FINALLY computer access! Now you guys can rely on daily(somewhat)
updates..thank you for all the reviews that poured in for the last chapter!
I'm so used to giving those "if you don't update I'll die" reviews, and
it's a whole other feeling to get them! So heres chapter the twelfth, just
so y'all don't die on me!
"I'm in love."
"I'm in love"
"I'm in love"
"Your in love and no matter how many times you say it or over
emphasize, its still going to be true."
Dismissing this as an echo from her mind, Ginny kept on staring at herself in the mirror. It was only in the middle of doing her hair that she realized that her mind didn't usually have brown hair and give her an infuriating grin at the most inopportune moments.
"Her...how, who...what?" she sputtered, whirling around to face her
eavesdropper.
"The freckle, Draco, and that very recent monologue I just
witnessed." Hermione answered smoothly, to the seemingly
incomprehensible enquiries. "How did you know about the freckle?"
"I noticed your brothers' hands a lot before we were dating, and every
year it got lighter, and when we finally started dating, it
disappeared."
"It disappeared? Wait, you noticed my brothers' hands a lot? His
hands aren't that special.."
"To me they are."
"Please Hermione, if you claim to be my best friend, don't make me
ruin my new robes by snorting milk out of my nose, by clutching them
as I shriek with hysterical laughter, by puking-"
"I get the point!"
"Oh...alright..so..."
"You and Draco? I know you love him."
"But what about..."
"Oh, that! No you're a perfect couple."
"Yes, but.."
"I know, it might take a little mind bending on your brother's part,
but he knows about the potion."
"Do you plan on making mind-reading a profession?"
"Ok enough wisecracks, I know you only use them to cover your extreme
nervousness."
"No really I-"
"Get dressed Gin!"
"So..how do I look?"
"Drake, do you want the male to male answer, or the Colin Creevey answer?"
"The...second one."
"Delicious, just delicious. That shade of navy blue brings out the
hidden azure in the depths of your eyes, and when your hair falls just
so, it lends your aristocratic countenance a softness to combat the
ruggedly sexy manliness inherent in those sculpted features."
"Remind me to ask for the male to male next time, I was aiming for
something monosyllabic."
"Why..is ickle Draco nervous about his date?"
"Rubbish Blaise, I've been on loads of dates."
"Yes, but not with the girl you loooooove"
First you come onto me, and then you go juvenile. I don't know why I
bother with you."
"Come off it Drake, I'm not coming onto you..I'm merely attempting to
use my intellectual humor to combat the basilisks of nervousness that
are currently writhing in your belly."
"Just get dressed! Unless you plan on coming to the ball in a towel.." "Well Pansy would like that wouldn't she?"
"No she wouldn..wait! You and Pansy?"
"Maybe."
"Oh, now you answer in monosyllables, what happened to poetic Blaise?
No fountain of poetry gushing this time?"
A series of muffled curses was his answer, and Draco laughed for the
first time that day.
"So she didn't say yes, but she didn't say no either..what do you make of that?"
"Well mate, since she's fancied you for four odd years, I think it's
a yes. I mean Hermione-"
"Yes?"
Ron Weasley turned around and his jaw promptly dropped. His girlfriend, commonly known as Hermione, had transformed into a vision in rose-colored robes and her loose curls down around her face.
"You look very nice Ron, those black robes really suit you."
"I-you-" Hermione rolled her eyes, this was the second time today
someone had gone incoherent on her. Honestly!
"I think I know what your trying to say, and thank you. I...hope"
She glanced at Harry, who grinned at her and said,
"I could tell you that you look stunning, but I think Ron's reaction says it all."
Ron nodded fervently, and Hermione smiled.
"Where's Ginny?" Harry enquired, seemingly nonchalant.
"Oh she said for us to go ahead, and she'd meet her at the ball.
She's having some...preparation anxiety." Hermione smiled to herself,
by anxiety she meant frantically primping and asking the unmoving
mirror whether Draco would like this hairstyle, or that one. "Did she..erm..mention who she was going with?" Harry asked hopefully.
Hermione, not catching the note in his voice, beamed at him.
"No, she didn't say, but she said that she was really looking forward to it."
Harry smiled, his unspoken fears temporarily vanishing.
Ron held out his hand to Hermione, speaking for the first time.
"Shall we?"
Draco twitched impatiently as he sat at his chair, rejecting every innuendo filled offer to dance he was receiving from boys and girls alike. He watched morosely as Blaise and Pansy twirled around, and laughed at each other's inane jokes. Where the hell was Weasley? She'd said she was coming wasn't she? His thought process was interrupted when he heard a collective gasp go through the dance floor. When he looked to the entrance, he promptly lost his mind.
When he came back to his senses, some rational voice at the back of Draco's head (that sounded vaguely like Mcgonagall) was informing him that Ginny Weasley had finally made it. It stopped there, as he took in her appearance.
Ginny had always been slightly insecure about her looks, despite protests to the contrary from everyone she knew. Tonight though, she knew she was beautiful, and the way he was looking at her, made her feel it too.
The light flickered across her pulled back hair, making it shine red-gold. Her robes fit her closely, and the pale green made her skin look luminous. There was no describing her, she was ethereal, she was surreal, she was..
"Weasley looks quite nice tonight." Snape dead-panned to Lupin, as
they watched the furore she generated.
"Is that all you can say? Malfoy is a lucky dog, and I hope he's aware of it."
"Oh, I would say by his expression that he most certainly is aware."
"Merlin, she makes me want to be seventeen again."
"I know I didn't hear you exchanging suggestive comments about one of
our underage students, Remus and Severus. Especially one of my
students."
"Minerva, and Albus! I must say Albus, you look particularly dashing tonight."
"Why thank you Severus, enjoy your evening."
As Albus walked away, Mconagall rolled her eyes at the two men.
"Ah Severus, what an original choice of robes. Black on black!
Perhaps next year you'll be really daring and make it black on grey.
Pathetic attempt at garnering favor with the judge by the way."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Only that he saw right through it."
"Oh bug-"
"Now Severus, I know you weren't going to swear in front of two of
your fellow faculty members."
"Remus, that intimidation act only works when Minerva does it. Better
leave it to the professionals."
"Alright gentlemen, I think we've effectively filled our witty banter
quota for the night. Now, lets get to business."
"Ah yes, operation romancing the snake"
"I thought it was romancing the lion"
"Snake.."
"Oh for Merlin's sake!"
Ginny had been watching Malfoy for almost ten minutes now. Harry's gasp was gratifying, but she was dying to know what he thought. He hadn't even approached her, but then again, he wasn't dancing with anyone else, was he? But wait...were Malfoys the dancing type? Maybe he was..
"Fancy a dance?"
Maybe he was right behind her and smirking because he knew she was looking for him.
"Yes."
Draco wordlessly held out his hand, and she followed him to the dance floor. As they reached it, he casually turned his head and tossed a comment over his shoulder.
"Oh, and you look breathtaking by the way."
The comment was made airily, it was made dismissively, but it sent thrills through her veins. He noticed, he liked what he saw, and for now; that was all that mattered.
"Change that song, now!" Mcgonagall hissed.
"Easier said than done, Minerva. Just how will we get the band
members to comply?"
"Leave it to me."
Before they could say anything, Severus stalked across the room to the lead singer, who was taking a quick break. Minerva promptly cast an advanced eavesdropping charm, and she and Lupin pressed their ears to her wand.
"Hello, let me introduce myself, my name is-"
"Severus Snape, I know." The attractive blonde turned to him and
flashed a smile. He was caught unawares, perhaps she had read some
article about him in Witch Weekly, she didn't seem the type to peruse
other journals.
"Erm..how?"
"You are my biggest inspiration Professor! I've been tracking your
work ever since I read "An advanced perusal of the side effects in
Hexificus mixtures".
"You...really?"
"Yes, absolutely! And after I read "Polyjuice metamorphosis in a
nutshell", one of your lighter pieces I presume, I was addicted."
"Well...I, that is to say...I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"
Remus and Minerva exchanged identical looks of astonishment, and then turned back to the wand. Severus was laughing now, making his voice a rich baritone.
"Sandy, would you care to join me for a private dinner after this event?"
"That depends, will there be dessert?"
"If you want some."
"Oh I most certainly do."
"Well in that case, I wonder if you would do me a favor,"
"Anything."
"One of those slow songs please, I believe a certain couple is in
dire need of them. And after that, if you don't mind terribly, we can
leave."
"Leave? I'd love to I never could stand these bloody occasions."
Lupin pushed away from the wand, dumbfounded, and then turned to Mcgonagall.
"I'm sorry, maybe I'm dreaming, but I could have sworn that I just
witnessed Severus Snape, a blonde, and sexual tension."
"You did."
"Right, then you may now refer to me as Lulu."
Mcgonagall's look said enough.
"It was a rash promise I made to myself. If I was ever around to see
Severus Snape land a probable shag, I would change my name." Lupin
replied dully to her stare.
"Remus! Must you be so crude?"
"You know it as well as I do, and its Lulu now."
Draco was looking intently at her fingers as he twirled her around.
"So...the Astronomy tower huh?" Ginny said breathlessly as she turned
back to him, her face flushed from dancing.
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, well we didn't do much talking..." he raised another eyebrow
now, filled with secret amusement at how flustered she was getting.
"Alright Draco, stop that."
"Stop what?"
"You know very well what. What I am trying so unsuccessfully to say
is that, why were you at the astronomy tower that night?"
"If I tell, you, you have to promise on your life, not to tell anyone."
"I erm..promise."
"Alright, I was stargazing."
"Stargazing! That seems so very uncharacteristic of you!"
"Why should it? I mean I know I'm expected to be off on my white
horse fighting dragons and the like, but actually astronomy is my
favorite thing." Draco said, as he expertly stepped to her right and
twirled her, and then stopped for a second, looking at her
contemplatively.
"Actually...its my second favorite thing.."
"What's your first favorite?"
He didn't reply, and instead smiled enigmatically and looked at her little finger.
"Do all the Weasleys have this line of freckles on their fingers?"
"Yes"
"What do they mean?"
"Well this first one is life, and the last one is new life, and the middle.."
"Yes, what about the middle?"
"Its..erm..well I won't tell you until you tell me what your first
favorite thing is."
"Oh is that so?" Draco asked, doing his best smirk as he moved in
closer to her. She nodded saucily, glancing at him from under her
eyelashes.
"Well then, my first favorite thing is...." Ginny gasped as he suddenly
caught her around the waist, twirled her around and then dipped her,
gazing suddenly and intently into her eyes.
"Kissing you."
Her face suddenly flushed with color and her knees felt weak. She
grabbed onto his arms, and he pulled her up, close to him, facing him,
his mouth very close to hers. A slow song had started in the
background, and it was the perfect moment, but before either could
react, there was a tap on Ginny's shoulder.
"Mind if I cut in?" She turned around, about to give a good natured
brush off to Colin, when she was confronted with a pair of green eyes.
Harry Potter was standing there, his hand outstretched towards her.
AN: Don't send me death threats, I plan on posting the next chapter as soon as possible. Meanwhile, review and tell me what you thought.
"I'm in love."
"I'm in love"
"I'm in love"
"Your in love and no matter how many times you say it or over
emphasize, its still going to be true."
Dismissing this as an echo from her mind, Ginny kept on staring at herself in the mirror. It was only in the middle of doing her hair that she realized that her mind didn't usually have brown hair and give her an infuriating grin at the most inopportune moments.
"Her...how, who...what?" she sputtered, whirling around to face her
eavesdropper.
"The freckle, Draco, and that very recent monologue I just
witnessed." Hermione answered smoothly, to the seemingly
incomprehensible enquiries. "How did you know about the freckle?"
"I noticed your brothers' hands a lot before we were dating, and every
year it got lighter, and when we finally started dating, it
disappeared."
"It disappeared? Wait, you noticed my brothers' hands a lot? His
hands aren't that special.."
"To me they are."
"Please Hermione, if you claim to be my best friend, don't make me
ruin my new robes by snorting milk out of my nose, by clutching them
as I shriek with hysterical laughter, by puking-"
"I get the point!"
"Oh...alright..so..."
"You and Draco? I know you love him."
"But what about..."
"Oh, that! No you're a perfect couple."
"Yes, but.."
"I know, it might take a little mind bending on your brother's part,
but he knows about the potion."
"Do you plan on making mind-reading a profession?"
"Ok enough wisecracks, I know you only use them to cover your extreme
nervousness."
"No really I-"
"Get dressed Gin!"
"So..how do I look?"
"Drake, do you want the male to male answer, or the Colin Creevey answer?"
"The...second one."
"Delicious, just delicious. That shade of navy blue brings out the
hidden azure in the depths of your eyes, and when your hair falls just
so, it lends your aristocratic countenance a softness to combat the
ruggedly sexy manliness inherent in those sculpted features."
"Remind me to ask for the male to male next time, I was aiming for
something monosyllabic."
"Why..is ickle Draco nervous about his date?"
"Rubbish Blaise, I've been on loads of dates."
"Yes, but not with the girl you loooooove"
First you come onto me, and then you go juvenile. I don't know why I
bother with you."
"Come off it Drake, I'm not coming onto you..I'm merely attempting to
use my intellectual humor to combat the basilisks of nervousness that
are currently writhing in your belly."
"Just get dressed! Unless you plan on coming to the ball in a towel.." "Well Pansy would like that wouldn't she?"
"No she wouldn..wait! You and Pansy?"
"Maybe."
"Oh, now you answer in monosyllables, what happened to poetic Blaise?
No fountain of poetry gushing this time?"
A series of muffled curses was his answer, and Draco laughed for the
first time that day.
"So she didn't say yes, but she didn't say no either..what do you make of that?"
"Well mate, since she's fancied you for four odd years, I think it's
a yes. I mean Hermione-"
"Yes?"
Ron Weasley turned around and his jaw promptly dropped. His girlfriend, commonly known as Hermione, had transformed into a vision in rose-colored robes and her loose curls down around her face.
"You look very nice Ron, those black robes really suit you."
"I-you-" Hermione rolled her eyes, this was the second time today
someone had gone incoherent on her. Honestly!
"I think I know what your trying to say, and thank you. I...hope"
She glanced at Harry, who grinned at her and said,
"I could tell you that you look stunning, but I think Ron's reaction says it all."
Ron nodded fervently, and Hermione smiled.
"Where's Ginny?" Harry enquired, seemingly nonchalant.
"Oh she said for us to go ahead, and she'd meet her at the ball.
She's having some...preparation anxiety." Hermione smiled to herself,
by anxiety she meant frantically primping and asking the unmoving
mirror whether Draco would like this hairstyle, or that one. "Did she..erm..mention who she was going with?" Harry asked hopefully.
Hermione, not catching the note in his voice, beamed at him.
"No, she didn't say, but she said that she was really looking forward to it."
Harry smiled, his unspoken fears temporarily vanishing.
Ron held out his hand to Hermione, speaking for the first time.
"Shall we?"
Draco twitched impatiently as he sat at his chair, rejecting every innuendo filled offer to dance he was receiving from boys and girls alike. He watched morosely as Blaise and Pansy twirled around, and laughed at each other's inane jokes. Where the hell was Weasley? She'd said she was coming wasn't she? His thought process was interrupted when he heard a collective gasp go through the dance floor. When he looked to the entrance, he promptly lost his mind.
When he came back to his senses, some rational voice at the back of Draco's head (that sounded vaguely like Mcgonagall) was informing him that Ginny Weasley had finally made it. It stopped there, as he took in her appearance.
Ginny had always been slightly insecure about her looks, despite protests to the contrary from everyone she knew. Tonight though, she knew she was beautiful, and the way he was looking at her, made her feel it too.
The light flickered across her pulled back hair, making it shine red-gold. Her robes fit her closely, and the pale green made her skin look luminous. There was no describing her, she was ethereal, she was surreal, she was..
"Weasley looks quite nice tonight." Snape dead-panned to Lupin, as
they watched the furore she generated.
"Is that all you can say? Malfoy is a lucky dog, and I hope he's aware of it."
"Oh, I would say by his expression that he most certainly is aware."
"Merlin, she makes me want to be seventeen again."
"I know I didn't hear you exchanging suggestive comments about one of
our underage students, Remus and Severus. Especially one of my
students."
"Minerva, and Albus! I must say Albus, you look particularly dashing tonight."
"Why thank you Severus, enjoy your evening."
As Albus walked away, Mconagall rolled her eyes at the two men.
"Ah Severus, what an original choice of robes. Black on black!
Perhaps next year you'll be really daring and make it black on grey.
Pathetic attempt at garnering favor with the judge by the way."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Only that he saw right through it."
"Oh bug-"
"Now Severus, I know you weren't going to swear in front of two of
your fellow faculty members."
"Remus, that intimidation act only works when Minerva does it. Better
leave it to the professionals."
"Alright gentlemen, I think we've effectively filled our witty banter
quota for the night. Now, lets get to business."
"Ah yes, operation romancing the snake"
"I thought it was romancing the lion"
"Snake.."
"Oh for Merlin's sake!"
Ginny had been watching Malfoy for almost ten minutes now. Harry's gasp was gratifying, but she was dying to know what he thought. He hadn't even approached her, but then again, he wasn't dancing with anyone else, was he? But wait...were Malfoys the dancing type? Maybe he was..
"Fancy a dance?"
Maybe he was right behind her and smirking because he knew she was looking for him.
"Yes."
Draco wordlessly held out his hand, and she followed him to the dance floor. As they reached it, he casually turned his head and tossed a comment over his shoulder.
"Oh, and you look breathtaking by the way."
The comment was made airily, it was made dismissively, but it sent thrills through her veins. He noticed, he liked what he saw, and for now; that was all that mattered.
"Change that song, now!" Mcgonagall hissed.
"Easier said than done, Minerva. Just how will we get the band
members to comply?"
"Leave it to me."
Before they could say anything, Severus stalked across the room to the lead singer, who was taking a quick break. Minerva promptly cast an advanced eavesdropping charm, and she and Lupin pressed their ears to her wand.
"Hello, let me introduce myself, my name is-"
"Severus Snape, I know." The attractive blonde turned to him and
flashed a smile. He was caught unawares, perhaps she had read some
article about him in Witch Weekly, she didn't seem the type to peruse
other journals.
"Erm..how?"
"You are my biggest inspiration Professor! I've been tracking your
work ever since I read "An advanced perusal of the side effects in
Hexificus mixtures".
"You...really?"
"Yes, absolutely! And after I read "Polyjuice metamorphosis in a
nutshell", one of your lighter pieces I presume, I was addicted."
"Well...I, that is to say...I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"
Remus and Minerva exchanged identical looks of astonishment, and then turned back to the wand. Severus was laughing now, making his voice a rich baritone.
"Sandy, would you care to join me for a private dinner after this event?"
"That depends, will there be dessert?"
"If you want some."
"Oh I most certainly do."
"Well in that case, I wonder if you would do me a favor,"
"Anything."
"One of those slow songs please, I believe a certain couple is in
dire need of them. And after that, if you don't mind terribly, we can
leave."
"Leave? I'd love to I never could stand these bloody occasions."
Lupin pushed away from the wand, dumbfounded, and then turned to Mcgonagall.
"I'm sorry, maybe I'm dreaming, but I could have sworn that I just
witnessed Severus Snape, a blonde, and sexual tension."
"You did."
"Right, then you may now refer to me as Lulu."
Mcgonagall's look said enough.
"It was a rash promise I made to myself. If I was ever around to see
Severus Snape land a probable shag, I would change my name." Lupin
replied dully to her stare.
"Remus! Must you be so crude?"
"You know it as well as I do, and its Lulu now."
Draco was looking intently at her fingers as he twirled her around.
"So...the Astronomy tower huh?" Ginny said breathlessly as she turned
back to him, her face flushed from dancing.
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, well we didn't do much talking..." he raised another eyebrow
now, filled with secret amusement at how flustered she was getting.
"Alright Draco, stop that."
"Stop what?"
"You know very well what. What I am trying so unsuccessfully to say
is that, why were you at the astronomy tower that night?"
"If I tell, you, you have to promise on your life, not to tell anyone."
"I erm..promise."
"Alright, I was stargazing."
"Stargazing! That seems so very uncharacteristic of you!"
"Why should it? I mean I know I'm expected to be off on my white
horse fighting dragons and the like, but actually astronomy is my
favorite thing." Draco said, as he expertly stepped to her right and
twirled her, and then stopped for a second, looking at her
contemplatively.
"Actually...its my second favorite thing.."
"What's your first favorite?"
He didn't reply, and instead smiled enigmatically and looked at her little finger.
"Do all the Weasleys have this line of freckles on their fingers?"
"Yes"
"What do they mean?"
"Well this first one is life, and the last one is new life, and the middle.."
"Yes, what about the middle?"
"Its..erm..well I won't tell you until you tell me what your first
favorite thing is."
"Oh is that so?" Draco asked, doing his best smirk as he moved in
closer to her. She nodded saucily, glancing at him from under her
eyelashes.
"Well then, my first favorite thing is...." Ginny gasped as he suddenly
caught her around the waist, twirled her around and then dipped her,
gazing suddenly and intently into her eyes.
"Kissing you."
Her face suddenly flushed with color and her knees felt weak. She
grabbed onto his arms, and he pulled her up, close to him, facing him,
his mouth very close to hers. A slow song had started in the
background, and it was the perfect moment, but before either could
react, there was a tap on Ginny's shoulder.
"Mind if I cut in?" She turned around, about to give a good natured
brush off to Colin, when she was confronted with a pair of green eyes.
Harry Potter was standing there, his hand outstretched towards her.
AN: Don't send me death threats, I plan on posting the next chapter as soon as possible. Meanwhile, review and tell me what you thought.