Hermione told Lily all about how Ron had chosen to ask her to the ball as a last resort. Lily agreed that it was quite rude, even if he didn't mean for it to come across like that. What Hermione refused to tell Lily though, was who she had decided to go to the Yule ball with, or why she had suddenly stopped knitting nearly as much and spent all of her time in the library- even more than usual, so she was practically living in there.
Both Harry and Ron remained dateless, until the two finally managed to ask Parvati if she and her sister would like to go to the ball with them. While Parvati was able to go, she also informed them that Padma unfortunately already had a date.
So Ron was set to go with Parvati while Harry remained dateless.
Lily was talking to December about the ball, and how she didn't know who to go with. Neville was already going with Ginny, who had given up on the idea of Harry asking her a bit too soon. Lena was going with Dean, Luna with Seamus, and the last Lily heard, Draco already had a date- a fact he informed her of, sounding more solemn than someone with a date should sound.
"You should go with my brother, October!" December gasped.
"Um, well-" Lily said.
"He's in fifth year, and he's pretty nice!"
"I don't know, won't it be weird?" Lily asked.
December gave her an extremely confused look.
"Why would that be weird?" She asked.
Lily shrugged.
"I'll ask him!" December decided, "And he's bound to say yes because he needs a date too! ... plus, he owes me!"
"Owes you? For what?" Lily asked.
"I lied and told my sister Ember that he didn't eat her gummy bears on the train, when he totally did! He said he'd owe me a favor, so I told her it must've been some cat." December explained.
"Oh."
"I'll go now!" December beamed, hoping up and preparing to race away.
"Wait, Deci!" Lily called, causing the Ravenclaw to pause, "Do you still need a date to the ball?"
"Um, well, I suppose- in a traditional sense- which is to say- when one is a person such as I- well, I'm a witch, but-" December trailed off at Lily's sigh, "Okay. Yes. Yes. I am in need of accompaniment. To the ball thingy. Yes."
"Would you want to go with Harry?" Lily asked.
"Harry? Sure! He and I go way back to that time I had you steal a book from the library and it looked like he wanted to kill my guts!"
"Oh... if you guys don't-"
"No! I'd love to go with him! Tell him I'm in!"
"Okay." Lily agreed, "And thanks for talking to October for me."
"No problem!"
Lily set about finding Harry, who was sulking in the hallway after asking Cho to the ball and finding out she was going with Cedric.
"Hey Harry!" Lily greeted.
"Hi."
"I've got some good news for you!"
"I could really use that right about now." He sighed.
"I found you a date to the ball!" Lily exclaimed.
"Really?! Lil, you're the best!" Harry grinned, hugging her, "Who is it?"
"Deci."
His arms went slack. Harry leaned out of the hug to see his sister's face.
"December? Ross?" He asked.
"Yes." Lily nodded, "Isn't that great?!"
"Well, I suppose so." Harry nodded, "Don't get me wrong, she seems really nice and all, but isn't she a bit... excited? Like, a lot?"
"She'll be fine, so long as she doesn't have too much sugar that day." Lily promised, "And you two will have a great time!"
"Okay..." Harry agreed slowly, before acting casual, "Do you gave a date yet?"
"Yeah, I'm going with October, Deci's brother."
"What?! But isn't that weird? Two siblings going with another pair of siblings?" Harry asked.
"We're all going as friends." Lily reminded him, "So, no. It's not weird."
"But he's a year older than you!" He continued.
"Dean's a year older than Lena, and they're going together." She said.
"But he's your friends brother, won't that be...odd?!"
"Not according to Deci."
"But do you even know him?!"
"I will soon enough."
"But he could be a total creep!" Harry cried.
"December said he's not." Lily frowned.
"But do you really want to take her word for it?!"
"Yes. Yes, I do."
"But-"
"Harry!" Lily interrupted, "I'm going to the ball with October! It will be fine!"
Harry opened his mouth to say something.
"And don't you dare start another sentence with the word "but"!" She added.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you."
"It's just a ball, and we're not even dating." Lily sighed.
"I know. I just... worry." Harry said, "What if you go with someone I know better, like Ron?"
"Harry. It's my decision, and Ron already has a date with Parvati." Lily said.
Harry sighed in defeat.
"Fine. But if he hurts you..." He let the threat hang in the air.
"Relax, I can handle myself. And I have a feeling that even if he did somehow hurt me, Deci would take care of it herself."
Harry didn't look convinced.
"The worst thing Deci's even mentioned about him is that he stole his sister's gummy bears on the train."
"A thief!" He accused.
"It's. A. Gummy. Bear."
"Stealing is stealing." Harry shrugged, with a smile.
"You would know, Mr Rule Breaker!" Lily shot back.
Harry laughed, and they finally were able to talk of other things that didn't involve scrutinizing October.
Time flew by, and before she knew it, Lily was getting ready to go to sleep the night before the ball. In her dorm room, Lavender and Parvati were discussing how they were going to help each other get ready when Lily walked in. She saw Hermione awkwardly sitting on her bed, pretending to read a book.
"Oh, hi Lily." Lavender greeted quickly, before going back to rummaging through her makeup bag.
"Hi." Lily smiled shyly.
"Do you and Hermione want to get react with us tomorrow?" Parvati asked.
All three other girls looked at her in shock.
"Sure!" Hermione nodded.
"Oh, okay." Lily agreed as well.
"All... four of us?" Lavender asked, suspiciously.
"Yes, Lav, all four." Parvati said.
"...Okay." Lavender agreed, "But I wanna do everyone's hair."
"Oh, you don't have to do that, I can manage." Hermione said, self conscious of her curls.
"Nonsense." Lavender scoffed.
"No, really, I-"
"You're so smart Hermione, don't start being stupid now." Lavender said, "I'm doing your hair."
There was an awkward silence in the room that Lavender didn't seem to notice as she left to go and grab something from the bathroom.
"She means well." Parvati whispered to Hermione, who still looked surprised.
Lavender came back to the room, arms full of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, which she dumped on Hermione's bed.
"Say hello to every curly haired girls best friend!" Lavender sang, with a slight smile.
"Thanks Lavender." Hermione said.
"Thank me when it works." She replied.