SORRY! I'm really bad at updating frequently. I'm writing this at 3:24 a.m. my time, but it probably won't be posted until about 9:00 tonight. See, I have a really bad case of insomnia, meaning I'm frequently up past 2:00. My best friend iheartsushi3000, who's beta-reading this for me, doesn't. Plus, I have a job, and, you know, a life outside Fanfiction. I was actually working on an original short story I'm writing when I realized I forgot about this. So, if I didn't have my set of the Harry Potter books next to my bed to jog my memory, this wouldn't be updated for a couple more days. I told my parents I needed my books close to my bed...

Anyways. I tend to ramble a bit when I'm tired. But I can't sleep! It's very annoying.

Massive thanks to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited. And by the way, Ginny's birthday is coming up! August 11. The day before mine. And I'm going to have a Harry Potter Marathon with iheartsushi3000 and my other friend for my birthday. Yikes...we'll be mental by the end. I'm rambling again, aren't I...

Disclaimer: Does owning the books count as owning the rights? Because if not, I'm screwed... I also don't own any song lyrics you may recognize.

Chapter 3

"Hi!" Hermione said breathlessly as she sat down in Lavender's empty chair. Her cheeks were a bit pink from dancing, and she fanned herself with her hand. "It's hot, isn't it? Viktor's just gone to get us some drinks."

Ron gave her a withering look. "Viktor?" He said. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "What's up with you?" She asked.

"If you don't know," said Ron scathingly. "I'm not going to tell you."

Hermione stared at him, then at Harry and Ginny, both of whom shrugged. Ginny leaned back and waited for the fireworks to start. Honestly, those two were just so thick sometimes. They obviously liked each other, but neither wanted to admit their feelings. So for now they were stuck in a love-hate relationship that affected everyone around them.

"Harry and I are going to go dance for a bit," Ginny said quickly. "We'll be back in a few minutes..." As the fight started, she added "or hours" under her breath. Deciding that even dancing was better than watching Hermione and Ron fight, Harry joined her on the dance floor.

"Ooh, I love this song!" Ginny exclaimed. She started to sing along, swaying her hips in time with the music. "Now you've been talking in your sleep. Oh, oh. Things you never say to me, oh, oh. Tell me that you've had enough, of our love. Our love." Harry grinned, watching her dance- she looked happy.

"She is," a calm voice chimed next to Harry. He turned around and found Luna Lovegood absentmindedly batting away Wrackspurts. She was wearing bright orange robes with her radish earrings, and her blond hair had been braided in a style similar to Katniss's. "Happy, I mean. She really likes you."

"Er, no offense or anything," Harry said. "But how'd you get in if you're a third year?"

"Neville took me," Luna said dreamily. "He knew I wouldn't be able to come otherwise. He's such a sweet boy. It's no wonder the Wrackspurts are attracted to him." And with those words of wisdom, she proceeded to start dancing by herself in the middle of the dance floor. Her hands were waving above her head while she swayed from side to side, spinning in circles. It didn't exactly match the style of the music, or anything really, but she looked like she was having fun.

"Oh, they've stopped fighting," Ginny said as the song ended. Her cheeks were tinted rose-pink, and her hair was coming loose slightly. He thought she'd never looked more beautiful in her life.

Viktor Krun reached the table at the same time as them, clutching two butter beers but missing Hermione.

"Vare is Herm-own-ninny?" He asked.

"No idea," Ron said mulishly, looking up at his former idol. "Lost her, have you?" Krum was looking surly again.

"Vell, if you see her, tell her I haff drinks," he said, and he slouched off.

"Made friends with Viktor Krum, have you, Ron, Ginny, and Harry?" Percy had bustled over, rubbing his hands together and looking extremely pompous. "Excellent! That's the whole point, you know- international magical cooperation!"

To Ginny's immense displeasure, Percy now took Padma's vacated seat. The top table was empty- Professor Dumbledore was dancing with Professor Sprout, and Ludo Bagman with Profesdor McGonagall. As the song ended, everybody applauded once more, and Ginny saw Ludo Bagman kiss Professor McGonagalls hand and make his way back through the crowds, at which point Fred and George accosted him.

"What do they think they're doing, annoying senior Ministry members?" Percy hissed, watching Fred and George suspiciously. "No respect..."

Ludo Bagman shook off the twins fairly quickly, however, and, spotting Harry, waved and came over to their table.

"I hope my brothers weren't bothering you, Mr. Bagman, sir?" Said Percy at once. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"What? Oh not at all, not at all!" Said Bagman. "No, they were just telling me a bit more about those fake wands of theirs. Wondering if I could advise them with the marketing. I've promised to put them in touch with a couple of contacts of mine at Zonko's Joke Shop..."

Percy didn't look happy about this at all, and Ginny knew that he would be rushing to tell their Mum about this the moment he got home. Apparently Fred and George's plans had grown even more ambitious lately, if they were hoping to sell to the public. Bagman opened his mouth to ask Harry something, but Percy diverted him.

"How do you feel the tournament's going, Mr. Bagman? Our department's quite satisfied- the hitch with the Goblet of Fire-" he glanced at Harry- "was a little unfortunate, of course, but it seems to have gone quite smoothly since, don't you think?"

"Oh yes," Bagman said cheerfully. "It's all been enormous fun. How's old Barty doing? Shame he couldn't come."

Percy, of course, took this as an opportunity to drone on and on about how important he now was.

"Let's go for a walk," Ginny whispered to Harry, "get away from my idiot brother..."

"What about Ron?" Harry whispered back.

"He'll survive," Ginny said with an eye roll. Pretending they wanted more drinks, Ginny and Harry left the table, edged around the dance floor, and slipped out into the entrance hall. The front doors stood open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as they went down the front steps, where they found themselves surrounded by bushes; winding, ornamental paths; and large stone statues. Ginny could hear splashing water, which sounded like a fountain. Here and there, people were sitting on carved benches. She and Harry set off along one of the winding paths through the rose bushes, holding hands, but had gone only a short way when they heard an unpleasantly familiar voice.

"...don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroff's voice sounded anxious and hushed, as if keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it-"

"Then flee," said Snape's voice curtly. "Flee-I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rose bushes apart, his expression most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them. "Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Huffleouff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added, catching sight of Harry and Ginny on the path ahead. Karkaroff looked displeased to see them standing there. His hand went nervously to his goatee, and he began winding it around his finger.

"We're walking," Ginny told Snape shortly. "Is that against the law now?"

"Keep walking, then!" Snape snarled, and he brushed past them, his long black cloak billowing out behind him. Karkaroff hurried after him. Harry and Ginny continued down the path, wondering what had Karkaroff so worried.

Just then, they saw two large silhouettes behind a large statue of a reindeer. "Momen I saw yeh, I knew," Hagrid was saying in an oddly husky voice. Harry and Ginny froze, looking at each other. Neither of them particularly wanted to hear this conversation, no matter how fond of Hagrid they may be. Harry gestured to where Fleur and Roger Davies were standing in a nearby rose bush attempting to swallow each other, gesturing to Ginny that they could escape that way. Ginny's eyes widened in disgust at the sight of Fleur, pulling Harry into the shadows behind the reindeer.

Both Harry and Ginny tried focusing on other things, but there was no way to not listen. This was rather embarrassing, Ginny mused as she studied a beetle crawling along the reindeers back. Hagrid would not want them overhearing something like this. Then she realized that Hagrid was not declaring his love for Madame Maxime, but rather his certainty that she, too, was a half-giant. Once Madame Maxime was gone, Harry made as if to leave, but Ginny didn't move.

"Did you know?" she whispered, her brown eyes luminous.

"No, so what?" Harry said, shrugging. Ginny's jaw dropped. Giants were known for being vicious, savage brutes. She started explaining as they went inside. Once inside they Great Hall, however, all thoughts of giants disappeared from both their minds. Draco Malfoy and Viktor Krum were yelling at each other in the middle of the dance floor.

A/N: My DocX feature isn't working, so this chapter has not been beta-read. Just saying. Also, I'm starting a new fanfic, which is a Harry Potter fanfic that I need a lot of OC's for. The first chapter with an OC form will most likely be up tonight.