Chapter 17: The Ball
It was the last day of school before they all went home to have they're Christmas brake, everyone was excited as the great halls was filled with chatter about how they will be spending they're Christmas
Tonight was the day of the ball, before they all go home to next day, "Who are you going to the ball with tonight Mione?" Ginny asked excitedly
"No one yet…Who'd like to take someone so boring anyway?" Hermione said as they sat down at their table
"Oh, Mione, you're not boring okay?" Ginny said trying to comfort her
"Hey Granger!" a voice from the crowd shouted, a boy came walking towards them
"Oh my gosh! Isn't that Oliver Wood?" Ginny asked her, pointing at his direction
Hermione had a crush on him when they were in the first year, every girl in Hogwarts dreamt of going out with him,
He was the Gryffindor Quidditch team Captain, and he just never noticed her, or any other girl for that matter
"Ginny! Stop that! It's rude to point at someone!" Hermione said lowering Ginny's finger
"Do you have an escort to the ball tonight?" he asked giving her a smile
"Well, no, why?" Hermione asked a bit nervously
"I was wondering if we could go together. What do you say?"
"Sure…if you'd like…" she said accepting his invitation
"Great…see you tonight!" he said walking past the crowded hall
"I cannot believe you're going with Oliver! He is like a total heartthrob!" Ginny said, shaking her arms
"Yeah, but I bet the only reason why he asked me was because he had no time to ask someone in such short notice…" Hermione said as if nothing big happened,
"Gee, why do you have to be so negative all the time Mione?"
She didn't really want to go with Oliver; she wanted to go with someone else,
He must have asked her by now, just imagining them together gives me goose bumps, she said to herself in frustration
"Speaking of ball, what are you planning to wear?" Ginny asked
"Uhm, nothing big, just something my mother sent me…" Hermione said imagining herself in the dress her mother had brought her for the ball
Ginny wasn't all that excited with going with Cedric as before anymore, was it because of last night? She thought to herself
Everyone was getting themselves busy for the ball, everyone was excited, well mostly everyone, Hermione and Ginny were in Ginny's room getting ready
Ginny was still fixing her hair, when Hermione finished dressing up,
"Well, how do I look?" Hermione asked Ginny, twirling around for her to see
She was dressed in an elegant sleeveless light pink gown, it was sparkling all over, it matched her brown eyes perfectly, and her hair was neatly placed in a bun,
"Wow, is that really you Mione?" Ginny asked, standing up to where she was
"You look really fantastic…you're like a princess…" Ginny said admirably
"Are you sure it isn't…too much or anything?" she asked a bit uncomfortably, she was never really comfortable with wearing anything so girly
"Definitely! You look marvelous!" Ginny replied back happily
"You're like a dream come true…all that's missing is the prince!" Ginny teased
"You too princess!" Hermione added, circling her, she was wearing a blue evening gown, elegant as well
"Thanks! So you ready?" Ginny asked taking a deep breath
"I think so…we wouldn't want the guys to get hot…" Hermione replied, taking Ginny's arm, as they walked down the halls together,
They stopped when they saw Cedric along the way,
"Well, don't we look elegant tonight?" he said teasingly, he bowed as he offered his arms for Ginny to take
Ginny giggled as she took his arm,
"Catch you later Mione…" Ginny said waving, walking with Cedric to the great hall
Hermione was left alone in the halls, waiting for Oliver to show up; she leaned on the walls, getting a bit impatient that he hadn't showed up yet
When she heard someone was coming, she thought it was Oliver, but instead it was Harry, she glanced at him, as he came closer,
How handsome he looked in his tuxedo, she sighed to herself, wishing that he was her escort
"Mione? Is that you?" he asked twirling around her, looking at how her dress really showed off her feminine body
"Yes, it's me, who else?" she asked still mad about what had happened few days ago,
"Sorry, I didn't mean that in an insulting way…I just didn't recognize you…you just look more beautiful tonight then ever…" he added a bit breathlessly
She blushed at his words, how flattered she felt, making her forget her anger towards him a bit,
Before she could say anything else, Oliver had arrived,
"Am so sorry am late…" he said apologizing for his tardiness
Perfect timing! She said to herself, glancing at Oliver, who was sweating a bit, probably from all the practice he keeps doing, she said wondering to herself,
Oliver could have been a perfect boyfriend except for the fact that he keeps practicing too much to spend any time with other people besides his team mates, she sighed to herself
"Oh, it's okay…" Hermione replied with a smile, trying to be nice
"Let's head in then?" he asked, glancing a bit at Harry but only smiled which he too smiled in return
"Yeah…lets!" she replied back, walking to the great hall, looking back at Harry, who was soon with Cho, after she showed up, she didn't dare to look back
When they entered the great hall, it was filled with people, dancing in the middle of the ball room, how romantic the atmosphere seemed,
If only she could be with the guy she wanted to be with, the night would even be greater,
"Do you want something to drink?" Oliver asked her, who seemed a bit mesmerized at the people dancing
"Uhm, no thank you…am just fine…" she said, walking with him to a table filled with other people from their house
"Hey Oliver!" one of the guys shouted at him, waving at him to take a sit next to them, it was clear that those guys were his team mates
"Go on, I'll be fine by myself…" Hermione said trying to get him to join them
"Okay…thanks! I promise I'll dance with you later on…" Oliver added, giving her a kiss on the cheek, and then headed to where his team mates were
She noticed Ginny and Cedric were one of the people dancing in the middle of the ball room, Ginny looked happy,
How she liked watching her best friend happy, nothing else seemed to matter anymore
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Ginny surprisingly wasn't at all happy as she thought she would be, she was dancing with the guy she liked, but why was she still bothered? Just looking at Draco and Pansy across the room made her feel woozy
" Cedric…mind if I just sit down for a while?" she asked stopping a while
"Okay…" he happily agreed, they walked to an empty table
"I'll get us something to drink…" he added, going to the buffet
She looked around, people were still dancing, and everyone was having the time of their lives but why wasn't I? She asked herself,
Catching Draco glancing at her from where the Slytherin house were mostly sited,
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"Draco? What's wrong? You've been starring at that Weasley all night?" Pansy asked trying to get his attention on her
"I don't know what you're talking about…" Draco simply replied, gulping up all the wine from his glass,
"Excuse me…" he added standing up, walking away from her
Pansy hated anyone who were associated with the order, anyone who fought against Voldemort, she had a mission, and that is to 'destroy' the enemy
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When Cedric returned with their drinks, Ginny excused herself, wanting to get some fresh air outside, am loosing my senses! She said to herself as she walked out the garden,
The air gushed at her skin; it made her feel cold, like the way she was feeling inside at the moment,
"Having fun are we?" Draco suddenly said from the darkness
"Fun? Who's having fun?" Ginny asked, trying to get a better view at him
"You seem to be having the fairy tale of your life! Good for you!" he added, walking past her
"Wait! Are you jealous or something?" she asked before he could head back in
"What are you trying to say? That am affected that you're with that pretty boy? Then you're seriously out of you're mind" he said, not even looking at her
"Come on, say it in my face!" Ginny said, trying to challenge him
"Okay what if I am? What do you want me to do?" he asked drawing closer to her, getting hold of her wrist
She only stood there, surprised by his sudden reaction
"I'm sorry…I don't know what came over me…" he started to explain when he realized what he just did, he looked at her, fear started to fill her eyes as she starred at him
"I have to go…" he said, walking away from the garden,
While walking back to the great hall, he felt like someone was following him,
"Okay, show yourself…"
"I have some orders to tell you, from Lord Voldemort…" a death eater said from the dark corners of the halls
He did nothing but listen to what his orders was to be,
"You will find whatever makes the Potter weak, where the orders are to take place, and in few weeks time, you are to report to Lord Voldemort... "
"It is your choice however you have to do, kill whoever gets in the way…" he added, as he disappeared from his eyes
Kill? Where is the humanity in that? He said to himself, rolling his fists into a ball,
"You are to do nothing but serve" someone from behind him started to say
"I know that…" he replied back, not looking at his back, he knew exactly who it was,
"You are growing older my boy, soon you too will have to have a child of your own, he is to take your place soon" Lucius said coldly
"So, your saying I have to have get married because it's part of the prophecy?" Draco asked raising his voice a bit
"Yes, that's why am here, you are soon to get married to whoever Lord Voldemort pleases, he will tell you the rest soon" he said turning away from him
It was part of every Malfoy's life to get married in an early age to whoever they have been arranged to, have a son, and sooner or later will be one of Lord Voldemort's followers
Do I always have orders to decide everything I do in my life? Everything I do in my life is because of orders, he said to himself in frustration
Since he was next in line, he was destined to get married to someone because of the prophecy,
Thanks for the reviews so far!...Of course reviews are still needed...Watch out for the continuation in Chapter 18!Reviews needed!Thanks!