A/N
sorry in advance
-
-HARRY-
"I look like my great aunt Tessie." Ron moaned, tugging at the lace on his robes in the mirror. "I smell like my great aunt Tessie."
"It's not that bad." I lied, and Ron quickly shot around.
"What are those?" He gasped, his eyes widening as he gawked at my dress robes.
"Er- dress robes?" I shrugged, looking down at the rather basic robes Sirius had sent me.
"Well, those are alright!" Ron groaned, turning back to the mirror. "I can't go out with these!"
"It's not like your date will care." I joked, earning a punch from him on the shoulder. "Ow!"
"You deserve it! I can't believe you set me up with Christina Farraway." He growled as I rubbed my shoulder.
"Would you rather have not had a date at all?" I argued, shoving him back.
"Hey, mate, Christina Farraway's a bitch, but, damn, she's hot." Dean shrugged from his bed as he pulled on his shoes.
"Isn't she a lesbian?" Seamus asked, leaning against his four-poster bed frame.
"Aren't you gay?" Neville muttered as he adjusted his robes in the mirror next to Ron.
Everyone in the dorm bursted out into laughter, besides Seamus, who was practically steaming from the ears.
"Why does everyone think that?" He growled, stomping out of the dorm, slamming the door on his way out.
-
The entrance hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Those people who were meeting partners from different Houses were edging through the crowd trying to find one another. Meanwhile, I was only trying to find one person.
Ron and I walked down the stairs, both of us searching for Jupiter and Hermione. Instead, we were greeted by our dates.
"Hello, boys!" Cora grinned, standing next to a grim-looking Christina. Cora was wearing a rather pretty pastel pink dress, which reminded me oddly of a cupcake, and Christina was dawned in a simple, form-fitting silk red dress.
I met Christina's deadly gaze, then diverted my attention back to Cora. "Er- Cora, you look really pretty." I said, causing her to light up.
"Thank you!" She smiled sheepishly.
"Uh... Christina, you-" Ron started, but Christina held up a hand.
"Don't."
"Thank Merlin." Ron sighed helplessly, acting like a huge weight was just taken off his shoulders.
"Woah." Cora gasped, her eyes looking past me. Ron and I quickly turned around, and that's when I saw her. There she was, standing at the top of the staircase next to Hermione. I had always known Jupiter was beautiful, but now I was feeling like my knees were going to give out. Her brown hair had been curled lightly and was draped over her bare shoulders. Her dark dress rested gently below her hair, flowing down in short, frilly layers and pooled out at the bottom. It was black, shining with every movement, like specs of diamonds were littered throughout.
She walked down the stairs, holding up her dress by one of the frills so she wouldn't trip on it in her rather tall, glittery heels. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she let her dress go and glanced up at me. Her brown eyes met mine, and for a moment, I could see them soften. Her light smile faded, and her eyes began to well with tears as she froze in the center of the hall. She looked to the floor, her bottom lip trembling.
Then she was joined by another.
Diggory was at her side, and she looked up at him, putting on her best smile. He said something to her, which made her flush plum red.
"Potter!" Professor McGonagall yelled from down the hall, pulling my eyes away from the absolutely atrocious sight in front of me as Jupiter took Diggory's arm. "There you are, Potter. Are you and Miss Farraway ready?"
"Er- ready, Professor?"
"To dance. It's tradition that the three champions, well, in this case, four- are the first to dance. Surely I told you that." Professor McGonagall said, making my face turn white.
"No." I muttered, looking around at the insanely crowded hall.
"Well, now you know." Professor McGonagall shrugged. "As for you, Mr. Weasley, you may proceed into the Great Hall with Miss Farraway."
Ron let out a small groan, and Christina begrudgingly scooted a little closer to him as they walked in together.
"Oh! There you are!" Professor McGonagall gasped, clutching her chest as she hurried over to Jupiter and Diggory across the hall.
"That was a really nice thing of you to do." Cora said, looking up at me. Even in her heels, she was still considerably shorter than me. She was incredibly dainty, almost unhealthily. "For Christina, I mean."
"It was nothing." I shrugged. "I just knew Ron needed a date who wouldn't actually want to go with him since he'd be sulking over Hermione Granger."
"Still, I know she appreciates it." Cora smiled gently. "Speaking of Granger, can you believe she's here with Krum?"
"What?" I gawked, my mouth falling open as I began to search the hall for Hermione. I found her standing near Jupiter and Diggory, her arm wrapped firmly around Viktor Krum's.
"You didn't see? He met her at the bottom of the staircase when she walked down." Cora said, her head tilting slightly.
"Oh- er- no, I wasn't really paying attention." I stuttered, but before Cora could ask anymore prying questions, Professor McGonagall lined up the champions in front of the double doors to the Great Hall.
Jupiter and Diggory were placed in front of us, both of them chattering aimlessly just out of earshot from me.
"Follow me!" Professor McGonagall instructed, and the doors swung open.
We followed after her, Cora quickly taking my arm as everyone in the Great Hall applauded. Professor McGonagall led us down the empty path that was made in between the hundreds of students to the center of the hall. The walls of the hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling.
I ended up having to concentrate on not tripping over my own feet, while Cora seemed to be enjoying herself; she was beaming around at everybody. I tried to ignore the small whispers and stared that emerged whenever people realized the separation of Jupiter and I. I caught sight of Ron and Christina as we reached the center of the room. Ron was watching Hermione pass with narrowed eyes, and Christina was staring at Cora and I intently.
I remembered my promise to her, my heart beating a little faster at the thought. Getting hexed to a pulp by Christina Farraway was not something I wanted for myself.
My eyes found Jupiter, who was a pair over from us, next to Hermione and Krum. Diggory took her waist, his hand in the cusp of her side. I felt my blood begin to boil at the sight of them, but before I could make even more of an embarrassment out of myself, Cora interrupted.
"Harry." Cora whispered as we all came to a stop in the center of the room. "Take my waist."
"Huh?"
"Take my waist." She said as loud ballroom music blasted from Filch's gramophone atop the old teacher's platform. I quickly grabbed her, and took her other hand as the dance begun. My muscle memory was working overtime for the steps, since I had no clue what I was supposed to be doing.
I kept my eyes fixed over the heads of the watching people, and very soon many of them too had come onto the dance floor, so that the champions were no longer the center of attention.
"I'm sorry, I'm not really a dancer." I said to Cora as the music became less formal, my eyes drifting over to Jupiter and Diggory every few moments. The floor had become loads more crowded as nearly everyone in the room was now dancing, but if I craned my neck hard enough, they were easy enough to spot. Jupiter stood out in the crowd, her black dress shimmering beautifully off of the icy white dance floor.
"It's alright." Cora smiled. "I wasn't expecting you to be."
Then for what felt like hours of Cora talking, me giving half-minded responses, and watching Diggory make Jupiter laugh and smile, he did something that nearly made me vomit.
He kissed her.
Diggory kissed Jupiter. My Jupiter.
She seemed taken by surprise at first, but then she kissed him back. Her arms relaxed around his shoulders as he pulled her closer by her waist. I felt my hand tighten into a fist as it laid on Cora's side.
"Right after the first task, my mother sent me an owl saying there was going to be a ball and I knew I was going to ask you." Cora said, her words coming more into focus. I struggled to pull my eyes from Jupiter. It was too horrible to look away from. I wanted to make her jealous, I wanted to prove that she wasn't the only thing my world revolves around. (Even if she was.)
I finally looked down at Cora, who was still talking sheepishly like she expected me to bolt from her. I knew she was awfully pretty, and kind. I could see myself fancying Cora, once I ditched my maddening feelings for Jupiter. And besides, Christina told me to make this night good for her. It's a win-win, honestly.
"I reckoned since you barely knew me you weren't going to ask me, so I just thought I'd try my luck. I didn't expect you to say yes-"
Before she could finish, I let my mind go blank and kissed her.
It was a good kiss, there was no doubt about it. Her lips were soft, and she was extremely gentle. I deepened the kiss, placing my hand on her cheek and pulling her closer in a desperate attempt to feel something similar to the spark with Jupiter.
There could've been something there, if I cared enough, but the overwhelming thought of Jupiter stifled any possible feelings for Cora. Even though Jupiter wasn't someone I could call mine, I still felt like I had a hold on her. But if I couldn't show her she was mine, I would show her that someone else was.
-
-JUPITER-
"Hot, isn't it?" Hermione panted as we both broke free from the insanely crowded mosh pit. The music had sped up, and people were jumping up and down like crazy. Cedric and I had been dancing with Hermione and Krum, and both boys went to fetch us a drink.
"It's melting." I sighed, feeling as if I might turn to a puddle on the icy floor.
"I- wait... no..." Hermione muttered, her eyes darting over to a table across the room. "Is that Ron and Christina Farraway?"
"Er- yeah." I shrugged as we both picked up our dresses and hurried over to the quiet table. Both of them were sulking as they slouched on the small seats.
"Oh, hello, Hermione. Tired of dancing with Vikky?" Ron grumbled, his arms crossed as he pouted.
"What's up with you?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you." Ron seethed, and I looked over to Christina, who obviously knew and was finding some sort of amusement in the petty argument.
"Ron, what-?"
"He's from Durmstrang!" Ron spat. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You- you're-" Ron was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione's crime, "fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"
Hermione's mouth fell open.
"Don't be so stupid!" She said after a moment. "The enemy! Honestly- who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"
"Ew, what?" Christina snorted, and Ron shot her a look, then continued on. The two seemed to have gotten significantly closer over their bitter pouting.
"Where'd you even meet?" Ron asked.
"The Library." Hermione muttered, the pink patches on her cheeks glowing more brightly. "So what?"
"What happened in there? Trying to get him to join spew, were you?"
"No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he- he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"
Hermione said this very quickly.
"Yeah, well — that's his story," Ron scoffed nastily.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with... He's just trying to get closer to Harry. To get inside information on him or get near enough to jinx him."
Harry.
I had nearly forgotten about him.
Merlin, that felt odd to realize. Cedric had made me so happy, that I had forgotten about Harry. I hadn't even bothered to wonder who he had come with. I didn't even think to glance over during the champion dance. I felt my lungs begin to constrict with the thought of Harry being here with another date. I had no right to be jealous, believe me, I know, but I couldn't help the over-bearing envy that was washing over my brain.
"For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one." Hermione muttered, her voice quivering.
"Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions."
"I'd never help him work out that egg!" Hermione argued, looking outraged. "Never. How could you say something like that? I want Harry to win the tournament, Harry knows that."
"You've got a funny way of showing it." Ron jabbed.
"Leave her alone, Ron." I butted in, and Ron's narrowed eyes shot over to me. "She was just trying to be nice.
"And you!" He barked, standing up. "I reckon the only reason Cedric's with you is for that stupid egg, too! He just wants to be the only Hogwarts Champion, and what better way to take out his opponent then to get with his girlfriend?"
"I was never Harry's girlfriend. He never had the bloody courage to ask me. But do you know who did? Cedric." I snapped, feeling my face get warmer. "And Ron, you have absolutely no right to insult him like that. Just because you're so fragile about not being a champion, doesn't mean it's everyone else's top priority as well. I'm sorry that you don't feel as important, but it's moments like these that make it so you're not."
I looked over to Christina, and motioned for her to get up from the table. She didn't hesitate.
"So you can either grow a pair and act your age, or keep being a whiny baby and continue to make everyone else's lives miserable, just because yours is too."
"Yeah? Only if you stop going out with Diggory to make yourself forget about Harry."
CRASH.
I shoved Ron by his ruffled shoulders into the table behind him, bringing down the large fountain that sat on top. It shattered into pieces, spilling all of its liquid contents onto Ron's head.
His dress robes were rightfully ruined, and his red-head was falling over his eyes like a mop, and everyone around us began to laugh, including Hermione and Christina. We all stepped back, avoiding the flooding puddle on the ground surrounding him.
"I was going to hex him, but I reckon that was better."
Cedric was standing behind me, an amused smile on his face as Ron got to his feet and stomped away, dripping water on the floor as he left. Krum was also next to Hermione now, and although I couldn't quite understand his words through the laughing and the heavy accent, I knew he was thoroughly entertained.
"Cedric, I'm so sorry." I said, my hands going into my hair stressfully. "Don't listen to a word he says, he's an absolute prick-"
"Believe me, I know. Remind me again, why are you friends with him?" Cedric asked, setting down the glasses of punch on the intact table next to us.
"Er- I dunno. He's a lot more fun when he isn't jealous. Which isn't often, I suppose." I shrugged sheepishly. "But he's Harry's best friend, so it's not really my choice."
Cedric's nose scrunched at the mention of Harry, and his hands went into his pockets. He stayed silent for a moment, his eyes on the floor. "Fancy a walk?"
"Yeah, of course." I nodded quickly. I joined Cedric at his side, and we walked out into the entrance hall, following the drips of water from Ron.
"I'm sure you already know this, considering we snogged earlier, but I really fancy you, Jove." Cedric said, his eyes still low on the ground as we walked through the empty castle. I could feel my heart start to beat a little faster after the mention of what took place back in the great hall. "And I know I shouldn't have taken Weasley's words to heart, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't wondered the same."
"Cedric, I promise you that's not what this is." I sighed, mentally cursing Ron in my head. "I fancy you as well, this isn't just a game to me."
"I believe that, Jove. What I can't quite believe is that nothing is going on with you and Potter." He muttered, his eyes still glued to the stone floor as we walked slowly.
"I wouldn't expect you to. I'm not sure I quite understand myself." I laughed solemnly.
"Are you telling me nothing ever happened between the two of you?"
"No, I'm not." I sighed, letting my dress fall to my feet so I could nervously fiddle with my hands. "Harry kissed me last week. Nothing's happened since, and I don't plan on it happening again."
"So if Potter asked you out, would you say yes?"
"I would say no. I did say no, actually. He asked me to the ball, and I declined." I said quickly. My words seemed to provide him some sort of relief as he lifted his eyes from the floor.
"Would you stop talking to him if I asked?"
"No."
"Worth a shot." Cedric shrugged with a half-smile. "Say this gets more serious- how do I know Potter won't try anything?"
"Trust me, I know Harry like the back of my hand. Sure, he's a total jealous git, but he's a respectful one. All I would have to say is 'no' and he'd back off. I promise you, he's nothing to worry about."
"And you'd definitely say no?" He asked, and I stopped walking and grabbed him by the wrists.
"Definitely."