A few hours before the Ball was about to begin Ginny, Hermione and Luna started to prepare themselves for the event. They were jostled together in front of the mirror in Hermione's dormitory, doing their hair and make-up. They were all very excited and filled with anticipation.
At six o'clock the three girls, and Harry and Ron left the Gryffindor common room together. Ginny was walking a few feet behind the two couples, and when entering the Entrance Hall they were hit by a buzz of excitement. Half an hour later the door to the Great Hall opened.
Instead of the usual house tables, smaller round tables – with six seats each – had been placed all over the Great Hall. The walls were draped in garlands which climbed up into the enchanted ceiling, and it looked like though there was no end to them. In the far back of the hall there stood a mighty Christmas tree, covered in a layer of snow, glistening in the light of the candles dancing around above it. A few inches over every plate a name floated in different colours, depending on which house the student belonged to.
After a few minutes of searching Ginny found her seat at a table in the back. She was the first one to arrive and sat down starting to watch her surroundings. She was soon accompanied by a seventh year boy from Hufflepuff – Ernie Macmillan.
"Hullo, you're Ron's little sister, right?" Ernie smiled at her.
"Unfortunately," muttered Ginny.
"Ernie Macmillan, pleased to meet you," he said and shook her hand.
"Likewise," Ginny said and forced a smile.
"Oh, if it isn't the Weasel's sister," a shrill female voice, from behind, cut in. Ginny turned around to see who the voice belonged to, and was met by the sight of Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. Pansy smirked when she saw Ginny frown. When Pansy and Draco sat down the green names floating above their plates vanished.
The group of four was soon six, when two more Hufflepuffs sat down – Hannah Abbott and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Although Ernie entertained Ginny with different stories about himself a minute or so, he soon turned to his friends instead, and Ginny was left with no one to talk to.
Ginny couldn't help noticing the way Pansy flirted with Draco, who sat there with a polite smile, nodding every so often to what Pansy said.
When dinner was over the tables magically disappeared, music started to play and people began to dance. Ginny watched as more and more couples entered the dance-floor where they drifted away in each other's arms. Ginny sighed as she spotted Draco and Pansy dancing closely together.
She got up from her chair and moved quickly towards the exit. She walked through the Entrance Hall and out into the cool winter's night. She kept going until she had reached the lake, where she sat down on a tree stump right next to the waterside. Ginny gazed out over the still waters of the lake, shimmering in the moonlight.
Lost in thoughts she didn't notice the person approaching her slowly. Only when he sat down next to her did she notice that she wasn't alone anymore. They sat there in complete silence, not uttering a word.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ginny said thoughtfully, still staring at the water. "By the way, thank you," she added silently.
"What for?" she heard Draco ask.
"The necklace."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't be silly, I know it was you," she said knowingly.
Quietly they sat next to each other, reluctantly enjoying the presence of the other. Ginny shivered in the cold air, and immediately Draco pulled off his cloak and put it around her shoulders. Ginny looked at him, her eyes widened in surprise, and for the first time ever Ginny saw Draco smile a genuine smile.
"You should smile more often, it looks good on you," said Ginny.
"I tend to save it for special occasions." Ginny blushed.
"Oh," she breathed.
Another half an hour passed in silence, and then Draco spoke; "Maybe we should head back now? It's getting late."
Ginny nodded and side by side they started walking to the school again. Every now and then their hands brushed against each other, and Ginny had to admit to herself that it in fact wasn't an unpleasant feeling at all. When they reached the Entrance Hall, Ginny pulled the cloak off her and handed it back to Draco.
"Thank you Draco, for everything," she whispered gently.
Then she got to her toes and placed a feather light kiss on his cheek. For the second time that evening a smile played on his lips.
"You're welcome, Ginny," he said.
Ginny turned around and climbed the stairs, heading for the Gryffindor Tower. She didn't her brother shouting her name, nor did she hear the thud of a fist hitting Draco in his face.