Chapter 5: The Night Concludes
Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I'm uploading a few more chapters tomorrow to make up for it. To answer a reviewer's question as to why characters don't use certain spells…well, I figure that one hundred years ago, magic just wasn't what it is today. Wands were hard to come by, spells were more unstable, basic potions were still being improved, and Apparating was just coming into common use. So, if characters aren't using spells, it's because they haven't been invented yet…or because I just don't know about them (in which case it really just works out in my favor). Hooray for my admitted ignorance! I go into this in greater detail about this later on (the spells, not my genial attitude towards ignorance).
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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Hermione left Harry and made her way over to Luna, who looked as radiant as ever. There was a hint of pink in her cheeks and a gleam in her eye as she hugged Hermione.
"Having fun?" Hermione asked, already knowing the answer.
Luna's eyes misted as she nodded.
"Have you danced yet?" Hermione asked.
Luna nodded again.
"With Ronald?"
Luna smiled dreamily.
Hermione again hugged her sister, who seemed to be deliriously happy.
"Hermione!" A panicked Lavender interrupted them by practically pouncing on Hermione.
"Hermione," she wailed, "Viktor isn't here…he isn't coming!" she cried woefully.
Hermione found herself enmeshed in reams of silver as she tried to put an arm around her little sister: "Oh Lav, I'm sure he's just late."
Lav shook her head and gave a petulant pout: "I asked Seamus (which made him so jealous I can't tell you) but Seamus said that Viktor didn't want to be in the same room as Harry Potter. Viktor said that he was afraid that something unpleasant might happen." Lav gave a sob. "It's not fair. He's so handsome and he promised me a dance. You heard him! What will I do now? I can't possibly enjoy the party without him."
Lav was close to tears, but Hermione couldn't help but think there were plenty of red cloaks around to make sure Lavender enjoyed herself.
"Er…well, Seamus must be relieved that Viktor didn't come," Hermione smiled reassuringly.
Lav's lip trembled. "Really? Why?"
"Because this way he'll have more dances with you."
Lavender beamed and stopped sniffling. "That's true! You know, I bet Seamus is happy that Viktor hasn't come! Oh that Seamus is awful…" Lavender smiled mischievously. "I'm going to tell him what you said…" Lavender raced off before Hermione could stop her.
"At least she'll enjoy herself now," Luna said, as Lavender bounced away. "Who's this Viktor person?"
Hermione recounted how she'd met Viktor and what he had to say about Harry Potter.
Even Luna's calm countenance was shaken. "I can't believe Harry Potter could do that," she insisted as she shook her head.
Hermione made a noncommittal nod. "That's what I thought, but…"
"What is it, Hermione?" Luna could tell her sister was upset.
"It seems at least partially true. Seamus Finnigan knows about it. And Viktor Krum did stay away tonight on account of Harry. There'd be no reason to if he'd made the story up." Hermione shook her head. "But still I can't believe Harry could do something so malicious."
"Just 'Harry' now is it?" Luna grinned.
"He told me to call him 'Harry,'" Hermione admitted shyly.
"Well Harry is a friend of Ronald's," Luna assured her, "and I don't think Ronald would want to associate with Harry if he'd done something really awful. Ronald is one of the best men I've ever met," she added with a sigh.
Wait til you see him eat…Hermione shuddered at the memory.
But Hermione had to admit that Luna did have a point. Harry was so well-connected and widely known that his bad character would've been public knowledge by now.
Somewhat satisfied, Hermione suddenly found herself standing beside Tonks and Lupin, who'd just returned from their dance. Tonks was jittery with excitement and smiling brightly.
"You didn't tell me that Remus is such a good dancer," Tonks said teasingly as Lupin grinned.
"Remus is indeed a wonderful dancer," Hermione replied. She leaned over to Tonks and whispered, "But I bet you would've found a way to enjoy his company even if he wasn't." Hermione wriggled her eyebrows, giving her cousin a taste of her own medicine.
Tonks turned beet red and crossed her arms over her chest. "S'not funny when someone else does it," she sniffed.
"I think we have the next dance, Hermione," Remus declared, offering his hand.
"I'm sorry, but I've already promised Harry the next dance," Hermione answered with a polite amount of regret (or more regret than she felt).
Remus looked puzzled. "Er…I believe that he's already dancing with Ginny." Remus motioned to the dance floor, where several couples had gathered, including Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter.
"Oh." Hermione swallowed hard and forced a bright smile, determined not to think silly thoughts (silly thoughts which invariably bombarded her two seconds later); thoughts about how Ginny Weasley looked amazing in her blue gown, about how Ginny was certainly better suited for Harry, and how she was his best friend's sister no less.
Waving away such ideas, she took Lupin's hand, but stood as far away from Ginny and Harry as she could when they took their places on the dance floor. The music began, and Remus and Hermione took a step toward each other. After a few turns, they began to weave in and out among the other couples.
Hermione came to a stop and found herself standing next to Harry.
"Oh, um, hello Harry," she stammered. Say something nonchalant and witty, she told herself.
Mustering her courage, she opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Well done Hermione, she mentally hit herself upside the head.
Harry leaned toward her. "Hermione I'm sorry," Harry started, but he couldn't finish before they had to cross and turn. The next few notes brought them together again. "I didn't want…"
But Hermione didn't wait to hear what he "didn't want." She took a few steps behind him so he couldn't talk to her without turning around and falling away from the group. She couldn't understand why his dancing with Ginny should upset her so much. He hadn't exactly asked her for the next dance. Perhaps he'd promised Ginny before they'd begun to talk.
Annoyed with her childishness, Hermione fell back in line with Harry, waiting for the next sequences of complicated turns.
"Hermione," he began again, hoping she realized that he hadn't intended to dance with Ginny Weasley. The redhead had practically dragged him onto the dance floor, threatening to throw a tantrum if he didn't oblige her. He usually didn't mind dancing with Ginny, but tonight was different. Much different.
"It's all right Harry," Hermione assured him. She touched his arm like she had before. "Honestly. Maybe we can have the next dance."
Harry nodded and leaned closer to her, "Maybe we can have the next few dances," he said softly as the line moved and Hermione found herself turning and crossing with a different group of people.
When the dance was finished, Remus took Hermione back to where Tonks and Luna were standing. Ron had joined them and he and Tonks were laughing hysterically at something.
"What did you do Tonks?" Hermione asked good-humouredly.
"Nothing Mione," Tonks said with an innocent expression. Unable to keep a straight face, Tonks broke out into boisterous laughter, followed by Ron.
"We were just seeing how many of those pepper things we could put in our mouth," Tonks explained.
Dear gods… "I'm afraid to ask but, who won?" Hermione winced.
"Luna!" Tonks said excitedly.
Hermione rolled her eyes. Obviously Tonks and Ron were corrupting her older sister. Soon they'd be teaching her firewhiskey games and then god knows what else…
Ron nodded. "She was able to eat five. Five!" Ron looked at Luna like she was some inhuman apparition. "It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."
Luna shrugged serenely. "I like peppers."
"Let me get you some punch," Ron said as he darted off.
Normally, Hermione would feel the need to lecture her wayward sister, but tonight, even Hermione's behavior wasn't stellar where men were concerned. She had a flash of herself with Harry by the window, and the blood rushed to her cheeks.
Harry chose that moment to approach her for their dance. He stood behind her until she sensed his presence and turned to face him.
"Hermione," he greeted her with a slight bow and offered his hand.
As she looked into his eyes, she began to feel the same heady excitement she'd suffered by the window.
Honestly, I don't think green will ever look the same for me. He's completely spoiled it, she thought, gazing into his emerald depths.
She took his hand and followed him to the dance floor, silently falling into step beside him. She forgot to excuse herself from her friends, but they were all distracted by some new dare that Tonks had issued to Ron.
The music started and all the couples joined hands. The dance was slow and had plenty of opportunities for long lingering touches. Despite the crowd, Harry and Hermione never took their eyes off each other. They were aware of only the two of them moving gracefully around the other dancers.
Harry found himself fascinated with her every move: the shyness in her glances, the effortless charm of her warm smiles, the feel of her tiny hand in his. At one point he lifted and spun her and slowly brought her to the ground. For a moment, she was fully in his arms, her body flush against his, her hands entangled in his hair, her breasts pressing against his chest, her lips a hair's breath away from his….
"Hermione," he whispered, lost in a sea of sensation. The music seemed to stop as he lowered his face to hers. Their lips had nearly brushed when she pulled away (unaware of his intentions) and resumed the dance steps.
Shaken, Harry finished the dance, overwhelmingly ashamed by what he'd almost done.
Merlin what am I doing…what was I thinking? he muttered as he left the dance floor before the song even ended.
When the dancing stopped, Hermione looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Alone, she went back to her giggling circle of friends, silently waiting for Harry to join them.
Harry, meanwhile, raced to the men's gilded lavatory, nearly tripping over the house-elf attendant as he rushed to the marble sink where he threw off his glasses and splashed the coldest water possible on his face. Berating himself for what had nearly happened, he stared into the mirror trying to shake away the thoughts that were plaguing him. Thoughts about Hermione kissing him, of moaning his name while his hands snaked up the front of her dress, of Hermione lying under him as he frantically tugged at the ties of her corset…
He groaned and knocked his head against the mirror a few times.
I have to control myself damn it…I can't act this way around her…at least not until we're engaged and then…
Harry froze. Engaged…what?
He'd never thought of marriage before, at least not favorably. And here he was, in the men's room, his face wet and cold and numb, planning an engagement to a girl he'd known less than a month.
"Bloody hell, this is ridiculous," Harry laughed harshly. The frightened house-elf looked on as the crazy wizard talked to his reflection.
"This has to stop." Harry gritted his teeth as his resolve settled. "I've got to get out of Meriton."