Demigods at Hogwarts | the rescue mission ✔

28| The Yule Ball 2

Percy's POV

A few hours earlier...

  I rubbed my sweaty palms on my trousers, staring anxiously at the staircase. I was waiting for Ariadne to come down. I gulped. What had happened between me and her had left me shaken up, but I couldn't cancel our date, could I? 'Just one night, I to myself. 'Just one night, then you can ignore her for the rest of your life.'

    "Percy!"

    Ariadne was moving smoothly down the staircase, smiling down at me. Her red hair was tied up in a double knot pony, and she wore a flowing green dress that matched with her eyes. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach already.

   "Ready to dance?" she said lightly, offering me her hand. Hesitantly, I took it and led her over to the middle of the dance floor, where the champions of the Tournament were supposed to start the dance.

    "Attention!" Professor McGonagall bellowed, her voice echoing off the walls of ice. "Now, I will present the champions and their partners. Please welcome Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang!"

   A large cheer erupted from the crowd as the couple emerged from the throng of people, smiling flirtatiously to each other. Cho was wearing a sea-foam green dress with a pink trim, and her hair was in a traditional Chinese-style bun.

   "Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies!" Again, the cheers of the attending students could be heard loud and clear.

   "Victor Krum and Hermione Granger!" Hermione and Victor strode to the front. Hermione wore a periwinkle blue dress, and her usual bushy hair was sleek and shiny, twisted into an elegant knot at the back of her head. In other words, she appeared to be beautiful.

   "Harry Potter and Parvati Patil!" Parvati was a pretty Indian girl with glossy black hair and soft brown eyes. She was one of those people who had a nice smile, though both Harry and she remained stonefaced. I realized that taking each other to the Ball had not been their decisions at all.

    "Percy Jackson and Ariadne Grey!" I could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes boring into me as Ariadne and I advanced onto the dance floor. There were a few whoops and cheers from people who thought we looked cute together, but that was it. Then the music started playing, and everyone was busy waltzing away, ignoring us completely, which was fine by me.

    "I can't dance," I muttered to Ariadne in a low voice, flustered. "I'm horrible."

"Me too," she confessed. "That's why I brought this." She took out a small vial of blue liquid. "Magical dancing potion. Works like magic," she laughed. "Lasts for three hours, perfect for us. Try it." She handed the potion to me. Trying not to think about it, I quickly gulped the contents down, surprised at the sweet aftertaste.

    "Now dance," Ariadne giggled. Instinctively, I spun her around as we danced perfectly to the beat of the music. I gaped at her. "So this really works?"

    "Why wouldn't it?" she asked cheekily, putting her hands on my shoulders.  I noticed everyone else, including Piper, was staring at us enviously. I felt my cheeks burn with shame, then realize that people were staring because we were good. A first, even for me.

    "Please welcome our guest band---the Weird Sisters!" The slow, classical music changed to an upbeat, catchy song. Forgetting all my worries for a moment, I allowed Ariadne to lead me away from reality. She was exactly what I needed---someone fun and easygoing---so different from the Annabeth that I was used to.

  Annabeth.

   I didn't think about her until I was lying in bed that night, when everyone was already sound asleep. And I had never felt so ashamed of myself. So unworthy.

   Because my time with Ariadne...I had actually enjoyed it.