Author's Notes:
1. Again, this will be a Harry/Hermione fic….it just might take some time. I have on little escapade for H/H planned, but I'm not sure when it'll happen in context with the story and what'll happen before it. Just be patient it'll happen.
2. For those of you following the lyrics, I know that originally Hermione (Elphie) is given a hat during this scene. For my own purposes, I have cut that bit out. You'll understand why soon enough.
3. I received an anonymous review saying that I'm going in the wrong order. Actually, I'm not. Just because the songs go in a certain order on the CD does not mean that that is the order of the story. Depending on where I want the story to go next, that is what song will be used. Some songs will be cut up and parts used throughout the story.
Chapter 3: Dancing Through Life
Although Harry tried to talk to Hermione once in awhile, he was always being swept off by Luna Lovegood and her posse. For the first few weeks, he showed signs of disappointment at not being about to talk with her, but after a while, he became more accepting of the popular crowd, and indeed, soon became on of them. Even they were more than a tad bit superficial, they fit in to his philosophy of life much better than the studious Hermione Granger.
At the moment, he was sitting on the couch in the West wing common room, surrounded by several giggly girls, and nearly as many boys (not giggly, of course). They all had taken an ardent interest on his belief of the meaning of life, which he was narrating to them.
"The trouble with all the schools I've been at is that they are always trying to teach you the wrong lessons. Believe me, I've been kicked out of enough of them to know. What good is learning about the wizards living hundreds of years ago going to do us? And why would we ever want to know how to turn dental floss into a tea cup? All they want is for students to become less naive and self centered, but when you're like that you actually have to work. If you live the unexamined life, things go so much smoother."
Luna's shrill laugh rang out. "Really," she piped in. "Look at that Granger girl. She studied so hard that government got mad and turned her green! And she's still going. Her life must suck!" Other students, including Nessa, chimed in, their laughter joining hers as the uttered their agreement.
Harry rolled his eyes and inwardly groaned, but didn't say a word. To tell the truth, he wasn't really sure what her thought of Hermione. Clearing his throat, he kept going.
"The secret is to dance through life."
"You mean if you go around dancing, you're life will be better?" Ron asked, a rather confused look on his face.
"Kind of. Look at it this way: when you're out on the dance floor, you have nothing to worry about. I believe that life should be just as easy. You'll never make a fool out of yourself if you just sit back and don't try. So now one question for you. Which way to the party? What is the most swankified place around?"
Luna edged her way to him and wrapped herself around his arm. "That'd be the Ozdust Ballroom down in Hogsmeade. They have dancing there all night long."
"Sound's perfect. Let's go check out this Ozdust Ballroom. We can all meet up there later tonight, say around eight. We can dance till the sun comes out. All you have to do is grab a pretty girl, and whirl her around the dance floor. You'll be living in style in no time.
"Just on problem with this plan, Harry." Luna said disheartenedly. "I don't think we can get there. There are wards up blocking students from leaving Hogwarts. It takes some pretty strong magic to deflect it. None of us are that powerful, so no one could get us out.
Nessa, sitting quietly in her wheel chair, suddenly piped up. "No…but Hermione can. I'm sure if we included her…" Groans arose from the group crowded on the couches and floor. "Really guys, if we were nice to her for just this one night, we could go to the Ozdust. Otherwise, we're stuck here."
"Fine," Luna said, taking the liberty of speaking for the group. "But you're the one who will have to talk to her."
While Harry continued to describe the joys of a life on easy street and a bustle arose as students sought to find a date for that night, Ron shyly sat down next to Luna. "Uh, Luna," he said hesitantly, his shaking. "Could I ask you something?" At a nod of her head, he continued. "Would you go to the dance with me? Or at least save just one dance for me? I'll be waiting all night."
Smiling in her fake, sympathetic way, Luna laid her hand on his arm. "That's very sweet, Ron. But I have a better idea." Motioning towards Nessa she continued on. "Do you see that lovely girl sitting over there? Tragically beautiful, one could almost say. We'll I can tell you for a fact that as of right now, she had no one to go to the Ozdust with. And seeing as she is helping to get up there, I think it is quite unfair that we should just go off and leave her." Leaning closer and wrapping her arm around his shoulder, she whispered in his ear. "I know that someone would be my hero if they were to invite her to go with them."
Unable to turn Luna down, Ron immediately took the bait. "Well, maybe I could invite her."
"Oh, Rich, really? You would do that for me?"
Ignoring the fact that she had forgotten his name, Ron took her hands in his as he stood up. "I would do anything for you, Luna. Anything at all." Ron dropped her hands and walked over to Nessa.
Luna watched as a blush arose on the younger girl's face before turning to Harry. "So?" she asked, once again wrapping herself around his arm.
Harry's lopsided grin greeted her. "So I guess I pick you up here around eight?"
Luna's smile grew even larger, if that was even possible. "I wouldn't miss it. After all, now that we've found each other it clear to see that since you're perfect and—"
"And you're perfect—"
"We'll be perfect together." And with that, Luna giddily skipped off to her room.
Hermione was in the library, hard at work on her potions essay when Nessa came wheeling in, bustling with joy.
"Hermione, you have to do something for me. Please. I'll never ask you for anything again if you just do this one thing for me."
"What is it, Nessa?" Hermione asked, knowing good and well that no matter what Nessa asked, she'd never say no.
"Well you see, the Weasley boy asked me to go to the Ozdust Ballroom with him tonight. Harry and Luna have set up a dance there tonight. And I have to go…I just have to! I've never been asked to go anywhere since I've been here and it's finally my turn. But there's just one problems. The wards on Hogwarts make it almost impossible to get to Hogsmeade, and no one has any way to get us out. Well, except you. Now I know you don't want to use your powers for something like this, but please, just this once for me. You can come too. Luna said that if you do this, you can come. Please try to understand, Hermione."
Hermione looked sadly at her sister, realizing exactly how her sister felt, and at the same time wishing that she had never known about this party at the Ozdust. Better to be a second thought and not know than to live with the truth. Especially when it means that she was a second thought of Harry Potter. Finally she answered. "I do understand Nessa." She paused and took a breath. "I do it, just this once. But never again. Do you hear me?"
Nessa grabbed Hermione, hugging her at tightly as she could, uttering her thanks to her green sister. "I promise Hermione. Really I do."
"Then go on and get ready for your date."
Hours later, Hermione sat alone at a table in the far corner of the Ozdust, utterly regretting agreeing to come along. Why she had told her sister yes, even though she knew that Nessa was only using her for her own personal gain, she was sure she would never know. Maybe it was the tiny hope that they regain the closeness that they had shared before coming to Hogwarts. Finally deciding that she was tired of being an outsider, and sick of watching Luna hang all over Harry, Hermione grabbed her cloak from the coat room near the entrance, and started the trek back to Hogwarts…alone.
While Hermione was walking in the cool autumn air and Luna was practically glued to Harry, Ron and Nessa sat alongside the dance floor, watching the couples sway. Ok, so that's not entirely true. Nessa was watching the dancers…Ron was watching Nessa with a rather guilty conscious. He felt horrible knowing that the only reason he had asked her to come with him was because it'd make Luna happy. No matter what, he had to tell her.
"Nessa," he said, almost whispering he was so nervous of hurting her feelings. "Uh, Nessa, I…uh…I have something to, well, to tell you." He took a deep breath and continued. "Now don't be mad, but you see…well…the thing is that…um…I asked you here tonight because—"
Nessa stopped him with a gentle finger on his lips and a soft smile on her face. "Ron, I know why."
Ron was shocked. "You do?"
"Of course I do. It's because I'm in stuck in this chair and you felt sorry for me. Well, isn't that right."
"NO! Uh, no, it's because…" Ron searched for something to tell her. "Well, it's because you are so beautiful."
Nessa gasped. "Oh Ron, you're wonderful. But really, I'm not. Not like Luna."
Sure that his secret had been discovered, Ron did the only thing he could think of. "You know what. Let's go dance!" He grabbed her chair and drew the shocked girl out onto the dance floor.
As it seemed, Harry was right. Things were so much easier out on that floor, when one was dancing through life.
LYRICS
Harry
The
trouble with schools is
They always try to teach the wrong lesson
Believe me, I've been kicked out
Of enough of them to know
They want you to become less callow
Less shallow
But I
say: why invite stress in?
Stop studying strife
And learn to
live "the unexamined life"...
Dancing through
life
Skimming the surface
Gliding where turf is smooth
Life's more painless
For the brainless
Why think too
hard?
When it's so soothing
Dancing through life
No need
to tough it
When you can sluff it off as I do
Nothing matters
But knowing nothing matters
It's just life
So keep
dancing through...
Dancing through
life
Swaying and sweeping
And always keeping cool
Life is
faught less
When you're thoughtless
Those who don't try
Never look foolish
Dancing through life
Mindless and
careless
Make sure you're where less
Trouble is rife
Woes
are fleeting
Blows are glancing
When you're dancing
Through
life...
So—what's the most swankified place in town?
Luna
That
would be the Ozdust Ballroom.
Harry
Sounds
perfect.
Let's go down to the Ozdust Ballroom
We'll meet there
later tonight
We can dance till it's light
Find the prettiest
girl...
Give her a whirl
Right on down to the Ozdust Ballroom
Come on—Follow me
You'll be happy to be there...
Students
Dancing
Through Life
Down at the Ozdust...
Harry
If
only because dust
Is what we come to
Students
Nothing matters
But knowing nothing matters
It's
just life...
Harry
So keep dancing through...
Ron
Miss
Luna—I hope you'll save at least one dance for me. I'll be right
here. Waiting. All night.
Luna
Oh—that's
so kind. But you know what would be even kinder?
See that
tragic'ly beautiful girl
The one in the chair
Iit seems so
unfair
We should go on a spree
And not she
Gee—
I
know someone would be my hero
If that someone were
To go
invite her...
Ron
Well
maybe, I could invite her?
Luna
Oh, Rich, really?
You would do that for me?
Ron
I
would do anything for you Miss Luna.
Luna
So...
Harry
So
I'll be picking you up around eight?
Luna
After
all—
Now that we've met one another
Luna &
Harry
It's clear we deserve each other
Luna
You're
perfect...
Harry
You're perfect...
Luna &
Harry
So we're perfect together
Born to be forever...
Dancing Through Life...
Nessa
Oh,
Hermione—Isn't it wonderful?
Fin'lly for this one night
I'm
about to have a fun night
With this Weasley boy
Luna found
for me
And I only wish there were
Something I could do for
her
To repay her
Hermione, see
We deserve each other
And
Luna helped it come true
We deserve each other
Me and Ron -
Hermione, please try to understand.
Hermione
I
do...
Ron
Listen—Nessa—
Nessa
Yes?
Ron
Uh,
Nessa.
I've got something to confess, a
Reason why, well—
Why I asked you here tonight
Now I know it isn't fair...
Nessa
Oh, Ron. I know why.
Ron
You
do?
Nessa
It's because I'm in this chair
And you felt sorry
for me
Well—isn't that right?
Ron
No!
no! It's because...because...
Because you are so beautiful
Nessa
Oh, Ron! I think you're wonderful!
And we deserve
each other
Don't you see, this is our chance?
We deserve each
other
Don't we, Ron?
Ron
You
know what?
Let's dance!
Nessa
What?
Ron
Let's Dance!
Students
Dancing
Through Life
Down at the Ozdust
If only because dust
Is
what we come to
And the strange thing:
You're life could up
changing
While you're dancing
Through!