Feallan Steorra

Chapter 7: Yule Ball Finding

Author's jibberish: Thanks to the reviewers! Please keep them coming!

            Quickly, New Years Eve came. Ron, Lavender and Harry left for the Great Hall. Ron walked proudly beside Lavender and entered the hall. Cho was already there, waiting. Her hair was curled in loose spirals and she was wearing a red dress robe. "Hello, Harry," she greeted.

            "Hello," he said, trying to suppress his giddy smile. Together, they entered the hall. Two of the tables were taken away; there was only the head table and one on each side of the room. Food and ice sculptures, along with wreaths of silver and gold ribbons filled the hall.

            They found a seat beside her friends. "Hi Harry!" they greeted him. "Cho! You look great!" and they began into a fit of giggles. Harry felt so out of place, he could just roll over and die unnoticed.

            "Hey Harry," one of Cho's friends asked, "Is it true about Hermione?"

            "What?"

            "That she and that Slytherin are going out?"

            He shrugged. "I don't think so. Why would you say that?" His eyes turned towards the dance floor; his answer was right there.

            Hermione was dressed in periwinkle and her hair was smoothed out, pulled to her crown in a ponytail of curls. Although she did look rather pretty, that's not what got his attention. Hermione was dancing with Orion Morell, dressed in royal blue.

            "He's really nice, actually," said one of Cho's 5th year friends. "A bit quiet though. And they're together all the time in the library. She helps him with transfiguration."

            "I think that's cute," Cho smiled. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Harry! Here I am sitting, talking…do you want to dance?"

            "No, it's alright, I don't mind," Harry said. Just knowing he was with her at the Yule Ball seemed good enough…just knowing he could dance with her. Uh-oh…he had to dance! What if he had a spasm and stomped all over her delicate toes! He could never forgive himself. "I'll go get some punch ok?" he told her.

            "Thank you," she said, and returned to the vibrant conversation.

            He left and headed to the nearest food table, where Ron already was. "Hey Ron."

            "I don't understand women," Ron complained. "I can only stand girls giggling for 30 seconds."

            "Lavender's talking to her friends too?"

            "Do you notice when girls gossip, they don't breathe? They were talking about Hermione and Morell--."

            "Them too?" Harry picked up a cup. "Cho and her friends think they're a couple."

Ron rolled his eyes. "They're talking about the same thing? That's scary; it's like the whole female species are connected. They talk non-stop; don't their jaws get tired?"

"If she and Orion are together, she would have let us know, right?" Harry asked. "It's just a rumor, right?"

Ron's eyes followed Hermione and Orion walk out of the Great Hall. "Only one way to find out." He headed towards the door, "You coming Harry?"

Harry looked over to Cho, who was too busy talking to her friends. "Let's hurry," he told his friend.

They followed them to the hallway outside. Orion and Hermione stopped in front of a large window, overlooking the night sky. Meanwhile, Harry and Ron hid behind one of the statues in the same hallway.

Orion pulled out from his pocket an origami flower. He took out his wand, muttered an incantation and the paper-folds turned into real petals and leaves. Before her eyes, the origami turned into a real rose. "I've been practicing since the holiday started. My guardian's house is full of paper flowers and real ones," he said, handing it to her.

She took it. "Thank you. It' really beautiful."

"Listen, Hermione…"Orion swallowed, his knees fidgeting. "I…I'm going to make a big fool of myself…so please don't laugh."

Ron rolled his eyes.

"I really like you. You're smart, beautiful, and kind. You're one of the few people that don't judge me for what my parents were or what is on the exterior. It's like you understand me."

"Because I do," Hermione insisted. "I know what it's like not to fit in, be misunderstood."

"So she pities him?" Ron muttered.

"Shush," Harry held his finger against his lips.

The next thing they knew, they saw Orion lean forward and gently kiss Hermione on the lips. Harry and Ron's mouths dropped.

Ron seemed to be cringing. "We got an answer; let's get out of here before they really start snogging." He went back to the hall, with Harry slowly following.

Harry returned to Cho with a cup of red punch in each hand. "Sorry it took so long."

"Was there a long line?" Cho asked. Obviously, she didn't notice he left the room.

Harry tried to smile. "Yeah…it was full while I was there." He took a sip of his drink. "Do you want to dance?" he asked her.

Cho put her drink down on the table. "Sure."

Maybe dancing with Cho would make him forget the sinking feeling in his stomach and the pulsing in his head. After all, he's been waiting to be with her for 2 years and he wasn't going to blow his chance. Like Ron said, this was their year. Harry was with Cho, Ron was with Lavender and Hermione found someone new: Orion. Harry's stomach felt heavy.