I don't own Harry Potter or any Harry Potter characters I wish I owned Chad Michael Murray though because he is hott!! That's right two t's.

(A/N Hoppers: Ginny and Draco will eventually kiss and make up, I just don't know when.)

Chapter 12: Masks

It had been a month since Hogsmeade weekend. Ginny and Draco had continued their potion lessons, but they hadn't actually spoken to each other. In fact they hadn't said one word. They worked in silence, for two hours three times a week. Dean had also stayed away from Ginny. She had the feeling that it was probably something Ron had said, or yelled as the case probably had.

Ginny had fallen into a pretty nice groove at school. She didn't like it much but it was working. She went to potions where Draco didn't talk to her, went to potion tutor sessions where Draco didn't talk to her, then she went to lunch where if she were lucky Colin would be ther to talk to. If he weren't wrapped up in his girl friend. The best part of Ginny's day was the roof. She felt herself going up there more and more often, just so she could be alone without feeling lonely. That's when Dumbledore made the announcement at dinner.

"I'm pleased to announce that instead our usual Halloween party we are throwing a Masquerade Ball." Dumbledore announced.

The great hall broke out in cheers.

Ginny sat there feeling more alone than usual. A masquerade ball? Why were they having a ball, why couldn't they just have their usual party?

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Draco sat there and groaned. A masquerade ball, in which Pansy would expect him to take her. Since the Hogsmeade weekend she had been around him constantly. It seemed like he couldn't get away. The only time she wasn't around him was when he was at the tutoring sessions with Ginny.

God those weren't going well. He didn't ever say anything to her. She barely even looked at him. When she did hate would flash through her eyes.

"Draco." Pansy said in a baby voice.

"Yes Pansy I will take you to the ball." Draco said rolling his eyes.

"Yay." Pansy said kissing him on the cheek.

Merlin save him, the ball with Pansy.

I bet that prat is going to ask her to the ball, Draco thought to himself. He couldn't stand Dean. Dean wasn't good enough for her, wasn't good enough to even be in her presence.

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Ginny watched as Ron asked Hermione to the ball, and as girls rushed up to Harry. She saw Dean glance at her and then at Ron. She watched Draco roll his eyes at Pansy as he told her he would take her to the ball. She saw how everybody was so excited. Everyone but her. Girls were chattering back and forth about what color dress to buy and what their mask would like. Guys were talking about how smashing they would look in their capes.

Ginny got up from the table and walked out of the great hall. No one spoke to her. No one noticed that she wasn't excited about the ball. She wandered up stairs and corridors, and she found herself on the roof.

"What am I doing?" Ginny asked herself as she sat down. "What do I do now?"

Ginny didn't even realize she was crying till she felt the drops running down her cheeks. She reached up and wiped the tears away.

"I will not cry." Ginny told herself. "I will not cry."

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Draco saw Ginny get up and leave the Great Hall, he had seen how when the ball was announced her face fell. Not much, just enough for him to notice.

Draco got up and quietly followed her. He didn't know what he was doing. He just felt like he better just make sure she was okay.

He followed her up to the roof.

"What am I doing? What do I do now?" he heard her say as she sat on the roof.

He saw how she reached up to her cheeks to wipe away what he assumed to be tears.

Draco turned around and quietly left the roof.

"What have I done?" Draco asked himself as he made his way back down to his room.

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Two days later Ginny was sitting outside by the lake thinking. For the past two days all everyone had done was talk about the masquerade ball. It was already a tired topic to Ginny. How will I last for another week and a half having to hear about this stupid ball.

"Hey Ginny." Dean said coming up behind her.

"Hey Dean." Ginny replied. "Long time no see."

"Yeah, sorry about that, I've been busy." Dean replied.

"For a month?"

"Yeah you know N.E.W.T.s coming up this year, lots of studying." Dean replied sheepishly.

"Yeah, so what can I do for you?" Ginny asked trying to get him to the point.

"I was wondering if you would go to the masquerade ball with me?" Dean asked.

"I don't think so Dean." Ginny replied.

"Come on Ginny please?" Dean asked again.

"I really don't think so." Ginny told him again.

"Oh come on Ginny, you know you are going to say yes eventually." Dean said grabbing her arm.

"Leave her alone, she already turned your sorry ass down." Draco said from behind Dean.

"This is none of you business." Dean said turning to Draco.

"Normally I would totally agree but you see you are making my potions partner late, and she obviously doesn't want to go with you so if you could just accept her no then I can get to potions on time with my partner." Draco said towering over Dean.

"We'll finish this later." Dean said to Ginny before he turned to walk away.

"Thanks." Ginny told Draco quietly as they started to walk towards potions together.

"It's no problem." Draco said not looking at her. "I didn't want to do all the work alone. Snape's giving us a hard potion today."

"Oh." Ginny said quietly looking down.

They didn't say another word to one another on the way to potions.

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Ginny and Draco had another uncomfortable tutor session that night filled with lack of talking. Ginny was drained when she got back to her room that night. She was about to flop down on her bed when she noticed a rather large box sitting on the bed.

"What in Merlin?" Ginny asked herself.

She noticed a card sitting on top of the box and decided to open that first.

Will you be my Cinderella,

Meet me at the ball.

So that we can together.

Celebrate the season of fall.

Will you be my Sleeping Beauty,

And dance away the night.

Meet me at 8

I'll be your Mr. Right.

-You're admirer.

Ginny smiled to herself. "Who could have left this? What if it were Dean?"

"No he isn't that creative." She answered her own question.

She put the card aside and opened up the box and gasped. Inside was an emerald green ball gown and a black and green mask.

"This is gorgeous." Ginny said holding the gown up to her and looking in the mirror. "Who did this?"

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Draco was sitting in his room with Pansy, listening go on and on about something. He hadn't actually heard a word she said, he just nodded every now and then and grunted. He was so bored. All of a sudden he heard her say something about the ball.

"What about the ball?" Draco asked.

"I was just wondering what color gown you wanted me to wear?" Pansy asked. "You know so that you can match to it."

"Oh um wear red or something." Draco replied not really caring.

"Ok so I'll wear red then?" Pansy asked looking at Draco for approval.

"Yeah, I don't care." Draco replied faking a yawn. "Gee Pansy it is really late and I am tired, perhaps you should leave so I can get some sleep."

"Sure thing babe." Pansy replied leaning over to kiss him.

He hated kissing her, she always forced her tongue down his throat, it never felt right.