A/N: Oh dear! Have I been misspelling McGonagall wrong this whole time? Argh! Anyways, here's the next chapter. Thanks to everyone for reviewing! The end is nearing. Another bit of fluff, but no kissing yet. Soon, I promise!
Go Cubs!
30. Dances and NEWTs
The beginning of May arrived, with NEWTs only a month away. Panic started to spread slowly among the students, and the last two Quidditch matches were sorely needed to break the tension. The first match, at the beginning of the month, found Hufflepuff beating Slytherin in a very close match. Hufflepuff House was ecstatic; they were in the running for the Quidditch cup for the first time in three years, and were guaranteed at least second place, the first time they had been anything but fourth place the last three years. The last match of the season would set Ravenclaw against Gryffindor. With three wins, Gryffindor was in the lead for the Quidditch Cup. Ravenclaw was currently 0-2, and Slytherin was 1-2, which left Hufflepuff as the only real threat to Gryffindor winning the cup. Hufflepuff had gone 2-1, but their single defeat was at the hands of Gryffindor, by a wide margin. Ravenclaw would not only have to beat Gryffindor for the Hufflepuffs to win the Cup, they would have to beat Gryffindor by a lot.
The weekend of the Quidditch match also marked another Hogwarts tradition that was previously unknown to Harry: the Graduation Ball. Unlike previous dances in the past, this was limited to only seventh year students and their dates. The Great Hall would be decorated beautifully, and a live band brought in. Harry felt a bit of panic when he found out, but quickly realized his panic was unnecessary – no one knew he was Harry Potter, so no one would care. Ron had asked little Natalie MacDonald to accompany him, and Harry found out they were going together just as he was on his way to the library.
"Hey Hermione," he said, as he sat across from her. "Did you hear? Ron and Natalie are going to the Graduation Ball together."
Hermione looked up from her book and smiled. "Good! I think those two would make a cute couple."
"Who are you going with?" Harry asked.
"I'm not going."
"What? You have to go!"
"Are you going?" she asked Harry.
"Well, er, no," he said.
Hermione grinned. "Then why should I go when you don't have to? Hmmm, Mr. Harrington?"
"Well, you're Head Girl! And it's your last year Hermione. You have to go!"
"It's your last year too," she pointed out.
"Well, sorta. But no one knows it's me," he said, a bit lamely.
"Well, be that as it may, there's no one that I would want to spend hours fumbling about on the dance floor," Hermione said, then turned back to her books.
Harry stared at her thoughtfully. Then he cleared his throat. "Um, Hermione. Would you like to go with me?" he asked tentatively.
She looked up, surprised. "With you?"
"Sure! We'll have a great time, and as you said, it's both of our last year here," he said eagerly.
Hermione looked at him, and then got caught up in his enthusiasm. "Sure," she said. "We'll have a great time!"
Harry grinned happily, and together they returned to their studies, punctuated by discussions about the Ball.
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Ron became an absolute animal the two weeks before the final Quidditch match. He scheduled practices daily, but fortunately Harry and Hermione were excused from part of each practice to study for NEWTs (despite their pleadings, Ron refused to leave any of his practices early). But the outcome was never in any real doubt. Ravenclaw was too weak of a team to seriously contend, and there was little chance that they could score enough points to swing the cup in Hufflepuff's favor. Ron was insistent on a perfect season though, and his fervor ignited the Gryffindor team to a dominant victory. The Quidditch Cup found it's way back into McGonagall's office, and the victory party lasted all night long, a welcome break from the shadow of NEWTs. The Graduation Ball was the next night, and Harry was nervous.
He wasn't sure what prompted him to ask Hermione. At first, he had felt a little sorry for her. It was her last year, after all, and she was Head Girl. Besides, Harry wasn't a shy, bumbling fourteen year old anymore. He was seventeen, and there was nothing wrong with going to a dance with your best friend. But as soon as he asked her, he grew excited about the idea. It would be nice, he told himself, to go with Hermione. They could be themselves and not have to worry about any of the things people on a date have to worry about. The seventh years were allowed a special trip to Hogsmead one week before the dance, where they could purchase robes and other accessories. Harry looked around at the dress robes, trying to find a pattern he liked. He didn't purchase one though, since his Auror robes could change to appear as dress robes. Ron purchased a new set, since his growth spurt made his old robes too short.
The night of the Ball, Harry was amused by the other boys' antics. Ron was especially nervous about taking Natalie, which was a good thing for Neville. He was taking a Ginny, and a glaring older brother breathing down his shoulder wouldn't be a good thing. Dean asked Padma, and Seamus was going with Pavarti, which seemed fitting. Harry wasn't sure whom Lavender was going with, but he'd heard it was someone in Ravenclaw. Harry sat with the others in the Common Room waiting for their dates, though Dean had left to find his way to the Ravenclaw common room. Finally, the girls made their appearance; one-by-one they made their entrance. Harry chuckled at Ron's reaction when he saw Natalie, and he smiled at Ginny as Neville went to meet her. But then his eyes drifted to Hermione, and all of a sudden Ron's antics were forgotten.
She was wearing an elegant set of dress robes, her hair falling in curls around her face. His mind briefly remembered her appearance at the Yule Ball, three years ago. Harry's stomach did a small back-flip, and he chastised himself. This was Hermione, after all. He smiled at her and offered his arm.
"You look beautiful, Hermione," he said honestly.
Hermione blushed. "You don't look so bad yourself," she replied with a wink, and then she took his arm. They followed Ron and Natalie out the portrait hole, and Harry felt himself settle down. She was still his Hermione, despite her tamed hair, and a part of Harry actually missed her bushiness. Arm-in-arm, they walked to the Great Hall, chatting away as friends do.
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Harry was having a surprisingly good time. It was nothing like the Yule Ball; Harry was not the center of attention, and he was with someone he felt completely at ease with. Harry had to laugh as Hermione made a comment about a fifth year girl as she walked by.
"Did you look at the length of that hemline? And that slit on the side!" she said with disdain. Noticing the lack of reaction from Harry, she punched him in the arm. "I see you did notice, Mr. Harrington," she said acidly.
Harry rubbed his shoulder. "Ow" he said in a exaggerated hurt voice. "Oh Hermione, she's got nothing on you," he said earnestly.
She glared at him a moment, then softened when she saw that he really meant it. "Anyways," she continued, "that girl's too young. She's a fifth year, here with a seventh year!" she said scandalized. Harry laughed, and Hermione looked at him curiously. "What's so funny?" she demanded.
Harry grinned. "How soon we forget, Miss Granger. Can we say, 'Victor Krum?' Wasn't he a seventh year when you were a little fourth year?" Hermione blushed and flustered to find a response. Fortunately, she was saved when Ron and Natalie made their way back to the table.
Harry and Hermione had been highly entertained by Ron's dancing. He may be agile on a broom, but on the ground, his dancing skills left much to be desired. However, what he lacked in rhythm, he more than made up for in enthusiasm. Harry and Hermione gently teased him as he and Natalie sat, but not for long. A slow dance soon played, and Natalie pulled Ron to the dance floor. Harry looked at Hermione. "Would you like to dance?" he asked. Hermione looked dubious, but then agreed. They made their way to the dance floor where they danced, a good 0.3 meters between them (one foot for us Americans). As the song wore on, they closed the distance, and Hermione rested her head against Harry's shoulder.
There were times when Harry dared think of a future beyond Voldemort. It wasn't often, but sometimes he wondered what his life would be like if he survived a final confrontation with the Dark Lord. He dreamed of a family, a big family, something he never had and was supremely jealous of Ron over. But before he could start a family, he needed to find a wife. And there lay the problem. Harry Potter was famous already, and if he managed to defeat Voldemort, he would be even more famous. He knew it would be next to impossible to find a witch who loved him for being Harry, and not someone who was in love with his public image. Harry looked down at the witch in his arms, and he knew Hermione was probably the only witch that knew the real Harry, warts and all, and not the Boy-Who-Lived. But would that be taking the easy way out? Harry didn't want a serious relationship with Hermione just because she was the only choice. It would be unfair to Harry and insulting to Hermione. Plus, he didn't have many close friends in the world, and he didn't want to risk losing her friendship. Harry sighed softly and figured that he would have to go to find a Muggle and gradually introduce her to the wizarding world.
The song ended and Harry and Hermione smiled at each other, before returning to their table. They laughed and talked the night away in easy familiarity.
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The week after the dance was filled with studying, studying, and more studying. The level of panic was even higher than in fifth years, as NEWTs determined careers, not just classes. All-night study sessions were common, and Professors handed out review sheets and practice tests. Harry was thankful that he had been studying since the first day of fall term; he was used to spending hours in the library. Hermione's assistance was invaluable, as she developed study outlines for each of their subjects. Long hours were spent in the library for all seventh year students.
Although Harry studied as hard as he could, he wasn't sure that it would matter. First, there was the question of him living long enough to for the results of the NEWTs to impact him. But second, Harry really didn't know what he wanted to be. He had told McGonagall in his fifth year that he wanted to be an Auror. But was that still true? Harry was enjoying his seventh year as an anonymous student and used to not being in danger. As an Auror, he would be in danger often, and the thought didn't appeal to him; Harry had enough brushes with death to last him a lifetime. Like OWLs, NEWTs were given over two weeks, and Harry finished his last test feeling that he had done reasonably well.
Responses to reviewers
Lord Nyax: Sorry, no Angry!Harry here. He had a few blow-ups, but he's pretty content overall, considering all the things he's been through.
Hermionegreen: hehe. He'll be fine; besides, who can resist Hermione when she's being all cute like that?
Devonny Rose: Tough loss last night :( Now it's a best-of-5 for both teams. But Pedro vs. Clemens sounds great, and of course Kerry Wood is gonna be dominant tonight. Hopefully the Cubs will wrap it up on Sunday and the Sox on Monday.