A Memorable Tale

45 | Dancing

As Roger placed his hand at my waist, he whispered to me, "You can speak French, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Could you teach me some words?" His voice went even quieter. "I'm trying to impress Fleur Delacour."

"The champion for Beauxbatons?" I looked around. "Roger, Cedric told me that she was part veela, you know? What if you're just being put in a trance - you know, as veela do?"

"So?"

"So, wouldn't you want to go with someone you like?"

"But I do like her!"

"You- Ow!" I kicked his shin with the foot he stepped on. "Watch it!"

"Please?"

I scoffed. "Fine!"

I glanced at Cho, who had another Ravenclaw boy as a partner, and noticed the pensive look on her face, seeming to be torn between something.

When the dance lessons were finished, I ran to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Cho!"

"Hm? Oh, Y/N." She smiled. "What is it?"

"Planning on going with Cedric?"

She hummed. "I'd like to, yes. But, I don't know if Cedric will actually ask me. There's so many people that would want him to ask them out and I don't know if he'd even consider me."

I stared and clutched my bag. Looks like I didn't learn my lesson the first time I tried to get them together. "We'll see about that."

•••

After school, I went to visit Cedric in his dorm and sat in the chair he kept at his desk as Cedric paced around his dorm. Damian was sound asleep and his other roommates were off searching for dates.

"Who has asked you?"

"Erm..." Cedric paused to organize his thoughts. "Some fifth years... A girl from Gryffindor, Fleur Delacour-"

My head tilted up from my book. "Fleur Delacour?! As in, Beauxbatons' champion?" As in the veela?

He nodded. "I kind of felt weird. Like, for some reason I really wanted to."

"But you rejected her, right?" Worry filled me. I was supposed to be helping Roger get Fleur as a date.

"Yes, I did. She's become a friend, yeah, but I don't think I would want that to change at all."

Thank goodness.

"I mean, the girls that have asked are nice, yes, but I've never even met them! I didn't know I'd need to know how to dance either! And I'm going to do it in front of the whole school. Merlin, I'm doomed!"

I turned the page of my book.

"You're not the least bit worried about going to the ball alone?"

I shrugged. "I've been asked."

I could basically hear the snap in his neck when he rotated his head in my direction, going deathly silent as if trying to penetrate my mind.

"...I can tell you who they are."

"There's multiple?"

I snorted. "It's only because I'm your god sister, Ced. They want to know you. I don't think anyone would ask me out if it weren't for that."

His penetrating gaze softened and he knelt in front of me, lowering my book so he'd be the centre of my attention. "That's not true."

Sighing, I answered, "Whatever you say."