A/n: Another chapter of Predicting Love! Thanks for the reviews, you guys! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! There's snow outside and I want to play in it, but...writing is so much fun...oh well. I'll just write! *smiles* Time to cuddle up in a blanket, type, and listen to some Nox Arcana on Pandora radio!
Oh, and btw, as I stated in the first chapter, I'm ignoring anything "canon." Mostly the "canon" pairings, but I'm also ignoring the fact that Sirius dies. So in case you've wondered while reading.
Disclaimer: *sigh* HP doesn't belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling. But I own Harry Potter in my mind and you can't sue for that! Haha! Oh, and I do own the storyline here. And I own Mikhail.
A few weeks went by and it was a few days before Halloween. Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall, dining on their food. Over the past few weeks, Hermione had noticed Harry's strange behaviour whenever she was near him outside of the Great Hall. When she would say 'Hello,' Harry blushed, nodded in reply, then scurried off to find Ron or scurried off just to get away from her. Ron would always play dumb at Hermione's questions or ignore them completely. Frankly, she was sick of it. She wanted straight answers. She shook her head, ignoring the feelings. She didn't like being ignored. Ron was no problem, since Ron usually ignored her or Harry whenever he had one of his Weasley hissy-fits that he would get over pretty quickly; but Harry? Being ignored by him made Hermione feel...depressed, actually. She told herself not to think too much into it. Once everyone finished their meals, Dumbledore stood up, his eyes twinkling as usual. He put his hands together and smiled at everyone.
"We all know Halloween is a few mere days away. It has been suggested and accepted that we do a new custom this year for the holiday," he started, smiling even more. "So some of the students have come up with the idea of having a Halloween Ball this year."
Cheers (and some groans) erupted throughout the Hall, even though it was mostly from girls. Dumbledore continued on, "I realize you are all excited. Just remember, this Ball is quite a privilege to have. You all have worked very hard this year so far, so this will be just the thing to relieve your stress. You all are welcomed to be accompanied by a date." He smiled and girls were squealing even more and some guys were smiling, hoping to get lucky. "The Ball will be this Halloween, starting roughly at 7:30! There will be an area staged outside for this very event, and we all hope it will be to your liking!"
With that, Dumbledore clapped his hands together and sat back down. Every student was buzzing as they exited the Great Hall to their Common Rooms.
"Can you believe it, you two?" Hermione beamed at Harry and Ron. "A ball for Halloween! This will be exciting!"
Ron groaned. "It'll be just like the Yule Ball, but also not. A ball is a ball." He shrugged. Hermione frowned at him disapprovingly, obviously still upset from the events of the first Yule Ball, when she attended with Krum. Even though Ron admitted he wasn't jealous of Krum because he liked Hermione himself and that he was jealous because of all people, she got asked, Hermione was still mad about all of the fighting from that night.
"Who are you going to ask?" Hermione asked the both of them.
"Well, it's still early..." Ron started. Hermione's glare scolded him and he held up his hands in defense. "I'm not waiting until last minute this time! I'm just trying to think right now!" Hermione seemed satisfied and turned to Harry who simply blushed and shrugged, not looking at her.
"Maybe I'll go with Cho," he replied nonchalantly.
The Trio went to the portrait of the Fat Lady and gave the password ("Lemony-tails" ), and went inside to relax a bit in the Common Room beside the fire. Harry thought for a while. He thought about the Ball, about Sirius, and most of all, Divination. He groaned, shaking his head. Ron looked at his friend.
"What's wrong, Harry?" he asked. Harry just offered a half-smile, knowing Ron probably had a clue. But he didn't, as usual. He stood up.
"I think I'm going to go write to Sirius," he told Ron and Hermione before heading to the Boy's dorms. Hermione frowned and followed him before he got there. Placing a hand gently on his shoulder, she turned him. She looked concerned.
"Harry," she said, "what's wrong? You really seem different since the first day back. Well, you seem different towards me...Harry, if there's anything at all wrong or on your mind, you can tell me. We're friends, you know that. You can talk to me about anything."
Harry hesitated for a moment then shook his head. "No, Hermione. It's too complicated to talk about. I'm sorry." He took her hand off of him gently and went up to the dorms. He took out his quill and some parchment and began writing.
Sirius,
I'm sorry I haven't replied to you for a while, but I've just been having a lot going on in my mind. Here at Hogwarts, we're having the first ever Halloween Ball. That's not what's clogging my thoughts. You see, on my first day back in Divination class, Professor Trelawney started the year with the lesson of "finding your soulmate" through the "magic" of the Ball of Eros. Well, I was Trelawney's guinea pig (go figure, right?), and the Ball of Eros had shown me that my soulmate was, well, my best friend Hermione. I'm still stunned over that and I'm not sure what to do or think. Was that Ball of Eros thing a cheap toy? Was it an old gag? Was it broken? Was it fake? I mean, I've never once thought about Hermione in that way. Well, I admit, I have every now and then, but briefly. And I want a date for the Ball, but I don't know if I want to ask Hermione. I think what I'll do is I'll ask Cho Chang. If I don't like it, well then, I'll know I screwed up by not asking Hermione. Or...I don't know. I'm just so confused.
Say hello to Buckbeak for me.
Harry
Harry put the letter under his pillow, seeing as how he was too tired to go up to the owlery right now, and closed his eyes.
The next morning, Harry rushed to the Owlery and got Hedwig. He stroked her beak gently and she gently nipped his finger in return. He tied his letter to Sirius to her leg and told her where to go. Hedwig hooted in reply and took off. Harry was late for breakfast, so he figured he should go on ahead to Divination. Once inside of the class, he took his seat, thankful that Trelwaney hadn't shown up yet. He laid his head on his desk for a few minutes until he heard someone come in and then poke him gently. He looked up and saw Ron looking sheepish. Harry smiled a little.
"Ron, I hope you're not asking me to the Halloween Ball," he joked. Ron rolled his eyes and grinned, then feigned sadness.
"Oh, Harry!" he said in the most feminine voice he could, clutching onto the area of his chest where his heart was. "You've gone and broken my bloody heart! My dreams are crushed!" He faked crying, then Harry laughed, hitting him lightly. "Shut up, Ron."
Ron laughed and sat in his usual spot next to Harry. "Have you asked anyone yet?" he asked Harry who just shook his head. Ron nodded. "Ah."
"Have you?" Harry asked. Ron turned even more pink.
"I'm thinking of asking her today," he replied. Harry smiled and nodded.
Pretty soon, the class piled in and took their seats. Trelawney came in last, smiling. She told the class their lesson for today. "You will be palm reading," she told them all. Then she explained how it worked, then ordered everyone to start working.
Ron took Harry's hand and groaned. He tried doing it correctly, the palm reading, but he just couldn't. "Remind me again why we've taken this class again." Harry laughed and shrugged. He saw Trelawney coming by. "Make something up, she's coming," Harry whispered and Ron nodded. "Oh, Harry!" he said in his high-pitched voice again. "You are going to be quite a womanizer in the future!" he squealed, waving around Harry's hand dramatically. Trelawney frowned, nodded in approvement, then went on over to another group. Harry took Ron's hand now and just made things up as he went. "Well, you're going to be rich and your family will buy a beach house in Muggle Malibu!" he said, grinning.
When they had finished, Ron looked around and saw Ginny's group was finished as well. Ginny and Luna were talking about the Ball and what kind of outfit they'd wear. Ron blushed and looked at Harry. "I err, will be right back," he said quickly, leaving to go to his sister's table.
The girls stopped talking and looked at Ron.
"Hey Ron," Ginny smiled.
"Hello, Ronald," Luna said, grinning. "What brings you over to our table? Besides your feet of course."
Ron gulped slightly and blushed more. "Err, umm...Luna Lovegood?"
Luna blinked.
Ron bowed valiantly and blushed even more (How was that possible? Harry was stumped at how that could happen). "Miss Luna Lovegood, would you go with me, Sir Ronald Weasley, to the Halloween Ball?"
Luna stared at Ron then smiled. "Of course, Ronald! I would be delighted to!" Ron stood.
"Great!" he exclaimed. He hugged Luna, who looked very slightly flustered at the gesture. Then he let go and dashed back over to Harry. "I've got a date!" he exclaimed, grinning widely. Harry laughed.
"I know, I saw. I think I'll ask Cho during lunch."
After class, everyone headed to their next class. Ginny smiled at Luna. "It must be destiny, Luna!" she exclaimed. Luna smiled and nodded. They went on the way to their next class. At the same time, Blaise and Draco were walking the opposite way of the girls.
"I know you hate her, mate, but aren't you still surprised Pansy turned you down just because some rich seventh year Hufflepuff bought her expensive things and was nice to her?" Blaise asked Draco as they walked.
Draco shrugged. "I don't care in the slightest. Blaise, Pansy will get with anyone who gives her luxuries. I'm pretty sure if the Dark Lord bought Pansy the entire world and jewelry and stuff, she would latch onto him in a split second." Blaise shuddered at the thought. Without realizing it, he and Draco bumped into two girls. Each person fell slightly backwards and were stunned. Draco groaned. "Watch where you girls are-" he stopped when he noticed the red hair. He smirked when he realized it was the little Weasley girl. He stood up and kept smirking. Blaise frowned and helped himself and Luna up. "Sorry," he mumbled to Luna and Ginny.
"Well if it isn't Loony and Weaslette!" Draco drawled, crossing his arms, his smirk never once leaving his face. Ginny turned slightly pink and frowned slightly.
"Sod off, Malfoy," she said, turning even more pink and running down the hall to her next class. Luna shrugged and followed her. Draco rolled his eyes and he and Blaise kept walking.
"You know, mate," Blaise commented, "I don't think that Weasley girl has ever flushed like that in front of anyone but Potter." Draco stopped in his tracks.
"What are you saying...?" he asked slowly.
"I'm just saying. She used to have that look for Potter all the time. Her legendary crush on him. Then she got over her crush and she hasn't looked at any guy the same way. Well, any guy but you."
"So you're saying...?"
"Am I not being clear enough, Draco?" Blaise replied, irritated. "I'm saying that she's giving you the same lovestruck gaze she used to give Potter. I always noticed it whenever we were in the Great Hall eating. You wouldn't know because your back was to her, but I've noticed it, mate. And besides, now you have a shot at her like you used to talk so much about..."
Draco frowned slightly. "Me? Interested in a Weasley? Have you gone nuts, Blaise?!"
"It's true and you know it," Blaise said simply, before turning into his class and leaving Draco alone to grumble and blush to himself.
After lunch, Harry held his breath and went over to Cho's table. She was talking with several Ravenclaw girls in her year and laughing with them. She looked up when she noticed Harry. She smiled at him. "Hey, Harry."
"Hey, Cho. I'm just wondering if you'd go to the Halloween Ball with me?" he asked sheepishly. Cho frowned.
"Oh, I'm sorry Harry," she said apologetically. "But I'm going with Neville."
Harry's face fell slightly. "Oh, okay. Well, I'm sorry to have bothered you." He turned and went back to Gryffindor's table. He supposed he was going to go without a date. He was certainly not taking Parvati again. Parvati didn't seem right to him. He looked at Hermione who was grinning.
"Hey, Hermione. Did you get asked by anyone?" he asked.
"Yes, Harry, I have!" she said excitedly. "I was asked by Mikhail Reznikov, that seventh year Hufflepuff!" She was grinning ear to ear and began chatting excitedly about him for the rest of lunch. But Harry wasn't listening. He was slightly jealous and didn't feel like eating anymore. He excused himself and went back to the Common Room for the remainder of lunch until his next class.
A/n: Why yes! Mikhail asked out BOTH Hermione and Pansy! *starts singing "Womanizer" by Britney Spears* Poor Harry can't get a break! :'D Unless he asks a first year, which would be AWWWKWARDDDD. Press "Review". You know you want to!
