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The Yule Ball was upon them quickly. Narcissa, Severus, Sirius, and Charity attended as chaperones. Remus stayed home to babysit. Tonks came over to spend the night and help him. Narcissa couldn't help but laugh at the 20 year old woman and her antics. If Narcissa was correct, Remus was on the edge of giving in. Narcissa overheard him talking with Sirius about asking Tonks' parents' permission to date her. Sirius had laughed but Narcissa thought it was sweet, especially with the age difference and closeness of the families. It was only proper, which is exactly what Narcissa had come to expect from Remus.
Harry had finally gotten up the courage to ask Hermione to be his date to the ball.
"Hermione, can I ask you something?" Harry asked, scuffing his foot along the floor.
Hermione closed her book and looked at Harry, inquiringly. "Sure, Harry. What do you need?"
"Well, you know you're my friend and I like you, right?"
"Yes," Hermione said, drawing out the word.
"And you know that I know you're a girl. A pretty girl, too," Harry said, blushing yet refusing to look at Hermione. She was blushing, too.
"Er, yes, I know you know I'm a girl. I didn't know you thought that other thing," she said, quietly, her face flaming red.
"Er, yeah. Well, I do. Think it, that is." They stood in awkward silence for a few moments.
"Anyway," Harry finally said, clearing his throat. "Would you gototheballwithme? Please?" Harry said in one fast breath. It took Hermione a moment to decipher what he said. When she did, she giggled.
"Um, yeah. IthinkIdlikethat." Hermione rushed to say. Harry finally looked at her, beaming.
"Yeah. Alright, then. Say, I'll pick you up at 6:30pm? It starts at 7pm. Mum and Severus and Sirius and Charity are coming, too. So we won't be completely alone or anything, if your parents want to know that." Harry said, turning red again. He couldn't believe he'd just told his date that his mummy was coming with them. He wanted to smack his own face for being so dumb.
Hermione grinned in response. "Sounds perfect. I'll see you then. What color will you be wearing?"
"Er, whatever color you're wearing?" He asked. She laughed and patted his shoulder.
"Good answer."
Hermione ended up with a periwinkle blue dress. It was lovely. It fell in ruffles and bared her shoulders and part of her back. Harry couldn't help but stare when he first saw her. She came down the stairs slowly, grinning and blushing at his open-mouthed look of shock.
"You look gorgeous," Harry blurted out to her when she reached the bottom of the steps. Emma and Narcissa laughed. Dan snapped pictures like they were going out of style.
"You, too," Hermione grinned in return. Harry slipped the corsage over her wrist and took her hand. He led her to the floo and through to the Villa where they'd meet the rest of their group.
The three adults, who had obviously been forgotten, giggled at the sweetness of young love.
Narcissa followed the children through the flames and into the Villa. The other three adults were waiting for her with the children. All the other children, including Neville, were standing around oohing and aahing over the beautiful clothes and commiserating over the miserable fact that they weren't allowed to go, too.
The night went by in a flurry of dancing and laughing. The kids didn't really know any other children at the ball, so they mostly stuck to the adults they did know and the other champions whom they were trying to get to know.
It would have been a perfect evening if not for one thing. Suddenly, towards the end of the night, Sirius jumped up and went tearing out of the Great Hall. He acted like the devil was chasing him and his tail was on fire. Severus went after him, at a more sedate pace, to attempt to see what the problem was. They were all shocked when the two men returned, angry and empty-handed.
"I think we know who put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire," Sirius said, gravely.
"What?" Narcissa asked, fearfully.
"Peter Pettigrew was just in the castle. I'd know his scent anywhere. How did he get out of Azkaban? He was right here in the Great Hall. He wasn't expecting to see me here, I kid you not. I almost caught him, too, but he made it to the ward line in the Forbidden Forest before I could get him. He changed back into human form and apparated away," Sirius said, slamming his hand down on the table.
"It's true," Severus said, grimly. "I saw him as well. He was here. Further, look at this," he said as he discreetly showed Sirius, Charity, and Narcissa his arm. "The dark mark has gotten darker," he whispered. "The Dark Lord is gaining power."
The adults looked at each other in horror.
"The snake. We have to find the snake," Narcissa whispered. "We can't get rid of him until we do!"
The night ended on that sour note. The children had no idea. They floated home on a cloud of young love but the adults felt the clouds were much more ominous.
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