By dinnertime on Monday, I forget all my suspisions. Erica and I are talking animatedly at the Slytherin table.

"So, I bump into this second year and he starts screaming until he turns around and sees me. I notice he's a smirking Slytherin child, so I say, 'What are you looking at?' and he goes, 'A dorky Ravenclaw.' I just stare at him with daggers and he eventually gets so scared, he runs off yelling for his mommy!" Erica laughs so hard at my story, that her hand grabs her nose and mouth. "What the-?"

"You almost made pumpkin juice come out my nose." We laugh hysterically, which earns us odd glances from surrounding Slytherins.

A random Slytherin girl that was next to me says, "You guys are really funny. I'm Angelica, by the way." I notice that she is very pretty what with her long, wavy, dark brown hair, her chocolate-colored eyes, and her toned skin.

When things start quieting down after dessert, Malfoy grabs my hand. He tries to pull me up, but I sit firm in my seat.

"What are you doing, Malfoy?"

"Just follow me."

"No." He tugs hard on my arm, bringing me out of my seat and my arm almost out of my socket. "Hey!"

He drags me down the hallway, and then pushes me against the wall. "Did you mean what you said last night?"

"What?"

"'I meant everything' about Pansy and everything since then. Did you mean it?"

I want to lie and say, "Yes," but I can't. When I open my mouth, it was as if someone else says, "No." How did I do that?

"What do you really think and feel?"

My monotone, outside voice says, "I'm hurt that you would do something like that, but somehow, I believe what you said. No matter how I try to deny it, I still love you."

"So you believe me?" Malfoy asks, a giant smirk slowly appearing on his face.

"Yes. I'm sorry for everything I did and said. I never meant any of it."

"If only I could get you to actually mean it," he says in an undertone. "You know, instead of you just saying it."

"This is Veritaserum. Damnit, Malfoy, if I had half a mind, I'd be kicking your ass all around this hall. I'd be -" I realize my voice came back to me. "It's me. Finally. You are so lucky, Malfoy. Right now I'd be ripping you to shreds, but . . . I do mean it."

He recognized my voice as well and smiled.

"Don't go soft on me, now. I really am sorry, especially about the Harry thing. It was all and act. We never dated."

"Well, I feel special."

"Why?"

"Because you never say sorry. You think it's a waste of time and breath. You only say it to Erica."

"That, I do. Now plant one on me before I forget why I waste my time with you."

His soft lips make contact with mine. We kiss so hard, I'm afraid my teeth would be pushed into my skull. His hands that held me pinned against the wall slide down my arms and cradled my back.

"Glad you're back," he says with relief, gasping for air.

"Glad to be back," I say with a smile.

I tell everyone that the Potter thing was just a fling and everything goes back to normal. Erica seems oddly relieved about the news getting out.

On Halloween morning, I notice that Erica is sad. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"Eh, nothing to do."

"What about the masquerade ball tonight?" I suggest.

"I don't think I'll go."

"Why not? You can come with me," I offer.

"Nah. You're with Malfoy. I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Fine. Can I at least have some one to accompany me on my shopping trip today?" It's a Hogsmeade day and I know she can't turn down an offer to go shopping.

"Ok. But this doesn't mean I'm going."

"I know."

After breakfast, we go to Hogsmeade. In Madame Silvia's Gown Emporium, we see many girls frantically searching in the racks. After a little bit of searching, ourselves, we find some dresses we liked. Seeing all the beautiful dresses made Erica decide to come.

"Think I can pull this off?" I ask, stepping out of my dressing room and checking myself in the mirror. I am modeling a jade green version of Belle's gold gown (Beauty and the Beast).

"That ball of puke? Ew! Hell no. Pull it off and throw it away! How could you even suggest it? I will not be seen with you like that."

"Thanks for letting me down easy," I say sarcastically, turning to see the back of the dress. "I mean, it's not that bad, is it?"

"In a word: Yes." I go into the changing room to change again, when Erica comes out in a baby blue, baby doll-cut dress. "Does this make me look fat?"

"Those kinds of dresses make any one look fat…even anorexics." I say gently. After a while of looking, we find the perfect dresses.

Erica picks a sexy black dress with a halter neck and red side straps and a red belly.

I eventually find a beautiful, deep blue ball gown with gold embroidery at the top.

We find equally as beautiful masks and it's off to get ready.

A/N: I wish you could see the pictures I have drawn of all the dresses and masks. They're a lot cooler than they sound. Collette's mask, btw, is the same blue as her dress with gold embroidery at the top and Erica's flares out at the sides with fiery red flames. Again, it looks a lot better than it sounds.