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Chapter 30.

Magnolia, Pansy, Daphne and Tracey walked to the Great Hall on Saturday, hoping for an early lunch so they could spend the afternoon studying. They all froze as they walked into the Hall, which was already over half filled with students even though it had only just hit lunchtime.

The Hall was filled with candles, floating through the air and covering the tables. Flowers in vases were staggered around the Hall, with rose petals leading to the Slytherin table. The girls followed the petals in confusion, until they were stood where they usually sat. In front of them, resting on the table was a bouquet of peonies.

Tracey bent to the flowers, plucking the small note from it before a smile spread across her face. She turned to the other girls, holding the note between two of her fingers. She handed the note to Magnolia with a smirk.

'Nola. Put on the cloak and follow the petals.

Magnolia looked around, until she spotted a fur cloak on the seat and pulled it on. She guessed the petals must be leading her outside, and saw petals appear leading out of the Great Hall. Pansy, Daphne and Tracey followed Magnolia, giggling. Magnolia had picked up the bouquet and was carrying them.

When they walked out of the Great Hall, more petals appeared that led them out of the Castle. As they walked down the stairs that led to the Grounds, they saw lanterns with candles on either side of them. At the bottom of the steps, another small bouquet of peonies was placed in a vase with a note attached.

'Almost there! If you need warming up, there's hot chocolate in the flask.'

The group of girls giggled and continued following the petals. Pansy had grabbed the flask, and they all took a swig of the hot drink. As they began walking down a path, candles floated from the ground into mid-air, lighting the way.

Pansy wound her arm around Magnolia's squeezing it and smiling at her. The girls could see the Great Lake now, it was covered with floating candles all over it. Magnolia couldn't help the smile that spread over her face at the sight.

As they drew closer, Magnolia could hear soft singing. Daphne gasped and pointed Magnolia to a group of students who were stood by the Lake. She recognised the group as the school choir and understood that that was where the singing was coming from.

Stood in front of the choir, was George. He held out his hand for Magnolia to take, and when she placed her own hand in his he stepped closer to her. He smiled down at her and moved her, so she faced the Lake again. Hedwig flew over the Lake towards Magnolia, landing on her shoulder and dropping another note in her palm.

'Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?'

Magnolia glanced at George, who now had a single peony in his free hand. Behind Magnolia, she could hear her friends muttering to each other excitedly. Students had gathered around the group, drawn in by the extreme gesture.

"You'll have to match your tie to my dress." Magnolia stated.

George let out a relieved breath, wrapping Magnolia in his arms and twirling her around. She laughed as her friends cheered. She was only slightly shocked at their enthusiasm; Magnolia knew they were good at putting their Pureblood feelings aside at moments like this.

"What colour tie should I be getting then?"

"I'll let you know when I know." Magnolia smiled, "Talking of which, I imagine Pansy is going to want to discuss that now that I have a date."

George laughed, "Go. Can I see you tomorrow?"

Magnolia nodded. She began to walk away from George, but changed her mind at the last minute, turning back to George and placing a small kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you. This was really sweet."

Magnolia jogged back to her friends, who all started talking at the same time to her. They were giggling and discussing how George asked her all the way back up to the Castle, being joined by other Slytherin's who had seen it.

The group of girls stumbled into their Common Room, still giggling excitedly. Pansy had, of course, already started trying to discuss Magnolia's dress. She was the first of them to be asked, so the girls were all ecstatic.

"Was lunch really that exciting?" Blaise asked.

"We didn't even get to lunch!" Tracey exclaimed as she dropped to one of the chairs.

"I'm confused. Why are you all so delirious?"

"Maggie got asked to the Yule Ball!" Pansy responded, sitting next to Malfoy and curling into his side.

"Who asked you?" Theo asked as Magnolia sat on the floor with the group.

"George." She responded, obviously.

"You're going to the Ball with the Muggle Lover!?" Malfoy spat.

"Any of us would have said yes to that, Drakey." Pansy replied, "It was so romantic."

Malfoy ignored Pansy, instead focusing his attention on Magnolia, "I thought you two weren't dating."

"We're not." Magnolia shrugged, "But George not only had the balls to ask me to the Ball, but he did it in a super romantic and thoughtful way!"

Malfoy growled, "Pretty sure Snape told us not to embarrass him. You turning up with a Gryffindor blood traitor is exactly that."

"You're so blind! So close minded!" Magnolia retorted. "George took the time to do something sweet for me, he put himself out there. And this whole Tournament is about bringing Wizards together, no matter where they're from, or what their blood status is!"

They had both stood up now, stepping closer to each other as they argued. The others were watching in confusion, not knowing why they were both so angry at each other.

"Who cares about the Tournament!? This isn't about the bloody Tournament!" Malfoy bellowed, "This is about you, Lia! About what you deserve! And it isn't Weasley!"

Magnolia couldn't speak, she was angry, but she seemed to be frozen. It wasn't just her friends who were watching the pair now, it was most of the Common Room. It was her friends, however, who seemed the most shocked at Malfoy's words, which he seemed to realise.

"You're a Slytherin! For Merlin's sake, act like it."

"Act like you, you mean?" Magnolia responded quietly.

"Would it be that terrible?"

Magnolia didn't reply. She could tell by Malfoy's eyes what his real question was; is he that terrible. She couldn't discuss this now though. She was supposed to be happy about her Yule Ball date. Instead of answering him, she just grabbed her bag and walked away, deciding to study in the library.

Magnolia stayed in the library for the rest of the day. She was pleased to get most of her schoolwork done, and Hermione had joined her halfway through the afternoon as well. Hermione had gotten wound up and stormed out of the Library after a couple of hours though, Krum had been followed into the library by a bunch of loud girls.

A few days later, Magnolia was stood outside the Room of Requirement staring at the wall in front of her. She wasn't sure whether to go in or not, she wasn't sure whether there was any point to her going in or not.

Eventually, she huffed and thought about the room she needed, opening her eyes to see the door had appeared. She walked into the Room, expecting to see it empty but was shocked when she saw Malfoy sat on the sofa.

"I was wondering if you were going to turn up." He mumbled.

"I've been stood outside thinking that myself." Magnolia replied, sitting opposite Malfoy, "Turns out I need your help with Occlumency and Defence class enough that I put the other day aside."

"And dancing."

"Excuse me?"

"Occlumency, Defence and dancing." Malfoy explained, "You're embarrassing yourself enough by going with Weasley, I won't have you messing up the dance too. Besides, people know that I was teaching you; it's my reputation on the line as well."

"Thank you." Magnolia whispered, glancing at Malfoy through her lashes.

Malfoy shrugged, "I expect a dance, though. I should get something for all my time."

"What about spending time with me and my witty personality?" Magnolia joked.

"You're not that witty."

After that, Magnolia and Malfoy carried on as normal; still bickering but not arguing. The entire group went to Hogsmeade together at the next trip, almost the entire school was going to get their Yule Ball clothes.

Magnolia had laughed when she was with the Gryffindors and told them that she was getting a new dress at the trip. Harry and Ron had only realised in that moment that the Dress Robes Mrs Weasley had brought for them at the beginning of the school year was what they would be wearing. The look on their faces, especially Ron's, still made Magnolia smile.

Magnolia, Pansy, Daphne and Tracey were stood in the dress shop in Hogsmeade looking through all the dresses that lined the walls. Magnolia picked one out, showing the group but got a negative response from Daphne and Tracey. Pansy hadn't even given her opinion on it.

Magnolia was worrying about her friend; she had been quiet for a while. Originally, Magnolia thought that Malfoy hadn't asked Pansy to the Ball, but when she asked him in their latest lesson, he had told her he had. It wasn't quite as romantic as how George had asked Magnolia, from what Magnolia understood Malfoy had more told Pansy they would go together.

Daphne squeaked from beside Magnolia, pulling a dress off the rail and ran towards the dressing rooms. She quickly brought the deep purple, knee length dress that shimmered as she moved. Tracey found her dress next, a simple but stunning grey dress with thin straps. They then sat with their bags, waiting for Magnolia and Pansy to try on the plethora of dresses they had taken into the dressing rooms to try on.

Magnolia had thought this would be more fun; usually Pansy was so upbeat about shopping, but she seemed sullen throughout the entire thing. Magnolia was stood outside of the dressing room she had been using, wearing a baby pink 50s style dress when Pansy came out of her own dressing room grinning.

Pansy looked gorgeous. She was wearing a red, strapless, floor length dress that clung to her body until the top of her thighs and had a slit down one side. Magnolia gasped at her friend.

"Pans, you look… you look hot."

Pansy shrugged, with a smug smile on her face, agreeing with Magnolia.

"Well, I'm done. Shall I pay and we can meet the boys?"

"Maggie has decided yet." Tracey responded.

Pansy looked Magnolia up and down, "Oh, I thought you were getting that. Plain, like you."

Magnolia blanched at Pansy's words, as the girl stalked back into the dressing room to take the dress off. Daphne and Tracey were both frozen on their seats next to Magnolia when Pansy came back out, paid and left.

"What the…" Daphne mumbled.

"You can go, if you want." Magnolia whispered as she wandered back into the dressing room to try her next dress on.

"No way. This was girl's day." Tracey responded, "I don't know what's wrong with Pansy recently, but she needs to snap out of it."

Magnolia stepped out of the pink dress and looked back through the dresses she had waiting to try on. A flash of green caught her attention, and she pulled the dress out of the pile of others. Magnolia smiled, holding the dress against her body, she knew this was her dress.

She slipped the dress on and pushed the dressing room door open for Tracey and Daphne to see. Both the girls agreed that the dress had been made for Magnolia, and she quickly paid for it.

That evening, Magnolia joined Harry in his Common Room; she was avoiding her own after the outburst by Pansy. He had asked Cho to the Ball, only to find out that she had already agreed to go with Cedric.

George and Fred joined them, and Magnolia gave George a tie that she had brought that matched her dress. To her surprise, he hadn't batted an eyelid at the green. Whilst they were sat talking, the Portrait door was thrown open and Ron was carried through by his sister, Hermione and Dean Thomas.

"What the hell happened to him?" Magnolia questioned.

Ron was pale and seemed to be mumbling to himself.

"He er- just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the Ball with him." Ginny replied, a small smile fighting its way to her lips.

Magnolia laughed as Ron managed to explain what had happened, she wished she had been there. Harry told the others about his own rejection and resolved that he would get a date by the end of the following day.

Magnolia decided that she should head back to her own Common Room before it got too late, so left the Gryffindor whilst she still had time in curfew. She strolled through the corridors down to the Slytherin Dungeons, not in a real rush.

When she made it to the Dungeon corridors, she heard voices coming from one of the classrooms. Pansy's voice stood out to Magnolia, Pansy's upset voice.

"I don't see what the problem is!"

"Potter hasn't been seen since she left the dress shop with Tracey and Daphne, Pansy." Malfoy's ice-cold voice replied, "Tracey told us what happened in the shop. Why have you been acting like such a cow to her?"

"Me!?" Pansy shrieked, "None of this is my fault!"

Magnolia knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't help but linger by the door of the classroom Pansy and Malfoy were in.

"You've been foul to her; everyone has noticed it."

"Of course you have." Pansy snapped, "You seem to notice a hell of a lot about her, don't you? I know that I'm just a placeholder until she wants you, but guess what Drakey, that won't be happening anytime soon. Why can't you just love me like I love you?"

Magnolia looked down at the stone floor. She was sorry that her friend was struggling and upset, but she also wanted to hear what Malfoy had to say.

"You might think that there's a chance for the two of you, I'm not stupid or blind; I see the way you two are together. But remember this, she is messing with you." Pansy hissed, "She won't touch you like I do; she won't see you like I do; she won't kiss you or love you like I do. And most of all Drakey, she won't make you feel like I make you feel."

There was a moment of silence, Magnolia felt her heart thumping in her chest. Pansy sounded like she hated her, they were supposed the be best friends. Magnolia thought they were best friends.

"Pansy."

Magnolia recognised the sound of Malfoy's voice; that was the way he sounded whenever he was about to be brutally honest with Magnolia. Now, he was going to be that honest with Pansy. Magnolia almost wanted to shield her friend from it.

"I don't want her to touch me, kiss me, love me, or see me like you do. I don't want her to make me feel like you do. She doesn't. She sees me as who I am, not who she wants me to be. When she touches me, it's better. She makes me feel better."