Emerald and Scarlet ~ Drarry

The Remembrance Ball pt.2

It truly was a sight to see. The eighth years walked through the castle in two columns, boys on one side and girls on the other. Of course, this was all orchestrated by Ernie Macmillan who led the group proudly in his midnight blue robes.

Harry found himself glancing at Parvati Patil next to him awkwardly, an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu swirling in his gut. He felt a kick in the back of his calf and turned his head quickly to see Draco's sinister smirk.

"Where are your manners, Potter?" He nodded to where his arm held his assigned partner, Susan Bones' hand. "Be a gentleman."

Harry scowled but turned back to face the back of Ron's head and offered his arm to Parvati. Ron was very happy that he was able to wear some nice robes for this ball, and that he got to take Hermione who was smiling as she clung to his arm.

They suddenly stopped moving, causing Harry to step on Ron's heel which earned him a punch in the arm.

"I will not hesitate to kill all of you and then myself if we do not walk in there and impress," said Ernie as he placed his hands on his hips. "Smiles please, and Harry you look positively depressed. Could you please at least pretend to be straight for five minutes?"

Harry felt a horrible blush rise in his cheeks as he heard the snickers from his peers, especially Draco behind him.

"He's been doing that for the past eighteen years!" Ron called out, turning the snickers into outright laughs. Harry looked down to the stone floor as to hide his bright red face and he dropped his arm from Parvati.

"Leave him alone," said Hermione, hitting her boyfriend in the arm. "Let's just get this over with."

"Too right, there is a fine line between fashionably late and embarrassingly late. Pull yourselves together back there and let's get a move on!" Said Ernie.

Draco's slim fingers came to rest on Harry's shoulder which made him feel a little better. The lines began moving again and the slender hand fell from Harry's shoulder. He took a breath to steady himself and offered his arm back to Parvati who was still giggling a little after Ernie and Ron's comments.

The group turned the corner to where the large wooden doors of the Great Hall were wide open, the sound of chatter pouring out. There were a few students of the younger years which Ernie shooed from the entrance in order to make the entrance that he envisioned.

As the eighth years entered the hall there certainly were some turned heads admiring their coordination and style. The hall itself was beautiful. There was a subtle spring theme with large vases of flowers on every surface, pastel tablecloths and candles. There were small lights floating around the ceiling that Harry had to assume were some kind of bewitched fireflies. They danced beautifully through the air, illuminating the twilight sky in the heavens.

Harry felt glad to part from Parvati as she wandered off with her sister to some of their seventh-year friends. The ball had seemed to not have officially begun. The students and guests seemed to be merely standing around, clinging to the edges of the room. Harry stood silently, watching the other people in the room, Ron on his left and Draco on his right. It seemed that almost the entire school had decided to make an appearance at the ball, Harry could glimpse many students through the doors in the Entrance Hall which was equally as lavishly decorated.

The group peered around at two tables where the special guests were sat, attempting to suss out who was in attendance. Harry could see Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister for Magic sitting with several other ministry wizards and witches. A surprising guest was Madame Maxime with two older looking students to her left, perhaps Beauxbatons' head boy and girl. The recognizable uniforms of Durmstrang also caught his eye, next to a very grumpy looking man in his late thirties who Harry assumed was their headmaster. There were another two guests in complementing blue and deep red uniforms that Harry did not recognise next to a very old looking witch.