Disclaimer: I stole Hermione�s speech from Maid in Manhattan. Yes, I�m a thief. Plagiarism is fun. And the rest is all J.K.�s.
Warning: Super mushy, clich�d chapter ahead. Watch your step.
Chapter Nineteen: In the Yule Ball<b>
Let's go, don't wait, this night's almost over
Honest, let's make this night last forever
Forever and ever, let's make this last forever
Forever and ever, let's make this last forever�
--Blink 182
�Hermione!�
Hermione appeared in the door of Ginny�s shower, her hair as straight as it was in the Yule Ball two years ago, as she wore a simple pink dress that draped over her shoulders. Ginny however, was covered with a tiny orange towel, hair a mess and was dripping wet.
�What�s wrong?� Hermione asked in concern.
�I just realized that I don�t have a dress!� she exclaimed, panicking. �The only dress I have is the robes I wore two years ago, and that�s something Malfoy�s house-elf would wear!�
�What are you talking about?� asked Hermione, puzzled.
�I�m saying I don�t have��
�Then what�s this?� Hermione disappeared inside the room for a minute, leaving Ginny wet and in despair. When she came back, she was holding a magnificent white, sparkling dress that was heart-shaped in the chest. Ginny gasped in awe.
�I found this in your bed,� Hermione explained, �isn�t this the dress you were going to wear?�
�I didn�t�how did�� Ginny mumbled.
�It has this note on top of it,� said Hermione, placing a piece of parchment in her hand.
The note read:
Just in case.
*.*
Malfoy spotted a lot of guys waiting for their dates in the Great Hall. Playing it cool, he settled himself into one corner and waited steadily. After a few minutes, Potter, Weasley, Creevey, Longbottom, and Finnigan appeared in front of him, excitedly whispering to each other. They didn�t seem to notice that he was just right behind them.
�Colin, ah�I pity you�you just got dumped!� Longbottom cried out as the other Gryffindors giggled (Oh I pity them, Malfoy thought in spite, giggling for Merlin�s sake.) furiously. �And by your bestfriend too!�
�Ginny happened to be very nice about it,� Colin argued, making Malfoy jump at the sound of her name, �and besides, at least I�m not going out with a Slytherin.�
�Jessa happens to be a very nice person!� Potter snapped hastily. �She�s the only Slytherin that protects me from that Snape!�
Malfoy winced at the sound of his fellow Slytherin�s name. As far as he was concerned, Jessa Whitefield was as nice as pie, and he didn�t want anything to do with her.
�I�m not talking about Whitefield, Harry,� Creevey said, rolling his eyes, �I�m talking about Neville�s date!�
Malfoy stifled his scornful laughter. Longbottom had a date? And a Slytherin too?
�There is nothing wrong with Dannie!� Longbottom bawled. �You�re just jealous because you thought she liked you, because she�s always joining Ginny and you in Potions when it�s a group of three! She told me she only does that cause she wants to know more about me!�
�Ouch, that hurts Neville,� Weasley commented, as he gave Creevey a goofy grin.
�Ever since that famous Hogwarts Monthly issue came out, everyone seems to fancy the �Love knows no house� policy nowadays,� Finnigan said, shaking his head, �you wouldn�t believe how much I tried to convince Lavender to go to the Yule Ball with me. She wanted to go with Trent McGuire, can you believe it?�
�Oh no, it�s just that the Slytherin Quidditch team are on a winning streak this year,� Potter explained, �didn�t you guys hear about the match yesterday?�
�How can�t I? Lavender was going on about it so much!� Finnigan replied.
�Apparently, Malfoy�s Plumpton Pass made the overall impression that their whole team are hot,� Weasley commented, making Malfoy�s brows furrow.
The Plumpton Pass? He never used that manoeuvre�at least he didn�t think so. What was it anyway?
�Believe what you want to believe, but I bet you that was only an accident,� Weasley added, rolling his eyes, �I mean, c�mon, he was wearing loose robes! The bloody Snitch could have just slipped in there easily!�
Malfoy�s blood turned cold.
He caught the Snitch.
They won.
Bloody team mates, Malfoy cursed spitefully, they didn�t even have the decency that we won. And there I was, thinking that we lost.
�It wasn�t an accident,� Malfoy piped in, making the Gryffindors jump out of there skins, �I meant to do it.�
�Sure,� Weasley mumbled softly, �we all don�t believe you, Malfoy.�
�You and what team, Weasley?� Malfoy asked, raising an eyebrow. �Brown seems to believe me just fine and so does your sister.�
�Keep Ginny out of this,� Potter snarled, taking one step towards Malfoy.
�Jealous, Potter? Did you just realize that I�m about to beat you into something?�
�Is this why you want to get close to her?� Potter exclaimed in shock, suddenly turning red. �You just want to win in your petty competition?�
�I�m talking about Quidditch,� Malfoy replied, snorting, �honestly, Gryffindors nowadays. Why would I want to compete with you about her? You don�t even notice her.�
And though Malfoy seemed to be confident about his intelligence and the Gryffindor�s stupidity, he still didn�t have a clue when he saw Creevey, Longbottom and Weasley staring at Potter in extreme surprise, as if they just realized something hidden in Potter that they haven�t noticed before.
But as far as Malfoy was concerned, he only cared for her arrival.
She was tad late.
*.*
�Hold still!�
�How can I when my heart�s doing a world record of beating a thousand beats per second?� Ginny complained as Hermione tried hard to fix her hair into a braided bun that was held by a wad of gel.
�What are you so nervous about?� Hermione asked as she applied another thick amount of gel in Ginny�s locks. �Look into the mirror and tell me if it�s okay now.�
�No! Looking in the mirror to see myself going out with Malfoy is not right! Someone must�ve cast a spell on our universe,� Ginny gasped suddenly as if sudden realization just hit her. �Hermione! Why didn�t I think of this before? This must be an alternate universe that You-Know-Who did so that I can like Malfoy and Malfoy can lure me into his trap! This is an alternate universe! This is all a lie!�
�No, it�s more like a dream you know,� said Hermione as she curled the ends of Ginny�s hair. �Ever since the Chamber of Secrets was made, dating back from thousands of years ago, wizards and witches who studied at Hogwarts has dreamed of uniting the school and setting aside their differences, whether they�re pure blood or not, mixed or a Squib, rich or poor, a Gryffindor or a Slytherin. This housing policy in our school doesn�t promote school spirit, it only divides us and it�s been dividing us for centuries. How can we endorse equality when the first thing we learn is to hate and despise people outside our houses?
Don�t think about tomorrow; don�t think about the future, just think about tonight. Tonight, you�re going to prove to all of your ancestors that they�ve been wrong about the Slytherins or about the Malfoys for that matter. Tonight, being a Gryffindor and being Virginia Weasley is the lie.
Because this�� and here, Hermione gently cupped Ginny�s chin in her hands and directed her face towards the mirror which showed a reflection of a beautiful fifteen-year-old girl, her red hair tied in a loose bun behind her, and her sparkling white dress proudly showing her hidden curves. The mirror showed her a young woman with principles. A young woman who made a wrong turn, loved, and was judged by everyone. A young woman who�s strength was measured in how much she rose after she fell. A young woman who�s tiny voice made all the difference, but most of all, it showed her a young woman who found herself in his grey eyes.
�This is who you really are,� Hermione whispered in her ear. �You�re a very brave girl, Ginny�you�re probably the most courageous person I have ever known.�
�It�s not courage, Hermione,� said Ginny softly, �it�s love.�
*.*
Jessa Whitefield had come to take Potter with a huge smile on her face. As Potter curled his arm towards her waist, Malfoy glanced at Weasley who was the only Gryffindor left in the Great Hall. Creevey, as it turned out, didn�t have any date at all. He simply trudged soullessly behind Longbottom as he told Malfoy to keep his hands to himself.
She was already an hour late and it was really frustrating Malfoy. He was sweating like a pig already and he wasn�t even dancing yet. Parkinson gave him a smirk when she entered the Great Hall while drooling over Blaise Zabini�s arm. It seemed to cheer her up knowing that Malfoy was still outside waiting for someone who might not turn up after all, while she gave Zabini the nastiest kisses ever imagined.
It was very uncomfortable for Malfoy and Weasley, trying to ignore each other while they stood a few inches apart. Malfoy could see that Weasley was sweating in nervousness too. At least he wasn�t the only one.
Granger appeared after a few minutes, her hair flowing in her shoulders and was wearing a pink dress that made Malfoy gag. He hated pink and besides, it didn�t match with his black tuxedo. But it wasn�t as if he was dancing with her, no way.
Yeah, you�re just dancing with Weasley�s sister, he reminded himself ironically, oh please don�t let her wear pink!
�Hey,� he called out before Weasley and Granger entered the room.
�Yes?� Granger asked politely.
�Is she coming?� he asked, searching her for answers.
�Who?�
�You freaking know who I�m talking about,� he retorted rudely.
�Oh�her�� said Granger, her lips pursed, as if she was trying hard to stifle a laughter. �She�s right behind you.�
Malfoy turned around, heart racing, palms sweating and forehead wrinkling, only to find out that she wasn�t there.
He was about to lunge at Granger for tricking him and almost causing him a heart attack when he found out that she had already gone inside with Weasley inside the Great Hall. Malfoy was left alone.
If there was any day that Malfoy felt terrified to the point of actually shaking (except for the time that he went to the Forbidden Forest with Potter and saw a dark form eating a Unicorn which, by the way, still gives him nightmares) it was today. He walked back and forth hastily, trying to walk away his panic but to no avail. He didn�t notice that his hand was continuously pushing his hair back to the edge of his head, which showed his forehead even more than it usually did.
�You can�t dump me,� he mumbled softly, trying to convince himself, �you can�t just dump me. After all I did for you? Oh man, you�re going to die tomorrow, I swear. If you don�t appear right at this minute, I�d hunt you down first thing in the morning and chop your head off. Then I�d display your head in the Quidditch field to warn everyone that this is what happens when you dump a Malfoy. Or better yet, I�d turn you in to St. Mungo�s�that�s right�I really will��
�That really scares me, Malfoy.�
Malfoy jumped at the sound of her voice, making the hairs at his neck stand on one end. He turned around slowly, heart racing, palms sweating and forehead wrinkling, anticipating with all his might what he was about to see.
He didn�t notice the hair, the dress, the necklace, the make-up and the new shoes. He only noticed her smile.
Malfoy didn�t know what happened. Maybe it really was a spell that she had cast on him from the very first day he felt it. Maybe it was the lights that Flitwick had conjured yesterday. Maybe it was the incredibly tight tuxedo that he was wearing or maybe it was the overuse of his perfume. He wasn�t sure but all he knew was that, he blurted out words he had been keeping as a secret for so long.
�I've experienced everything you can possibly experience in the world. Met people, fought people, deceived people, done things. I've lived in luxury most people could never imagine. But I can't remember a time when I felt as good, or complete, as I do right now. I feel it in you, through you. It�s very beautiful.�
�You mean like a dream?� she asked, her eyes shining.
Malfoy gave her a smile first before he answered, �Even better.�
*.*
The Great Hall was absolutely breath taking. Professor Flitwick obviously did a magnificent job on the trained glistening faeries that were jovially dancing in the ceilings. Scented candles were floating in the air. Instead of the four long tables that represented each house like any other days, hundreds of oval tables with a bouquet of flowers in the centre and were draped with lurid blue table cloths were spread out on the Hall. Each table can hold up to four people, but as far as Ginny and Malfoy were concerned, they were pretty sure that only the two of them would be occupying their table.
As Ginny and Malfoy chose a table in the far end of the room and sat down gingerly, Ginny kept her eye on Dennis Creevey, who was dancing slowly with Nathalie McDonald, in the tune of Witch Loving, by a famous Witch band called: Six Knuts None the Richer. Just in case he comes up with any other ridiculous plan, she was going to make sure that she�d scoop a nastier story about him that would make all of his teeth fall out in disgust.
�That guy�s staring at you,� Malfoy whispered spitefully, his eyes concentrated past Ginny.
�Who?� asked Ginny, turning around to see her brother, Ron, quickly avert his eyes from their way. �Ron?�
�Yes,� Malfoy grumbled across from her, �and if I didn�t know any better, I�d say he fancies you.�
�Eew, Malfoy! Get a life! He�s my brother, c�mon!�
�Well, I don�t like the way he�s looking at you right now.�
�Why?� asked Ginny, wriggling her eyebrows. �Jealous?�
�Me?� Malfoy laughed giddily before making an unrecognizable jumble of words hastily, as if he just said a swear word that he didn�t want her to hear.
Ron was invited by Hermione to dance and Ginny watched them for a moment. She wondered when Malfoy was going to ask her to dance. He only seemed interested into staring down at anyone who looked at her way.
�Ron and Hermione dances good, don�t you think so?� she asked, hoping that Malfoy would get the hint.
�I don�t want to dance, Weasley,� he murmured, �I think it�s very lame.�
�I personally think you�re lame, but who�s complaining?� Ginny retorted, feeling a little bit annoyed about Malfoy�s last comment. He thinks dancing�s lame�dancing is a classic! She�s been learning to dance ever since she was a toddler! She was her brother�s only dancing partner ad she suffered ever since! After all of her hard work, there was no way anyone can convince her not to dance now.
Just as she was about to grab his hand and drag him towards the dance floor, she caught a glimpse of Parkinson dancing with Zabini and suddenly felt rage flowing through her. She was reminded of Malfoy�s ignorance and stupidity when he didn�t answer her when she asked if he loved Parkinson.
When a boy�s answer is yes but he doesn�t want to say it out loud, does he change the subject?
A memory as vivid as faerie lights began to wrap around her mind, and started hearing voices that echoed in her ears two summers ago.
�C�mon Ron, tell me. We�re alone in the room, okay? No one�s going to hear you.�
�Just shut up, Ginny�it�s almost bedtime for you!�
�Please, please, please Ron! Just answer me this one question, and I promise I�d leave you alone and never ever bug you again.�
�Look, Gin, we�ve been talking for hours, I forgot the question already!�
�Do you like Hermione?�
���
�Well, do you?�
�Did you see the new Chudley Cannons poster? Isn�t it amazing��
Ginny�s eyes widened as paranoia took over her body. Ron changed the subject. And where was he now?
Dancing with Hermione.
Grimly, Ginny pushed her chair back in passion and stomped out of the room, leaving Malfoy in a daze as he stared at her retreating back, wondering what he did now.
*.*
�Wow! You have a knack for running, eh Weasley?�
Ginny felt a persistent tug at her shoulder that made her turn around completely to face a very annoyed looking Malfoy.
�I wouldn�t run if you didn�t make me,� said Ginny, scowling.
�What did I do now?�
�You didn�t answer me!�
�Okay�I wasn�t aware you were asking a question�oh wait, let me see!� Malfoy said sarcastically as he raised his eyes towards the ceiling, as if he was thinking deeply. �Now I know why I didn�t hear you. If you didn�t notice it, your lips were pursed the whole time!�
�I asked you if you love Pansy!� Ginny wailed. �You never answered me!�
�Oh great,� Malfoy sighed loudly as he closed his eyes in impatience, �you don�t trust me.�
�How can I? You can�t blame me for not trusting you, after you made Ron burp slugs, Hermione walk around the school with gigantic teeth and attempting to murder Harry!�
�I never tried to kill��
�With all due respect, Malfoy, I believe you were the one in the Dementor costume three years ago!�
�What is it exactly that you want?� Malfoy yelled so loud that the paintings in the wall spat a few curses on him for disturbing them of their precious sleep.
�I want to know why you couldn�t answer my question!�
�I couldn�t answer your question because I know that when I got my arse kicked by that hippogriff, it was only Parkinson who helped me to the hospital wing! When Potter was chosen for the tournament in my fourth year, it was only Parkinson who tried to boost my ego! She was the only one who stayed up with me making buttons that said Potter stinks! She was the only one who didn�t laugh when I got turned into a ferret!� Malfoy�s voice was hoarse from screaming but he didn�t care. He simply continued glaring at Ginny with his arms in his waist, and went on. �I couldn�t answer because I know Parkinson way too much! I owed her a lot!�
Ginny�s lips formed into a pout as she realized what Malfoy was saying. He still loved Pansy, and that�s why he�s making all these excuses that only made her angrier. She was ready to turn around, ready to walk away, but Malfoy called after her, �Ask me. Ask me that question again!�
When a request is too mysterious and strange, one dares not to disobey, and that was the reason why Ginny, though she was very hurt and who�s mascara was about to run, asked, �Do you love Pansy?�
Malfoy looked away before he mumbled, �I never knew the answer until now.�
�Why do you love Pansy?� Ginny asked although she dreaded the answer.
�The same reason why you love your brother,� he answered, making Ginny�s heart jump for joy.
�Why do you love me?� she asked, trying to make the best out of Malfoy�s truthfulness.
It took Malfoy a second before he replied the answer that made Ginny wonder for a long time, �The same reason why Snape brews a potion.�
Ginny was just about to say that Malfoy can�t kill using her, but she decided against it. All she knew was that there was no feeling that can top the emotions that were fulfilling her right now. Knowing that Malfoy loved her made everything complete, and this time, she knew that he was telling her the truth; because if there was one thing that she learned from all this, it was the fact there was a truth beyond knowledge, beyond anything anyone could ever hope to know.
And that truth was love.
�Want to dance?� asked Ginny as she offered her hand out to him.
�I�d love to,� he answered, smiling.
A/N: Next the famous Gryffindor match! Two more chapters to go, and I�m done�yippee!!
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