too close to the stars - H.J.P

Chapter Eighteen

"Know how to dance yet, Potter?"

"No. Up for a quick lesson, Lupin?" He said in the same serious tone.

"Yeah. You might want to learn, you know, being the champion and all that. Especially now that you have a date. Don't want to embarrass yourself, just in case this date turns into something more. You don't want to make her run off because you stepped on her one too many times." Noel teased.

"I'm not sure about the last part but why don't you teach me. Just to make sure I don't embarrass myself." Harry said, batting his lashes.

Noel smiled coily and started to pack her things up. "C'mon then! No time to waste." She seized Harry's hand and started to drag him out of the hall. Catching a few peoples attention.

Noel dragged Harry to the same classroom that they had practiced the summoning charm in and coincidentally there was a record player in there.

Noel dropped her bag and waved her wand making the music begin.

"Alright, we'll start with a 4 count step and just dance in a box so you can get used to the foot work. Then when you think you're ready we'll add the twirls and lifts. Waltz isn't too hard but if you're uncoordinated then, good luck." Noel laughed.

Noel put her hand on Harry's shoulder and picked up his left hand to link their hand together. She watched amused as Harry got red and went stiff.

"You have to relax Harry, no one wants to dance with a stick. It's just me." She finished with a whisper. Noel smiled gently as she guided Harry's hand to her waiste and took a step closer.

She always danced with her dad and sometimes with her Taid who were both taller than her so she instinctively raised herself up to her tiptoes as they began.

At first it was very bad. Harry kept stepping on her toes and when he didn't his eyes were glued to the floor. Noel never lost her patience and guided him through it all until they finally went around the room without an incident.

"That was very good Harry." Noel praised when they let go. "We can stop here if you're too tired but I think you need to pick up Pavari at some point."

"So you've heard?"

"Yes. Padma was telling some of us girls about it yesterday."

Harry nodded. "Has anyone asked you?"

"Yes actually. Neville asked me and Daniel from Hufflepuff. I said no to both of them, I had asked Luna already."

"You're going with Luna!" Harry said, sounding relieved.

"Yeah. The person I wanted to go with has a date already. Good thing I didn't wait for them though, I would've been disappointed." Noel confessed.

Harry nodded his head not knowing what to say. She wanted someone to ask her but they didn't. But she had already asked Luna so she wouldn't say yes to anyone who asked.

"What if they had asked but you couldn't say yes because you had asked Luna already?" Harry asked, confused.

"Luna knows who I wanted to ask me and we agreed that if they did asked I would go with them. But they didn't so it doesn't really matter does it?" She shrugged. "Do you want to continue?" Noel asked again, changing the conversation.

Harry nodded his head a little distracted, but they started up again and he couldn't think of anything other than that they were a little closer than they had been before.

The morning of Christmas day Noel was missing her dad very much. She usually celebrated her birthday and Christmas with him when they went home for break but now that everyone in 4th year and above decide to stay for the ball she wouldn't see him until Spring break.