Harry Potter and its characters, story, and everything else is © J. K. Rowling.

Brilliant but Scary

▼ Chapter Thirty Four ▼

How was it that Harry kept finding him in this position? He glanced over at Draco, the other boy silently staring off into nothing in particular as they both waited for their respective dates. The pair hadn't spoken a word for several minutes, but here they were, yet again, in the common room, together.

The common room itself was sparsely populated. The younger students, those third years that hadn't secured a date along with the firsties and second years, had clusters where they were either attempting to pretend the major event wasn't happening at all or attempting to recreate it in small form with little parties. Harry wondered if the other houses had similar things going on, or perhaps a more organized party, without the factionalism that was so common in his own house.

He tried to roll his shoulders, adjusting in his dress robes. They felt somewhat heavy on him, despite their tailoring, and he suspected that was simple because of the cut; dress robes were formal and ostentatious, though he had admitted that he thought he cleaned up quite nicely. It just wasn't a particularly comfortable thing to wear, and he couldn't move his arms well enough either; he'd have a hard time casting complicated spells without abandoning the robe entirely. Not that he thought he'd need to cast any spells, but it was still on his mind.

"Will you stop failing about, Potter," Draco said, a scowl on his face. Harry stopped and looked at him, while Draco simply shook his head, "I know you've never worn formal robes before but you should at least try to not embarrass your house."

"They're just a bit confining is all," Harry murmured, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Of course they are, they're designed that way. Tradition dictates that formal robes should limit a wizards range of movement, as a show of good faith," the blond said with a snort, slowly lifting his own arms and showing a similar restriction, "You're supposed to learn to drop the robe quickly so it doesn't bind you up."

"Well, they didn't exactly cover that in any of the lessons, did they, Malfoy," Harry said with a bit of steel his tone. Malfoy just snorted again and turned away, shaking his head. Harry looked at him for a moment before letting out a sigh and turning back to the door to the dorms while they waited. He wondered if Ginny and Hermione were helping each other get ready.

That thought caused him to glance back over to Draco. The boy was examining his fingernails with the intensity of a deeply bored and impatient pretentious git, and Harry's brow furrowed slightly.

"I'm still surprised that you asked Ginny to the ball, Malfoy," he said, "Though not as surprised I am she said yes."

"Well then you're not nearly as clever as you think you are, Potter," Draco said without looking over, "She's a pretty and talented witch."

Something seemed missing from the end, as if Draco had cut things short. After a moment the boy glanced, "What?"

"It just seems that there is more to it than that," Harry said with a frown. He'd pushed himself up from where he was leaning, arms folded across his chest in clear displeasure.

"Ah yes, Potter, I'm doing it to annoy her brother or ensnare an old family line or something," Draco replied, voice dripping with sarcasm, "She wanted to go, she's interesting, and it's just a ball. Not all of us are trying to find the one in our school years, or at least not in my fourth year."

"That doesn't actually make me feel any better."

"My God, Potter, I'd figured I'd avoided dealing with an overprotective brother, but I get you instead," the blond said with a huff, throwing his arms up as much as they could in the robes. Harry was still frowning, feelings of annoyance bubbling up. He had never been fond of Malfoy, and less of Ginny hanging around him. There was a protective urge, different than the sort he got with Hermione, but there all the same.

"She's my friend, Malfoy."

"Yes, well, she's mine too, Potter."

Harry stopped before he said what had almost sprung from him. It was a close thing to stop him from saying he didn't want the boy to be friends with Ginny. Harry didn't like Draco, he didn't trust Draco. Not in general, and not with Ginny. He almost did, almost just blurted it out. That wouldn't be smart though, it'd not make things better. He'd started thinking about that more, after seeing how folks reacted, after paying attention more. It was hard, sometimes, but he did it all the same. Getting into a fight would only ruin the night for Ginny, and probably Hermione too, and that wouldn't do.

"Just…" he began after a moment of hesitation, "Don't try anything funny, Malfoy."

"I am a perfect gentleman, Potter," Draco said archly, "I'm not going to do something to get myself in trouble."

Harry frowned; that wasn't particularly reassuring, but also likely all he was going to get out of Malfoy. Draco seemed to sense that Harry wasn't exactly done, though, and made a rather tactical decision to change the subject rather than spend any more time with Harry's protective side. Harry knew this too, it was painfully obvious, but he let it go.

For now.

"By the way, Potter, where did Zabini get off to?"

"He asked someone from another house, as far as I know," Harry replied after a moment, sighing and settling back against the edge of the table as he did, "He didn't say much, but I think they're from Ravenclaw."

"Well, that's not a bad choice, I suppose," quipped Draco, fingers rubbing his chin thoughtfully before shrugging, "Though I haven't the slightest idea what who he found to meet his standards."

Well, Harry couldn't really deny that. Blaise was his best friend outside of Hermione, but even Blaise himself was not exactly shy about admitting his own vanity. Harry had wracked his brain but hadn't come up with any ideas, and Hermione hadn't either. Even Ginny, who had the pulse of the castle and was becoming well known for that fact, hadn't any idea; no one apparently was talking about it.

"What about your friends, then, Malfoy?" Harry asked, more to make the point that weren't friends than actual curiosity.

"Crabbe and Goyle already left with the Carrow twins, and Theo left with Pansy," Draco replied, the last name catching Harry's attention.

"You know, Malfoy, I thought you'd be going with Parkinson," he said, and Draco scoffed, shaking his head softly. He murmured something that sounded like 'you're not the only one who thought that.' He didn't have time to reply, though, as he heard the door to the dorms open. Harry turned just in time to see Ginny come out of it. She spotted them quickly and moved as fast as her dress would allow.

"How do I look?" she asked, rather favoring Harry rather than her ostensible date; Harry smiled at that, taking it as a victory that his friend favored him over Malfoy, though perhaps feeling like he was ignoring something as he did, something he just didn't want to bother to think about right then. Instead, he focused on Ginny, to give her an honest answer to her question.

Ginny was pretty, Harry knew. He was a boy and he noticed these things, even if they were about his friends; his attention towards the opposite sex had sort of sprung up naturally in the absence of other worries; no giant snakes or escaped murderers harrying him and all, only often members of said opposite sex trying to nab his attention. And, though he hated to admit it, he noticed. He didn't really like noticing, but he did; it felt a bit like a betrayal, even if he hadn't (and wouldn't) do anything.

With Ginny, friend that she was, noticing this was somewhat was accompanied by feeling like he was second guessing her too, which had been precisely what he hadn't wanted to think about he realized and he tried his damnedest to push it out of mind as he looked at her.

Well, she was pretty. She'd clearly spent a lot of effort on her look, her dress a mixture of almost pastel green and pink. It seemed almost more spring than winter to Harry. She had an expectant look and Harry realized he'd been taking rather long to reply.

"You look great, Ginny," he answered, finally. She beamed at him. Harry smiles back before glancing at Draco. The other boy openly appreciating her look, though Harry detected a twinkle of annoyance in his eyes. It was confirmed when the blond finally spoke.

"You look marvelous, Ginny," he said, trying to sound imperious to mask the annoyance and only partly succeeding, "I thought my expectations couldn't be higher for the night and yet you've shattered them already."

"Hopefully you're not expecting too much, Malfoy," Harry said, unable to contain the urge to nettle the boy more. He turned back to Ginny, jerking his head towards her date as he did, "Be sure to hex him if he gets too familiar, alright?"

Ginny brought her hand up to her mouth and giggles, Draco scowled, and seemed about to sneer something back when the three of them had their attention drawn back to the door by new movement. Whatever the Malfoy had been about to say seemed to die in his throat and he about sputtered as Hermione stepped out.

Harry was enthralled. His girlfriend was wearing a dress of black and dark purples, floaty and frilled, and twinkling in places as she moved. To him, it made her look as if she had cut fabric from the night sky and was clad in twilight with stars glittering in her wake. Her hair, so usually an unruly mane, was done up in an impressive style, with fine twirls hanging down and the greater part of it tied up in a fine bun. It was sleek and shiny and caught the light rather like her dress, and it took a moment for Harry to realize she'd woven threads of what looked like silver through it.

He was amazed, though it was not the only silver she wore; she had the snake armlet he's given her, wrapped around up to her elbow. It was impressive, even more so given it was essentially a sort of magical calculator masquerading as jewelry. He had bracelets on her other arm, as well as earrings and the silver necklace he'd given her. If she tapped into it now she's feel one hell of a beat; his heart was racing as he watched her approach.

There was a part of Harry that knew Hermione was not what many folks would call beautiful. Pretty, maybe, but she was not so remarkable to most that they'd notice it. It was a distant thing, in the part of his brain that could think about that sort of thing, even if it didn't ever have the desire to. It didn't matter to Harry, of course; he loved her for who she was. That she was pretty was a happy bonus.

As she walked towards him, though, Harry could not help but think that she was beautiful. More than anyone, more than Cho, or Daphne, or Ginny, or anyone. She was beautiful, and she was his girlfriend.

"You look," he began, almost breathless as she got closer. There was a grin on her face, clearly pleased by his reaction before he even finished, "...amazing."

It was a lame response considering how she looked, but she smiled wide all the same. She moved towards his side, and he seemed to be able to think again when she brushed against his arm. Hastily he offered it to her and she took it.

"We should get going," she said, before glancing back towards Ginny and Draco, "You look nice, Ginny, glad you found someone to go with."

She pressed herself a bit closer to Harry before she continued, "Not everyone is so lucky to find someone so perfect for them in their first year."

The great hall had been transformed, the entire room turned into a winter wonderland, at least in appearance. Ice sculptures dotted the tables and hall, bewitched into remaining frozen despite the comfortable temperature of the room, and vast Christmas trees with twinkling decorations stood at one end.

When the yearly school supplies list has included dress robes for a formal event, Hermione had mostly written it off; whatever the event was. She had known it would likely be enjoyable if only for the fact that it would be a formal event with Harry, and perhaps a bit of wicked glee at Ginny having to watch them together, but there hasn't been much more to it. Of course, the female population discovering how fanciable Harry was had changed things slightly, and the ball had become a way to rather ostentatiously display that not only was Harry taken, they also hadn't a chance in hell of getting to him.

Harry's reaction to her outfit, one she'd spent quite a lot of time working on, had been wonderful. She'd used the last of the late Lockhart's hair product as well, and had taken quite some time using magic to weave in the transfigured strands of silvery metal. It wasn't true silver, of course, that sort of transmutation was far beyond her skill, but it was a good look all the same.

Her appearance had drawn attention from more than Harry as well, and she had basked in it, realizing for the first time she could recall that it was rather nice to be so desired by others. Harry had been eagerly possessive too, a rather nice bonus in its own way.

The true surprise was how much she was enjoying the ball for its own sake.

As she and Harry took seats after a bout on the dance floor, she found herself strangely enamored with her boyfriend. He had taken dance lessons seriously, he'd been bold and daring as they danced, and had a severe look that had turned away several that had seemed about to ask her to dance. He was smiling though, so plainly happy as he led their dancing and looked into her eyes.

"Tonight has been rather brilliant," she said as she settled into her seat. Harry had a rakish grin, clearly pleased with himself, and Hermione didn't begrudge him that; he deserved to feel a bit of pride, after all; it was only natural for someone like him.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," he quipped, green eyes aglow with mirth, "I'm surprised though, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it so much but it has been really great."

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment," she replied with a wry grin. Harry didn't miss a beat.

"Oh yes, you've made for perfectly adequate company."

Hermione giggled at his impishness, and reveled in it. This was Harry, the real Harry; self-assured, confident, witty, and charming. He had a charisma, a natural likableness. Other folks were finally seeing it, of course, seeing what she always had seen. And that was good! The little things it took to go along with it, to make sure folks got the message he was taken or were otherwise occupied were worth it.

"Oh shush, you prat," she replied playfully, and he let out a short laugh and a faux apology. She let out a contented sigh, turning away from his gaze somewhat reluctantly, but fearing she might get lost in there if she stared too much longer. Her eyes moved across the hall where some of the other couples were dancing, and others locked in conversation.

She saw Cedric at the champions table, and he noticed her as well, acknowledging her with a nod. She gave him a small smile and a nod back. Cho Chang noticed as well, and seemed rather displeased, though she said nothing.

"What was that about?"

Hermione's eyes snapped back to Harry, a curious expression on his face.

"Oh, I helped him with the first task is all," she replied smoothly; she never had told Harry about that she realized. It wasn't as if she was avoiding it, it simply hadn't seemed to matter. Given the questioning look, though, apparently it did to him.

"Hagrid showed Madame Maxime the dragons, so it seemed she'd almost certainly tell her champion. It seemed only right to give our Hogwarts champion the same advantage," she explained, deciding to leave out the part of it helping to make him a more of a magnet for female attention. Harry seemed to relax a bit, though not entirely.

"Cho doesn't look too pleased," he said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, her inability to think that someone helping another person is just that and not an attempt to steal her boyfriend her own problem."

That made him relax all the way. That was good; she realized far too late that her talking with people might have given him the wrong idea. She was lucky that hadn't gone further.

"What about Krum?" he asked, and she let out a huff at the name, tone full of annoyance about the Durmstrang champion.

"What about Krum."

That made Harry laugh, and Hermione smiled at the sound. She loved it when he laughed.

"I'm still surprised about Blaise," he said after a moment, and Hermione followed his gaze to where the dark-skinned boy was sitting. He was talking, rather animatedly, with his date. Hermione had to admit she was surprised too.

"I think," she began, still watching the Beauxbatons girl hang off Blaise every word, "That Blaise might be one of the only people to be vain enough to ask a girl like Fleur Delacour to a ball and think she was coming with him."

"She seems rather taken with him," said Harry, a genuine smile on his face. Hermione watched him, watched his face with a strange fascination. There was no envy, because Harry wasn't envious of Blaise; in fact Harry had never seemed to envy Blaise, he never seemed to envy anyone for having things he didn't. He never held it against her that her parents were still alive, or Ginny for having a family.

"What?"

Hermione was startled out of the thought, realizing she'd been lost in it and Harry had turned to her because she'd been so quiet. She flushed slightly, shaking her head.

"Sorry, I was just thinking of how taken I am with you," she said, and it was his turn to flush instead. He scratched the back of his neck, his classic nervous tic.

"Thanks… do, uh, you want something to drink?"

"Sure, I'd love something," she replied and he nodded happily, standing up and making his way over to the table to grab things. Sighing happily, she watched him for a moment and then turned away, not wanting to get lost in staring again. Her eyes swept the room, looking without success for Susan, but succeeding only in spotting her friend Seamus with Dean. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, standing off with some other Gryffindors. Ginny's brother was there, though Hermione couldn't tell if he was with someone or not.

Neville Longbottom, on the other hand, was sitting with two girls, and paying attention to either of them. He was looking watching to where Harry had walked off, ignoring his own date… or, well, dates. The Patil twins looked lovely in their saris, but their expressions were a mixture of annoyance and boredom. Their date, the catch that was Neville, seemed far more interested in glaring at Harry and, she noticed when she caught him doing it, glancing her way, only to look away in embarrassment when he got caught.

She had more pity for Krum, really; he was new, but Neville really should have known better.

With a bit of disdain she turned away from the boy and looked elsewhere while she waited, and her eyes caught sight of someone else she had noticed more than once sending glances her way. Theodore Nott was with Pansy Parkinson, and was doing a far better job that Neville was actually paying attention to his date, yet Hermione caught him glancing her way more than once. It was hardly a new thing either; she didn't know Nott that well. He was friends with Draco, but not really part of his gang, per se, and the looks he gave her also weren't like anyone else.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched the boy, wondering what was going on inside that little head of his…

"Would you like to dance some more?"

Harry was setting two glasses down on the table when she turned, a hopeful smile on his face. His eyes seemed to dart towards where Neville was sitting, and she smiled as she realized that Harry was rather enjoying showing off, showing her off, showing them off.

"I'd love to," she said, taking his hand as she stood up. The pair made their way to the dance floor, and reveled in each others company.