The Hearts at Hogwarts
Lady Luck
Noblenumberseven
Draco Malfoy was doing his best to look unhappy and he was doing a darned good job of it. As he stirred essence of newt into his awareness potion he went through a mental checklist of things to do while dancing with Ginny Weasley. The three T's were coming to mind: TauntTease, and Torment. He mustn't smile, he mustn't joke (unless it was at her expense), and he certainly must not look like he was enjoying her company, but in the back of his thoughts another checklist sounded off as he began chopping the mang roots. Count how many colors of brown are in her eyes. Don't lose your temper. See what she smells like. Remember what she smells like. Be charming. Surprise her. Draco felt a hand on his and looked down to find Nora removing the knife from his clenched hand.
"Whoa! Slow down there, Turbo, you nearly took off one of your fingers. Something on your mind?" She asked, bumping him gently out of the way with her hip and taking over the root chopping before her friend maimed himself. She raised a perfectly shaped dark eyebrow at his silence. "Come on honey you know you can tell me," She cooed in a schmoozey baby voice then paused sending him puppy eyes of dark blue, after all they'd been best friends for three years now, she knew what worked. She also knew what was troubling her handsome friend. She'd seen the way his eyes had changed, how they followed the youngest Weasley across the Great Hall, how they'd flashed happily when he'd read the dance partner bulletin. "It wouldn't happen to be a certain red bird whose fluttering up your mind would it?" she grinned knowingly when he sent her a surprised look accompanied by a threatening glare. "I thought so."
"You just keep your thoughts to yourself Moon." he growled dumping the fine slivers of mang root Nora had made into their cauldron vehemently. She shrugged and muttered to herself just loud enough for him to overhear.
"Fine then, I guess you just don't want my help."
"What do you mean by help?"
"I've got a plan."
"What kind of plan?"
"A good one." she said slyly.
"Intriguing. Spill." he demanded.
"Ok, you know………"
Neville Longbottom was sharing a cauldron with Ron Weasley. He'd done so much better on his OWLS without Professor Snape looking on that he'd been accepted into the advanced class last year and even more surprising, he had passed it. He shocked most of his peers by studying and practicing potions constantly throughout the last year. His determination hadn't earned him any slack from the professor, but it was earning him a place in the aurors' institute. At the end of fifth year he had decided that being an auror, like his father and mother, was his role in life. After the incident in the Dept. of Mysteries, he worked out, he ran, and he practiced everything from jinxes to counter curses. He was sure he'd impress everybody at the next DA meeting, but that really wasn't his goal. His goal was to be ready, ready for the next time a death eater crossed his path. He looked up, shaking his hair out of his eyes and tapped Ron on the elbow.
"That her?" he asked Ron, jerking his head in the direction of a slender dark haired girl with olive skin who was chopping roots while talking to Malfoy.
"What? Oh..oh yeah. That's her. Slimy little thing isn't she?" Ron replied in disgust. His freckles seemed to flood together when he scrunched his nose up in distaste. Neville didn't respond, but kept his thoughts to himself as he observed the girl. He didn't find her slimy at all. On the contrary, she looked quite attractive. She grinned widely at Malfoy when he shot a dark look at her. If she could irk Draco Malfoy then she definitely had points in his book. He looked her over once more before returning to his potion stirring in the dandelion essence with measured accuracy. Their potion frothed purple, exactly what it was supposed to do, and Neville felt a small burst of pride as he filled their sample vial. The bell rang and Snape's sharp tones echoed across the dungeon.
"Bring your vials to my desk. I expect two rolls of parchment on the properties and uses of awareness potions by next lesson. No excuses."
Neville set their vial on Professor Snape's desk firmly as Ron ran off to catch up with Hermione and Harry. The swarthy professor looked up and met his eye. Apparently he was full of surprises lately, he thought, because he found himself meeting Snape's black stare with an easy cool. Professor Snape's lips seemed to grow even more thin as Neville slid the purple vial towards him and strolled away casual as day. He'd probably pay for it later, but showing Snape he wasn't afraid anymore felt so good that he could care less about the consequences. Now for a quick lunch and to the library, he thought to himself.
Blaise Zabini, womanizer extraordinaire, found himself quite entranced this afternoon, which was most unlike him. Lunchtime for him was normally a blur of faces, some witty banter among friends, and a quick meal, but today he found himself lingering over his meal so he could focus on one face, Luna Lovegood's face. He barely heard Draco and Nora's usual squabbling. She was very pretty he noticed. Although, she did look a bit preoccupied. For the past fifteen minutes she'd been staring at the Great Hall's ceiling, which was a bright spotless blue, not a cloud. He, himself must have looked pretty dreamy, because Nora felt the urge to bring him back into the real world with a sharp jab of her elbow.
"Stop staring. Just because Miss Dreamland won't notice doesn't mean nobody else will."
"Jealous Moon?" he asked grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"Not in the least." she said poking his rib cage furiously. "As far as I'm concerned she can have you. I'm far too attractive for you."
"Got a date yet then?" Blaise asked his aristocratic brows upped in a confident question.
"Patience, mate, patience is a virtue." Nora replied.
"Slytherins aren't exactly known for being virtuous Nora get used to it."
"You wouldn't do it." Seamus argued over his Herbology essay, his very badly written Herbology essay.
"I would so." Neville told him.
"I dunno mate, just cuz you have that new physique and you're a bit more confident, doesn't mean your confident enough to ask a Slytherin to the dance. Just think of what everyone else would think and even if you did get the nerve to ask, there's no way a Slytherin chick would go with you." Dean added his opinion. "I'm gonna have to go with my buddy Seamus on this one. There's no way you have the guts." The black young man was surprised to see a steely glint in his once mousey friend's eyes.
"Make it a bet then. I wager thirty galleons that I'll do it." Neville ground out thrusting his hand across the table towards Seamus.
"What do you say Dean, split it with me? I pay fifteen; you pay fifteen?" Seamus asked his best-mate.
"Sorry, I'm gonna pass." Dean replied, having seen what looked like sheer determination in Neville's eyes. "That's fifteen galleons I could spend on Padma."
"Humph…your loss." Seamus said, looking a bit put out, but he shook Neville's hand. "We have an accord."
"Good…no paying or talking anyone into not going with me." Neville ordered.
"Wouldn't think of it. I'm fair and so are you so I won't worry about you paying someone to go with you." Seamus said then returned to his essay, hoping Neville could help him on the rough parts.
From a nearby table Draco Malfoy leaned back in his chair, feeling mightily pleased with himself. He'd just found Nora a date. He knew she'd be happy, but he'd no longer be in debt to her for her brilliant plan to win over Ginny Weasley. He got up and quickly filled his bag, heading off in search of Nora. Lady Luck was on his side today.
Dean, who was doing an essay on counter jinxes, rose to find a better book. So far the book he had picked out originally had only managed to tell him the wrong way to do a counter jinx. Most of the wrong ways started with holding your wand backwards. How ridiculous. He passed most of the beginning sections, heading straight for the dusty back. The good books were back there. Most of the good ones in the front were checked out by other students. Looking along the dusty shelves, he saw a book that looked promising. While he was reaching for it he felt arms fold around his waist.
"Hey there beautiful." he said before even turning around. When he did, he was face to face with his girl-friend of eleven months, Ravenclaw, Padma Patil. She really was beautiful. Her eyes were an amazing earthy green and constantly full of thought. Her hair, a shimmering light brown, fell in a straight sheet to the center of her back. Her mouth, tiny and almost peach in color, was drawn into a small smile as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Hey yourself handsome," she replied smiling even more. She had a quirky smile and he loved it.
"I missed you at lunch." he said.
"I had to stay after to help a younger student in Ancient Runes. I'm sorry. I missed you too," was her answer.
"Aren't you hungry? If you hurry you can still make it to the kitchens in time to get lunch." He told her. Padma sighed and leaned into him. She loved it when he was concerned for her. He was so sweet.
"I'm only hungry for one thing." she told him breathily in his ear.
"And what's that, pray tell?" Dean queried, grinning lopsidedly at the tone of her voice.
"This." she said simply, then pressed her lips softly over his. She felt him chuckle before he heatedly returned her kiss, turning around swiftly and pressing her against the bookshelf. She loosened his tie as he scraped his lips across her jaw line.
"I'm glad you missed me, but after this you're getting real food." Dean ordered softly, nibbling gently on her neck. Her low mewing noises were the only answer. He grinned, proud that he could make her that pleased. He captured her mouth again, rocking her senses. He slid his tongue over hers in slow lazy motions that seemed to make her melt into him. He pulled away after awhile remembering he had to get her something to eat. Her eyes were heavy lidded and her lips puffy. Her hair was mussed from where he had slid his fingers into it. He cupped her cheek in one hand kissing her lips once more, chastely.
"I love you." Dean whispered. Will you come to the dance with me Friday night?"
"I love you too. I wouldn't go with anyone else."
"You'd better not." He joked taking her hand and tugging her gently. "Let's get you some lunch before Muggle Studies."
'Who is Tai-Lee Meshatari anyway?' Terry Boot thought as he strolled to his Muggle Studies class. He certainly didn't remember a Tai-Lee Meshatari. He was a tall built young man with stunning blue eyes and long brown hair. He had a spray of light freckles across his face; he liked the sun. He had a small bump in his nose, though he'd never broken it. He didn't like it.
He was the seventh year Ravenclaw prefect and the Ravenclaw quidditch captain. He loved quidditch and being outdoors. He was really quite brilliant, but being a Ravenclaw he didn't find his brain all that surprising. He was the quieter, more steady half of the amazing Boot-Naxon duo. His best friend and blood brother Gage Naxon was the louder, quite a bit more wild half. Gage was stockier and blonde with a square jaw and a constantly moving mouth. He was first to laugh, first to fight, and first stand up for a friend.
"Wondering your partner looks like?" Gage asked his silent pal. "Don't worry man, Dumbledore may be off his rocker, but he wouldn't give you a psycho. Look how lucky I got." Gage told him wrapping an arm around his partner, Valerie Rose, a curvy redhead, that they'd known since first year.
"Naxon if you know what's good for yourself you'll keep your hands where they belong my friend." She told him laughing then she turned to Terry. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's just fine."
They passed through the doorway to the classroom and then Terry saw Tai-Lee for the first time. She was a small oriental girl with astounding violet eyes. She smiled when she noticed his attention. He waved slightly, bashful that he'd been caught, and slid into a desk a couple seats back from her. Ginny Weasley whispered something in Tai-Lee's ear and she giggled. Luna leaned over the girl's desk laughing with them. Gage muttered out the corner of his mouth.
"Valerie was wrong. You're partner isn't just fine. She's gorgeous." Terry nodded his head.
When Draco Malfoy arrived for Muggle Studies Ginny Weasley couldn't help, but look up. Dumbledore was insane. That was the only excuse she could make for their pairing as dance partners. He locked his gaze on hers as he passed, raising an eyebrow with infuriating cool.
"Who was that?" Tai-Lee asked. Ginny smiled at her new friend. The young Japanese girl had transferred from the Pearl Academy to Hogwarts just last week. She'd been unable to attend any classes until today.
"That was Draco Malfoy, the honorary Hogwarts git and my dance partner." Ginny informed her. That was when Professor Sonora arrived, cutting Ginny's explanation of the family feud short.
She breezed into the classroom a wide grin on her face.
"Everybody stand up please." she ordered politely. She pointed at the empty desks. "Those won't be needed." With a slice of her wand the desks folded together and slid compactly against the wall. "Pair up with your partners darlings."
'She seems remarkably pleased with the circumstances' Ginny thought feeling disgruntled. 'She won't be so thrilled when it's all out war in here.'
She looked briefly over her shoulder to watch Draco casually glide toward her. He didn't walk, she noticed, he seemed so graceful it looked as if he glided. 'At least my feet won't suffer.'
Luna Lovegood was not bothered by the fact that her dance partner was a Slytherin. He was a boy after all and human by the looks of him, which was more than she could say for some of the ogreish looking Slytherins she had seen. Her favorite Muggle playwright's words seemed to play in her head, of course in an old English accent. "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." For some reason she highly doubted that. Vincent Crabbe didn't look like he smelt too rosy or sweet for that matter. Thankfully her partner was not Vincent Crabbe. She found herself quite surprised when her non-ogre partner to her hand and kissed it in gentlemanly fashion.
" Luna Lovegood," he said. She gently pulled her hand away and nodded.
"Blaise Zabini," she replied. He smirked and nodded as well. She took him in slowly. He had dark skin; he looked Mediterranean almost. He had spiky black hair, dark brown almost black eyes, and a wide white smile, which he flashed her quickly before turning to face Amelia.
"Have you ever danced before?" he asked without facing her.
"In my head yes, but like this, no." Luna answered. He had learned to waltz at a young age. His mother was particularly fond of dancing. He'd been forced to learn, but turned out to be quite the natural, pleasing his rarely-pleased mother very well.
"Not even at the Yule Ball?" he queried.
"No. I was too busy avoiding mistletoe."
"Mistletoe? Didn't want to be kissed?"
"No. I was watching out for nargles." She told him simply. "Pesky little buggers, that hide in mistletoe."
He turned and looked at her once more an odd undecided look on his face. After a few moments he shrugged and smiled at her again. She blinked back at him with her very large blue eyes.
"Ladies and Gentleman please take the proper stance for close position waltzing as shown on the board." Amelia called pointing toward the black board where a couple drawn in yellow chalk was assuming the dance position and waltzing their way about the board. "Today we'll just be getting used to our partners and moving our feet at the right time. As dancers you must flow together, not jolt about."
"Shall we flow?" Luna asked and much to her surprise Blaise laughed. Bowing low, he replied,
"It would be my pleasure Luna." She half smiled as she had been expecting him to call her Lovegood for the whole term. He continued jerking his head in the direction of Ginny and Draco, who were obviously arguing. "Let's see if we can out flow our jolty friends."
"Just take the stance." Draco growled.
"But my brother is watching me." Ginny hissed back.
"And?" Draco questioned sarcastically.
"And we have to touch…a lot."
"Unfortunately for myself, yes we do, but the sooner we learn the sooner we leave and I am not failing a muggle class. So come here." he ordered pointing towards the floor in front of him, his eyes narrowing slightly. It had never been that hard to get a woman to touch him. Ginevra Weasley wasn't just any woman apparently.
"No. I'm fine here thank you." Ginny said assuming her own defiance stance, hands on hips and surprisingly a ginger eyebrow arched in a 'why don't you try and make me' look. No matter how much Draco found her beautiful at the moment he did not want to be shown up by Potty and Weasel, who were now safely taking their first waltz steps, but before he could begin to growl out more orders Amelia arrived at their sides.
"Oh Draco, Ginny do you not know the proper stance? Here, let me get you set up." She said pulling them together. "Right halves touching from the thighs up, go ahead Miss Weasley. There we are. Draco cup you right hand, fingers together, on her shoulder blade. Wonderful. Ginny place your right arm on top of his left. Your palm should be on his upper arm dear. Remaining hands together, clasp. There you go darlings. You're set. Now just practice moving together left, right, backwards, forwards."
"This is humiliating." Ginny muttered when Amelia strolled away.
"It's ten times more humiliating for me, remember I'm dancing with you." Draco sneered. She smells good….hmmmm…wonder what it is?
"Oh really Malfoy? Just two minutes ago you were ordering me to touch you. Sure do change your tune fast. Hormonal imbalance?" She asked matching him sneer for sneer. She doesn't know the half of it. Merlin, she's got a backbone. "My brother is giving you the evil eye as we speak."
"Watch what he does when I do this." Draco dipped Ginny quickly and she squealed with surprise, clutching his arm and hand tightly.
He leaned over her with a smug look on his face, just inches from her own.
"You had better not drop me." She growled.
"I won't. Wouldn't want to get you more dirty now would we? Or I might have to wash my clothes three times instead of just twice."
"Master Malfoy, Miss Weasley! Amazing technique, and you had me believing you could not dance! Ten points to each house." Amelia exclaimed from the back of the classroom. Draco pulled her back up with amazing grace. Ginny murmured all sorts of obscenities at him under her breath.
"Tut tut Weaslette, dirty clothes and a dirty mouth." He chastised. Her foot made contact with his shin sharply.
"Why you little witch!"
Ginny smiled and blinked her eyes innocently. "Terribly sorry Malfoy. When dancing things like that just happen. As for being a little witch, yes I am, thank you."
It was going to be a long term.
End Chapter:
I went way way way over my normal word count. So I'm stopping here but I'll probably post again today with the second half of this. I can't wait to get to the dance part. I'm such a weirdo. I'm going to try and keep the chapters under 2500 words from now on. Correcting my errors in chapter one as well. I called Luna a Gryffindor….shame on me…that's a big mistake….but then again I don't have a beta so plz don't let the smaller errors irk you.
Replies to:
Tawnyfawn: Hey, thank you so much. Read your story. It's very good. Glad you like Neville and Nora. I feel so bad for Neville sometimes that I just had to give him some slack in this story. J
Blackrougefillie: If you thought the first chapter was long then I blew that one out of the water…couldn't stop typing this time…lol…thanks for the review J
Alexandria J. Malfoy: Thank you. The luck is needed, lol.
Issalee: Hope this update was quick enough to keep the tears at bay. Would have updated last weekend, but we went out of town for the fourth of July.
What do you guys think of Padma and Dean? Had to have some romance this chapter….all the details were boring me so I had to some fluff in. Hope you guys like them as much as I do. How about Blaise? I'm trying to make him a sharp tongued gentleman. Am I succeeding? Lol
Toodles til later,
NN7