Author's Note: Okay guys, confession time. When I wrote this part of the story, I was under the impression that the Yule Ball was a regular occurance at Howarts from year to year. BUT, it did not occur to me that we hadn't heard of it till the fourth book, so *obviously* it wasn't a regular occurance. So lets just say that this Yule Ball was brought about by Dumbledore to take the students' minds off of the horrible occurances that they've been through in the last several weeks. The main reason for this chapter was to develop the characters a little more and to develop the relationships between the characters. A VERY lighthearted chapter, though there is a little foreshadowing. I hope you enjoy it! I certainly enjoyed writing it! It was good to write some lighthearted stuff after all the death and destruction! ;-)
Oh yeah, and I don't own any of the Muggle songs used in this chapter. Just borrowing. Heh-heh.
T.H.
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CHAPTER 12.
THE YULE BALL
"I am gonna kill myself. I swear to Merlin, I will." Ron muttered.
"Oh shut up and be still! I can't get this thing straight if you don't be still." Harry said crossly as he helped Ron arrange his robes. However, despite Harry's dismissal of his worries, Ron continued to stare at himself in the mirror and spout his pessimistic views.
"I look awful. I do. I really do. I'm gonna look terrible and Hermione's never gonna speak to me again." Ron muttered as he squeezed his eyes tightly shut.
"Oh don't be such a pessimist. If this is what you're gonna be like when you get married, don't even bother inviting me to the wedding." Harry said.
"I'm not gonna GET married if I have to get all these butterflies in my stomach! I feel like I'm gonna throw up!" Ron yelled. "You know, this would have been better if the girls had let us SEE them beforehand. But NOOOOOO, they didn't and now us guys are gonna throw up because of it." Ron said angrily.
Harry shook his head and smiled as he pulled his own robes over his head. Since that morning, he and Ron had not caught one glimpse of Hermione or Artemis. They had gotten a message from Ginny, informing them that they were not allowed to see them till that evening. "It's just stupid. Stupid, stupid, gory girl stuff." Ron muttered.
"Oh Ron, open your eyes! You look fine." Harry called from across the room.
"No." Ron said stubbornly, crossing his arms across his chest, refusing to look at the mirror in front of him.
"Oh come now, dear! You look marvelous!" The mirror coaxed gently. But Ron shook his head firmly.
"Fine, be that way." Harry said, shrugging.
A moment later, Ron cautiously opened his eyes and gazed at his reflection in the mirror in front of him. He eyed the dark green color that his mother had sent him, for once not picking maroon, to Ron's surprise. That was a secret between Harry and the twins. Their mother would have sent along the maroon robes, but the twins, taking Harry's advice from the previous year, had bought him new ones in the latest fashion and the best color. Ron never knew the difference. Only Harry, Mrs. Weasley and the twins knew the truth.
"Well, I look.....okay." Ron said indifferently, but he couldn't hide the red blush that came over his cheeks and ears. "What am I saying? I look good!" Ron said proudly, turning to look at himself in the mirror.
"I told you that you did, didn't I?" Harry asked. A sudden flutter arose in his stomach and he smoothed his robes nervously. "How do I look?" He asked.
Ron turned around to look at him. Harry stood only a few feet away. He had tried his best to comb his black hair into some semblance of order and had actually succeeded, though a few stray hairs were slowly fighting to get back to their beloved disorder. The scarlet robes Harry wore, robes Mrs. Weasley had purchased for him with the help of Fred and George's money from Harry, were a brilliant shade and contrasted nicely with the fairness of his face. The black ring on his finger only accentuated the image. He looked almost noble standing there, but Ron wasn't about to tell him so and risk Harry getting proud on him.
"You look great Harry! We both do." Ron said with a smile. A smile filled with relief crossed Harry's face and he nodded.
"Good. I'm glad that's over." He said with a smile.
The knock on the door startled the two boys so badly that they almost jumped in the air.
"Who is it?" Ron called out in a cracked and all-together nervous voice. Fred and George poked their heads through the crack in the door.
"You boys all ready?" Fred asked with a grin.
"Yeah." Harry replied.
Fred stared in surprise and crossed his arms over his chest. George, who stepped in a moment later, reacted the same way and crossed his arms over his chest as well.
"You boys look bloody good!" Fred commented.
"Of course. We always do." Ron said with a smile. Fred grinned and ruffled his hair, which sent Ron jumping away.
"Don't DO that! I just got it fixed!" Ron yelped. Fred simply laughed, then placed a hand on his hip and struck a pose.
"Well Harry? How do we look?" Fred asked. George grinned and struck a pose, stabbing the air with one finger. Harry suppressed a smile as he pretended to look at them critically.
He could tell them apart easier now. Fred wore emerald green robes, a color which brought out the color of his eyes and the color of his hair. George wore robes of an almost midnight blue, which also contrasted with his eyes and hair and the fairness of his face. They looked smashing.
"You boys look great!" He said appreciatively.
"You sure?" George asked with a frown, dropping the pose. "You took a mite too long deciding, I'd say." He said critically. Harry only laughed.
"Easy Ron! You don't wanna comb out ALL your hair, now." Fred called as Ron brushed his hair with a fierce vigor.
"Yeah, Hermione wouldn't like a bald suitor!" George added. Ron turned to them, casting a deadly glare in their direction before giving his hair one final brush before he set the comb down.
"Hey Ronnie, you know what me and George got for Christmas?" Fred asked, flopping down on Harry's bed. Ron shrugged as he looked at his now grinning twin brothers.
"Can't guess. What?" He asked. George grinned broadly and looked as though he could jump for joy.
"We got an owl!" He said excitedly.
"A WHAT?" Ron almost yelled. Fred and George grinned and nodded rapidly.
"Yeah! A real owl!" Fred concurred.
"But who from?!" Ron protested. George finally consented to his feelings and gave a slight jump in the air.
"Artemis! It's for delivering papers and stuff for our joke shop!" He said happily. Beside him, Fred sighed dreamily.
"Just think. All those orders and being able to send and receive them without Mum breathing down our necks." Fred said blissfully. Ron rolled his eyes.
"You guys are pathetic." He muttered.
"We'll show her to you after the ball." George said jumping to his feet.
"Who? Artemis?" Fred asked, a gleam in his eye. George scoffed and cuffed his twin on the arm.
"You dumb-bell." George said affectionately.
Ron shook his head and let loose a shaky sigh. "Well, what do we do now?" He asked.
"Well, we go downstairs to wait for the girls. It's almost time, you know." George said with a wink.
"Say George, what color is Artemis wearing?" Harry asked, suddenly thinking of the exchange between the two students the other night. George grinned and wagged his finger at Harry.
"That's for me to know and for you to find out, Potter." He said. Harry rolled his eyes and walked out the door with Ron and the twins. They stood at the entrance to the dining hall, pacing uneasily. Well, Harry and Ron did. Fred and George simply watched them with laughing eyes, their arms crossed over their chests.
"You guys are pathetic." Fred said with a smile.
"Oh, cut me some slack, alright!" Ron snapped. "The last Yule Ball didn't go so well you know." He added. Fred nodded.
"Yeah I know, but this is different." He said.
"Yeah, tonight you'll be with the woman you looove." George said with a wink. Ron stared at them incredulously.
"I hope Alicia and Cho step on your feet." Ron muttered.
Suddenly Fred let out a loud whistle as he stared at the people who walked down the hall. Harry had expected it to be Alicia, but to his surprise, it was not. It was Ginny Weasley. A few feet away, Harry saw Neville grow bright red, but grin broadly as he saw her, causing a faint blush to pass over Ginny's cheeks. Even Ron could not suppress his pride as he saw his sister walk up to them. Her red hair was pulled back in an elegant bun on her head, red tendrils framing her fair face. Her robes were a dark, crimson red and on her neck was a string of garnets, with two pearls on either side of the largest garnet.
Ron shook his head, but smiled. "I see you got Mum's garnets." He said. Ginny grinned at him.
"Yeah, she said that if I lose them, I'll be washing the dishes without magic for a year." She responded cheerily. Ron chuckled as he took her in.
"I daresay Ginny, you're a right knock-out." Fred said.
"You look like you just stepped out of a magazine Gin. You're just beautiful." George added generously.
"Thanks." Ginny said, blushing almost as red as Harry's robes.
"Yeah Gin, you're just, great." Ron said, trying to find the words to describe his changed sister. Ginny smiled and put a hand on his arm to let him know that she understood his intentions.
"I better go to Neville now. Bye!" She said cheerily, but nervously stepping over to Neville, who graciously extended his arm. Fred and George and Ron watched after her, their hands on their hips.
"He better not do nothin' stupid," George murmured.
"Or I'll kill him." Fred finished, narrowing his eyes.
"Me too." Ron added. Harry suppressed a chuckle as he watched the protective brothers.
"Oh no." Ron whispered. Harry turned to Ron and saw that his face had turned a sickly white, the color of new parchment.
"It's Hermione." He whispered in explanation.
All of a sudden, the white faded away, quickly replaced by red that spread over his cheeks. Harry saw the two girls coming down the hall and would have dropped his jaw, if he hadn't noticed that Ron was trying hard not to do the same. Harry couldn't help but notice the change in Hermione. He had noticed it last year, but this year she looked even more radiant. Her hair was once more was silky and straight, but instead of wearing it in a bun as she had last year, it hung down her back. Her bangs were drawn back from her face in a slight chignon, with small braids surrounding it and hanging down her back with the rest of her long hair. She was dressed in elegant green robes, not as dark as Ron's but slightly lighter. On her neck rested the tiny jade necklace that Harry had heard her talk about. She smiled shyly as she approached Ron.
Harry was waiting for Ron to stutter, but he didn't. He smiled graciously and bowed slightly as she approached. "Hermione, you look great." He said simply. Hermione smiled with pleasure, and her cheeks flared with pink.
"Well thanks, Ron. You look great too. And look, we match!" She said, noticing his robes.
"Yeah! Ain't that, I mean, isn't that funny?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded with a smile, while Fred and George glanced at each other, then grinned and winked at Harry. Harry returned the grins.
Suddenly, the butterflies that had occupied his stomach before when he was preparing for the ball, returned as he saw Artemis approaching. Unlike George, whose robes were such a dark blue that they were almost midnight blue, Artemis had gone all the way, her robes an elegant midnight blue that seemed to shimmer in the light. She too had done her hair up, but she had done it all in braids. Her long blonde coils were strung over her head in an elegant design. Braids criss-crossed all about her head, winding about each other. The color of the robes shaded her ordinarily blue-gray eyes into a dark blue and they seemed to Harry to shine with an unearthly light. On her neck, on a delicate gold chain, was the small rosebud, still fresh and sweet-smelling as the day she'd first gotten it. She grinned as she approached him and he returned it. She smiled then whirled about in front of him.
"So, how do I look? I better not do that anymore." She said, stopping abruptly. "I might wreck my hair." She said, winking at him.
"Yeah! And it looks so lovely, you wouldn't wanna mess it up." Harry laughed, the shivering in his stomach slowly disappearing by degrees..
Artemis smiled. "Thanks, Harry. That's really nice of you to say." She said, blushing only faintly.
I meant it." Harry said sincerely. Artemis dropped her head and smiled. Over her blonde head, Harry saw George watching her, a gentle smile on his face.
Hey Ron!" Artemis cried out suddenly. "You look almost decent!" She said with a teasing smile. Ron scoffed and shook his head.
"I most always do, Artemis." He laughed.
"Sure, sure." Artemis returned. "Harry, that color's great on you. It's really fabulous. Where'd you get the ring?" She asked in sudden fascination as she saw the black ring on Harry's finger. Harry held it up for her to see.
"Christmas present." He answered. She took his hand gently and peered closer at it.
"It's great. Sugilatio Flammae isn't it?" She asked, dropping his hand.
"Yeah. At least that's what Ron says. You know what it's used for?" Harry asked. Artemis frowned and glanced again at the stone.
"We learned about them in History of Magic in Durmstrang, but we didn't put especial emphasis on it. The professor simply said that it was used by Aurors to keep in contact with each other and to help them on missions, but he didn't go into specifics. He said there are so relatively few of them out there, that it was stupid to waste time learning about them. I was intrigued, but obviously he wasn't." Artemis said with a wry smile.
"Hey good-lookin'." Artemis whirled around and faced Fred, who grinned broadly.
"Fred, don't be rude." She admonished him firmly, but betrayed herself when a smile crossed her face.
"Who said, I said it?" Fred asked, glancing meaningfuly at George.
"I do, because I saw you." Ron put in, rolling his eyes as he did so.
"You spoil all the fun," Fred started, then continued with a gleam in his eye. "Mister Canary." Ron grew bright red and shook his fist at him.
"That was a dirty trick to play on your brother. And at Christmas nonetheless!" Ron yelled.
"Sorry. Couldn't help it. Too perfect of a setup!" Fred said cheerily.
"You look absolutely fabulous, Artemis." Harry heard George say quietly. Artemis smiled and drew herself up.
"You like my robes? My Mum made 'em for me." She said, picking up the edge of her robes for him to see.
"You're Mum's a great seamstress then, 'cause it looks smashing. Simply smashing." George's somber mood changed when he drew himself up proudly and posed for Artemis' speculation.
"How do, I, look?" George asked dramatically. Artemis laughed hard and tweaked his nose, ruining his pose.
"Aw, Artemis!" George moaned, coming out of his posture.
You look fabulous too!" She gasped, speaking through her laughter.
"What about me?" Fred put in.
"You are identical, so you both look fabulous!" Artemis said kindly.
"Amazing, you all managed to look slightly decent at least once in your lives, but of course, only a select few in this group can claim that honor." The group's merry looks hardened as Draco Malfoy eyed them coolly.
"Shouldn't you be pointing that little remark back at yourself? Sometimes you don't look so pristine yourself, Malfoy." Ron snapped back. Draco waved his finger at him.
"Watch your mouth, Weasley. I know for a fact that I can look better than all you boys put together on any day at all." Draco said coolly. Ron seethed inwardly, but said nothing. Draco's eyes fell across Artemis, and it was on her personage that they rested for quite a long time. Harry noticed an almost happy gleam enter his eyes, as he spotted the necklace, but it disappeared before he could be too sure that it was even there.
Draco too, had managed to look the part of the debonair gentleman, as far as he could, of course. He was dressed in robes of black, the edges lined with silver. But, Harry noticed with disdain, it did make him look good. He could tell by the way the obvious way the other girls were giggling and motioning towards the Slytherin boy. As Draco eyed Artemis, a small smile escaped from the corners of his mouth.
"Well, see you on the dance floor then." He said, bowing slightly and walking off, Crabbe and Goyle not far behind him. Artemis watched him go, then shook her head and turned back around to the group.
"I wish he'd stay with his own crowd." She muttered.
The group turned around once more to see Professor McGonagall, walking hurriedly among them.
"Alright! Line up in order of the boy's last name! We want alphabetical order according to the boy's last name." She called out sharply.
"Why not by the girl's last name?" Raven Ritte, a rather feministic girl, called out snootily.
"Because you are not going to be leading the dances. The gentlemen are, Miss Ritte." Professor McGonagall replied, never missing a beat.
Ron turned to Harry with a smile. "Oh you hear that? We're gentlemen now." He joked, jogging Harry's elbow. Then he turned to Hermione and said apologetically,
"Sorry Hermione, but we're gonna be at the very end, even behind Fred and George." Hermione smiled and took Ron's arm.
"I don't mind being last. That way we can make more of an entrance, and anyway we won't have to stand in line as long as Harry and Artemis will." She said with a smile.
Artemis grinned and shook her fist at Hermione but said nothing as she and Harry moved to their place in line. Harry glanced behind him at Fred and George. Alicia Spinnet, dressed in royal purple, was holding Fred's arm and laughing as he teased her about something or other. George was standing with Cho Chang, dressed in a golden yellow, who smiled demurely as he whispered something in her ear. Harry drew himself back and instead looked at Artemis, who now stood at his side, clutching his arm. She's gorgeous. I'm probably the luckiest guy in the whole school. His mind whispered happily, but he could keep the twinge of regret from passing over his mind as he glanced at George.
The names were quickly beginning to be called out and Artemis and Harry moved up rapidly. They were required to process into the Dining Hall, then stand in a line and wait until all names were called. Harry tightened his grip on Artemis' hand as they drew closer to walking down the aisle. She looked at him and grinned.
"Don't be nervous! Remember, if you trip, I trip." She said softly.
That comforted him somewhat, in a weird sort of way, but it had done it's purpose. He was slightly more comfortable. He glanced back at Ron and Hermione, the latter of the two who gave him a thumbs-up sign and grinned. Harry watched as Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson walked down the aisle, Pansy flouncing, Draco walking with cool dignity.
Finally, Professor McGonagall called out their names loudly, a little too loudly for Harry's taste, for he all of a sudden remembered George and winced.
"HARRY POTTER AND ARTEMIS THORNSHADOW!" Professor McGonagall called. Artemis turned to Harry and gave him a winning smile.
"Well, here goes. And if we fall, I'll kick you." She whispered jokingly. Harry chuckled and stepped out into the light of the Dining Hall.
The tables and chairs were gone, save for a few chairs off to the side. The staff had outdone themselves this year. The tree was absolutely huge and extended to fabulous heights, every single branches covered with snow that fell from the ceiling and ornaments and lights of every kind. Holly hung from the boughs, wreaths were draped along the walls. It was perfectly lovely. Harry saw Bill Weasley standing off to the side of the room. He too wore dress robes. They were of a dark, rusty, red, which made him look, as Mrs. Weasley would say, 'half-way decent.' He winked at Harry and grinned. Harry returned the smile. Bill shook his head, and glanced off to the side.
Harry quickly saw whom his gaze was fixed on: Rhiannon. Her hair was drawn back elegantly with several braids, very much like Artemis', but not nearly as elaborate. Her robes were of a delicate lavender that caught the eye with it's utter softness. She caught Harry's glance and smiled approvingly. It was these smiles and Artemis' lightheartedness that got Harry up to that line in one piece. He gave a sigh of relief as he and Artemis took their places in line.
"We made it! See, we didn't fall!" Artemis whispered with a smile. Harry grinned and looked down at her.
"Probably because I was so afraid that you'd kick me." He whispered back.
She chuckled quietly and looked out at the remaining pairs walking down the aisle. Fred winked at Harry as he walked proudly down the aisle with Alicia Spinnet on his arm. George did the same, only Harry looked away after returning the wink that the twin gave him.
"RON WEASLEY AND HERMIONE GRANGER!" Professor McGonagall called.
Harry watched as Ron took a deep breath, whispered something that eased a grin out of Hermione and walked slowly down the aisle. They didn't trip, didn't break down. They walked smoothly together, arm in arm, unconcerned with anything around them. When they reached the line, Fred and George gave them two victorious thumbs up. After the last few couples walked in, Professor Dumbledore stood from his seat.
"I would like to say a few words," He said slowly. There was a long silence before he spoke again. "Dance, dance, dance." The students laughed loudly as a smile spread across the Professor's face. "This ball has been put on for your enjoyment, to help ease the worries that you have suffered over the last several weeks. Enjoy yourselves! Lets...how do you say it? Boogie?" He said, sitting down. The students laughed hard at that, then grinned at each other as sudden music echoed and bounced off of the thick walls of the Dining Hall.
Harry glanced at Rhiannon, who stood behind a table, on which stood her silver cd player that Harry had seen that day in her schoolroom. She moved rapidly to get things in order, smiling at the students who passed her by.
"Well, Harry? Should we? Or are you afraid that I'll step on your toes?" Artemis challenged. Harry grinned and took her arm.
"I'm not afraid of you, Artemis Thornshadow." He said, leading her out on the floor.
"Oh you will be by this evening!" She laughed. After the first few songs, there was a slight pause and a moment later, Bill, who tapped his throat and whispered a few words, spoke over the sound, his voice now magnified.
"This is the first song request of the evening. Keep in mind that you CAN request songs. Professor Flutterae will help you pick out some Muggle music if you want. Anyway, the first song request is for Artemis Thornshadow." Bill called. There was a chorus of giggles and glances in Artemis' direction. Artemis frowned and looked at Harry. He held his arms up.
"I don't know who did it! I didn't." He explained.
"I know. You've been here the whole time. Now who could have done it?" She mused out loud as she and Harry began dancing. Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione, the latter of the two who raised his eyebrows and gave him a thumbs-up sign. Harry rolled his eyes and listened to the music that poured out of the magnified sound that exuded from the cd-player.
I don't know what I was thinkin' when I seen her,
I just had to find a way I could meet her,
'Cause I've been dyin' for the chance just to treat her,
Like the ripe little peach she is.
At that, Artemis' eyebrows shot up rapidly. Then she began to laugh hard and Harry did the same. "Do you know Muggle songs?" Harry asked. "A few. I manage to listen to them when my Mum's not paying attention. This is Blessid Union of Souls." She said with a twinkle in her eye.
Wouldn't even cross my mind to deceive her,
She could lie through her teeth and I'd believe her,
I don't know her, but I know that I need her,
And I don't think she's got a notion that,
That's the girl I've been tellin' you about,
Ain't she everything I said and a whole lot more?
She got it goin' on and I never wanna be without her.
Thats the girl I've been tellin' you about,
She's been spinnin' in my head like a revolvin' door,
Her smile is like the sun and my whole world revolves around her.
Yeah.
I don't even think she knows that she moves me,
I can't explain it but she does something to me.
If she ever looked she'd see right through me,
And I don't think that I could keep my cool.
I could tell her that I wanna get to know her,
Take her places that I'd really like to show her.
But I hear she's got somebody and he loves her,
But I don't think he's got a notion that,
Thats the girl I've been tellin' you about,
Ain't she everything I said and a whole lot more?
She's got it goin' on and I never wanna be without her.
Thats the girl I've been tellin' you about,
She's been livin' in my head like a recurring dream,
Whose smile is like the sun and my whole world revolves around her.
She lives in my head from the start of my day till night.
Every word that she says I'm hangin' onto so tight.
During the guitar solo, Artemis shook her head. "Who do you think requested it Harry? Who does it sound like to you?" She asked. Harry frowned as they danced through the crowds.
"I don't know. Not, well," Artemis grinned, waiting for Harry to continue.
"Draco?" She finished gently. Harry blushed, but nodded. "You're right. Doesn't sound like Draco." She agreed.
"Nope." Harry agreed.
"Who could it be?" Artemis whispered.
That's the girl I've been tellin' you about,
Ain't she everything I said and a whole lot more?
She's got it goin' on and I never wanna be without her, no.
Thats the girl I've been tellin' you about,
She's been rainin' in my head like a pouring storm,
Whose smile is like the sun and my whole world revolves around her.
Like a soul in the wind I've been lost since the day I found her.
What I've give to be everything she needs so I could live around her.
Got my arms open wide 'cause she knew they belonged around her.
Harry glanced at Artemis, who was now glancing suspiciously at Bill and Rhiannon leaning over the cd-player. "Are you sure you can't think of anyone else?" Harry asked knowingly. At that, Artemis seemed to become flustered.
"No. I don't think so." She said, avoiding Harry's gaze.
"I know, Artemis. Its kinda obvious. For him anyway." At that Artemis breathed a sigh of relief.
"You know about George?" She asked thankfully.
"Yeah. He told me. Well, sorta anyway." Harry said.
"What do you think?" Artemis questioned. Harry shrugged.
"It could be." He said.
"We've got another request ladies and gentlemen. Another one for Artemis, then we'll move on to other stuff." Rhiannon said quickly, as if embarrassed. Artemis' jaw dropped momentarily, then she grinned broadly.
"Man, I'm popular!" She said. Harry shook his head and laughed.
"Let's play 'Guess Who Loves Artemis', 'kay Harry?" Artemis asked with a smile. Harry laughed hard and nodded as they listened to the lyrics as they danced.
Somewhere there's speaking,
It's already coming in.
Oh and it's rising at the back of your mind.
You never could get it,
Unless you were fed it.
Now you're here and you don't know why.
But under skinned knees and the skid marks,
Past the places where you used to learn.
You howl and listen,
Listen and wait for the,
Echoes of angels who won't return.
He's everything you want,
He's everything you need,
He's everything inside of you,
That you wish you could be.
He says all the right things,
At exactly the right time,
But he means nothing to you,
And you don't know why.
Artemis grinned and raised her eyebrows. "Now THAT sounds like someone I know." She said.
"Draco?" Harry asked. Artemis nodded and sighed.
"I've kinda gotten that impression that, you know, he kinda likes me." Harry scoffed loudly.
"KINDA likes you? Artemis, give the guy a LITTLE more credit! I mean, even I can see that he's got it bad for you." Harry said.
"Yeah, I know. But I can't like a Slytherin can I?" She asked worriedly.
"It all depends on you, Artemis. I can't make any decisions for you. There's no rule saying you can't like a Slytherin." Harry said slowly. Artemis sighed and nodded, listening to the lyrics.
He's everything you want,
He's everything you need,
He's everything inside of you,
That you wish you could be.
He says all the right things,
At exactly the right time,
But he means nothing to you,
And you don't know why.
I am everything you want.
I am everything you need.
I am everything inside of you,
That you wish you could be.
I say all the right things,
At exactly the right time,
But I mean nothing to you and I don't know why.
And I don't know why.
Why?
I don't know.
"Oh Draco." Artemis murmured under her breath. "I wish he wouldn't do this." She whispered.
"It's okay if you feel something for him." Harry said. Artemis raised her startled eyes to him and sighed shakily.
"That's just it. I don't know WHAT I feel." She said. But then she brightened. "I just hope that he and George don't do this all night." She laughed. For the next hour, every now and then, Rhiannon or Bill would say that a song had been requested for Artemis and she would roll her eyes at Harry as they danced. After a while, Ron came up from behind them and smacked Artemis on the back.
"My goodness you're popular!" He yelled over the blaring music. Artemis chuckled and nodded.
"Aren't you impressed?" She joked. Ron shook his head and laughed.
"It's embarrassing! If Mum hears 'bout this, she'll kill George! Gotta go!" He yelled, turning back to Hermione with a smile.
Harry saw Artemis look behind her at George and Cho who were dancing together, but George was not looking at Cho. He was instead, glaring at a fair-haired Slytherin boy across the room, who glared right back. Artemis rolled her eyes. At that exact moment, Fred and Alicia bumped into the two.
"Sorry! So, how are you liking your little personal concert, Artie?" Fred yelled.
"I think it's rather pathetic!" She yelled back. Fred nodded vigorously.
"Me too! George has been driving me nuts! He's been going up there every couple seconds and asking Rhia to help him pick out songs. I think Rhia's gonna go crazy! Having fun otherwise?" He asked.
"Yup! Harry knows how to show a girl a good time." Artemis said enthusiastically. Fred shot Harry a wide grin.
"Well good! Everyone is happy, even Ginny, well, can't say the same for George, but oh well! He'll get over it! See ya! Watch where you put your feet, Spinnet!" Fred yelled as Alicia stepped on his toes.
"Look who's talking Mister Left-Feet." Alicia said, flipping her hair behind her. Fred grinned and rolled his eyes as they danced off.
Harry glanced first at Artemis, then back at George, whom he caught glancing quickly at Artemis, then back at Cho. He glanced back at Artemis, who smiled happily at him. He returned it, then stopped dancing and took her hands in his.
"Artemis, why don't you dance with George?" Artemis' eyes widened.
"But, don't you want to dance with me?" She asked, stuttering slightly.
"Yeah, but I don't wanna ruin your evening, or George's." Artemis smiled gently, then frowned.
"But what about Cho?" She asked.
"Oh I'll find her someone to dance with." He said, trying to sound off-handed. But Artemis wasn't fooled. She punched his arm with a grin.
"Harry Potter! I never would have thought it of you!" She laughed. Harry blushed and shrugged.
"Thanks, Harry. Its so nice of you. I loved this evening and I have you to thank for it. Thanks. C'mon." She said, grasping Harry's hand gently and walking towards George and Cho, who were standing off to the side.
"Cho," Harry started. Suddenly she turned around and smiled.
"Yes Harry?"
She's so......pretty. Harry's mind whispered. Suddenly, he couldn't move, couldn't talk. A gentle nudge from Artemis, brought him back to reality.
"Would you like to dance with me?" He asked quickly. Cho's face brightened and she glanced at George.
"Do you mind, George?" She asked. George shrugged and shook his head, giving her a winning smile.
"Nah, go ahead. Take her for a whirl, Potter." He said. Harry smiled and took Cho's hand and started out to the dance floor. But he turned around at the last minute and looked at George.
"Why don't you and Artemis dance?" George's face brightened and his eyes sparkled.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah, after all, I might try to steal your date and you'll need someone to dance with." Harry said knowingly. George drew himself erect and saluted.
"Yes sir!" He called happily. Harry grinned and walked out onto the floor.
"Well then, should we? Or is it shall we?" George asked, extending his arm to Artemis. Artemis grinned and took it.
"We should and shall, Mister Weasley." She answered as they walked out onto the dance floor as the refrain of the song played around them.
If I could, then I would
I'll go wherever you will go,
Way up high or down low,
I'll go wherever you will go.
Harry glanced at Artemis as she danced with George, her hands in his, both of their faces flushing. For once, he noticed, George didn't plow into anyone as he danced. He and Artemis moved in a single, fluid motion. A perfect match. He thought. But this was before he glanced at Draco, who was dancing with Pansy Parkinson across the room. His jaw was set as he saw Artemis and George dancing only a few feet away from him. Harry winced, then turned back to Cho, who was smiling gently. She's got a beautiful smile. His mind prompted.
"You've got a beautiful smile, Cho." Harry blurted out, surprising himself. Cho too, was surprised, but that simply made her smile broader.
"Thank you, Harry. Its so nice of you." She said softly. Harry only grinned and gripped her hands tighter.
Off to the side, Ron passed Hermione a glass of punch, but nearly dropped his as a slow song began to play. It wasn't the song that shocked him. It was the sight before him. It wasn't George and Artemis. He had figured that Harry would get them together one way or another. Harry just couldn't take guilt. Nor was it Cho and Harry. Again, he figured that Harry would get himself a dance with her. No. It was,
"Good gory hell!" Ron glanced at Fred, who almost yelled the phrase. Alicia smacked him, whispering for him to be quiet. "Well I'm sorry, Spinnet, but this is important! The gory prat! What the heck is he doing?" Fred muttered, his mouth hanging open.
"What are you boys so upset about?" Hermione demanded, glancing between the two boys. Both Weasleys turned to stare at her. "I figured that he rather liked her. Why is that such a bad thing?" She asked. Ron and Fred both answered immediately,
"Because he's our BROTHER and she's our TEACHER." They said pointedly.
It was true. Bill Weasley had coaxed Rhiannon Flutterae out from behind the table, his hand holding hers gently, too gently for his brothers' taste. Even George, dancing with Artemis on the dance floor, had to drop his mouth as Bill lead Rhiannon to the center of the dance floor and placed his hand on her hip as she gently grasped his hand. Her cheeks were red, but her smile was radiant as she gazed into Bill's eyes and he did the same.
"I don't believe this." Fred moaned.
If you want to,
I can save you.
I can take you away from here.
So lonely inside, so busy out there.
And all you wanted was somebody who cares.
"What a bloody sappy song." Fred muttered.
"You said it." Ron retorted.
"Oh, you're just saying that because of Bill and Professor Flutterae." Hermione scolded.
"DUH!" Ron said pointedly.
"Well you don't need to be so snippy about it." Hermione muttered.
I'm sinking slowly,
So hurry hold me.
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on.
Please can you tell me,
So I can finally see,
Where you'll go when you're gone.
If you want to,
I can save you.
I can take you away from here.
So lonely inside, so busy out there.
And all you wanted was somebody who cares.
All you wanted was somebody who cares.
If you need me you know I'll be there.
If you want to,
I can save you.
I can take you away from here.
So lonely inside, so busy out there.
And all you wanted was somebody who cares.
Please can you tell me,
So I can finally see,
Where you'll go when you're gone.
"Well finally that song is over. Glory be." Ron said thankfully.
"Oh, shut up and leave them alone." Hermione scolded.
"Well Spinnet, how 'bout it?" Fred asked, turning to Alicia. She sniffed and turned away.
"What's THIS?" Fred asked.
"I'm not gonna dance with you till you apologize about that stuff you said about your brother." She said.
"Oh, c'mon Spinnet! It, I, well, I can't!" He spluttered.
"They deserve some happiness and you were just being nasty." She said pointedly.
"Yeah!" Hermione added.
"What IS it with you girls and romance?" Ron asked disgustedly. Hermione shot him a nasty look as Fred threw his hands in the air.
"Fine, fine. I'm a nasty little bugger who don't know no better. Satisfied?" He asked Alicia.
"Not till you apologize." She said, firmly.
"Fine. I apologize. I'll get on my knees if you want." Fred asked, a glint in his eyes. Alicia smiled.
"That might not be a bad idea." She said. Fred sighed and shook his head.
"What I do for my public." He muttered as he got down on his knees. "I'm so sorry that I've intruded upon your OBVIOUS love of love between my brother and my professor. I apologize for my complete disgust with the situation. I could not help myself." He said eloquently.
"Fine. I forgive you." Alicia said. Fred grinned and bent further, pretending to kiss her feet. Alicia drew back her feet with a squeal.
"Oh FRED! Don't be so gross!" She yelled.
"C'mon, Spinnet. Let's have a whirl." Fred said, jumping to his feet and dragging her onto the floor.
Harry smiled as he watched Bill gently lift Rhiannon's hand and lead her back to the table, never taking his eyes off her. "They make a cute couple don't they? He's a Weasley, right?" Cho asked.
"Yeah. How did you come to THAT conclusion?" Harry joked. Cho laughed quietly.
"Hmm, the red hair?" She asked, winking.
"Possibly." Harry laughed.
"Well I'm gonna use my famous powers of seeing into the future, which I learned from the marvelous Professor Trelawney. Hmmmmm, hmmm." Cho said, mocking the Professor when she hummed under her breath. Harry grinned broadly. Finally Cho opened her eyes and said, "I predict that there will be a wedding under the Hogwarts roof at the end of this year." She said. Harry laughed and shook his head.
"That would certainly be a cross for Ron to bear." He laughed.
"I just wanna get something to drink, okay, Artemis?" George said as they stepped off the dance floor.
"Sure. That's fine." She answered with a smile. George grinned back and stepped away from her. Artemis chuckled and shook her head.
Bless Harry Potter. He's so sweet to let me go to George. He hasn't looked this happy in days. I must admit, I haven't felt this happy in days. She thought with a smile.
"Having fun?" Artemis started as Draco Malfoy came up behind her.
"Malfoy, you're going to give me a heart-attack one of these days with all the sneaking around you do." Artemis muttered.
"Sorry. Just wanted to know if you wanted to dance." Draco asked easily.
"Well, I'm dancing with George." Artemis started uncomfortably.
"Looks to me like he's getting something to drink. C'mon, it'll just be one dance." He coaxed, extending his white hand towards her.
"Well, just one though, Malfoy. I'll curse you into next week, otherwise." She threatened as she placed her hand in his. For the first time in her life, Artemis saw Draco grin happily.
"I might object to that." He commented as he drew her onto the dance floor.
Beside George, Lee Jordan coughed loudly.
"What? Lee, are you eating those dinner mints and peanuts at the same time again?" George asked reprimandingly. Lee shook his head and swallowed.
"Your girlfriend just got swept out right from under your nose!" He spluttered. George frowned.
"What?" Lee ignored his question and kept his eyes fixed on the dance floor.
"Man, Malfoy moves fast." He murmured.
"WHAT?" George asked, whirling around to look on the dance floor. "Oh." He whispered as he saw Draco and Artemis dancing together.
"Ah, its okay, George. She'll probably come back." Lee said, putting an arm around George as he noticed his vibrant color draining away.
"Yeah. I'm sure. But if he doesn't let her, he'll be puking slugs all evening. And my wand isn't busted." George muttered.
Harry stared in surprise at Artemis and Draco as they danced together. He had thought that if he ever saw them dance together, they would look mismatched, unusual. But to his surprise, they looked everything but. As Draco twirled Artemis, sending her midnight robes flying against his black ones, they seemed to mingle perfectly. The one thought that rang in his mind that they reminded him of did not seem unusual. Had he thought about it before, he would have scoffed at himself. They look like the moon against the sky. Artemis is the moon and Draco the blackest night sky ever. But though one is dark, the other light, they coincide together, flowing together, an unusual pair. But they did look the part.
But what confused Harry, was the strange way Draco looked. His robes hadn't changed, nor had his strong step faltered, but his face had changed. Instead of the constant sneer that occupied it, his face had softened, his eyes never leaving Artemis' face. And Artemis did not seem frightened or wary of the transition from a Gryffindor to a Slytherin. She seemed almost at home there in Draco's arms. Yet, she had seemed the same way when she danced with George.
Harry shook his head in surprise, at the sheer irony of it. George and Fred had thought when Artemis had come, that she would go to Slytherin. Obviously, Draco saw something in her that he admired, for he had never truly treated her ill, but had always treated her with respect. And he had given her that necklace completely unprompted. He glanced at George, who stood with Lee Jordan on the side of the dance floor, glaring hard at Draco. You better get outta there Artemis, unless you wanna find Draco's face smashed in. Harry thought silently. But Artemis did not pull away. But when the song ended, Draco stopped and spoke to her. Artemis glanced back at George and responded, looking slightly annoyed. Draco spoke something quickly and she shrugged and slipped her hands in his, dancing to the beat that resounded through the hall.
A moment later, George was striding across the dance floor, his fists clenched. Draco raised an eyebrow as George stormed up to them.
"Have a problem, Weasley?" He drawled.
"Yeah. You're cutting in on my dance time, Malfoy." George answered angrily.
"She consented to dance with me. It's not MY fault." He said cooly.
"Oh right. I'm sure. You'd like to think that wouldn't you?" George snapped. Draco shrugged.
"Just because she likes me better," He said nonchalantly. George attempted to fly at Draco, but stopped as Artemis' hand flew between them.
"George, stop! I did say I'd dance with him. It's okay. I'll come back afterwards." She said evenly.
"Sure you will. Sure. And then Dracie will ask for ANOTHER dance." He hissed. At that, Draco's cool exterior disappeared and he glared at George.
"NO one calls me Dracie." He hissed. George stared at him grimly.
"Poor, DRACIE." Artemis flung her other hand in front of Draco as he leapt towards George.
"Cut it out! You're both acting so stupid!" She yelled. Both of them turned to stare at her. She seemed slightly unnerved by this action as she continued quietly. "I don't want you guys fighting over me." Draco scoffed and put a hand under her chin.
"Too late." He said, glancing at George before withdrawing his hand from her.
"She's yours for now, Weasley, but I'll come back for her again before the night is out. Watch me." He said, smiling coolly as he walked off. Artemis watched him, watched as he rolled his eyes as Pansy Parkinson shrieked for him at the top of her lungs.
Things settled down slightly after that. Draco contented himself to stay with Pansy, for he knew that if he didn't, her threat of, 'screaming his name till he came', would ultimately come true. Hermione and Ron did not dance with anyone but each other, though Ron did allow Hermione to dance with Harry once. After a while, Harry had walked up to George and Artemis, who were laughing over a private joke as they danced.
"Hey George, I kinda stole your date." He said, blushing. George turned to them and laughed. Cho chuckled, then whispered in George's ear. George listened intently, then grinned and pecked Cho on the cheek.
"How 'bout we switch Potter?" Harry lit up immediately.
"Really? I mean, I loved dancing with you, Artemis," Artemis waved her hand at him.
"Sure, sure you did. You don't, APPRECIATE me." She said with a smile, raising her eyebrows. Harry laughed at that and Cho extended her hand to George, who took it and shook it heartily.
"Thanks for the dances, Cho. Was great." He said enthusiastically.
"Same here. Thank you, George." Cho answered sweetly as Harry took her arm and they walked off.
"They look sweet together. Harry looks as though he's got a MAJOR crush on her." Artemis said.
"Oh he does! He has for a LONG time. But at the last Yule Ball, she went with Cedric Diggory. It's probably just a little crush, one that he'll get over, but he can have his moment." George said quietly. Artemis nodded knowingly, understanding his hesitation.
"I know somebody else who's got a major crush on someone." George said cheerily. Artemis turned towards him and grinned.
"Really? Who?" She asked. George grinned and poked himself in the chest.
"Me! I've got a crush on you!" He said. Artemis looked startled for a moment, before she laughed loudly and poked him in the chest.
"You're so forward." She laughed.
"I thought you liked forward men." George said, raising his eyebrows. Artemis settled her head on her hand.
"Well that's true. But not TOO forward, George Weasley." George's face fell.
"You don't like my kind of forwardness?" He asked.
"On the contrary," George's face perked up as Artemis spoke quietly. "I love your kind of forwardness." She said with a smile.
"Even more than Draco's?" He asked, sobering slightly. Artemis blushed faintly and glanced away.
"I don't like Draco that much George. He just, he just hangs around. That's all." She explained.
"Yeah, I know. But, are you falling for him?" George asked tentatively.
Artemis paused, staring hard at the floor before raising her head and looking into his eyes. "I don't know. I don't know what's happening." George nodded knowingly.
"It's okay. I just wanted to know because you know, it's mine and Fred's last year and, well, I just wanted to know. But I won't push you or anything." He said firmly. Artemis smiled and placed her hand in his.
"Thanks for that George. It really means alot." She answered. George heaved a great sigh.
"And you can dance with Draco again if you want to." He said dejectedly. Artemis laughed hard.
"Well thank you. That's nice of you!" George grinned broadly.
"But of course, if he starts pretending like you're his girlfriend, then I'll have to put the Leg-locker curse on him and I'll laugh while he falls on his fat face." He said. Artemis laughed and slapped him on the hand.
"You wouldn't dare!" She said.
"Watch me!" George laughed as he twirled her repeatedly, till she became dizzy.
Draco did come back for one more dance, but that was all that he insisted upon.
"I'm a man of my word, Artemis. Thanks for the dances." He said firmly, walking away, though Artemis could plainly see the wistfulness in his eyes.
"Thanks, Draco." Draco turned as she spoke. She smiled shyly. "It was great." A light lit up Draco's eyes as he bowed slightly and walked off. Artemis sighed and smiled as she walked up to the table that the cd-player rested on.
"Well Professor, when's the last song?" She asked with a smile. Rhiannon smiled and looked up.
"Pretty soon actually. I'm trying to find one." She said with a smile.
"Hey, ah, Artemis isn't it?" Bill Weasley asked. Artemis nodded and Bill smiled as he jerked his thumb at Rhiannon. "Help me get her out on the dance floor for the last dance, woncha?" He asked. Artemis grinned as Rhiannon rolled her eyes.
"I danced with you before. Why press your luck?" Rhiannon asked sharply.
"It's a compliment Professor. You should take advantage of it. Someone else can handle the cd-player. Go on and have some fun!" Artemis said enthusiastically. Rhiannon glanced doubtfully at Artemis, then at the hopeful Bill Weasley and sighed resolutely.
"Hold on and lemme find a song." She said resolutely. Artemis grinned as Bill's face lit up and he stuck his thumb up in her direction.
"Set the dance floor on fire, Professor!" Artemis said enthusiastically, causing Rhiannon to look up at her in surprise.
Artemis grinned winningly and walked off, looking for George. "Hey Harry! Professor's playing the last song! Better get out there!" Harry nodded and yelled the word to Ron and Hermione. When Fred got word of it, he jumped in the air with a shout of delight.
"Yeah! One more dance! C'mon, Spinnet! Lets show 'em how it's done!" He said enthusiastically. Alicia sighed and rolled her eyes.
"So we're gonna show 'em how to step on their partner's toes?" She asked sarcastically. Fred drew back in mock hurt.
"Oh Alicia!" He broke out. Alicia rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm and drew him out onto the floor. Fred grinned and winked at Artemis with a satisfied air.
"So Weasley, shall we?" Artemis asked, walking up to George, who was talking to Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson.
"Sure! Let's go." George said enthusiastically as they stepped on the dance floor. His enthusiasm vanished though, as he saw Bill draw Rhiannon out from behind the cd table as the music began to play. He glanced at Artemis, he was clearly dismayed at finding a look of triumph resting there.
"Artemis! You DIDN'T?!" He moaned. Artemis nodded firmly.
"Yes, I did. Its not so bad if they like each other is it?" She asked.
"Yes! Its just weird. They've known each other since they went to Hogwarts. She's an old friend of the family!" George said.
"So what? If they get married, then she'll be a PART of the family! That's not so bad is it? And plus," She said with a wink. "Then if they get married, that means you'll be an uncle and you'll have nieces and nephews to spoil and teach how to be bad and tricky." George immediately brightened and an evil gleam settled in his eyes.
"Hey, Artemis, wanna help me hook Bill up with Rhia?" He asked. Artemis didn't answer him, but simply laughed as the music began to play around them.
Till my body is dust,
Till my soul is no more,
I will love you,
Love you.
Till the sun starts to cry,
And the moon turns to rust,
I will love you,
Love you.
But I need to know,
Will you stay for all time?
Forever and a day.
Then I'll give my heart,
Till the end of all time.
Forever and a day.
And I need to know,
That you'll stay for all time.
Forever and a day.
Then I'll give my heart,
Till the end of all time.
Forever and a day.
Till the storms fill my eyes,
And we touch the last time,
I will love you,
Love you.
I will love you,
Love you.
As Harry slow danced with Cho, he glanced off to the side of the dance floor. To his surprise, Draco was not dancing with Pansy Parkinson. Instead, the Slytherin girl was standing off to the side with some of her friends, eyeing Draco from time to time, then bursting into tears. Her friends cooed over her as she continued to cry, but Draco seemed to take no notice of this. In fact, he didn't seem to take notice of anything around him. He simply stood there alone, watching Artemis dance. He wasn't glaring at George, nor was there any sign of hate in his face. He was simply standing, void of emotion, his cool gray eyes fixed on one girl in the entire room.
Harry sighed and turned away, instead noticing with a smile that Professor Flutterae and Bill Weasley were dancing once more. They were talking quietly as they danced, a small smile on Rhiannon's face. Their fingers were intertwined together, Bill's hand resting gently on her hip, his eyes alight as he spoke to her. Then Harry glanced at the other Weasleys in the room.
Ginny and Neville were dancing very slowly, but Ginny didn't seem to mind. Even Neville seemed to have gained some courage and was talking firmly to the Weasley girl, who smiled at him encouragingly. For once, Fred was not stepping on Alicia's toes, but was simply dancing, his hand on her hip, one hand in hers. They were quiet too, an amazing feat for Fred. George and Artemis danced the same way, Artemis' hand resting comfortably on George's arm. Like Bill, George was speaking quietly to her and she was smiling as she responded. Also like his brother, George's face was illuminated and happy. He looked, Harry noticed, better than he had seen him in days. As the song ended, Draco abruptly turned on his heel and walked from the Dining Hall, not looking back once.
Fred grinned and mock bowed to Alicia, Ron blushed and kissed Hermione's hand, who protested slightly, but not very effectively as she was too pleased to make it more serious. George bowed to Artemis, who grinned as he escorted her off the dance floor. Rhiannon and Bill stood at the center of the crowds of boys and girls, simply gazing at each other.
Harry's breath caught in his throat as he thought he saw Bill leaning in towards Rhiannon. But something stopped his teacher and she pulled back, instead rushing towards the table on which the cd-player was resting, her face a brilliant shade of red. Bill sighed and glanced at Harry, putting up his fingers indicating how close he had been to kissing her. Harry nodded sympathetically and turned to Cho.
"Thanks for the wonderful dance, Harry. I had a great time." She said shyly.
"So did I, Cho. It was great. Certainly better than last year." They both chuckled as they walked off. Cho smiled and stopped, stepping in front of him.
"Well I've gotta go. Thanks again. I'll see you later, okay?" She asked tentatively.
"Of course! I'd love that." Harry said quickly, hoping he didn't sound too enthusiastic. Cho smiled and nodded.
"Well, alright then. Good-bye, Harry." She said, slipping away from him. Harry sighed with a satisfied air and caught up with Ron as he walked off to the side.
"So, how was your night?" Harry asked him. Ron turned to him with a flushed face.
"The best one EVER!" He said enthusiastically. "They better have another one!" Ron said enthusiastically. Harry chuckled at his friend. As he walked up towards the twins and Artemis, Artemis turned towards Harry with a smile.
"Oh Harry! Thanks so much for the evening." She said, walking quickly over to him.
"Yeah, it was my pleasure. We kinda split up, but that's okay. I enjoyed the dances we had and I enjoyed playing, 'Guess Who Loves Artemis.'" Harry laughed.
Artemis shook her head and chuckled. Then she sobered and leaned in towards him and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"Thanks so much, Harry. I'll see you later, okay?" She asked quietly, a small smile lighting up her face. Harry smiled and nodded. She returned the smile, then walked up to George, who extended his arm.
"C'mon gentlemen! The night ain't over. If your girls' a Gryffindor, we're gonna escort 'em back to their rooms." George said firmly. Fred grinned and grabbed Alicia's arm and Hermione gently took Ron's arm.
"C'mon Harry! She was yours first! We'll share!" George said cheerily as Artemis extended her other arm. Harry laughed and took it as they walked out. Fred glanced back out at the stereo booth, where Bill was leaning over it, speaking to Rhiannon. A sour look came over his face and he shook his head as they walked out, but not before Harry noticed the disapproving look on Snape's face as he looked at Rhiannon and Bill. The journey back was uneventful, and the girls laughed and thanked the boys for the fabulous evening as they slipped into the Girl's Room.
"And they'll be up for at least a few more hours blathering about the whole bloody evening." Fred said good-naturedly.
"So how was your girlfriend, Ronnie?" George asked, ruffling Ron's hair. To Harry's surprise, Ron didn't deny it as he usually did. Simply shrugged and smiled.
"She was bloody great." Fred and George nodded approvingly and yawned at the same time.
"I myself can't wait to go to bed. What about you, Freds?" George asked sleepily. His twin nodded drowsily.
"Night, Ronnie, Harry. Sweet dreams." He said. Then George and Fred leaned on each other sleepily as they walked up the stairs to their room. Ron chuckled.
"Mum says they used to do that when they were really little. They still do it, but only when they're completely exhausted and don't even know that they're doing it. An' they must be REALLY tired because they forgot to show us their owl." Ron said with a sleepy smile.
"So how was your night with Hermione?" Harry asked curiously. Ron smiled as he plopped his bed and slipped off his shoes.
"She's the greatest girl I've ever met, Harry. Except when she's lecturing of course." He said, a dreamy look in his eyes. That startled Harry.
"Are you guys gonna start dating?" He asked sharply. Ron looked up at him, an unusual light in his eyes.
"Dunno. Maybe. She said she'd think about it." He said.
"You asked her to be your GIRLFRIEND?" Harry asked in surprise. Ron shrugged and nodded.
"Yeah, well. I'd say its about time, wouldn't you?" He asked. Harry drew his breath in sharply, but nodded quietly. "I knew you'd understand, Harry."
But Harry didn't really understand. What he did understand was that his friend was going to a place he couldn't go, taking a step he hadn't gotten to yet, and he wasn't sure how to react.
"Looks like George's got it bad for Artemis. The same goes for Rhia and Bill. Good grief, can't believe BILL is chasing after Rhia. At his age? Geez." Ron muttered as he slipped under his covers after throwing his robes on the floor.
"Yeah, I know." Harry murmured without thinking.
"Night, Harry." Ron murmured before he closed his eyes.
"Night, Ron." Harry said quietly.
Soon the silent room was filled with Ron's quiet snores. Harry barely heard them. He simply turned off the light and sat down on his bed, drawing his wand out. "Lumos." He whispered. Light quickly exuded from the wand. Harry placed it on his bed then lifted up the pictures and looked at them over and over again before the night was out.
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Author's Note: Well! Phew! That's over! Quite an interesting affair don't you think? Altogether an interesting evening. And a few things were resolved between Artemis, Draco and George...........or were they? :-) You'll have to figure that out for yourselves. I'm not dropping any hints. :-) Like I said at the beginning, this is a very light chapter, but also has some foreshadowing and actually a major clue was dropped in. Can you guys find it? ;-) Thanks for all your reviews! You're all so fantastic and I couldn't be more blessed with such awesome people!
Kora: Thanks for reviewing! I'm completely with you on Richard Harris. When I think of him, I rarely think of Dumbledore first, second, but not first. First, I think of King Arthur. *sob* Okay, I gotta stop, or I'm gonna start crying again. :-) I agree that lighter chapters give a little breathing time between the bad stuff that's happening. Frankly, I was relieved by just writing it! :-) Gave me room to breathe! Thanks for assuring me about my Newsies fics. They're good, but still, it's just kinda funny reading them now. When I read them now, I wanna take my cut 'n paste icon to it and fix it all and make it clearer. Maybe someday. :-) Thanks for reviewing, buddy!
Balizabeth: Can't remember if I told you thank you in my last chapter, so I will again. Can't remember! Mind like a sieve I've got. :-) Thank you so much for reading my humble little story! I'm so pleased to be your muse! That's so cool and so sweet of you! I absolutely LOVE your stories, so you must continue them soon! No pressure though. ;-) Thanks for reading! I really enjoy reading your input!
Hollie: Ahhh! Hello, Hollie! I hope you liked this chapter! Heh-heh, you're so clever! You were like, 'they should switch and Harry should go with Cho, and Artemis with George,'. My, aren't you clever? :-) But like I said, are things really resolved? Hmmmm. :-) Well, at least I somewhat cleared them up and Artemis got to be with George, at least for a little while. I thought that the Witches' Heartthrobs thing would be funny to do, just interesting, seeing as Charlie's a Weasley. :-) I really don't have a picture of Charlie in my mind either. I mean, I have a picture of Bill, but that's because I'm writing about him. But don't worry, I'll get a picture of him in my mind. Most likely he'll be in the second story, so it'll be well and good. :-) I'm glad you like seeing your name in the 'Thank You's'. I love *writing* you thank you's. :-) I just feel like I haven't done my duty if I don't address my wonderful peoples' comments. :-) Yup, the second book (sheesh, FANFIC. Getting mixed up here. *grin*) is well in production. I have 6 chapters finished and 79 pages written. WHOOHOO!! Actually, there are SEVERAL chapters left. Not going to say exactly. :-) But there are chapters left. And don't worry. I guarrantee, that this story will NOT end on a cliffhangar. This story is written in the style of J.K. Rowling and therefore will end as she ends the books. :-) Of course, there will be a bit of wondering in what will happen, but hey, it's not a cliffhangar!! It has an ending!! :-) I actually have completely written and rewritten this story till I thought it suitable to post. So it is all done, giving me time and energy to write the second one. Cool huh? :-) Heh-heh, no you're not nosy. I'm not exactly sure of the Mudblood thing either. But oh well! It's all good. She's half-blood, anyway. :-) Thanks so much for readin' and reviewin'!!
Torrential Zephyr: Ahhh, my talented buddy with the kick-butt, awesome, name. :-) I'm sorry, I just love your author name! Where did you come up with it? It's so cool. :-) I'm completely with you on Richard Harris. I thought of him as immortal too. You know, like King Arthur forever! But then all of a sudden, out of the blue, 1) he's got Hodgkins, 2) he's recovered, 3) he died. *sniffle* It was just all very sudden and surprising. I read it and I was just like, 'What? Richard Harris? Dead? Yeah right!' And what was equally ironic is that that very day, around the time when he died actually, I was watching "Camelot", watching a specific part in which he always makes me cry. It was really ironic and really sad. But at least he'll be immortal in our hearts, that's one way to think of it. Because in my mind, whenever I think of King Arthur, or read any books about him, I'll always picture Richard Harris. But anyway, on with my thank you! That's okay that you didn't get here right away! I've been getting pretty bad myself, but I try! I don't have much time to get online as of late, so I've been checking for reviews, posting and attempting to *write* reviews in a fifteen minute period. :-) I'm gonna check out your website soon! That's another thing on my priority list! That's so cool! :-) I'd love to do that if I had the time. I'm glad you liked the pictures of Lily, James, Sirius and Harry. I enjoyed writing about them and thought it would be something to take Harry's mind off of Sirius' letter. (right again buddy! *wink*) And also it would give the readers an inside look into the Potters and how much they loved their son, as well as a vision of Sirius before he was Sirius Black, accused murderer and madman. You're probably right about the Mudblood vs. half-blood thing. I'm not altogether sure, since I'm actually relatively new to the HP world. My sister is the one who memorizes everything about them, which is really fortunate for me, I tell you! She's my little proof-reader and tells me if this is inaccurate, or that's wrong, or what-not. Really helpful! :-) Oh thank you! Thanks for permission to use Letifer. I agree with you! A great addition to the Malfoy names! Really wicked! Thank you so much for allowing me to use him! Like I said, I'm not exactly sure how or when he'll figure into the story, but since I'm writing the second one now, I figured I better ask. :-) Thanks so much!!
Another thing I forgot to mention, you guys remember in the previous chapter, when Ron and Harry received two stones called 'draconite'? Well, here's an interesting tidbit! Draconite was *actually* a real thing, well, real in the fantasy world, anyway. ;-) It possessed special powers, was believed to bring good luck and fortune, as well as other powers. One catch though: draconite was inside a dragon's *head*. In order to get it, a hunter had to wait until a dragon was asleep, in hibernation, then cut open it's head and steal it. Yeah. I thought that having it be 'cooled dragon fire', was much more acceptable, much less brutal. For one thing, I couldn't really picture Charlie Weasley slicing open his own dragons' heads, just so he could get a Christmas present for Ron and Harry. :-) Ew. So I *improved* it. :-) Just a little fun fact. :-) Thanks for reading you guys! You've no idea how wicked it is to read your reviews and comments. Rock on!
T.H.