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Chapter 7

The Yule Ball: Part 1

With the first task over, everyone's attention shifted to Christmas celebrations and the Yule Ball. Since it was my only third year I wouldn't be able to attend the ball; unless an upperclassman invited me. I tried not to get my hopes up, but couldn't help getting excited at the thought of all the wonderful music and dancing. Midway through December most people had dates for the dance, and I all but gave up hope that someone would ask me to go with them; that is until I ran into someone I was not expecting.

One night, as I was walking back to Gryffindor tower after spending a tedious hour working on new potions Snape had taught, I ran into Draco Malfoy.

"What do you want Draco?" I asked as he stood in front of me.

"You know, you've changed a lot since the summer." He said as he looked up and down at me.

"Yeah." I said as I tried to walk away.

"You've become one of the prettiest girls in the school." He said taking a step closer to me.

"Um, thanks." I said as I again tried to slip away.

"So, do you have a date for the Yule Ball?" he asked, pinning me against the wall.

I looked at him with my eyes wide and after a few moments I said, "You're kidding? Why on earth would I go ANYWHERE with you. Just last week you were harassing Neville and I! Besides, I would never want to do anything with you; you slimy…"

"Why you…you better watch what you say to me! My father has some very powerful friends."

"Are you threatening me?" I asked with a laugh, struggling to push him away from me.

"Are you going to go with me?"

"No." I replied as I roughly pushed him away.

"How dare you refuse me!" he yelled. "You better watch yourself."

"No Draco you better watch YOURSELF. I know who your father is and what he's done. I know that he was… no scratch that… he IS a death eater and is helping You-Know-Who come back to power." I yelled.

"Why you …" Draco started to say before cut him off,

"No…I'm not done. And before you go running off to daddy, you just keep this in mind…my parents also have many friends high in the ministry, and if anything happens to me you can bet they'll find out who did it and that person will have a one way ticket to Azkaban. . .no questions asked. Now move." I said as with a hard push I got away from him. I heard him yelling after me, but was so angry and disgusted I couldn't distinguish what he was saying.

I stormed up to the Gryffindor tower and found the Fat Lady asleep. "Fairy Lights." I said. She didn't move, "Fairy Lights!" I said louder.

"Oh not now." She said sleepily, trying to make me go away.

"Look, I've said the bloody password now let me in!" I yelled.

"My goodness, fine, go in!" she said, shocked at my forwardness.

I stormed into the common room and started making my way towards my dormitory when I found myself colliding with someone. We both fell to the ground, but I quickly stood back up and continued my journey to my room to cool off.

"Hanna? Han what's the matter?" A voice called out. I ignored them and continued walking. "Whoa, Hanna stop, slow down, what's going on?"

I quickly turned around, prepared to confront the person who was keeping me from my goal, but found myself face-to-chest with Neville.

"Hanna, what's the matter? I've never seen you like this." He asked concerned.

"That rotten, slimy, monster of a…UGH!" I grunted.

"Who? What's happened?" he asked.

"Draco Malfoy. He…he had the nerve, the absolute NERVE." I fumed.

"To do what?" he asked.

"He asked me to go with him to the Yule Ball! Me? Why on earth would he think that I would want to go with HIM! Of all people to ask me, why did it have to be him!" I finally revealed.

"He…he what?" Neville asked shocked.

"I'm so disgusted I can't see straight!" I exclaimed as I collapsed and sat on the ground.

"Calm down Hanna, it's over. I assume you turned him down?" Neville asked as he sat next to me.

"Of course I turned him down! Honestly Neville!" I replied, surprised he even had to ask.

"A lot of girls for some reason find him cute, of course those girls are always Slytherin…, forget I even asked." He tried to reason.

"I feel so disgusted that he would even be attracted to me, he told me I was one of the prettiest girls at school, and pinned me against the wall and just…ugh." I said disgusted.

"He was right about that." Neville quickly blurted out. I looked at him with a little smile, and he looked at me with a shocked expression as his face turned beat red and he said, "Wait he pinned you against the wall? That arrogant, self centered rat!"

"Exactly, how could he think I would ever go anywhere with him? He's constantly picking on all of us, giving Harry a hard time. Remember last week when he started making kissy noises behind us! He's just ridiculous!" my last statement came out as an exhausted sigh.

We both sat in silence and I soon felt that my heart had stopped racing and I had calmed down. I put my hand on Neville's back and rubbed it gently and said, "Thanks Neville, I needed to get that out. I think we're even now."

"Even?" he asked as he shifted uncomfortably to my touch.

"I helped you earlier after the incident with Snape and the toads…" I reminded him.

"Oh right, I suppose we are even aren't we." He said smiling.

"Honestly Neville, thank you. It was good luck that I ran into you." I said as I stood up. "I think I'm ok now."

"Good." He answered standing up. "Well, I'm heading to bed, I'm pretty tired."

"Me too, I'll see you tomorrow." I said.

"G'night." Neville said as he started to walk towards the boy's dormitory.

"Oh Neville…" I called after him, "You still owe me that Herbology tutoring."

"Can't wait." He smiled as he turned and walked up the dormitories stairs.

I'm not sure why, but for the rest of the night, I couldn't stop smiling.


Classes ended for the term and everyone began preparing for the ball, Christmas Eve came and it was all anyone could talk about. Most of the third years and below had left school, returning home to celebrate Christmas with their families. I decided to stay because I knew that even though I wouldn't be able to go to the ball, the experience of just being there would be something I'd never be able to participate in again.

With no classes or homework to keep us busy, most of the time we all lounged around in the common room, or in the Great Hall, basically wherever we ended up meeting together.

"Oy, Neville I've seen you in McGonagall's dance class, I don't know how Ginny's going to make it out with both her feet!" Ron announced one afternoon as we were sitting outside the school.

"Don't listen to Ron, you've gotten better!" Hermione chimed in.

"Aww, Neville I won't be able to see your fancy footwork!" I teased.

"Don't worry Han, I'll make sure to save you a dance." Neville laughed.

"Neville I can't go, remember!" I announced.

"What why not?" he asked.

"I'm only a third year, and no upperclassmen asked me." I reminded him.

"Oh Han, I forgot, sorry." He replied.

"Nice job Neville!" Harry teased.

"She's in almost all of our classes, I just forgot." Neville said embarrassed.

"It's ok Neville." I said, forcing a smile.

Truth was I was really disappointed no one had asked me. Most of my friends were upperclassmen; I had hoped one of them would ask me. We all continued to talk about the next day; I continued to sit and smile, wishing I could be there to join them.