I'M SO EXCITED
By Her, Herself and She
For some time now, rumours of war raged through the wizarding world - thefts, attacks, disappearances (unrelated to the normal magic ones, I mean!) ; news weren't good. The Daily Prophet could say what it liked, Wizard families could read in between the lines and could saw the upcoming war. And so, Hogwarts students had gradually grown depressed. The idea that their already oh-so short lives would most likely come to an early end before the end of the year drove most students to regret what they hadn't already done and to mope about their past mistakes ; while a few diehards tried out the various drugs they could get their hands onto, dreaming themselves assassins and poets.
To dispel the dark clouds invading the school, Dumbledore had tried, using all the wisdom he possessed due to his venerable age, to start various projects to rekindle the castle's joy. Thus were created the pottery club (1), the sherbet lemon factory, or the woollen hat, scarf and socks factory, managed by none other but Dobby himself! But students didn't seemed thrilled by these ideas and societies soon shut down, due to a lack of participants.
Noticing the failure of his own ideas (must we ask why?), Dumbledore ended up asking his students (first concerned) their opinion by setting up an idea box in the Great Hall.
-"Dear Hogwarts students!", he called out that evening after having clapped for silence. The magically-amplified sound reverberated through the room as the students grew silent. "I have an announcement to make. In spite of my various club ideas, which were admirable, I'm sure, sullenness seems to prevail here over concentration, participation and ability to listen, although these virtues are essential to your learning. Therefore, to bring back joy and good humour to this great castle which has been home to throngs of happy students for centuries, I have decided to set up an idea box in the Great Hall, in which each and every one of you will have the possibility to deposit suggestions to improve day-to-day life here. Ideas shall be sorted out the day preceding each holiday."
Whispers had crossed the room at this announcement, everybody coming up with ideas as to how they could change their timetable.
-"I would like to end by indicating that in no way house-elves are here to do your homework and that it is categorically forbidden to ask them for illicit substances such as drugs and alcohol - however, any donation to professors or indeed, myself (by the way Pr. Slughorn slobbers for pineapple), shall result in the immediate cancellation of the penalty brought upon yourself.
And on this cheerful note, I hope you'll enjoy your meal!"
He'd then sat back down again.
AHHHHHHHH
From that moment on, the strangest ideas had sprouted out of the students' fertile minds. From the televised game based on the Real Housewifes to a magic version of Total Wipeout, not to mention by the building of an enormous Barbie doll-house in the park, the students had put all their heart to produce better versions of what they'd seen at home. Everybody was impatient to know the other's suggestions!
And amidst all of these crazy and puzzling suggestions, one had caught the jury's eye : the organisation of a prom ball a month before the exams, open to all which theme would be "Antiquity, what a ball!"
The announcement of this event, which would take place due April, enthralled the youngest and amused the eldest. From the simplest Greek toga to the magnificent Roman breast-plate, everyone had his idea as to how to dress up to parade in front of all of Hogwarts. Dumbledore had done it (yet again!) : talk of the ball was on everyone's lips, and from the Dungeons to the Astronomy tower, from the Lake to the borders of the Forbidden Forest, corridors rustled from laughter and joy.
AHHHHHHHH
At last, the day dawned ! On the morning of the last Friday before the Easter holidays, the Great Hall shook with excitement and anticipation. For the event, students would return home on Saturday afternoon to enjoy the original party (brought to you by Berty Bott's every flavour beans). However, let us fix our gaze for a moment on a few people in particular.
When Theodore Nott, tall, brown haired and dark eyed, appeared in the room with his nose in a book, it raised a great number of whispers around the four tables. The mysterious young man had always attracted admiring looks from Hogwarts' poultry. Tall, thin and discreet, he had the discovery's charm. Barely lifting an eye from his book, he walked matter-of-factly to Slytherin's table, poured himself a mug of Black tea, shimmied scrambled eggs and roasted red peppers onto his plate, and gobbled it all down whilst delving back inside his spell-book.
He was indifferent to all of this agitation. Siriusly (*beams*), why would he care what girls from his House would wear ?! Because, no doubt, they were still talking about that stupid ball… For him, it would be an occasion to have a nice time with his mates, to take a few incriminating photos to blackmail first and second-years later on, and to have fun before starting revising for the exams.
When Blaise Zabini, tall black man with brown eyes entered the room with a Colgate® smile, the whispers raised once more . Millicent Bulstrode, who had incredibly changed since the first year, seemed deep in conversation with him and his eyes were shining with mirth. The pair of friends attracted jealous looks as they went to sit at Theo's side on the snakes' benches - the latter grumbled a "H'lo" without interrupting his reading whatsoever.
When Draco Malfoy, grey eyed blond, idol of these ladies and Prince of the Slytherins, made quite an entrance in the room, conversations stopped and silence fell. All were in awe of his person, may it be for his go(o)d looks (2) his charismatic air or the fact he was Head Prefect and Valedictorian.
Of the Slyther trio, he was the most envied, and feeling all the awed looks the open-mouthed gave him filled him with delight - every pair of eyes fed the sparkle of his contemplation.
Then quick footsteps were heard and Pansy Parkinson came in stormed in. His friends could see frustration sparkle in her eyes, but Draco merely kept his Malfoy Mask and his walked to his table. When he reached it, he sat face to the Great Hall so as to not miss anything, poured himself a bowl of Chocapics and milk and started crunching away at his breakfast in a dignified way, while Pansy tried to attract his attention with small high-pitched giggles, in vain.
Gradually, the conversations started again, and when Harry Potter, small, brown haired, green eyed and enemy of You-Know-Who (3), with ten minutes to go before the lessons, bursted in to sit down hurriedly at the Gryffindor table (various amount of cheering), the only ones who were surprised were Ron and Hermione who didn't think he'd be so early.
Everybody had turned to look at him with his dramatic entrance, and the vision of the boy with untameable hair, out of breath from running, turned on more people than none.
Since last year, his popularity had increased a lot amidst girls, so much it was sometimes scary. At the idea of this hero, brave, strong, intrepid (after all, he had been the only champion to get out of the labyrinth unscathed!), handsome to die for, witches could barely contain themselves, and it was to whom could catch his attention the longest.
Sometimes, even a few adulators would come up to speak with him, and he'd then be a lot nicer. He himself did not know which side he was on and didn't really care.
After Marietta's betrayal, he'd cut off all links with Cho and had tried to get over it. Summer and puberty coming up, during his holidays in Grimmauld's place he'd wanted to chill by making friends with the kids from the block and he'd gradually opened, at least mentally, to quite a range of things. Of course, Sirius had got wind of it - and Harry never felt so embarrassed in his life as when his godfather slipped a condom box in his back pocket, humming "petit PD" by Renaud, just as they were about to eat.
The Dursleys had been for the least surprised when one of Privet Drive's boys had winked suggestively at him before leaving him on the doorstep ; and, if at first, they tried to stop him, they then told themselves that a monster could only do monstrous things, and that it didn't concern them as long as it wasn't under their roof. Thus, that summer, Harry's circle of acquaintances had grown considerably, and he found that he felt a certain amount of attraction towards men.
At first, it was their way of seeing things, with humour and innuendos, which drove him to ponder on the question. Up to then, he'd only had a serious relationship with two or three girls - serious to the point of getting to the interesting part. Not that he slept with anybody willy-nilly, but he believed that life was too short to waste time prevaricating, and he'd often jumped up when good opportunities arose.
So he tried it out, with a blond from his neighbourhood who had caught his eye.
The second thing that attracted him was their way of doing things. Having the same body, they often knew how to send each other to the seventh heaven in a matter of minutes, or on the contrary, how to take their time to let the other completely forget themselves in their arms.
However, since his return to Hogwarts he'd had to slow down, preferring to concentrate on practising for the fight against Voldemort and Malfoy's strange disappearances - he also had to fend off throngs of young groupies in want of his favours. Most times the girls weren't even fifteen anyway! At the same time, he respected young people who accepted publicly, even shyly, their homosexuality, notably by coming up to him.
When he'd told Ron and Hermione about his holidays, the first nearly choked on his chicken-wing while the latter gave him a disapproving look : with all that canoodling, of course he hadn't found any time for revising!
Long story short, the news that his best friend was bisexual had surprised Ron a bit, but after all, he was his friend and he wasn't going to push him away for such a trifle! Especially that he seemed to have had loads of fun…
Then Hermione had talked about her meagre experience with Viktor Krum, and strangely Ron had changed subjects and they had moped at the idea that Snape would be their Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher. They'd miss Professor Lupin… (T-T)
Of course these changes had had an effect on his behaviour : he'd gained in confidence and willed to enjoy the life his parents had given him without getting pinned down by despair!
But let's get back to Hogwarts. With a small smile for his fans, he grabbed a piece of treacle-tart , gave his friends an amused look, and munched away.
AHHHHHHHH
The evening came. Draco Malfoy had spent quite a few hours in front of the mirror to be per-fect ; he was going to upstage Potter ! Stupid, famous Potter with his charming smile and inviting gaze...
With his usual composure hiding his apprehension, he finished tying his cloth round his shoulders. The choice had been obvious to him : who was more beautiful than Apollo? And draped in a first-quality silk cloth, he truly was a God.
As soon as Narcissa, his mother, had caught wind of the event, she'd immediately commandeered him for a shopping trip. Despite the fact that being well-dressed was essential to Draco, he'd made a face when he read his mother's letter. His mother could be... How should he put it? Ecstatic when pillaging shops. So much that sellers fled before her as soon as they saw her coming...
She'd hence dragged him in the poshest wizard and muggle shops before finding THE gem after four hours of intensive running about, in one of East River's shops (thank god for Apparation !) . Made of arachnid silk, and woven with a minor spell which captured the light and made the cloth glimmer, the garment, called pallium, consisted of a piece of light green cloth, was sewn with silver thread and wound round the body, revealing a shoulder in the Roman emperor way. The fabric's colour, light but bright, made his pale skin and blond hair stand out - the cloth, close-fitting, his thin waist and strong (and hairy!) legs. Leather sandals and a belt made from the same material completed the set, and a small visit to the hairdressers had refreshed his haircut and finalised his beautification.
When his mother had seen him dressed up so grandly, her eyes had shone with pride for her son. Once more, Draco would cause a stir!
Dressed in the Pallium, he stuck out a hand and picked up the olive-tree leaves crown. Gift from his father, it was a cheeky wink to Athena, with whom he shared intellect and style (4) he just had to pay tribute to her with this accessory.
He then joined the other Slytherins, who were undoubtedly waiting for him in the common room.
Assembled around an armchair, the four Slytherins couldn't wait to go to the Great Hall.
Blaise, with his muscles and powerful build, he'd found a gladiator suit in a posh-shop in Diagon Alley specialised in fancy dress. The red of the cape married his dark skin perfectly ; it came down from a shoulder up to his knees. A leather belt was tightened around his waist. Like Draco, he was wearing dark leather sandals.
Clad in this manner, he was the incarnation of a mix of Ares, Greek god of war, and Spartacus, the famous Roman slave who led a rebellion in 100 BC.
Theo, as for him, had chosen to go as the god Asclepius, lord of medicine, for his love of potions and astronomy. Dressed up more simply, he wore a white shirt and a dark blue jacket threaded with silver, and he seemed clothed with the canopy of heavens. Various-coloured phials hung from his belt, from milky white to deep black and bloody red and dark green, and they sparkled every time he moved. A bow tie, the same colour as his jacket, gave him a classy and elegant look.
Millicent was at their side, she too dressed in more modern clothes, her bustier dress sparkling in the candle-lit room. Her white top went with her skin, while the fabric of her dress flowed underneath her chest down to her knees - it was as if a rainbow had dyed it. Little daisies were planted in her hair like a crown and large wings of the same colour as the bustier fluttered slowly in her back, conferring to her a divine air - the picture was such that even Iris would be deceived.
Then her gaze fell on the final member of the group. Pansy, as one of love's daughters, companions to Aphrodite, was wearing a simple yet stylish tunic, worthy of her fashion taste. In a mouth-watering cherry colour, the cloth girded her chest and torso and breasts, before hanging from her shoulder like some sort of cape. It fell in front of her to the three quarters of her tanned thighs. A cream-coloured braided belt circled her waist, and she also wore matching ballerina pumps. A Tiara hold hair into place in a pretty hairdo : she was ready to dance!
Together, they went to the Great Hall, guided even though they knew the way by the decibels escaping from it.
AHHHHHHHH
As they entered the room, the students' breaths were taken away by the changes operated in the place. The room had been decorating following the theme and seemed grander than ever.
large Corinthian-capped pillars rose on both sides of the room in a imitation of a catholic church, except that in its centre was an enormous statue representing a Phoenix rising from its cinders. On the white-bricked walls, frescoes had been carved with magic during the day, telling the stories of the greatest heroes of the time, may they be Muggles or Wizards. Here, we could see the heroes from Greek mythology : Theseus bringing down the Minotaur, Perseus avoiding Medusa's piercing eyes or Hercules stealing an apple from the Hesperides' garden. There, the heroes of the Trojan War, Achilles, Patroclus, Hector, Ajax, were facing each other. Further away, Merlin was conjuring a storm to help the Knight of the Round Table.
From time to time, dryads and satyrs could be seen dancing around strawberry fields, and ghosts escaped from Hades' underworld to haunt the diner of the living
Every detail shone in the ceiling's candlelight. Exactly like the Yule ball, a great dance-floor had been set up in front of the statue, and tables had been installed all around it in the remaining space. Light beamed out from behind the frescoes, adding to the room's enchanting air.
The magic ceiling showed sunny views of mount Olympus, home to the primordial Gods. Birds had settled down in the trees strewing the hill's highest branches and were chorusing in joyful trills.
The school board had really put all of their hearts into it (except for Snape who'd had his broken by Lily's death) to make this an memorable event, and the students were amazed.
AHHHHHHHH
The ball was opened by a speech from the Headmaster which nobody listened to so much their minds were set on the upcoming party. After a few minutes, Dumbledore gave up and started the festivities with a tremendous "Music, Maestro!". On cue, the amplifiers crackled then purred slowly under magic's caresses, before giving off classical music. Head boys and girls opened the ball, arm in arm with their partners, and were soon joined by Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. That got the the party going - the students were taken away by the music, the magical atmosphere and their partners swirling in the air and on the dance floor to the dances and contredanses' rhythms.
As they had done for the Yule ball, Ron and Harry had completely forgotten about seeking partners. However, they could always rely on their fans to accompany them. Lavender brown had nearly squashed Ron by jumping on him, and Ginny was more than happy to go to the ball with her eternal/ever-lasting friend. Even if she had, as a little girl, dreamed of a life together, she now knew that it wasn't what either of them wanted. And anyway, her aspirations to be a professional Quidditch player wouldn't let her have a fix home.
But spending a night hanging at Harry Potter's arm wasn't a chance to miss!
And as they spun round the dance floor, Harry tried with more or less success to avoid damaging her pretty slippers.
AHHHHHHHH
After an hour of slows and , the Weird Sisters entered (not so very) furtively the room and took over the speakers. Dumbledore smiled when he saw the students' faces light up.
After a few engaging calls such as "Hogwarts, are you here?" And "We can't heaaaar you!" (*sighs* old people…), the band started playing their best songs : The Unicorn Song, a remix of Every little thing she does is Magic, a parody of Baby kindly called Dumby … before obviously following suit with Do the hippogriff, which finished firing up the crowd.
They went on with Muggle songs, famous hymns : Let it be, Dedododo Dedadada, Love is all you need (which sounded strange with their rocker's voices…), etc.
Finally, they started playing the songs of the moment (hurrah, these actually made some sense!) and the dance floor was always full. The teenagers had stepped up by waves on it and it had quickly become packed, one song after another, sometimes gentle, sometimes rhythmical, sometimes slow, but often loud.
Next to the frenzied couples and groups, magic tray levitated around the tables to serve those who preferred remaining far from the hustle and bustle or rest for a bit.
As it happens, leaning on one of these tables, our Slytherins were making fun of young dancers getting mixed up in their moves. Students up to fourth-years had seen themselves invited to a great feast in the park so that their elders could enjoy the party more. And it was just as well : the couple of hundreds of students there were already making quite enough noise!
By dint of scrutinizing the crowd, Blaise ended up noticing the Golden trio dancing together, a few steps away from the others to steer clear of groupies.
First, his eyes rested on Weasley, wriggling with Brown, who was cramped into a bad-tasted loose dress. He, was dressed in a thick, heavy chiton, which had aged badly with multiple washings. Dark, it made his unkempt hair's horrible hue stand out, and his skin's. If you looked carefully, you might see a slight resemblance with Dionysus, god of feasts, wine, parties and (more) food. Good choice!
The pathetic way he moved himself made you want to cry - as he watched over the couple, Blaise noticed Brown grimacing more than once when her partner stepped on her feet.
Beside them, Granger was trying to draw the aforesaid partner's attention, in vain. Her jealousy shone out of her eyes, and it was clear that she was dying to elbow Brown out of the way to to take her place dancing with her guardian? …! Sometimes she'd reason herself and look away disdainfully - but always her mind wavered and her gaze would always fall back upon the intertwined couple.
A quick glance at her was enough to know that, for once, she'd taken care of how she looked. For the event, she was wearing a white blouse and dark pants, with burgundy reflections, coming down to brown leather boots. Over that she wore a great enchantress' coat, in the same deep shade than her pants, embroidered with silvery crescents. In her back, a moon went through all its stages, from small crescent to full white disc, as you went round her, in the Mona Lisa's way. The brown-haired girl literally shone as she danced, and her grace had caught more than one awed look - but the redhead barely noticed her at all.
He saw Potter next to them, arm in arm with the redhead and dancing pitifully. He sighed, this one, I swear…
"Hey guys, look at Potter who wants to be noticed again… He actually doesn't look bad, for once!"
Draco condescended to turn to where his friend was pointing, and suddenly couldn't switch his gaze away - didn't look bad? What an euphemism!
Through the throngs of wriggling dancers, he could see this being who was Potter without really looking like him. Eyes underlined with Kohl, hair messed up with dancing, the first glimpse of his reddened face was enough to make Draco tingle. He found himself sucked up by this bewitching vision, and from that moment on he tried to catch as many glimpses of Harry as possible. However, the crowd regularly hid the latter and he couldn't keep still.
Blaise and Theo, who had gone back to talking, noticed his distress.
- Hey, Draco, what's wrong? Is Potter upstaging you once more?" laughed Blaise.
-"Of course not! He's just understood that Potter is not only a source of verbal entertainment…" added Theo, rubbing it in.
The usually pale cheeks got pink as Draco tried to keep his calm and his impervious mask.
-"Seriously guys… It's his footing that is troubling me, they're so clumsy!"
Indeed, they were clumsy, but more than anything else, the movements of that body were lascivious and spellbinding, and Draco was their target. He was hypnotised, lost in this fascinating sight he hoped would last for ever...
AHHHHHHHH
Seeing that his best friend's gaze was still fixed on Potter, Blaise resumed his conversation with Theo and Millicent while Pansy tried to catch Draco's attention - in vain.
After ten minutes, the feast started eyeing him, seductively.
It started slowly, when a small and tasty aroma floated past his nostrils. When he noticed it, he couldn't help but breathe in deeply to fill himself with the wonderfully delicious smell. It should be said that Blaise had always had a particular relationship with food. Since he was tender-aged he'd always lived to eat and not eaten to live.
So when, in the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a table buried under piles and piles of dishes, each one more appetizing than the last, and he felt his resolutions starting to give in. The cakes were eyeing him with puppy-dog eyes, the tarts were charming him with their curves, and the cinnamon rolls were just staring at him, flirtatiously. He felt his determination weaken more and more, until at last he announced "What I like most about you, Millie, is your mother's buns" in the middle of a conversation which had been serious up to that point.
In the ensuing silence, the pastries' whispers became more audible to the tanned boy valiantly resisting his urges.
And finally, he couldn't hold back any more . All of a sudden, Blaise stood up, and after a short apology, walked as normally as he could to the buffet to hide his turmoil. The closer he got to the object of his desire, the more his hunger grew - he'd start drooling soon!
Once he reached the bar, his senses took over his body and he breathed in some more of the enchanting aromas. Slowly, full of worship and devotion, he clutched a cinnamon roll between his fingers, and its touch was enough to send shivers throughout his body. Respectfully, he brought it to his lips, laid it down on his tongue to enjoy a explosion of tastes upon his palate, and suddenly bit into this piece of heaven.
He had to fight a moan of pleasure escaping his lips.
At that moment, the rest of the world around Blaise disappeared. The music, the lights, the dancing students, and even the whispering of the remainder of the dishes gave way to ta feeling of supreme ecstasy that rushed through him. Every single cell in his body was full of this feeling of plenitude which spread up to the deepest of his thoughts. His entire universe had become this single mouthful…
-"I didn't know house-elves cooked so well!"
… when a gentle voice made its way through to his confused brain. It took Blaise a moment to become aware of the intrusion, and a few more minutes for him to come back down to earth and open his eyes.
Next to him stood a girl, leaning over the cinnamon roll platter. Her big blue eyes were scrutinizing the rolls, seeking their secret ingredient, responsible for his ecstasy, but, finding nothing, she turned to him and looked into his dreamy gaze. And as he hit the ground, the world reappeared around him. The light blinded him, the stench of sweat assaulted his nostrils, and he wrinkled his nose with distaste. His ecstasy gave way to exasperation, and he glared at this Ravenclaw who'd interrupted his pleasure. But she just stood there, looking into his eyes, and he didn't know what to say.
-"Excuse-me?!", he stepped back, her words finally reached his brain. What the hell did House-elves have to do with his happiness?
- I also like these cakes… My mother loved to cook, so what I eat always tastes of tears. But these moon crescents taste more like joy. Is that why you like them so much?
The girl's dreamy air, who he'd finally identified as being Loon… Luna Lovegood, contrasted with her words which echoed in Blaise.
- It was my nurse's favourite dish. She died with her daughter when her house burnt down when I was eight years old… I feel like I'm paying tribute to her each time I eat some.
Words weren't enough to explain the indescribable feelings of grief and familiarity that crossed him in these moments - but Luna and her frank look seemed to understand him, and Blaise felt a bit lighter. But he wasn't a sensitive guy, except in these rare moments of feebleness, so he then tried to engage in conversation with her.
- Blaise Zabini, your humble servant, at your service! He started, beaming. I daresay I love your earrings! *winks*
Luna tittered. The aforementioned earrings were half moon crescents. She'd thought that, for the event, honouring her name would be a good idea. She'd dressed in a funny grey dress that sparkled a bit - original but discreet, just as she was. Her blond hair, only just combed, framed her face, in a way that neither usual nor absurdly altered - just regular, no embellishments or meliorative lotion.
But she gave of such charm and confidence that Blaise was scared to look pale in comparison.
"Poo, no chance : you can't be Blaise Zabini just by wanting it! And Blaise Zabini is always the best at everything : Arithmancy, Potions, Transfiguration…" He then started listing out which subjects he excelled in (With Theo and Draco's help, of course). And because he thought so much of himself, it wasn't as half as long as the list was that Luna started looking at him as if he were a pimpled sniffler.
Realising he was ridiculous to think and act that way (because as his tirade had gone on, he had puffed out his chest and stood up straight, like a courting peacock), he smiled apologetically and tried to start the conversation over.
Soon, the chemistrygoing well between them, he invited her on the dance floor, and swirled her 'til the end of the night, before they going, ecstatically out of breath, back to where their friends were, their eyes shining and hearts beating.
AHHHHHHHH
Earlier ...
Exactly as if he were in a dream, Draco could see the crowd parting in front of the object of his desire, it appearing clearer and clearer with every second. Then, little by little, he noticed that he was pushing people out of his way to reach Potter - but, spellbound, he couldn't help himself. When he was close enough to see these lively green eyes, he noticed a knowing smirk, verging on mocking, on these infernal black lips. With a defiant look in his eyes, Draco wanted to see Potter choke back his air of superiority, and the start of a new song carried him away. When the first notes rose, he still hadn't looked away from the boy's eyes - and the light of power he found in them electrified him.
In front of him, Potter started swaying his hips along to the music energetically, eyes looking at his feet (Surely to avoid colliding with someone. Not sure if it's the best solution…) His hair was shaking to the beat, his hips swaying left and right, and his knees, his muscly legs, moved harmoniously with the rest of his body… Then the first words were released, and rose through the room like birds with alluring feathers.
-"Tonight's the night we're gonna make it happen… Mimed these lips he desired. "Tonight's we'll put all other things aside"
And while the words echoed through Draco's mind, Potter's movements took him further away into this unexpected fantasy.
-"Give in this time and show me some affection", he said, following the lines of his ribs with his hands. "We're going on these pleasures in the night!"
A thrust of his pelvis ended Draco's stupor, and he started in the direction of this living demon. And by dint of scrutinizing him, he finally noticed something he hadn't up to that point…
Not only had he put makeup on his eyes and lips, but Potter was also completely out of theme! He was wearing a sort of loincloth which revealed half of his tanned legs, and a shirt opened onto his muscly chest, and… Merlin's beard, how the hell had he been granted entrance in this?!
A huge golden necklace completed his costume. Resting on his shoulders, it moved with him during the verse.
As a modern-times Pharaoh, Harry moved his hips along to the song made fashionable again by the wizard band. The most suggestive lyrics, mimed by these dark lips, were floating through the air around him, electrifying. The atmosphere. Draco, recovering from his shock, heard the pre-chorus through his foggy brain.
I want to love you, feel you,
Wrap myself around you
With these words, he noticed that Potter had come so close that he could see his eyes shine! Moving forward, he started dancing along to the song too (and about time too, he was starting to get in the way just standing there!)
I want to squeeze you, please you,
I just can't get enough
And if you move real slow
I'll let it go!
His mind full of thousands of way to please Potter, he whispered sensually, taking advantage of an ear getting close to his mouth :
-"I hope for your sake it's a wand I can feel in your pocket, Potter…"
-"What pocket?" Was the aforesaid Potter's cheeky answer.
Draco swallowed and nearly choked.
AHHHHHHHH
The night being well under way, more and more couples were moving to the tables to rest for a bit, and drink pumpkin juice or Hogsmeade made Butterbeer ®. The dance floor and the tables had been separated by a silencing spell, that diminished the noise so that people could hear each other and mingle.
Indeed, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin alike we're mingling merrily, brawling in a friendly way, and joking sarcastically all the time. Forgetting all prejudices, every table talked to the one next to them, and that corner of the Great Hall echoed with gay laughter .
In the middle of these jolly fellows, the remainder of our Slytherins had seen two gold and reds being washed up close to them, talking happily about each other's colourful costumes. Millicent, who was closest to them, shushed her friends and pricked up her ears.
-" … want, but Brown hasn't put much thought into her costume… For once, she had the chance of regaining her prestige, but she's missed it!" said one, in a thick Irish accent.
-"Poor girl, when you think she's fallen for Ron since our first year… One day somebody will have to tell her he's taken!", exclaimed the other, sympathising.
-"Yes! And somebody will have to tell Hermione that no, feeling ill because Lavender's kissing Ron isn't a symptom of great friendship… I don't know which book she looked in to find that, but for once reading hasn't made her more intelligent."
-"Whatever book it was, it must've been entitled "I don't have to run, One day my prince will come"… AKA the old maiden's book. Whispered Theodore sarcastically.
His interruption surprised the Gryffindors who hadn't noticed they were being listened to. Embarrassed at first, the two boys turned to the Silver and Green.
-"So we're being eavesdropped on, eh?"
-"We aren't dropping no eaves!" grumbled Pansy. "Theo's the only one who can't hold his tongue here!"
Despite her (not-so) secret desire of seducing the Malfoy heir and her glue-pot attitude that year, Pansy was part of their group. Friends with Draco since their childhood, she had a tendency to stick too close to him during emotional moments, for being tactile in nature, which Draco did not like too much in her.
When they were kids, they were as thick as thieves. It was always great when their fathers met for business, they took over either the Malfoy or the Parkinson Manors and played real hide and seeks for hours on end. Improvising victory dances whenever they won, they'd created a secret sign language that gave them fits of laughter during formal dinners.
With the arrival of puberty, they'd slowly felt apart. Of course, they still got on well, but they spent less and less time in each others' company, shared less things, and stopped understanding one another. Their secret language got lost in time.
But one day, Pansy was feeling miserable. She'd been called a "huge whale" by a ravenclaw boy. She'd burst into the Common room in a flurry of tears when Draco had caught hold of her. After comforting her, he'd reminded her she could always count on him, had hugged her and kissed her forehead. That day marked the birth of an admiration for this protective figure.
At first, their relationship had improved with this renewed complicity, but soon Draco had seemed tired of being a shoulder for her to cry on. It should be said that these were hard times for her - the Dark Lord was trying to recruit her parents in the shadows, and they were more and more absent from home. And in the few times she'd seen them, they had been stricter than usual and only talked about her marks. She, for whom school wasn't necessarily the symbol of success, had found herself forced to work hard so as to not have to face her parents' reproaches.
The only way she'd found to get closer to Draco had been to agree with him in every way. Her mind wasn't strong enough for her to put on an act and seem cheerful - she was permanently in a bad mood, had fits of anger and said bad things to everyone, especially Gryffindors.
But Draco had had enough of this bundle of nerves weighing on his shoulders. He knew that avoiding her wouldn't help her, but he could bare her no more. So the only thing he did was accepting her in his circle of friends - after all, she got on well with Millicent, maybe the latter would help her get back on her feet.
But anyway, let us get back to our event during which many danced, sang, and had fun while others were plotting."
-"You'd think that, as a Gryffindor, lil' Granger would pluck up a bit more courage! It looks like she's about to throw up every time she sees Brown and Weasly together…" Millicent went on.
Dean smiled. "True, she does seem very discreet for the moment, but don't you believe it for a second! In the Gryffindor common room, things can get really hot. But eh, you can never tell what Love can make you do. Sometimes, loving someone hurts so much that you'd rather hide it from yourself, or try to forget it…"
Busy slurping up his drink through a straw, Theo looked up when he heard Dean's pained voice, just in time to see him glance at his room-mate. Embarrassed, the latter looked away, and an uncomfortable silence settled. The two girls, who hadn't followed the conversation's thread, looked surprised. Theo tried to turn their talk to where the ice was thicker.
-"Why don't we unite our forces?"
-"… But why would we do that?" asked a suspicious Seamus.
-"To burn all Irish and redheads ..." Theo whispered malignantly, raising a provoking eyebrow.
Pansy and Millicent burst out laughing at his answer. Seamus grumbled a bit, for form, and to avoid his haunting black eyes.
-"I know why, he said, you want to prank us Gryffindors again. What I wanted to know, was why even ask? You could just as well prepare on your own, unite forces with a Hufflepuff or two, and… BAM!"
-"Bam?! repeated Dean, raising his eyebrows, in a "Really?" sort of way.
-"Yes, Bam! What do you have against my Bam?"
-"But… But it's just ridiculous! Hey, back me up here, guys! We talked about this thousands of times, you don't look cool saying "Bam" or "LOL" or "Insert word of your choice here" all the time! People will start thinking you're a young ruffian!"
-"Don't worry, he needn't talk for that!" Said Pansy.
Smiles appeared on their faces.
-"And to answer your question, added Theo, It's much more fun uniting with Gryffindors! They always try to help their friends, with their stupid hero reflexes…"
-"Okay then, we'll unite with you, announced Seamus. But only to supervise you! For the first time in all of history, Gryffindors and Slytherins shall work hand in hand! It's gonna be AWESOME!"
-"Is he always so naive?" Millicent asked Dean, mockingly.
-"Unfortunately, yes!" sighed Dean while his best friend smiled broadly.
-"Perfect then! So, mixing the serpent's cunning to the lion's bravery, we'll put together "Hogwarts' greatest nitwits"!"
-"Before you start criticizing him, know that Theo is only quoting the Weasley twins." Pansy clarified after seeing their angry faces.
-"Ahhh, two great geniuses… D'you think you could arrange a date with them for me?" Millicent's voice was full of desire. Seamus and Dean looked at each other, and burst out laughing.
-"What? Are they taken?"
-"No! We could arrange one for you, but seeing Slytherins recognising the incredible talent of a Gryffindor is a rare sight!", Seamus laughed.
-"Yeah, yeah, mock me all you like, you "ruffian"!" Millicent pulled her tongue. And just like that, the five of them became friends.
AHHHHHHHH
In the wriggling crowd, Blaise was staring at Luna dancing as if she was alone on earth. Her every move was graceful and broad, filling up the space with her natural presence.
Music filled each of her pores, taking her away to other worlds… Her soul was communicating with those of her ancestors, she was flying through clouds and spirits. In complete communion with every being and the earth, she was feeling waves of joy coming from the surrounding students, and that filled her with happiness too.
And among these students, some of them were giving off something brighter than joy : intense well-being, feelings of total plenitude, and even some love from the couples that had come together in this beautiful night. In particular, two people were bathed in a crimson red aura, which could fill her mental happiness gauge on its own.
Glimpsing them in the corner of her eye, she smiled at their clumsiness.
Dancing, abandoning his body to the music gracefully, it was the first time Draco was letting himself go in public. Next to Potter, all appearances were thrown away, and he let his interior Draco express itself, the one that had provoked his first gesture towards Harry, before their first year, at Mme Malkin's. It was a Draco who liked Harry, who found him funny, talented, and brave.
Facing him, Harry wanted to laugh. To laugh out, as loud as he possibly could. To fill the Great Hall with his joy, to share it with everybody and everyone. Who'd have thought that one day, their antagonism would turn into compatibility? For naturally, their bodies like their souls had tamed each other and were communicating in an ancestral language : the one of the heart.
As the chorus burst out, our two friends surprised themselves by sharing these words.
I'm so excited
And I can't hide it
Harry blushed.
I'm about to lose control and I think
I like it, they finished together
Their laughing eyes met, and they closed in on each other, tacitly accepting the caress of body of the other.
Singing together, they accompanied the singer.
I'm so excited
And I just can't hide it
I know, I know, I know, I know
I want you
I want you !
Turning around each other, they were slowly creating a space, emptied of students but full of tension, in which they danced, swirling and moving freely to the music. The singer's voice accompanied them in their discovery of this shared magic.
As the second verse rushed about, the rate of their heartbeats was increasing rapidly.
We shouldn't think about tomorrow
Sweet memories will last a long, long time
Their spirits blossomed with their expectations..
We'll have a good time, baby
Don't you worry
Draco was ready to dive head-first into this never-seen opportunity..
And if we're still playing around
Boy that's just fine !
Their playful voices mingled with these promises.
Around them, students had started dancing again, but everyone was happy to behold this memorable moment. Our two heroes exchanged words, contacts and looks in which happiness' light shone bright
Let's get excited
We just can't hide it
No, no, no, no
I'm about to lose control and I think
I like it
Suddenly, Draco grabbed of Harry, his pallium flying around his body in his eagerness. His eyes dived into Harry's, and deep down in them he saw a serious answer. Now he'd matured, he intended to catch up with these six years, wasted on insults and incomprehension, in hate and hurt.
I'm so excited
And I just can't hide it
I know, I know, I know, I know
I want you
I want you !
The last sentence hadn't ended that he'd pressed his lips against those of his best enemy forever.
In both of their brains, the gesture blew away any other thought… Their minds obsessed with their sealed lips, their heat spreading through their paralysed bodies.
They stayed motionless that way for some time, before parting slowly. The world around them started again, resurrecting from the depths of their maddest hopes.
As the lyrics went on, they tried to catch their breath and to put an order to their thoughts.
Look what you do to me
You got me burning up
I'm about to lose control
And I think I like it
And as suddenly as it had happened, Harry grabbed Draco's hands and started dancing again. He was ready to forgive every one of his mistakes, and was intent on burying the war-axe once and for all if only he'd kiss him that way once more!
As for him, Draco was wondering why his body had reacted that way, but especially since when did Potter attract him that much? Since forever, surely…
Ready to discover this new page of their relationship, they danced together for a few songs, before rejoining their friends around the room's two noisiest tables.
THE END
SEE YOU LATER!
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OR REALLY?
As Hermione slipped through the Infirmary doors to visit Ron who'd already been there for a few hours, our united friends had assembled in a discreet corner of the wing.
-"But how could you expect me to be sure? One hair, guys! ONE hair! And the library wasn't really crowded either… The chances of failing weren't so high! It's bad luck, that's all…" Dean explained, with a lopsided grin.
As a good dorm-mate should, he hadn't missed the chance of making fun of Ron when the latter had gobbled up all of Harry's chocolates, sounding their plan's death knell.
Their plan, which had been the result of a long week's pondering, evenings meeting in the Room of Requirement, (with cakes and tea), had not gone on as planned.
To succeed in their quest, our associates had decided to give Ron a taste of his own medicine. Everybody had a role to play : Seamus had pick up one of Harry's hairs, Dean one of Hermione's, Theo and Millie had to make a love potion, and Pansy supervised them all.
When the potion had been finished, they'd sprinkled some on two boxes of Honeydukes' Chocolates and they then had laid the boxes on the two future lovers' beds, their aim being to create a false relationship between harry and Hermione, thus awakening Ron's jealousy and driving him to revealing his true feelings.
Unfortunately, as everybody knows, their plan had screwed up magnificently… The hair was in fact one of Romilda Vane's, and Hermione hadn't been so trusting as to not check her present first. Upon discovering the subterfuge, she'd thrown it straight in the bin. As for him, Harry never had the chance to taste the chocolates before Ron had gulped them all down.
-"I knew that you would ruin the plan." Pansy muttered.
-"You were happy visiting Zonko's though!"
-"But it was so EASY!" Groaned Millie, emphasizing her last word with a wild gesture of her arms. "How could you even screw up?"
-"Only one word : Gryffindors!" Theo laughed.
The aforesaid Gryffindors raised their eyes to the ceiling.
-"I've had enough of you, Theo", let out Seamus, wanting to sound annoyed. A promising wink was his only answer.
-"A-ny-way," said Dean, attempting to break the tension. "It's not that bad, is it?"
-"It is!" chorused the three Slytherins.
Pansy explained : "Lavender and Ron are going to get closer and closer and we'll have to find a new genius plan…"
Her sentence was cut off by Lavender bursting out of the Infirmary, slamming its doors, and fulminating, crossing them without even seeing them . The noise of her crying followed her down the corridor, ending their argument.
-"Or not!" Pansy concluded .
THE REAL END!
1 : HAHAHARRY POTTER !
2 : mouahahaha I (almost) forgot an "o"!
3 : "VOLDEMORT!" "SHHHHHH!" "Sorryyyy"
4 : sorry Percy, personally I lurrrrrve Athena ! - original note