I'm not going to lie, Blaise's warning had me shook.

I didn't even enjoy it when Pansy and Daphne ripped the piss out of Harry over his interview with Rita Skeeter in which he'd confessed to still crying at night about his dead parents.

"Want a hanky, Potter, in case you start crying in Transfiguration?" Daphne said, waving a tissue in the air as we passed him in the hallways.

"Stunningly pretty? Her?" Pansy shrieked in Hermione's face, referring to the piece about Harry finding love with a 'stunningly pretty Muggle-born'. "What was she judging against - a chipmunk?"

She and Daphne rolled about laughing, something I would have once joined in on. But, clocking the warning look on Blaise's face, I kept out of it, nervously biting my lip.

Blaise remained frustratingly silent about what he'd said, shutting me down every time I tried to bring it up. Theo wasn't any better - denying any knowledge whatsoever when I confronted him about it.

"Blaise must be on something, Dray," he said, eyes looking shifty as shit. "You know what he's like."

Yes, I do know what he's like and I know he doesn't make stuff up. In fact, he's too honest sometimes.

"Just tell me," I implored to Blaise the evening before the first task, "why are you not warning Pansy and Daphne to keep out of it?"

"Because," he said, barely moving his lips as his eyes slowly roamed the common room for eavesdroppers, "neither of them have direct family members involved."

"Involved in what?!" I implored, feeling utterly frustrated at being kept in the dark.

But he said no more.

I wrote to my father that very night, asking as casually as I could how life was. If there was something going on, then surely he would share it with me, his daughter?

But he replied with the same crap - answering my questions with questions himself. How are your studies? Do you need more funds? Are the filthy Mudbloods keeping their distance?

I resigned myself to not knowing, walking down to the first task with that same tight feeling in my chest.

Whilst everyone cheered and screamed as four angry dragons were brought into the grounds to try to kill off some students for Dumbledore's entertainment, I sat chewing my lip, looking out for any ominous activity.

Harry showed off as usual, waving his broomstick around to distract the dragon and impress the judges. I swear that's cheating, but whatever.

*****

The castle was suddenly awash with hormones as people attempted to ask one another out for this Yule Ball we were to have.

I wondered who Harry was going to take, if the papers were true and he would ask Hermione. Well, good luck to them both, I thought bitterly.

Pansy and Daphne spent literally hours going over plans for the big day, whether it be their hair styles or who they would potentially go with.

"I would simply rather die than go with a Hufflepuff." Pansy drawled when Daphne said she heard rumour that Justin Finch-Fletchley was going to ask her.

"What - even if Diggory asked you?" Daphne asked, pausing in the act of painting her toenails to look up, wide-eyed.

"Well," Pansy smirked coyly into the mirror as she bunched her hair into a high ponytail and then wrinkled her nose disapprovingly at the result, "Champions are, of course, exceptions."

I felt a fluttering in my stomach as I wondered who Krum was going to ask. Would it be crazy if I asked him? I wouldn't mind being a champion's date. Harry couldn't have all the attention for himself, after all.

"Krum's already asked someone," Daphne said, reading my thoughts, "sorry, Dray."

"Who?!" I spluttered, needing to know the details immediately.

"Sorry," she shrugged, going back to applying purple varnish to her toes, "it's all hush, hush. Apparently no one but the lucky cow herself knows. But you know who is free... Harry Potter."

"Oh give over!" I scoffed, "as if I'd ever date him. Oh yeah, maybe I would agree and then stand him up. See how he likes being left hanging."

"What about the Delacour girl?" Pansy pressed, turning eagerly to look at Daphne.

"She's going with Roger Davies from Ravenclaw."

Pansy's face fell in disappointment.

"How do you know all this stuff?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Because for a girl who constantly gets poor marks in class, Daphne seems to do well at being the fountain of knowledge when it comes to gossip.

Daphne shrugged, blowing on her toes. "I listen, that's all. Oh. And Cedric has actually asked Cho Chang to be his date. It seems the Golden Snitch isn't the only thing he has been Seeking on the pitch."

"Well, that's all the champions taken then," I pouted.

"Except for-"

"POTTER DOESN'T COUNT!"

*****

"Hey, Dray," Blaise said, stopping me on my way out through the common room, "have you got a sec?"

I shrugged coolly, but inside my heart was racing with excitement - was he going to finally tell me what was going on?!

"I uh-" Blaise murmured, rubbing the back of his neck and looking unnaturally nervous, "I was just wondering who you're going to the ball with?"

I stared blankly at him. This was not what I had been expecting him to ask.

"Look," I said impatiently, "if you want the gossip of who's going with who then ask Daph-"

"I meant," Blaise cut in, "do you fancy going together?"

"As in you and me?"

"Well, yes. That is the general idea."

"But don't you have a date?"

"Well, I was hoping that you could be that date. Theo's asking Daphne, you see and Pansy said she's already-"

"What? Am I seriously your third choice?!"

"No! I was always going to ask you first."

"Well... okay then." I shrugged, eyeing him suspiciously. "I suppose it makes sense to go with a friend."

In all honesty, I was not looking forward to the prospect of dating. It all seemed so awkward and unnecessary.

I couldn't be sure, but I swear I could see something flicker in Blaise's eyes. Disappointment, perhaps? I was quite possibly imagining it though - looking for something that wasn't there.

And besides, I thought it would be an excellent chance to probe Blaise more about his warning. Maybe after a few Butterbeers and a dance, his tongue would loosen up a bit?

So, I agreed, and found myself actually looking forward to it when the night finally arrived.

"You look stunning," Blaise said as I entered the common room dressed in a long, figure hugging, shimmering silver backless dress.

"I know," I drawled as I slinked towards him, the heels of my stilettos clicking satisfyingly against the stone flooring.

He wasn't looking bad himself, actually, dressed in a flattering black tuxedo that somehow made him look much older than his fourteen years.

My heart gave an unexpected flutter as we walked arm in arm up into the Entrance Hall which was already brimming with glamorous couples. There was an excitement in the air, and even an unnaturally suited Filch was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he eagerly checked his watch.

Spotting Daphne and Theo up ahead, I steered us towards them. Daphne was looking beautiful in a dress made entirely out of red rose petals, and Theo in a similar tux to Blaise.

"Where's Pansy?" I asked, looking around the sea of excited faces. She had been strangely mysterious about her date.

"Powdering her nose," Theo snorted as he snaked an arm around Daphne's back, pulling her into his side.

I raised an eyebrow. They were both looking very intimate.

All of a sudden, wolf whistles and cat calls filled the crowded hall. I whirled around, my jaw dropping when the crowd parted to reveal someone who looked remarkably like my best friend.

But it couldn't be her, could it? Because my Pansy had long flowing locks that reached down to her backside and was supposed to be wearing the pink ball gown that had been hanging up in our dormitory for months.

This Pansy had a short, choppy bob and was sporting an all black suit which strangely suited her.

"Um- oh... wow." I said, completely lost for words as she drew to a halt in front of us and gave us a twirl.

"You like, then?" She drawled, her eyes glinting wickedly. "Thought I'd make a statement."

"Saying what?" Daphne spluttered. "That you can wear a suit better than your date?!"

Pansy folded her arms in front of her chest, scowling. "Yes, why not? And for your information, I've decided to self partner. I don't need a date."

"But who will you dance with?!" Daphne asked, aghast.

"The punch at the drinks table."

I was just about to suggest that she threesome up with Blaise and me, when more gasps and excited whispers filled the Entrance Hall.

"Isn't she beautiful!"

"Who is she? A Beauxbatons girl?"

"Krum's date, by the looks of things. Lucky cow."

And indeed, a girl wearing stunning robes of periwinkle blue was being greeted at the bottom of the stairs by Viktor Krum.

"That's bloody Granger, that is," I said seething as Viktor kissed the back of Hermione's hand, making her actually giggle.

"No way," Theo said impressively, "Granger got hot."

Daphne angrily elbowed him in the ribs, making him yelp. "She's a Mudblood! And you're supposed to be here with me!"

"Just looking," Theo pouted as he rubbed his side, stealing another glance at Gryffindor's very own Ugly Duckling. "It's not like I want to marry her or anything."

Luckily, at that moment, Professor McGonagall announced it was time for the guests to get a move on and await the Champions' grand entrance.

I felt suddenly irritable as Blaise led me inside, and I couldn't even appreciate the Great Hall's magnificent transformation.

I couldn't work out why, until I saw Harry enter with his date Parvati or Padma. My guess was the Gryffindor one because I couldn't imagine Saint Potter ever straying from his own kind.

Harry looked, well, grown up. Just like Blaise, the tuxedo made him look older, taller, and definitely broader. His arrogance seemed to ooze from every step he took - he no longer simply walked, he swaggered.

Even the Patil twin looked up at him in awe as he led her down the 'aisle'.

"Is it just me?" Daphne leaned over to whisper furtively in my ear. "But did Potter get hotter?"

Theo coughed loudly, scowling.

"Just looking," Daphne said in a mockingly innocent voice, "it's not like I want to marry him or anything."

Blaise and I exchanged a look. There was definitely something going on there.

There sure was something about the golden trio tonight as well... well, all except for Ron whose date spent the night keeping a strict two meter distance from him and his disease-ridden robes.

I watched as Harry led his date onto the dance floor. I watched as he confidently clasped her hand and rested his fingers on her hip. I watched as he pulled her body closer to his than was necessary, making her both smile and blush at the same time.

Shivering, I turned my attention back to Blaise, who was looking at me curiously.

"You alright, Dray?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yes," I answered, my voice an octave higher than normal, "why?"

"You just look troubled, that's all."

"Hungry. When do we start eating at this thing?"

******