Dance With Somebody

Chapter 9

Disappointment can make a person stronger, but sometimes it can also just really stink like a bag of sweaty socks. The worst part about disappointment is when excitement is stirring for something, but the event (or the thing) doesn't happen as planned. And just when you think you know people, they disappoint in ways you never thought they could.

That's why Marcus Flint has tried to have zero expectations of people. He's found that expectations lead to hurt feelings and a whole bunch of discouragement. So the best way to avoid that is not to expect anything from anyone. It's helped a lot. Yet, here he is, unhappy, hurt, mad, sore, and disappointed. Just when he thought everything was going well in his life for a change, his father, Maxwell Flint, decides to throw a wrench into it all. Like always, Marcus will put on a happy face and move on. It will sting, but he'll survive because his strength doesn't come from lifting weights. It comes from lifting himself up every time he's been knocked down. Although, just because he comes off as strong, rough, and brutal and acts like nothing is wrong doesn't mean he doesn't cry. No. He's really good at lying. All Slytherins are.

The hardest part about the note his father wrote was explaining it to Hermione. Maxwell is on the board of governors at Hogwarts. As a member, the governors had been invited to attend the Yule Ball. Therefore his father was coming to the school, and the man's plan was to have Marcus go home with him after for the holidays. Any other year that would have been fine. However, this year is different.

For one thing, unlike past years, this school year has been the year of his dreams coming true. Marcus is actually dating someone--- someone he fancies very much. For once in his life, he has a girl and a date. So naturally, he wants to be with her and escort her to the ball. But now, the older Slytherin can't do that.

He never thought anyone would make him smile, laugh, or capture his heart as fast as Hermione, but she has. She's the girl that came without warning and had his heart before he could say no. That's Hermione, though. Anything they do together feels like the best kind of magic he's ever known. It's like he's meant to be hers. And because of his father, Marcus has to keep his relationship in the dark like it's a dirty secret. It's not.

Like Adrian reminded him, "Your father knows twenty ways to Sunday how to hurt muggle-borns. Like our fathers, he was a death eater. You can't take Hermione. He'll hurt her. Look, it's nothing to do with her. We like your girl. We even like Weaselette and the odd blonde one. Which is why we don't want her to get hurt. You know?"

Yeah, Marcus does know. That's why he had to give Hermione the bad news. She took it better than he thought. If it had been one of the Slytherin girls, things would have been thrown like high heels. He remembers when Daphne Greengrass did that to Lucian, it was aimed right at his head too. But not his Hermione. No. She only gave him a half smile and told him, "I understand. You're trying to protect me from him. But at the same time, it really stinks. I was looking forward to going with you, and I bought this beautiful dress. Now, I have no reason to wear it and no one to go with. Ron will truly think I'm a liar, which I'm not. We're dating and can't share it with the world."

Unable to stop it, a few tears slid down her cheeks. Marcus feels the same way. Pulling her close to his side, he kissed the top of her head. Then used his thumb to wipe some of the tears. "Sometimes things don't work out the way we planned them. That's life, at least my life. But despite that and my father, we're dating, and that isn't going to change. So maybe we can't go to this ball together, but there will be others we will attend hand in hand in the future," he assured her.

After that, they practiced waltzing and danced a dance for just the two of them. The couple decided that if Hermione gets asked to the ball by someone, she should accept. Marcus, on the other hand, chose not to ask anyone else. It would feel weird like he's cheating or something (even though his girl said it would be fine). Hermione feels the same way he does.