Chapter 38
Severus Snape stood in front of the 4th years in the Common Room, having already told the years above about the Yule Ball.
"The Yule Ball is approaching — a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above — although you may invite a younger student if you wish," he said dryly. "The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to...relax," he said, in a disapproving voice.
Several students snorted at this, seeing the funny side since they doubted Snape had ever relaxed in a day of his life.
"But that does NOT mean," Professor Snape went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. Any student that embarasses the school, and more importantly Slytherin House, in any way can expect to suffer my...severe displeasure," warned Snape threateningly. "That will be all," he said and the students began to disperse.
"Potter," called Snape in barely a whisper. "In my office."
"What did you do?" asked Daphne.
"Apart from being too handsome for my own good, nothing," shrugged Harry as he proceeded confusedly to Snape's office.
"Potter, the champions and their partners —" began Snape instantly like he just wanted to get the conversation over.
"What partners?" said Harry.
Snape looked suspiciously at him, as though he thought he was trying to be funny. "Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," he drawled. "Your dance partners."
Harry let out a long groan and slumped into a chair. "Dance partners?" he asked disbelievingly. "I hate dancing."
"Well you'll have to suck up and deal with it," said Snape. "Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."
"No way am I dancing," said Harry stubbornly. "Not in a million years."
"It is traditional," said Snape firmly. "You are a member of Slytherin House, and I will not have you embarrassing us in front of the rest of the school and Beauxbaxtons and Durmstrang. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter."
"Fine," said Harry, unhappily getting up from his chair and walking out of Snape's office.
The next day Harry sat in the Common Room, having asked Daphne to the ball the previous day, currently talking with Daphne and Astoria, the latter of whom was complaining about the fact that she couldn't go to the Yule Ball.
"Why did they have to make it for 4th years and above only?" she asked grumpily.
"Because anyone under that age is not mature enough," answered Daphne flippantly, well used to her sister's grumpy moods.
"Why don't you ask someone in our year to go to the ball with you?" Harry suggested leaning over to see what Daphne was writing, and was thoroughly disappointed when it ended up being homework. "Really," he said to her whilst Astoria was thinking hard. "You're actually doing the optional assignment?" he asked almost disappointedly.
"Yeah well after 3 Pores on my End of Year History Tests in a row, my parents said they'll force me to share a room with her," Daphne pointed at Astoria despairingly, "unless I get my grades up."
"I'm glad my grandparents have acknowledged History's curriculum's uselessness and don't care what I get in it unless it's a Dreadful or a Troll," said Harry happily. "Which means I only have to do the bare minimum."
"Lucky you," grumbled Daphne. "Oh and Harry's idea's not gonna work," she said to a still thinking Astoria. "A 4th year or above has to ask YOU out, not the other way round."
"Damn it," cursed Astoria. "And there's no way in hell I'm gonna get asked out by-" She suddenly realised she was thinking aloud and clamped her hand over her mouth to shut herself up.
"Asked out by who?" asked Daphne.
"I am not telling," snapped Astoria. "You're gonna make fun of me!"
"We will not!" gasped Daphne incredulously, as if she was shocked her sister would even suggest that.
"You will."
"We won't."
"You will."
"We won't."
"You WILL!"
"We WON'T!"
"Ladies," said Harry placatingly before it turned into a shouting match. "Calm down, both of you. Daphne, it doesn't even matter if Astoria won't tell you who she has a crush on."
"It doesn't?" asked Daphne and Astoria at the same time.
"No," said Harry simply. "Because I already know."
Astoria's jaw dropped at this. "Wh-how?"
"Never mind how," snapped Daphne. "Who is it?"
Harry looked between them both, choosing to answer Astoria's question first just to annoy Daphne. "Your friends gossip way too much Tori," said Harry whilst Astoria remained stunned. "And anyway, if Astoria doesn't want me to tell you, I won't."
"It's fine," muttered Astoria, silently enraged at her friends. "You can tell her- I was going to anyway, just after the Yule Ball."
"Really?" asked Harry and Astoria nodded. "It's-"
"Hey guys," said Draco walking up to them. "Hi Tori."
"Hey," said Harry and Daphne together whilst Astoria's eyes widened.
"Hi Draco," she stammered out.
"Um," said Draco, just now realising what he was about to do. "Can I speak with you privately?" he asked Astoria.
Daphne's eyes widened, having a suspicion of what he was about to ask Astoria. "Just do it here Draco," she smiled sweetly. "We're friends, aren't we?"
"Yeah I'm sure Harry and Daphne won't mind," shrugged Astoria, not having caught onto what Draco was going to ask her.
Draco cursed her his breath but steeled his nerves. "Astoria," he said nervously. "Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?" Astoria smiled happily, blushing for a few seconds before she regained her composure.
"Um...yeah sure!" she agreed with a smile.
Draco blinked like he hadn't been expecting this. "Cool," he managed to say. "Cool."
"We can talk about what we're gonna wear so we can get it to match later," said Astoria.
"Yeah sure, definitely," agreed Draco happily, still slightly in shock. "I'm gonna go now," he said walking off back to where he had come from.
"Wait here," said Daphne, following him a few seconds after he had left.
"You know," said Harry, standing up as well. "I should probably go to make sure she doesn't curse him too badly."
Harry found Daphne pointing her wand at a very scared and confused Draco.
"Harry!" yelped Draco when he saw him. "Help me!"
"Yeah," sighed Harry. "Can't exactly do that."
"What! Why?"
"It's just, it's kind of a thing siblings do," Harry explained to him. "Tori did the exact same thing to me when I first started dating Daphne, only it was way more adorable since she's a foot shorter and a year younger."
"See," agreed Daphne. "Told you I wasn't being too unreasonable."
"You may want to remove your wand from his crotch through Daph," amended Harry.
"Fine," conceded Daphne. "I just wanted to know your intentions with Astoria."
"Daphne!" said Draco disbelievingly, waving his hand in front of her eyes. "We've known each other for what, almost 10 years. Do you really think I'm gonna take advantage of your sister?"
"Well, no," said Daphne. "Just wanted to make sure. What do you even see in her anyway?"
"For starters, she's nice, unlike YOU!" Draco yelped on the last word, feeling the stinging hex in his nether regions.
"Oops," said Daphne putting her wand back into her holster whilst Harry sniggered. "My wand slipped."
"Ow," complained Draco. "Anyway, she's also quite pretty, and I'm friends with her."
Daphne contemplated the situation in her head for a few seconds, knowing that Astoria would be very annoyed at her if she hexed her date. "You can go to the Ball with Astoria," said Daphne, stepping away from Draco.
"Look I get you want to protect your sister," began Draco and Daphne's face softened a little.
"Yes, yes, I won't hex you in the future," agreed Daphne.
"This is the moment where you're meant to hug or shake hands or something," suggested Harry.
Daphne and Draco both looked at Harry and then each other, choosing to give each other a simple nod of acknowledgement.
Harry sat in the library reading a book when Thomas came down and hastily sat next to him. "Hey Thomas," said Harry looking up from his book.
"Harry, I need a date for the Ball," said Thomas, jumping right into the conversation.
"And?" prompted Harry.
"Well you've already got one, so I assumed you can help me find one as well," Thomas said.
"Wait, how do you know I already have a date?" asked Harry. As far as he could remember, he hadn't told Thomas he was going with Daphne yet.
Thomas looked at Harry with a very doubtful expression. "Who else would you take other than Daphne?"
"Good point," agreed Harry. "So...what are you looking for in a girl? Unless you swing the other way?"
"Only girls," confirmed Thomas with a small glare. "I don't really know- someone pretty but nice as well, and not someone I've never talked to in my life," said Thomas somewhat unsurely.
"Hmmm," thought Harry. "No one comes to mind, but I'll help you find a girl."
"You will?" said Thomas, surprised.
"Of course," said Harry. "You're my brother, and you kind of have to have a date. Also, you're gonna have to dance at the Ball."
"But I don't know how to dance," complained Thomas.
"Get lessons from your parents- I'm sure Lily or James know how to dance." Thomas noted how Harry refused to acknowledge Lily and James as his parents but chose not to bring it up.
"Thanks Harry- you're the best."
"And don't you forget it," replied Harry smugly.
Soon it was the day of the Yule Ball. Harry waited calmly upstairs with a much more nervous Thomas, both of them having gotten ready for the Yule Ball. Thomas was wearing some plain black dress robes whilst Harry was wearing dark green robes with a silver lining.
Thomas had somehow managed to convince Susan Bones to go to the Ball with him, though Harry may have had a hand in it since he'd known Susan quite well.
"Oh look," pointed Harry. "Here comes our dates."
Thomas turned towards the 2 girls that were walking towards them. Susan was wearing a pale blue dress with matching earrings that complimented her vivid red hair. Daphne on the other hand was wearing a silver dress with a cut down one side to allow for easy movement, along with sapphire earrings that went well with her bright blue eyes.
Harry and Thomas both took their dates' arms and began walking towards the Great Hall. "You're looking beautiful," said Harry, pecking Daphne on the lips.
"You clean up well yourself," smiled Daphne adjusting his collar slightly.
"I was going to wear a tuxedo," Harry sighed. "But it was apparently against the rules or something."
"You'd think in a school where they promote Muggle relations they'd allow Muggle clothes at a ball," remarked Daphne.
"Oh well- at least I managed to get dress robes that don't flap around too much. Also, don't they look adorable?" asked Harry looking towards the very shy pair of Thomas and Susan, who were walking together quite awkwardly in silence.
"Merlin's beard they do," agreed Daphne. "You don't need to be so stiff," Daphne reminded them gently. "It's not a date or anything- think of it as 2 friends just dancing for a while."
Thomas and Susan visibly calmed down at this, and slowly began to talk, if a little hesitant at first. Eventually they reached the gates to the Great Hall, which had been transformed into a Winter-themed Ball. There were already many people dancing in the Hall and there was a red carpet of sorts most likely for the Champions.
Flitwick was stationed at the gates of the Hall, tasked with vetting and letting people in. "Champions!" he called out once he spotted Harry and Thomas. "Over here with your dates please!"
Harry and Thomas went over to Flitwick with their dates and saw that the 2 other Champions were already there with their dates. Krum was going with Hermione of all people, and Harry had to admit she looked quite nice though not as good as Daphne. Fleur on the other hand was going with Roger Davies, the 7th year Ravenclaw, but he had been reduced to a gaping mess, mainly due to Fleur's Veela Allure.
"You'll be entering once everyone else has entered the Hall and calmed down a little," said Flitwick excitedly. After a few minutes, it was visibly time and Flitwick ordered the Champions to get into pairs with their dates and follow him into the Hall. There were quite a few whispers and hushed talk as they went through the parting in the Hall, and Harry spotted Ron Weasley wearing the ugliest robes he'd ever seen.
They sat down at the High Table with the judges along with a few important people, and when Percy Weasley opened his mouth to speak Harry knew this was going to be a long night.
Harry stood up with Daphne after a while of having to listen to boring conversation, and lead her out to dance. The champions were the ones opening, which meant all eyes were on them but eventually more and more people came to dance. He could see Dumbledore waltzing with Maxime of all people, and Whitman graciously dancing with a blushing Sinistra. Thomas was dancing awkwardly with Susan, both trying not to step on each other, but they were having fun- well, sort of.
"This is fun," said Harry as he gently twirled Daphne around, making sure not to step on her dress.
"You're actually a really good dancer," Daphne said, slightly taken back.
"Well just because I didn't practise with you doesn't mean I didn't practise at all and I was trained by a Black afterall" retorted Harry curling an arm around her waist.
"Touché Potter."
"I think everyone's a bit jealous though," Harry pointed out, with quite a few eyes on them.
"Let them look," said Daphne unconcerned. "It's not our fault we're that brilliant."
"We're gonna get a big head from this," said Harry.
"Maybe, but it'll be worth it."
"Have you seen Astoria and Tracey?" Harry asked, looking towards where Draco and Astoria were gently swaying together with massive smiles on their faces and there Rigel and Tracey were dancing with a smile on their faces.
"I've got to admit- they actually look so cute together," smiled Daphne, well at least until Draco gently pecked her sister on the lips. Harry saw this as well and pulled Daphne into another twirl to stop her from breaking up the duo. "What are you doing?" she whispered furiously.
"Distracting you," replied Harry, performing more and more complex moves to keep her attention on dancing and not her sister. "Is it working?" he asked.
"Maybe," said Daphne quickly. "Now stop so I can go over there and stop Draco from-"
"Just let them be," mused Harry. "they were gonna get together sooner or later- it was kind of obvious. And I don't think Astoria will like you ruining the Ball for her."
"Fine," agreed Daphne unhappily.. Suddenly, the music changed to something far faster that she didn't quite recognise. "My feet are gonna kill me after this song," she complained.
"I mean, you could always let me dance with someone else," teased Harry.
"Shut up and dance Potter," retorted Daphne, grabbing his hand.
Harry and Daphne walked back from the Great Hall towards the Slytherin Common Room, the Yule Ball having finished.
"Surprisingly, I had fun tonight," said Harry as they walked back.
"Well, you were dancing with me," replied Daphne without missing a bit.
"I feel like we should celebrate," suggested Harry coyly.
"Oh yeah? How?" asked Daphne.
"Like this," said Harry, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her into a deep kiss. Daphne happily kissed him back but pulled away a few seconds later after realising where they were.
"Are you mad?" she asked in between kisses. "What if someone sees us?"
"I know," said Harry assuredly, apparating both of them to Room of Requirement "How about now?" he asked.
"Perfect," smiled Daphne, putting her arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss this time.
Authors Note
I know it's been a long time since I posted a new chapter I have been editing earlier chapters, you guys can read chapters 1- 5 I have edited these chapters completely, and I have gotten rid of Grammar mistakes (Thanks to Grammarly) and yes I have also gotten rid of a lot of plotholes. Please check over chapters 1-5 and review them if any new changes are , please.