Dance
As Harry walked with Hermione towards care of magical creatures class, he felt miserable than ever. He had been selected as a Triwizard champion. No one in the school believed that he hadn't put his name in the goblet of fire. But what bothered Harry the most was that Ron didn't believe him. For the first time in their friendship, they weren't in talking terms. And that hurt Harry the most. He felt grateful that Hermione was by his side but Ron…his heart clenched. Thankfully Hagrid had abandoned his idea pairing slytherins and gryffindors. They were taking blast ended skrewts for a walk .
As Harry went to the Potions class, he saw the slytherins wearing the Potter stinks badge. He looked over Estella who too was sporting the same badge.
"Like them, Potter?" said Draco Malfoy loudly as Harry approached flashing the badge
"Oh very funny," Hermione said sarcastically to Estella Malfoy and her gang of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, "really witty."
"Want one, Granger?" said Draco Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione. "I've got loads. But don't touch my hand, now. I've just washed it, you see; don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."
The anger Harry had been feeling for the past few days burst through him as he pulled out his wand.
"Furnunculus!" Harry yelled.
"Densaugeo!" screamed Malfoy.
Harry's curse hit Crabbe's whose face was sprouting boils. Malfoy's curse hit Hermione whose front teeth was growing at an alarming rate. Both of them rushed to the hospital while Snape deducted points from Gryffindor only as usual.
As the first task approached Harry felt afraid. He hadn't even volunteered to put his life at stake still he was being forced to participate. Hagrid had asked him to meet him tonight with his invisibility cloak. Harry walked out to the castle from the forbidden forest breathing heavily. Dragons… he had to fight dragons. For once in his life, Harry completely agreed with the Dursleys. The wizarding worlds were nutters. How on earth were they expecting a fourteen year old boy to fight dragons? Harry felt like shouting at them. And Ron thought he was enjoying this? The image of Hungarian Horntail made him shiver. Harry knew he was as good as dead now. As he walked faster out of the forest, he hit into something. Harry landed on something soft to find grey eyes staring at him. He let out a yelp and stood up .His cloak had slipped off in the fall and he saw a girl with Black hair and grey eyes on the floor. Harry saw a bracelet with the initial M on her hand confirming his suspicion.
"Potter..what are you doing here?" whispered Estella to him. Harry looked at her. She was carrying a white bearded purse. Harry saw that there were several unicorn hairs sticking out in her cloak. She also was carrying a flask. Harry had a nasty feeling that it might contain blood.
"Could ask you the same Malfoy?" Harry stood his ground.
"I ask you no questions and you do the same to me" whispered Estella. Harry was tempted to know what she was doing in the forest at night. He guessed that she was preparing some potion again in moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Estella had a habit of experimenting with portions which made her more weird in Harry's opinion.
"Fine." Said Harry as he pulled the cloak around himself and walk towards the castle. But just as he was about to walk, Harry heard footsteps behind them. Karkaroff had followed Hagrid to see the dragons. Harry hesitated. He could leave her behind. But his chivalry kicked in. There were monsters in the forest. And he had heard many troubling rumors about Karkaroff and Drumstag. The silly girl wouldn't be able to even disarm anyone. Even though Harry knew he'd live to regret it, he grabbed Estella and pulled the cloak over both their heads.
"Now shut up before I change my mind. I will leave you at the slytherin common room. You'd have a better chance making it there alive by being invisible." Said Harry smoothly.
Estella looked stunned but nodded. She had always been practical, more interested in her end goal rather than petty fights. As they walked slowly into the castle, Harry could smell her faint lotus fragrance.
"Potter..you saw them?" asked Estella curiously
"I thought we agreed on asking no questions" replied Harry coolly. Estella chewed her lips. Harry felt a tiny electric shock run through him. She had beautiful lips. Red plump ones. She hadn't bothered with much glamour charm today. Only the hair and nose were altered. He could still recognize her. Estella seemed to be deep in thought. She suddenly turned to face him. Harry looked down quickly hoping she didn't catch him staring.
"I went to get unicorn hairs and felforejerry pus. I was trying to make my own strength potion." Said Estella
"Couldn't get it in the morning? Or better..from a shop?" asked Harry coldly
"Well I can't get it from shops. Its rare. And Unicorns are easier to spot at night. They come to the valley at night. And its safer at night" said Estella quickly. Harry thought she had gone mad.
"Well it is. In morning the centaurs will spot you easily. And then there is the trucklebirds near the valley. They don't hunt at night" said Estella defiantly
"Yes and your dead body too will not be spotted at night" said Harry sarcastically.
Estella trod on his foot making him wince in pain. Harry glared at her and walked.
"So now tell me Potter. You saw them?" asked Estella. Harry looked questioningly at her
"Oh, c'mon I told you why I went there. Didn't I?" whined Estella
"So? " drawled Harry trying to imitate the Malfoy arrogance. She looked away.
As they reached to the corridors towards dungeon, Harry stopped to leave Estella. Harry turned to see Estella looking at him. She seemed to be going through an internal debate. Finally her face was set
"Potter... dragons…." she stuttered. Harry was amazed that she told him. He looked at her. Was it concern on her face?
"I know" replied Harry weakly. "You should be happy. The dragon will kill me and you can celebrate"
"That will be sad Potter. Whom will I torture for the rest of my life? Make sure you get out alive" whispered Estella and left Harry confused.
The Hogsmeade trip was organized a week before the Yule ball. Harry was feeling very dull after Cho had rejected him for Cedric. He had asked Parvati to go out with him in desperation. Ron too was sulking since he had made a fool out of himself by asking Fleur.
"Who are you going with Hermione?" asked Ron for the third time in the day. The trio were sitting in three broomsticks drinking butterbeer.
"I am not telling you. You will make fun of me" said Hermione blushing.
"Harry that raven haired girl sitting alone in the corner has been staring at you. Do you know her?" whispered Ron conspiratorially to him
Harry looked around to find a raven haired girl with brown eyes and long nose. She caught his eye and winked at him. Harry spat his butterbeer and turned around looking red. Ron was sniggering at him while Hermione looked torn between amusement and disapproval.
"These girls as so brazen. Just because you are famous they are practically throwing themselves at you" said Hermione irritably. Harry turned even redder. He felt blood rushing to his face
"oh she is leaving" said Ron craning his neck to look at her. Harry automatically turned around to see her and then suddenly her bracelet caught his eye. Harry felt his insides turn glacial. Of course no girl would wink at him like that. He was no Cedric. Diggory. Probably she had winked at him to make him flustered so that his friends can have a laugh at him. On an instinct, Harry stood up to follow her
"See you guys later" said Harry. Ron gave him thumbs up while Hermione raised her eyebrows at him
Harry saw the girl walking towards Veranta's Potions shop and followed her.
"Stalking me Potter?" asked the girl smugly
"I should be the one to ask that question Malfoy. " Said harry pointedly
"I see my glamour charms are not good enough for you. Even Draco didn't seem to notice me" said Estella flatly
"So are you going to explain why did you pull that stunt over there?" asked harry curiously
"I was bored Potter" shrugged Estella
Harry didn't know what to reply for that. Did girls wink at people when they are bored? Girls were horrible creatures according to Harry. He had learned that when he was trying to find a date for Yule ball.
"So you finally got permission to visit Hogsmeade?" asked Harry evenly.
Estella's shoulders drooped slightly . "No" said Estella weakly "Father isn't happy with my grades. Disgracing the Malfoy name again and again"
Harry wanted to tell her that it was a noble deed to disgrace the malfoy name. But he felt Estella wouldn't appreciate his point of view.
Harry guessed she used the secret passage to come to hogsmeade. That explained the disguise as well.
As they walked together, harry saw several people throw curious glances at them. He felt uncomfortable. Harry saw Rita skeeter walking towards them. She hadn't seen him yet. He could imagine her next article….'Harry potter finds solace in the arms of a young girl' Harry cringed. He pulled Estella into the Witches' Dream Pub. It was a small pub with a dance floor. Harry saw some of his classmates dancing. He spotted Dean Thomas dancing with a curly brunette. Harry was stuck. He didn't especially like the pub but going back meant he will face Skeeter.
They sat in a table for two and ordered drinks. Harry wondered why he had taken her with him. Or why he had run after her? Coming up with no satisfactory answer, he settled to sip his wine silently.
"So Potter , who are you taking to the yule ball?" asked Estella casually
"Parvati Patil. What about you?" replied harry.
"Igor Poslikoff. Drumstag student" said Estella coolly
"why ? none of the Hogwarts boys were good enough for you?" asked harry teasing her.
"Only Crabbe asked" said Estella with a trace of anger.
Harry fell silent. He considered Estella for a moment. Harry guessed that her being almost a squib and having Malfoy name made boys stay away from her. But still she was pretty. Her blonde hair and silver grey eyes. And those lips. Harry flushed as he thought about them. He had an odd fascination to her lips. But he'd never admit that to anyone. His eyes darted to her lips on its own accord. She had put a glamour charm on them today making it thinner. Harry felt a twinge of disappointment.
"I heard you asked Cho Chang." Said Estella bringing him out of his thoughts. Harry felt cold, as though someone had splashed water on him
"Yeah.." he managed weakly." How did you know?"
"Oh its true then.." said Estella with her eyebrows raised. "I thought it was one of those silly rumors"
Harry wanted to go. He didn't want to talk to her anymore. The mention of Cho made his heart clench. She had rejected him for that stupid Diggory.
"So when did you learn to waltz?" Estella's voice pulled him back to the conversation
"Waltz?" said Harry confused
"Well you are supposed to open the dance right? So you should know waltz" said Estella as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. Harry groaned. He had been so focused on getting a date that he didn't consider what will happen on the date. He suddenly had a mental image of him dancing like a clown while Parvati looked embarrassed. He hadn't registered Estella getting up from her seat. Suddenly she grabbed his arm and led him to the dance floor. Harry was too stunned to respond
"Its better you make a fool out yourself here than at the yule ball" muttered Estella as she took his hand and placed it around her waist. Harry blushed and quickly withdrew his hand
"I don't dance" said harry quickly.
"You don't really have a choice" snapped back Estella
Harry considered the situation. It was better that he tried to dance here than try the first time in yule ball. In front of the whole school..In front of Cho…
Harry placed his hand on Estella's waist. As they started dancing Harry wished he could kill the man who invented dance.
"Ouch..You have two left feet Potter" winced Estella as he trod on her feet for the fifth time.
"I pity Patil" added Estella
"Why are you helping me malfoy?" asked harry curiously. He was confused by her behavior. She joined in with the slytherins to insult him in classes. But then there was the time in forbidden forest where he almost felt she was concerned for him. And today she was helping him dance. She seemed to have two contrasting personalities.
"lately I am making a lot of bad decision" said Estella cryptically.
After sometime, harry was proud that he had managed not to trod on Estella's feet for atleast five minutes. As the song ended, he suddenly twirled Estella and she laughed. Harry decided that he liked her laugh. Much better than her signature smirk. Her eyes widened and she looked more pretty laughing. Harry wondered how she would look laughing if she wasn't using the glamour Charms. Dancing was not so bad after all.