Chapter 8

Its official, James and I are dating and pretty soon the whole school knows. Unsurprisingly Anna and Fred are thrilled, probably because everything's now out in the open, but not everyone is so happy. Emma is still at school, having somehow managed to avoid being expelled by McGonagall but she can't do much about me now. Everyone heard about the duel story and within a couple of days even Jean and Hannah had stopped hanging round with her. I shouldn't be pleased about someone else being miserable but I am. I so am.

It turns out that James is a pretty amazing boyfriend. He walks me to class all the time now, making it so obvious that we're dating that pretty much all the teachers know about it as well. A little embarrassing but I'm too happy to care.

Soon the next Hogsmede weekend arrives and James and I wander down to the village together, hand in hand. We go into the Three Broomsticks and chat about the upcoming Christmas Ball, a Hogwarts tradition for the past ten or so years.

'So, who are you going with?' he teases.

I pretend to ponder the question, 'Well, I hear Connor McLaggen is still single.'

We both laugh; Connor has refused to talk to either of us in Quidditch training but unfortunately until James finds another Gryffindor who can actually hit a bludger we're stuck with him.

James puts his hand over mine and we lean over the table and kiss. Lovely for whoever's sitting next to us. I'm quite happy to snog James all day but I notice something out of the corner of my eye and pull away.

'Oh my god!' I half shout.

'What?' asks James, wondering what has broken our moment.

I wordlessly point to a table half concealed by a massive Christmas tree where Fred and Anna are snogging each other's faces off.

James almost falls off his chair, first in shock and then with laughter.

I gently smack his arm, 'Hey it's not funny- they'll be great together!'

'I know,' says James, still struggling to breathe from the laughter, 'but I never expected it!'

'Really? I've known it'll happen since first year.'

'Haha, I'm going to go over.'

'No! Don't wreck their moment! Oh hey Scorpius.'

My fifth year brother, Scorpius, has just sat down at the table next to mine with Albus Potter and Rose Weasley.

'Hey, Vic,' he notices James, 'you too better not start snogging in front of me.'

James stops ogling Fred and Anna and turns to the others.

'Oh, hey Al.'

'Hiya,' says Al, he looks at me, 'Have you told mum and dad about you two yet?'

'Yep.'

This is a surprise, 'you have?'

He looks surprised at the tone of shock in my voice, 'Yeah, why not?'

Yeah its fine for you, I think, if I told my parents I was dating you they'd probably take me out of Hogwarts.

Scorpius seems to be thinking something similar because he says, 'I'm guessing you haven't told our parents, Vic?'

I roll my eyes, 'Please, I'm not stupid! Dad hasn't spoken to me since he had that hissy fit at me during the Emma incident.'

'Just tell them and get it over with,' suggests James.

'No, it'll just cause loads of arguments, there's no need for them to know.'

He shrugs but I can tell he doesn't agree with me.

I think about the issue quite regularly over the next few weeks but it's forced out of my mind when the Christmas Ball approaches. The ball is held the day before we break up for the holidays and it's an extravagant feast and dance for the whole school. Everyone always gets really into it. In the final week before the event, I feel quite smug that I have a boyfriend because it's suddenly a mad rush to get dates. Anna and Fred have been dating since that day in Hogsmede and are going together but it's chaotic for everyone else, and then on the night itself half the couples fall out or don't dance with each other anyway.

On the night itself, it's chaos in the Gryffindor sixth year girl's dormitory and even Anna loses her cool. Becky Thomas practically has a panic attack an hour before the event when she rips her dress in all the excitement and then temporarily forgets that she is a witch and in a room full of witches who are more than capable of fixing a small tear in a bit of fabric.

We all leave the dormitory together and nervously head towards the entrance hall, or the designated meeting point for couples. I'm wearing shimmery turquoise dress robes that go well with my hair and bring out my eyes, accompanied by the most dangerous pair of high heels I've ever seen. James is going to be giving me a piggy-back up to Gryffindor tower later.

Both James and Fred are already there, standing together and looking nervous. Fred looks very good in his dress robes and with Anna in her daring red outfit they look great together. But for me, everyone else pales in comparison to James. His dress robes are very dark and bring out his hazel eyes as well as making him looking even taller than usual. His hair is artistically ruffled and, best of all, he's smiling at me.

'Hey,' he grins, 'you look beautiful.'

I blush which is unusual for me, 'thanks, you look pretty good yourself.'

We head into the great hall for the feast which turns out to be predictably delicious and then spend hours dancing to the band that's been hired. Four goblins playing various instruments. Weird but good to dance to.

'Shall we go get some air?' shouts James over the music.

I nod; it's so hot in here. We by pass Anna and Fred dancing enthusiastically and head for the doors. Once outside we sit on a stone bench and, predictably, start kissing.

Suddenly there's a rustle from behind us and a squat man with a camera emerges from the bushes.

'Excuse me; are you Victoria Malfoy and James Potter? I'm from the Daily Prophet and we'd love an interview on how you unlikely couple got together.'

James and I exchange an appalled look and hurry back inside, but I have a niggling feeling for the rest of the otherwise perfect evening.

The next day it's a mad rush to get everyone on the train but I manage to get a compartment with James, Fred and Anna. A new couple probably annoys most people but because together we're two new couples it's alright for some reason. I'm just enjoying the last couple of hours before I have to face my extended family for Christmas when Anna unfolds the morning's newspaper and gasps.

'What?' we all demand simultaneously.

She shakes her head and passes the Prophet to me. I glance down at the front page and feel my stomach drop out of me. A single photo of James and I takes up most of the page and is accompanied by a single caption: Potter's son and Death- Eater's daughter relationship scandal.

Oh my God.