Chapter 19

George paced around the Common Room waiting until the time that he had to sneak into Hogsmede. When it was about an hour before the time that he had told Sophia that he'd meet her, he left the Common Room and went straight to the one eyed witch statue with the hump that hid the secret passageway into Honeydukes.

He approached the witch statue, tapped it with his wand, and said, "Dissendium!"

The hump of the witch then opened up, and George slid himself inside. Then he lit his wand and started the long walk to Hogsmede. After nearly an hour, he saw the tunnel ending and saw the steps leading up Honeydukes. He slowly made his way up the steps, hoping that neither Fred nor Lee were there. He looked around and quickly left the place for the Three Broomsticks. He got inside and found Sophia waiting for him at a small booth near the back.

"Hey, Fred!" said Sophia, waving at him when she saw him.

"Hi, Sophia." said George, as he took a seat next to her.

"Wow, it's really crowded in here today." Sophia said, not knowing how to start a conversation with George.

"Yeah...I think that's because our next trip to Hogsmede isn't for a while." replied George.

"Yeah...that's true..." Sophia said back, awkwardly.

"Hey, why don't I get us some butter beers?" George said, just to give himself some time to think about how he was going to tell her that he was not Fred.

"Okay. I'll just wait at our table." replied Sophia.

A few minutes after placing his order with Madam Rosemerta, he picked up the two butter beers and walked back to the table thinking, Now it's time! I have got to tell her! I've had enough of lying and deceiving!

After handing Sophia her butter beer, he said, "Hey, Sophia, I –"

At that moment he happened to look up from his drink and saw that Fred and Lee had walked into Three Broomsticks.

Oh, crap! I've got to get out of here! If they see me, I'm toast! George thought frantically, I think I'll just ask her to the Ball and explain everything to her there.

With Sophia looking at him questioningly for stopping in the middle of his sentence, he continued saying, "- was just wondering if you would come with me to the Valentines Ball."

"I'd love to go." Sophia replied, happy that she didn't have to ask him herself.

"So I'll meet you at the entrance to the Great Hall the night of the Ball before the Ball starts, okay?" said George in a hurry since Fred and Lee seemed to be walking slowly in his and Sophia's general direction.

"Sure, that'll be fine." said Sophia, smiling.

"Hey, Sophia!"

Sophia turned her head and saw that one of her friends had called to her. As Sophia exchanged a few sentences with her, George knew that he had to leave right now if he did not want to be seen by Fred or Lee.

A few seconds after George took off, Sophia turned and started saying, "Hey, Fred thanks –"

She stopped when she realized he was not there anymore.

"Fred?!" she said, looking around herself in confusion.

Wow...that was really weird...at least he asked me to the Ball before he ran off...she thought.

Then she looked in front of her and saw the real Fred coming. Lee waited for him a ways back, talking to another one of their friends.

That must be George...I hope he doesn't try to ask me to the Ball or anything...if he does, I'm just going to tell him I'm going with someone else, and not say who. I really don't want them both to fight over me or anything...Sophia thought.

"Hey, Sophia! How are you doing? I haven't talked to you in quite a while." said Fred.

"Hi. I'm doing fine." Sophia said simply, hoping that their conversation would be short.

"Well, that's good. I can't believe that this Valentines Ball is coming up next weekend! I haven't even asked anyone yet." said Fred.

"Oh, really?" Sophia said, uncomfortable at the direction the conversation was going.

"Yeah. So are you going to that thing with anyone?" asked Fred, hopeful no one else had asked her to the Ball first.

"Yeah, I'm already going with someone else." Sophia replied, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh well. I guess I'll just ask someone else. See you at the Ball, okay? Bye." Fred said, sounding disappointed.

"Yeah, bye." Sophia said, also sad she hurt his feelings by turning him down.

Soon after Fred left, Cho walked in and sat next to her.

"So what happened? I thought I saw Fred and George over here." Cho said.

"Yeah, you did. Fred actually asked me to the Ball!" Sophia said.

"Wow, really?!" said Cho in pleasant surprise.

"Yeah, but then I turned away to talk to Lira, and when I turned back to him, he was gone!" said Sophia a bit confused.

"Weird..." said Cho.

"I know...then right after Fred disappeared, George came up and asked me to the Ball too!" said Sophia.

"What did you tell him? Did you tell him that you were going with Fred?" asked Cho.

"No...I just told him that I was already going with someone else. I didn't tell him that I was going with Fred because I really don't want Fred and George fighting over me." said Sophia.

"Yeah, that's true." said Cho.

At that time, Cho looked past Sophia and saw that Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Violet were looking for a table. Cho knew they were out of luck since Three Broomsticks was completely full.

"Hey, look, there's Harry and his friends!" Cho said to Sophia.

I'll ask them to sit with us so that I can get Harry alone a minute so that I can see if he's going to the Ball. Cho thought.

"This is great! There aren't any tables open!" said Ron.

"Hey, Harry! Come sit here!" Cho said, beckoning to Harry with her hand.

"Come on, guys! Let's go sit over there." Harry said, leading the way over to the table Sophia and Cho were sitting at.

Hermione hesitatingly followed Harry, feeling jealous.

I know Harry's going to change his mind about going with me to the Ball if Cho asks him! He used to fancy her, and I bet he still does. I've been so foolish to even think that he has any feelings for me at all. Hermione thought sadly.

"Here, sit down." Cho said, leaving room for all of them to scoot in the booth.

"Wow, the Three Broomsticks is really crowded today, isn't it?" Harry said, giving Cho a friendly smile, "Hermione, Ron, Violet, and I usually find a table no problem."

Seeing Harry's smile and his arm rubbing against Cho's arm slightly made Hermione burn with even more jealousy.

It's official. I'm not going with Harry to the Ball anymore...thought Hermione, dejectedly.

"Yeah, it really is crowded." Cho replied, "So what's going on with you guys? Anything new?"

"Ah, well, same old, same old." replied Harry, "You?"

"Nothing new with me. But my friends have got quite a bit going on." said Cho.

Sophia wanted to tell Cho to stop, but she didn't since she did not want to embarrass Cho in front of Harry.

"Oh, like what?" Harry said with interest.

"First of all, Draco Malfoy asked out my friend Sylia on a date and they're going together to the Valentines Ball." said Cho.

"Really?!" Violet said, cutting in.

Everyone turned their heads toward Violet, surprised at her sudden show of so much interest.

"Yeah, because...people in Slytherin...don't usually date other people out of their house, right?" Violet said haltingly, trying very hard to keep the jealousy out of her voice.

"I know. But the weirdest thing is that during his date with Sylia, he kept on asking her questions about Sophia." Cho said, pointing to Sophia.

"Hmm..." Violet replied, silently fuming to herself.

It's one thing to be going the Ball with another girl...that's okay because Draco and I couldn't have gone together anyway...but to be dating other girls and asking questions about still others...I need to ask him about this when I see him on Wednesday. thought Violet, angrily.

"There has to be some reason Draco is doing that. I know he would never go out with people out of Slytherin just for the heck of it. He must be trying to use your friend for something." Harry said.

"That's what Sophia and I thought too." replied Cho.

"And what I want to know is why he was trying to find things out about me. I think that he's trying to use Sylia to find things out about me. But, Malfoy is out of luck because Sylia is too self centered to notice other people around her." Sophia said sarcastically.

"Sophia!" Cho said, smiling, knowing what Sophia said was true.

Then they all noticed that everyone had started to get up and leave.

"I think that it's time to get back to Hogwarts." Hermione said, glad that they could get away from Cho.

"Oh. Hey, I talk to you for a minute?" asked Cho, turning from Hermione to Harry.

"Hey, I'll save a carriage for us, Cho." Sophia said, leaving the table quickly.

Hermione looked at Harry and Cho jealously, grabbed Ron's arm, and said, "We will too."

"Hey, wai –" Ron said as Hermione dragged him off.

Violet gave Harry and Cho an awkward wave and hurried after Hermione and Ron.

"So...what's up, Cho?" asked Harry a little nervously.

"I'm really sorry that I couldn't go with you to the Yule Ball..." Cho said, sadly.

"Cho, it's okay, really." said Harry, putting his hand on her arm to comfort her.

"Well, I do want to make it up to you. Will you come with me to the Valentines Ball?" asked Cho, hopefully.

Harry took his hand back and looked at her in surprise as she looked at him expecting an answer.

If this exact event had happened just last year, I would have been thrilled! But things have changed...I have changed so much since last year. Harry thought.

"I can't...I've already asked somebody else..." Harry said, hoping he did not hurt her feelings too much.

"Oh..." said Cho, very disappointed.

"I'm so sorry..." Harry said, not knowing what else to say.

"No, don't be. Hey, I'll see you around okay?" Cho said, getting up from the booth.

"Yeah..." Harry replied.

Cho started to walk away, but she turned back and asked, "By the way...who are you going to the Ball with?"

"Uhh...Hermione. Hermione Granger." Harry replied awkwardly.

"Oh...okay...well...bye, Harry..." Cho said, walking away.

"Bye, Cho..." Harry said after her.

Then Harry got up from the booth and went to go find Hermione, Ron, and Violet.

When everyone finally got back to Hogwarts, it was pretty late at night, so everyone decided to just get to bed. But Ron decided now was as good a time as any to ask Hermione about that scene she caused in Three Broomsticks.

"Hey, are you coming Ron?" asked Harry, starting up the stairs to the dorms after Violet and Hermione.

"I'll be a minute. Hey! Hermione, wait a second! I want to ask you something!" Ron said, calling Hermione back down the stairs.

Harry and Violet looked at them both questioningly, but eventually continued up.

"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked, curiously, after Harry and Violet had finished going up the stairs.

"What was the deal in the Three Broomsticks?" Ron asked.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, getting embarrassed and blushing.

"You know what I mean. What was the deal with dragging me out of Three Broomsticks just because Cho wanted to talk to Harry?" Ron said, getting straight to the point.

"Well...I...umm...wanted to make sure we could get a carriage..." Hermione said lamely, blushing even more.

"Yeah, right. Look, Hermione, I know you fancy Harry. You were just jealous of Cho." said Ron, smiling, "And then you took it out on me! Quite a grip you have there when you're angry..."

"Me? Oh, no...I..." Hermione said, still blushing more and stumbling over her words.

"Don't even try to deny it. You're so obvious!" said Ron.

Hermione just sighed and said sadly, "I might as well not fancy Harry. It's not like I really have a chance...especially not against Cho. I know he only sees us as friends...I doubt he'd even want to go the Valentines Ball with me any more if she asked him...I bet he only asked me to the dance just to make sure he has a date."

"That's crap, Hermione. Harry fancies you too! But don't tell him I told you that...he'd probably kill me if he found out. He thinks exactly the same way! 'Hermione doesn't like me...Hermione only thinks we're friends...Hermione's only being nice...Hermione, Hermione, Hermione!' Left up to you two, nothing would ever happen!" Ron said, smiling.

"Did Harry really tell you that he fancies me?" Hermione asked, a genuine smile breaking out on her face.

"Yeah." replied Ron, "Well, let's get back upstairs before Harry and Violet wonder what we're doing."

They walked together up the stairs to the dorms and said good bye when they got to the separate stairs to the girls and boys dorms. When Ron got to his dorm, he found Harry sitting on his own bed waiting for him.

"What's going on, Ron?" asked Harry, "What were you talking to Hermione about?"

"Nothing important." Ron said coyly, getting into his bed, "Oh, and by the way."

"What?" Harry asked.

"If you put a move on Hermione at the Ball, I'm pretty sure she's not going to mind at all." Ron said, smiling.

"Huh? Does that mean she –?" Harry started asking in surprise.

"Good night, Harry." said Ron.

Harry smiled to himself and said, "Good night, Ron."

Harry got into his bed and they both went to sleep.

The week passed by slowly, but the night Violet was to meet Draco finally arrived.

Okay...I've got to make some excuse and get out of here...Violet thought anxiously as she sat with Harry, Hermione, and Ron in the Common Room.

"Hey, guys...I need to go ask Professor Flitwick more about those lightening and levitation charms we just learned." said Violet.

"If you want, I can help you." replied Hermione.

"No, that's okay. I want to ask Professor Flitwick myself. Thanks anyway, Hermione." said Violet, getting up from the chair she was sitting in, "I'll be back later."

Violet quickly left the room before any of them wanted to join her.

"Wow, that was really strange. She seemed to understand them just fine in class..." said Hermione.

"She's with that other guy! I can't stand this! I'm going to try to catch up to her, follow her, and finally find out exactly who this other guy is!" said Ron, getting up to follow Violet.

"Hey, Ron, wait! I'll just ask her after our Quidditch game with Hufflepuff. I'd better just ask her myself because otherwise I don't think she'd want to tell us anything. The game is only a few weeks after the Ball, so we'll find out pretty soon." said Harry.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." said Ron, sitting back down slowly.

"By the way, have you asked Violet to the Ball yet, Ron?" asked Hermione.

"Umm...No..." Ron said.

"You haven't?!?" said Harry, shocked, "What if the other guy asks her right now?!? What if he already asked her?!"

"Well, I just haven't found a good opportunity to ask her..." Ron mumbled.

"You'd better ask her right when she gets back...it might already be too late." said Harry.

"Yeah...that's true..." replied Ron.

"What are you so afraid of, anyway? Girls like guys that take the initiative. They like guys that show they're not afraid to ask them out or of commitment!" said Hermione, getting a bit carried away.

"Really?" Ron said.

"Yeah." replied Hermione.

Then Ron smiled, realizing how ironic the statement was with Harry in the room.

Ron turned to Harry, kept smiling, and said, "I should listen to Hermione's advice, shouldn't I Harry?"

This is when Harry and Hermione caught on the meaning of the statement in terms of their own relationship, and both blushed.

Harry smiled shyly and said, "Yeah, I really think that you should..."

"Oh and I have one question for you, Hermione." Ron said, "Do girls like flowers?"

"Shut up, Ron!" Harry said, throwing one of the pillows on the big Common Room couch at Ron.

Ron just batted it aside and laughed.

Hermione, who was still blushing, said, "As a matter of fact, they do. Well, why don't we start on our Defense Against the Dark Arts homework?"

She picked up the large Defense Against the Dark Arts text book and buried her burning face in it. Harry did the same, while Ron just smiled and followed in suit.

Violet finally reached the Charms Corridor and peaked in all of the classrooms until she came upon the one in which Draco was already waiting for her inside. He was waiting with his back to the door.

"Draco." she said softly.

Her voice caused him to turn around and smile at her.

"Violet..." Draco replied, walking up to her and pulling her close, "It's already been too long since I've seen you last..."

He slid both of his hands behind her head, guided her head towards his, and kissed her passionately. This felt so genuinely loving that Violet almost did not want to ask Draco the questions that were floating around in her head about the other girls.

But none of this even means anything if he's playing me...Violet reminded herself.

Violet then pushed Draco away slightly and said, "Look, Draco. We need to talk."

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, wondering why she pulled away.

As Draco gave her a questioning look, Violet gathered her thoughts. The more thoughts that she had about her questions, the angrier and more jealous she became.

"What's with you dating other girls? Sylia, is it?" Violet asked, jumping straight into her interrogation.

"How did you –?" Draco started asking.

But he abruptly stopped his question when she looked daggers at him.

"Look, it's nothing. I just wanted to ask her to the Ball, so I didn't end up going alone. I didn't want to be a loser who couldn't get a date to the Ball...I'd have asked you, but you know that we can't..." Draco said, ending his sentence sadly.

"Okay...but then why were you asking Sylia questions about that other girl Sophia?" Violet continued.

"Really, how –?" Draco started again.

He stopped once again when he saw the absolute jealousy in her eyes.

"It really is nothing at all..." Draco said, not knowing what to tell Violet about Sophia.

"Who is she to you, Draco?" Violet bit out.

Draco sighed and said, "I don't know what to tell you. Not until I find out myself."

Violet made a sound to indicate her disgust and said, "I know what you're doing! You're just doing all of this to make me jealous!!"

Draco looked at her in surprise and said "No, it's nothing like that –"

Violet cut him off and said, "I should have listened to the things my friends told me about you! I was foolish enough to believe that you had changed...they were right about you all along! You are nothing but a sack of scum!"

Violet began to storm off when Draco grabbed her and said, "Look, Violet –"

Violet shrugged him off and cut him off again.

"Don't try to talk yourself out of this! You never cared about me one bit, did you? Oh, and by the way. Since you've obviously made your choice, so have I. Don't bother talking to me again, Malfoy." Violet spit out.

Violet abruptly left the room and left Draco standing there. It took a few minutes for what happened to sink in.

I can't believe how wrong things have gone! Why did she have to find out about Sophia? Now I've lost Violet to Weasely! Draco thought miserably as he walked back to the Slytherin Common Room, Not only do I know nothing of how Sophia and her mother are connected to my father or possibly to Voldemort, I couldn't tell Violet about this because I had nothing to tell! Well, nothing but the fact that my family are stout followers of Voldemort...She would hate me if she knew I was part of Voldemort's plan to rise again...she would think I betrayed her...but she already feels betrayed! Maybe I can still have a chance if I tell her everything...even if I know nothing of Sophia, I'll just tell her what I do know. That's all I can do now...

"Malfoy!"

The voice brought Draco out of his deep thought and startled him slightly. He looked up from the ground and found himself looking at the Slytherin Quidditch captain Marcus Flint.

"What is it, Flint?" Draco asked.

"We are having a team meeting in the Common Room right now, but since no one knew where you were, I came looking for you. Let's go, Malfoy." Flint said with a devilish smile.

Draco followed Flint slowly back to the Slytherin Common Room.