One Last Chance (Harmione Story)

Chapter 18: The Dance

*Harry's POV

The next day started with the sun shinning through the window straight into my face. I reluctantly got up fully aware that I wouldn't be able to go to sleep with the sun hitting my face. By the time I got dressed and got downstairs, everyone was gone. I ran to the Great Hall, hopping I hadn't missed the morning announcements. I sat by Hermione and Ron, panting, and quickly asked - Have I missed anything?

- Good morning to you too! - Ron joked - And calm down, you haven't missed a thing, McGonagal isn't even here yet.

As if on cue, McGonagal entered the Great Hall in that moment. She stopped in front of the teacher's table, clapped her hands twice to gain the students' attention and spoke - Good morning. This morning I have a diferente announcement to make. As some of you may recall, in the start of the year I announced the Dawning Day party. Such party will consist of a ball, not unlike the one of the Triwizard Tournament. All students are welcome to participate and you are to bring a date to the feast. The Dawning will be celebrated in a week, that is, next Monday. The Heads of the Houses will give some lessons to those who may have ''forgotten'' the proper way to behave in such parties. - Several Gryfindors chuckled, remembering McGonagal's lesson before the Triwizard's ball. - That's all for today, now, dig in. - As she said that, the plates filled themselves with food.

The day went by surprisingly fast and after dinner Hermione, Ron and I were in the common room, me on one of the large couches, Hermione taking up most of it with her head on my lap and Ron sitting on an armchair by my side. We were jsut talking casually at the end of a normal school day, something that had been missing for many years. Eventually the conversation ended up about who sent the Dementors and it was a common opinion that some Death Eater was still out for revenge. After a while, Ron stood up and went to the bathroom. I had been waiting for him to leave for a while now.

- Hermione. I wanted to ask if you wanted to go to the Ball with me. - I said as I played with her hair with my fingers.

She smiled and looked up at me - I wouldn't have it any other way.

At that moment, Ginny came in through the portrait hole and walked towards us. She stopped in front of me and simply ignored Hermione - Harry, will you go to the Ball with me?

I felt Hermione stir but I put one hand on her forehead and another on her stomach preventing her from standing up. - Ginny, no I won't go to the Ball with you, I already have a date.

- May I ask who it is?

I stopped Hermione from standing up once again and simply said - Hermione - answering Ginny's question.

She stormed out angrilly and I felt Hermione relax on my lap as she closed her eyes and mouth ''Thanks''.

Ron came in and headed straight to the dorms. I stayed with Hermione for a little longer and then headed upstairs too.

The rest of the week went by surprisingly quickly and before I knew it, it was Sunday. On that day, all girls went haywire. Some were crazy about the dress they bought, the others were crazy because her friends hadn't decided what they would wear. Lavender, Ron's girlfriend, was one of the latter. She practically dragged Hermione to Hogsmeade the moment they were allowed to leave the grounds. In the past few days, Hermione and Lavender had become quite good friends. When they came back they both refused to show their dresses to me and Ron.

Through the week, the dance became the only thing everyone cared or talked about. With all the talk about the dance, I got curious to who would Ginny be going with, if she was going at all. It remained a mystery all week who was Ginny's partner and no one knew.

It was with great surprise that I saw her come down the steps that led to the Great Hall with her arm intertwined with Draco's. For a moment I wondered if she was just doing it to mess with me but the smiles on their faces said otherwise. I could understand why she liked him, he had changed a lot recently«, mainly due to the war. His father always taught him that purebloods were better than everyone else and that he should hide his emotions, that they were a weakness. After the war ended and his father was sent to Azkaban, those teachings fell to the ground, shattered, as he saw that they only lead to suffering, hatred and death. He changed, became someone you could talk to instead of fight and who would think twice now before insulting someone. I smiled at them as they passed by and they waved back.

I was waiting for Hermione for a while now and was getting worried. I was beginning to consider going upstairs to look for her when she stepped around the corner I was looking at. My jaw dropped to the floor: she was absolutely gorgeous.

She was wearing a floor length dress that had one strap over her left shoulder and was white, fading into blue as it went down.

- Are you just going to stare at me the whole night or are you taking me to dance? - she asked, snapping me out of my trance.

I held out my hand and she took it. I lead her into the Great Hall. Several people stared at us as we walked through the Hall. We were a little late and the music was already playing and some were already dancing, others eating, some doing both, somehow...

I went to get us something to drink as we started to enjoy the party...

*Hermione's POV

Harry went to get us some drinks and I saw Ginny walk by and called her. She looked at me and smilled as she walked towards me.

- Hi Ginny! How you doing? And was that Malfoy I saw you with?

- I'm fine thanks, and yes I came with Draco.

- How did that happen anyway?

- Well, at first I just did it to try and annoy Harry. I have no idea why because I knew they were no longer the enemy they once were but then, I realized he changed, for good. He became quite the friend and I have to say I might have had a crush on him some time ago.

- I have to say, I got the idea he had something for you too, that was just one more reason for him to envy Harry, one more thing he had Malfoy hadn't.

- Well, he sure took his time to realize he hadn't asked for any of it. He sure did, but now, he's diferent, the old thing I had for him is coming back.

- Hi Ginny! - Harry had just shown up with the drinks.

- Hi Harry.

- Did I just see you with Draco? - I was surprised by him using his first name.

- Yes, you did. I may or may not have asked him just to mess with you.

- And? Is it working - He teased.

- No. But I won't say I'm not enjoying the party.

- That's great. - the music changed that moment and Harry turned to me - May I have this dance.

- I wouldn't have it any other way.

He practicaly dragged me to the dance floor. Once we got there, we waved around in sync with the music and there was nothing more than that calm tune and the two of us in that moment. It was perfect.

The night got on and the two of us swayed with the music through it. When the last music stopped and the band began to pack their things, we halted an just stared at one another for a moment and after that, none of could resist any longer. If there was still any doubt about the realtion we had, they were all destroyed in the moment we kissed, right there in the middle of the Hall, for all that were still there to see. In that moment tough, neither of us cared what other would think, it was just the two of us, as we wanted,as it was meant to be...

Author's Note

Finally another chapter... It's been too long. I think the last note summed up what I had to say and I won't bore you with it again, just know that updates may take more then they did before but I'm not ready to give this story as finished just yet. I also have other projects on the works, two of them Harry Potter related, the other is a surprise that may come out after another Harmione fanfics or just after I end this one, I'll give you more information when I decide.

Until then, I hope you enjoyed this long due chapter and will come back for the next, leave your suggestions and opinions in the comments and bye...

-Gomesss