another love; harry potter

fourteen

The bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders.

Professor McGonagall called above the noise, "Potter- Wilson - a word, if you please." I bit the inside of my cheek as I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed to her desk with Harry, knowing exactly what this was about. Professor McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had gone, and then said, "The champions and their partners -"

"What partners?" said Harry.

Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought he was trying to be funny.

"Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," she said coldly. "Your dance partners." Harry promptly turned red.

"Dance partners? I don't dance."

"Oh yes, you do," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."

"Is there an option to not be a champion?" I said hopefully, swallowing anxiously as the woman peered at me sternly.

"I'm not dancing," Harry said immediately.

"It is traditional," said Professor McGonagall firmly. "You are a Hogwarts champion, Potter, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner."

"Wait," I said slowly, "so since Harry is the school champion, and-"

"Would you prefer," McGonagall said briskly, turning to me, "to speak to Madam Maxime about this Yule Ball business, Wilson?" I felt heat rise into my face and shook my head quietly.

"Then you will do well to get a partner and open up the dance with the rest of the champions, if not for Beauxbatons, then for Hogwarts, at the very least."

"But - I don't -" Harry stammered, evidently still in shock.

"You heard me, Potter," said Professor McGonagall in a very final sort of way. I nodded and dragged Harry out the classroom, as he was glued to the floor, stammering in shock.

"Life is fuck," I said shortly, hitching my bag up my shoulder.

"Everything is fuck," he nodded decisively. "At least I have someone to go with if all else fails."

"And who's that?"

"Ron."

"You two would make an adorable couple," I grinned, "I can already see it."

"So..." Harry began as we continued walking to our next class, "who're you planning on asking?"

"I dunno..." I said nonchalantly, deeply wishing I could've asked him, but of course, he had a crush on Cho and then would go with Parvati Patil. "How 'bout you?"

"Yeah, me neither," he shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets.

A week ago. I would have said finding a partner for a dance would be a cinch compared to taking on a Peruvian Vipertooth. But now that I had done the latter, and was facing the prospect of asking someone to the ball, I thought I'd rather have another round with the dragon.