Preferred Customer Normal Preferred Customer 2 18 2003-07-28T18:30:00Z 2003-07-28T18:30:00Z 4 1221 5416 Dell Computer Corporation 175 62 6592 9.3821
A/N: Here's chapter eight.
~*~
Ginny was busy upstairs in her bedroom, miserably getting ready for the dance. So were the other girls in her room, all talking excitedly and laughing. Makeup and hairbrushes were strewn everywhere. There was something appealing about getting ready for a dance the muggle way, and making a huge mess in the girl's dormitories.
But somehow, Ginny just couldn't get into the spirit of things. She'd already put her dress robes on, and even in her foul mood she'd admitted they looked amazing. Her hair was done up in a shower of curls, decorated with tiny hair jewels and as much glitter as she'd dared. The mask she'd chosen was gold and red, to match her dress robes, and was holding even more sparkles than her hair, if possible. Her fellow sixth year girls had helped her get ready.
There was only a half hour left before they were supposed to go down to dinner. There was going to be a fancy buffet before the dance, formal attire and all. Then they were to meet their dates and go to the dance together.
Ginny sighed.
I better just get this night over with, she thought miserably. It was such a terrible letdown, after all the anticipation of the last few weeks.
-
The Slytherin common room was empty. Draco assumed he was the only one that wasn't going to the dance tonight. Millicent Bulstrode had finally given up on him and, in a huff, went with Goyle instead.
Propping his feet up on the table, Draco desperately tried to enjoy his victory.
For some reason, winning the bet just didn't feel as good to him as he'd hoped.
He realized that there was nothing he would rather be doing tonight than meeting Fire at the dance and spending the rest of the evening with her. He cursed at himself for ever starting the stupid bet with the book. He'd known all along that she wouldn't ever be able to find it; it was just his easy of way of skipping out of meeting her and going to the dance. Now he had only himself to blame.
He pulled out his computer and opened up Solitaire. He'd heard it was a great game to play when you were feeling lousy.
-
Ginny and Hermione walked down the stairs together to meet Ron and Harry. They'd wanted to leave a little bit early so they'd have time to visit with the boys before dinner. Or rather, Hermione wanted to leave early. Ginny merely trudged along behind her, traces of a pout on her delicate and made-up features.
Ron and Harry stood in the common room, waiting for them. Harry grinned, looking wonderful as usual in his dress robes. He greeted Ginny in a very formal way, bending down to kiss her hand. She forced a smile.
"Hello Harry. How are you tonight?"
He grinned. "Never been better. Are you ready to go?"
She shrugged. "I guess so."
If her voice gave her away, Harry didn't pick up on it. He looped his arm through hers and said nothing in response.
They were just about to walk out of the common room together when Harry stopped altogether. He suddenly reached into his robes.
"Oh yes, before I forget. I have something for you, Ginny."
She looked at him in confusion. "A gift?"
He smiled playfully. "You could call it that." He withdrew his hand from his robes and pulled a wrapped package out. It was small and rectangular shaped. Placing it in Ginny's hands, he smiled again.
Does that boy ever stop grinning, she thought sourly.
"It wont be of much use to you now, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it later on." He explained.
She absently pulled at the wrapping paper, and dropped the crumpled paper onto the ground without even looking at what was in the package. She was too busy wishing that this night were happening differently; that she was meeting Ice instead of accompanying Harry.
"Well? Do you like it?" Harry nudged at her, awaiting her reaction.
She suddenly snapped back into reality and looked down at what was in her hands.
It couldn't be.
She stared down at a copy of "Magic and Lust", resting peacefully in her trembling hands. It had to be a new copy, one he'd bought for her, right?
She looked closely at it. It was worn looking, and the cover was torn a bit on the front. The library's only copy.
Her hands were shaking. Her jaw dropped. A little squeal escaped her throat. Before she knew what she was doing she threw her arms around Harry's neck and screamed thank you at least twenty-five times.
When she finally let go, he lightly touched her arm. "I've seen you checking the library time and time again for this book. I knew you wanted it, so when I saw Ernie Macmillan turning it in today, I pulled a few strings and had Madam Pince give it to me for a couple of days."
Her smile seemed to stretch from ear to ear. "Harry, I couldn't be happier!"
"So, are you ready to go to the Great Hall for our Valentine's Day feast?"
Ginny halted, barely able to control her excitement. "Oh, Harry, you go ahead with out me, I'll meet you there. I just remembered something that I have to do!"
With that, she sprinted back up to her bedroom. The second she was inside; she opened the front cover of the book, holding her breath. There, in silver ink, were the words she'd been dying to read for nearly two months.
"Yes Fire, I will go with you. Yours, IceyGaze."
-
Sixteen games of solitaire later, Draco's self-pitying was interrupted.
Firefly: Get your dress robes on, now.
IceyGaze: Excuse me?
Firefly: You heard me, I found the book!
Her words seemed to deceive Draco. He couldn't quite bring himself to believe what he was reading.
IceyGaze: But, how?
Firefly: No time to explain! I have to go downstairs now for dinner!
IceyGaze: I'm not coming to dinner. I'll have to meet to at the dance; I'm not ready at all.
Firefly: That's fine. That's wonderful. Everything is wonderful! Where should we meet?
IceyGaze: Meet at the food table, by the punch bowl. I'll look for the beauty in the maroon dress robes. Don't you worry about me.
Firefly: I have to tell you something. I'm kind of stuck going with someone else, but I will meet you toward the end. I can hardly wait!
IceyGaze: That's fine. I probably wont even be there for a little while anyway.
Firefly: Take your time... I got tricked into going with someone else but I can escape, trust me. I'd rather be with you.
Strangely, her words seemed to warm his heart little bit.
IceyGaze: I'll see you later then? You have a feast to go to. [wink]
Firefly: You don't even know how excited I am!
IceyGaze: [smiles] So I'm not the only one then?
Firefly: I thought you'd be angry that I was making you go to the dance now.
IceyGaze: If I were angry, I wouldn't be going.
Firefly: You're amazing.
Firefly has logged off.
Draco just hoped she would still think so at the end of the night.