Pride and Polyjuice Potion

Chapter 35

"Anyone got a necklace I can borrow?" Hermione asked her bustling dorm mates.

She received no reply. Parvati was frantically applying the last few finishing touches to her appearance, and Padma was quickly touching up Luna's hair.

Oh, and Ginny was in the corner downing her mix of pumpkin juice and fire whiskey by herself.

Hermione shrugged and resorted to looking through her very meagre jewellery collection that she kept stashed in her bedside table. It was composed of two gold bangles, a pair of pearl earrings, Fred and George's ring... oh and a mermaid necklace. How could she have forgotten about that? She grabbed it out of its box and, after some struggle, successfully clasped it around her neck.

The little black gift bag from her trip to Hogsmeade was placed neatly beside the jewellery box. She pulled out its content and buried it in her pocket.

It wasn't long before they found themselves at the top of the stairs that lead to the Great Hall. Instructed by McGonagall, they were to descend the stairs one at a time where they would be greeted by their partner.

Neville's eyes started to tear up as he saw Padma. He reminded her of an orange tulip he had grown in first year.

Harry's mouth twitched nervously as he saw Ginny in the dress he had bought her. When she finally went over to him and smiled, he could hardly form a coherent reply, but Ginny knew exactly what he meant and shut him up with a light kiss.

Parvati was met by Oliver Wood who gave her a warm hug. Since when had they been a thing? Hermione recalled how Parvati had confessed her crush on the quidditch player some months ago when they had played Truth or Dare with a hint of Veritaserum. She was happy for her, but made immediately aware of the unsettling fact that she was now the only one without a date.

Luna came next and Blaise's eyes widened as she saw her descend the stairs like a graceful comet. He took hold of her hand and kissed it, the both of them blushing in unison. They were nostalgically reminded of the first time they met back in September.

"Alright, Miss Granger, your turn now," said McGonagall, gesturing for her to proceed.

"I can't," she replied, surprising both herself and the older witch.

"What do you mean you can't, child? Come now, don't be silly my dear. Off you pop."

"I don't have a partner, Professor."

McGonagall began to speak about why she shouldn't worry about a silly little thing like that but Hermione had already turned away and was charging through the castle corridors once again.

She found the nearest exit, forced the door open with an alohomora and pressed herself against the stone wall, panting hard as she gasped for breath.

Was she really such a coward?

Just like every other time, she had run away from that which scared her, that which was out of her comfort zone.

She hadn't realised that Parvati had a date too - she thought they were in this together. But no, she was to be one of the only students across all three Wizarding schools to show up to the Yule Ball alone.

It was an ugly trait in herself, these insecurities anxieties that she had, but she could do nothing to help them. They were a part of her and they were there to stay.

Why hadn't she just bloody accepted Malfoy? Why did she have to be so afraid all the time?

The exit she had found wasn't too far from the Great Hall itself, and she could hear the muffled quiver of instrumental music reverberating in the gossip of the air.