Risen- Drarry COMPLETE

Chapter 50

—Teddy POV—

"And one, two, three, spin! Two, three..."

I sat on the edge of one of the Hufflepuff's common room chairs, shoulders slumping, looking anywhere else but the dance lessons Madam Hooch was giving in preparation for the Yule Ball. It's a tradition, they say. It's funny to watch your friends nearly fall as they try to keep up, they say... Well, that part is funny. But the rest is just boring to me, considering I don't have anyone to go to the ball with. Sure, I have my friends, but they have someone else to go with. Luca said he was busy with band, since all their time would be spent on the stage playing, and he'd be spending time with other people.

...So he's not going with me. My mind wandered to the question that Gabriel had asked me a month ago.

"...Victorie was spending a lot of time with you lately. Does that mean anything?"

I exhaled sharply and looked down. Why am I so thick? After mulling it over, for a damn month, I figured out what he meant, but I don't know of my answer to that question. I hadn't exactly been spending time with Victorie as much as I did between that question and now. We waved to each other in the hallways while heading to class sometimes, but it seemed that she would walk to her destination faster after that. After some time, I started doing it too.

The feeling I had whenever I thought about her is still there, and still gnaws at my mind when I see her, but it doesn't bother me as much as it did. But it still frustrates me to think of Luca. Why am I feeling this toward the very first friend I made in this enormous school, which I'm sure would have felt... emptier without him, even with everyone else?

"Mr. Lupin? Hello? Earth to Lupin?"

I blinked a few times and looked up as I heard snapping sounds very close to my face.

"It's your turn," Hooch firmly stated, extending a hand to pull me out of my seat. Several jeers and "Come on, Ted!" were heard.

"...Alright, I'll-"

Just as I was about to agree, I got pulled off my feet and into that weird position for ball dancing. I had never seen anyone do this, much less have I done this. Something akin to fear rose up in my chest.

"You just take your partner's waist... and hold their hand like this. Follow the steps. Don't trip."

The simple radio put on a different selection than before. I didn't recognize it, but I think Luca said this was "in three?" That interaction was very strange; he rambled on like a maniac, but I enjoyed seeing his eyes light up.

"Mr. Lupin! Focus! You nearly tripped me!"

"Oh, s-sorry," I bashfully replied.

I began to actually follow the patterns of steps as Hooch said. I couldn't help myself from thinking how this would actually play out in the ball, me dancing with the unlucky bloke calling themselves my partner, who'd come out of that dance floor with tarnished shoes. But I also thought about what would happen if I really tried, if I really danced with... someone. Victorie. She'd be as graceful on the ground as a Veela was in the air, I'm sure.

"Well, you tripped me over nearly twice, but I'd say that was better than some of you here, yeah?"

Hooch quipped, cluing me in that the song was over, though my hands were still in position. I lowered them as fast as I could, looking at the crowd and rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment. I went and sat back down next to Bonnie and Wendy, who had just finished dancing together, and noticed Bonnie was red in the face.

"Hm..." Wendy leaned closer to me, sitting up straight in his chair, "I am rubbish at Quidditch, and she is rubbish at waltzing. That evens things out. You're not as bad as I thought you would be, though. Good job mate."