Another Ball

A.N: Plz R&R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the usual *Sigh*

SATURDAY

Anika rolled her eyes again. "I still think you're an idiot and I don't want to go to any ball with you."

"I'm hurt, lass, I am," Dracula said, faking Scottish brogue and putting his hands over his heart.

"Why don't you go wallow in your misery somewhere else?" Anika said. "Preferably somewhere far away from here."

"Your wish is my command," Anika said, getting up.

Before she could do anything, he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

He leaned closer to her and whispered,

"But don't think I'll give up this easy."

"Oh get lost" Anika said, pulling her hand back as if it had been bitten.

She turned to Opal

"Now I'm going to have to go sanitize this thing."

"Well, it couldn't have been that bad," Opal said. "I mean, Dracula is the most eligible bachelor in Hogwarts. You need a date to the Winter Ball. He's been after you since… forever. What, exactly, makes him seem so horrible to you?"

Anika's eyes widened

"What makes him seem so horrible to me? Everything! The way he's so arrogant and self-centered and thinks he's the best at everything and the way he thinks he's so handsome and funny and smart and good at Quiditch. I could go on forever, but I'm sure you'd use the killing curse on me so I'll hold myself back."

"I just don't see what's so wrong about him. Besides all those things you said," Opal amended quickly.

"He's just all wrong," Anika said. "I can't stand him. I mean, can you seriously picture us together?"

"Yup" Opal said and Anika said stood up to leave after saying a quick goodbye

Dracula looked up to see Anika leaving the Great Hall alone.

She closed the door gently behind her so as not to cause someone to notice, but Dracula, of course, did.

"She looks upset," Sirius said, following Dracula's eyes. "Maybe you should follow her."

Dracula shook his head. "

If she's upset, I'm the last person she'll want to see."

"Oh, come on Vlad. You're not that bad," Ron put in.

"But she hates me," Dracula said.

"Anika doesn't-"

"Highly dislikes me, then," Dracula said. "The girl flinches every time I touch her. She yells at me every time I try to talk to her." He brightened slightly. "But that's okay. I'll win her over by the Hogwarts 1000th year annual ball"

"The Ball, why the ball?"

"Why, you think I can't do it?" He asked

"Nah," Ron said. "You're Vladislaus Dracula. Every girl is after you. Of course you can do it."

"Thanks, Ron," Dracula said, watching the door where Anika had gone out.

"Just go," Sirius said. "She already doesn't like you, you can't make it worse."

"Yeah, that's the spirit, Ron" Sirius said jovially as Peter, their other friend nodded as he always did.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Dracula said.

He stood up again and prepared to make a fool of himself.

"Well, I'm off. Wish me luck."

LIBRARY

"Dracula! Honestly!" Anika said, putting down Hogwarts, A History (which she hadn't really been reading, anyway) with a huff.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked, coming around from behind to face her.

"You've been doing that to me for at least a Month, I've developed the sense to tell."

"Sort of like a sixth sense?"

"More like a 'Move Because Dracula is Coming' Alarm,"

Looking at him, she saw that his face was almost downcast.

She knew better than to think it was sincere, but she dropped the grin nonetheless.

"Oh, come on, Dracula," she muttered, her tone slightly kinder than normal. "Just let me be for a while?"

He looked up, all sign of being a bit upset gone.

"You mean you're not going to try to give me a bodily injury?"

"No," She said, bringing her book up from her lap so that she could see the text. "As long as you leave and don't bother me as long as I'm here."

Dracula thought on it.

"Done," he said. He wasn't in the mood to be on in receiving end of on of Anika's hexes.

"Think of it as an early Birthday present," she said, not looking at him.

"Early?" he asked, raising his eyebrows inquiringly. "You mean I should be expecting more?"

"Oh, go annoy someone else."

THE BOY'S DORMITORIES

"How'd it go?" Sirius asked, hanging over the edge of the bed upside down and looking at his friend.

"Surprisingly," Dracula said, putting his things down next to his bed, "it went pretty well."

"So you she didn't hex you?"

Dracula grinned. "Nope. Was acting kind of nice. Ish."

"Congratulations," Remus said their other friend said

"Yeah, good job," Peter said, smiling broadly at James

"Sorry to dampen you spirits mate," Sirius said. "But McGonagall told me to tell you that she's gonna be keeping an eye on you and she's gonna come to the common room to announce something to the house"

Dracula groaned.

"Since when? About what?"

"I don't know," Sirius said. "My guess is that it's about the Winter Ball."

"Oh, that should be fun."

"On the bright side," Remus put in, coming over to sit on the far side of the bed from Dracula. "It'll probably be something to do with the opening dance."

"Opening dance?" Dracula asked.

"Yes," Remus said. "Where McGonagall puts student's names in the Sorting Hat and it picks two people to dance to open up the ball or whatever. It's sort of a tradition."

Dracula grinned widely. "So I get to dance with Anika?"

"Yeah," Remus agreed "If it picks the two of you"

"Excellent," Dracula said. "Now all I have to do is seduce her with my charm in the three to five minutes we're dancing, convince her to go on a date with me and the Sorting Hat has to pick me"

"You could just get her to be nice to you during the dance," Remus pointed out

LATER

"I'm sure you all heard my message earlier," the Transfiguration teacher said to the group of students in the room.

They all nodded their consent.

"And I'm sure you guessed that that is the topic of this Announcement"

Everyone nodded again.

McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Is there anyone here who would like to present any ideas about the upcoming ball?" she asked.

A 7th year prefect raised his hand.

"Are the decorations taken care of?"

McGonagall nodded.

"The staff here puts up some exceptional Christmas decorations."

The students who had stayed for Christmas before exchanged glances - this was clearly an understatement.

A Second year raised her hand.

"What's the date and time?"

"It begins at 7 o'clock on the Eve of the Winter Solstice which is on the 23rd of January It will end at midnight, but will probably run a bit later. They always do." She said this as if she was trying to let on that she'd had much experience with balls and the like.

"How will it open?" Dracula asked

"I was going to get to that," McGonagall said.

"As is tradition, all of you will enter the Great Hall, The Sorting Hat has already picked two peoples names and they shall lead the dance" She continued quickly, "The prefects will join in, and when the song ends the ball has officially begun. It's a process that will take a matter of ten minutes."

"So who are the people?" Remus asked

McGonagall took a deep breath and said

"Miss Chan and Mr. Dracula"

"What do you mean? I'm not-"

"Of course you are, Miss Chan. It's a relatively easy thing to do," McGonagall said. "A slow dance for a few minutes. It certainly won't kill you to just cooperate. You're going to have to do it anyway."

"Slow dance?" Anika asked eyes now wider than before. "I will not slow dance with him. He'll try to… do something to me"

"I will not," Dracula said indignantly. "Come on Anika, it's just a dance."

"Miss Chan, you are dancing with him whether you like it or not. You're only making it harder for yourself by being obstinate."

"Yeah, Anika" Dracula coaxed. "Just one little dance with me? Just a few minutes?"

Anika crossed her arms.

"Fine," she grumbled. "One dance and he'd better be at least 100 yards away from me after that."

"Knew you'd warm up to me," Dracula said, his arm creeping around the back of her chair to rest around her shoulders.

Anika shrugged his arm off

"Shut up."

"Anything else anyone wants to bring up about the ball?" McGonagall asked.

No one said anything and they all tried not to look at the silent fight that was occurring between Anika and Dracula

McGonagall ignored it.

"Prefects, I'm sure you've guessed that you're still allowed to bring your own date to the ball, but you must all still have that first dance with your prefect partners."

She took a deep breath and Anika slapped Dracula's arm away from snaking around her waist

"I believe that will be all," McGonagall said with a sigh and left

GIRL'S DORMITORIES

"I swear, Ali, I don't think I can do it," Anika complained as she walked into the common room that night.

"Do what?" Alice asked, she was another dorm friend

"The ball."

"What do you mean? It won't be that hard to find you a date. I mentioned Frank's friend to you didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Anika said. "But it's not that."

"Then what is it?" she asked.

"I have to dance," Anika said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I have to dance with Dracula"

Alice broke into a slight grin that Anika glared at.

"He's really not that bad," Alice said.

"No, he's worse," Anika said. "He spent half the meeting trying to get his hands on me. If I dance with him I'm sure he'll do worse."

"Oh, Anika" Alice said. "He's not it doing to annoy you"

Anika raised her eyebrows. "And how do you notice this, oh wise Alice?"

"By the way he looks at you. It's…nice. And sweet, and a million more wonderful things."

"And you noticed this when?" Anika asked, still skeptical.

"Oh, every time he sees you," Alice said. "Which would be about ten times a day, at least?"

"Well, I don't believe it," Anika said.

"I'm just saying," Alice said, shrugging.

"And you've 'just said' about a thousand times in the past week," Anika commented. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were rooting for him."

Alice rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know I just told you. But look at the guy." She gestured across the common room to Dracula, grinning and laughing with Sirius and Lauren in front of the fire.

"You have to admit you'd make one gorgeous couple."

Anika was appalled.

"No we wouldn't!" she cried defiantly. "We'd look hideous."

"I'm just relaying what the entire school has been saying for over a Month"

"A Month?" Anika asked, incredulous. "When were you planning on telling me this?"

Alice shrugged.

"I wasn't, actually. Its just gossip and I knew it would upset you. You're so damn touchy when it comes to this topic."

Anika slumped down into her chair.

"Sorry," she muttered. "I promise you I won't complain about Dracula again."

"Good," Alice said. "And I won't complain about how great you are for each other.

SUNDAY

"Go to the ball with me?" Dracula asked.

"No," She said.

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on! I'll be the best date you've ever had. I'll compliment you every five seconds and give you my cloak when you're cold and give you flowers and dance whenever you want and-"

"Nothing you say will get me to go with you so just give it up," Anika said, trying to lose him as she walked down the hallway.

He stayed beside her.

"We'll have the greatest time and-"

"No, no, a million times no!" Anika exclaimed.

He walked quickly to stand in front of her and block her path.

"Anika, I-"

Anika reached out and pushed him in the chest. He stumbled back but recovered quickly.

"Didn't I tell you I was sorry for scaring you at the other ball?"

"Yes," Lily said. "And I wish you wouldn't mention it again."

"But you haven't accepted my humble apologies."

"Because you shouldn't have done it and it was rude and sorry isn't going to cut it," she said.

"Then what would you like me to do?" he asked. "Besides leave you alone, that is."

"Nothing besides that,"

"Anika, I'm really, really sorry. I shouldn't have caught you by surprise like that. It was awful of me. I'll try not to let it happen again."

"You'd better try very hard not to let it happen again."

"I will," Dracula said earnestly. "It's just that you looked so beautiful and-"

"I what?" Anika asked, stopping.

"Beautiful," He said, surprised to have stopped her. "You looked so beautiful. You still do. You always do. I'm surprised I'm able to keep from kissing you every time I see you."

"Shut up, Dracula" She said.

He grinned, happy to have affected her.

"Say you'll go to the ball with me."

"No," she said, happy she found it just as easy as before to refuse.

"We're going to have to dance anyway," he said. "It would be so much easier if we just went together."

"No it wouldn't," she argued.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"It's not as if you've got another date," he said, determined. "You could have anyone in the school. You haven't said yes to anyone because you're holding out on me."

"Oh, am I?" She asked. "Then I suppose that's why I refuse you every time you ask me?"

Dracula thought for a moment.

"That's just because you- That is, you-"

"The reason is," Anika said, resuming walking.

Dracula walked beside her.

"That I can't stand you. I have no hidden desire to be with you. Everything I feel towards you I show."

"But I-"

"No," Anika said. "No, I will not go to the ball with you, I will not be your girlfriend, I will not go to Hogshead with you. I'm tired of you annoying me every waking moment and I'm tired of you following me around. Just go away."

Dracula grabbed her arm as she got ahead of him. She pressed on and he caught her arm again.

"Please, Anika," he said. "Just give me one chance. Go to the ball with me."

She looked hard at him as if weighing his worth. "Go to the ball with you?"

"Yes," he said.

"Me?" she said, as if new to the topic.

"With me," James added.

"Together," she continued.

"Yes," he said, nodding her on.

"No. Never in a million years. Pigs will fly before I go to the ball with you."

Dracula sighed.

This time when Anika pushed ahead of him he let her and then after that lesson was over he followed her again

"Hi Anika"

It was Dracula again.

But Anika wasn't in the mood to be mean.

So she replied with an exasperated

"Hello, Dracula"

"Want me to carry your books for you?" It was time for late afternoon classes and both were heading for Herbology.

"No thanks, I think I can manage," Anika said, adjusting the bag on her shoulder.

"You sure? It looks heavy."

"I'm sure," she said. Then she decided to pretend that he wasn't the annoying bugger that he always was. "Thank you, though."

Dracula grinned and (probably unconsciously) smoothed his hair.

"Must you always do that?" she asked

"Well, no," he said. "It's just sort of a habit, I guess."

"Couldn't you break it?" She adjusted her bag again.

"I never saw reason to." He cocked his head to one side. "But if you want me to I will."

Anika looked sideways at him

"Don't think you can say that and make me fall at your feet."

Dracula shrugged

"It was worth a try."

She almost laughed. "

Honestly, though," she said. "All those types of habits you have: smoothing your hair, showing off, grinning, tilting your head like this –" She tipped her head to the side like he always did. " - To make yourself look dashing or something - I wish you'd stop."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because it gets on my nerves," she said.

"I'll try, then," he said. "But some habits are hard to break."

"I guess so,"

"But," he said. "I have to say - I'm impressed you've noticed all those things about me."

"What?" she said, raising her eyebrows. "You think I like you or something?"

"If I'm lucky," he replied.

"A girl can notice things about the person she can't stand the most, can't she? I mean, you follow me around everywhere."

"Just saying," he said. He shouldered her playfully. "Is my Ice Queen Anika starting to melt a bit?"

"No," she said firmly. "I'm still as tough as ever. And I still can't stand you."

He sighed.

"And I'm still crazy for you."

Anika rolled her eyes at him and walked into the greenhouse for Herbology

THE NEXT DAY

"I need a new angle," Dracula said. "Something other than asking her every waking moment I see her. Because I'm getting the feeling she's starting to get annoyed by that."

"Starting?" Remus said sarcastically

Dracula ignored him.

"Sirius, you're good with girls."

Sirius sat up a little.

"You could say that, yes."

"Then help. What should I do?"

"Well, what haven't you tried yet? What have you tactics been so far?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, you've seen practically every attempt I've made at getting her to go with me. You know what I've tried," James pointed out.

"This is true," Sirius said. "But, my dear Count Vlad, I think this may have helped a new idea to present itself to me."

"Oh?"

"Yes," he continued. "The problem: You always ask Anika in public. Anika's proud - she's in Gryffindor. Getting her to admit that she likes you isn't something she'd want to do in public."

"And you're suggesting that. . ."

"Do something for her in private. Have you tried having dinner with her? A picnic?"

"I've asked," Dracula said shaking his head. "But, of course, she's never agreed to anything."

"Then try something anonymous. Secret admirer crap. Girls love that stuff," Sirius said.

"Okay," Dracula said slowly, he straightened. "I've got an idea."

"Well?" Remus said, looking up from a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"You'll see," he said, getting up and going to the door of the dorm. "And thanks, Sirius"

"Ooh, Anika," Alice said as she woke up the next morning. "Look what someone left on the windowsill oh and Opal told me that she and the girls and gonna meet you in the hall"

"Huh?" Anika rubbed her eyes and sat up

Alice was at the window, examining something.

"And it's for you," she said, coming over to Anika's bed and handing it to her.

Anika rubbed her eyes again and looked down at what Alice was presenting her with.

"Wow," Anika said, picking it up. "Pansies, Peach Blossoms and Orchids. A whole bouquet"

"I would have thought they'd have gotten you Stargazers" Alice said

"Actually, these are a few of my favorite flowers," Anika said, taking in their scent. "Especially in these colors, they're so beautiful"

"Not to mention romantic." Alice was grinning as if the flowers had been for her.

Anika looked at the small card attached to the roses. "To my lovely Nymphadora" she read. "I heard that these were a few of your favorites. These flowers aren't as beautiful as you, but they were as close as I could find. Love, Vladislaus Dracula."

"That's sweet!" Alice gushed.

Anika flipped the card over. "Go to the ball with me?"

"What?"

"It's what the card says."

She pointed to the back of the card

Alice took the card from Anika's grasp.

"You should."

"No, I shouldn't," Anika muttered. "Does he honestly think that flowers will get me to go to the ball with him?"

"Maybe," Alice reasoned. "But after all the trouble he's going through, wouldn't it be nice to just go with him?"

"No," Anika replied. She handed the flowers to Alice. "I won't be bought."

"Well, if you say so." Alice brought the flowers over to her area of the dorm.

Anika got out of her bed. "On second thought," she said as she grabbed the flowers out of Alice's hands.

"They really are beautiful flowers. It would be a shame to waste them."

"Waste them? I was going-"

"I'll go put these in water," she murmured, heading to the bathroom and filling a tall glass she found in there with water and placing the flowers into it. Then she came back out with them and placed them on the windowsill. Alice was grinning conspiratorially.

"What?" Anika said. "It's not as if I like him or anything. They're just beautiful flowers."

"Right."

"Seriously!" she exclaimed. "I still can't stand the idiot"

"Right."

"Oh, stop standing there nodding and smiling and go do something productive," Anika said, going over to her trunk. "I'm getting dressed."

Anika was standing at her potions at her potions table a few minutes before the bell when she felt arms snake around her waist.

"Did you get it?" Dracula whispered.

"Yes," Anika said, prying his arms from around her.

"Did you like them?" he asked, trying feebly to grab her hand.

Anika averted her eyes then looked back to him.

"You'd get the wrong idea if I said yes."

He grinned

"So you liked them."

"Yes," She muttered "But I still can't stand you."

He was still grinning broadly

"At least I did something right, then."

She scowled.

"I'm not going to the ball with you."

"No yet you're not," he said winking "But you will be."

"No, I won't."

"Whatever you say," Dracula said as the bell ring and the class started to file in. Before anyone came over to the pair and before Anika could see what he was doing, he leaned in and kissed her on the nose.

"Draulca!" Anika exclaimed angrily. "You said you wouldn't do that again."

A corner of his mouth lifted.

"I never said I wouldn't do it again, just that I'd try not to." Lily frowned. "Besides, that wasn't a real kiss, anyway. A real kiss is like-"

"Oh shut up!"

Dracula chanced a smile at Anika as they were taking out their things.

She sighed.

"You're so irritating."

"I'm sorry," he said earnestly

Anika heaved another sigh and took out her quill to copy the notes on the board.

"Once everyone's finished you may begin." The Professor waved his wand and ingredients appeared on the front desk.

Anika hastily copied the rest of the notes.

"Well?" she said, glancing at Dracula

"Well what?"

"You're finished. Why don't you go get the ingredients?" she stated.

"Oh," he said. "Right."

Anika put away her quill and parchment and looked at the instructions on the board. They were going to prepare wound-cleaning potion - they looked pretty difficult to make.

Just then, Dracula returned with the material they needed.

"Okay then," she said. "We start by adding the-"

But Dracula had already begun.

After a minute the potion was already bright orange in color and the cauldron was half filled.

"Where did you learn to make that?" she asked.

"Oh, this?" Dracula said, stopping work. "I make it all the time. Wound-cleaning potions are…useful."

Anika looked cynical

"So you and your friends get wounds often?"

He shrugged.

"Quiditch is a pretty rough sport."

"It isn't really"

Normally Dracula would have pressed her until she believed him, but this time he didn't.

Anika had the feeling he didn't want to be on this topic.

"Let me help," she said. "I'm supposed to be your partner."

"But you don't-"

"That's what this class is for, isn't it? Learning to make potions. How will I learn if I don't do anything?"

Dracula assented and moved over for her to work.

Sometimes he passed ingredients to her, making sure their hands touched. Anika would pull her hand away quickly; twice she almost knocked over the cauldron.

"Stop that!" she exclaimed when he tried it again as he passed her some boomslang scales

"Stop what?" he inquired innocently, making to put his arm around her waist.

"Eww, your hands are covered with Dog intestines," she said, making a face. "I don't want them touching me."

"Technically they're not my hands, they're my gloves," he said. "So does that mean I could touch you if my hands weren't covered in potions ingredients?"

"No!" she hissed. "You can't touch me at all!"

Dracula almost cocked his head to the side but stopped.

Anika had told him just the other day that she didn't like it when he did that.

"Whatever you say, Nymphadora"

"Is your potion ready, Miss Chan?" the professor inquired.

"Yes, it's done."

He looked to the two of them then dipped a vile into their solution and took a sample of the potion and walked over to the next desk.

She looked to the table to the left of them to see Brittany working with Sirius. Behind her was Jessica, Lily hadn't noticed her before and turned to face her.

"Hi," she whispered. "Sorry I'm not working with you, Dracula got here early and-"

"Looked like a better partner? I can't help it if he's prettier than I am."

Dracula heard this and grinned, turning around too.

"Oh, don't worry," he said seriously to Alice. "Sometimes beauty is just something you're born with. Not everyone is as lucky as me. You do, however, have quite a lot to work with."

Alice chuckled.

"I always thought so. I think if I just-"

Anika rolled her eyes.

"You both are such prats."

They both grinned at Anika

"Go to the ball with me?" he asked as if trying to spring in on her when she didn't expect it in hopes of surprising her into saying yes.

"No, we should stop talking for now. I'll talk to you after class, Ali."

"Okay," Alice said as Anika and Dracula turned to face the front of the room again.

ON THE DAY OF THE BALL

"I don't believe this" Anika said

"You don't believe what?" Natalie asked

"McGonagall told me that I have to stay with Dracula the whole time"

"Poor you" Opal said

"When's Alice coming out?" Jessica asked

"Hold your Horses I'm coming" Alice yelled from the bathroom and came out wearing an evergreen colored dress that matched her eyes

"I just need to do my hair now" Alice said and started brushing out her hair
"Natalie you next" Jessica said "And we need to work on your make up Anika"

"And your hair"

"My hair is fine and-"

"Dead limp" Opal put in

"You need to curl it so leave it all to us and jewelry" Jessica said

Okay" Anika sighed giving in and Opal attacked her with a light pink blusher

After they were completely done Anika's eyes had been made up with a dark purple eye shadow but not too much, lined with a glittery dark purple eye liner, her eye lashes has been brought out with a lengthening black mascara and her cheeks had been touched with light pink blusher and her lips had been painted a light pink

Her hair was done up in a bun at the top of her head by Natalie and Opal after Jessica had curled it and a few locks hung framing her face

"Done" they said with a flourish and after Anika had thanked them profusely and slipped into her dress, shoes and jewelry

She needn't bring her Wand after the warning Mei- Lin, Xang and half the school had given him

"Where do you think Anika is?" Dracula asked, straightening his dress robes and looking expectantly up the stairs. "We're supposed to be meeting McGonagall in five minutes"

"Oh, you know women," Sirius said. "They always take forever with these types of things."

"Right," Dracula said, running a hand through his hair.

"Wait," Remus said, "Is that her?"

"You look-" Dracula began as she finished descending the steps "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said. She looked to his hands. "That isn't for me, I'm hoping."

Dracula forgot whatever nerves he had and grinned. "Of course it is." He handed her a single Peach Blossom. "Your favorite."

She shook her head at him but breathed in the scent of the flower

"We'd better go," she said. "McGonagall's expecting us in a few minutes."

"Right," Dracula said, offering her his arm. "Shall we?"

Anika raised her eyebrows and walked ahead of him and out of the common room.

Dracula turned to his friends and grinned

"See you."

Without waiting for them to reply, he quickly followed Anika out of the portrait hole.

"You will come in that door," McGonagall said, gesturing to the door to their right. "After the other students have arrived. You will be announced and then enter together, leading the prefects. And then you dance."

"Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said gruffly. "Yeh think I could let in the students? They've been standin' outside the door fer a while now."

McGonagall gave Anika and Dracula each a stern look.

"Both of you - go stand just outside that door. I the rest of the prefects should be there as well. Wait for me to open the door, and then you can come out."

"And should we-"

"Hagrid, honestly," McGonagall said, walking briskly away from Anika and Dracula "Wait just a moment before letting them in."

Dracula put his hands on either of Anika's shoulders and steered her out of the hall.

As McGonagall had said, the rest of the school prefects were standing there also.

"Can we go out now?" a Hufflepuff asked.

"Not yet," Anika replied. "McGonagall's going to let us know when, and then you follow when she says so."

"Right," the Hufflepuff said, nodding.

Dracula and Anika turned to face the door, waiting for it to open, half- listening to the prefect's chatter.

The door opened slowly and Anika gulped while Dracula had tightened his grip around her waist pulling her closer to him

Much too close for her liking

Te door opened until its full extent revealing a lot of laughter and chattering from the occupants in the hall and they entered walking through the grotto of Fairy lights and students lined on either sides whispering

"Is that Anika, man she looks hot today" she heard someone say and blushed but that boy got walloped over the head by Xang who smirked at her mischeiviously

They reached the end and met a pool of molten silver that hovered in the air before spreading out evenly on the floor

It was a dance floor and McGonagall called out from the front

"Welcome all to Hogwarts's annual 10000th Ball" she said

There was cheering and a round of applause

"Now, to open the Ball a chosen couple who have already been chosen will slow dance on the Dance Floor"

The Music had started up

It was slow and McGonagall signaled for them to dance

Dracula lead Anika onto the dance floor and placed his arm around her waist and held her other hand and she hung her arm around his neck, the perfect position for the dance

And he danced

"You're quite light on your feet, my darling Angel" he muttered in her ear

"I'm not your darling Angel and you're not so bad yourself" she muttered back

"But you will be" he said

The Prefects had joined in

"Can we say `Like Hell`" she said

"Like hell" he answered

"Idiot" she muttered

"Oh my darling Angel, I am hurt, I really am!" he mocked being hurt and pressed her closer to him

"Good" she said struggling in vain to loosen his arms but stood no chance against his quiditch toned arms

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked

"Trying to escape from your iron like grip" she said matter of factly

"You could've asked" He said and loosened his arms

"Thank you" she said

Without warning he tightened his grip again and she was forced against his chest but it looked natural since all the girls were resting their heads on their partner's chests while dancing

"When will this torture end?" she asked herself "You know I hate this Dracula"

Dracula looked down at his beautiful date and said smirking

"That's exactly why I do it"