~Chapter 4- The Valentine Ball~
It was finally the day of the Valentine Ball. Ginny woke up late in the afternoon and went to the Great Hall for a late lunch. It was apparent that Draco was already gone, for his usual spot was empty.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few hours later, she began dressing up for the dance. As she headed up to her dorms with Hermione at her side, she heard one of the boys exclaim, "What? They need five hours to get ready?"
Rolling her eyes, she yanked open the door to the girls' dorm and walked inside.
"So who are you going with?" Hermione asked curiously as she pulled out her lavender dress robe. "I figured out who the letter was from. I'm going with him."
"Who is he?"
Ginny smiled. "Sorry, 'Mione, but I can't tell you. It's a surprise."
"It's alright, Gin." Hermione stood in front of the mirror as she tried to smooth out her hair. She went into her room to get a few more hairclips.
Ginny pulled on the emerald green dress robes she had bought with her allowance. This was the best robe she had ever owned in her life: there were miniture butterflies sown on the hems. The silky material swished around as she stood in front of the mirror. She ran a brush through her hair and let it hang straight. She clasped a silver necklace around he rneck. The phoenix pendant glittered and fluttered slightly. She added a touch of makeup. Perfect.
Hermione walked out of her room and nearly dropped the box in her hands when she saw the younger girl. "Ohmygosh," she gasped. "Ginny, you look beautiful."
Ginny blushed, her cheeks flushing a rosy red. "Thanks, 'Mione," she said happily. "Here, give me the pins, I'll fix your hair for you."
Half an hour later, she pulled on a blank mask she had found in her trunk. Wrapping Draco's cloak around her, she headed to wards the Astronomy Tower.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco stood in front of the mirror after coming out of the shower. A high-collared silver dressrobe hung loosely around his frame. He decided to take Ginny's suggestion and not use any gel. It was time he let his hair hang naturally.
He pulled out a white mask he had bought earlier that day when he had sneaked into Hogsmeade. Pulling it onto his face, he walked over to the Astronomy Tower.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny reached the tower and saw a figure sillouetted against the window. Instantly, she knew who it was.
"Draco," she called out softly.
The figure turned and Ginny's breath caught in her throat. Dracos' robes were silver, flashing in the dim moonlight. His usually gelled hair was smooth and silky.
"Virginia."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Virginia."
Draco froze as he heard himself utter the name. He inwardly gasped as he examined the youngest Weasley. The girl wore a long, emerald robe which reached her ankles. It was simply, but elegant, hugging her slim form. Although a white mask covered her face, she looked as beautiful as ever, her long, fiery red hair swishing behind her.
"Let's go," he said, smiling as he saw his cloak around Virginia's shoulders. He held out his arm and guided her towards the Great Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione kept a lookout for Ginny throughout the night. She was partners with Ron while Harry had gone with Cho. She kept glancing at the door. Lavender, Parvati... there! Although a white mask covered her face, she knew it was Ginny. She could easily recognize the emerald robes and fiery hair.
Following her was a boy who was slightly taller. He too wore a mask, only it was black. He wore silver robes with high-collars with a blue lining on the hem. Smooth blond hair was visible from behind.
'I wonder who that is,' she thought to herself.
"Come on, 'Mione, let's dance," She heard Ron call out.
"Alright." She smiled and began to dance, forgetting Ginny as Ron pulled her close.
It was almost the end of the ball (several hours later) when Dumbledore stood up. "It is almost the end of our Valentine Ball," he announced, his eyes twinkling. "I would like to bring it to an end with a competition: the best dancers. All participants, please step up."
She and Ron didn't participate; Hermione was content just to watch. Harry and Cho, however, did.
She watched in amusement as pair after pair went. Lavender and Seamus, Parvati and Dean, Parkinson and Goyle, Blaise and Crabbe... To her surprise, Cho and Harry were rather decent dancers. The line of contestants slowly got shorter and shorter. At last, Hermione watched as Ginny and her partner stepped up. There was something about the way the pair moved, so comfortable, so... familiar. As she watched, the pair joined hands.
They both seemed to transform before Hermione's eyes. The moment their hands touched, it was as though a new feeling entered the room. The Great Hall became a ballroom and the two professional dancers were demonstrating their skill. With her right hand still holding his left, Ginny twirled once underneath the arch it made and stopped when she put her left hand on the other's shoulder. Their moves were perfectly sycronized and flawless, smooth and elegent.
They danced as a couple might- two people so comfortable with each other that they sometimes forgot where one person stopped and the other began. They danced in perfect harmony, as though they practiced together all their lives. They were exactly the opposite, yet so similar at the same time. They were one, yin and yang, Day and Night, Light and Dark, coming together to form a whole. Hermione saw this closeness as both spoke softly to each other, but never pausing in their movements. She saw it in their intricate footwork and in that footwork she saw their story.
The dance drew on and on. Finally, Ginny twirled faster and faster until she was but a blur. She leaped into the air and as she came down and her partner caught her easily, holding her up in the air.
There was a moment of silence as the dance ended. Then, the Great hall exploded into clapping with Hermione leading her. Whoever Ginny's partner was, they were truly spectacular.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny smiled at Draco as the Hall exploded into applause. She felt totally comfortable dancing with Draco, almost as if she had been doing it all her life.
Dumbledore stood up, eyes twinkling. "Ah, excellent dancing, everyone," the Headmaster said. "However, one pair was distinctly the winner." He motioned for Ginny and Draco to walk up.
Ginny tugged on the blond's arm as she proudly walked up next to Dumbledore.
"The winner of this round's dance is..." He paused, looking at Ginny and Draco."
Ginny smiled again and looked at Draco. She could see the icy-blue through the holes on the mask. The blond nodded, looking back at her. At the exact same moment, they both reached up and whipped off their masks.
The crowd was suddenly silent. Then, gasps exploded around the room. Even Dumbledore looked stunned.
"Well, the winner is Ms. Ginny Weasley and Mr. Draco Malfoy." He quickly regained his posture as he handed them both a small metal. "Good night, you two," he said, smiling.
Ginny grinned and pulled Draco out the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco felt Virginia pulling at his arm. He smirked as he distinctly heard Weasley yell, "What a hell! Give me my wand so I can..."
He never heard what the boy threatened to do, for he was pulled out of the room by Ginny.
He lead the way outside into the gardens. The smell of roses and lavender drifted towards them.
"Virginia," He whispered softly, gazing into the other's chocolate- brown eyes. Merlin, she was beautiful. What had he done to deserve her?
"Draco."
Her voice was a half whisper as she looked back at him.
The next thing he knew, he had pulled down into a kiss. Her lips connected with his as he leaned down, feeling the other's mouth brush gently against him. He deepened the kiss as he felt hot and cold at the same time, never wanting the intimate moment to end.
Finally, he stopped as he once again lost himself in the other's eyes. "Virginia," he breathed. "I love you."
"I love you too, Draconis." His name rolled off her tongue smoothly. "Happy Valentines Day, my love," she whispered as they leaned down for a final kiss. The wind whistled softly in the calmness of the night. The moon seemed to glow briefly before returning to normal. Somewhere, far off in the distance, a wolf howled.
The End.
It was finally the day of the Valentine Ball. Ginny woke up late in the afternoon and went to the Great Hall for a late lunch. It was apparent that Draco was already gone, for his usual spot was empty.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few hours later, she began dressing up for the dance. As she headed up to her dorms with Hermione at her side, she heard one of the boys exclaim, "What? They need five hours to get ready?"
Rolling her eyes, she yanked open the door to the girls' dorm and walked inside.
"So who are you going with?" Hermione asked curiously as she pulled out her lavender dress robe. "I figured out who the letter was from. I'm going with him."
"Who is he?"
Ginny smiled. "Sorry, 'Mione, but I can't tell you. It's a surprise."
"It's alright, Gin." Hermione stood in front of the mirror as she tried to smooth out her hair. She went into her room to get a few more hairclips.
Ginny pulled on the emerald green dress robes she had bought with her allowance. This was the best robe she had ever owned in her life: there were miniture butterflies sown on the hems. The silky material swished around as she stood in front of the mirror. She ran a brush through her hair and let it hang straight. She clasped a silver necklace around he rneck. The phoenix pendant glittered and fluttered slightly. She added a touch of makeup. Perfect.
Hermione walked out of her room and nearly dropped the box in her hands when she saw the younger girl. "Ohmygosh," she gasped. "Ginny, you look beautiful."
Ginny blushed, her cheeks flushing a rosy red. "Thanks, 'Mione," she said happily. "Here, give me the pins, I'll fix your hair for you."
Half an hour later, she pulled on a blank mask she had found in her trunk. Wrapping Draco's cloak around her, she headed to wards the Astronomy Tower.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco stood in front of the mirror after coming out of the shower. A high-collared silver dressrobe hung loosely around his frame. He decided to take Ginny's suggestion and not use any gel. It was time he let his hair hang naturally.
He pulled out a white mask he had bought earlier that day when he had sneaked into Hogsmeade. Pulling it onto his face, he walked over to the Astronomy Tower.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny reached the tower and saw a figure sillouetted against the window. Instantly, she knew who it was.
"Draco," she called out softly.
The figure turned and Ginny's breath caught in her throat. Dracos' robes were silver, flashing in the dim moonlight. His usually gelled hair was smooth and silky.
"Virginia."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Virginia."
Draco froze as he heard himself utter the name. He inwardly gasped as he examined the youngest Weasley. The girl wore a long, emerald robe which reached her ankles. It was simply, but elegant, hugging her slim form. Although a white mask covered her face, she looked as beautiful as ever, her long, fiery red hair swishing behind her.
"Let's go," he said, smiling as he saw his cloak around Virginia's shoulders. He held out his arm and guided her towards the Great Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione kept a lookout for Ginny throughout the night. She was partners with Ron while Harry had gone with Cho. She kept glancing at the door. Lavender, Parvati... there! Although a white mask covered her face, she knew it was Ginny. She could easily recognize the emerald robes and fiery hair.
Following her was a boy who was slightly taller. He too wore a mask, only it was black. He wore silver robes with high-collars with a blue lining on the hem. Smooth blond hair was visible from behind.
'I wonder who that is,' she thought to herself.
"Come on, 'Mione, let's dance," She heard Ron call out.
"Alright." She smiled and began to dance, forgetting Ginny as Ron pulled her close.
It was almost the end of the ball (several hours later) when Dumbledore stood up. "It is almost the end of our Valentine Ball," he announced, his eyes twinkling. "I would like to bring it to an end with a competition: the best dancers. All participants, please step up."
She and Ron didn't participate; Hermione was content just to watch. Harry and Cho, however, did.
She watched in amusement as pair after pair went. Lavender and Seamus, Parvati and Dean, Parkinson and Goyle, Blaise and Crabbe... To her surprise, Cho and Harry were rather decent dancers. The line of contestants slowly got shorter and shorter. At last, Hermione watched as Ginny and her partner stepped up. There was something about the way the pair moved, so comfortable, so... familiar. As she watched, the pair joined hands.
They both seemed to transform before Hermione's eyes. The moment their hands touched, it was as though a new feeling entered the room. The Great Hall became a ballroom and the two professional dancers were demonstrating their skill. With her right hand still holding his left, Ginny twirled once underneath the arch it made and stopped when she put her left hand on the other's shoulder. Their moves were perfectly sycronized and flawless, smooth and elegent.
They danced as a couple might- two people so comfortable with each other that they sometimes forgot where one person stopped and the other began. They danced in perfect harmony, as though they practiced together all their lives. They were exactly the opposite, yet so similar at the same time. They were one, yin and yang, Day and Night, Light and Dark, coming together to form a whole. Hermione saw this closeness as both spoke softly to each other, but never pausing in their movements. She saw it in their intricate footwork and in that footwork she saw their story.
The dance drew on and on. Finally, Ginny twirled faster and faster until she was but a blur. She leaped into the air and as she came down and her partner caught her easily, holding her up in the air.
There was a moment of silence as the dance ended. Then, the Great hall exploded into clapping with Hermione leading her. Whoever Ginny's partner was, they were truly spectacular.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny smiled at Draco as the Hall exploded into applause. She felt totally comfortable dancing with Draco, almost as if she had been doing it all her life.
Dumbledore stood up, eyes twinkling. "Ah, excellent dancing, everyone," the Headmaster said. "However, one pair was distinctly the winner." He motioned for Ginny and Draco to walk up.
Ginny tugged on the blond's arm as she proudly walked up next to Dumbledore.
"The winner of this round's dance is..." He paused, looking at Ginny and Draco."
Ginny smiled again and looked at Draco. She could see the icy-blue through the holes on the mask. The blond nodded, looking back at her. At the exact same moment, they both reached up and whipped off their masks.
The crowd was suddenly silent. Then, gasps exploded around the room. Even Dumbledore looked stunned.
"Well, the winner is Ms. Ginny Weasley and Mr. Draco Malfoy." He quickly regained his posture as he handed them both a small metal. "Good night, you two," he said, smiling.
Ginny grinned and pulled Draco out the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco felt Virginia pulling at his arm. He smirked as he distinctly heard Weasley yell, "What a hell! Give me my wand so I can..."
He never heard what the boy threatened to do, for he was pulled out of the room by Ginny.
He lead the way outside into the gardens. The smell of roses and lavender drifted towards them.
"Virginia," He whispered softly, gazing into the other's chocolate- brown eyes. Merlin, she was beautiful. What had he done to deserve her?
"Draco."
Her voice was a half whisper as she looked back at him.
The next thing he knew, he had pulled down into a kiss. Her lips connected with his as he leaned down, feeling the other's mouth brush gently against him. He deepened the kiss as he felt hot and cold at the same time, never wanting the intimate moment to end.
Finally, he stopped as he once again lost himself in the other's eyes. "Virginia," he breathed. "I love you."
"I love you too, Draconis." His name rolled off her tongue smoothly. "Happy Valentines Day, my love," she whispered as they leaned down for a final kiss. The wind whistled softly in the calmness of the night. The moon seemed to glow briefly before returning to normal. Somewhere, far off in the distance, a wolf howled.
The End.