✵
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
_____________________
"𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐞?"
_____________________
The view outside of the large common room windows is hidden almost entirely. Frost that had originally appeared just along the edges now covers the windows entirely and the temptation to go over and draw smiley faces with my fingers is indubitably overwhelming. Outside those foggy windows, snow falls rather delicately. It's chilly yet not completely unbearable. Simply stated, it's the perfect ambiance for this Christmas Eve night.
Quite contrasted to the calmness outside, indoors it's total chaos which is scary because I haven't even seen it to its full extent yet. In the Gryffindor common room alone, the Yule Ball buzz that has been progressively building for weeks has finally reached its max. It's spread like the plague as we grow closer and closer to the dance itself.
Hermione and I managed to avoid some of this
craziness by smartly having gotten ready earlier on in the night. Now the two of us relax in the common room. Well, I do at least. I listen to the click-clacking of high heels against the wooden floors in the girl's dorms as last minute touch ups are being finalized. Watch the hysterical nervous saved-until-the-last-minute attempts at trying to perfect the ballroom dancing we've been learning for weeks. The glowering stares from the younger students unable of attending.
Though I try to ignore the way my heart races each time a boy emerges from the boy's dorm staircases, somehow hoping and begging for it not to be Harry at the same time.
Anyways while I manage to find comfort in the chaos, lounging on a comfy couch in front of the fire, Hermione paces back and forth in front of me. I view this as a surprising, somewhat unsettling sight. Hermione is rarely one to get worked up particularly like this. Especially over another human being, a boy no less. I'm feeling at a loss as to how to help in this situation. I'm not really used to being the voice of reason, truth be told I don't think it's a great look on me.
I understand why she's stressing, well kind of. I mean, I understand that she's worried she and Viktor won't have much to talk about, that it'll be awkward but really, is it bothering her this much?
"Surely, Hermione when you see him all your nerves will fade, it's just been built up so much that you're feeling the anticipation," I offer, trying my best to channel what she would say if the roles were reversed.
Hermione nods, not looking much convinced but her pacing slows allowing me to believe that maybe my words were more helpful than I thought.
I glance at the clock when I notice that the noise levels in this place have decreased drastically. The large hand at the number ten, the smaller at the seven, my eyes widen as I leap up from the couch. "We're nearly late, we've got to get going," I announce.
Cedric and I had arranged to meet just outside the Gryffindor common room and to walk to the Great Hall together. Seeing Harry and Cho together is much better than seeing the two of them individually. As for Hermione from my understanding she's meeting Viktor just outside the hall. Since the two of us are each attending with a champion, we're expected to enter formally alongside them. I haven't decided how I feel about this yet. The thought of everybody's eyes staring me down leaving me so vulnerable to judgement definitely is a tad unnerving. However, it's also a chance to spark a Cinderella moment as I walk into the ball with Prince Charming on my side.
The moment the portrait door swings open, I'm met with the sight of Cedric, he stands patiently awaiting our arrival. The boy looks dashing. Just incredibly handsome. So much so that I can foresee the looks of envy I'll surely be receiving all night.
Cedric gives me the same once over that I gave him. "Wow," he breathes. His stare lingers and I begin to feel extremely nervous until he shakes his head quickly as if snapping him out of a trance and return his eyes to mine. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare," he apologizes genuinely. "You just, you look stunning."
A smile breaks out onto my face. "Thank you," I reply unintentionally laughing most likely a product of my uncharacteristic shyness I'm experiencing. "You look very nice yourself."
I immediately regret my word choices. Nice? Really, y/n, nice? Clearly I haven't a clue as to how one is suppose to compliment a boy. How even does one compliment a boy?
Thankfully he flashes me his trademark boyish smile. "Thank you," he says before his face lights up with a look of realization. "Here, I brought this for you."
I hadn't even noticed he had been carrying anything, my attention to detail being thrown aside as I got distracted by his hair, his eyes, his smile. Cedric steps forward, gently placing a beautiful, striking red rose corsage onto my left wrist. All I can do it stare at its beauty as I take a few seconds to process the gesture.
"You didn't have to," I say truthfully. "Thank you, Cedric. It's beautiful."
This boy is really challenging my 'just friends' comment from before. How easy it would be for me to fall in love with him. A true gentleman, a real looker, thoughtful, the perfect guy.
But I know and I feel it deep down in my heart that's not how things are supposed to play out for the two of us.
Now very much pushing our time, we have to speed walk towards the Great Hall immersed in conversation the entire time. I feel relieved that I don't have to endure the awkwardness Hermione feels she'll have to face, that even though Cedric and I have only spoken on a few occasions, we're able to talk as if we've known each other for years.
I pause as we reach the staircase that leads to the clearing just outside of the hall. I don't mean to stop, but my mind seems to remember the first attempt at walking down stairs in heels and my bruised up knees begin to ache.
"Are you okay," Cedric asks to which I nod.
"I am," I reply not so confidently. "Stairs seem to have a vendetta against me in heels so unless you want your date to walk in there with a broken neck or something, you're going to have to help me."
Cedric nods along. "Oh, so then I definitely shouldn't do this?"
He gives me a quick nudge, a small one but one that catches me off guard and has me clutching onto his arm as if my life depends on it.
"Yes, Cedric that is a perfect example of what you SHOULDN'T do," I exclaim whacking him as he grins in response.
"Okay, okay," he says linking his arm through mine. "Oh oops," he nudges me again this time making me laugh.
"Stop it!"
The two of us make our way down the stairs and all of the nerves that had been fizzling around have simply vanished. Cedric continuously pushes then catches me, making me believe I'm going to lose my balance even though he's repeated this cycle about five times now and hasn't dropped me once. He really eases the tension I didn't know that I had as I throw my head back in laughter at his antics.
I finally look up when we approach the bottom of the staircase and while I can see that there's a few people waiting around, I ignore them all, my eyes instantly lock onto a pair of eyes that had already been locked on to mine.
The most striking green eyes I've seen to this day. The familiar, comforting eyes that I've been avoiding lately. Fearing that if I dared to look into them then all I'll be able to think about is how I let them go. And they do make me think that but those damn eyes are like a magnet and I can't look away.
I smile at him but I'm not even able to see if he smiles back thanks to McGonagal rushing over to the two of us bombarding us with the run down of how we enter followed by the champion's dance. I try my best to listen, I really do but out the corner of my eye, I can see his eyes on me and trying to shake that off feels impossible.
McGonagal hurries to line us up scolding us if we aren't standing straight or holding our chins up high enough. From inside the hall I hear the fanfare begin and the massive hall doors swing open.
A line of students stand on either side of the doors, having created a path for us to walk through as they applaud upon our arrival. Contrary to what I believed earlier, I'm hardly affected by all of the eyes on me. In fact, I hardly notice it at all. I'm far too in awe of what once was the dining hall transformed into a beautiful winter ball.
Tonight the enchanted roof has been charmed to mimic the snowfall outside, peaceful snowflakes appearing to fall down on us. Long, large icicles hang down from the ceilings as well they match beautifully with the long silvery blue drapes that were hung along the walls. There's a large, admittedly intimidating dance floor cleared for the four champions and their partners. This wasn't what I'd expected at all, it goes way beyond what I could've expected.
It's perfect.
As Cedric leads me out onto the dance floor he smiles down at me. "Are you nervous?" He asks.
I tilt my head from side to side, pretending to think about it. "That depends," I respond. "Are you a good dancer, or are you about to embarrass me?"
Cedric chuckles. "Well I guess that's up to you to find out."
Professor Flitwick taps his baton rhythmically, signalling for the orchestra to start playing. Cedric takes this as his cue to place his hand on my waist as I follow and place mine on his shoulder. It takes every ounce of self control that I have not to burst into a fit of laughter at the thought of Ron doing the same to McGonagal when we had first practiced those few weeks back. The waltz begins and it's safe to say that Cedric will not be embarrassing me with his dancing abilities. The two of us maneuver the moves quite elegantly and once more I very easily forget that there's a whole bunch of people watching us.
The crowd applauds as the boys lift their partners into the air. Cedric lifts me higher than I had been lifted in practice and a wave of fear rushes over me for only a second before it then feels like I'm flying.
When I return to the ground he spins me around then stops me abruptly re-grasping my waist, leaving me speechless.
"Well, am I embarrassing you?" He asks.
I shake my head quickly. "Quite the opposite actually."
The professors begin to join in on the waltz before slowly and surely more couples make their way onto the dance floor. Cedric effortlessly works in his charm as we dance, cracking jokes every so often that makes me laugh until my stomach hurts.
After several more lifts and spins and moves that surely will leave my poor feet bruised in the morning, we take a break from waltzing as The Weird Sisters take the stage. After that, the mood was completely elevated. I mean I turn my head for a second and when I turn back Professor Flitwick was surfing the crowd.
The night goes by all too quickly, socializing and dancing and cheering, jumping and screaming. Cedric and I make our rounds, I meet loads of his friends and I ensure we visit mine.
The later it gets the more destructive Fred and George swing around their long limbs. This combined with the slightest slur in their voices when they sing allow me to believe that they've been chugging down maybe something stronger than pumpkin juice. However this only heightens their usual energy and after only dancing with them for once song I need about a twenty minute break to recover.
Draco's got a smile on his face unlike any other I've seen. It's not a challenging smirk or quite like the way he smiles when someone gets hurt or embarrassed. It's a raw, genuine smile and it is truly a fantastic look on him.
We spend loads of time with Hermione and Viktor and I'm relieved to see that the two seemingly had no trouble in avoiding the awkwardness. The pair have sparked quite the commotion, everyone's talking about the chemistry they share. I mean understandably so, it's quite obvious.
It seems a certain red-headed Weasley is less than thrilled about this though. Ron hasn't moved from his seat all night. Actively glaring at the pair instead of paying attention to his own two dates. The Patil twins look about as bored as I feel during a lesson of Herbology and I feel sympathy for the two girls. Idiot Ron.
There's only one person I haven't seen much of.
I scope the crowd and although I'm definitely terrified that I'll come face to face with the two of them with chemistry of their own, I still strain my neck to search for the boy who lived and the lucky girl who gets to call him her date.
I'm looking for awhile and I begin to fear that he's left altogether that is until I expand my search to the entire hall rather than just the dance floor. It's then that I see Harry standing on the sidelines, alone. I feel guilty at the rush of relief I feel and I nearly make my way over immediately before remembering my own date.
I turn to face Cedric only to see that he's got the same look in his eyes and his gaze is locked on something, or rather someone, and I'm almost positive I know who. He strikes a look of realization of his own and looks back down at me.
"Go find her," I say.
"What?" He asks, crouching down to hear me over the loudness of the band.
"Go find her!" I yell. "Cedric, you've really saved my night. Thank you for everything."
Cedric smiles at me. "And I'd do it again. Go and find your boy."
He extends his arm and I take his hand as he twirls me around once last time before the two of us bid each other farewell and make our ways over to the people that we really should've came here with.
I push my way through the crowd, with each second passing my actions grow more urgent.
"Hey, y/n where're you-"
"Cant talk right now, I'll catch you later, Seamus!"
Finally I make my way out of that clustered crowd of teenagers and I scan the sidelines but the boy who lived appears to be the boy who left for he's no longer seen.
I sigh a mixture of both exasperation and from being out of breath of trying to shove my way out of that crowd.
Now what?
✵
notes from the author
-love you all xx