Author's note: I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry about the long wait! I just got caught up in another story, and school and everything. I'm sooo sooo sorry!
Reviewers:
Dragonfirechick: After I finish this chapter, I REALLY need to check my emails! Sorry! Anyway, yah. Harry's a jerk. He was a jerk when he was yelling at Hermione and Ron in the 5th book, and also when he yelled at Dumbledore. He can be such a git sometimes.
Architect04: YAY! You reviewed! (throws cookies) Thank you SO SO much!
WildWolf15: Yah, she does. But, oh well. That's how I made her, and that's who she is.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of J.K.R works. I also don't own Enya's song, 'Only Time'.
Secrets in the Shadows
Chapter 9: The Dance
Haylie avoided Harry the rest of the week. She just didn't have anything to say. She felt a little guilty about this, but she just wasn't used to fighting, so she didn't know how to react. Should she let Harry apologize? Should she do it herself? Should she kind of put it aside and forget about it? Haylie was getting so tense and edgy, not being able to confine this worries to anyone.
On Friday, a package came to her. It was quite long and wide, and about four owls carried it. It was sent to her while she was in the common room after dinner. She opened it, revealing a beautiful black antique-looking dress with gold satin trim on the bottom, the sleeves and around the waist. On top of the dress was a smaller box with a note attached. She opened the note, and read it:
Dear Natasha,
This dress was your great-grandmother's. As you know, she was the last witch in the family, until you came along. She wore this to the balls at Hogwarts, and I'm sure she would have wanted you to wear it. It is in good shape, for your great-grandmother placed some sort of preserving charm on it. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day.
Love,
Mom and Dad
Haylie put aside the letter and opened the box. Seeing what was inside, she drew a sharp breath.
It was a stunning gold chocker necklace. It formed two 'U' shapes, the lowest one making the bigger 'U'.
Haylie just stared at it with her mouth gaping open. This necklace was her mother's, passed down from her mother, and so on.
Haylie beamed, closing both boxes, and hid it under the bed for tomorrow.
Harry was not exactly looking forward to the dance. Many girls had asked him to go with them, but he gently turned them down. He just didn't feel like going to the dance with anyone. He wanted to just watch, be a bystander.
Harry had been quite shaken from Wednesday night with the fight with Haylie. He pondered what she meant by 'He didn't have to live with the guilt'. Because she caught herself before she could say anything else, he had no clue why she said that. But whatever she meant, Harry did have guilt. About Sirius' and Cedric's deaths. About Ron, Hermione, and Neville's injury's. About pretty much putting everyone he cared about in danger. Yes, he did have guilt, and lots of it. What other guilt could be worse then he had ever felt?
On Saturday evening, all of the 6th and 7th year students poured out of their houses and into the Great Hall. The Hall was decorated with almost everything you could think of that had to do with love; actual cherubs flying over their head, giggling and cart wheeling; tiny bits of confetti falling from the ceiling, which had a navy blue, star-filled sky portrayed on it; and even a famous witch singer, 'Isis' (A/N: The name 'Isis' means goddess of magic).
The tables were assembled much like the Triwizard Ball, with menus the same, also.
Harry went down by himself, wearing the same green cloak that he wore at the Ball in his fourth year, yet he had it lengthened over five inches. When he got down, music had already started and a couple of students were dancing. Harry searched the crowd, looking for Ron and Hermione. He spotted them, surprisingly, dancing quite contentedly.
"Watch it, Potter," someone spat as they bumped into him forcefully. It was, of course, Draco Malfoy.
"You watch it," Harry snapped back.
"Great comeback, Potter," Pansy Perkinson (A/N: Sp?) sneered. Harry rolled his eyes, walking toward a table. He sat down and watched Ron and Hermione dance without Ron stepping on her feet once, which was quite a miracle.
To his relief, Ron and Hermione came over to him after the song, red-faced and breathless from dancing.
"Harry! We thought you weren't coming," Ron said.
"Oh, I just couldn't miss this," Harry said, jabbing his thumb toward some couples a few seats away from him, who were staring googly-eyed at each other. The three laughed.
"Hey, have you seen Haylie anywhere?" Hermione asked. "She said she'd be coming down after all the girls left from our dorm."
"Nope," Harry said.
"Oh, well," Ron said shrugging. "She'll come down sooner or later." He nudged Hermione. "What to go dance again?" Hermione smiled.
"Of course."
The new couple walked back onto the dance floor, hand in hand. Harry shook his head, smiling. Once again, he watched all the other couples dance, trip, and even kiss. He then let his eyes wander over the whole room. He spotted McGonagall laughing and chatting with Professor Sprout, and Hagrid drinking goblet after goblet with what seemed to be wine.
Only a few people were coming in now, since the dance had been going on for a while. A pretty girl in a long black dress caught his eye. To his amazement, it was Haylie. But it wasn't the Haylie he knew. This Haylie looked stunning. Her hair fell to her shoulders, framing her face with black wisps and waves. The only make-up she had on was black lip-stick, which, instead of making her look freaky, made her look even more mysterious then she already was. But something else caught his eye. Her scar was gone.
Harry got up and walked over to her.
"Hey, Haylie," Harry said, a little shakily, tapping her on the shoulder. Haylie turned around. Seeing who it was, her eyes widened, and she suddenly looked extremely uncomfortable.
"Oh...uh...hey...hey, Harry," she stuttered, staring at the floor.
"Yah...er..." He paused for a minute. "Do you w-want to dance?" Haylie stared at him in surprise.
"Wha-? Really?" she said, looking up at him. Suddenly, she grinned. "Are you just asking me because I look pretty?"
Taken aback by this bold question, he was frozen for a second, staring at her. Haylie shook her head.
"Never mind," she said. "And, um, yes, I'll dance with you." She took his arm, leading him gently to the dance floor, where Isis was stricking up a new melody.
"Who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...
And who can say if your love grows,
As your heart chose?
Only time..."
Harry clumsily put his hand on the small of Haylie's back.
"I'm not good at this," he mumbled, his face turning red.
"That's okay," Haylie replied, shaking her head a little. "Neither am I. I've never danced before, actually. Well...at least not like this..." She laughed slightly as she placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, and putting the other in his hand.
"Who can say why your heart sighs,
As your love flies?
Only time...
And who can say why your heart cries,
When your love dies?
Only time...
Who can say when the roads meet,
That love might be,
In your heart."
"Uh, Haylie?" Harry said, approaching the subject slowly.
"What?"
"What...What happened to your scar?" he asked.
"Oh. Just this certain cover-up stuff," she explained. "It's really expensive, so I don't use it much."
"Oh..."
"And who can say when the day sleeps,
The moon still keeps on moving
If the night keeps all your heart?
Night keeps all your heart...
Who can say if your love grows,
As your heart chose?
Only time..."
Haylie, nervously and cautiously, rested her head on Harry's shoulder, leaning closer to him. He could feel her heart racing against his chest, comparing to his own. At first, he tensed, not used for a girl being this close to him, but he soon relaxed. Harry caught the glance of Ron, who winked at him.
And who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...
Who knows?
Only time...
Who knows?
Only time..."
The music faded and ended. Haylie and Harry slowly broke apart. They were silent for a minute, resisting eye contact. Then Haylie spoke.
"Uh...th-thanks for the dance," she said softly.
"No problem," he said, shrugging.
"Do you want to go sit down?" Haylie offered.
"S-Sure," he said. He followed her to the tables. They sat across from each other, nervously studying the menu, yet not really reading at it. Thankfully, Hermione and Ron walked over, breaking the silence.
"Great song, wasn't it?" Ron said, winking again at Harry. Hermione elbowed him, giving him a 'Don't-talk-about-it' look. Ron obeyed, sitting next to Harry as Hermione took a seat next to Haylie. Ron struck up a conversation about Quidditch, while Hermione talked to Haylie about their classes.
But every once in a while, the two nervous sixteen-year-olds gave each other edgy side glances.
Author's note: YAY FOR ROMANCE!!!!