Chapter Eight

Valentine's Day Dance

"Umm… It's about to rain… Let's go under the tree," said Harry grabbing her hand. Once they sat down under the tree Kali kept on staring at Harry.

"I… I wanted to…" How was he supposed to tell her? Just say I love you like that? What would she say? Does she feel the same way? Harry, not thinking of what to do, kissed her. Kali was surprised but put a hand up to his neck. Harry, wanting it to last forever, broke away, wanting to tell Kali so bad, now that he had enough courage.

"I love you," he said quietly. Kali stared into his eyes, not believing what she just heard. She slowly moved closer to Harry kissing him gently and pulling away slowly.

"I love you, too." Kali smiled and kissed him again…

Harry and Kali were back together and were seen in the common room late at night bundled up by the fire with the same couple every night, Darian and Ron. Yet, Valentines was around the corner and that meant…

"There will be a Valentine's Dance for six and seventh years," announced McGonagall. Ron groaned.

"And everyone is supposed to buy masks."

"What kind of masks?" Seamus asked, not raising his hand.

"Masks that will cover the top part of your face. Any kind will do. You could buy them at the store in Hogsmeade, Mr. Finnigan," said Professor McGonagall.

"Now," she continued. "The point of the Valentine's Day dance is to find your date, or whoever you are going with, while wearing the mask and dressed up in your dress robe. There will be a contest for the best-dressed couple. So, Professor Flitwick and I will be looking at every couple and pick the best. It will be the same as the Yule Ball." Then the bell rang to leave for the weekend! The Dance was tomorrow and people were filling out to go get there masks right away.

"So, are you getting your mask?" Hermione asked Kali while walking from behind her.

"Probably in an hour when everyone checks out." Hermione nodded.

"So, are you going with Calvin?" Kali asked smiling.

"Oh… Well, yes." She blushed.

"Harry, when are you getting your mask?" Ron asked while walking side-by-side with Harry.

"Oh, maybe tomorrow. But, I want to know when Kali is getting it."

"I just heard her say maybe in an hour. You could try and find out then, when she leaves."

"Yeah, but I don't want her to find me."

"Well, you could always walk behind her… Like behind bushes…"

"Wait… Aren't you going?"

"Well," began Ron. "I was thinking to, but…"

"Hey," said a voice from behind.

"Hi." Ron said standing straight.

"Are you going to the dance?" Darian asked.

"Oh. Yeah. Definitely."

"I was going but only if you were going to go."

"Yeah," said Ron, which was the only thing her could get out of his mouth.

"Well, I'll see you. I'm going to go get my mask." Darian kissed him on the cheek and left. Harry laughed and walked ahead into the common room.

An hour past and Kali began to get up and walk out of the portrait hole. Harry waited about a minute and soon exited the portrait hole. Up ahead, he could see Kali starting to walk down the stairs. He waited a minute behind the wall and walked behind her, taking the same pace as her, so not to notice him behind her.

Once in Hogsmeade Kali entered the shop where they held the masks and still saw about ten girls circling glass boxes filled with masks. Kali looked around until she found a sparkling blue mask and picked it up. Yet Harry didn't see what it was as she was holding it upside down and brought it to the counter where the guy paid for it and put it in a bag. Harry hurried outside and hid behind a tree while Kali walked back to Hogwarts. He stared at Kali as she walked away and then entered the shop once again, searching for his mask. He found a green mask, to go with his eyes, bought it and then left the shop.

As Harry entered the Great Hall, he saw many girls walking around looking for their dates. Neville, seeing Harry enter, walked up to him.

"Hey Harry," said Neville who noticed Harry by the glasses over his green mask.

"Hi Neville." Harry said looking at his gray mask.

Harry could see three red heads enter the Great Hall with Fred and George around Ron. Harry also spotted Ginny walking by trying to avoid all the people who were running to catch up to their dates.

"Hey, Harry," said Ginny as she left the crowd of girls.

"Harry?" A voice said from behind Harry. Harry, hoping that it was Kali, turned around.

"Hi." Hermione said.

"Oh, Hi Hermione," said Harry sighing.

"Let me guess…" Hermione said staring at his face.

"Looking for Kali?" Harry nodded.

"Well, just a hint but I saw her coming out of the common room a minute ago. She looks great by the way." Hermione smiled at this. "But Harry, it's hard to find her."

"But, I'm going to go," Hermione said looking around for Calvin.

"I'll see you Harry."

"Wait, Hermione," said Harry before Hermione could take a step. "What was Kali's color of her mask?"

"Sorry, Harry. She told me to keep that a secret." Hermione smiled and left.

Ron was walking over to the group as soon as he saw Darian enter the group. But Ron, not wanting to deal with the group, left with Darian to go sit down somewhere else. Orchestra music was playing and still Harry hasn't found Kali for the past few minutes. But soon he saw a girl with a blue mask look at him from the other side of the dance floor, look away, and then walk a little faster. Harry didn't see the girl wearing glasses but somehow thought she looked familiar. He followed the girl around the corner who saw her purple dress fly behind her, with a scarf around her shoulders. The purple scarf flew off and landed in front of Harry. He picked it up and written on it was: Property of Padma Patil. Harry sighed and started to walk back to the group.

He saw her, but could only tell that she had long dark hair and a strapless dress. He couldn't tell the color of her skin but handed her scarf back. She didn't say anything but whispered something into Hermione's ear. Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Harry, er… she wanted me to tell you that it's hard for her to speak but if she did you could barely here it." Harry nodded.

"Oh, I just saw Kali, but she's trying to come Harry," said Hermione. The girl stared at her in astonishment. "I think she got… er sick."

"Oh… Okay." Harry responded. "I might as well and go," he responded while looking at his watch and saw that it was eight-thirty. The party was going to end at nine.

"Harry, I just saw her come down," Hermione said. "I'll go see." And she left. Harry sighed and sat down on a chair next to Padma. Hermione came down twenty-five minutes later.

"Sorry, Harry. She isn't coming," said Hermione. Harry sat down on the chair while staring at the clock. He got up again and started to leave when…

"Harry." Hermione said with the girl whispering in her ear. "Umm… The... She er… Wants to dance with you if that's all right? She…" Hermione paused and listened to the girl's whisper.

"Doesn't have a… Part-… Date. She doesn't have a date." Harry thought for a minute.

"This is a song for all you lover's out there," said the bandleader. "Get together with the one you love and dance this last dance for the night. (Or the one you like or whatnot…)"

"I... I guess," decided Harry. The two of them walked slowly over to the far end of the dance floor and started slow dancing. At the end of the song the bandleader announced:

"Well, that is the end of the Valentine's Day Ball! Everybody on the count of three take off your masks and throw them into the air to see your lover's face!"

"One! …Two! …Three!" Even the bandleader took off his mask and soon you could see everybody's mask high in the air. Harry took off his mask with one hand, without throwing his in the air since he was full of sorrow. He looked at the one he was dancing with and she still had her mask on. She was staring at the floor and Malfoy was smirking. Harry was staring at her, wondering why she didn't take off her mask. She looked up, gave a glance at the boy behind Harry, and gently took off her mask.

Harry was surprised to see the girl fully and clearly now. She had dark brown hair that went to about the beginning of her hips and brown beautiful eyes with a purple strapless dress, that he noticed was the same except the color, that was exactly like Kali's. It was Kali; and she smiled. Malfoy, who was behind the couple, grumbled in anger and walked off with Pansy behind him.

Kali mouthed her mouth but nothing came out. She put a hand to her throat and looked at the blond haired boy walk away. Harry took a glance behind him and muttered, "Malfoy." He started to walk off when Kali put a hand on his shoulder and he stopped. He turned around and saw Kali looking worried at Harry and tried to talk, but could hear nothing beyond the music. The people started to exit and soon the couple was walking back to the common room.

Once they were in the Gryffindor common room he could hear Kali whispering.

"I," she whispered very lightly, "can't talk." Harry looked at her confused.

"Draco… He," but she coughed and her voice was gone. She moved her lips but nothing came out.

"I gave her a spell that could make her whisper for some time," said Hermione. "That's why I was up there so long."

"I saw Malfoy give the spell earlier," replied Ron. "But he was gone when I was there and it must've been Kali who got hit by it because I didn't see her." He paused and looked around the room.

"He said something about: 'now you will not get to see your beloved Harry' or something like that."

"I don't even know the spell for it, we haven't learned it yet," responded Hermione who was now flipping through a huge spell book.

"Voice… No," she said as she was moving her finger along the lines.

"Here it is." She flicked her wand at Kali's throat and it turned into a light blue color.

"That's the spell. I don't know what happened." Hermione said as she was now skimming through the page, hastily.

"It must've been some dark magic he performed on her… We're not aloud to do that." She looked up at Harry and back down to her book.

"This must be it… Frexima!" She exclaimed and soon Kali's throat turned back to her normal skin color. You could actually hear Kali's breath, which was now gasping for air.