A very, very big thank you to all my reviewers bleeeeblaaaaa, Yema, RoseFleur, pcamargo-brasil13, Torchwood Boy, kjc1123, Scrivensabre, ObsessedRHShipper and BookWorm77071 – and an extremely large apology for taking this long to post another chapter! I hope you can stick with me and forgive the long absence! I got some very positive reviews for my last chapter which was fantastic – I'm glad everyone enjoyed it so much. :D Anyway, enough of this and on to the party!
Chapter Four - Arrival
Fifteen minutes before the party was due to start, Ron was pacing up and down in a military manner at the bottom of the dormitory stairs. Harry was watching him vaguely like a round of tennis but appeared very calm and collected; they'd all decided to meet Luna on the way to the dungeons.
Ron stopped pacing as Hermione descended the stairs carefully. She'd put a spell on her hair; it was still curly but had lost its bushiness and instead, looked shiny and sleek. Her cream coloured dress ended just above her knee and had a flowery patterned gathering on her left shoulder.
Ron's mouth opened then shut as she came to a halt in front of them. He tried again to say something but the words seemed to be stuck in his throat.
Harry, noticing the awkwardness, helpfully complimented her.
'You look nice Hermione.'
'Thanks, so do you,' she glanced quickly at his green dress robes but her attention was on Ron, expectantly.
Ron stuttered, breaking the silence, 'You... you look really nice.'
Hermione blushed shyly and smiled, 'I don't normally then?'
He stared at her, embarrassed but incredulous – he always found her pretty.
'I'm joking Ron...' Hermione smiled, 'and you look great.'
'Oh... thanks,' He blushed, but as Harry was standing uncomfortably near the portrait hole waiting for them, Ron held his arm out and she took it.
They met up with Luna in the entrance hall, and she was wearing a silver layered dress. Harry thought it could definitely have been worse, so was in better spirits as they made their way to the party in the complete absence of crumple horned snorkacks.
Slughorn was standing in the doorway to his office, his enormous breadth making it impossible to enter without greeting him first.
'Harry my boy!' He bellowed happily, putting his arm around Harry's shoulders.
'Hello Professor, good to see you,' Harry greeted him mechanically, looking quite uncomfortable. He was saved however, by Slughorn moving quickly on to Hermione.
'Miss Granger, you look delightful! And this is... Wemberley? And Miss Lovefool? Yes, welcome, welcome to you all. Come in and make yourselves at home – have some drinks!'
'Good idea,' Ron muttered as they made their way over to the drinks table, 'I think we'll need one to deal with this.'
'Ron!' Hermione scalded him as he handed her a butterbeer.
'What?'
'Can you at least act like you want to be here?' She looked offended.
'What are you on about? I was talking about Slughorn, not you...'
The room was packed; there must have been about one hundred witches and wizards all chattering and laughing. Trays were floating around the room with hor d'oeuvres on them, and the walls, ceiling and tables had been dressed with silky banners and materials.
'Oh look - vampires,' Luna stated conversationally as a group of pale men in dark clothing appeared to glide by, drinking a suspiciously red looking liquid from their goblets.
Hermione's eyes followed them across the room, 'Is that really...?'
'Don't want to know,' Ron looked alarmed, 'Let's stick together shall we?'
He put her arm through his and steered her firmly over to a corner table, pushing through all manner of people. Harry and Luna began to follow but were intercepted by Slughorn.
'Ron! Was there a motive in frogmarching me all the way over here?'
'No, I just wanted to sit down somewhere,' he said unaffected, and pulled a chair back for her to sit down.
Hermione blushed.
'Thank you, you really don't have to do that you know.'
Ron shrugged his shoulders, a pink tinge on his ears.
They both sat down and sipped their drinks. For about a minute they kept glancing at one another awkwardly before looking away and focusing on the rest of the room.
Harry and Luna were on the other side of the room; Harry forcing a smile beside Slughorn for a Daily Prophet photographer.
Unfortunately Cormac McClaggen and his date Lavender Brown were in the background of the shot with somewhat drunken looks on their faces and were unceremoniously ordered to sit down on the other side of the room until they sobered up.
'Look who's here. He's a right prat isn't he?' Ron frowned at the scene and clutched his drink tightly, 'He better not come over here trying anything...'
'Ron can I ask a favour?' Hermione suddenly let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding.
Ron let go of the glass and stared at her, his expression softening, 'What?'
'Let's just have a nice night – no fights, losing your temper or me crying on a staircase... okay?'
Ron looked at her for a moment, 'You really think it's going to be like that again?'
'It's a worry, yes...' Hermione looked at him anxiously.
'Well... maybe if the Redcaps turn up...' He grinned.
Hermione laughed and had to put her drink down to avoid spilling it.
'And that would end with me crying on a staircase would it?'
'No but it might end with me crying on a staircase,' Ron said in mock seriousness.
Hermione laughed again and Ron found himself staring at her; she was so beautiful.
As Hermione wiped her eyes she realised she was being observed very closely. Blushing, she looked shyly up at Ron's gaze. He swallowed as he felt her hand reach for his; he turned his over to let her hold it. Tingling was shooting right through them as they shared an intense eye contact.
Hermione broke their gaze by looking out at the various people on the dance floor and Ron followed. Cormac and Lavender had crept onto the dance floor and were dancing in a way that wouldn't have looked out of place in the circus, but this sight did little to distract Ron from what he knew Hermione wanted him to ask.
He cleared his throat and ventured, 'You er... want to dance?'
'Okay,' Hermione smiled.
Ron swallowed and then grinned nervously, standing up and holding his hand out for her, 'Okay...'
Having made their way through the other dancers, they reached the middle of the floor hand in hand and Ron looked stiffly down at Hermione as though he suddenly couldn't remember how to move his arms.
'Honestly Ron, have you forgotten McGonagall's dance lessons?'
'You're reminding me of that fiasco now?' Ron looked at her incredulously.
Hermione sighed and in an irritable way she instructed him, 'Put your hand on my waist.'
Ron blushed thinking how he'd never really touched her that closely before, 'Are you sure?'
'Just do it Ron,'
'Right... and where do I er...' He gestured helplessly with his other hand.
Hermione impatiently placed his hands in the right position, holding her other hand out in his.
They began to move to the Gramophone music but a slower piece of music began to play and Hermione sighed, 'Oh, I love this. My mum taught me to play it on the piano.'
'Oh. Did you want to sit down and listen to it; it's a bit of a slow...'
'No I'm okay if you are?' Hermione replied.
Ron nodded mutely and stared at everyone but Hermione; he was feeling so nervous, and this slow music made him feel as though he should probably get closer to her – maybe that's what she was expecting!
'S... sorry!' He stammered when he almost tripped them up, 'Do you want to get another drink? We could sit down for a bit...'
'Ron,' Hermione bit her lip noting how nervous he was, 'I think it would be easier if we danced a bit closer, especially to this kind of music.'
For a moment Ron stared then quickly answered, nodding fervently, 'Yeah... yeah you're probably right...'
Hermione closed the gap between them and pressed against him, her hands moving up to his neck.
Unable to contain a small strangled sound he moved his hands to encircle her waist.
'Is this okay for a while Ron?' She said, her head leaning against his chest.
'Blimey... as long as you like,' He said in a wavering voice.