An Acceptable Risk

Chapter Twenty-Two

At The Ball

The Great Hall was illuminated by candlelight reflecting off of the wings of a thousand fairies flying under the enchanted ceiling. Ron and Hermione walked in, followed closely by Hannah Abbott who was escorted by both Neville Longbottom and Harry. Hermione wore robes made of a shimmering magenta material.
"I don't know Hermione," said Ron in an affectionate voice. "I think you might be trying to give Gilderoy Lockhart a run for his money in those robes."
"Oh shut up Ron," Hermione returned good-naturedly. "You're just jealous because my robes clash with your hair."

Hannah wore dress robes of the palest pink, their soft color broken only by the black band of mourning she wore on her left arm. A soft murmur filled the great hall as the story of Hannah's loss passed from student to student. Within minutes, they were surrounded by a group of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students.
"What's the matter Harry?" teased Ernie MacMillian. "Couldn't you find a date your own?" At his question, all eyes turned to look at Hannah, Neville and Harry.
"Well, we were going to duel over her," said Harry. "But then Hannah stepped in and offered to escort us both. Boy was I happy." As he spoke, Harry moved away from Hannah, shifting the attention towards him. "I didn't fancy dueling with Neville. I was afraid he'd turn me into a fly and then sic Trevor on me." The group exploded with laughter, and Hannah shot Harry a look of gratitude for deflecting the attention away from her.

Professor Dumbledore stood up at the head table and addressed the students. "Students and faculty. It gives me great pleasure to introduce our musical guests for tonight, the Haunted Hags. There was a smattering of applause from the faculty, which was drowned out by the shouts of appreciation from the students. The lead singer raised her wand and filled the Great Hall with a wispy fog, and opened her mouth to sing, when a sudden silence filled the air. Every head turned towards the entrance of the Great Hall where Ginny Weasley stood, arm in arm with Draco Malfoy. Ginny wore her red hair in an upsweep, with stray curls dangling down in a provocative manner. Her robes were red, with black lace on top, and instead of being loose and flowing, were cut to follow the curves of her body. Ginny held her head high, and the two stepped into the Great Hall.
"Ginny, cover yourself up," said Ron, pushing his way towards his sister.

Hermione grabbed Ron by the arm and pulled him away from Ginny.
"Don't Ron," she said in an undertone. "Not here, and not now. Please?"
"Fine," said Ron. "But she's positively indecent. Mum would have a fit if she knew."
"Well she doesn't know, and you're not going to tell her Ron. Now let's go sit down and listen to the music." At Dumbledore's signal, the Haunted Hags began to play, and two by two, the students drifted onto the dance floor. Draco escorted Ginny to a small table in a secluded corner of the Great Hall.
"Draco, would you mind getting me some punch?" Ginny asked. "I'm quite thirsty." Malfoy nodded and headed over to the refreshment table. As soon as he was across the hall, Pansy Parkinson approached the table.
"I don't know who you think you are Ginny Weasley," she said in her shrill voice. "Draco's mine, he always has been, and he always will be!"
"Really?" said Ginny as she raised an eyebrow and let her eyes go up and down the length of Pansy's puce coloured robes. She then looked over Pansy's shoulder to see Malfoy returning with their punch. "I was under the impression that people didn't own each other Pansy. Perhaps you could explain to me how you own Draco. I'm not quite sure I understand how its possible."
"Quite right Pet," drawled Draco setting the glasses of punch down on the table. Ginny smiled her thanks to him for the punch, but shuddered inwardly at the endearment. "I'd be interested in hearing that for myself. I don't belong to anybody Pansy. Least of all, you."
"Don't be ridiculous Draco," simpered Pansy. "You know our fathers agreed to an alliance between our families. You know you won't go against anything your father decides."

Ginny sat back and watched with interest as Draco and Pansy argued back and forth. The angrier Malfoy got, the paler his complexion became. When he was so pale that he looked as though he were about to pass out, Ginny broke into the conversation.
"You know Draco," she said sweetly. "I'd hate to cause problems between you and Pansy. So why don't I just…"
"No Ginny, really it's okay. Pansy was just leaving," Draco said quickly. "Weren't you Pansy?"
"But what about your father?" shrilled Pansy. "What's he going to say?"
"My mother and my father both wish to have Ginny join us for Christmas at Malfoy Manor," said Draco. "I believe that let's you know where my parents stand on the matter Pansy."

His announcement caused Pansy's face to fall. She turned and stormed away leaving Draco and Ginny alone. Draco turned to Ginny to explain. "I just got an owl from them tonight. I was going to ask you later on." Ginny looked at him while her mind raced, trying to figure out some way out of this situation.
"Draco, I don't know what to say," she began. "I'm really touched that your family would like me to come to your house for the holidays, but I can't." Why can't I, she thought to herself frantically. "It's the boys," she said brightening a bit. "All my brothers are going to be home for Christmas this year. Mum would kill me if I weren't there too. Why don't you come home with me instead?" she asked. The look on Draco's face was priceless. She could no more imagine Draco Malfoy at the Burrow than she could Professor Snape. Draco started say something, but Ginny interrupted him.
"Never mind," she said. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to come," she said. "It's going to be very crowded there. Besides, Harry and Hermione will be there," she added glumly.
"Ginny," said Malfoy, trying to speak over her voice. "I'd like to come. It will be, er, different."
"You would," said Ginny bleakly. "Oh, how wonderful. Uh, Draco, would you excuse me for a moment, I need to go, uh, powder my nose." She stood up quickly and crossed the dance floor, catching Hermione's eye as she left. Hermione waited a moment and excused herself to Ron and followed Ginny out of the Great Hall.

The two girls met inside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, holding their robes above the puddles of water on the floor. The steady drip-dripping of a faucet accented the faint sound of the Haunted Hags music as it echoed across the halls of the castle.
"Hermione, you have to help me," whispered Ginny. "What am I going to do?"
"Well for starters, I'd pull up the top of that robe," said Hermione. "What did you do, put a shrinking charm on it?"
"Hermione, I'm serious!" whispered Ginny furiously. "I have a real problem here. Draco invited me to go home with him for the holidays."
"What!" said Hermione. "What are you going to do, you can't go."
"I wish someone would invite me home for the holidays," whimpered a voice located in the S bend of the sink pipes. "Nobody ever wants to spend any time with me."
"Myrtle, do you mind, this is a private conversation," snapped Hermione. "I'll come visit you after the holidays. I promise."
"No you won't. Nobody ever visits me. I'm just so lonely," wailed the voice piteously.
"Myrtle, will you leave us alone!" shouted Hermione.
"Fine, if you want to be that way about it," sniffed Myrtle. She floated out of the sink drain and crossed over into the stall splashed into the water in the toilet, sending a fresh stream of water across the floor.
"Oh really," said Hermione. She nipped quickly into the stall and flushed the toilet and sent Myrtle rushing out into the lake.

"Ok, she's gone," said Hermione. "Ginny, what are you going to do, you can't go there. Dumbledore won't let you. Your family won't let you, I won't let you."
"Don't worry, I told him I couldn't, but, well, I," stammered Ginny.
"You what?" prompted Hermione. "Come on Ginny, tell me."
"Well," she said taking, a deep breath. "I invited him to spend the holidays at the Burrow!" she let out in a rush.
"Oh no," said Hermione. "Well this promises to be the worst Christmas holiday ever, that is, unless he said no," she added hopefully.
"He said yes," said Ginny dully. "Hermione, what am I going to do."
"You are going to do nothing," said Hermione. "I, on the other hand, am going to go send an owl to your mother letting her know to expect an extra guest. You are going to get back to the Great Hall before Malfoy becomes suspicious. Ron's going to have a fit when he hears about this," she added as an afterthought.