By the time dinner came around the whole school was talking about the dance. Not surprisingly, since they never held something like this before. For me well, I didn't find it so special. Beauxbatons held a lot of dances and balls during the years. But this is the first one, I'm obligated to attend and open too. The whole room was buzzing with excitement, especially the girls at they talked about it. Harry still looked pale at the idea, I nudged his arm with a grin, he couldn't help but mimic it.
"Don't worry, Harry. There are a lot of people who want to go with you."
"A lot of girls you mean?" Ron asked.
"No." I said simply turning to the red head on Harry's other side. "Why don't you go ask your dance partner. I guess Professor McGonagall would love to go with you, if she hasn't been asked by someone else already. Otherwise, you'll have to go alone." I smirked; I couldn't help the snide remark. Harry may have forgiven him, that didn't mean I had to.
Ron turned red while Harry snorted in his drink and the twins laughed loudly across from me. I turned back to Harry and patted his shoulder softly. "Just go with someone fun, and it will all be alright. Don't put too much stress on it."
"Yeah, you're right." He laughed when I gave him a look that said: 'I'm always right.'. "Besides I still have time."
I nodded with a slight hum. "Four weeks and counting down."
Harry paled again as I grinned, plucking a potato from his plate. The twins looked amused at the both of us. The rest of dinner, Fred and George guided the conversation. Not talking about the ball for a second, just telling us about their latest prank they did to Snape.
LB
I was in the Beauxbatons carriage with Jack and Jazz. Jazz was lying on Jack's bed flipping through some witches' magazine, humming alongside the music. My head was on Jack's lap as I tossed M&Ms in the air, trying to catch it when Jack didn't intervene. Two weeks already had passed since the announcement, only two more weeks until the ball. I didn't have a date yet, but I didn't mind really. I knew Jazz was going solo, so if anything, she would volunteer to go with me as long as I didn't steal her groove in charming other witches or wizards.
"Stop stealing my candy." I snatched the M&M out of the air before Jack could close his mouth around it.
"Stop speaking English." He pursed his lips at me, his lips curling up.
"I'm just so used to it by now."
"I get it." He said, stroking my hair back. "Even Jazz and I talk English to each other when no one is around, comes easily with so many people around."
"So, are you planning to ask Levvi to the ball?"
"Who's Levvi?" Jazz asked, interest peaked. She tossed the magazine aside and turned on her stomach to look at us.
"A Hufflepuff girl. She's in my year. She's kind, funny and has gorgeous green eyes."
"Wait." Jack frowned, looking down at me. "How do you know about Levvi?"
"After eleven years, you should know I know everything about you." I smirked up at him. "Besides, I've seen you take her on midnight strolls around the castle."
"You've been spying on me as Loki?" He gasped, but a smile stretched on his face.
"I don't spy, I explore. It's not my fault you happen to stroll around a couple of times a week, under the moon light." I teased.
"Nothing happened." He said quickly.
"Why not?"
"I like her, but -" He was quiet for a moment. "She thinks we're together and I thought you wanted me to escort you to the ball."
I pushed myself up from his lap and shifted until I was sitting on my knees in front of him, clasping his hands in mine. "You're my best friend and I want you to have fun at the ball."
"I would have fun with you."
"Who wouldn't?" I chuckled. "But seriously, don't mind me, I'll find a date. Tell her the truth, Jack."
"What about Fred and George?"
"What about them?" I asked confused, a slight tilt in my head.
"You wanted to try and forget about them, if I start dating -"
"Just ask her to the ball, don't worry about me." I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "It wasn't working anyway, no matter how great a kisser and lover you are." I rolled my eyes as he puffed his chest proudly.
"Maybe you could ask Fred or George." Jazz suggested carefully.
"Oh no, that's definitely off the table." I shook my head. I saw that they both wanted to argue, so I jumped up. "It's getting late, I should get going." I kissed them both on the cheek before I walked out of the carriage.
When I reached the castle, I saw a glimpse of red hair disappear in an alcove. I placed a silencing charm on my footsteps and walked over. I stuck my head in and whispered harshly.
"What are you two doing?" They both jumped a little before Fred pulled me in the alcove, pressed between their bodies. "What-"
"Shh." George placed a finger on my lips. I heard the scuffle of footsteps and muttering of a certain caretaker before the sounds grew quiet.
"This is an odd sort of Deja-vu." I grinned up at George. I could feel both of their bodies pressed close against mine. "What were you doing out so late? A prank?"
"Not - exactly." George said, rubbing his neck. The movement made his whole body move against me and he quickly stopped.
"Oh." I said quietly, looking away from him. "How are Lorena and Amy?"
"Chatty." George grinned while Fred said. "Curvy." Because he was behind me, I couldn't see his face.
It felt like a knife twisted inside me, I put on a fake smile. "Good that you're having fun. They are nice girls."
"Where were you coming from?" Fred asked as he lifted my hair with a finger to let it fall over my back.
"Just -" I cleared my throat, knowing this was going to annoy them even though nothing happened. "Hanging out with Jack and Jazz."
"Right." The hand that was still playing with my hair against my back, fell away. "We should head back to the tower before the new rounds begin."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." I leaned sideways and glanced out of the alcove. "It's clear." The stroll towards the tower was in an uncomfortable silence, the most uncomfortable I've ever felt.
Once we walked through the portrait, I wished them goodnight and bounded up the stairs. Trying to push away the thoughts of two red headed boys, I closed the curtains around me and picked up my golden egg. I placed a Muffliato around the curtains and let the egg float in front of me. It turned in slow circles, the latch firmly shut. The egg was mostly smooth, except from the parts where the egg could open. Rigged golden edges that went down a bit. I tranced a finger over the edges. It almost looked like seaweed. I placed a bubble charm over the egg before I opened it. The screams were muffled down but still reached my ears. Why would the clue be a screeching egg? I didn't think the egg itself was a clue, it was merely a vessel to hold it in, a vessel chosen for the dragon to protect at all costs. Maybe the screeching were words or a song. I put a slowing charm on it, a reversal charm, a charm to lower someone's voice but the screeching still held.
Maybe it was a language, a special one if it was one. I frowned. I placed the translation charm over the egg. The screeching didn't stop, not really but it did chance somehow. I couldn't point out what it was, but something changed. So maybe it was a language but not spoken by mankind. I closed the egg with a sigh, rubbing my eyes tiredly. I scribbled down my findings and flopped back on the bed. Once I curled into my side, I fell asleep almost instantly.
LB
The next two days I was hauled up in the library. Others asked if I needed help, but I waved them off. I was buried with my head in a book about creatures from Asia when a shriek filled my ears. For a moment, I thought the egg had dropped out of my bag and burst open. But that wasn't it, I glanced up from my book and saw I had reached the great hall. Just in time to see Fred and George formally and rather abundantly ask their girlfriends to the ball. On one side, I wanted to turn on my heel and walk the other direction but on the other side, I couldn't let them see how much it affected me and besides I was starving. I stuck my nose back in the book as I sat down at the Slytherin table. Draco was scowling at the twins before his gaze turned to me, with mild concern. I saw from the corner of my eye that he wanted to say something about the twins, but then his eyes fell on my book.
"What are you reading?"
"A book."
"Obviously." He rolled his eyes. He tipped the book cover to read the title. 1001 most dangerous creatures in Asia. He leaned closer and whispered. "Is this for the second task?"
"Yes." I closed the book with a small frown. "But I don't know if this is the right direction." I pushed the book aside and turned to Draco. "So, who are you taking to the ball?"
"Who are you taking?"
"I asked you first."
"Very mature, Alexandra." He pursed his lips, but his grey eyes twinkled.
"I know." I shrugged. "So..."
"I don't know." His voice dropped so only I could hear. "It's not like it's common knowledge that I'm -" He shook his head. "Only you and mother know. I don't want to tell the whole school with taking a boy. And besides, if I did come out, I don't know who I should -" He stopped talking suddenly and I followed his gaze. His eyes were following Harry, who had just come in with Hermione and Ron. His hair messy as always, his eyes alight with humour.
"A certain green-eyed wizard perhaps?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Draco's head snapped towards me, and I couldn't help but snicker. His cheeks were flushed and his grey eyes wide.
"I - Never!" He said, turning back to his food. "I don't know what you're talking about." He mumbled to his food.
"Right." I smirked. I glanced over to the Gryffindor table and my eyes found Harry. He was faced to the Slytherin table, something he did a lot this year, certainly more than last year. He had his head bend down over his food, but he was looking at Draco from behind his fringe. Probably noting the blush on his cheeks and wondering what happened that had caused that. He probably liked a flustered Draco Malfoy, I mused with a wicked grin. Harry's eyes shifted a little and found mine. His eyes widened at being caught. I winked at him, and his cheeks turned as red as Draco's. I laughed loudly, making several people look at me confused at my sudden outburst. Draco muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like Crazy cousins.
LB
It was about a week before the ball, and Harry and I, the two Hogwarts Champions didn't have date for the ball. Harry actually talked with Hermione about it, of maybe going together but they didn't want to risk their friendship. He didn't seem too bumped out about it, so I figured his first crush had flown over. And it wasn't like nobody asked me. Blaise for example, but no, no boys that are more than a year younger than me. And two other boys I've barely spoken a word with. Jazz thought it was because people still thought Jack and I were together. But a date will come, at the right time.
I lay on the floor in front of the fire, skipping pages from the hundredth book I read about creatures. I think I've read them all about creatures on land. Now I was looking at sea and sky creatures. I was reading about Plimpies when Harry and Ginny dragged a pale Ron in the common room. His fleckles standing out on his pale white skin. Hermione who was curled up with a book on the coach next to me, jumped up.
"What happened?" She asked. Curious, I placed a bookmark between the pages and walked over. Ron looked frightened and was mumbling nonsense under his breath. Fred, George and Angelina and Lee were sitting not far from them, listening in.
"He -" Harry started he looked amused and terrified at the same time. "He asked Fleur out."
"What?" Hermione gasped.
"There she was... walking by. You know I like it when they walk. I couldn't help it, it just sort of slipped out."
"Actually." Ginny said, she didn't hold back a smirk. "He sort of screamed at her. It was a bit frightening."
"Oh, Ron." Hermione and I groaned. I heard the twins snicker from their table, I ignored them but that was hard when Fred called out.
"Maybe you should have listened to Alec." Ron turned to his older brother with a frown, confused. "You should've asked Professor McGonagall. But too late now, I heard she's already taken."
"I hate you." Ron grumbled as the rest of the common room fell in a fit of laughter. Even Harry and I couldn't help but snicker.
"Harry, I could set you up with Jazz if you want? She's fun, but she'll probably scamper off when she finds someone more interesting." I chuckled.
"No, that's not necessary." He glanced to Ron. Probably thinking he should fix him a date too. "I'll-"
"Hi, Harry." Parvati said as she and girl with a flower as a name walked by, I can't seem to remember her name.
"Oh, Parvati, wait up." Harry suddenly flashed by me before the girls could walk up the stairs.
"Who will be the lucky man on your arm, Alec?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know yet." I shrugged.
"Aren't you going with Jack?" Two almost identical voices chimed not even a second later. I looked over at them, they looked shocked and frozen. They must have noticed, the lack of kissing and touching Jack and I were doing the past few weeks, although maybe not with their attention on their own girlfriends.
"I'm not. Jack's going with Levvi. They are really cute together." I smiled. The twins' mouth dropped open, and I walked back to my spot in front of the fire.
"Aren't you afraid you won't find a date?"
"Nope." I laid down on my stomach, glancing up at the others who were all looking at me. "So, who are you taking, Hermione?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I knew Krum had asked her and she had said yes. Viktor had been anxious for a whole week before he finally found the courage to ask her.
"I -" Hermione turned red. "You'll see at the ball." She said before she scurried upstairs, her books forgotten on the couch.
"You know, don't you?" Ginny asked, grinning as she picked up Hermione's books. I winked at the youngest Weasley before I turned my attention back to my book. I could feel the twins' eyes on me, but ignored them as I flipped through the book, page by page.
LB
Merry Christmas!🎄