A/N: Hello.

If my calculations are correct, this chapter should be the middle of this story, or the first of the second half of this story, or something like that. Book 6 has so many Instances, it's ridiculous.

So now we get to the point where Ginny starts dating... how dare she? It's just the old "make him jealous" trick, really. With Michael it was anyway... oh, and isn't it curious how Ginny's first boyfriend's name starts with M, while her second boyfriend's starts with D? It's a clue, I tell you!

(And as for the H - in Spanish, the letter h has no sound. Hee.)

Rabid D/G-er: Instance #9 -Fair and Talkative
based on "The Yule Ball" chapter, GoF

That might have been Hermione Granger that was with Viktor Krum, but Draco didn't care; he had just spotted another couple, one that he didn't like at all...

Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley.

But of course - he should've known as soon as he found out Ginny would be staying for the holidays. Surely she wouldn't have stayed if she wasn't going to be able to go to the ball? And even if she was, she was bound to get invited... Draco's insides deflated even further; why hadn't he invited her? Why did he have to be in Slytherin? Why did Ginny have to be so pretty? And why Pansy Parkinson was clinging to him as though she would die otherwise?

Pushing these questions to the back of his mind, Draco stood up from his table with the excuse of going to get some drinks. Pansy Parkinson wimpered. Draco hoped she would die as soon as she let go...

There was Ginny.

Draco approached the drinks table, looked around it as if he were interested on it, then asked, trying his hardest to keep the bitterness out of his voice but failing, "Managed to get a date, did you?"

"That's right," Ginny answered with false brightness. She must've noticed how fake she sounded, because the tone of her voice was naturally cold when she said, "obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't be here, would I?"

"True. That's why I was so surprised to see you here, Gi- Weasley... Who'd invite you to...?" He broke off.

"Who's that?" Ginny asked after a few seconds, looking over Draco's shoulder. He looked around.

"Michael Corner, from Ravenclaw."

"Hmmm," Ginny said in a convincingly interested-sounding tone. "Dark and silent, just the way I like 'em."

Draco blinked.

He, with his white-blond hair, pale grey eyes, and pale skin, would never fit into the "dark" category... and he definitely wasn't silent...

"And he's in Ravenclaw, you say? He must be smart, then. Smart enough to not expect a girl to be waiting for him forever, anyway." Ouch. "Yeah... I think I'll go talk to him... Excuse me." And she pushed her way past him.

Draco had a little (headdesk) moment.

He'd lost her for sure now...