Chapter 3: The Yule Ball
Hugo was glad that the Second Task would not be until February. But, there was one challenge between that and the present that felt more complicated than any Task…
Hugo had been petrified when the Yule Ball had been announced for Christmas night. Even worse, being a Champion, Hugo had to find a date and attend. Even worse than that, the parents of the students had been invited. Most of the students groaned and vowed to keep this news from them.
"I'm not telling my parents, man," Grover vowed to his friend. "Dad will just get drunk and be rowdy."
Hugo vowed he would keep the parental invite to himself as well…but that proved easier said than done, when he let it slip to the wrong person one night via a Floo call.
"I'm trying to open the pouch, Uncle Harry! But nothing's worked. And anyway, that's the least of my problems. In about a month, I have to find a date, learn to dance, and try to not have my friends' parents embarrass me at the ball…" He stopped short, realizing what he had said, but Harry picked up on it.
"The parents are invited?" Hugo nodded slowly.
"I wasn't going to say anything to Mum and Dad; I didn't want them to embarrass me…"
"They're not going to embarrass you, Hugo. I think you'd better tell them about the invite when you come home for Thanksgiving."
"But, Uncle Harry-"
"Hugo. Trust me on this one. It would mean a lot to them if you said something. It'd make their day, in fact, and probably more. You'll understand soon enough." His uncle then disappeared in green flame, leaving Hugo to ponder.
At Thanksgiving dinner, Hugo called for attention and announced to the family, "The Yule Ball is coming up…and parents are invited." He looked to his mum and dad, who actually looked stunned. Then, Ron stood, faced his wife and held out his hand.
"Hermione, would you do me the honor of being my date for the Yule Ball?" A pause, and then Hugo realized his mother was actually crying.
"Yes. I'd be honored!" The entire family clapped and cheered. Ron started crying as well, even with the almost insane grin now on his face. He bowed flamboyantly.
"May I have this dance?"
Hermione giggled through her tears before standing and giving a small curtsey. "Why, of course you may!" Laughing now, Hugo's parents began to waltz lively around the room.
Hugo glanced around the room, speechless. What in the name of Merlin was going on? He looked to Harry for an answer, but his uncle merely smiled.
"Ron, Hermione," Harry called to his best friends. "I think we owe someone an explanation."
"Yeah, such as…why the bloody hell are you guys crying? It's only a Ball!" Hugo asked.
"It's more than a Ball to us, darling," Hermione explained sweetly. "It's a second chance to right some old wrongs."
"What old wrongs?"
"When your Uncle Harry and Aunt Fleur were competing," Ron explained. "I wanted to ask your mum to the Ball…."
"…and he did ask me, but very clumsily," Hermione continued, looking to her husband with a gleam in her eye. "He had just, to use his words, 'noticed that I was a girl.' But, he figured I would go with him as a last resort. Needless to say, I was a little insulted, but it was too late anyway. Someone else had already asked me, and I had accepted."
"Who?" Hugo wanted to know.
"Viktor Krum."
"Alek's dad?! You're kidding!"
"Unfortunately, she's not," Ron almost growled. "I was jealous of 'Vicky' as I called him and morose the whole night, and your mom and I eventually had a row about the whole sordid affair at the end of the Ball, one of our worst fights ever. I have regretted my actions ever since." He kissed the top of his wife's forehead, and she beamed up at him.
"I love you," she sighed.
"I love you," he echoed, holding her close and kissing her on the lips soundly.
Hugo now smiled. He was glad his parents could put what was obviously a big life regret behind them. He turned back to Harry.
"You were right for me to tell them."
"Yes," his uncle smiled. "And it was a lot nicer coming from you."
Unfortunately, it was now Hugo's turn to find a date for the Ball. Thinking back to his parents' story, he finally worked up the courage to ask his best mate, Sarah Finnegan. The chance came one morning at breakfast, after Grover had already left for class.
"Um…Sarah?"
"Yes?"
"Well…you and I have been mates for a long time…and well, I was wondering, if perhaps, you'd want to go to the Ball with me?"
Sarah smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"Is that your way of asking me out, Ginger-itis?" using her pet name for him.
Hugo tried to shrug it off, then nodded. Sarah laughed.
"Alright, Weasley. Pick me up at 7:45." She left, and Hugo sank back in his chair, relieved.
The night of the Ball finally arrived. Hugo had been given the dress robes his father had worn to his Yule Ball. They were hand-me-downs, originally belonging to some great-great-aunt. Tessie, he thought her name was.
When Sarah came down in a strapless purple number, Hugo's heart almost stopped. In that moment, he realized he was in love with his best friend - a prospect that he would have to confront sooner than later. Looks like my mum and dad's history is kind of repeating itself, he thought.
Down in the Entrance Hall, Hugo saw Grover with his date, along with most of his family. Harry and Ginny had come. Ron was standing by himself, looking a little nervous.
"Where's Mum?" Hugo asked.
"She'll be down soon," his dad replied, a little nervously.
Hugo saw Scorpius and his sister, Rose, together a distance away. Meanwhile, he heard Sarah say, "She's beautiful!"
"Yeah, she is," Hugo murmured, thinking Sarah was referring to Rose. But his date was looking at something behind her; indeed, Ron now looked like he might faint at any moment. Hugo turned.
There, in a flowing pink dress, stood his mother. Hermione looked radiant, with a big smile on her face, her eyes only for Ron. Everyone in the hall noticed her, in fact; Hugo was enraged to hear some of his classmates whispering to themselves about how they thought Mrs. Weasley was hot. He'd hex their bollocks off later, no question.
Even his inappropriate peers, though, could not dampen the happiness Hugo now felt as he watched his parents approach each other, as if in a dream. Ron took Hermione's hand and kissed it reverently. She blushed. The couple then noticed Harry watching with happiness and pride, Ginny wiping away tears, and there was someone else…Viktor Krum surveyed the scene. When he met Ron's eye, the former Quidditch player actually gave his former rival a thumbs-up. Ron actually smiled and nodded friendly back; Hermione was beaming and looked like she was going to cry now, too. Indeed, Viktor then strode over and started conversing with the pair. All Hugo could make out was, "You've done good, Veasley. You both vere meant for each other. I'm proud of you…"
Ron now looked like he was going to faint all over again at the compliment, but before he could do anything, the procession inside started. Then, the Champions led off the first dance, Hugo nervously guiding Sarah around the floor.
The night was a magical one. Hugo was stunned when Sarah actually leaned into him on a slow song. When he glanced about him, he saw his parents off to one side. They were lost in the own world, swaying softly to the music and kissing tenderly.
Hugo smiled sadly. He felt so happy for for his mum and dad. The fact that he was also with the person he (albeit secretly) loved only made his heart glow more.
