Harry and Hermione returned to the common room just as Ron was going down to dinner.
"Finally, you two took forever!" He said, looking determinedly at Harry.
"Can we just go eat? I'm starving!" Hermione beamed at Harry, giving a small wink as she turned on her heel and walked to the Great Hall. Harry and Ron both followed suit, running to catch up with her
When they got to the Great Hall, the few students and teachers still at the school were seated around one of the long house tables and the other tables had been pushed to the side of the room between the 12 towering Christmas trees.
Hagrid waved at Harry as he sat down next to Ron and Hermione. He returned the wave with a friendly smile. Dumbledore looked his normal self but in stunning robes of red and green, making him look like Father Christmas himself, he stood up and cleared his throat and the hall fell silent.
"As we patiently await the arrival of our last two dinner guest, who are walking down the hall right now, I would like to take this time to tell you that I have quite a large announcement that will take place after dinner, and dinner shall take place as soon as our student and teacher duet who are so absentmindedly late for dinner arrive."
As he said that Ginny and Professor Trelawney strolled into the room as if nothing had happened. Harry looked up at Ginny and made eye contact, they blushed simultaneously as Professor Trelawney took her seat next to Hagrid, and apologized to Dumbledore for being late. Ginny sat down next to Hermione and began talking excitedly to her.
Dumbledore nodded an approval to Professor Trelawney and winked at Ginny then cleared his throat again and said, "Tuck in."
Instantly the plates before them were filled with food and everyone heaped helpings onto their plates and began to eat. Ginny was still talking avidly to Hermione as dinner came to an end, and the food was cleaned off the plates, but unusually the plates stayed on the and finally Dumbledore cleared his throat again to gain attention. Ginny didn't seem to notice until Hermione elbowed her and told her to shut up.
"Now, for my big announcement. I was going to hold this event last year, but alas, was not able to for…obvious reasons." A trickle of laughter ran through the students while Dumbledore's eyes sparkled more brightly than ever.
"As I was saying, I thought you all had a wonderful time at the dance two years ago, during the TriWizard Tournament, so I talked it over with the other professors, and we all agree that we should have another dance, but it is up to you all on whether we have it during break or once the rest of the students get back."
There was a murmur of excitement from the students and Dumbledore continued.
"So, in order to do this, I have put a spell on the bottom of your plates, if you would please turn them over and look at the bottoms, you will notice that there are two buttons, the top one is if you would like to wait until after break, and the bottom is if you would like to have it this Friday night."
Harry turned over his plate and looked at the two large red buttons on the bottom. He looked to his right and saw Ron press the bottom one, and on his left Hermione and Ginny did the same, he followed and pressed the bottom, instantly the buttons disappeared and Harry set his plate back down on the table and looked at Dumbledore. He had sat down and like his fellow teachers was pressing one of the buttons on his plate.
About ten minutes later, Dumbledore stood and surveyed the table, making sure that everyone was done voting and then clapped his hands together for silence. Everyone's eyes were glued on him and his eyes were glimmering under his half-moon spectacles. He picked up his own plate again and turned it over, nodding his head as if reading something on the back. Harry realized that the results must have been revealed on the back of Dumbledore's plate.
"Very well then, our dance shall be this Friday night, Christmas Eve. I expect you all to have good behavior until then, and your dress robes are to be worn, you are excused."
Harry looked at Ron who was grinning happily and then at Hermione who winked at him again, and then stood up. The rest of the way to the tower they all talked happily about the upcoming event in 3 days. Once they got to the common room, they took their normal seats by the fire and Ginny pulled up one and sat next to Hermione.
"I can't wait!" Ginny giggled to Hermione, Harry remembered how she had gone with Neville to the dance two years ago, hoping that she may go with him this time. He made a mental note to himself to see if Neville had gone home for Christmas or not.
The rest of the night in the common room was filled with talk of the dance and who partners would be, Harry still had to get up enough nerve to ask Ginny to go, and he was determined to by the end of the night. Ron on the other hand had absorbed himself in Hogwarts, a History again. Harry interrupted him finally because it was getting late and he could tell Ron was getting tired.
"Hey Ron, wanna' take a break from that for a second and talk to me?" He asked jokingly.
"Huh? Oh, sure, what about?"
"The dance, who are you thinking of asking?" At this Harry saw Hermione's head snap up from the corner of his eye.
"Oh, well, umm, I'm not really sure yet." He said, nervously glancing at Hermione. "Who are you asking?"
"Well," he gulped, "as long as you don't mind Ron, I was going to ask Ginny."
Ron raised an eyebrow and said, "No, I guess not, at least she's going with someone I can trust, I'm sure mum'll be bloody happy about it too."
"What about mum?" Ginny had come back down from the dormitory and was now standing next to Ron.
"Well Harry here…" He was cut off as Harry elbowed him hard in the ribs and gave him a dark scowl.
Ginny looked at Harry and blushed, "What about Harry?"
Harry took over from where Ron left off, "Well Ginny, I was wondering if you would like to go to the Christmas dance with me?"
Ginny blushed so deep red that her face matched her hair, "W-w-well yes, I suppose that would be nice, I'd love to go with you Harry."
Harry felt his heart leap and couldn't say another word, he nodded, glad that it was over, and a lot easier than he thought it would be for him. Ginny nodded again, color still rushing to her cheeks and walked away back up to the girls dormitory. Hermione grinned at him and bid him and Ron goodnight and followed her. Soon he and Ron were the only people in the common room.
"Ron, ask Hermione to the dance." Harry said out of the blue.
Ron looked up, his face resembled Ginny's after Harry had asked her. "W-why do you say that?"
"Well, there's no Krum, and I can tell you like her Ron, don't play stupid."
Ron looked into the fire and nodded his head, "Well Harry, I'm off to bed, are you coming up?"
"Yeah, I'll be up in a second."
Ron stood up and grabbed Hermione's book and went up to the boy's dormitory, leaving Harry alone in the common room. He started to stand up when he heard hushed footsteps coming down the stone steps. He heard a small gasp and turned around.
*************************
A/N ending the chapter here, this could get interesting, I'm going to write the next chapter today, I'm on a roll!
Natalie
"Finally, you two took forever!" He said, looking determinedly at Harry.
"Can we just go eat? I'm starving!" Hermione beamed at Harry, giving a small wink as she turned on her heel and walked to the Great Hall. Harry and Ron both followed suit, running to catch up with her
When they got to the Great Hall, the few students and teachers still at the school were seated around one of the long house tables and the other tables had been pushed to the side of the room between the 12 towering Christmas trees.
Hagrid waved at Harry as he sat down next to Ron and Hermione. He returned the wave with a friendly smile. Dumbledore looked his normal self but in stunning robes of red and green, making him look like Father Christmas himself, he stood up and cleared his throat and the hall fell silent.
"As we patiently await the arrival of our last two dinner guest, who are walking down the hall right now, I would like to take this time to tell you that I have quite a large announcement that will take place after dinner, and dinner shall take place as soon as our student and teacher duet who are so absentmindedly late for dinner arrive."
As he said that Ginny and Professor Trelawney strolled into the room as if nothing had happened. Harry looked up at Ginny and made eye contact, they blushed simultaneously as Professor Trelawney took her seat next to Hagrid, and apologized to Dumbledore for being late. Ginny sat down next to Hermione and began talking excitedly to her.
Dumbledore nodded an approval to Professor Trelawney and winked at Ginny then cleared his throat again and said, "Tuck in."
Instantly the plates before them were filled with food and everyone heaped helpings onto their plates and began to eat. Ginny was still talking avidly to Hermione as dinner came to an end, and the food was cleaned off the plates, but unusually the plates stayed on the and finally Dumbledore cleared his throat again to gain attention. Ginny didn't seem to notice until Hermione elbowed her and told her to shut up.
"Now, for my big announcement. I was going to hold this event last year, but alas, was not able to for…obvious reasons." A trickle of laughter ran through the students while Dumbledore's eyes sparkled more brightly than ever.
"As I was saying, I thought you all had a wonderful time at the dance two years ago, during the TriWizard Tournament, so I talked it over with the other professors, and we all agree that we should have another dance, but it is up to you all on whether we have it during break or once the rest of the students get back."
There was a murmur of excitement from the students and Dumbledore continued.
"So, in order to do this, I have put a spell on the bottom of your plates, if you would please turn them over and look at the bottoms, you will notice that there are two buttons, the top one is if you would like to wait until after break, and the bottom is if you would like to have it this Friday night."
Harry turned over his plate and looked at the two large red buttons on the bottom. He looked to his right and saw Ron press the bottom one, and on his left Hermione and Ginny did the same, he followed and pressed the bottom, instantly the buttons disappeared and Harry set his plate back down on the table and looked at Dumbledore. He had sat down and like his fellow teachers was pressing one of the buttons on his plate.
About ten minutes later, Dumbledore stood and surveyed the table, making sure that everyone was done voting and then clapped his hands together for silence. Everyone's eyes were glued on him and his eyes were glimmering under his half-moon spectacles. He picked up his own plate again and turned it over, nodding his head as if reading something on the back. Harry realized that the results must have been revealed on the back of Dumbledore's plate.
"Very well then, our dance shall be this Friday night, Christmas Eve. I expect you all to have good behavior until then, and your dress robes are to be worn, you are excused."
Harry looked at Ron who was grinning happily and then at Hermione who winked at him again, and then stood up. The rest of the way to the tower they all talked happily about the upcoming event in 3 days. Once they got to the common room, they took their normal seats by the fire and Ginny pulled up one and sat next to Hermione.
"I can't wait!" Ginny giggled to Hermione, Harry remembered how she had gone with Neville to the dance two years ago, hoping that she may go with him this time. He made a mental note to himself to see if Neville had gone home for Christmas or not.
The rest of the night in the common room was filled with talk of the dance and who partners would be, Harry still had to get up enough nerve to ask Ginny to go, and he was determined to by the end of the night. Ron on the other hand had absorbed himself in Hogwarts, a History again. Harry interrupted him finally because it was getting late and he could tell Ron was getting tired.
"Hey Ron, wanna' take a break from that for a second and talk to me?" He asked jokingly.
"Huh? Oh, sure, what about?"
"The dance, who are you thinking of asking?" At this Harry saw Hermione's head snap up from the corner of his eye.
"Oh, well, umm, I'm not really sure yet." He said, nervously glancing at Hermione. "Who are you asking?"
"Well," he gulped, "as long as you don't mind Ron, I was going to ask Ginny."
Ron raised an eyebrow and said, "No, I guess not, at least she's going with someone I can trust, I'm sure mum'll be bloody happy about it too."
"What about mum?" Ginny had come back down from the dormitory and was now standing next to Ron.
"Well Harry here…" He was cut off as Harry elbowed him hard in the ribs and gave him a dark scowl.
Ginny looked at Harry and blushed, "What about Harry?"
Harry took over from where Ron left off, "Well Ginny, I was wondering if you would like to go to the Christmas dance with me?"
Ginny blushed so deep red that her face matched her hair, "W-w-well yes, I suppose that would be nice, I'd love to go with you Harry."
Harry felt his heart leap and couldn't say another word, he nodded, glad that it was over, and a lot easier than he thought it would be for him. Ginny nodded again, color still rushing to her cheeks and walked away back up to the girls dormitory. Hermione grinned at him and bid him and Ron goodnight and followed her. Soon he and Ron were the only people in the common room.
"Ron, ask Hermione to the dance." Harry said out of the blue.
Ron looked up, his face resembled Ginny's after Harry had asked her. "W-why do you say that?"
"Well, there's no Krum, and I can tell you like her Ron, don't play stupid."
Ron looked into the fire and nodded his head, "Well Harry, I'm off to bed, are you coming up?"
"Yeah, I'll be up in a second."
Ron stood up and grabbed Hermione's book and went up to the boy's dormitory, leaving Harry alone in the common room. He started to stand up when he heard hushed footsteps coming down the stone steps. He heard a small gasp and turned around.
*************************
A/N ending the chapter here, this could get interesting, I'm going to write the next chapter today, I'm on a roll!
Natalie