Title: Of Ice and Fire
Author(s): Starlight and Pixiedust
Rating: PG-13
Categories: Romance/Humour
Pairings: R/Hr, D/G, Lee/OC, F/A
Summary: Mainly a Ron/Hermione and Draco/Ginny fic with a bit of Fred/Angelina and Lee/Cassandra (own character) on the side. Lots of fluff is planned and, hopefully, lots of humour. There's a Yule Ball, but without the Triwizard Tournament, and for all those who have read Order Of The Phoenix, there might be some Tonks and Luna later on, despite the fact that this is set in an alternate universe. Sirius is, however, still alive, (cause we love him) and will get mentioned now and again, although this is really a fic about the students.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K.Rowling (except Cassandra) and Much Ado About Nothing belongs to William Shakespeare. The rest belongs to us.
Chapter 1 – In Which We Meet The Characters Whom We Are Now About To Maltreat.
"What do you think of this one Ginny?" The sixth year held the striking black gown up to her perfectly toned olive skin.
Ginny sighed half enviously, half sadly, "You look good in anything Cassie and you know it too well."
"I have to know what will feel right, the Yule Ball only comes once a year," she smiled knowingly, "Besides, you haven't seen me in pale lilac."
"Well, you can talk, you actually have a date, two weeks in advance,"
Cassandra nodded happily, "Lee is gorgeous isn't he? He's coming in a minute to take me to dinner," then she saw Ginny's downcast face, "Don't worry, Ginny, we'll find someone to go with you. And I think I know who you'd like that someone to be, eh?"
Ginny almost let herself be convinced by the comforting words. Then the image of Harry was shattered, as she remembered who he had asked and been accepted by.
"He's going with Cho."
Cassandra paused waiting for her to say more, but the moment passed and Ginny was normal again.
She swept her black swathe of hair behind her head, flicking it this way and that, "I have to have my hair down if I wear the low cut dress, but if I wear my old calico print..."she held up her hair experimentally. Ginny was looking the same way again, poor thing. Then a gleam of an idea sparkled in Cassandra's eyes.
"Aha!" she scrambled around in the old trunk, picking up something silvery and held it out to Ginny. "Try it on."
"Me," Ginny squeaked in disbelief.
"No, the invisible person behind you! Put it on, you silly goose." Ginny held it up to the light, a light blue, almost white dress shimmering in the glow of the lamp. "Oh, Cassie...." she gasped in awe, "It's beautiful."
"Spun from unicorn hair. If anything gets you a date, this will. Now, wear it for goodness sake." She drew the gown over Ginny's head carefully, positioning her in front of the mirror. Ginny looked up at herself. "I can't wear this."
"Why on earth not? Too risqué for you? Don't worry; if anyone's got to worry it's me. McGonagall is going to going to have a fit when she sees-"
"No," Ginny moaned, exasperated, "It's not that, it's just..."
"What?!"
"Well, you're going to laugh, but it looks too... innocent."
"You're worried because the dress looks virginal? Geez, Ginny, the whole point of this dress is to look untouched. Would you rather look like a whore? Anyway, enough about Pansy Parkinson, what shall we do with your hair?"
Cassandra began to lengthen Ginny's hair with a conditioning spell.
"Cheveux Legata" she muttered softly, "Look, Ginny, if you have your hair loose for once, then this might look nice."
"So that's why bridesmaids get all the sex."
They spun round. Lee Jordan was standing in the doorway. "Nice dress Ginny. I might have to reconsider my choice of date for the ball."
"Now, wait just a second-"
"I'm joking, I'm joking!" He planted a kiss on the cheek of a rather hurt Cassandra. "I know I'm going with the most beautiful girl in the school."
"You're forgiven," Cassandra said, pacified, "Where are you taking me?"
"Hogsmeade of course."
Cassandra groaned, exasperated; "Couldn't we go somewhere more romantic? Fred Weasley took Angelina on a broomstick ride over the grounds for Valentines Day. Why couldn't we do something sophisticated like them?"
"I'll give you 3 good reasons why. One, I can't fly for toffee. Two, you're terrified of heights and three, since when is it sophisticated to wait after every Quidditch match so you can do it under the stands?"
He saw Ginny wince.
"Sorry, forgot you were here Gin' but you know Fred's no innocent. Anyway that's why we're going to Hogsmeade, Cass, if you'd be so kind as to grace me with your company."
Cassandra giggled girlishly, walking towards the door, "Come on then, Lee, let's see how 'sophisticated' you can be."
Lee turned to follow her, "Bye Ginny!" and in an undertone, "Duty calls."
"I heard that!"
They left in fits of laughter. Ginny wondered if there was any couple that were suited better. She had a nasty nagging feeling that Cho and Harry might be. She tried to push the thought away, but for the rest of the evening she sat contemplating her dress, and who wouldn't be dancing with her when she wore it.
»
Harry was walking on air. Cho had said yes, he was going to the ball with her, he was going to dance with her, and he was going to have an entire evening alone with her. He kept saying the words to reassure himself that it was actually going to happen. He felt like singing, Snape had almost caught him humming to himself during a particularly horrible potions lesson, leaving a very confused Ron and Hermione wondering what on earth was wrong with him. "She said yes, she said yes," he repeated over and over to himself, which also caused his friends to cast worried glances at him over the lunch table. He couldn't believe he was going with such a pretty, intelligent, funny, charming, devastatingly attractive, sweet, clever, brave-
"Harry?"
It took him quite a while to realise that someone had spoken to him.
"Oh," he said staring at the puzzled faces of his two friends, "Yeah?"
"Christ, Harry, you've got it badly," Ron said in a mixture of horror and awe, "Cho did say yes, didn't she?"
"Uh huh."
"Well, then spare us the trance, what do you think of Obliviator as a career choice?"
Harry shrugged noncommittally. In his fifth year, all students had a magical career course, consisting almost entirely of a large and boring booklet, 'The Young Wizards Guide to Careers' by Professor Madge Mingu. The aim of this booklet was to complete a fifty-page questionnaire at the end of which the book would choose a list of careers for the student. However, this seemed to be a waste of time as after Harry had laboriously filled in the answers, it pronounced him to be perfect for the job of Horklump Keeper.
"Who would want to spend their time tending useless lumps of pink jelly?" Ron groaned.
"I feel your pain, I got the same one," Harry agreed.
"I didn't," said Hermione proudly.
"Yeah, we all know how perfect you are, Hermione."
"Ron, I'm sure if you tried a bit harder at Defence against the Dark Arts then maybe you'd get-"
"Stop nagging Hermione."
"Then why do you complain to me?" she asked furiously.
"I WAS TALKING TO HARRY!" bellowed Ron, equally enraged.
"YOU ARE AN INSENSITIVE, IDIOT RON WEASLEY!" Hermione yelled as she stormed out.
"I think you should go and apologise," Harry said quietly.
"Not me!" snorted Ron derisively, "She can apologise when she sees sense."
Harry shook his head, disowning responsibility for the both of them. There was a very thin line when it came to their tempers, now that the ball was drawing near. He didn't see what the fuss was about; Hermione and Ron could easily get dates for the ball. Well, at least Hermione could, after last year. But they just didn't get what everybody else saw only too clearly, who they really wanted to go with.
»
"Fizzing Whizbees!" Hermione snapped as the rather disgruntled fat lady asked for the password; slamming the door, running up the stairs and throwing herself violently on the bed.
"You've been arguing with Ron again, haven't you?" came a voice from the chair behind her. The chair swivelled round, revealing Ginny curled up writing in her diary.
"How did you know?" Hermione sat up surprised.
"Well slamming 15 doors, stomping up 6 flights of stairs and swearing like a sailor might have been a clue."
Hermione looked abashed. "I suppose I was a little louder than normal."
"I don't know why you can't live in peace, you both managed okay before the Yule Ball?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about Ginny." Hermione replied stiffly, "And if you ask me I don't think you do either."
Ginny sighed, shaking her head, "You just don't understand, you or Ron. It's a pity, a real pity."
Hermione looked as though she was about to say something else. But then the chair spun round so that its back was turned to her and the conversation was obviously finished.
»
The next morning was bright and sunny, light streaming through the hall windows and illuminating the few who sat there – which wasn't many by normal standards. A few sixth year students studying for exams, Madam Hooch crossly outlining to a few mischievous fourth years why transfiguring bludgers into tomatoes would not be tolerated; and one fifth and two seventh years, namely, Harry Potter, Angelina Johnson and Fred Weasley, talking at one end of the Gryffindor table.
In theory, Fred and Harry were playing wizard chess- although for a few minutes now, the game had been undisturbed; which was almost entirely due to Lavender Brown's hysterical entrance just minutes before.
"This is the last straw!" Lavender yelled as she flounced through the hall brandishing a large sheet of parchment, with Parvati flying down the steps after her. Both their faces with crimson with rage.
"Look!" she seethed, slamming the sheet down in front of them. The three cast puzzled looks at the wet parchment, stained with what seemed like curdled butterbeer.
"What is it?" asked Angelina.
"That," replied Parvati bitterly, "Was our Divination project. Our entire horoscope planned for 6 months- the only chart of its kind!"
"Exactly. Ruined by your precious friends!" Lavender pointed an accusing finger at Harry. "That Granger geek and her would-be boyfriend had a complete bust-up. He said she was a controlling robot and then she threw the butterbeer at him."
"And it hit our beautiful project!" wailed Parvati.
"How awful," said Harry, suppressing a smile.
"Dreadful," said Fred mournfully.
"You've got to do something about it!" said Lavender, banging her hand on the table, the chess set pieces wobbling dangerously.
"For what?"
"For..." Lavender hesitated. "For..."
"For the sake of divination projects everywhere?" enquired Fred.
Lavender frowned disapprovingly. "For the well being of students."
"What do you suggest?" asked Angelina.
"It's obvious that they've got to get together," said Lavender, Parvati nodding ferociously behind her. "For the good of the house and..." she lamented, "as you say, - the well-being of our project."
The three of them exchanged glances.
"Impossible!" declared Fred. "Have you heard those two? If we even suggest such a thing they'd...well."
"Lets just say that Harry and Fred would quickly lose their reasons for wearing trousers," put in Angelina.
"Their legs?" asked Neville innocently in passing.
"Don't get any ideas Angelina," said Fred.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Yes, well you'd better do something. If this happens again we may have to take the law into our own hands," proclaimed Lavender. And they flounced out of the Hall yet again.
»
"So you see Ginny you're our last hope."
Ginny surveyed her brother and Harry seriously. She sighed.
"You really have no idea what to do have you?"
"Should we?"
"Oh for goodness sake?" she turned started rummaging through her trunk. "Honestly. Don't you two ever read?" Before they could answer she turned back to face them, a large leather-bound book in her hand.
"The complete works of Shakespeare." asked Fred patiently. "I said that we wanted to get Hermione and Ron together, not that I wanted to put on a play, Gin."
"Well, if you read 'Much Ado About Nothing', you'd find that Benedick and Beatrice's friends got them together by letting them over hear that the other loved them. It worked perfectly, if I remember correctly. They went from being archenemies to lovers in just over a week!"
"And you reckon that you can do that?" inquired Harry hopefully.
Ginny looked at him, her expression of disbelief softening for just one second. "Of course I can, I've done it before. How else do you think that Fred got Angelina to go out with him?"
Fred looked stunned. "Objection. That was entirely my own charming personality. Don't listen to her Harry."
"Well, if you can do it Gin," said Harry shrugging.
"Leave it to me. By the ball they'll be inseparable."
"Or killing each other," said Fred. "There's no point in being over optimistic."
"FRED!"
»
"So Gin says that there's nothing to worry about; your project is safe."
"Thank goodness!" cried Parvati in relief. "Did you here that Lavender? Hermione and Ron will be together in time to go to the Yule Ball"
"Alleluia!
Just then, Draco Malfoy passed. "Alleluia? Oh I might have guessed, the two damsels in distress, being rescued from the monster of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley's relationship, by two knights in shining armour."
Fred looked vaguely amused, "Oh look, Harry. I think the school has a rodent infestation. "
"Got your date for the Ball yet?" asked Harry, with a twinkle in his eye. "Oh I forgot, you couldn't get anyone to go with you. Of course it's the look that turns them off. No one wants to go with a walking ferret. We've all got dates though, I'm going with Cho, and Fred's going with Angelina."
"No I haven't got a date yet, but your sister hasn't got one yet Weasel, I suppose she'll be desperate for one. I wonder if…"
"You keep your grubby paws off my sister, do you hear?" Fred exploded. "She doesn't need you."
"Then who is she going with?" sneered Draco.
"None of your ruddy business Malfoy."
"Oh well, I'll see you round then," and Draco sauntered out of the corridor, into the library, with a grin plastered across his face.
"Hasn't Gin got a date for the Ball then?" asked Lavender, quietly.
"Not that I know of," sighed Fred.
"Well, lets just pray that she doesn't go with Malfoy," answered Harry.
"Come on Harry, she's got more sense than that!"
»
Dear Diary,
Things to do:
1) Get a date for the Ball.
2) Get Hermione and Ron together for the Ball.
3) Fall out of love with Harry as he's going to the Ball with Cho.
Ginny shut her diary and shoved it on a chair as Draco Malfoy sauntered over.
"Malfoy," she said before he had even opened his mouth. "I need you to do something for me!"
"Look, darling," he drawled. "Tomorrow night in the prefects' bathroom will be fine!"
She blushed a fiery red. "No, I'd like you to make fun of Ron, in Hermione's hearing."
"I do that already."
"Well, could you be making fun of the fact that he said that he was in love with Hermione in his diary?"
"He has a diary?"
"He doesn't, only she doesn't know that. It'd stop them fighting the whole time, and we'd probably be able to get some peace."
"It'll cost you."
"Cost me what?"
"Your date for the Ball. You'll have to come with me."
"What?"
"You. Me. Partners. At ball. Clear enough for you?"
Ginny's jaw dropped. "But...but..."
"As fascinating as your conversation is, Weasley, I think I'll have to leave you for the moment," he turned to leave.
"Why?"
"Pardon?"
"Why do you want to go with me? You hate me," Ginny asked softly.
He paused for a second and smiled, "Why didn't you refuse?"
"That's different, I need your help with getting Ron and Hermione together, and if you'll only help if I go to the Ball with you, then so be it."
"Is it so very different?"
"Of course."
Malfoy raised his eyebrows, "Whatever."
Ginny went red and he grinned at her discomfort before turning and walking out of the room.
»
"You what?" Cassandra looked at her in astonishment.
"I know, maybe I ought to refuse him."
"Are you mad? You get a date with one of the sexiest guys in the school and you're thinking about turning him down!"
Ginny looked at her hysterical friend in shock. "You think Draco Malfoy's sexy?"
"Hell yes – in a very satanic cherub way!"
"What?"
"Well let's just say I bumped into him in Madam Malkim's."
"And…"
"He was trying on a dragon-skin suit."
"Who was?" asked Katie Bell, wandering over with Angelina and Alicia Spinnet.
"Draco Malfoy."
"Are you joking?" interrupted Alicia. "You lucky cow!"
Angelina sat down; "Spill beans. Now. Or I tell Fred that his baby sister's discussing Malfoy's torso!"
"I may do that yet."
They all gasped and looked a Ginny.
"She's going with him to the Ball," whispered Cassie furtively.
"Well be careful," warned Katie. "He may be a handsome lad, but he's an evil bastard at heart." The others all nodded vigorously.
"Don't worry, I hate his guts – I'm only doing it so that he'll help me get Hermione and Ron together."
"Still, you'd make a lovely couple," sighed Alicia.
"Stop it Alicia," came the chorus.
"It'd never happen anyway," she smiled. "Hey Gin, how does Ginny Malfoy sound?"
"Terrible – I'd never even dream of falling in love with him – he's far too stuck up, and Mum would never speak to me again."
"All the same…"
"ALICIA!"
A/N: Thanks to all who have helped to influence us into writing this (Cassandra Claire and Arabella and Zsenya). Also to all our friends who have put up with our endless scribblings. This is for them.