"You want to indulge the poor little kid's delusions until she's old enough to care no one'll marry her, that's your lookout."

"Yes it is."

It's Winter Ball.

Minor is pretty sure he wants to kiss Miranda but isn't quite ready to tell her that yet and so agonizes over whether to ask her to the dance. He is pretty sure he can't turn to Karen for help on this because it was explained to him by one of his roommates that girls might get sad if you ask their advice on asking out other girls. Owling Timothy the question seems a bit much and Michael's suggestions would be a little Michael. 

And Miranda can't dance and might not want to go with him even if she does like him which he is not sure about.

Miranda can't dance! She is planning on just not going to the winter ball.

That makes sense. He's not especially interested in going either.

Karen gets asked by one of Minor's roommates - not, like, seriously, just to have someone to go with, not that he doesn't like her or anything - she thinks about it for a day and a half but then accepts.

"Have fun!"

"Thanks."

She goes. She reports in confidence that her date smells weird up close. They do not go anywhere else together.

He checks when he gets a chance to do so inconspicuously. Miranda does not smell weird up close. 

Nope! Almond oil and parchment!

He still doesn't say anything. Aaron's spice trade adventures are paying well and it looks like he'll be able to afford his warding experiment by summer; he might be a little miscellaneously chattier in Miranda's presence than usual.

"Where are you going to do it?"

"Just off our estate, probably, so I have access to the spot all summer for experiments but it doesn't interfere with the house; the next step'll be redoing the wards on the house if I got this right -"

"Your house wards block electricity?"

"Not like Hogwarts does but I think they might have a problem with interference if you were trying to do anything complicated with currents, see..."

"Ooh."

"I really like you."

"That is probably because I'm awesome."

"You're great too," she assures him. "Even Cricket likes you! He hates almost everyone!"

"Why does he hate Timothy, people do experiments on animals all the time..."

"Maybe he likes Feverfew."

"Do you think he can detect -"

"Well, I think that's why Timothy gave him to me. He is very smart, I think he's at least part Kneazle, won't be able to tell for sure till he's grown up."

"Did Timothy tell you what he was doing in Italy? They're debating withdrawing from the Statute."