Chapter 12 – The Halloween Ball
Darren sat in the crowd that was still lingering around after the match. All the students other than the Slytherins were silent, unable to believe that Slytherin had just beaten Gryffindor for the first time in almost six years. The Slytherin supporters were screaming and yelling their heads off at the Gryffindors that were still in the stadium.
"I can't believe Harry missed the Snitch," said Hermione to nobody in particular.
"I can't believe that Jack Sloper hit Harry with a bludger," Darren said in response.
"Well, it isn't too surprising, is it?" Neville asked.
Hermione turned to look at him and asked him "What do you mean Neville?"
"Well, Kirke and Sloper took over in the middle of last year, after that Umbridge woman had banned Harry and the Weasley twins, but they were never any good, were they?"
Hermione pursed her lips but could find nothing wrong or untruthful about Neville's observation.
"Well, Ron played really well," Darren said to his two fellow students. "I mean, we were up 150-60 before it ended, so that means Ron only gave up six goals out of about thirty that were attempted. And Ginny is incredible at Chaser, isn't she?"
The last sentence was more of a proclamation than a question.
"Yes, she is", Hermione replied.
They sat together in silence for a few more minutes and then Neville broke the silence at last.
"I wonder who will play Beater now?"
"I think we need to worry about how the rest of the team reacts to Harry sacking Sloper and Kirke rather then who will play. It doesn't matter who it is if they are not accepted and trusted by the rest of the team," Darren told them. "Besides, I have to go, and the damn screaming from the Slytherins is giving me a bloody headache anyway."
He got up to leave but was stopped by Neville.
"Where are you going Darren?"
"I have somewhere to be in less than an hour."
"Oh, another date with Cho Darren?" Hermione asked playfully.
Darren just smiled at her and Neville and made his way down from the seats to the ground, all the while attempting to ignore the still shouting and chanting Slytherin students that were hopefully going to yell themselves hoarse soon.
Darren walked across the grounds to the Castle to meet Cho who he found sitting in the main courtyard along with the other members of the Ravenclaw quidditch team. She was not looking in his direction as he walked up and he overheard a snippet of the conversation they were having.
"...Harry kicked them off the team."
"We may have a chance to take the cup this year Roger, if the Gryffindors don't find anyone who is a good beater," he heard Cho telling the Ravenclaw captain.
He stood behind them for a few more seconds before clearing his throat to get Cho's attention. They all turned and all but Roger Davies and Cho looked down at the ground as if they had been caught red handed committing a crime.
"Hey Darren," Cho said with a smile.
"Clarkson," Davies said with an imperious nod.
Darren had never disliked Davies, nor had he ever liked him all that much either. He always struck Darren as somewhat of a blowhard and now he was trying to play off the things that Darren had overheard, as if any of it meant anything at all to Darren.
"Cho, are you ready to go?" Darren asked politely.
Davies looked quickly at Cho and said "Go? Go where?"
"To Hogsmeade Roger, where else would we be going today?" she answered.
"But, but, we were talking about the first game of the season, we have to go over strategy and plans for the match against Hufflepuff."
"Oh Roger, that game is a month away, let it go for today at least, okay?"
Roger Davies looked as if he could not quite believe that she was not that worried about the first match of the season, but he just nodded his ascent and turned and walked away. The rest of the team left with him and Darren was finally alone with Cho and on the way to Hogsmeade.
They walked together in relative quiet until they reached the edge of the grounds and then Darren saw Cho take out her wand and say "Planto Abolesco!"
Cho then just vanished into thin air with a loud crack and Darren found himself alone on the road and feeling very conscious of the fact that he had probably just been dumped by Cho Chang. Then he felt a soft wind blow across his neck and he turned quickly to see her standing behind him. She started laughing at his reaction and he could not help but laugh himself.
"What did you just do Cho?"
"I apparated Darren. I apparated right behind those trees you are standing next to."
"Oh, okay. How come I didn't hear you when you appeared like I did when you disappeared?"
"I was so close to the place I was apparating to that the sounds mixed together so that it seemed as if I was a long way off, at least that is how the wizard that gave me the test said it works."
"Oh, so if you disapparate and then apparate to the same spot, it seems as if you never left then?"
"Well Darren, what good would it do to appear on the same exact spot where you already were? Or is it are? Oh well, it doesn't matter, does it?"
Darren thought for a minute about how the ability to apparate would possibly help him immensely but Cho brought him out of his short daydream.
"Come on Darren; let's get to Gladrags to get our costumes." And with that she apparated about ten meters down the road and laughed as he ran to catch up to her, but with another crack she appeared behind him and smacked him playfully on the back of his head. He turned quickly, but with another crack she disappeared and reappeared farther down the road and this time he walked casually towards her, not wanting to play like this anymore, at least not at the time.
"Aww Darren, come on, I was just having a bit of fun."
"I know, I just want to get to town, and I can't apparate, so I have to do it the old fashioned way, at least for now."
"Well, maybe one day I can show you how to do it, but you would have to be very quiet about it Darren."
"You could show me how to apparate?"
"Sure I could, but you have to remember, I didn't teach you how. Okay?"
The thought of learning to apparate before he was supposed to intrigued him and he found himself telling her "Yeah, I want to learn. When can we start Cho?"
"Well, not today, we have too much to get done, but how about next Hogsmeade visit?"
"Four weeks from today? Sure, that would be good."
He smiled at her and took her hand as they turned to walk together into the town of Hogsmeade. Darren was never unhappy to be among all the magical beings and creatures that inhabited the town. He had grown up in a family that was only half magical, and he enjoyed the Muggle ways of doing things, but the fact that he could do things with the flick of a wand, and the chance to be among the same types of people had always made him happy to be at Hogwarts, no matter what the problems he faced there were. In fact, at this very moment, he wanted to be nowhere but where he was right then, with Cho holding his hand and walking next to him.
In town they found Gladrags and picked up their costumes. Darren's was very heavy, and he wondered if there was a spell that he could use to make it lighter and more comfortable.
'Probably not one that I could learn quickly enough,' he thought to himself as they walked down the main street towards Honeydukes Sweetshop. Inside there was the usual grouping of students pushing their way through the shop to get to the huge jars bowls and shelves piled high with the best candies the wizarding world had to offer. Darren picked up a box of Chocoballs that he wanted to give to Cho on the way back, and a small bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as well as a small sack of Jelly Slugs. He had never been one for a lot of sweet candy before he came to Hogwarts, but it was now one of the things he looked forward to the most with every school year. At the counter he paid for his things and walked with Cho as she looked around. As she was standing next to the bin of Cockroach Clusters, she smiled at him seductively and vanished. He just shook his head as he turned to look for her. As he was going to leave, he heard a loud tapping at the window and saw her there on the outside. Darren pushed his way past the younger students blocking the door and met her outside.
"Where did you go Cho?"
"Oh, I went to Madam Puddifoot's for two cups of hot tea. I thought you might like one, since it is a bit chilly out here today."
She gave Darren the still warm cup and he put both hands around it in order to warm them. As they walked together, he could notice that she was walking a bit closer to him than she had earlier and he could not help but take her hand in his. He was very happy to feel her not only not pull her hand away, but to interlock her fingers with his and to pull him closer to him. He smiled to himself as they continued their walk to the castle and the subject of the Ball came up.
"So, is Neville going with anyone Darren?" she asked.
"Neville? Why do you want to know?"
"Well, I was thinking he could go with one of the Ravenclaw girls, if he didn't have a date yet that is."
"Why, who do you have in mind?" he asked.
"Well, I was hoping he would take Marietta."
"Marietta Edgecombe? I'm not sure if he would. He was telling me she was the one that told Umbridge about the group Harry taught last year, and he didn't seem like he was too anxious to be her friend, much less he date to the Halloween Ball."
"Well, I was hoping he would be polite enough and gentleman enough to give her another chance. After all, it isn't as if she hasn't suffered enough from the anyway. The curse that Hermione Granger put on her gave her the worse case of acne I have ever seen, and it lasted almost the entire summer. She spent the whole summer holiday in her room, too embarrassed to go out and be seen by anybody."
Darren had to admit that it seemed as if poor Marietta had indeed paid for her treachery and that maybe she did deserve another chance. He decided to ask Neville, and he hoped Neville would say yes, at least for Darren's sake and for the success of his date with Cho the next Saturday night.
"Okay Cho, I'll ask him, but don't expect me to get him to do it just because we hang out together."
Cho jumped at him and kissed him on the cheek and said "Thanks Darren, you are so sweet."
"Well, there is one thing I am curious about though?"
"What's that?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, why Neville? Why not another boy that is, err...well, more popular, I guess?"
"Marietta is not the most popular girl in the school right now," she answered matter of factly, "and she has not been asked by anyone, and I kind of figured that Neville didn't have a date, so I was hoping that you would be able to help me out, and I know he is really a nice guy, just a bit goofy and awkward at times, but really nice deep down inside."
"Well, he is nice deep down inside; I just don't know if he will agree to being set up on a date, that's all."
"Well, we'll see soon enough, won't we Darren? Besides, he needs to agree by tonight at the latest so they can get costumes for the Ball. Too late and they will not have one, so please ask him for me tonight. Okay?"
"Okay Cho, I'll ask him tonight, as soon as I see him in the dormitory."
"Thank you Darren," she said before giving him another kiss o the cheek. This time he felt her lips linger a bit longer and he stopped and took her hands and pulled her in front of him. She let the packages she was carrying drop to the ground and let Darren pull her close to him. He was feeling every emotion he had about her for the past years rising inside him as he took her face gently in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. He felt her kiss back and he opened his mouth to taste her lips and she slipped her tongue into his mouth. He was unable to control himself as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her hips against him. He knew she could feel him grow as she touched him and she pulled away slowly and said "You have to save that for later Darren."
With that she disappeared with a crack and Darren felt very stupid standing there alone with his and Cho's packages on the ground next to him. He started to pick them up when suddenly she re-appeared in his arms. Her arms were around his neck, her grip strong and determined as she kissed him passionately and held him tightly.
When she pulled way finally, he reached down and took out the gift he had for her. She smiled as she opened the bag that contained the box of Chocoballs he had gotten for her at Honeydukes and he felt his heart warm when she smiled at him when she saw what it was.
"How did you know I liked these Darren?"
"Well, last year I saw you buy them three times at Honeydukes, so I guessed that you probably liked them a bit, and I thought you might like some today, so I got them for you."
She threw her arms around him again and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Darren, this is so nice."
"You're welcome Cho, it was nothing."
She raised her eyebrow at him again, not knowing that he had indeed watched her buy Chocoballs last year, in fact he had seen her buy them every visit to Hogsmeade since he had started visiting the town three years ago.
"Well, it may be nothing to you Darren, but I appreciate it all the same."
They walked silently the rest of the way back to the school, which was not that far at all and said their goodbyes in the Entrance Hall. Cho headed off to her common room and Darren started up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. A sound next to him caught his attention and he stopped to see what it was. It was Neville hiding in the stairwell.
"Neville, what are you doing here," he asked quietly.
Neville motioned for him to be quiet. "I am listening to Malfoy."
Darren then realized that he could hear Draco talking in hushed tones to his friends, Crabbe and Goyle, and he was talking about the Halloween Ball.
"...when Granger gets there, you do it Pansy."
"Do what?" Darren heard Goyle ask.
"Jesus Christ Goyle! Don't you ever listen to anything at all? When Granger gets to Potions class on Monday after next for the test Pansy will use a Banishing Charm to make a piece of paper with the answers on it go under her parchment and then I will point out to Professor Snape that I saw her cheating. I'll finally get her little do-gooder Mudblood ass in trouble, and there will be nothing that Potter or Weasley can do about it. Got it now?"
"Umm, yes, I think so Draco."
"Good, now let's go back to the common room before dinner starts. I want to get my costume ready for the Ball, and the moustache needs to be trimmed so it fits right."
With that Darren and Neville heard them walk off and go down the stairs he knew led to the Slytherin common room. He could not help but smile to himself as he thought about Draco's plan falling apart because he had been overheard by someone that would get no greater pleasure from anything than making Draco look like the fool he really was.
"What is going on Neville?"
"I've been trapped here for the last hour trying to get down the stairwell with out them seeing me. You caught the last of their plans Darren. They have been scheming the entire time, mostly about you or Harry."
"Me?" he exclaimed.
"Yes, but not too much really. Malfoy is more determined more to get Hermione in trouble for something than anyone else really."
"Well, let it work itself out Neville, Malfoy won't really get her in trouble anyway because none of his plans or attempts ever works out as it is. He just makes himself look like a fool most of the time anyway. Besides, I have something to ask you."
Neville looked absolutely terrified at Darren's proclamation. "Ask, ask me what Darren?"
Darren took a deep breath before continuing. He knew that with Neville's gigantic inferiority complex it might take some doing to get him to agree to go to the Halloween Ball, regardless of the fact that it would involve a girl as well.
"Would you like to have a date for the Halloween Ball Neville?"
"A...a date?"
"Yes Neville, a date."
"No, I don't think I want to go to the Ball Darren. Not at all. Besides, who would I go with anyway? All the girls already have dates for the night as it is."
"Not all of them Neville."
"Who then?" Neville asked.
"Well, what about Marietta Edgecombe, Cho's friend?"
"MARIETTA EDGECOMBE!?" Neville exclaimed out loud. "Why on earth would I want to go out with someone that sold us down the drain last year? She almost got us all expelled."
"Yes, I know Neville, but she is really sorry, she has been shunned by just about everyone for the entire time we have been at school this year, and besides, the acne has cleared up from the end of last year and I think you two might have a really good time."
"Darren, why are you asking me to go with her?"
Darren was taken aback slightly by Neville's straightforward question. It was not like Neville at all to be so forthright.
"Well, to be honest, Cho asked me if I might know anyone that would go with Marietta, and I thought that since you had not asked anyone yet that you might agree to go with her."
"Well, I don't think I want to Darren."
"Why not Neville? What is wrong with going with her?"
"I just don't want to, okay?"
"Okay Neville, but you can't be scared of everything for your entire life."
Darren turned to go but was surprised to be stopped short by Neville.
"What costume is she going to wear?"
Darren turned to look at Neville. He could not believe that Neville had changed his mind. The impression he had was that Neville was too scared to go and would rather sit in the dormitory alone rather than face the school with Marietta Edgecombe on his arm.
"I don't know what she will wear, but I am sure we can find out."
"Okay, I will go, but only if I know this is not a Slytherin trick or something."
"Neville, I don't see how the Slytherins could possibly be involved, but I assure you I am not trying to trick you, okay?"
"Okay then, I'll go with her, if she agrees to go with me. Fair deal?"
"Fair deal Neville. Now, let's get some dinner."
The next week had gone agonizingly slowly as the time to the Halloween Ball had wound down. Darren had to help Neville pick a costume to wear, and for some reason Neville had decided on Winston Churchill, and then Marietta, who had surprisingly and readily agreed to the date, had chosen Margaret Thatcher. The thought of the two of them dressed as two of England's most famous Prime Ministers made Darren chuckle every time he saw Neville.
As the dawn broke on Saturday morning, the castle was full of students rushing about helping to put up last minute decorations and the poor teachers that were trying to hold in the excitement that the students were so eager to let loose for the night. Professor Sinistra had an unfortunate mishap involving an overly enthusiastic Dennis Creevey and an overly ripe pumpkin, but Professor McGonagall had cleaned it up with one whisk of her wand, but otherwise the decorating went well. Darren had just put on the breast plate for his armor when Neville asked him for the tenth time that day whether Marietta would actually show up to go to the ball after all.
"Neville, I'm sure she will, so just quit asking me every ten minutes, okay?" he said with obvious exasperation.
"Sorry Darren. It's just that I am a bit nervous."
Darren sighed quietly before trying to give Neville a bit of hope, even though it seemed pointless due to the fact that Neville seemed determined to convince himself that the night would end in disaster.
"Neville, didn't you go to the Yule Ball two years ago with Ginny Weasley?"
"Yes," Neville answered quietly.
"Well, how is this any different? I mean, Ginny is going with Harry, but you didn't make a fool of yourself then, did you?"
"No, at least I don't think I did."
Darren leaned in close to Neville before saying "Then quit fucking worrying!"
Neville was taken a bit back by Darren's use of vulgarity, but he apparently got the point as he stopped badgering Darren and went to check his bowler in the mirror. His fake cigar was in his breast pocket and the bald wig he wore made him look years older. Darren was also checking himself in the mirror next to his bed. He was dressed as a Roman general, Marc Antony to be exact, and he could not wait to see how Cho looked in her costume. They had decided to get matching costumes, so she was coming as Cleopatra.
"Are you ready Neville? We have to meet them at the bottom of the stairs in the Entrance Hall in ten minutes."
"I'm ready, let's go Darren."
Darren had picked up his helmet and was about to leave when a rustling of feathers on the window sill caught his attention. It was an owl with a letter. He opened the window and the owl stuck his leg out to him. Darren could not imagine who would be sending owl post to him at this time of day, much less on a Saturday, but he took it none the less.
When he opened it and read the message, he felt himself begin to get ill and he had to sit down in order to catch his breath.
"Darren, are you okay? What is it?" Neville asked.
Darren had to think quickly now. He had to try to get through the night and then figure out how to get away later in the night to do what the note told him to do.
"It's nothing Neville. Just a letter from home. My, umm, my grandfather is not well. Let's go, okay?"
"Okay, but are you sure you are okay Darren? You don't look good at all. Maybe you should see Madam Pomfrey or something."
"No, let's just go to the ball Neville. I'll feel better then I am sure."
Together they walked to down the flights of stairs that led to the Entrance Hall and at the bottom of the stairwell was Cho Chang, resplendent in her purple gowns and tiara and Marietta in an exact replica of one of Margaret Thatcher's grey suits. Cho gave Darren a warm smile and then a small kiss on the cheek as Neville and Marietta stood awkwardly to either side.
"Oh, sorry you two," Cho said to them. "I guess formal introductions aren't needed, are they?"
Neville and Marietta both shook their head no and Cho took Darren's arm.
"Well then, I guess we should go in then, the party is about to start."
Together Daren and Cho entered arm in arm, the desire to help their two friends through their awkward first date lost in their desire to enjoy the moment. Darren caught sight of Harry and Ginny dressed as Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman and next to them, as usual, was Ron as Spencer Tracy and Hermione dressed as Katherine Hepburn. Cho guided him towards the center of the room and Darren could not help but notice that she was showing him off, as well as her self at the same time. Neville was standing next to and very close to Darren. So close it made Darren uncomfortable. How on earth would he have a good time if Neville spent more time with him than with Marietta?
"Neville," he said quietly, "why don't you and Marietta get a seat at a table, or some punch, or dance, or something?"
"Dance? I don't think I can dance Darren," Neville said flatly.
Darren let out a small sigh of exasperation at the fact that Neville apparently couldn't take the hint to leave him and Cho alone for the night.
"Neville, look. I want to spend the night with Cho, okay? So, don't get mad or upset, but I want you to take Marietta and go find something to do. Please?"
Neville looked sullen and depressed, but agreed to leave the two of them alone a while. He took Marietta by the arm and led her off towards the tables with the punch and food. Darren watched them go; feeling badly about having probably hurt Neville's feelings, but it had to be done in order to have some time by himself with Cho.
"Don't worry about them Darren," Cho told him. "I told Marietta that Neville would be nervous and unsure of himself, and she knows it is the price she had to pay to get to come, so let's enjoy ourselves, shall we."
She then took his hand and led him towards the dance floor. The music was fast and upbeat and he could not help but let her lead him in the rhythm. She swayed and writhed seductively in front of him, all the while running her hands over the armor on his chest. He reached for her, wanting to hold her closely, but she stepped back and continued to tease him with her movements. Darren could notice that some of the boys were starting to pay attention to Cho now. How could they not? She was in a very revealing purple gown that was open at the midriff and her body was incredible. It was no secret that she was the prettiest girl in the all of Hogwarts, and now she was proving it to the entire student body.
He could feel her hands on his shoulders now as she danced close to him, the silk of her costume caressing his thighs as she continued to seduce him in public. He was about to grab her and do whatever came to mind next when the music ended. Cho made a playful pout towards him and then he heard the next song, a slow one, start up. He had learned long ago how to slow dance, and he could not wait to hold her close as they danced together. Darren took her softly and pulled her to him. Cho did not resist in the slightest. Instead, she let herself be led in the dance as Darren eased her body through the steps. They swayed in silence for a minute, until Cho leaned close to him and whispered in his ear.
"I want you Darren, tonight."