November 28, 1994

Ivy hurried into the classroom. She may have overslept slightly, which was not at all a common occurrence with her. She had been up rather late reading about dragon care and habitats though. Best to be prepared for anything, after all.

As interesting as that had been, however, it had contributed to her current predicament of finding a seat before class officially started.

She found an open seat next to Justin and sat down quickly.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully.

Justin did not appear to be a morning person on this particular day.

It wasn't until halfway through the class that Justin finally seemed aware of her presence.

"Oh, hi Ivy," he said.

She laughed.

"You've been here the entire time, haven't you," he said with a sigh.

Ivy nodded. "Rough morning?"

Justin groaned. "Our room was up half the night talking about the Yule Ball."

"Really?" Ivy was surprised. She didn't think any of the boys werethatinvested in it.

"I think I might as well ask Theo to come share battle strategies with them at the rate they were going."

"Who exactly?"

"Zach, Kevin, and Ernie were the worst. But anytime I thought it was almost over Stephen chimed in and all of a sudden everyone got going. You'd think this ball was the end of the world or something."

Ivy looked around the classroom. All the other Hufflepuff boys did look a bit tired, now that she was looking at them closely.

"What on earth were they talking about then?"

"Who they could ask to the ball and how they could ask, but it turned into who likes who and who might say yes, or who might say yes but not actually want to go with them, or who might say no because they were asked too early and were hoping for someone else, or who might say no because they secretly hate the other person's guts. It was an entire thing."

Ivy snorted. Quietly of course. They were still in class.

"Our room talked about it for exactly six minutes. We're debriefing again Friday after classes."

"See? Everyone is doing it. What's the big deal, anyway? The task was just four days ago. You know, the one with thedragons?"

"I know, I was there," Ivy said with a grin.

"Oh, er, right," Justin said sheepishly. "But still, how did the topic shift that fast?"

Ivy shrugged. "Beats me."

Care of Magical Creatures was almost a deja vu experience, except instead of Justin complaining it was Ron.

"I'm never going to find someone to ask to the ball," he said.

"Why not?" Ivy asked. It's not likeanyonehad been asked yet as far as she knew.

"Seamus made a chart, and it lists everyone in the castle and who he thinks they like and who might like them back. We were up half the night looking it over."

"So because Seamus thinks some peoplemightlike some other people there's no one for you to ask?"

"I can't ask someone who likes someone else. They'll hate me!"

"I really don't think they will. Besides, if someone didn't want to go with you wouldn't they just say no?"

Ron gasped. "That's evenworse," he said. "That would mean I did so badly that I asked someone who wasn't even going to yes."

"I really don't see what is so difficult about it."

"That's because you don't have to ask anyone," Ron grumbled.

"Why not?"

"Well, because you're a girl, right? So won't someone ask you?"

Ivy stopped in her tracks. "You're right. Wait, but what if someone asks me and I don't want to go with them?"

"See," Ron said, gesturing broadly, "this is why we have to plan it out."

"Merlin, I need to find someone fast," Ivy said. "I can't get asked by someone and then have to spend the entire time with just them. That'd be terrible."

"Wait, really?"

"Of course it would be. Then I wouldn't get to dance with everyone else."

"Yeah, but what if…" Ron trailed off. "Oh, I don't know. This is all so stressful."

"Tell me about it," Ivy said sympathetically.

Ron continued to tell her all about it.

The last block of the day found Ivy seated between Hermione and Daphne in Arithmancy.

"The boys are really stressed about the Yule Ball," Ivy commented idly.

"Why aretheystressed?" Hermione asked in a hushed tone.

"They are all trying to make sure they can find someone who will actually say yes to them if they ask."

"It can't possibly be that hard, can it?" Daphne asked.

Ivy shrugged. "They have charts."

"For the love of…" Hermione began in her rant tone. "I doubt it would be all that terrible if they justaskedsomeone."

"Some of them are concerned about asking someone that might like someone else," Ivy explained.

"That's…strangely considerate," Hermione acquiesced.

"How would they know who likes who," Daphne interjected.

Hermione and Ivy spent the rest of the lesson contemplating that question, unable to find a satisfactory answer.

November 29, 1994

"Who are you going to ask then?"

George shrugged. "Haven't thought about it yet."

Liar, Fred thought to himself.

November 30, 1994

Neville paused for a moment before entering the classroom that served as the meeting place for the Herbology Club. He could do this. All anyone wanted to talk about was the ball, and it was fine. It was all fine. He and Pansy were "broken up" or whatever, but the sympathetic glances had only increased with the growing fervor over the ball.

Oh, who was he kidding. They wouldn't be getting to much Herbology today.

Neville entered the room, feeling the weight of a dozen pairs of eyes on him as he made his way calmly to an empty seat.

He wondered if he should have placed a bet with himself for how long it would take for someone to ask him about the ball.

Thirty seconds, as it turned out.

"So, er, do you have anyone in mind that you're going to ask to the ball? Now that you and Pansy aren't, you know…" Ernie looked a little sheepish.

"I already asked someone," Neville said.

The room burst into commotion.

Neville sighed. May as well get this over with.

"I can't believeyouwere the first person to ask someone," Draco said. "No offense."

Slight offense taken, but only slight, Neville thought as he prepared himself for the twenty-third explanation of the evening. He was keeping track.

"It's not that big of a deal, really. I asked someone, she said yes, and we're going together to the Yule Ball."

"Merlin, I need to find someone to askfastthen," Draco said. "If you've already asked someone then I'm sure everyone else is going to start asking soon."

Neville shook his head. Maybe he'd be able to get more than two bites in before the next person came up and started asking questions. He glanced down the table a bit to where Ginny sat, but she just grinned at him and gave him a thumbs up.

December 1, 1994

"What do you mean do I want to go with you to the Yule Ball?"

Draco scowled. "You could just say yes or no, you know."

Pansy huffed. "But whyme?"

"BecauseI thought we were friends. And you're clearly not going with Neville."

"And you'resureyou don't have anyone else to ask?" Pansy pushed.

"Yes, thank you for throwing my complete lack of a dating life in my face like that."

"Oh come off it, I didn't mean it like that. Just, isn't there someone you might want to ask? Someone, perhaps, that you're interested in?"

"Not someone that would say yes," Draco muttered.

Pansy latched onto that statement immediately. Well. She could work with that.

"Well then, yes, I'd love to go to the ball with you."

Draco rolled his eyes at her. "Thanks, Pans."

"You're welcome," she replied imperiously.

December 2, 1994

Justin only startled a little bit when Pansy practically flopped into the seat next to him.

"Good morning," he said cautiously.

"Acertainsomeone is apparently too much of a puffskein to ask Ivy to the ball."

"Okay… and?"

Pansy huffed. "So, obviously something needs to be done about that. They'd beperfecttogether."

Justin nodded. "Yeah, they really would. But you can't just make them like each other."

Pansy did not seem to agree with that sentiment. "Well, we can at least encourage."

"What do you think I've been doing?" Justin said, then seeing the eyes starting to look their way, lowered his voice to a whisper. "It takestime."

Pansy looked almost impressed. "I didn't even realize you were doing anything about it."

"Well, why did you come to me then?" Justin asked, perplexed what else could have brought Pansy here. Well, not here history, but here to the seat next to him.

"Shh, we'll talk about it later. Class is about to start."

Justin had questions. It was also probably the only moment he had missed Binns teaching history. Professor Parry was great, and now they were actually learning something, but it also meant he was going to have to wait until the end of class to get answers, if not later.

It truly never occurred to him that he and Pansy might have somehow been talking about different people.

Tracey burst into the dorm room and slammed the door behind her.

"What happened?" Daphne asked immediately.

"I just got asked to the Yule Ball." Tracey blurted out.

"You look… horrified," Millie said bemusedly.

"Did something happen?" Ivy asked.

Pansy pulled Tracey over to Daphne's bed, which was the one closest to the door.

"Linus Claridgeasked me," Tracey said in a loud whisper, almost as if she couldn't quite believe it herself.

"Hewhat?" Daphne practically shrieked. "How could he do that? He wasn't being serious, was he?"

"I think he was," Tracey said. "It was awful."

"Well, what did you say?" Millie asked, her voice gaining the same tone of horror that Tracey's had.

"I, er, well…" Tracey cleared her throat. "I didn't exactly…sayanything."

"Alright then, what did you do?" Pansy asked.

Tracey leaned forward until she was facedown on the bed. She said something but it was lost in the bedding.

"Can't hear you," Daphne said.

Tracey turned her head so she could speak clearly. "I punched him in the nose and ran off."

Pansy immediately started cackling and Daphne soon joined her.

"I guess that's why the boys all have charts," Ivy mused, making Pansy and Daphne both laugh harder.

Tracey groaned. "It was terrible. He's terrible. Why in Merlin's name did he askme? He hates me."

"Well…" Millie said contemplatively, "maybe he doesn'thateyou…"

The other girls all caught on immediately.

"No," Pansy gasped. "He can't possiblylikeTracey."

"Thanks," Tracey mumbled.

"That would mean he hadtaste," Pansy continued. "I'm not ready to give him that much credit.

Tracey snorted at Pansy's attempts to make her feel better.

"So, boy likes girl, boy is mean to girl for three and a half years, boy thinks girl will like him back?" Ivy questioned.

Tracey just screamed into the bed.

"Is Ivy alright?"

Adrian turned to the person asking. "Yes? As far as I know. Why?"

Bridget shrugged. "Saw Claridge on his way to the hospital wing. Looks like someone punched him right in the nose."

"And your first assumption was Ivy?"

"Your point?"

"No point," Adrian said, shaking his head. "I'll check on her though."

"Oh, Elizabeth, do you know if Ivy is in her room?"

"Yeah, I think so. Why?"

"I'm just supposed to check if she's alright. Something about Claridge?"

Elizabeth snorted. "Yeah, she's fine. Wasn't her that got him though."

"Would you mind asking her to come down for a minute though?" Adrian asked.

"Sure."

Adrian Pucey was many things, but Thomas Harrington he was not. He would wait for Ivy here in the common room like a normal wizard.

"So then Tracey punched him in the face."

"That's… wow. Alright then. Is she okay?"

Ivy nodded and Adrian relaxed a bit in utter relief. He was somehow committed to protecting Ivy (he was still not sure what from, given the fact that she was as competent as any of the rest of them), but he was in no way prepared to offer comfort to other fourth-year girls. He was not qualified for this.

As Ivy left, presumably to go back to her room and continue talking about whatever girls talked about when they were by themselves, his mind drifted to the situation of Linus Claridge. He'd almost pity the wizard if he didn't know how much he was loathed by the fourth-year girls. Honestly, what was Claridgethinking? Had he really thought Tracey would say yes to going out with him after everything he had done? Granted, it hadn't been so bad recently. Adrian figured that anyone with a brain would wise up after having Tiger sicced on them enough times. So maybe the presentation had just been really poorly done? Somehow Adrian didn't think so, but he couldn't help but feel a bit more nervous about asking someone himself. As long as he didn't do as badly as Claridge… No, he doubtedanyonecould do as poorly as Claridge.

December 3, 1994

"I have come to the conclusion that you would be the best person to ask to the Yule Ball."

Justin choked on his juice and tried very much to hide it so he could hear what in Merlin's name Ivy was doing.

"Why would you think that?" Zach asked.

Justin couldn't believe his ears. Or his eyes. Or anything else for that matter. Was this a dream? A nightmare? Was he in a coma and hadn't realized it?

"You don't particularly like me, I don't particularly like you, you're not terrible at dancing, I have to dance in the opening dance, then we would be able to part ways as unlikely allies and enjoy the rest of our evening without having to worry about staying focused on a date."

Ivy was really doing this. Merlin.

"What if I had someone else I wanted to ask?"

"You don't."

"You don't know-"

"I saw the charts."

Justin took the opportunity to look very invested in something happening at the other end of the table. No need to give Zach ideas when he was already most likely glowering.

"Alright, first of all-"

"If you go with me I can guarantee that Megan and Lisa will both dance at least once with you."

Wow, Ivy was good.

"How can you guarantee that?" Zach asked suspiciously.

"Because they said, and I quote, 'if you and Zach go together we'll dance with him so you don't have to.'"

Justin wanted to feel offended on his friend's behalf, but he had seen the charts. Not only did both of those girls have dates already, but Zach had the world's worst secret crush on Lisa, and Megan had flat out refused to go with any of the fourth-year Hufflepuff boys, saying she saw too much of them already, so… Ivy and Zach could stand each other for that long unsupervised. It'd be fine, really.

"Deal," Zach said, shaking Ivy's hand.

That had to be the least romantic Yule Ball-date proposal so far but… Wait, no, Claridge had gone to the hospital wing yesterday…

December 4, 1994

"Has he asked her yet?"

Fred huffed at Lee's question. "No, he hasn't. What's taking him so long?"

Lee shrugged. "No idea. He'd better hurry though. Someone else will ask her soon if he doesn't."

Fred's face lit up.

"Oh no, whatever it is you're thinking, don't do it."

"But if he's not going to ask her?"

"You're seriously going to ask Angelina, the girl your brother has been silently pining over fortwo years, to the ball because, what, you think he'll get jealous and do something?"

"Like cut in and dance with her instead? Absolutely."

"Well then who is he going to ask?"

"Beats me."

December 5, 1994

"I need your help."

George looked up in surprise. "With what?" he said cautiously.

"Well Draco asked me to the ball, but he was supposed to ask Ivy, and then Ivy went and askedZacharias Smithof all people, and now everything is a disaster."

George stared at Pansy for a second. "Well, why did you say yes then? Also, did our dear Dracoknowhe was supposed to ask Ivy?"

"Well, no, but he said he didn't have the courage to ask her."

"Did he say Ivy specifically?"

Pansy thought about it. "Well, no, but-"

"Believe me, if he wanted to ask Ivy, he would have asked Ivy."

Pansy huffed. "But they'd be so good together."

"And alas, but wishing does not make it so."

"As you found out."

"Thanks for pointing that out, hadn't realized that," George said sarcastically.

"You're welcome."

"You also realize Charlie is eight years older than you?"

"Touché."

George and Pansy exchanged a look of understanding. Neither would speak of this again, to each other or to anyone else.

December 6, 1994

"I just can't believe Ivy and Zach are going together out of all people. They might not be the mortal enemies that Tracey and Claridge are, but they have never claimed to like each other, and they only seem to get along when they're ignoring each other's existence."

Luna nodded sympathetically. "I know you had hoped Theo would ask her."

Justin groaned. "They'd be perfect. I don't get why Pansy and I are the only ones to see that."

"Pansy thinks Ivy should dateDraco."

"Wait, what?"

Luna hmmed. "So who are you going to ask?"

"Oh, right. Er, I meant to ask you? I got a little sidetracked, didn't I."

"It's alright. I'd love to go with you."

December 7, 1994

"I just don't know what to do. What if it goes horribly? Would it be rude to find someone else to be around if it does?"

Neville did not know whyhewas being asked these questions. What in Merlin's lengthy history gave any of them the idea that he knew what to do in these sorts of situations? He said just as much.

"I know you and Pansy are over, but your love will shine like a star in our memories."

Neville couldn't help but think the rest of the Herbology Club wasfartoo invested in his and Pansy's dating… thing. They hadn't even been dating for real, for Merlin's sake.