Healing the Broken

Chapter 4- The Ball

The time for the beginning of the ball was near, and Harry and Ron were waiting beneath the stairs anxiously for Ginny and Hermione to descend down them. Both of them clearly remembered their fourth year, to which Hermione had looked absolutely stunning, and wondered if she would look the same again.

Finally, the doors opened,and both Ginny and Hermione came down the stairs, but Harry's eyes were on Hermione, though he felt guilty for not staring at his date. She was in a long, floor length blue dress that faded into a deep purple, but this time instead of having her hair tied up it was flowing in silky curls down her back and to her waist, and it seemed to shimmer and catch in the light when she moved. She looked like she had no makeup on and was naturally beautiful, and Harry knew that she was, and that the most she had put on was mascara and lipstick. She had always said that makeup makes her face itch.

Harry feels Ginny slip his arm through his and he forces himself to tear his eyes away from the girl who wasn't his girlfriend, and he plasters a smile onto his face that feels fake and it all makes him feel guilty, but he takes that guilt and shoves it in his stomach, where he ties it in a nice knot and tells it to shut up.

Ginny somewhat drags him to the Great Hall, which was where the ball was being held, and it was hard for him to follow her since he kept sneaking glances over at Hermione, who was smiling and talking to Ron.

About a week or so after George had asked Hermione to the ball, he had gotten a letter from Angelena Jhonson, an old friend of his, and he had been meeting up with her to talk a bit. He and Hermione had talked and it turned out he wanted to go to the ball with Angelina, and he wanted to make sure that Hermione wasn't upset. Hermione seemed just fine, and had gone about her daily routine like it was nothing. And then, on the train ride to Hogwarts, Ron had bought Hermione a glass of pumpkin juice and then brought her out into the aisle, insisting that she take a drink of it before answering his question, which was if she would go to the ball with him. She said yes immediately, as if she had been waiting all day and night for him to ask her to the ball, when Harry knew better than anyone (and he knew because they had grown even closer, if that was even possible, over the summer) that she couldn't care less if Ron asked her or not.

It was all incredibly suspicious, and Harry watched as Ron bought her a red drink, probably some form of juice since Hermione rarely drank, and as soon as Hermione took a swig of it she was pulling Ron to the dance floor with newfound enthusiasm.

The Great Hall was always transformed into something beautiful for special occasions, and tonight was no exception. The center was cleared for a dance floor full of dancing couples of all shapes and sizes, and there were tables draped with white linen table cloths pushed to the side for when people got hungry or tired. There were two long tables on either side of the room mounted with food and drinks of all sort, all of which made Harry's stomach growl just looking at them. A large glittering chandelier was strung up among the floating candles, though it all looked like it was being hung from the sparkling night sky. He could see every star, glittering against the dark night, and it reminded him of the nights he spent outside with Hermione at the Burrow. It seemed like everything made him think of her.

Harry continues to shoot glances at Hermione and Ron while he and Ginny danced, steering himself closer to them with each twirl and each step, trying not to glare daggers at Ron. Finally he realises what he is feeling, this... jealousy that was building inside of him, and he does the only thing he can think of.

He turns back to Ginny and kisses her.

Kissing Ginny was nothing new, for he had kissed her plenty times before, and all of the times before he had felt sparks fly, and as if something stronger than any type of magic was shooting between them. It was a feeling that always drew him closer to her in his times of need, a feeling he wanted to have so much so that he could forget about any other feelings he may have for his best friend.