Chapter 11
The Unbreakable Vow
Snow was swirling against the icy windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid had already single-handedly delivered the usual twelve Christmas trees for the Great Hall; garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armours and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors. Large groups of both girls and boys tended to converge underneath the mistletoe bunches every time Harry and Emma went past, which caused blockages in the corridors; fortunately, however, Harry's frequent night-time wanderings and Emma's duty to follow him had given them an unusually good knowledge of the castle's secret passageways, so that they were able, without too much difficulty, to navigate mistletoe-free routes between classes and so on.
Ron, who might once have found the necessity of these detours a cause for jealousy rather than hilarity, simply roared with laughter about it all. Although Harry and Emma both preferred this new laughing, joking Ron to the moody, aggressive model they had been enduring for the last few weeks, the improved Ron came with a heavy price. Firstly, they had to put up with the frequent presence of Lavender Brown, who seemed to regard any moment that she was not kissing Ron as a moment wasted; and secondly, they found themselves, once more, the best friends of two people who seemed unlikely ever to speak to each other again.
Ron, whose hands and forearms still bore scratches and cuts from Hermione's bird attack, was taking a defensive and resentful tone.
"She can't complain" he told Harry and Emma. "She snogged Krum. So she's found out someone wants to snog me. Well, it's a free country. I haven't done anything wrong."
Harry did not answer, but pretended to be absorbed in the book they were supposed to have read before Charms the following morning. Determined as he was to remain friends with both Ron and Hermione, he was spending a lot of time with his mouth shut tight. He could tell that Emma was dying to knock Hermione and Ron around the head with a bat and scream at them. But she wasn't allowed to interfere with human events unless it was an emergency and so became very frustrated whenever the situation was mentioned which, of course, Harry found pretty funny.
"I never promised Hermione anything" Ron mumbled. "I mean, all right, I was going to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with her, but she never said...just as friends...I'm a free agent..."
Harry turned a page of his book, aware that Ron was watching him. Emma was glowering into the fireplace, muttering about something along the lines of 'stupid laws' and 'they're as blind as ding-bats'.
Hermione's timetable was so full that Harry and Emma could only talk to her properly in the evenings, when Ron was in any case so tightly wrapped around Lavender that he did not notice what they were doing. Hermione refused to sit in the common room while Ron was there, so Harry and Emma generally joined her in the library, which meant that their conversations were held in whispers.
"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes" said Hermione, while the librarian, Madam Prince, prowled the shelves behind them. "I really couldn't care less."
She raised her quill and dotted an 'i' so ferociously that she punctured a hole in her parchment that Emma hastily fixed with her wand, but neither her nor Harry said anything.
"And incidentally" said Hermione, after a few moments "you two need to be careful."
"Why?" Emma asked, reading Harry's book up-side-down.
"I went into the girls' bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip Harry a love Potion. And I overheard guys thinking on the same lines for you, Emma. They're all hoping they're going to get you to take them to Slughorn's party and they all seem to have bought Fred and George's love potions, which I'm afraid to say probably work..."
"Why didn't you confiscate them, then?" demanded Harry. It seemed extraordinary that Hermione's mania for upholding rules could have abandoned her at this crucial juncture.
"They didn't have the potions with them in the bathroom" said Hermione scornfully. "They were just discussing tactics. You two better get dates soon. Its tomorrow night, and they're getting desperate."
"There isn't anyone I want to invite" mumbled Harry, who was still trying not to think about Ginny any more than he could help.
"I'm going with George" said Emma, giving Harry a look that reminded him so much of Dumbledore when he gave Harry a look that made him feel like he was being x-rayed.
"Well, just be careful what you drink, because they all look like they mean business" said Hermione grimly.
"Can't Filch detect it with his detective-thingies?" Harry grumbled.
"No" sighed. "Secrecy Sensors detect jinxes, curses and concealment charms. They're used to find Dark magic and Dark objects. They'd have picked up a powerful curse within seconds. But something that's just been put in the wrong bottle wouldn't register- and anyway, love potions aren't Dark or dangerous..."
"Easy for you to say" muttered Harry and Emma together, thinking of Romilda Vane and the Creevey Brothers.
"...so it would be down to Filch to realise it wasn't a cough potion, and he's not a very good wizard, I doubt he can tell one potion from..."
Hermione stopped dead; Harry and Emma had both heard it too. Somebody had moved close behind them among the dark bookshelves. They waited and a moment later the vulture-like countenance of Madam Pince appeared round the corner, her sunken cheeks, her skin like parchment and her long hooked nose illuminated unflatteringly by the lamp she was carrying.
"The library is now closed" she said. "Mind you return anything you have borrowed to the correct- what have you been doing to that book, you depraved boy?"
"It isn't the library's, it's mine!" said Harry hastily, snatching his copy of the Advanced Potion-Making off the table as she lunged at it with a claw like hand.
"Despoiled!" she hissed. "Desecrated! Befouled!"
"It's just a book that's been written in!" said Harry, tugging it out of her grip.
She looked as though she might have a seizure; Hermione, who had hastily packed her things, grabbed Harry by the arm and frogmarched him away with Emma trailing behind them, looking highly amused.
"She'll ban you from the library if you're not careful. Why did you have to bring that stupid book?" Hermione demanded.
"It's not my fault she's barking mad, Hermione. Or do you think she overheard you being rude about Filch? I've always thought there might be something going on between then..."
"Oh, ha, ha..."
Emma laughed and shook her head.
Enjoying the fact that they could speak normally again, they made their way along the deserted, lamp-lit corridors back to the common room, arguing about whether or not Filch and Madam Pince were secretly in love with each other.
"Baubles" said Emma to the Fat Lady, this being the new, festive password.
"Same to you" said the Fat Lady with a roguish grin, and she swung forwards to admit them.
"Hi, Harry!" said Romilda Vane, the moment he had climbed through the portrait hole. "Fancy a Gillywater?"
Hermione gave him a 'What-did-I-tell-you?' look over her shoulder. Emma walked with her, dodging the Creevey brothers.
"No thanks" said Harry quickly. "I don't like it much."
"Well, take these anyway" said Romilda, thrusting a box into his hands. "Chocolate Cauldrons, they've got Firewhisky in them. My gran sent them to me, but I don't like them."
"Oh...right...thanks a lot" said Harry, who could not think what else to say. "Err...I'm just going over here with..."
He hurried off behind Hermione and Emma, his voice tailing away feebly.
"Told you so" said Hermione succinctly. "Sooner you ask someone, sooner they will all leave you alone and you can..."
But her face suddenly turned blank; she had just spotted Ron and Lavender who were entwined in the same armchair.
"Well, goodnight, you two" said Hermione, though it was only seven o'clock in the evening, and she left for the girl's dormitory without another word.
Harry went to bed comforting himself that there was only one more day of lessons to struggle through, plus Slughorn's party, after which he, Emma and Ron would depart together for The Burrow. It now seemed impossible that Ron and Hermione would make up with each other before the holidays began, but perhaps, somehow, the break would give them time to calm down, think better of their behaviours...
Then he remembered that both Ron and Hermione were invited to Emma's wedding and so that wouldn't give them much of a break to think about it much, and his hopes seemed to sink lower than the earth.
The next day, Harry bumped into Luna and Hermione coming out of the bathroom. He didn't miss the fact that Hermione was drying her eyes on her pencil case.
"Oh, hello, Harry" said Luna. "Did you know one of your eyebrows is bright yellow?"
"Hi, Luna. Hi, Hermione."
"Hello, Harry" said Hermione in a choked voice, and turning away quickly to hid the fact that she had been crying even though it was pretty obvious. "Well, I'd better get going..."
And she hurried off, without giving Harry any time to offer words of comfort, though admittedly he could not think of any.
"She's a bit upset" said Luna. "I thought at first it was Moaning Myrtle in there, but it turned out to be Hermione. She said something about Ron Weasley..."
"Yeah, they've had a row" said Emma's voice from behind Harry. "Hey, Luna."
"Hi Emma" Luna greeted her. "He does say very funny things sometimes, doesn't her? But he can be a bit unkind. I noticed that last year."
"I suppose" said Harry. Luna was demonstrating her usual knack of speaking uncomfortable truths; he had never met anyone quite like her.
"So have you had a good term?" Emma asked casually, seeming quite the opposite of Harry.
"Oh, it's been all right" said Luna. "A bit lonely without the DA. Ginny's been nice, though. She stopped two boys in our Transfiguration class calling me 'Loony' the other day..."
"How would you like to come to Slughorn's party with me tonight?"
The words were out of Harry's mouth before he could stop them; he heard himself say them as though it were a stranger speaking.
Luna turned her protuberant eyes upon him in surprise. Even Emma seemed shocked, but looking quite pleased and pretended to examine a suit of armour.
"Slughorn's party? With you?"
"Yeah" said Harry. "We're supposed to bring guests, so I thought you might like...I mean..." He was keen to make his intentions perfectly clear. "I mean, just as friends, you know. But if you don't want to..."
He was already half-hoping that she didn't want to.
"Oh, no, I'd love to go with you as friends!" said Luna, beaming as he had never seen her beam before. "Nobody's ever asked me to a party before, as a friend! Is that why you dyed your eyebrow, for the party? Should I do mine too?"
"No" sad Harry firmly "that was a mistake. So, I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall at eight o'clock, then."
"AHA!" screamed a voice from overhead and all of them jumped; unnoticed by any of them, they had just passed right underneath Peeves, who was handing upside-down from a chandelier and grinning maliciously at them.
"Potty asked Loony to go to the party! Potty lurves Loony! Potty luuuuuurves Looooooony!"
"Nice to keep these things private" said Harry. And sure enough, in no time at all, the whole school seemed to know that Harry Potter was taking Luna Lovegood to Slughorn's party.
"You could've taken anyone!" said Ron in disbelief over dinner. "Anyone! And you chose Loony Lovegood?"
"Don't call her than, Ron" said Ginny and Emma together automatically as Ginny paused behind Harry on her way to join her friends.
"I'm really glad you're taking her, Harry" Ginny smiled. "She's so excited."
And she moved on down the table to sit with Dean. Harry tried to feel pleased that Ginny was glad he was taking Luna to the party, but could not quite manage it. A long way along the table, Hermione was sitting alone, playing with her stew. Harry and Emma noticed Ron looking at her furtively.
"You could say sorry" suggested Emma bluntly. Apparently she had heard about the incident in Transfiguration.
"What, and get attacked by another flock of canaries? I don't think so" muttered Ron.
"What did you have to imitate her for?" Harry sighed.
"She laughed at my moustache!"
"So did I, it was the most stupidest thing I had ever seen."
But Ron did not seem to have heard; Lavender had just arrived with Parvati. Squeezing herself in between Harry and Ron, Lavender flung her arms around Ron's neck.
"Hi, Harry, Hi Emma" said Parvati who, like Harry and Emma, looked faintly embarrassed and bored by the behaviours of their two friends.
"Hi" Harry and Emma chorused.
"How are you?" Emma asked. "I heard your parents wanted you to leave."
"I managed to talk them out of it for the time being" said Parvati. "That Katie thing really freaked them out, but as there hasn't been anything since...oh, hi, Hermione!"
Parvati positively beamed. Harry and Emma could tell that she was feeling guilty for having laughed at Hermione in Transfiguration. They looked around and saw that Hermione was beaming back, if possible even more brightly.
"Girls are very strange sometimes" Harry muttered.
"You'll see" Emma breathed so no-one but him could hear her.
"Hi, Parvati!" said Hermione, ignoring Ron and Lavender completely. "Are you going to Slughorn's party tonight?"
"Not invited" said Parvati gloomily. "I would love to go, though, it sounds like it's going to be really good...you're going, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm meeting Cormac at eight and we're..."
There was a noise like a plunger being withdrawn from a blocked sink and Ron surfaced. Hermione acted as though she had not seen or heard anything.
"Oh my gosh!" said Emma, getting out of her seat. "Cormac as in Cormac McLaggen?"
"That's right" said Hermione sweetly. "The one who almost" she put a great deal of emphasis on the word "became the Gryffindor Keep."
"Are you going out with him, then?" asked Parvati, wide-eyed.
"Oh...yes...didn't you know?" said Hermione, with a most un-Hermione-ish giggle.
"No!" said Emma, and Parvati looked positively agog at this piece of gossip. "Wow, Hermione, you like your Quidditch players, don't you? First Krum, then McLaggen..."
"I like really good Quidditch players" Hermione corrected her, still smiling. "Well, see you...got to go and get ready for the party..."
She left. At once Lavender and Parvati put their heads together to discuss this new development, with everythin they had ever heard about McLaggen, and all they had ever guessed about Hermione. Ron looked strangely blank and said nothing. Harry watch Emma carefully as he pondered in silence the depths to which girls would sink to get revenge.
Emma ran up to Dumbledore's office where her room was to get ready. She had chosen to wear a sleeveless long red dress that went right down to her feet. It was covered in sparkles on the lower half as well.
She met George at the Entrance Hall at eight o'clock, where harry was meeting Luna as well. She grinned at George when he came into view.
"Hey, love, how are you?" George whispered in her ear.
"Better now I'm with you" she winked. Turning to Harry and Luna she said "Shall we get going, then?"
"Oh, yes" Luna said happily. George gave at Emma a look but she just shook her head. "Where is the party?"
"Slughorn's office" said Harry, leading the three of them up the marble staircase away from all the staring and muttering. "Did you hear, there's supposed to be a vampire coming?"
"What other than me?" Emma said, surprised.
"Yes, other than you" Harry laughed, rolling his eyes at her.
"Oh dear."
"You mean Rufus Scrimgeour?" asked Luna.
"I- what?" said Harry, disconcerted. "You mean the Minister for Magic?"
"Yes, he's a vampire" said Luna matter-of-factly. "Father wrote a very long article about it when Scrimgeour first took over from Cornelius Fudge, but he was forced not to publish by someone from the Ministry. Obviously, they didn't want the truth to get out!"
Harry and Emma, who both thought it most unlikely that Rufus Scrimgeour was a vampire, but they were used to Luna repeating her father's bizarre views as though they were fact, did not reply; they were already approaching Slughorn's office and the sounds of laughter, music and loud conversation were growing loud with every step they took.
Whether it had been built that way, or because he had used magical trickery to make it so, Slughorn's office was much larger than the usual teacher's study. The ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson and gold hangings, so that it looked as though they were all inside a vast tent. The room was crowded and stuffy and bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the centre of the ceiling in which real fairies were fluttering, each a brilliant speck of light. Loud singing accompanied by what sounded like mandolins issued from a distant corner; a haze of pipe smoke hung over several elderly warlocks deep in conversation, and a number of house-elves were negotiating their way squeakily through the forst of knees, obscured by the heavy silver platters of food they were bearing, so that they looked like little roving table.
"Ah, Harry and Emma!" boomed Slughorn, almost as soon as Harry, Emma, Luna and George had squeezed in through the door. "Come in; come in, so many people I'd like you two to meet!"
Slughorn was wearing a tasselled velvet hat to match his smoking jacket. Gripping Harry and Emma's arms so tightly he might have been hoping to Disapparate with them, Slughorn led them purposefully into the party; Harry seized Luna's hand and Emma did the same to George and dragged them along with them.
"Harry, Emma, I'd like you to meet Eldred Worple, an old student of mine, author of Blood Brothers: My life Amongst the Vampires- and, of course, his friend Sanguini."
Worple, who was a small, bespectacled man, grabbed Harry and Emma's hands and shoot them enthusiastically in turn.
"Hello Mr Worple" Emma said politely, but not looking at him. She was eyeing the vampire, Sangini, who was tall and emaciated with dark shadows under his eyes, with slightly worry.
"Please, call me Eldred" said Worple. "Oh, don't worry about Sanguini, he won't hurt you."
"It wasn't me that I was worried about" Emma muttered. "Anyway, it's lovely to meet you to, Sanguini."
He shook her hand, looking at her warily.
"Don't worry" Emma grinned "I don't bite."
Sanguini cracked a smile.
"Well, I am simply delighted to finally meet the two Potters!" said Worple, peering short-sightedly up into Harry's face and down at Emma's. "I was saying to Professor Slughorn only the other day. Where is the biography of Harry and Emma for which we've all been waiting?"
"Were you?" said Emma, looking bemused.
"Just as modest as Horace described!" said Worple. "But seriously, I would be delighted to write it myself- people are crabbing t know more about you two! If you were both prepared to grant me a few interviews, say in four- or five hour sessions, why, we could have the book finished within months. And all with very little effort on your parts, I assure you- ask Sanguini here if it isn't quite..."
But Emma cut him off by saying sharply and sternly to Sanguini "Stay here!" for the vampire had been edging towards the nearby group of girls, a rather hungry look in his eye.
"Here, have a pasty" said Worple, seizing one from a passing elf and stuffing it into Sanguini's hand before turning his attention back to Harry and Emma.
"My dear, the gold you two could make, you have no idea..."
"We are definitely not interested" said Harry firmly "and I've just seen a friend of mine, sorry."
He pulled Luna and Emma who pulled George into the crowd; he had indeed just seen a long mane of brown hair disappear between what looked like two members of the Weird Sisters.
"Hermione! Hermione!"
"Harry! Emma! There you two are, thank goodness! Hi, Luna, hi George!"
"What the hell happened to you?" Emma asked, for Hermione looked distinctly dishevelled, rather as though she had just fought her way out of a thicket of Devil's Snare.
"Oh, I've just escaped- I mean, I've just left Cormac" she said. "Under the mistletoe" she added in explanation, as Harry and Emma continued to look questioningly at her.
"Serves you right for coming with him" Harry told her severely.
"I thought he'd annoy Ron most" said Hermione dispassionately. "I debated for a while about Zacharias Smith, but I thought, on the whole..."
"You considered Smith?" said Harry, revolted.
"Yes, she did" Emma chuckled, leaning against George's chest and sighing happily.
"I'm starting to wish I had chosen him" Hermione muttered, "McLaggen makes Grawp look like a gentleman. Let's go this way, we'll be able to see him coming, he's so tall..."
The four of them made their way over to the other side of the room, scooping up goblets if mead on the way, realising too that Professor Trelawney was standing there alone.
"Hello" said Luna politely.
Professor Trelawney seemed too tipsy to have recognised Harry and Emma. Under cover of her furious criticisms of Firenze, Harry drew closer to Hermione and Emma and said "Let's get something straight. Are you planning to tell Ron that you interfered at Keep tryouts?"
Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"I'll do it if Hermione does it" Emma shrugged, still leaning into George again.
"You interfered at the Keepers Tryouts?" George asked in disbelief, his eyebrow raised. "Damn, Hermione, your bader than I thought."
"Do you really think I'd stood that low?" Hermione asked, ignoring George's comment completely.
Harry looked at her shrewdly.
"Hermione, if you can ask out McLaggen..."
"There's a difference" said Hermione with dignity. "I've got no plans to tell Ron anything about what might, or might not, have happened at Keeper tryouts."
"Good" said Harry fervently.
"Oh no, here he comes!"
Hermione moved so fast it was though she had Disapparated; one moment she was there, the next she had squeezed between two guffawing witches and vanished.
"Seen Hermione" asked McLaggen, forcing his way through the throng a minute later.
"No, sorry" Emma said, before the three of them turned quickly to join in Luna's conversation, forgetting for a split second to whom she was talking.
"Harry and Emma Potter!" said Professor Trelawney in deep, vibrant tones, noticing them for the first time.
"Hello Professor" said Emma unenthusiastically.
"My dears!" she said in a very carrying whispered. "The rumours! The stories! The Chosen Ones! Of course, I have known for a very long time...the omens were never good for either of you...but why have you not returned to Divination, Harry? For you, of all people, the subject is of the utmost importance! Your sister is still coming to see me about her visions."
Harry glanced at Emma incredulously who hissed "Honestly, she's not that bad!"
Emma eyes darted towards the door, then to George, then to Harry and then to Trelawney. Harry wondered what that was about but didn't say anything.
"Ah, Sybill, we all think our subject's most important!" said a loud voice, and Slughorn appeared at Professor Trelawney's other side, his face very red, his velvet hat a little askew, a glass of mead in one hand and an enormous mince pit in the other. "But I don't think I have ever known such a natural at Potions than there two!" said Slughorn, regarding both Harry and Emma with a found, if bloodshot, eye. "Instinctive, you know- like their mother! I've only ever taught a few with his kind of ability, I can tell you that, Sybill- why, even Severus..."
And to Harry's horror and Emma's amusement, Slughorn threw out an arm and seemed to scoop Snape out of thin air towards them.
"Stop skulking and come and join us, Severus!" hiccoughed Slughorn happily. "I was just talking about Harry and Emma's exceptional potion-making! Some credit must go to you, of course, you taught him for five years!"
Trapped, with Slughorn's arm around his shoulders, Snape looked down his hooked nose at Harry and Emma, his black eyes narrowed.
"Funny, Miss Potter maybe, but I never had the impression that I managed to teach Mr Potter anything at all."
"Well, then, its natural ability!" shouted Slughorn. "You should have been what Harry gave me, first lesson, the Draught of Living Death- never had a student produce finer on a first attempt, and I don't think even you, Severus."
"Really?" said Snape quietly, his eyes still boring into Emma and Harry, who felt a certain disquiet. The last thing he wanted was for Snape to start investigating the source of his new-found brilliance at Potions. Emma, however, didn't seem at all worried.
"Remind me what other subjects you're taking, Harry?" asked Slughorn.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology..."
"All the subjects required, in short, for an Auror" said Snape, with the faintest sneer.
"Yeah, well, that's what I'd like to be" said Harry defiantly.
"And a great one you'll make, too!" boomed Slughorn. "And you, Emma, what lessons are you taking?"
"Oh, I'm not taking my lessons this year, sir" Emma smiled. "Being a vampire does have some perks."
"Ah, yes, yes" Slughorn smiled, though Harry thought he would have preferred to have Emma in his lessons rather than out.
Emma's eyebrows shot up and Harry followed her stair. Draco Malfoy was being dragged by the ear towards them by Argus Filch.
"Professor Slughorn" wheezed Filch, his jowls aquiver and the maniacal light of mischief-detention in his bulging eyes. "I discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"
Malfoy pulled himself free of Filch's grip, looking furious.
"All right, I wasn't invited!" he said angrily. "I was trying to gatecrash, happy?"
"NO, I'm not!" said Filch, a statement at complete odds with the glee on his face. "You are in trouble, you are! Didn't the Headmaster say that night-time prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"
"That's all right, Argus, that's all right" said Slughorn, waving a hand. "It's Christmas, and it's not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment; you may stay, Draco."
Filch's expression of outraged disappointment was perfectly predictable; but why, Harry and Emma wondered, watching him, did Malfoy look almost equally unhappy? And why was Snape looking at Malfoy as though both angry and...was it possible?...a little afraid?
But almost before they had registered what they had seen, Filch had turned and shuffled away, muttering under his breath; Malfoy had composed his face into a smile and was thanking Slughorn for his generosity, and Snape's face was smoothly inscrutable again.
"It's nothing, nothing" said Slughorn, waving away Malfoy's thanks. "I did know your grandfather, after all..."
"He always spoke very highly of you, sir" said Malfoy quickly. "Said you were the best potion-maker he'd ever known..."
Emma studied Malfoy more closely. He did, in fact, look ill, with the dark shadows under his eyes and distinctly greyish tinge to his skin. No matter how much she hated the Malfoys, she couldn't help but feel a little worried for him.
"I'd like a word with you, Draco" said Snape suddenly.
"Oh, now, Severus" said Slughorn, hiccoughing again. "It's Christmas, don't be too hard..."
"I'm his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be" said Snape curtly. "Follow me Draco."
They left, Snape leading the way, Malfoy looking resentful. Harry stood there for a moment, irresolute, then said "I'll be back in a bit, Luna- er- bathroom."
But Emma caught his arm before he could leave and he shot her an irritated look.
"Be careful" she warned in, worry obvious in her eyes and he nodded before leaving. She sighed before slumping into George's arms.
"He'll be fine" George reassured her. "Don't forget he's faced you-know-who and worse."
"I know" she mumbled. "Doesn't mean I don't worry."
George rolled his eyes before pulling her onto the dance floor and getting her to dance. It wasn't long before she was enjoying herself.