With a Girl Like You
Chapter 7 – Halloween
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. ^.~
[a/n: Sorry if it seems like I skipped a bunch of fun stuff, including the post-Quidditch-tryout party…seems like when I wrote the outline I forgot that I have a tendency to get on a roll and disregard the plotline, but I promise it'll all work out! And…is it just me, or are two reviews for a 7-chapter fic just pathetic? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PLEASE!]
ANY and ALL comments are welcome, even flames! So, R&R!!!!!! THANKS!
"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall addressed. "There will be a prefect meeting after classes today in the Great Hall. I trust you shall be punctual."
"Yes, Professor," the two chorused simultaneously before leaving the Transfiguration classroom.
"The meeting will be about Halloween," Hermione stated, flipping a notebook open as they walked to their next class.
"What are you planning to do?" Acacia asked, trying to remember what was supposed to be on their History of Magic test. She loved history, but Professor Binns had too much practice inducing sleep. "1404…1404…" she kept muttering.
"What happened in 1404?" Harry was walking next to her. He didn't particularly enjoy History of Magic, and, as with most of the Gryffindors, fell asleep periodically.
Ron groaned. "We have a test today, don't we?"
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Hermione butted in. She was forever telling them that they should study more. As if they really wanted to…
"I'm going to fail, I'm going to fail…"
"That's the problem. I don't remember what happened in 1404," Acacia said, frustrated. She KNEW what happened, but she just couldn't remember.
"The wizard raids. 1404 was characteristic of the wizard raids," a voice said from behind.
"Hey, Seamus," Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Acacia said, turning around.
"When did you become so good at History?" Ron asked.
Seamus blushed a little, looking at Acacia. Harry's mind took a quick tumble. No…this can't be happening…
"Acacia helped me with my homework last weekend."
Harry's mind went POOF! He desperately wanted to change the subject. "We're going to be late. No use studying for a test if you aren't going to be there to take it."
Hermione gasped, looking at her watch. "Come on, let's go!"
"Harry, we have that prefect meeting right now. You can't just sit there," Hermione said, pulling on his arm. He seemed reluctant to go anywhere, even though he wasn't doing anything. The four of them were sitting in the library, researching a few plants for Herbology. That is, Hermione and Acacia were searching for information, while Ron flipped through a book of hexes and Harry daydreamed. "What are you doing, anyway?"
"Nothing," Harry replied absentmindedly, following his friend. "Bye, guys."
"Bye, Harry. See you later."
The meeting was indeed about Halloween. They were going to have a Ball, and the Prefects would open the dance. By the end of the day, the majority of the sixth years had dates.
"Who are you going to the Ball with, Harry?" Hermione asked, rather casually. Ron and Ginny both looked up from their homework.
"I'm not. How about you?" Harry responded, just as casually.
"I'm not sure yet. I'm going to keep my options open for a while," she said. Harry smirked to himself. She's waiting for Ron. That red topped brain of his better catch on, he thought.
"Are you going with anyone, Ginny?" Acacia asked. She was working on Arithmancy and to all outward appearances didn't seem to be listening. But obviously, she was.
"Yes," Ginny said, blushing slightly.
"WHAT?!" Ron yelled, obviously taken aback. "WITH WHO?!"
"Ron, you're overreacting."
Ron didn't look convinced. He glared at his sister.
"He's a fifth year in Ravenclaw. We have Charms class together."
Acacia grinned. "That's why you don't need help from us anymore." Ginny blushed harder at this statement.
Ron threw up his hands in exasperation. "My little sister, and she doesn't tell me anything anymore."
"If you keep making a big fuss out of everything she does, of course she wouldn't!" Hermione retorted angrily. She was sick of his attitude. "Come on, Ginny. Let's go to the library." The girls got up and left, and Acacia excused herself, saying she had to talk to Professor Flitwick.
"Good riddance," Ron muttered.
Harry stared at the fire. A few other Gryffindors were in the common room. "You know, Hermione wants you to ask her to the Ball."
Ron scoffed. "She hates me. Why would she want me to ask her to the Ball?"
"You two are so clueless. Who are you going to with, then?"
"I don't know. Someone will come along…I think," Ron said, not wanting to admit his true feelings. "Why aren't you going with anyone?"
"I don't want to."
"Yeah, right. Everyone knows you want to go with Acacia."
Harry's face turned a shade of red. He slowly rolled his Divination parchment up, putting his quill in his bag. Shut up, Ron…please shut up…
Ron continued, not looking at his friend or noticing that several pairs of ears had tuned in to his speech. "Come on, you know it. I mean, every Quidditch game, you're always edgy. Not because of the game, but because you're afraid someone's going to attack her, like that one kid did to me." At tryouts, the orange-hooded kid was truly attempting to sabotage the Gryffindor beater in order to better his chances. Obviously, he did not make the team.
"Ron--"
"Seriously! Why don't you just ask her? You stare at her all day, daydream about--"
"RON!!!"
"—daydream about her all the time--"
"SHUT UP!" Harry snapped, cuffing Ron's ear with a book. "She's going with Seamus. He asked her right after he found out about the Ball," he hissed, gathering all his belongings. Ron looked positively embarrassed.
"Gee, sorry Harry. I didn't know."
"Of course you didn't know," Harry retorted, ears flaming. "Follow your own advice and go ask Hermione. You know where she is," he continued. "I'm going to the dormitory." With that, he bounded up the stairs amid snickers from some fifth-year students.
"Oops," Ron muttered.
"Why aren't you going with Harry?" Ginny asked, sitting on the edge of Acacia's bed. She was already dressed and ready to go. Her hair was magicked into loose ringlets, cascading around her face, and her dress robes were a beautiful shade of blue. The girls knew that Acacia liked Harry in some sense, but not to what extent. Harry's feelings for Acacia, however, were definitely apparent.
"I don't know. Seamus asked me first," Acacia confessed. She had wanted to go with Harry, but when Seamus asked, she didn't know what to say. In fact, she was surprised that anyone actually wanted to go with her. Her conception of herself was not a good one, and although she was very pretty, she never admitted it to herself.
Hermione shook her head. She wore a dark red robe, which contrasted her brown hair and eyes. Ginny had performed a straightening spell, and slicked Hermione's hair into a beautiful chignon, a few tendrils framing her face. All these problems. Next time, I'm going to make sure they go together… Hermione herself was going to the ball with Hufflepuff Ernie MacMillan. She wasn't too happy about it, but she didn't have a choice. Ron was going with Hannah Abbott, the most unlikely match ever. He's so stupid! she reminded herself. I wouldn't be able to stand going with him, anyway.
"Why didn't you ask Ron, Hermione?"
"He's too stupid to realize anything," she responded, yanking at her collar. "He'd drive me insane."
"You're right," Ginny agreed, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for the two of them. She knew Ron didn't want to go with Hannah, who was very nice but very dull as well. "But we should be going now. They'll be waiting."
The girls descended the stairs, one by one, Ginny going first. She was going to meet her date at the doors of the Great Hall, so Harry offered to walk her there.
Wow, the boys thought, as each girl came down. Hermione was next, and Ron looked like he had been shot in the face. She's…damn. She always does this…why can't she look like that every day?
Harry had remained where he was, even though Ginny was standing next to him and Hermione had already exited. Ron was likewise rooted to the floor. They stared in the direction of the girls' stairwell, cursing themselves.
Acacia descended amid beautiful folds of green silk. Her dark hair was twisted and curled, a few wisps left on either side of her face. Long, dark lashes fringed her large hazel eyes. A few jewels were embedded in her hair, and she wore a tiny tiara.
Seamus was positively beaming. "Milady," he said, offering his date his arm. Acacia smiled, and the other boys felt jealously raging through their veins. She took his arm, and they walked through the portrait hole.
"Harry," Ginny remarked, glancing at her brother's best friend. "I think you'd better ask her first, next time. Or at least, close your mouth."
Harry blushed a deep red, closing his gaping mouth. "You too, Ron. Ask Hermione, like your friends advised you. You look absolutely green," Ginny continued.
I… Harry was speechless. Well, I can always dance with her…
If only he knew how. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Hey Ginny…"
"Hmm?"
"Can you…uh…teach me how to dance?"
Ginny laughed silently. This was good. "Sure, Harry. I'll be around. You have to open the dance with Hermione, anyway."
"Yeah…" But Harry wasn't thinking about that. A pair of hazel eyes kept popping up in his mind…
The opening dance went strangely well. The song wasn't too slow, but not fast, either. As Harry and Hermione broke apart, Harry was already searching for Ginny. He spotted them at the far end of the Great Hall, and practically ran.
Panting, he asked, "May I have this dance?" looking at her Ravenclaw date. The boy didn't look too pleased. It was common knowledge that Ginny had a crush on the famed Harry Potter for the past five years.
"Okay, Harry, now you put your arms here…" and the lesson began. After a few dances, Ginny wondered why Harry never knew how to dance, considering he had to open the Yule Ball a few years ago, and a Ball here and there, considering his position as Quidditch captain and prefect. Maybe he was just nervous.
"You've got it, Harry. You knew how to dance before this, didn't you?" she questioned.
"Not really. I just sort of muddled through the dances."
"Why don't you go ask her now? Seamus is dancing with Padma Patil."
"Is he?" That creep…
"No, Harry, not because he left her." Ginny said, as if reading his mind. "She's drinking pumpkin juice."
Harry tried to glance over without anyone noticing, but Acacia caught his eyes. Whoops…well, now or never…
"Go 'head, Harry. Good luck," Ginny whispered, before moving off to find her date.
Harry's nerves were in a curious state. This is worse than pre-Quidditch-match jitters…
"Um, Acacia?"
She smiled. Finally. I wonder if he can dance? Acacia loved dancing—when she was in the muggle world, she took dance lessons nearly every day. Her mind was in a whirl. He's going to ask me to dance…I hope I don't mess up terribly!
Shoot. I have to ask her. Come on, mouth, move! "Um…I was wondering…" he stammered, obviously very nervous.
She raised her eyebrows. At least he's as nervous as I am… "If you could dance with me?"
Harry nodded, relieved. She doesn't hate me…or at least, I hope she doesn't.
"I'd love to," she said, putting her goblet down and taking the arm he offered.
Oh no, oh no…why is this dance a slow song… Harry's mind screamed.
Suddenly he felt her arms around his neck. "Don't worry," she whispered.
Bliss…
A/N: PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU! You've already read it, so REVIEW!!!!! What'd you think? Keep on reading! REVIEW! Thanks! ^_^