Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Having The Time Of Their Lives
(Harry's point of view)
"Hermione, err, I was just wondering, I mean if you are not already planning on going with someone else, if you would be willing to go to the Graduation Ball with me tomorrow?" I asked, subconsciously scratching roughly at my left hand in sheer nervousness (I have to stop doing that). Pleaseee say 'yes'! I begged desperately to myself. How can girls make me so nervous while the mention of Voldemort does not even make me bite my lip? I can be so pathetic sometimes.
Hermione looked extremely shocked for about a second but quickly covered it up. She opened her mouth as if to say something and hurriedly closed it before any sounds came out.
After about five more seconds of a somewhat awkward silence while I was shifting my feet around uneasily and trying to ignore the throbbing in my now-red hand, (I was definitely no expert in the 'girls' area but it was pretty obvious that not replying was not a sign of consent) Hermione finally spoke up, "Sure, Harry, I'll go with you."
After saying that, she ran off in the direction of the Gryffindor Common Room. Why, I did not know and neither did I care because I was tremendously euphoric! I punched the air victoriously as I watched her fast retreating figure. I had kind of liked her for a while previously but had not had the guts to tell her. It was not as if I could one day, simply walk up to her and ask, "Hey, Hermione, I love you a whole lot so will you be my girlfriend?" Those things took time, in my opinion, and I had only just started.
I had to tell Ron immediately! He was the only boy whom I had talked to about the matter. I ran as swiftly as I could towards the Great Hall (where he would most likely be gobbling down his food like there was no tomorrow, as usual) while grinning goofily like some idiot.
I flung the doors open (in an overly hostile manner) and scanned the Gryffindor table for Ron. I finally managed to spot him at the end of it, nearer to the Teacher's table, with a great mound of food on his plate (obviously). I sprinted over to him, pushing my protesting legs to go a bit further (I have got to work out, I am in such bad shape without Quidditch!).
"Ron! Hermione agreed to go with me to the ball tomorrow!" I whispered the last part because I figured, even though I had not I bothered to look, that a lot of other students would have had their curious eyes on me. After all, it is not everyday that you see the Boy-Who-Lived dash madly into the Great Hall with a wide smile plastered on his face.
Ron reached out his hand, slapped me on the back and said (thankfully after swallowing his food), "Good for you, mate! So you finally got the courage to ask her?"
I nodded enthusiastically, tomorrow was going to be a great day for me! It would be a fantastic day to remember.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
(Hermione's point of view)
I was walking down to the Great Hall to have some breakfast when who should suddenly grab me from behind and turn me around, nearly making me fall over, but Harry. He could make me so angry sometimes!
The moment I was facing him instead of the floor, he said, "Hermione, err, I was wondering, I mean if you aren't already going with someone else, if you would be willing to go to the Graduation Ball with me tomorrow?"
I admit, I had always harboured some secret feelings for him but I thought that Harry would definitely want someone prettier, more talented, had more of that I-have-to-save-the-world need, someone braver. Therefore, I was extremely astonished that Harry, Harry Potter would want to bring me to the Ball. What was I going to do? I liked him and did not want to make him upset but I had already told Tom that I would go with him! I began to open my mouth to tell him but hesitated and closed it again. Never mind, I am not going to pass up the chance of going with Harry! I would figure out what to do later.
"Sure, Harry, I'll go with you," I said to him before running off in the direction of the Gryffindor Common Room where Tom would be, he does not eat breakfast because apparently, its 'detrimental to his oh so perfect figure'. I would figure out a plan along the way there.
I ran as my heart beat a violent tattoo against my chest. Oh my gosh, why am I always getting myself into sticky situations without a plan whenever it comes to boys? They always have this thing of making me act upon impulse, which makes me so totally mad.
I said the password to the portrait of the Fat Lady, "Oblivi-" I gasped in surprise. Why had I not thought of it before? So much for my reputation as the smartest witch in Hogwarts. The password was actually 'oblivious' but half the answer to my problem was in the first three syllables. I was sure that I could perform a Memory Loss charm on him! I was sure that if I concentrated hard enough, I could make him forget the time when he asked me if I would go. Yes!
My thoughts were rudely interrupted by the Fat Lady, "Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to give me a password?" she inquired, raising her eyebrow in question and crossing her arms as a sign of displeasure.
I rolled my eyes at her angrily, "Fine, Oblivious."
The portrait swung open to admit me, the Fat Lady scowling at my defiance, and I saw Tom sitting lazily by the fire, engrossed in reading a book called "Defeating the Dziwozonies". He is such an idiot, there is no point in reading about Dziwozonies, they were stupid creatures.
I crept on all fours to behind the armchair he was sitting on while reading and stood up discreetly, saying "Sorry, Tom" in my head.
"Obliviate!" I cast the spell on him after focusing on the time when he had asked me to go to the Ball with him and immediately ran away. There went my reputation as the most well-behaved witch in school too. At least no one would have to know about it, hopefully Tom did not see me run out of the Gryffindor Common Room.
The moment I was outside, I jumped into the air exuberantly. I was going to the Graduation Ball with Harry!
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
(Harry's point of view)
I could not wait to see Hermione. It was 5.30pm, the ball would be at 6pm and I had just started to get ready. I bet that Hermione would look absolutely stunning. The thought put a wide smile on my face as I absentmindedly slipped on my tuxedo. Following that, I tied my bow. I was done! Hooray! Of course, boys always dress real quick, didn't you know?
I turned around to look at myself in the mirror. Oh. My. Gosh. The top of my tuxedo was inside out. The pant for my left leg was on my right and the pant for my left leg was on my right. My shirt buttons were not in the right holes and my bow tie looked like a piece of velvet ribbon with ten thumb knots in it.
I groaned audibly and began to do it all over again. This time, however, I forced thoughts of Hermione out of my mind and concentrated on the task at hand.
All of a sudden, I was hit with a wave of nervousness. What if I messed up like I just had while changing? What if we were dancing and I stepped on her foot? I began to imagine the scenario in my mind.
"Hi Hermione, you look beautiful tonight," I say and suddenly trip over my feet. I reach out to grab something and grab the end of her dress, creating a huge rip in it. Hermione frowns, being upset and uses her wand to repair it.
I turn a tomato red and Hermione questions, "Harry, did you perform a colouring charm on yourself? You look as if someone dropped a bucket of red paint on your face."
I try to ignore it, unsuccessfully of course, so I turn slightly redder.
"Hey, Potter! Got something up your arse?" Malfoy yells out with a sly smirk on his face. Everyone turns to face me and starts laughing. I run out of the Hall to the toilet to wash my face.
When I come back, Hermione is standing at the doors with crossed arms and a deep frown on her face while she taps her foot impatiently.
"Come on, Harry. You've already made a mess of my night."
I follow her inside and hear Malfoy call out, "Hey, Potter! You relieved yourself in your PANTS?"
I look down and see that some of the water I had used to wash my face had fallen onto my pants, exactly in THAT spot. I decide to let the insult slip by and turn to face Hermione.
"Would you like to dance?"
She nods and says, "That's the first right thing that you have done tonight."
We dance as a new song begins to play. As we are dancing, I trod on her foot.
"Harry!" she whispers angrily.
I give her an apologetic look and continue dancing. At the part where I lift her off the ground, I begin to lift her but she slips from my grasp and I drop her on the floor where she hits the end of her backbone. She screams out in pain and clenches her fists.
She looks up at me with tears glistening in her eyes, "Harry, you BROKE my backbone, you IDIOT!"
"Whoops, my bad!" is all I can say as I try to lift her off the ground with my arms, forgetting my wand in the heat of the moment.
"HARRY! USE A LEVITATION CHARM FOR GOODNESS SAKES!" Hermione cries out, frustrated with me.
"Oh, uhm, right. Sorry, Hermione!"
By the time we reach the hospital wing, Hermione's tears are falling freely.
I slam the doors open and they rebound onto me and my eyes water up in pain. Madam Pomfrey comes bustling over and says, "What happened to her?"
At the end of my story, Madam Pomfrey allows me to return to my dormitory after telling me that she wanted to monitor Hermione overnight.
The next day, I wake up to the irate yelling of Hermione.
While I groggily rub my eyes, Hermione says the last sentence and it stings me like a swarm of bees.
"I hate you, Harry Potter!"
I finally came back to reality and realized that I was hyperventilating. I told myself to calm down, I would simply tell Hermione that I was not going to the ball! Yes, that was it. No, Harry Potter, I chided myself, that scenario was exaggerated, you are going to the Ball and that's that!
Once my breathing had finally returned to normal, I decided that I would go to the ball but be extremely careful not to do anything stupid or careless that may in anyway embarrass myself or harm Hermione.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
(Hermione's point of view)
It was 1pm and I had already started preparing for the Ball which would begin at 6pm. What can I say? Girls need time to prepare. A lot of it. Ginny was helping me a bit as well. Alright, not a bit, EVERYTHING. She was fussing around me and I had to admit that she uncannily resembled her mother except that her mother was strict about things like Harry being fed properly but Ginny fussed about fashion.
I just sat there and let Ginny do all the work for me, which she was happy to do so, because I was not feeling up to it due to the butterflies which were fluttering around in my stomach. I felt extremely queasy and had the urge to puke about every five minutes.
Finally after the tenth time I felt nauseous, I wrenched my hair free from Ginny's gentle grasp and fled to the toilet where I seemingly threw up all the food that I had eaten for lunch. I had no idea that black-coloured pudding and chicken would turn out pink when coming out of your system. I flushed and went out after washing my mouth of the horrid taste, apologizing to Ginny.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I doubt that I have anything left in my stomach anyway."
"Okay then, if you say so," Ginny shrugged casually and went back to helping me with my hair do.
After half an hour, when my hair was tied up neatly and beautifully into a French braid, Ginny began to work on my face. She took out this vivid red lipstick and slid it along my upper and lower lips three times each. She took out some blusher and applied a lot on my face. She finally retrieved a black, skimpy dress and a pair of stilettos from her trunk.
Once I had put them on, she finally let me look in the mirror. I had to stop myself from screaming. I looked like a hooker, so much that it scared me.
I forced out a, "Thanks, Ginny. I look wonderful. Maybe you should concentrate on yourself now." I swallowed, hoping that she would be willing to.
Ginny smiled and pranced off to get ready. I heaved a big sigh of relief.
I ran to the toilet before anyone could see me and scrubbed my face clean, which took me a full five minutes. By the time I had finished getting rid of the offensive clothing and make-up, only leaving my hair, which I thought had been the only pretty thing about me earlier, it was 3pm. I sighed heavily and sat down on a chair to think about what I would wear. Suddenly I was struck by an amazing idea and immediately began to dress up, summoning materials required every now and then. I was going to look my best for Harry at the Ball, no matter what. I just hoped that he would do the same for me as well and that Ginny would not look for me at the Ball…
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
(Harry's point of view)
I waited at the bottom of the stairs for Hermione to come, adjusting my bow tie every now and then, fidgeting every once in a while. I hoped that reality was nothing like imagination because if it were, I would have run, right there and then, in front of everybody. Yes, I would, believe me, I would run like Romilda Vane herself were chasing me.
Finally, I saw Hermione at the top of the stairs, searching for me. I waved to her and as she looked at me and smiled, I realized how breath-takingly beautiful she was. In fact, saying that she was stunningly gorgeous would be an understatement, there were no possible words to describe her. She had the beauty that I had thought only existed in fairy tales. It seemed as if she had made up a character called the White Princess.
My breath caught in mid-inhale. Her hair was neatly tied up in a braid and she wore a white, glittering mask, curving up at the ends, on her face which accentuated her natural beauty. She had put on some white lipstick, which on other girls would have looked extremely out of place but Hermione managed to make it go perfectly with her outfit. She wore a white turtleneck dress, which was completely opaque at the top with some sequins sewn in flower patterns dancing across it, below it was the skirt part of the dress which was translucent and trailed gracefully down to her ankles. On her dainty feet, she wore simple white slip-on shoes which covered the back and the sides of her feet, including her toes.
I felt slightly dizzy and remembered that I had not taken in my required dose of oxygen while I was surveying Hermione. I inhaled without taking my eyes off her. Hermione waved her hand at me slowly and began to walk down the steps.
I realized that the Hall, which had originally been filled with murmurs of students chattering, had gone so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Even Draco Malfoy, who would normally have teased her about taking the place of the table cloth or some other thing was staring unabashedly at Hermione, his mouth wide open. Just at this moment, all the girls in the Hall, excluding Hermione, lifted their hands and pushed their partner's mouth shut.
I proudly noticed that Malfoy had foolishly chosen to attend the Ball with Pansy Parkinson, was now being harshly reprimanded by her. I could have sworn though, that Malfoy sneaked one or two wistful glances at Hermione. This was no surprise as Hermione was a fine-looking girl and Pansy was wearing a corset with blue jeans. I would have laughed heartily if not for the fact that music had began to play.
I looked at Hermione and smiled warmly.
"Hey, Hermione."
"Hi, Harry."
"May I have this dance?"
Hermione blushed and said, "You may. Oh stop being so formal, Harry, it's making me feel very awkward."
I led her out to the dance floor where a slow music rang out across the Hall.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
(Hermione's point of view)
I waited outside the Hall for a while as I pondered whether I should go in to the Hall. What if Harry did not like my outfit? I clenched my fists nervously as thought swarm around in my head. I bit my lip as I took a deep breath before deciding to go in. if I was so nervous, then I was sure that Harry would be too, I am not one to be nervous (usually) so it would not fair to him if I ran off and did not turn up, he would definitely feel offended.
I pushed the doors open gently and looked around for Harry. I finally spotted him at the foot of the stairs. I began to walk slowly down the stairs, wondering why everyone was goggling at me. I was slightly worried that I had spinach between my teeth or something but decided to ignore them and focused on Harry.
He looked really handsome in a tuxedo and oddly enough, his hair made him look even better as he would have looked too formal with it down and perhaps even slightly like Malfoy's slicked back, blond hair. I liked it much better that way, I had to admit.
I walked slowly down the staircase, growing increasingly nervous as no one took their eyes off me, not even Malfoy who mouth was agape. He looked so much like a goldfish that I had to stifle a peal of laughter that rose in my throat.
As soon as I reached Harry, he said, "Hey, Hermione."
"Hi, Harry," I replied.
To my extreme pleasure, he asked me to dance and of course, I told him to stop being so formal as he led me over to the dance floor.
We began to sway along to the rhythm of the song as slow music played out across the hall. Harry wrapped his arms gently around my waist and I wrapped mine around his neck.
"Do you have any idea how beautiful you look tonight?" He whispered to me.
I blushed, slightly embarrassed and said, "No, do I?"
He removed one of his hands from my waist and fingered my face soothingly, "Yes, yes you do, very much so."
After a while, I said, "Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"What for?"
"For everything.''
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
(Harry's point of view)
I looked into her beautiful brown eyes as she looked into my eyes. The music had greatly affected our mood as it played at first but it seemed to gradually grow softer to a whisper as we were lost in each other's eyes.
Before I knew it, we were moving closer to each other and I could see her soft, white lips coming nearer to my red ones. As we kissed, we felt a sort of sparkle of electricity run through our bodies, only the two of us in the whole Hall felt it.
After what seemed like an hour, even though it was only about five seconds, we broke apart and realized that we had been lifted about five centimeters off the ground because we felt our feet land lightly on the floor as we were magically lowered down. I was not as smart as Hermione so naturally I did not know much about wandless magic but I could tell that it meant that we were perfect for each other.
I stared at Hermione, slightly shocked and slightly amused, yet still slightly afraid. Thankfully, I did not have the emotional range of a teaspoon or I would probably have 'exploded', in Ron's words.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
(Hermione's point of view)
I looked into his beautiful emerald green eyes and felt mostly contented. There was still something missing, though, but I would soon find out exactly what it was.
We leant in closer to each other and I could see his red lips but my eyes slowly fluttered closed as our lips connected. I felt a tingle of electricity run up my spine and felt us mysteriously being lifted up from the Hall floor but I did not care. My head was emptied of all thoughts as I was lost in the kiss. We broke apart after about five seconds.
As our feet lightly touched the ground again, I realized that together with Harry, I had performed my first bit of wandless magic. I had read about it before. It was said that when two kissed and performed any wandless magic, it meant that the two were meant for each other and became magically bound to each other, they would not be able to date anyone else. I was glad, extremely glad, that I was with Harry and not with someone else because I loved him. A lot.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
It was at that moment, that very moment, that we realized that both of us were meant to be, together forever…
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