Welcome to the Jungle

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or Glee. All recognisable characters, content, or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Part One: Fifteen

Chapter Forty-Two: Dancing in the Dark

Katie picks him up as the sun sets over Lima. She's dressed up for the occasion, her makeup light and tasteful, and clad prettily in a pale pink sundress that shows off her toned, tanned calves. It's a modest cut, barely hinting at her cleavage and the hems floating around her knees, but it clings to her curves like a second skin, and Harry probably appreciates it more than he should. He and Katie are only friends, after all, and Harry doesn't dare to imagine that will ever change.

"You look amazing," he tells her anyway,, and smirks as Katie blushes in response. The look is quite becoming on her, actually, and Harry internally vows to make it happen as often as he possibly can.

"Thanks," Katie answers, "You look pretty awesome yourself."

Harry shrugs, a sheepish smile on his face. "I try."

Katie rolls her eyes, but there's a humoured smile on her face. "You ready to go?"

"Yup."

With everyone already headed out for their respective plans, Harry locks the door behind him, and approaches Katie's car with his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. She's left her car running, the sound of Sum 41's 'In Too Deep' filtering from her speakers, and Harry offers her a wry smile.

In response, Katie shrugs, entirely unabashed.

Harry makes himself comfortable in Katie's passenger seat, and they chat idly about their respective weekends as the older girl makes the drive to WMHS. She's a check-out chick at Wal-Mart, and has thus spent most of her day on her feet, but otherwise, her weekend has been more or less uneventful.

"I heard you guys won last night," she prods.

"We did." Harry's smile is irrepressible.

"Congratulations," Katie beams, "That's so awesome!"

"Yeah," Harry agrees, "it's pretty gratifying."

They chat idly about their classes, about their classmates and their thoughts on the next athletic season - Baseball for Harry, Track and Field for Katie - until they reach the school. She parks in the student lot, amidst a variety of other cars, and offers him a smile that's only moderately enthusiastic.

"You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Harry replies wryly.

-!- -#-

Unsurprisingly, the gymnasium has been decorated for the occasion, an array of bright, vibrant colours, with no semblance of order to them whatsoever. The music is deafening, the conversations a loud, incomprehensible blur to his senses, and Harry wonders if it's too late to leave.

Katie tucks herself closer against his side, winds her arm around his torso, and clutches absently at the material beneath her fingers.

"Where to, blondie?"

"Let's go get some drinks," Katie answers. It's a strain to hear her, but by some miracle, he manages. "And then, I don't know, should we dance?"

Harry glances skeptically at the basketball court turned dance floor, where a few brave couples are (incongruously) slow dancing to Lady Gaga. Katie Bell is stunning, admittedly, but Harry isn't particularly thrilled by the prospect of joining them. Nevertheless… "If you want."

The refreshments table is on the side of the hall, zealously guarded by Coach Hooch and Coach Sylvester. Both women watch their approach with gimlet stares, and under their scrutiny, the process of pouring drinks for himself and Katie is an excruciating one.

"Hope you don't mind punch," Harry offers her a plastic cup, "Maybe we should raid the vending machines later?"

"I like the way you think, champion," Katie answers. They pretend to clink glasses, and Harry's still chuckling about it when he leads her towards a cluster of athletes near the back of the gym. Among them, Matt and Mike, Seamus, Dean, Frankie and Ron. Also present are Cho, Cho's unpleasant best friend, Marietta Edgecomb, and of course, everyone's respective dates.

"Hey," he greets them all. Cho and Katie proceed with the usual mutual admiration society nonsense that usually occurs between quasi friends, and most of the other girls present join in.

"What's up, dude?" Matt acknowledges. They bump fists, and Matt nods his head towards the dance floor. "You going to bust a move?"

At present, Finn and Quinn are swaying in the middle of the dance floor, and it looks kind of dangerous. Finn's not exactly the most coordinated off the dance floor, and adding a rhythm to the equation looks to be rather hazardous towards everyone else's health.

Sardonically, he wonders if Quinn's toes will ever recover.

"Maybe later," he answers, "I'd like to make it out of here in one piece."

Matt huffs a laugh. "I hear you, man. It's like watching a baby giraffe on ice skates."

Harry squints at his friend from the corner of his eye, bemused by the description, but also unable to disagree with it. "Right. Exactly that."

They turn away from the dance floor, and slip into conversation with some of the other guys about the current NBA season. A few of them drift back and forth from the dance floor with their respective dates, but Katie appears content in conversation with a few of her girlfriends, and Harry's disinclined towards dragging her away to cut a rug under the scrutiny of most of their classmates. Moreover, Quinn and Finn are still in the middle of the floor, surrounded by a pseudo mosh-pit made up of cheerleaders and football players, and although Harry would be welcome by most of them, Harry would rather not give anyone the impression he has any respect for Quinn and Finn and in particular, their supposed position on the school's social hierarchy.

Eventually, however, Katie's conversation with her friends draws to a close, and she once again settles herself by his side. As she does so, Matt and Dean make a tactical retreat from the hall, intent on avoiding the colourful figure that is one of their classmates, Mercedes Jones, whom, in turn, is intent on snagging a dance with one of her fellow African American Society members.

It goes without saying, of course, that neither of them are particularly inclined towards humouring her. As such, Harry covers their retreat, and then turns his attention to Katie once they're both out of sight..

"Hey, you," he greets her, "Having fun?"

"Yeah, I'm having a good time," Katie answers. She draws in close to be heard over the music, and her hair smells like jasmine, "Did you want to dance?"

"Sure," Harry acquiesces, and takes her hand. They detour to the refreshments table to bin their disposable cups, but it's only a few moments later that they're situated on the improvised dance floor.

Katie settles her arms on his shoulders, her fingers twined together at the back of his neck, and Harry carefully wraps his hands around his friend's small waist.

He has every intention of maintaining a respectable distance between them, but he's surprised, then, when Katie shuffles in close, leans against him, and starts to sway.

Harry follows her rhythm on auto-pilot, but his heart is racing inside his chest, and he's absurdly conscious of the fact that she can probably hear it. Moreover, the heat of Katie's body is like a brand against his skin, through their clothes, and he's certain he can make out her every curve against him.

"Is this okay?" she asks.

harry swallows hard, nods over her head, and answers hoarsely, "Yeah."

He has no idea what they're doing, has no idea what he wants them to be doing that night, or in the days, weeks, and months to come, but as Lady Gaga transitions to Justin Timberlake, and as he and Katie continue to sway to a beat all their own, he can't bring himself to care. It will matter - later - but for now, Harry opts to enjoy the moment for as long as it lasts, and as for all the rest of it?

Well, tomorrow's always another day.

Author's Note: Allo, friends. Apologies for the wait. I've been busy, and more recently, writer's block's a drag. Also, job hunting blows.

On another note, I recently watched the Greatest Showman, and it was fantastic. I remember watching Zac Efron in the original HSM (way back in 2006, when I was 11), and his vocals have improved immensely since then. I can't say much for the rest of him, since I've lost my sight since way back when, but I have it on good authority that the rest of him has improved with age, as well.

That aside, Hugh Jackman's always phenomenal, and the soundtrack was wonderful. In fact, it's pretty much all I've been listening to since Saturday. The plot and the characterisations have been romanticised, of course, but in all, I'd definitely recommend the movie (if you haven't seen it already).

Anyway, hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. What's going on with Katie and Harry, right? You know, I'm not really sure, myself. Teens are impulsive though, aren't they? Guess we'll find out soon enough. Until next time, guys and gals. -t.