The first thought that strikes Harry once he finishes elbowing his way through the crowd of dancers is: he's alone for the first time tonight.
Harry's not sure what the plan is from here. The three of them didn't actually do much planning. He figures it'll go like this: Cedric and Cho will dance for an undetermined amount of time, then he'll dance with Cho for an undetermined amount of time, and repeat. He and Cedric will swap places until the Ball is over, then they'll bid each other goodnight before heading off alone to their respective common rooms.
If they got together and discussed this hypothetical plan, Cedric would probably say it's the fairest option. Cho would probably say it's the most logical one. Harry doesn't necessarily disagree, but it still leaves something to be desired. It's stiff and formal, less like a date, more like an arrangement. Cho is a person, not a quaffle for him and Cedric to pass around. He doesn't want to spend the night with one eye on his watch, counting the seconds to ensure they split their time with her evenly. Plus there's a part of him, a small, newly formed part he's not sure what to make of, that wants to spend time with Cedric too.
Well, so far the night's proven to be an experiment in improvisation. The best thing to do is stop worrying and let things sort themselves out. It hasn't let him down yet.
Harry finds Ron and Luna at a table near the main doors. It was hard to tell on the jam packed dance floor, but quite a few people hung back to sit and chat over glasses of iced pumpkin juice. The music isn't ear-splittingly loud here. It's possible to have a conversation without shouting over guitars and drum beats.
"Hello Harry! You and Cedric looked good out there," Luna says.
"Yeah, very smooth," Ron says.
"Thanks," he says. He grabs the chair next to Ron and plops into it, leaning back and kicking his feet out in front of him. "So I take it you two opted not to dance?"
"Oh right, I forgot to ask!" Ron says. "Hey Luna, wanna dance?"
"Do you?" She asks with a wide-eyed expression.
"I dunno… only if you do, I guess."
"Maybe later then."
Luna reaches up into her poinsettia wreath and retrieves a rolled-up magazine. Ron rests his elbow on the table and stares off into space. Neither are much for conversation, but he still enjoys their company. And enough people stop to say hello so he's not left lonely. Dean and Seamus sit and chat a while. Their dates, Parvati and Lavender, appear to have ditched them for Beauxbatons boys, but neither seems too fussed over it. Hagrid asks if he liked his Christmas present before dashing off to talk to Madame Maxime. Hermione collapses into the chair next to him, smiling and flushed from dancing. When she asks Ron how his night is going, he's struck with a sudden interest with the bizarre, horned creature on the cover of Luna's magazine.
"What about you, Harry?" Hermione asks. "How's everything going with Cho and Cedric?"
"Pretty good," he says. "They're off dancing at the moment. I think once they're finished Cho and I will have a go."
Harry's eyes flick over to Cedric and Cho. They're near the stage swaying back and forth with the beat. Their black and silver robes compliment each other nicely. And their smiles, they both have perfect smiles. On their own Cedric and Cho are ridiculously good-looking, but together… it isn't fair how good they look together.
"Harry? Are you alright?" Hermione snaps her fingers in front of his face.
"What?" Harry blinks, and forces himself to focus on Hermione. Without realizing it his gaze has drifted to Cedric and Cho. It's not the first time tonight they've made his brain go foggy. He's not staring at them on purpose, it's just where his eyes naturally want to go.
"I asked what you thought of the music."
"Oh. It's good. I like it."
Hermione stares at him with a curious expression. Before she can figure out who he's looking at, he looks away, though from her knowing smile he thinks he might be too late. His gaze shifts to George Weasley and Penelope Clearwater, who are doing a wild tango across the dance floor.
"Hey, did Percy and Penelope break up?" He asks.
"Yeah, he ditched her after he got his job at the Ministry." It's Ginny who answers him. She claims the chair next to Luna, and Neville the one next to her.
"Oh, your brother doesn't look too happy about it." Hermione points at Percy, who grips his butterbeer with such a tight grip Harry's concerned it might shatter. Ron's face shifts to a similar expression as Viktor Krum approaches their table.
"Herm-own-ninny," he says. He offers Hermione his arm. "Vould you like to dance again?"
"Oh yes! Let's go, Viktor," Hermione takes his arm with one hand and waves goodbye to them with the other.
Ron scoffs once they're out of earshot. "Viktor? Since when has she called him that?"
"I thought you liked Viktor Krum, Ron," Neville says.
"He's fine," Ron says through gritted teeth.
"I don't blame you for not liking him," Luna says. "That fur collar would attract an awful lot of nargles, especially with all this mistletoe around."
Ginny snorts, "That's not it, Luna. Ron's just jealous."
Ron sputters, "Jealous? Why? Just because he's a famous quidditch player-"
"A famous quidditch player who's dancing with Hermione Granger."
"So what? Hermione can dance with whoever she bloody well pleases."
"See, he's jealous." Ginny leans into Luna's ear and says in a mock stage whisper.
"Shut up! I am not jealous!"
"Merlin, why can't you act more like Harry, Ron? His date's off dancing with someone else and you don't see him acting like a jealous git."
Harry shrugs, "That's because I'm not jealous."
And he isn't. Not exactly. Sure, he'd like to dance with Cho, but not if it means shoving Cedric out of the picture. He'd like to be on the dance floor with them instead of staring at them from the outskirts. He'd like to grow an extra pair of arms so he can dance with both at the same time. What he's feeling is excluded, and confused. Definitely a bit confused
"So uh… what exactly is a nargle?" Neville asks. Harry sighs in relief, glad someone broke the tension.
He only half-listens to Luna's ramble. Nargles are tiny winged creatures that something something something or other. Where are Cedric and Cho? He scans the dance floor but they're nowhere to be found. He tries again, and again, then glances around the Great Hall. There, Cedric's by the refreshments table laughing with two other boys. Harry recognizes one as a beater on the Hufflepuff quidditch team, the other is unfamiliar. Cho isn't with them though, which means she must be...
She's 20 feet in front of him, walking with purpose towards his table. Her hair has started to come undone from her updo, but it only makes her look more lovely. His mind flashes images of her hair after quidditch practice, all messy and windswept.
"Want to dance?" Cho says. She smiles, then glances at his tablemates who are wrapped up in a loud discussion about nargles. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"
"No, let's dance. Or- do you want to sit down first? I could get you a drink or a pastry?"
She shakes her head. "Cedric already offered. I'm fine, I promise."
"Alright, lets dance."
The Weird Sisters play a soft, slow tune. Harry's reminded of those Celestina Warbeck songs Mrs. Weasley likes. Everyone is coupled up and dancing close in a far less coordinated and formal way than his waltz with Cedric.
Harry thought he kicked the nervousness from his system. He successfully completed one dance without stepping on his partner's toes or tripping over his feet. It shouldn't be too hard to do it again. The only difference is he's substituting Cedric with Cho. Cho Chang, the girl he's fancied for months. All she has to do is smile in his direction and butterflies burst to life in his stomach.
It's not dancing that's making him nervous not, it's the person he's dancing with.
He puts his hands on her waist, delicately so his fingertips just graze the fabric of her dress robes. Cho wraps her arms around his neck, her silk sleeves soft on his skin. They sway in slow, easy circles. Harry smiles, and she smiles back. Her eyes are deep brown, almost black, and her eyelashes are long and delicate. Harry notices for the first time a faint scar running along her chin.
"I got it in a quidditch accident. Fred Weasley lobbed a bludger at my face. Or was it George? I don't remember," Cho says. "You were staring, so I thought I'd explain."
"Oh sorry. I didn't mean to."
"It's alright. I've been staring at your forehead so..."
Harry laughs, "I suppose you already know how I got the scar?"
"Yeah, I may have heard the story once or twice."
The Weird Sisters strike up a new song, this one faster. Harry bobs his head and bounces his knees, feeling a little lost in all of this. He's not used to this kind of dancing, where there aren't any steps to follow and everyone seems to just flail around. Cho sways along in time with the music, her movements smooth and graceful.
"I've always thought you were really brave, you know," She says, shouting to be heard over the music.
"For what? Not dying when Voldemort tried to kill me as a baby?"
Cho doesn't flinch at his name, the way he's so used to other wizards doing. "Not exactly. I remember in my second year you took on that mountain troll. And then just last month you faced off against a dragon."
"But I wasn't trying to be brave or anything. I really didn't put my name in for the Tournament, you know."
"I know. There's no way you could have gotten past Professor Dumbledore's age line."
"So you know I didn't do it to be brave or anything."
"It doesn't matter. Actions speak louder than intentions. You were forced into a terrifying situation, and instead of shrinking away you faced it head on. That's what bravery is, don't you think?"
He wants to dispute her. He opens his mouth to say she's wrong, but she grabs one of his hands and raises his arm into the air. She spins underneath it. Harry grins and twirls her again, and again, faster and faster. Her dress robes flare out, the gemstones glittering under the spotlights. Cho laughs, and Harry wishes the band would stop playing and everyone would stop talking because her laugh is the only thing he wants to hear.
Harry finds to his surprise dancing is kind of fun. After a few songs he stops worrying he doesn't know what he's doing. Everyone else looks just as silly, and they're having the time of their lives looking foolish together. Most of the Weird Sisters' music is loud, and fast. He and Cho dance in sync next to each other. Once in a while though, there's a slow song mixed in. Those are his favorites. Harry can hold her close and count the freckles dotting her nose.
"I think I need a break from all this music," Cho says, after one loud song ends and another louder one begins, "My eardrums are throbbing."
"Want to get a drink?"
Cho nods. He takes her hand and they head for the refreshment table. Cedric's still talking to the same friends as earlier. When he spots them heading over he pours three glasses of iced pumpkin juice. Cho takes one. He takes the other, and swallows half the goblet in three long gulps. Dancing is more tiring than he thought. He's quite warm, and his robes are damp around the collar from sweat, which he hopes neither of his dates notice.
Wait a moment- did he just refer to Cho and Cedric as his dates?
"Want to go for a walk?" Cedric asks. "I haven't had a chance to look at the rose garden yet, but I hear it's nice."
"Sure," Cho says.
And that's his cue to leave, he thinks. Cho and Cedric can go on their romantic stroll while he sits with Ron and Luna until it's time to swap again. Except Ron and Luna aren't at their table. Crabbe and Goyle now occupy their chairs, sitting slumped over and fast asleep. Ron and Luna's outfits are distinct enough he should find them easy, but they aren't at any of the other tables or on the dance floor. He doesn't see Ginny or Neville around either. Hermione is dancing with Krum. Fred and George are wrapped up in a conversation with Ludo Bagman.
"Hey Harry, are you coming?" Cho asks. Cedric motions him to come over with his free hand. Harry picks up his drink and bounds after them.
Harry's never noticed this place before. Was it built just for the ball? It's all twinkling fairy lights, winding cobblestone paths, and roses in full bloom. There's no trace of the music inside, only owls hooting and water trickling in a distant fountain. It's snowing, but the surrounding air is warm like a sunny spring afternoon. Tiny snowflakes land in his hair and on his shoulders, melting on contact and evaporating away before his robes get damp.
The pathway is short- Harry would guess a few hundred yards at most- but each loop around it brings something different. They'll come across a statue they didn't see before, or a rosebush with flowers in a unique color, or a new face. A group of Ravenclaws on a stone bench wave at Cho. Lee Jordan and Alicia Spinnet wish him a happy holidays, as do Katie Bell and a girl Cedric refers to as Leanne. Madame Maxime cuts through them, alone and looking upset. Some 50 feet ahead of them a group of people dash out from a clump of hedges. Harry counts four of them, two with ginger hair, but they're gone before he's close enough to say hello.
On their sixth or seventh loop- Harry's lost count- they come across a fork in the path. The trickling water gets louder as they follow it, and they find themselves in front of a tall, marble fountain and several stone benches. On one of them sits an enormous silhouette. It's Hagrid, staring down at the pool of water. Harry walks over, his smile fading the closer he gets. Hagrid's eyes are red-rimmed and watery. He stuffs something small and silver into one of his pockets, and Harry catches a strong whiff of alcohol.
"Hagrid, are you alright?" He asks.
"Wha? Yeah I'm- I'm fine." Hagrid stands, wobbly on his legs. He stumbles off not towards the castle, but towards his cabin in the opposite direction.
Harry takes a mental note to check on Hagrid tomorrow. He sits down on the bench. Right in the middle. He freezes, immediately aware of his mistake. The middle is Cho's spot so she can sit next to both of her dates, and so he and Cedric won't accidentally brush elbows. Except neither of them seem to mind. They smile and sit next to him, Cedric on his left, Cho on his right.
"So Harry, who's the better dancer? Me or Cedric?" Cho asks.
"I could ask you the same question."
Cho smirks at him and sips her iced pumpkin juice, not saying anything.
"She asked me the same question earlier," Cedric says. "I told her I thought you were both terrific."
"Then I'll take a leaf out of your book. You were both terrific."
None of them seem to know what to say after that. Cedric glances down at their reflection in the pool, Cho runs her fingers through her hair, attempting to put her top knot back together. He takes a drink of pumpkin juice. He's never been good at filling the gaps in conversation, at least, not with people he doesn't know very well.
"So… would you guys like to play a game?" Cho asks.
"What did you have in mind?" He asks.
"It's called Never Have I Ever," Cho says. "One of us says something they've never done before, and if you've done it you take a drink. I used to play it with my muggle friends all the time, it's fun."
"Sounds easy enough," he says. Cedric nods in agreement.
"Alright I'll go first," Cho says. "Never have I ever owned an owl."
Harry raises his glass, and waves away a fat beetle that's settled on its rim before taking a drink.
"Do you mean a personal owl, or just any owl at all?" Cedric asks, "Because my family has an owl, but Persephone isn't exclusively mine."
"If you're allowed to use her, it counts," Cho says. "My Mum's got an owl, but Bao is strictly for ministry business and if I want to mail something I've got to go to the owlery."
"Fair enough." Cedric sips from his goblet, "I'll go next. Never have I ever uh… had black hair."
Cho laughs, "Cedric, you're not supposed to say things you already know the answer to. This is supposed to be a way to get to know each other."
"Okay let's try again… never have I ever used a compooper."
He and Cho let out a snort of laughter. Cedric gives them a confused look.
"Sorry, what did you call it?" He asks, trying to rein in his amusement.
"A compooper. You know, that muggle thing with the picture box and typing keys?"
"It's pronounced computer, Cedric," Cho says.
"I should have known Kaz was lying when he said that's what it's called," Cedric says. "You obviously know what I meant though, so drink up."
Cho takes a quick sip. Harry has to think a moment. He's not sure he ever got to use the clunky computer in Dudley's bedroom. Dudley would have killed him if he did, and since he's still very much alive, he lowers his glass.
"Alright my turn," he says. "Never have I ever… lost a game of quidditch to Slytherin."
"Ouch. Way to rub salt in the wound." Cho says. She and Cedric both drink from their glasses.
"Wait, no. I should say something else," he says. He remembers now, he was at the games where they lost. Cho missed the snitch by inches. She probably would have won if Malfoy didn't have a better broom. Cedric's attention was divided. He had to seek and keep after Bole "accidentally" knocked out the Hufflepuff keeper.
"It's alright," Cedric says. "I'll admit, my debut as team captain wasn't as good as I hoped. But you guys watch, I'll redeem myself next year."
"Bring it on!" Cho says. "Okay... never have I ever left my common room after curfew."
Harry takes a long gulp. It feels appropriate, given how many times he's snuck out under the cover of his invisibility cloak. Cedric takes a swig too, his face looking a bit flushed as he lowers his glass.
"What's this? Aren't you prefects supposed to be role models for the rest of us?" Cho asks.
"Well uh… one of the perks of being a prefect is having a nice bathroom. And I like to use it when no one else is around, which is usually after curfew."
"So you're risking detention and house points for a hot bath?"
"Hey, it's not the worst reason to could sneak out. Some people like to sneak out to take part in midnight duels." Cedric casts a shifty grin his way.
"That was one time! In my first year!" He says. "I didn't think anyone else knew about that."
"I have my sources," Cedric says. "Alright let's see... never have I ever had a detention."
He and Cho each take a drink.
"So what sort of mischief have you two gotten into?" Cedric asks.
"My only crime was running into Filch when he was in a foul mood," Cho says. "He gave the Ravenclaw quidditch team detention for tracking mud into the castle."
"And you Harry?"
"Well, I got caught out of bed after curfew-"
"For your midnight duel?" Cho asks.
"No, for sneaking a dragon up to the astronomy tower. I also mouthed off to Professor Snape, crashed a car into the whomping willow, and uh… that's everything, I think."
"That's… wow. How have you not been expelled?" Cedric asks, laughing.
Cho shrugs, "Honestly, I was expecting more."
And it's his turn again. He's never traveled abroad, taken arithmancy, tried firewhisky. He hasn't been to a British and Irish Quidditch League game or checked a book out of the restricted section in the library. Harry taps his fingers on his glass and weighs his options.
"Never have I ever kissed anyone."
He's not sure where it came from, but now that it's out there, it's a question he wants the answer to. Cho bites her lip and runs her thumb along the rim of her goblet. Cedric looks at him, then Cho, then the small bit of pumpkin juice in his glass.
"Really? Neither of you?" He asks. They shake their heads.
"But I thought-" Cho says. She turns towards him. "Harry, wasn't Hermione your girlfriend? I read in The Prophet that-"
"I can assure you whatever you read isn't true," he says. "Hermione and I have always just been friends, nothing more."
"What about you and Davies, Cho?" Cedric asks. "Didn't you two used to go out?"
Cho shakes her head. "He asked me once, but I turned him down. My friends thought I was crazy, but I'm not into him that way."
"And you, Cedric?" Harry asks. "You've never kissed anyone?"
"I've never dated anyone before. I guess I'm just waiting…" Cedric trails off. He glances at Cho, then at him, and his lips curl into the tiniest smile.
"Waiting for what?" Cho asks.
"Waiting for the right someone to come along."
Around them the fairy lights dim until they're sitting in near darkness. Their only light now comes from the windows to the Great Hall. The three of them glance around with puzzled expressions. Cho shivers next to him, and Harry notices the drop in temperature. He checks his watch. Five minutes to midnight.
"We should head back inside," he says.
Cedric and Cho nod in agreement, and they follow the path back to the castle. They pass a few classmates in the entryway, yawning as they head for their common rooms. The refreshment table has been cleared away. The Weird Sisters address the crowd, saying thank you for being invited to play.
"Alright, it's the last song of the night. I want to see everyone up on their feet!" The lead guitarist says.
And it's like the same thought passes through their heads simultaneously. They don't have to say anything, they know what to do. Cho takes his left hand and Cedric's right. He and Cedric glance at each other before clasping hands and completing the circle.
The song is slow, but upbeat. It's an appropriate choice to close out the night with, he thinks. The three of them sway side to side, standing as close as they can get without huddling on top of each other. He can't decide which of them to look at. He locks eyes with Cho, then Cedric, then Cho again. Cho's hands are smaller than his, Cedric's larger, but they're both warm and they have the same broomstick calluses on their fingertips.
At the song's end the Great Hall bursts into applause. There are shouts for an encore. It almost looks like The Weird Sisters will oblige, but Professor McGonagall rushes on stage and whispers something into the lead guitarist's ear. And with that the Ball is officially over.
"Thanks for tonight," Cho says, shouting to be heard over the crowd of people in the entryway. "We should do this again sometime, the three of us I mean."
Harry nods, "Yeah, I think there's a Hogsmeade visit in January."
"We should all go flying when the weather's nice," Cedric says. "I haven't been on a broom in ages."
"Definitely!" Cho says, smiling. "Well, I'm off to bed. Goodnight you two."
Cedric opens his arms for a hug, but Cho takes him by surprise with a quick kiss on the cheek. Even standing on her tiptoes her lips barely reach his face. Cedric's cheeks tinge pink, and he bursts into a fit of giggles.
Cho turns to him. He grins, feeling awkward. He knows what's coming, and it only makes him more nervous. Cho's lips are soft and feather light, and he can still feel them brushing against his cheek after she's pulled away.
Cho waves at them before dashing up the stairs. She meets up with a group of girls at the top and they head in the direction he thinks is Ravenclaw tower.
"I should probably head off too." Cedric says. He offers his hand and Harry takes it.
"Before you go… what exactly did you mean with your hint about the egg?"
"Sorry, I know it was vague," he sighs. "Well, you were blunt with me about the dragons so... let me try this again. The egg's singing mermish. Dunk it underwater and you'll be able to understand it."
"Thanks, I'll try that."
"You can use the prefect's bathroom if you want. It's on the fifth floor. Fourth door to the left of that statue of Boris the Bewildered. The password's pine fresh."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Cedric leans closer. They're still clasping hands, but they've given up the pretense of a handshake. Harry wonders if he's going to kiss him. And he wonders if he'd mind if he did.
"Merry Christmas, Harry."
"It's December 26th, Cedric."
"Happy Boxing Day then."
Cedric grins at him, his smile all dimples and perfect teeth. Then he stuffs his hands in his pockets and heads off for his common room. And Harry finds himself alone once more.
There is going to be more! I haven't decided yet if it's going to be a chapter four, or if I'll split it into a series so uh... stick around for the thrilling conclusion.
Comments and favorites are appreciated! Thanks for all the love so far! 3