"No wonder we haven't heard anything about You-Know-Who!!" cried Ron.
"Yeah...too bad we weren't there with you Harry!" said Hermione, "We really need to discuss this at lunchtime. This is a dire situation."
"Right..." Harry replied. The three of them trailed behind the rest of the Gryffindor fifth years into Professor Flitwick's large classroom. Harry suddenly lost his appetite when he saw the scene before him. Hermione and Ron also looked devastated to see that their dueling partners were the Slytherin fifth years. The other Gryffindors were moaning and complaining just as much; but the Slytherins were snickering gleefully. Harry noticed Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, arm in arm in the corner, Crabbe and Goyle behind them. The two had been dating since the beginning of the year. Harry wasn't sure if it was the fact that Pansy was at least a foot taller than Draco or if it was that Pansy looked like an ogre that made him have to stifle a guffaw in his arm.
"All right students," Professor Flitwick chimed, "Your partners will be picked alphabetically. That is, whichever student from the other class is closest to you on the alphabetized list shall be your partner."
Moans and snickers spread across the room. Harry scanned the Slytherins gloomily until his stomach lurched; Pansy Parkinson was giggling a storm and pointing gleefully at him. Harry groaned. Malfoy was practically beaming as he stared at a mortified Neville. Neville was whimpering and hiding behind Seamus. As Professor Flitwick called out names, students polished their wands and stepped into line facing their partners. The two teachers seemed to not notice what they were putting themselves into. Hermione looked unusually nervous as she looked into the impassive face of Goyle. Harry tried to hide his anxiety as he stepped across from Pansy; she was at least a half a head taller than he was. Ron's eyes were full of malice as he stared at a boy named Blaise Zabini; he was as tall as Ron (about 6 feet tall), had sandy blonde hair and ice blue eyes.
"Now students," Professor Flitwick twittered cheerfully, "If there is any spells besides basic spells, any spell at all that could cause physical damage, Filch would be more than glad to let the whole lot of you clean the Great Hall this afternoon during your free period--without magic". Harry sighed and looked at the evil grin on Pansy's face; he readied himself to defend the Jelly Legs Hex.
A half-hour later, every Slytherin and Gryffindor fifth year was busily scrubbing the grimy floor of the Great Hall. Harry glanced at Hermione, who was muttering under her breath over and over, "It wasn't my fault. I followed the rules. He was the one who used the leg-locking curse!". Ron kept looking up and sneering at Blaise Zabini. He stopped every once and a while to caress a large bruise on his head. Neville, who was next to Harry, whispered in Harry's ear, "How do Muggles live without magic?"
Harry had had more success with Pansy. He had managed to use a powerful disarming spell before Pansy could touch him. Today had been a good day for Harry. The past month's events were not thought of the rest of the day as he grinned mischievously at a whimpering Pansy and sneering Malfoy. It had been the best day in months.
A week and a half passed by and Harry was sure everything was back to normal. Hermione and Ron were like their normal selves. On Monday, a dung bomb was let off during lunch. It was a moment of great fun for everyone. The culprits were never caught, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione couldn't help but notice Fred, George, and Lee stifling guilty snickers in the corner. In herbology on Thursday, they got to feed mice to the Giant Mouse Eating Venus Flytraps that Professor Sprout had been raising. Neville, usually scared by such monstrous magical creatures was delighted; Harry had learned his previous year that Neville loved herbology and was quite talented at it. As the students entered the castle after class, they couldn't help but notice the crowd around the bulletin board. Ron, who was quite tall, peeked over the heads and read out the announcement to Harry and Hermione:
HOGMEADE TRIP
SATURDAY JANUARY 17
Don't forget that a month from today is the
Valentine Ball.
Please see Professor McGonagall
to buy tickets.
Don't forget to bring a date!!
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had completely forgotten about the Ball. Amidst all the giggling girls and smiling boys, the three walked back in morbid silence,
"I think I better go and work on my Arithmancy homework in the library," Hermione crowed rather loudly.
Harry and Ron didn't answer as they watched her stride off. The silence was deadly as the two boys avoided eye contact.
Harry decided to break it with the question that both he and Ron were dying to ask each other: "So Ron, who are you asking?" Harry cracked out rather quickly. Of course he already knew the answer, but he had to hear it from Ron.
"Harry, maybe we shouldn't talk about this, I mean, we have to plan our new Divination predictions!" poor Ron was desperately trying to change the subject, yet Harry could sense his desire to ask Harry the same question. Suddenly it hit Harry. Who WAS he going to ask? Was it right to ask Cho? She had gone through a lot last year. But that shouldn't stop him from asking her. Yet--why was something telling him not to? Harry and Ron stepped lightly into the Gryffindor Common Room and began to make up morbid predictions of their deaths while thoughts of Valentine's Day gnawed at the back of their heads.
That night Harry had a dream. He dreamt that he was in the Great Hall, all by himself and Cho walked in. She asked him to the Valentine's Ball, but before he could answer, Ginny walked in and asked him to the Valentine's ball too. The two girls started fighting and each one grabbed one of his arms. He was just about to rip in half when Harry woke up. Sweaty and breathing heavily, he recovered and saw everyone else was already awake. He walked up to the mirror and stared at himself. Would anyone want to go to the Valentine's ball with him? Harry realized he was getting pretty tall (he was nearly 5'7" now). Though his hair and eyes were still the same. He sat down on his bed and took out his album that Hagrid had given him his very first year at Hogwarts and looked at his parent's wedding picture. Then he looked at his reflection. It was funny how he and his father looked exactly alike. Why did people have to grow up?, Harry thought. He sighed, closed the album, returned it to his drawer, and walked down to the common room.
Harry's heart lurched when he saw Ron and Hermione sitting by themselves down in the common room. Obviously, he had interrupted something, something private. The normal life was over again. Harry rolled his eyes and sighed even more heavily.
"So, what are you guys up to?" Harry interrogated his two best friends.
"Nothing much..." Hermione looked very nervous and was growing more scarlet as the silent seconds rolled by. Had Harry missed something important?
"Maybe we should go to breakfast Harry!" Ron crowed, in unusual delight. Harry followed him out of the common room and Hermione followed looking rather uneasy. The three friends entered the common room together. Harry couldn't help but notice all the attention they attracted. George walked by on the way out of the Great Hall, nudging a scarlet Ron in the side and making cat noises. Parvati and Lavender giggled furiously as they passed Hermione. The three of them sat down in silence, all in different moods.
Hermione looked a mixture between scared, embarrassed, and angry.
Ron looked a mixture between delighted, embarrassed, and nervous.
Harry just looked downright confused.
After breakfast, Hermione remembered she had forgotten her Arithmancy homework in the common room and asked Ron and Harry to come with her to go and get it before they headed off to Divination. Harry found it odd of Hermione to forget her homework, but shrugged his shoulders and got up. "Might as well. Wouldn't want to be early to Professor Trewlawny's class. I have a cough. Professor Trewlawny is sure to sense death in the near future for me," remarked Harry. Ron chortled.
Hermione ran up to the girl's dorm, leaving the boys by themselves to wait for her. Ron stuck his hands in his pocket, looking more nervous then ever. Harry just stared at Ron, expecting an explanation. Neville quickly ran up to Ron in an obvious state of ecstasy.
"Wow Ron! Congrats on getting a date to the Valentine's ball! Everyone is talking about it!" he cried. Ron blushed and gave an embarrassed smirk. Harry's stomach squirmed.
"Who--" he began, but was interrupted by Seamus.
"I knew you and Hermione would hit it off sometime Ron! We all saw it coming!" Seamus remarked jovially and giving him a wink as he headed for the dorm.
Harry couldn't close his mouth as he stared at a cowering Ron.
Disclaimer- The characters, setting, etc. belong to the most talented writer in the world (JK Rowling), yet the plot was developed, with inspiration from the greatest writer in the world, by yours truly ;o)
"Yeah...too bad we weren't there with you Harry!" said Hermione, "We really need to discuss this at lunchtime. This is a dire situation."
"Right..." Harry replied. The three of them trailed behind the rest of the Gryffindor fifth years into Professor Flitwick's large classroom. Harry suddenly lost his appetite when he saw the scene before him. Hermione and Ron also looked devastated to see that their dueling partners were the Slytherin fifth years. The other Gryffindors were moaning and complaining just as much; but the Slytherins were snickering gleefully. Harry noticed Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, arm in arm in the corner, Crabbe and Goyle behind them. The two had been dating since the beginning of the year. Harry wasn't sure if it was the fact that Pansy was at least a foot taller than Draco or if it was that Pansy looked like an ogre that made him have to stifle a guffaw in his arm.
"All right students," Professor Flitwick chimed, "Your partners will be picked alphabetically. That is, whichever student from the other class is closest to you on the alphabetized list shall be your partner."
Moans and snickers spread across the room. Harry scanned the Slytherins gloomily until his stomach lurched; Pansy Parkinson was giggling a storm and pointing gleefully at him. Harry groaned. Malfoy was practically beaming as he stared at a mortified Neville. Neville was whimpering and hiding behind Seamus. As Professor Flitwick called out names, students polished their wands and stepped into line facing their partners. The two teachers seemed to not notice what they were putting themselves into. Hermione looked unusually nervous as she looked into the impassive face of Goyle. Harry tried to hide his anxiety as he stepped across from Pansy; she was at least a half a head taller than he was. Ron's eyes were full of malice as he stared at a boy named Blaise Zabini; he was as tall as Ron (about 6 feet tall), had sandy blonde hair and ice blue eyes.
"Now students," Professor Flitwick twittered cheerfully, "If there is any spells besides basic spells, any spell at all that could cause physical damage, Filch would be more than glad to let the whole lot of you clean the Great Hall this afternoon during your free period--without magic". Harry sighed and looked at the evil grin on Pansy's face; he readied himself to defend the Jelly Legs Hex.
A half-hour later, every Slytherin and Gryffindor fifth year was busily scrubbing the grimy floor of the Great Hall. Harry glanced at Hermione, who was muttering under her breath over and over, "It wasn't my fault. I followed the rules. He was the one who used the leg-locking curse!". Ron kept looking up and sneering at Blaise Zabini. He stopped every once and a while to caress a large bruise on his head. Neville, who was next to Harry, whispered in Harry's ear, "How do Muggles live without magic?"
Harry had had more success with Pansy. He had managed to use a powerful disarming spell before Pansy could touch him. Today had been a good day for Harry. The past month's events were not thought of the rest of the day as he grinned mischievously at a whimpering Pansy and sneering Malfoy. It had been the best day in months.
A week and a half passed by and Harry was sure everything was back to normal. Hermione and Ron were like their normal selves. On Monday, a dung bomb was let off during lunch. It was a moment of great fun for everyone. The culprits were never caught, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione couldn't help but notice Fred, George, and Lee stifling guilty snickers in the corner. In herbology on Thursday, they got to feed mice to the Giant Mouse Eating Venus Flytraps that Professor Sprout had been raising. Neville, usually scared by such monstrous magical creatures was delighted; Harry had learned his previous year that Neville loved herbology and was quite talented at it. As the students entered the castle after class, they couldn't help but notice the crowd around the bulletin board. Ron, who was quite tall, peeked over the heads and read out the announcement to Harry and Hermione:
HOGMEADE TRIP
SATURDAY JANUARY 17
Don't forget that a month from today is the
Valentine Ball.
Please see Professor McGonagall
to buy tickets.
Don't forget to bring a date!!
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had completely forgotten about the Ball. Amidst all the giggling girls and smiling boys, the three walked back in morbid silence,
"I think I better go and work on my Arithmancy homework in the library," Hermione crowed rather loudly.
Harry and Ron didn't answer as they watched her stride off. The silence was deadly as the two boys avoided eye contact.
Harry decided to break it with the question that both he and Ron were dying to ask each other: "So Ron, who are you asking?" Harry cracked out rather quickly. Of course he already knew the answer, but he had to hear it from Ron.
"Harry, maybe we shouldn't talk about this, I mean, we have to plan our new Divination predictions!" poor Ron was desperately trying to change the subject, yet Harry could sense his desire to ask Harry the same question. Suddenly it hit Harry. Who WAS he going to ask? Was it right to ask Cho? She had gone through a lot last year. But that shouldn't stop him from asking her. Yet--why was something telling him not to? Harry and Ron stepped lightly into the Gryffindor Common Room and began to make up morbid predictions of their deaths while thoughts of Valentine's Day gnawed at the back of their heads.
That night Harry had a dream. He dreamt that he was in the Great Hall, all by himself and Cho walked in. She asked him to the Valentine's Ball, but before he could answer, Ginny walked in and asked him to the Valentine's ball too. The two girls started fighting and each one grabbed one of his arms. He was just about to rip in half when Harry woke up. Sweaty and breathing heavily, he recovered and saw everyone else was already awake. He walked up to the mirror and stared at himself. Would anyone want to go to the Valentine's ball with him? Harry realized he was getting pretty tall (he was nearly 5'7" now). Though his hair and eyes were still the same. He sat down on his bed and took out his album that Hagrid had given him his very first year at Hogwarts and looked at his parent's wedding picture. Then he looked at his reflection. It was funny how he and his father looked exactly alike. Why did people have to grow up?, Harry thought. He sighed, closed the album, returned it to his drawer, and walked down to the common room.
Harry's heart lurched when he saw Ron and Hermione sitting by themselves down in the common room. Obviously, he had interrupted something, something private. The normal life was over again. Harry rolled his eyes and sighed even more heavily.
"So, what are you guys up to?" Harry interrogated his two best friends.
"Nothing much..." Hermione looked very nervous and was growing more scarlet as the silent seconds rolled by. Had Harry missed something important?
"Maybe we should go to breakfast Harry!" Ron crowed, in unusual delight. Harry followed him out of the common room and Hermione followed looking rather uneasy. The three friends entered the common room together. Harry couldn't help but notice all the attention they attracted. George walked by on the way out of the Great Hall, nudging a scarlet Ron in the side and making cat noises. Parvati and Lavender giggled furiously as they passed Hermione. The three of them sat down in silence, all in different moods.
Hermione looked a mixture between scared, embarrassed, and angry.
Ron looked a mixture between delighted, embarrassed, and nervous.
Harry just looked downright confused.
After breakfast, Hermione remembered she had forgotten her Arithmancy homework in the common room and asked Ron and Harry to come with her to go and get it before they headed off to Divination. Harry found it odd of Hermione to forget her homework, but shrugged his shoulders and got up. "Might as well. Wouldn't want to be early to Professor Trewlawny's class. I have a cough. Professor Trewlawny is sure to sense death in the near future for me," remarked Harry. Ron chortled.
Hermione ran up to the girl's dorm, leaving the boys by themselves to wait for her. Ron stuck his hands in his pocket, looking more nervous then ever. Harry just stared at Ron, expecting an explanation. Neville quickly ran up to Ron in an obvious state of ecstasy.
"Wow Ron! Congrats on getting a date to the Valentine's ball! Everyone is talking about it!" he cried. Ron blushed and gave an embarrassed smirk. Harry's stomach squirmed.
"Who--" he began, but was interrupted by Seamus.
"I knew you and Hermione would hit it off sometime Ron! We all saw it coming!" Seamus remarked jovially and giving him a wink as he headed for the dorm.
Harry couldn't close his mouth as he stared at a cowering Ron.
Disclaimer- The characters, setting, etc. belong to the most talented writer in the world (JK Rowling), yet the plot was developed, with inspiration from the greatest writer in the world, by yours truly ;o)
