Note: I'm so sorry I haven't added a chapter in so long, between college work and Beta gone AWOL, I kind of forgot about it. I'm posting this unBeta-ed 'cause while I don't want to keep annoying my Beta, I want to finish this. So apologies for mistakes/plot flaws/consistency errors/anything else that makes this chapter crappier than the ones I've already posted. As you already know, I don't own Harry Potter or the Little Mermaid. And the Review button is your friend ;)
"So, who are you taking to the Ball?" This Ball was the main topic of conversation with more or less everyone when Harry towed Draco around the castle to tell him where everything was. He couldn't remember all the twists and turns, and had chosen to stop looking through the windows as they climbed more and more stairs. The pain in his new feet was worsening with every step. The Witch had warned him that every step he took would feel like knives stabbing his feet and legs over and over, but he hadn't really believed it. Now he was paying the price for his love of the landfolk woman, and the pain was growing with each step. He swore he could feel blood soaking into the cloth he wore over his feet, and into the hard leather shoes.
He looked up again as he realised, the girl, Hermione, had left the group, and it was just he, Harry and Ron wandering the corridors, talking idly. He zoned back into the conversation, and found that they were still talking about the Ball. He assumed it was some kind of social event that partnered men and women went to. Had they already chosen their mates? They were a bit young for that kind of commitment. . . Ron started dreamily talking about someone called Lavendar, and Harry rolled his eyes at Draco over the red-haired boys shoulder, as if he had heard all this before. Draco grinned back, trying not to laugh out loud. It was like listening to Blaise and Vincent, with Vincent going on about his love interest (again), Draco laughing at him and Blaise rolling his eyes. He felt almost like he was home again, aside from the pain in his feet and legs.
Ron paused long enough to ask Harry who he wanted to take, and a small smile spread across the dark-haired boys face. Instead of rambling on about a girl, like Ron had, he mumbled the name of a girl, which Draco missed, before Ron laughed loudly, telling him to hurry up and ask her before someone did. Draco gave them a confused look, and the name was repeated. Cho Chang. He didn't know who she was, but nodded anyway, making an encouraging motion to Harry in agreement with Ron. "What about you, Draco? Spotted anyone you fancy yet?" Her face shot straight to the fore of his mind, the way she had looked at the breakfast table when their eyes met, and he shrugged nonchalantly, opening his mouth to speak before snapping it shut again. Not being unable to speak was really getting on his nerves. The other two boys gave him a sympathetic look, Ron giving his should a light tap, and they let the matter lie.
They walked in silence for a bit, not going anywhere in particular, until Harry stopped dead at the corner joining one corridor to another, dragging Ron and Draco with him back around the corner. There was a gaggle of girls crowded around the opposite end of the corridor, talking and laughing loudly. Harry peered around the corner in sheer terror, ignoring Ron's questions. Draco poked him in the chest, and arched an eyebrow when Harry glared at him. ". . . Cho's over there." He managed to choke out, and he blushed fiercely when Draco and Ron started laughing. Ron started going on about how Harry was famous, though Draco didn't know why; had taken on a Hungarian Horntail, whatever that was; fought off hundreds of dementors with one patronus, the meaning of which Draco wasn't going to even try work out; and had been the downfall of Lord Voldemort when he was just a baby. Therefore, Harry should be able to suck it up and ask a girl to go to a social event with him. Harry looked to Draco for help, and received none. Draco gave him another look, this time a little patronising, and then pushed him out into the corridor with the group of girls.
He bit back a snort as Harry tried and failed to make it look like he hadn't just been forced to turn around the corner, and walked up to the girls, looking very red around the ears. He could just hear Harry's voice speaking, and one girl speaking up in assent. He leaned forward to peek around the corner, Ron doing the same thing, and they fought briefly and silently for the prime spying space before Draco ended up on his hands and knees, with Ron leaning on his head with both hands. At least both of them could see Harry take a pretty dark haired girl aside and stutter at her, still blushing furiously. Both he and Ron started shaking with silent laughter at the look of confusion on the girls face, seeing her lips shape the words "What? Can you repeat that?" and Harry stuttered the question again more slowly. A look of delight crossed her features, and she nodded, blushing almost as much as Harry was. As for Harry himself, he visibly sagged in relief, nodding and giving her a quick hug before walking back towards Draco and Ron, who straightened up as quickly as they could, both managing to look like they hadn't been spying by the time Harry rounded the corner again.
"Well?" Ron demanded as Harry leaned against the stone wall, taking deep breaths. "I have a date to the Ball." Harry replied, grinning like an idiot, though he still looked a little pasty and sweaty. Amid the general shoulder-clapping and congratulating, Draco felt a little stab of envy. Both Harry and Ron had found their girls, and his was right in front of him, but would probably tell him to get lost.
Ginny glanced quickly at Harry as he left the table, stuffing a slice of toast into his mouth as he rushed to the classroom to finish off the homework for his first class without distraction. It had been three days since she had heard about the Ball, and he still hadn't asked her. She had taken to avoiding places where boys had a habit of taking her to one side to ask that awkward question, and the guilty feeling hadn't dissipated with every rejection. She let her gaze move away from the boy hurrying out of the Great Hall, and turned to look at who else was still at the table. Draco was still there, nibbling half-heartedly at a kipper. They had noticed that he wasn't much of an eater, and when he did, it was mostly fish. Ron was, according to Harry, still not awake, and Hermione was chatting idly with Parvati. She tuned into the conversation when she heard Harry's name.
". . . said he asked Cho the other day, and she agreed. Ron asked Lavendar this morning, and last time I saw them, they were snogging behind a suit of armour on the fifth floor. Harry thinks I don't know. I don't care though, Viktor asked me to go with him yesterday. . ." Ginny's mouth dropped open, running Hermiones words through her head, almost afraid to ask her to repeat herself. Harry had asked Cho Chang to the Ball? She hadn't even realised that Harry knew Cho existed, let alone actually fancied her. . . Actually, it wasn't all that surprising really, she played on the Ravenclaw team, he was bound to spot her when they were both looking for the Snitch, and she was very pretty. Maybe prettier than Ginny. She felt rage and jealousy burn, making her stomach twist. She suddenly hated him, for holding her in his arms and acting so concerned, and then asking another girl to accompany him to the Ball.
". . . you yet Ginny? Ginny?" She shook her head slightly, clearing her mind, and she looked up at the two girls, feeling dazed. She gave them a confused look, and Parvati sighed. "Has anyone asked you yet? Someone you couldn't say no to?" She asked again, slowing her speech. Ginny shook her head, thinking of Harry, while the two other girls clucked their disapproval at her. She had been asked by so many cute boys, they said, why hadn't she said yes to one? She shrugged, scanning the rest of the table absently, and her eyes landed on Draco again, still looking at his kipper glumly. An idea struck her. Maybe the beautiful blond stranger didn't have a date either, and not for want of a partner. She could tell from the last few days that he was frustrated by his inability to speak, opening his mouth to respond, or even saying words that none of them could hear, before getting frustrated with himself and ducking his head, flushed with shame. She felt a little pity for him, underneath the attraction she had to his exotic features. She didn't love him, as she did Harry, but he was a definite second best.
She let her eyes meet Hermione's, letting a shy look cross her face. Both of them leaned forward, immediately interested. She leaned towards them, closing the distance, so anyone trying to eavesdrop would have to have especially sharp hearing to pick up her whispers. "I've been trying to pluck up the courage to ask someone myself, instead of the other way around for once." The two gasps in front of her were well worth the lie, and she was feeling better already. Before she knew what was happening, both other girls were prodding her for information, asking her who the boy was, and why she hadn't already asked him. He was bound to say yes.
After much prodding and poking, they made her agree to approach the boy right there and then, and ask him. Or at the very least, invite him to eat lunch with her later, and she could ask him then. It would be sweet and romantic to ask him at lunch, using the lunch as an excuse to get to know him as much as ask him to the ball. So she stood up, and walked the few paces up the Gryffindor Table to where Draco was sitting, and sat on the bench next to him, startling him out of his bleary-eyed staring competition with the kipper. He gave her a small smile, but his eyes lit up, like she was the best thing he'd seen all week. "Hey! Enjoying your kipper?" He made a face at it. Not the best conversation starter, since you've been watching him not-eat the bloody thing, she scolded herself, and changed tack quickly, "Want to meet up for lunch? Meet you out by the Lake at. . . about ten past one?" He grinned at her and nodded, as if nothing would make him happier than to sit out in the freezing cold with her and pick at whatever food she chose to bring to the lunch. "I'll see you there then, and I'll bring the food." She said firmly, barely acknowledging his nod before getting up and sauntering away, giving Hermione and Parvati a smug look that Draco couldn't see, grabbing her bag and leaving the Great Hall to go to Charms.