Tweedle-Dee1: I love pathetic Draco too…and mean Harry ;)

StrawberryJubilee: sorry about the grammar – but here's the next chapter!

Kaimei Jaganshi: I am dedicating this chapter to you, as my first reviewer. THANK YOU!

Part Two

Harry was strangely nervous that night as Ginny tied on her early valentine present, a beautiful green silk tie which was almost the exact same color of Harry's eyes. He wasn't sure if he was nervous because he would have to see Lucius again (after all the sight of him at the site of Cedric's death still haunted Harry) or because this was his first black tie even and he was confused by why Lucius would order they wear "muggle apparel and masks." Harry wondered if Lucius would dare to show up in his deatheater's mask.

It didn't help, Harry mused, that somehow Ginny managed to look a goddess in her simple, off the shoulder, green evening gown while he fell like a fool in his tux. Both Hermione and Ginny assured him that he was "good-looking" but when he looked in the mirror all he saw was a too-skinny, too-scared, four-eyed freak with bad hair.

"Are you ready to go, Harry?" Ron asked, joining them with a gentle arm around his fiancée. Harry lightly kissed Hermione on the cheek as he patted his not yet born godson.

"Ye-NO! Wait!" The other three turned to look at him as Harry blushed in realization that he had sounded like a plucked chicken on the last word. "Sorry. Hermione, Ron you go ahead. Ginny, stay for a moment?"

Looking confused, Ginny waved on her brother and Hermione as she looked at Harry impatiently. Ignoring the way, Ginny was tapping her silver mask against her side, Harry made sure that his friends were out of sight before he spoke.

"You know what you offered at the begin-beginning of the summer? Can I have it now?" Harry stammered, hoping that nobody would come by and notice that his face was the color of a tomato.

"My virginity? Too late." Ginny teased, looking confused but intrigued.

"NO!" Harry didn't understand why the simple word still made him feel so uncomfortable after his numerous conquests. "I meant that makeover." He whispered the last word, fearing that some reporter was waiting behind a bush just waiting to jump out and snap a picture of the Hero wanting something as girly as a make over.

"A makeover?" Ginny said, not bothering to lower her voice despite Harry's desperate hushing sounds. "You didn't want one when I took that course in cosmetology spells. Why now – is there someone I should be jealous of?" For some reason Draco popped into Harry's mind and he actually sighed with relief when Ginny started teasing him about Narcissa.

"Will you just get on with it!" Harry finally snapped, annoyed with the way Draco had been flocking his mind all day and at Ginny for talking too much.

"Fine, fine. No reason to snap." Ginny muttered as she lit up a cigarette and, puffing away, pointed her wand at Harry emitting a stream of Latin words that Harry had never heard.

"Oh. My. God." Ginny said, taking a step back, her eye widening as she took in her handy work. Panicking, Harry summoned a mirror, afraid that his girlfriend's handy work had ruined him beyond compare.

Looking back at him was a face that Harry barely recognized. His skin had lost the ruddy, tannish color it had gained from the many hours spent outside playing quidditage, instead it was a pale almost glowing white which made his eyes, no longer covered by glasses but instead surrounded by long dark lashes, look luminescent. His hair fell in silky waves to his shoulder.

"Damn. I am hot." Harry whispered, holding out a shaking hand to his reflection. His girlfriend was staring at him without blinking, fanning herself unconsciously. Harry smirked as he kissed her, catching her as she swooned.

"Come on, honey, we have to go to the party." He told her as she finally seemed to gather herself, throwing off the last of her woozyness with a little self conscious laugh.

The party was already going with loud noises, bright lights and the high sound of numerous people's laughter. However, all noises stopped as

"Harry James Potter and his escort!" was announced (causing Ginny to turn bright red in fury, however collecting herself before they had to descend the huge white marble stairs.

"Maybe I should have worn my mask." Harry whispered to his date as the reporters began shouting out questions about the change in his appearance.

"Never cover up your beauty, baby." Ginny whispered as the two posed for the cameras, smiling as large as their cheek muscles allowed them to.

"Enough. Enough." A voice like cold silver froze Harry's smile in place as Lucius parted the reporters like Moses parted the red sea. "Let my guests enjoy themselves."Lucius showed none of the ware that most Azkaban prisoners wore etched into each line and wrinkle on their face. Yet, once Harry looked past in elegant close and regal stance into his icy blue eyes, he saw the insanity staring back at him.

"Welcome, Mr. Potter, Miss Ginny." Lucius bowed, just low enough to make it insulting without being obvious. "Let me introduce you to my wife, Narcissa." Harry coldly bowed as he remained their fight in Madame Malkins a few years before. "Of course you know my son, Draco?" Lucius gently pushed his son forward. Draco's cheeks were flushed and his eyes were strangely glassy as he bounded forward to shake both Ginny and Harry's hands enthusiastically.

"Hey Harry! Hiya Ginny! I am glad you guys could come! Can I get a picture with you?" Neither Harry or Ginny remembered to smile as Draco flung his arms around their tense shoulders and the flash of a light bulb went off in their eyes.

Draco looked better than he had all year, neat and elegant with a dark violet mask covering the top part of his face. He carried himself with the same proud posture as his father, although Harry noted the way he cringed every time Lucius came to close to him. Harry also noticed that while Draco's smile seemed to be trying to light up the room, his eyes were still as blank and empty as they had been at Hogwarts.

"And this-" Lucius continued his introductions "is my new dog, Tommy Marvel Riddles." The man coldly patted the beautiful gray hound as he smirked at the fury brewing on Harry's face. However, when Ginny leant a gentle hand on her boyfriend's arm, glaring at their host, his face instantly shifted into a polite grin as he responded,

"What a beautiful dog, Lucius. Of course, gray hounds aren't known for their intelligence or power, but I guess you like them stupid, eh?"

Even Narcissa took a step back from the look of total hatred on her husband's face.

"Ah Harry!" The new Minister of Magic, Rosemerta once proud owner of the Three Broomsticks, used her sixth sense to break up what could have been a potentially dangerous fight. "Do you mind if I borrow Harry and Ginny, Lucius?"

"Go ahead, Minister." Lucius responded courteously, his smiling mask back in place though Harry could still see the fire in his eyes.

"HARRY! What were you thinking?" Rosemerta shrieked as soon as they were out of hearing. "You could have compromised our whole mission here. And Ginny, why didn't you-"

"Don't blame her! He named his fucking dog after Voldermort!" Harry yelled back.

"Harry?" Hermione interrupted before Rosemerta could continue. "When did you get here? What's wrong, Rosie?" The trio and Ginny were on good terms with the Minister after the hours they had spent in the Ministry cleaning up after Voldermort.

When Rosemerta had explained the situation, Hermione looked more worried than she had in days which of course urged Ron over. The Minister did not enjoy them all standing together, suspicious so she told them,

"There's nothing we can do about it now. We'll just have to split up. Hermione and Ron go and try to talk to as many ex-Slytherins as possible and see where they stand. Ginny, could you chat with the present Slytherins? And Harry, could you just watch Draco without making trouble or letting him no you are there?"

Grumbling, the teenagers separated to complete their different tasks as Rosemerta went to engage Lucius in conversation.

Harry watched Draco for half an hour. He noticed how the other boy seemed uncomfortable around his father's friends, not laughing at their jokes and staying several feet more than necessary. He didn't stay anywhere for long and when ever he saw his father, his back would straiten a little more and his smile would grow a little brighter though his eyes seemed to grow even more dead.

At the end of the half an hour he simply disappeared. Harry looked everywhere but he couldn't find a trace. Giving up in annoyance he slunk into the shadows where he could also avoid the numerous fans flocking to his sides. Lowering his simple, full face, red mask, Harry allowed his eyes to flutter close and his mind to wander off into daydreams as he forgot about Draco and the party around him.

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