Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty

The Second Biggest Question

"So, do you have any idea who you're going to the Yule Ball with?" Leo asked, glancing over at Ron. They, along with Harry and Neville, were trudging through the snows of the courtyard.

"I've got a date," Neville admitted. Everyone turned to stare at him, clearly surprised by this fact. They paused to watch the girls flitting by in groups.

"So, who are the girls we know?" Ron mused out loud.

"Um, Hermione," Leo stated.

"Ginny," Harry added, causing Ron to glare at them.

"You stay away from my sister," he growled.

"Hi, Luna," Neville said, waving to the Ravenclaw as she walked by.

"Hello," she replied, waving as she continued on her way. Leo suddenly kicked Harry off the stone bench he had just sat down on. Harry glared up at him.

"Go!" he urged.

"But I – I mean why? I thought you liked her?" Harry asked, staring at Leo in confusion.

"Your needs are greater than mine and I don't like her that way – she's a good friend. Now get moving or we will need to start stalking these packs like real lions," Leo hissed. A disgruntled Harry got off the ground, brushed off his robes and rushed after Luna.

"Dammit," Ron said under his breath. Neville and Leo glanced at Ron. "Sorry, coughed," he covered with a smile. Leo raised an eyebrow at him while Neville shrugged, casually watching Harry.

"Luna!" he called, rushed past the other students. She didn't seem to hear him and didn't respond until he was right beside her. Then she suddenly turned to face him.

"Hello, Harry. Lovely day isn't it?" she asked, holding her books close to her chest.

"I would say so. So, um, how have you been?" Harry asked, casually trying to play it cool.

"Right as rain, but I don't think I have seen wrong rain, have you?" she asked. Harry only shrugged.

"I guess wrong rain would be falling to the side, I think," he replied, scratching at the back of his head. Luna nodded at this.

"That would be odd, but would it be wrong?" she questioned, stopping and looking at him.

"Well, I have yet to see it, so I wouldn't call it a normal occurrence," Harry admitted.

"True, so do you think we've made enough small talk? I know you want to ask me to the Yule Ball," she stated in an unsurprised tone. Harry made a face that was even more owlish than Hedwig, blinking as he went. "Oh, wait, you wanted to ask. Well, sorry, go ahead," she corrected, watching him as everything seemed to go silent. Despite all of the noise in the courtyard, Harry couldn't seem to hear anything.

"Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?" he finally managed to ask.

"As friends?" Luna inquired.

"Of course," he replied, giving her a nice smile. She nodded, but didn't seem too outwardly changed at the answer.

"I expect more than just one dance," she said, smiling. Harry nodded, opening his mouth to say something but Luna stopped him with a finger against his lips. "Also, try to smile. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," she interjected, reaching out slowly and placing her hands on his face. Harry couldn't find the will to move. "And wear something red," she added before skipping off. Harry waited until she was around a corner before doing a celebratory fist pump.

"Nice choice, Potter. What's the matter – find the only girl weird enough to go out with you?" Malfoy jeered in a greasy voice.

"That's nice, Malfoy," Harry said automatically, completely ignoring him as he made his way back towards Neville. Malfoy watched Harry walk away with cold eyes before turning to his two stooges.

"So," Ron said, "I need you to be my wingman." Leo was trailing behind him, hands deep in his pockets and a slight scowl on his face.

"Remind me why I am doing this again," he commented, walking past an even more confused Malfoy. The other Slytherin just stared in bewilderment as the pair walked by.

"This whole bloody school has gone mad," he griped, turning to walk away with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Well, you and I are the only two guys that don't have a date. So, I was thinking that we should work together," Ron said, inclining his head.

"I am not really all that big on social gatherings," Leo admitted. "But I guess I could at least give it a try," he agreed. Ron slapped him on the back.

"That's the spirit!" he cried. Leo raised his shoulders, smirking in mild amusement. "So, um, what now?" he asked.

"Don't you have brothers?" Leo asked. "Wouldn't they be able to help?"

"Well, yes, but they won't be much help. Percy has been too busy with his own life to even bother with women. Fred and George tease me and Charlie and Bill are too far away to ask. And I'm not even sure they would have much advice," he replied after a moment's thoughtful silence.

"What about your dad?" Leo pressed. Ron only stared at him like he had asked the stupidest question ever. "Um, sorry I asked," he said, unsure as to why Ron was giving him that look.

"Why do they always have to travel in packs?" Ron asked, while Leo watched a small group of witches giggle and look back at them. Leo gave one brunette a sly smirk. She quickly rushed away to join her friends and whisper with them.

"Hmm, not sure. Maybe because they are just as nervous as we are, so they group together for confidence," Leo suggested. Ron glanced up at him like he had just suggested that the Earth did indeed revolve around the sun.

"Keep your crazy women theories to yourself," Ron said, looking around. "I just – I can't really see myself with any of them."

"Finally realized that every woman here is out of your league?" Leo commented. Ron only snorted.

"I feel like there should be a connection, a pull or something. But I just see pretty faces," Ron admitted.

"Where there out there is my Juliet," Leo said offhandedly in a disinterested tone. "Look, I am all up for love at first sight, but we date women to see if we like them. Just pick a girl and ask her; go Gryffindor if that would make it easier," he suggested calmly.

"Hmm, maybe. Come on, I was hoping I would see the right person. Wait, true love?" Ron questioned, cocking his head to the side in puzzlement.

"Nothing, I just think you are a bit optimistic if you think your soul mate is going to be here of all places. Very few actually do, but that does not make them any less happy," Leo remarked. Ron watched him with an unamused expression on his face.

"Did someone hex you when I wasn't looking?" he asked.

"It's called being poetic; you need to show a woman she is worth the effort and time. That and being brave and unflinching as you walk up to her, look her dead in the eye and ask her out," Leo advised, swiftly altering the topic.

"You're crazy," Ron sighed, shaking his head. By now they were wandering another corridor of the school. Leo glanced around a corner and saw Fleur talking with the Ravenclaw Roger Davis. "I would be nervous to do that," Ron admitted. Then he saw what Leo was looking at. Everyone nearby was feeling something along the lines of a warm spring breeze. Before Leo could stop him, Ron strode right up to Fleur and blurted out, "Wouldyouliketogototheballwithme?" Then he froze completely, like a deer in the headlights.

"No, no, no," Leo sighed, shaking his head and grabbing Ron by the shoulder. He pulled him to the side and Ron was all too happy to comply. Both Fleur and Roger looked at him curiously. "You're supposed to say something along the lines of 'I would be most humbled if you would honor me by being my companion to the Yule Ball'," Leo said. "But that's only if you want to humiliate someone like Fleur. If you really want to put a girl on the spot," he said, pausing to stride back over and take Fleur's hand before getting on one knee. "Would the most beautiful girl in the school be my date to the Yule Ball?" he asked, looking up at her. She appeared as stiff as a board and Ron realized that everyone was now staring at her. Leo got up and cleared his throat.

"You need to be willing to go the extra mile for them," he said, slapping Ron on the back. He quickly toppled over. "Crap, Ron. Quick, someone grab an arm!" Leo ordered. A few Gryffindors hurried to grab a limb.

Harry was jolted out of his daze when he realized that his best friend was being dragged into the common room. "What in the world happened to him?" Harry asked, scrambling to his feet.

"Oh, we were talking girls and um, I think Fleur did something 'cause all of a sudden, he blurted out something along the lines of going to the ball with her," Leo explained. "I'll be honest, I really thought he was just nervous, but it really shook him up."

Ron looked as if he had a bad case of the jitters. Harry glanced over at Leo. "Not to be rude, but what are you still doing here?" Harry asked.

"I was, oh right, um," Leo said, glancing around. Everyone was quickly realizing that he was not in the right common room. "I regret nothing!" he shouted, making a break for the main door.

"Shouldn't we say something?" Neville asked. Harry rubbed the back of his neck.

"He was just trying to help. But we should say something about needing a new password," Harry mused.

"Harry, I've got enough trouble remembering the current one," Neville griped. Harry patted him on the back with a sigh.

Leo kept rushing down the stairs, planting his feet on the floor he sought. "Glad I don't need to make that trip everyday," he said, before noting a familiar person looking at him. "Ah, Miss Fleur," Leo said, giving a bow.

"You caused a bit of a stir, didn't you?" she noted, clearly showing that she wasn't thrilled with his behavior. "You put me on ze spot and zen took off to help a friend. I have 'alf a mind to zink you planned it."

"It was a demonstration, nothing more. I kind of thought Ron was putting his expectations a little high with you anyway," Leo admitted. "Myself as well," he added under his breath.

"Be that as it may, it iz getting me a lot of unwelcome attention. I want you to clarify it in front of my friends. They 'ave been going on about how noble you are. But you're a Slytherin, and I don't trust you," she stated simply.

"Not all Slytherin," Leo retorted.

"I know, but it iz not something I am comfortable with," she admitted.

"It's just talk, nothing to worry about," Leo commented, waving it off.

"It would be, but being 'alf-Veela tends to keep things like zis in ze minds of my peers. So I would very much appreciate it if you would do as I ask," she reiterated.

"Well, I would," he said with a smirk. "But I meant every word of it. And I very much doubt, after going too far with you, any girl would call it an insult if I asked them out. Being compared as less than desirable to yourself," he said, walking a circle around her.

"So, you are not going to take it back zen?" she asked, frowning.

"Only if you give me a chance to you," he said with a small smirk. She glared at him. "So hostile and your favor," he added casually, with an air of superiority. Even if he did get smacked down, he was going to play this up.

"If you can beat me in a duel of my choosing and I will go with you. I win, you drop it hard to the point where I want a full apology, with normal flare of course," she decided, smirking cruelly.

"If I didn't have my heart set on another, I would love you for that alone," he said, a true smile on his lips.

"Noted, zis won't take too long," she said, strutting away and swinging her hips. "I want zis done and over with."

"Of course, I agree to your terms," he admitted as she vanished around a corner. "Not that I couldn't twist that outcome in my favor, anyway," he murmured, grinning devilishly.

Short but sweet this time, ladies and gents. But since you're probably laughing your asses off right now, that could very well be a good thing. So, R&R and let us know what you thought of boys' shenanigans.

~LE