that, she dumped your brother and went for Ollie. They've been going at it secretly, ya know." Megan explained. Ron gave her a knowing glance.

"Secretly going at what?" Ron asked and Megan pushed him playfully.

"You hang out with Seamus too much, that perverted prat." Megan said as she waved Oliver and Alina over.

"I don't think that's wise, Meg." Ron said softly. Megan looked over, and then saw that Cho was dragging Harry over. She smiled sweetly at Ron, and glared at Megan.

"Harry wanted to sit with his friends. But I thought, 'why does he need his friends when he's got me?' That's sweet of him, though, to actually think of his friends." Cho said as she forced Harry to pull out her chair. Oliver and Alina came over, Alina throwing daggers at Cho with her eyes as Oliver pulled out her seat, and took the spot beside her. Oliver nodded politely at Harry, and almost discreetly at Cho.

"Cho," he said quietly. He, too, seemed to be glaring at her.

"Oliver," she muttered back. Silence washed over the table until Penelope came sauntering over. She murmured something under her breath before taking the seat between Alina and Megan. They found themselves in the same scenario again: silence, averted eyes, until Hermione came over in the same fashion as Penelope.

"Where're your dates?" Ron asked, trying to strike up some conversation. Hermione and Penelope glowered.

"Don't ask." They said concurrently.

"Ya know, it was just fate that brought Harry and I together. I think Cedric has moved on and wants me to be happy." Cho said wistfully. Ron and Hermione looked at her like she was crazy. Why was she bringing up Cedric? She should know by now that Harry still can't bear to talk, or hear, about Cedric. "OWW!!! You kicked me." Cho said accusingly to Alina. Oliver shook his head.

"Now don't go pointing fingers, Cho, maybe you're-"

"Oh darn, I must've not kicked you hard enough because you're still opening your big mouth." Alina barked.

"The better to kiss Harry with, my dear." Cho countered. Harry's eyes widened at her remark.

"Okay, ladies, I think we should stop with this conversation. Dinner should be just about-"

"OWW!!! *You* just kicked me!" Alina shrieked. Cho smiled triumphantly.

"I must've not kicked you hard enough because you're still opening your big mouth."

"The better to shout in your face with, my dear." Alina said, dripping with sarcasm.

"Who's the one kissing Harry? Not you." Cho sneered.

"And definitely not you." There was once again an uncomfortable silence between everyone at the table.

"You know, I think I'm going to go freshen up." Cho excused herself and began walking off.

"I think I've got some business to settle myself." Alina said, her hands in tight fists as she banged it against the table. She was about to go running after Cho, but Oliver held her back.

"I don't think you should be going within a fifty foot radius of her." Oliver said. Alina looked back to see as Cho neared the doors to the Great Hall.

"This table has finally been cleared of all the trash." Alina called out. Cho looked back and scowled before pushing the doors open. "I don't think I want to sit here anymore. Hey, are those spaces by Justin Finch- What's-His-Name taken? C'mon Ollie, let's move over-"

"Alina! Cut the crap! Just because you're having a shitty night courtesy of Cho Chang doesn't give you the right to make our night downright horrible, too." Megan rebuked.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't've invited her over to the table." Harry murmured.

"Don't be sorry, Harry! Cho and Alina should just keep their distances. I suggest that when Cho returns, the two of you take those seats by Justin. Or she could probably find the two of you a table with the other Ravenclaws. We could always ask Camille to make some space at her table." Megan recommended.

"The two of us just might do that." Harry said as he saw that Cho had reentered the Great Hall, "Oi! Cho! I see two free spots by Camille!" Harry got up and took Cho by the hand before leading her off to the other end of the Great Hall.

******

Ron fidgeted in his seat. Megan was beautiful, and he knew he couldn't let her go to waste. Even though Professor Dumbledore had gotten a Muggle turntable set with Muggle records and CD's, Ron had to admit that that Muggle music was catchy. Right now, some Muggle "rapper" was on. Nelly was his name, or something like that. Ron couldn't remember. Well, this Nelly guy was singing about dancing and taking your clothes off. Ron knew that if his mother had heard that music, she'd have a fit.

He looked out on the dance floor, watching as Alina and Oliver danced close together, almost body-to-body. They weren't too far away from Cho and the dancing-challenged Harry. Ron noticed how Alina had tried tripping Cho multiple times.

Professor Dumbledore had his magical megaphone in hand and began to introduce the next song. He said it was sung by some Muggle "boy band" called *NSYNC. Ron briefly looked over at Megan and saw her face light up at what Dumbledore had said. He knew he shouldn't sit there all night. It wouldn't be fair to Megan. He almost considered telling her to leave him to dance with some other guy. But he couldn't. Megan asked him. And besides, he couldn't pass up the chance to dance with the one girl that shared his same feelings, and was actually a witch herself.

"Meg," Megan looked in his eyes with what seemed to be nervous anticipation, "do you want to dance?"

"I almost thought you'd never ask." Megan chuckled as she put her hand in Ron's. The two stood up, and she led him onto the dance floor. It was then that Ron realized it was a slow-tempo song they were dancing to, and they were to slow dance. He took a glance over again at Alina and Oliver. They were once again dancing close together. But Alina didn't even seem to notice that Cho and Harry were dancing right beside her. Alina was in Oliver-land. Her hands clasped tightly behind his neck, and her head resting on his shoulder. Oliver's cheek was pressed against hers, and his hands resting neatly on her lower back. Harry and Cho, on the other hand, weren't as close as the other couple. Cho was close to Harry, but he couldn't get himself to bring his head anywhere close to hers.

Ron was too busy paying attention to the other couples that he hadn't realized that Megan had clasped her hands behind his neck. With her heels on, they could see each other eye-to-eye. He fretfully placed his hands on her lower back, as Oliver had done.

"You know, I love this song." Megan said.

"You listen to Muggle music?" Ron asked. Megan nodded.

"Actually, this group is popular with Muggles, but all witches and wizards know that *NSYNC are wizards themselves. How else did they sell all those CD's?" Megan questioned.

"CD's? Anyways, I thought it was because they have talent. They can sing. Well, better than what I'm used to hearing. Never come within ten feet of the bathroom in my house when Fred is in the shower. He has a tendency of singing quite loudly." Ron explained. Megan giggled, and Ron found himself smiling, too.

"Yeah, I guess these guys can sing. They write their own songs, too. Some Muggle groups don't sing their own songs, and some wizarding groups bewitch quills to write the songs themselves. But you see, when these groups write their own songs, the songs show more emotion. And you can relate to it. Like this song, 'something happens when you look at me I forget to speak. Something happens when you kiss my mouth my knees get so weak.' I'm sorry, I can't sing." Megan said, smiling sheepishly.

"Got that right!" Megan pinched the back of his neck, "These sappy love songs... Yes, I can relate." Ron said, looking directly in her eyes, "I think I've forgotten what I was going to say." Megan stared back breathlessly. Then she turned away. But Ron brought a finger to her chin, and turned her head so she could be looking him in the eyes again. She closed her eyes out of instinct, and before she realized what was going to happen, she felt Ron's lips over hers. His soft lips felt so right against hers. She can't say she's never thought of this moment before, but having it happen rather than just a part of a dream was much better. He pulled his lips away, but kept his forehead pressed against hers. "I think my knees are going weak, too." He said before their lips met again in another kiss.

******

Penelope sighed, as did Hermione. Penelope had a feeling she'd end up alone. It always happened at Beauxbatons. She didn't even understand how the other girls had conned her into going anyways. She was probably convinced that Gregory Goyle would stick with his promise of being her date. That's a laugh! Once the two of them had entered the Great Hall as a couple, Goyle ditched her when he had spotted Crabbe and Malfoy, with Pansy at his arm, sitting nearby.

Hermione didn't think that this would've happened to her. She was convinced her date would've pulled through. After all the things they've shared together. All the loving words like, 'I'll never leave you,' 'Yes, I'll be your date for the Ball.' Hermione cursed herself for being blinded by infatuation. She should've known that he wouldn't be like that out in the open. He was only the way she wanted him to be when they were alone. When they were up in the Astronomy Tower, only the two of them, they'd snuggle close and talk about how they wished their lives would be. The one thing they had agreed on was that they wished they could be out in the open. They wished they could show the world, or at least the older half of Hogwarts, that what they had was special, and nobody was going to break them apart. Tonight was supposed to be their night. Tonight, they were supposed to show Hogwarts what they had, and not care what everyone else was going to say about it. Hermione cursed herself for believing the words of Draco Malfoy.

"Penny, I...I can't be here anymore." Hermione confessed. Penelope gave her a small smile.

"Draco Malfoy, isn't it?" Penelope asked. Hermione had only told Penelope of her secret relationship with Draco. Penelope was her best girl friend, and she knew she could trust her because she was nothing like Alina and Megan. Alina and Megan were loud and outgoing, while she and Penelope were quiet and stayed reserved. They both had big ambitions for themselves. Hermione wanted to become the headmistress of her own school one day. She wanted it to be an all-girls school, with no boys there to distract her students. Penelope wanted to grow up to be the Minister of Magic, or whatever they called it if a female took over the spot. She wanted everything to be right in the magical world, and wanted to prove that men aren't the only ones that can keep the Ministry in place. Alina, on the other hand, wanted to become a professional Quidditch player ever since she became part of the Gryffindor team. Megan was pretty open for ideas. She believed that whatever happens, happens. Penelope and Hermione didn't believe in that because what if something bad happened?

"Yeah, I can't stand seeing Draco out there with Pansy." Hermione said "Pansy" with much disgust.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist because of him. If he's just going to tell you lies upon lies upon lies, then he's not worth it. C'mon Hermione, he's a Slytherin. He's the son of a Death Eater. He's a Malfoy. You can never trust them." Penelope said.

"I want to object to everything you've said, but I know that deep down I have to admit it... I have to think this over." Hermione said as she stood up. "I'm going up to the common room."

"Hey, I'll call you when it's the last dance. We can scoot everyone aside and show them what we've got." Penelope said hopefully. Hermione smiled.

"I'll take you up on that."

"What if Draco comes up to me?" Penelope asked.

"Tell him to take a hike." Penelope nodded, and then Hermione headed out.

"Where is she?" Draco asked frantically. Pansy had gone off to get drinks, and, luckily, Draco was able to break away from her. Hermione had told her to tell him to take a hike, but Penelope knew better. Yes, Hermione was her best friend, but she didn't want to see her so down. She knew how much Hermione cared about Draco, and didn't want to see what could possibly turn out to be beautiful turn ugly. Penelope sighed.

"Why'd you do this to her?" Penelope asked.

"I had no other choice. Pansy-"

"Pansy is no excuse! You told Hermione that you were going to be her date. You told her that this was going to be your night. You were going to show Hogwarts-"

"What we had and that no one can break us apart. Yes, I know, Penny. But on with it, where is she? I have no time to talk about broken promises with Pansy breathing down my back."

"Draco, you need to realize that what you did was wrong. You need to realize that you can't give Hermione broken promises. She's going to lose trust in you. I think she already has. You need to prove to her that you're real; that what you say is real. Right now, she's pretty much lost all trust in you." Penelope said as she leaned back in her seat. Draco heaved.

"You're not going to tell me where she is, are you?"

"No, you need to do some thinking yourself. Thinking would never hurt anyone. And besides, you owe Hermione.big time. You need to think of ways to win her over again." Penelope nodded her head, "Pansy is looking for you. Don't let her spot you with me, or she'll think something is up. She never liked me in the first place." Before turning off to go to Pansy, Draco gave her a small, but genuine, smile.

"You're hard to come across, Stoneriver. No wonder Hermione talks so highly of you." Penelope smiled to herself and relaxed against the chair. She had to admit she was jealous of what Hermione had. Draco wasn't the smartest when it came to realizing he had done something wrong, but from what she's heard, he's quite the romantic.

"Is anybody sitting here?" Penelope looked up to meet the brown eyes of someone she's never encountered before. She took a closer look. Red hair, freckles...he almost resembled Ron. But his upright appearance didn't come close to the Weasleys she knew of. She knew it had to be Ron's older brother...and, boy, was he good looking.

A/N: OOOOOOOHHH!!! YOU GO PENNY!!! Now, I bet none of you knew that Hermione had something going on with Drakey-Wakey, now did ya? And I had some Ron action going on, and a little bitch fit. Hmm...I added in Nelly and *NSYNC, and I know that, chronologically, *NSYNC and Nelly weren't around during Harry's time. Let's see, at least three-fifths of *NSYNC, at the time HP takes place, would be around Harry's age. But I added it in to give the dance a little flare. I mean I don't know much about the '80s since I only spent two years of my life in it. ::shrugs:: I had to put in dear ol' Perce because I've liked his character ever since I started reading "Not Crazy...Just Different" by Skye Rocket. I LOVE how she portrays Percy! Well, not much else to say any more. See y'all on the next A/N. -Gryffindor Heiress