When Draco and Ash came back from their excursion, Tracy nor Blaise could be found anywhere. It confused Ash a bit, but she knew that they'd turn up somewhere soon. And true enough they met them again at dinner in the Great Hall.
"Hey!" Ash yelled when she saw the two of them sitting at the usual seats.
They turned and waved at her to come over to them. "How about we sit somewhere else today, hun?" Ash frowned at Draco.
"Why would we do that? Their our friends."
"Yeah, but I'd like to have you to myself a bit longer," he whispered into her ear, snaking his arm around her and pulling her against him.
Ash giggled, but stayed firm to her decision. "You've already had me all day. I'm sitting with them," she stated and pried loose of him before running up to her best friends squealing in excitement.
"Hey," they said in unison once Ash reached them, a slightly frustrated Draco trailing behind her. "Where have you been all day?"
Ash rolled her eyes. "I told you, I was on a date with Draco in Hogsmeade."
"We were there as well, but we didn't see you anywhere," Blaise said.
Ash smiled, "Well, at one point we changed and ran into the forest a bit."
"Oh, alright then..."
"That's why I couldn't find you anywhere when we came back, huh?"
"Yeah we just came back a few minutes ago and went straight here," Tracy told.
"What did you do?"
"We searched through the shops a bit. You know there's a Halloween Ball this year for all 7th graders. We were looking through Gladrags for costumes!"
"What? You went without me?"
"Haha, I thought you'd say that, therefore we planned on going tomorrow as well. This week so many people need to get costumes and stuff, that the shop is open at Sunday as well," Tracy giggled and pulled Ash into a side hug making her laugh as well.
"You guys are the best!" Ash giggled and glanced over at Draco who was talking to Theodore, she frowned when she saw that, why wasn't he talking to Blaise? She shook her head in annoyance and engaged Blaise in her and Tracy's conversation. "Did you find anything yet?"
He looked up at her surprised, "Well, there were some that looked quite funny. But no, not really."
"Well, tomorrow we'll find something for each of us!" Ash cheered and held up her glass, the other laughed and held up their own glass, knocking it against the first one.
The next day Tracy and Ash meet up with Blaise and Draco in the common room - Draco had decided to come along and look for a costume himself. Together they rushed to the carriages and drive down to Hogsmeade where they hurriedly ran into an already crowded Gladrags Wizardwear shop.
"This is not fun!" Ash whined as they reached the shop and tried to fight themselves through to the hangers.
"I know! I can't believe how many people are in here!" Tracy told her. "Especially because the Party is just for the 7th graders."
"I guess there'll be parties in the common rooms as well though."
Tracy scrunched up her face, "you're right..."
After a few moments the boys snapped. "You guys can go on searching. Blaise and I are going to the Three Brooms," Draco eventually told Ash with a small peck on the lips before leaving the crowded shop with Blaise - both looking really annoyed at the squealing girls.
Only minutes later the two girls followed them - they had seen the line in front of the dressing rooms.
"Well, that was disappointing," Ash muttered when she fell out of the shops door.
"You can scream that out loud," Tracy agreed, shaking her head.
"WELL, THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING!" Ash yelled making Tracy jump.
"I didn't mean that literally!" the black hair hissed in return while Ash held her stomach from laughter.
"You should have seen your face!" she gasped and laughed even more.
Tracy rolled her eyes while opening the door to the Three Brooms, letting the two girls enter the pub. However, when they entered, they saw Draco and Blaise glaring daggers at each other while arguing silently.
"What the hell?" Ash asked concerned before hurrying over to them. "Hey! Stop your bickering! What do you think your doing?"
Both boys looked at her and fell silent. "It's nothing," Blaise said after a few seconds, giving Draco an meaningful glance.
"I don't believe you, but I don't care as long as it wont effect me in the slightest," she stated and let it slip. "Well, the trip was a bit of a disappointment. No change that we'll find a nice costume here."
Everyone stayed quiet for a minute, until Tracy said "Yeah, I agree... we need to find another way to get to costumes."
"Are there any more shops here?"
"Nope, that's the only one that sells costumes."
"Well, that sucks. Do you maybe have the costumes from last year?"
Tracy laughed. "Can't wear those again!"
Ash rolled her eyes but agreed with her any ways. "Any idea?" she asked, this time also turning to look at the boys.
They shook their head no. "You don't reckon that the Room of Requirement has any, do you?" Ash asked softly making Draco's head shoot up.
"Why not? We require costumes... maybe it'll have some in one of its rooms."
"You really think so?" Tracy asked.
"Worth a try, don't you think?"
"Yeah, you right." All of them agreed and quickly paid and returned to Hogwarts.
Once they reached the castle they briskly went to the third floor and Ash started pacing in front of the wall - this time being the one who receives the humoured glances. All of a sudden a small simple door appeared in front of them, inviting them in.
When they entered Tracy and Ash squealed at the sight. "Oh by Merlin's knickers," Ash whispered looking at the gigantic walk in closet that held some of the most beautiful dresses that she ever saw.
"I think I'm in love," Tracy whispered beside her, making Ash laugh.
"Come on, no time to stand here, lets search!" and together they ran into the room, leaving the boys to themselves once again.
"Is it just me... or does this scare you as well?" Blaise asked after a couple of minutes, standing next to Draco in silence.
"It's not just you."
"Just making sure," Blaise nodded and took the first step into the ocean of clothes. Together the boys walked past rows of clothes racks until they came to a section with boy costumes.
While they browsed the only words they heard were the occasional yells of "Tracy! Come over here and look at this dress!", "Ash! I cant decide what's better! Help me!" or "Merlin! I wish I had your figure."
"Draco! Blaise!" Ash yelled after a while.
"Yeah?" they answered in unison.
"Where are you?"
"Over here! Follow my voice!" Draco yelled back until Ash and Tracy appeared. In their hands they dragged a huge pile of costumes. "Did you already find anything?" The boys shrugged.
"I guess," Blaise said looking at Draco who nodded. Both of them held up a costume.
"Let us see!" Tracy squealed - Ash swore she was in a very bad clothing high.
Both guys sighed and started stripping in front of them... not like they'd complain...
The girls watched contently as the boys changed into their newly chosen costumes.
Draco looked amazing in an Elizabethan style men's robe in black, with a light gray west underneath and the Elizabethan style pants.
Ash giggled. "I'm in hope that you will wear a wig as well, monsieur" Draco smirked.
"You like it?"
"Oh yes I do. And maybe I'll actually find a nice dress that will go with it!" she smirked before turning to look at Blaise.
Blaise had chosen to change into an pirates costume, reminding her a bit of that pirate from Treasure Island.. Captain Silver ... only thin and good looking and black and with short hair. Any ways, he looked smoking!
"Wow, Blaise! That really suits you! Sure you aren't a pirate in a wizards disguise?"
Blaise chuckled, "very funny."
"I know," Ash grinned, "but it really does look nice."
"So what did you decide on?" Blaise asked, redirecting the attention back to the girls.
"We need help in deciding!" they answered in unison and laughed.
"Jinks," Ash laughed and Tracy's mouth fell ajar before she glared and looked at Blaise.
"You girls are childish did you know that?" Tracy and Ash grinned and Blaise rolled his eyes. "Tracy, Tracy, Tracy" he muttered releasing Tracy from the 'Jinks'.
Smiling the girls picked up their clothes and dashed behind a clothes rack and started changing.
"Not fair! We changed in front of you!" Draco chuckled loudly, so that the girls could here.
"Yeah, but we aren't perverts who'll jerk off at the image after wards," Tracy giggled.
"Sure you aren't" Blaise said suggestively.
"Ass."
"Bitch."
"Arrogant prick."
"Witch."
"That's an pathetic insult."
"Oh, we were insulting each other? I thought we were stating the obvious."
"Burn!" Ash laughed before stumbling out into side with the first costume on. It was a short black dress with an reddish corset around the waist and long wide sleeves that was rimmed with red, like the bottom of the dress.
"Nice." Draco and Blaise said and Ash frowned.
"Nice?" They nodded.
Ash huffed and turned back around and vanished behind the rack again. "Did we say something wrong?" Draco asked Blaise who shrugged.
"I think she was going for hot or beautiful."
"Oh..."
Next Tracy showed herself. "What do you think?"
"Wow. That really does look awesome on you Trace," Blaise grinned. She was wearing a short black Kimono type dress that was rimmed with turquoise with long hanging sleeves and a flowery pattern. Around her waist was a turquoise belt.
Draco nodded enthusiastically, "You look stunning," he agreed.
Tracy grinned with pride when she heard the boys complimenting her. "Now only one more person to go," she said and sat between the boys waiting for Ash to show herself.
"Thanks Tracy... Why do I have the feeling this'll take a while?"
"No clue," Tracy said while Ash came out with a vampire costume. All three shook their head no.
Again and again she came out from behind the ranks and again and again the costume didn't really fit.
"I give up!" she sighed after a while and glared at all the clothes that lay there discarded.
"No Ash! Look around you! There are so many costumes, we'll find one for you," Tracy said and stood up to search for a costume that would look perfect on her frustrated friend - because perfect is what they were going for.
After a couple of minutes Tracy came hurrying back with a white dress in her hands. "Try this one on," she breathed, throwing the dress at Ash and shoving her behind the rack again.
When Ash came out the jury gasped. Tracy had chosen a short white Elizabethan type of dress that reminded Ash of a short version of a dress Marie Antoinette would have worn. Its outer layer was cream and it's inner layer pure white. Also it had pink bows here and there.
"You look absolutely stunning," Blaise breathed as Draco was smirking.
"You really did find a dress that matches my outfit."
"So, you'll take me to the ball like this?" she smiled slyly gesturing at the dress with her hands.
"Definitely, gorgeous."
Ash grinned. "All right, we have a winner! Now lets grab some food at the Great Hall! I'm starving!"
Right now Ash was getting ready for the upcoming Halloween Ball that she would be attending in a short while with Tracy.
They had eaten the Halloween Feast together in the Great Hall earlier that evening and were now in their dorm room getting ready.
They were alone in the room. Pansy and Daphne had ran out of the room as soon as they had entered - probably going to their wannabe's room to change. Ash was secretly wishing they'd just stay at their wannabe's place for the rest of the year, then she wouldn't have to live with the constant glares any more and they wouldn't continue annoying her every night with their empty threats.
Quickly she changed into her Elizabethan style costume and placed the gigantic white haired wig on top of her head. Next she put on some light make up and soon she felt pleased with the way she looked. If the dress was a bit longer, she could have really been from the Era she portrayed.
Turning she looked at Tracy who was still fighting with her hair.
"Need help?"
"You're finished?"
"Yup."
"You really do suck..."
"And still you hang out with me... What does that say about you?"
"That I'm a sucker for losers?"
Ash laughed at her friend, "If you say so."
Tracy shot a look at Ash, "Wow, you look amazing!"
Ash blushed, "I know."
"You know that confident answer doesn't work with the blush."
"That's what you say."
Tracy shook her head while returning her attention to her hair.
While Ash waited for Tracy to finally finish her hair, she thought back to the day in the Room of Requirement when they had chosen the costumes. Seeing Draco's ice blue eyes light up when he saw her emerge from the racks with her newly found costume. Seeing him smirk while - hopefully - thinking that he had a beautiful date. But she also saw Blaise's eyes widen a bit when she came out, and his chocolate brown eyes didn't leave her inner eye any more.
Forcibly she got herself to imagine Draco waiting for her in the common room, together with Blaise, while cursing them for taking so long. Well, it wasn't her fault, it's defiantly Tracy that's taking so long.
Ash glanced at her friend to see that she moved on to the make up.
"Tracy, I just remembered. You didn't tell me who are you going with?"
The black head shot up and looked at her. "Um, I'm going with Blaise," she said while watching Ash intently.
Ash frowned, "with Blaise?"
Tracy nodded.
Ash stared at her emotionless, then she cracked a sincere smile. "Wow. I didn't know you guys were like that."
"Oh no, we aren't like that that. We're just friends that didn't have dates and decided to go together."
Ash crooked an eyebrow at her. "Its your own fault for not saying yes to any of the 20 guys that asked you to go there with them!"
"It weren't 20 people!"
"OK, 14, still a lot guys that you rejected and Blaise didn't even ask anyone, otherwise he'd have like 20 dates as well!" Tracy opened her mouth to argue, but Ash was right, so she closed her mouth again and shrugged grinning. "You guys are impossible!" Ash laughed.
Seeing Ash laugh, Tracy also cracked a smile, "I guess your right. But Blaise and I really don't like each other that way."
"Sure you don't," Ash winked at Tracy jokingly. "By the way. Are you finally ready?"
Tracy grinning and ran over her lips with lipstick one more time. "Yes I am."
When they emerged from the dorms, the party in the Slytherin common room was already in full format. The only seventh graders that still sat in here were Draco and Blaise, waiting for their dates to finally show themselves.
"Finally, even Pansy was fas-" Draco started before closing his mouth again when he saw the two girls in front of him. "Wow," he changed his mind.
The girls blushed and thanked him, before Blaise smiled at them and complimented them as well.
"You guys don't look all to bad yourself," Ash smiled at them, taking up their look. Together with his Elizabethan costume Draco also found one of those white haired wigs which he was now wearing and Blaise had perfected his pirate look with a eye strap that he had borrowed from another Slytherin with an pirate costume.
"Are we ready to go?"
They nodded and together the four of them left the common room to the children, while they made their way to the Great Hall where the Ball waited for them.
"You know, it was Tracy that took so long," Ash whispered to Draco when the other two fell back a bit.
Draco laughed, "I'll just believe you"
Ash's jaw dropped and she playfully hit him on the arm, "I'm not lying."
"I wasn't either. You don't need a lot of work to look as stunning as you do."
Ash looked at Draco, "I'll just take that as a compliment"
Draco frowned "What else would you take it for?"
"You could have meant that sarcastic."
"Oh, yeah, because I'm oh so sar- Alright. Wont say another word." Ash laughed, while tightening her grip on his arm.
Arm in arm they went down the corridors until they reached the open doors of the Great Hall. The ball had already started when they arrived.
The Halls decorations had changed significantly since dinner. The four long tables had vanished and had been replaced by small round tables that where covered with black cloth which had spider webs printed on them. On those tables where glasses and plates that all fit the Halloween theme.
Also, Hagrid had probably gotten gigantic spiders to spin their webs in the Hall, because on every wall and corner gigantic spider webs littered the walls and nearly hid the stone wall behind them. Also the candles were all glowing in a creepy red and yellow light that seemed to set the whole ceiling ablaze and there wasn't a barrier that stopped the wax to drop down on them.
Together with the decorations, a hoard of demons, devils and vampires littered the dance floor, dancing to the blasting beats of music from Mindless Self Indulgence - wizard band that also got popular with some muggles and one of Ash's favourite band.
"Bloody Merlin! Is that Mindless Self Indulgence? Fucking Merlin! Why didn't anyone tell me!" She squealed in excitement and ran to the dance floor and stood right in front of the stage, starring up at them, grinning.
Feeling Draco step up behind her she turned and kissed him passionately on the lips before she started to swing her hips to the music and jumping to the beat while screaming along to the lyrics of "Shut Me Up". When the song ended "Straight to Video" started and Draco pulled her nearer to him.
"You like them?" he screamed into her ear.
Ash looked at him shocked, "Who in the wizarding world doesn't like them?"
"True," Draco smirked while their hips pushed against each other.
Ash's emerald green eyes started into the ice blue eyes of Draco and the other way round, while moving to the beat of the music. When the next song ended they pulled together for another passionate kiss.
Hands roaming each others body.
Bodies pushing against each other seductively.
Eyes unclothing the other in their heads, while swaying to the enchanting beat of "Bed of Roses"
"I love your costume," Draco quietly said into her ear, before his hands touched the bare skin of her legs and travelled upwards.
Ash gasped and slapped his hand away from her ass. "Pervert," she snarled.
"And you love it," Draco inclined, which made Ash glare at him before she pulled him towards the table where Tracy and Blaise had been sitting for a while now.
"Hey, why aren't you dancing?"
"Don't want to?"
"Was that a question?" Ash asked frowning before shaking her head. "Not good you guys, not good!" she said and pulled Tracy up and stormed to the dance floor with her.
"Shouldn't you be dancing with your boyfriend?"
"I just did, now I'm dancing with my girlfriend!" Ash grinned. Unlike dancing with Draco, Ash wasn't shaking her hips now, but was jumping up and down on her heels and doing the most childish moves that you could to the music of Mindless Self Indulgence.
She saw Ron when she was sliding from left to right to the beat while waving her hands in the air and turning. "Ron!" she called out and stormed up to her cousin who was sitting at a a table just like Tracy had before - and was sneaking back to, as Ash noted with dismay.
"Dance with me!" she said and didn't leave him a choice as she pulled him to his feet - taking Hermione's hand as well - and dashing back to the dance floor.
"I've seen you dancing with Draco before," Ron said while he moved uncomfortably to the beat.
"Loosen up Ronny!" Ash said taking his arms and shaking them while ignoring his comment. When he stopped dancing and started at her, she sighed and asked, "So?"
"You looked very into each other," he states courtly.
"Well, we are dating. It be sad if we weren't into each other."
Ron's jaw tightened as he seemed to growl - Ash couldn't be sure though because of the loud music. 'I hate Jimmy Page' came up making Ash laugh as Ron's face turned red when the moans of a girl blasted through the speakers.
"Come on, darling, no bad feelings! It's Halloween, dance with us!"
Ron rolled his eyes and started to awkwardly move to the beat again. Ash looked up to see Harry still sitting with Ginny at the table and quickly motioned for them to come and dance as well.
Ginnys face lit up at the invitation and she briskly pulled an unhappy Harry onto the dance floor.
"What are you doing here, Gin? As far as I know, your not in 7th grade."
"But my date is!" Ash's eyes narrowed and looked at Harry.
"You better take care of the cutie!" making not only Harry blush, but also Ginny.
All the while Tracy was back at the table with the two boys staring at Ash while she danced with the Gryffindors.
"Does she ever stop dancing?" Tracy asked after a while.
"I don't think so... How can she even stand on those shoes for such a long time?" Blaise added fascinated by the ten centimetre heels Ash was jumping on.
"Don't ask me, mine are only half as high and I already want to cut my feet off."
Draco stayed quiet while he watched his girlfriend goof off to the bands music. "What's that guy doing over there?" he asked suddenly, sitting up straighter. Tracy and Blaise looked over as well and saw how some Zombie came nearer to Ash and tapped her on the shoulder. When Ash turned around annoyed and stared at him while he started moving his body nearer to hers, Draco jumped up and rushed to her dancing form. Pulling her into his body when he was near enough. "Fuck off," he told the living dead.
"Thanks," Ash smiled at him giving him a peck on the lips.
"You know I wouldn't have to help you if you wouldn't be dancing this sexily."
Ash crooked her eyebrow at him. "That wasn't what I call sexy."
"They what do you define as sexy?"
"That's what you would want to know, right?" she smirked while whispering into his ear.
Draco took a deep breath when he felt her hand grab his ass. "Oh yes," he gasped.
"Well, don't feel like showing it," she said and pulled away with a slap on his butt. Silently she turned back to her cousins, leaving a frustrated Draco staring at her back. Childishly, he stomped the ground and returned to the table.
"She's one hell of a frustrating woman!" he growled, making Tracy and Blaise laugh.
"And you only just noticed?" they asked in unison, making them laugh even harder.
Draco just rolled his eyes at them. "Come on guys, lets dance a bit," he said while helping Tracy up and walking to the Goons and Pansy and Daphne who were also on the dance floor with their dates.
Tracy and Blaise watched Draco with an confused look on their face when they saw that, instead of going into the direction of his girlfriend, he started dancing with Pansy and Daphne.
"What are you doing?" Blaise asked him shocked.
"I think that its obvious. I'm dancing."
"But why with them?"
"Oh, fuck off Zabini. Draco's a big boy he can dance with whomever he wants," Pansy sneered, pulling Draco towards her.
"No, Draco has a girlfriend."
"So? She's dancing with the Gryffindors, you really think Draco would sink that far?"
Blaise shook his head and shot, "What in the world made you think I was talking to you?" at Pansy. Then he turned to look at Draco "So are you coming?"
"Where to?"
"To dance with Ash."
"You know I have other friends as well, I can't spend all my time with you guys."
Blaise frowned at his friend, "what do you think you'll accomplish with this?"
But Draco didn't answer and only rolled his eyes at his dark skinned friend. Blaise shook his head and went to Ash and Tracy.
"Draco not wanna dance with the Gryffindors?" Ash asked with a grin, watching Blaise come over to them.
"How can you be so calm?" Tracy asked shock.
Ash smirked, but her friends could see a bit of hurt in her eyes. "He's got other friends as well, I can't expect him to cut all of his ties with Pansy and Daphne only because I'm not very fond of them," she shrugged.
"Yes, you can! He's your boyfriend, for Merlins sake!"
Ash looked at Draco dance with Pansy - it wasn't the same as their way of dancing, more apart - and laughed, "I don't see the betrayal in dancing. He knows when he goes to far. And he knows that I won't look past it. If he really likes me, he wont hurt my trust," she smiled and turned back to her family and started dancing.
End of discussion.