Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the rights to Harry Potter
Authors Note: Special thanks to everyone who has read, favourited and is following my story including my newest favourites and followers Anaklusmos15, Patrick lrby and Raposa13.
Chapter Thirty Five:
The first week of December came in with freezing cold winds, ice and snow blizzards. On the Monday morning of that first week Harry and his dorm mates entered the common room to find it abuzz with excitement. The Yule Ball had been announced a week earlier and since then everyone had been scrambling for dates or to get ready.
"What's everyone waiting for?" Harry asked Colin Creevey who was grinning.
"Some sort of announcement from Professor McGonagall" mousy haired boy explained.
The portrait hole opened and the stern, but clever, Head of Gryffindor House stepped in and looked approvingly at her assembled students "I am glad to see so many of you here this morning" she said with a slight smile.
"Now as you know" she continued "the Yule Ball is scheduled to take place on Christmas Day in the Great Hall and all fourth years and above are invited to attend". Harry snorted. He hadn't been invited. As a Champion it was compulsory he attend according to Professor McGonagall "if you are third year or below you must attend with someone fourth year or above to be allowed to come".
Harry saw Lauren's face fell and stared in puzzlement at the look Neville was giving her. He wanted to question his friend as his protective instincts kicked in but there was no time.
Professor McGonagall finished up "I do not want anyone from this house embarrassing me and to that end I have set aside this weekend to demonstrate some dancing to you all. Even if you can dance I still require attendance".
Harry groaned. He hated dancing. Not least because he wasn't very good at it but also because, due to his fame, people would constantly stare at him and watch his every move. Not for the first time did he envy his other friends who, while they had done noteworthy things, were still not hounded by the press at every turn.
"The meeting will be in the Great Hall at three o' clock on Saturday afternoon". The students dispersed as Professor McGonagall indicated she'd finished speaking.
Harry made his way over to the portrait hole with his friends only for the professor to say "wait a minute please Potter".
Harry hung back and waved his friends on. Ron promised to keep a seat for him at the Gryffindor table but Professor McGonagall explained the talk wouldn't take long and so Hermione declared that they would wait outside.
"What's up Professor?" Harry asked feeling concerned. He wondered if one of his family was in trouble.
"It's nothing to be worried about Potter" she informed him calmly. Harry calmed slightly as she kept speaking "it's about the Yule Ball. Now you know that for most people dancing is not compulsory, although it would be nice to see".
Harry nodded "well, the Champions are expected to open the Yule Ball by taking the floor for the first dance".
Harry's mouth fell open and he protested "but I can't dance Professor!".
"Of course you can Potter!" the professor waved his protests away sharply "everyone can dance".
"But...".
"No buts Mr Potter, I will not have you letting down Gryffindor by refusing to dance. You have a partner already I trust".
Harry nodded "my girlfriend, Daphne Greengrass".
Professor McGonagall nodded her head approvingly "ah yes, good. That's settled then. You shall attend the dance lessons this weekend and will be able to dance at least the few dances that are required". She smiled "I'm sure Miss Greengrass will appreciate the effort you've put in".
'That's true' thought Harry, for Daphne was most excited about the Yule Ball and would surely love it if she and Harry could dance properly. Harry smiled back "thanks Professor".
He walked past her and out the portrait hole. "What was that all about?" Ron asked him.
Harry grinned "I have to start the dancing along with the other Champions and our partners".
Ron laughed "rather you than me mate".
"Oh I don't mind" Harry said distantly.
"What?!" both Ron and Neville explained.
"It means I get to dance with the most beautiful girl in the world".
Harry saw the same expression on Neville's face as his friend had had in the common room. He shelved his curiosity for the time being resolving to ask Neville at lunch just what, if anything, was going on between Neville and Lauren.
That lunchtime, while Ron, Hermione and the others were engrossed in a discussion about the Yule Ball, Ron telling everyone about the new robes his brothers had purchased for him, Harry asked Neville if he could step out into the Entrance Hall. His friend was puzzled but agreed readily enough.
"You alright Harry? it's not about the second task is it? is it the egg?" Neville asked in a rush.
Harry felt gratitude for his friend showing concern but decided to come straight out and say it "Nev, what's going on between you and my cousin?" he asked simply.
Neville blushed deeply and stammered "n...n...nothing Harry, honest".
Harry stared at him intensely for a few moments "but you'd like it too, wouldn't you" he said.
Neville nodded sheepishly "I like Lauren a lot Harry. She's attractive, clever and funny. I want to ask her to come to the Yule Ball with me, see how things go but..." he threw his hands up and sighed "I'm too nervous to ask her".
Harry's overprotectiveness abated and he chucked "you? the same Neville that's faced down Professor Snape? scared of my cousin?".
Neville nodded and Harry laughed again "look, Nev, you've just got to go for it. Ask her tonight in the common room and see what she says. The worst she can do is say no" he clapped his friend on the shoulder "you'll feel better for having asked".
Neville grinned at him "thanks Harry, lets get back to lunch". The pair strode back in to the Great Hall and waved away questions from the others on what they'd been conversing about.
That night, Harry and Ron were engrossed in a game of wizards chess while Hermione, Ginny and Lauren worked on their homework. Every so often Harry would glance up from the board and take note of the fact that Neville was sitting on the edge of his seat looking ready to pounce like a cobra at any moment.
Without warning, Neville sprang up from his seat, walked over to Lauren and asked loudly "can I talk to you Lauren?".
This caught the attention of Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione as well as a number of other Gryffindor's nearby and everyone stared in anticipation for it was clear to most people that Neville liked Harry's cousin.
"She won't say yes" Ron muttered with conviction. Harry grinned as the two of them had a bet on as to whether Lauren would allow Neville to take her to the ball. Harry reckoned she would.
Lauren looked up from her homework, smiled and set her books, parchment and quill aside "of course Neville".
Neville took a deep breath and said in a calm, clear voice "Lauren, would you like to go to the ball with me? because I'd love to take you, I think you're beautiful and...".
He got no further for Lauren had flung her arms around him and kissed his cheek "oh Neville!" she exclaimed in delight "I thought you'd never ask me!".
Neville blushed as Lauren declared "yes! yes I will come to the ball!".
Hermione and Ginny were both smiling happily and Harry stretched out a hand, grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat as Ron grumbled and fumbled in the pocket of his jeans, extracting two sickles and slapping them in Harry's palm.
The weekend came and went as Harry and the Gryffindor's were taught to dance. As it turned out, Ron was a very capable dancer already while Harry also took to it more than he had expected.
Time marched by and it was now only a week to go until the Yule Ball.
Today, a Monday afternoon, the twelfth of December, found Harry, Ron and Neville walking from divination down through the castle. In the Entrance Hall, Harry noticed Fleur Delacour, his fellow Champion, he waved a greeting and she waved back.
"Got yourself another girlfriend Harry?" Neville quipped with a grin. Harry smirked and slapped him on the back of the head.
"Hey, where's Ron?" Neville said in bewilderment. The two had looked away for a moment and when they'd looked back their red haired friend was nowhere to be seen.
"He's over there!" Harry exclaimed. Neville followed Harry's hand and his mouth fell open in shock for Ron had reached Fleur Delacour who was talking with a group of Beauxbaton's girls.
"NO Ron!" Harry shouted, but it was too late.
They couldn't hear what Ron said but judging from the embarrassment on his face and the raised eyebrow of Fleur as the only response, he must have messed up.
"He's running away!" Neville said loudly.
The two of them took after Ron calling out his name but he either didn't hear them or had chosen to ignore them.
They eventually caught up with their best friend in the Gryffindor common room where Ron was slumped down in one of the armchairs looking very pale. He had his head in his hands and an amused yet sympathetic Ginny was trying to comfort him.
"Hi Ginny What happened? we saw him approach Fleur but we didn't hear what he said".
Ginny smiled a little "he asked her to the ball with him".
Harry frowned "that doesn't sound so bad".
"Except he didn't use any language known to humans" she informed them "it came out sort of...garbled".
"Oh god!" Ron moaned in a voice muffled by his hands "I can't believe that happened! I can't believe I did that!".
"It's not so bad Ron" Ginny tried to be kind "I'm sure someone'll go with you".
"What about Hermione?" Neville suggested.
All at once, Ron's countenance changed "hey yeah!" he said cheerfully "Hermione's a girl!".
Hermione, who had been busy reading a book, set the book down and replied with amusement "so you've finally noticed then?".
"Hermione" Ron appealed "you'll go to the ball with me...right?".
"No" Hermione replied simply.
Harry and Neville watched the unfolding drama as a crestfallen Ron demanded "why not?".
An irritated Hermione huffed out a sigh "because, Ronald, in the first place you haven't asked me the way a girl likes to be asked and in the second place I don't like how your first choice was Fleur Delacour".
"Well...I'm sorry for that but..." Ron threw his hands up "I didn't think to ask you".
"That much, is evident" Hermione said coolly.
"But I'm asking now" Ron persisted "so...how about it? will you go with me?".
"I can't" Hermione sniffed.
"But why? I've asked you properly!" Ron seemed unable to grasp that he was going about it in completely the wrong way.
"If you must know Ronald, I already have a date" Hermione informed him.
Ron snorted a laugh "no you don't!".
"Yes I do Ronald!" Hermione sounded angry now "is it so far fetched that someone would ask me? just because you didn't have the guts!".
She got to her feet looking furious and made her way to the staircase "and just who are you going with?" Ron sounded disbelieving.
Hermione turned back and shouted "I'm going with Victor Krum because he asked me nicely and first!" and with that the bushy haired girl walked down the stairs and out of sight.
Ron looked to Harry and Neville "she's not really going with Krum" he said, clearly trying to convince himself more than them "she's just saying it to annoy me since I didn't ask her, I'll give her a few days to cool off and then ask again".
Ron sounded confident, but knowing girls as he did, Harry knew that Ron was just lying to himself and that Hermione would not agree to go with Ron. Harry did not say this however, feeling that he shouldn't get involved this time and having enough on his plate with working out the egg clue.
True to his word, Ron gave Hermione, who wasn't speaking to him, a few days to cool off and on Wednesday which was the fourteenth, he asked their bushy haired friend again and once again she refused, declaring that she already had a date.
Ron asked her several more times over the course of the week causing her to kick him in the shin at one point and walk off muttering angrily. "I just don't get it!" Ron had said at one point and Harry's only thought had been 'if you don't get it yet Ron, you probably never will'.
The last week of the school term arrived, the castle was bedecked in Christmas decorations on the ceilings and walls, there were Christmas trees all over the place courtesy of Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper and all the suits of armour had been enchanted to sing Christmas carols whenever anyone passed.
Carol singing groups, in their free time, regaled people with Christmas carols and more up to date Christmas songs to make things even more festive. Harry himself, though embarrassed about having to dance first, couldn't wait for the Yule Ball to dance with the girl he loved.
The only person in Gryffindor not excited about the upcoming Yule Ball, was Ron and for good reason for the redhead still had not got a date. After failing once again that Monday to convince Hermione to go with him, the desperate Gryffindor turned to his sister.
Ginny however, informed Ron with some satisfaction, that she already had a date for the ball having been asked by Dean Thomas. Ron had been furious at this and cornered Dean to demand to know what his intentions were towards his sister.
Even Fred and George had dates with George taking Alicia Spinnet and Fred taking Angelina Johnson. Neville, of course, was going with Harry's cousin Lauren.
That Monday afternoon as lunch got underway, Harry had a great idea. As if a lightbulb had just clicked on in his head. He asked Daphne to come out into the Entrance Hall with him and outlined his plan "so I'll talk to Ron about it and you talk to Astoria" he explained "they can go as friends. She gets to go to the ball she wouldn't go to otherwise and Ron gets a date".
Daphne looked thoughtful for a moment and then his girlfriends face split into a grin "I'm sure Tori will agree" she said with certainty. She waved a finger at Harry "he'd better treat her right though. I know he really wants Hermione but he'd better dance, at least a few times with Tori and show her respect and courtesy".
Harry nodded "I'll make sure he does or he'll have me to answer to".
Daphne kissed him on the cheek and squeezed his hand tightly "you're a really good friend to him you know and sometimes he just doesn't deserve it".
Harry was silent for a few heartbeats before replying quietly "he does deserve it you know". Harry waved away her attempt to cut in "oh I know, the business over the Goblet of Fire and all that, but..." he sighed "he became my friend because I'm me if you see what I mean".
Daphne nodded. "He didn't become my friend because I'm the Boy Who Lived or whatever, but because he liked me as a person" Harry smiled "and that has always meant a lot to me".
He squeezed Daphne's hand back and the two of them re-entered the Great Hall having made their decision.
Later on that day just before dinner, Harry and Daphne met up with Ron tagging along with Harry and Astoria tagging along with Daphne. The idea was so that Harry and Daphne could make sure they got along enough to actually go to the ball.
"I'm still not sure about this" Harry heard as the door to the empty classroom opened and in stepped Daphne, leading Astoria by the hand.
"I mean, he can be a bit of a jerk at times".
Harry saw Ron turn red "she just needs to get to know you" he assured his friend.
The two girls approached them. "Hey love" Daphne greeted Harry. He greeted her back and they kissed as they moved out of the way to allow Ron and Astoria to greet each other.
To the surprise of both, Ron and Astoria found common ground with both Quidditch and their distain for Malfoy and divination. Harry grinned and waggled his eyebrows at Daphne "you can say it now" he said with a smirk.
"Saw what?" she asked.
"I'm a genius" he kept smirking.
"We'll see in time Potter" she replied with a smile of her own as she slapped his arm.
The remaining time until Christmas went by faster than Harry had thought possible and before her knew it he was waking up on Christmas morning.
He blinked, rubbed his eyes and sat up. He was briefly confused as he took in the blurry outlines of other beds, a stove and wooden floorboards. Harry slipped on his glasses and sighed in relief. He was in the fourth year boys dorm inside Gryffindor Tower.
He shook himself knowing it was going to take some getting used to for it would be the first Christmas that he had spent away from home given he always went home for Christmas before this year.
Harry looked over at the alarm clock on his bedside table. The clock read twenty past eight. Harry smiled and kicked the covers back. Just like every Christmas, he was going to get up early and be showered and dressed.
He had decided that since he and Lauren weren't at home for Christmas he would wait in the common room for her with the present he had got her and the ones that Jacob and Mandy, Sirius and Remus had sent to Hogwarts for her safely tucked away in Harry's trunk.
After showering and changing into a clean pair of jeans, t-shirt and a jumper, Harry headed downstairs carrying the shrunken presents. Once in the common room he resized them to their normal size and settled down with a book to wait in the near empty common room knowing it would not be long until Lauren came down as well.
"Happy Christmas" he greeted the few Gryffindor's that were also up. All of them greeted him back warmly. 'There's no doubt about it' thought Harry 'Christmas is the best day of the year'. It was a day he enjoyed even more than his birthday. All the same, he was sad not to be able to greet his aunt, uncle, Sirius and Remus on Christmas day.
Just as Harry thought this, he had a bright idea. He raced back up to the dormitory and carefully searched his trunk. He pulled out the two way mirror that his godfather had given him before his first year at Hogwarts and grinned. With this, he'd be able to greet Jacob and Mandy and so would Lauren.
Harry had read just five pages of his book when a blonde haired blur crashed into him yelling "merry Christmas!" with great enthusiasm.
Despite being winded Harry chuckled at his cousins continued enthusiasm for Christmas which he himself shared.
"Happy Christmas Lauren" he smiled and handed her the present from him. Lauren took the small wrapped box happily and tore off the paper.
Underneath the paper was a silver box which Lauren opened. she gasped and pulled out the item within. Harry grinned as she examined the leather wand holster he had purchased for her in Hogsmeade before Christmas.
"I love it Harry!, thank you!" she hugged him and he hugged her back.
"You're welcome Lauren" he replied "I figured it would be useful".
"I'll say it is!" she agreed "I'll be able to conceal it and be ready in case Malfoy or his goons try anything!".
Harry chuckled "well I daresay you'll be a match for those idiots".
As was the custom, Harry opened a present next. He held it up and read "to my wonderful Cousin Harry, thanks for being there for, Lauren".
He smiled and began to tear at the paper which he threw carelessly behind him. It was quite a long box and Harry had an idea that it contained an item of clothing. Harry opened the plain box and found himself staring down at a leather jacket.
He picked it up out of the box and took off the tissue paper. Casting the paper aside he gazed at the jacket and realised, happily, that it was the same jacket he'd been looking at since October in the window of Muggle Fashions, the Hogsmeade clothing shop that sold exclusively muggle clothes.
It was all in black and as Harry turned it around he found the words "worlds best seeker" had been stitched carefully into the the material. The original hadn't had that and he knew Lauren, who was good with a needle and thread, must have done it herself.
"I love it!" Harry proclaimed "thanks Lauren, it's just what I wanted!".
His cousin smiled as he slipped it on over his jumper "well, how does it look on me?" he asked. Lauren flashed him the thumbs up.
Harry took out his two way mirror and called out "James Potter" the calling sign for the mirror Sirius had given to him was his dad's name as it had belonged to Sirius.
There was a brief silence, then rustling and then the face of Harry's uncle appeared in the mirror smiling as he saw who it was "happy Christmas Uncle Jacob" Harry said with a grin.
"Happy Christmas my boy" he replied warmly "I assume Lauren's there already". Harry grinned wider and handed the mirror over.
Lauren greeted her father with an enthusiastic "merry Christmas Dad!". Jacob chuckled at his daughters boisterous greeting and replied with "happy Christmas sweetheart". They heard him call out "Mandy love, it's Harry and Lauren! they're calling on the mirror!".
There was the sound of running footsteps and then Mandy's face appeared in the mirror looking flushed but happy "happy Christmas my loves" she said with a smile.
The both replied in the same manner and the four family members spent over an hour opening presents and holding them up to the mirror and conversing about various topics until Jacob said "we'll have to go now, Sirius and Remus are due here in five minutes". The distant sound of someone grumbling came to Harry's ears and he sniggered as he recognised his godfathers distinctive voice.
"We were just talking to Harry and Lauren" a voice explained from what must have been the kitchen.
There was momentary pause "Harry and Lauren?" Sirius sounded overjoyed and Harry heard him yell "hey Moony, it's Harry and Lauren! our favourite godchildren!".
Harry heard Remus reply mildly "Harry's your only godchild and Lauren's mine".
Their faces appeared together in the mirror after a short time and they, Harry and Lauren laughed, joked and talked about Christmas and the presents they'd received before Harry heard Ron's sleeping voice say "morning guys, merry Christmas".
Harry and Lauren said goodbye to the adults and greeted their friend who had just arrived. Hermione, Neville, Ginny, the Twins and Lee Jordan arrived soon after and once the friends had all opened their presents they headed down into the grounds for a snowball fight, to make snowmen and to race on sleds down the snow covered sloping lawns of Hogwarts.
The morning passed by in fun and merriment. That afternoon Professor Dumbledore hosted a Christmas lunch in the Great Hall attended by all the students and staff that had stayed, primarily the senior staff and forth years and above.
Much fun was had with the crackers which had a much larger bang than muggle ones and contained many more items. Harry's own cracker contained a whistle, an admirals hat, a train set and several actually funny jokes. Many jokes were told and much food and drink consumed. Even Professor Trelawney graced the hall with her presence while Harry had been pleased to note that Professor Snape had stayed away.
The rest of the afternoon was quite with Harry and his friends feeling much too full after their meal and tired after their morning exertions to do much other than lounge around in the common room. Harry engaged Ron in several games of chess losing each time.
After lunch they had been joined by Daphne, Astoria and Millicent who spent the afternoon with the Gryffindor's inside Gryffindor Tower and Harry had been able to give Daphne her Christmas present which was a silver necklace inscribed with the words Harry loves Daphne.
To his great relief Daphne had loved the present and had kissed him passionately before thanking him and asking him to help her put it on.
She had got Harry a ring which, she explained, would hold off attempts by evil wizards to get into his mind. Harry had the feeling she had purchased it for him due to their shared belief that Voldemort would be back and Harry would need some protection, especially since he'd already had visions of Voldemort before.
Harry loved his gift and kissed Daphne just as she had kissed him earlier, thanking her for the present.
Later that afternoon, Daphne, Millicent and Astoria left Gryffindor Tower to return to the Slytherin's dungeon quarters and their dorm rooms where they would get ready for the ball that was to be held in a few hours time.
Just before the three girls disappeared, Harry had enquired as to who Millicent was going to the ball with and was surprised to learn that it was Seamus Finnegan one of his dorm mates "he's played that quietly" Harry had remarked.
Seven o'clock rolled around and Harry, Ron and Neville were waiting with Dean and Seamus for their dates. Harry still found it a bit strange that Neville was taking Lauren to the ball, but as long as the two of them had a good time who was he to complain?.
"Oh wow!" Harry heard Neville breathe out sounding in awe. He looked up at the grand staircase to see three very pretty girls descending. It took him a moment to register that one was his cousin and the other two, were Hermione and Ginny.
The three girls reached the bottom of the staircase and Lauren and Ginny stopped next to them and greeted them all.
Lauren took Neville's arm and he blushed.
Ginny took Dean's and smiled at him. He smiled back in a way Harry had seen before, he was clearly lovestruck.
Harry watched Ron gaping at the sight of Hermione as she greeted them all and headed over to Victor Krum, her date for the evening "I...I thought she was joking" Ron stuttered sounding crestfallen.
Harry had some sympathy for his best friend but also felt that it was his own fault for if Ron had only asked Hermione as she had wanted him too then it would be him escorting her instead.
"Never mind about Hermione" Harry said. Ron ignored him "Ron!" Harry hissed.
Ron looked at him "hm?" he said blankly.
"I said never mind about Hermione, Astoria will be here soon and she's, you know, your date!".
"Oh...yeah...right" Ron said sullenly.
"Ron" Harry said sternly "I'm your best friend but I won't hesitate to hex you if you make Astoria upset. It was good of her to agree to come with you tonight".
Ron sighed "yeah, I guess it was" he said "don't worry" he added at last "I'll behave myself".
Harry felt a tug on his arm and saw Dean pointing to the staircase down to the dungeons. Harry's breath hitched in his throat as he recognised his girlfriend, the love of his life, Daphne, walking towards them alongside Millicent and Astoria.
Three girls greeted them and smiled while Daphne kissed Harry "hello love" she said happily. Harry felt a warmth spread through his whole body as he took her hand and squeezed it "hello yourself gorgeous" he said with a grin and then added "you look beautiful Daphne love".
"Aw you're so sweet" she chuckled and kissed him again.
Harry saw that Ron, true to his word, had taken Astoria's arm and was conversing with her on some point or other while a smiling Seamus had taken Millicent's arm and the two were talking about broomsticks.
Harry and Daphne waved goodbye to the others and headed over to the entrance to the Great Hall. The doors, at the moment, were firmly shut, but were soon opened by Professor McGonagall who greeted the four couples standing before her "as discussed, Champions and your partners, you shall enter the hall first and take the floor for the first dance which will be the Champions waltz. Once you have completed this obligatory dance you will be permitted to sit out the rest of the dancing if you wish".
Harry gave Daphne a wink and muttered "I'll dance all night if you want me too". She smiled and whispered "I do want SOME alone time Potter".
Professor McGonagall disappeared for a moment and then reappeared "Champions and partners, we are ready for you if you will follow me" and with her customary grace the professor swept ahead of them leading the Champions and their partners into the Great Hall for the start of the Yule Ball.