Chapter 2

A few weeks in to the term and school was exactly how Claudia had expected it to be. Everyone was too loud, too boysterous and too happy.

She was currently sitting in potions, the last lesson of the day, and was making a forgetfullness potion without the help of her partner, Pansy.

"Are you going to do anything all lesson?" Claudia asked, knowing the answer already.

"I can't i'm far too distracted." Pansy sighed.

Claudia looked up to see what Pansy was distracted by and saw her staring off into the distance with a dreamy look on her face. She didn't even need to ask what she was staring at.

"Ah. Still crushing on the Weasley I see."

Pansy just sighed in reply.

Claudia should of known it would of been him her friend was distracted by. Pansy had, had a crush on the Gryffindor red head for almost the whole time she'd known her.

Around christmas in their first year Pansy had been on her way from the library and was carrying far too many books for someone so small and had enevitably dropped them all on the floor. Having always been a tad bit over dramatic and only 11 she'd burst into tears.

Ron Weasley just happened to be walking around the corner and saw everything. He then proceeded to comfort the now shocked Pansy and helped her carry all her books back to the Slytherin common room.

From that day forward Pansy Parkinson had been in love with Ron Weasley.

Claudia just rolled her eyes and packed up their things when professor Snape told them to leave.

"I don't understand why you can't just ask him out." Claudia was saying as they walked from potions back to their common room. She didn't notice the horrified look on her friends face.

"Ask him out?" Pansy all but shouted in response. "A girl can not ask out a boy it HAS to be the other way around. What would I tell my children when they ask how we got together 'oh sweetie well i was really desperate and so I asked him out' its not very romantic is it." Claudia just sighed and wished she'd never said anything as Pansy carried on and on all the way to the common room.

After dropping off their bags they headed back to the great hall for dinner. The hall was buzzing as usual as they arrived.

When he had obviously gathered that everyone was at their tables Dumbledore stood and greeted the students.

"Good evening children. I hope you have had a wonderful year so far and I hope my news which follows will make the year all that much better." He paused, Claudia imagined for dramatic effect then continued "I have asked all of your professors and we have all agreed that this year it would be a lovely idea if we started up an anual tradition of a winter ball." There was a lot of excited wispering coming from all tables and dumbledore looked incredibly pleased with himself. Claudia meanwhile had a sudden urge to bang her head against the table. "It will be a wonderful way for the first years to socialise and for the older years to find a few new friends among different houses. There will be a few extra hogsmeade visits arranged for students to find outfits and students from all houses and years will be allowed to go, though students from third year down will be going in escourted groups. I will let you know more details closer to the time." And with that he sat.

Claudia spent the rest of the meal in an angry silence and waited for Pansy to finish talking to the other girls at the table about what dress they would wear before storming out of the hall and back to the dorm.

"Claudia what's wrong with you. You look like you've been told someone stole your broom."

"I hate balls. They're so loud and so stupid and fake and everyone looks so stupid in those big dumb ball gowns." She ground her teeth as she spoke.

"But Claud it will be so fun! There'll be food and punch and we can dance!" As pansy said the word 'dance' she rushed towards Claudia and proceeded to swing her around their bedroom. This lightened Claudia's mood considerably and she laughed as Pansy pulled her in for a over dramatic waltz. She almost forgot everything to do with the ball as she laughed with her friend until Pansy reminded her of the worst thing about balls. "Hey you might even get asked out by prince charming." Was all she had to say for her face to fall and she pulled away from Pansy to slump down on her bed.

"I'm not like you Pans." She said sullenly. "You're beautiful and thin and lovely. You could get anyone to ask you. Even Ron bloody Weasley but i'm not like that Pans. No one would want to go with me."

Pansy frowned. She knew her friend wasnt like her. Hell she wasnt like anyone she'd ever met and she loved that about her. This girl had a lot to give and Pansy thought she knew that but she was obviously wrong. Claudia was a beautiful girl in a lot of ways and anyone would be happy to have her Pansy thought. Someone else had to see the truly beautiful qualities in the girl sitting slumped on her bed at this moment in time. Now wasn't the time to ponder who however it was time to cheer up her friend.

"Come on Claud cheer up. Imagine all the shocking outfits we'll get to laugh at." That drew a gentle snort from the other girl and Pansy smiled.

The rest of the night was spent thinking up ways in which they could spike the punch till they eventually fell asleep much, much later.