Chapter 37
"The Winter Ball"
Harry fumbled nervously with his hair in the mirror in Dumbledore's office. He fixed his bowtie and examined his smooth, black tuxedo.
"How do I look?" Harry asked Fawkes.
Fawkes cooed softly.
"I'll take that as a compliment." smiled Harry.
Dumbledore was not there. He had been called on an emergency meeting with the Order. He told Harry to stay here with Hermione and her parents for he would be returning shortly. Harry gave on final look in the mirror before heading out of the office.
He waited patiently at the foot of the stairs, watching as the girls and boys, dressed up and merry, pass him. The Weasley boys were all dressed up, quite a surprise, and sporting their dates around like muggle men and their cars. Harry turned his head as he caught a sight of red wine. He gasped as he saw her, descending down the stairs like a princess. Her dress, silky and beautiful, hugged her body quite well and trailed on the floor. Her hair was set up in a loose, graceful bun upon her head with loose curls falling out. Her smiled sparkled against her flawless face.
Hermione saw Harry's reaction and blushed. She thought she had looked to pale, for she had been sick the past few weeks and seemed to indulge in too much food. Harry took her smooth right hand in his, kissing it softly.
"You look absolutely breathtaking." he breathed.
"Thank you. You look quite handsome." said Hermione. "Shall we?"
She lent her arm out. Harry hooked his arm around hers and led her to the Great Hall. It was decorated with dazzling icicles and large ice sculptures like swans and flowers. Fountains of different colored water flowed majestically. Blue and white robs glittered above the freshly polished floor. Several round tables were draped in white, silky sheets that were charmed to clean themselves. Lovely oak chairs with soft blue cushions surrounded the tables. Hermione gazed in awe at the beautiful sight. A lovely orchestra of gentle concert music drifted from the stage where charmed instruments played. A large grandfather clock made of ice stood in the center, it's many hands and parts moving and working, the numbers on its face glowing. The school had started having Winter Balls right after Hermione left Hogwarts. Dumbledore thought that a ball would help ease the students minds from bad things going on in the world. It was fashioned like a New Year's party, only celebrating the anniversary of when magic was first thought to have been born, February 1st.
"It's so beautiful." she whispered.
Harry glided the Hermione to a nearby table. She graciously sat down, crossing a leg over the other, exposing a nice set of red high hilled sandals on lovely feet and a hint of long, sexy legs to Harry. Harry gulped, taking a seat next to her. He watched her pick up her dinner menu before picking up his. He peeked at her over his menu, getting a better look at her gorgeous face. Her dressed front dipped low, exposing a bit of her shapely, firm breasts. The necklace he gave her set firmly against her chest.
'Calm yourself, Harry. You're an adult, so act like one.' he told himself.
"Um, I think I'll have spaghetti." Hermione said.
"Me too." said Harry.
Two plates of hot, delicious spaghetti appeared in front of them. Hermione took her fork and carefully twirled the long noodles around it, lifting the fork to her lips. Harry watched her eat, missing his mouth with his won fork.
Hermione felt Harry's gaze on her. She placed her fork down and smiled.
"Harry, eat before your food gets cold." she said.
Harry stopped starring at her and shoveled his spaghetti quickly into his mouth. Hermione giggled. They sat for a while after they ate, catching up on old topics like Quidditch, friends, and more. Harry had said that Dudley had knocked up some woman, got caught selling drugs, thrown in jail, was currently on parole, works as a shoe salesmen, living in a tiny mobile home with five kids, three dogs, and a lot of cats. The music kicked up to a lively tune. Harry got up and extended his hand to Hermione.
"Shall we dance?" he asked her.
Hermione placed her right hand in Harry's.
"Lets." she replied.
They danced for a long time. Students danced around them as well as professors. Harry liked the feel of Hermione's body near his. Her weight was light and her touch warm. Harry felt he was falling for her, for his dear friend of 10 years.
"Hey everyone! It's one minute till midnight!" boomed a voice.
Hermione and Harry followed everyone in front of the clock. The face shown large numbers, seconds counting down to Magic Day. Harry held Hermione's hand as everyone began to count down the numbers.
"10..."
Harry squeezed Hermione's hand.
"9..."
Harry looked at Hermione.
"8..."
Hermione felt Harry's gaze on her.
"7..."
Hermione met Harry's gaze.
"6..."
Harry leaned in.
"5...."
Hermione just stood there.
"4..."
She saw Harry's intentions.
"3..."
Hermione began to lean in.
"2..."
They heads came close, they closed their eyes, lips near the others.
"1..."
A round of "Happy Magic Day" rang throughout the hall. Confetti showered from the air as the orchestra played a cheerful song. Harry and Hermione stood there, a deep kiss going between them. The world seemed to revolve slowly. Hermione and Harry stood back from the other, gazing at each other.
"I'm so sorry," said Harry, blushing madly. "I should have never done that."
"Oh no, don't feel sorry. You just shocked me." said Hermione, blushing also. "Happy Magic Day."
"Happy Magic Day." said Harry.
The harmony of the music seemed to go of key. The lights above flickered. Everyone stopped celebrating and gazed around curiously. Suddenly, the doors of the Great Hall burst open. A mad, cold wind rushed in. A jet of green light soared in, hitting the clock, shattering it into sharp, cold shards.
"Everyone down!" yelled Professor McGonnagal.
Many students got on the floor and crawled under tables. Harry and Hermione took out their wands, knowing with an auror instinct that trouble was about to come in. The lights went out. Many students took out their wands, whispered "Lumos," and gazed around in the dim light. The orchestra of enchanted instruments stopped playing. Not a sound filled the air.
"Maybe it's a joke." piped a student's voice.
Suddenly, a ray of dark smoke swarmed in, forming above the Great Hall a shape. Everyone screamed when they saw the Death Mark.
"Oh my God." said Harry. "He's here. Voldemort's here."
"The Winter Ball"
Harry fumbled nervously with his hair in the mirror in Dumbledore's office. He fixed his bowtie and examined his smooth, black tuxedo.
"How do I look?" Harry asked Fawkes.
Fawkes cooed softly.
"I'll take that as a compliment." smiled Harry.
Dumbledore was not there. He had been called on an emergency meeting with the Order. He told Harry to stay here with Hermione and her parents for he would be returning shortly. Harry gave on final look in the mirror before heading out of the office.
He waited patiently at the foot of the stairs, watching as the girls and boys, dressed up and merry, pass him. The Weasley boys were all dressed up, quite a surprise, and sporting their dates around like muggle men and their cars. Harry turned his head as he caught a sight of red wine. He gasped as he saw her, descending down the stairs like a princess. Her dress, silky and beautiful, hugged her body quite well and trailed on the floor. Her hair was set up in a loose, graceful bun upon her head with loose curls falling out. Her smiled sparkled against her flawless face.
Hermione saw Harry's reaction and blushed. She thought she had looked to pale, for she had been sick the past few weeks and seemed to indulge in too much food. Harry took her smooth right hand in his, kissing it softly.
"You look absolutely breathtaking." he breathed.
"Thank you. You look quite handsome." said Hermione. "Shall we?"
She lent her arm out. Harry hooked his arm around hers and led her to the Great Hall. It was decorated with dazzling icicles and large ice sculptures like swans and flowers. Fountains of different colored water flowed majestically. Blue and white robs glittered above the freshly polished floor. Several round tables were draped in white, silky sheets that were charmed to clean themselves. Lovely oak chairs with soft blue cushions surrounded the tables. Hermione gazed in awe at the beautiful sight. A lovely orchestra of gentle concert music drifted from the stage where charmed instruments played. A large grandfather clock made of ice stood in the center, it's many hands and parts moving and working, the numbers on its face glowing. The school had started having Winter Balls right after Hermione left Hogwarts. Dumbledore thought that a ball would help ease the students minds from bad things going on in the world. It was fashioned like a New Year's party, only celebrating the anniversary of when magic was first thought to have been born, February 1st.
"It's so beautiful." she whispered.
Harry glided the Hermione to a nearby table. She graciously sat down, crossing a leg over the other, exposing a nice set of red high hilled sandals on lovely feet and a hint of long, sexy legs to Harry. Harry gulped, taking a seat next to her. He watched her pick up her dinner menu before picking up his. He peeked at her over his menu, getting a better look at her gorgeous face. Her dressed front dipped low, exposing a bit of her shapely, firm breasts. The necklace he gave her set firmly against her chest.
'Calm yourself, Harry. You're an adult, so act like one.' he told himself.
"Um, I think I'll have spaghetti." Hermione said.
"Me too." said Harry.
Two plates of hot, delicious spaghetti appeared in front of them. Hermione took her fork and carefully twirled the long noodles around it, lifting the fork to her lips. Harry watched her eat, missing his mouth with his won fork.
Hermione felt Harry's gaze on her. She placed her fork down and smiled.
"Harry, eat before your food gets cold." she said.
Harry stopped starring at her and shoveled his spaghetti quickly into his mouth. Hermione giggled. They sat for a while after they ate, catching up on old topics like Quidditch, friends, and more. Harry had said that Dudley had knocked up some woman, got caught selling drugs, thrown in jail, was currently on parole, works as a shoe salesmen, living in a tiny mobile home with five kids, three dogs, and a lot of cats. The music kicked up to a lively tune. Harry got up and extended his hand to Hermione.
"Shall we dance?" he asked her.
Hermione placed her right hand in Harry's.
"Lets." she replied.
They danced for a long time. Students danced around them as well as professors. Harry liked the feel of Hermione's body near his. Her weight was light and her touch warm. Harry felt he was falling for her, for his dear friend of 10 years.
"Hey everyone! It's one minute till midnight!" boomed a voice.
Hermione and Harry followed everyone in front of the clock. The face shown large numbers, seconds counting down to Magic Day. Harry held Hermione's hand as everyone began to count down the numbers.
"10..."
Harry squeezed Hermione's hand.
"9..."
Harry looked at Hermione.
"8..."
Hermione felt Harry's gaze on her.
"7..."
Hermione met Harry's gaze.
"6..."
Harry leaned in.
"5...."
Hermione just stood there.
"4..."
She saw Harry's intentions.
"3..."
Hermione began to lean in.
"2..."
They heads came close, they closed their eyes, lips near the others.
"1..."
A round of "Happy Magic Day" rang throughout the hall. Confetti showered from the air as the orchestra played a cheerful song. Harry and Hermione stood there, a deep kiss going between them. The world seemed to revolve slowly. Hermione and Harry stood back from the other, gazing at each other.
"I'm so sorry," said Harry, blushing madly. "I should have never done that."
"Oh no, don't feel sorry. You just shocked me." said Hermione, blushing also. "Happy Magic Day."
"Happy Magic Day." said Harry.
The harmony of the music seemed to go of key. The lights above flickered. Everyone stopped celebrating and gazed around curiously. Suddenly, the doors of the Great Hall burst open. A mad, cold wind rushed in. A jet of green light soared in, hitting the clock, shattering it into sharp, cold shards.
"Everyone down!" yelled Professor McGonnagal.
Many students got on the floor and crawled under tables. Harry and Hermione took out their wands, knowing with an auror instinct that trouble was about to come in. The lights went out. Many students took out their wands, whispered "Lumos," and gazed around in the dim light. The orchestra of enchanted instruments stopped playing. Not a sound filled the air.
"Maybe it's a joke." piped a student's voice.
Suddenly, a ray of dark smoke swarmed in, forming above the Great Hall a shape. Everyone screamed when they saw the Death Mark.
"Oh my God." said Harry. "He's here. Voldemort's here."