Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Harry Potter and co. All rights belong to J. and the publishers.

A/N: Sorry, I figured it was too early in the story to already have the Winter dance although I'm giving out invitations and starting to prepare the students for it.

Cunning Like A Fox

By: Jodelle

"Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day."

-If Today was your last day: By Nickelback

Chapter 7: Invitations

Ginny had woken up terrified. In her dream she'd returned to her old world and briefly thought that the past few weeks were all a dream. She thought they were all dead again! That she'd failed. That was until she woke up for real.

She was sobbing heavily her whole body shaking. Pansy and the other girls didn't know what was wrong but the girls whispered soothing things in her ear trading off on holding her in a tight embrace smoothing her hair down in a gentle way. Ginny hadn't stopped crying for over an hour although she wasn't hysterical after the first ten minutes when the girls had taken to calming her down.

Once her fears were disrefuted she went into the bathroom and took a cold shower splashing some of the water on her tear splotched face. She used her favorite soaps trying to lessen the dread that had settled in her stomach like an anvil. Up until now she'd taken her brand new life, her second chance for granted well there would be no more of that!

As it had only been two in the morning the other girls had gone back to sleep but Ginny just couldn't do the same after a dream like that. She looked in the mirror and frowned she looked like a mess. Back home she was really low maintenance but here her look required more upkeep. Hoping that getting dressed up would at the very least make her feel better she got to it.

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Maybe were friends
Maybe were more
Maybe it's just my imagination
But I see you stare just a little too long
And it makes me start to wonder

-Next to you, By: Jordin Sparks

When the other Slytherins came into the Great Hall they couldn't help but stare. For a moment they thought a total stranger sat at their table but when the girl looked up smiling brightly and waving them over they realized by her voice that it was Ginny. She had her hair in tight ringlets, was wearing the uniform in the most flattering way possible, wore light but beautiful makeup, had some accessories that went unnoticed by most, and had a manicure with white-silver polish.

Draco Malfoy stared at if she were the last woman on earth causing her to grin wickedly. She'd be his even if she had to go to this trouble every morning for the rest of her life. Pansy broke the silence.

"Wow! Ginny I swear that if I didn't know better I'd say you were part veela," Pansy gushed. Ginny smiled faintly a little embarassed by the attention. She blushed bright red when a few of the boys nodded in agreement.

"Well I had time on my hands so I thought why not start the day off with a bang. Nothing makes a day better that that whole pamper yourself idea." Ginny said brushing off the comment and trying to push down her blush.

Then Pansy frowned. "You never did tell us what that nightmare was about. From your reaction to it-it must have been pretty bad. Do you have nightmares often?"

Ginny bit her lip and nodded. "I was walking through a cemetery with a box full of roses trailing behind me. Everywhere I turned there was a tombstone with a friends name on it. I walked around throwing roses in every direction. Then when I thought it couldn't get worse I saw my own body laid out on a pire with roses as the kindling. I started screaming and screaming which is the point at which I woke up."

Ginny lips trembled for a minute before she got a hold of herself. "It may not seem like much to you but it's my greatest fear losing people to this blasted war. My greatest fear isn't that I'll die it's that I'll live but be all alone."

"Is that why you want to be an auror? To protect as many people as you can?" Malfoy asked quietly and she nodded in response.

"What point is there in living if there's nothing worth living for?" Ginny whispered looking up to see the owls flying in. She didn't expect to get anything but then an eagle owl landed gracefully on their table without distrubing any of the food.

"Hmmm..." Ginny said reaching for the owl only to have her wrist snatched by Malfoy. She looked at him questioningly and tried to tug her hand free to no avail.

She was about to ask what his problem was when he called out to the bird, "Come here Opal."

The funniest thing was that the bird didn't budge it resolutely stuck out its talon that it had the letter attached to. Ginny thought out loud wondering, "is this letter for me?" The bird let loose a hoot hopping up and down and it's remaining foot.

Malfoy frowned but let her hand go. She carefully removed the letter from the bird but for some reason it didn't fly away. She made a shooing gesture which caused Malfoy to snort.

"It's been trained to stay with you until you have your reply. Opal, go to the owlery. Go on shoo. Not to add that it only does other than its trained to if a Malfoy asks it to."

Ginny looked at the letter with a purple wax rose holding it shut. She thought it was so pretty she tried to get it off without destroying I but had no such luck as it fell to pieces in her hand. Ignoring her disappointment she opened the letter to scan it.

"Ms. Ginevra Weasley,

You are here in invited to our yearly Winter Ball. We would like to unless you object to introduce you to the high society so you can make connections with people higher up in the ministry and thus ensure your acceptance into auror training camp. We will have our family seamstress help you in selecting a dress as we want you to look your best. You need not worry about the cost as it is our honor to supply you with efficient funds for attending this ball. We do hope the you will send your reply soon so we can start making arrangments.

Sincerely Mr. & Mrs. Malfoy."

Ginny frowned realizing a moment too late that people were reading over her shoulder. She'd turned her head to the side only a little and was so close to Malfoys face she figured she could almost kiss him before he could react. But rather than do that she shook her head.

"Well, that was unexpected," Malfoy said, "My family on ever invite the most higher ups in the ministry and well people they're trying to marry me off to."

Malfoy smirked, "It seems that they approve of you. Don't let that attend our ball to further your career bit fool you it's most definetly a marriage purposal."

"To go or not to go?" Ginny muttered loud enough for them all to hear. "They've sufficiently bribed me with the making connections so I can be an auror, taken it upon themselves to help me prepare so I' won't embarrass myself, and Lucius has been trying to make amends for the first year fiasco."

"Merlin! There's no way I can refuse or I'll seem beyond rude." Ginny said realizing she couldn't decline the offer without offended the elder Malfoys.

Ginny blew her bangs out of her eyes and frowned before saying to Draco, "How did they do that! They've backed me into a corner!"

Malfoy grinned, "They've had experience obviously. Family secret. If I told you-you might escape from your little corner."

Ginny huffed shouldered her bag and grabbing a piece of butter toast took off.

Malfoy called after her, " Best just agree as they won't take no for an answer."

Ginny grunted in response only hearing, "blah, blah, blah."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed!

Bye, I'm off to try and figure what I want Ginny to look like for the dance.

Any suggestions?

-Jodelle