Harry looked up from the book he was reading in the chair by the fire. It was late Friday night, and the room was mostly deserted. Fred and George stumbled through the portrait hole, disheveled and be-grimed, looking quite unlike their normal cheerful selves.

"What have you two been up to?" Harry couldn't help but be curious.

"Detention with Snape for the last two hours," George groaned, throwing himself into a chair.

"He finally caught up to us about those stink bombs we threw last weekend. We spent the last two hours gutting lizards and decanting dragon bile," Fred moaned from the chair opposite George's.

"I am sorry," Harry said leaning forward in his chair. "It's not fair that you had to do a detention for helping me." Why were people always getting in trouble because of him?

"Nah, it's alright mate, if it wasn't the stink bombs, he'd have gotten us on something else. I'm off for bed George, coming?" Fred heaved a large yawn as he got out of his chair.

"You shouldn't stay up too late tonight either, Harry, tomorrow's the ball you know, and our little sister deserves a date that doesn't have bags under his eyes," George grinned at Harry's suddenly red face as he left the room.

Fred's head poked back through the door to the boys' dorm and he fixed a minatory eye on Harry. "Just you keep in mind that we expect you to behave yourself like a proper gentleman tomorrow night. You take any liberties with Ginny at all and you'll have to deal with us. Good-night Harry." The door clicked shut softly, leaving a bemused Harry sitting in his chair, thinking, as the fire in the fireplace slowly died.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry noticed that all the girls in the Great Hall during lunch on Saturday seemed to be doing an inordinate amount of giggling and whispering. As if they all had a secret that only the girls in the school knew, and none of the boys were allowed to find out. Even Hermione and Ginny were giggling and talking quietly to each other, and virtually ignoring Ron and him.

Ron caught his eye and leaned over to talk to him. "Do you reckon they'll be like this all afternoon? I don't remember them being like this last year!"

Fred leaned over Ron's shoulder and muttered "Meet us in the common room after lunch," under his breath as he and George left the table.

"What's that all about," Harry wondered, eyebrow raised quizzically.

"Haven't a clue mate," Ron said as he hastily stuffed the last bit of steak and kidney pie from his plate into his mouth. "Bound to be better than listening to this." Ron's sweeping motion included the girls sitting at the table with them.

Harry and Ron paused at the door of the hall, looking back at the inhabitants of the room, most of whom were girls. They were sitting in little knots and groups, twittering like a bevy of birds. For this one day it appeared that the house rivalries were being set aside; the groups had members of all houses in them. They shook their heads in disbelief.

"Girls!" The word was said in tones of profound disgust from somewhere behind them.

"You said it mate," Ron agreed as he turned to look at the speaker. To his surprise, Draco Malfoy was standing just ouside the doorway, watching the assembled girls in disdain. Draco turned to look at Ron at the same moment, and an expression of discomfort crossed his face. The boys turned immediately away from each other and headed toward their respective rooms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

George and Fred were sitting in a quiet corner of the common room talking in low voices when Ron and Harry entered. They looked up when Harry and Ron came over to their table.

"Something happen? You both look like you were hit between the eyes by a bludger," Fred asked, eyeing them assessingly.

"Feels sort of like that," Ron commented, his face an interesting light green color.

"Come on, Ron, it's not that bad!" Harry said as he collapsed into a chair.

"So what happened?" Both twins had fixed their gaze on the boys and were waiting impatiently for the story.

"We were just leaving the hall to come see what you wanted, and stopped to look back at the room...did you notice that all the girls are sort of...erm..herding together in little groups?" Ron stopped for a breath.

"Yeah, but why is that so bad? They do that every time there's a social." Fred was obviously not getting the point.

"No, it's not that. When we stopped at the door, someone said 'Girls' and Ron agreed with him, and when we turned around." Harry paused, unable to continue.

"It was Malfoy," Ron groaned.

Fred and George looked at each other and started laughing. Harry and Ron stared at them, mystified as to what was so funny.

"You have a lot to learn, Ron. You too Harry." George tried valiantly to continue, only to fall prey to laughter again.

"What George is trying to tell you is that when it comes to girls, all boys are in the same boat, no matter what house they're in. Don't even try to understand them, you never will!" Fred was leaning toward Ron and Harry like he was imparting a great secret to them.

Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged.

"What did you want to see me for," Ron asked.

"We've been working all week to figure out a way to keep track of the Quidditch match tonight. Since none of us can watch it, we thought there might be a way to at least get updates." George was toying with an odd shaped, red object as he talked.

"We finally figured it out last night." Fred smiled mysteriously, looking at the object in George's hand.

"What?" Ron was clearly intrigued.

"This little gem!" George held the item in his hand up to his ear, and Harry could see that it was the same color as his hair. In fact, it was pretty much invisible next to George's hair!

"We found a spell that would temporarily turn something into a receiver.it only lasts a few hours, and it can only receive one thing, but that's all we really need. We're going to sneak into the hall a little early to find the best place to listen, and then one or the other of us will be there all night, so when you want an update, stop by!

"That's brilliant George!" Ron looked like he'd been given an early Christmas present! A group of girls, twittering and giggling as they whispered to each other, wandered by and went up the stairs to the girls rooms. Harry watched them for a minute, and then turned to George and Fred.

"What are you two going to do this afternoon?" Maybe they would have some ideas.

"Stay away from the girls," Fred said, standing up.

"I'm off too," George said, following Fred from the room.

Harry and Ron watched as another gaggle of whispering, tittering, girls walked by, and then as one rose and disappeared into the boys rooms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ginny, I can't do anything with it!" Hermione moaned as she stabbed yet another pin into her unruly hair.

"What did you do last year," Ginny asked, coming up behind Hermione.

"I used almost a whole bottle of Sleekeasy potion on it, but I've let it grow out more this year, and it's not working as well!" Hermione threw her hairbrush down in a fit of disgust.

"You know, my mum has some stuff that she uses on her hair." Ginny thought for a moment, and then ran off to her room, returning in a moment with a rather dusty bottle. "I never use it, my hair isn't wavy like Mum's, but she insisted on sending it with me anyway." Ginny pulled the cork from the bottle, and a delicate scent of gardenia's wafted from the bottle.

"What is it?" Hermione leaned her head over the bottle, inhaling the sweet scent.

"It's some family recipe for a hair control potion. Mum uses it when she needs to go with Dad to some posh event." Ginny poured some clear liquid from the bottle on to her hands and rubbed it through Hermione's hair. "It doesn't take much."

Hermione watched in wonder as Ginny ran the brush through her hair, deftly wound the hair into a high bun, and secured it with some pins.

"Where did you ever learn to do that?"

"Mum and her sisters." Ginny said matter-of-factly, teasing out a few curls to bob gently at Hermione's cheeks. "I'm the only girl in this generation, so they all had a wonderful time playing dress up with me. They taught me how to do lots of things. There, I think that should do it!"

Hermione looked at herself in disbelief. Ginny had managed to do in five minutes what she had been fighting to do for the last hour!

"What are you doing with your hair?" Hermione eyed Ginny's shoulder length straight hair.

"I don't know yet. I was thinking of just leaving it down like I always do." Ginny looked at herself in the mirror.

"What if we braid it?" Hermione had her head tilted to one side as she considered Ginny's hair.

"I was hoping for something a little looser, I don't want to look like a German milk maid."

"Hmmm..What if we curl it? Lots of loose curls?" The girls looked at each other, smiles dawning on their faces.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry ran his finger nervously around the neck of his new dress robes. ~They must not have measured this right, it's too tight. ~ He looked over at Ron, looking very presentable for once in his new black robes. They must not have measured Ron's neck correctly either, he thought as he watched Ron run a nervous finger around his neck, and then ruffle his red hair. Harry looked at the neatly wrapped package in his hands, and noticed that it was vibrating a little. He was more nervous about this stupid ball than he ever was for a Quidditch match!

"Harry, do you think they decided not to come down?" Ron was staring at the door to the girl's rooms with an odd look of anticipation and terror on his face. "Almost everyone else has come down now."

Just then the door opened, and Hermione stepped through, dressed in a flowing lavender silk gown, hair smoothed back in a neat bun with little tendrils curling around her face, which had just a hint of makeup enhancing her natural beauty. Harry watched her walk toward them, becoming aware that an odd, strangled noise was coming from beside him. He turned toward Ron, and found him staring, mouth open and eyes wide, at Hermione. His face slowly turned a dark pink as Hermione walked up to him.

"Uhm, Ron, are you O.K.?" Hermione wasn't sure what to think of Ron's reaction.

"Uh huh," he managed to squeak. Harry elbowed him in the ribs, and when Ron turned to look at him, he nodded at the package in Ron's hands.

"Oh, uh, this is for you!" Ron managed to hand it over without dropping it, though it was a close run thing.

Hermione took the package, and gently folded back the wrapping paper. She peered down at the dragonfly hair ornament in surprise, and then looked back at Ron, saying "You chose this for me? All on your own?"

"Yes, it reminded me of you.it's enchanted so that it won't fall out."

"Oh Ron, it's wonderful!" Hermione threw her arms around Ron and hugged him before moving to the mirror on the wall and placing the ornament carefully in the hair just above her ear.

"My dear, that's the perfect touch!" The mirror cooed at her admiringly.

Harry was watching the door again, wondering where Ginny was.

"Would you like me to see where Ginny is, Harry?" Hermione had returned to Ron's side, and was watching Harry with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Yeah, Hermione. That would be great." Harry felt Ron come up next to him as Hermione went through the door, and looked over toward him.

"That went better than I expected," he whispered, looking very relieved.

Hermione whisked back through the door, held it slightly ajar, and said "Gentlemen, may I present Miss Ginny Weasleys?" A derisive snort could be heard softly through the door, as though the person in question was not impressed with her introduction. Hermione flung the door open to reveal an elegant stranger on the other side of it.

Harry blinked in surprise. Ginny? That tall, elegant stranger was Ginny? He knew he was gaping at her, but was powerless to stop himself.

"Gin, you look magnificent!" Ron was stepping forward to examine Ginny more closely. "What did you do to your hair?" He reached out a hand to touch the bouncy red curls clustered gently around her head.

"Does it look all right Ron? Hermione said it looked just right, but I wasn't so sure." Ginny stared at Harry, wondering if he was going to say anything, or just stand there looking like someone had hit him in the head with a broomstick.

"I like it.what do you think Harry?" Ron turned toward Harry, amused at the look of astonishment on his face. He walked back over to Harry, leaned toward him, and said "Were you going to give my sister that package, or hold onto it all night?"

Harry started a bit in surprise, looked at Ron in puzzlement, and then down at his hands.

"Oh, right! Ginny, this is for you!" Harry handed the package to Ginny, hoping she would like it.

"Harry, this is perfect! Look Hermione!" Ginny turned back to Hermione, the necklace draped over her hand.

"It's beautiful! Here, turn around and I'll put it on for you." Hermione quickly clasped the necklace around Ginny's neck, and then gasped when the silver butterfly charm turned multihued and started fluttering on the end of the chain. "Ginny, go look in the mirror!"

Ginny walked over to the mirror, ignoring her reflected image and focusing on the butterfly. "Harry..I've never had anything this beautiful!"

"My dear, you'll break hearts tonight," exclaimed the mirror.

Hermione glanced at the clock on the wall. "We should be going; I don't want to miss the start of the ball."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry sighed several hours later as he watched Ron head for the punch bowl yet again. The twins had found that was the best location for receiving the game, so one or the other of them had lurked by the bowl all evening, earning suspicious looks from several teachers. Obviously they feared that the boys were up to no good.

"Tired Harry?" Ginny was sitting on the bench next to Harry, rubbing her foot. She had just danced with Neville, and he'd managed to step on her feet several times.

"Not really. watching Ron." Harry wondered if Ginny knew what he was up to. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione marching toward Ron with a militant look on her face. ~Uh oh..that didn't look promising. ~ He heard an amused snort beside him.

"Guess Hermione's finally had enough of Ron running off to get the score of the game and decided to take steps. She lasted quite a bit longer than I thought she would!" Ginny was watching Hermione approach the unsuspecting Ron with a look of amusement in her face.

"She knew about it?" Harry thought he shouldn't have been surprised; this was the inquisitive Ms. Granger after all.

"Fred and George told me, and I passed it on to Hermione. It was only fair after all; I didn't want her to think my brother was neglecting her!" Ginny turned to look at Harry, a big grin on her face. Harry grinned appreciatively at her.

"So what is she going to do with him?" Harry was again watching Ron. Hermione had come up beside him now, grasped his arm, and was talking animatedly to him.

Ginny started laughing out loud as Hermione pulled a reluctant Ron toward the garden doors. Ron threw one desperate look at Harry before he was tugged decisively out the door.

"She did it! I didn't think she meant it, but I guess she did!" Ginny leaned against Harry's shoulder as she laughed.

"Did what?" Harry looked down at Ginny's face, which was flushed with amusement.

"She told me that if he was going to be that obsessive, she'd just have to take him to the garden to cool him off and give him something else to think of!" Ginny dissolved into helpless giggles again at the thought of what Hermione might be thinking of to get Ron's mind off the game.

"Ah, Harry, Ms. Weasley, have you tried the pumpkin canapés?" They turned to see Professor Dumbledore smiling gently down on them.

"Yes sir," they said, standing politely.

"That's a beautiful necklace, Miss Weasley." Dumbledore smiled in Harry's direction and his eyes twinkled merrily at them as he turned away and wandered off toward the teacher's table.

"Harry, why don't we see if we can find Ron and Hermione?" Ginny had a devilish look on her face, clearly bent on some mischief.

"Why not?" Harry led the way past the buffet table, stopping to grab a promising looking puff as they went by. A lurid purple rose set in the middle of the table caught his eye as he popped the puff in his mouth. "Ginny, have you ever seen a flower like that?"

"No, I haven't.it is an odd color isn't it?" Ginny peered at the flower. Something about the color looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. ~Where did I see that color before?~ Just then a small puff of purple, sparkly, smoke wafted from the center of the rose, floating gently toward the ceiling.

"Come on Harry, let's go." Ginny grabbed Harry's arm and they hurried toward the door, smiling at Fred as they passed the punch bowl. Fred smiled at Ginny, but gave Harry a slightly menacing look as they reached the door. That look obviously said "that's my sister, and you had better not be mucking about under a rose bush with her!"

Harry couldn't resist giving Fred a mocking salute as he closed the door behind Ginny and him as they went outside. As if he would do anything to his best friend's sister!

They stood on the piazza for a minute, letting their eyes get used to the moonlight, before stepping off onto the graveled path of the rose garden. Intermittent soft explosions followed by squeals could be heard as they wandered down the path, looking for any sign of Ron and Hermione.

"What's that noise?" Ginny started at a particularly loud pop and scream.

"The teachers look for couples hiding under the bushes. When they find them, they blow the bushes apart, and the people inside screech. Ron and I saw Snape doing that last year when we came outside." Harry wondered if Snape was again doing rosebush duty.

"Oh. I forgot." Ginny looked at the moon, a little smile tugging at her lips.

Harry looked at her in surprise. "You knew about that?"

"Oh yes, Mum told me lots of stories from when she and Dad were here. They got into some quite embarrassing situations, and one of the worst had to do with an exploding rose bush!" Ginny snorted with laughter.

"Will you tell me about it?" Harry didn't know any stories of when his parents were at Hogwarts. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were the closest he'd come to real parents.

"Let's sit down here; I've got gravel in my shoe. I'll tell you about it while I get it out." Ginny sat down on one of the marble benches, taking her left shoe off and tapping it as she told Harry not only that story, but several others about the mishaps the her parents had gotten into at school!

"What do you expect me to do, refuse to go to the meeting? I can't do that, he's suspicious of me as it is!" Snape's voice, clearly irritated, cut through Ginny's soft explanation of a trick that her father had used to get out of trouble once.

"Come on Snape, you could be walking into an ambush!" Professor Lupin sounded exasperated.

"I risk that every time I go, why is this time any different?" Harry and Ginny looked at each other, eyes wide.

"Snape, you know he's getting close to figuring out who the spy is. What is it going to take to get you to pull back?"

"I can't. We've been working for this too long. Albus has to have good information on Voldemort's movements, and I'm currently the only one in position to give it to him. I can't just walk away, Lupin!"

"What about Harry? He's already lost so much. Are you willing to sacrifice him too?"

A long silence hung in the air. Harry closed his eyes, not wanting to hear that Snape cared nothing for him. Ginny's hand found his and grasped it tightly.

"That's not fair Remus. You know how important Harry is to defeating Voldemort. If for no other reason than that, I have to do everything I can to make sure Voldemort doesn't rise to full power before Harry is ready to face him." Snape's voice was low enough that Ginny and Harry had to strain to hear it.

"And that's the only reason, is it Sev? Because Harry can beat Voldemort?"

"You know it's not. But I can't let myself get caught up like that. Not until this war is over. It's not fair to Harry. What if the worst happens and I don't return one day. Far better for him to be grateful that the nasty potions master is gone than to yearn after another loved parent. Not to mention how distracted I would be. No Remus, it's better this way." Snape's voice began to diminish as the two professors continued on their path around the rose garden.

"Harry?"

Harry looked at Ginny, turning Snape's words over in his mind.

"Let's go back in Ginny." Harry led the way back to the building, not sure what to think.

Just as they reached the steps to the piazza, a large "BANG!" echoed from inside. Both of them ducked reflexively, waiting for the debris they were sure would be flung upon them. When nothing more happened, Harry stepped up to the door and tentatively opened it. A large, sparkling, cloud of purple smoke billowed out of the door, immediately rising into the sky. Harry and Ginny stared in amazement at what was left of the buffet. Apparently the explosion had flung the contents of the table all over the room.. Canapés and other formerly appetizing treats were draped over the startled occupants of the room, while the punch bowl had taken up residence on top of a suit of armor.

"Wicked!" Ron said from where he stood behind Harry.

"Oh my," Hermione breathed, peering around Ginny. "What happened?"

"Out of the way, out of the way!" Professor Snape brushed by them and through the doorway, stopping just inside to survey the damage.

"Now that's what I call an end to a party!" Ron was clearly not bothered by the amount of mayhem unleashed in the room.

"RON!" Hermione glared at Ron.

"Erm.well, that is.sorry, Herm," Ron muttered sheepishly, staring at his feet.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance, their laughter echoing in the night.