Harry Potter & The Messenger's betrayal
By: Rachelfan5000
Disclaimer: Guess what?! I don't own Harry Potter!
Chat of Today! : COOL PPL REVIEW!
Watching: Emmerdale
Listening to: Dannii Minogue - Don't wanna lose this feeling
Quote: 'When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping, men go and invade another country' - Elayne Boosler
Chapter 18 - Practically Perfect
Harry awoke on Christmas Morning to Ron shaking him rather violently.
"Comon Harry, everyone's up!" Harry noticed a pile of presents at the foot of his bed, he reached for his glasses lazily and Ron's freckled face came into view. Ron gestured to Dean, Seamus and Neville (all of which were staying at Hogwarts for the ball) and all of which were reaching the bottom of their massive piles of presents. Ron, who had clearly been waiting for Harry to awake, hadn't started opening his presents, though Harry could see him twitching to open them.
Harry started with a lumpy package, which proved to be Mrs Weasley's usual, a jumper and a few lovely tasting mince pies. This jumper was scarlet with a golden snitch patterned on it. Ron seemed disappointed, but not really expecting anything else, when he found he had got yet another maroon jumper from his dear mother.
"Oh, and by the way, Dobby came by while you were sleeping, seemed to forget about the thing you told him about prodding you and not staring into your face, he's gone to help with Christmas lunch now, but dropped these by," Ron threw something which obviously contained two socks. Harry opened it and found the left one was bright blue and the right one was bright lime green. Which certainly made a change from his normal grey socks, Harry jammed Dobby's odd socks on without hesitation.
"I forgot to give Dobby his present, we'd better drop by the kitchens later," Harry said, remembering the present Harry, Ron and Hermione had brought Dobby the time when all three of them actually managed to go to Hogsmeade together. Harry had spent ages wondering what to get Dobby, as he already had a sock for each day of the millennium, but Ron had pointed out Dobby might want a more interesting tea cosy to use as a hat.
"Dobby also said Winky is feeling a lot better, that'll please Hermione," Ron said; now unwrapping a collection of different sweets from Hagrid. Hermione had been wondering whether to get Winky a Christmas present and Harry wasn't sure if Winky would take that as an honour or an insult.
Both Harry and Ron opened their present from Hermione at the same time, to Ron's great disappointment she had got them both a huge, complicated book on O.W.L's, Hermione was making everyone believe that the O.W.L's were tomorrow or something. Harry was glad to see that Hermione hadn't only given them each an O.W.L book, but both had different separate presents. Harry's was a more exciting read about more Quidditch than ever, with a more exciting looking book nearly as huge as the O.W.L book.
Next Harry opened a packet of Bertie Botts every flavour beans, it wasn't signed, so Harry had no idea who they were from. Ron peered over Harry's shoulder curiously.
"Maybe they're from Snuffles," Ron suggested.
"Nah - Snuffles would let me know something was from him," Harry said.
"Or maybe they're cursed beans, from Fred and George, which make you explode or something," Ron said. Harry shrugged and opened another present; this one had to be from Fred and George, as there were canary creams (probably for someone outside Gryffindor or a first year) Ton Tongue toffees and a variety of very mischievous and dangerous looking sweets. But Harry soon forgot about the unsigned beans.
Harry hadn't been expecting the Dursleys, since they often pretended he didn't exist and he had seen less of them over the summer holidays than ever before (not that he minded.) They had sent him a bottle cap which was probably better with Dudley's friend Piers as he collected them and had about five billion, they had once tortured Harry into counting them.
From Ron Harry received a collection of all things Chudley Cannons, including a few banners saying the CCs are the best, and also one which had their motto: Let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. Harry had given Ron something that he had found in a prank shop, what looked like a book on O.W.L's on the outside but was actually a miniature Quidditch stadium on the inside, where Ron could watch little Quidditch figures playing. Harry had even cursed it so the Chudley Cannons won each time.
"Wow! Thanks Harry!" Ron looked well chuffed; especially when he noticed the Chudley Cannons won every time they played. "This'll really fool Hermione!"
Next Harry opened his present from Sirius, which looked like a pair of brand new handcuffs, though Harry hoped he wasn't going to get arrested anytime soon. In search of discovery what the handcuffs did he flipped them over and found a note from Sirius, describing that someone wearing them would make no noise whatsoever, even trying to speak. Harry thought this would be incredibly useful, so di Ron, when Harry read the note to him.
"Great! We can put them on Hermione next time she starts lecturing us on O.W.L's!" Ron grinned.
Hagrid's present turned out to be very rock-stiff and dangerous-looking cakes, Harry was sure there was something very peculiar poking out of one of them, Hagrid had also enclosed some sweets, which seemed much more satisfactory.
And last but not least Harry opened a small package from Ginny, which he kept hidden from Ron, Harry felt he needed sunglasses when he opened it, there was a brand new expensive - looking chain thing with a key on the end. Harry supposed she wanted him to wear it at the ball, so he swung it round his neck quickly. Harry wondered vaguely how she'd found the money to buy something obviously as amazing as that.
*****
"Harry! Ron! Merry Christmas!" Hermione was looking particularly happy to see her two best friends, "I hope you liked my presents!"
"I'm really looking forward to revising," Ron grumbled in sarcasm, but Hermione didn't seem to notice, or rather, care.
Ron had noticed it was snowing outside and was rather eager for a snowball fight, he mentioned this rather loudly and Hermione got the hint and suggested they go out into the grounds.
"I've got to drop by the kitchens and give this to Dobby," Harry said, holding up the tea cosy, Hermione nodded and said she and Ron would come with him, Ron said he was hungry too and Hermione nudged him angrily.
The three of them walked down the corridor and it seemed it would be impossible to tickle the pear without anyone watching. They met a very happy looking Hannah Abbott who said hello, her blonde pigtails swishing behind her as they passed.
Finally they reached where the portrait of the bowl of fruit was. Hermione tickled the pear, as she was now an expert at it since she had come so often to try and convince the house elves they wanted to be paid for their hard work and effort and so on. So far she had not been very successful, the only things the elves understood was that Hermione was making a completely unnecessary charity for them. Which, Harry thought, was true.
The house elves all seemed very busy but delighted to see Harry and Ron, (and Hermione when they realised she wasn't there to talk about S.P.E.W.) A few elves asked if they wanted anything to eat, Hermione kicked Ron and Ron replied no with a strained look upon his face, Harry just said he wanted to speak to Dobby. An elf with the weirdest dress sense and was undoubtedly Dobby stepped out of the crowd of Elves preparing delicious foods.
"Thanks for your present, Dobby," Harry said, Dobby looked pleased with himself, "I…er…brought you this," Harry held out the tea cosy, and Dobby took it gratefully, he took his old one off and jammed it on his head happily. Harry was surprised to hear Hermione giggle a bit behind him.
"No, it is I who is thanking you, Harry Potter," Dobby said, in the squeaky voice that was his own. Soon Harry and Dobby were saying their goodbyes, Hermione was talking to Winky strictly, who wasn't as upset as the previous year but still looking a lot more miserable than the other Elves.
It was then Ron got his wish and they descended out into the snow-covered grounds. Where they found the rest of the Weasleys enjoying a snowball fight, Ginny looking like the abominable snowwoman, having probably been the target. At first Hermione refused to do anything but watch, but then she and Ginny had a private talk and Hermione finally joined in. Though both girls left hours before the ball, and definitely before darkness fell.
Harry then heard Ron mutter something about girls before carrying on the fight.
*****
Harry didn't feel too embarrassed about wearing his dressrobes, and this year neither did Ron, Harry guessed the Weasley twins had got Ron some new dressrobes because he was checking himself out in some new dark blue dressrobes. Of course, Ron seemed suspicious of it but there was the new dressrobes or the cuffed maroon ones from the previous year.
Harry had tried to do something, anything, with his hair but then gave up as the Mirror began to comment on how he was even worse than Ron who had been dropping looks to see himself in the mirror quite often.
"Do I have dirt on my nose?" Ron asked anxiously, Harry wondered why this mattered.
"No," said Harry truthfully, Ron looked slightly more relieved.
Harry felt better noticing that Seamus, Dean and Neville were also looking slightly self-conscious in their dressrobes too.
Everyone in their dormitory seemed to finish getting ready and go down the stairs, some being greeted by equally gorgeous girls. Harry thought the one who stood out the most was Ginny though, and today not just because of her flaming red hair. Her usually straight hair was now curly and very glossy, Harry noticed she was wearing makeup and looked a lot maturer than he had ever seen her. She was wearing dressrobes of light purple.
Harry took her arm and she giggled quietly. She giggled even more and when Harry turned around he realised why. Ron was looking very smug hand-in-hand with none other than Hermione, who looked just as glamorous as the year before, with her hair tied up in a very elegant looking knot. She smiled at Harry in a way that pleaded him not to ask questions.
Harry looked around to see Seamus being greeted by Lavender; Franscesca was smiling happily in dressrobes of bright pink she was standing with a fourth year Gryffindor Harry didn't know. Rachel was standing alone, clearly her boyfriend was from a different house, Neville was also alone, but Hermione had said he was going with a fifth year Hufflepuff.
"Are we going then?" Ron asked in an unusually posh voice, as though he wanted to impress Hermione, this just made Ginny cover up her mouth in fear of total giggles.
"Wait for me!" yelled a familiar high girl's voice. Harry looked around but all he saw was a pretty girl standing at the top of the stairs that he'd never seen before, assuming she was calling to someone else, Harry and Ginny stepped forward.
"I said: WAIT FOR ME!" the same voice said, and there was the sound of quick running and she tapped him on the shoulder.
"Do you understand English? Matt and me will stand behind you lot," The girl motioned a tall boy who looked stunned by her, as the boy came closer Harry realised it was Matthew Bligh, the guy Roxie was going with. But the girl behind him couldn't have possibly been Roxie; she definitely had got Hermione to help her because she recognised Roxie straight away. Roxie's face looked oddly thin without it's usual frame of curls, she'd straightened them and her now dead-straight black hair fell straight down to nearly her waist. Her eyes were still her usual hazel brown, but her face glittered in the light. Roxie was wearing sky-blue dressrobes, which she was pulling down in fear of them flying up.
"What?" Roxie asked, Harry drew his eyes away from her and turned to his date.
"Amazing," he muttered to Ginny, "Didn't recognise her, and she's not usually hard to spot." Ginny nodded.
"The girls in my dormitory didn't recognise me, said they thought I was in the wrong dormitory and asked my name," Roxie babbled to Matthew Bligh, who was finding it extraordinarily difficult to take his eyes off her. But Harry had his own date, which was, in his view, much prettier. Ginny was fighting a losing battle endlessly trying to tuck her curls behind her ear.
"You look beautiful," he told her, the frown on Ginny's face quickly turned to a smile and she left the curls alone.
The entrance hall was crowded by masses of students piling in to the great hall, where the ball would take place. Neville tried to stride over to a Hufflepuff standing next to Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones (Accompanied by Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie Macmillan) but he tripped over his feet and had to get up with an embarrassed look on his face. The Hufflepuff didn't seem to mind though.
Roxie wasn't the only one who had mastered the art of surprising someone; Rachel walked over and held hands with the seventh year Ravenclaw chaser, Kieran Dunst. Rachel looked very happy and waved back to Ginny and Franscesca, Franscesca looked over enviously. Ginny muttered something to Harry about Rachel being the reason Katie Bell got dumped. But Katie was looking absolutely fine standing next to George Weasley; she even stuck her tongue out in Kieran's direction. They were also with Fred and Angelina, who looked very wrapped up in themselves at the present.
Harry could also see some Slytherins standing on the far side of the hall; he recognised Malfoy immediately with his vicar-like robes and white-blonde hair. He was with Pansy for the second year in a row, though this time he looked disgusted each time she held on to him. Crabbe and Goyle were, unfortunately, also with girls (probably because they were friends, or rather, bodyguards of Malfoy) Harry recognised them as Millicent Bulstrode and Blaise Zabini, both of which were looking even uglier than usual.
Finally Harry and Ginny were able to get into the great hall through the pushing hall. Harry was surprised some girls were even glaring at Ginny jealously. There were already some couples dancing, a few first years that had no idea how to dance, so they just stood there cuddling each other.
"That's Peter Andrews and Ellen Cato, they're in Ravenclaw," Ginny whispered indicating two firsts years who were looking embarrassed by others yelling lovey dovey phrases. Another pretty girl and a handsome boy, both were looking happy all the same, "Roxie wanted to go with Peter, but he's with Ellen, Roxie was telling everybody."
"And there's Ashley Berriman and Catherine Martin," Ginny said, waving to a tall blonde girl dancing with a short boy. "And that's Kathryn Adams and Scott Sawyer," Harry already knew Kathryn, she was yet another tall blonde with a boy half her size, "Alexandra Power and Christopher Hayward…Laura Chapman and Richard Stenton…Annie McElwain and Philip Bertioli…James Davison and Nicola Scobel…Sarah Ellis and Christopher Germany…Susan Brett and Jack Powell -"
"Do you know all the first years by heart?" Harry asked, Ginny blushed.
"Well, yes actually, Roxie told me, I had to pretend I was interested so she wasn't disappointed," she said, brushing her curls away from her face, then, desperate to change the subject she added, "Want to be the first fifth year couple on the dance floor?"
Harry had no desire to be one of the first dancing, and he suspected that Ginny didn't either.
"Yeah…but you're steering," he said, feeling slightly awkward. Ginny looked about as shy as he felt.
"Okay," she said quietly. They walked over to everyone else who was dancing to very slow lovey music made by a wizard band with a sorceress as the leading singer, Harry had never heard of or seen them, but he did have the misfortune of growing up with the Dursleys outside the wizarding world.
But when they did begin to dance the awkwardness began to disappear, the world around them blurred until it was just Harry and Ginny. They didn't even notice when Ron had finally managed to get Hermione to dance with him, and they spent a lot of time giggling. They didn't notice Roxie and Matthew jumping up and down like rockstars to the left side of them, they never noticed anything else that night, they had each other, which for now, would be enough.
Neither Harry nor Ginny realised that their tongues had met and everyone was staring at them, the moment was bliss, perfection, or would've been, if Ron hadn't shook them to their senses.
"Harry!"
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Woohoo! This chapter took 3 days, I think you can see why, it's the longest chapter I've EVER written in any story! I hoped you liked it, if the fluff was corny damn you, I don't care.
Next chapter is called…damn, I have no idea, sorry you'll have to find out some other time!!! Sorry! This chapter is 2883 words long, Woohoo!
Once again I hoped you loved reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
My regards,
~Rachelfan5000
~~ Reviews
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(From the last chapter) Jessica: Yeah, the bunny's so sweet!
Hermione 'DB' Granger: Thanks, no the AAs would never lose to the CCs, but they were the first team I thought of (since I like them best.) Franscesca only likes the Holyhead Harpies as she's a very feminine person.
Jessiebear: Glad you love it, I hope you love this chapter as well.
