The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 84: A Whirl of Levity

"I can't believe you asked Katie to the Ball!" Hermione squealed.  "Well, I mean, I can believe you did.  What I meant is that I can't believe you got the courage to do it."

Harry looked at her sourly.  "You must really not want any biscuits."

"Yes I do, you can't bring me down here and not give me any."

Hermione and Harry were in the kitchens, at Harry's cook station that the House Elves made for him when he came to visit and cook.  It was the start of the holiday break and Harry was spending the day baking and cooking as part of his gifts to people.  Hermione had come to help but they found one of the few things she was not good at so she became taste-tester and fetcher for him.

She had noticed his goofy smile and his care-free attitude and was able to draw the reason from him with little difficulty.

"I most certainly can," he replied.

"Well you shouldn't because that would be mean to your sister and it's the holidays."

He poked her with the end of the wooden spoon.  "So you can call me a coward and not get punished for it?"

She snorted.  "I did not call you a coward."  She leaned against the counter and thought for a moment.  "It's just, you usually have to be prodded a bit to do things that are good for you.  Don't give me that look," she said seeing him start to give her a look.  "I don't say it to be mean.  I'm just saying, it usually takes some prompting for you to be proactive over things like this."

"That was the first time I ever asked a girl to anything like a date," he argued, his cheeks turning pink.

"Things like this meaning positive things that are not school work and Quidditch," Hermione clarified.  "Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful that you did.  And you and Katie are lovely together.  I can easily see why you would ask her to the Ball."

Harry smiled bashfully before the smile faded.  "Do you think Katie only said yes because she...knows how I was and wants to take care of me?"

"I don't," Hermione said flatly.  "Katie is a very caring person and there's no denying that she did, and does, take care of you.  But, I don't think she is someone that will do things only because she feels bad for them.  She does things because she thinks it's right, and while I'm not as close to her as Angelina and Alicia are, I sincerely doubt she would pity date someone."

He breathed a sigh of relief.  "Angelina said the same basically.  So that makes me feel better."

Hermione's eyes sparkled.  "Are you hoping for something more?"  She looked about conspiratorially; despite being surrounded by House Elves.  "Do you...fancy her?"

Harry's pink cheeks turned red.  "I think so.  I really like her.  Maybe even...well, yeah I like her a lot.  I guess I'm hoping we hit it off at the Ball and see what happens?  I don't know how she feels yet anyways and Angelina said I shouldn't get too ahead of myself."

"That's smart."

"If you say it is, then it really must be," he said seriously.

It was her turn to blush and she playfully shoved him.  "Flatterer."

"In this case, it's the truth too."  He popped the tray of biscuits into the oven and pulled one out.  The air was rich with sugar and chocolate and Hermione and the House Elves looked at the tray with undisguised anticipation.

"What about you?" he asked her as he began rolling out more dough.

"What about me?  I can't ask Katie now that you have.  That'd be weird and rude."