"To put it this way Harry. I haven't had a torrent of invitations."
After she finished arranging her homework she went to her dormitory and retrieved a catalogue of mail order dress wear for all fancy wizarding occasions. Harry had been dead set on a rather manly looking one (one without frills) that was being displayed on the back page. (As Harry learned later on this particular item was rather popular, and was being worn by no less than eight people. The reason was probably that it looked a lot better being modelled by a dashing bloke with a massive chin than it did being worn by Neville Longbottom).
In The end though Hermione had put her foot down and insisted that Harry buy something crimson to go with Blaise's dress. Harry cursed to himself about the price of it, but a quick look at the prices girls were paying silenced him. The rest of school past by quickly, to quickly for many, whilst not quickly enough for just as many not more. One of these people who wanted to go home was Ron. All the Weasley were going to be home at Christmas, except of course for Bill, who wasn't expected to turn up to Christmas anytime soon. (this was generally accepted to be a good thing. Whilst his death was unwanted, his lifeless body turning up would not be a joyous occasion anywhere outside Transylvania.)
Harry thought it was much to quick. The dreaded evening with Blaise just smacked him round the face on day, like the sloppy trout of destiny. Girls had been acting strange all that week, and especially strange that day. (It was also generally accepted by around half the world that girls had been behaving somewhat strangely since the dawn of time.) Harry and Ron had been out flying all that morning, to avoid being sent on numerous errands to fetch different coloured make ups and accessories from friends in other houses.
It was cold outside, with several inches of snow blanketing the landscape, though this didn't effect the flying much. Around mid day Harry and Ron retired into the castle for a hot chocolate followed by a hot bath, separately of course. They were rather adamant on that fact. Then they spent the next few hours slobbing around talking about the various idiocies of the impending dance. Ron wasn't looking forward to it, due to his recent break up with Luna Lovegood, though it was a little debatable whether or not she had ever known that they were in a relationship.
Harry on the other hand was looking at the evening, not with dread of how bad it was going to be (he could always run into a wall and knock himself out if it got that bad), but rather on how much time it wasn't going to waste. Thankfully no one had grilled him on this reason to much, because all he would have been doing instead of the dance, was studying, chess or sitting round hearing Neville Longbottom complain about various trivial things. He could do that any day of the week.
The remaining time past by in a storm of rushing people, panicking girls and moaning boys. The younger years were rather excited, whilst some of the older students who had attended the Yule ball, knew what sort of thing to expect. Never the less they all dressed up fancily. (Ron attempted to dress up fancily, but failed. Even though his robes were brand new, they didn't look like it. Perhaps his clothing had a divine sense that said if it looked to spectacular, it would make Ron seem grubby and old, or perhaps it was due to the process of osmosis. No one had fully probed either theory.)
Harry had dressed up, and even worn good socks. As Hermione had pointed out to him as she nipped down to the main room to pick up some items from a Ravenclaw merchant, "It's a formal occasion Harry. You cant just ass it up and go in odd socks. You're not Dobby you know"
Half past six ticked round on the clock, and so Harry slowly left the common room, and crawled towards the Slytherin common room. He had his wand in his hand ready. He was half expecting it to all be a big joke so that the entire population of the Slytherin common room could jump out and thrown eggs at him. Still as he finally drew close to the room , and found the door open, it became apparent this wasn't what they had planned.
He didn't want to stick his head in, so he slumped against the wall waiting patiently for Blaise to come get him. Hopefully a meteorite had hit her and she had died…. He could pray.
"Hello Potter." Said Draco smarmily as he stepped out into the corridor in arm with a girl wearing less material than the average house elf. Harry cursed to himself. But smiled anyway. "Expect the worst, that way you wont be disappointed. Harry though to himself."
"I suppose you're wondering why I'm here aren't you Malfoy." He asked as he braced himself for the barrage of insults.
"Well I would have wondered if perhaps you came to admire my devilish good looks, had I not already known that you were here for…Zabini."
"Would you like to make a snide remark about that?" Harry asked as he tightened his grip on the wand in his pocket.
"Mm… well I can't really criticize Blaise. She isn't ugly I suppose… and I guess she is a Slytherin, he said as he hammed her up for all her glory. I guess if you really want I could say you're an idiot and I hope you fall over on the dance floor, but I thought that was a given."
"It is. But frequent reminders are expected."
Draco nodded, before strolling off with the girl. Harry considered the various possible outcomes of that conversation, and in the end decided it went quite well. He was probably trying to be all gentlemanly in front of a girl. Harry didn't know it, but most evil villains did so.
Several other couples left, as well as one or two lonely looking boys, Before Harry felt the presence of Blaise. It came in the form of a punch to his shoulder.
"At what point in this evening were you planning on telling me that you were here waiting?" She asked angrily as she stepped out into the dimly lit corridor. Harry "At the point when the dance finishes." Harry replied smart. He couldn't see in full detail what she was wearing, but it seemed to be a nice decent red one with enough material, unlike some. It fanned out a lot at the bottom, and had frilly bits on the edges. Harry guessed this was the only time Blaise has ever showed off her frills to anyone.
She was also wearing some kind of necklace, and long silk gloves that matched her dress. As she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along the corridor, Harry had a sense of awkwardness. Admittedly it was Blaise Zabini, but she was still very dressed up and looking lady like, and it made Harry feel small and uncomfortable, and rather young. He couldn't tell what she's she was wearing because of the dress, but he could tell by the noise they made as she walked that they weren't boots. This was good news for his shins, which would hopefully avoid the usual beating that came with her company.
"So how long do you want me to hang around with you for?" Harry asked hopefully as they caught up with other students ahead of them, and formed into a trickling river going towards the great hall. "do I just walk you in and then leave straight away or what?" Harry asked her as he looked into her eyes. For a brief moment he was surprised to see she wasn't frowning, but as she turned to face him that changed.
"You had better not! I didn't spend hours getting dressed up just so you can dump me as soon as we go in. I want to dance, at regular intervals, and be seen at least 2 times, to be talking, whilst not dancing. I know we don't like each other." She said in what almost sounded like a sad tone "But just for tonight can we please not argue quite so much as usual."
"Sure Blaise. I guess its no secret that I don't like you, but if you weren't so rude this evening may be half bearable. Do you think you can try being polite to me?" Harry asked with raised eyebrows. Blaise's knuckles tightened at this, and her teeth gritted together.
"I am being polite!" She said under great strain, as she didn't hit him or curse him or threaten him with the nearest pointy object.
They came to the doors of the Great hall which were still closed, though decorated with balloons. Harry stood arm in arm with Blaise, in silence. He didn't really know what to talk to her about, having not had much experience with girls. He considered about how he used to talk to Cho, and about how Quidditch had worked well.
"So What do you think Chudley Cannons new line up this year?"
"You think I want to talk about Quidditch?" She asked, almost sympathetically. As if Harry's naivety over conversing with girls was something to pity.
" You don't?" Harry asked disappointedly as he took a step forwards to avoid the crush of people forming behind him.
"No Harry I don't thanks. First of all its not a very appropriate topic to bring up during the company of a lady, and secondly I don't really like Quidditch. Except playing it…"
"Whats so great about playing it?"
"Well it's a good excuse for me to hit people without getting told off." At this Harry looked away, as though he suddenly remembered the girl he was with wasn't at all sweet, but the cold blooded murderer from Slytherin. She hadn't murdered anyone yet, but then there was always a first for everything.
Harry was about to make other small talk, but thankfully he was saved as the Great doors creaked open. They opened very slowly, deliberately, as if they had been tought a thing or two about showmanship, and understood that if they went in slow motion, the end effect would be that much greater. Finally they finished opening, and people anxiously rushed in. It was a few moments before Harry could see anything, because there a couple of exceptionally lanky people in front of him, but as the throng of people ahead dispersed into the hall, Harry and Blaise strolled in to admire all the work the prefects had put in, and see the end result.
The hall was shining with a bright radiance, that seemed to hurt his eyes for the first few seconds, after having been standing out in the dim corridor. The four tables were gone, as was expected. In there places were dozens of mismatched armchairs that looked as if they had been pinched from professor Trelawney's tower. It seemed someone had tried to transfigure them to look more similar to each , but half way through given up and gone home.
The floor was highly polished. So much in fact that in some parts it looked more like a mirror than anything else. Some girls learned to stay away from these spots very quickly. Clearly some house elf exploitation had gone on, though Hermione was biting her tounge on the matter. There was a large dance area on a raised up platform that hadn't existed before, whilst at one side of the hall was a large table laden with all sorts of food, including both meaty items and light salads to satisfy both parties wants.
The ceiling looked as spectacular as ever, with a clear sky showing and a full moon out and each star piercing through the darkness. Rather than having the usually candles floating in the air and dripping wax everywhere, they were replaced with magic chandeliers, each one decorated with a few balloons and shiny Christmas like decorations stretching from one to the other in a big zigzag across the room. It gave the impression that there was actually an extra ceiling, much lower than the real one.
The walls had been coloured by some sort of charm, so that you couldn't see the brick work. They also now gave off a warmer impression, perhaps due to the peach colour, or perhaps due to the fact you couldn't see a hundred tons of cold rock. There was a waltz type song playing, though as Harry looked round he couldn't see a band anywhere, he decided it must have been sound orbs, the latest craze to hit he wizarding world. (a lot like audio cassettes except not nearly as fun to unwind.)
Blaise took Harry by the hand and pulled him forwards, as impatient people tried to squeeze in behind them.
"What do we do now?" Harry asked sheepishly as he ran his hand through his hair. Hopefully this would be the bit involving sitting round with Ron and Hermione and eating copious amounts of food.
"We will dance now… You do know how to dance don't you?"
"Um a little bit." He lied as he quickly looked round at other people to see what they were dancing. It didn't seem to be to difficult. They were mostly just walking in squares.
"Well in that case let me lead, and make sure not to step on my feet." Blaise said as she took him by the arm and lead him onto the elevated stage. Harry fumbled with his other hand for a minute before deciding to put it on her waist. Which cause him to blush and flinch at the same time. Normally she would hit him just for invading her rather large personal space. For the first few moments in which he tried to dance he succeeded in kicking her in the leg, going the wrong way, and tripping over shoelaces he never knew he had.
"Just don't be so eager to move." She told Harry sternly as she tried to avoid being embarrassed. Try and imagine that your body isn't there, and its just your feet that need to move." Harry tried what she said, and ended up almost falling on his back, but after a few slightly adjusted attempts he managed to get it right, and a moment later he was doing a rather crude, yet essentially correct waltz.
After a minute in which they had been dancing in silence, Harry began to feel awmward. Perhaps it was the large number of people dancing round him. Several seemed to be staring at him as if he had done something wrong. He looked down and saw his robes were still fully done up, and he had trousers on underneath. That ruled out the possibility of this being the underwear nightmare.
"Are you wondering why they are all staring?" Blaise asked as she caught his eyes wondering to the people around them.
"Well… It is off putting to say the least. My dancing isn't that…bad is it?" Harry asked as he had to keep a lot of concentration onto what they were doing, whilst avoid bashing into other couples.
"They are staring because you are dancing with me." Blaise explained as she kept her eyes fixed forwards at Harry neck.
"Do we look that strange?" Harry asked concernedly.
"No, its just that they think its strange that you're dancing with me." Blaise said softly
"Why, you're not that popular are you?" He asked, which cause Blaise to laugh.
"No, it's the other way round. You see everyone here hates me. No don't argue. I know it, I don't mind. You see all of them, well the girls at least. They are wondering why would you want to dance with someone like me. You see your far more popular than I am." She explained simply
"I am?" Harry asked in surprise. It always seemed that people hated him.
"Yes. Of course that doesn't mean your better than me at anything." She reminded him.
Eventually the dance came to a finish and Blaise and Harry stepped down from the dance floor as another much more lively song started up. It was funny to watch as the area cleared faster than the classroom at the end of potions on a wet morning.
"What would you like to do now?" Harry asked as he put his hands in his pocket and played with a magical paper clip that had materialised.
"Well I suppose we could get a drink and have a sit down. These shoes are hurting my feet." Blaise told him as they began to make their way through the crowd of people towards the beverage table.
"but we have only had one dance, how can your feet be hurting already?" Harry asked as he looked down trying to see her feet.
"Hey you don't have to wear these shoes so you wouldn't know." She snapped at him.
After an hour later they had talked about numerous things and had several dances. They had also had a bit to eat, though Harry was still rather full up from some sweets he him and Ron had polished off earlier. Blaise had done most of the talking, whilst Harry sat and listened and drank some pumpkin juice or hot butter beer. Mostly she just talked about her everyday life at Hogwarts, a lot of which seemed to involve people getting hit, or being stupid. Harry asked her what she did out of school, but she didn't seem to want to talk about it, so Harry hastily changed the subject.
"You can go now." She said after one dance. "I will want to dance again in about forty minutes though." She told him as he helped her down from the stage.
"What will you do?" He asked
"Well I will probably go and talk to my friends now." She said as she started to leave. "I suggest you do the same. That Weasley boy looks pretty bored."
Harry looked round for Ron, before he spotted him sitting at the side of the hall, all on his own looking remarkably engrossed in his hands. Harry was about to go and join Ron, when he saw a hufflepuff girl walk over, and after a moment, Her and Ron got up and went for a dance. Harry was glad to see Ron's evening wasn't a complete disaster, because if it was it would be a long night of complaining in the Gryffindor dormitory, and a long day of complaining on the Hogwarts Express as they returned home tomorrow.
Harry walked over to the food table and had a few sausage rolls before he spotted Hermione sitting with Ginny on the other side of the hall. Harry decided they wouldn't mind if he joined them for a bit, so he went over to go and say hello. As he arrived they both stopped talking, which made him supicious.
"You weren't talking about me were you?" Harry asked as he looked at Ginny, who like Ron, was a terrible liar.
"No?" She ventured.
"We were Harry, but it wasn't anything bad. We were just saying you looked like you were quite enjoying yourself." Hermione explained as she took a drink from the glass in her hand. She was wearing a white dress which was slanted at the bottom so he could see one of her shoes, which were also white. Her hair was tied up though it didn't look like she had gone to any great effort to make it look straight this time.
"Well. I wouldn't say I was enjoying myself." Harry said, though he felt perhaps it was a little bit of a lie. "But its certainly going better than I expected. I was expecting to have a black eye or something by now." He added with a laugh. Hermione stared at Harry for a minute before her eyes went to the dance floor.
"Ron might get a black eye if he carries on." She said as she nodded over towards him. The Hufflepuff girl seemed to be rather angry about something by the looks of it.
"I'm not that easy." She told him as she gave him a quick slap around the face and stormed off.
"Wait, you misunderstood me." He said as he followed her out of the hall.
Ginny cursed under her breath at this as rather a large number of people had stopped to watch the spectacle.
"I tell you its embarrassing to be related to him sometimes." She didn't have time to say any more on the matter however as Adam Tiger walked over.
"Ginny I was wondering if I could perhaps have a dance with you. Don't feel like I'm at all pressurising you though, I won't mind if you say no." He flustered as blushed nervously.
"Yeah, I was supposed to be here with someone else but you know how boys are. They get bored after the first dance." She said as she stood up and took Adam's hand. After a moment in which they walked off Harry turned to Hermione.
"So how has it been so far, your evening that is?" He asked. Hermione seemed to consider this for a moment.
"It's as I expected really."
"What that bad?" He enquired.
"And who said my expectations were low. I don't believe I said anything of the sort." Hermione said rather matter of factly.
"You didn't have to. I could tell you weren't looking forward to this evening by the way you weren't ramming your way to the front of the line when we waited outside." Harry said as they both laughed.
"Sometimes you seem surprisingly astute to things. Why is that?" Hermione asked as she finished off her drink
"I'm not at all astute. Its just that when your standing there bored with a bunch if excitable girls fighting amongst each other there isn't much to keep your mind occupied. I noticed a lot of things actually, Like one of Ginny's shoes is bigger than the other. A faulty transfiguration Charm?" He asked. Again Hermione laughed.
"Yes, I tried to tell them that its a lot safer and simpler to buy the shoes, but when they try complex transfiguration just by looking at a picture that's what they get. I just hope that Michelle from Ravenclaw makes it back to her dormitory before midnight because her dress is transfigured from a pumpkin and some mice.
"Wow." Harry said as he looked around the room expecting to see a girl with an orange squeaking dress.
"I had to help her out with the texture." Hermione beamed proudly. "she couldn't get it to stop feeling furry and make it feel more like cotton and satin."
"Yeah…" Harry said as he got ready to go into one of his trances that saved him from many boring "Mione talks."
"Sorry you probably don't find that very interesting do you?" Hermione said as she looked at Harry calculatingly.
"I do!" He lied. "Why would you say otherwise?"
"Well it seems kind of like you were thinking about something else you see. Your eyes glazed over and you were muttering about Quidditch under your breath." She said with a smile as Harry shifted awkwardly.
"Was I really?" He cursed under his breath. He always thought it had been a lot more subtle than that.
"It's ok Harry. I know that you like other things, it ok. But you know what, if you were a girl, you would be fascinated!" She said knowingly.
"Have you had anything to eat?" Harry asked as the conversation fell blank."
"Enough, but feel free to go and get some more if you would like." Hermione said as she sat back in the chair and looked at the prefects hard work. It was worth it, in her eyes.
"No, I'm not really hungry. The only thing there that I really liked was those small sausages on the sword shaped cocktail sticks, but they went pretty sharpish. I suppose I could always get dobby to make me some if I wanted… In exchange for clothes." He added as he realised Hermione might start to complain about elf exploitation.
"It's kind of loud in here, and I don't have to be back for about another thirty five minutes. Don't suppose you fancy going for a walk do you?" Harry asked as he stood up form his seat.
"What, outside?" Hermione asked with wide eyed surprise.
"Yeah, outside. That's not a problem is it?"
"No, it's just it will be a little chilly."
"You don't have to if you don't want to Mione, its just I'm finding it a little stuffy." Harry said as he started to leave. Hermione jumped up from her seat after him.
"Oh what the hell come on then before I change my mind."
Harry stepped out into the night air, and he had to admit it, Hermione was right. It was cold. The snow had been cleared on the path that ran round the school, and since Hermione footwear wasn't suited for walking through snow, he decided they would just stick to the path.
"I'm not one for strong language Harry, but damn! Its freezing out here."
"Well its also refreshing isn't it?" He asked as he tightened his robes to try and prevent the breeze getting down his back.
"Yeah, though its only refreshing because we are practically dying." Hermione said through chattering teeth as she stuck close to him, hoping the heat radiating off him would over power the cold winter blast. It didn't
"Oh you big girls blouse." Harry said as he made tutting sounds.
"That's easy for you to say Harry. I don't think I'm dressed in decent attire for such weather." She said as she started wondering why she had come out here in the first place.
Harry had built up a sort of natural resistance due to cold weather, due to long wet Quidditch matches, but he could see Hermione had done no such thing. He fumbled in his pocket before drawing out his wand. He cleared his mind, and pictured what he wanted. The material, the texture, the smell, the rigidity, the taste. Everything about it he planted in his mind. It would be tough to create, and undoubtedly use a lot of energy, but it was nearly late and he hadn't done much all day, he would be fine, he hoped.
"Crelatio." He said as he flicked his wand as the book and professor Flitwick had taught him. A shapeless blob appeared in front of him before stretching and thinning and changing into exactly what he had pictured. It was a cream coloured coat with fur edging and brown toggles on the front. He was going to go for suede but he decided it would have been to tough. It fell into his arms as he stumbled forward for a moment. It had taken a lot of energy out of him, more than he would have thought.
"Wow Harry that was impressive." Hermione complimented as she stared at the coast longingly.
"Don't be silly Hermione. Its nothing you couldn't do better." He said as he inspected it for holes or textural flaws. Hermione laughed at this.
"No Harry, I couldn't do that. Everyone knows you're the best in the year at the Crelatio Charm. Its probably because you know Occlumency and Legilimancy that you are so good at it. Your good at most magic." She said truthfully.
Harry was beginning to feel a little self conscious from being complimented so much.
"It's for you. So you don't complain so much." Harry said teasingly as he changed the subject.
"Hermione held it up so she could admire it. Wow thank you Harry. This is better than that rubbishy note book you got me for my birthday." She said as she quickly tried it on. Harry pretended to cry about the insult of his present.
"But it took forever to choose…" He said before he burst out laughing. Hermione gave a small laugh as well, before finally fastening the last toggle.
"It's certainly warm, though I think it's a little bit to big for me." She said as the bottom came half way down to her knees and the sleeves came down to cover her hands.
"Sorry Hermione but I don't know you measurements." Harry said with a cheeky grin. Hermione's mouth opened wide in mock shock.
"Mr Potter! I don't think your behaving entirely properly. What would Ronald say?" she asked rhetorically. As they both fell into a round of laughing which only subsided when their sides began to ache.
So Harry how are you this evening?" Hermione asked as they carried on round the path.
"I suppose I'm quite good all things considered. I mean Cho isn't doing nearly so well. She is going to die very soon. We don't know when but Dumbledore says around new years." Harry said, not with sadness but with determination.
"Wow Harry, I didn't know that… I don't know what to say. There is nothing that can be done?" She asked concernedly.
"There is something that can be done Hermione, and we are going to, but we don't know if Cho will live long enough."
"We?" Hermione asked
"Yes. Meaning Tonks, Remus and I. I don't know all the details of it myself, only the basics that I have been told by Dumbledore."
"Why haven't you done whatever it is your going to do, sooner?"
Harry paused at this in many ways he could consider it unlucky that the Veil of Darkness opened so late, probably to late, yet at the same time he was lucky enough for it to open at all. He supposed he should be thankful for that.
"Tell me Hermione." Harry began as they rounded the corner of the castle. "Have you ever heard of The Veil of Darkness?" She considered for a moment.
"No Harry I can't say I have. Should I?"
"No, not many people know about it apparently. How about Pharaphax then?" He asked as he looked at Hermione who shook her had slowly, almost as if she was disappointed to know Harry knew something about the magical world that she did not.
"Well I'm sure you will quickly find out more than I do, when I tell you for you will undoubtedly find it intriguing." Harry said as he decided where to begin. "Now my understanding of it is basically this. There is some sort of portal I don't know what it looks like, but it is called the Veil of Darkness. Now this Veil of Darkness, this portal, only opens every so often. When planets are in certain places or something Dumbledore said. When it opens people may pass into another land, known as Pharaphax."
"Another land? Hermione interrupted. Like, a parallel world?" She asked in disbelief.
"A what?" Harry asked. (The Dursley's had never subscribed to the science fiction channel)
"A parallel world. Its exactly like ours except slightly different. There would be another Harry another me… except a few things are different, and there is more than one, there are millions…" Hermione began to say excitedly. Harry frowned. That was wrong.
"No. It's not like that. There is just the one Dumbledore said, and there isn't another me. I think its just kind of like another earth, only its also smaller he said…he said a couple of things actually… well anyway yes this place called Pharaphax. He said I will need to speak to a man there who specialises in a magic which will return Cho's soul to her body." Harry finished. By now they had reached a bench, which Harry decided to sit down on. Hermione took the seat next to him.
"Well what's wrong with that?" Hermione asked him questioningly.
"Well, Dumbledore seemed to think it was very dangerous, and he didn't want me to go. I just wanted to tell you that I'm going, and make sure you are alright with it." He asked as he looked down at Hermione. She gave a small laugh as she swung her legs back and forth.
"Well I don't know why it would matter what I think. All I can say is good luck with it. I hope it goes well."
"That's it?" Harry asked in surprise. He had expected her to give him some sort of lecture on how careless he was being.
He was being careless, if he thought about it really. If he was the only person who could stop Voldemort he shouldn't be risking his life for some who he cared for. He should be training for the battle against Voldemort, and staying safe.
"Well Harry the way I see it is this. Your going to go, because it's the only chance you have to save Cho, and although I only know what you have told me about this other world, it can't be that dangerous, after all, it doesn't have Voldemort!"
Little did they know, that many miles away, in that building in the old forgotten town there was a dark lord stomping up and down in a furious rage. He threw his suitcase against the wall causing some Robes and swim shorts to burst out.
"How the hell am I meant to go to Pharaphax without my god damn sunglasses!?" He roared.
