Author's note: I know it's been quite awhile for an update (for me, anyway). This chapter deals with the Yule Ball. I hope you guys enjoy it. Again, if you've never read the book "Circle of Friends' or seen the movie, I suggest you do so. Both are quite good! Please read and review!
Chapter 13
And I Love Her
"I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her
She gives me ev'rything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her
A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me
Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her
Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her"
(Beatles, "And I Love Her")
Ron was pacing back and forth in front of the entrance to the Ravenclaw Tower. He'd promised Luna he'd meet here there promptly at 7 p.m. It was now 10 minutes past that time. He hoped that the others waited for them. His stomach growled and he tried to forget the fact that he was hungry. Correction, he was absolutely starving. To him these fancy parties and balls were important and memorable for one thing-the food.
He'd nearly salivated when he'd read about the menu for tonight's feast. Roast turkey served with roasted potatoes, rice pudding, vegetables, and every possible dessert and sweet you could ever possibly want. That along was worth getting dressed up in this suit, Ron couldn't help thinking.
He knew that Harry and Hermione would want to wait for him, but it would just be like Seamus and Dean to tell them to come on and that 'Good old Ron' would catch up. They were always doing stuff like that.
He leaned back against the wall and thought for the umpteenth time that night what could possibly be taking her so long when he heard her clear her throat behind him.
"You haven't been waiting long have you?" she asked.
He turned around and was about to tell her that "Yes, he had been waiting quite a long time', when he lost all reasonable thought as he looked at her. She was wearing a floor-length pale blue dress with spaghetti straps. The dress was decorated with crystal sequins. She had done something to her hair, which was usually stick-straight. It now cascaded down her back in lovely curly tendrils. She wore a crystal necklace around her neck. Her face was lightly made up.
"Uh," Ron finally managed to stutter. "You, uh, well, that's, you know."
Luna gave him a quizzical expression.
"You. Dress. Nice," he said again, feeling like a complete and utter idiot as he did so. What happened to his ability to speak in clear, concise sentences?
"And they call me the strange one?" Luna asked, her eyes twinkling.
Ron laughed. "That must be why we like each other so much."
Luna beamed at him.
"So," she said. "You think I look okay?"
"Better than okay," he said, staring at her admiringly. "You look beautiful, Luna. Absolutely smashing."
She nearly melted at his compliment.
"What about me?" he asked her, spinning around. "Do I pass?"
She walked around him, looking quite intuitive as she seemed to be examining his suit. She took her hand to his shoulder and dusted off something. She stood back and smiled a half-smile.
"Well?" he asked, a little nervous as to what her reply would be.
Her eyes gleamed as she said totally deadpan, "You'll do."
*******
Ron had been quite right in his assessment of his friends' odds at waiting for him and Luna to arrive. The others had waited for a few minutes, before Dean and Seamus convinced Harry and Hermione to go on inside with the rest of the group.
They'd hesitated for only a moment before following. Once inside, Hermione gasped at the transformation the Great Hall had undergone. The entire hall resembled a winter wonderland. Everything was colored either white or silver and Christmas trees were assembled along the walls, decorated with silver tinsel and ornaments and lights. The long house tables had been replaced by rows of round tables that sat about 10 people. Each table was covered by white and silver tablecloths. The centerpiece of each table was a brilliant silver candelabrum. To sound clichéd, Hermione couldn't help thinking, it looked absolutely magical.
She clutched Harry's arm tighter as he led her toward a table, followed closely by Seamus and Parvati and Dean and Lavender. They found a table near the front of the hall and sat down, making sure to save seats for Ron and Luna.
Harry looked around the room for a sign of his best friend.
"Don't worry, Harry," Hermione said. "He'll be around. He's probably snogging with Luna somewhere. Besides, if the situation were reversed, you know good and well that he'd be thinking of his stomach and not whether he'd promised to wait for us."
"You're right," Harry said.
"I'm always right, aren't I?" she asked, teasingly.
"That's going to be the key to our relationship's success, isn't it? Admit that the girl is always right, even when she's not?" Harry asked, his eyes twinkling at her.
"Exactly," she said, beaming at him. "And to think it didn't take you ages to figure that one out!"
Harry leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. As he did so, Seamus hooted.
"Get a room, you two!" he called from across the table.
"They do have a room," Lavender teased.
"Which I think is totally unfair," Dean chimed in. "How many guys can say they are living with their girlfriend? I think they should change his nickname to the "Bloody Luckiest Boy Who Ever Lived."
"Sod off, Thomas," Harry said, throwing a piece of roll across the table at him.
"Oi!" an irritated voice came from behind them.
They each turned to see Ron with Luna in tow striding up to their table.
"Nice lot you are waiting for someone," Ron said, taking a seat. He hadn't bothered to help Luna to hers.
"Nice lot you are to help a lady with her seat, Ron," Luna said, playfully punching his shoulder.
"Luna, word to the wise," Lavender said. "Nothing gets in the way of Ron and his food. Trust me. People have tried before and lost fingers in the process. He's taken gluttony to an art form."
"Hey!" Ron said, while stuffing a roll into his mouth. "I resent that remark."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, Ron, I'd say you resemble that remark."
"Did I miss the schedule for the evening that said that this was the time of the evening to heap abuse on Ron?" Ron asked.
"Was it already time for that?" Harry asked. "I thought I'd missed that."
"Just in time, sweetheart," Hermione said. "We're just getting started."
Harry smiled.
Ron looked daggers at Hermione. "Can you give me a break just once, Hermione?"
She looked thoughtful. "No," she said finally. "I don't think I could. Besides, I usually have to deal with you on my own. Now, I have reinforcements. This is the best Christmas ever!"
Ron smirked at her.
***************
After everyone had finished eating, people started to head to the dance floor. Dean and Seamus had already been dragged onto the floor by Lavender and Parvati, protesting the entire way. Hermione kept shooting looks at Harry, hoping he'd take the hint, but so far, he'd hadn't.
"Hermione?" Ron asked, looking at her. "Have you got to pee or something? You've been bouncing about in your chair."
She shot him a mortified look. "No, I do not have to pee, Mr. Tactful."
"I think she wants to dance, Ron," Harry said.
"Well," she said, her cheeks turning a little red. "If you would like to, I'd certainly love to."
"You sure your feet can handle it?" he asked. "I must tell you that I'm not very good at it."
"Everyone can dance," Hermione said.
"I'm sure they can," Harry said. "But not everyone can dance well. I think you'll find that I'm not very good at it."
"Okay," Hermione said, looking at him. "Let me get this straight. You want me to take my life in my hands and go up on a broom with you, but you won't even get up on a simple dance floor with me? All you have to do is move your feet back and forth."
"Okay, okay," Harry said, getting to his feet. "When you put it that way."
Hermione smiled gleefully as Harry took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.
Luna watched dreamily as Harry and Hermione walked away. Ron looked over at her.
"Don't tell me you want to do that, too?" he asked her.
"Well," she said, smiling at him. "I wouldn't mind."
"Do we have to?" he asked her. "I'm not all that good at it, either. I have two left feet, really."
"Okay," Luna said. "I'll just go and ask Justin, then."
To Ron's horror, she got to her feet and started to walk away. He quickly followed suit and grabbed her arm, swinging her around to face him.
"What?" she asked coyly.
"Let's dance," he said. "Suddenly I have the urge to get down with my self."
"What?" she asked, with a laugh.
"I heard someone say that once," he said sheepishly. "Anyway, let's get on out there."
"Hmmm," she said, as he led her onto the floor.
"What?" he asked her.
"I never thought it would work, but it did," she said, as he wrapped his arms around her and they moved in time to the music. He pulled away to face her.
"What?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows.
"A friend of mine in Ravenclaw told me that if a guy said he wouldn't dance you could do one of two things," she said sagely.
"What are the two things?" he asked. "I'm almost afraid to ask."
"Well," Luna said. "You can either get him pissed or you can play the jealousy card. Since there wasn't any alcohol around, I went for the jealousy thing."
"You're good," he said, shaking his head and laughing. "You're quite good, Miss Lovegood."
*****
For all intents and purposes, Harry and Hermione felt all alone in the big Great Hall. As they danced together, they felt as if the entire room and everyone in it just melted away. At the moment, as the band was playing another slow number, Hermione rested her head on Harry's chest as he had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
Despite his warnings, he had yet to step on her feet and had been holding his own, much to her delight.
"You're awfully quiet," he whispered in her ear. "You didn't fall asleep on me, did you?"
She lifted her head to face him and laughed. "No, you daft git, I'm awake."
"So, what's got you so quiet?"
"I was just thinking," she said.
"About what?" he asked her.
She didn't reply and instead just rested her head again on his chest.
"What?" he asked her.
"You'll think it's stupid," she said softly.
"I will not," he said. "I promise. Tell me."
She lifted her head again and they stopped moving, but still held on to each other.
"I was just thinking that this is our first Christmas together," she said with a slight smile.
"We've spent loads of Christmases together," he teased.
"You know what I mean," she said.
"I do," he said. "It's the first Christmas where we've been together-together."
"Yes," she said. "And I was just thinking how perfect it all is. I mean, we've had a pretty peaceful year so far. It's such a contrast to everything we've gone through before. I mean, we were always on edge waiting for the next evil to come our way, but now our biggest concern is what we're going to do when we get out of school and things like that. I guess what I'm trying to say is that everything just seems normal and I like that."
"You and me both," he replied. "I think after all we've been through, we deserve a little 'normal', don't you?"
"Yes," she said.
"It might not always be this way," he said apologetically. "I wish I could tell you it would."
"You don't have to tell me that," she said. "I knew what I was getting into when I became your friend. I wouldn't change a thing."
He stared down at her and smiled. He cupped her chin in his hand.
"I love you so much," he said softly. "I hope you know that."
She leaned in and brushed her lips briefly against his.
"For the love of Merlin," came the cold voice of Draco Malfoy. "Could you refrain from kissing the mudblood in public, Potter?"
Harry's arms tensed on Hermione.
"Go away, Malfoy," Hermione said coolly to him.
Malfoy wasn't deterred. He smiled wickedly at Harry and then turned his attention to Hermione.
"I wonder what goes on in that room of yours?" Draco asked. "Does the mudblood put out for you, Potter? That must be what you see in her, because I can't think of any other reason to even associate with one, let alone-"
He didn't have time to finish his sentence as Harry quickly rounded on him.
"You son-of-a-bitch," Harry screamed into his face. All around them, their fellow students stopped dancing to watch the spectacle that was unfolding before their very eyes.
"Stop it!" Hermione said, trying to hold Harry back.
"I see," Malfoy said huskily. "I see it all now. That must be it. The mudblood's not putting out for you? She must be doing your homework for you then."
Harry reeled back and punched Malfoy as hard as he could muster. His punch landed on Malfoy's nose and Malfoy fell to the floor.
Malfoy was about to get to his feet to retaliate when Professor McGonagall hurried over to them.
"What on earth is going on here?" she asked, looking at Malfoy and Harry. "Explain yourselves, both of you!"
"I was just walking by Potter and Granger, here and the next thing I know he's going spare on me," Malfoy said angrily.
"You know that's not true," Hermione spat back at him. "Professor McGonagall, he was trying to get a rise out of Harry. He said some really awful things about-"
Hermione's cheeks flushed red.
"Nevertheless," Professor McGonagall said. "That is no excuse for you two boys to resort to violence. Honestly, this is neither the time nor the place. I don't want to see either of you within 10 meters of each other the rest of the night."
"What?" Malfoy asked, outraged. "He punches me and he doesn't get punished?"
"You will both be receiving detentions for your behavior," McGonagall said firmly. "And last time I checked Malfoy, I was a professor and you were a student. I will not stand here and listen to you critique my authority."
"This isn't over, Potter," Malfoy said coldly. "This isn't over by a longshot."
Harry didn't say anything as he watched Malfoy walk away. Professor McGonagall gave him a warning look before she also walked away.
After a few moments, everything seemed to get back to normal as the band resumed playing and students resumed dancing. Harry, however, didn't much feel like dancing anymore. He walked off the floor. Ron walked up to him and was about to ask him something, but Harry held up his hand. He sat back down at their now deserted table.
Ron looked to Hermione.
"What happened?" he asked her.
"One word-Malfoy," she said. She gave Ron a brief description of what had happened.
"That son-of-a--," Ron began.
Hermione put an arm on his shoulder, "Don't. Just leave Harry be. He needs to calm down. The last thing he needs is you going over there and egging him on."
"Someone needs to put that wanker in his place, Hermione," Ron said.
"I agree with you," she said. "But you know Malfoy, he's all talk and no action. He wants to get us angry. He wants to push our buttons."
"He does a good bloody job of doing that, don't you think?" Ron asked.
"Just leave him be now, Ron," Hermione said. "I need to go check on Harry. Go back to Luna."
"But, Hermione," Ron began, but his voice trailed off as Hermione walked away toward Harry.
She found him sitting at the table, drinking a goblet of pumpkin juice.
"Hey," she said, taking a seat.
"Hey," he said. "I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?" she asked incredulously.
"For ruining our evening," he said. "We were having a nice time and then I had to let him-"
"You haven't ruined our evening," she said taking his hand. "Don't even give anything Draco Malfoy says any credence. You know how he is. He's been that way since we've known him. He isn't going to change."
"I know," he said. "I just can't help it. When he starts spouting off at the mouth about rubbish like that, I can't help wanting to punch his lights out."
She smiled. "You know it was kind of cool to have you defending my honor."
He laughed despite himself.
"Just doing my job," he said.
"Well, you do it well," she said. "But you don't always have to do that. I can take care of myself, too."
"I know that," he protested. "I know you can."
"Which is one of the reasons I'm so crazy about you," she said. She held open her arms and gave him a warm embrace. When they broke apart, she had a gleam in her eye.
"How about we head on back to our suite and enjoy the rest of the evening alone?" she asked.
"Brilliant idea," he said.
They got up from the table and made a beeline for the doors, but Professor McGonagall stopped them. She looked quite grave as she looked at the two of them. Thinking it had something to do with Malfoy, Harry tried to explain.
"Honestly, Professor," he said quickly. "I haven't gone anywhere near Malfoy."
"It's not that, Potter," McGonagall said, her eyes focused on Hermione.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, becoming a little alarmed by the sadness on McGonagall's face.
"Let's step outside for a moment, shall we?" McGonagall said.
She held open the door and ushered Harry and Hermione through. They were now alone in the hall.
"Hermione," Professor McGonagall began. "I received an urgent owl a few moments ago from your mother."
"My mother?" Hermione asked, a feeling of dread coming over her. "What's happened?"
"I'm afraid that your father has suffered a massive heart attack," McGonagall said slowly. "He's been taken to hospital."
Harry grabbed hold of Hermione, who nearly lost her footing.
"Professor Dumbledore has set up a portkey that should get you there," McGonagall said. "You can leave straightaway."
Hermione couldn't move.
"Oh, Harry," she said through her sobs. "I-"
"It's okay," Harry said, embracing her and patting her back soothingly. "It's going to be okay, Hermione."
"Will you go with me?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Without even a glance at McGonagall, Harry nodded. "Of course, I will."
"He can't die, Harry," she said softly. "He can't die."
"Shhhh," he whispered. "Don't think like that."
She nodded. "Let's go. I need to get to my father."
Professor McGonagall put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "We should head on up to Professor Dumbledore's office, then."
Hermione and Harry walked solemnly behind Professor McGonagall as they made their way to Dumbledore's office. Hermione was sobbing nearly uncontrollably as they walked. Harry wished he knew what to say or do to make her feel better, but he was at an utter loss. He did the only thing he knew to do. He held her hand and squeezed it tightly. He was going to be there for her; no matter what she needed. That was what they were to each other and that was what they had always been for each other. When times were tough and things looked bleak, they could always count on each other to be a rock. It was Harry's turn to be Hermione's rock. He said a silent promise to himself that he would never let her down.