Why do Harry and Hermome belong together? They even rode together on a Hippogriff, which is a symbol of love overcoming the impossible.
"This might be the most nerve-wracking thing we've been through." I remarked casually, trying to hide how tense I felt.
"Just remember, no one else here has been to a Yule Ball before, either." Hermione said encouragingly. "So they won't know any better than us." She looked absolutely amazing. Her hair was up in some—I don't know what the word was, but it was up around the back of her head, with just a few curls down around her face like a princess. Even her smile was looking perfect as we made our way down to the hall, stopping to greet friends along the way.
The entrance hall was full of various students milling around. Students with dates from other houses were meeting up. I didn't see Ron anywhere, though it was a big crowd.
"There's Fleur." Hermione commented. "With the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain."
"Roger Davies." I said, nodding. "He's pretty good." Hermione smiled a little.
"I forgot, you've played against all the other teams." She said. "When I think of you flying, it's always against Slytherin."
"Well well." Said a familiar voice.
"Don't you two make a pretty picture?" Chimed an identical one. We both turned around to face the Weasley twins, and their dates, Angelina and a Beaubaxtons girl.
"You look amazing, Hermione." Angelina smiled warmly.
"Who knew you cleaned up so well?" Fred grinned.
"You'd better keep this one, Harry." George said.
"You don't run into girls like her everyday." Fred added. Hermione was blushing, and I felt a little red in the face myself.
"All the champions, over here please." McGonagall called. We wished the twins luck and went over to join Fleur, Krum, and Cedric by McGonagall, along with their dates. Cedric didn't say anything, but he smiled warmly as he nodded a greeting to me and Hermione
Snape was ushering the rest of the students into the hall—almost mild mannered, since I wasn't around to loathe on. "You four will enter the hall after everyone has been seated." McGonagall explained. "As guests of honor, you will proceed straight to the far side of the hall, and be seated at the judges' table…"
Later into the night…
We sat down at a table after getting drinks, nodding a hello to two foreign students. I studied them briefly—I didn't recognize them. The boy looked a little like me—messy black hair, about sixteen years old, maybe. He was rolling a pen around in his hand the way Hogwarts students play with their wands. The girl was a little younger, but had an intense look when she greeted me, like she was wondering how I'd fare in a fight. Her eyes were brilliant—a shocking blue that stood out against her hair, which was dark and long.
"Great party." The boy remarked, grinning. His accent was American, though I couldn't place what part he was from. New York? I hadn't met enough Americans to know their accents.
"This is really a beautiful place." The girl said, looking around. She was an American too, though her accent was a bit different from her boyfriend's. "I love the design. We don't have architecture like this back home."
"I don't think we've met." Hermione said brightly. "I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Harry Potter." The American girl offered a hand, smiling.
"Annabeth Cha—"
"Ah! I was wondering where you two got too." Dumbledore said, suddenly appearing right behind me. He was smiling, but there was seriousness in his eyes. "Harry, I'm afraid I'll have to steal these two away for just a moment." He gave a slight nod towards the entrance hall, and the two Americans immediately left the table, Dumbledore following after.
"What was that about?" Hermione wondered. I shrugged.
"I'll ask him, later." I took another sip of butterbeer, surveying the party, then looking back at Hermione. She gave me a sly look.
"Want to go for a walk, for a few minutes?" She asked, grinning. "It's another two hours before the ball is over... plenty of time." I returned her grin.
"Sure." We slipped outside easily, but neither of us had realized how cold it would be, and Hermione had bare arms. I put an arm around her and pulled her a bit closer. It was beautiful, though, to see the courtyard filled with snow. The air was—
"Ten points from Huffelpuff! And ten from Ravenclaw!" An oily voice snapped, ruining the atmosphere. "Go!" Hermione and I ducked automatically, and two sheepish students ran past us. Snape came into view, followed by the Durmstrang Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff.
"You know what it means, Severus." Igor insisted. "It will happen soon. He must have been growing stronger, over the last few months… but now it's so clear, it's like before he fell—"
"Run, if you want." Snape replied coldly. "I'll explain to your students."
"You are not worried?" Karkaroff asked, sounding baffled. "Severus, he will hunt both of us down!"
"Not much point in running, then, is there?" Snape said, speaking in his usual way, sounding like he was relishing every word before speaking it. "Are you afraid that Durmstrang lacks the strength to keep you safe?"
"No place is safe from him." Igor hissed. "Are you so arrogant to think that he will be afraid to attack Hogwarts? It may be several years, but he will be at your gates soon enough, and the world will see how strong these walls really are."
"I'm not a coward, Karkaroff. I will face what comes." Snape retorted icily. "This conversation is pointless."
And of course, they walked into our line of sight. Karkaroff looked horrified. Snape was just angry.
"What are you two doing?" He snapped.
"Talking, watching the snow?" I offered, my heart racing, wishing my wand was at ready.
"Get back inside!" He spat, walking on. Karkaroff gave us both a look, and followed him. They vanished inside the Great Hall.
A cracking sound made Hermione and I turn, only to see Fleur and Roger Davies fall out of a rosebush. Hermione laughed, watching Fleur huff indignantly and pull Davies along with her.
"They had to be talking about Voldemort." I whispered to Hermione, not quite as entertained as her by Fleur's embarrassment. "Who else?"
"Padfoot told you Karkaroff was a Death Eater, though." Hermione wondered. "Why is he so terrified?"
"He must've claimed to have been under the Imperious Curse, to avoid Azkaban." I thought through it rapidly. "Or he turned informant. Which is why Voldemort would hunt him down."
"Why would he be discussing this with Snape, though?" Hermione gave a quick guess. "He had to be talking about his mark. I read that every Death Eater had the dark mark on his arm, that's how Voldemort summoned them." Neither of us was paying attention to the snow or the cold.
"Karkaroff didn't put your name in the cup, then." Hermione continued. "If he was working for Voldemort, he wouldn't be terrified of him coming back, would he?" That was an unpleasant thought. Someone else was at Hogwarts was behind it...
"Let's get back to the party." I sighed. Hermione took my hand, and we went back to the Great Hall. The Weird Sisters was playing a softer tune now, and maybe a third of the guests were gone. I still saw Dumbledore and the Professors, along with Cedric and his date. Ron was nowhere in sight, and I had seen the twins vanish off somewhere with their dates an hour ago. Amazingly, Ginny was still slow-dancing with Neville.
"Dance?" Hermione asked softly. I nodded. After the carefully practiced first dances, this would be enjoyable.
"The intrigue, the danger… but Hogwarts is still a lot better than home with the Dursley's." I joked. Hermione looked like she was thinking something over.
"I… well, maybe this summer, instead of going back to them… " She said slowly. "Maybe… you could stay at my home instead? I mean, it's not going to be terribly interesting, but it's only for a few months—" I started laughing. Hermione looked baffled. I was reminded of how tenuously Sirius had been a year earlier outside the Whomping Willow, hesitantly offering if I'd like to live with him.
"Hermione, try to imagine living with Snape for two months." I grinned. "Compare your home to that."
"I'll send them an owl, see if they're up for it." Hermione looked pleasantly surprised. I looked around warily.
"What's wrong?" She asked. I paused.
"Waiting to see if someone turns into a werewolf this time."