Chapter 54:

Deputy-Headmistress McGonagall was in a corner, indulging in a nice glass of pumpkin juice while making sure no student went too far in their festive mood, when she suddenly saw the Headmaster Dumbledore approaching her and was sorely tempted to hide under a table.

She still held a grudge over this whole «Yule Ball Farce». Especially since the insufferable man did nothing to help them prepare for it! He sometimes came to see how far they were on the completion of the decor... Made a comment here and there... But did he help? No! And the worse was that they couldn't say anything since he was their employer. Frigging old man!

"Minerva, my dear!" He greeted her with that annoying eye-twinkling he seemed to favor. "How are you enjoying these festivities? What do you think of the icy theme? Quite a good choice, right?"

"Not bad." She harrumphed. "Would have been better if you had actually helped."

"Far from it, my dear!" Dared to chuckle the damn geezer. "I find this amateurish vibe really delightful. It would have lost all its appeal if I had intruded on your hard work."

The incensed McGonagall sent him a withering glare that he professionally ignored. In fact, his eyes were twinkling even brighter. Knowing a lost cause when she saw one, she tried to change the subject:

"I don't see Severus anywhere... Didn't you invite him, Headmaster?" She asked.

"Goodness! Of course not!" Laughed the older man. "I know pertinently that the students will spike the Punch and I don't want this party pooper anywhere near the drinks! Imagine if he made the alcohol disappear! Where would be the fun? That's why I expressly enjoined him to stay in his lair, lest he contaminated us with his party pooper vibes."

Minerva closed her eyes and took a deep breath to remind herself to stay calm.

"Shouldn't you find a way to heal him from his affliction?" She enunciated slowly while grinding her teeth.

Dumbledore looked at her with faked surprise. Then he started to giggle.

"Minerva, dearest," He chided with a patronizing grin. "I know you are fond of Severus but you need to think of his well being! Alcohol is no good for the health, you know? And I can guarantee you that it is not needed to have fun! Isn't it better to enjoy Life sober?" He shook his head, sipping on his self-spiked drink. "Honestly my dear, you should stop encouraging him in his idiosyncrasy: this is not helping him!"

Then the old man went away with an exaggerated sigh, sashaying as he left a very frustrated Transfiguration Professor behind him.

Ron had long abandoned his sister. He had agreed to take her to the ball, but that didn't mean he wanted to spend the night babysitting her. Instead he was leaning back against a wall, twirling his Punch in his glass to pretend he was occupied. He was watching Hermione as she danced, and mingled, and laughed... at the side of Viktor Krum.

She was breathtaking. Her Hair in an updo -he liked her free wild curls more-, light make-up highlighting the depth of her chocolate brown eyes and the pinkness of her lips. She looked wonderful and happy and- She wasn't with him.

It was painful in his chest, even as butterflies made their own dance in his tummy, and Ron didn't have to wonder why: she wasn't with him. The girl he loved -and he loved her, Merlin be damned!- was attending the ball with another man at her arm. She looked wonderful and happy without him.

It didn't feel like betrayal. No, it was far beyond that. It was heartbreak. And it was his own damn fault. If he had accepted his feelings earlier, if he had been brave enough to apologize and ask her out in time...

Way too many «if» to make a good ending.

Ron wanted nothing more than to rage and scream and destroy this unfair world- but his heart wasn't in it. If she was happy, who was he to interfere? This was a beautiful night for her, he couldn't bear to take that away... So he walked away from the wall, toward Hermione and her date. He grinded his teeth and put on the best smile he could muster:

"You look wonderful, Hermione." He said sincerely. "How is your evening? Does Krum treat you well?"

He sent a withering glare to the aforementioned to make him understand that he better.

"Oh, Ron, this night is magical!" She answered with a beaming smile. "It's my first time having so much fun at a ball! Viktor is a perfect gentleman as well. I'm so lucky to have him as a friend."

Oof! These words were not for him but even Ron felt them. Poor Krum... He was obviously smitten with Hermione and she just... Two heartbreaks in one night... Talk about having the emotional range of a teaspoon!

AN: I'm getting better and I even managed to write a little lately! I'm so happy! TuT

Also, Dumbledore being a total troll, because even when I try to write Evil!, Misguided! or Mentor! Dumbledore he somehow always ends up trolling everyone -_-'