Harry Potter and the Autumn Swan
by Lord Akiyama
a Harry Potter fan fiction story
Chapter Three
"While I never been the sort for such things, meself," Professor Pomona Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff, began, "this recent display of house pride has been quite a show." Spout gave a hearty laugh before drinking her cup of tea. Despite how formal the Yule Ball was, her dress robes were still rather shabby and dumpy. Though not dirty as she would normally be, it was still a bother to any one who cared.
"It's been quite impressive indeed, Pomona," Professor Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor, said with a light giggle of her own. "Hearing the children cheering on their housemates with such excitement, kinda makes me feel young again." The two elder women laughed together at the nice thought before turning their attention to their fellow professor. "I'm quite sure this has been especially exhilarating for you Filius. Three of the four champions' partners being from Ravenclaw. I guess you really are a professor of Charms." McGonagall and Sprout laughed gently.
Professor Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw, smiled. Though he'd been rather shy about the sudden display of house spirit from his students, he was quite humble with just how passionate they were. "I must say that it does leave a tingling feeling within," he managed to say in his squeaky tone with a chuckle. "Makes me feel proud to have such children in my house."
"Oh, good-y," came the familiar groaning sarcasm of Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin. Snape slouched in his chair while somewhat resting his head on his left hand, his fingers rubbing his temple. "Next thing you'll know, they'll start proclaiming Flitwick as the grandest Hogwarts professor of all and next in line to succeed Dumbledore as Headmaster. How ecstatic."
The four academic heads of the Hogwarts houses sat at their own table, separate from the other professors and closer to the top table.. All four showed some display of house colors, though Snape was clearly masking his too well. When the champions and their companions were coming out, they were quite taken aback by the display of house pride being shown. Flitwick was beginning to blush a little by the time Harry and Cho appeared as the Ravenclaw students were getting more passionate and excited at seeing a third student of their house accompanying a champion. McGonagall and Sprout clapped along with the other professors while Snape just rolled his eyes.
"Come now, Snape," Sprout said in an almost pleading manner. "Don't dampen the merriment and joyous fun we're having. Why, it's Christmas! There's nothing wrong in a little celebration."
"Forgive me for not being in such a celebratory mood," Snape retorted. "My blood pressure is far too low for me to be prancing about with glee." In reality, Snape was just down right bored out of his skull.
"Don't mind him," McGonagall said, her smile turning into a wicked grin of her own. "He's just jealous that none of his Slytherin boys or girls are at the top table to show off their house spirit. After all, he has none of his own." McGonagall and Sprout laughed about together while Flitwick felt good enough to chuckle along. Snape just leered at all three of them.
Harry wasn't trying to avoid her on purpose. Cho knew that. He was just nervous. While the Yule Ball was a traditional event associated with the Triwizard Tournament, it was still a fancy date. Just a very public one. He was nervous enough just asking her to go out with him and now he had to be seen with her by nearly everyone in the school. She watched as he would listen to some of the conversations from the other champions around the table. When his green eyes met her, he blushed a shade of pink and smiled shyly. He would stare at her for a good moment before taking a quick wolf of his sirloin before turning away to hear Fleur belittle Hogwarts in comparison to Beauxbaton. She gave a light giggle as she watched him before taking another bite of her pork chop.
"What's he doing?" Marietta asked Cho, noticing Harry's behavior. "Why aren't you guys even talking?"
"He's just shy," Cho replied with a soft giggle. "You should have seen him when he asked me to the ball."
"You know, I'm actually surprised he asked you," Marietta noted, almost as though she was ignoring what her friend just said. Cho knew what was coming. "In all honesty, I thought he was going to ask Hermione."
The Rita Skeeter column in the Daily Prophet. Her profiling of the four champions before they engaged in the first task. Cho read it purely out of curiosity as she remembered those few times Harry would react when they noticed one another. She found the paragraph about how Hermione was the love of Harry's life interesting. It made her wonder why Harry acted the way he did when he saw her if he was supposedly with Hermione. The column also explained his short outburst when she returned his quill the day it was published. She still found image of him turn white in sheer horror of having yelled at her with his cheeks flushing red rather cute.
"How about asking him about it?" Marietta asked.
"Marietta!" Cho whispered. "I'm not going to ask him that!"
"Why not?" Marietta pushed. "For all we know, you're just a replacement for tonight."
Cho bit her bottom lip in frustration. She was not happy with the way Marietta was acting. Believing that Harry was not being genuine with his affections toward Cho. Yet she did admit that she was still curious about the whole deal. Even though she understood Harry and Hermione had a friendship dating back to their first year in school, she wondered whether there were any romantic feelings. Sure he didn't blush when he saw Hermione appear the way she did tonight. But who is to say his feelings were any different within.
Cho slowly turned away from her friend and look over at Harry. He was beginning to sweat a little and was staring at his empty plate as if he was expecting something horrible to suddenly appear. "You alright, Harry?" she asked, raising a brow curiously.
Harry turned to her quite suddenly. He appeared white with terror while his cheeks blushed crimson red. He swallowed and took a deep breath. "I..." he tried to say in a whisper. Even with how quiet he was, his voice sounded off key. "I never danced before!"
Cho wanted to laugh. She instead settled for a gentle giggle. This was Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. Gryffindor Seeker. Triwizard Champion. Who a month ago went face to face with a full grown Hungarian Horntail. Yet all of that made little difference. Very shortly, he had to dance with her in public. Here he was scared to death of having to dance for the first time. With the girl he was obvious was attracted to. In front of practically everyone in the school. He might as well have had a second go with the dragon.
"I only practiced once when Professor McGonagall announced the Yule Ball," Harry added. He was obviously in a state of panic and looked as though he would faint any minute now. She had to calm him down and fast.
"How much do you remember?" Cho asked. Asking that question wasn't exactly helpful, but she needed to know what he knew in order to put something together.
"I think I kinda know the steps maybe," Harry replied. "But I don't know the order." He nervously watched as everyone in the Great Hall was finishing their dinner. The mandatory dance of the champions and their partners was getting closer and closer.
"Shhh..." Cho soothed as she placed a hand upon his.
She watched as he reacted immediately to the feel of her touch, this time her skin making contact with his. His blush was as deep as a blush could possibly be as he looked at her with a mixture of shock, shyness, embarrassment, nervousness, and surprise. His green eyes open as wide as could be. His attention placed directly upon her and nothing else. More importantly, he was calming down.
"Don't worry," Cho whispered, almost breathlessly. "I'll help you with the order."
Harry wanted to say something in response, but then he heard Dumbledore ask for all the students to stand. After doing so, he watched as the Hogwarts Headmaster cleared the floor. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore made the tables zoom back along the walls. Along the right wall, a raised platform was conjured into existence. Harry watched as musical instruments began to appear and the students were enthusiastically applauding the arrival of the night's music band, the Weird Sisters.
"Lead the way," Cho lightly giggled, focusing his attention away from the band preparing to play.
Harry took a quick look at his companion, blushed a shade of pink, and then led her nervously to the brightly lit dance floor. First. He was doing all he could to avoid catching anyone's eye, though he managed to spot Gryffindor housemates Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas waving and sniggering at him. Finding a spot on the floor to dance upon, Harry then turned to Cho who gave him a nod. He swallowed and took a deep breath, gently taking one hand in hers. He then slowly placed the other, even more gently and rather nervously, upon her waist. Doing this deepened the shade of blush on his cheek before he looked up at his companion. He watched as Cho placed her free hand upon her shoulder before looking up to him with a smile. He was beginning to breath heavily.
"Alright, Harry," Cho said quietly. "The first thing I want you to do is keep your eyes on mine. Don't ever look away from my eyes until the song is finished, okay?"
She could feel his increased nervousness of being told not to look away from her eyes. To not look away from any part of her. He slowly began to nod. The Weird Sisters began to play a slow, mournful tune that caused Harry to panic. Yet he did as he was told and kept his green eyes locked on her eyes before swallowing again.
"Now, close your eye lids," Cho continued. "Don't move your eyes, just close the eye lids. Try to keep them still." She watched as Harry slowly did as he was told. "Listen to the music. Listen to the rhythm. Let it flow into you."
She felt him relax as the music began to play. She paid no attention to the other champions and their partners making their way to the floor and concentrated on Harry. She could sense his following her words and letting his senses go to the rhythm and the beat of the Weird Sisters playing. She smiled and gently tightened her hand that was in his.
"Open your eyes," Cho said.
Harry did as he was told. Feeling himself become one with the music made him see things different. He kept his eyes directly fixed upon Cho's, but he had a feeling that all he could see was her. Everything else around them had no resemblance to the Great Hall or was occupied by any other body. It was just Harry and Cho.
"Ready?" Cho asked breathlessly.
Harry nodded.
They were not the best dancing couple by any stretch of the imagination. When the champions and their companions were no longer the center of attention and all the other couples stepped onto the floor, there were many that were much better. Instead, Harry and Cho were perfectly content with their dance. A gentle smile formed upon his face. His nervousness gone and the fear of embarrassment shattered, he just concentrated on looking in her eyes and moving with the flow of the music. Not even the distraction of others speaking to him could break his focus.
"Nice socks, Potter," chuckled the familiar voice of Alastor Moody, the year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, as he passed. He was dancing with Aurora Sinistra, Astronomy professor, who was nervously avoiding his wooden leg.
"Thanks," Potter responded, his green eyes and attention locked permanently upon Cho and her eyes.
Cho decided he was comfortable enough to converse while dancing. "Nice socks?" she giggled once Professor Moody clunked away. "I remember you saying you weren't going to wear anything too fancy tonight."
Harry chuckled with a grin. He was feeling comfortable. "Dobby the house-elf knitted them for me," he said. "Christmas present."
"A Christmas present from a house-elf?" Cho asked in a teasing manner. "My, you really are a celebrity for even house-elves to give you presents."
"It's a long story," Harry said. "He tried to help me in my second year and I repaid him by giving him something he wanted. We've become good friends since."
"I see," Cho said, giving him an understanding nod.
They continued with their dance until the final, quavering note from the bagpipe sounded.
Well, this would have been updated a lot sooner. But then took a long time getting their updates all set up. Gave me lots of time to actually write some additional chapters to the story. I'm in such a "Harry Potter" mood right now, it's not funny. Well, actually it is, but I don't think it should be right to laugh. Keep on reading and reviewing, folks. And new readers are always appreciated. Back in a few with the next chapter.
Harry Potter and all the characters, locations, and world created and copyright © JK Rowling. This story was created out of pure fun and enjoyment, so please don't sue or place an Imperius Curse on me.