Harry Potter & the Dark Lord – Chapter 8
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything, etc. etc. etc.
A/N: Thanks again to all who reviewed!!! And I encourage those who don't to please try it! It only takes a few seconds, it's anonymous, and much appreciated. Also, I've heard that reviewing can help you lose weight (OK, I made that up, but I figure every one seems to be on a diet so why not?) I heard Book 5 will be called Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Anyone know if that's true?? Well, back to Harry and his pals. Does Ginny actually like Harry? (Gee, you know what I want to happen given my name.) Has Ron grown up yet? (Hey, he's only 15, give him a break.) Will I ever shut up and get back to the story (Yes!!!) Here we go… R/R!!!!
Harry put his cloak back on as he reached the entrance of the Whomping Willow. He snuck out, carefully tapping the knot at the tree's base. Ron and Hermione were still sitting where he had left them, just out of reach of the tree's branches, and they hadn't heard him emerge. Harry was about to walk over but stopped and smirked to himself. Ron and Hermione were holding hands!! Despite this, they seemed to be in the middle of one of their typical arguments, although they weren't as loud as Harry knew they could be. Harry knew he shouldn't listen in on their conversation, but he couldn't resist. He stepped forward so he would be out of the way of the branches when the Whomping Willow began moving again, stopping just feet away from Ron and Hermione.
"But I don't know why I get that way, Hermione! You were at the World Cup! You saw the effect they had on everybody. And I'm not the only one who gets that way around Fleur." Ron's face was strained, as if he were desperately trying to make Hermione understand.
Hermione didn't say anything for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she answered, "I know you don't mean it Ron, but you don't seem to even try! Harry manages to keep his senses. I don't want to go to the dance and have you start drooling if Fleur happens to walk by. Just think how that makes me feel!"
Harry had always thought it was rather funny the way Ron reacted to Fleur, and hadn't really considered Hermione's feelings. Now that she said it, he supposed he should've realized she would probably feel hurt, especially considering what he suspected about her feelings for Ron. She was usually able to hide her emotions a bit better than Ron, but still, Harry felt guilty at not thinking of it before.
Ron apparently hadn't thought of it either, as he now looked very ashamed and contrite. He looked over at Hermione, who was averting her face. "I…I'm sorry, Hermione," he stammered.
Ron's face was redder than ever and he became very interested in a firefly glowing nearby. They both sat silently, not looking at each other. Harry was about to step forward when Hermione spoke.
"You know, I'm really looking forward to this dance," she said with a sly smile.
Ron grinned back at her, "Don't save too many dances for Krum, all right? I don't want to stand around like a wallflower myself!"
Harry was dumbfounded for a moment. This was quite a change of pace from what he was used to from them. He'd never seen Ron and Hermione getting along so well, ever! They must've had quite a talk, Harry thought, or maybe someone had placed a maturity spell on them. He realized he was still eavesdropping, and finally made a noise as if he were just arriving. They turned towards the noise, and Harry pulled his cloak off and walked toward his friends.
"Oh, you're back Harry, how did it go?" Ron asked. He and Hermione were still holding hands, but they seemed to have forgotten.
Harry remembered what Sirius had told him, but he didn't quite feel like sharing the news yet. He calmly said, "Sirius is fine. He said he'll be staying for a while."
Harry's gaze drifted down to Ron and Hermione's hands, and he grinned involuntarily. "Had a nice romantic evening?" Harry teased.
Ron and Hermione both blushed furiously and immediately dropped each other's hands. They both sat looking uncomfortably around, avoiding Harry's gaze. Hermione spoke first, "Er, that was part of the plan. You know, to keep everyone away. I think it worked pretty well."
"Apparently," Harry added, still smiling.
Ron glared at him and stood up, brushing his robes off. He automatically reached out to help Hermione up, but noticing Harry's grin widen, Ron shoved his hand in his pocket just as Hermione was about to take it. She lost her balance and fell back down onto the grass. Ron pretended not to notice as Hermione got up on her own, red-faced and frowning.
"Well, you can fill us in on what Sirius is up to as we walk back to the castle," Ron said, trying very hard to turn the conversation away from him and Hermione. Harry, realizing this, smiled to himself and followed them back to the school.
That Saturday was Cedric's memorial. Harry wasn't particularly looking forward to it, as he didn't really want to relive the night that Cedric died. Still, it wasn't until that evening, so he could enjoy the rest of the day, especially considering there was no Quidditch practice for once. Harry headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast, and started walking toward the Gryffindor table at the far end of the room. He felt a hand grab him as he passed the Ravenclaw table. Startled, Harry turned to see Cho smiling up at him. He hadn't spoken to Cho much since the Hogsmeade trip, and the realization hit him that he hadn't actually thought about her much either. Funny, I don't seem to be quite as nervous around her anymore, Harry thought curiously.
"Hi Harry, did you notice the signs about the dance next week?" Cho tilted her head to the side as she kept her hand on Harry's arm.
"Er, yeah, I think I noticed something about it," Harry stuttered. He saw where this was going and was quite astonished. A few girls had already asked him to the dance, girls he didn't even know, who just wanted to go with the famous Harry Potter. But he had never expected Cho to ask him. She was pretty and popular and could probably go with any boy she liked.
"Well, Parvati told me you hadn't asked anyone yet, so I figured we can go together if you like?" Cho turned the last part of her statement into a question and actually looked anxious as she waited for Harry's answer.
Harry hadn't really considered asking Cho himself. Although they had met at Hogsmeade that one time, Harry still remembered how he felt last year when she had turned him down. He wasn't really been sure if he would go to the dance at all. He thought it would be a good time to go visit Sirius, as everyone else would be busy. He also wasn't too keen on seeing Ginny with Neville, although Harry tried to pretend that he wasn't really bothered by that at all. Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly realized that Cho was still waiting for an answer.
"Um, sure, I suppose that'll be fine." Well, why not? Harry thought. Besides, he couldn't think of an excuse to say no at the moment. Cho grinned at him.
"Great! I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall! Oh, what costume are you wearing?" Harry looked bewildered so Cho continued, "It is a Masquerade Ball, you know!"
Harry didn't know. Cho laughed, "I'll come up with a costume we can do together!! Won't that be great?"
Harry forced a weak smile and managed to escape to the Gryffindor table. "Did you know the dance is a Masquerade Ball?" Harry blurted out as he finally reached his friends.
Ginny and Hermione both looked as if it this wasn't new to them. Ron obviously hadn't known either as he sat stone-faced and petrified. Fred, who was sitting nearby, looked at Ron and Harry, saying, "Where have you two been? George and I have been planning our costumes since the day we heard about the dance!"
"Yeah," George chimed in, "We've got some brilliant ideas if you need them – guaranteed to tickle a young lady's fancy." George winked at Ron as he said this, and both he and Fred started rolling in laughter. They had to excuse themselves as Fred had accidentally spit a mouthful of porridge all over George.
Ron looked extremely lost, "How am I supposed to come up with a costume? I've never had to do that before!"
Hermione calmly buttered her toast, "Don't be silly Ron. It's easy. Ginny and I already have a lot of ideas. We'll help you come up with one. You, too Harry, if you want."
Harry blushed and looked away from Ginny. "Er, Cho said she would choose something," Harry mumbled. Ginny all of a sudden became very interested in her eggs.
"So, you did ask her. Good, now we all have dates," Ron added between bites of bacon, oblivious to the stern look Hermione was giving him. Harry just turned to his breakfast and they all ate in silence for a few minutes, lost in their own thoughts.
Justin Finch-Fletchley, a Hufflepuff boy in Harry's year, interrupted them. "Hi everyone! Everything all right?" Justin was nervously running his hand through his curly hair and glancing over at Ginny, who hadn't looked up from her eggs.
"Hi Justin," Harry said, "Where's Ernie?" Harry was referring to Ernie Macmillan, another Hufflepuff that was normally in Justin's company.
"Oh, he's still getting dressed. He'll be down shortly. Er, actually, I was wondering if I could speak to Ginny for a minute." Ginny looked up in surprise. "Uh, if you don't mind…" Justin motioned for Ginny to join him.
Ginny dropped her fork and nervously followed Justin just out of earshot of the table. Harry watched her and Justin closely. Justin was speaking very quickly it seemed, and Ginny was growing increasingly red. She finally said something without looking him in the face, waited a moment, and rushed back to the table, sitting down without saying a word. Ginny began playing with her eggs again and avoided everyone's eyes.
"What was that all about?" Ron asked curiously. Ginny just glanced up at him and returned to playing with her eggs. Realization slowly dawned on Ron's face. "Wait a minute…don't tell me he just asked you to the ball too!" He lowered his voice slightly, so only the four of them could hear him, "I wonder if Justin and Colin would've been so quick to ask you to the ball if they knew who set the basilisk after them!" Ron chortled as if this were the most hilarious thing he had ever heard. Hermione was shooting daggers at him with her eyes, and Ginny looked distressed, her eyes watering.
"I was enchanted," Ginny choked out. Hermione had given Ron a sharp kick under the table, causing him to bite his tongue.
Harry hadn't noticed this last exchange. His mind was still stuck on Ron's first observation. "Colin Creevey asked you out too?"
Ron was massaging his tongue, "'inny's 'ery 'opular now!" He let go of his tongue, and added grinning "I'm afraid I'm going to have my work cut out for me as a big brother."
"Ron, just stay out of this! Please!!" Ginny's eyes pleaded with Ron, but he was still grinning. Ginny let out a frustrated sigh and left the table.
Hermione got up and muttered, "Honestly Ron," before rushing after Ginny. Ron sat there looking baffled, alone with Harry now. Noticing that Harry wasn't grinning back at him, Ron threw up his hands.
"What, I'm not allowed to tease my own sister now?? Women! You can have them!" With that, Ron calmly returned to his breakfast, but Harry wasn't much in the mood for eating. Ginny had told him she didn't like Neville, but he had never even thought there might be another guy. She might not have meant that she liked Harry at all! What if she liked Justin, or, as hard as Harry found it to believe, Colin? She did turn them down, but Harry knew Ginny would never hurt Neville by breaking her promise to go to the dance with him. Harry hadn't realized how much he had hoped Ginny liked him until he felt this hope shatter into a million pieces.
Harry didn't notice much of what happened at the memorial. Though they had attempted to make it a celebration of Cedric's life rather than a remembrance of his death, Harry kept himself detached from the affair. He did notice that Cho was looking upset, considering she had dated Cedric last term, but he had no urge to go comfort her. Luckily, her fellow Ravenclaws were more than up to the task. He was amused to see Ron avoiding Fleur as if she had the plague. When Fleur walked towards the Gryffindor table to say hello to Harry, Ron suddenly had to run to the bathroom. Hermione seemed to notice this too, as she seemed rather cheerful considering the occasion. Fleur left after saying hello, walking over to the staff table and chatting with Hagrid and Professor Fletcher. This made Harry realize that he had neglected Hagrid this term, only visiting him once so far. He did see him in Care of Magical Creatures, but Harry resolved he would go visit Hagrid the next day.
As he promised to himself, Harry found himself heading to Hagrid's cabin at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Ron and Hermione had come with him, and Hagrid beamed as he saw the three of them.
"S'about time!!! I thought you three 'ad furgotten me!! Come in, I'll make yer some tea!" Hagrid restrained Fang, his large boarhound, who was practically bouncing off the walls of the small cabin in excitement. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down and accepted the tea, although they politely declined the stoat sandwiches.
"What yer all bin up too? Stayin' out er trouble?"
Harry assured Hagrid they hadn't been up to their usual antics. Hermione added proudly, "Ron's been made keeper of the Gryffindor team! Only don't tell that to anyone. Fred and George want to keep it a surprise until the first match, so other than the team, only the Weasleys and I know."
Hagrid practically pulled Ron's arm out of its socket pumping it in congratulations, but Ron looked extremely pleased and his ears were burning. Harry grinned, happy to see his best friend get some recognition for once. Although he didn't agree, Harry knew that Ron was jealous of all the attention that Harry got. Harry himself was jealous that Ron had such a large family that loved him. In his opinion, that was worth a lot more than having strangers know your name.
"It's been really nice to have Fleur here this week. I 'aven't seen Olympe since this summer, when we, er, went on Dumbledore's project. It's nice to 'ave one o' 'er former students aroun'." Hagrid was referring to Madame Maxime, the head mistress of Beauxbatons. Hagrid continued, "I'm glad she'll be stayin'."
Ron's eyes widened, "Fl, Fleur is staying at Hogwarts?" He looked panicked. Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked like she had swallowed a dirt flavored Every Flavor Bean.
Hagrid looked surprised, "I thought you'd've heard. Professor Figg is training her to teach. You know Figg is only 'ere for a year, as a favor to Dumbledore. Don't know if Fleur'll get that class, but she'll defin'ly get summton. Anyway, she was here earlier in the week tellin' me 'bout the ball. She'll be goin' with Krum."
Hermione turned very red at this, and Hagrid smiled at her, "She tol' me you turned him down Hermione. Got anotha fella?"
Ron looked even more shocked, "Krum asked you to the ball?? Why'd you say no?" Harry looked at Hermione, as he was rather curious to hear what had happened himself.
"Well obviously I couldn't go with Viktor when I was already going with you," Hermione said crossly. Hagrid didn't seem surprised at all to hear that Hermione was going with Ron.
Ron for some reason didn't take this very well. "You don't have to do me any favors you know. Go with Krum if you want!"
Before another argument could begin, Harry cut in, with a wicked smile on his face, "Hagrid, did you say you spoke to Fleur about this early in the week?"
Hagrid nodded, "Monday, I think."
"That's very interesting," Harry pondered. Hagrid looked confused, but Harry noticed Hermione's face was glowing brighter. "Well, I could've sworn that Hermione and Ron didn't decide to go together until the middle of the week," Harry continued innocently. "As a matter of fact, I'm sure of it. It was after Quidditch practice."
"Yeah, it was," Ron agreed. He was looking as confused as Hagrid, but a second later comprehension dawned on his face.
Hermione cleared her throat, "Oh Hagrid, I'm so sorry, but I've just remembered I must get to the library!! I need to complete an assignment for tomorrow's class!"
They thanked Hagrid for the tea and promised to visit again soon. As they walked back to the castle, Harry felt very content seeing the happy look on Ron's face. The redness in Hermione's face was receding and she busied herself discussing their homework assignments and setting up study schedules for the three of them. For once, Ron didn't complain.
The next week was rather uneventful and before they knew it, it was Halloween and time for the Masquerade Ball. They were to go to the feast in their costumes, and the dance would immediately follow. Harry had agreed to meet Cho early in the day to get their costumes settled. He returned to the Gryffindor common room looking extremely tense and annoyed. Ron was sitting by the fire pretending to be interested in Hermione and Ginny's last minute discussions of their costumes. Harry sat next to Ron, fuming and not even bothering to say hello to anyone.
Ginny cautiously asked, "So, Harry, have you got your costume settled?"
Harry's expression softened slightly, 'Er, no, I wouldn't say that." Settled? No, it definitely wasn't settled, he thought.
Ron cut in, "So what are you going to be?"
Harry's anger returned, "Nothing!" There was no way he would wear the costume Cho had come up with. Never!! He had refused to even try it on. Cho hadn't been too happy at his reaction, but Harry hadn't stuck around to hear what she had to say.
Hermione spoke to Harry as if he were an escaped mental patient that needed to be reasoned with. "Now Harry, you can't very well go as nothing. You have to be something."
"Fine," Harry said, "I'm going as a Muggle then." That was perfect, Harry decided. He would wear his jeans and be fine.
"A Muggle?" Ron asked. "Come off it, Harry. What did Cho come up with?" Harry turned red and didn't answer. Ron persisted though. Finally, Harry gave in, whispering so low they all leaned forward to hear him.
"She wants us to go as Tarzan and Jane." Hermione burst out laughing, while Ron and Ginny looked confused.
Hermione explained, still chortling, "It's a Muggle story. Tarzan is a man that was raised by apes in the jungle. I didn't even realize Cho was Muggle-born!"
Ron was still looking befuddled, "I don't get it…a jungle man? What kind of a costume do you wear for that?"
"Probably a loincloth, or something like that," Hermione managed to get this out despite being doubled over in laughter at the thought of Harry pounding his bare chest.
Harry was getting even more annoyed, "Well, you can just stop laughing because there's no way I'm going as Tarzan!"
Ginny looked sympathetic. "Well if you want to go as a Muggle, that's fine. But we can make it a little more interesting."
Harry was relieved that Ginny wasn't laughing at him, although he realized this easily could've been because she didn't know who Tarzan was. "Thanks, Ginny. So what are you all going as anyway?"
Ginny smiled, "Well, I'm going as Titania, and Neville will be Oberon." Harry thought he had heard the names somewhere before, but he couldn't place them.
Seeing Harry's blank expression, Hermione sighed, "They're the Fairy King and Queen from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Honestly Harry, didn't you read any Shakespeare when you lived with the Dursleys?"
"Not when I was ten!!" Harry defended himself.
"Well, they weren't just characters," Hermione continued knowledgably. "They're among the most famous magical creatures in history. Shakespeare had a cousin who was a wizard. That's how he found out about them. If you paid a little more attention in the History of Magic, you would have known that." Hermione finished with a chastising note in her voice.
"How can anyone pay attention when Professor Binns drones on? He bored himself to death and didn't even notice!" Ron argued. Their History of Magic teacher was a ghost, and everyone admitted his classes were about as boring as watching a flobberworm.
"Anyway," Ron said, changing the subject, "I'm going as a Chudley Cannon!" Harry grinned at the thought of Ron wearing the bright orange uniform of his favorite Quidditch team. With his red hair, Ron would definitely be hard to miss.
"What about you, Hermione?" Harry asked, wondering how she and Ron would manage to get a "couple" costume related to the Cannons. But Hermione had thought of everything.
"I'll be going as the Golden Snitch," she responded straightforwardly. Harry thought Ron's and Hermione's costumes were perfect. Even Ginny's and Neville's weren't that bad, although he personally wouldn't want to dress as a fairy, even if it was a king fairy. Harry again began worrying about what he would do for a costume. The four sat for a while tossing out suggestions.
"I know," Ron said, snickering, "Go as Gilderoy Lockhart. Cho will be falling at your feet!" Harry noticed Ginny frown at this, and his heart skipped a beat.
"Why don't you go as a ghost?" Ginny suggested. "Then you don't have to really worry about a costume at all." Hermione nodded as if she liked the idea.
Harry wasn't sure what Ginny meant at all. "What do you mean, throw a sheet over my head?"
Ginny looked at Harry as if she didn't know what he was talking about. "No, with the Transperencia spell. It'll make you translucent for a few hours." Seeing Harry's amazed expression, Ginny assured him, "It's really quite simple, Harry. Don't worry, I'll do it right before we head to the ball."
Harry agreed, and Ginny gave him such a beautiful smile that Harry thought he would have done anything she asked, even gone as Tarzan, if she had asked him with that smile. Ginny and Hermione went to go prepare their costumes, leaving Harry and Ron to enjoy a game of wizard chess. Thinking of seeing Ginny's smile again that night, Harry was actually looking forward to the ball for the first time since Neville had mentioned it.
A/N: OK, I know I said last time you'd get the dance (::ducks as rotten apples are thrown at her::). This part took longer than I thought, but at least it's a little romantic, right?? I PROMISE next part will be the Ball!!!! Pretty please Review!! Thanks to all!!!