oOo
Once the First Task was over, school seemed to get back on track. With teachers setting piles of homework and classes taking up the majority of people's attention, no one had the time to sit around gossiping about the Tournament and Veronica found herself welcoming the break from the constant distractions.
Of course, that atmosphere didn't last long as the announcement came from the Heads of Houses that there was going to be a Yule Ball at Hogwarts the evening of the 25th of December to celebrate the Champions and their efforts during the Triwizard Tournament. This propelled the excitement and discussions, except this time it was mainly the females at Hogwarts who began these conversations.
This was due to the encouragement from the teachers that it is tradition to bring a date to the Yule Ball and now the boys seem to be trying their very best to avoid the situation entirely.
Veronica wasn't one of those girls who desperately wanted a date to the Ball, in fact as soon as she heard the news, she expected that she would probably be going alone, that is if she ended up going at all. She's kept these thoughts to herself though, as, like every other teenage girl, the idea of being invited by someone did send a hopeful tingle through her. So she remained optimistic and happy on the outside, pretending that as the days went by and no one acknowledged her, she didn't feel that sense of abandonment that seemed to follow her around since she arrived at Hogwarts.
oOo
As the days drifted into December, the snow started falling and Veronica deemed it too cold to go outside. She spent the majority of her time in the Library, catching up on homework or doing some recreational reading. Whatever it took to distract her from the seemingly neverending tensions around the castle as students hurried to find dates, organize their outfit and whatever else for the Yule Ball.
When she wasn't in the library, she was catching up on some sleep in her dorm or sitting in the Great Hall with Ernie, who has taken to spending more time with Veronica as she presented herself as the only normal, sane girl left in the castle.
It was early morning once again and the Hall was quite quiet, with only murmured conversations from the few students that were awake. Veronica and Ernie were sitting side by side near the end of the Hufflepuff table in a comfortable silence as they each enjoyed their breakfast.
Once the Hall started filling up more, the screech of owls from a distance let everyone know that the post was on its way. Veronica searches for her mother's owl, knowing that she was due a letter from home. What she didn't expect however was for the owl to appear carrying a large package neatly wrapped addressed to her.
Reading the letter that was attached, Veronica sighed and winced painfully, because somehow her mother had heard about the Ball that is coming up and insisted on sending her daughter a dress and shoes to wear for the aforementioned event. Veronica didn't have the heart to let her mother know that she probably won't even get the chance to wear the dress as she still hadn't been asked to the Ball by anyone. However, she knew she would still have to write to thank her mother kindly for the dress, and somehow get the message across that although it was a lovely gesture she won't be needing the dress any time soon.
That's how Veronica found herself in the Owlery later on that day, writing back to her mother to let her know about the predicament and also just letting her know how life was going at Hogwarts.
Usually, she paid no attention to any other students that are also in the Owlery but as Cho Chang left the room that day, a small shuffling made Veronica listen in, almost as if she could sense awkward scenarios before they happen.
Her ears perked as she heard the unmistakable voice of the one and only Harry Potter ask "I was just wondering if you would like to go to the Ball. With me?" he stuttered the first time and then cleared his throat and repeated himself.
Veronica felt her heart stop and her stomach drop once she registered what words she just heard come from the Champion's mouth. Why she felt this sudden depression on her heart she didn't know, as it's not the first time these past few weeks that shes heard someone being asked to the Ball.
The rational voice in the back of her mind tried to convince her that the pang of sadness was probably just a reaction to the gloomy reminder that no one would be saying those words to her, but for some reason, she knew that wasn't true. Especially once her mood lifted slightly once Cho rejected the boy because she's agreed to go with someone else.
Must be nice to have multiple admirers, thought Veronica as she heard Cho's footsteps get further away.
She quickly finished scribbling out a reply to her mother, tying it to an owl and as she turned to leave Harry walked into the room, his eyes focused on the floor with a sad glint in them as he recovers from that painful rejection.
Veronica suddenly felt shy and so she stuffed her face in her scarf to hide and scurried past the downtrodden boy. Though she didn't have any need to hide, as not once while they were in the room together did he look up, nor acknowledge her presence - his mind too focused on the Asian Ravenclaw who left earlier.
oOo
At dinner, Veronica noticed she was not the only one who wasn't pleased with certain couples paired up for the Yule Ball. Hannah came storming in a little earlier and threw herself in between the brunette and Ernie, holding back angry tears as she informed them that Neville Longbottom had asked Ginny Weasley to the Ball.
"She's not even old enough to go! The teachers told us it was for fourth years and older!" exclaimed the girl while stabbing her food with her fork. Ernie winced as the stabs got more aggressive the more Hannah spoke about the subject.
"Yeah, but they said third years could go if someone invited them so -" He quickly shut up after he saw the look Hannah sent him and after that they sat in silence, no one else willing to be the subject of Hannah's anger.
Little did she know that Veronica understood how she was feeling completely, and even if she would never admit it out loud, Veronica felt that same anger, just not as intense. In fact, a better word to describe it would be disappointment.
oOo
YOU ARE READING
Undistinguished (H.P.)
Fanfiction[adjective] lacking distinction; unexceptional. Veronica Green is a simple and average half-blood. Hidden in plain sight and blending into the background are what she does best. Until her fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, wh...
