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The next week, McGonagall made a rather interesting announcement at the end of class. "Part of the tradition of Triwizard Tournament is to have a Yule ball on Christmas day. It is open to all students fourth year and above, though a younger year may attend, if he or she is escorted by an older student. Mr. Potter, please stay behind."

Harry set his book bag down and waited until the classroom had emptied, before he made his way up to the professor's desk. Minerva looked at him and smiled, her stern teacher façade giving way to the caring guardian he had gotten to know quite well over the summer.

"Harry, as a champion, you will need to make certain you have a partner, though I don't think that will be an issue, will it?"

Harry blushed, but smiled. "Why is it necessary?" he asked.

"It is tradition for the champions to open the ball with the first dance," Minerva replied, observing him carefully, noting the sudden paleness of his face.

Harry bit his lip, managing to stammer out, "D-d-dance?"

Minerva nodded, and then frowned. "Harry, do you know how to dance?"

Harry shook his head, embarrassed. "No one ever taught me," he admitted, ashamed.

Minerva stepped forward, using one hand to force his chin upwards so that he was looking at her. "We can easily remedy that," she assured him. "Come and see me after breakfast on Saturday. Perhaps Miss Weasley would like to attend as well."

Harry nodded, feeling better. He muttered out a thank you, before he went to catch up with his friends. Minerva watched him leave, the smile still gracing her stern features.

When Harry caught up to his friends in the Great Hall, he was somewhat confused to find a number of people watching him – mostly girls. They all seemed to be eyeing him in a way that made him a little uncomfortable. As he sat down, Harry explained what McGonagall had told him, including the dancing lessons, which he admitted to with a definite blush.

Thanks to a well-placed elbow in his side, courtesy of Hermione, Ron didn't say anything around the mouthful of food – not that he really could have, there was a lot packed in there.

Hermione just smiled and commented on how it would be very beneficial.

Neville looked nervous, as he pushed the food around on his plate. "Do you think Professor McGonagall would mind if I came as well?" he asked quietly.

Harry studied his friend for a moment, before smiling. "You planning on asking someone specific, Nev?"

Neville blushed, but nodded, glancing over at the Hufflepuff table.

Harry's smile widened. "I think that'd be fine," he affirmed, before tucking into his own lunch as Ginny entered the hall, separated from the rest of the third years, and joined them.

She gave Harry a sidelong look as she spooned potatoes onto her plate. "Did you guys hear about the ball?"

They all nodded, looking at Harry as well, but the Boy Who Lived just kept eating, hiding his smile. He knew whom he was going to ask, but he wanted to make it special. He would need to send Hedwig off with a letter as soon as he finished lunch.

When Harry didn't speak, everyone turned back to their own meals, Ginny with a little bit less enthusiasm than the others. It wasn't like she thought he would take someone else, but she did think he would at least ask her.

Harry excused himself when his plate was empty, and told them he'd see them in History of Magic, giving Ginny a quick kiss before leaving the table.

Hermione waited until he was gone, before turning to her younger friend. She saw the disappointment. "What's wrong, Ginny?" she asked sympathetically.

Ginny frowned. "I know we're going to go together, but just because we're dating doesn't mean I wouldn't like to be asked to the ball."

Hermione smiled understandingly, while Neville leaned forward, being careful to avoid the spray from Ron's ingestion of his meal. "I'm sure he's going to," he reassured the younger girl. "You know Harry. He probably just wants to make it special."

Hermione nodded, though she couldn't say anything as Ron decided to add his two knuts. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly audible, due to the entire steak he had stuffed into his mouth.

Hermione sniffed. "Pleasant," she commented, before turning to Ginny. "Neville's right, Ginny," she smiled. "Harry really cares about you. He'll probably ask you in some elaborate gesture. Too bad some others may not have that same initiative." Her gaze shifted over to Ron, who didn't seem to be aware of anything that wasn't capable of being speared on the end of his fork.

Neville chuckled, nodding in understanding, while Ginny just looked faintly sick at her brother's eating habits.

Ron looked up, seeing their eyes focused on him. "Huh?" he asked, a bit of potato dropping back onto his plate.

Hermione rolled her eyes, setting down her napkin and picking up her book bag. "I'll see you guys in History. Don't worry Ginny, I'm sure it will happen."

Ginny nodded, as Neville stood up. "Hold on, Hermione, I'll walk with you."

The two fourth years left, and Ginny turned back to her brother. "Honestly, Ron. Why we put up with you is beyond me."

Ron looked slightly affronted, but also very confused. "What do you mean?"

Ginny sighed. "You could start by learning some table manners," she suggested. "Or you could try listening when your friends talk."

Ron cocked his head to the side, his expression not clearing at all.

Ginny sighed, shaking her head. "I can't do your thinking for you, Ronald. But you should consider whom you're going to take to the ball. You might want to think about it quickly, before your chosen date gets asked by someone else."

With that, Ginny also left, and Ron was alone, even more confused than he had been before.

XXX

History and Defense Against the Dark Arts passed both too slowly and too quickly for Harry, and he and his friends had a free period before dinner, so they all decided to go to the library – well, Ron wasn't exactly thrilled, but he tagged along rather than be left alone. They found a secluded table in the back, and Harry decided it would be a good time to talk about their Occlumency training.

Everything he had read about the subject just made it seem all the more attractive a defense to learn. The idea that someone could just rifle through his private thoughts with him none the wiser was not a pleasant thought. Hermione had been horrified to learn that people would actually do such a thing, especially after learning that the headmaster had tried it on Harry. It was quite a feat of magic that he had been able to enchant an object to protect himself from Legilimancy attacks. She had asked about the spellwork involved, but Harry had just blushed and told her that Sirius had done most of it, but she hadn't seemed to believe him.

Harry hadn't told Minerva about his suspicions on Dumbledore's use of Legilimancy yet. He wasn't sure what she could do, and he didn't want to worry her.

They tried to keep their voices quiet, as none of them fancied Madam Pince throwing them out, and Harry asked them about their progress.

Ginny, who had joined them as they made their way down, since she had the same free period, was the first to speak. "I think I'm almost there. I've been working on organizing my memories like the book said, but I can't really tell if my shields are powerful enough to stand up to an attack."

Harry nodded. He had had the same issue. Until he actually went up against a Legilimens, he wouldn't know if they were any good. "I think the only thing we can do right now is to keep working at it. Make the shields as strong as you can, and Aunt Minerva said she'd try and find someone to test us, but it might have to wait until next summer." He smiled. "She told me she learned Occlumency, but never Legilimancy, otherwise she'd just test us herself."

Hermione went next, and informed them that her progress was much the same as Ginny's, not that Harry expected anything less. Neville had made slightly less progress, and Ron didn't feel any significant change. Harry just told them to keep working at it. "I think we'd do better if there was someone to test us, so that we could know what an intrusion feels like, but I don't much fancy asking Dumbledore or Snape for help, not that they would. Aunt Minerva says they're the only ones at Hogwarts with the ability."

"Makes you wonder…" Ron trailed off, thinking, before he continued a few moments later, "Snape always seems to know what's going on, or what questions to ask. What if he does it to students?"

Hermione gasped. "He wouldn't, would he? Unauthorized use of Legilimancy is illegal. I can't believe –"

"I don't think he cares," Harry cut in patiently. "Or did you forget that Dumbledore tried it with me? If Snape does it on students, chances are Dumbledore knows and approves."

That was a crushing blow to all of them. The idea of someone they trusted sanctioning such an invasion of privacy was not pleasant. It definitely made Ron vow to work even harder at Occlumency; he didn't want that greasy git to be able to see anything in his mind.

Susan joined them a few minutes later, as her last class of the day ended. She thought her progress was the same as Neville's, but she also had a few more insights. "I could ask my Aunt Amelia about it," she suggested. "She should know if a professor is possibly using Legilimancy on students, and she probably knows someone who could help us get better. I'm fairly certain she's trained in Occlumency herself."

Harry nodded. "I don't think you should put it in a letter though. Maybe she'll be able to come visit next Hogsmeade weekend?"

Susan nodded thoughtfully, and said she'd ask.

The group spent the remaining time before dinner studying, though Harry seemed to spend just as much time watching Ginny as reading his textbook.

Ginny caught his eye a time or two, but he just smiled and turned his head back to his book.

Dinner started as it normally did; however, most of the hall's attention was soon attracted to a lone owl that came in shortly after the desserts appeared.

Ginny, her attention drawn as well, noted with surprise that the owl in question was Hedwig. What was more interesting to her was that the snowy white bird was carrying a bouquet of roses. She gasped in pleasure as the owl came to a rest in front of her. Hands shaking, she removed the bouquet of red and white roses, her cheeks glowing. Attached to the bouquet was a long velvet box. She looked up at Harry questioningly, but he just shook his head. "Open it," he smiled.

Ginny did so, and gasped again as she saw the silver bracelet inside. The band was simple, but the charm took her breath away. It was a doe, so artistically created that she could almost believe it was alive. For eyes, it had two tiny emeralds embedded into the silver. She looked up, tears in her eyes. "Harry," she whispered.

Harry took the bracelet from her trembling hands, and gently took her arm to attach the jewelry. "It was my mum's," he explained quietly. "I owled Sirius this afternoon. It was something I saw when I looked at my family vault this summer, and I asked him to retrieve it for me. According to him, my mum was an animagus as well; her form was a doe. My dad gave this bracelet to her when she completed the transformation right before her nineteenth birthday."

Ginny admired the bracelet; it was gorgeous, but even more precious because of the history behind it. This had belonged to Harry's mum.

Harry wasn't finished. "Ginevra Molly Weasley, would you do me the extraordinary honor of being my date to the Yule ball?"

Ginny grinned and nodded. "I'd love to, Harry," she replied, leaning forward to kiss him happily. They could both feel the contentment and ecstasy coming from the other.

The two broke apart a moment later, suddenly remembering where they were. Most of the hall had gone back to their own meals, but their friends were still watching them with varying degrees of delight. Well, Ron was the only one who looked less than happy, but Harry thought that might be more for seeing them kiss in front of him than anything else.

They accepted congratulations with humility, and Ginny showed Hermione her new bracelet.

XXX

The rest of the week passed in a flurry of guys trying to ask the girl they wanted to the ball, acceptances, and rejections. The most surprising came from Hermione. She had joined Harry and Ginny in the common room one night, as the two were the last of their friends still up. She looked somewhat nervous, as she asked Harry for a moment.

"What's up, Hermione?" Harry asked, setting his textbook aside.

Hermione bit her lip. "I've just come from the library," she began. "I, well, I have a date for the ball."

Ginny looked up, surprised. "I thought…"

Hermione's eyes flashed. "Yes, I had hoped, but until he actually wakes up and realizes I'm a girl, there's not much I can do. Someone else has already realized that, so I said yes."

"Who is it?" Harry asked.

Hermione flinched. "Viktor Krum," she admitted quietly.

"What?" Ginny's voice was much louder than intended, but fortunately there were very few people left in the common room.

Hermione looked up, eyes pleading. "This won't be a problem, will it? I know he's your competition, Harry, but isn't the whole point of this tournament about fostering international relationships?"

Harry smiled. "I don't mind," he assured his friend. "Viktor's a nice guy. I'll just have to make sure he knows that if he hurts you, he's dead."

Hermione looked scandalized, but Ginny just laughed. Harry shrugged. "I'm just borrowing the same threat Fred and George used on me."

Ginny stopped laughing, and looked like she didn't know whether to kiss Harry, or go find her brothers and hex them to oblivion. Harry settled that decision by leaning forward and capturing her lips with his, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

Hermione smiled and left them to it.

XXX

The next weekend found Harry and Ginny camping out in the library. Only part of their studies were school related, however. Both students were mostly caught up in their classes, so they had dedicated this weekend to two separate but equally important studies. In beginning to prepare for the second task, Harry had discovered that his egg made a rather horrendous screeching sound when opened. He and Ginny had listened, discussed, listened, and discussed, and come to the conclusion that it might sound different under different circumstances, so they were researching possible ideas.

It was Ginny who found their first real possibility. "Harry, listen to this," she said, holding up the copy of Unmasking the Wilds: Magical Creatures of Every Habitat and reading a specific paragraph. "Some of the most mysterious of magical creatures are the merpeople. Colonies exist all over the world, but few have ever been able to observe them in their natural habitat; they have their own villages and customs, and their own language. They can breathe both in water and air, for limited amounts of time, but since their language can only be heard properly in water, on land it sounds much like a high screeching." She looked up, eyes eager. "What if the screaming from the egg is mermish?"

Harry nodded slowly, leaning forward. "So then it's possible that if we held the egg underwater…"

"It would give us the clue!" Ginny finished excitedly.

Harry smiled. "We'll do that next weekend then," he decided. "Now, let's see if we can find anything in these other books."

He set down his studies for the tournament, and turned to their second project. Ever since realizing that they could feel each other's emotions, they had been meaning to research just why that may be. This was the first opportunity they had had to do so without their friends present. Neville had worked up his courage to ask Susan to the ball, finally, and the two were spending the day together. Ron had had a bit of a falling out with Hermione over her refusal to tell him who was taking her to the ball, and his refusal to believe that she actually had a date. And Hermione was furious with Ron, and had taken to the DA study. Their last meeting had worked on accuracy of spellwork, and McGonagall had done a fine job of animating a few practice dummies, which Hermione was no doubt destroying at this very moment.

Ginny picked up a rather worn copy of The Bonds of Time, and began reading the section on soul bonds. There wasn't much, and much of what was written was speculated, but she persevered, hoping for some more information.

Harry chose a very slim volume simply titled Soul Bonds. It was no more than fifty pages in length, but it spoke exclusively on the topic they were most interested in.

They passed the remaining hours of the day reading and comparing notes, before joining their friends for supper.

They hadn't learned much, but Harry had found some useful information in his book. There were many different types of soul bonds, and they could be formed for any number of reasons. Those formed due to life debts were very specific, but more common than fated bonds. He wondered if his actions in the Chamber of Secrets had had something to do with this. Apparently, if their bond was due to a life debt, they would become attached to each other, not necessarily soul mates, but they would always be in the other's life. They could feel emotions, but not much more.

A fated soul bond would have been created the moment Ginny had been born. Such a connection would strengthen over time, but would need some sort of physical or emotional attraction between them before it would begin to manifest. Simply put, it would mean that they had always been destined for each other, but they needed to realize that before it would happen. From what Harry had read, it would start with the sharing of emotions, and then move on to constant awareness of where the other was, what they were doing – sometimes that included seeing through the other's eyes. Depending on the strength of the bond, some couples had noted that they could communicate by thought, or share power to create stronger spells.

Of course, none of this really told them what was going on with them, so the only thing Harry could come up with was to wait and see if any other skills developed. "I don't think we should tell anyone, for now," he suggested carefully as they packed up their books to place back on the shelves. "We still don't know what's going on, and until we do, there's not much point in telling anyone. Right?"

Ginny nodded her agreement. "We'll keep researching. It would be easier if the information was more readily available, but we'll make due. Maybe next summer, if we need to, we can consider telling someone. I'm not sure how my mum will react. She'll probably lock me in my room until I graduate."

"But how would you graduate if you couldn't leave your room?"

Ginny looked at Harry for a moment, before they both burst out laughing, earning them a hard glare from Madam Pince as they left.

Both felt like they had had a rather productive day, all things considered.

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