Dance With A Serpent

Talk Of The Ball

"HA," Ginny jumped and smirked at him. "You already said yes! No way out now."

"Yeah well, I'll be going then." The Irish boy walked off to Dean looking nervously back at Ginny. Hermione just shook her head at the triumphant smile on Ginny's face. They walked between the stalls, and when Ginny calmed down she turned to Hermione. "Now we just have to find someone for you to go with. I'm sure...."

Hermione looked away.

"Ehm...I already have a partner." She muttered without stopping, she still needed a dress.

Ginny looked disbelievingly at her older friend. "What? You never said.... Who?"

Hermione cleared her throat and deliberately didn't meet Ginny's eyes. "Malfoy."

Ginny pulled a face. "Eww... Malfoy? What possessed you to do that?"

Hermione was almost relieved Ari was going with Snape. Almost. What if she would have had to explain Snape to Ginny? On the other hand, Hermione would gladly curse the little blonde skank off the face of the earth before having to see her on Snape's arm. She wouldn't tell Ginny that though.

"We thought that be a good idea us being the Heads and all."

Ginny shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose that makes sense. Still... eww, Malfoy."

"He's not that bad looking." Hermione saw a beautiful aquamarine fabric.

Ginny looked Hermione squarely in the eye. "Uck, Hermione. Just uck."

"No, really? I think it's beautiful."

"I meant Malfoy."

Hermione shrugged, maybe it was only she who saw the hotness in Slytherins.

"Oh! Oh! OH!" Ginny garbed a hold of Hermione's sleeve and pointed. "Look It's Harry!"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

The boys saw them and Ron pulled Harry over to meet them.

Ginny stuck her nose in the air and flung her hair- a little over the top in Hermione's opinion.

"Hi ye girls," Ron beamed.

"Hi guys," Hermione greeted while she bought the fabric.

Harry smiled, "Nice colour, Hermione."

"Thanks."

Ron looked discreetly from Harry to Ginny and back again. "So... Hermione I just wondered if you could help me with something...."

Hermione smiled and they went a little way away and pretended to look at ties.

Harry looked at Ginny who hadn't yet met his eyes.

"Well...um.... Hi Ginny."

"Hello Harry," she answered very coldly. He was taken aback.

"Is something the matter?" he asked her. She still looked away from him.

"No Harry, nothing's wrong." Something was definitely wrong.

"Has someone done something?"

Ginny looked at her nails. "You mean apart from you breaking up with me and then sending me an invitation to some dance?"

"We've been over this, Gin,'" Harry almost whined. "I don't want you to suffer the media circus that's always around me," he tried again.

"But as soon as there is an event you can just call on faithful old Gin and she'll come running, is that it?!" she asked, getting agitated.