Atlas Malfoy and how history repeats itself

Part 30

The yule ball. I know I said I was okay for going without a date, but I need at least a platonic date at the bare minimum. At breakfast, I notice Neville and say, "Neville! Hi! I'm really sorry, and feel free to say no, but would you want to come to the ball with me?"
Neville's face falls and he says, "Atlas, I'm so sorry, but I already asked a girl, and she said yes. I am really sorry."
"No," I say, "It's fine. I hope she has a great time."

Ron is lead into the common room a week or two later. Ginny says, "He just asked Fleur to the ball."
"It just sort of slipped out." Ron splutters. I gasp and say, "She said no, obviously."
He shakes his head and Hermione gasps, "SHE SAID YES?"

She didn't. That evening, as we get changed for the ball, Hermione is humming and singing. I say, "Alright, alright. Who is the lucky guy?"
"His name's Victor." She says, the hairbrush catching on a knotty part of her hair. Furiously, she practically rips it out her hair. I finish the last of my makeup and say, "Viktor? Not Krum, obviously, but I don't think I've heard of another Viktor."
She giggles and I scoff, "Krum?"
"Maybe... okay, yes!" She dances round the room, laughing and I say, "Hermione, he is eighteen. I mean, don't you think that's a little weird?"
"No Atti. Just enjoy the evening, that's all that matters. Anyway," She says as I zip her dress up, "Are you taking your walking stick to the ball?"
I look at the stick on my bed and say, "I don't know. I wish I was a normal teenager who didn't need one."
Hermione throws a pillow at my head, which narrowly misses me and says, "OI? Don't say that. I think it is very cool. And also, you don't need it all day, every day. It's a choice right now that you have the power to make."
"I don't want to need it halfway through the night though, and have to awkwardly get myself to the dorm again." I whinge.
"If you don't take it, you can stick near Viktor and I, and I'll help you back. He already thinks your stick is cool."
"Alright then," I say, "I'm not taking it, but I'll just hang round with you. I'll third wheel."

I head down to the ball early, and sit nearer the corner. The champions and their dates walk in, and dance. Hermione looks incredible, twirling round and laughing. Harry looks like he would rather die. He looks ready to melt onto the actual floor. At the end of the dance, I get up and walk over to her and Krum. Krum holds out his hand and I shake it, saying, "Lovely to meet you. My name is Atlas Black."
"Call me Viktor."
I nod and Hermione pulls me close, hissing, "Isn't he stunning?"
"Mhm... stunning."
I spot Neville from across the hall, twirling a girl round and round. She laughs and I gasp. It's little Ginny Weasley. She doesn't look so little anymore. The ball goes from slow music to heavy metal rock thing. Hermione grabs me and screams, "THIS IS AMAZING!"
"BRILLIANT!" I scream. I can barely hear her. We dance till the end of the song, where Viktor gives us a second to go get drinks. Hermione drags me over to the boys and says, "Hot, isn't it? Viktor's gone to get us drinks. Care to join us?"
"No," Ron snaps, "No, we wouldn't."
"What's wrong with you?" Hermione gasps. Ron scoffs, "You're fraternizing with the enemy."
"What?" Hermione says, her eyes welling up with tears. I hold her hand and she says, "The whole point of this is to make friends? And who was it that wanted the autograph?"
She stands up, and storm out crying. I race after her, as she sobs.

I don't know if she does this for me or if it is a pure coincidence, but she sits down on the stairs, crying into her hands. I cradle her and say, "Ron is a boy. Boys don't have any emotional intelligence."
She sobs into my arms, "Why? It was meant to be my night. I was meant to feel like a princess Atti. My dad said I would feel like a princess. Mum said that the boy who asked me out would be the only boy on my mind. Why were they wrong?"
"I don't think asking me for parent advice is the best, but if I had to say something, I would say that muggle balls are different to wizarding ones. You looked like a princess Hermione. I wanted to twirl along with you."
"Let me help you to the dorm."

I think I help her to the dorm more. She is sobbing the entire time, and I have to help her into her pyjamas. I say, "Hermione, please. You need to understand that Ronald is a selfish little boy."
"He isn't a little boy. He should know better." She snaps, mascara staining her face.
"You're right. He should. That's why you are going to prove him wrong. Be that princess you want to feel like." I say, smiling. She barely sits on the bed and she is already fast asleep.

The day of the challenge has Harry shaking with pure fear. He invited me into the challenge bay, the bit for friends. I turn him to me and say, "Harry Potter. You can do this. Just do whatever you need to do to survive. If you need to come back up for air, do it. Don't take pathetic risks. Alright? Just, be safe."
He nods and says, "I think I'm going to lose."
"Life over challenge. Repeat that if you need to. Breathe in. Breathe out. Try to hold your breath while under."
He nods, rolling his shoulders back.
"Any French words of advice?"
"Être fort."

He dives into the water, and I stand with Neville. I think Neville is stressed, but he chills at the sight of Harry splashing up. We stand for a minute in silence, before he says, "I like your walking stick."
I wave it around nearer the floor and say, "Thank you, Neville. I got it because my legs gone a little funny, and I keep straining it, so it doesn't heal. It's okay though. The sticks pretty cool."
Fleur splutters, kicking frantically above the water. Nobody is doing anything. I groan and jump in, the cold making me jump. She is about to go under when I grab her, throwing her to the platform.
"Ma sœur! Ma sœur!" She screams as a blanket is wrapped round her. People are trying to find a translator, when I say, "Ta sœur ira bien. Your sister will be fine. Just take deep breaths."
It isn't long before Harry splashes up with Ron and Fleur's little sister. Krum brings Hermione back, and she yells, "YOU NEED TO TELL FLEUR HARRY HAS HER SISTER."
"FLEUR SPEAKS ENGLISH!" I yell back. I can barely hear anything over the cheering, and my hair is plastered to my face, along with my clothes. She says, "Why are you wet?"
"I helped Fleur when she was stuck."

Hermione nods and I say, "Where is my stick?"
I turn to look at the lake, where my stick has started to chip away from itself with the length of time it has spent in the lake. Hermione gasps and McGonigal says, "We have nicer ones. Newer ones. Don't worry."
I nod and I'm dragged back to the castle with a happy, bubbly Hermione. I head to the dorm, getting changed into comfier clothes. I dry my hair, and Hermione says, "I'm going to bed! That was horrific. The next challenge being so soon is cruel. Night Atti."
"Night Mines."