"Please."
"Nein."
"Please."
"Ne."
"Please."
"Non. How many languages do I need to say it in, Draco?"
"I just don't get it," he whined. "You'll show your merry band of misfits your secret way out of the castle but not your own brother?"
Evanna laughed. "Ginny has already seen it, Luna is the best person at keeping secrets I have ever met, and Bridget scares me. You have none of those qualities. Besides, do you really want to watch me and Ginny shop for dress robes?"
Draco wrinkled his nose. "I suppose not, though I'm sure Father would say you need supervision with your wardrobe choices."
"Father isn't here," Evanna said. "Besides, I'm a girl on a mission at this Ball."
"I don't want to hear about it," Draco winced. Evanna laughed; her brother was already very uncomfortable at the thought that she had been asked as someone's date. He would probably be even more uncomfortable to hear that she and Ginny had placed bets on which of them would have their first kiss by the end of the night.
"Of course, brother dear," she singsonged before dramatically checking her watch. "Well, I must be going. Rules to break, dresses to buy, boys to-"
"Goodbye."
Evanna giggled as she ran out the door and to the Castle Center to meet Ginny. The Gryffindor was, as usual, running a few minutes late. Evanna tapped her foot against the stone floor. Finally, she heard running footsteps.
"Sorry, sorry, Fred and George set off some dungbombs-"
"I can tell," Evanna said wrinkling her nose. "Scourgify."
"Ow, damn," Ginny exclaimed as her skin turned pink. "That's supposed to be a cleaning charm, not some sort of scraping hex!"
Blood rushed to Evanna's cheeks. "Sorry, charms have never been my strong suit."
"Obviously," Ginny said as the girls made their way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "How many plants have you killed this term?"
"Shove off, Weasley."
In moments like these, Evanna couldn't help but wonder if Professor Snape was right about her aptitude in the Dark Arts from such a young age. She never had any issue in Defense class, or Potions for that matter, but those were traditionally Dark subjects. Charms, however, she only managed to keep an "Acceptable" in because Draco helped her with her essays and she was sure that Professor Sprout was ready to kick her out of the greenhouses with as many plants as she had managed to kill. Those subjects which were Lighter in nature had always been a challenge for her; she was too afraid to research into it, though.
"So do we actually have to go down there, or…" Ginny trailed off. Evanna could feel the distaste in her friend. Evanna was not the only one in Hogwarts with nightmares, she knew.
"No, I can call Del up here," Evanna said, then concentrated on her memories of the basilisk. "Del, can you hear me?"
She knew had been successful in calling the snake in Parseltongue when she saw Ginny shiver beside her. A few moments later, there was a rumble under their feet and then a great snake exploded from the middle of the bathroom sinks, eyes firmly closed. Ginny went pale, but Evanna smiled broadly.
"Hey, Delly," she hissed as the basilisk slithered to her and bumped its snout against Evanna's chest.
"Master, it is so cold in the castle," the king of serpents whined.
"I'll be down to the chamber to light some fires if you would do me a favor?" Evanna replied. "We really need to get down to the village today-could you take us through the tunnels?"
"But it's so cold outside!"
"Del," Evanna said warningly.
"I expect two deer in payment," the snake finally said. Evanna wrinkled her nose but nodded.
"Deal," she said then turned to Ginny. "Well? Hop on!"
"You know, I think I still have time to get Mum to owl me Aunt Myrtle's old dress-"
"If you want to not have to spend the entire night with Longbottom, get on the snake," Evanna said.
"Neville's really not that bad-"
"Get on the snake!"
"Fine, Merlin but you're bossy," the redhead muttered. Evanna simply gave her friend a boost onto the basilisk before scrabbling on herself. Ginny clutched her tightly as they disappeared into the Hogwarts pipe system. When they finally reached Hogsmeade, the brave Gryffindor was looking rather green about the gills.
"Never will get used to that," Ginny said. "I think I would prefer riding the Giant Squid."
"Shh, you'll hurt Del's feelings," Evanna said, giving the snake a gentle pat and telling him to stay nearby but not to be seen. "Could you maybe cast the cleaning charm this time?"
"Definitely," Ginny said, and within moments Evanna's thick winter cloak was spotless again. She frowned noticing that Ginny's cloak was quite a bit more worn than it really ought to be and noticeably masculine in cut. Likely it was a handmedown from one of her brothers.
Her suspicions were confirmed when they walked into the little boutique Evanna had made an appointment with as soon as she was asked to the Yule Ball. Nervousness flooded her as Evanna checked in at the front desk, informing them they were both looking for dress robes for the Yule Ball.
There's no way I can afford any of this.
Ginny walked over to the sale rack and fingered a frilly pink confection with odd mint green sleeves.
"You'd look like some sort of watermelon cupcake," Evanna said bluntly.
"It's not terrible," Ginny said, sounding entirely unconvinced.
"It's risky enough for me to be seen being friends with you," Evanna said. "C'mon, Lucius is paying."
"I won't take your charity-"
"It's not my charity, it's Lucius Gringotts account and he owes me a friend not looking like the muggle molar pixie or whatever it is," Evanna told her sternly before grabbing a blue set of dress robes with moon and sun designs around the hems.
"If you're sure-"
"Of course I'm sure" Evanna scoffed. "Now, do you think I should wear those heels? I don't want to be taller than my date…"
Ginny snorted. "He may not have hit his growth spurt yet, but you may as well be half house-elf, Evanna. Wear as high of heels as you want."
Evanna stuck her tongue out and the two girls tore about the shop, handing each other dresses and grabbing their own. The poor shop witch was having a hard time keeping their choices straight to the point that the girls were soon trying on all of the dresses at least once.
"...can't do that shade of red with your hair…"
"...do you want something more traditional…"
"...do you want my brothers to have a coronary…"
"...do you want my brother to have a stroke…"
"...something darker…"
"...less poufy maybe…"
"Evanna!" Ginny suddenly exclaimed. "This one!"
Her friend was wearing a short party dress with a full skirt and a set of tea-length robes that fastened at her waist, all done in gauzy gold that shimmered as she spun in place. Her sleeves billowed out at her wrists, fluttering softly. She had also put on a pair of gold kitten heels that laced around her calves. Evanna smiled.
"You look gorgeous," she said, trying not to let her frustration show. Everything she was trying on was reminding her too much of days past when her mother used to dress her up like a doll as a child. Those summer days in full skirts, sipping tea from the fine china while her father was away on business, before her mother had disappeared and her father rarely let her out of his sight…
"Evanna? Are you okay?"
Ginny's brown eyes were wide with concern. Evanna gave her a shaky smile.
"I'm fine," Evanna said, then crinkled her nose as she gestured at the ballgown she was wearing. "Everything just feels so old-fashioned."
"If I may, Ms. Malfoy?" the shop witch stepped forward. "I have something in the back that I've been working on-I believe it would look marvelous on you, with your eyes and hair…"
Evanna blinked. "It's not lavender, is it?"
The shop clerk laughed. "No, of course not. One moment."
Within a few minutes, the shop witch had returned, dress robes in hand. Only, it wasn't quite a dress, or even robes really. Evanna's eyes were glued to the opalescent fabric as it shimmered.
"How do you put that on?" Ginny said, open mouthed. The shop witch smiled cheekily.
"Very carefully," she said. "Also? I suggest using the loo before the ball."
Evanna grinned and looked at Ginny. "I think I'll be winning our little bet, Gin."