𝑝𝑎𝑑𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑟, 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

↳ 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚

"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard tournament since it's inception." Leo sat in between Seamus and Dean as the Gryffindor girls sat across from them. It was obvious that the girls were way more excited than the boys were, them listening intrigued as the boys sat bored. "On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for a night of well-mannered frivolity." McGonagall continued to inform the group, Leo sighing tiredly. "As representatives," McGonagall looked at Leo as he smiled awkwardly. "And representative of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward and I mean literally, beacause..." Leo's face scrunched up in confusion as the Professor trailed off.

"The Yule Ball is first and foremost...a dance." This made the girls erupt into whispers, Leo not being able to understand it as he squeezed his eyes shut, the boy's groaning in disgust. "Silence!" Everyone looked towards McGonagall as she continued. "The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the Wizarding World for nearly ten centuries," Leo sighed, smiling when he met eyes with Hermione. The girl didn't look as pleased as the other girls around her, the two sharing a relateable smile. "I will not have you in the course of a single evening besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling, band of baboons! " McGonagall instructed, Leo hearing George try and say it five times fast. The boy looked back, smiling at the older boy as Fred hit George's shoulder, the latter looking back at Leo as the boy laughed silently.

George shrugged and smiled at the boy, trying to say it fast again, Leo shaking his head as he turned back around. "And to dance is to let the body breathe. Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers, longing to burst forth and take flight." Leo playfully looked at Hermione shocked, the girl glaring at the boy in return. "Something's about to burst out of Eloise Midgen, but it's not a swan." Ron spoke to Seamus, the two smiling together as Leo scowled at Ron, McGonagall turning to the boys with her arms spread out. "Inside every boy, a lordly liom prepared to pounce. Mr Weasley!" Leo jumped as McGonagall shouted the boy's surname. Ron seemed shocked when McGonagall called him, his face dropping. The girl he spoke about, Eloise Midgen, looked down to the ground upset, the girl to her right rubbing her shoulder.

The girl comforting her looked at Ron in disgust, meeting eyes with Leo as the boy mouthed a 'sorry'. The girl smiled lightly and looked at McGonagall, still rubbing Eloise's shoulder. "Will you join me please?" McGonagall asked, Leo looking at the boy with a smirk. McGonagall offered her hand to Ron, the boy staring at it shyly before Leo hit the back of his head, people laughing at them. "Take it!" Leo whispered, McGonagall sending Leo a glare but a smile, Ron doing as told and taking McGonagall's hand, Harry pushing him up with a smile. All the boys laughed as McGonagall guided Ron to the centre of the room, facing the fourth year. "Now, place your right hand on my waist." McGonagall instructed after placing hers on his shoulders. Leo wolf whistled as Ron looked utterly traumatised. "Ooh la la!" Leo exclaimed, the boys laughing as Ron sent him a glare.

"That's enough, Mr Black." McGonagall scolded, Leo listening as he nodded, still laughing with Seamus, Harry and Dean. "Come on, Mr Weasley. On my waist." The Professor repeated, Ron slowly doing as told "Mr Filch, if you please." McGonagall spoke, Leo watching as the caretaker fumbled with the music player, eventually leading to the room filled by Waltz music as McGonagall lead Ron around the room, dancing. Leo looked back to see the twins dancing to the music dreamily, the boy laughing as he moved to the other side of Seamus, next to Harry. "You're never going to let him forget this, are you?" Harry asked, the twins leaning down to Leo and Harry as the former and George made rather intense eye contact, Fred shaking his head.

"Never." The two chorused, Leo holding out his fists as both Fred and George bumped them, the four turning back to Ron's distraught face. "Everybody come together!" McGonagall shouted, the girls getting up immediately as Leo sighed, McGonagall turning to them. "Boys, on your feet!" She exclaimed, the boys not standing up as Leo sat shocked at Nevile getting up. The Longbottom boy scanned and saw he was the only one up, Leo groaning. "Fine!" He exclaimed, standing up as the boys looked at him shocked, Neville smiling. The two boys made eye contact, Leo winking at him as he walked up to the girls, weaving through to get to Hermione, extending his hand. "Want me to allow your 'secret swan to burst forth?'" Leo spoke mockingly, Hermione glaring at him as she took his hand.