Chapter 15
The Ball
It was the day of the ball and the Gryffindor common room was in a flurry of excitement. Girls were discussing how they were doing there hair and the boys were talking about there dates. Harry had still not asked Hermione to the dance and it was bugging Willow. The only reason it was bugging her was because they would keep coming to her and asking if they thought the other one liked them and if they did how come they didn't ask them to the dance.
Willow could have strangled them both if she was able to keep her mind on the conversation. But her mind kept wandering to Tom. She couldn't stop thinking about him lately and she didn't know why. Probably because of his nutcase theory that I have to save the world, she thought to herself
Finally it was eight o'clock, time to go down to the dance. Willow was wearing an emerald green dress robe, Hermione was wearing her baby blue, and Harry was wearing a midnight blue. They walked into the Great Hall and saw hordes of students out in the middle of the Great Hall dancing. The hall was spotted with bright colors instead of its usual black making it more festive than usual.
They all sat down with Willow in the middle. "Do you think she likes me?" Harry leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I don't know, why don't you ask her to dance?" Willow replied tiredly. He shook his head, "I cant. If she doesn't like me than I made a complete fool of myself."
"Hey, Will," Hermione whispered in her ear. "Ya, ya, I know. You don't know if he likes you that's why you won't ask him to dance. Well you know what? He does," Willow said standing up and grabbing both of their robes in the back. "He likes you, she likes you. So dance," she said pushing them onto the dance floor and smiling a sly grin as she watched them dance happily in each others arms.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see Ron smiling goofily at her. "Would you like to dance?" he said trying to make his voice sound deeper. "Um," she said, "I would but I don't think me date would like it if I danced with someone else," she smiled.
"I don't see your date," he said searching around the room. "Oh, he's, he's right here," she said fishing behind her back until she felt her fingers close around some ones robe. She pulled it towards her and found her face just inches away from Tom's. "Hello," he smiled. She dropped him in surprise and he landed with a dull thud.
"You're dating a teacher? Where are your priority's, woman?" Ron said with a disgusted look as he walked across the room. "You have a strange way of finding dates," Tom said getting off the floor and dusting himself off. "Go away," she mumbled moodily resting her chin in her hands. "That's no way to talk to your date," he said smiling widely.
"You're really enjoying this aren't you?" Willow said looking at him from the corner of her eye. He shrugged still smiling and turned towards her, "You should really enjoy yourself, you know. Don't sit here the whole time feeling sorry for yourself."
"I'm not," she said grumpily. "You know, dancing always seems to get people out of their grumpy moods," he said nervously. "Are you suggesting something?" she said raising her eyebrow at him. He shrugged and turned to hide his blushing.
Willow sighed, I really haven't been to nice to him lately, have I? she asked herself. No, came a voice from in her head. Not you again, she thought.
Yep, me. Aren't you so happy to see me?
So happy.
You should really dance with him.
Why?
'Cause you know you want to.
No, I don't.
Yes, you do.
Okay, maybe just a little bit.
See, I told you.
Oh, be quiet.
Well, say yes. He did just ask you to dance you know.
Fine.
"Okay, Tom," she said trying to sound against the whole thing. "Huh?" he asked. "I'll dance with you," she said with a slight smile playing on her lips. "Really? I mean, uh, okay," he managed standing up. They walked onto the dance floor and Willow nervously slipped her arms around his neck as he set his hands on her waist. Instantly chills ran up and down her spine. She began to find it hard to think as she got light headed. What's up with me tonight? she thought to herself as she glided gracefully across the dance floor with Tom.
The music stopped and Willow was trapped staring into Tom's bluer than blue eyes. A sort of, warm feeling swept over her while she was there in his arms and she panicked. "I-I need some air," she said walking quickly out of the hall and out of the castle until she reached the gardens. She sat down on a bench that over looked the lake. The moons beams bounced playfully off the lakes surface.
"Willow?" she heard someone say from behind her. She turned and saw Tom's concerned face looking at her. "Can I sit down?" he asked nervously as he motioned to the seat next to her. Willow just nodded and he sat down. "Are you okay?" he asked concerned. She nodded, carefully making sure she didn't look him in the eye.
They sat in silence for a while, just staring out at the lake until Tom spoke up. "Willow, why don't you believe me?" he asked. Willow didn't even have to ask what he was talking about, she knew he was referring to the whole, 'you're the Key' bit. "I guess, I guess it's because I don't want to believe you. That's all," she answered quietly. "But Willow, why? Why don't you want to believe me?" he asked again. "Because it's all a lie, that's all it is. If it was true I would have heard about it a long time ago," she answered.
"Why? Why would I lie to you? I would never lie to you, Willow ," Tom said sounding hurt. She could tell by the sound of his voice that she had been wrong all along, he wasn't a crazed out nut job. He was a sincere person trying to help her. "I know, Tom, I know. It's just, just, I don't want to save the world," she whispered. "Willow, no ones going to make you save the world. It's your choice, but remember, if the world falls, your going to go with it," Tom said scooting closer to her.
Willow just sat there without noticing with a frown on her face. She hated to admit it, but he was right. "Don't ever frown," he said taking a finger under her chin and lifting her face towards his, "'cause you never when some one is falling in love with your smile."
Willow couldn't help but smile then, looking into his eyes. She unknowingly began to lean forward until her lips met his. She took her self by surprise and undoubtedly took Tom by surprise. After a few minutes she pulled away slowly. "Thanks for helping my feel better about the whole save the world thing," she said unable to control her smile. "No problem," Tom said in a voice several octaves higher than his own. Willow laughed, "Well, I better go, bye" she said getting up and walking off happily towards the castle.
In Harry's head
They all sat down with Willow in the middle. "Do you think she likes me?" Harry leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I don't know, why don't you ask her to dance?" Willow replied tiredly. He shook his head, "I cant. If she doesn't like me than I made a complete fool of myself."
Then he heard Hermione whisper something in Willow's ear. "Ya, ya, I know. You don't know if he likes you that's why you won't ask him to dance. Well you know what? He does," Willow said standing up and grabbing both of their robes in the back. "He likes you, she likes you. So dance," she said pushing them onto the dance floor.
Harry nervously set his hands on Hermione's waist and she set hers around his neck. "Was what Will said really true?" Harry asked awkwardly. "Yes," she said quietly as she avoided his eyes. "Good. Because it would hurt to much to like someone who doesn't like me back," Harry said smiling down at her. "Really?" she asked looking up into his eyes. He nodded and slowly leaned in until their lips met. Instantly chills ran down his spine. He didn't know how long they were there but he know it was all too short when she pulled away and smiled.
"Hermione, do you- will you be my girlfriend?" Harry asked anxiously. "Yes, I will be your girlfriend," she answered smiling and kissing him again.
The Ball
It was the day of the ball and the Gryffindor common room was in a flurry of excitement. Girls were discussing how they were doing there hair and the boys were talking about there dates. Harry had still not asked Hermione to the dance and it was bugging Willow. The only reason it was bugging her was because they would keep coming to her and asking if they thought the other one liked them and if they did how come they didn't ask them to the dance.
Willow could have strangled them both if she was able to keep her mind on the conversation. But her mind kept wandering to Tom. She couldn't stop thinking about him lately and she didn't know why. Probably because of his nutcase theory that I have to save the world, she thought to herself
Finally it was eight o'clock, time to go down to the dance. Willow was wearing an emerald green dress robe, Hermione was wearing her baby blue, and Harry was wearing a midnight blue. They walked into the Great Hall and saw hordes of students out in the middle of the Great Hall dancing. The hall was spotted with bright colors instead of its usual black making it more festive than usual.
They all sat down with Willow in the middle. "Do you think she likes me?" Harry leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I don't know, why don't you ask her to dance?" Willow replied tiredly. He shook his head, "I cant. If she doesn't like me than I made a complete fool of myself."
"Hey, Will," Hermione whispered in her ear. "Ya, ya, I know. You don't know if he likes you that's why you won't ask him to dance. Well you know what? He does," Willow said standing up and grabbing both of their robes in the back. "He likes you, she likes you. So dance," she said pushing them onto the dance floor and smiling a sly grin as she watched them dance happily in each others arms.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see Ron smiling goofily at her. "Would you like to dance?" he said trying to make his voice sound deeper. "Um," she said, "I would but I don't think me date would like it if I danced with someone else," she smiled.
"I don't see your date," he said searching around the room. "Oh, he's, he's right here," she said fishing behind her back until she felt her fingers close around some ones robe. She pulled it towards her and found her face just inches away from Tom's. "Hello," he smiled. She dropped him in surprise and he landed with a dull thud.
"You're dating a teacher? Where are your priority's, woman?" Ron said with a disgusted look as he walked across the room. "You have a strange way of finding dates," Tom said getting off the floor and dusting himself off. "Go away," she mumbled moodily resting her chin in her hands. "That's no way to talk to your date," he said smiling widely.
"You're really enjoying this aren't you?" Willow said looking at him from the corner of her eye. He shrugged still smiling and turned towards her, "You should really enjoy yourself, you know. Don't sit here the whole time feeling sorry for yourself."
"I'm not," she said grumpily. "You know, dancing always seems to get people out of their grumpy moods," he said nervously. "Are you suggesting something?" she said raising her eyebrow at him. He shrugged and turned to hide his blushing.
Willow sighed, I really haven't been to nice to him lately, have I? she asked herself. No, came a voice from in her head. Not you again, she thought.
Yep, me. Aren't you so happy to see me?
So happy.
You should really dance with him.
Why?
'Cause you know you want to.
No, I don't.
Yes, you do.
Okay, maybe just a little bit.
See, I told you.
Oh, be quiet.
Well, say yes. He did just ask you to dance you know.
Fine.
"Okay, Tom," she said trying to sound against the whole thing. "Huh?" he asked. "I'll dance with you," she said with a slight smile playing on her lips. "Really? I mean, uh, okay," he managed standing up. They walked onto the dance floor and Willow nervously slipped her arms around his neck as he set his hands on her waist. Instantly chills ran up and down her spine. She began to find it hard to think as she got light headed. What's up with me tonight? she thought to herself as she glided gracefully across the dance floor with Tom.
The music stopped and Willow was trapped staring into Tom's bluer than blue eyes. A sort of, warm feeling swept over her while she was there in his arms and she panicked. "I-I need some air," she said walking quickly out of the hall and out of the castle until she reached the gardens. She sat down on a bench that over looked the lake. The moons beams bounced playfully off the lakes surface.
"Willow?" she heard someone say from behind her. She turned and saw Tom's concerned face looking at her. "Can I sit down?" he asked nervously as he motioned to the seat next to her. Willow just nodded and he sat down. "Are you okay?" he asked concerned. She nodded, carefully making sure she didn't look him in the eye.
They sat in silence for a while, just staring out at the lake until Tom spoke up. "Willow, why don't you believe me?" he asked. Willow didn't even have to ask what he was talking about, she knew he was referring to the whole, 'you're the Key' bit. "I guess, I guess it's because I don't want to believe you. That's all," she answered quietly. "But Willow, why? Why don't you want to believe me?" he asked again. "Because it's all a lie, that's all it is. If it was true I would have heard about it a long time ago," she answered.
"Why? Why would I lie to you? I would never lie to you, Willow ," Tom said sounding hurt. She could tell by the sound of his voice that she had been wrong all along, he wasn't a crazed out nut job. He was a sincere person trying to help her. "I know, Tom, I know. It's just, just, I don't want to save the world," she whispered. "Willow, no ones going to make you save the world. It's your choice, but remember, if the world falls, your going to go with it," Tom said scooting closer to her.
Willow just sat there without noticing with a frown on her face. She hated to admit it, but he was right. "Don't ever frown," he said taking a finger under her chin and lifting her face towards his, "'cause you never when some one is falling in love with your smile."
Willow couldn't help but smile then, looking into his eyes. She unknowingly began to lean forward until her lips met his. She took her self by surprise and undoubtedly took Tom by surprise. After a few minutes she pulled away slowly. "Thanks for helping my feel better about the whole save the world thing," she said unable to control her smile. "No problem," Tom said in a voice several octaves higher than his own. Willow laughed, "Well, I better go, bye" she said getting up and walking off happily towards the castle.
In Harry's head
They all sat down with Willow in the middle. "Do you think she likes me?" Harry leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I don't know, why don't you ask her to dance?" Willow replied tiredly. He shook his head, "I cant. If she doesn't like me than I made a complete fool of myself."
Then he heard Hermione whisper something in Willow's ear. "Ya, ya, I know. You don't know if he likes you that's why you won't ask him to dance. Well you know what? He does," Willow said standing up and grabbing both of their robes in the back. "He likes you, she likes you. So dance," she said pushing them onto the dance floor.
Harry nervously set his hands on Hermione's waist and she set hers around his neck. "Was what Will said really true?" Harry asked awkwardly. "Yes," she said quietly as she avoided his eyes. "Good. Because it would hurt to much to like someone who doesn't like me back," Harry said smiling down at her. "Really?" she asked looking up into his eyes. He nodded and slowly leaned in until their lips met. Instantly chills ran down his spine. He didn't know how long they were there but he know it was all too short when she pulled away and smiled.
"Hermione, do you- will you be my girlfriend?" Harry asked anxiously. "Yes, I will be your girlfriend," she answered smiling and kissing him again.