When all the food had been consumed, Dum ble dore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leav ing the floor clear, and then he con jured a raised plat form in to ex is tense along the right wall. A set of drums, sev er al gui tars, a lute, a cel lo, and some bag pipes were set up on it.

The Weird Sis ters then trooped up on to the stage to wild ly en thu si as tic ap plause; they were all ex treme ly hairy and dressed in black robes that had been art ful ly ripped and torn. They picked up their in stru ments, and Arabella, who had been so in ter est ed in watch ing them, jumped when Cedric reached for her hand. She had entirely for got ten what was com ing, sud den ly re al ized that the lanterns on all the oth er ta bles had gone out, and that the oth er cham pi ons and their part ners were stand ing up.

"Oh—," she breathed out, heart pounding rapidly, "oh, Cedric, I— I really can't dance— I'm actually quite horrendous—"

"That's okay," said the Hufflepuff champion soothingly, one hand tightly gripping hers and the other placed calmly on her shoulder. "Just follow my lead, and everything should be alright."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Lyla and Draco stand, the boy presenting one hand invitingly.

As they approached the brightly lit dance floor, Arabella tripped over the hem of her dress robes. Cedric smiled, helping her gain balance momentarily before continuing forward. Goodness, just why had she agreed to dance with a champion?! The Weird Sis ters struck up a slow, mourn ful tune, and now she was upon the dance floor care ful ly avoid ing catch ing any one's eye (she could see Blaise waving heartily while Theo sniggered beside him), and the next mo ment, Cedric had reached for her right hand, gently placing her left against the side of his waist. From there, his left hand rested carefully against the small of her back. Was it possible for one's entire body to blush? Arabella felt incredibly hot and wondered if her face resembled that of a sizeable swollen tomato.

"You're doing great," murmured Cedric as he spun her, her back pressing lightly against his chest. She had never been this close to another boy (unless you counted wrestling with Dudley).

"You're the good dancer, not me" she whispered back through the corner of her mouth, averting her gaze down to her feet. Had she stepped on his toes at any point in this slow waltz? She couldn't recall, as she was fairly distracted by the many sets of eyes that watched her and Cedric drift across the floor.

"Nonsense," he murmured, mouth only inches from her ear, "while I will admit we began a bit rocky, you happen to be quick to learn."

Arabella felt a slight shiver run down her back and only smiled as words were quite challenging to form. The more the two swayed, the more her body soon began to feel it was made entirely of air. Soon, many more couples joined the champions. Arabella caught sight of Neville and Gin ny danc ing near by— could see Gin ny winc ing fre quent ly as Neville trod on her feet— and Dum ble dore waltz ing with Madame Maxime. She so dwarfed him that the top of his point ed hat bare ly tick led her chin; how ev er, she moved very grace ful ly for a wom an so large. Mad- Eye Moody was do ing an ex treme ly un gain ly two- step with McGonagall, who was ner vous ly avoid ing his wood en leg.

"Nice socks you got there," Moody growled as he passed, his mag ical eye star ing down at Arabella's feet, currently hidden in folds of red silk.

"Oh— yes," she said nervously, spinning back to face Cedric. "Dob by the house- elf knit ted them for me."

"You're wearing socks?" Cedric said in amusement.

The Weird Sis ters stopped play ing, and ap plause filled the hall once more. In all honesty, her knees felt quite shaky, but the desire to continue dancing urged her onwards. She didn't want to sit, and neither, it appeared, did Cedric.

"Would you like to keep dancing?" he asked as the Weird Sis ters struck up a new song, which was much faster.

"As long as we don't have to waltz around like before," she joked, whipping her sweaty palms against her robes' velvety sleeves. "Sorry for the sweaty hands," she added, feeling more heat rise to her cheeks.

"If you've got sweaty palms, I must have lakes in mine," joked Cedric, shaking his head. "Never mind that, really. Are you having a good time? Do you need to rest or anything?"

"I am," said Arabella, heart quivering at every kind gesture and word Cedric offered her. "And I— I can't believe I'm saying this, but dancing isn't so bad…"

"Not when it's with you," said Cedric, his voice going soft, the hand at her back shifting slightly.

"I think a few more dances are in order then," replied Arabella with an excited grin.

"I couldn't agree more."

—-

Lyla had never been one who enjoyed the idea of dancing, but with an experienced partner in hand, it wasn't such a bad thing. Draco had clearly had extensive lessons as he expertly navigated the dance floor, being weary of not bumping into others.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself?" he asked, those pale gray eyes of his captivating Lyla so much so that he had to ask the questions twice.

"I— oh, yes, I'm having an amazing time," she said breathlessly, cursing herself for getting so easily distracted. "A— are you?"

"Yeah," he responded without hesitation, eyes twinkling. "For someone who said they haven't taken any dance lessons, you're quite good for being a beginner."

"Oh, that," said Lyla with a huff, "ahh, thank you…"

They drifted in silence for a few more minutes, and Lyla couldn't help but think that dancing was quite intimate… Her left hand was rested along the small of her back, his right gently holding hers aloft. She wondered vaguely if her whole body had the probability of bursting into flames with how hot her body had gotten. With each spin and twist, she felt her body drifting closer to the others, and when the slow waltz came to end, she exhaled shakily.

"Could we— could we, um, go get refreshments?" she asked.

"Do you want anything in particular?" Draco asked, pressing one hand to his blonde hair that had become disheveled as they danced. "You sit down and rest— seriously, you're the color of a tomato—"

Making her way past Fred and Angelina, who were danc ing so ex huber ant ly that peo ple around them were back ing away in fear of in jury, she quickly spotted Ron and Pavarti.

"How's it go ing?" she asked her friend.

Ron didn't an swer. He was glar ing at Hermione and Krum, who were dancing near by.

"Not well," said Pavarti with a scowl, arms crossed and one foot jig gling in time to the mu sic. Ev ery now and then, she threw a dis grun tled look at Ron, who was com plete ly ig nor ing her.

"Ron," said Lyla sternly. "Take Pavarti dancing this instant and forget about Hermione and Krum. Tonight is supposed to be a night of enjoyment, not sulking."

Ron scowled, and Pavarti smiled a half-hearted grin of thanks.

Lyla was furious, and so she did the next thing possible. She grabbed Ron around the wrists and hoisted him to his feet with sheer force. She then reached for Pavarti and shoved the two toward the dance floor.

"Lyla!" cried Ron, looking incredulously at his friend with slanted eyes. "Why'd you—"

But the two were swept away so suddenly by others dancing that he had no time to finish his sentence. Now that they were stuck in a whirlwind of bodies and movements, Ron begrudgingly grabbed ahold of Pavarti's waist.

"There's a good lad," said Theo, promptly taking Ron's vacant seat, holding two glasses of lemonade. "It's hot, isn't it?"

Draco returned with two cold butterbeers, passing one carefully to Lyla before he sat beside her. Their fingers lingered for only a moment in the exchange, and Lyla felt her heart stutter when the moment was over.

"Where's your date?" Draco inquired, gazing at Theo with a slight smirk. "Did she ditch you?"

"No, not at all!" interjected Theo hotly, "she's gone to the ladies room, if you must know, and I've promised to grab drinks… because it's so hot…."

No sooner had the words left the boy's mouth, a tall girl of about sixteen made her way to their table, her sky-blue robes flowing about her as if she had a constant wind blowing behind her.

"'Ello," she greeted in a soft voice with the faintest remnants of a French accent, resting in the chair beside Theo. "I am Esme, and you are Lyla Potter, are you not?"

"Uh, yeah, I am," said Lyla. "How's your evening going so far?"

"Wonderfully," said Esme breezily, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Theo is such a wonderful dancer— I've never come across someone with so much pazazz, you know?"

"Oh, so much pazazz," agreed Draco, sipping his own cold drink and trying not to snicker.

"I'm not the only one with style, darling Esme," Theo corrected, snaking an arm around the girl's waist. He pulled her close and began to whisper in her ear, which caused her to giggle madly.

"Cocky little bastard," Draco muttered, rolling his eyes.

And before Lyla could respond next, Esme let out a small shriek of delight and threw her arms around their friends shoulders, pressing him into a deep and passionate kiss. Those nearest them laughed while others blushed deeply. Lyla only smiled into her own drink.

—-

"Good lord, I don't think I can feel my feet," grumbled Cedric as the two stumbled off the dance floor. "You want a drink?" he asked.

Arabella laughed and couldn't help but agree, as her feet felt blistered and covered in sores.

"I'd love one," responded Arabella, "and I can go find us a table to rest at."

She hurriedly made her way towards the cluster of tables set aside and easily spotted her friends due to an unfolding scene. Theo appeared to be locked in a tight embrace and snogging his partner quite passionately.

"Oi, get a broom closest to you two," she said, wacking her friend on the head as she passed by. "We don't need that image burned into our corneas for the rest of the night.

The two broke apart, the girl's cheeks bright pink and breathless, while Theo only smiled.

"Jealous?" he asked, licking at his swollen lips in pleasure.

"Forgive me," said the girl, eyes cast downwards in embarrassment. "His words just took me by such surprise, and I couldn't help myself— he's like a poet, and my desire just—"

"It's alright," Arabella laughed and waved the girl off, bending down to undo her shoes.

"Having fun?" asked Lyla, eyes swimming with excitement.

"Yes," said Arabella, sighing heavily in pleasure as her feet were released from the prison of her dance shoes. "You?"

Lyla nodded.

"Malfoy behaving himself?" retorted Arabella, eyeing her friend with narrow suspicion.

"Yes, Mother, I am," replied Draco with a roll of his eyes.

"Would you like to walk in the gardens?" Theo asked, extending a hand to his date. "I heard Professor Dumbledore saying they're quite exquisite this year, darling Esme…."

The two walked off, shoulders close to one another and heads bent together as if planning something.

"Ten galleons that they're off to go snog some more," said Lyla as they vanished into the entry hall. "And ten more if he does anything else…."

"Wouldn't put it past that one," muttered Draco with a sigh.

They all burst into fits of laughter, only to be interrupted by Cedric returning with two glasses of something pink.

"I think someone spiked the lemonade with fire whiskey—" he said, sounding disheartened. He sat down in Theo's deserted chair and passed a glass to Arabella. "Think it was one of those Weasley twins?"

"I wouldn't put it past them," mused Lyla.

A disgruntled Ron made his entrance then, and he glowered at Lyla before sitting across her.

"Damn you, Lyla," he cursed, nostrils flaring. "I am not in the mood to— to dance, and for you to—"

"Would you like to dance some more?" Draco asked abruptly, holding out a hand to Lyla. It was clear what he was trying to do, and Lyla smiled, tight lipped but happy.

"I'd love to," she said, and the two walked off before anything more could be suggested. Before Arabella had the chance to ask what that was all about, Hermione came rushing over and sat down in Lyla's emp ty chair. She was a bit pink in the face from so much danc ing.

"Hey, Hermione," said Arabella.

"Hello," said Cedric with a small nod.

Ron didn't say any thing.

"Hello," Hermione greeted back. "It's hot in here, isn't it?" she said, fan ning her self with her hand. "Vik tor's just gone to get some drinks."

"Vik tor?" Ron said in a withering tone. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"

Hermione looked at him in sur prise. "What's up with you?" she said.

"If you don't know," said Ron scathing ly, "I'm not go ing to tell you."

Hermione stared at him, then at Arabella, who only shrugged. Cedric's gaze had gone distant, and he sipped his punch thoughtfully.

"Ron, what—?"

"He's from Durm strang!" spat Ron. "He's com pet ing against Lyla! Against Hog warts! You— you're—" Ron was ob vi ous ly cast ing around for words strong enough to de scribe Hermione's crime. "— frat er niz ing with the enemy, that's what you're do ing!"

Hermione's mouth fell open.

"Excuse me?" Hermione said, clearly taken aback. "Don't be so stupid! Hon est ly— who was the one who was all ex cit ed when they saw him ar rive? Who was the one who want ed his au to graph? Who's got a mod el of him up in their dor mi to ry?"

Ron chose to ig nore this. "I suppose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the li brary?"

"Yes, he did," said Hermione, the pink patch es on her cheeks glow ing more bright ly. "So what?"

"What hap pened— try ing to get him to join spew, were you?"

"No, I wasn't! If you want to know, he said he'd been coming up to the li brary ev ery day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!" Hermione said this very quick ly, and blushed so deeply that she was the same col or as Par vati's robes.

"Yeah, well— that's his sto ry," interrupted Ron nas ti ly.

"And what's that sup posed to mean?" inquired Hermione.

"Ob vi ous, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's stu dent, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with... He's try ing to get clos er to Lyla— get in side in for mation on her— or get near enough to jinx her—"

Hermione looked as though Ron had slapped her. When she spoke, her voice quiv ered. "For your in for ma tion, he hasn't asked me one sin gle thing about Lyla, not—"

Ron changed tack at the speed of light.

—-

"Oh, no," said Lyla, hearing the yells of familiar voices.

"We'd better go see what's going on," sighed Draco, dropping his hand from her back and twirling her to face where the commotion was coming from.

Ron and Hermione were bellowing at one another, Arabella and Cedric sitting between the two like a frozen tableau of horror.

"— then he's hop ing you'll help him find out what his egg means!" shouted Ron heatedly. "I sup pose you've been putting your heads to geth er dur ing those cozy lit tle li brary ses sions—"

"I'd nev er help him work out that egg!" screeched Hermione, look ing outraged. "Nev er. How could you say some thing like that— I want Lyla to win the tour na ment, and she knows this!"

"You've got a fun ny way of show ing it," sneered Ron.

"This whole tour na ment is supposed to be about get ting to know for eign wiz ards and mak ing friends with them!" said Hermione hot ly.

"No, it isn't!" shout ed Ron. "It's about win ning!"

Peo ple were start ing to stare at them.

"Ron," said Lyla qui et ly as she approached her friends, "I haven't got a prob lem with Hermione com ing with Krum— But Ron completely ig nored her.

"Why don't you go and find Vicky? He'll be won der ing where you are," said Ron savagely.

"Don't you dare call him Vicky!" seethed Hermione, who jumped to her feet and stormed off across the dance floor, dis ap pear ing in to the crowd. Ron watched her go with a mix ture of anger and sat is fac tion on his face.

"Mate, what the hell—" started Draco, flabbergasted at what he'd just witnessed

"Vare is Herm- own- nin ny?" cut in an unfamiliar voice.

Krum had just ar rived at their ta ble clutch ing two but ter beers.

"No idea," said Ron mul ish ly, look ing up at him. "Lost her, have you?"

"Veil, if you see her, tell her I haff drinks," he said, look ing surly again, and slouched off.

"I think a stroll in the gardens sounds spectacular," said Arabella, boldly reaching for Cedric's hand and pulling him upwards. "See you later, you two."

Draco once more shot a frown of displeasure toward Ron as the two hightailed it through the vast crowd of dancers.

"Made friends with Vik tor Krum, have you, Ron?"

Per cy had bus tled over, rub bing his hands to geth er and look ing ex treme ly pompous. "Ex cel lent! That's the whole point, you know— in ter na tion al mag ical co op er ation!"

To Lyla's dis plea sure, Per cy now took Hermione's va cat ed seat. The top ta ble was now emp ty; Pro fes sor Dum ble dore was danc ing with Sprout, Ludo Bag man with McG ona gall; Madame Maxime and Ha grid were cut ting a wide path around the dance floor as they waltzed through the stu dents, and Karkaroff was nowhere to be seen.

"Um, excuse me," said a soft voice from behind Percy. "Is your blonde friend available to dance to this next song?"

It was a girl with a sheet of long black silky hair, her dark almond eyes gazing at Draco with keen interest. She was clearly one of the Beauxbatons students and was currently fluttering her lashes at the pale boy with seductive implications.

"I, Uh—" began Draco.

"Yes, you can dance with him," said Lyla brightly, nudging Draco on the shoulder. "Draco, go dance with the nice lady while I talk to Ron," she said in a low voice.

And so she watched the two stride off towards the dance floor and lost them in the swirl of a new song. After it end ed, ev ery body ap plaud ed once more, and she saw Lu do Bag man kiss McG ona gall's hand and make his way back through the crowds, at which point Fred and George ac cost ed him.

"What do they think they're do ing, an noy ing se nior Min istry mem bers?" Per cy hissed, watch ing his brother's sus pi cious ly. "No re spect..."

Lu do Bag man shook off Fred and George fair ly quick ly, how ev er, and, spot ting Lyla, waved and came over to their ta ble.

"I hope my broth ers weren't both er ing you, Mr. Bag man?" said Per cy at once.

"What? Oh, not at all, not at all!" said Bag man. "No, they were just telling me a bit more about those fake wands of theirs. Won der ing if I could advise them on the market ing. I've promised to put them in touch with a cou ple of con tacts of mine at Zonko's Joke Shop..."

Per cy didn't look hap py about this at all, and Lyla was pre pared to bet he would be rush ing to tell Mrs. Weasley about this the mo ment he got home. Ap par ent ly Fred and George's plans had grown even more ambitious late ly, if they were hop ing to sell to the pub lic. Bag man opened his mouth to ask Lyla some thing, but Per cy di vert ed her.

"How do you feel the tour na ment is go ing, Mr. Bag man? Our de part ment's quite sat is fied— the hitch with the Gob let of Fire—" he glanced at Lyla" — was a lit tle un for tu nate, of course, but it seems to have gone very smoothly since, don't you think?"

"Oh yes," Bag man said cheer ful ly, "it's all been enor mous fun. How's old Bar ty do ing? Shame he couldn't come."

"Oh, I'm sure Mr. Crouch will be up and about in no time," said Per cy impor tant ly, "but in the mean time, I'm more than will ing to take up the slack. Of course, it's not all at tend ing balls" - he laughed air ily - "oh no, I've had to deal with all sorts of things that have cropped up in his absence - you heard Ali Bashir was caught smug gling a con sign ment of fly ing car pets in to the coun try? And then we've been try ing to per suade the Tran syl va ni ans to sign the In ter na tion al Ban on Du el ing. I've got a meet ing with their Head of Mag ical Co op er ation in the new year -"

"Let's go for a walk," Lyla mut tered to Ron , "get away from Per cy..."

Pre tend ing they want ed more drinks, the two left the ta ble, edged around the dance floor, and slipped out in to the en trance hall. The front doors stood open, and the flut ter ing fairy lights in the rose gar den winked and twin kled as they went down the front steps, where they found themselves sur round ed by bush es; wind ing, or na men tal paths; and large stone stat ues. Lyla couldn't help but wish she were here with Draco instead of Ron but quickly pushed the thought away. She could hear splash ing wa ter, which sound ed like a foun tain. Here and there, peo ple were sit ting on carved bench es. She and Ron set off along one of the wind ing paths through the rose bush es, but they had gone on ly a short way when they heard an fa mil iar voice.

"... don't see what there is to fuss about, Ig or."


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