A/N: Yes, little old me is writing fanfics when she should be doing assignments… heh.I don't want to upset my readers by leaving it for too long…

Well, hope you enjoy this chapter! Please read and review or just comment a little.. this chapter may seem a bit dodgy but I need a filler in between the first chapter and the ball…

If anything seems a bit choppy its because I've been desperately trying to make this chapter a little bit loner. Hope it's worked ok… fingers crossed…

Thanks to: Feather-Quill1, the-girl-trapped-in-a-dream, Janangel and awindsor84. I'm glad you liked it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own the characters. I do not own the plot. I do not own anything, it seems. Boohoo

Chapter 2

"Has anyone seen my prefect badge?"

"These shoes are too tight! Do you think I should just go barefoot?"

"Ow! I think I burnt myself! I knew straightening my hair was a bad idea…"

"Cho, Pavarti stole my prefect badge!"

"Don't be stupid! Everyone knows that you can't burn yourself on a hair straightener… here, I'll show you… OW!"

"Cho!"

"See, I told you!"

"Cho!"

Cho continued to blow-dry her hair. However, when the hairdryer couldn't block out the din any more, she decided that she had had enough.

So she screamed. Boy, did she scream! A girl like Cho knows how to be heard.

"Girlfriends, SHUT UP! You gals have no sense of respect for my poor nerves!"

Everyone looked up, momentarily disrupted. There was a brief silence. Then…

"Pavarti stole my prefect badge."

5 hours, 38 minutes and 52 seconds later…

Ginny, being the good-natured witch she was, had let all her friends prepare in the bathroom before her. Now, in her new shimmering green robes, she allowed Hermione to twist her long red hair into a complicated braid.

She could feel Hermione's apprehension about the upcoming ball; her hands were trembling as she slowly and deliberately brought up each lock. However, Ginny refrained from prying, instead contenting herself with rubbing the places where Hermione had accidentally poked her wand.

Besides, she would tell her everything in her own time.

Sure enough…
"Ginny…?"

"What is it, Hermione?"

"You know, I have a bad feeling about dancing with Blaise. You know… he's a Pureblood and a Slytherin…"

So that's what's worrying her…"Don't worry Hermione. I'm sure that he's a perfectly nice person. He won't mind that you're muggle-born."

"But I've heard rumours that he'll be bringing along some friends from Durmstrang, and you know their reputation…"

"Hermione, relax! It's just a rumour. I'm sure that Durmstrang students are perfectly nice."

"No, no…" Hermione wrung her hands distractedly.

"Besides," continued Ginny, "look at how nice Viktor was!"

Upon hearing this name, Hermione hurriedly tossed the last of Ginny's tresses on top of her head.

"There. All done. Time to go!"

Ginny thought it would be wise to drop the subject. So adopting a lighter tone of voice, she rolled her eyes at the mirror.

"Now, to let everyone else pass verdict on how I look." She bit her lip worriedly. "I hope I look OK… this IS an important ball, and Mum will want photos…"

"Ginny." Hermione rolled her eyes. Ginny always looked fantastic, and this time was no exception. "You look fantastic! You have nothing to worry about." That much said, she took Ginny by the arm and dragged her out of the room.

Meanwhile, Pavarti, Lavender, Cho and Padma were waiting impatiently in the corridor.

"How long does it take the pair of them to get ready?"

"Too long… like, 10 hours, you know?"

"I reckon… you'd think that they might be like, you know, doing stuff…"

"You idiot, of course they're doing stuff! What else would they be doing?" Here, Padma fumbled for her next words. Because she was a Ravenclaw, and an extremely conscientious one at that, her statements had to be fitting for a person of her superior knowledge.

Cho, being Cho, caught her stumble.

"Please stop embarrassing yourself, Padma. If you can't think of anything to say, then, like, don't say anything! Du-uh!" Padma opened her mouth to retort angrily. Lavender and Pavarti looked on interestedly. Watching the pair of them cat-fighting was such an educational pastime!

Thankfully, further arguments were halted by the entrance of Ginny and Hermione.

"Oh. My. God."

Padma was struck dumb. Lavender and Pavarti looked on jealously as Cho turned on Ginny. Hermione hid a knowing smile.

"Oh. My. God. Ginny, my darling, you look, like, soooo wonderful! Oh, my nerves are all a-flutter- you'll be sure to get Blaise's attention! He'll take one look at you and he won't be able to resist! Those robes bring out the colour of your eyes purr-fectly, and the hairstyle and… and… it's just all so… wonderful… I'm so pleased for you…" Of course, it gives me a bit of a chance to stick my butt into those rich, pure-blooded circles too. Mmm.

With that delicious thought in mind, Cho trooped off towards the Great Hall.

Of course, everyone followed her.

Everyone, except for Hermione.

When Hermione was sure she was alone, she turned to the nearest wall and thumped it. Damn Ginny and her bringing up Viktor! She knew he was taboo! Damn Cho and her little games! Forced dances with Blaisey-poo indeed… who did she think she was, resorting to such… such petty tricks!

She wanted to get out of this mess, but then again, she couldn't walk out of a ball specially held for prefects like herself…

Hermione thumped the wall in frustration. She did this again… and again… slowly and methodically, going first up one brick and along three then down one brick and along three. Up one along three, down one along three, up one along three, down one along three, up one along three, down one along three… it was really quite therapeutic. In a frustratingly repetitive sort of way.

I'm such an idiot. Why on earth did I agree to go to this ball in the first place? On second thoughts, I don't think I ever agreed to participating in Cho's little game at all. Then why am I doing this? I'm such an idiot. Why am I worrying about dancing with Blaise if I haven't even agreed to do it? But Cho will be able to twist my words so that it will seem like I agreed even if I didn't. Why on earth did I agree to this in the first place? Why was I such an idiot? But I don't think I agreed at all… I'm confusing myself. Why is this going around in circles?

"Why is everything so screwed?"

Whereupon the wall turned beady eyes on her and said meaningfully, "You may find that the library holds the answers to all of your questions."

Hermione gave a small gasp of surprise. She was being mocked! By a wall, no less! Unthinkable! Huffing, she turned her back and walked (or tripped over her high-heeled feet) away.

"And I can assure you that the walls there will enjoy your assaults a great deal more than I do!"

A/N: So… what did you think? Good? Bad? Crappy? I thought it was crappy… hehe I guarantee that the next chapter will be better. Hopefully.

Well, I still need my beta. And I'd still appreciate constructive comments. And even reviews are nice… if anything, they boost my ego :D.

Wow. My chapter looks alarmingly short. Well, read and review anyway and see you all next time.

P.S. I just realised that I've uploaded my 2nd chapter about a month after the first. New record! Yay!