4 - Why So Nervous?

There was only one mirror in the boys dormitory and currently there were three boys crowded in front of it, trying to get a glimpse of their reflections.

"Should I leave the hair like this?"

"Not sure, maybe you should gell it back?"

"Nah, I don't think I will. I'll just leave it."

"Maybe you could add some colour? There's this spell that I-"

"No – it's fine Seamus. I don't want my hair to go up in flames. No offence..."

"None taken. Neville are you okay back there?"

Neville startled. He had been silently watching his dormmates, waiting for them to leave so he could take a last look in the mirror himself.

"Wha-?" He muttered, "yeah… sure… I'm flames – I mean fine – I'm fine."

Neville breathed in slowly trying his best to calm down. Why was he this nervous all of a sudden? Why… was it so hard to breathe? This was just a stupid ball. There really was no need for him to feel panicked! Just breathe, he thought, breathe. After a moment his breathing had steadied again and he felt a little better.

"Neville?" Someone asked suddenly.

Said boy looked up to find Ron standing right in front of him. Strangely they were the only people left in the room.

"Huh? Where's everyone?"

"I told them to go on ahead," Ron answered, watching him for a moment.

"Oh."

For a moment Ron seemed to watch him contemplatingly. Then he started to speak,

"Look, Neville… You're not still mad about that thing I said about you the other night, are you?"

The redhead bit his lips nervously and Neville realized that he really seemed to feel guilty.

That was new. He would have thought this was simply Hermione who had urged him to apologize again. But…

"You know how people sometimes say stupid stuff without thinking about it? Well, I don't really believe you're that boring, Neville. And anyway being boring is not a bad thing, right?"

Ron looked at him like he was willing Neville to just get it. Neville on the other hand didn't know what it was that he was supposed to just get. He stayed silent.

"Man, I really hate this sentimental stuff – I–" He ran his hand through his short red hair in frustration. Before he continued to talk he stepped closer and gave him a hard pat on the shoulder.

"Neville. I can see you're nervous, but… you really don't have to be. Haley doesn't bite," he laughed, "at least I don't think she does." He added a little more thoughtfully.

"Anyway. Nevs, just be yourself, and if that's boring, then so what? I'm really glad you're the one that Haley chose." He grinned at him in a conspiratorial way. With a last pat he turned around and left the dorm. Neville swallowed in disbelief. He wasn't quite sure what had happened just now or how he felt about it, but somehow he felt like he'd just received brotherly approval.

"Neville! Aren't you coming?" Asked Ron's head that had reappeared in the door.

"Sure, just-" Neville mumbled, he just wanted to take one more look in the mirror to check…

But maybe it was better if he left without checking. That way he wouldn't have another thing to worry over.

"You can do this," Neville whispered to himself, straightening his robes and walking purposefully toward the door. He really hoped everything would go well.

…

"Hey Neville!"

Neville was glad, he'd already reached the end of the stairs, because he might have fallen all the way down otherwise. People really had to stop calling his name out of nowhere!

At the other end of the common room stood none other than Haley Potter, who was waving him over with a big grin on her face.

There was something about the girl that instantly calmed him. It was almost like when she was there, it was okay. It didn't matter that he was insecure or that he stuttered. It didn't matter that he was almost sorted into Hufflepuff or that he had always feared he wasn't even a wizard. It didn't matter that there were tons of guys at Hogwarts that looked better, were more talented or more confident than him. None of it mattered.

"Shall we?" Haley asked once he'd made his way over to her.

Neville nodded and softly muttered, "Yes."

They stared at each other expectantly for a minute, before Haley started to giggle.

"Come on then," she said amusedly and gestured toward the portrait hole next to her.

Together they made their way down to the Entrance Hall, chatting all the while. Or more like Haley was talking and Neville listened. It was good seeing her like this. Chattering on about something or another. Carefree and without that sad look on her face.

"It's nice," he said aloud without meaning to.

"...I mean, think about it – what?"

Haley stopped walking so she could look at him properly. There was only one flight of stairs until they'd reach the Entrance Hall. Neville stopped, too.

"I mean – I didn't mean to – it's just-"

Haley simply waited, her head tilted to the side in curiosity.

Her gaze was… so warm. And… reassuring. He'd never realized that before, he'd never… Something unfolded in his stomach. Something fluttery and… warm. He blinked. Haley was still waiting for an answer. Neville cleared his throat, which felt kind of tight all of a sudden.

"It's just," he started, "Seeing you like that… seeing that… you're feeling better… It's nice."

Haley's green eyes widened, then she looked to the ground for a moment. Had he said something wrong? I'm such an idiot, Neville thought, biting his lips in frustration.

But after a moment Haley lifted her head and met his eyes.

"Yeah," she whispered, "It is nice."

This was not the reaction he had anticipated. The bewilderment was most probably visible on his face. Haley chuckled.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, trying not to laugh.

"Like what?" He asked in return.

Haley made big eyes and opened her mouth wide. She looked like she had seen a basilisk.

"Like that," she said with a laugh.

"I don't look like that," Neville argued but he was laughing as well. It was easy to laugh when her laugh sounded so inviting and genuine and warm. And why were there suddenly all these adjectives in Neville's mind that were there just to describe her laugh.

Haley had stopped laughing now. But there was still an amused glint in her eyes.

"Let's go, Neville," she whispered, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the last few steps of the staircase.

…

It seemed to be just his luck, that the champions and their partners were expected to parade through the Great Hall under everyone's watchful eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't know, we were suppose to do this," Haley whispered in his ear, as they were walking. They had almost arrived at the designated champion table now. Only, a few more metres, then it's over, he thought, desperately fighting the urge to simply close his eyes and pretend he was somewhere else. Instead his gaze was focused somewhere straight ahead – away from the onlookers – and he took one step after another in an almost mechanical way.

"Hey, we're there. It's over." That was Haley's voice from somewhere to his left. Neville blinked owlishly. There was a chair in front of him. And a long table. They were there already! He must have spaced out for a little while. Haley was grinning softly, nodding at the seats with raised eyebrows. Neville looked around the table. Everyone else was already sitting down. A few seats to his right, there was even someone pulling out the seat for his date. Neville's brows furrowed. Was he supposed to do that as well? Would Haley want him do that? Or was it too much?

Slowly he turned to look at her… only to find that she had sat down already. Neville exhaled heavily in relief.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" Haley frowned at him in confusion.

"S-sure – I just – I… sure," he answered lamely and took the seat to her right. Luckily he didn't fall over his chair or do anything equally embarrassing.

Someone was chuckling. Softly at first but then it got louder and louder. Neville couldn't believe this. Haley was laughing at him? But that couldn't be! She was supposed to be his friend. She'd said she liked him. She wasn't supposed to laugh at him. Neville frowned, his shoulders sagging, his body starting to shake all over. Why was everyone always-

"Neville." Haley hit him on the arm lightly, "Neville, look at me."

Something about the way she'd said that, made him look up hesitantly.

"What are you so terribly nervous about?" The girl asked. She didn't look like she was making fun of him at all. Simply… curious. And her eyes were sparkling vividly, reflecting the light of the candles that were floating all around them. And then… Neville noticed something.

"You're not wearing glasses," he blurted out in astonishment.

Haley leaned back a bit, seemingly surprised, "No, I'm not. I – Hermione helped me with that..."

She seemed to think for a second, then her features softened and she continued, "Anyway, I asked you a question, if I remember correctly." She rested her elbows on top of the table and cupped her face in her hands, never letting him escape her hypnotising eyes.

"So..."

Neville inhaled sharply. He shrugged, "I – just..."

"Yes," Haley prompted, drawing out the e.

"I guess it's my… it's … the way I am?" Neville admitted, making it sound like a question.

For a moment the girl in front of him furrowed her brows. She wasn't going to laugh again, was she? He swallowed. There. He was nervous again. A slow smile spread out on Haley's face. She seemed to make a decision.

Without so much as a warning she let her hand fall onto his forearm and squeezed gently.

Neville jumped in surprise, making Haley shake her head and chuckle again.

"Neville", she gazed at him with determination in her eyes, "Your nervousness is making me nervous, so stop it. Or else I might be giggling all night long..."

"But why would you giggle..."

"It's kind of endearing", Haley bit her lips, her eyes were lighting up with something. And had she said endearing?

"It's just me," she looked at him with big eyes, "I really don't see why that would make anyone nervous."

"I am less nervous around you than around other people," he admitted without thinking.

"Oh," Haley paused, "Well, that's a… good thing?"

Neville couldn't meet her eyes. Why had he said that? It was true, though. Mostly.

After a while Haley asked, "Why then?"

Neville sighed, he knew without her having to specify it further that she was asking why he was so nervous, when he was with her right now.

"A-all these people..." he mumbled, almost too faintly for Haley to understad, "It's like… they're all watching and… waiting… for me to… make a mistake or… embarrass myself..."

"Let's...let's pretend, then. Let's pretend they're not here. And it's just the two of us." Haley's voice always sounded so... full of life and enthusiasm. Maybe if he tried… he could let himself be swept up and away by it?

"I don't know... if I can do that."

"You know what they say… If you never try, you'll never know."

Haley's voice sounded so mischievous, that Neville had to look up and see the conspiratorial grin for himself. It was definitely mischievous. Then she winked at him. Winked.

And suddenly, maybe because the thought alone – that he was sitting at a table next to Haley Potter at the Yule Ball and she was grinning, no even winking at him, saying she wanted to pretend it was just the two of them, – the thought alone was too absurd to dare imagine it. But in that moment, he forgot that he was nervous, he forgot, that all around them there were people, who were probably watching them and Neville laughed. He laughed and he smiled at Haley Potter, as if there really was no one here but them.

...

"Are you done eating?" Haley asked, interrupting Neville's thoughts. He looked down at his plate. Since they had sat down, he hadn't eaten anything. He'd simply felt too nervous.

"Yeah, I didn't have much of an appetite…"

"Let's go, then," Haley said, while jumping to her feet eagerly.

"Go where?" Neville asked suspiciously. They weren't going to dance or anything, right?

"I thought we could go outside for a bit? Or do you not want to do that?"

"No, that's fine," he replied, relieved that they were going to escape the masses for a while.

He stood from his seat slowly, careful not to break anything. That's what he'd meant to do anyway. But as it was, he caused a cup to fall down, while he was turning around. It landed on the ground with a resounding clang.

"Oops," he grimaced, looking at the cup in embarrassment. At least it wasn't broken. The sound of giggling told Neville that his little mishap had not gone unnoticed. Without looking at Haley, he knelt down and reached for the cup, but before he could as much as touch it, there was another hand, snatching it from the ground and putting it back on top of the table.

As Neville straightened up again, he was met with stunningly green eyes and a gentle smile that seemed to say It's okay. Neville calmed instantly. How can she be this patient with me? he wondered, she has to be the most patient and kind person in all of Hogwarts. Is she regretting coming here with me already? No, he shouldn't think that way. He was here now and he would at least try to have a good night. He smiled back shyly, which Haley took as a sign to start walking toward the other end of the hall. Neville caught up to her quickly. They had almost reached the doors, when a figure jumped out of nowhere, blocking their path.

"Haley! It's good that you're here. Did you see Hermione? Did you see who she's come with? She couldn't have forgotten that he's a Durmstrang, right? Haley, are you listening?"

"Yes, Ron. I am listening. I heard every word actually."

"Well good, let's go look for her. We need to tell her that -"

"What exactly do you need to tell her? Seriously, can't you leave her alone for just one night?" Haley asked irritatedly.

"I – but – she's with Krum! Aren't you worried about that at all?"

Neville felt a bit weird standing there and listening to the two friends' almost argument. Was he supposed to give them space or join in on the discussion or pretend like he wasn't… eavesdropping? It wasn't really eavesdropping, though. He hadn't meant to… he'd just happened to be there.

Maybe he should hint that they'd been just on their way out or something. But how did he go about that? How should he phrase it in a way that wasn't rude?

He began with clearing his throat to announce he wanted to say something. The two kept arguing.

Had that been too quiet? He tried again, a little louder this time. The silence came so suddenly that Neville was sure he must have imagined it. The two pairs of eyes that watched him curiously proved that assumption to be wrong.

"What?" Neville asked, too surprised to actually say anything else.

"Did you want to say something?" Ron asked, frowning slightly.

Neville looked to Haley who eyed him attentively.

"Yeah – I – we –" Why couldn't the words come to him easily for once? He took a deep breath and let it out forcefully. This was just Ron. He would simply tell him what he wanted to say. He cleared his throat once more. "We were just going to get some fresh air. So we can't help you look for Hermione."

Ron looked at him for a moment, then he clapped his hands together in excitement.

"Great! I'll come with you. Hermione might be outside. I haven't seen her in here for a while."

Neville frowned. He hadn't meant to get this reaction. He really didn't feel like spending the night with Ron on their heels. Of course Haley was still there. But if he was honest with himself, he'd been hoping to spend some time alone with the girl. Sighing, he looked toward Haley, who was rolling her eyes at Ron. There was a soft grin on the corner of her mouth though, which was only logical. He was her best friend after all. When she caught his gaze, she only shrugged, as if to say Well what can you do about it? It wasn't reassuring at all. It didn't stop him from worrying. And all the while as they were exiting the Great Hall and making their way through the corridors, Neville couldn't help but think that maybe she was actually glad Ron had shown up. Maybe she was actually glad, she didn't have to spend the whole night alone with him.

...

"Where should we look first?" Ron asked, as soon as they had stepped onto the courtyard.

"Ron… I don't really think, we – wait, where is Parvati? Don't tell me you just left her at the ball!" Haley questioned.

"She got mad, because I didn't wanna dance with her," he replied not sounding the least bit sorry.

"And?"Haley urged him to continue with a scary undertone in her voice. Neville shuddered.

"It's not like I abandoned her! She didn't hesitate long before rushing off with some French guy!"

Haley sighed. She was seemingly at a loss for words.

"That wouldn't have been a problem for me." A voice floated through the air toward them. There was a girl standing in the entrance to the courtyard. Her long blonde hair was softly flowing in the light night breeze. Ron and Haley had spotted the girl, that was approaching them slowly as well. Neville was sure he had never seen her before and from his friends' facial expressions it was obvious they didn't know her either.

"Who the bloody hell are you and what makes you think you can just barge in, like this is any of your business?" Ron asked, manners long forgotten. Or had they ever existed?

"Luna," the girl answered simply, "I know who you are. I was looking for Ginny Weasley. We were supposed to meet here but it seems she has other matters to attend to."

It was embarrassingly quiet after her words. Nobody knew how to respond to that.

"Your hair," she watched Ron in an almost fascinated way, that seemed to make him uncomfortable. Neville would feel that way too if someone looked at him like he was a test object.

"I was going to use a lock of Ginny's but yours might do, too," she paused, her eyes never leaving Ron's hair, "It should do just fine, I think."

Ron looked like he'd just seen a spider or something equally unsettling. He looked to Haley for help, who just chuckled amusedly and raised her eyebrows at him. Then she met Neville's eyes and winked at him in a conspiratorial way. She gestured toward the school grounds and held a hand with three fingers up. There was a mad grin on her face. It was two fingers now. One finger. Neville was pulled away by her hand that was gripping his. Before he could blink, they were running.

He was running away with Haley Potter who was holding his hand. He had never felt so free and full of excitement in his life. Had never felt his heart pounding so forcefully. So filled with life.

In the distance he could hear Ron shouting in an almost panicked way, "Haley! Where are you – Neville! Come back. Ow! What do you mean you just need a lock? Help me, Haley!"

The sound of Haley's carefree laughter filled Neville with a sense of happiness he'd never felt before. With her hand in his, there was no reason to be worried anymore. Neville didn't know where they were going but as long as she didn't let go of his hand, he couldn't find it in him to care.

...

A/N: Hello dear readers! There you have it. The first part of the Yule Ball! Did you like it? I think there will be two or three more chapters. And then... Who knows? Thank you endlessly for reading and leaving likes and reviews! Those make my writer heart happy :) Make sure to check out my Songs of Yesterday sequel, it's called Dreams of Today. And continue to have fun and stuff ! I really hope Luna won't harm Ron...

Till then, Feather :)