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I woke up on a surprisingly squishy bed. I blinked, taking in my surroundings. My messenger bag lay on the ground beside me, and someone had taken off my shoes and outer robes. I sat up and realized that I was once again in the Room of Requirement.

I ended up sitting there for a long time, remembering. Everyone that had been involved in Dumbledore's Army, save Marietta, had at one point stayed overnight in this room. This had been the room that everyone met in before the Great Battle. This room had given so much to me, but taken so much away.

Hermione had told me that this room had burnt down by Crabbe because of an uncontrollable fire curse. I supposed that it had somehow repaired itself, because it looked just like it always had.

Sighing, I stood up. My robes had been neatly laid at the end of the bed, and my shoes sat side by side on the floor.

I slipped on my shoes and robes, shivering from the cool morning air in the castle.

I decided to go up to Gryffindor Tower to change out of yesterday's clothes and freshen up. Luna greeted me soon after I stepped out of the room.

"Ginny!" she called.

"Luna," I said, stopping to talk to her.

"I can't believe that you partnered me with Harry. I thought that he liked you!"

"Nope. And I'm totally over him. I think that you guys would go really well together, Luna. I'm happy for you. I've got to go up to GryffindorTower though, so I'll see you in a few minutes and we can talk, okay?"

"Okay," I think she said, but I had already rushed upstairs.

Once I had freshened up and had made it back to the Great Hall for breakfast, I talked to Luna, whose table was beside mine.

"So, who'd you get, Ginny?" she asked.

I considered her. I eventually sighed. "Luna, you have to promise that you won't tell a soul, especially my brother. He would be absolutely furious. I want to put it off for as long as I can, hopefully not tell him at all. I don't really want to go with the guy I got, and don't think for a single second that I'm at all excited."

"Tell me already, Ginny. You make it sound like a fate worse than death."

"It is. Guess."

"Everything happens for a reason, Gin. Hmm, is it a Slytherin?"

"Yes." I tried not to look over at Draco, who sat by Blaise and Goyle, looking bored as ever.

"Is he a 7th year?"

"Yes." Don't look, Ginny, don't look!

"It's Draco Malfoy, of course."

"Shh!" I hissed, looking around us in alarm. "How'd you know?"

"It might have had something to do with the fact that you've been looking at him all morning." She smirked and looked at me pointedly.

I scoffed. "Not a chance, Luna. You're bonkers."

"So I've heard. Multiple times from various people."

I changed the subject hastily. "Who'd you and Colin get to do the music, Luna?"

"We got two groups, Gin. We got Violain to do half, and the Grenade Girls to do the other half."

"No way, Luna! How did you do it? They're the most popular bands right now!"

"I'll give you a hint; it starts with H and ends with Arry."

"You devilish girl, you, Luna. But I have to admit, your musical taste is fantastic."

"I know," she grinned. "Do you want to owl-order your dress robes with me later? I can do the alterations when we get them."

"Really? Yes, naturally, Luna. How about after our meeting tonight?"

"Su-"

Luna and I looked up to see none other than Harry Potter himself bashfully approaching us. I grinned and winked at him, making him blush harder than he already was.

"Hi, Harry," said Luna.

"Hey L-Luna," he stuttered, "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course, Harry." She stood up and waved to me as they walked out of the hall.

I grinned, returning to my pancakes and sausages. I'd known that this would be a good idea.

Everdeene flew into the room, carrying another letter from Anonymous, which I decided that I'd read in History of Magic.

I heard raised voices as I left the hall. Ron and Hermione.

"It's not my fault that I got Grant, Ron!"

I knew whom she was referencing. Grant Frères was a seventh year and in Ravenclaw. He possessed devastatingly good looks and brains to match. Naturally, Ron was jealous.

"Actually, it is! If you were less, less you, maybe it would've been someone else!" Ron shouted, sounding less like a hero and more like a jackass with ridiculous reasoning power.

I decided to step in before things could get out of hand.

"Ron, Hermione!" I ran up to them. "I did the partners myself. You would've been together, but you're in the same House."

"Oh," said Ron, turning a deep shade of burgundy. "Right, of course."

Hermione cast him a look of disgust, her eyes saying I-told-you-so. She drew herself up.

"Well, Ron, if you've gotten over yourself, we have to get to Potions class."

"Right," he said, following her meekly.

Later that day, I sent out letters. The first was for the committee meeting that we had scheduled for today, at four o'clock in the EastTower. The second was another response to Anonymous.

Dearest Genevieve,

That sounds absolutely lovely. I always wanted to be in the Leagues myself. Maybe I'll see you there, huh?

I'm sure that the Ball will be just fine, don't worry about it.

Now, I'm off to do blasted Transfiguration homework. It's our first week back and I still can't avoid the stuff. Until we read again,

With all due respect,

Oblivious

P.S. I'm a guy.

I ended up scribbling a short note back because I had to work on homework as well. By the time I had finished, it was time for our meeting.

The EastTower was circular and had no ceiling. We ended up sitting on poufs to discuss everything.

"So, which ballroom are you guys going to use?" I asked Pansy.

"We're going to use the Crystal Ballroom," she said. "It's not the biggest ballroom, but it's the fanciest."

"What decorations are you using?"

Madison giggled. "Pansy," she gave the older a grudging look of admiration, "has planned most of that. There are going to be a lot of ice sculptures and chandeliers and silver and crystal chinaware. The look that we're going for is sophisticated and delicate. The dance floor is planned to be crystal, so when the light hits it, it will sparkle. And of course, it will be like dancing on air, because crystal is transparent."

"So, it's all planned, and you know how to do the spell work and how long it's going to take, right?"

"It will all be perfect for Saturday," Pansy said frostily. "I know what I'm doing."

"And Luna, Colin, you guys have all the music, all the posters with the details, times and everything about it being for a participation grade in every single class one takes?"

"Violain and the Grenade Girls, all set. All the posters are being put up tomorrow," said Colin.

"Fantastic," I said. "And Blaise, Malfoy and I found the pairings, sent them out, and took care of all the food. What did you all think of your pairs?"

"You paired me with a Hufflepuff!" Pansy exclaimed.

"I was happy with mine," said Luna.

"If there's nothing else," I said, observing Pansy's red face, "we'll adjourn the meeting."

"What about you, Weasley?" Pansy shot out challengingly.

Everyone froze, looking at me.

I blushed. "Excuse me, Pansy? What are you asking?"

"I'm asking about your date, Weasley. Who are you oh-so-compatible with that you can partner the rest of us with Hufflepuffs?" she looked at me contemptuously.

"Well," I said, "first of all, I couldn't partner three Houses worth of people with Hufflepuffs, unless I had you cut them in half or something."

"You're avoiding the question, Weasley. Of all people, I couldn't be partnered with one of those spineless idiots."

"Funny," I said, voice bitingly sarcastic, "Cedric Diggory, I seem to remember, was a Hufflepuff. In fact, he was the person that was chosen to represent Hogwarts in the Triwizard Tournament. Strange, he seemed to be someone who you openly supported. However, maybe that was just me being silly, Parkinson. After all, Hufflepuffs are 'spineless idiots'."

Shocked silence meets my ears. "And besides that, Pansy, this Ball is all about Inter-House relations. If you can't deal with it, you don't even have to go to the Ball at all, as far as I'm concerned. But, it's your grades that take the hit, not mine."

And with that, I swept out of the room. I had homework to do and Quidditch tryouts to prepare for.

I finally got up in the air after dinner, and the frosty autumn night cooled my temper and my nerves. Unfortunately, everyone had been busy with homework and buying robes.

"I'm really sorry that we didn't get to order our dress robes tonight, Luna," I called over the rushing of the wind.

Luna clutched her broom tightly, and smiled stiffly before calling back to me. "It's alright, Gin. I know that you have to practice for Quidditch."

She was being such a good sport about all of this that it made me feel even worse. "If we order them tomorrow morning, they'll be here by Thursday," I said. "Can you fix them up with enough time, Luna?"

"Sure," she said, hovering in front of the goal hoops and trying not to look down.

"I'll help." I shifted the practice Quaffle that I held in my hands.

"Please don't, Gin. That could be more disastrous than me helping you practice."

"You underestimate yourself, Luna," I tried to sound convincing. "You just need some practice."

She laughed. "Let's get this over with, Ginny. It's freezing out here."

"At least it isn't raining," I endeavored be optimistic. In truth, it was a terrible night to be out, practicing Quidditch especially, but I had to make the team. It was a matter of pride.

"Indeed. Ready, Gin?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

I managed to conjure up some large bird transparencies that flapped and tried to get in my way. I soared above the pitch on my quick broom, and easily outmaneuvered the birds.

I flew at Luna, and threw the ball. It soared past her, and I grinned before swooping to grab it before it could hit the ground.

I noticed two figures on the ground, both toting sleek broomsticks like mine. I realized it was Malfoy and Blaise after a moment.

I frowned. "Com'n down, Luna. We have company."

I flew to the ground and dismounted. "What are you doing here?" I asked, hands on my hips.

Blaise stopped laughing at something that Malfoy had said.

"Weasley," he nodded at me.

"In case you two hadn't noticed, we're already practicing." I had had a wretched, wretched day, dealing with the Ball. I was going to practice in peace.

Luna dismounted her broom and stood beside me, looking serene as ever.

Malfoy glared down at me, and I glared up at him. I was sure that we looked comical, as he was tall and blonde and aristocratic looking, with his hands crossed across his chest, and I was a half foot shorter than him, with red hair and a small frame, hands planted on my hips.

Luna cleared her throat. "We could always practice together."

Malfoy and I looked at her, scandalized. "Practice with him?"

"Practice with her?" he echoed.

Blaise shrugged. "You don't exactly play the same positions."

"But I have specific game strategies that I use!" I choked out.

"It's pretty much even," said Luna. "You're from Gryffindor, and he's from Slytherin. One to one. And besides, Ginny, you need some decent competition."

"He's not decent competition, Luna! He doesn't even play Chaser!"

"And it doesn't make any sense to stand here arguing all night, Ginny," she said, acting like I hadn't interrupted. "Blaise and I'll play Keeper. Unless, Blaise," she addressed him, "you're terrific at Keeping, because I'm not."

"No."

"Good. Then you and Draco'll play Chasers, Ginny."

"Fine," I spat, "this should go quickly. Ten goals, Malfoy. The first with ten goals wins."

"You're on, Weaselette."

I ignored the secretive smile that Luna gave me. I had a game to win.

I put a Hover charm on the ball, and let it float in the middle of the pitch. Malfoy and I strode to opposite ends of the pitch, and Luna and Blaise took up their positions in front of the goal posts.

Luna whistled, and I flew toward the Quaffle and grabbed it a split second before Malfoy. I streaked upwards, toward Blaise, who was planted in the center of the posts.

I feinted right, and then shot for the left. The ball streaked through the air, and just before it could successfully soar through the goal posts, Malfoy came out of nowhere and plucked it out of the air. He smirked at me and I flew back towards Luna to block him.

I tried a new technique that I had seen in professional Quidditch over the summer. I got in close to Malfoy, and then spun in a circle around him. His head snapped back and forth trying to follow me, and, when his head was turned, I snatched it out of his slackened hands, zooming away, grinning impishly.

I shot it toward Blaise, and it skimmed his gloves before soaring through the left hoop.

I grinned, even as Malfoy grabbed the Quaffle.

After about an hour and a half, we had gotten really good. It was nine goals to eight. I had eight because Blaise was a better Keeper than Luna was on her best day. If Malfoy got another goal, I would lose. I forced my tiring body onward, and snatched it out of Malfoy's hands yet again.

He was everywhere I turned. I couldn't make any progress. I finally managed to duck under a white clad arm and dashed toward Blaise. We'd all discarded our cloaks by this point, and I tried to ignore his muscled frame.

I successfully got the Quaffle past Blaise. Nine to nine. The last vital shot. As much as I hated to admit it, Malfoy was a formidable opponent. He feinted, he dodged, and he was light and speedy, even with his tall frame.

I'd just barely missed the Quaffle, and I needed a strategy to get it out of Malfoy's hands. I decided to try a daring move that allowed me to surprise him, but at great personal peril. It involved getting as close to Luna as possible and then intercepting the Quaffle. The problem with this plan was that the ball was heavy and, more often then not, it ended up hitting the Chaser who attempted it and knocking them off their broom, because it was at such a close range and so near other players. Keepers and Seekers trained for that kind of range with a Quaffle or a snitch, which were both very fast.

Malfoy flew towards me, and I didn't notice that he'd thrown the Quaffle until it was too late. I felt immense pain, and then…nothing.