Author's Note: Hello my dear readers! I'm sorry for the slow update, but I've had writers block and I'm learning chinese, and what self-respecting Chinese person can't speak chinese? So, my mum's been helping me...but enough of my talking, let's get to the story! Remember, REVIEW! Any ideas would also be gladly appreciated. This chapter's nice and long to make up for Chapter 4. Happy Fourth of July to ye old Americans! WhooHoo! Review!

The next morning, I woke up early. Madame Pomfrey, after an initial inspection of my now laceration-free head, let me go.

I practically flew up to Gryffindor Tower, and almost ran into Ron, just as he was coming out of the portrait hole.

"Ginny," he steadies me. "Where have you been?"

I sighed. "I got hit by a stray Quaffle and Madame Pomfrey made me stay overnight in the hospital wing."

Ron's face colored predictably. "Who did it?"

I hesitated. "It was an accident, Ron."

"Who did it?" he yells.

"Draco Malfoy," I mumble pathetically. I didn't dare to put the blame on someone else when Ron was like this. At least I knew that Draco could hold his own against my agitated older brother.

"That bast-"

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, climbing out of the portrait hole. "I thought that you were going to breakfast, Ron."

"Malfoy hit her in the head with a Quaffle!"

"It was an accident, Hermione!"

The older girl shook her bushy brown curls and sighed. "I'll deal with him," she whispered to me.

"Thanks," I whispered back, climbing through the portrait hole while Hermione distracted my brother.

After I'd taken a shower and changed into fresh clothes, I went down to breakfast, determined to find Luna.

She had clearly been waiting for me to arrive. She waved at me quickly, and I went to go and sit by her.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" I answered irritably. She had sent Draco back, and we'd fought the whole time, except for when he'd kissed me.

Draco Malfoy had kissed me, and it had been wonderful and frustrating and passionate and nice, all at the same time. The kiss had been so short that it might as well hadn't happened.

Now I was confused. I couldn't go back to calling him Malfoy, not after this, and not when I didn't hate him.

He was also notorious for being a player. How did I know whether he actually liked me? Was I just another notch in his belt?

What would my brother say on Saturday? What would I do when he found out? What would Ron try to do to Draco?

I shook my head to clear it. Luna was talking.

"What'd you say, Luna?"

"I asked what happened!" she exclaimed impatiently, ever the matchmaker.

"He told me that you had sent him," I glared at her and she beamed, "and then we fought. He walked out, I followed him, and then," I lowered my voice, "he kissed me."

"Merlin's beard, he what?" Luna yelled.

"For heaven's sake, keep your voice down, Luna!"

"Oh, I knew that he liked you!" said Luna. "See, you are totally compatible."

The mail arrived then, and I pocketed my letter from Anonymous to read later.

"I don't know, Luna," I said worriedly, "his reputation…"

"Has been clean from the beginning of the year."

"We've been here for three days!"

"Exactly," she smirked at me.

"I can't call him Malfoy anymore," I said dejectedly.

"No, you can't. I always thought it was stupid of you to do that."

"Luna! But what will Ron say?"

"You know your brother, Ginny. He just has a bad temper. He'll get over it."

I groaned. "Luna Lovegood! What am I going to do? I'm doomed!"

She frowned at my dramatics. She spoke in her no-nonsense voice, clearly tired of my pessimism. "Genevieve Weasley! You are being ridiculous! You are not doomed. What you are going to do is find an absolutely fabulous dress that will make everyone, especially your date, stare."

"He's not my date," I said stubbornly. "He's just the person that I have to go with for the Ball."

"Date," Luna said firmly.

"But-"

"No buts!" she said. "We're finding dresses right after classes. No ifs, buts or Quidditch about it, we are doing it!"

"Fine," I said. "But if this all goes terribly wrong, I'm blaming you."

When I looked up at Draco, he winked at me, and I blushed beet red before walking away, nose in the air.

As usual, I wrote my letters during History of Magic.

Dearest Genevieve,

I never thought that I'd ever say this, but can't wait for the Ball. I've been paired with a lovely girl. She's stubborn and sarcastic, but she's sweet. She plays Quidditch too! Hopefully she likes me…until we read again,

With all due respect,

Oblivious

I smiled happily. I wondered who the girl he'd gotten was. She seemed really nice, and he sounded like he already adored her.

Dear Anonymous.

I'm so happy for you both! I'm sure she'll like you. My best friend Luna is helping me find a dress this afternoon. Hopefully it'll get here in time for her to alter it!

I'm a little more anxious about my date. He's a Slytherin, and you'll see who he is at the Ball. Hopefully, it will go okay.

I'll be the one in the dress robes,

Genevieve Weasley

I managed to get my letter sent after class, even if it meant arriving a little breathlessly to Transfiguration class.

The whole school was abuzz about the ball. The teachers were having a rough time keeping anyone's attention, including mine. I spent the whole hour in Transfiguration thinking about what color my robes would be. What would both Draco and I like?

I shook myself out of it. Since when had I cared what he liked? Never.

The instant I walked out of Advanced Charms, Luna had me by the arm and was dragging me toward the Room of Requirement.

The room had attired itself for the occasion. It was small, with two comfortable armchairs and a small circular table in front of a blazing fire. On the table sat little delicacies, two bottles of Butterbeer and numerous magazines featuring dress robes.

We sat down immediately to browse.

Halfway into my third magazine and getting more frustrated by the moment, Luna said my name.

"Ginny," she said. "What do you think of this one?"

She showed me a picture of a calf-length, light green dress. The dress was made of a light, almost see-through fabric, and it had ruched, capped sleeves. The bodice was squared, and had a tiny sunflower brooch on it. It would fit Luna's personality perfectly.

"I think that you should get that one," I said.

"I think I will," she said, "and besides, it matches Harry's eyes."

She filled out the form and folded it neatly, setting it on the table.

I picked up a piece of Belgium chocolate. "Luna," I moaned. "I can't find anything!"

"Nonsense," she said. "You've barely looked!"

An hour later, I addressed her wearily. "Reckon we've looked enough?"

"We'll find something, Gin," she said determinedly, even though it was clear that she was as frustrated as I was. "But for now, let's go have some dinner."

We walked out of the room, and I almost ran into Draco yet again.

I immediately flushed red from the close proximity, and backed up three steps.

"Dr-Draco," I stuttered out.

"Weaselette," he said, a smile playing on his lips. "What are you up to?"

"We were trying to find something for Gin to wear," Luna said.

"Any luck?" he asked.

I shook my head no.

"Well," he said, "my mum, who can find out about anything, knows that you're my date, Weaselette."

I gulped at his terminology while Luna smirked. "She knows about me?" I squeaked.

"Yes, and she wants you to wear her old mask. She had a set from when she went to balls with my father."

I remembered Lucius Malfoy's face and shuddered. "What are they?" I asked as calmly as I could.

He produced two chiseled masks in white boxes from his bag. "Winter."

It was true that they looked like winter. Draco's mask was definitely the plainer of the two, and was plain white, obviously only meant to cover half his face. It had a glossy sheen to it, like ice.

Mine was fancier. It was also white, but white enough to look blue, and it covered half my face, but it sparkled, and the sides were cut in zigzagged lines. There were diamond accents on the sides and had a shine to it.

I picked it up gingerly. "Um…thank you for letting me borrow it. Tell your mum that I'll be careful."

"You're welcome, Weaselette," he smirked. He handed me the box. "It should make finding your dress easier."

I swallowed. "Thanks."

He took a step forward. "I'll see you around, Weaselette." He brushes his lips against my cheek ever so gently and walks away, while I stand there like an idiot, hand still held up against my cheek.

"Don't you start," I warned Luna, who looked at me smugly. We went down to have dinner, where Luna told Harry about her dress. I was pleased to note how happy they looked together.

After dinner, we grabbed our homework and made our way back up to the Room of Requirement. To my surprise, Draco fell into step beside me.

"My mum also sent me some magazines for you to look through. I thought I'd help you find a dress, and then you could help me with my Herbology homework, Weaselette, since McGonagall advanced you."

"How did you know-"

He laughed. "Weaselette, the whole school knows that you give Granger a run for her money."

"Oh."

We reached the Room of Requirement then. We all walked into another variation of the room.

There were a couple of couches facing each other, with a mahogany table in the middle. The table had three candles on it, all lit, and tea for three people already set out.

I stretched out on a couch, and Draco sat beside me.

Luna claimed the other couch, and began working on her homework, claiming that Draco's help would be enough.

Draco handed me a magazine, and I began browsing through it. Finally, I saw the one I felt that I was meant to own.

It was white, and the spaghetti straps were covered by icy blue, sparkly flowers, enchanted never to wither. The bodice was made entirely of perfect, pale blue aquamarines, and transitioned smoothly back to the silky white fabric just past the bust. The waist cinched in tightly, making it the skirt flare out. The skirt was also white, and the calf-length front cut away to a longer, floor length back in a v-shape. It revealed a pale blue underskirt when the model in the picture twirled.

The only thing that I was slightly uneasy about was the large cutout on the back. It stopped just above the tailbone and was patterned with large criss-crosses of aquamarines that did little to alleviate the feeling of nakedness. Nevertheless, I really liked the fact that the aquamarines sparkled so much.

I quickly filled out the order form. "Luna, I'm going to the Owlery!"

She looked up at my elated expression. Her mouth opened in disbelief. "You actually found a dress?"

"Told you the mask would help," Draco quipped, setting aside another magazine. "I'll come with you; I have post to send."

"Ginny, would you be a dear and take my form too?" Luna asked.

"Of course, Luna, we'll be right back!" I called back, already halfway to the door. "Come on, Draco! Let's go! Hurry!"

"Patience, grasshopper," he said, standing up and shaking his head at me.

We walk up to the Owlery. I am grinning widely and trying not to skip in happiness, while Draco walks slowly enough to irritate me.

I sigh. "Draco, are you just trying to ruin my exceptionally good mood?"

"How'd you guess?"

"By the smirk that you always have on your face when you know that you're being exasperating."

"There's no smirk on my face," he denies instantaneously, "I'm just not used to you being this…happy. It's abnormal."

"Don't get used to it."

"Of course not, Weaselette."

We finally reach the Owlery a few minutes later, and Draco disappears to find Incentius.

I give Everdeene an owl treat whilst tying both order forms to her leg. She hoots in thanks after she swallows the treat, and flies off into the cloudy night.

I try to wait patiently for Draco, but I end up failing the task that I'd assigned to myself. "Draco," I called impatiently, "aren't you ready yet?"

"No, go back to the Room of Requirement," he calls back, "I'll be there in a minute."

I shrug, beginning to make my way back.

Draco catches up with me by the time we're at the door.

"Incentius was being difficult," he explained.

Luna stood up when we got there. She yawned. "I finally finished Snape's essay."

"I still have to do it," I sighed. "I took the whole day to find my dress, and I haven't even started on my homework."

"Well," Luna said with a devilish gleam in her eyes, "it's almost curfew, and since you guys aren't doing stuff for the ball…"

"We have to get up to bed," I groaned. "And my homework will be late."

"You could stay overnight in here," Luna said. "After all, you both still have homework. And Draco, you said that Gin needed to help you with Herbology."

"Which is also due tomorrow," he said.

"It's better than Filch catching us," I said, sitting down on the couch, "and getting detention."

"Right you are," Luna said, "I'm going to bed, and you should probably grab some pajamas, and make it look like you're in your bed, at least. I'll walk with you a ways, Ginny."

"It's my NEWT year," said Draco snootily, "and I am not failing Herbology because I was helping you look for dresses."

"Fine, fine," I said. "I'll stay overnight."

Luna and I parted halfway to our dormitories, and I went up to mine.

"Hippogriff," I said to the Fat Lady.

"Indeed, my dear," she said, and swung open to admit me.

The common room was full of older students, most of who were working on homework. Harry, Ron and Hermione were stretched out on armchairs in front of the fireplace. Hermione was scribbling away at a three-foot long roll of parchment, while the boys were talking animatedly about Quidditch, the essays in front of them long since abandoned. Every so often, Hermione would open her mouth in her usual bossy way, but then close it, looking at them and shaking her head.

I made my way up to my dormitory and found my toiletry bag and my cutest pair of pajamas, a silky, navy blue skirt and a capped sleeved, fitted, button down black top.

I crept quietly out of the common room, my overnight bag shrunk to fit my robe pockets.

Hermione nodded to me as I walked out, clearly convinced that I'd be coming back. I'd given her every reason to believe that I was.

Draco was already there when I arrived, books in his hands. The room had once again changed, and this time it was about the size of my dormitory, with two four-posters on either side of the room. In one corner was a door that probably led to a bathroom. There was a small bookcase, roaring fire, and a large table with a fresh pot of tea and crumpets lying out. My book bag sat on one of the armchairs in front of the fire.

He was already wearing his pajamas, a set of green silk pants and a shirt that outlined his chest. I tore my eyes away when I saw him smirking at me, making me blush red. I pulled off my heavy black robe and tie, and sat down, ready to start working.

Draco sat beside me, toting plain parchment, a self-writing quill, and a bottle of color-changing ink.

"What are you working on?" I asked.

"I'm supposed to decide whether or not fireweed is more dangerous than a mandrake," he said.

"Well, it depends which stage the mandrake is at," I began, and proceeded to explain until he'd gotten sufficient notes to begin writing his essay.

"Thanks," he said when we finished an hour later.

"No problem," I said, pulling out my History of Magic homework.

Two hours later, Draco had finished his homework and was in the bathroom, getting ready for bed. Meanwhile, I was still working on Snape's essay about the significance of each ingredient and the exact processes used in the luck potion known as Felix Felicis.

I yawned, quill hovering over the parchment, before turning the pages of my Potions book again.

"You still aren't done?" he came up from behind me, and leaned down to speak in my ear.

I jumped away, my cheeks reddening. "I've just barely started," I said.

"Weaselette, it's one in the morning," he said.

"I've got to get this done," I replied stubbornly, even as my eyelids drooped and I swayed in my chair.

"Do it in the morning," he insisted.

"There's too much pr-pressure to get it done in time for class," I yawned.

"Fine then," he sighed, "I guess that I have to sacrifice my beauty sleep and help you, Weaselette, before you fall asleep trying to get this done."

"Beauty sleep..." I scoffed hazily.

We finished sometime around two a.m., and I hobbled off to the bathroom for a shower.

When I came out in my pajamas, Draco was sitting in front of the fire, staring into the flames.

Tired as I was, I slumped down next to him. "Draco," I prodded him in the side, "you have to get some sleep."

"Weaselette," he said, "are you really that ashamed of me?"

I looked at him through bleary eyes, "what do you mean, Draco?"

"To have me…one of…" he seemed to choke on the words.

I looked into the fiery red coils of heat that sat beside us. "Don't speak of it, Draco."

"Are you though?"

I was surprised that he was opening up to me, and his voice was raw and real. "I was," I spoke softly, "but now I'm not." Then, tentatively, I brushed my lips along his smooth jaw.

He shivered, and I pulled away, standing up. "Now, let's go to bed, Draco, it's really late."

He stood up beside me. "You're right, Weaselette. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Draco."