Today was the day that you, Pansy, and a few other Slytherin girls would be traveling into Hogsmeade in the pursuit of dresses to wear to the ball. You all had special permission from your head of house, Professor Snape, who scheduled a carriage to take you down into the tiny local village.
You had asked Hermione if she wanted to come as well but she insisted that she already had a dress. "Not that I'll be needing it," she sighed. You pouted and ruffled her hair. "Cheer up, Hermione. Someone is bound to ask you soon!"
Winter had appeared magically overnight and snow now capped each broad tower of the castle. You kicked patches of it as you danced through the courtyard on your way back to the common room. Your whole body felt like it was floating, excitement for the dance was practically bubbling inside of you.
"Where are you off to, Firethorn?" Two voices asked in perfect unison. You pulled aside the hood of your cloak and saw that the Weasley twins were making a tall snowman beside the large pine tree. They both looked up at you, laughing as you twirled around and kicked up even more freshly fallen snow.
"The common room. I've got to change and then I'm headed to Hogsmeade."
"Hogsmeade?" George came around the snowman and rubbed his gloved hands together. "Pick me up something from Zonko's, will you? I missed the last trip and my prank supplies are running low."
You stuck your thumb up as you turned around to enter the castle. "I'll see what I can do. See you guys!"
Hogwarts had been decorated to the nines for the upcoming holidays. There was a large tree set up behind the teacher's table in the Great Hall, streamers dangling from each doorway. The main corridors had even been enchanted to snow down onto the heads of students. It was an illusion, obviously, and when you stuck your tongue out to catch a flake in your mouth, it tasted like sugar cubes.
It got warmer as you walked deeper into the building and you removed your scarf, opting to fold it over your arm instead. The hallways were all but empty with a few gaggles of first and second years mulling about, playing wizard's chess on the floor amongst other childish games.
You had been so distracted watching the snow pile up on the window panes that you didn't see Viktor Krum walking down the hall in the opposite direction as you. You didn't realize it was him until he was standing right in front of you. His deep brown eyes were swimming with an emotion that you couldn't place.
"Hi Viktor," You tried to force the nervousness away from your tone. It was the first time you were actually speaking to him outside of your subtle looks and staring contests across the Great Hall. Not to mention the fact that people like you paid to see him this close up on the daily.
He nodded coldly. He looked different up close than he did from yards away. The details on his face were subtle but suited his quiet demeanor. "I know we haven't spoken much this year," His Bulgarian accent was thick and you had to focus all your attention to decipher what he was telling you. "But I am completely infatuated with you. Would you do me the honor of being my date to the Yule Ball?"
Your heart pounded in your chest and you nearly dropped your scarf before gaining your composure once more. The urge to say yes was almost overwhelming and you felt your head rising into a nod. But suddenly you remembered the silent promise you had made to yourself for the sake of your friend.
For the love of Hermione Granger; Viktor Krum was off-limits.
"I'm flattered that you think of me this way, Viktor," you started, looking down at the floor. "But my good friend feels the same way about you and I would feel really guilty if I took that experience from her."
After a moment or so, he nodded. Thankfully he understood where you were coming from. Despite his understanding, you could see the sadness blooming in his gaze.
"Your friend?" He asked, straightening his posture.
You nodded and hoped for the best. "Yes, my friend. Her name is Hermione Granger. I think you've seen us together."
Viktor stood frozen and nodded, his movements sharp and ridged. "Yes, I know of her. She is beautiful."
"Not only that," you winked. "She doesn't have a date. She's all yours."
"Thank you (Y/N)," he spoke, your name sounding divine in his voice. But still, you had just passed him off to Hermione. No take-backs allowed. Besides, he wasn't who you really wanted as a date anyway.
"Of course, good luck!" You called after him as he retreated down the corridor. After he left your sight, you continued on your way to the common room, stopping again only to catch a few enchanted snowflakes on your tongue. The interaction had you feeling pretty good about yourself, confidence now radiating from you like an aura.
You were still fantasizing about the ball when you walked into the common room. Pansy and a few other girls were circled together in front of the roaring fireplace. You tossed your scarf and heavy robes onto a green velvet couch and shook the melted snow out of your hair the best you could.
"(Y/N)!" Pansy called, exploding from the group of girls to take your hands and spin you in a circle excitedly.
"What, what?" You laughed as she halted, breathing heavily.
"You'll never guess what just happened! Draco asked me to the ball!"
Your heart dropped to the floor and shattered into millions of little pieces. If you listened close enough, you could hear Pansy crush them each time she jumped up and down. Your face felt numb and you felt the urge to slap yourself to regain feeling. "What?" You swallowed.
If she noticed your suddenly blank expression, she didn't comment on it. "I mean, I thought he was going to ask you but he just asked me! I said yes because I know you don't like him like that, right?" Just as she turned around, you mustered a fake grin. "Of course! I only like him as a friend. You two make such a great pair."
It hurt to say and stung you even more to hear your own voice speaking the inevitable truth.
You weren't going to the Yule Ball with Draco Malfoy. Instead, he had asked your best friend.
Spectacular. Wonderful. Best day of your life.
"Are you ready to go?" Pansy asked. Excitement was written all across her face. You shook your head and pointed your thumb toward the dorm room. "Nah, I have to change and grab a letter from the Owlery. My mom sent me some money for a dress."
"Well, you better hurry and get it then! The carriage is arriving in less than half an hour."
You managed to keep your fake smile plastered on your face as you walked away to change, coming back out in your more casual clothes. Your knitted hat and scarf also escorted you across the stone-bridge that led to the Owlery, a tower separate from the school specifically for writing and mailing out letters via owl.
Unlike this morning, you no longer felt joy as you kicked through bundles of snow. Instead, you imagined them as Draco's head.
Graphic? Yes. Well deserved? 100%.
A shiver wracked your body as you climbed the spiral staircase up the side of the tower. From inside you could hear the loud hooting of owls as they arrived and left respectively. Rounding the corner, you walked through the entrance and jumped back when you saw Harry standing in the middle of the room. You clutched your chest, letting the frightened feeling wash over you with a nervous laugh.
"Oh, Harry!" You sighed. "You scared me."
He spun around, hands deep in the pockets of his denim jacket. He looked you up and down.
"(Y/N), hey."
You squinted your eyes and peered up into the hollowed-out steeple above you. "Have you seen a black pygmy owl with a white face? His name is Soots."
Harry just shook his head, still watching you as your face fell and you moved to go sit on the ledge of the window. He frowned and leaned back up against the pillar in the center of the Owlery.
"You seem upset," he observed, eyes searching yours for an answer you weren't even sure he wanted to hear from you. Shrugging your shoulders, you sighed heavily once more. "I guess I am a bit upset now that you mention it."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
You looked up and met Harry's eyes. He seemed genuine but the last thing you wanted to do was unload your problems onto someone who didn't want to hear them, let alone help you with them. "Sure, but you're not allowed to judge me."
He shook his head firmly as if to say he wouldn't dare. You played with the hem of your scarf.
"Viktor Krum asked me to the ball."
Immediately, Harry's expression soured.
"But I said no."
You watched as his eyes lit back up again. Looking past it, you continued. "Because I know Hermione likes him and all. I also did it because some part of me wanted Draco to ask me. I thought he was going to, too. You saw how we danced during McGonagalls's lesson."
Harry nodded, knowing exactly what you were talking about. "But when I got back to the common room today, Pansy told me that he asked her. So now," you huffed, surprised that it had all slipped out in one breath. "I'm about to go to Hogsmeade to buy a dress I don't even want so that I can go to a ball that I don't have a date to."
He let you finish your rant to the very end and you were silently thankful for his good listening skills. Overhead, you watched as a familiar little round ball of fluff flew in from the window opposite from the one you were seated on. You smiled sadly at Harry before passing him to grab the mint green envelope from Soots' round beak.
"Good boy," you mumbled, taking an owl biscuit from your pocket and petting the owl as he pecked at the treat. With the envelope in hand, you walked past Harry again and took a deep breath.
"Thank you for listening to me. I feel better after saying it out loud."
"Wait!" He cried out just as you put your hand on the safety rail. You looked over your shoulder at Harry who was now standing in the doorway of the Owlery, one hand on the arched door frame and the other reached out toward you dramatically.
"If you still wanted to go to the ball," he began, pausing to catch his breath. "Would you maybe want to go with me?"
A hopeful smile began to grow on your face and you stepped back up so that you were once more at eye level. You were about to say yes when another thought entered your mind and made you shake your head. "I don't want a pity invitation just because you feel bad for me. You're sweet, Harry. But no thanks."
Harry squinted his eyes shut and shook the snowflakes out of his hair, a bewildered expression on his face when he once again met your eyes. "It's not a pity invitation. I was actually going to ask you sometime during the dance lesson but Neville beat me to be your partner."
You smiled warmly at the memory as Harry took a step closer to you. "Do you mean it?" You asked, embracing the butterflies fluttering around in your chest.
"Of course," he smiled and took another experimental step. "There's no one I'd rather go with."
Unable to stop yourself, you rushed forward and hugged him around the neck, squeezing tightly before pulling away and taking another step down the tower stairs. "You've made me the happiest girl at this school, I swear," You giggled. "I have to go do that thing. But I'll see you later?"
Harry nodded, running a hand down the back of his neck with bated breath. He watched you retreat down the steps and out of sight before finally pumping his fists into the air, scaring a few owls in the process. The nervousness he felt going into the conversation washed right away. "I'm going to the ball with (Y/N) Firethorn," he whispered to himself before breaking out in a wide smile.
"I'm going to the ball with (Y/N) Firethorn!"
(A/N: Harry is the sweetest boy on the planet I swear. Anyway, I've been thinking about maybe extending this book into either a series or a oneshots collection? I have a lot of stored up ideas for both. Lemme know what you think).