It was the day before the Yule Ball and Hogwarts was alive with excitement. The girls were anxious to look perfect, but the boys were anxious to get it over with. Well, that is, the boys she knew. Harry and Ron had both asked girls and been declined. The most embarrassing had been Ron, of course, when he blurted to a stunned Fleur Delacour that he wanted to ask her to the dance in the middle of the courtyard.
Ginny had suppressed the urge to laugh in his face when she'd heard the news. Harry had told her he'd tried asking Cho in the owlery, but she'd already been asked by Cedric.
So Harry had resorted to asked Parvati if she'd be his date. Ginny remembered Harry mentioning that they had been consistently acknowledging him ever since the first task, which they had never done prior to the event. It had made Ginny laugh and tease him, "Oh, looks like they both have a crush on you." She had made sure Ron was around when she pointed that out again the previous morning at breakfast when the Patel twins walked by and greeted Harry. It had made Ron irritable.
Harry was going with someone he didn't really want to go with. Ron was going with someone he didn't really want to go with. Ginny didn't mind going with Neville, but he had not made much effort in talking to her since he'd asked her. Hermione was going with a mystery man, and as much as Ginny had plagued her with questions about whom he was, Hermione would not budge. Cedric was going with Cho, and she secretly wondered if he did fancy her. They'd become almost inseparable and Ginny couldn't pretend that it didn't make her jealous. She saw how Cedric looked at Cho, and she wondered if he told her the truth about his friendship with Cho.
It was the Friday after they had been to Hogsmeade together and Ginny had noticed Cedric staring at Cho in a more-than-best-friends sort of way. She also spotted Harry now staring at Cho during breakfast, and it really irked her. When he had been staring at her, he'd been drinking pumpkin juice and he'd slobbered a bunch over himself when she had turned around and smiled at him.
Ginny rolled her eyes at him and swiped her wand over his clothes to clean up the mess. She also handed Harry a napkin and he smiled gratefully, "Thanks Gin! I don't know what I'd ever do without you! That was completely humiliating!" Ron and Hermione thankfully hadn't been looking as they were still busy arguing about whether or not Hermione had an actual date. Ginny rolled her eyes, both at the two of them and Harry and murmured under her breath, "Date Cho probably." Harry raised his eyebrows at her and Ginny shrugged, "Everybody loves that girl." He chuckled and nudged her side, "Yeah except you." She shrugged again and finished her toast.
Harry was grinning at her and she frowned, "What are you so happy about?" Harry chuckled and shook his head, "You're cute when you're jealous." She grimaced and retorted, "I'm not jealous. I just don't like Cho." He continued grinning like a hyena as Ginny sighed as she got up and announced, "Right, I'm off to class. Have a good day guys." She just wanted to get away from Harry who was smirking like Draco Malfoy.
It was the afternoon of the Yule Ball and Ginny glanced down at her dress robes, which were leaf green in colour and she couldn't help but feel like she looked too plain for the occasion. The pastel orange bow seemed a bit silly now against the green and Ginny honestly didn't feel like going to the event anymore. She had done her make-up like she normally did-the liquid liner, mascara and red lipped combo.
Rebecca had been invited by a Durmstrang guy and she'd been raving about him all week. She'd also been complaining about how Harry had asked Parvati to the dance, "But why her? She's not even pretty," Rebecca had whined. Ginny hadn't responded to these inane remarks and she'd just busied herself with prep.
It was six o clock now and people were beginning to walk down to the Great Hall already. Ginny had waved her hair with a wand and she hoped Cedric would notice her this evening. Eventually she walked down the stairs to the common room where she was meeting Neville. He actually looked pretty good in a tux and she could say she was happily surprised. He was busy talking to Ron and Harry by the fireplace. Neville spotted her first he blurted, "You look amazing, Gin." Harry's back was to her but he turned around and she watched in satisfaction as his green eyes widened. She felt like smirking and she replied, "Thank you, Neville. You look pretty good yourself." She went to go and stand with them and asked, "Are we waiting for the Patil's?" Ron nodded irritably and grumbled, "Hmph." She rolled her eyes and eventually the two girls came down. They were both wearing saris of orange and pink in reverse. They could definitely be considered pretty. Rebecca was just jealous, as usual.
The twins greeted the group and Padma announced, "Hello boys," then she turned to Ron who was wearing the ugliest dress robes anyone had ever seen and said almost sarcastically, "Don't you look...dashing." Ginny held down a giggle. At least Harry looked decent in normal tuxedo looking attire, and Ginny couldn't help but notice the other two girls giving Neville sidelong glances.
Finally they proceeded down to the Entrance Hall where all the students were wondering around. Professor McGonagall approached them straight away and asked anxiously, "You ready, Potter?" Harry frowned and asked, "For what Professor?" She sighed and replied, "To dance. It's tradition that the three champions, or in this case, four are supposed to dance first. Surely I told you that?" Harry shook his head and looked pained as she continued, "Oh well now you know!" before shouting across the hall to someone else. Then Ginny heard Parvati say, "She looks beautiful," and Harry, who was staring at Cho said, "Yeah, she does."
Ginny had turned to look at whom Parvati was referring to and she saw Hermione in an elegant, pink dress with several layers walk down the stairs, her hair prettily done up in a bun and looking like Ginny had never seen Hermione look before. Ginny looked around to see several people staring, and Ron looked like he had just seen Aphrodite in the flesh. Ginny smiled at his daft facial expression as his mouth fell open. Harry too, also looked more surprised than she'd ever seen him.
Ginny noticed Viktor Krum standing to the right of their small group and Hermione was staring at him. She suddenly put two and two together when she saw Krum grinning and her and she knew they were together. Ginny nearly wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation. How many time during the World Cup had they obsessed over Krum and spoken about their chances of actually meeting him?! Hermione was in for a full blown questionnaire when the evening was over.
As Krum approached her, Ron looked almost scandalised. He quickly pulled Padma into the Great Hall. Neville whispered to her, "We should get in there too." Ginny nodded and allowed Neville to lead the way.