As usual, all I own is this fanfic. J.K. Rowling owns the rest, no copyright intended!
Chapter 17: Demelza's Suggestion
Dinner time finally arrived and everybody reported to the Great Hall. Harry joined Neville and Tori sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table closest to the double doors. Harry caught a glimpse of Tracey sitting with Daphne and Adrian, and they both smiled at each other before quickly looking away (not wanting any of Harry's enemies nor the neutral wizards and witches to find out they've been secretly seeing each other). Fleur also joined Harry, Neville and Tori, as did Fred, George, Lee and Demelza. Fleur told them about what Draco did to her earlier and how she taught him a lesson and it had all of them laughing. The students sitting close by heard Fleur and they began discussing it and spreading it around. Draco heard the others discussing about him getting pounded by Fleur, prompting the Malfoy scion into getting up and making a mad dash out of the Great Hall as his face turned red in embarrassment (with Pansy following him out). Inevitably, Professor Tonks also got wind of it, since she was eyeing Draco sternly with crossed arms as he ran out of the Great Hall.
'It looks like Monsieur Anthony Delacour may have some choice words for Mr. Malfoy!' thought Professor Tonks. 'He won't be very pleased with what Mr. Malfoy did to his daughter. But Mr. Malfoy will still be answering to me and perhaps I'll even talk with Miss Delacour, so she can explain to me the whole story.'
Professor Tonks went back to eating her meal, at the same time planning a more severe punishment for Draco. Ginny was glaring at Fleur and Demelza for talking to 'her' Harry, in which Ron and Hermione rolled their eyes in exasperation, since they spotted the suit of armour carrying Ginny like a cradled baby walking down the hallway half an hour earlier. Demelza and Fleur ignored the glares Ginny was throwing at them and continued chatting with their friends. The rest of dinner time continued uneventfully, then once everybody had their fill of dinner and dessert, Professor Dumbledore got up from the headmaster's chair and walked toward the podium.
"Attention!" Professor Dumbledore's magnified voice announced, with everyone rendered silent. "For all Hogwarts students, you're to report to your head of house's classroom, while the foreign students are to report to their head of school's rooms, where they will give you additional information about an event taking place around Christmas. Now off you go!"
Everybody got up and did as Dumbledore instructed, their curiosities pretty high as to what event would be taking place around Christmas. Harry kept a neutral expression on his face as he entered Professor McGonagall's classroom and took a seat. He saw a phonograph out in the middle of the room and the desks moved back. There were also chairs out surrounding the phonograph on a stand, which was within a ten foot radius (except for a pathway from the teacher's office to the phonograph). Neville and Lee sat down in seats next to Harry to ensure that Ginny, in particular wouldn't get to sit next to Harry (something she was disappointed in). Once all of Harry's fellow Gryffindor lions were in the classroom, Professor McGonagall walked of her office and over to the phonograph.
"Alright," Professor McGonagall started explaining. "The event Professor Dumbledore was alluding to is called the Yule Ball. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests come together in the Great Hall, where we dance and interact to promote inter-school cooperation. The ball starts at 8:00 PM and lasts until 12:00 midnight, where the champions will start the ball with the opening dance. The ball is only authorized to those who are at least a fourth year, but you may invite a younger student if you wish. Now it's time to practice dancing to the waltz. I expect you all to behave like Gryffindors, I won't tolerate you all acting like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons. Now pick a practice partner."
The head of Gryffindor House getting the phonograph setup and everyone started picking a practice partner. Harry didn't have many options since most of his fellow lions believed him to have submitted his name into the goblet and he didn't trust them anymore. Demelza got to Harry before Ginny could get anywhere near him, which angered her to no end. Once Professor McGonagall turned on the phonograph and put on some classical music, the practice dancing started. Harry had a grin on his face to prove to Demelza that he was grateful that she got to him before any other girl had the chance.
"Even Fred, George and Lee encouraged me to pick you as a practice partner," Demelza explained. "Since I already know you don't trust most of our housemates because of what they did."
"Thank you for that, Demelza!" said Harry gratefully.
"You're welcome, Harry." Demelza replied. Then she curiously asked, "Do you know who you might be asking to the Yule Ball?"
"Yes, one of the Slytherin students in my year," Harry told Demelza in a whisper only audible to her. "But I'm gonna wait until the night of the Yule Ball to reveal who it is exactly."
"What if I make it look like that I'll be your date for the ball?" Demelza suggested. "To make it easier to throw everyone else off track."
"That's a great idea!" Harry replied, intrigued. "While only my friends will know who I really will be going with, that'll definitely make it easier to convince the rest that you'll be going with me."
Demelza had a smirk on her face, trying to keep her laughter in. The thought of everyone's jaw dropping open in surprise at the Yule Ball when they see who Harry's date would be was going to be too good to miss. After half an hour of practicing had passed, Professor McGonagall turned the phonograph off just as the Gryffindor students left the classroom to either head back to Gryffindor Tower or wander the corridors until it was close to curfew, though Neville waited for Harry outside.
"Lord Potter!" Professor McGonagall called to Harry while her best to keep her collywobbles in check for the moment. Once Harry turned his attention to his head of house, she began informing him, "All champions are required to have a date, as it's a tradition for the champions and their dates to start the opening dance."
Harry nodded his head in a civil manner, but otherwise remained silent. Then he turned around and left the classroom. Neville started walking next to Harry once he exited the classroom. They spotted the Gryffindor chasers waiting not too far from them. Katie Bell was a brown-haired fifth year, Alicia Spinnet was a sixth year with blonde hair, and Angelina Johnson was a dark-skin sixth year with brunette hair. Katie approached Harry and Neville, forcing the two into crossing their arms and giving Katie a suspicious look.
"Harry, would you like me to be your date for the ball?" Katie offered. "I thought I could make up to you for…"
"Oh, so you wait until this very moment to think of this when you could've been by my side regardless of what everyone else said?!" said Harry irritably. What nobody knew was that Ginny was spying on Harry getting ready to rip Katie a new one. "No, I won't allow you to be my date because you, Alicia and Angelina turned your backs on me for the second time!"
"Fred, George and Lee turned your back on you, too, Harry. Remember when that happened three years ago?" Katie tried reminding him. Ginny was looking triumphant as she continued spying.
"Fred and George made it up to me shortly after my twelfth birthday, and Lee told me that he would've tagged along to do the same if he was at the Burrow at the time," stated Harry. "Didn't you read the Daily Prophet with my article in it? The part that mentioned what my so-called relatives did to me before I was rescued? Did you even realize how difficult it was for me to explain what my life before Hogwarts and every summer was like? No you didn't because you thought going with the easy way in turning your back on me was necessary. If Fred, George, Lee, Demelza and Neville could stay by my side, you, Alicia and Angelina should've done the same! What would Wood say if he found out what you three did? You know he would've been on my side no matter what!"
Katie had tears in her eyes when she realized that Harry had several good points. She knew that she betrayed Harry and he was unlikely, if ever, to forgive her. Neville even glared at Katie to make it clear that there was no going back.
"If you also remember," Harry continued his rant at Katie. "You, Alicia and Angelina were by my side during the Heir of Slytherin fiasco, I even saw you three as honourary big sisters! Why the change and the decision to betray me again?"
Katie had more tears in her eyes, feeling ashamed of herself for betraying Harry. Alicia and Angelina also had tears in their eyes when they also knew Harry was discussing them and not just Katie. It made the three Gryffindor chasers realize too late what all they lost and they also knew they wouldn't be getting Harry's trust back.
"And yes, I was also referring to you two!" Harry reminded Angelina and Alicia when he turned his attention to them. "How could you turn your backs on me when I used to see you as big sisters?"
Harry walked away (with Neville in tow) without receiving an answer, leaving the Gryffindor chaser trio distraught. Ginny emerged from her hiding spot, causing Neville to stop in his tracks and keep his distance from her (remembering the day she smacked him across the face). Ron and Hermione were in hiding spots of their own, so they could observe Ginny. Harry kept his irritable look on his face in an attempt to get Ginny off his back.
"Yes?" asked Harry neutrally, when a minute or two had passed.
"Well," Ginny began speaking as she put on her best cute-girl look, smile and batting her light-brown eyes. "I was wondering if… you'd like me to be your, um… date for the Yule Ball?"
"No!" Harry screamed. "If my notice-you-not intentions going on for three years isn't a wake-up call, then what is? You're not even close to getting a yes because you continue giving me that fangirl look, you only suck up to me, and you throw numerous tantrums just because I won't pay one ounce of attention to you, which is very off-putting! Worst of all, you've never been there for me when I needed as much support as possible."
"I believe you to be innocent, Harry!" Ginny responded with her voice cracking, trying to keep her near-approaching distraught state concealed.
"Bullshit!" snapped Harry before continuing in an irritable voice. "If you really believed me to be innocent, you would've proven it! I'm pretty certain your mum and dad have taught you that actions speak louder than words. You can tell me hundreds of times that you believe me, but to that I'm gonna say prove it! Since you didn't bother stepping up to the plate to provide me any comfort, that's as good as saying that you dissed me, just like most of our fellow housemates."
"Come on, Harry!" Ginny pleaded desperately as she tried fighting the tears with mixed success.
"It's too late now, Ginevra!" said Harry in a firm voice. "Now quit living in that stupid fantasy of marrying the Boy-Who-Lived and start accepting reality. I'll never be interested in you in a romantic way, now I'd suggest you walk away right now before you exacerbate the ordeal!"
Harry walked away to clear his head. Neville followed Harry while keeping at least five feet away from Ginny. As the Weasley girl turned around to return to Gryffindor Tower (with tears flowing freely from her eyes), Ron and Hermione met up with her. Hermione had her arms crossed while giving Ginny an I-told-you-so look while Ron shook his head at his sister in disgust.
"We told you your efforts were gonna be wasted, Ginny!" Hermione scolded.
"SHUT UP, HERMIONE!" Ginny screamed at the top of her lungs, as more tears flowed from her eyes. Hermione cowered a bit, but otherwise she stood her ground. "YOU SET ME UP, I JUST KNOW IT!"
"We tried reasoning with you, Ginny," Ron also scolded his sister. "Harry was bound to react the way he did! You should've listened to me and Hermione instead of ignoring us."
Ginny flashed her tear-filled eyes at her brother in anger. Then she whipped her wand out and cast a charm at Ron that relaxed his bladder, resulting in him wetting his trousers. As Ginny stomped away in heartbreak (ignoring passing students sniggering at her futile attempt to convince Harry to ask her to the Yule Ball), Ron's face turned red in embarrassment as he tried to cover his 'little accident,' while Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation at Ginny's retreating back. Then Hermione cast a charm to get rid of the wet spot on Ron's trousers before they returned to Gryffindor Tower.
Concurrently, Harry returned to his makeshift quarters, with Neville walking beside him. It took them some time to get back, due to the fact that they wanted to be safe and make sure no wanted person would follow them. Once they were back in the quarters, Harry called for Winky and Piper to ask them if Tracey and Tori were interested in joining them in the makeshift quarters. So the female house elves apparated away and moments later, Winky came back with Tracey, and Piper came back with Tori.
"Hey Tori, would you like to go to the ball with me?" asked Neville.
"Yes, Neville!" Tori exclaimed as she accepted, giving him a big hug in the process. "I'm more than happy to go with you!"
"Tracey," Harry began asking, nervously. "Would you… like to… godaballwitme?"
"Sorry, Harry, I didn't get that! You said that too fast." said Tracey.
"Would you like to go to the ball with me?" Harry asked again, this time more calmly.
"Yes, Harry!" Tracey replied ecstatically. "I'll definitely go with you!"
"Champions will have to start the opening dance," Harry informed Tracey. "Will you be able to handle that?"
"Yeah, I think so," said Tracey uncertainly. "I'm more worried about what most everyone else will think."
"Demelza Robins actually offered to help out with that," Harry told Tracey. "She offered to make many people think she'll be my date during the practice for the Yule Ball."
"Oh okay," said Tracey as she felt her relaxing. "Now I want the Yule Ball to get here and see many people looking shocked when they realize it was all a misdirection."
"That'll be the day!" Tori replied while smirking.
"No kidding!" Neville agreed.
So the four teens started practicing the waltz again. Since it was just the four of them, it helped them feel at ease that they weren't around large crowds. They rotated partners occasionally, where Harry got to dance with Tori and Neville got to dance with Tracey, wanting to keep everything fair. Once curfew drew closer, Winky and Piper escorted Tracey and Tori back to their bedrooms in the Slytherin girls' dormitory (but not before giving goodnight hugs to Harry and Neville). Once Harry and Neville finished getting ready for bed and climbed into their respective beds, they couldn't get their respective dates out of their minds, so they laid on their backs and stared up into the darkness until sleep finally overtook them. Tracey and Tori also expereinced the same thing before they too fell asleep.
To be continued!