Disclaimer: If you recognise it from the book, J.K Rowling made it.
A/N Bit torn, Chocolat Elf? Seriously, I'm happy people think of Harry as …sexy or whatever, cause that means I can write. I would be able to write Oliver as sexy, cause, well, he is (at least, movie Oliver. He's just a big ol' jock in the books!) but I'm not the least attracted to the character/looks of Harry so it was a bit of a challenge, and a fun one! So I really appreciate your reviews for the last chapter. On with the story!
Harry certainly was a fast learner. Even though he also had Quidditch, within a week we had passed the waltz and the samba, and were about to start on the tango. I put a hand around his neck.
"So you're seriously not mad at me for going off at Cho?" I asked. We only really got to talk during dance practise these days.
"Nope. I think I understand why you did it"
"Oh? And why did I do it, Professor?" I asked with a smirk.
"Because you care for me. Not only as a friend…but in a sisterly sort of way" he said with a smile.
Ha!
"Really?" I asked as the music to 'Roxanne' started up. It had taken me nearly three days to learn the spell to enchant the record player to play Muggle music, and 'Roxanne' had featured on one of my favourite movies, Moulin Rouge. Harry smiled whenever he heard the song, obviously remembering how I had virtually pinned him to the couch trying to get him to watch it over the holidays. At least, that what I was remembering, sitting on his lap for half the movie.
"So, would a sister do this?" I asked, and pressed my body against his, so our entire torsoes down to our hips were against each other. He had played on the innuendoes for the last week and I had just giggled and blushed like a simpering idiot. It was time to p the stakes, and, needless to say, I was glad the classroom was empty that night. And guess who was blushing now?
"You know Hermione, I think novices are meant to use the open embrace," he said, our noses almost touching. I had to smile as I turned my head to whisper in his ear.
"Don't worry, I'm no beginner".
Score one: Hermione.
The night before the ball, we were doing homework in the common room, and Harry was furiously writing owls. Fleur was staying in Hogsmeade, and had sent Harry and owl ranting about the Witch Weekly article, which she had found in Diagon Alley, and how much she was looking forward to the following night. She had also mentioned that Viktor was staying at Hogsmeade, so I went up to the Owlery with a quickly "hello" note to him, remembering the night of the tango and how great it had felt. There had been no more sauciness as Harry had insisted on the open embrace (bodies not really touching) out of "concern for my toes" although I would have been quite happy to sacrifice them. Maybe this was how Ginny felt?
After Harry had sent off his reply, he realised that Sirius would not have even known about the Ball, and sent him a note with Hedwig. The bird returned with nothing, meaning that the note had been delivered but no reply was sent. Harry was extremely distressed by this, all of us were, but, trying to be the voice of reason, I suggested to him that maybe it was just too dangerous to send notes by Hedwig, and that perhaps he should try again with a more inconspicuous school owl. Harry agreed but by that time it was too late to be sending owls.
Because of the distractions, all three of us were stuck in an empty roo, at 11pm, still slaving away. The general muttered consensus was that O.W.Ls were evil and that we wished we could stay in 1st Year forever. After a long silent period, Ron cleared his throat.
"So how did your dance lessons go?" he asked without looking up.
Harry, next to me, shot me a conspiratorial look, which I smiled at.
"Excellent. You want to see the results?" he asked wit a grin. I shot him a glance and Ron looked up at him.
"Alright…"
Harry grabbed me by the hand and led me to the clear space in the centre of the room. I really did not want to be doing this in front of Ron, who I had to keep reminding myself was my actual date for the Ball.
"I hope you don't plan on music, everyone's asleep," Ron said as he swung his chair around to watch.
Harry grinned.
"That's fine, Hermy and I are just fine unaccompanied".
Ron's eyebrows rose in a dubious expression.
Harry's arm slid around my waist to my back and his hand clasped mine. My other hand went to his shoulder, near his neck. I had grown to love the intimacy of the pose over the last two weeks, but this time his hand slid slightly lower than usual right into the small of my back, and he pressed his cheek against mine.
"Ready to waltz?" was his whispered question.
"We can't waltz properly this close" I replied.
"Oh, what a shame" was his statement as he drew back to a just-appropriate length away. We started the waltz.
Ron, visibly puzzled as to our exchange, which I was sure he hadn't heard, followed us with his eyes as we circled the room twice. Harry seemed quite happy to go on, but I stopped outright, causing him to bump in to me, glaring. I was sick of the exhibitionism. Ron gave a slow clap.
"Nice work, although personally I think Ninny and I are better together" he said, and gathered his books.
"I'm stuffed, I'm going to bed. You coming Harry?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'll be up in a sec, just gotta get my stuff together" he said with a smile at Ron, who climbed the stair to the boys dorm. I ensured he was out of earshot and hurried over to Harry.
"What do you think you're doing?" I demanded.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, mock-innocently.
"Are you trying to make him jealous?"
"Hermione, Ron's an idiot if he thinks there's anything going on between us," he said in a feminine voice, before turning his back and stomping up the stairs haughtily. The voice had sounded suspiciously like my own.
A/N Ooo-er, think Harry's a little peeved? Please review!