Dark

Chapter 20

Harry
The Entrance Hall was filed with students. Never before had I seen such a number of people all dressed up at the same time. Ron and I had only managed to find dates at the last possible minute. I had attempted to ask Cho Chang a few days ago, but I had waited too long. She had already said yes to someone. Much to my dismay, I didn’t know that particular someone happened to be Cedric Diggory until I lined up with the other champions. Thankfully Parvati and her twin sister Padma were still partnerless and they were willing to go with me and Ron.
It wasn’t until I turned around to Parvati again, who was having a conversation with Cho that I realized who the girl standing next to Viktor Krum was. It was Hermione. I hadn’t noticed her before because her usually bushy hair was now sleek and pinned elegantly at the back of her head. This is why she didn’t want to tell us who had asked her. I no longer blamed her for that, I for one wasn’t looking forward to Ron’s reaction when he found out.
The only people missing from the group were Eleanor and her partner. What could be taking her so long, I wasn’t sure.
“So when did this –“ I started saying to Hermione, meaning to ask her when her and Viktor had managed to become friendly. I cut myself off though when I noticed Eleanor over Hermione’s shoulder.
She was striding up the corridor that led down into the dungeons from the Entrance Hall. I couldn’t remember a single time I had seen her with her hair pulled back, but there she was now, her long black hair conspicuously missing from her shoulder where it usually resided. Instead it appeared to be pulled up into a long ponytail at the back of her head. She was wearing a simple green dress, the typical Slytherin color, which had no sleeves and reached to the ground.
I hadn’t known what to say as she approached us, but the matter only worsened when I noticed her arm. I had never known that the scars covering the left side of her face hadn’t been the only ones. The entirety of her left arm was covered as well. How bad had she actually been mangled by the Horntail? I had never even bothered to ask her myself. I didn’t even visit her when she was the hospital wing overnight because I had been so ashamed. She had gotten hurt trying to protect me, and I couldn’t help but feel guilty for it.
“You look amazing, Eleanor.” Hermione said kindly as Eleanor finally reached us.
Krum nodded politely next to her, but his gaze immediately flitted back to Hermione. I still had no idea when this could have developed.
“Thank you, Hermione. You look amazing as well.” Eleanor said before turning to Viktor. “You look quite dashing, Viktor.”
“Where’s your –“ I finally started to say something to Eleanor only to be cut off by Professor McGonagall’s curt voice.
“Miss Potter, when will your partner be arriving?” she asked Eleanor.
“Never, Professor. I don’t have a partner.” Eleanor answered simply.
“What do you mean, Potter?” McGonagall asked as her nostrils began to flare. That was never a good sign.
“I decided to come alone.”
Why hadn’t I just done the same? When I noticed the even more enraged expression on McGonagall’s face though, I was suddenly happy again that I had managed to find someone to show up with.
“Miss Potter, it is expected that you will, as a champion, participate in opening this ball. It is traditional, and it is a rule that champions do so.” McGonagall said firmly.
“It’s also against the rules for a school to have more than one champion, and it was against the rules for anyone under seventeen to compete this year. Seeing as we’re already throwing the rules out the window, I’m not sure why this seems to matter so much.” Eleanor countered, never once looking away from McGonagall’s fierce gaze.
“Miss Potter,” Snape had suddenly appeared beside McGonagall, “you are required to participate in this tournament to your fullest extent. That includes opening the ball. I suggest you find a partner immediately.”
As Snape glared down at Eleanor, she returned the expression. Somehow she still managed to use a more respectful tone with him than with McGonagall. Maybe she was more wary of him because he was her Head of House. Still, I would never want to directly piss off Minerva McGonagall as Eleanor had just done.
“Well that would be impossible, Sir,” Eleanor said. “Everyone seems to already have a partner.”
“Then let me just remedy that situation.” McGonagall said shortly before looking over her shoulder and around the nearly deserted Entrance Hall.
Eleanor’s face immediately dropped. What did she think would happen?
Suddenly McGonagall swept away. She approached a group of students across the Entrance Hall and when she turned around she followed by a scowling Draco Malfoy.
“Seeing as you’ve failed to meet the requirements of a champion, I have done your job for you. You will open the ball, eat dinner, and then open the dancing with Mister Malfoy, here. Then you are both free to enjoy the ball with whomever you wish.”
“What?!” Eleanor said loudly. “I’m not going in there with him.”
“And you think I want to be seen in there with you?” Malfoy asked, still scowling.
“Trust me, I know you don’t.” Eleanor said shortly.
“That’s enough.” Snape drawled from next to McGonagall.
“You can also serve a detention when the new term starts, Miss Potter. As a champion I expected better of you. I have been sorely disappointed.” McGonagall said through pursed lips before turning and leaving, followed by Snape.
“Well that’s what I’m here for, disappointing people.” Eleanor called out after them.
Before I could say anything Malfoy was already on the attack.
“What the hell, Potter?! I was supposed to be here with Pansy.” He hissed in Eleanor’s face.
“And you were excited about that?” Eleanor asked simply.
“You ruined everything, you know.” Malfoy said, taking a step back and adjusting his dress robes.
“Well that is my other talent. Disappointing people and ruining everything. Just let me know if you should ever need such services again.” Eleanor rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
There was an awkward silence as the rest of us just continued staring at Eleanor’s back. We had all been watching the entire interaction with McGonagall and Snape, and when I glanced back at everyone else I realized that they seemed confused as well. We were all unsure of what to say or whether we should even speak. I couldn’t resist the need to ask though.
“You chose to come alone?” I asked Eleanor.
“Don’t even speak to me, Harry.” Eleanor mumbled.
“What did I do this time?” I asked her. Would we ever stop fighting? The moment I finally want to get to know her better, she doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore. To my surprise it wasn’t Eleanor that answered.
“What haven’t you done, Potter?” Malfoy spat at me.
“Shut up, Malfoy.” Eleanor hissed. “You’re both insufferable.”
“I just –“ I started, but was cut off.
“You know, it looks like neither of us got to come here with the person we had really wanted.” Eleanor said as she turned to face me, furious.
I almost looked back at Cho, unsure of how Eleanor could have known about her. I managed to stop myself in time though and the question I posed her rolled off of my tongue before I had really thought of what to say. “Really? And who exactly did you hope to come here with?”
“The person I showed up with.” She said, narrowing her eyes at me. Her glare was always enough to make me feel uncomfortable.
“You didn’t show up with anyone.” I said, confused.
“Exactly.”

Draco
I should have been furious with Eleanor that she had ruined my chances with Pansy by getting me pulled into her ridiculous match against McGonagall. She’s constantly challenging others, even professors. It can be extremely infuriating. What I was most mad at though as we walked into the Great Hall was Eleanor’s initial refusal to take my arm. McGonagall had returned to open the doors for the champions’ entrance, and as much as I didn’t want to walk in, arms linked, with Eleanor Potter, apparently it was expected. She had slapped my arm away three times before I grabbed her wrist on the next attempt and forced our arms together.
As we walked through the crowd of students in the Great Hall I could hear the whispers. At first I caught small pieces here and there referring to me and Eleanor being here together. Then I started to hear the other things people were saying. Worse though, was the obvious fact that people were openly pointing toward Eleanor, mouths open, as they took in the sight of the scars traced over her arm.
Surprise was certainly expected. I had been surprised myself when Eleanor entered the Entrance Hall just minutes ago. How that girl had managed to get Eleanor into a sleeveless dress was beyond me from the moment I saw the brutal scars lining her skin. She had been sure to cover her face as much as possible with her hair since the first task. When she showed up for the Ball though it had all been pulled to the back of her head. Now the scars were more visible than ever. And just like me, the rest of the students seemed unaware that the scars extended any further than Eleanor’s face.
What I didn’t expect was the complete disregard people were using as they noticed and pointed out the situation to everyone else around them. Why did that surprise me though? I would have probably done the exact same thing. But then again, would I? If it had been anyone else other than Eleanor, probably. With her though, it was different. She was different.
I couldn’t help but notice how tense Eleanor became as we made our way to the top table with the other champions. In a strange way, it seemed to dissipate my anger with her. Again I wondered if she had known what people had been saying behind her back. As much as I had hoped she hadn’t known, everything seemed to point to that.
We took our seats around the table. I had thankfully managed to situate myself between Eleanor and Krum. There were large round tables scattered throughout the Hall and the rest of the students seemed to follow suit and took places of their own. Sitting among Potter, Diggory, McGonagall, and Dumbledore had not been my plan for the night.
Soon enough Dumbledore looked away from the menu in front of him and spoke to his plate. In an instant the meal he had asked for appeared before him. Soon enough everyone else was doing the same. As food appeared before me I looked over to see Eleanor had slid her own menu under her plate but there wasn’t any food in front of her.
“Seriously, do you ever eat?” I asked her.
“Of course I do.” She answered simply, staring at the center of the table rather than looking over at me.
I waited a moment for her to do something, anything really. When she didn’t order anything, didn’t speak, and didn’t move her gaze from the table, I leaned over and ordered food for her. That earned me a fierce glare, but at least it was something. Eleanor proceeded to ignore me and everyone else for the remainder of the dinner. So there we sat in stony silence as we picked at our food.
As the plates around the Hall emptied Dumbledore stood up and waved his arm toward a corner of the Hall. Turning around I saw for the first time a small orchestra sat there, waiting with instruments poised to play.
“Champions, if you will now stand to open the dancing of tonight’s Ball, please.” Dumbledore asked.
Around the table the other champions and their dates stood and began to move away from the table. Eleanor hesitated for a moment before doing the same. I followed her to a spot near the center of the hall where there were no tables. She seemed completely reluctant to dance and I suddenly wondered if she even knew how. Dance lessons certainly weren’t a priority if you grew up in an orphanage, right?
“Just take my hand,” I said as I grabbed one of her hands, “and put the other on my shoulder.”
She seemed tense and unsure as I lifted her other hand to my shoulder. I wanted nothing more than to be annoyed by her, but I wasn’t. As the annoyance began to grow it was dismantled by the thought of everyone whispering and pointing at her. No wonder she had been so pissed off lately.
“Follow my lead, you’ll be fine.” I told her. “And then this will all be over.”
Dumbledore must have signaled the musicians again because music suddenly filled the hall. Along with the other champions, Eleanor and I began to move. She followed my lead but wasn’t very graceful. What could anyone expect though? How many people can take out a dragon and dance a perfect waltz? Probably not many. Even I could only do one of those things, and as much as I would hate to admit it, it wasn’t taking down a dragon.
I noticed Eleanor’s eyes constantly shifting toward her feet, trying to keep in step. Though her dancing was unrefined, she had at least managed to not step on my toes yet. As much as I wanted to simply get this over with, I couldn’t help but itch to ask the question on my mind. I felt as though I needed to know.
“Why did you want to come alone?” I asked her, feigning disinterest in my own question as I stared off over her head.
“Why should I be forced to attend in the first place?” she countered.
“So you’re telling me if your name didn’t come out of that Goblet, you still wouldn’t have wanted to attend?”
“I…I don’t know.” She answered as she stepped on my foot.
I winced silently at the pain but carried on, hopeful that the clear uncertainty in her voice just then meant that I could break through whatever walls she had built up around her.
“Just tell me.”
“No.” She answered simply.
“Why not?” It seemed impossible to get a straight answer out of her. She never wanted to be upfront about anything. It was always a game of words or a confrontation.
“I just…” she trailed off again as she stepped on my other foot. “Damn it!” She said harshly as she looked down at our feet and backed away from me. “Just leave me alone, Malfoy.”
That was the first moment I realized that the rest of the school had already begun dancing around us. Eleanor looked around and noticed too before she turned and began making her way toward the Entrance Hall.
I wanted to call out to her, to keep asking her until she answered my questions for once. But I didn’t. Instead I made my way through the hall in search of Pansy.

Eleanor
I pushed my way through the other students and was happy when I finally reached the open space of the Entrance Hall. I felt like I could really breathe for the first time since I slipped on this dress. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Astoria. Not only did she convince me to pull my hair back and out of my face, but she also managed to get me into this sleeveless dress of hers. It was too much.
Everything had gone wrong from the moment I put this dress on. The worst of it was having to walk through the other students as they stared at the scars. I should have just stayed in the common room all night and taken a week’s worth of detention. It would have been better than showing up at all. Instead I was forced to dance with Malfoy and still had to serve a detention after the start of next term.
The one strange thing I couldn’t rationalize about tonight was Malfoy. He was mere inches from my face, literally touching the hand connected to my mess of a mangled arm, and he didn’t once stare at the scars. He didn’t look at me as though he was disgusted. He didn’t seem bothered by them at all. Of everyone in this school, he was the last person I would expect to react so unaffected.
When I reached the Slytherin common room I was displeased to find Astoria positioned on a couch before the fireplace. Her head snapped in my direction as I the concealed entrance behind me closed up again.
“What are you doing back already?” She said as she jumped up from the couch.
“I didn’t want to be there in the first place,” I answered, “so I got out as quick as I could.”
“What do you mean you didn’t want to be there? I would kill to have been invited to the Yule Ball!” Astoria said incredulously.
“Well slip on a dress and take my place, I don’t really care.” I answered, trying to move past her.
“Eleanor, is this…” Astoria started before she lowered her voice, “is this about the scars?”
“What are you talking about?” I asked her. Was everyone aware of what the boys in this school were saying behind my back?
“Come here.” Astoria reached out and took my hand in hers before steering me toward the couch she had been at when I arrived.
She plopped down in the middle of the couch and pulled me down with her. “I think you’ve been acting strange since the first task.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. Where in the world could she be going with this?
“Look, I know that we’re not friends or anything. I also know that you’re not really friends with anyone besides Malfoy. But when you took on that dragon it was amazing, Eleanor. I’ve never seen anything like it. None of the other champions got nearly as close as you did to their own dragons. Then when you came back the next day you were hiding your face, but eventually we all noticed the scars. I’ve heard people talking about them, and I think…I think you have too. I think that’s why you told Malfoy you didn’t want to go with anyone to the Ball. Why get your hopes up when you’re certain you’ll just be disappointed anyway, right?”
My brain felt jumbled. How in the world could this person I’ve barley known for the past few days have been this observant of me.
“First off, I’m not friends with Malfoy.” I told her shortly. “And secondly, I’m going to get out of this itchy dress so you can have it back.”
“No!” Astoria yelled as I stood up from the couch. She reached out a hand and roughly pulled me back down beside her. “You can’t do that! What if you change your mind and want to go back up there?”
“I’m not going to change my mind.” I told her flatly.
“Just wait in here for a while, and don’t change. You never know, you might decide to go back and have a good time.” Astoria was watching me with wide eyes.
Why did it matter so much to her?
Eventually I managed to convince Astoria to relinquish me from the couch long enough to grab a book and parchment. Dress or no dress, I could at least still get some research done for the second task. I brought Underwater Protective Enchantments back out along with quill, ink, and parchment. I reluctantly took the seat next to Astoria again and flipped through the pages, taking notes on what would be useful to learn between now and February 24th.
My attention wasn’t pulled away from the book until the entrance of the common room was being flooded with Slytherin students from the Ball. When I looked up to the clock on the mantle across from Astoria and I, it was already nearing midnight. I had been here for nearly three hours and Astoria was fast asleep next to me.
“All right!” someone yelled from the crowd of students. “Settle down, settle down!”
In a matter of seconds the person speaking had climbed onto one of the tables and was perched above the heads of the crowd. They were quickly joined by another person. They both wore prefect badges on their robes. I immediately knew what was about to happen, and I just hoped that it would turn my night around.
“It’s time for another competition!”