Disclaimer: Lalala...I don't own Harry Potter.
Hidden Pasts:
Welcome Back Dance
The students passed quickly into their second week of school. Life was becoming normal. All the students were settling into their lives. The first years were getting over their nerves, the excitement, and uncertainty. All the older students were once again gaining the normal, routine life of Hogwarts. One night before falling asleep, Hermione and Serenity were talking about the newest announcement to flood the school. There was to be a welcome back dance in two weeks. They were talking about who they hoped would ask them.
"Well, I think, it'd be awesome to go with Ron and Harry." Serenity told Hermione.
"Yeah, that would be. Harry; however, will be asking Ginny." Hermione replied with a little laugh.
"Oh. Are they together?" Serenity asked quickly, sitting up slightly.
"No, and yes. They were last year, for the last part of it. Harry, being the stupid-noble-git that he is 'broke things off till after the war to protect her.' as he puts it."
"Well that is sweet, in a way. Surprised Ginny just let it happen."
"You have not yet had the privilege to witness Harry's stubbornness." Hermione said with a knowing shake of her head.
"Oh, okay. Well back on topic, who are you hoping will ask you?" Serenity asked, lying back down on her bed.
"Well, I was actually hoping Ron would ask me. Last time he was so upset the whole night about me being with Viktor. It practically ruined the whole evening!" Hermione said with a higher pitched voice then she meant to.
Serenity raised an eyebrow but didn't push for further information. Instead simply said, "This will be an interesting week." Both girls gave a small giggle in response before going to sleep. Neither had an idea how true Serenity's words would be.
Through the classes and meals that followed, boys at all times appeared nervous. The girls walked around in groups, giggling every time they passed a group of guys. Serenity was standing with Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati. A group of 3rd year girls walked by, all laughing amongst themselves. A pretty blonde kept throwing looks back behind them. Ron and Harry appeared around the corner a few moments later. Harry looked frustrated while Ron looked amused. Serenity followed Hermione over to their friends. Ron answered Hermione's question without it even being asked.
"They won't leave Harry alone! I swear now that they all know he's not a crack pot, they want him! Everywhere we go it's 'Hope to get a dance with you at the dance!' Or the girls just follow us around and whisper amongst themselves. They keep batting their eyelashes at him." At this point Ron felt the need to resemble a girl and bat his eyelashes at Harry. "Oh Harry! Won't you take me to the dance! Pleeeease!"
"Knock it off mate! They're like vultures I tell you! Mad girls." Harry said in response. His voice reflected his agitation.
"If it was me, hell, I'd be down right ecstatic."
"Or so you say. Just let me know when you want to change places for a day. I'll be more than willing! Oh no-" Harry disappeared behind the suit of armor that was standing a couple feet away.
Three fifth year girls come down the corridor. They slowed down when they saw Hermione and Ron. Hope was etched across their faces. Once the realization that Harry was not among them, their faces noticeably fell.
"Can we help you?" Ron asked politely. All three girls jumped at the sound of his voice. All three looked at every place besides the people they were stopped in front of. One girl finally looked at Ron and said sheepishly,
"We...we...wewerejustwonderingifyouknewwhereHarrywas?" She let out in a rush that made all the words run into one long one. Her face instantly turned the shade of a ripe tomato. She once again took to looking at the painting on the wall, the ceiling, the ground, anywhere else. The three seventh years all looked at them with amusement. Hermione was the first to respond to them
"No idea, sorry." She couldn't help the smile from creeping across her lips.
"Oh, okay. Thanks anyways..." The girl on the right said quietly. The three of them then sped off in the direction they came from.
"Coast is clear mate!" Ron said to Harry. He crept out from behind the suit of armor.
"I'm going to my room where no girls can corner me!" Harry told his friends.
"You can't hide in there forever. Just ask someone. That'll stop this. Well, most of it anyways." Serenity said wisely.
"Really?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Of course. No girl will waste her time on a taken guy. They'll be off trying to find someone who's free." Serenity answered. Both she and Hermione gave him a look that told him it was common sense. Ron on the other hand was looking amazed.
"You wouldn't happen to know where Ginny is, would you?" He asked the two girls still staring at him in confused amazement.
"She's in class." Hermione said off-handedly.
"Okay. Well, I'm still going to go hide in my room. Have homework anyways...Any of you coming up too?" Harry asked the three of them.
"I'm off to the library. Lots to do..." Hermione said while Serenity simply answered, at the same time, "I'm going up." Ron looked down at the ground for a minute, not answering. All three stared at him in silence.
"Ron?" Harry voiced "You coming, or what?"
"Actually I wanted to look and see what quidditch books there are in the library." All three looked at him with utter shock. Even Serenity knew how infrequently he visited the library.
"What? I need some new techniques! You should be proud of me Harry!" He said in retaliation to their stares.
"Okay...see you guys later than." Serenity said before grabbing Harry's arm and making him walk away with her.
After dinner two nights later; Hermione, Serenity, and Ginny were sitting in the common room. The boys were out at quidditch practice and it was quiet for once. All three were working on homework. Serenity was the first to break their concentration.
"So who has dates for the dance?"
"Harry asked me, finally, last night." Ginny said simply.
"Ron asked me a couple nights ago, in the library." Hermione said without looking up from her paper.
"Oh, just like you said it'd be, Hermione." Serenity said happily.
"What about you, Serenity?" Hermione said, finally looking up at her friend.
"Well, Ernie Macmillan asked me today after potions." She said with a small smile.
"Ernie? Never would have guessed." Ginny said softly.
"Thought you two looked comfortable enough yesterday when he was helping you with that potion..." Hermione said slyly.
"Well, McGonagall will be happy. Inter-house bonding!" Serenity said with a small laugh. Ginny and Hermione smiled and nodded along.
The week and a half passed very quickly. Before Hogwarts knew it the dance as upon them. This year, unlike the Yule Ball, was to be all seven grades. Every morning the owl post was crazier than usual. With no Hogsmede visit before the dance, students had to have everything sent to them. Boxes with dresses, robes, flowers, make up, shoes, ribbons, everything was delivered every day. Even on the Saturday morning before the dance. A weary looking Hedwig dropped down onto Harry's shoulder during breakfast. Harry immediately grabbed the package and jumped up.
"I need to carry Hedwig up. I'll meet you guys in the common room, soon!" He told them before walking speedily out of the Great Hall.
The rest of the afternoon was given over to getting the castle ready. It seemed as if every girl, with or without a date, vanished into thin air. That thin air was, of course, the bathrooms and their own rooms. The boys all lounged around. Each was enjoying his common room or lounging around in the sun. Harry and Ron sat in the common room and played chess in peace. They laughed heartily every time a girl would run into the common room with only half her make up or hair done. They would check to see if their date was lounging around and if he was, they would yell at him to get ready. Or yell that the flower he bough didn't match her dress. Many different reasons started fights that afternoon. Of course each were solved, though each entertaining to the onlookers. Harry and Ron smiled to themselves about the last burst from Lavender Brown, until Ginny came down the stairs.
"Think it's funny do you? The guys getting yelled at by their dates. Well guess what! It's your turn Harry! The dance starts in an HOUR. You're just sitting here playing chess! Of all things! Get in the bathroom and get ready now! Same for you Ron! If you are still here in five minutes you will see justhow like my mother I really am!" She was bright red as she yelled at the two scared looking boys. As soon as she turned to go up to her room the two of them jumped up and headed to the baths.
"Wonder if mum has been giving her lessons..." Ron said under his breath as the headed into their room. Harry just smiled and shrugged at his best friend.
Fifty five minutes later the boys were once again in the common room. They stood around with the other Gryffindor boys. All of them were waiting for their dates. A few minutes passed before girls started to appear. Each found their date and went on their way. Few boys were left when Hermione, Ginny, and Serenity finally appeared. Ginny did a small spin for Harry and Hermione went sheepishly towards Ron. Both exclaimed at how beautiful the three of them were. The five of them left the common room a minute later. Outside the Great Hall Serenity met up with Ernie and all three couples walked graciously into the Great Hall.
The whole room was decorated in black. Drapes hung around the room with the Hogwarts crest. No single house symbol was to be found around the room. Obviously McGonagall had a hand in this. The ceiling was a dark blue that was near black. Bright stars shone through out the ceiling. It gave the appearance of being outside, under the night sky. Candles drifted around the drapes and illuminated the room with a soft glow. A door to the right revealed the garden. It appeared to be a similar set up as at the Yule Ball. Tables adorned the floor. There was no dancing space and everyone realized there was to be dinner before. Couples took seats among their friends. Ginny and Harry, Hermione and Ron, and Serenity and Ernie all sat around a table. Ernie looked over at a table a few feet away. It held his friends, but this was the price to pay for having a date from another house. The first hour passed by quickly. Everyone was eating carefully. It was loud through out the hall as everyone was in a joyous mood. It wasn't often they had a dance at Hogwarts. Before too long McGonagall was standing up for a short speech.
"Welcome to the official 'Welcome Back' dance my young witches and wizards! Now that your stomachs are all full we can clear the floor of these tables. Please stand, with your dance partner, at the back of the room." She waited for the scuffling of chairs and feet to be quiet before continuing. "I would just like to say one thing. Through the night a teacher, or myself, will call out for dance partners to be changed. You will pick a partner of another house. It cannot be with the same person over and over. Every time it is called for, you will choose a NEW partner. So, with that said, I hope you all have a wonderful night!"
With a flick of her wand all the food disappeared. The tables than moved to the walls. Music started through out the hall and a stage came out from where McGonagall was standing. A group of live witches and wizards appeared. Couples made their way out onto the dance floor and started dancing in time with the music.
By the third song people were starting to sit down for breaks. Harry & Ginny took a walk around the garden. When they came back in Ginny had a necklace around her neck. It explained the mysterious package that arrived earlier that morning.
Professor Vance's voice filled the Great Hall. It was announcing the first 'inter-house dance. Serenity danced with one of Ernie's friends. As she spun around the room with him, she noticed a pair of cold grey eyes following her. She and Draco made eye contact a few times. She wondered what it was about this boy. He was always watching her and not bothering to hide it. No matter what her friends told her about him, she always found herself staring back. The song came to an end. Draco made a small head movement towards the garden. Serenity looked away. She was torn. She desperately wanted to go and find out what this boy wanted, but she did not want her friends to see it. Hermione then popped up and started talking to her. She jumped at the sound of another's voice, especially since it was Hermione's.
"What'd you say Hermione?" She asked her friend.
"I asked if you saw where Ginny went." She answered, looking around the room.
"Oh, no, sorry." She answered, looking out at the garden.
"It's okay. I'm going to go sit with Ron. Coming?"
"No, I need some fresh air. I'll catch up soon."
"Okay. Watch out for those pesky beetles."
Serenity gave her an odd and confused look.
"Oh, right. Tell you that story later..."
"Okay...well...see you in a little bit." Serenity was so distracted she was surprised when Hermione, after a weird expression played across her face, left to join Ron. Serenity made her way over to the garden. To no one's notice, Draco slowly followed her outside. Serenity felt him behind her and wound herself deep into the garden. She knew how her friends would feel about her talking to him, especially alone. When she felt she was far enough away, she came to an abrupt halt. She waited for him to cover the short distance between them. Within a few moments he was standing directly at her, looking off into the bush to the right of them.
"So...Malfoy...want to explain why you'realways staring at me?" She exclaimed.
"Yes, and no." He replied casually, finally glancing down at her face.
"Well, go with the yes." She shot back at him.
"Okay. I find you...intriguing." He said with a raised eyebrow.
"You what?" She asked as it had surprised her.
"You heard me. Do you have any idea aboutwho you really are?" He asked of her.
"Of course I do! Why does it matter to you?" She was starting to get the feeling that he knew something she did, possibly of her father.
"Oh, that's some very interesting news. It matters greatly to me, and my friends." He said rather off-handedly.
Sooo yet another chapter. Rejoice shall be had by readers.For the plot is finally starting.
Coming up next time:
-Draco and Serenity talk
-More inter-house dancing
-Harry discovers somethings and talks to Hermione & Ron about them.
