Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

Hey all! I'm so glad you enjoyed that last chapter!

For the reviewer who seconded the comment about me being an amazing author, thank you so much! I am really touched by all who are loving this story. I definitely plan to keep posting!

Hope you enjoy this next installment!

Chapter 29: House-Elves and Yule Balls

The next day, a very uncomfortable reconciliation took place between Harry and Ron. Harry was still recovering from the day he'd had the day before, and when Ron told him they needed to talk, Harry wondered what he'd have to say.

Ron apologized profusely for behaving the way he had, but Harry could still see the anger on his face from him not telling about Ginny's problems. Ginny came down into the common room and set him straight, though. She whispered fiercely, "Harry did the right thing. I didn't want you to know yet, so that's why he didn't tell!"

"But I'm your brother!" Ron said hotly.

"Exactly!" snapped Ginny. "You're my brother, and I knew you'd react the way you did! That's why I was very reluctant to tell you!"

After that, Ron was still not comfortable with the two of them, but he hovered by Ginny anyway, and it seemed as though he was not letting anyone come near her. It was true that he was the most overprotective out of all her brothers, and it definitely showed.

It was now after dinner, and Harry was slumped down on the couch. He had talked to both Sirius and Remus today, assuring them that he was all right. Hermione was anxiously trying to make conversation with him and Ron, and Ginny sat next to Harry, shooting Ron glares every now and then. Neville was up in the dorm, doing homework.

"Come on," said Hermione suddenly. "Cheer up, all of you. I think there's somewhere you'd like to go, and someone you'd like to see. Harry, he's been asking about you nonstop."

"Who?" asked Harry curiously.

"Ah, you'll see," said Hermione secretively. She jumped up from the couch. "Follow me," she said, starting to walk out of the room. Harry, Ron, and Ginny slowly got up and reluctantly followed.

"Where are we going, Hermione?" asked Ron. Hermione just scowled and gave him a "stop-asking-questions" look.

They walked down the corridors, and Harry remembered it being the way to the Hufflepuff common room. He thought maybe they were all going to see Cedric, but that wasn't the case. They kept going, until they got to a door with a picture of a bowl of fruit on it. "Hermione, why are we at the kitchens?" demanded Ron. "If this is about what I think it's about ..."

"Oh, be quiet, Ron," scowled Hermione. "I've heard quite enough from you for the last few days. Now behave yourself." She tickled the pear, and suddenly it turned into a doorknob. The door opened, and before Harry knew it, a tiny creature with eyes that looked like tennis balls was jumping all over him.

"Harry Potter!" Dobby the house-elf squeaked, jubilant with delight. "Harry Potter, sir, and his wonderful friends! Dobby is so delighted to see you again! Dobby has been waiting all year to see your face! Dobby has seen misters Fred and George Weasley here all the time, and Dobby always asks them how Harry Potter sir is faring!"

"Dobby?" said Harry, shocked. A flush of embarrassment crossed his face as he, in vain, tried to pry the little creature off of him. "What are you doing here?"

"Dobby works for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry now, Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby cried happily. "Headmaster Dumbledore hired him, sir! And Dobby's friend Winky is here too!"

"Winky? You mean the house-elf who belonged to Mr. Crouch? How is she doing, Dobby?" asked Hermione kindly.

Dobby's face changed to one of sadness and solemnity. He said in a soft voice, "Winky is not doing so well, Miss Hermione Granger. She is not coping with her old master Barty's death very well."

"Oh," said Hermione. "That's not good."

"Would Harry Potter sir and his friends like some food?" asked Dobby.

"Absolutely!" said Ron at once, and Hermione glared angrily at him. Ginny and Harry nodded slowly, and they walked farther into the kitchens. They could see tiny house-elves all over the place, putting away dishes and cooking like there was no tomorrow. They could see Winky sitting in a corner, tears running down her face. She was holding a bottle of butterbeer in her tiny hands and was guzzling it down.

"Winky has had enough now," said Dobby in a stern tone, making to take the butterbeer out of her hands.

"Dobby will not touch Winky's butterbeer, sir!" sobbed Winky furiously. "Winky must drink away her sorrows! Winky cannot survive without Master Barty!"

"Winky, he's not your master anymore," said Hermione coaxingly. "And he was horrible to you!"

Winky's face grew red with fury. "Winky did not do right by Master Barty, so Master Barty was correct when he fired her!" she screeched. "Winky failed Master Barty! Master Barty's son escaped his hold, and Winky had to be punished! But then, oh, Master Barty was killed, and Winky has to spend the rest of her life knowing that his death was her fault!"

Harry stared at the house-elf, bewildered. "No, it wasn't!" he protested.

"YES, IT WAS!" Winky howled. "House-elves is supposed to do what they're told, sir!"

"But that's not right!" Hermione exclaimed. All the other house-elves did the best they could to stay away from Winky, not giving her the slightest bit of consolation or comfort. They were busy preparing food for Harry and his three friends.

"It does not matter, miss!" Winky hollered.

"Yes, it does! It's not fair that all of you are enslaved! You should at least get sick days and holidays!" Hermione snapped.

"SICK DAYS AND HOLIDAYS!" Winky shouted, scandalized.

"Yes! You should be allowed to have fun!"

"House-elves is not here to be having fun, miss!" Winky shrieked. "House-elves is here to work!"

"Here, Harry Potter, sir," said Dobby, pointing at a table heaped with food. Harry, Ron, and Ginny sat down and began to eat, but Hermione stood her ground, continuing her staring contest with Winky.

"House-elves should be free," she said importantly. "Dobby is free, and you should be, too! Look at how happy he is!"

"Dobby is a very, very bad house-elf!" Winky snarled, glowering at Dobby. "A very, very bad house-elf indeed! He should be obeying his masters!"

"Dobby has no masters anymore," said Dobby. "Dobby works for Dumbledore, but Dumbledore is paying him. Dobby showed up and offered his services to the best Headmaster in the world, and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore offered to pay Dobby for his hard work! He is also giving him sick days and holidays!"

"That's wonderful, Dobby," beamed Hermione. "I hope the other house-elves become just like you."

"We are not meant to be like Dobby, miss," said an elf to the right of Dobby. "Tipsy is meant to do as Tipsy is told to, miss."

Hermione's hands were on her hips, looking at the house-elves with an expression that said, you'll learn soon enough. The elves all looked uncomfortable, and it seemed like they couldn't wait for the four humans to clear out of the kitchens.

"Can I have some more food, please?" asked Ron greedily, finishing his last mouthful.

"Anything for Harry Potter's friends, sir!" said Dobby. Winky wiped her eyes on a filthy tea towel, still guzzling her butterbeer. "Oh, Master Barty, what a terrible fate befell you!" she wailed. "And it's all Winky's fault!" No matter what Hermione said, Winky would not budge from her position.

Dobby and a few other elves plopped some more food in front of Ron, and he continued to eat to his heart's content. After his second helping, the four friends left the kitchens. But before they did, Dobby clung to Harry's neck.

"Can Dobby come and see Harry Potter any time he wants, sir?" he squealed.

"Yes, Dobby," said Harry, trying to get air into his lungs. "Yes, you can."

"Thank you, Harry Potter, sir! Thank you so much!" shrilled Dobby, tears in his eyes.

"Take care of Winky, please," said Hermione, looking again at the mourning house-elf.

"Dobby will do whatever he can, miss," he said, and the four departed.

"Why did you have to do that, Hermione?" asked Ron as soon as they were a good distance away. "You got almost all the elves angry with you! They probably won't want to see us from now on!"

"I'm just trying to make the world a better place!" snapped Hermione. "Slavery is wrong, Ronald!"

"They. Like. It," said Ron slowly, as though he were speaking to a two-year-old. Hermione said nothing, but she stomped furiously all the way back to the dorm.

xxx

The next day, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville were sitting in Transfiguration. The lesson was almost over, and Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, there is something I need to tell you," she said. Everyone sat up in their chairs, listening attentively. "On Christmas Day, a special event will take place here. It is Triwizard Tournament tradition to have a Yule Ball on Christmas Day, and each champion has to bring a partner and open the ball."

Harry's face immediately went pale. This was the worst thing he could have expected McGonagall to say. A Yule Ball! How embarrassing! For one thing, he didn't know how to dance, and for another, he had to bring a girl with him? Oh, no! And this also meant he couldn't go home and see his guardians for Christmas! What was he going to do?

The rest of McGonagall's speech about the ball was drowned out by Harry's thoughts. Before he knew it, Ron was tapping him on the shoulder. "Mate, are you all right?" he asked in concern. "It's time to go to our next class."

The rest of the day went by in a haze. Hermione, observant as always, immediately knew why Harry was hardly talking, and was acting so distant. "You're worried about the ball, aren't you?" she asked kindly as they sat at dinner.

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry mumbled miserably.

"Oh, don't worry so much!" Hermione told him. "It'll be fun!"

"But I don't know how to dance!" Harry complained. "And what am I supposed to say to a girl?"

"Oh Harry, you're making it way more complicated than it should be! It's not like you have to be in love with her or anything, you can just take someone as a friend!"

"Like who?"

"Who are you comfortable with, Harry? Come on, I'm sure you can think of someone!"

Well, there were three girls Harry was pretty comfortable with: Cho, Hermione and Ginny. He had a feeling Cho would be going with Cedric; Hermione had clued him in on the tender looks they were always giving each other. She was sure they were falling in love. As for Hermione herself, he supposed he could ask her, and then there was Ginny, too. When he looked at the redhead, he could tell she was uncomfortable about the ball, too. Perhaps if he asked her, both of them could seek solace together, and maybe neither of them would be as embarrassed. But how was he supposed to ask her? Did he just simply say "Hey, Ginny, wanna go to the ball with me?" Was it as easy as that?

Hermione seemed to know what Harry was thinking. "You can just go as friends, remember. There's no pressure," she whispered to him.

"But I don't want any crazy rumors going around about the two of us! And then there's Ron, and how overprotective he is!"

"Oh it's just a ball, Harry! Just a dance! It's not like it's your wedding!" Harry flushed, incredibly embarrassed. "Just ask her!" continued Hermione. "It's no big deal!"

"Who are YOU going with, then?" demanded Harry, glaring at his bushy-haired friend.

"I don't know yet," Hermione admitted. "We've only just found out about it, remember?"

"It was funny what McGonagall said today, wasn't it?" said Ron suddenly. "Try saying it five times fast! She doesn't want Gryffindor house acting like a blithering bunch of baboons!"

xxx

That night, Harry called Sirius and Remus on the mirror. "I can't come home for Christmas," he said sullenly. "I've got to stay for the stupid Yule Ball. More staring and rumors from the whole school. Great, just what I need."

"It's okay, kiddo," Sirius said at once. "You'll still be seeing us. The ball's on Christmas Day, and you can come home after that. We talked to Dumbledore, and Remus and I are chaperoning the ball."

"Yes, that's right," said Remus. "And then you can be at home for the rest of the vacation."

Harry's spirits lifted a little. "But I don't know how to dance!" he said, because he still had this heavy weight in his heart.

"Oh, it's not that difficult," Sirius chuckled. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill, pup. I understand you're concerned, though."

Harry didn't think they understood the magnitude of how he felt. "But what if I make the person I go with miserable?"

His guardians' faces softened. "You really are worried, aren't you?" asked Remus gently. "Listen, cub, it's just a ball. It's going to be fine. I'm positive there won't be a problem. Believe me, Padfoot here wasn't the best dancer when we had dances at school. He had the charisma and the charm, definitely, but it took him a while to learn how to dance."

"Hey!" said Sirius mock angrily.

"So it wasn't your fault you were always stepping on Adelina's toes?" asked Remus teasingly.

"Who's Adelina?" asked Harry.

Sirius's face flickered with sadness for a moment, as though remembering something from his distant past. "Oh, just a girl I knew once," he said, something in his voice which Harry had never heard before.

"Where is she now?" Harry asked, somehow already knowing the answer.

"She's dead, kiddo. Died in our sixth year."

"Oh, I'm really sorry," Harry said at once. "You-you loved her, didn't you?"

"I did," said Sirius, that distant look still in his eyes. "But anyway, I was always stepping on her toes, and she just laughed about it."

"Yeah," said Remus. "She cared about the company she was with, not how he danced."

"So you really think it won't be a big deal?" asked Harry.

"Definitely not as big as you're making it," assured Remus. "I know how you feel about all the attention you'll get, but at least you can take comfort in the fact that Rita Skeeter's not around to ruin things anymore."

"Yeah, that's true," said Harry.

"Is there anyone you were thinking of going with?" asked Sirius.

"Um ... I was thinking ... Ginny," Harry whispered. "But we would just go as friends," he added quickly.

Sirius chuckled. "Of course. I'm sure she'd love to go with you."

"But what about Ron? He'll kill me!"

"Why would he kill you if you explained to him that she's only your friend?" asked Remus gently.

"Yeah, he shouldn't pummel you one if there's no snogging involved," said Sirius, causing Remus to glare at him.

Harry's face went the color of a tomato. "I hope he won't," he muttered.

He and his guardians talked for a bit longer, and then he went back down to the common room, where everyone was hanging out. He hoped to maybe learn about Sirius's Adelina some other time, but he wouldn't push his godfather to talk about her if he didn't want to; it was obvious the subject caused him heartache and pain.

He, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny played a game of Exploding Snap, and then they did their homework. Unfortunately, the subject turned back to the Yule Ball a few minutes after Harry and Ron were finished.

"I saw you looking at my sister over dinner," Ron whispered fiercely to Harry. "You're not taking her to the ball, are you? You are, aren't you?" he asked accusingly as he saw Harry's face flush. "She's too young!"

"Ron, I'd only ask her to go as my friend," Harry protested. "There won't be any snogging-"

"There'd better not be!" whispered Ron furiously. "After what she went through two years ago, do you think I'd let her near anybody, even you?"

"Do you not trust me, Ron?" Harry asked, hurt.

Ron looked back and forth between Harry and his sister, who was still finishing her homework and not paying attention to the conversation. "Mate, you've got to understand, she's my baby sister," he said.

"I know, but do you think I'll let her get hurt? Especially after what happened to me last summer, do you honestly think I'd take advantage of her?"

"No," Ron said reluctantly. "All right, all right, you can ask her, but if there's any funny business, I'll-"

"Ron," said Hermione angrily from the seat beside him. "Leave Harry alone!" Ron snapped his mouth shut then.

Later that night, everyone had cleared from the common room except for Harry and Ginny. Harry was sitting despondently, gazing into the fire, and Ginny was reading a book in a chair a few seats away. "Gin?" Harry said quietly, knowing that it was now or never. His heart was pounding so loudly he was afraid even Sirius and Remus could hear it in Hogsmeade.

"Yes, Harry?" said Ginny, looking up from her book.

"Uh ... I was wondering ... about the Yule Ball?"

"Yeah, what about it? Only people fourth year and up can go, unless a third-year or below is asked by one of the older students. I'm only a third-year, so I can't go."

"Well," said Harry, his heart speeding up even more, "."

"What?" said Ginny, looking at him strangely. "Could you repeat that? I didn't quite catch what you said."

Harry cleared his throat, trying to get his heart to slow down. "I was wondering," he said, "if you wanted to go to the ball with me. Just as friends, you know." He blushed furiously.

Ginny looked at him shocked for a minute. Then a slow smile spread across her face. "Harry, I'd love to go with you just as your friend," she answered, her blush matching his.

"Really?" asked Harry, shocked.

"Yes, really," said Ginny. "It would be great!"

"But I don't know how to dance," said Harry. "You'll have a horrible time."

"Harry Potter!" Ginny said, glaring at him. "Why do you think so low of yourself? We'll have a great time! It doesn't matter about your dancing skills; I'm not a great dancer myself either. But we'll learn from each other, right? And if we step on each other's feet we'll just laugh it off. So don't worry about it."

Harry couldn't help but feel a lot better. He smiled at Ginny and said, "Okay, if you say so."

"I do say so," said Ginny mischievously.

So when Harry climbed into bed that night, his spirits were up a little. He was growing more and more nervous as the day of Uncle Vernon's trial approached, but once he was over that hurdle, he had a night with Ginny to look forward to, and then a week at home with his guardians. Why was he always seeming to make things harder than they were? As he went to sleep, he imagined that he could hear the laughter of Sirius Black back in Hogsmeade, reminiscing over his own Hogwarts days and the fun he'd had. Hope my dancing isn't as bad as his, he thought as he drifted off into dreamland.