Hey guys I am not sure how long it has been since my last update. Sorry I just got kinda lazy and didn't get many reviews so I wasn't really encouraged to write. Thanks to those of you that do review and every single time you guys are the main reason I even try to update lol.
Anyway this is the first half of the yule ball. The second part is written and will be posted. How soon depends on reviews! If wondering about Mina and Ami's dresses again there is a link to what they look like on my page so see if you want.
I will try to update sooner but I just havent had the motivation to write, those of you that write will understand this but I am doing my best to get back into the swing of things.
Um I think that is it. Please remember to review and if you have and ideas or questions feel free to let me
Disclaimer: ugh I dont own
After the girls had left the boys, they took their time getting into their dress robes. Harry tried to fix his hair but it just stayed messy. He sighed and let it be. Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville hung around in their dorm for a while each of them feeling slightly self-conscious, but none as much as Ron. In a desperate attempt to make his robes seem less like a dress he used a Severing Charm on the ruff and cuffs. It worked fairly well and he was now lace free but he hadn't done a very neat job and the edges still looked depressingly frayed as they set off downstairs.
Harry met Parvatti in the common room. She looked very pretty in robes of shocking pink and her dark plait braided with gold. Harry was relieved to see that she wasn't giggling.
Harry smiled awkwardly at her. "You... err... look nice."
Parvatti smiled and blushed slightly. "Thank you. Oh and Ron Padma is going to meet you in the Entrance Hall."
Ron nodded but was too busy looking around the room as was Harry but Ron was the first one to bring up the disappearance of the girls. "Where are Ami, Mina and Hermione?"
Parvatti shrugged before turning to Harry. "Shall we head down then?"
Harry nodded slightly wishing he could just stay in the room. The group made their way downstairs and finally to the Entrance Hall whish was packed with students all milling around waiting for eight o'clock. Those people who were meeting partners from different houses were edging their way through the crowd. Harry hoped to see Mina among the crowd but still was unable to find her. Parvatti had found her sister though and brought her over to Ron.
She looked just as pretty as Parvatti in bright turquoise. She didn't look enthusiastic about having Ron as a partner, her dark eyes lingering on the fraying sleeves and neck of his robes.
Ron went to say hello but ducked down quickly instead. Harry looked at him in confusion before seeing who Ron had just seen. Fleur Delacour had just walked in with a dress of shocking silver. She was accompanied but Ravenclaw Quidditch captain Roger Davies.
When they had disappeared Ron let out a breath of relief. "Where are the girls I do not see them any...wow i mean where."
His sentence dropped off as Ami walked up to them in her beautiful blue dress. She smiled warmly at them as Ron just gaped at her. Harry wanted to laugh but kept it inside he turned to Ami and smiled at her.
"You look lovely Ami. I think that is Ron is trying to say but he is unable to say anything from how great you look."
Ron blushed and nodded at what Harry said. Ami also turned red but smiled at them both. "Thank you very much for the compliment. You both look good too."
Ron finally getting his voice back turned to Ami. "You do look fantastic you know but where is your date?"
Ami turned a deeper shade of red. "He is set to meet me inside the dance."
Ron nodded and Harry smiled at their interaction. It was clear as day that they both liked each other but yet neither of them would say anything.
A group of Slytherins came up from the steps from their common room and that was when Harry saw Malfoy accompanied by the most beautiful girl. The whole hall turned silent as Mina and Malfoy walked into the Entrance Hall.
Malfoy looked dark and intimidating in robes of black velvet while Mina contrasted his dark look with her crimson red dress and bright smile. Harry couldn't keep his eyes off her and either could any of the other males in the room. All eyes watched as the regal pair made their way across the room.
Harry took the time to take in the shape the dress gave her, the way the small curls of hair framed her face and how beautiful her face looked. She looked like an untouchable smouldering goddess. Her smile grew when she saw Harry standing with Ron and Ami. She whispered something to Malfoy before practically running over to Harry and giving him a tight embrace.
"Harry you clean up well. You look very handsome. Parvatti is lucky to have such a dashing young gentleman as a partner."
Harry turned bright red from all her compliments before gently caressing one of her curls. Their eyes locked and Harry finally found the words. "You look absolutely stunning Mina, like the goddess of Beauty."
Mina giggled softly and a giant grin that practically lit up the room spread across her face. "Thanks Harry, the compliment is greatly appreciated."
The only reason their heated look was broken was because Professor McGonagall called out. "Champions over here please."
Mina smiled at Harry as she walked back over to Malfoy. Harry sighed as he headed towards Professor McGonagall with Parvatti on his arm. She then told the champions to wait on one side of the doors while everyone else went inside. The champions were to enter the Great Hall in procession after the other students had sat down. Fleur and Roger were closest to the doors then Cedric and Cho, then Krum and his partner a pretty brunette in a purpley pink dress. (A/N I went with the dress from the movie rather than the book so I had her in a different colour than Ami.) Harry looked at the girl closer and was surprised to see it was Hermione but she didn't look like her at all. Her usually bushy hair was done up in a tight but sleek knot at the back of her hair and was smiling brightly.
"Hi Harry, Hi Parvatti."
Harry smiled and returned the greeting but Parvatti was so shocked she was unable to do anything but gaze at Hermione. She wasn't the only one to be in disbelief, when the doors opened many of the students gaped at her with loathing.
Mina who was sitting down at a table with a group of Slytherins smiled and gave Krum two thumbs up when he looked at her which he sent a smile back at. Harry who had never seen Krum smile looked at what he was smiling at and looked at Mina in confusion as she was still smiling with her thumbs up. He made a mental note to ask about that later.
Once everyone was settled in the Hall, Professor McGonagall told the champions and their partners to line in pairs and follow her. They did so, and everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they walked towards a large table at the top of the hall.
The walls of the Hall had been covered in sparkling silver frost with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The house tables had vanished and instead there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones each sitting about a dozen people.
Harry looked around again noticing Mina standing out above all others, she was laughing at something Malfoy said but still managed to look rather uncomfortable with those surrounding her, which was not surprising as they were all Slytherins. Next he spotted Ron who was staring at Ami, who was smiling softly and looking up at the table Harry was sitting at.
Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table and demonstrated how everyone was to get food on their empty plates. He glanced quickly at the menu before looking down at his plate and saying very clearly. "Pork Chops"
The pork chops appeared on his plate and he dug into his food. Everyone in the hall seemed to get the hint and the noise in the Hall began to rise as people ordered their food.
After everybody finished their food Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then at a wave of his wand the tables zoomed back along the walls, leaving the floor clear. Dumbledore followed this by conjuring a raised platform against the right hand wall with a black curtain pulling itself around the stage hiding the secret band.
A soft melody started from behind the curtains but no lyrics were sung. The other champions and their partners were standing up and heading to the dance floor.
Parvatti turned to Harry and hissed at him. "Come on! We are supposed to dance."
Mina listened to the vaguely familiar music and watched Harry trip over his robes as he made his way to the dance floor. She giggled slightly as she saw that Parvatti was clearly taking the lead by grabbing his hands and placing one on her waist and the other in her hand.
Mina watched smiling softly as Parvatti lead Harry around the dance floor. Soon enough some of the other students were joining in and she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Malfoy standing next to her with his hand held out. "May I have this dance?"
Mina grinned at Malfoy and nodded after grabbing his hand. The two made their way to the dance floor. Malfoy placed his hand on her waist and grabbed her other hand leading her in what seemed to be the waltz. Mina giggled softly as she spun around the floor. She looked over Malfoy's shoulder to see Ami and Ron still sitting down. She shook her head slightly knowing that Ron really wanted to dance with Ami but was way too shy to ask, it was clearly evident the way his eyes would flick to Ami and back to the dance floor.
Mina managed to catch Ami's eye and indicate between her and Ron. Ami knew Mina well enough to know that she was telling her to ask Ron to dance. She also knew that if she didn't ask Mina would stop dancing, walk over to them and force the two to dance.
To stop that drama Ami took a deep breath and turned to Ron. "Ron would you like to dance?"
Ron's mouth dropped open and he turned red from the fact that Ami had to ask him to dance when he should be the one asking her to dance. Nonetheless he nodded his head and Ami wrapped her arm through his as they made their way to the dance floor. (AN that little bit there is what the pic i drew to demonstrate Ami's dress is based on just fyi)
Mina smiled smugly as she saw the pair begin to dance, with Ami taking the lead. Everybody danced happily to the mystery band and many of them were sad to hear the song end. All except Harry who was glad to get away from Parvatti and to see Malfoy and Mina stop dancing.
The guests in the hall clapped politely as the song ended and Mina excused herself from Malfoy to walk over to Ami and Harry left Parvatti and made his way over to the group. Mina bent over to whisper something to Ami when the curtains on the stage pulled back to reveal the secret band.
Mina and Ami stared at the stage not believing what they were seeing. There in front of them were the Three Lights. They looked just as good as they remembered. Seiya was of course standing front and centre in his red tuxedo with a red rose attached. Yaten was standing slightly behind him on his right side and was in his signature blue tuxedo with a yellow rose attached to his suit. Finally Taiki was on Seiya's left in his yellow tuxedo with a white rose.
Mina and Ami turned to each other and smiled realising that they were the ones that sent the letters. The roses were a clear indication and of course Setsuna would be willing to give them letters from them. They both sighed slightly and gently touched the roses in their hair to show that they were wearing it.
The Starlights were slightly shocked to see that they were still so successful even in England. Seiya stepped up to his microphone and smiled at the clapping crowd. "Good Evening ladies and gentlemen, it is good to be here! We are of course the Three Lights and will be your entertainment for this evening. Before we start our next song we would just like to send a shout out to our old friends Setsuna-chan, Ami-chan and Minako-chan. Save a dance for us would you?"
With that the Three Lights started to play the next song and the couples started to dance. Ron and Harry flicked their eyes from the girls to the boys on the stage feeling jealous. The girls could not take their eyes of those pretty boys and the grins across their faces were too much. They soon sighed and went to sit down at a nearby table just watching the girls.
Draco was dragged off to dance by Pansy but stared at Mina with jealousy in his eyes, also noticing that Mina seemed to know the band.
Mina and Ami didn't dance for the song they just stared at Yaten and Taiki, still not believing that they had come back. When the song finished Setsuna stepped onto the stage casting a spell on Taiki and Yaten's instruments allowing them to step down from the stage.
Taiki walked straight up to Ami and held out his hand. Ami nodded and the two began to dance, it seemed that the two didn't need to say any words.
Yaten walked up to Mina and smirked slightly. "Care to dance Princess?"
Mina giggled and threw herself into his arms. Yaten held onto Mina tightly and turned slightly red when she leant up to give him a kiss on the cheek and gently rubbing his cheek to get rid of the lipstick mark on his cheek, stunning all those watching the pair.
Yaten placed both of his hands on Mina's waist and pulled her closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Yaten chose to hold her like that because he missed her and knew she would want to ask him some questions.
"Not that I am not happy to see you Yaten but why are you back? Please tell me there is no new enemy."
Yaten chuckled softly and smiled reassuringly. "There is no new enemy Minako-chan, relax. We came back for a quick visit. You see we finished rebuilding our planet and Kakyuu told us that we should come back for a visit because we clearly missed you all and it would be our last chance for a while. We of course, took up the offer and returned to Tokyo only to find out that you, Setsuna and Ami were in England. The others explained why you were here and saw how disappointed Taiki was to not see Ami..."
Mina laughed and raised one of her eyebrows at him. He smiled and chuckled. "Fine I may have also been slightly disappointed to not see you but that isn't the point. Setsuna then contacted the others and found out we were back, she could feel the disturbance and checked up on it. She came up with a plan to surprise you guys and here we are! Are you happy to see us?"
Mina laughed pulling Yaten closer to her body so that their chests were touching. "Of course I am happy to see you. This really made my night Yaten. I have missed you."
Unfortunately the song soon ended and Taiki and Yaten reluctantly pulled away from the girls making their way up to the stage and promising to dance more later.
Mina walked up to Ami who was red but smiling brightly. The two laughed from the shock and happiness before Harry walked up to them and asked Mina to dance. She nodded her consent and the two walked back onto the dance floor as Ami made her way back to the table to sit with Ron.
Harry placed his hand on her waist and held her the same way Yaten did. She smiled slightly as she leant on his shoulder giving a giggle when she sees Yaten give her a small wink from the stage. The two enjoy the comfort of each other's embrace until Harry notices the way Yaten's eyes seem to follow Minako everywhere she goes. He could totally understand why he was staring at her and he is sure he isn't the only guy in the room following Mina but it still irked him slightly when he thinks about the way Mina's face lit up when she saw him.
"So... who is that guy in the band and how do you know him?"
Mina smiled and her eyes glazed over slightly at the memories. "His name is Yaten Kou and the other two are his brothers Seiya, the one in the red and Taiki in the yellow. I met him a bit over a year ago they... attended the same school as I did.
I will be the first to admit I had quite a crush on Yaten but at first he kept pushing me away. Eventually due to some... circumstances we grew closer and became good friends. Then after the year they all moved again and I hadn't seen them since they left. I missed them heaps and that is why I am so happy to see them today."
Harry nodded and was about to answer when out of the corner of his eye he saw Ami and Ron standing in defensive stances glaring at each other.
Harry shook his head at the scene that he assumed Ron started. Mina saw what he was staring at and gave him a shocked look before rushing over to them. Harry followed close behind and they finally got close enough to hear what they were arguing about.
"He is some stupid rock star Ami! He is probably just going to use you and let you go!"
Ami's face was very red at this point and she hissed quietly trying to stop the scene. "He isn't just some stupid rock star Ron. I know him from back home in Tokyo. He is a very good friend of mine and I haven't seen him in a while so excuse me for being excited to see him."
Ron didn't seem to be paying too much attention and the redness of his face clashed horribly with his hair. "See I am right Ami. He become friends with you before and just left you to live his high flying life. Making you worry and long for him when he was probably with other women! Now he is suddenly back and wants your attention. I thought you were smarter than that Ami, I never thought you could be so stupid!"
This was the last straw for Ami she despised when anybody insulted her intelligence. She took a few steps towards him and slapped him leaving a bright palm print on his face.
"I think you are the stupid one Ronald Weasley. Taiki and I have been through a lot together and he would never mean to hurt me! You know nothing about his life, nothing at all. I don't know what your problem is Ronald but you should just grow up you... you... BAKA!"
Mina almost let out a laugh to hear Ami call him an idiot in Japanese, especially because Ron had absolutely no idea what she called him. Mina gave an apologetic look to Harry before she walked up to Ami and wrapped her arm around her and whispered soothing words into her ear.
Harry quickly walked up to Ron grabbing his arm and dragging him outside to calm down. The two ended up walking around and hearing some conversations that they definitely should not have been listening in on.
Within the first five minutes of their walk they stumbled upon Professor Karkaroff and Professor Snape having an argument.
"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening. It's been getting clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned. I can't deny it..."
"Then flee, I will make your excuses. I however, am remaining at Hogwarts.
The two were unable to hear anymore as they had to quickly run to keep from being caught. They walked quickly away until they reached a large stone fountain. The shadowy outlines of two enormous people were visible on a stone bench. It was then they over head the second private conversation.
"Momen' I saw yeh, I knew."
The two froze when they recognised Hagrid's voice. Harry looked around to find somewhere else to go so they didn't intrude. He looked up the path to see Fleur and Roger half-concealed in the rosebush looking very busy. He indicated silently at Ron to go that way but Ron refused and pulled Harry deeper in the shadows enabling them to hear more of the conversation.
"What did you know 'Agrid?" The other voice said, revealing the other figure to be Madame Maxime.
Harry definitely did not want to hear this conversation and tried to ignore it by playing with a red rose that was on the bush. He was so busy trying not to concentrate that he failed to see a beetle crawl onto his robes. The rose unfortunately, wasn't interesting enough to block out the conversation.
"I jus' knew... knew you were like me... was it yer mother or yer father?"
"I... don't know what you mean 'Agrid..."
"It was my mother. She was one o' the las' ones in Britain. I can' remember her too well, she left, when I was abou' three. She wasn' really the maternal sort. Dunno what happened to her... might be dead fer all I know..."
The scene stayed silent as Maxime didn't say anything, so Hagrid continued.
"Me dad was broken hearted when she wen' Tiny little bloke, my dad was. By the time I was six I could lift him up an' put him on top o' the dresser if he annoyed me. Used ter make him laugh... Dad raised me... but he died jus' after I started school... Enough abou' me, what abou' you? What side yer got it on?"
Madame Maxime didn't answer and instead just stood up. "It iz chilly, I zink I will go in now."
Hagrid responded with a quickly. "No don' go! I've never met another one before!"
"Anuzzer what, precisely?"
Harry didn't fail to pick up the iciness in her tone and hoped that Hagrid would notice to, but Hagrid was never the best at reading social cues.
"Another half-giant o'course!"
Madame Maxime stomped lightly and shrieked at Hagrid. " 'Ow dare you! I 'ave never been more insulted in my life! 'Alf-giant? Moi? I 'ave... I 'ave big bones."
She then stormed away angrily pushing aside bushes as she made her way back up to the castle. Harry watched sadly as Hagrid remained still for a couple of minutes before striding away to his cabin.
Harry sighed and motioned for Ron to follow him but Ron was just frozen.
"Did you know, about Hagrid being half-giant?"
Harry shook his head in confusion wondering why it mattered. "No, but does it matter?"
Harry knew immediately from the look Ron was giving him that he was one again revealing his ignorance of the wizarding world.
"Giants are... they're well... they're... not very nice"
Harry was still confused. "Who cares, there is nothing wrong with Hagrid."
Ron shook his head. "I know there isn't but... blimey no wonder he keeps it quiet. I always thought he'd got in the way of a bad Engorgement Charm when he was a kid or something."
"Why does it matter if his mother was a giantess?"
Ron sighed and pushed his hand through his hair. "Well no one who knows him will care because they'll know he's not dangerous but Harry, giants are just... vicious. It's in their natures, they're like trolls... they just like killing, everyone knows that. There aren't any left in Britain now though because they were naturally dying out and loads got themselves killed by Aurors."
Harry didn't like this conversation and changed it slightly. "I don't know who Madame Maxime is kidding. If Hagrid is a half giant she definitely is. Big bones, the only thing that has bigger bones is a dinosaur."
Ron laughed lightly before the two headed up to the castle to hear the third and final private conversation. The two happened to stumble on Ami and Mina who were sitting down on a bench next to a small rosebush. Ami had her hands in her lap fiddling with her fingers while Mina had one hand on Ami's back and the other holding a red rose that she was playing with.
The two stopped to listen what the girls were talking about. They both knew they shouldn't but listened any way. Unluckily it seemed that they had only just caught the end of the conversation.
"I am so confused Mina. I have longed to see Taiki ever since they left but now everything is a different. We have met new people and been away from the others and... I...just..."
Mina sighed as she dropped the rose and pulled Ami into a hug. "Love is never simple, it's never easy and neither is friendship. They need to be worked on and as I said before I can't tell you what to feel. I think the problem is that you know how you feel and that is what is scaring you. I think that you should just talk to Ron and sort out what happened."
"I don't know Mina, maybe I should just leave it for now."
Mina sighed as she stood up and reached over to pull Ami up as well. "Why don't we talk about this again later or tomorrow? I don't want what happened to ruin your night or your make up."
Ami let out a giggle and followed the Mina back inside. The two followed at a slower pace wishing they knew what the girls had been talking about.
(This starts from just after Ron and Harry left. I had to write that just in case it wasn't clear)
After Harry and Ron snuck out of the Great Hall, Mina grabbed Ami a drink and handed it to her. Ami smiled gratefully but still looked like she was about to cry and Taiki who had noticed the commotion looked like he was about to jump down from the stage. Mina shook her head no and decided to lead Ami outside for some fresh air. Not too far from the entrance of the school, Mina found a little bit of grass surrounded by rose bushes.
They sat down on a bench near the bush and stayed silent; Mina didn't want to push Ami to talk until she was ready. As she waited she leant over to the rose bush and admired some of the roses. She pulled off a beautiful red rose in full bloom and began to caress the petals as she waited for Ami to speak.
After a few more minutes Mina heard a sniff from beside her. "I just don't understand why Ron was so mean to Taiki. They had never met and Taiki was acting like a perfect gentlemen. Who is Ron to judge Taiki from just one look?"
Mina chuckled slightly at how naive and unexperienced Ami could be with boys, for somebody so smart she was knew nothing about the male species.
"Oh Ami, don't you see Ron was jealous!"
Ami's head sprang up and Mina could see the tears in her eyes, luckily none had fallen and destroyed her make-up.
Mina just smiled softly and continued to explain. "Ami he said those things about Taiki because he was jealous that you were dancing closely with another boy and that you looked so happy about it. He is also quite inexperienced at showing his emotions, instead of just telling you how he feels he tries to get your attention in other ways. He didn't mean to hurt you at all and you are right that he shouldn't judge but jealousy makes us all do stupid things."
"What do you think I should do Mina? I don't really know how I am feeling right now. I mean I think I have well had a crush on Ron but after his behaviour tonight, I am not so sure. Tell me what to do! You are the goddess of love after all!"
Mina placed her arm around Ami and stared ahead. "Ami, you know I don't have a very good track record with males. My advice probably wouldn't be very useful."
"Please Mina, just tell me anything."
"Fine, I think you should just trust what your heart says. Think about how you feel for both the boys and the emotions the stir up inside of you. I just also want you to remember that Taiki probably won't be around for long."
Ami sighed loudly. "I am so confused Mina. I have longed to see Taiki ever since they left but now everything is a different. We have met new people and been away from the others and... I...just..."
Mina sighed as she dropped the rose and pulled Ami into a hug. "Love is never simple, it's never easy and neither is friendship. They need to be worked on and as I said before I can't tell you what to feel. I think the problem is that you know how you feel and that is what is scaring you. I think that you should just talk to Ron and sort out what happened."
"I don't know Mina, maybe I should just leave it for now."
Mina sighed as she stood up and reached over to pull Ami up as well. "Why don't we talk about this again later or tomorrow? I don't want what happened to ruin your night or your make up."
Ami let out a giggle and followed the Mina back inside. The two walked back in and didn't notice the two boys enter back in after them.
That ends the first half of the Yule Ball *sigh* drama, drama, drama, stupid Ron.
though next chapter has even more jealousy, drama, fighting and tears! cant wait!
Hands up who guessed that the three lights would be there and yaten and taiki would be the secret admirers. you see i thought it was quite easy to pick up. there were a few hints like. It was someone setsuna trusted, the roses that each of the boys were and finally in mina's it said "to remind you how bright you shine." this is refrence to mna saying that the three lights shine the brightest. okay so maybe bo so easy to figure out but i thought it was (cause i wrote it i guess!)
remember to review and the next chapter will be up quicker!