And The Story Begins
"Oooh, I'll get him—Mark my words!" Ginny growled and shouted as she paced through the Gryffindor common room.
"What's up Gin?" Ron asked looking a bit surprised as he, Hermione, and Harry filed through the portrait hole.
"That bloody git tricked me!" Ginny shouted and then took on a rather scary tone of voice that made Ron visibly stiffen. "Oh, he won't be able to humiliate me."
"Who tricked you?" Harry had never seen Ginny, or any other girl, like this.
"It was Draco Malfoy."
The trio turned and saw a slightly shaken Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan watching Ginny. Dean was filling out—what looked like—a sheet for taking bets on what Ginny was going to do and Seamus was the one who'd spoken to them.
"You all want to have a go?" Seamus smiled and motioned to the sheet Dean had just finished.
"A go?" Harry asked and Dean smiled at him.
"Yeah, just place your bet on what day and scribble down what you think she'll do to him—don't forget your name," Dean said happily and handed Harry the paper and his quill.
"Bloody Malfoy, I'll get him though!" Ginny growled and snapped Ron out of his nostalgic sort of coma.
"What? Malfoy!" Ron asked loudly but no one needed to restrain him. Even in his angry state he wasn't stupid enough to approach Ginny while she was this mad.
"Yeah, she was ranting about what he did earlier," Seamus said and shrugged. "Turns out he made a bet with her, cheated, and now she has to go with him to the ball."
"I don't think he knew who she was when he made the bet though," Dean added and Seamus nodded.
"Of course he didn't," commented Lee Jordan (ironically). He was seated across the room by the fire and he apparently wanted to make a bet on what she'd do. "He just saw something pretty on two legs and turned on the charm. After all, better a date with the enemy than a date with Parkinson.," He said simply and Harry handed him the paper and the quill.
"True, that." Seamus agreed. Both he and Dean shuddered at the thought of having to take Pansy Parkinson to the Yule Ball.
"Why what's going on down here?" Fred asked as he and George came down the stairs.
"Oh no," George said shakily and dove behind Fred. "We swear it wasn't us!"
"Yeah! What Feorge said!" Fred exclaimed and tried to back away from Ginny. They recognized that look in her eyes and they'd been unfortunate to be on the receiving end once.
Ginny just ignored them and continued to plot.
"Don't worry you two," Lee Jordan called to them and gave them a thumbs up as he signed his name on the betting sheet.
"Yeah, she's mad at Ferret boy," Dean Thomas added with a smirk and saw both Fred and George share worried looks.
"You're not actually concerned about him, are you?" Seamus asked and looked more than just a tad surprised at their reactions.
"Of course we are!" Fred and George shouted at the same time.
"We'd better alert Pomfrey," Fred said and George nodded.
"And brew up a few anti-venoms and antidotes—some mandrake draft wouldn't hurt either," George added shakily and everyone watched them.
"So you two don't want to make a bet on what she does to Malfoy?" Lee frowned and held up the paper.
"Bet, you say?" They both asked in unison and seemed to forget their previous conversation.
"Why of course." Fred stood up and carefully crossed the room.
"Never pass up a good chance to increase our funds," George said merrily and made sure not to get too close to Ginny as he crossed the room.
"What's this then?" Fred read over the previous bets and shared a look with George. "Pour punch on him?"
"Drop him off a broom and into the lake?" George read Dean's bet and cocked an eyebrow.
"Curse his robes tye-dyed?" Fred asked and sent Lee a look. "Et too, Jordan, et too?"
"Just what did he do, cause her to stub her toe?" George sent a look all around and everyone that wasn't a Weasley or a girl looked a little confused. "These aren't revenge—they're pranks."
"Not very good pranks at that," Fred rolled his eyes and looked over at Seamus. "Tell us, what in the world did Ferret boy do to Gin to earn him the punishment of 'pour punch on him'?"
"He made a bet with her, cheated, and now she has to go with him to the Yule Ball," Seamus answered and wondered just what was wrong with his bet.
Both Fred and George shared wide-eyed, stunned expressions. They looked at each other and then started up their conversation from the stairs.
"Alert the ministry!" Fred shouted.
"Get the Aurors in here!" George called.
"Do you think Malfoy's taken Advanced D-A-D-A?" Fred asked and George shrugged.
"Has he been trained to survive out at sea? He can't apparate!" George shook Fred and they both paused.
"Wait a moment Feorge," Fred started and George let go of Fred's robes.
"Indeed, Gred." George and Fred both frowned.
"Did Finnigan just tell us that Draco Malfoy is taking our little Ginny to the Yule Ball?" Fred asked and George nodded.
"Why yes, I believe he did just tell us that smarmy git is taking our sister to Yule Ball." George folded his arms over his chest. "As a date, I'd wager."
"Why something must be done about this, right Feorge?" Fred set the betting sheet and quill down quickly.
"I concur Gred," George agreed and the two of them went up to their rooms to retrieve their most prized Quidditch gear. They had the sudden urge to go show Malfoy their bats. As they ran up the stairs they nearly knocked over poor Colin Creevey who was walking down them. Colin stumbled and nearly fell into the common room.
"Oh h-hi Harry," Colin waved and then his face turned to utter shock as he saw the livid Ginny. "Ginny!" He shouted and got to his feet. "Ginny," He started in a sing-song voice and Ginny eyed him, "You have to calm down." He added and glanced at all the people in the room.
"What?" Ginny asked and scoffed. She paused for a moment, though, and looked around. "Oh."
"Bett-ter?" Colin stammered and Ginny laughed nervously before flushing and giving everyone an embarrassed smile.
"Sorry about that…" Ginny laughed again and everyone nodded. Fred and George came clambering back down the stairs not a moment later—carrying bags of ticks and their beater's bats. Ginny smiled at them and they froze before promptly running back up the stairs as if their bums were on fire. Ginny watched them and was quickly led out of the common room by Colin.
"What is going on?" Harry looked around and everyone just shrugged. "What are you doing Ron?" Harry watched his friend pick up the betting sheet and start filling in a square.
"I'm wagering about Malfoy's demise," Ron answered and everyone shared a look.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
"Sit down, that clicking your shoes make is distracting," Blaise Zambini said quietly and read through one of her textbooks so she could finish her assignment.
"You're welcome." Draco sneered and sat down on the black sofa that filled part of the empty space that made up the Slytherin common room.
"I've found it." Tracey Davis—a quiet, shadowy sort of girl who was in the same year as Draco lazily lifted her hand into the air and announced her discovery with no trace of excitement in her voice.
"Well?" Draco demanded after a long silence and Tracey let out a heavy sigh as she stood from her seat and brought the book over to Draco.
"There," Tracey dropped the book on Draco's lap and pulled out her long black wand. She flicked it in the air once with a swish and spoke the magic words.
"Refugere!"
Tracey hit Draco over the head with her wand sharply as she cast the spell. He scowled at her but the bright electric blue in his hair melted away and he was once again a platinum blonde. Draco snapped the book shut and Tracey slipped her want back into the hidden pocket in her sleeve before walking back to her chair and sitting down.
There was a long silence, which was not uncommon in the vacant Slytherin common room. Currently there were only five occupants, two of which hadn't the capacity to enjoy in conversation anyways.
"Not that I don't enjoy watching someone in anguish but you might as well get it over with and simply tell us," Terence Higgs, a boy who was currently trying to invent a potion that would eat through solid stone and not give off any odor or smoke, spoke up.
"I think not Higgs," Draco said and sneered.
"Come now Draco," Blaise finished reading the last page she required and closed her book. "It's always better to combine maniacal plans, not that you need our help what with your savants." Blaise motioned to Crabbe and Goyle with the end of her quill.
"Indeed," Tracy added to the conversation and looked over at Draco. "What bit of particularly agonizing misfortune has you plotting thusly?"
"I must ask you Davis," Draco started and eyed Tracy, "have you always been quite this odd?"
"Why no, dear Draco," Tracey smiled and everyone in the room realized that it definitely wasn't a natural expression on this girl. "It took years of practice."
"I should have known," Draco laughed once hollowly and leaned back against the leather couch.
"Well Malfoy, get on with it," Blaise commanded flatly and started writing something. Draco ignored her and Terence smiled slyly.
"I'll wager I know what bothers our ikkle Draco." Terence stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "Could this be related to your date for the Yule Ball?"
"Ah yes." Tracey looked over at Draco and stood up. "Do tell me that you've found someone less irritating than that abhor-able, antagonizing, little screechy Pansy." Tracey shuddered and her face took on a look of sheer disgust.
"I have, though I'm not sure she's more acceptable," Draco answered flatly. Insulting Pansy Parkinson always made him feel just a bit better—no matter the situation.
"Good for you, how much does she cost?" Blasie asked nonchalantly and didn't bother to look up from her work.
"My dignity," Draco answered darkly and Terence shrugged.
"Well tis better to lose a little dignity to one girl than lose your lunch, hearing, and sanity to another," He commented and Tracey nodded just a bit.
"If you didn't bribe her, Draco, who is she and just how did you get her at this late hour?" Blaise finally found the conversation entertaining enough to take her attention from her work so she looked up at him and turned in her chair.
"I made a bet," Draco said and smirked.
"You must have been a true Slytherin," Tracey commented and everyone in the room looked at her for a moment, "You must have cheated considerably. She was mad enough to hex you."
"Hold fast now," Blaise held up her hand and a smile crept across her features—a very Slytherin smile. "This girl has a quick temper and will surely cost you some of your dignity?" She held back a laugh.
Blaise always was too smart for her own good.
"Ah Miss Zambini has it worked out." Terence walked over to the table Blaise was working at and leaned on the edge.
"Do enlighten us, dear Blaise." Tracey waved her hand in the air and waited to hear Blaise's discovery.
"Really Draco?" Blaise locked eyes with the blonde and he sneered. "Little Ginny Weasley?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Draco replied flatly and cursed his procrastinating nature.
"Is that all?" Tracey asked sounding slightly put off that the situation wasn't worse. "I was expecting something akin to 'McGonagall' but you give us Ginny Weasley?"
"Now, now, Miss Davis." Terence held up his right hand and rolled his eyes. "Let's not insinuate things that are more disturbing than Pansy Parkinson."
"Poor you," Blaise commented and stared at Draco. "But it is your own fault—nearly everyone has a date already."
"Really?" Draco smirked and Blaise shook her head.
"Sorry, I'm going with a Ravenclaw." She smirked and motioned to Tracey.
"I have the joy of attending with a squeamish little Hufflepuff." Tracey stood up and Draco looked back at Blaise.
"Even Millicent has a date." She said flatly.
"Bullstrode has a date?" Terence looked aghast.
"Indeed, some big mug of a Hufflepuff." Blaise answered.
"Who doesn't have a date then?" Draco asked impatiently and Blaise looked back at him.
"I wouldn't risk pissing off Weasley, Draco. It's a well known fact that women can attend balls and parties alone without anyone even glancing twice but should a figure such as yourself show up without escort you'll be the talk of the school," Terence warned Draco.
"Not to mention that the only ones in the student population without dates are Megan Jones—a Hufflepuff, Melissa Marquis—a Ravenclaw, and Stewart Ackerley—another Ravenclaw." Blaise added and Draco fell back against the couch with an expression that combined defeat with disgust and dejection.
"Remember, dear Draco," Tracey walked over silently and leaned uncomfortably close to Draco—uncomfortably close being something around two feet when Tracey Davis is involved. "Things could always be far, far worse."
She swooped off and faded into the ever-present shadows. The other two went back to their work and Draco just groaned and walked out up to his room where he could continue his pacing and plotting in peace.
Author's Notes: Now see how well reviewing works? Bribe me and I write more! This is the story that happens after the little Hogsmeade bit that I'm sure most of you found entertaining. I might write one or two future chapters in adapted song form but this is going to be a regular story for the most part.
Now I know what you're saying—Define Regular, and I insist that whatever definition you find won't really apply. But you all get the idea.
Feel free to ignore the below.
Disclaimer: Am I Rowling? Gee dang, I'm not.