Chapter 4: The Dance
Harry and Stacy met Ron and Hermione at their table in the Great Hall.
Nobody was dancing, they were all at the punch table. The band was walking to the newly formed stage near the top table. Everyone cheered.
The band, the Weird Sisters, set up on the stage and began the first song. Cups, and plates were set down as guys led girls onto the dance floor. It was a fast song, but Harry and Stacy stayed at the table while Ron and Hermione went onto the dance floor.
"Ron looks really happy." commented Stacy. "I'm glad that he has a girlfriend. With only quidditch, the week before this he looked really sad."
"I noticed that, too. And I'm really happy that you said yes." Harry smiled at Stacy. She smiled back at him.
Suddenly, the tempo changed, and slowed down. "Would you like to dance?" asked Harry.
"With pleasure." Stacy replied and he led her out onto the dance floor.
They found an empty space on the floor and Stacy put her arms around Harry's neck and pulled him close. Harry put his arms around her waist, and they swayed in time with the music.
Harry told her, "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't said yes. I guess I would've been depressed the rest of the year."
She laughed quietly. "You wouldn't have been that depressed. You've got your friends, quidditch, not to mention being The Boy Who Lived—"
"Hey, it's not all it's cracked up to be, being famous and the whole world knowing you by name." argued Harry.
"Sorry." She fell silent, staring at Harry's eyes. Stacy could almost feel the depth of his love for her in them. She also noticed that they were shining with tears.
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned that she did something wrong.
"Nothing." he replied. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have found you. You're never self-conscience, and you're always friendly... well, most of the time—"Stacy gently slapped him across the arm. Harry just kept grinning.
"I know I'm lucky, too." Stacy spoke just a bit louder to be heard over the music. "With the trouble I've had with guys, I'm just glad to have found one that will accept me for me, without pressuring me to change or whatever."
"You know that I would never do that," he whispered in her ear.
"I know that now, since you swore, and Hermione and Ron told me"
Harry was surprised. "When did you talk to Ron and Hermione?"
There was an evil glint in her eyes. "Oh, you know, different times, at lunch, when your at quidditch...." she grinned.
Harry smiled back thinking, She is so beautiful when she smiles, it just lights up her face. Go Harry, go Harry! he silently chanted to himself as Stacy pulled him closer and put her head on his shoulder and hugged him while they were still dancing.
"I'm so glad I met you Harry." She murmured in his ear.
"Me, too." Harry replied softly, caressing her hair. "Do you want to go outside?" he asked, wanting to have some time alone.
"Sure," replied Stacy, also wanting the same thing, though she didn't know it. They broke apart, but still held hands as they walked out the doors and into a garden that had magically appeared for the dance. Harry and Stacy sat down on one of the numerous benches in the shadows and Stacy got very close to Harry because her dress robes didn't keep her warm and the night was growing cold, and she knew that Harry would keep her safe.
Suddenly, she started to sob. It started small, but gradually got bigger and Harry noticed. "Sweet, what's wrong?" he asked, concern radiating from his eyes.
"It's just....sob....so much happening....my boyfriend....changing schools....meeting you....sob....the dance...." she trailed off into silence. Harry put his arms around her and his lips on her hair.
"I never knew it was so hard on you," said Harry quietly. "You know you can come to me anytime right?"
Stacy looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears, making her brown eyes sparkle in the moonlight. Harry smiled at the trust he could see in her and moved closer.
"I'll always be there for you," ha said, and he kissed her lips lightly, the way she liked it. Harry pulled away a few inches after awhile.
"I know you will be." Stacy replied, stunned at what just happened. She put her arms his neck and put her head on his shoulder.
Go Harry, go Harry, go Harry! he chanted in his head. He put his arms around her waist and just held her.
Many thoughts were going through Stacy's head after Harry kissed her. Oh my god! He is such a good kisser! He was even better than Jess, and Jess was a really good kisser. (A/N: her former boyfriend) I wish that moment would last forever. This is my perfect boyfriend.
Stacy and Harry stayed out in the garden for what seemed like a long time. After they kissed, time seemed to slow down, even the fountain sounded slower from where they were. But in fact, they had only been out there for about an hour.
"You know," said Harry after awhile, startling Stacy, who was falling asleep on Harry's shoulder. "We should probably go in now."
"You're right," replied Stacy in a hoarse whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. "You're right. Do you know how long we've been out here?" she looked at Harry questionably. "No clue." he replied with a shrug.
Stacy stood up, and promptly lost her balance and fell on Harry's lap, totally knocking the breath out of him. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed her to keep her from falling. "Thanks, sorry bout that." She said as she helped Harry stand up from the bench. Stacy giggled quietly. "I'm just a klutz. I've been doing that all my life. I'd hoped that it wouldn't happen tonight, but I guess I jinxed it so I would."
"But you can't be a klutz. You danced wonderfully back in the Great Hall," protested Harry. "And someone like you doesn't look like a klutz. You're graceful. Thank you fro gracing the halls of Hogwarts so I would notice you and ask you out." Stacy blushed at the compliment, but Harry didn't see because it was so dark.
They put their arms around each other and walked out of the garden, back into the Great Hall; out of the darkness into the light.
Stacy found Ron and Hermione sitting at a table with butterbeer bottles in their hands. She waved Harry over from where he went to get them drinks. Ron and Hermione's faces were flushed from dancing so much while Stacy and Harry were in the garden.
"Were you two dancing this whole time?" asked an amazed Harry who walked up carrying drinks.
"Yep, this is our first break since you and Stacy went outside." replied Ron, whose face now matched the color of his hair.
They talked for awhile, but when another slow song came on both boys stood up. "Would you like to dance?" they said in unison. Their dates grinned. "Delighted to." and the couples walked out onto the dance floor.
Ron and Harry grinned at each other over Stacy and Hermione's shoulders, and kept dancing.
When the dance ended, couples in different Houses said good-night, and Ron, Harry, Stacy, and Hermione made their way to the marble staircase and their common room.
Harry caught Stacy's hand and held it, not wanting this special night to end. But instead, she put his arm around her waist, and she did the same to him. They smiled at each other, but didn't say anything, just enjoyed being in each others company. Ron and Hermione, however, were chatting all the way to the portrait hole.
The fire was casting a warm glow on the common room when they walked in. The friends made their way to the couch in front of the fire to relax. The boys sat on the ends, with their dates in the middle. Stacy leaned on Harry, and Hermione leaned on Ron. Harry played with Stacy's hair, and Ron just wrapped his arms around Hermione.
After awhile, Stacy's eyelids began to droop, and she fell asleep. Soon afterwards, Hermione did the same. The boys stayed up a little later, but they too, were tired. The two best friends fell asleep on the common room couch with their girlfriends already asleep on their laps, and small smiles were playing across their lips.
Harry and Stacy met Ron and Hermione at their table in the Great Hall.
Nobody was dancing, they were all at the punch table. The band was walking to the newly formed stage near the top table. Everyone cheered.
The band, the Weird Sisters, set up on the stage and began the first song. Cups, and plates were set down as guys led girls onto the dance floor. It was a fast song, but Harry and Stacy stayed at the table while Ron and Hermione went onto the dance floor.
"Ron looks really happy." commented Stacy. "I'm glad that he has a girlfriend. With only quidditch, the week before this he looked really sad."
"I noticed that, too. And I'm really happy that you said yes." Harry smiled at Stacy. She smiled back at him.
Suddenly, the tempo changed, and slowed down. "Would you like to dance?" asked Harry.
"With pleasure." Stacy replied and he led her out onto the dance floor.
They found an empty space on the floor and Stacy put her arms around Harry's neck and pulled him close. Harry put his arms around her waist, and they swayed in time with the music.
Harry told her, "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't said yes. I guess I would've been depressed the rest of the year."
She laughed quietly. "You wouldn't have been that depressed. You've got your friends, quidditch, not to mention being The Boy Who Lived—"
"Hey, it's not all it's cracked up to be, being famous and the whole world knowing you by name." argued Harry.
"Sorry." She fell silent, staring at Harry's eyes. Stacy could almost feel the depth of his love for her in them. She also noticed that they were shining with tears.
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned that she did something wrong.
"Nothing." he replied. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have found you. You're never self-conscience, and you're always friendly... well, most of the time—"Stacy gently slapped him across the arm. Harry just kept grinning.
"I know I'm lucky, too." Stacy spoke just a bit louder to be heard over the music. "With the trouble I've had with guys, I'm just glad to have found one that will accept me for me, without pressuring me to change or whatever."
"You know that I would never do that," he whispered in her ear.
"I know that now, since you swore, and Hermione and Ron told me"
Harry was surprised. "When did you talk to Ron and Hermione?"
There was an evil glint in her eyes. "Oh, you know, different times, at lunch, when your at quidditch...." she grinned.
Harry smiled back thinking, She is so beautiful when she smiles, it just lights up her face. Go Harry, go Harry! he silently chanted to himself as Stacy pulled him closer and put her head on his shoulder and hugged him while they were still dancing.
"I'm so glad I met you Harry." She murmured in his ear.
"Me, too." Harry replied softly, caressing her hair. "Do you want to go outside?" he asked, wanting to have some time alone.
"Sure," replied Stacy, also wanting the same thing, though she didn't know it. They broke apart, but still held hands as they walked out the doors and into a garden that had magically appeared for the dance. Harry and Stacy sat down on one of the numerous benches in the shadows and Stacy got very close to Harry because her dress robes didn't keep her warm and the night was growing cold, and she knew that Harry would keep her safe.
Suddenly, she started to sob. It started small, but gradually got bigger and Harry noticed. "Sweet, what's wrong?" he asked, concern radiating from his eyes.
"It's just....sob....so much happening....my boyfriend....changing schools....meeting you....sob....the dance...." she trailed off into silence. Harry put his arms around her and his lips on her hair.
"I never knew it was so hard on you," said Harry quietly. "You know you can come to me anytime right?"
Stacy looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears, making her brown eyes sparkle in the moonlight. Harry smiled at the trust he could see in her and moved closer.
"I'll always be there for you," ha said, and he kissed her lips lightly, the way she liked it. Harry pulled away a few inches after awhile.
"I know you will be." Stacy replied, stunned at what just happened. She put her arms his neck and put her head on his shoulder.
Go Harry, go Harry, go Harry! he chanted in his head. He put his arms around her waist and just held her.
Many thoughts were going through Stacy's head after Harry kissed her. Oh my god! He is such a good kisser! He was even better than Jess, and Jess was a really good kisser. (A/N: her former boyfriend) I wish that moment would last forever. This is my perfect boyfriend.
Stacy and Harry stayed out in the garden for what seemed like a long time. After they kissed, time seemed to slow down, even the fountain sounded slower from where they were. But in fact, they had only been out there for about an hour.
"You know," said Harry after awhile, startling Stacy, who was falling asleep on Harry's shoulder. "We should probably go in now."
"You're right," replied Stacy in a hoarse whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. "You're right. Do you know how long we've been out here?" she looked at Harry questionably. "No clue." he replied with a shrug.
Stacy stood up, and promptly lost her balance and fell on Harry's lap, totally knocking the breath out of him. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed her to keep her from falling. "Thanks, sorry bout that." She said as she helped Harry stand up from the bench. Stacy giggled quietly. "I'm just a klutz. I've been doing that all my life. I'd hoped that it wouldn't happen tonight, but I guess I jinxed it so I would."
"But you can't be a klutz. You danced wonderfully back in the Great Hall," protested Harry. "And someone like you doesn't look like a klutz. You're graceful. Thank you fro gracing the halls of Hogwarts so I would notice you and ask you out." Stacy blushed at the compliment, but Harry didn't see because it was so dark.
They put their arms around each other and walked out of the garden, back into the Great Hall; out of the darkness into the light.
Stacy found Ron and Hermione sitting at a table with butterbeer bottles in their hands. She waved Harry over from where he went to get them drinks. Ron and Hermione's faces were flushed from dancing so much while Stacy and Harry were in the garden.
"Were you two dancing this whole time?" asked an amazed Harry who walked up carrying drinks.
"Yep, this is our first break since you and Stacy went outside." replied Ron, whose face now matched the color of his hair.
They talked for awhile, but when another slow song came on both boys stood up. "Would you like to dance?" they said in unison. Their dates grinned. "Delighted to." and the couples walked out onto the dance floor.
Ron and Harry grinned at each other over Stacy and Hermione's shoulders, and kept dancing.
When the dance ended, couples in different Houses said good-night, and Ron, Harry, Stacy, and Hermione made their way to the marble staircase and their common room.
Harry caught Stacy's hand and held it, not wanting this special night to end. But instead, she put his arm around her waist, and she did the same to him. They smiled at each other, but didn't say anything, just enjoyed being in each others company. Ron and Hermione, however, were chatting all the way to the portrait hole.
The fire was casting a warm glow on the common room when they walked in. The friends made their way to the couch in front of the fire to relax. The boys sat on the ends, with their dates in the middle. Stacy leaned on Harry, and Hermione leaned on Ron. Harry played with Stacy's hair, and Ron just wrapped his arms around Hermione.
After awhile, Stacy's eyelids began to droop, and she fell asleep. Soon afterwards, Hermione did the same. The boys stayed up a little later, but they too, were tired. The two best friends fell asleep on the common room couch with their girlfriends already asleep on their laps, and small smiles were playing across their lips.