McGonagall had finally gotten the boys to take part in the practice for the Yule Ball and Bridget wasn't surprised to see Fred walk up to Angelina to be his dance partner and couldn't help but smile at the girls excitement. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see George holding a hand out. Letting out a laugh at his obvious begrudgment at having to even take part in dancing that wasn't foolish dancing and accepted his offer.

"So I was wondering." He started off, eyes not connecting to hers, "If Cedric had already asked you to the ball?"

"No he hasn't, I also don't think he plans to." She let out another soft laugh.

"Has anyone?" He finally looked down at her.

"Not unless you are right now." She said helping him to not beat around the bush, it wasn't like him and she couldn't help but blush when she saw the slight color appear on his own cheeks.

He tried to hide it, "Well I mean if no one has asked you yet."

"George we just found out about it." Bridget looked up at him.

"Ah yes that's right." He tried to play it off, then resumed his usual demeanor, "Well, then m'lady would you do me the honors of allowing me to escort the one and only dragon tamer to the Yule Ball?"

She couldn't help but laugh, its all he ever seemed to make her do and she enjoyed it, "Of course I would good sir."

"Whew theres a load off my chest. You know I was working up the nerve to ask you for a long time. Five minutes can be a complete dread." He laughed with her and heard McGonagall call for a change of partners and instead of passing her onto someone else he just gave her a spin and she landed back in his arms, "Well how are you today ma'am?"

"Very fine, don't think I've seen you around that much." She bowed her head at him.

"I love that you play along, so little girls do." They continued swaying to the music, "What are you doing after this?"

"Whoa building up the courage to ask me out on two dates within the time span of ten minutes." She raised an eyebrow at him, "As much as I would love to do what I'm sure would be something to get me into trouble after this, I'm supposed to meet Cedric for a run."

"See why I was afraid he had beaten me to the punch?" He gave her a coy smile, "But I understand, as long as I'm always your favorite trouble maker I guess I'll be okay."

"Always." She laughed. For the next hour they danced, every time McGonagall said for the partners to switch he would just spin her around and continue talking. When they were dismissed she waved goodbye to him and headed off to see Cedric.

When they had gotten half way through with their run they decided to take a break by one of the larger trees. They sat next to each other and Cedric looked at her, "You know, I'm impressed you were able to take care of that dragon so fast considering the head of the council."

"Actually I just pictured her as the dragon." She smiled at him.

"That was a very good idea." He smiled back and leaned on the tree, "You guys figure out the egg yet?"

"No. Every time we open it, its just a screaming headache."

"Same here." He looked over at her. "So this Yule Ball thing, you been asked yet?"

"Yeah. You asked anyone yet?" She looked at him.

"No, I'm going to when we get done." He smiled and she gave him a questioning look, "Cho Chang. You?"

"George Weasley."

"Congratulations." She gave him another look, "Oh don't try and pretend, you've had feelings for him for a while, we shared the same mind for a few minutes remember."

"Oh god you could see that?!" Her eyes grew wide and he laughed at her.

"I could tell you had feelings for someone, honestly I thought it was Harry until I saw you with the twins so much, then after a while it all made sense." He looked at her.

"You should become a magical shrink." She laughed at him.

"Shrink?" He questioned.

"It's a psychologist. Sorry I forgot for a moment about things being different here." She rubbed the back of her neck.

"Actually I've been thinking about law enforcement, since I'm kind of like your protector and it feels nice knowing I'm taking care of someone."

"I can see it. Maybe an Auror? You're good enough." She saw him smile shyly, he was popular but didn't like it and only she could really tell.

"Ready to head back?" He said helping her up as she nodded, "Last one there has to wear what the other choses to the ball!"

"Oh hell no!" She ran after him. When they got back to the main staircase she had beaten him by a foot, and they both almost fell to the ground out of breath. Hermione, Ginny, and Angelina were all waiting for her knowing when she would have been returning, "Yeah girls what's up?"

"Just wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmead next weekend to go shopping for the ball?" Angelina asked with a large smile.

"You all already have dates, man these guys move quick." She looked over at Cedric who was still catching his breath, "All except that one it would seem."

"Be nice." He laughed before patting her on the back and heading up the stairs.

"Well I'm the only one with an actual date, but they're bound to get one." Ginny spoke, "I mean just look at them."

Bridget nodded in agreement and they all headed up stairs with the talk of what kind of dress would look good on each of them.

Hermione heard Bridget yelling her name from the bathroom while she was doing her hair. She quickly put her wand down and headed for the door, "What is it?"

"I've made a horrible mistake! I can't wear this!" She swung the door open, "Why did you let the others talk me into this?"

Hermione was taken aback by her best friends beauty, while yes she was normally beautiful and at first she had thought the dress was a bit much, with her hair and make-up done the girl looked phenomenal. Her hair was pulled back away from her face but the curls fell into a line down the back of her head and the faint sparkle she had managed to put in her hair matched the details of her dress, which was a dark red that clung tight to the top part of her body then at her hips fell loose to the floor and then the layer under that was black matched to the black accents the dress had going across the bodice. She had more color on her lips than normal and her eyes were outlined in black and the actual color of her eyes matched the dress and she didn't need eyeshadow. The outfit made the girl look more mature than usual, but it made her beautiful none the less, "You look amazing, now I don't want to go."

"And disappoint Victor? I think not!" Bridget gawked at her, "You look great!" She remembered something, "Oh yeah I have something for you."

Hermione took the small box that was handed to her, "Happy Christmas Hermione."

She opened it up to see two flower earrings the same colors as her dress. Bridget knew she liked simple jewelry and these were perfect for her. Hermione smiled, "I love them, and I have something for you too."

Bridget took the box handed to her and she opened it up to see a black stone on a simple silver necklace, Hermione spoke, "It's Onyx, its supposed to help sharpen your senses and to help get rid of any negativity around you. I thought it might be helpful with the tournament."

"It's perfect." Bridget said putting it on, "And it matches my outfit, which I would have worn it either way."

The two girls hugged then looked at themselves in the mirror, almost not recognizing the reflections. Bridget took a breath in and looked at Hermione, "Ready to go?"

"You go on, I still have to finish my hair." Bridget hesitated, not wanting to leave her friend, "Go on I'll be there I promise, don't leave George waiting."

Hermione laughed as a grin grew across her friends face and she excitedly left the room. George was in fact waiting for her in the common room, Fred having already left with Angelina. He looked up at her and his jaw dropped, "Well done Bridget."

"Should say the same about you." She said running a finger down the lapel of his dress robes, "I was afraid you'd have ruffles."

He laughed then held put an arm to escort her down stairs. When they arrived at the door Cedric and Cho walked up to them. Cedric gave her a smile, "See I would have picked something like that."

"Regardless I don't trust you with fashion, specifically mine." She smiled at him, "Plus you are technically my opponent right now, you might do anything to make me look bad."

"That would be impossible to do." He almost laughed.

"He's right you look beautiful." Cho said giving her a hug.

"So do you." Bridget said as McGonagall walked up to them and told them the order they would be in for the processional, which Bridget and George hadn't known about. Afterwards McGonagall asked to talk to her on the side for a moment, "What is it professor?"

"Nothing like that child. I just wanted to say that you look so much like your mother." McGonagall had a tear forming in her eye, "She would be so proud of you m'dear."

"Thanks, Aunt Minerva. That means a lot to me." She said and McGonagall placed an arm around her as she escorted her back to George since that was the most amount of a hug she could give the girl. They lined up in front of Harry and Parvati and she looked at George.

"Try not to do anything to embarrassing on the walk in."

He looked down at her trying to look insulted but the smile on her face showed she was joking, "So no jumping up and down saying that I bagged a champion?"

"No." She laughed even harder.

George smiled at her, he loved the sound of her laughing. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You do look beautiful by the way."

"Thank you." She didn't look at him since she could feel the heat in her cheeks.

The processional music started and they began their walk in and she saw him give a nod to Fred and Lee who were clapping quite loud. Bridget felt nervous when he took her waist even though they had danced together before. She shouldn't have been shocked when his grip was so strong leading her around the floor, but she was, perhaps because she felt like she weighed nothing when he lifted her into the air.

George couldn't help but smile when he saw the smile that she wore while they danced, it meant she was enjoying it just as much as he was. He was going to make the move tonight, to finally find out if she felt the same that he did. When the music changed he didn't know when he was going to have the time or the nerve, he hoped she couldn't tell how nervous she actually was. Fred kept giving him a cocky smile knowing that that was Georges plan and he could tell by the look on his twins face that he was becoming too afraid to do it.

Bridget was slow dancing with George when she saw Hermione having an argument with Ron. She lifted her head from his shoulder and watched the two as they left the hall. George followed her eyes, "Go on."

"Thanks." She said grabbing the bottom of her dress beginning to follow them out, but she turned back around to see him watching her go, "Give me five minutes?"

He nodded smiling and headed to where Fred and Angelina were taking a break. Fred smiled at his brother, "Haven't said a word to her yet have you?"

"She had to go take care of something with Granger." George avoided the question.

"If you don't do it now ya might never get the chance again." Fred smiled at him, "Some other bloke may come along and snag her up."

He glared at his smiling twin then looked to Angelina, "What do you think?"

"I think it would take a lot for another bloke to catch her eye." The girl spoke honestly, "Perhaps if you do in fact gain the courage to talk to her about it, the lines wouldn't be so blurred?"

George nodded his head and looked over just as she walked back through the doors. She approached him and he smiled at her, "That wasn't quite five minutes."

"Yes well it doesn't take long for someone to explain that your brother is a complete tosser." She gave him a half smile.

"That doesn't even take a minute some days." Fred laughed. A silence overcame the group until Fred decided to give his brother a push, "Angelina, how about another dance, leave these two alone."

His date nodded then snuck a smile to Bridget as they walked off and Fred gave his brother a wink. George looked at her, "Would you like to go for a walk perhaps?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice." She smiled, nervous about being alone with him for some reason.

They walked until they found a staircase that didn't have anyone else on it and he asked if she wanted to sit and she did, him following suit. He noticed a shiver go across her body and then realized she had been walking with her arms crossed since they had left the Great Hall, "Here take my jacket."

"Thanks." She said draping it over her shoulders, feeling the warmth from his body on it, "I was fine until I stopped moving so much."

"Yeah, you'd think if they were going to leave the doors open in the middle of winter that they'd cast a warming spell." George let out a laugh and when he did a strand of hair fell in his face and her hand was there in seconds to move it, "Yeah, I should probably be getting it cut soon."

"Why?" She smiled, "I like it like this."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She let out a soft giggle, a sound he had never heard before but liked, "Why, is it so hard to believe that I would like something about one of my best friends."

Friends. The word almost killed his hopes of where the conversation seemed to be heading, but if he didn't at least try he would hear about it from his brother, "No, there are plenty of things I like about you."

Bridget couldn't stop her blush, "Oh, and what's that?"

He let out a small, nervous laugh and looked down at his hands, "You're smart, and quick witted, you enjoy a good joke as much as I do. Not to mention you're talent as a witch matches your beauty as one."

She couldn't think of anything to say, her heart was beating too fast for anything to come out of her mouth. He sat there waiting for her to say something, too embarrassed to look at her and it grew every moment she didn't say anything. Moments passed before her soft voice entered his ears, "George, are you trying to say…?"

"That I have feelings for you beyond friendship?" He was finally able to muster the courage to look at her, "Yes."

A small smile graced her lips and even though she didn't mean to, she spoke out loud, "Best Christmas ever."

George let out a relieved laugh, "Really?"

"Yeah, I've just always been too scared to say anything." She let out a laugh like his and they both sat there laughing for a moment.

He cupped her cheek with his hand and couldn't help but tell her, "You're very cute when you're blushing." She blushed even harder and looked away embarrassed, "You're not helping your cause much if you're going to blush at every compliment I give you now."

"And what cause would that be?" She looked up at him through her lashes.

"The cause to making me resist the urge to kiss you right now." His voice was almost a whisper as just the thought of getting close enough to kiss her made his throat dry.

"What if I don't want you to resist?" Her voice seemed to be in the same tone. George slowly bent his head towards hers and neither of them knew the other had stopped breathing. He sealed their lips and for one of the first times in her life her mind was empty, she wasn't thinking about being Primal, or her mother's death, or what her uncle had done, or Voldemort, or the Tournament, all that was in her mind at that moment was George.

Her kiss was everything George thought it would be and more. He didn't know how long they had already been in the moment, but he knew he never wanted the moment to end. Placing a hand on her waist he pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss and felt one of her hands go to his shoulder and the other one rest on the inside of his elbow. When he finally pulled away the beautifully dazed look on her face made him smile, which was a look that turned to confusion when she started laughing, "What?"

"You have lips gloss on your lips now." She tried to suppressed her laughs while wiping it off of his lips.

"You couldn't have put a non-transfer spell on it could you?" He picked on her with a groan.

"Well to be honest I wasn't expecting this to happen." She gave him a small smile, "Speaking of which, I don't think we should tell anyone just yet, if there even is something to tell anyone."

"I want to shout it to the world." He grinned, "Why don't you want anyone to know?"

"Well first of all with this whole Tournament thing going on and Rita Skeeter following us around nonstop it'd just make our lives miserable. And second I kind of live with you during the breaks and I really don't want your mom watching us like a hawk, she already does you and Fred." She spoke playing with the fabric of his vest.

"Valid points." He agreed and heard the bells start ringing, "I should probably return you to your room, lest Hermione gets suspicious."

"Oh she's going to figure it out regardless." Bridget laughed while he helped her up off the stairs.

"Don't worry, so will Fred."

"Want to just tell those two then? Since they are bound to find out anyways." She asked.

He nodded, "Yeah sounds good."

They got to the Gryffindor entrance and George walked her up to the stairway that would lead to her room. He looked in every direction before leaning down to kiss her one last time before the night was over.

When she went through the door she heard a voice despite trying to enter the room quietly, "Did you enjoy the end of your night more than I did?"

"Hermione, I'm really sorry about what happened." Bridget walked around to the bed the she was sitting on.

"It's fine, he's just a complete jerk. And don't feel bad, I made you go back to George." Her friend smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back, "Good news?"

"He likes me." She beamed.

"And…?" Hermione leaned in closer to her.

"We kissed." Bridget was pulled into a hug.

Hermione held her tight, "I'm so happy for you! You two will be perfect together."

"I hope so." She blushed, "Oh and we aren't telling anyone but you and Fred, so no talking about it."

The girl quickly nodded and the Bridget looked at her with a close to plea on her face, "Do you think you could help me out of the dress?"

"Yes." Hermione laughed and followed her into the bathroom.