H e l l o m y s w e e t r e a d e r s ( : Here's the next Chapter! Enjoy, and review! I'm really sorry for the late update! I think this is the longest gap there's been between chapters :0 , so once again sorry. Longest chapter so far though!

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Sorry for any spelling mistakes! And once again for the lateness, stupid flipping NCEA! If anyones from NZ they'll know what I'm talking about! Harry Potter. Hmm yeah. Wasn't written by a 17 year old girl from NZ on a laptop called Lenny . . .

"Well that's easy," said Dane Zabini, stretching out on the emerald green couch. "From Hufflepuff, I'd say, that fifth year-"

"I'm only interested in seventh years." I say interrupting Dane.

"Picky, aren't we?" he replies, sounding amused. Typical Slytherin bloke. "Well, then. Seventh year Hufflepuffs: Liane Deluzza-"

"Taken." I say flatly.

"We'll I'd say she's Hufflepuffs finest. Oh but there is that Macmillan girl. . . She's not bad . . . " He says trailing off dreamily.

"So, no possible candidates from Hufflepuff then?" I say, interrupting his daydream.

"Sorry I was just imagining-"

"Yes. I know what you were imagining Blake. And quite honestly, I'd rather you didn't share."

With that he sat up abruptly. Starting to frown.

"What is with you lately Scor? Being Head Boy has turned you into a right prat! I remember the good old days, when we would openly talk about-"

"Can we just get back to the girls?" I ask. Feeling irritated with Dane. He's a good guy really, and a good laugh to, just a right well I guess as Weasley would put it, Malfoy. Wait, did I just use my own name is an insult? What the hell is wrong with me?

"Okay." He says, begrudgingly. But I see him grin blatantly. He loves every bloody minute of this conversation. "Well, there's Gryffindor," he pauses, his smile widening, "of course, there's an excellent selection in that house. Too bad we're supposed to hate them . . ." Once again he zones out.

"Zabini!" I say, honestly he was useless.

"Right, well. I'd have to say, Caitlin Wood," I smirked, I'm sure Al would love to hear that – not that he has any remote chance with Caitlin. At all. "And Finnegan,"

"Her name is Josie." I say without thinking.

He looks up at me, raising his eyebrows.

"What is wrong with you Malfoy? Spent a couple of months sharing the same Common Room with Weasley, and you've turned into a pansy."

"Just keep going." I say, shaking my head.

"Well then there's Weasley, obviously, but that's a no go zone. Well for you anyway."

I made a sudden movement, towards him, but managed to disguise it by scratching my head. This went unnoticed by Zabini.

"But seriously Scorpius, when was the last time you had a decent snog?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" I ask. Realising that I do in fact sound like a bloody pansy.

"Well, if you want to go to the ball with somebody like, say, Juanita for instance."

Juanita was great, super popular, super hot . . .

"Are you listening Malfoy?"

I nod.

"As I was saying, if you are lacking in experience-"

"You know I'm not lacking in experience Zabini!"

"Right, sorry, let me rephrase that. If you've been out of the game for as long as you have-"

"What?" I say, smirking slightly. "Sounds like some middle aged dating game show!"

"You know what I mean." He said, sounding bored. "If you haven't had any action, then there's no way a girls going to say yes to you."

What was he talking about? Any girl would say yes to me! In fact, I think the only girl who's ever suggested that she did not find me attractive, would be Weasley. How ironic.

"Honestly Zabini. I don't know why you think I haven't 'had action' as you put it."

"It's obvious," he drawls. And I can kind of see why Weasley finds me infuriating. Okay, what the hell?

"For your information, I have snogged somebody recently."

"Dreams don't count Malfoy." Said Zabini easily.

"Obviously," I say rolling my eyes, "I'm talking about a real girl!"

He raised his eyebrows. The bloody idiot! Does he know who he's talking to? I'm Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy. Why is it so hard for him to believe I, well I have a life.

"Whatever." He says arrogantly, looking at his fingernails – apparently bored. Then he sat up once again frowning. "So who are you gonna take then? I seriously suggest Juanita, if your trying to win this ridiculous bet with Weasel"

I scowled slightly, "But she has to be nice as well . . . Juanita's hot, but I've heard she can be a bit of a cow."

"Why does she have to be nice? That doesn't sound like the conditions you described to me!"

"I-I dunno," I say shrugging. "It would be a bonus to have someone I can actually talk to."

"I see." He said, sounding very uncertain. Insert awkward silence . . . "What about Tamlyn?"

"Tamlyn Robertson?" I ask.

"Do you know anyone else called Tamlyn?"

"No." I say stupidly before smiling. Tamlyn was the perfect date. Pretty, popular, smart and nice. Yeah, that was what Weasley would consider popular. Someone who was nice.

I stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Dane asked frowning.

"To ask her!" I state obviously. Rolling my eyes and casually strolling out of the common room, winking at a fifth year who blushed furiously. What was Dane talking about? I still got it!

"Very good Miss Weasley!"

I nodded to my professor before turning back to Caitlin.

"Hey!" she says smiling, "Why don't you take someone from last year?"

"Yeah," I say, tilting my head considering it. "As long as they were popular" And not a member of my family obviously . . .

"Rose!" she nudged me in the ribs. Honestly the girl was going to burst with excitement!

"Why don't you just take my brother?"

"Jared?" I say.

"He was really popular remember? He had his own following and everythin-"

"Yeah," I say uncertainly, "But that's like a different type of popular."

"What do you mean?" She said sounding kinda offended.

"I mean he's not the usual Qudditch playing-"

"Heart-breaking loser?" She suggests, hiding a smile.

"Yeah," I nod. "As much as I love Jared – and I gotta admit he's cute," I say despite her nose wrinkling, "The whole guitar playing heart-throb thing . . . Not really my thing." I say, dismissively.

"Okay then," she says grinning mischievously – I don't like this! "What is your thing then Rose?"

"Well, what I meant was, I need to take someone who's Quidditch popular to the ball!"

"Quidditch popular?" She said giggling.

"Yeah," I say nodding. "He has to be hot, popular and a Quidditch player."

"Hmmm," said Caitlin, once again grinning suspiciously, "So he doesn't have to be a nice person?"

"Not particularly." I say without thinking before looking up to see her laughing.

"You're not basing this 'ball date' on anyone in particular, are you Rose?"

"No." I say – but not convincingly.

"Right," she nods. Clearly not buying my answer.

I can't help it if Malfoy views popular different to me! If I want to win, I have to go with someone he thinks is popular, someone he looked up to.

And there was only one answer. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it before.

Tom Davies.

Ex-Ravenclaw Quidditch captain – Seventh Year last year. I think he was perhaps the only person who got more girls than Malfoy. He was legendary.

Well, it was worth a shot.

Plus side is, he's is extremely good-looking and rich and popular and . . .Did I mention good looking?

I heard her before I saw her. Why did she have to hang around with so many giggling girls? This was only going to make my job a hundred times harder . . .

I peered around the corner, and there she was. Wearing a pink beanie over her wavy brown hair. She was so pretty.

I turned back around the corner taking a deep breath.

Come on mate, you can do this.

Deciding it was time to make my presence known I forced myself around the corner, coming face to face with the girl I was looking for.

"Hugo!" She said surprised. But also, I noted – happily.

I bent down to pick up her book that had fallen onto the ground, it was old and leather bound . . . Like a diary.

She smiled at me as I handed it over.

"Thanks." She nodded, playing with her bag strap awkwardly.

"So I'll just-" She began pointing to her friends on the other side of the room.

"Doyouwannagoballwime?" I say, in one breath. Stupidly.

"Um, didn't hear that sorry," she says, effortlessly cute.

"Sorry," I say scratching the back of my head nervously, speak now Hugo, speak now . . .

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the ball with me? I mean – if you want . . ." I add nervously, seeing her smile fade.

"I'm so sorry Hugo," she says, pulling her diary closer to her chest, "But I already said yes to someone else, just now."

"Oh," I say awkwardly, looking at my feet. I knew I should have asked her sooner!

"So I'll be," she pointed at her friends once again, "going now?"

"Yeah, okay," I say distractedly. Before attempting to walk away, and nearly bashing into her again. We exchanged an awkward smile and she turned to walk away.

Before I could help myself I called after her.

"Alice!"

"Yeah?" She said, turning around and beaming at me, bizarrely.

"Who are you going with?"

Once again her face fell.

My heart sunk, this can't be good.

"Al," she looked sincerely sorry, "Al Potter."

And I just nod and manage a weak smile before heading up to my dormitories.

'Al, Al Potter', her words rang in my head. Of course as soon as she'd said Al, I'd known who she was talking about.

And I was just beginning to forgive Al for the whole Quidditch thing . . . But how could he not have know? Uncle George and Uncle Charlie always give me a hard time about it!

How could he not know?

I heard a knock on the door.

"Hugo?" I hear a girls voice call, I ruled out any family member, but the voice sounded familiar.

"Let me in!" She protested.

"No." I mumble back.

"Look," she said kindly, "I just saw you storm up these stairs looking really upset, and since I'm Rose's best friend, and your second sister, you should let me in. I know I can be a real prat sometimes-"

Knowing she was just going to continue ranting at me I opened the door.

"Hi Caitlin." I mumble, as she invites herself in.

"Now," she begins, patting a spot on the bed, "tell me exactly what happened."

"I just asked Alice to the ball with me."

"Awh," she said thumping my arm, "about time you did something about it Hughy!"

I just roll my eyes at her. Yes she was like my sister. My annoying sister . . . And Quidditch captain . . .

"Yeah," I say, "But she's going with someone else."

"Seriously?" She asks looking surprised.

No I just made it up. Obviously . . .

But I just nod.

"Oh. Well I bet he's a tosser whoever it was." She sighs, and pats my arm again. "What's his name? I'll go beat him up!"

With that I couldn't help but grin.

"Really?" I ask.

"Really." She repeats confidently, and then looks at me expectantly.

"Al." I say.

I still can't believe he did it!

"What?" she says, still smiling.

"Al Potter, you know my cous-"

"Yes I bloody know who he is!" She said angrily, standing up. "He's done what? I'll kill him I really will-"

She began to head towards the door.

"Wait." I say, in spite of myself.

She turns around and crosses her arms, waiting for a response.

"Don't get mad at him. I'm sure e didn't mean to ask her-"

She cut me off, putting her hand up.

"Okay, okay I won't"

"Good." I say nodding, even though I actually wanted to punch Al . . .

"Your really something Hugo. If someone had done that to me I would have-"

"I know, Caitlin," I say, "I'm sure you would have!"

"Right." She nods and once again heads to leave.

"Caitlin?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." She smiles in return and leaves.

So maybe she's not as annoying as my actual sister. And a hell of a lot less annoying than my cousin.

And that's the end of that chapter(: more is coming, once again so sorry! I hate it when people don't update, and I've gone and not updated myself . . . But, if I get some more reviews, I might ditch the homework and update more! Yes? Yes. So update.

P.S Next chapter will probally be the ball(: woootiness.

aannd lame chapter name, I know, But you still love me right?

X Potty.