The Race:

"Dean!" hissed Seamus' voice.

Dean blinked. He didn't know what time it was, but he knew it was too early for breakfast and therefore too early to put up with any of Seamus' antics. He rolled over and put his pillow over his head. with any luck, it would drown out most of Seamus' noise.

This didn't stop Seamus. "You've got a girl to ask to the ball," said Seamus in a high-pitched undertone. "Come on. I don't want to wake up Ron. If he finds out we're trying to steal his date he'll attempt to jinx us. Rather messy and wholly unnecessary if we go now!"

Dean sighed. Seamus had a point. This was a race to Ravenclaw tower. And if he didn't beat Parvati, he would end up at the Yule Ball alone. The only Gryffindor forth-year to do so. Even Neville had someone. "Fine, fine." He stumbled out of bed and started making his way to the door.

"I think you're missing something," Seamus whispered, chocking back a snort of laughter.

Dean looked down, noticing that he was still in his pajamas. "Oh. Yeah. Right."

He quickly got dressed, taking time to make sure that he didn't put his robes on backwards and that he didn't have mismatching socks or shoes.

Double checking that Ron was still snoring, Dean and Seamus crept out of the room and down the set of stairs that led to the mercifully empty Gryffindor Common room.

Seamus checked his watch. "I don't think Parvati's left yet. I think we're the first ones up. Are you ready?" he asked. .

Dean tried to smile, but his face merely looked contorted with pain.

Seamus sighed. "It's nothing to get yourself into a twist over. Just go up to her and say, 'I heard your sister is planning on making you go with Ron Weasley. Go with me before she asks you. I'm doing you a favor.'"

"You really think she would rather go with me?" Dean asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I do," said Seamus. "You and Padma are friends. I mean, has Ron ever even talked to her before? All you have to do is just wait outside the Ravenclaw common room door, and then ask her." Seamus gave Dean a shove. "Just go... I'll stay here and distract Parvati if need be." He seized a book that someone had forgotten last night from a nearby table. "I'll tell her that I need help with my homework."

Dean threw a glance at the book, fighting a smile. "Neither you nor Parvati takes Muggle studies. But thank you." He pushed up on the Fat Lady's portrait and hopped down into the corridor.

Dean tried not to run his way up the staircase that led to the Ravenclaw common room, his spirits soaring despite himself. There's no reason she'll say no... Even if we just go as friends…

Dean stopped dead in his tracks; he looked up and saw Parvati and Lavender arm-in-arm, descending the staircase, only a couple of yards above him. And Parvati's other arm was linked through Padma's.

"Dean?" asked Parvati. "What are you doing here? Still get lost on the way to the Great Hall?" There was no taunt in her words. Her smile was friendly.

"I wanted to find… Michael Corner. I had a question about yesterday's Charm's homework," he invented wildly.

""Oh. Why didn't you ask Hermione? I'm sure she knows more about it than Michael. And while you're at it, would you mind asking her who she's going with to the ball? I'm dying to know." Parvati turned to her sister. "So, speaking of the ball… Padma, you didn't answer me earlier. You don't mind going with Ron, do you?"

She fidgeted. "I guess it's all right. I mean, it's not like anyone else has asked me."

Was Dean imagining it, or did Padma glance at him?

"...And Ron's nice enough, I suppose." Padma sounded a little uncertain.

"Had your eye on one of those boys from Durmstrang, huh?" asked Lavender. "Just like your sister. I can't blame you, there. But I like Seamus well enough. Lord knows no other girl would go with him."

Definitely imagined it, Dean thought.

"Ron's great," Parvati said brightly as she elbowed Lavender to make her shut up. "He's really funny sometimes. We'll have an amazing time."

Dean was still standing on the staircase, still as a statue. Rather than asking him to move or breaking ranks, the three girls turned sideways and walked down the staircase single file. Padma, who was last, waved to Dean with her free hand.

He waved back, forcing a smile and feeling a strong urge to kick himself.