The Hogwarts library, home to thousands of dusty tomes on topics ranging from household charms to vile curses that liquefy organs in a heartbeat. Ordinarily accompanied with an atmosphere of scratching quills and ruffling pages as students rush to complete assignments before escaping to more pleasing pursuits. However, on this particular night the rows of shelves provide refuge for two certain students, the rest having already fled in pursuit of Christmas cheer.
Harry Potter has found himself sequestered in a gloomy corner brooding over Snape's latest essay on the uses of Acromantula Venom and lamenting his lack of a partner for the looming Yule Ball. Unbeknownst to young Harry a striking blonde head watches from across the way. Daphne Greengrass is not what one would call a model beauty although she is definitely not without charm, her blonde capped head playing host to a pair of large sky-blue eyes accompanied by full cheeks and clear skin. Sky-blue eyes that are currently observing the brooding of a young raven-haired boy as he struggles in his latest battle against quill and parchment.
See, much like young Harry, Daphne has also found herself dateless and with the Yule ball looming ever closer, is beginning to get mildly desperate. So desperate in fact, that she is willing to cross the well established house-boundaries and rub shoulders with the red-trimmed Gryffindors. At least for the Boy-Who-Lived that is. Hence Daphne has now found herself in the library late at night, rather then with her best friend Tracey Davis discussing the latest castle gossip, in pursuit of one Harry James Potter.
In a move that would have her sister, Astoria, squealing with delight Daphne makes her way over to Harry's gloomy corner. Slamming a particularly heavy tome discussing potions ingredients onto the table to announce her presence.
"Potter," Daphne drawls with all the makings of an upstanding pureblood.
"Uhhh….can I help you? Greengrass right?"
"I assumed you might desire my assistance, given that you look about ready to chuck yourself out the window." Daphne responds as she reaches for Harry's mauled and ink-stained essay.
"No offence but -" Harry gestures towards the Slytherin patch on Daphne's robes, making no move to defend his work "- you're a Slytherin."
"Tsk-tsk-tsk they did always say you were an observant one, Potter -" Daphne frowns disapprovingly at the parchment, as though it has committed some great offence "- are you trying to fail?"
"Uhh, not exactly?"
"Well with work like this it's no wonder you and Weasley loose 50 points a lesson."
"Right, cause Snape's God's gift to potions education."
"Never said he was, but with a bit of effort I'm sure even someone as dimwitted as you -" Daphne waves the parchment in front of Harry's eyes "- could accomplish better then this."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Greengrass."
"Give me your quill, Potter."
Once again the Hogwarts library is accompanied by the sound of quill on parchment as Daphne attempts to not only save Harry's potions grade, but also secure herself a rather striking date to the dance. Unobserved by Daphne, who is currently occupied researching the uses of Acromantula Venom in Invisibility Potion, Harry is having similar thoughts relating to a certain ball in the near future. Envisioning himself opening the dance with a certain blonde possessing large sky-blue eyes.
As the lamp light continues to flicker across the slim girl in front of him, highlighting her face with a fiery glow, Harry decides that he has found himself the perfect date. Unknown to young Harry, Daphne has already decided that for him.
"I can see you staring at me Potter," Daphne says as she finally looks up from the pages in front of her.
"Sorry?… Look actually I was wondering if you had a partner for the ball?"
"And why would that be of interest to you Potter," Daphne says with a sly grin, which of course, goes unnoticed by an increasingly flustered Harry.
"I uhh…I was just wondering if maybe you would want to go with me…"
"Even if I'm, as you so eloquently put it-" Daphne gestures towards the Slytherin patch on her robes "- a Slytherin?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"My my potter who would've thought, the golden boy of Gryffindor falling for a serpent's silver tongue. You've got yourself a date."
"Date?"
"Is that not what you wanted?"
"Never mind."
With her quest accomplished Daphne offers Harry a smirk before gathering her belongings and passing him a completed potions essay. Leaving a rather bewildered Harry alone in the library wondering just what happened.
As predicted, Daphne's library escapades result in Astoria's squeals filling the 4th year dorms accompanied by Tracey's jaw hinging wide open.
"You did what?" Tracey asks incredulously.
"Honestly, how many times do I have to repeat myself, I'm going with Potter to the ball."
"The Harry Potter? Tri-wizard champion, Boy-Who-Lived, youngest seeker in a century?" Astoria interjects.
"No, the other Harry potter. Honestly who do you think I'm talking about."
"Oh mum's going to love this."
"Shut up."
Jesting at Daphne's expense continues long into the night with promises, or threats depending on your point of view, to write parents still echoing when the sun begins to rise. Unknown to Daphne, Harry did not fair much better at Gryffindor tower.
"Bloody hell mate are you insane?" Ron asks upon Harry's late return and subsequent explanation.
"Ronald -" Hermione says as she throws her hands up "- oh honestly don't look at me like that I think it's perfectly acceptable for Harry to take whoever he wants."
"But she's a Slytherin."
"Honestly, is that such a bad thing?"
"Well, yeah I mean -"
"Right, -" Harry interrupts before they get too much momentum "- Hermione can you read my potions essay?"
"But that's not due until after the holidays mate!"
"Well, I figured I'd better get it done sooner rather then later."
"Completely Mental," Ron mutters with a shake of his head.
Breakfast in the Great Hall was ordinarily a rather dull affair, with the looming threat of the day's classes suffocating any fun-loving atmosphere that spills over from the day before. This day however, was markedly different from any other. First and foremost, classes had already concluded for Christmas break leaving the students of Hogwarts to spend their time as they see fit. On a less important note two particular students, Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass, were busy engaging in a game of exchanging elusive glances from across the hall. A game they were proving to be particularly poor at.
"Really mate we need to check you for potions I reckon," Ron mutters under his breath upon seeing Harry's attention gripped by a green-robed Greengrass leisurely eating her breakfast.
"Ronald -" Hermione retorts slapping Ron across the back of his head "- just because you can't get a partner to save your life doesn't mean you get to take it out on Harry."
"She's got a point mate," Harry says bringing his attention back from across the hall.
"It's sickening, seeing you go all doe-eyed and sappy over her -" Ron says gesturing with his fork towards the Slytherin's side of the hall "- what's wrong with a Gryffindor Girl, what about Hermione?"
"For the last time I already have a date Ronald and maybe you would too if you weren't so -"
"Mr. Potter -" Professor McGonagall interjects "- I would like to see you in my office when you can spare the time."
"Certainly Professor, I'll be right there."
As Harry exits the hall in the wake of Professor McGonagall he is unaware of two pairs of eyes attempting to burn holes in his back. One set belonging to Ronald Billius Weasley, who is still muttering angrily under his breath about backstabbing friends and slimy snakes. The other belonging to a rich-blonde Slytherin girl currently enduring good-natured ribbing about her choice of ball partner.
"So she comes back to the dorms all flustered and I just know -" Tracey reports gleefully for the hundredth time that morning.
"Yes yes we all know alright, I think the entire school has heard you by now," Daphne groans thumping her forehead against the table.
"Oh stop whinging we all saw your little doe eyes -" Astoria says making her eyes as large as possible in a rather poor imitation of Daphne "- totally besotted you are, kind of nauseating really."
"We've only spoken once I am not in love with him -" Daphne retorts "- this isn't one of those trashy novels you read."
"eh, same thing really," Astoria says waving off any further protest from a spluttering Daphne.
"Mr. Potter, thank you for joining me so promptly, I trust that you have found yourself a partner for the Yule ball?" Professor McGonagall says upon welcoming Harry into her office prompting a blush to make its way across Harry's neck.
"Yes Professor," Harry says refusing to meet Professor McGonagall's eyes.
"Ah, the lovely Ms. Greengrass, I trust you have informed her of your obligation?"
"Obligation?" Harry asks with wide eyes.
"Yes, as a champion you must open the ball -" Professor McGonagall says raising one eyebrow "- I trust that this will not be an issue."
"No, Professor"
"Then you are free to leave, I hear the classroom next to Professor Flitwick's is rather roomy if you should require it," Professor McGonagall says waving her hand in dismissal.
It is not till Harry is almost back at the Great Hall that Professor McGonagall's words finally sink in. Conveniently, Daphne is just leaving the Great Hall with her friends and sister trailing behind much to her obvious dismay.
"Daphne!" Harry calls after her retreating figure.
"Oooh here comes lover boy -" Tracey says jutting her elbow into Daphne's ribs "- lets leave these two to it Astoria."
"Fine, but I want to hear everything, -" Astoria says poking Daphne's forehead "- have fun shnookums."
"You two are utterly impossible," Daphne says as a faint blush sneaks across her face.
"Hey, Daphne -" Harry says as he catches up to her "- I need to talk to you about the ball."
"She's all yours Prince Charming," Tracey says as she moves past Harry, ruffling his hair with one hand and dragging Astoria with the other.
"Uh….are they always like that?" Harry asks scratching the back of his neck and watching the corner where Tracey and Astoria disappeared.
"I'm so sorry, they've been impossible ever since they found out they just keep going on and -"
"Hey, it's fine don't worry about it," Harry interrupts causing Daphne to blush and duck her head.
"What did you need to talk to me about?" Daphne mumbles causing her hair to fall across her face like a veil.
"Well…you know how I'm a champion right?" Harry asks sticking his hands into the pockets of his robes. "We need to open the dance."
"Well, of course, that's tradition," Daphne says finally meeting Harry's eye.
"But, there may be a slight problem."
"What is this problem?"
"I can't dance."
"Alright one more time come on -" Daphne says as she places the finishing touches on Harry's dancing technique "- I will not be made to look like a fool in front of the entire school."
"We've been here for hours," Harry complains rubbing the soles of his feet.
"And if you fail to get this right we will be here for hours more -" Daphne says with her hands on her hips "- come one, one more time and I think you'll be as good as you can get."
"Alright," Harry says placing one hand Daphne's waist and taking her other allowing the now familiar scent of pine needles to surround his head.
A slow waltz plays on the wireless lying in the corner of the room as Harry begins to lead Daphne around the floor.
"I've really enjoyed this time with you Daphne -" Harry says gazing into her sky-blue eyes "- It's been more fun then I thought."
"Good answer Potter, now shut up and don't step on my feet."
So a silence fell over the classroom neighbouring Professor Flitwick's, broken only by the gentle music to which Harry and Daphne danced. They had been meeting here ever since Professor McGonagall's proclamation that Harry open the ball as a Tri-Wizard champion. Today, being Christmas Eve, is Daphne's last chance to ensure Harry's skills are satisfactory before her big night. As the song slowly ended Daphne gave Harry a satisfied nod.
"You're much better now, I'd even give you an E," Daphne says as she takes off her heels slipping her sneakers on in their place.
"Finally met the standards of Daphne Greengrass -" Harry says with a smirk "- I seem to recall you calling me 'utterly unteachable' and 'a complete mess' not that long ago."
"Yes, well it seems my impeccable teaching has made all the difference," Daphne says with a faint blush.
"I'm serious Daphne, I've really enjoyed this," Harry says placing a finger under Daphne's chin and tilting her head up causing her blush to deepen.
"So have I, Potter," Daphne says closing the distance between them and gently pressing her lips to his.
"Thank you for this, Daphne," Harry whispers as he finally pulls away, careful to not disturb the sanctity of the moment.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Harry."