About a week after the poster had appeared in the Common Rooms, the 7th year Gryffindors could be found exiting Professor Flitwick's classroom, all eagerly looking forward to their first Hogsmeade trip of the year, which was, in fact, tomorrow. Seeing as Kora had no guardian to sign her permission slip, Dumbledore had agreed to let her go anyway. She shouldn't be punished for something she couldn't help.

Most of the students were going to take advantage of this Hogsmeade trip, planning on buying all the stuff they needed for the ball. Most everybody had already had a date. Kora had yet to be asked.

Kora bustled through the crowd, still startled and curious about the note she had received in the middle of class.

"Meet me at the tapestry in the hallway after class." Was all that it said. No name, no nothing.

Kora shifted her bag nervously on her shoulder as she made her way to the tapestry. She knew it was a Gryffindor; there was nobody from any other house in her class. The thought of anyone wanting to meet her alone still frightened her, Gryffindor or not, as she leaned against the wall, crossing her arms, waiting for this person to come.

"Kora?" Kora looked up towards the voice that said her name, startled to find herself looking into the most brilliant green eyes she'd ever seen.

"Harry? W-what are you doing here? You have to leave, I'm waiting for someone." She blurted out, not even thinking for one second that he could be the one she was waiting for. Harry laughed.

"Why are you laughing at me?"

"Because I'm the one that sent you that note."

"Oh .." Kora blushed a bright pink color, "Well, why did you ask me to come here?" She inquired, looking up at him curiously.

"Honestly? I wanted to ask you something." Harry cleared his throat nervously looking down at his feet.

"You've probably heard about that Halloween Ball, and, uh, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me? Maybe?" He glanced up at her, his eyebrows raised, waiting for an answer.

"Oh Harry. I-I don't know .." She managed to stutter out, still in shock. She hadn't expected anyone to ask her to be their date, and there she was, being asked to accompany Harry Potter. Harry Potter! Of all boys in the school, she'd last expect him. She looked at him again, his face still anxious and expectant. Maybe he actually did want to go with her. He didn't seem like one to ask her as a joke.

"Oh, I suppose so .. I mean .. Yeah. I-I guess I'll go with you." Harry's face lit up in a wide grin.

"Great! I mean .. yeah, thanks." His cheeks had a slight pink tinge to them now.

"I guess I'll be seeing you around then." he offered, looking much more relieved.

"Yeah. Sounds good." She smiled warmly at the boy in front of her, and pushed herself off the wall with her shoulders, stalking off to the Great Hall, a grin on her lips and butterflies in her stomach.

Kora pranced her way to the Great Hall, confident that something in her may not have gone horribly wrong after all. Kora entered the massive dining hall, still beaming as if she had just found a bag filled with galleons. People gave her odd looks, as if she didn't deserve to be this happy, but she ignored them and went on with her dinner. Kora figured that maybe this was the beginning of a new life. A life where she wasn't depressed, wasn't invisible, and one where she could just be a normal 17 year old girl. She even started to think that maybe, just maybe, she might even get a boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend, but Harry Potter. THE Harry Potter. Not just the boy-who-lived, but also the only student who knew the real reason for her departure last year.

Was it pity? Possibly, but then why did he look so relieved when she said yes? Was he really that desperate? Of course not! He's Harry-bloody-Potter! He could snag up any girl at Hogwarts with a slick smile and that wink of an eye.

She sighed, finishing the last of her meal and gazing around the Great Hall, deciding she wouldn't dwell on it any longer. She got out of her seat and headed to the Common Room, not seeing Harry, Ron, or Hermione at the table. She dismissed this fact, and strolled out of the Great Hall.

As she reached the Fat Lady, she murmured the password and stepped inside, immediately seeing Harry and Ron sitting in a corner chatting, a huge smile still on Harry's face. Ron nudged Harry in the side, whispered something to him, and gestured in Kora's direction, making Harry look at her. He grinned and waved to her, his other hand going up to ruffle his hair. If any one of his father's old friend had been there at that exact moment, they would have had to do a double take at how very much he looked like James. Kora waved back, smiling, tucking some stray hair behind her ear and walked up to the girl's dorms.

As soon as she stepped inside, she was nearly plowed down by Hermione, and Ginny was sitting down on Hermione's bed, looking equally excited.

"Harry's just told us!" she squealed, grabbing Kora by the shoulders and dragging her to her bed, pushing her down right next to Ginny. "You have to go shopping with us tomorrow for your dress!"

Hermione just kept babbling on and on, taking turns with Ginny.

"What are you going as?"

"How are you doing your hair?"

"Can I do your hair?"

"Can I do your makeup?"

"But I wanted to do her makeup!"

Kora groaned, suddenly remembering why she had secluded herself from the rest of the world in the past.

"I-I don't know.."

"How can you not know!"

"Can I just .. can I have some breathing room? Please?" she asked, standing up and walking to the bathroom without another word, closing and locking the door behind her. She leaned against the wall, her eyes closed and a small smile playing against her lips. She slowly slid down the wall, still smiling because the fact that for once in her life, more than one person actually noticed her for something other than being 'that weird girl'. So much so, in fact, that it was getting to be quite overwhelming.

Pushing herself to her feet, she walked towards the sink and turned on the faucet. Kora cupped her hands underneath the flowing stream to catch the falling water. She closed her eyes and brought her hands to her face, splashing the cool liquid across it. She repeated this motion twice more before straightening up, and drying her face off with a towel.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror; it didn't look like her at all. She was smiling. She could barely recognize herself when she smiled. Kora raised up a hand and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, not being able to believe something this good could happen to her.

She took a deep breath, and turned away from her reflection, slowly opening the door and waking back out into her room. She saw Hermione sitting on her bed, reading, but Ginny was gone.

"Is your offer to go shopping tomorrow still valid?" she asked meekly.

Hermione just grinned and nodded, "Of course."