Author's Note: All the characters are taken out of JK Rowling's first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone / Or Socerer's Stone (there are two titles to the first book, UK version or US version). I took their names from the chapter "The Sorting Hat". I did not create any of the characters. I don't like to create new characters. I try to stick strictly to JK Rowling's characterization.

Chapter 12 The Gala Charity Ball

    The whole school was abuzzed with excitement. Tonight is the Gala Charity Ball. The response to the ball was overwhelming, and tickets were all sold out.

    Ginny went back to her dormitory early to prepare for the ball. Her dormitory was packed with giggling girls getting ready to dress their best. Some were doing makeup for one another. Others pleaded for help with their hair, using magic, of course. Ginny Weasley stood among them, hesistating. She hadn't told anyone she would be going to the ball. Harry and Hermione had offered to buy tickets for her and Ron. Ginny declined while Ron gratefully accepted. Ginny decided that she would wait until everyone had left for the ball before getting dressed. She didn't want awkward questions on how she got her ball gown. She would think of a good excuse somehow after the ball. But for now, she wanted to be left alone to enjoy dressing up for the ball.

    When everyone in the dormitory had left (and no one asked Ginny, as they all assumed that she would not be going), Ginny excitedly pulled out her beautiful silver-beige gown and placed it carefully on her bed. She had taken a shower and there was a sweet apple scent about her, from the bathing foam she had used. Ginny muttered a spell and her hair was transformed into a "Sweet Angel's Look", a hairstyle which Ginny  saw in Witch Weekly (a borrowed copy, of course) just the other week. Her makeup was light and soft. She put on the gown and gave a relieved sigh. It fitted her perfectly. Ginny examined her reflection in the mirror one last time before heading down to the stairways.

    All students were to assemble at the top of two grand stairways leading down to the Great Hall. Boys on one side of the stairway and girls on the other. Names of the students to be paired up will be read out, and the boy and girl will descend from their respective stairways and meet halfway. The boy will then lead his partner down to the Great Hall.

    "Ron Weasley from Gryffindor and Padma Patil from Ravenclaw!"

    "Harry Potter from Gryffindor and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff!"

    "Vincent Crabbe from Slytherin and Mandy Brocklehurst from Ravenclaw!"

    "Terry Boot from Ravenclaw and Hermione Granger from Gryffindor!"

    Ginny ran as fast as she could to the top of girls' stairways. She hoped her name had not been read out yet. There was only girl, Lavender Brown standing at the top of the stairways now, the rest of the girls had all been paired up……

    "Justin Finch-Fletchley from Hufflepuff and Lavendar Brown from Gryffindor!" Lavender parted the velvet curtain and stepped out onto the stairways.

    And then Ginny Weasley heard what she thought could never be possible.

    "Draco Malfoy from Slytherin and Virginia Weasley from Gryffindor!"

    Ginny froze for a second. Him? She was suddenly rooted to the ground. She couldn't move.

    Down below, at the Great Hall, students gasped. So far, there had been no Gryffindor-Slytherin pairing. No one thought it was remotely possible, anyway. The students of both houses disliked one another so intensely that everyone assumed that such a pairing is extremely unlikely at the ball.

    Ginny took a deep breath and parted the velvet curtain with a beautifully-manicured hand. She stood at one end of the stairways and looked straight across.

    Draco Malfoy was dressed in expensive black velvet robes, and his silver-blond brought out the sheen in the black velvet. He looked every bit the highborn that he was. Ginny, in spite of her nervousness, took in the aristocratic features, the silver-blond hair, and especially……the intense grey eyes.

    Ginny glided slowly down the staircase. She felt hundred of eyes following her and Draco as they came down. Draco's gaze was fixed on her, his eyes never leaving her. His face was expressionless. When they reached halfway,  his hand reached out to her. "May I?" he asked.

    Ginny placed her trembling hand in his. Draco's hand was cold, but his grip was strong, yet unfeeling. She was amazed at how his grip had such a calming effect on hers. It had stopped trembling. She allowed him to guide her down to the Great Hall, which was lit with a thousand candles, and looked postively magical.

    Ginny Weasley had never looked more beautiful. She was easily the most gorgeous girl in the Great Hall tonight. When she and Draco came down to the dance floor of the Great Hall, she felt both admiring glances from the boys and jealous looks from some of the girls, especially the Slytherins.

    Professor Dumbledore's delighted voice boomed across the Great Hall "Let the dance begin!"

    A melodious tune lit up from nowhere. Draco placed his hand on Ginny's waist and Ginny's hand on his shoulder and they begin to dance. Her large brown eyes looked up at him, wondering if she is doing alright. His gaze was still fixed on her. "You looked very beautiful, Virginia." Ginny was startled. Draco had never called her Virginia, or even Ginny, for that matter, before.

    "Thank you." she blushed, and that signature color came to her cheeks again. And for the first time in her life, Ginny saw a unpretentious smile on Draco Malfoy, at her. It took her breath away. He looked so handsome.

    Ginny could feel eyes on the both of them. It seemed that Draco was aware of it too, for he suddenly pulled Ginny closer to him. Ginny thought she saw Ron's face clamping up when Draco did that. Years later Ginny Weasley would ponder what gave her the courage to do what she did at that moment. She placed her cheeks on Draco Malfoy's shoulder……

    Ginny thought she heard a gasp from the crowd. And she thought she sensed tension in Draco's body. But she did not care. She was cloud nine. No one would steal this moment from her. Please don't let it end, she prayed.

    But it had to end eventually, of course. The music died down slowly and Ginny pulled herself away from Draco. She stood next to him, but not looking at him.

    Dumbledore stepped onto the stage. "I hope you enjoyed your first dance. Now we all know that the purpose of the ball, besides raising funds for St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, is also to promote inter-house relationship among our students……"

    Ginny looked around. The person who caught her attention was Professor Snape. He was dressed in dark blue robes, and his oily hair was sticking onto his face. He looked bored and impatient, and Ginny guessed (quite correctly) that he was thinking that balls were a waste of time and students should be in class or serving their detention, instead of enjoying themselves in a ball. She moved her gaze to Professor McGonagall, whom, for once, seemed to have the same expression (and thoughts) as Professor Snape. Prim and proper, she too, did not approve of balls or other fancy activities of any sort. She saw Hermione Granger paying attention to Professor Dumbledore's speech, as if she was in class, instead of a ball. And Vincent Crabbe was grinning sheepishly at Mandy Brocklehurst, and holding her hand!

    Her gaze met Ron's. Ron was looking at her with puzzlement. She also thought she saw a look of loathing, very likely directed at Draco Malfoy, who was staring straight ahead at Dumbledore. She shot Ron a rather apologetic look and turned away. She saw Harry staring at her, not looking, but staring. He had a funny expression, a mixture of anger, and……was that jealousy she thought she saw?

    "Ignore them." Draco Malfoy said softly, still looking straight at the stage. Dumbledore ended his speech, and the students clapped. A burst of colorful flakes were falling from the ceiling onto the students. "Ooh!" squealed some of the girls at the beautiful sight. Ginny smiled excitedly, and Draco turned round to face her. The stars were falling between them. Ginny stared at Draco, suddenly feeling awkward again.

    "Ginny!". She heard Ron's voice. "Oh oh!" she thought.

    "I thought you weren't coming.". She turned and faced Ron.

    "Hi Ron! she smiled which she hoped looked natural. "I changed my mind."

    Ron looked at Draco suspiciously. "How did you ever get paired up with him?"

    "Ron, it's alright. I……" Ginny started to explain. Draco had a evil smirk on his face.

    "Well, well, what do we have here? Our future Lord Malfoy, you have made history. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor." Gregory Goyle's voice appeared from behind them.

    Draco smirked at him. "Well, Weasley is a pureblood, that much I can thank my ancestors for, Goyle, even if she is a Gryffindor…" He was now looking at Hermione, who was behind Ron.

    "Oh yah, that's correct. But you never can tell they are pure-blooded though. Mudblood-lovers, they are……" "Shut your trap, Goyle!" Ron hissed.

    "What's the matter Ron Weasley? Defending the family name? Where's Potter? Need any backup help from him? He's usually around to save your arse…" MacDougal joined in.

    "Ron can take care of himself. It's your arse that needs saving, MacDougal." Harry walked and stood beside Ron.

    "Oh really? So your side-kick can take care of himself now. My, have you been training him, Potter?" MacDougal sneered.

    "Don't push you luck, MacDougal…or else." Harry growled threateningly.

    "Or else what? Potter?" Draco Malfoy's voice was challenging Harry and his eyes glistened dangerously.

    "Yeah, speak up, you pathetic mudblood lover." Goyle's voice came behind MacDougal.

    "Ignore them, Harry." Hermione came up behind Harry, her voice pleading with him.

    The tension was reaching breaking point.

    "What's going on here?" Professor Moody pushed through the crowd. His third eye looked at Harry, and then to Draco.

    "Nothing Professor" Draco spoke first. "I was about to take my dance partner outside for a breather when the Gryffindors interrupted us."

    "Well, go then." Professor Moody barked, much to the horror of Ron.

    "Yes, Professor. Thank you."

    Draco Malfoy took Ginny's hand deliberately, and held it in front of Harry. "Until next time, Potter."

    He turned around and walked out of the hall, dragging an unwilling Ginny along with him. He smirked at MacDougal who nodded at him, a wicked grin on his face.

    Ginny could hear Ron telling Professor Moody "We can't let her go with Malfoy. He'd kill her!"

    Ginny followed Draco outside to the corridor, not quite knowning what to expect. Draco led her up a stairways, down another corridor, around a bend, to what looked like a dungeon, then back up. It was like a labyrinth. "Where are we going?" Ginny asked panickly, looking around her. She didn't know where she was.

    Draco didn't answer. He continued to walk quickly until he reached what Ginny realised was the viewing gallery of the Astronmy Tower. "Let me show you something" He smiled at her. "Close your eyes first."

    Ginny guped and refused to close her eyes. "Come on, Virginia. I'm not going to perform any unforgivable curses on you. And it's only going to be for a moment." Draco edged her on. She closed her eyes, although she was getting very uneasy, even a little frightened.

    "Now" Draco commanded. Ginny opened her eyes and gasped. In front of her were a constellation of stars, glittering like diamonds. It was spectacular. "How…?"

    "Tonight is the night the stars collide. You only see this once in a hundred years. In the old, old times, wizards called this phenomenon the "Hearts on Fire." Ginny nodded and gazed up again. It was the most beautiful sight she ever saw.

    "You look very beautiful tonight, Virginia." Draco said, for the second time tonight. Ginny's heart fluttered. She loved the way he said her name.

    "I have you to thank for. This ball gown, and the ticket to the ball. Why Draco?"

    "Why?" Draco pretend not to understand the question.

    "I mean, you despise Gryffindors, and I……well, you didn't exactly like me before too. So why did you give me the gown and the ticket?"

    "Me, Weasley? Why, didn't you save up for this?" He stepped closer to Ginny and was fingering her gown.

    Ginny guped again "Don't deny, I know it's you. I want to know why……"

    "You sound afraid, Weasley."

    "I am not. I just, I'm kind of puzzled."

    "You were frightened just now, at the dance floor."

    Ginny nodded. "I thought you boys were going to hex one another."

    "Yes, we were. But it wouldn't be wise to do that in front of the whole school. Even Saint Potter, with his characteristic Gryffindor reckless bravado, is not that stupid to throw his Prefect's badge out the window by hexing us Slytherins just then. Not that he could if I'm there." Draco grimaced.

    "I'm, I'm a Gryffindor too."

    "Yes, and you certainly changed my mind about Gryffindors recently. Didn't know that Godric Gryffindor likes to pick damn attractive redheads as students. A pity Salazar Slytherin doesn't pick cute redheads for our house. Maybe I should write him a petition letter."

    Ginny giggled at the thought of Draco writing a petition to Salazar Slyterin.

    Ginny, this is Draco Malfoy you are talking about, her mind warned her. He's dangerous.

    "I liked you, Virginia Weasley. I cannot explain it." Draco

    Silence.

    "Virginia, may I, kiss you?"

    Ginny was stunned. Draco looked at her, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

    Ginny didn't know why she did what she did (afterall, the Slytherins just insulted her family back then) but she closed her eyes for him. In a split second, she felt Draco's lips on hers. It was cold, but Ginny felt as if she was on fire. "Hearts on Fire", she thought.

    Ginny kissed him back. He pulled her closer to him and their fingers touched her curls. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer, and together they are locked in a passionate embrace. Ginny felt as if she was flying in heaven.

    What Ginny didn't know was that Draco's eyes suddenly opened and looked beyond Ginny to a pair of green eyes whose owner was standing at the entrance of the viewing gallery. Still having Ginny's lips on his, his eyes flashed a malicious, triumphant look at those green eyes.