Forever and Always
Rehearsal
Author's Note: I'm very, very, very sorry for this late update. Thanks for the reviews last chapter. Your reviews are very much appreciated! Let me know what you think of this one!
It's been barely a week since Stella and Hermione discovered what the egg contained. What was really strange was that Stella has rarely seen Hermione since. Stella would try to talk to Hermione about her disappearance, but Hermione would fumble on her robes nervously and not answer, or change the subject. Stella was getting extremely worried about her.
"Fred, George, what am I going to do about Hermione?" Stella asked one night in the common room. "I'm getting extremely worried." When she glanced at them, they were worried as well; more Fred than George.
"No. We tried talking to her as well, but she would look at George, and avoid eye contact with me," Fred said sadly, glancing at the ground. "I lost my chance." He added quietly.
"What?"George and Stella asked simultaneously.
"I waited too long. I haven't even told her I fancied her yet! She's probably found another guy and doesn't want to admit it." Fred was still on the floor. Then it dawned on Stella. The gleam in Hermione's eye when she would step into the library, or the common room, the guilty glance at Fred once in a while, and her goofy smile until she walked into a room with either the twins, or Stella.
"I am such an idiot!" Stella exclaimed. She might have shouted it a little too loudly. People were staring at her. After Stella's Potions Master worthy glare, the students went back to what they were doing.
"You're not stupid Stella," George told her. Fred nodded.
"Why do you think so?" Fred asked.
"Looking back, I noticed all of the signs! Her guilty glance at you, her sparkle in her eye, and her goofy smile! I saw them all! I didn't question her. It's partly my fault as well." Stella frowned. The way Viktor Krum was looking at her. Stella added, but didn't say it out loud.
"Stella, it's my fault and my fault only," Fred said sincerely. "Don't beat yourself up about it. I was late and I need to move on." At that moment, Hermione walked through the portrait hole. Stella noticed how she avoided eye contact with the three of them.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Stella demanded, rushing up to the confused bushy, brown haired girl. Stella looked around and everyone stared at her again. Hurriedly, she rushed Hermione out of the portrait hole and stood in front of the Fat Lady.
"Why didn't I tell you what?" Hermione asked worriedly, glancing down at the floor.
"Since when were you and Krum together, and why didn't you tell me?" Stella demanded again.
"I didn't think it was any of your business!" Hermione exclaimed hotly. Stella didn't want to admit it, but Hermione was right.
In a gentler tone, Stella said, "We were just worried about you, is all." Fred will be depressed. Stella thought. "Oh, and Hermione, just so you know, I don't trust Krum." With that, Stella walked back through the portrait, into the Gryffindor common room.
Stella could hear Hermione mutter, "I don't want your opinion." Stella rolled her eyes and spotted Fred and George where she left them, next to the unlit fire. She walked up to Fred and hugged him, missing a look of jealousy on George's face.
"I screwed this up, didn't I?" Fred asked sadly, not glancing at Stella. Stella nodded into his shoulder.
"If it makes you feel better, I don't trust Krum," Stella said.
"Not really. Thanks anyways. I think I'm going to bed. Night," Fred let go of Stella and headed towards the sixth year dorms. Stella sighed and leaned into the couch she was currently occupying. The common room was empty except for two second years, George, and Stella.
"I feel so bad for him," Stella said. "He's been crushing on her for weeks now."
"I know," George said, sitting closer to her. "What are we going to do?" Stella's eyes widened and instantly got up from her spot.
"NO! No way am I meddling in this! And neither are you!" Stella raced to her dorm. She got ready for bed and pulled the covers over her head and whispered a silencing charm. She does not want to hear Angelina constantly talk in her sleep. Stella's head relaxed into her pillow and soon fell asleep.
She woke up feeling refreshed the next morning. She undid her silencing charm, and wore her comfiest outfit possible (it was a Saturday).
Everyone was crowded around Professor McGonagall, who was standing near the portrait entrance. As soon as she assumed that everyone was there, she started to speak.
"What I'm about to say is to only fourth years and up. If you are third or below, please head up back to your dormitories," she paused so everyone younger could do what she asked. "Now, on to the topic; The Yule Ball is approaching. It's a traditional part of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and brings peace towards the three schools.
"The ball will be starting at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, and ending at midnight. The Yule Ball is a chance to forget about all of your schoolwork, but that does not mean that you need to embarrass your fellow classmates or the school. I will be greatly disappointed if you do. Dismissed," Everyone got up to leave, but Professor McGonagall raised her hand. "Wait a minute. I would like a private word with Mr. Potter and Miss. Snape. That is all."
Stella got up and followed Harry and their Head – of – House out of the portrait hole. There, they waited patiently for their professor to explain what was going on.
"It is mandatory that the Tri-Wizard champions attend the ball with their partners," Professor McGonagall began, but she was cut off by Harry.
"Partners?" Harry asked. "What do we need partners for?" Stella brought her hand up to her mouth to stifle her giggles.
"If this is a dance Harry, we'll need dance partners!" Stella laughed. Harry went red with embarrassment.
"D-dance partners?" Harry asked uncertainly. Professor McGonagall nodded. "But I don't dance!"
"Now you do," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "It's been a tradition that the champions open the ball." Now Stella got worried.
"We dance in front of everybody?" She asked. What if you don't know how to dance?
"Yes. Opening the ball," McGonagall said irritably. "You guys are the Hogwarts champions. You will do what is expected of you and you will represent this school. Find yourselves partners!"
"What if we don't know how to dance?" Harry asked Stella's unanswered question.
"After lunch today and tomorrow, Gryffindors will meet in the Great Hall for dance lessons. Any more questions?" Stella had none, but she didn't know about Harry. Harry shook his head as well. "Very well. Enjoy your morning." Stella recited the password and followed Harry back in.
Who am I going to ask to the dance? Why'd I have to get into this mess? Questions kept popping up in her head as she walked towards the twins and Lee. When she sat down in a chair, the three looked at her. She became uneasy.
"Why are you three looking at me like that?" She demanded.
"What did McGonagall have to say?" Lee asked. Stella repeated everything that McGonagall had said, even about the dance lessons. After she was done, everyone fell into a comfortable silence.
"So, are you going to tell Harry about the egg? It's been a week, and he's going nuts over it," Fred told Stella on the way to the Great Hall for the dance lessons. It was an hour after lunch and time for them.
"Nope. I'm going to make him figure it out. If he begs on his knees for the answer, I'm still not going to give it to him," Stella smirked. Right after Stella wrote down the clue, she headed straight for her father's office. Harry and Draco were gone, so they weren't there to hear the clue again.
"You're mean," Harry muttered walking past the three in sort of a hurry.
"Whatever," Stella yelled back. "I'm only doing you good!"
"Stella forget it," George said.
"Yeah, let's just forget it, and hurry," Stella said picking up her pace toward her destination.
When all three walked into the Great Hall, Professors McGonagall and Snape were separating the boys and girls (boys on one side, girls on the other). The tables were gone from the place and the area was huge!
"What is my dad doing here?" Stella asked George in a whisper. Stella concluded that George hadn't even seen her father by the surprised look he gave the older man. George shrugged. He waved and went to sit next to Lee and Fred.
Stella sighed and looked towards where all of the girls are sitting. Hermione was reading a book. Why she even had to bring a book in the first place, Stella had no idea. Johnson looked lonely, but Stella wasn't going anywhere near her, since she's the one who got Stella in this mess. Stella decided to sit next to Hermione.
"Hey," Hermione said when Stella sat down next to her, glancing up to look at her.
"Hey," Stella replied.
"Oh Stella! I'm so sorry! I should've told you, but then Fred would be extremely mad, so I didn't!" Hermione explained frantically.
"Relax, Hermione, relax. I understand why you kept it from us," Stella said, placing a hand on the other girl's shoulder. Hermione sighed with relief.
"How's Fred taking it?" Hermione asked quietly. Stella glanced at the two red-heads who were laughing really loudly with Lee.
"I can't really say. I don't want to give off false information," Stella said.
"It's okay. I understand completely," Hermione told her. Once everyone was situated and quiet, McGonagall started to speak.
"You're probably wondering what Professor Snape is doing here," McGonagall started, glancing at Stella's father. "Well, he is going to help me supervise this dance session. I'm going to repeat some things I said this morning. The Yule ball is a tradition of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Each and every one of you should be on your best behavior to represent your house and your school. You will not act like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons!"
She looked around the room.
"Let's have a volunteer pair," She paused and looked at the girls' side. "Johnson and Weasley."
"Which Weasley?" George asked, smirking. Hermione and Stella laughed. Professor McGonagall sternly looked at him.
"How about you?" Fred, Lee, and Hermione kept glancing at George, Angelina, and Stella. Stella was glaring at Angelina.
"NO! I can't dance with her!" George said that the same time as Angelina said, "I Can't dance with him!"
"Enough!" Professor Snape shouted. They stopped immediately. "Maybe we should have a different pair or two, Minerva."
"The two champions are opening the ball of course. They will need to rehearse their entrance." Professor Snape added. Both Harry and Stella glared at their Head-of-House.
"Yes. I totally agree. Maybe we should start with that," Stella's father agreed. He glanced at Stella then at Harry. "The two of you will wait outside of the Great Hall. Your partners will join you shortly." Stella nodded and headed outside, ignoring all of the stares she got.
After standing in the empty corridor outside of the Great Hall, the doors opened again, revealing George and Hermione. They were followed by the two professors. Professor Snape taught Stella how she should hold her partner when entering, while Professor McGonagall taught Harry.
Then Professor McGonagall headed back inside the Great Hall to supervise the others practicing their dancing, while Professor Snape helped the champions.
Stella was a little nervous, no, a lot nervous dancing with one of her best friends in front of her very strict father. She blushed when George placed one hand on her waist (instructed by her father), and the other tightly in hers. Stella lightly put her hand on George's shoulder. They're eyes met; chocolate brown to black. This feels right, being here with him. Stella thought.
When her father wasn't looking, George kissed her forehead lightly. He started leading the waltz, when the strict professor looked his way. George started to lose the beat, but Stella started counting out loud. Soon, they were doing it! They were dancing! Stella wanted to dance with him forever.
She glanced at her father. He was helping Hermione with her dancing. When she knew he wouldn't be looking, Stella whispered in George's ear, "will you be my date to the ball?"
He smiled and looked at her. "I was just going to ask that." They laughed quietly, quietly enough for the other three not to hear.
"I guess that great minds really do think alike," Stella smiled, and hugged George tightly. Professor Snape cleared his throat and they had to let go.
"You two can go. Minerva will be dismissing them soon, anyway," Her father told them, then turned back to working with Harry and Hermione.
"Thanks dad," Stella said. George grabbed her hand and dragged her up to the Astronomy Tower.
They just stood there for a few moments in silence, looking at the view. The Black Lake was glistening in the sun. It was so gorgeous. It looked like something you would see out of a nature magazine.
"I want to start over," George said suddenly.
"What?" Stella asked.
"I want to start our relationship over. I broke up with you because of something really stupid. I just want to start over. You don't have to. We could still be friends, but I wanted to tell you that I still like you," George walked closer to where she was standing.
Questions were running through Stella's mind. She didn't want her heart broken again, but she still likes George as well.
"C-can I think about it?" Stella asked uncertainly.
"Of course. All the time you need. I'll wait," George said. His eyes were sad, but he was smiling.
"Thanks!" Stella kissed his cheek and looked at the view again. Soon she was alone. She sat down on the cold ground and looked out at the view one more time until she started to tear up. What did I do?
Well . . .how was it? If it was a little confusing, please tell me. I would like to know, so I can clear it up. if you liked it, tell me!