Well, it's over!
First of all, never let it be said that my brothers George and Fred aren't complete geniuses. I truly believe they can create anything - and they reinstate my belief over and over and over and... you know. All my brothers are just brilliant in some way or another, but sometimes, it just goes over the top. Fred and George especially have a love of pranking matched in full by no other member of my family. Which leads me to tonight; I'll start at the very beginning. :)
Soblessa and I started out the day by hurrying upstairs after breakfast, washing our hair, and then settling down as it dried to go over our Witch Weekly magazines to see if we still liked the hairstyles we picked out previously - she wanted several complicated twists and I had picked out just a French plait that I could do myself. You see, when I was little I played with dolls a lot; all my brothers liked to run around barefoot and wild outside, and I either often tired of trying to keep up or was excluded on some grand adventure. So I would sit in my room and play like I was a hair dresser. I had about six dolls and every day I would create a new hairstyle for each of them and gossip with them; they were quite the friendly lot. Especially after Ron went to Hogwarts, I would spend much of the day playing with their hair. I'm sort of known in my dorm for doing pretty braids very quickly. Now that most girls know hair charms, it isn't so special, but Soblessa's extravagant hair required my help, which I was happy to give. :) We got started on it right away, and it took three hours to weave violet and silver ribbons into every twist and cast all the charms to help the twists and ribbons stay in place, so we were glad we started on it when we had! Then we both excitedly slipped on our dress robes and danced around to Nine Inch Wands a little, then I sat to braid my hair while Soblessa did her make up charms. Of course, Soblessa lent me this lovely shining white crystal pendant she has, like we agreed. I don't think I've ever worn something so pretty; surely no one looked at my sleeves with that thing gleaming at my collar! She also tucked a few of these tiny white flowers into my hair, and said I looked lovely. She is so wonderfully nice! I am so glad we talked the other day, for it is so nice to have a friend in my dorm room! :D
Fred, looking spiffing in his brand new dress robes, met me down in the common room, and along with Hermione (who looked absolutely lovely, even better than she did at the Yule Ball), Ron (who I think also thought Hermione looked lovely, and whose dress robes I had been a bit worried for but they looked quite nice), and Harry (who seemed nervous too but who looked very handsome), we went down to Great Hall and met Susan Bones, Harry's date. She is really nice and she and Harry made the cutest couple. :D
The Great Hall was adorned, of course, in all sorts of shades of blue, and it was like walking into the ocean and the sky all at once, with levitating blue globes and blue hanging everywhere, dark and deep and light and sparkling and wonderful. Two Hufflepuffs came over and met us; I don't know their names, but they were jolly, too, and we all stood marveling at the Great Hall's decorations for a few minutes. It was already pretty crowded, so we grabbed seats, Fred and I a bit of a ways down from Susan, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Supper was delicious, as usual, and our choice, like at the Yule Ball. The house elves always pull out all the stops for special occasions! I only had roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and it still seemed exquisite. It must be the gold plates. :)
All throughout, Fred seemed excited, so I was a bit wary of my food, even though I saw it appear in front of my eyes. We've all learned not to accept food from the twins, but everything was fine, so I dismissed it from being happy to be at the Ball. He's quite talkative and entertaining, and I laughed at the banter between himself and Lee Jordan quite a lot. :D
After we ate, Professor Dumbledore cleared the tables away and the stage for the musical act appeared, and we all milled about the floor talking. We saw Neville Longbottom, who had taken me to the Yule Ball third year) and Lavender Brown and visited for a bit - Lavender's dress was very pretty :) - saw Soblessa and her date from Ravenclaw, and then we saw the grandest thing I have ever laid eyes on. Draco Malfoy and his date. Before anyone gets any ideas, it was simply grand because his date towered about a foot over him. Malfoy is rather a small sort anyway, a Seeker, like Harry and Cho Chang, who are also Seekers and quite small; my size. :D Fred and I doubled up laughing when we saw, and everyone else was snickering too. It was so funny! Possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen, and there were plenty of funny things that happened at the Ball. When they cleared out of the group of Slytherins they were standing with, we all laughed again at the girl's shoes! The heel was so tall I don't know how she wasn't tripping all over him!
However, we forgot about Malfoy when the musical act finally got on stage - it was Nine Inch Wands!! I cannot believe Professor Dumbledore booked NIW! They opened up with their new single and it was fantastic. Fred grabbed me and we danced up a storm to it, and everyone seemed happy that they were playing. :) After the first dance, though, Fred said he'd be right back and went to the refreshments table. I went and found Soblessa and we jumped up and down for a bit together, and then Fred came back, looking particularly satisfied, and we danced again for another two numbers. At the end of the second number, Fred was whirling me, and someone bumped into me from the side, and I stumbled right over the dress robes and directly into one Draco Malfoy.
I have rarely been so horrified. I started to say I was sorry, but when I saw who it was, I just froze up and stood there on his robe.
He gave me a cold look and used one hand to wrench his robes out from under me, and said, "I'll thank you not to - oh, it's you."
Then, he saw Fred.
"Lord, Weasley, you really practise what I preach, don't you? Way to prove me wrong about the incest, there. Taking your sister to a ball? Class act, there."
I could feel my face burning. I wanted to just bawl. But I felt Fred's hand on my arm and I didn't, because I knew Fred wouldn't let it bother him. Malfoy steered his date away from us and told me, "Step on my robes again, Gretchen Weasley, and your grandchildren will feel it."
For a moment, I almost wanted to step on his horrid black dress robes again, just to spite him, but Fred just patted my shoulder and told me not to worry, "He'll get his." When the next number came on, I went and found Colin Creevey, because neither Fred nor I wanted to give Malfoy any more ammunition than we'd already given. Don't get me wrong; I love my brothers, all of them, and no amount of word-twisting can make it any different from what it is. I am proud to have a brother who is cool enough to take his little sister to a dance even if means possibly being ridiculed. He did it because I wanted to go, and he is a thousand times better than Malfoy any day, and I trust that Malfoy will get what's coming to him.
Anyway, Colin was just lovely to me, he is such a cheerful boy, he made me smile and told me not to worry about it at all. We chatted about Harry and Susan a bit, looking at them dancing together with red cheeks. :) :) I blushed, too, though, when he drew me in a bit close, I hadn't been expecting anything of the sort! I know I was just red, and couldn't really meet Colin's eyes as we moved to the music. After a few moments, though, someone tapped Colin on the shoulder. It was Ron, who said something to the effect of, "Colin, don't you have some other Slytherins to hang out with? Leave my sister alone."
Then, he cut in. I was worried for a moment over what Malfoy would think, but I didn't see him anywhere around, so I didn't worry. Ron said, "Keep close to Fred and me, Ginny. Can't have them slimy gits coming near you, now can I?"
Haha, Ron, Colin is not exactly a slimy git. He isn't a Slytherin! He's just friends with that one fellow. But I appreciate your concern over hands wandering my extremities. >:o
Ron danced the rest of the dance with me and then returned to Hermione, so I went and caught Fred again for a dance, since Malfoy had disappeared from sight.
It started getting a little funny when we saw Neville and Lavender trying, trying, to step apart after a slow dance ended, and then we discovered - they couldn't! They were both squealing and sticking together like a smear of rubber cement had been plastered between them! And then we saw it wasn't glue or anything, it was them!
And Fred was laughing like a madman.
"Think Malfoy's had any punch, Gin?" he asked, and winked at me.
He had put a potion into the punch!
I'm so glad I didn't drink any, now, or I'd have been stuck to Colin Creevey for the whole evening!
Anyway, apparently a few people had already stopped for punch, among them Professor Snape and Professor Black (Professor Black had fallen onto the floor, and his ankle was stuck to Professor Snape's foot! - Professor Lupin looked really appalled! I hope Professor Black is okay!), Cho Chang and her date, and Ron and Hermione. Poor Ron looked so blustered, and Hermione looked fairly upset, too, because Ron's hand had stuck where - well, it shouldn't have been... and Hermione's hand was stuck to Ron's! It was such an awkward position that a few people who had noticed Lavender and Neville and the professors had noticed them by now and had started to laugh. Ron was trying to yank away, but the potion was having none of it. I ran over and tried to stand in back of Hermione to block their views, but it was too late, and most of the people around us were staring and laughing. :(
Fred and George! You two! Don't think you can escape the blame for not being at the Ball, George! I know you worked on it, too!
Fortunately, after a few minutes, Neville and Lavender peeled apart, and so did Hermione and Ron, though both looked plenty flustered and Ron was so outraged and embarrassed that he could barely talk to Hermione, though he abruptly went and had a good word with Colin over Colin's hands! I'm so sorry, Colin! He probably got the idea from Ron anyway. *giggles*
I was wary to dance with anybody afterwards, so I hung around for another couple of numbers, and then, as if the evening hadn't been enough, suddenly, everyone was pouring outside, and it was because Draco Malfoy was fighting with Harry! I can't believe it! Malfoy is such a horrible git! I couldn't see what was going on, but I just know Malfoy was the one who started it. Apparently, one of them had punch and they stuck together, too! Professor Black and Professor Lupin got them peeled apart eventually, and they got in pretty big trouble, and Professor McGonagall punished all of us by declaring the Ball over!
I can't believe so much happened! You know, Fred, in a way it's really your doing, but I'm sure it wouldn't have gotten called off had Malfoy not fought with Harry. So it's all his fault. I don't care what anyone says. This is all Malfoy's fault! Harry was provoked into any sort of violence. Good thing Malfoy was bloodied up! I bet he was mad because his girlfriend made him feel puny.
Soblessa and I are upstairs while everyone else is having an after-Ball party in the common room. Her date kissed her good night! So we're getting into our nightgowns and we're going to sit on Soblessa's bed and talk. I shall cuddle Dante, and she shall dream of her kiss, and we shall further digest the evening. We have so much to talk about! Like how lucky she is that they hadn't had any punch! :D
Soblessa and I started out the day by hurrying upstairs after breakfast, washing our hair, and then settling down as it dried to go over our Witch Weekly magazines to see if we still liked the hairstyles we picked out previously - she wanted several complicated twists and I had picked out just a French plait that I could do myself. You see, when I was little I played with dolls a lot; all my brothers liked to run around barefoot and wild outside, and I either often tired of trying to keep up or was excluded on some grand adventure. So I would sit in my room and play like I was a hair dresser. I had about six dolls and every day I would create a new hairstyle for each of them and gossip with them; they were quite the friendly lot. Especially after Ron went to Hogwarts, I would spend much of the day playing with their hair. I'm sort of known in my dorm for doing pretty braids very quickly. Now that most girls know hair charms, it isn't so special, but Soblessa's extravagant hair required my help, which I was happy to give. :) We got started on it right away, and it took three hours to weave violet and silver ribbons into every twist and cast all the charms to help the twists and ribbons stay in place, so we were glad we started on it when we had! Then we both excitedly slipped on our dress robes and danced around to Nine Inch Wands a little, then I sat to braid my hair while Soblessa did her make up charms. Of course, Soblessa lent me this lovely shining white crystal pendant she has, like we agreed. I don't think I've ever worn something so pretty; surely no one looked at my sleeves with that thing gleaming at my collar! She also tucked a few of these tiny white flowers into my hair, and said I looked lovely. She is so wonderfully nice! I am so glad we talked the other day, for it is so nice to have a friend in my dorm room! :D
Fred, looking spiffing in his brand new dress robes, met me down in the common room, and along with Hermione (who looked absolutely lovely, even better than she did at the Yule Ball), Ron (who I think also thought Hermione looked lovely, and whose dress robes I had been a bit worried for but they looked quite nice), and Harry (who seemed nervous too but who looked very handsome), we went down to Great Hall and met Susan Bones, Harry's date. She is really nice and she and Harry made the cutest couple. :D
The Great Hall was adorned, of course, in all sorts of shades of blue, and it was like walking into the ocean and the sky all at once, with levitating blue globes and blue hanging everywhere, dark and deep and light and sparkling and wonderful. Two Hufflepuffs came over and met us; I don't know their names, but they were jolly, too, and we all stood marveling at the Great Hall's decorations for a few minutes. It was already pretty crowded, so we grabbed seats, Fred and I a bit of a ways down from Susan, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Supper was delicious, as usual, and our choice, like at the Yule Ball. The house elves always pull out all the stops for special occasions! I only had roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and it still seemed exquisite. It must be the gold plates. :)
All throughout, Fred seemed excited, so I was a bit wary of my food, even though I saw it appear in front of my eyes. We've all learned not to accept food from the twins, but everything was fine, so I dismissed it from being happy to be at the Ball. He's quite talkative and entertaining, and I laughed at the banter between himself and Lee Jordan quite a lot. :D
After we ate, Professor Dumbledore cleared the tables away and the stage for the musical act appeared, and we all milled about the floor talking. We saw Neville Longbottom, who had taken me to the Yule Ball third year) and Lavender Brown and visited for a bit - Lavender's dress was very pretty :) - saw Soblessa and her date from Ravenclaw, and then we saw the grandest thing I have ever laid eyes on. Draco Malfoy and his date. Before anyone gets any ideas, it was simply grand because his date towered about a foot over him. Malfoy is rather a small sort anyway, a Seeker, like Harry and Cho Chang, who are also Seekers and quite small; my size. :D Fred and I doubled up laughing when we saw, and everyone else was snickering too. It was so funny! Possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen, and there were plenty of funny things that happened at the Ball. When they cleared out of the group of Slytherins they were standing with, we all laughed again at the girl's shoes! The heel was so tall I don't know how she wasn't tripping all over him!
However, we forgot about Malfoy when the musical act finally got on stage - it was Nine Inch Wands!! I cannot believe Professor Dumbledore booked NIW! They opened up with their new single and it was fantastic. Fred grabbed me and we danced up a storm to it, and everyone seemed happy that they were playing. :) After the first dance, though, Fred said he'd be right back and went to the refreshments table. I went and found Soblessa and we jumped up and down for a bit together, and then Fred came back, looking particularly satisfied, and we danced again for another two numbers. At the end of the second number, Fred was whirling me, and someone bumped into me from the side, and I stumbled right over the dress robes and directly into one Draco Malfoy.
I have rarely been so horrified. I started to say I was sorry, but when I saw who it was, I just froze up and stood there on his robe.
He gave me a cold look and used one hand to wrench his robes out from under me, and said, "I'll thank you not to - oh, it's you."
Then, he saw Fred.
"Lord, Weasley, you really practise what I preach, don't you? Way to prove me wrong about the incest, there. Taking your sister to a ball? Class act, there."
I could feel my face burning. I wanted to just bawl. But I felt Fred's hand on my arm and I didn't, because I knew Fred wouldn't let it bother him. Malfoy steered his date away from us and told me, "Step on my robes again, Gretchen Weasley, and your grandchildren will feel it."
For a moment, I almost wanted to step on his horrid black dress robes again, just to spite him, but Fred just patted my shoulder and told me not to worry, "He'll get his." When the next number came on, I went and found Colin Creevey, because neither Fred nor I wanted to give Malfoy any more ammunition than we'd already given. Don't get me wrong; I love my brothers, all of them, and no amount of word-twisting can make it any different from what it is. I am proud to have a brother who is cool enough to take his little sister to a dance even if means possibly being ridiculed. He did it because I wanted to go, and he is a thousand times better than Malfoy any day, and I trust that Malfoy will get what's coming to him.
Anyway, Colin was just lovely to me, he is such a cheerful boy, he made me smile and told me not to worry about it at all. We chatted about Harry and Susan a bit, looking at them dancing together with red cheeks. :) :) I blushed, too, though, when he drew me in a bit close, I hadn't been expecting anything of the sort! I know I was just red, and couldn't really meet Colin's eyes as we moved to the music. After a few moments, though, someone tapped Colin on the shoulder. It was Ron, who said something to the effect of, "Colin, don't you have some other Slytherins to hang out with? Leave my sister alone."
Then, he cut in. I was worried for a moment over what Malfoy would think, but I didn't see him anywhere around, so I didn't worry. Ron said, "Keep close to Fred and me, Ginny. Can't have them slimy gits coming near you, now can I?"
Haha, Ron, Colin is not exactly a slimy git. He isn't a Slytherin! He's just friends with that one fellow. But I appreciate your concern over hands wandering my extremities. >:o
Ron danced the rest of the dance with me and then returned to Hermione, so I went and caught Fred again for a dance, since Malfoy had disappeared from sight.
It started getting a little funny when we saw Neville and Lavender trying, trying, to step apart after a slow dance ended, and then we discovered - they couldn't! They were both squealing and sticking together like a smear of rubber cement had been plastered between them! And then we saw it wasn't glue or anything, it was them!
And Fred was laughing like a madman.
"Think Malfoy's had any punch, Gin?" he asked, and winked at me.
He had put a potion into the punch!
I'm so glad I didn't drink any, now, or I'd have been stuck to Colin Creevey for the whole evening!
Anyway, apparently a few people had already stopped for punch, among them Professor Snape and Professor Black (Professor Black had fallen onto the floor, and his ankle was stuck to Professor Snape's foot! - Professor Lupin looked really appalled! I hope Professor Black is okay!), Cho Chang and her date, and Ron and Hermione. Poor Ron looked so blustered, and Hermione looked fairly upset, too, because Ron's hand had stuck where - well, it shouldn't have been... and Hermione's hand was stuck to Ron's! It was such an awkward position that a few people who had noticed Lavender and Neville and the professors had noticed them by now and had started to laugh. Ron was trying to yank away, but the potion was having none of it. I ran over and tried to stand in back of Hermione to block their views, but it was too late, and most of the people around us were staring and laughing. :(
Fred and George! You two! Don't think you can escape the blame for not being at the Ball, George! I know you worked on it, too!
Fortunately, after a few minutes, Neville and Lavender peeled apart, and so did Hermione and Ron, though both looked plenty flustered and Ron was so outraged and embarrassed that he could barely talk to Hermione, though he abruptly went and had a good word with Colin over Colin's hands! I'm so sorry, Colin! He probably got the idea from Ron anyway. *giggles*
I was wary to dance with anybody afterwards, so I hung around for another couple of numbers, and then, as if the evening hadn't been enough, suddenly, everyone was pouring outside, and it was because Draco Malfoy was fighting with Harry! I can't believe it! Malfoy is such a horrible git! I couldn't see what was going on, but I just know Malfoy was the one who started it. Apparently, one of them had punch and they stuck together, too! Professor Black and Professor Lupin got them peeled apart eventually, and they got in pretty big trouble, and Professor McGonagall punished all of us by declaring the Ball over!
I can't believe so much happened! You know, Fred, in a way it's really your doing, but I'm sure it wouldn't have gotten called off had Malfoy not fought with Harry. So it's all his fault. I don't care what anyone says. This is all Malfoy's fault! Harry was provoked into any sort of violence. Good thing Malfoy was bloodied up! I bet he was mad because his girlfriend made him feel puny.
Soblessa and I are upstairs while everyone else is having an after-Ball party in the common room. Her date kissed her good night! So we're getting into our nightgowns and we're going to sit on Soblessa's bed and talk. I shall cuddle Dante, and she shall dream of her kiss, and we shall further digest the evening. We have so much to talk about! Like how lucky she is that they hadn't had any punch! :D