DISCLAIMER: I am not the owner of any of the characters that appear in this story. They're are JKR's property and WB's too. So please don't sue me ok?
RATING: PG-13
PAIRINGS: H/D R/Herm G/N
A/N: And finally ::drums:: the Ball is here! I hope this has been worth the wait! I also wanted to write this scene so bad but well, you may know my style by now and you know that I like taking my time when something important is going to happen. So, I've decided I will post this in two different chapters. It was too much to handle in a single chappie!
And please, review after reading! I really appreciate the comments (good or not so good) J
Once again, thanks to my loyal betas, who are working on making this fic more readable. *gggg*
^^---^^ used when inner voice speaks.
The day had come, and you could feel excitement and happiness in the air. For once, the four houses agreed on something. Everything had to be perfect. And they were determined to make it work. That's why a group of students had volunteered to decorate the Great Hall and surroundings.
The group, also known as "Trendy Freaks", had worked in all the celebrations that took place in the school since the Yule Ball in Harry's fourth year. Lead by Lavender Brown and her arch-enemy Pansy Parkinson, they were famous for their cooperation when working together. But people gossiped about their fights as much as about their achievements.
GRYFFINDOR DORMITORIES
Harry was still half-sleep when he heard his room mates talking excitedly. He tried to make them shut up by throwing a pillow at them but it didn't work. Neville was shouting something at Seamus and the irish couldn't stop laughing. Ron was smiling at his friends from the bathroom's door. He wore an orange sweater that contrasted with his dark trousers.
Harry smiled fondly. His best friend wasn't a fashion genius, but neither was he.
He could still recall Draco's comments about how he had to buy new clothes and make them match properly.
^^You're thinking about him again^^ said the annoying voice.
But Harry didn't answer this time. Because it was true. He had been thinking a lot about the blond lately. He had even checked him out once. Maybe twice. But he had tried to ignore it. He couldn't now. Sunlight was invading the room and all his emotions and thoughts were out in the open now. Something attracted him to the other boy. There was no way he could deny that. But why?
He knew it. But he wasn't ready to face it yet. That's why his conscience had created that voice; to express what he didn't dare to say.
And know he had another problem. His mystery date for tonight. He hadn't thought about it until that moment. Hope filled his heart because, a little part of him told him that it'd be Draco. But it was impossible, he was going with Pansy.
"Hey mate! You should be getting up!" shouted Ron. The others weren't there anymore. He had been thinking for quite a bit and he'd been so concentrated that he hadn't seen his friends as they left the room. He hid behind the fluffy red pillow.
"What time is it?" asked Harry, which sound more like wazimizit to Ron. The red-head knew that Harry was not a morning person, that's why he used one of the special techniques he had mastered along the years.
He pushed Harry's body until he fell from the bed.
This finally get a reaction out of the boy but it was not a friendly one. The raven-haired boy was mad at him but he controlled himself. Ron though, sensed his friend's discomfort and found it very curious.
"What happened to you? You don't normally act this way."-said Ron.
Harry sighed and sat on the floor, legs crossed eyes downcast.
"I'm sorry Ron. But I've had a bad night." His mate didn't deserve to be treated like that and he felt guilty for being so selfish.
"Don't worry. Though I'd like to know what's going on." repeated Ron sounding concerned.
Harry looked at his friend in the eye.
"I received a letter yesterday." began to say, but was interrupted.
"Was it from Snuffles?" asked Ron. It was very easy to unnerve him.
"Can you let me speak for two minutes without interrupting?"
The youngest Weasley boy nodded, feeling ashamed.
"I received this letter. There was no name in the envelope, only mine." he felt that Ron wanted to say something.
"No, it wasn't from Voldemort." Ron's body relaxed at Harry's words, but he continued listening very carefully.
"The person who send it asked me to go to the Ball with him/her."
Ron got up and chuckled.
"Well and you obviously aren't planning to go with this person right? Don't feel bad for rejecting the invitation, mate." He didn't see Harry's expression after, having waited more than two minutes for his answer, he looked at his direction.
"You aren't, are you?"
Harry didn't reply, but his eyes betrayed the secrecy he needed.
"You're nuts." and Ron left the room.
"I know, I know." said Harry, determined to get ready. It was going to be a hard day.
-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-
Hermione had been told about the mistery letter and she'd spend the whole lunch talking to Harry about how dangerous his decision could be and trying to talk him off, but he wasn't going alone, and he was still hopeful.
He was in the dorm again, trying to choose which robes would be the best. He couldn't decide between the deep green with silver trim and the midnight blue ones.
He sneaked a glance at his best friend, who was practising some dancing moves while talking to himself.
"Would you like to dance my princess?" Harry tried to stiffle his laughter.
"Of course Ronny!" replied the red-head in a high pitched voice.
Harry decided not to ask his friend about the robes. He had enough to deal with.
While thinking about how ridiculous Ron had looked, he didn't have enough time to see Neville leaving the bathroom with his toothpaste in his hand.
A few minutes later Harry left the room wearing a midnight blue set of robes, messy hair, eyes greener than ever. Fate had decided for him.
Ginny was sitting in one of the velvet armchairs that were scattered around the common room. She was beautiful.
Her shoulder-lengh ginger hair was a little bit curly. She wore no make up, she didn't need it. Her features were as soft as those of a baby and her skin seemed to glow. She was wearing a glittering silver dress that looked perfect on her. She was obviously waiting for Neville to escort her to the Great Hall.
"You're gorgeous, Gin." said the clumsy Gryffindor, who, as Harry, had been admiring his attractive girlfriend. He still couldn't believe he was going out with such a beauty. He felt ugly at her side, but that changed when they looked at each other.
She made disappear all his insecurities, she made him feel worthy.
Harry was rooted to the spot. He'd never felt so lonely before. He looked at his two friends.
Love was in the air.
It seemed that the world ended in each other.
He also wanted to feel that. That genuine love that was so rare to find. Would he find it someday?
The answer was hidden somewhere out of his reach.
The couple left the room a few minutes later and the Boy Who Lived felt a cold breeze caressing his cheek. The warm atmosphere was gone, but he still remembered feeling like thousand of butterflies were flying happily in his stomach.
"So, you were here. We've been trying to find you." said Hermione whose boyfriend was holding her hand sweetly.
"I'm sorry. I was... thinking." the trio stayed silent for a while lost in their thoughts, until they heard a loud shriek and someone laughing very hard.
Seamus Finnigan was descending the staircase tears gleaming in his eyes. His laughter was very common those days. He'd been trying to "seduce" Parvati Patil and he was happier than ever. But we couldn't say the same about the poor girl, who was shouting the Irish's name.
"Oh, please! Can you please shut up?" pleaded Dean Thomas, to his best friend.
Everybody knew that if anyone could calm Seamus down was Dean. The boy was running after his friend, his date momentarily forgotten.
To everyone's surprise, he'd asked Lavender to go with him.
"I think we should be going." suggested Hermione.
"You're right sweetie." said Ron smiling widely at his partner.
"Ronald Weasley" Hermione's voice had acquired a Mrs. Weasley's tone" are you making fun of me?."asked the witch threatingly.
But they knew she was joking. The banter between the pair was a classic.
"Of course not, my lady. Let's get going mates!." added after answering his girlfriend.
Hermione Granger was considered one of the most beautiful girls of Hogwarts.
She'd grew up a lot and her physical appearance had changed a lot as well. She still had her characteristic bushy hair, but she used a straightening charm every now and then. She had decided to let her hair down for the occasion.
Her dress was a deep red colour that matched her high-heeled shoes. She looked breath-taking, and Ron was trying to control his instincts that told him to ravish her right there.
Harry looked at the boys for a moment. Neville and Dean were wearing the same green robes, but this last had braided his now longer hair for a change. He decided he liked how it looked on him. Ron opted for brown dressing robes that had a thin red trim in the sleeves. Hermione had definitely bought those.
They were at the Great Hall's doors. Harry was trembling from head to toe. He thought of running to the dorms, but a hand didn't let him do it.
His saviour. Hermione.
"Good luck." and with a meaningful look, she and the others entered the hall.
He waited a couple of minutes. There was no one there. Maybe his partner was also scared.
He felt a light tapping in his shoulder. The time had come. He used all his courage and turn around. He gasped at what he saw.
Draco Malfoy was behind him. Wearing black robes and a grey velvet cloak. Gelled hair now flowing freely.
Draco Malfoy beautiful as ever.
"Goodnight. Would you like to go with me to the Ball?" asked the blond boy.