a/n: unedited. published 12/16/16
Ophelia had scoured New York, her hand clenched around Remus as her stress ball.
"I can't believe I waited last minute for this," grumbled Ophelia, her free hand pushing her blonde hair back.
Remus eyed the shops around him. He had never seen the amount of buildings as he had until that day. New York had touring buildings, nothing compared to what he's seen in London. There were shops, like "Macy's," "Nordstroms," and "Kate Spade." All were so exotic, Remus didn't know how American's could form such...fitting names.
"What about that small store?" Remus pointed to the Nordstroms store. "Simple enough. And beautiful."
Smiling brightly at him, she leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek.
. . .
Sometime before the Yule Ball, Harry had to explain to his unlucky friend that he had gotten himself a date.
Entering the common room, Harry looked around, and to his surprise he saw Ron sitting ashen-faced in a distant corner. Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice.
"What's up, Ron?" said Harry, joining them with a wild grin on his face.
Ron looked up at Harry, a sort of blind horror in his face.
"Why did I do it?" he said wildly. "I don't know what made me do it!"
"What?" said Harry, this time his mouth frowning.
"He — er — just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically.
"You what?" said Harry incredulously.
"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people — all around — I've gone mad — everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the entrance hall — she was standing there talking to Diggory — and it sort of came over me — and I asked her!"
He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable.
"She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then — I dunno — I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."
Harry had no idea what to say, as he lucked out with Darcy. He couldn't relate to Ron's embarrassment at the moment and stared at Ginny unsure.
"She must be part veela," said Harry. "You were right — her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it — but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang."
Ron looked up.
"Oh, uhm," Harry coughed, "I just found out through some people."
"This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone — well, except Neville. Hey — guess who he asked? Hermione!"
"What?" said Harry, completely distracted by this startling news.
"Yeah, I know!" said Ron, some of the color coming back into his face as he started to laugh. "He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff —but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville . . . I mean, who would?"
"Don't!" said Ginny, annoyed. "Don't laugh —"
Just then Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole.
"Why weren't you two at dinner?" she said, coming over to join them.
"Because — oh shut up laughing, you two — because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny.
That shut Harry and Ron up.
"Well, I have a date," said Harry indignantly. Then to Ron, he gave a sympathetic look. "Turns out George didn't ask Darcy."
Ron stared at Harry, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Great, now I'm the dateless one."
Hermione swiftly glanced at Harry, a look of excitement in her eyes.
"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."
But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.
"Hermione, Neville's right — you are a girl. . . ."
"Oh well spotted," she said acidly.
"Well — you can come with one of us!"
"No, I can't," snapped Hermione.
"Oh come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has . . ."
"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone."
"No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!"
"Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!"
Harry stared wide-eyed at Ron as he grinned. What the hell is he thinking?
"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "That do? Will you come now?"
"I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else! Now, I'm going to find Darcy--oh, and, congrats, Harry. I'm real happy you asked her."
Then, she crawled her way out of the portrait hole.
"She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go.
"She's not," said Ginny quietly.
. . .
Harry tried his best to match his best friend with someone, but it appeared that even Parvati and Lavender were taken. The day after Harry asked Darcy, he went to her again, this time to ask:
"Have you known anyone that doesn't have a date?" he said desperately. "Ron doesn't have a date, and I feel really bad to leave him hanging..."
Darcy was a little startled, but she recovered quickly and hugged her books tighter. She did hear about how Ron pestered Hermione and felt a sour taste in her mouth.
"I don't," said Darcy, though she was very unsure. "I mean, if he wants to go with a Slytherin..." Gemma Fawley had crossed Darcy's mind and how alone she had looked the night alone.
Harry was skeptical, but Darcy threw him a glare. "Serves Ron right for not having a date. If he gets a date, he better adorn the girl like she's god."
Sighing, Harry nodded. Ron had been very insensitive when it came to asking girls out.
"I don't know," said Harry. "You know how Ron is with Slytherins. He thinks your the exception because of Sirius, but...he's real difficult, Darcy. I don't want to lose him again."
Darcy pursed her lips, and stared at the Great Hall in front of them. This was the problem she wanted to fix...this mistrust between the houses.
Then, sternly, she said, "Then he'll have to deal. As does Gemma."
. . .
And since Ron had refused to go with fellow Slytherin, Gemma Fawley, he was feeling rather grumpy. Though, Darcy had scorned Ron for waiting so long, for judging a girl by her looks.
"You're going with Gemma," said Darcy, her voice authoritative. "I struck a very, very difficult deal with her to go with you and I'm going to back out of it!"
Darcy didn't mention what deal she made, but continued onto her breakfast nonetheless.
Harry really couldn't relate to Ron. He was lucky to go with Darcy, happy even. Sirius and bought him his dress robes, and even hinted that Ophelia's dress wasn't even bought until three days before the ball.
Sirius had been very calm about Harry asking Darcy to the ball. Said that Ophelia was just out of country to get the dress. Darcy had even read Harry's letter during breakfast, and let out a relieved and excited sigh.
"I really can't wait," whispered Darcy, her eyes scanning the letter. "This would be the first time Philly's gone back to America. She's been missing it a lot...I miss it. Though, we lived far from New York—you know, Remus has gone with her?"
Hermione's face lit up. "Are they together yet?"
"No," Darcy said without thinking, shaking her head. "Reckon it's too fast for them, I think."
Harry looked at Darcy questioningly. "How so? It's been over a decade."
Darcy's cheeks flushed as though she said something that was personal. "Oh...well, you know that Ophelia and your dad were—it—love, but it's just...Remus doesn't want to intrude—feels like it's too quick—"
"That's absurd!" Hermione laughed, though he gave a skeptical glance at Darcy that Harry didn't understand. "Ophelia's gotten all cheerful. Remember, Darcy? Our last class with her, she even went into why shopping malls are such a big part of muggle culture."
Darcy nodded, a smile on her face. "Well, it's not just for no-maj—muggles. Some seniors at Ilvermorny really enjoyed their ability to apparate to the Pentagon Mall in D.C."
Ron glanced questionably at her. "What's a Pentagon Mall?"
Throughly annoyed, Hermione said, "It's just a mall, shaped like a pentagon."
Darcy switched her eyes over to Ron, who was still a little confused. Coughing, she said. "Are you have trouble on what a pentagon is, or a mall?"
He moved his eyes to Ron, who blushed at Darcy's question. He knew what a mall was. He used to go there with the Dursley's when he was younger. Though, Harry never heard of a "pentagon" mall.
"Never mind, if all your going to do is lecture me," Ron grumbled, stabbing his plate of scrambled eggs.
Staring at Ron for a while with a intimidating gaze, Darcy turned herself back to Hermione and Harry.
"I'll be heading back to my table," she announced, glancing over at Ron again. "I'm sure Gemma would like to hear that her date is happy to go to the dance with her."
Harry watched Darcy leave to her Slytherin table, and sit next to a ashy-haired girl. Around them, was a blonde girl and twins that were lingering on the side-lines. Harry realized that Darcy's group contrasted against Pansy's by appearance.
Something that Hermione said broke Harry's attention.
"Hmm?" he said, glancing back to Hermione.
"It's nice, isn't it?" she repeated, her eyes following over to Darcy. "She's gotten some friends. Nice that they aren't with Malfoy's."
Ron snorted. "Should've seen the blonde one. I saw down the corridor for Binns, hugging Nott like he was a prince or something."
Hermione gave him a stink eye. "So? Maybe he asked her to the dance. Unlike someone."
"I'm just trying to say that everyone is a part of Malfoys group."
Hermione threw a glare at Ron, but long since forgotten later that day. It was the end of term, all they had to worry about was the Yule Ball...