As soon as Ginny, Blaise and Draco reached the common room Pansy grabbed Ginny's arm and the girls ran straight up the stairs to their dorm, leaving the boys laughing behind them. Ginny plugged in her wizPod, found her favorite Weird Sisters song and cranked the volume up as loud as it would go. She skipped over to her closet and began rummaging through clothes. She heard Pansy sigh behind her and then felt a tug on her arm. She turned to find Pansy holding the perfect outfit. A Slytherin green halter top and black leather shorts, with silver heels.
"Perfect!" screeched the redhead, lunging at her friend and hugging her. "Thanks Pans. Take anything you need," she added, gesturing to her closet. Then she pulled on the clothes and grabbed her wand. After a few quick spells her long red hair fell in waves down her back and she had applied her makeup, then she stepped into her shoes, and tucked her wand inside her shorts and shirt so it wasn't visible. Then she turned around to check Pansy's outfit. The brunette was wearing one of Ginny's favorite black and silver mini dresses with green sandals, and had her hair piled in a classy updo. She had changed her eye color to match her sandals, and put glitter on her eyes. Thank Wizard God for magic.
The girls jumped as Astoria bounded into the room wearing a dark blue cropped tee and the same horrid mini skirt Pansy always tried to make Ginny wear, only in white, accompanied with blue platforms. The blonde had her trademark pearls around her neck with the matching earrings in her ears.
"I've gotta let Cho in," Pansy announced as she bounded out of the room and back down the stairs.
"Let's go down," Ginny smirked. There was no doubt about it, the girls looked fierce, and Ginny couldn't wait to see the looks on the guys' faces.
"Wait Gin, Blaise invited some people from other houses," Astoria blurted out. "Don't get mad, he thought it might help win some people over."
"Who exactly did he invite," the redhead questioned.
"Well, he told Granger, and Potter overheard and assumed that him and Weasley were invited too, then I guess Granger invited Longbottom and a few other Gryffindors. Of course Pansy let Cho bring a few friends…" Astoria trailed off and looked at Ginny nervously.
The redhead paused for a moment, then grinned. "Perfect," she exclaimed, causing the blonde to cast a confused glance in Ginny's direction. Pausing just long enough to apply the spell to hide her Mark from view, Ginny and Astoria made their way down to the common room where the party was already underway.
Ginny spotted Hermione, Luna, and the Gryffindors across the room looking a little out of place. Upon making eye contact with Hermione, Ginny flashed her most brilliant smile and made her way over to her old friends.
"Mione!" she yelled over the music, reaching out to hug her friend. Then she turned to the others. "I'm so glad you guys could make it." She noticed that the entire group's eyes were on her, and that a few of the boys' eyes were trailing her tiny form.
"What's the matter, snake got your tongue?" Ginny joked to them, causing everyone to nervously laugh. "Seriously guys, I'm the same Ginny, just a little more fabulous."
"Let's dance, Luna," suggested Ron, shooting a flirty glance in Ginny's direction and pulling his girlfriend onto the dance floor created in the middle of the room. Honestly, Ginny still saw him as her big brother, and it felt so wrong to have him look at her that way.
"Ginny?" asked Finnigan, motioning to the floor.
"Why Shay, I'd love to," she flashed her smile again at the group, and took Seamus' arm. She took turns dancing with all of the Gryffindors for the next half hour, trying her best to avoid taking a turn with Ron, and they seemed to warm up to her. They were chatting like they used to up in the Gryffindor common room on lazy weekend nights when Cho and her Slytherin friends found her.
"There you are," exclaimed Astoria. "Where have you been? I can't stand another minute of enduring Pansy and Cho's baby talk." The couple laughed and made their way over to an empty spot on the couch and sat down, Cho in Pansy's lap, then struck up a conversation with Neville and Dean.
"Stori, 'Mione, let's dance," Ginny giggled, grabbing the girl's arms and taking them out onto the floor. The redhead was getting bored and she decided it was time to liven things up a bit. She started dancing face to face with Hermione and pulled Astoria behind her. The way they moved made everyone in the room stop and stare. Ginny really enjoyed being the center of attention. She threw a quick glance and a smirk over to where she left the group and noticed Draco and Harry sitting side by side staring slack jawed at the girls. She winked, and turned to Hermione and ran her hand through the brunette's hair, and pulled her friend in for a kiss.
Ginny remembered last summer when she and Hermione went out clubbing. They always used this trick to keep any guys around interested in them and only them. Come on, what guy doesn't like a fearless girl who kisses her girlfriend for fun?
The girls broke apart to cheers, and Ginny turned to Astoria.
"Aw, come on gorgeous," she winked, "can't have you feeling left out." Then she pulled Astoria in and kissed her soundly as the cheers around them grew to a deafening roar. Her girls were already the life of the party and they hadn't even had any firewhiskey yet!
The girls threw a glance around the room, winking at the various cute guys in attendance and made their way back to the group, where Astoria disappeared with Blaise, and Draco had a few shots of firewhiskey in his hands.
"Thanks, doll," Ginny winked, taking one and tipping it back, savoring the sweet burn of the alcohol as it made its way down her throat. Hermione opted for a butterbeer, which Harry fell all over himself trying to fetch for her. It was going to be an amazing night.
Draco put down his drink, and tugged Ginny out onto the dance floor.
"You really can't expect me to keep my hands to myself with you wearing that," he chuckled, running his hands down her sides and leaning in to kiss her neck. As he straightened back up, she grabbed his tie and pulled him down so she could reach his ear.
"Well that would be counterproductive, now wouldn't it," she whispered, letting go and throwing him a wink. The teens then began dancing the rest of the night away.
Step one of the Dark Lord's plan, also known as "Get in with the Gryffindors" was complete.