24

The Graduation Ball

The day was spent making preparations for the Graduation Ball. Hermione came back to Gryffindor Tower around midday to begin charming her hair into staying straight.

Around six o' clock, all of the students made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. Most everyone was in his or her dress robes, save for Neville, who feared that he would spill something on himself during the meal. Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

Ron glared at the table as ham appeared on the meat platters. Harry was beaming. He had spotted Luna in robes of bright red swirled with turquoise, and he had thought she looked absolutely beautiful.

The meal was soon over, and the people who hadn't yet changed hurried back to their individual dormitories to do so.

Dumbledore waved his wand and cleared all of the tables but one, which was immediately filled with refreshments, out of the Great Hall.

The students returned, and everyone began to pair up. Ron soon found Cho, dressed in robes of deep purple. He led her to a chair, and they sat.

Unlike at the Yule Ball, the Weird Sisters weren't playing. Instead, there was a small group of what looked like leprechauns tooting and hooting on small, flute-like instruments and teensy bagpipes. There was a woman in shocking, orange clothing singing.

Cho looked at Ron who was staring at random couples on the dance floor. "Do you want to dance?" she asked.

Ron glanced at her. Why not? Why should this time be just like the Yule Ball? He could enjoy this ball if he tried. "Sure," he said.

Cho stood up, and they began dancing. Suddenly, people stopped their movement and whispers began to erupt throughout the room.

Two people had just entered the room, arm in arm. Ron felt his stomach lurch and looked at Cho.

Cho looked at him. "Hermione and Draco?" she asked.

Ron nodded.

Everyone began dancing again, though a few couples continued to stare. Ron, however, refused to look. He focused on Cho who was dancing in perfect time to the music. "You know," she said, grinning, "I bet he doesn't even like her."

Ron nodded. "I know. She's always had this tendency to fraternise with the enemy, though," he said.

Cho nodded. "Cedric never liked Draco. He would have been very upset if I had gotten together with him."

"Hermione doesn't care what other people think. She has no compassion."

"Oh. Cedric had a lot of compassion. He was always so sweet."

Ron smiled. He and Cho seemed to be getting along pretty well, though they were obsessing over people that they loved or had once loved.

Across the room, Harry and Luna sat silently.

"Are you sure you don't want to dance?" Harry asked.

Luna nodded. "You can dance with another girl, if you like. Why don't we call Ginny over? I think she'd like to dance with someone that won't crush her feet," she suggested, looking at Ginny, who's eyes were watering from pain.

Harry was about to object, but Luna had already called Ginny.

Ginny came over, pulling Neville by the hand. "Yes?" she asked.

"Wanna dance with Harry?" Luna asked, "I noticed your pain. I'll take care of Neville for you."

Ginny looked at Harry, shrugging. Harry glanced at Luna as if to make sure that she was okay with it. "Go!" she said, grinning.

Neville sat down next to Luna fearfully. "H-hi," he said.

Luna turned to look at him. "Greetings," she said.

"D-do you want to dance?" Neville asked.

"Not really. That's why I sent Harry off with Ginny."

"Oh. Oh, right," Neville said embarrassedly.

"Truth is," Luna said, her eyes becoming wide, "I can't dance."

Neville smiled sheepishly. "Me neither," he admitted.

Luna beamed. "We should not dance then!" she exclaimed, standing and pulling Neville to his feet.

Harry danced with Ginny, glancing at her pale yellow robes. "You look . . . rather fetching," he said quietly.

Ginny blushed. "Thanks," she muttered.

The song ended, and a slow song began playing. "I should be-er-getting back to Luna," Harry said.

Ginny nodded. "Oh, yes. Right."

Harry turned to go back, but Luna was gone.

Ginny looked at him. "She's not there?" she asked.

"She must have gone to dance with someone else . . . Maybe she just didn't want to dance with me," he said.

Ginny shook her head. "I doubt that." Someone waltzed right into her, pushing her forward. She fell into Harry's arms. She looked up at him, turning a deep shade of pink.

"W-we could dance," Harry said, "i-if you want, that is."

Ginny nodded, and she and Harry began slow dancing. She could feel his heart beating, and the rate of her own quickened. This was what she had wanted. Why had Luna just given to her?

Luna was nearby, attempting to not slow dance with Neville.

"I-I should be dancing with Ginny," Neville said.

Luna looked through a gap in between two couples and grinned, spotting Harry and Ginny. "I don't think she minds your absence," she said, turning Neville so he could see.

"Oh . . . Why did you . . ."

"Let her have him?" Luna asked, accidentally tromping on Neville's toe.

Neville nodded.

"Because neither of us can dance."

Ron and Cho had sat down during the slow song, not feeling as though it would be kosher for them to dance during it since they were both obviously in love with other people.

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

Cho shivered. "It must be freezing out there, you know," she pointed out.

"Oh, right."

"I do declare, Hermione is dancing awfully close to Draco," Cho said as she looked up.

Ron glanced up and saw that this was true. "She's intent on making my life miserable. I mean, why can't she pick someone decent for once!"

"Oh, yes. That Viktor Krum that she went to the Yule Ball with. He was positively repulsive! He couldn't even say her name right!"

Ron grinned. "I know. 'Herm-own-ninny'," he mocked.

Cho laughed. She spotted Lavender talking to Hermione. The former pointed discreetly at her and Ron.

"I think Lavender might have overheard," she said.

Ron was still laughing. "So?"

"Well, she's telling Hermione, I believe."

Ron shrugged. "Oh well."

Cho grinned.

Hermione came over, glaring at Ron. "Ronald, if you have something to say, I would appreciate it if you would say it to my face and not insist on telling her," she pointed a shaking finger at Cho, "what you don't like about me."

Cho pushed Hermione's finger out of her face. "Excuse me, but I think Ron has a right to tell me whatever he pleases. I am his date, after all."

Ron stared at Hermione indifferently. "Cho's very right."

Draco came up behind Hermione. "Weasel, do try to act like you aren't lower class. Come on, Hermione. Just ignore him."

Draco turned Hermione around, but not before she had given Ron the coldest look he had ever received.

Cho put a delicate hand on Ron's shoulder. "It's all right. I'm sure she will get over it soon."

Ron glanced at Hermione who was ranting to Draco, shaking from fury. "I don't know," he said.

"How about we do take a short walk outside?" Cho offered hopefully.

Ron nodded. "All right."

The Graduation Ball seemed to go by quickly after that. Harry ended up dancing with Ginny practically the entire night, while Luna and Neville didn't dance.

Everyone was dismissed around ten o'clock and returned to their respective houses.

Hermione hurried up to the girls' dormitories immediately upon getting back, pushing past Ron as the mass of Gryffindors squeezed through the portrait hole. Ginny and Harry were talking merrily as they entered and didn't notice the depression that had surmounted Ron completely as he said goodnight and headed up to the boys' dormitories.