Being His Daughter

Partners

"The Yule Ball is approaching," McGonagall announced at the front of the classroom. I looked up from my parchment abruptly and Airam and Jalen gaped at her from one side of me, while on the other side, Draco glowered. "It's traditional for the tournament and will allow many of you to get to know our guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. You will dress formally--dress robes for the boys and dresses for the girls--"

Both Airam and Jalen groaned at this. I smirked over at them, knowing both of them hated dresses. Airam--surprisingly--much more than Jalen.

"The ball will start at eight on Christmas day and will last until midnight, understood?" McGonagall looked around the class with a professional look on her face to ensure everyone was paying attention. "Even though the Ball is meant to be fun—and I do hope all of you have a good time—that does not mean misbehavior will be allowed in any way." She looked specifically at us Slytherins and Draco scoffed loudly. "I want the best behavior from all of you. All the Hogwarts students. I'm telling this to all of my classes." Now she looked pointedly at the Gryffindors. Her look was basically informing them that if they embarrassed her they wouldn't hear the end of it for a long while.

The bell rang and I prepared myself to listen to Airam and Jalen's complaints about the dresses, Draco and Blaise's cocky comments, and Theodore's playful jokes, but--

"Potter and Riddle," McGonagall called from the front as everyone began to file out of the class. "I'd like to speak to you two."

I looked back at Draco and then across the room at Harry, who were both just staring at the Professor.
"Come on," she repeated.

I turned back to Draco. "I'll meet you all in the Great Hall," I told him and he simply nodded. Then he smirked and snaked his arm around me, pulling me to him in a light hug. I couldn't help but smile as I pulled away gently and then made my way to the front of the room without looking back at him. He left with the noisy students just as Harry approached me at McGonagall's desk. Then the door closed and it was quiet while we looked at her.

She cleared her throat and inspected each of us, her eyes lingering a bit longer on Harry with her thin brows narrowed, as if she thought he was going to have a problem with whatever she said.

"The champions and their partners--"

"Partners?" Harry cut in quickly, his eyebrows raised and his lips slightly parted. I looked away from him and up at McGonagall with a slightly bewildered look on my face. Partners?

"Yes, Potter," McGonagall said sharply. "Your partners. More specifically, your dance partners. It's traditional for the champions to open the ball by all dancing with their partners. So it's mandatory for each of you to get one."

By the iciness of her tone and eyes, both of us knew it was pointless to refuse, so we grudgingly agreed and were dismissed.

_

"I don't even think any dress could possibly look good on me," Airam mumbled from her bed, laying on her stomach and staring off into the distance with glassy eyes.

"Oh, Airam, shut up. Don't say that!" I said, sitting up and narrowing my eyes at her. She didn't even respond, just whispered something else that made her eyes water more.

Alarmed, I sprang up from my bed and settled myself beside her, rubbing her back. She didn't cry, but it looked like she wanted to, and I had never seen it before. The thought of her crying confused me. She was always a little ball of sunshine. The shiniest ball of sunshine I really had in my life. Everyone else, even Draco and Jalen, had their dark side. I didn't think Airam did, until now. Everyone had it, I realized, and all it took was one thing, even as small as wearing a dress, to let that darkness show.