*Sighs with delight.*I love my coworkers!*Eating chocolate zucchini bread.*And I love people who read and review my story-of which there are currently 0 PEOPLE!! To those of you who R/R after this, I LOVE YOU!!*Huggles till you turn blue.*Now, to those of you who haven't read or reviewed, what are you waiting for??? I would like to extend a personal invite! Please let me know if you like it or not, or if I'm wasting my time!!!*Pulls out a pocket watch and waves it in front of the worlds face.*You are getting sleepy...very sleepy...Okay, now, when I snap my fingers, you're going to read my story and review it!*SNAP!*
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Since that day, Hermione and Danna were friends. Because of Hermione's close association with Harry and Ron, she became something more than an acquaintance with them, but less than a friend. Danna was aware of the strain her presence put on the two of them, so she tried not to impose on the threesome too much.
The weekend passed without event, as did the week before Christmas Break. Danna continued to put on more weight with the secret help of Peeves. Potions became much more fun, as Snape seemed to be somewhat jumpy around Danna. Perhaps, she thought smugly, he's afraid that I'll suddenly keel over on him again.
The other piece of exciting news was the Yule Ball coming up. At least, the girls seemed to think it was exciting. Danna noticed a general lack of appreciation for the dance from the male populace. "Hermione, who are you going with?" Danna asked the night before the dance.
Hermione began blushing furiously. "...icrrrummm..." she muttered quickly.
"What?" Danna asked again. "I didn't catch that."
Hermione sighed. "Victor Krum," she said clearly. "I know that he and Harry are against each other in the Tournament, but he asked, and he really is intelligent. There's a lot more to him than just Quidditch, and I really like talking to him." She stared at Danna almost defensively.
Danna held up her hands, as if to ward off a blow. "Hey, I have to problems with it. Personally, I'm not all that interested one way or the other who wins the Tournament, or who plays on Quidditch. They're not really flying, anyway," she said with a wry smile. "All I care about is that they're all careful and that no one gets hurt," she said seriously.
Hermione nodded. "Thanks for your support." She smiled nervously at Danna. "Now, will you help me get ready for Victor tomorrow night?"
Danna laughed and nodded cheerfully. "We'll knock his socks off!" she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
The two were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, doing a bit of homework when Harry and Ron came in with Ron's family. "Fred, George, look who's come to visit Harry!" Ron hollered across the room. In walked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, followed by Charlie and Ginny. Fred and George headed across the common room-raced, more like it-and started talking excitedly with their family.
Mrs. Weasley hugged both of her boys and also spoke with them. "Mum, this is Dannarae," Ron introduced, after Mrs. Weasley had hugged Hermione and asked after her help.
"How do you do?" Danna asked, standing up and holding out her hand.
"Oh, don't be so formal!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "If you're one of Ron's friends your as good as one of my own children." Danna blinked in surprise at being pulled into an embrace. "And look at you! I thought Dumbledore fed his students better, but you look all skin and bones!"
"She just got over being sick, Mum," Fred said. He proceeded to tell her the entire story of Danna's illness, with Ron interjecting what happened in the classroom.
"It wasn't that big of a deal," Danna murmured when they had finished, embarrassed by all the attention.
Mrs. Weasley snorted and began talking to Hermione. Out of the corner of her eye, Danna studied Charlie. Finally, she moved a bit closer to him. "Are you really Charles Weasley?" she asked.
He blinked. "Well, yes. Who else would I be?" He grinned at the question.
Danna smiled back. "I'm just surprised at meeting someone who's so famous."
"Famous?"
"Perhaps not among wizards and witches, but your work with dragons and for dragons is renowned in the circles that I move in," she explained.
"Really? Imagine that." He got a lopsided and pleased grin on his face while his ears began to turn red. They continued to chat quietly, Charlie surprised at how much Danna knew about his work and Danna making suggestions about how to improve his work.
"Ron, we came this week because your father and I, and Charles and Ginny, will be going to Egypt to spend some time with Bill. So you'll have to stay here this Christmas." Ron sighed and said that they'd be all right. He'd have more time to hang out with Harry, after all.
The night ended and the next day came. It was another boring day, until evening. Then Danna and Hermione were kept busy getting Hermione ready for the Yule Ball. They just barely made it in time to where Hermione and Victor were meeting. Perfection, after all, isn't something you can just pull out of a hat. It takes time to create. Later that evening, Hermione filled Danna in on all the details of the Ball.
She left the next morning for Christmas Break. It was shortly after she left that Ron and Harry decided a foray into the Forbidden Forest would be a good idea. Of course Danna followed them. There was danger in the Forest that they didn't know about.