Harry Potter and The Matchmaker

Chapter Four:

He looked at her, standing there is robes he had never seen her in in all the three years he hand known her. She looked amazing. He was so use to her with her brown hair restricted in a bun or a French braid, but now it hung freely down her back, slightly curly, and extremely beautiful. She was also wearing makeup, he could not remember ever seeing her in makeup before. It was totally astonishing and just proved that there was a secret self to her that, maybe, she didn't even know about.

She looked delighted as she looked on at the dancers. He tried to fallow her gaze. He saw that her sister was dancing with... Harry Potter? He smiled at that. Who would have thought it. Of course, that didn't mean they where in love. Then he saw that Hermione was dancing with a red headed man who stood a good head taller than she.

So, that's it, he thought. She is working on another scheme. He smiled to himself as he walked over, noticing the look of delight on her face.

"So, our Professor Louisiana can get excited about a ball, who would have ever guessed it?" he asked, as he stood beside her.

At the sound of the Scottish accent with it's mocking tone, Loui's smile vanished and her icy exterior came into place. "Hello, Professor Donavon. I wondered when you would show up," she said, without looking at the Transfiguration Professor. He had taken Professor McGonagall's place, shortly after she retired. Loui couldn't help but find it funny that Professor McGonagall would retire before Professor Dumbledore, being that he was older, but Loui doubted that the Head Master would ever retire. No, they where stuck with him till the bitter end, and, if she where honest, she wouldn't have it any other way. She was very found of him. He was the closest thing to a father Monti and she had ever had.

"Oh, dear, she's putting up the defenses," Matt Donavon joked. "Come on now, little Loui, surely I am not all that bad."

"I am sure you do have your pleasantries, Professor Donavon," was all she said, still not looking at him.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Matt. You aren't a student you know," he said, rolling his eyes.

It was then Loui looked at him, scowl on her face. Her insult stopped before it could even leave her month as she looked at him. He looked handsome in his black dress robes. They weren't like Monti's. Hers had sequins and lace, while his was unmistakably made for a man. His brown hair, lighter then her own, Loui saw, was combed and parted in its usual way, though there seemed to be something different about it. It took her a moment before she realized that he had used hair gel. He looked very handsome, one might go as far as to say Dashing.

Loui realized she was staring and quickly turned away, silently cursing herself for it. Matt only smiled, his dark green eyes, twinkling. "Come on," he said, using Loui's adoration for Scottish accents to his advantage. "Dance with me."

Before Loui could say no, Matt had grabbed her hands and pulled her onto the dance floor. He held fast, knowing full well that she would try to escape him, but also that she would not chance making a scene. He was right, as usual, when he saw her summit.

He smiled and, after a few minutes, asked, "Now is this so bad?" At her glare, he just laughed and continued to lead her across the floor.

~*~

Hermione didn't know what to say. They had been dancing for a good five minutes and had said nothing in all that time. Ron wouldn't even look at her.

Hermione sighed inside but forced a smile on the outside. "So," she began cheerfully, trying to brake the ice. "What have you been up to these last five years Ron?"

"Oh," Ron looked at her then, losing his train of thought. "You know, this and that. I am an Auror now."

"I remember you said you wanted to be an Auror," Hermione said, trying her best to keep up the small talk. "Ever since you met Mad-Eyed Moody."

"Yep," Ron said. "Boy, some of the adventures we had back then."

"They where good times, Ron," she said, nodding and missing them terribly.

"They were easier times. When you could figure things out easier and things just weren't so complicated," Ron mused.

"Yeah, that's true," Hermione said, tears coming to her eyes. Where he wouldn't see them, she laid her head on his shoulder while they danced. She bit her lower lip.

Ron was a bit shocked by Hermione's sudden shift. He didn't know what to do. So, he did nothing. He let her head rest there, not noticing the tears, and lead her around the floor.

~*~

Harry laughed with Monti as they talked about the difficulties of being in their particular careers. Harry being much more vague then Monti.

"Are you head of any of the houses?" he asked her.

Monti shock her head. "No, Loui is head of Ravenclaw and I help her but I didn't want to take over any house myself," she laughed. "Loui always has to be doing something, so she enjoys it."

Harry nodded with a smile. "I can understand that," he told her. He did enjoy talking with Monti. They actually found a lot in common. Down to the fact that she was an orphan as well. She had never known her father and her mother had died when she was eight.

"Would you like some punch?" he asked, as he saw they where dancing near the refreshment table.

"Yeah," Monti said, and grinned.

He lead her off the dance floor and to the table, pouring her a cup of the green punch. They sat down and began to drink the punch as they continued their conversation.

Author's Note: I know, it wasn't really that much with the other couples, but I am going to be focusing on them more in more, I promise. ;)