Heyyy peeps! How are you all doing? Yeah...I apologise for updating so late. Life of a college student is very hard, especially when a semester is about to end, and I know my fellow college mates would agree :D
Anywho, thank you all for patiently waiting for new chapters! Reading your thoughts on how you love reading this story makes my heart bloom. So thank you :))
I'll try my best to update this story in the wee days of July, so see you then!
After taking one last look in the mirror, Hermione picked up handfuls of her skirt to go downstairs with Lavender. Her heart was fluttering, and her stomach was feeling uneasy. Her nervousness was setting her right to the edge. She wished it could disappear so she wouldn't look all hassled.
The common room was partially vacant as the girls stepped into it. Ron was there, but Harry was nowhere to be seen, causing a pang of disappointment to go through Hermione.
But she still smiled at her other best friend. Ron was looking great in his new dress robes, which weren't hideous like his old ones. His mouth dropped open when he caught sight of Lavender.
"Holy..."
"Do you like it?" Lavender giggled, twirling her dress to give him a show.
Ron's pale face reddened as he grinned. "You look beautiful. Gorgeous. Hey, you're dating me, right?"
Lavender laughed. Ron, moved by her joy, suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her so deeply that Hermione blushed and had to look away.
Around them, she saw couples uniting. Parvati descended the staircase to take Seamus's hand. Angelina was laughing at something Fred had said as he took her to the portrait hole. Katie Bell blushed when George caught her by the waist. Dean intertwined his arms with an unfamiliar girl.
By seeing all these couples who looked thrilled to be with each other, Hermione started to feel...lonely. She had no one waiting for her by the stairs or outside, no one offering his hand for her to take, no one telling her how beautiful she looked. She easily had the most elegant dress here, but what was its use if she didn't even have anyone to impress with it?
The dance hadn't even started, and Hermione felt like she was about to cry.
This was all Harry's fault.
"Wow, Hermione. You clean up nice," Ron commented, breaking into her thoughts. She gave him a half-hearted smile. "Thanks. You look good, too."
"Yeah. Thank Merlin for that. Or Fred and George. Still can't imagine I'd have something decent to wear..."
"You okay?" Lavender asked Hermione as Ron blabbered on.
"Yes, yes. I'm fine."
Lavender sighed, not convinced by Hermione's response. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her friend, who looked so beautiful and amazing but didn't have a date despite that. The only thing Lavender could do now was hope Harry would make up for what he was doing to Hermione.
Hermione was feeling sorry for herself, too. But that only increased her determination to confess to Harry. Maybe, by the end of the day, she could have more than what she was witnessing here...
"Where's Harry?" she asked Ron, interrupting his blather.
"Went with Neville to pick up their Ravenclaw dates." Ron glanced at his watch. "Let's go."
He offered his arm to Lavender, and she graciously accepted it. Hermione, who didn't want to feel left out, immediately spoke up.
"Um, is it okay if I could, you know...go with you guys?"
"Oh, of course!" Lavender beamed and offered her hand to Hermione. Gratitude washed over her as she took it.
So the three exited the tower like this. Ron and Lavender laughed among themselves while Hermione tagged alone, feeling both like an intruder and a pitiful creature at the same time.
She could never tell that a huge surprise was waiting for her in the hallway.
Arranging her skirt around her, Hermione stepped outside with Ron and Lavender – and her mouth dropped open when someone started advancing towards her.
"Oh no..." she gasped, looking away as if that could make him disappear.
But Theodore, persistent like always, approached her urgently. "Hermione, hi. I'm sorry. You gotta listen –"
"What the hell?" Ron thundered when he saw Theodore. "Didn't Harry teach you a lesson? Get lost before I do!"
But Theodore ignored him and addressed Hermione again, who refused to look at him.
"Hermione, please. Please listen to me. I'm sorry for –"
"Didn't you hear? Get away from her!" Lavender yelled.
"I'm sorry for acting like an idiot. But if you give me a chance to explain –"
"No, I will not!" Hermione suddenly spoke up, looking directly into Theodore's eyes, "You've blown your chances away yourself! You don't know what consent is. You don't know how to act reasonably. You just think what you're saying is right and what I'm saying is rubbish!"
"Of course not!" he exclaimed, "Hermione, you're a smart girl. Didn't I tell you that? You're always right. I was in the wrong! I acted like a git by kissing you out of nowhere. I deserved getting beaten up by Potter, really! I'm foolish and ignorant. But...but I'm sorry, okay? I can be a better man. I will try to be better. I promise."
"No, Theodore. I can only wish you were a better man, but you're not. Sorry, but your flattery won't work on me anymore..."
With that, Hermione moved forward – but Theodore grabbed her hand.
"But didn't you say you'd love to go to the dance with me?" He frowned. "Didn't you say we were only bound as dance partners? Well, you're right! I'm not asking you for anything more. I'm just asking you to go to the dance...with me."
Hermione sighed. She knew her friends were waiting for her, but it was clear Theodore wouldn't give up until he received a reasonable answer from her.
"You two go. I'll catch up."
"No, Hermione! You can't just –"
But Ron shushed Lavender and steered her away from them. As soon as they dissolved in the crowd, Hermione turned back to Theodore.
"You're not giving me any room to say no, do you know that?" she said, "It's like I have to go to the dance with you."
"Of course not! It's totally, totally your choice." Theodore grinned.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. On the one hand, she wouldn't trust him, nor would she ever want to be his friend. But on the other hand, she didn't want to feel lonely on an occasion where everyone was paired up. Besides, not having a date wasn't doing any justice to her beautiful and costly dress. In fact, it was absolutely deplorable! Hermione had spent so much time on her look, and she wanted to glorify it from the very start – which she could do by having a date that wasn't Harry. He was reserved for the latter half of the evening, that's it, if Hermione could get him alone...
So what was the harm in taking Theodore only as her date? Didn't she want that in the first place? To be limited to him only as dance partners?
Yes, being Theodore's date wouldn't hurt anybody, Hermione decided. It's just a stupid dance!
"Okay. Listen to me, Theodore," she spoke up at last. He, who was waiting for her response, became attentive at once. "I will go to the dance with you."
"Oh, thank you, Hermione –"
"– but if you tried to kiss me again, I'd hex you so bad you won't be able to walk for a week!" Hermione finished, her eyes ablaze with anger.
Theodore grinned and put up his hands in submission. "Fine, fine. I learned my lesson. Won't happen again."
"Good. It shouldn't," Hermione replied, unamused. Her planned time with Harry better be worth it, considering all the trouble she was going through because of him.
Hoping it was a good decision, Hermione went downstairs to the entrance hall with Theodore. Although she was lost in her thoughts, her observant nature never missed the mark, causing her to see that Theodore appeared – fidgety. Almost restless. His eyes kept darting here and there, his movements were brisk, and he had forgotten to offer his arm to Hermione – something every couple, romantically attached or not, was doing. Hermione couldn't believe this was happening to her. Last year was priceless as her date was an amazing guy who knew how to treat her like a lady. But this guy? Hermione had to call him a coward. His fear was evident on his face. Was he scared of his stupid group?
Hermione sighed. Sincere date or not, some propriety was required.
"Aren't you supposed to take my hand?" she asked Theodore as they navigated among other pairs in the hall. Her question brought him out of his stupor, and he grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry."
He quickly took her hand – and that was it. His attention had shifted to his surroundings again.
Hermione was beyond annoyed. Although she didn't want anything to do with Theodore, they were still a couple for the evening! He hadn't even commented on her dress, which was definitely the best in the room in Hermione's humble opinion, and the jealous stares she was receiving from girls around her proved her right. Nevertheless, it was Theodore's duty as her date to tell her how she looked!
Hermione decided to test him. He was wearing grey dress robes, his brown hair was combed back, and his clean face was boasting his jawline. If it weren't for his distracted eyes and uncertain face, Hermione would have found him handsome.
"By the way, you look great." She beamed at him, catching him by surprise.
"Oh. Er, thanks!" He surveyed her and added, "You look great, too! Red really...uh...brings out your brown eyes."
Hermione stared at him. Why was he so nervous? He was the one who had begged her to be his date!
"Is something wrong, Theodore?"
"Oh, no! Of course not."
"Really? Because you look extremely nervous. Are you scared your Squad will see you?" Hermione couldn't help but grin as she added, "Or are you scared of Harry?"
Theodore blew a raspberry. "I'm not scared of anyone."
"Then why are you so distracted?" Hermione shook her head. "Maybe this was a bad idea..."
"No!" Theodore suddenly exclaimed, squeezing her hand. "No, it's not. I'm sorry, Hermione. I've just got...something on my mind." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry. This is wrong of me. I'll keep myself focused."
Hermione stared at him as he led her through the crowd. He was confusing, but she had to go through this. After all, what choice did she have?
A few minutes before Theodore had whisked Hermione away, Harry was standing in front of the Ravenclaw tower, waiting for Cho to arrive. Neville was there with him, and Harry still couldn't fathom that his date was Luna. So this was Hermione's plan all along...
He flattened down his collar, averting his eyes as people stared at him. Everyone knew he was dating Cho, so why were they treating him like an exhibition?
"Geez, I wish she'd arrive sooner," Neville sighed. His dress robes were grey, and his blond hair was sticking out at odd ends. He appeared so nervous, but Harry didn't blame him. Heck, he'd felt nervous asking Cho out for the first time!
"Relax. She'll be here soon." Harry smirked at Neville. "She's trying to look her best for you, all right?"
It was incredible how fast Neville blushed at his comment. Harry had to bite his lip to restrain his laughter.
"I dunno 'bout that –"
"Hello, Neville."
Neville's mouth dropped open as his date suddenly appeared by his side. Harry couldn't help but stare, too. Luna looked beautiful in her long dress and her loose blonde tresses. Her blue eyes shone as she started to speak in a monotonous yet enthralled voice.
"I'm sorry for making you wait. I had to enchant my dress to keep the Nargles away. They're pests if I let them get too close."
"Oh, yes. Those Nargles..." Neville trailed off, mesmerised by Luna.
Harry smiled at his little blonde friend. "You look amazing, Luna."
She crooked her head and replied, "Thank you, Harry Potter. I suppose it's the dress that Hermione Granger picked out for me. She wanted to help me, which is strange..."
"Oh, she did?" Harry asked, impressed, "Well, she has good taste."
Luna smiled at him before turning back to Neville, her face showing the slightest bit of doubt. "Do I look good, Neville?"
At last, the other boy found his voice. "Oh! Yes...yes. You – you look amazing, like Harry said..."
Luna grinned – then suddenly leaned forward, making Neville turn beet red, but she was just flattening his uneven hair.
"There." she smiled dreamingly at him. "Now, you look better."
Neville could just stare at her, but he waved at Harry before setting off in the crowd with Luna. Harry waved back, wondering when his date was going to arrive.
Just when he was beginning to feel the first signs of impatience, she appeared with a poof! Almost as if he had conjured her.
"Hi, Harry!" Cho beamed, flaunting her dress with short moves. "How do I look?"
Harry gave her a once-over. She was wearing a silver dress that hugged her body tightly from the torso but flowed freely around her legs. Her straight black hair was tied back in a bun, and her ears were adorned with crystals. She looked beautiful, which was obvious as she was Cho.
"You look very good –"
But Harry couldn't finish his sentence. Cho had started talking a mile a minute.
"–choosing the colour wasn't an issue, but choosing the dress definitely was. I spent about two hours finding this one, and even Madam Fruela herself was helping me out. I knew I wanted silver because I had worn a golden dress last year. Cedric and I matched! He wore a golden bowtie for me so we could look like we belonged together. Wasn't that so adorable?! We should have done the same, but look at you..."
She reached forward and felt Harry's red tie with her fingers, disappointment etching her face. "We don't match."
"We could if you gave me a heads-up," said Harry, annoyed. He liked his red tie. It coordinated well with the black dress robes he had picked for himself in Hogsmeade. Besides, red was his favourite colour. But Cho didn't know that.
"Let's go. We're already late," he declared, offering her his arm. She giggled as she took it. "Oh, it's so funny when you think about it...I've gone to the dance with two different champions!"
Harry rolled his eyes. He tried to listen to her jabber as they went down the Grand Staircase and pushed through the crowd in the entrance hall. People seemed really excited about this occasion, but all the loud voices, combined with Cho's never-ending rambling, were giving him a headache. Where were peace and quiet when you needed them?
"I told Marietta that she needed to press down her skirt, not poof it up!" Cho laughed. "So now she looks like a silver snowball. We tried to match, too, you know!"
"Okay..." said Harry, bored out of his skull.
"Of course, that had to happen to her. I give the best fashion advice if I do say..."
But Cho's remaining words faded out of Harry's senses as he caught sight of someone in the crowd through the number of shoulders and noise. It was Hermione.
His eyes widened when he saw her clearly. She was wearing a red dress – a brilliant shade that stood out among the countless people – and her brown tresses were gracefully covering her waist, swaying slightly as she moved. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, not believing this was the same girl who could study day and night, attend two classes simultaneously, and finish her homework all at once. She had pulled a different look last year, too, but this time, with all that red that suited her so incredibly...calling her beautiful was an understatement. Harry was simply awestruck.
But his astonished face quickly turned to a frown when he saw who she was with.
So, she had found a date. The guy Harry had almost killed just two days before...
"Is that Hermione Granger?" Cho asked, noticing how Harry had suddenly grown quiet and followed his gaze to see what he was looking at.
"Yeah," said Harry, his eyes fixed on the other pair. They seemed to be arguing about something.
Cho gasped a little as she studied Hermione's brilliant dress. "Wow, her dress is so pretty..." She cleared her throat and continued in a judgmental voice. "But it's too...big. She would ruin it by getting dirt all over the hem and above. That's why I don't like huge floor-length gowns. Mine rests just above my heels."
"Why's she with him again?" Harry wondered out loud.
Cho rolled her eyes. "Who cares? You shouldn't."
Harry looked at her. "Of course I should! I'm her best friend."
"Well, she isn't your date. Tonight..." She pressed her hand on his arm and tried to steer him away from Hermione, "...is about us, okay?"
"But that doesn't mean I should let her get hassled," said Harry, getting angrier by the minute, "Y'know what? I can't let this happen."
With that, he pushed through the crowd to get to his best friend, dragging Cho with him and ignoring her protests.
The pair was clearly not expecting him to show up. Their eyes widened and their jaws dropped open at his sudden arrival. Without thinking, Harry detached himself from Cho, brushed past Hermione, and grabbed Theodore's collar, his eyes directly boring into the other boy's.
"You're following her again?!" He hissed at him. "Didn't I teach you a lesson? D'you wanna die or something, mate?"
"Harry, stop!" Hermione yelled. Harry couldn't ignore her because she had barged herself between the two boys, forcing them apart. Theodore stood frozen in shock, but Harry was breathing heavily, more than ready to tear the jerk into pieces.
His desire didn't change when Hermione grabbed his arms and made him look at her. "Oh, Harry. Please! Calm down. I'm okay. Theodore wasn't –"
"Why are you with him again, Hermione?" Harry asked her through gritted teeth. "Have you lost your mind? This is the same idiot who forced you into kissing him!"
"But we made a deal!" Hermione breathlessly explained, her brown eyes pleading with him, "We're just together for the dance. I couldn't go alone, and neither could he –"
"So you still thought about this stupid dance over your safety?!" Harry shouted, incredulous.
"What safety? Don't make me look like –"
"Harry, you look too busy with your friend. I'm going," Cho declared, then went inside the Great Hall without waiting for his response.
Hermione gave him a look. "I'm fine. Go after her."
But Harry couldn't. Not before Hermione gave him an explanation of why she had decided to trust that good-for-nothing git again. It felt like a betrayal. A complete breach from one of the most important people in his life, and he couldn't go away without some clarification. Couldn't rest before she could just tell him...why.
So he did what he thought was best. He took Hermione's hand and pulled her away from the halfwit, determined to find a spot where they could discuss this privately.
But Theodore, after standing still all this time, suddenly snapped. Without warning, he grabbed Hermione's other arm, forcing her to stay put.
"Oh no, you can't take her anywhere." Theodore glared at Harry. "She's my date. She's got nothing to do with you tonight."
Hermione's mouth dropped open. Now Harry would definitely kill him, and judging by his face, it was probably true.
So she intervened before he could get any ideas.
"Being your date doesn't mean I can only talk to you." She narrowed her eyes at Theodore. "I'm coming."
Then she pulled Harry away and led him to an isolated spot behind the Grand Staircase, the very one where the three had taken refuge in what seemed like decades ago.
When they were finally alone, Hermione let out a string of words before Harry could get a chance to speak.
"I understand why you're angry, I really do! This may seem very strange, but trust me, Harry. This...this thing? It's just for the dance! Theodore and I would go our separate ways once it's over. And I'm not even interested in him! And I know he isn't, too, because he's so distracted and wouldn't even look at me –"
"So you're just using him?"
"Exactly! We just need a date."
"But what if he manipulates you into doing something –"
"I won't fall for his tricks, Harry." Hermione shook her head. "I'm more than capable of defending myself..."
Something in her tone changed as she said this, making Harry's angry demeanour disappear.
"Hey. Look at me," he told her as she lowered her gaze. "Hermione, I didn't mean you can't defend yourself. You can! You're the best student in the DA classes! I'm just...worried about you, all right?"
"Okay, but Harry, I'm worried about you, too." Hermione sighed. "Please don't keep looking out for me tonight."
"But –"
"No." She took his face in her hands, forcing him to listen to her carefully. "You will enjoy yourself. You will not worry about me and won't look my way at all. Because something tells me Dumbledore arranged this event for you."
Harry's eyes widened. "What?"
"Yes, I had a hunch," said Hermione, "I think he arranged it to distract you, so you could clear your mind for a better shot at Occlumency."
"That's bullshit –"
"No! That's actually very smart," Hermione countered, shaking her head at him, "So you must not let his efforts go to waste. He's obviously trying his best."
"If he was, he wouldn't have hired Snape for the job," Harry argued.
"But he's trying! That's what makes the difference." Hermione bit her lip. "Look, I'm not sure if this is his motive, but I still want you to quit worrying about me. You don't have to look at Theodore and instantly want to get your knuckles bloody, okay? At least not for tonight."
Harry closed his eyes. "Okay, Hermione. Okay."
"Good." Hermione smiled a little. Now that the tension had subsided, she could feel her heart racing, her butterflies becoming wilder, her face growing hot. Harry was looking so attractive in his new dress robes. Black really suited him, and Hermione loved how his tie matched her dress perfectly, giving the impression of stars aligning in their favour.
She couldn't wait to tell him the truth. How her heart thumped for him day and night. How he remained in her head, whether she liked it or not. She just couldn't wait to reveal herself to him because at the end of the day, amidst the love, overprotection, and care, she could trade thousands of Theodores just for one Harry.
But that had to wait.
"Well, I'm going," she declared, grinning like a Cheshire cat, "Have fun! See you!"
"I will if you –"
But he was too late. She had already dispersed in the crowd, her red merging into a sea of colours...
"Excuse me," Hermione politely said to people she accidentally bumped into while making her way to the Great Hall. Her dress was proving to be a handful. Amidst the racket, she had to lift up her skirt to avoid tripping and creating a scene.
But at last, she reached her destination. Hermione couldn't help but gasp as she surveyed the Great Hall. It had been turned into a magnificent ballroom. The House tables had been replaced by a polished dance floor, but the Head table stood in its usual place. Decorations of red, pink, and white were festooned on vines hanging from the enchanted ceiling, which was bewitched to look like a cloudy pink sky. Hermione could spot fairies roaming above, spreading what seemed like glitter around the room. At a corner, violins, cellos, and a piano stood all alone, ready to play by themselves.
The environment looked straight out of a fairytale, and as Hermione stepped inside, she felt like Cinderella (A girl from a Muggle story she'd read as a kid) because many people had turned to stare at her; boys with awe, girls with jealousy. She liked the attention, even just for a little bit, because it made her efforts look pretty successful.
But her Prince Charming wasn't here. It certainly wasn't the boy she now walked towards.
Theodore glared at her as she approached him. "So Potter's finally left you alone, huh?"
"Shut up. He's my friend. He can talk to me whenever he wants to."
Theodore rolled his eyes. "Bloody twat..."
Hermione frowned at him. "What happened to not badmouthing my friends? It was a part of our deal!"
"Oh, yeah. That sodding deal..."
"Careful, or I'll dump your secrets on Malfoy."
"Like that bloody ferret isn't thick as hell..."
But Hermione had blocked him out as something far more interesting had caught her eye. Harry had entered the room. She watched him as he made a beeline for Cho, who was gossiping away with her friends. Heat bloomed on Hermione's face when she observed him. Oh, why did he have to look so good in everything?
She wasn't aware that Theodore was staring at her intently.
"He isn't your date, so stop watching him like a goddamn stalker."
Hermione snapped out of her daze at his voice.
"Don't be so jealous." She sniffed.
"I'm not. I'm just mad that he's getting all your attention when he isn't even your date. I am, remember? I literally had to shred my reputation into pieces just because I felt bad for kissing you. I deserve some appreciation after that."
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." Hermione sighed. "But he's still my friend. You'd never understand his dilemmas, but they make me worry about him a lot."
Theodore shook his head and leaned against the pillar behind him. His eyes raked Hermione up and down, properly for the first time, as she searched for her friends. She was looking beautiful, all right, so it bothered him that her eyes kept darting back to that git. 'The Chosen One', or as he was rumoured to be according to the Ferret...
"Y'know what, Hermione?" he suddenly spoke up, making her look at him, "If I'm being honest, I'd say you like Potter."
Her heartbeat quickened in her chest. "Of course I like him! He's my best friend."
"Don't be stupid. You know I don't mean it that way."
She sighed. Okay, then so what?
"Well, even if I do like him, that's none of your business."
"Yeah, I know." Theodore scoffed. "But if this crush of yours ruins our date, it will be my business."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
The dance hadn't even started, and she was already growing tired of him. Neville was definitely a much better choice...
At the thought of her friend, her eyes searched for him among the increasing crowd, finally spotting him at the very end of the hall, in the company of Luna, Ron, and Lavender.
"I'm coming," Hermione declared and rushed off to her friends before Theodore could say anything.
"Hi everyone!" she beamed as she arrived.
"Hey!" Lavender grinned back.
"Hello." Luna waved at her wistfully.
"Bout time you showed up." Ron raised his eyebrow. "So, you're back with the dimwit?"
"Oh, stop it. We're not dating or anything." Hermione groaned, then smiled at Neville. "Hey! You look so good!"
But Neville didn't reply right away. He was staring at her neck.
"Is that my..."
"Christmas present? Yes!" Hermione laughed. "It matched my dress perfectly!"
"Wow, you look really beautiful –" He turned pink. "I mean, the necklace suits you, a-and your dress so well, y'know, b-because of the colour –"
"Oh, I get it, Neville." Hermione's smile widened. "Thank you!"
"What? That's your gift?" Ron asked with surprise.
Neville grinned sheepishly. "Yeah."
"Man...since when were you going around tossing jewellery?"
"I wasn't. Just did it for Hermione."
"Oh, honestly, Ron!" Hermione shook her head. "You're being ridiculous."
"I have to agree with Hermione," Lavender chimed in, smiling mischievously at Ron. "You gave me jewellery, too. Remember?"
"If you could call that jewellery..."
"I have never received jewellery in my life," Luna added dreamingly.
"That's okay! You will someday." Hermione cheered her up.
Just like that, the five fell into fervid talking. Hermione couldn't help but notice how Luna was regarding – no, watching – Neville with a misty expression like he was her favourite thing in the entire world. And how Neville looked so comfortable in Luna's company when people usually found her bizarre. Seeing the two like this made Hermione happy and satisfied. But...there was this nagging in her heart as if she was betraying Neville by rejecting him to go with a Slytherin, much less an Inquisitorial Squad member. What would he think when he sees who Hermione's date was?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Lavender suddenly nudged her.
"Look who's here." She giggled.
Hermione let out a whoosh of breath. Harry had joined the group. Of course, his presence could never be awkward to her, but the way Lavender was behaving...
She nudged her right back. "Shush!"
Lavender laughed. Thankfully, the boys hadn't noticed her, but Luna was watching the two with innocent excitement.
Hoping she hadn't caught on anything, Hermione focused on the others. Harry was complaining to Ron about Cho.
"She can be a bloody nightmare sometimes." He shook his head, sighing. "Doesn't give a bloody damn what I try to tell her and just goes on rambling."
"Because you let her, mate." Ron shrugged.
"She doesn't give me a goddamn chance!" Harry exclaimed with exasperation. "And if she does, she starts yammering."
"Jeez...I'm sorry, man," said Ron, "Wouldn't wish such a girlfriend on my worst enemy."
"Right. You really hit the spot, don't you –"
"What happened, Harry?" Hermione asked.
For some reason, he grew uncomfortable at her question. "Er – it's nothing. It's just..."
"She called you drippy and stupid?" Neville sighed. "A childhood friend of mine did."
"Wow, that's harsh." Lavender frowned.
"You're not stupid." Luna smiled at Neville.
"No. Nothing like that." Harry breathed out. The entire group was listening to him with rapt attention. He felt embarrassment creeping up to him, warming his neck.
"It's just...uh..." He avoided her eyes as he continued, "Cho doesn't like how I'm always paying heed to Hermione..."
Instantly, Lavender had to hide her laughter by coughing while Hermione turned as red as her dress.
"I don't, of course!" Harry corrected himself before addressing her. "I mean...y'know? How can I help it? When you're out with someone who could hurt you at any given minute?"
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, Harry. Not this again..."
"She's got a problem with that?" Ron asked.
"Could hurt her? Who's your date, Hermione?" Neville asked, his eyes wide with concern.
Hermione sighed. Good going, Harry.
"Um. It's...uh..."
"It's a dude from Slytherin," Ron answered for her, "Theodore Nott."
"Who?"
"That guy." Ron motioned his head to his left, where Theodore was chatting with Blaise.
Something changed in Neville's eyes as he apprehended the boy. "Oh...him? He's from the Inquisitorial Squad, isn't he?"
"Yes, he is," Hermione replied quietly.
"He took 10 points from me once," said Neville, still looking at Theodore, "For watering a cabbage patch near Hagrid's hut. Called me names for that, too."
At his account, the others started talking at once.
"What an idiot."
"A full-blown jerk, more like..."
"Bloody doesn't know how to act, that one."
"That was very kind of you, Neville –"
"Okay, stop." Hermione interrupted her friends. "Theodore isn't as bad as he seems."
"What? So you're gonna defend him now?" Harry asked, thunderstruck.
"I'm not defending him!" Hermione retorted. "I'm just...saying he acts like that because he's under his Squad's influence. He's actually a good person. He apologised to me, right before the dance and –"
Her blubber paused as she realised something.
Wait...am I warming up to Theodore?
"Whatever you say, Hermione, but he's a bloody tosser." Ron shrugged.
"Being nice to you doesn't excuse his shitty behaviour." Harry pointed out.
"You're not stupid," Luna repeated to Neville, smiling dreamingly.
"Of course, he isn't!" Hermione exclaimed, "Why don't you..."
She trailed off to catch her breath.
Lavender, seeing how flustered Hermione had become, spoke up. "Oh, calm down, you lot! Leave her alone. In case you've forgotten, he's her date."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Okay, so it's necessary for you to defend your date? I guess Cho isn't getting on my nerves. She's just looking out for me, isn't she?"
Hermione had enough. She smoothed her hair, sighed, and turned to Neville. "Listen. I'm not saying what he did can be justified. It was completely wrong! And –"
A loud voice, magnified over a thousand times, suddenly filled the area, interrupting Hermione in the process. It was Umbridge, with a wand pressed to her throat. Her face erupted in a tight smile when everyone's attention turned to her.
"Good evening, students!" she chirped. "I'm pleased to welcome you to the Valentine's Day Dance. As the professors and I –" she waved a hand to the others at the Head table, most of whom looked disinterested, especially McGonagall with her pursed lips and Snape with his even uglier scowl, and went on. "– decided, today's auspicious event is not just a dance, but it's also a way to appreciate my Inquisitorial Squad, who tirelessly put wrong to right, and make sure the school is moral and ethical in all means."
She paused to smile at the squad, and they returned it with egoistic grins.
"So give a round of applause for these hard-working students!"
Silence followed her words – then light applause, and when Umbridge cleared her throat, it turned louder. The girls and Neville clapped along with everyone else, Harry's arms stayed by his sides, and Ron pretended to gag.
"Look at Malfoy." He nudged Harry. "Think he's won the Quidditch Final or something."
Sure enough, Malfoy had his chest out, his face etched with boastfulness. His girlfriend, Daphne, leaned in to kiss his cheek.
"Show-off," Lavender remarked.
The rest of the members were just smiling. Theodore seemed like he was in a different world with his downcast eyes. Hermione wondered what he was thinking about.
As the applause died down, Umbridge continued her speech. "Yes, well done! You deserve this appreciation! Now, before we begin, I would like to inform you of a set of rules. These ensure that tonight's event goes smoothly and safely for everyone."
A ripple of groans went around the room. Some teachers rolled their eyes. But Umbridge ignored them and went on reading the rules from a parchment.
There were a lot of them. She was literally making the dance sound like a strict event instead of a fun occasion where everyone could just cool off. Hermione wondered if that really was her scheme – sabotaging Dumbledore's plan to lighten everybody, especially Harry, up by making the dance boring. But she knew that could never happen. No Hogwarts student would listen to a Ministry hag. Well, maybe except for the Squad and...Theodore.
Hermione sighed as reality sank in. She couldn't believe her date was Umbridge's devotee. Did he really support all this rubbish?
"Hey, Hermione." Lavender touched her shoulder, giving her a start. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
She took her to a corner as Umbridge's rules continued to blare everywhere.
"What is it?" Hermione asked once they were out of earshot.
Lavender narrowed her eyes. "I just have to ask...didn't you say you don't want to make Harry jealous?"
"Uh...yes?"
"Then what's all those...'reasons' for Theodore about?" said Lavender, making an air quote. "You know? You justifying him as a good person?"
Hermione emptied her chest from a sigh. "Oh, Lavender. Not you, too."
"I'm just curious."
"I wasn't justifying him! I was just saying that..."
"He's a good person?"
"No!"
"A good person being oppressed by the Squad and his –" Lavender did the air quotes again – "'Slytherin buddies?'"
"Yes! I mean no..." Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose in defeat. "Forget it, okay? But I'm not trying to make Harry jealous."
"Hmm. If you say so..."
Over their conversation, Umbridge had finished her speech with a big grin on her pudgy face and apprehended the entire student body before her. "Now, I hope all of you bear these rules in mind because, after all, some rules should be enforced, shouldn't they?"
Unbeknownst to her, she had received a lot of death glares at that little remark, but she went on with a flourish. "Let the dance begin. Chop chop!"
She clapped her hands, and the musical instruments struck up an orchestral number of their own accord. Relieved at the initiation, couples started gathering on the main floor.
"Oops. See you!" Lavender giggled before disappearing. Hermione waved back and grabbed her skirt to walk over to Theodore. Thank goodness he was alone, but he kept staring at nothing in particular, even when Hermione approached him.
"Theodore?"
He looked up. "Hmm?"
She offered him her hand with a quizzical expression. "Shall we dance?"
A realisation struck him. "Oh, yes! Sorry."
He quickly took her awaiting hand and pulled her to the floor. Feeling excited, Hermione looked around at the other couples – and caught Harry's eye. She smiled at him. He didn't return it.
Her focus shifted back to her date, and he was still staring off in the distance. For the life of her, she couldn't understand why he appeared so distracted and lost in thought. Her confusion increased as he was staring at nothing. It was beyond perplexing.
But the misty look in his eyes vanished as soon as they took their positions among the other couples. He placed his hands on her waist while she lightly touched his shoulders, making sure they were at an arm's distance. Then, out of the blue, he smiled at her. She couldn't help it. She smiled back.
The magical orchestra struck a number, and music started blaring from everywhere at once. Theodore grasped Hermione more firmly and led her into a dance. She tried to follow his lead, but her dress kept getting stuck in her heeled shoes. She cursed herself for being a lousy dancer and was surprised to see Theodore was excellent at it.
"Do you dance a lot?" she asked as he spun with her in time with the music.
"Yeah. My family is a fan of parties." He smirked at her. "You don't?"
"No. My family...isn't like that. Arranging balls and everything."
"Figures. All of you must be smart know-it-alls, right?"
"So? Is that a bad thing?"
"Nah. Not really." His smirk widened, his blue orbs shining under the enchanted light. "Just that I find your family abnormal as much as you find mine."
"Well, everyone can't survive in the same circle." She shrugged, glaring at him. He smiled but didn't respond.
She sighed and looked around. Most of the couples were struggling, some were showing off their skills, and a few didn't seem to care and only stared at their partners. Some students were cast off the side, and teachers were joining the dance. The entire scenario appeared fun as laughter, banter, and chatter circulated everywhere over the harmonious tunes of the orchestra. At least Umbridge's rules hadn't ruined the occasion...
Smiling absently, Hermione twisted her head to search for her friends, wondering what they were up to. Her activity caused her to make eye contact with Harry again. Again she smiled at him. Again he didn't return it.
What is his problem?
She could see he was having difficulties trying to dance with Cho, who looked disgruntled.
Gaining a sudden urge to laugh, Hermione shifted her attention back to her date. Theodore didn't appear distracted anymore. In fact, he was gazing at her.
The music turned up a little, and he took her hand in his, his other hand pressing itself on the small of her back. Their fingers intertwined as he guided her to another dance. She tried to match his moves to avoid bumping into him. Air kissed her cheeks when he suddenly twirled her around so fast that she went dizzy. Staggering, she gripped his shoulders a little harder. Her firm touch ignited something inside him, and he tugged her hand to pull her closer to himself, the sudden move making her other hand fall on his chest. They were now almost nose-to-nose, their breaths sharing the same air. Everything else had become a blur. With a drumming heart, she stared into his eyes, not realising her breath had gotten caught in her throat. She couldn't help but admit it – he was entrancing. Almost mesmerising. His blue eyes captured her like moonlight streaming on the ground. The barely-there dimple on his left cheek was adorable. The way he looked at her as if she was the Golden Snitch, beautiful but hard to catch, made her jittery.
The effect he was having on her was amazing...and horrifying, too.
Finally returning to reality, Hermione stepped back a little to increase the space between them. "Theodore, what are you doing?"
"Um...dancing?"
She glared at him. "No. What are you doing to me?"
He adopted an aloof expression. "What? I can't even look at my beautiful date?"
"You can, but..." She sighed, thankful the song had turned slow. "Just not in that way. I'm not the kind of girl who can make you happy. And you aren't the kind of boy who can make me –"
"Whoa, whoa. Where's all this coming from?" Theodore raised his eyebrows. "Didn't we settle we're just dates for one evening?"
"Of course. We did." She bit her lip apprehensively. "But if you keep looking at me like that..."
Theodore laughed and closed the distance between them. "Really, Hermione? I begged you to be my date. I can at least look at you in any way I want."
She stared at him and stepped back again. "Even if it makes me uncomfortable?"
"Why would it make you uncomfortable?"
"Oh, I don't know...maybe because we're still strangers?"
"Strangers who are dance partners." He grinned, narrowing his eyes. "Seems a bit dodgy if you ask me."
Hermione shook her head – then became alert when she felt Theodore's fingers lightly trace her spine. She gasped and immediately distanced herself from him, causing his hand to fall to his side.
Theodore was surprised by this sudden behaviour. "What?"
Hermione realised she had goosebumps all over her arms. "Don't touch me like that!" she responded angrily, "We are nothing, Theodore. Stop pretending like we are."
For a moment, he just looked at her, before nodding in understanding with a sigh. "Okay, okay. Fair point. Sorry. Let's dance again?"
Hermione was starting to feel tired, but she still took Theodore's hand. They were dance partners, after all.
He led her into another dance, this one a bit energetic, for the music, with its shredding violins and frenzied pianos, had flowed into something mad and enchanting at the same time.
Hermione kept her eyes on Theodore as she danced with him. She had gotten used to his moves, so her agile figure had reshaped itself to fit his. She studied his face as he concentrated on their steps. How come he wasn't distracted anymore? Did the culprit disappear?
Hermione wondered who it could be, but her brain was not cooperating as Theodore led her into spins, twirls, twists, and turns. The efforts had made her breathless. Dancing was hard.
The song was slowing down once more. Theodore pulled her closer again, but Hermione didn't stop him. Despite the music and the noisy crowd, silence had pervaded them. It was awkward.
Theodore must have felt it, too, because he tried to make small talk. "So...how's...um everything?"
"Good," Hermione replied, "What about you?"
"Same, I guess." He surveyed their surroundings. "Half of these couples look like dead folks."
Hermione pretended to laugh. "I bet we're one of them."
Theodore turned his gaze back to her. "Yeah, 'cause you're making us into one." He smirked and added. "What d'you say? Let's add a little more flair –"
"If you get any closer, I'll kill you."
"That's a dumb sentiment, Hermione. I'm literally touching your body right now," said Theodore, squeezing her waist a little to prove his point.
Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "Because we're dancing. A little contact is fine. That doesn't mean..."
She trailed off, for he had suddenly adopted a faraway expression, which could only mean one thing.
The distractor was back.
She turned her head around to follow his stare, determined to know who was capable of making him so diverted in the blink of an eye.
She located his target – and let out a sigh.
It was his stupid Inquisitorial Squad. Of course, he must be feeling exposed to his prejudiced group for having her, a Muggleborn, as a date.
Annoyed, Hermione turned around and snapped her fingers in front of Theodore's face, making his stupor disappear.
"What?" he asked, still hazy.
"Oh, nothing." She shook her head, smirking a little. "Just that I'm not the only one ruining our 'couple' image."
"What d'you mean?"
"You keep looking away!"
"Oh." He shrugged. "Sorry."
"Who is it, Theodore?"
"No one important."
"Oh, really?" Hermione raised her eyebrow. "If that was the case, you wouldn't be so easily distracted. You can't fool me, okay?"
"Come on, Hermione..."
"Is it Malfoy? Are you obsessed with him or something?"
Theodore pursed his lips in anger. "I'd rather face the Dark Lord than be obsessed with a jerk like him."
Before she could stop herself, Hermione laughed. Actually laughed. Her laughter made her face glow, and before he knew it, Theodore was chuckling, too.
"I bloody mean it."
"Of course you do." She giggled. The music picked up speed and he, not appearing lost anymore, and she, not sporting a fed-up look, resonated their dance with the tones. Their hands touched as they smiled at each other.
Maybe, just maybe, this mutual hatred for Malfoy could be a start to an amazing friendship...
Meanwhile, Harry wasn't certainly having the time of his life. His poor dancing skills and a mad girlfriend/dance partner were really ruining his evening.
So much for enjoying myself.
He sighed as the music turned up a notch. He hated fast dancing.
No, scratch that. He hated dancing altogether. So far, the event had managed to stress him out even more. Yes, it was difficult to dance, but it became a lot more challenging when your dance partner was a whiny girl who kept complaining about everything, wanted you to be an expert at dancing the minute you had learned to walk, and refused to guide you when you were baffled. Well, it wasn't his fault he had stepped on her feet more than once. He sucked at dancing, and she needed to understand this flaw. But no! She kept colouring him as the culprit. She was really getting on his nerves with her objections, so it wasn't a surprise that it was taking every ounce of his strength to not snap at her.
And if that wasn't enough for his stupid bearings, they only worsened when he couldn't help but look at his best friend and see her actually having fun with that git. That bloody idiot with his godawful grin that Harry would have loved to wipe off his face. His crooked nose that he would love to break into pieces. His jarring face, which seemed to be laughing at him and his failure to keep one of the most important people to him by his side, looked really, really punchable. Harry had never felt this much hatred for anyone before, not even Malfoy or Voldemort. Well, at least at that moment in time.
So it was surprising for him, even shocking, how he, listening to Cho's criticism with that wretched couple nearby, hadn't snapped yet. It was like he had become numb as none of his reactions or moves truly reflected his present inner sufferings. Maybe it was Hermione and her desperate request to hush himself down. Maybe that's why something in his gut prevented him from unleashing his repressed ferocious animal.
Whatever it was, Harry knew it wasn't healthy. Not in the least.
"Merlin, have you ever danced before?" Cho cried as Harry, amidst his rumination, accidentally stepped on her dress and almost tripped her over.
He shook his head without even realising what he was doing. "Sorry. I haven't."
Cho pursed her lips, clearly annoyed by his short responses. From the minute they had started dancing, Harry appeared so lost and hazy that Cho couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Certainly, being the Boy Who Lived had its own complications, but if he was thinking about that stupid know-it-all, Hermione Granger, she would explode. Ever since she had caught them in that small booth during a DA class, Cho was completely sure that idiotic Hermione Granger was manipulating Harry with tricks up her sleeve. Sure, they were friends, but everyone had boundaries, and Miss Granger had to respect that little fact. For all Cho knew, wearing that tacky red dress could be one of the witch's schemes to win him over, but Cho was determined to not let that happen.
"Do you have something on your mind?" She asked, her urgency betraying her innocent look.
Her question blinked Harry back to reality. Something in him stirred, and he pressed his palms on her waist to bring her closer to himself. Despite the little to no distance, he couldn't meet her eyes.
"Sorry for being such a bad date."
Cho bit her lip but didn't say anything, so he went on.
"And for being a bad dancer. I'm not good at it like Cedric –"
"He wasn't just good. He was great." Cho cut in, rolling her eyes
A sudden silence followed her remark. Harry stared at her, surprised by her blunt rudeness. Now that he thought about it, Hermione had made him so used to feminine warmth and affection when he was feeling low that maybe he had started to expect every girl to act like that.
But not every girl was Hermione.
Out of the blue, Harry felt a familiar wave of overflowing sadness and anger. Suddenly, he wanted to shove Cho away, clear his path in the crowd, toss Theodore aside from the scruff of his neck, take Hermione in his arms, and talk to her for hours. He wanted to feel her warmth, her protective aura, and her ability to understand what he was going through. He wanted to see her sad smile, the kind that made her features look even more beautiful, the kind that made him think he wasn't alone in the void. He knew he wouldn't be by himself in the abyss because she would be there with him, holding a candle as he was shrouded in darkness, the flickering flame brightening their faces.
His heart thudded in his chest as his longing for her grew. He wanted her all to himself. She was his best friend, the only person with the nerve to become his sunshine on cold, unmoving days. The only one who would believe him at his worst. Who could make him all right again, even when he was under Voldemort's wrath.
He marvelled at the connection he shared with her. This friendship, this profound relationship, was so deep that it had managed to subdue Voldemort. Weakened his influence. If it was capable of doing that, Harry discerned it as something special. Something he wouldn't be able to find with anyone else. And maybe, just maybe, that's why he so wanted to fiercely protect Hermione, even if his whole life depended on it. He knew she would be willing to sacrifice herself in a heartbeat for his sake, and deep down in his bones, he knew he'd do the same for her.
Such thoughts kept recirculating in his mind, their presence like little puzzle pieces clicking into place, but the aching in his heart increased.
Why was life so unfair? He had to wonder about that sometimes. Was his fate doomed to be like this? Forever? Where he couldn't get the things he needed when he desperately needed them? This overpowering want that wouldn't go away unless he felt her presence in his arms, safe and secure?
But how could he do that? When she seemed so far away? How could he reach out to her when she was engulfed with someone else? Even if she was right there? So close to him that he could see the little dips at the corners of her mouth when she smiled. Once or twice their eyes had met, but he couldn't return her delightful smiles. How could he? When all he wanted was to embrace her, but it was impossible to do so? Could she see how he was suffering without her? See those longing in his eyes? If she could, what would she think? That he had lost his marbles? Finally gone crazy? Or could she understand him because she was missing him as badly as he was missing her?
Could she be, behind all those smiles, yearning for him as he was yearning for her?
"Harry!" Cho squealed, interrupting his thought process, "What's your problem?"
Confused, and a little woolly from his musing, Harry raised his eyebrows. "What?"
"Don't be so stupid." Cho shook her head. "What's gotten into you? One minute you were speaking, and the next you looked like you weren't even here!"
"Oh. Sorry." Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. If Cho knew what he was thinking about, she'd go ballistic. "Just...have a lot on my mind."
"Oh, yeah? Like what?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Some stuff from training and all..." he exhaled a deep breath. "It's complicated. You wouldn't understand."
"Oh, are you sure?"
"Yeah. I mean, it's not like you're dumb or anything. It's just that you don't –"
"No. Are you sure it's only training what you're thinking of?" Cho stared daggers at him. "And not some girl?"
His grip on her waist tightened. "Why would I think about a girl when I'm dancing with you?"
Cho smiled at him. "Of course, why would you? Except you are. Clearly. I've seen you look at her three times now!"
Harry closed his eyes. "Come on, Cho. What's Hermione got to do with any of this?"
"Everything." Cho sneered. "Don't lie to me, okay?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Harry asked, trying to dodge her accusations. Yes, they were right. But strangely, he wasn't feeling guilty at all. In fact, he still felt empty and lost. As if he was stranded on a foggy road and needed somebody to guide him to the right way. But that somebody wasn't here.
"I'm sorry. I'm just not thinking straight," he confessed.
Cho pressed her lips together in a thin line. "You were saying something earlier."
"Forget it," Harry declared. The music slowed down, so he pulled her closer to himself. Cho didn't complain as he hid his face in her neck and hair. He took a deep breath...and suddenly imagined these locks were curly and brown instead of sleek and black. He imagined she smelled like cinnamon, musty books, and home instead of expensive perfume. Her dress red and wide instead of silver and straight. He imagined her blushing against his chest like she did in front of him many times. He'd never told her, but he always thought she looked positively cute when she did that.
But the girl he was holding wasn't smiling, let alone blushing. He sighed and intertwined his fingers with hers. What a way to spend this evening...
Blocking everything out, he settled his chin on her shoulder and looked at the couples around him. He easily spotted his best friend, her red dress illuminating against the otherwise lifeless and grey world, noting her movements, her hand resting on her date's shoulder, giggling at something he had said. Was she faking her laughter? Or was he actually funny?
Watching the two of them mingle like that pulled at his heartstrings. What if she started treating that joke for a wizard with as much care and affection as she treated him? What if he was replaced? What if she'd cut her time short with him so she could spend her days with that Slytherin? Could she do that? What if she did? Would he be able to live with himself?
The song dipped into higher tones. Cho pressed her hand against his shoulder, but Harry, lost in his thoughts, didn't move an inch. He still stared at Hermione, watching her gaze at Theodore as he spoke. Something in Harry convulsed at the sight. His head pounded, and his heart seemed to get lower in his ribcage as a thought took over his mind.
She was slipping away from him, and there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing.
