The Hospital Wing and the Astronomy Tower

Ginny awoke early on Friday morning. She had a quick breakfast in the Great Hall then headed off to the Quidditch Pitch with her Nimbus 2003, a present she had received from her Uncle Bob for being made a prefect.

Seamus and Ron were already out on the pitch flying around it as a warm up. When Ginny arrived, both boys flew down to greet her.

For the next few hours, Ginny forgot everything, and concentrated on Quiddtich. She concentrated on staying close to Ron and Seamus.

When they had finished their practice, it was almost tea time, and Ginny was exhausted. She suddenly remembered the ball, and quickly wolfed down her food and hurried to the prefects' bathroom, where she cleaned herself up. Upon entering her dormitory, she noted that all the other girls were fussing over their hair. Ginny quickly threw on her dark green dress robes and ran a comb through her red hair. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"Wow Ginny," said Rachel, "those robes really compliment your hair."

"Are you going to tell us who you're going with?" Kiera asked, for about the twentieth time.

Ginny shook her head. "You'll see in a few hours..."

"Ooh! Stop being so secretive!" squealed Bella and Vienna at the same time. They said a lot of stuff at the same time, it was a twin thing.

"Leave her alone," said Danni, defending Ginny. "Whoever it is better be drop dead gorgeous for her to be hiding him."

"Who says it's a him?" Ginny asked, smiling a little.

"You never told us!" cried Rachel.

"Yes, but who says it's a her?"

"Stop it Ginny!" squealed Danni.

Ginny smiled and left the room.

Ron and Harry were both in the common room, talking about something or other. Ginny decided not to interrupt them for a few reasons, the first being that she didn't want to talk to Harry.

Seamus and Lavender were sitting in a corner snogging each other's brains out, and Dean was standing near them uncomfortably, obviously trying not to look in that direction. Ginny walked over to Dean and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. He jumped suddenly and turned around.

"I wasn't--"

Ginny smiled. "Where's Parvati?" she asked.

Dean shrugged, "still getting ready, I suppose."

Ginny nodded. Colin and Dennis Creevey were both sitting in front of the fire, Colin looking sulky. Dennis wasn't allowed to go to the ball, as he was only in his third year, but he had stayed to keep his brother company over the holidays.

Ginny smirked to herself as she walked through the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. She was supposed to meet Blaise in the library in five minutes, so she hurried off down the hall, bumping into Neville on the way.

"Oh sorry," she said quickly, and hurried off.

Blaise was already in the library, dressed in dark red dress robes. She smiled when she saw Ginny. "It seems we've switched houses for the night, you're dressed to match the Slytherin common room, and Morag McDougal, unfortunately for you. But I must admit, you look better than her, for she was half bald when I left her."

Ginny was, at this point, confused.

"I just played a few innocent tricks on some of the Slytherin girls, they'll be all right. Except Pansy, I doubt she'll turn back to herself by the end of the evening..."

Ginny smiled.

"So, it appears I didn't explain my plan to you?" Blaise said.

Ginny shrugged. "I don't see how it's possible to make Harry jealous if he's already with Cho."

"You don't need to aim for making him jealous," said Blaise. "Just make him catch you and Draco doing something, well... that he wouldn't want to catch you doing. Then he'll be pissed off at Draco, and then you have to defend Draco, and Potter will be angry with you for not knowing where your loyalties lie."

"And that helps me how?" Ginny failed to see how the plan would work at all.

Blaise shrugged. "Cho will think that he's being to protective of another girl, Terry says she's paranoid like that, so then the obsessive freak will get mad at Potter, and then BAM!

Everyone's mad at each other, everything's chaos, and I'm satisfied."

Ginny shook her head. "What's in it for me?"

Blaise smiled. "Chaos, complication, and a heart-broken Potter!"

"Why did Malfoy ask me to the ball?" Ginny asked.

Blaise shrugged. "I really don't know."

Ginny suddenly felt bad. If Draco wasn't using her, then she'd break his heart. I hope he isn't serious, she thought.

Blaise shook her head. "I don't think he's all that serious, or he would have told me."

Ginny looked at her dumbstruck. For a minute, she thought Blaise had read her mind.

"But then again, I don't think Draco's capable of being serious about anyone," Blaise continued. "But anyway, we'd better get going, we have a ball to get to."

Ginny met Draco in the Entrance Hall. He was wearing black robes and his trademark smirk.

"Hello Weasley," he drawled. "And how are you tonight?"

"Just fine," Ginny smiled.

They walked into the Main Hall. It was decorated beautifully. There were already quite a few pupils in hall already, including Harry and Cho. Ron and Hermione were on the dance floor, and Seamus and Lavender were still up to no good. Ginny spotted Kiera dancing with Devon, and Ravenclaw boy, and Danni dancing with a slightly happier Colin Creevey.

All of a sudden, Draco burst out laughing beside her. She turned to him, startled. Then she saw what was making him laugh. Millicent Bullstrode had just entered the Great Hall with Goyle. Millicent had a great moustache sprouting out from just under her nose. It seemed that Millicent hadn't noticed this moustache, and she was looking around curiously, trying to figure out what all the laughter was about.

"Millicent forgot to shave this morning," said Draco in a matter-of-factly way.

Ginny smiled. Goyle was looking absolutely horrified, and seemed to be trying to hide his face.

"Care to dance?" asked Draco.

"Certainly," Ginny replied.

After dancing a few songs, Draco and Ginny decided to sit down. They sat at the table where Elise Zabini and Francis Baddock were. Ginny looked around, but she didn't spot Blaise anywhere.

"Do you want to go outside?" she asked Draco.

And he nodded in reply.

They stood up and left the hall. Outside, the grounds were decorated elegantly as usual with little fairies lighting the path. It was cold outside and Ginny shivered. Draco put his arm around her.

"You have really nice eyes," said Ginny. "Did anyone ever tell you that?"

Draco smirked, "yeah, Blaise, but then she hexed me right after."

Ginny laughed. "She has a habit of doing that, doesn't she?"

Draco nodded. "I'm used to it. We grew up together, they only live in the next village, and our parents are very good friends."

"Does Blaise ever frighten you?" Ginny asked out of curiosity.

"Of course!" exclaimed Draco. "She's the most frightening person I know! She's so sadistic, I think she and my father are competing for Voldemort's (Ginny flinched at the sound of the dark lord's name) second in command. And what she did to Pansy today, that's disturbing!"

"What did she do to Pansy?"

"She turned her into some hybrid sheep/canary... Pansy's still got feathers sticking out of her arse, and a wooly mane thing around her head. And last I saw of her, she still had the beak."

Ginny burst of laughing. "Did she really do that? That's so cruel!"

"That's Blaise for you."

Suddenly, Draco stopped walking. Ginny looked ahead, and saw Blaise with Terry. They seemed quite busy, and probably wouldn't notice if Draco and Ginny started singing the Oompa Loompa song at the top of their lungs.

"Let's go over there," said Draco, gesturing to a path forking out of the path in which they stood.

They walked to the suggested location, and heard voices up ahead. Ginny recognized one of the voices as Harry's, and noted that it was getting closer. Timing could not have been more perfect, she thought, and quickly kissed Draco on the lips. He didn't protest, but instead, kissed her back.

"GINNY! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING??!!" Harry's shout was heard by Blaise, who laughed softly.

Ginny turned to Harry, her face angry. Fake anger. Inside she was laughing, wondering whether this absurd plan would work.

Ginny wasn't aware that Blaise and Terry had appeared behind her and Draco, until Blaise spoke.

"What did it look like she was doing, Potter?" she spat out Harry's name as though it was an insult.

"Cho?" Terry sounded startled.

"Terry? Cho's voice was slightly shaky.

"Draco?" Blaise sounded mocking.

"Ginny?" Draco said, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Blaise?" Ginny thought she'd play along, this was actually fun.

"Well, now that we've all been introduced," said Blaise, sounding professional, "may I ask what all the commotion is about?"

"Isn't she in Slytherin? What are you doing with her?" Cho pointed at Blaise.

"She's my friend, and I enjoy her company," Draco replied. Ginny sniggered.

Harry looked at Draco threateningly.

"Oh, you were talking to him?" said Draco, gesturing toward Terry.

"Get. Your. Filthy. Hands. Off. Ginny." Harry said, speaking each word clear and menacingly.

Draco smirked. "I. Think. Not."

Harry jumped forward, Cho squealed, and Blaise laughed a cold high laugh.

Suddenly, Harry was on top of Draco punching him, and Blaise pulled out her wand. Almost lazily, she said "Accio Potter," and Harry was pulled off of Draco by a magical force. When Draco stood up, his nose was bleeding, and his left eye was turning red.

"Well, what a bloody waste of a night this was," he said. "Come on Ginny, let's go somewhere else." He paused for a moment, then shot a look at Harry. "Perhaps we should go to the Astronomy Tower?" and with that, he ushered Ginny away.