ROTBTD: Hogwarts

Chapter Eight: A Ball?

I'm not neglecting this story, I'm just focusing more so on a different one. So don't be mad if I go a week or more without updating!

Enjoy!

"Have you not noticed," whispered Merida, "that Jack and Hiccup seem as close as they did when they very first met?"

"And they both seem oddly satisfied with something," Rapunzel agreed.

They were sitting alone at the Gryffindor table. Hiccup was showing Jack something as they sat at the Hufflepuff table, but the girls couldn't tell what it was. They were speaking in hushed voices. Rapunzel wondered briefly if Jack had found out about Hiccup's secret.

Elsa and Anna walked in then. Anna made eye contact with Hiccup, who beckoned her over. The redhead literally dragged her sister over to sit with them. Rapunzel couldn't help but notice that Jack tried to instantly strike up conversation with Elsa, who answered politely but didn't seem too keen on talking.

"Does he like her?" she murmured.

"You know what, I think he does," Merida replied.

Astrid came into the hall and fell into a seat near the girls. Hiccup jumped up and winked at Jack, who blushed but moved into the seat Hiccup had previously been in -- which was right next to Elsa. Hiccup then walked over to join Astrid. The girls couldn't hear their quiet conversation, but Astrid was suddenly furious and Hiccup was trying his best to pacify her.

A boy walked into the hall, obviously from Durmstrang, and collapsed into the nearest chair -- which was coincidentally at the Gryffindor table. He buried his head in his hands. A large group of Durmstrang boys came in then, glanced at him, and simultaneously rolled their eyes. They walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down.

"What's wrong with him?" Merida wondered aloud.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think those guys are bullying him," said Rapunzel.

"Let's go find out," said Merida boldly, and she led the way over to sit with them. (As they passed, Astrid burst out, "WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU REALIZE HE WAS THERE?!" causing Hiccup to topple off of his chair in alarm.)

Merida dropped down next to the boy and said flatly, "What's up with you?"

The boy started. She realized that he was the same boy she'd seen when the Durmstrangs arrived who had red hair and sideburns. "Oh, nothing," he said airily.

"We saw those boys," Merida pointed out. Rapunzel had stopped just behind her and was looking vacantly around, a bit embarrassed that Merida had been so blunt.

"They're just --" He paused, thinking.

"Bullies?"

"For lack of a better word, yes," he said, smiling.

"Why don't you just -- I don't know -- take care of them?" she said slowly.

"They know way more magic than I do," he said sadly, catching onto her meaning. "I mean, we're in the same year, but they haven't exactly followed the rules."

"Just say the word," said Merida grimly. "I don't need magic for this."

The boy grinned. "Thanks, but no, thanks. I'll deal with it. I'm Hans."

"Merida."

Rapunzel stepped forward, apparently satisfied with the way Merida had handled the conversation. "I'm Rapunzel."

Not seeming surprised at all about her sudden appearance, Hans said, "Nice to meet you guys. Aren't you part of the group that's friends with all four houses?"

"How'd you know?" asked Merida.

"Your hair," he smirked. "The rumors are that the girl with the big red hair is part of it."

"Haha, very funny," said Merida dryly.

"It was your names," Hans admitted. "I sat with Jack the first day here, he told me about you guys."

"I'll kill him later," Merida joked. All three laughed.

"So have you heard?" Hans asked. "The Yule Ball's coming up for Christmas."

"I hadn't," said Merida, "but I'm not interested. I don't dance."

"I'm going with Eugene," Rapunzel smiled. "He asked me a few days ago. And I bet Hiccup's going with Astrid."

"Doesn't seem like he's going to ask her any time soon, though," Merida remarked, glancing over at the couple. Hiccup was cowering under Astrid's murderous gaze."

"Who's Jack going with?" asked Hans.

"No one yet," said Rapunzel, "although I think he has his eye on Elsa. That's her and her sister Anna over there."

"I know them," Hans frowned. "Isn't Anna going with Kristoff?"

"Who's that?" asked the girls in unison.

"That blonde boy right there."

A blonde Beauxbatons boy had sat down right beside the three.

"Well, we don't really know him, so we don't know," said Rapunzel.

"I wish I knew who I was going with," Hans said, suddenly sounding bitter.

"You want to go?" asked Merida.

"Well, duh."

"That means that if I don't go, I'll be the only one of my friends who doesn't," Merida realized. "Great."

"Doyouwannagowithme?" Hans said rapidly.

"What?" Merida blushed.

"Um... nevermind..." he muttered, looking mortified.

"Did you just ask me to the ball?" Merida asked, astonished.

"Maybe..."

"But we just met!"

"Does it matter? I won't go with anyone else..."

Merida was too surprised to say anything.

"Do you wanna go with me?" Hans said slowly, talking so quietly that it was hard to hear him.

"Sure," said Merida. They both turned a red to rival Merida's hair.

Rapunzel cleared her throat. They whirled to find her grinning. "Now that that's settled," she said happily, "you might want to look to your right."

They turned to find Astrid looking extremely surprised and Hiccup embarrassed.

"He just asked her," beamed Rapunzel.

And they heard quite clearly when Astrid yelled, "Yes!"

Mostly a filler chapter, but a chapter nonetheless. Hans has definitely changed. This was probably a weird way to get those two to go the the ball together, but that was all I could think of. Since neither of them had a love interest in their movies, I made them pick each other as a last resort: I thought they would probably feel honored just to have been asked/accepted. What do you think? Jack and Elsa chapter coming up next!

Bye!