Chapter 10 – Realizations

            Abby had to contort her body to stay on her feet as Draco nearly threw her down in a fit of rage.  He had had just about enough of that Gryffindor celebrity ruining his plans.  Something had to be done to stop him once and for all.

            Cowering under the nearest table in fright, Abby quietly summoned her wand to her hiding place.  She knew nobody would notice her, since everyone (including all the professors) was having a jolly good time on the dance floor.  She aimed her wand at the back of Draco's ugly head and decided to give him some help in the style department.

            "Rubio colori," she whispered, and giggled in delight as she watched his hair change from platinum blond to red and gold striped.  If only she had a camera to take a picture of her work.  This would be a very good opportunity for blackmail against the serpent.

            Harry had excused himself from dancing with Cho as soon as he locked eyes with Draco.  The boy looked like a drunken fool as he staggered, full of rage, over to where Harry was standing.  Harry couldn't help but smile as he noticed Draco's new choice of hair color.

            "I saw you looking at her," Draco began.  "I should have dropped her on her head while I had her in that dip."

            "I was merely watching your tango," Harry lied.

            "No you weren't.  You wanted to steal my girlfriend, didn't you?  Don't lie.  I know the truth in your words."

            "I didn't want to steal her, Draco, I just wanted to rescue her from your evil grip.  She looked like a rag doll until you threw her to the ground.  I'll bet you don't even know what her name is."

            "Her name is Addie."

            "You stupid imp, you don't even know her name and you call her your girlfriend?  You're pathetic."

            Abby smiled to herself from her spot under the table as she heard Harry defending her.  She didn't even have a clue that he really didn't feel the same way for her as she did for him.

            After the most recent bout with his archenemy, Harry returned to his table to find Cho sitting with Ron and Hermione.  It was not a surprise to hear them talking, or actually complaining, about their least favorite class – Potions.

            "I mean, just look at him.  He looks so unhappy," Ron was saying as Harry approached the table.  Every head turned to the table on the raised platform, where Professor Snape sat slumped over, his head resting on his long, bony fingers.

            "You know how much he loves school functions though," Cho countered, almost jokingly.  "I'm surprised he's even still sitting here.  Dumbledore usually lets him leave early if he wants to."

            "If he hasn't left by now, he must be here for a reason," Harry entered the conversation.  Hermione showed her agreement with her friend with a confident head nod.  Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Abby emerging from her hiding place and decided to go make sure she wasn't hurt at all.

            "I'll be right back.  I've got to get something to drink," he explained to his friends.

            He wound his way in between the many tables in order to intercept Abby on her pathway back to her friends.  Luckily, his Quidditch reflexes helped him navigate the crowd and he was able to reach her in time, although he scared the crap out of her at first.

            He took her arm from behind, swung her around to face him, and asked, "Are you okay?"

            Abby gasped when she saw whom she was now talking to.  She almost stuttered in nervousness as she replied, "I think I'm fine.  The bottom of my dress got a little dirty though."  She blushed a little bit as she realized this.

            "Don't worry about that," Harry explained.  "Limpio," he said, pointing his wand at Abby's hemline.  The dust seemed to leap off her dress and dissipate into the air.

            "Thank you so much, Harry."

            "Any time," he casually replied.  "If Malfoy ever bothers you again, you can always come find me or my friends.  We will help you.  Don't be afraid."

            As Abby walked away from Harry, she quickly developed a silly little grin on her face and ran off to tell Alex the great news.  Even though Abby herself was not too sure of what the great news was at the moment, she knew exactly how she felt about Harry, and that was all that mattered in that split second of time when he smiled at her.

            "Guess what," Abby stated as she sat down next to her friends.

            "Hell froze over," someone asked at the same time someone else was asking, "Your arch enemy died?"

            "Even better," Abby replied.

            Alex then returned to the table wearing anything but dress clothes – a huge fleece throw-over and sweat pants – and sighed when she saw Abby's expression.

            "Who kissed you," she asked her friend.

            "Nobody yet, but hopefully somebody will soon."  Abby paused for a dramatic effect.  "Harry smiled at me," she said gleefully, waiting in anticipation for the groans she knew would be coming.

            After being defeated by both Abby and Harry, Draco stormed back to the Slytherin dungeons to undo the hair dye spell that had previously been cast on him.  In truth, he had not even noticed the change until Crabbe and Goyle saw him and began laughing their asses off, pointing to his head.  There had to be some way to get back at Potter; Draco just had to think of the best way to embarrass him in front of the entire school.

            He returned to the dance just as a surge of people was rushing the dance floor.  Perfect timing.  He could sneak in unnoticed by anyone.  As he walked, his arm brushed against the black rose he had been holding during the dance.  He stopped in thought for only a moment, then rushed to Abby's empty table and left the rose at her seat with a short note, explaining his motives.

            Abby flopped into her seat, out of breath from so much dancing.  Everybody was still laughing hysterically at the fact that Shawn Mulligan had tried dancing with Professor Sprout.  Abby had spun around in her chair so she could still watch the other people dancing and hopefully catch another glimpse of Harry.  Unfortunately she couldn't watch for very long, because Sierra reached across the table to reach for the rose in front of Abby that nobody had noticed before.

            "Hey Abby, who's been leaving presents for you?"

            "What are you talking about?" Abby asked, turning to face her table.

            "This," Sierra said, waving the rose and the note in front of Abby's face.  "Who left them for you?"

            The young Hufflepuff let out a small gasp when she realized what was being waved in her face.  At the same time she gasped, a scream was heard from the entry hall.  Hermione ran straight to her teachers, panting to catch her breath once she had stopped.

            "Professor McGonagall, come quickly, please," Hermione pleaded.  She looked about ready to burst out crying.  The music came to a halt and there was dead silence in the huge room as Hermione, Ron, and the teaching staff rushed back out to the entry.