Worlds Collide Harm(fully)(lessly)

Chapter 16

AN: I made an Instagram account where I'll be posting pictures related to my works. Account is pey.119

I also wrote half of this while in line at the BMV so...I guess we should be thankful for its long lines cause I actually got some writing done? Maybe?

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The Yule Ball was everything Nico expected. Shit.

He stood with Will against the far wall, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the champions enter the room. Hermione had told him that she was going with Krum but made him promise to not tell the others, and yet seeing her with him was still a slight shock. Ron's face was priceless.

"We dress up good," Will commented. "You look good as a rich person."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "What does that even mean-"

"You look good in those robes, especially with that ring on your finger."

Nico blushed before scowling. "We're in public, William."

"Right, I forgot." Will wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "You have the reputation of a big bad Hufflepuff to keep up."

Nico rolled his eyes but didn't lean away from the touch. "You also look good tonight, Will. Robes suit you."

Will looked down at his dark robes and their yellow accents. "Well...I do feel pretty fancy in them."

"Good, they were expensive as fuck."

Ron came over to the pair, having already abandoned his date but looking decent in the robes Nico had bought him. A red face didn't help, however. "Nico, look at the head table."

Nico sighed but humored his brother, frowning when he saw Percy Weasley sitting up there, looking smug as fuck. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"Who is it?" Will asked.

"Dunno why," Ron continued. "Did you know about Hermione?"

Nico nodded. "She looks nice."

"You knew that her and Krum-"

"Ron, shut up," Nico pleaded. "You're being a dick."

Will snorted. "Whatever it is you two are fighting about, it looks like it's time to eat. Maybe we should focus on that."

And that's how Nico found himself sitting between a gorgeous Will and a red faced Ron at the feast. The plates were enchanted to have anything they asked for, and Will asked for Italian this time while Nico tried seafood. They ended up switching plates five minutes in.

When the food was finally gone and couples were dancing, Nico stayed at the back table with Will. They passed a bottle of vodka back and forth and leaned against each other, listening to the music and watching the dancers. Ron was fuming nearby with his date sitting in silence, and nothing besides the alcohol made the night fun.

Harry came over after the first dance and sat between them and Ron. "How's it going?"

Nico shrugged as Ron didn't answer. "Boring."

Will elbowed him. "Be nice. It isn't boring. It's...different."

"It's boring."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, Harry's date leaving with another guy while Nico and Will got the vodka bottle down to the half mark. No one seemed to notice or smell it. The room was spinning.

Hermione came up to them when another song ended, red faced and Krum-less. "Hi!"

"Hi," Harry greeted. The rest of the table stayed silent.

"It's hot, isn't it?" Hermione commented. "Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."

Ron glared at her. "Viktor?" he asked. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "What's up with you?"

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you."

Hermione stared at him, then at Harry, who shrugged, then at Nico. Nico just brought the bottle to his lips.

"Ron, what — ?"

"He's from Durmstrang!" Ron argued. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You — you're —fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"

Hermione's mouth fell open. "Don't be so stupid! The enemy! Honestly — who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"

Nico smirked. "Who called him cute for a guy and made me promise not to tell anyone-"

He got hit by both Ron and Will at once. But his brain was bubbly enough to just shrug the whole encounter off.

"Nico, what the hell-"

"I know you're old enough or whatever, but you should not be drinking," Hermione warned. "Not here. Not everyone is aware of it like we are. Look at you, you're drunk!"

Nico blinked before nodding. "I am. But that's how I chose to celebrate Christmas. Oh, and also with this."

He held out his left hand and showed off the ring Will had gotten him. "We're all probably gonna die, so here's to the future."

Will took the bottle and held it up. "Woo hoo."

Ron hit him again before turning to Hermione. "I suppose he asked you to come with him when you were both in the library?"

Hermione forced the bottle from Will's hands and gave it to Harry. "Get rid of this. And yes, he did. So what?"

Nico looked up at Will. "She took the only fun this stupid dance offered. Wanna go to the Argo II?"

"We never danced," Will whined. Hermione and Ron were having a shouting contest with Harry watching like he didn't know what to do.

"Obvious, isn't it?" Ron was saying. "He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with... He's just trying to get closer to Harry- get inside information on him- or get near enough to jinx him-"

"You are horribly suspicious, you know that, right?" Nico asked. "The enemy's right under your nose." Silence. "Or, probably. I've been in two wars. It's always the last person you expect."

"So, you?" Ron scowled. "Stay out of this, Nico."

Nico rolled his eyes and looked to Will. "Argo II, please?"

"One dance," Will begged. "Please?"

Nico's eyes scanned the dance floor. Neville was stepping on Ginny's feet. Something in Nico wanted to stop anyone from dancing with his little sister, but his brain was fuzzy and he knew that he didn't need to. She was having the time of her life and he would let her. Who knew what was going to happen in the upcoming years.

Some demigods were seen but none he was friendly with. No Annabeth, no Leo. Dominic was dancing with the third person that night.

"Do we have to?" Nico asked. "I've never danced before."

Will got up and took a second to stabilize himself before pulling Nico to his feet. "One dance. Then we'll go to the Argo II and do whatever the hell you want."

Nico huffed. "Fine, fine, whatever. But I don't know if I'm going to like dancing."

"Well, it's time to see."

A slow song was playing but he didn't recognize it. But when Will held him close to his chest and looked in his eyes, it became his favorite song. And dancing was something he never thought he'd enjoy that much.