Chapter 24 - The Yule Ball Prep

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Y/n's POV

After breakfast, the whole Gryffindor house, along with professor McGonagall, was called an empty classroom the boys one side in the girls on the other.

"The Yule ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since it's inception. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for a night of well-manned frivolity. As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward and I mean this literally, because the Yule Ball, is first and foremost a dance."

There was instant murmuring. Everyone was whispering among themselves.

A dance? I'm not going! No way in hell! I can't dance. People will be laughing and mocking at me if I'll dance.

"Silence!" Everyone went quiet at once. "The house of Godric Gryffindor had commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly 10 centuries. I will not have you in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like babbling bumbling band of baboons."

The twins called to my attention. They were murmuring something themselves, perhaps about what professor McGonagall was saying. I returned my attention to professor, "...let your body breathe. Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers longing to burst often take flight. Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance," she turned to Ron, "Mr Weasley!"

"Yes?" Ron said, scared.

"Will you join me please?" He went with her as a reply to her question. At first, he was hesitating, but then I saw Harry pushing him forward, and grinning.

That's it, he has this superpower or something, he'll smile or grin or laugh, so charmingly, he'll leave you lost in dreams, or will leave you staring at him until someone else distracts you, or perhaps even leave you smiling to yourself, like I am now.

God, why is he so cute?

Suddenly, the music started playing. Turned out it was Filch who tuned in to the music.

"Now place your right hand on my waist," McGonagall commanded.

"Where?!"

"My waist."

"1... 2... 3... 1... 2... 3..." She started doing the waltz with Ron.

I saw Fred and George turning to Harry. He then said something to Fred and George, to which they nodded. Were they planning some kind of prank? Gosh, they're so mischievous.

Everyone laughed at how Ron was moving and how he was reacting. Here, I was tensed about how am I going to do this? It's not that I don't know how to, I just need that courage to dance in front of the whole crowd. Casually saying, I am not that introverted person, but when it comes to dance in front of, like 1000 people, it's not my cup of tea.

Professor McGonagall called everyone. The girls came forward instantly. The boys were late. But Neville took the first step. "Are we, uh, supposed to dance with someone?" I whispered to myself.

"Yes!" Hermione said to me. Neville asked Hermione to show him some steps. "Mione!" I called her.

"Go, find someone to dance with," she said and started helping Neville with the waltz. Just then, someone tapped on my shoulder. I turned around, "Harry?"

"Least we can practice?" He extended his right hand and bowed forward. "How...?" I asked, accepting his offer by already sliding my hand in his. He knew what my words were directing to. His left arm was fractured and was bandaged.

"You're right," he said, "I'll just throw them away."

"Huh? What?!" I said, almost shocked.

"Yes. I mean I'm fine!"

"I don't suggest doing that but if you say so." I replied him, and put my left hand on his shoulder and my right hand in his left hand. For confirmation, I asked him again, "Does it pain?"

He shook his head.

"Now, place your hand on my waist." He immediately widened his eyes.

"W-What?" He stuttered.

"On my waist? See!" I pointed to Ron and McGonagall dancing.

"But...?" he started but I took his right hand and placed it on my waist myself.

"Now, before we start, let me say, I know the steps, but I'm not a great dancer."

"Neither am I! Go on."

"Alright. So, you're the lead and I'm the follow. You put your left foot forward," he did as I told, while I put my right foot backward simultaneously, "great, now your right foot, yes." And then we started doing it, I taught him how to do it. Surely, he's a terrible dancer! Nevermind, practice makes a man perfect.

Meanwhile we kept dancing, I remembered something that I had to tell him. His current focus was totally on how he was moving his foot. "Er, Harry?" "Hm," he said, not having the eye contact.

"HARRY!" I said, putting emphasis. He looked up immediately, still swaying to the music, although terror and confusion on his face. "Look, don't take my words in a negative way, but... I-I don't think we should hang out nowadays, at least till the Yule ball gets over." I saw his eyebrows get close to each other, "I mean, after this Rita Skeeter thing, I don't think I want my name to be printed all over in the Daily Prophet, or have any false rumours spread about me in the world. I'm not telling we're not friends anymore. We can still have that normal conversation and all, but not in isolation, like we can have it when Hermione and Ron are around? I don't want people to see us alone. I hope you are understanding," he released his muscular tensions on his face, "and only if you don't mind."

He was silent for a few seconds. "I- well- um- okay, I understand," and he nodded pitifully, although I can bet there was disappointment in his voice, but I can't do anything.

Professor McGonagall ordered everyone to stop and go to their respective dorms. I smiled coldly, although one last time, at Harry. But he didn't reply, neither with words nor with emotions. He went away and joined Ron. I stood dumb. Hermione came to me, and asked, "what happened?"

"Huh? Nothing. Let's go."

And I went with her.

Time skip

Harry's POV

"What's wrong, mate? You look terribly miserable."

"Nothing, Ron. It's... nothing."

"Something's wrong, tell me!"

"It's just, I had decided to ask Y/n to the Yule Ball."

"What's wrong? Go for it!"

"She already turned me down."

"Wait, I don't understand. Did she already figure out your intention, or read your mind or some-"

"No, Ron!" I sighed. I explained him what Y/n actually said.

"So you didn't ask her, but you think she'll say no."

"Come on, Ron. You don't expect her to say yes after she's just told me not to do anything that might end up making rumours about her."

We were silent for a moment. He said he felt bad about it, but I was determined to figure out something else. I cannot be going to the Yule ball alone. We entered the dorm, but there was Neville, practising his steps. Wait, did he get a date already?

WC: 1192

A/n: Ik I said no more author notes, but I just can't stand thisss. 100 FOLLOWERS!! THAT'S OML, THAT'S BEYOND IMAGINATION GUSYSS! TYSFMMM! AND OVER THE TOP, 8K OVERALL READS! I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WORDS TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE. TYSM FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!

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