Solarium de Caritate

Chapter One

May 1, 2000, Memorial Gala, Ministry of Magic Ballroom Four

"May we never forget those we lost. Thank you for being here." Blinking into the spotlight and fighting down the urge to vomit, I plaster a fake smile on my face before finishing the speech. "Please consider donating to the War Memorial Fund, as we continue to rebuild."

The room bursts into applause. With a sigh of relief, I make my way off the stage, as someone else wraps up the speeches and starts up the orchestra, asking everyone to clear the center of the floor for dancing.

"That was great, Harry!" Hermione looks stunning tonight in a cobalt-blue gown that accents her dark skin and hair beautifully.

"Really good, mate," Ron claps me on the shoulder. Like me, he's donned a Muggle tuxedo. The attempt to bring more Muggle fashion into the Wizarding World was Hermione's idea. It's actually been working pretty well, and the room is an interesting blend of Wizarding and Muggle formal wear.

"Thanks."

Ron takes Hermione's hand and leads her out onto the dance floor with a jaunty wave over his shoulder.

Ginny presses a tumbler of Firewhisky into my hands, and I give her a wide grin and down it. "You're the best, Gin."

"I know." She grins and kisses my cheek. "That speech was even worse than the last one."

"At least one of my friends is honest," I snicker. "It's not my fault, though. I don't write them!"

"They'd be even worse if you did," she playfully elbows me in the side, then plucks the now-empty glass from my hand and sets it on a tray floating nearby. "Dance with me."

The flashes of several cameras blind us for a moment as we make our way out onto the dance floor. Great. Anytime Ginny and I interact in public, the media immediately starts speculating about whether we're back together and if so, when we'll be getting married.

As we sway together, I smile down at her. "So, how's Charlene?"

Ginny beams. "Oh, Charli's fantastic! She had to work late at the hospital tonight, twelve hour shifts you know, but I'll get to see her when I get home."

"You moved in together?" That's a new development. "That's...pretty serious, Gin!"

She flushes, looking positively giddy. "I know."

"I'm happy for you. Really, that's great!"

"Thanks, Harry."

"You look lovely tonight, by the way." She really does, in a sleeveless lavender gown that shows off her toned arms and slender waist.

"Trying to win me back now?" She teases, eyes sparkling.

I laugh and spin her. "Absolutely not. You know I'd never do that to Charli, I adore that woman."

It's true. She and Ginny are great together, and our relationship had long been over (for several valid reasons) before the young Mediwitch had swept her off her feet.

I glance around the crowded ballroom, and my eyes are drawn to a head of long, platinum-blond hair catching the light. Malfoy is talking to someone I don't know, a polite, forced smile on his face. Like Ron and I, he's wearing Muggle clothes. Strange, but the fitted grey tuxedo actually suits him.

As I watch, he excuses himself from the conversation, looking extremely relieved, and heads for the open bar. He pushes his way through the crowd, and I catch sight of a tall, attractive man with dark brown hair and bright hazel eyes and I visibly flinch, my stomach constricting painfully. Fuck.