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batsutousaiTitle: To Be A Woman
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai
Beta:magickmaker17
Pairings: Hermione/Ginevra and Tom/Draco/Harry and others
Warnings: AU, Transsexualism, slash, fem-slash, child abuse(mild), cross-dressing, mentions of twincest
Summary: Harry's known his whole life that he is different from his male cousin, but his relatives, who take care of him, did everything to hide it. When given a chance to live as he wishes, what will Harry do?
Disclaim Her: I keep my fic notes on Post-Its. Enough said.
Feedback: Lovely, as long as you’ve read the author’s notes and don’t ask stupid questions. *glares at readers pointedly*
Chapter Twelve: Dresses And Partners
Iona found Harry sitting in the library during the Gryffindors' gym time. "Don't take gym?" she asked, pulling out the chair directly across from him.
Harry smiled over at the girl. "No. Professor Dumbledore let me opt out at the beginning of the year." He glanced at the front cover of the magazine the girl had. "Looking at dresses?"
Iona blushed lightly. "Kinda. See, we don't really have the money for a dress, so I guess I'm just dreaming..." She stared longingly down at a golden yellow and sky blue gown that was in a princess style with flaring sleeves and a reasonable neckline.
Harry held out a hand. "May I see?" he inquired carefully. Iona handed the magazine over and Harry smiled at the dress. "This is quite beautiful."
"I know." Iona's smile faded. "But, even if we had the money, Mummy would never get it for me."
Harry nodded in understanding - it wasn't purple - then handed the book back and said in an off-handed manner, "I'll get it for you, if you'd like." He'd checked the price and he had more than enough money left over from the allowance - more like paycheck, really - that his aunt had sent with Dudley to cover the gown. And he wanted to do something nice for Iona.
Iona gaped at her new friend for a long moment before stuttering, "Y-you... you do-don't ha-ha-have to, H-Har-Harry..."
Harry smiled. "I know, but I want to." He reached out across the table and took one of her hands in his. "I know it will look wonderful on you."
Iona slipped around the table and hugged Harry tightly, tears in her eyes. "Thank you."
-~/\~-
When Harry stepped back into the room with his dress on, he found himself blushing under the dual stares of Gin and Hermione. "Uhm... You two look great," he offered with a faint smile.
And they did. Gin was wearing a flowing purple-pink gown and bright blue earrings. Her hair was done up in a fashionable bun with a thick lock trailing down and over her shoulder. Hermione's gown was a little pinker than Gin's but basically the same colour. It had star-like flowers worked into the underskirt and the sheer over skirts. Her hair was done up in a messy mass of glittering brown and she wore pink-purple earrings and a gold soft tiara with a purple gem on her forehead.
Hermione's eyes lit up rather suddenly. "I've got it!" She ran over to her wardrobe and shifted quickly through it. Harry watched her with a frown while Gin smirked.
"Uhm, 'Mione?" Harry called in a slightly worried voice.
Hermione pulled something out, then closed the wardrobe. When she turned, she was holding a small silver tiara. "Pan made me get this with the dress," she explained. "But the last time we went to Hogsmeade, I saw this head piece," she motioned to her forehead, "and decided it went better than the tiara. I was going to take the tiara back, but I think it'll look great on you."
Harry took the offered tiara and set it carefully on his head. Almost immediately, Gin bounced forward and settled it more evenly in Harry's hair. Harry felt his blush deepening.
"There. You look beautiful," Gin assured him before kissing his cheek.
Hermione took Harry's free hand as the boy covered his face with one hand. "Oh, come on. Let's go so you can sweep Tom and Draco off their feet."
"And straight on to their arses, if we've any luck," Gin added lowly. Harry smiled while Hermione gave the other girl a wink.
-~/\~-
Each House was given their own bus, so the Gryffindor girls were piled on to one bus without seeing their Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff friends.
Upon arriving at the dance club, the buses unloaded and the mass of girls were herded into the dance club. Once the bright lights and loud music assaulted them, however, Hermione, Harry, and Gin stopped to wait for their other friends.
Luna and Iona came in together - Iona clutching on to Luna's arm for dear life. Iona looked as lovely as Harry had expected in the yellow and blue gown Harry had gotten for her. She'd managed to set her hair to look softer as well and it swung around her face tauntingly. Luna's gown was a frilly pink that fit her crazed personality perfectly. She wore a large frilly rose in her hair that seemed to dwarf her head.
St Anthogals came in before the Slytherin House and Ron, Fred, and George made a beeline for where the group of girls and Harry stood. Ron was dressed with a simple but worn-looking deep red shirt and matching pants. Fred wore a dark and light blue shirt with dark blue pants that had a strip of gold up the edge. George wore a cameo shirt and pants with a red shirt hanging down over his butt from the wide, studded belt that danced low on his hips.
"Lookin’ good, mate," Fred teased, draping his arm around Harry’s shoulders.
"I think we might take you instead," George agreed, mirroring his brother on Harry's free side.
Harry, blushing, jabbed both boys in their sides. "Off, you great prats."
"Ouch!"
"If this is what happens when we try to be nice-"
"-and maybe hit on you a little-"
"-we don't want you around after all!"
Everyone laughed at the wounded expressions the twins wore.
"Oh, move it you shits," a cold voice ordered from behind the twins.
Fred and George looked over their shoulders and scrunched up their noses, but let the masculine-looking Draco through - if you ignored his hair being pinned up in a crazy fan style, that is.
"Watch it, Malfoy," Ron ordered, offering the blond a scowl.
Draco sniffed at the other boy and brushed down his shirt jerkily. "Make me, Weasley. Ouch!"
Draco shifted over to glare at the girl behind him and Harry almost gaped. Tom was wearing her various earrings that she said the school wouldn't let her wear as well as high black boots over netted stockings. A leather jacket was worn over a too-small red tank top while a too-short red and black skirt danced around her thighs. Her hair had been lightened half a shade and had brown streaked through it.
While Harry was busy staring at Tom, Blaise came up behind her fellow Slytherins in a flowing silvery-blue tight gown. She wore a boa of the same colour around her shoulders with matching puffs holding her hair up artfully and a small red gem in the centre of her forehead. "Pan's hunting down her date," she reported.
"Wow, Blaise, you look great," Gin offered.
"Real sophisticated like," Draco threw in with a touch of a sniff.
Tom elbowed him again with a roll of his eyes, then turned to Harry. "You okay, Harry?"
Harry blinked a few times. "Erm, yeah. Just, why such a short skirt?"
"Interestingly enough, I asked the same question, but she wouldn't tell me," Draco offered.
Tom elbowed the blond again, then stalked up to Harry and positioned herself as if she and Harry were about to dance. "Why, so you can do this," she purred, guiding Harry's hand up under her skirt to cup her bum cheeks.
Harry flared bright red while their friends either called out, incensed, or laughed. Draco stalked over and thwaped Tom on the head. "Stop corrupting her, you arse."
"Your mere presence does that more than I ever could," Tom shot back easily.
Harry groaned. "Both of you, shut up."
"Or what? You'll dance with Weasley?" Draco asked coolly.
"Fred? George?" Harry turned to the twins with wide eyes.
"No problem, mate!" Fred assured him cheerfully.
"Shutting up! Shutting up!" Tom and Draco chorused, raising their hands in defeat. Everyone around them laughed while Harry just smiled innocently.
"What did I miss?" Pansy asked, slipping into the circle with an elder man on her elbow. Pansy was dressed in a light blue silk dress with a silk wrap curled around her shoulders and upper arms protectively. Her date was dressed in a formal black suit and a black trench.
"Just Tom and Draco re-learning their boundaries," Blaise assured her friend. "Who's your date?"
"Roger Donovan," Pansy introduced. "Roger, these are my friends: Tom, Har, Draco, 'Mione, Gin, Blaise, Iona, Ron, Luna, Fred, and George."
"A pleasure," Roger informed them all calmly.
"Oh, go on," Harry called with a smile. "We know you want to go dance, Pan."
Pan smiled brightly, then dragged Roger away with a wave. Fred and George followed them, looking for all the world like they were looking for girls but keeping their hands entwined on the way.
"My brothers, taking incest to the next level," Gin offered, scrunching up her nose at the retreating boys. Everyone laughed.
"Hey, Ron. Do you mind if I hang out with you guys?" a small voice asked as a boy with soft brown hair and wide blue eyes slid up next to the red-head. He wore a maroon vest over a pinkish shirt and dark maroon pants.
"Nevvy?" Blaise squinted. "Nevvy! It is you!" She jumped forward and tugged the startled boy into a hug.
'Nevvy?' Gin mouthed at her brother with a worried look.
Ron smirked. "Guys, this is Neville Longbottom. Nev, these are my friends from Hogwarts; Har, 'Mione, Tom, Gin, Luna, Iona, and Blaise, who you apparently already know."
Neville had turned bright red by the time he'd gotten out of Blaise's excited grasp. "Erm, hi?" he said nervously to the group.
"How do you know the squirt?" Draco asked Blaise.
"Ma-Malfoy!"
"Yeah, just ignore him, Nev," Ron suggested, shooting Draco a cold look.
Blaise rolled her eyes. "Nevvy and I were neighbors in preschool. When I moved away, we lost touch." She smiled happily at her childhood friend again. "Oh, Nevvy, this is wonderful! And you look great!"
Neville's blush, which had been fading slightly, came back full force. "Thanks, Blaise. You look amazing."
Blaise's smile widened, if that was possible, and she took one of Neville's hands in her own. "Come on, Nevvy. Let's go dance," she ordered before half-dragging the unresisting boy out to the dance floor.
The rest of the dwindling group traded smiles.
"I think I'm going to go scout for a dance partner," Ron offered.
"Hey, Ron?" Harry gave his friend a pleading look.
"What can I do for you, mate?" Ron responded, smiling at Harry.
Harry dragged Iona out from where she'd been half-hiding behind him and clasped his two friends' hands together. "Ron, this is Iona Gates. Iona, this is Ron Weasley. I think you two should have fun together," he said softly. He knew Iona wanted to dance, but was too afraid of the consequences of asking someone she didn't really know to do so. Ron, on the other hand, would take care of her.
Ron smiled at the purple-haired girl. "It would be an honour, Miss Gates, if you would allow me this dance," he said soothingly.
Iona smiled back. "I would, yes," she whispered, then let Ron lead her out onto the dance floor.
"Look at you, the perfect little matchmaker," Draco teased before kissing Harry's cheek.
Harry blushed. "Prat."
"And proud," Draco assured the other boy before pulling away to give Tom a strange look. "Come on, Riddle. Let's dance while Harry finds the other three dates as well."
"Arse!" Harry called laughingly after Draco as the blond dragged Tom onto the dance floor. Tom just looked resigned to her fate.
Luna leaned over and kissed Harry's cheek. "Thanks again, Harry," she said before stepping over to where a tall young woman in a white gown with a sheer purple trail was walking over.
Harry grinned. "Sure thing."
"What was that about?" Gin asked curiously.
"Luna's had a crush on Purvaja Aditya, one of the seventh years, since the start of the term. I dragged it out of her yesterday, then made her talk to Purvaja," Harry explained. "Turns out Purvaja liked Luna too, but didn't want to approach a first year."
Hermione and Gin laughed. "Matchmaker indeed!" Gin said, wrapping Harry in a hug. "Here, who do you think I should dance with?"
Harry scowled. " 'Mione, of course."
"Oh?" Hermione gave her neighbor a curious look.
"Well, you match each other so well, for one thing. And, for another, you two have been making eyes at one another for almost a month now," Harry stated, rolling his eyes. "Really."
Hermione and Gin laughed, then pulled Harry into a hug together.
"I love you, Harry Potter," Hermione stated before kissing Harry's cheek.
"Agreed," Gin said before doing the same.
Harry ducked his head, face flushed. "I think I've gotten more kisses today than ever before," he muttered through his hair as the girls let him go.
"Someone should fix that, then, I guess," a nasty voice said from behind them.
Harry turned slowly and, just as he realized who it was, received a smack across the face. He touched his cheek gently as Hermione and Gin growled at Cho.
"What was that for?" Hermione snarled.
"She's jealous, of course," Gin sneered. "Because she knows that Har looks at least twice as beautiful as her."
Harry gazed silently at the elder girl. Cho was wearing a form-fitting blue gown with a dangerous slit up one side that had peacock feathers along it. Her hair was done up in a simple bun and accented with a gold and blue hair piece that matched her dress. "I don't know," he said quietly. "The dress is lovely, but Chang just doesn't do it justice."
"You-! You-!" Cho sputtered, looking like she'd been smacked.
A sharply dressed young man with blond hair choose that moment to walk over. "May I have this dance, beautiful?" he asked of Cho.
Cho sniffed at Harry and his friends before smiling at the young man. "Of course."
As the two walked off, the young man turned and winked at Harry, who grinned back. It was Dudley. 'Thanks,' he mouthed to his cousin.
Tom and Draco ran up. "You're okay?" they both asked Harry at once.
Harry laughed and kissed both Tom and Draco on the cheek. "Let's dance," he ordered, then dragged the two gaping Slytherins with him out onto the dance floor.
Hermione and Gin traded smiles before following their friends, hand-in-hand.
-~/\~-
Cho found Harry, Tom, and Draco at one of the many tables when they were taking a rest to sip some punch. "Well, Potter. I certainly seem to be getting more dance offers than you," she said highly.
"Mm..." Harry smiled up at her. "You also didn't have a date before getting here. You need to flaunt your availability to get a dance partner."
Cho gave Harry a furious look and rose her hand to smack him again but, before she could do so or Tom and Draco could try to stop her, a hand had clamped around her wrist. She turned and smiled waveringly at Dudley. "Oh, hello there. Dance again?"
Dudley gave her a chilled look. "Bitch, if you touch my cousin again, I'll rip your hair out. Now get lost," he growled.
Cho pulled away from Dudley with a wounded look and stalked off.
Dudley drew the smiling Harry to his feet. "Look at you, Harry. You're beautiful," he stated. "Aunt Lily and Uncle James would be so proud of you."
Harry hugged his cousin tightly, tears in his eyes. "Thanks, Dud."
Dudley kissed Harry's cheek, then pressed the smaller boy back into his seat. "Have fun, then. I'm off to hunt for my gang."
"If you dump punch on anyone, make sure it's Chang," Tom suggested before taking a sip of her punch to hide her smile.
"Oh, I will," Dudley promised seriously before leaving.
Harry smiled at Tom. "I take it that you don't mind him after all, huh?"
"We'll let him stay for now," Tom agreed airily.
Draco leaned around Harry and tugged on a lock of Tom's hair. "Idiot," he informed the girl, then kissed Harry's cheek again. "Isn't she?"
Harry smiled into his hand. "I'm staying out of this one."
"Wise choice," Tom told him, then gave Draco a cold look. "And stop trying to make her pick sides."
"There's no trying involved."
"You act like you've already lost."
"Would you two give Har a break for once?" Hermione complained as she and Gin took some of the open seats at the table.
"I dunno, 'Mione. I think Har rather likes being fought over," Gin offered coyly.
"I do not!" Harry squeaked, eyes wide.
"Who wouldn't want a Malfoy fighting over them?" Draco replied highly.
"Me," Tom offered, then smiled at Draco innocently when the boy glared.
Harry moaned. " 'Mione, Gin, will one of you two dance with me?" he pleaded.
The other four at the table laughed.
-~/\~-
"Hey, we should go get our pictures taken," Ron suggested as he and Iona joined everyone at the table.
"Oh! Yeah." Harry smiled and stood. "Come on!"
As a group, the seven friends walked over to where the line of photographers were set up. On their way, they added Pansy, Roger, Blaise, Neville, Luna, Parvaja, Fred, and George to their numbers.
Each of the friends got their picture taken alone, then Draco talked the photographers into taking a picture of all of them together. At the last moment, Harry managed to drag Dudley, who'd been in line for his own photo, into the group. No one complained, so the photograph was taken and everyone ordered a copy.
Laughing, the friends returned to the dance floor or the table they'd claimed.
-~/\~-
The day following the ball found Hogwarts a flurry of moment as everyone packed their things for Christmas Break. Out of their group of friends, only Tom wasn't going home over the break, and that was because Hermione had asked her friend over to her house for Christmas. Tom had been pleased with the offer, but it took the combined efforts of Gin, Pansy, Blaise, Draco, and Harry to get her to agree.
And so, on Monday the second of December, the friends all found themselves boarding the Hogwarts Express for London with laughter and promises of a fun break and an even better return to classes in January.
-~/\~-
-~\/~-
A/N: Hn. Didn't turn out exactly as I expected and it's a bit shorter than I'd intended. I blame it on having to type this thing at work and in the public study room in my dorm. Yuck. I got distracted a lot.
Visit my site for any basic questions.
~Bats ^.^x
Chapters:
First 5 chapters on website.
6 - Intruding Nightmares ||| 7 - Luna Lovegood ||| 8 - The Great Potter Mystery
9 - The Scrapbook's Curse ||| 10 - What it Means to Be Wanted ||| 11 - Iona Gates
12 - Dresses & Partners
Discontinued
Author:
batsutousaiBeta:
magickmaker17Pairings: Hermione/Ginevra and Tom/Draco/Harry and others
Warnings: AU, Transsexualism, slash, fem-slash, child abuse(mild), cross-dressing, mentions of twincest
Summary: Harry's known his whole life that he is different from his male cousin, but his relatives, who take care of him, did everything to hide it. When given a chance to live as he wishes, what will Harry do?
Disclaim Her: I keep my fic notes on Post-Its. Enough said.
Feedback: Lovely, as long as you’ve read the author’s notes and don’t ask stupid questions. *glares at readers pointedly*
Iona found Harry sitting in the library during the Gryffindors' gym time. "Don't take gym?" she asked, pulling out the chair directly across from him.
Harry smiled over at the girl. "No. Professor Dumbledore let me opt out at the beginning of the year." He glanced at the front cover of the magazine the girl had. "Looking at dresses?"
Iona blushed lightly. "Kinda. See, we don't really have the money for a dress, so I guess I'm just dreaming..." She stared longingly down at a golden yellow and sky blue gown that was in a princess style with flaring sleeves and a reasonable neckline.
Harry held out a hand. "May I see?" he inquired carefully. Iona handed the magazine over and Harry smiled at the dress. "This is quite beautiful."
"I know." Iona's smile faded. "But, even if we had the money, Mummy would never get it for me."
Harry nodded in understanding - it wasn't purple - then handed the book back and said in an off-handed manner, "I'll get it for you, if you'd like." He'd checked the price and he had more than enough money left over from the allowance - more like paycheck, really - that his aunt had sent with Dudley to cover the gown. And he wanted to do something nice for Iona.
Iona gaped at her new friend for a long moment before stuttering, "Y-you... you do-don't ha-ha-have to, H-Har-Harry..."
Harry smiled. "I know, but I want to." He reached out across the table and took one of her hands in his. "I know it will look wonderful on you."
Iona slipped around the table and hugged Harry tightly, tears in her eyes. "Thank you."
When Harry stepped back into the room with his dress on, he found himself blushing under the dual stares of Gin and Hermione. "Uhm... You two look great," he offered with a faint smile.
And they did. Gin was wearing a flowing purple-pink gown and bright blue earrings. Her hair was done up in a fashionable bun with a thick lock trailing down and over her shoulder. Hermione's gown was a little pinker than Gin's but basically the same colour. It had star-like flowers worked into the underskirt and the sheer over skirts. Her hair was done up in a messy mass of glittering brown and she wore pink-purple earrings and a gold soft tiara with a purple gem on her forehead.
Hermione's eyes lit up rather suddenly. "I've got it!" She ran over to her wardrobe and shifted quickly through it. Harry watched her with a frown while Gin smirked.
"Uhm, 'Mione?" Harry called in a slightly worried voice.
Hermione pulled something out, then closed the wardrobe. When she turned, she was holding a small silver tiara. "Pan made me get this with the dress," she explained. "But the last time we went to Hogsmeade, I saw this head piece," she motioned to her forehead, "and decided it went better than the tiara. I was going to take the tiara back, but I think it'll look great on you."
Harry took the offered tiara and set it carefully on his head. Almost immediately, Gin bounced forward and settled it more evenly in Harry's hair. Harry felt his blush deepening.
"There. You look beautiful," Gin assured him before kissing his cheek.
Hermione took Harry's free hand as the boy covered his face with one hand. "Oh, come on. Let's go so you can sweep Tom and Draco off their feet."
"And straight on to their arses, if we've any luck," Gin added lowly. Harry smiled while Hermione gave the other girl a wink.
Each House was given their own bus, so the Gryffindor girls were piled on to one bus without seeing their Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff friends.
Upon arriving at the dance club, the buses unloaded and the mass of girls were herded into the dance club. Once the bright lights and loud music assaulted them, however, Hermione, Harry, and Gin stopped to wait for their other friends.
Luna and Iona came in together - Iona clutching on to Luna's arm for dear life. Iona looked as lovely as Harry had expected in the yellow and blue gown Harry had gotten for her. She'd managed to set her hair to look softer as well and it swung around her face tauntingly. Luna's gown was a frilly pink that fit her crazed personality perfectly. She wore a large frilly rose in her hair that seemed to dwarf her head.
St Anthogals came in before the Slytherin House and Ron, Fred, and George made a beeline for where the group of girls and Harry stood. Ron was dressed with a simple but worn-looking deep red shirt and matching pants. Fred wore a dark and light blue shirt with dark blue pants that had a strip of gold up the edge. George wore a cameo shirt and pants with a red shirt hanging down over his butt from the wide, studded belt that danced low on his hips.
"Lookin’ good, mate," Fred teased, draping his arm around Harry’s shoulders.
"I think we might take you instead," George agreed, mirroring his brother on Harry's free side.
Harry, blushing, jabbed both boys in their sides. "Off, you great prats."
"Ouch!"
"If this is what happens when we try to be nice-"
"-and maybe hit on you a little-"
"-we don't want you around after all!"
Everyone laughed at the wounded expressions the twins wore.
"Oh, move it you shits," a cold voice ordered from behind the twins.
Fred and George looked over their shoulders and scrunched up their noses, but let the masculine-looking Draco through - if you ignored his hair being pinned up in a crazy fan style, that is.
"Watch it, Malfoy," Ron ordered, offering the blond a scowl.
Draco sniffed at the other boy and brushed down his shirt jerkily. "Make me, Weasley. Ouch!"
Draco shifted over to glare at the girl behind him and Harry almost gaped. Tom was wearing her various earrings that she said the school wouldn't let her wear as well as high black boots over netted stockings. A leather jacket was worn over a too-small red tank top while a too-short red and black skirt danced around her thighs. Her hair had been lightened half a shade and had brown streaked through it.
While Harry was busy staring at Tom, Blaise came up behind her fellow Slytherins in a flowing silvery-blue tight gown. She wore a boa of the same colour around her shoulders with matching puffs holding her hair up artfully and a small red gem in the centre of her forehead. "Pan's hunting down her date," she reported.
"Wow, Blaise, you look great," Gin offered.
"Real sophisticated like," Draco threw in with a touch of a sniff.
Tom elbowed him again with a roll of his eyes, then turned to Harry. "You okay, Harry?"
Harry blinked a few times. "Erm, yeah. Just, why such a short skirt?"
"Interestingly enough, I asked the same question, but she wouldn't tell me," Draco offered.
Tom elbowed the blond again, then stalked up to Harry and positioned herself as if she and Harry were about to dance. "Why, so you can do this," she purred, guiding Harry's hand up under her skirt to cup her bum cheeks.
Harry flared bright red while their friends either called out, incensed, or laughed. Draco stalked over and thwaped Tom on the head. "Stop corrupting her, you arse."
"Your mere presence does that more than I ever could," Tom shot back easily.
Harry groaned. "Both of you, shut up."
"Or what? You'll dance with Weasley?" Draco asked coolly.
"Fred? George?" Harry turned to the twins with wide eyes.
"No problem, mate!" Fred assured him cheerfully.
"Shutting up! Shutting up!" Tom and Draco chorused, raising their hands in defeat. Everyone around them laughed while Harry just smiled innocently.
"What did I miss?" Pansy asked, slipping into the circle with an elder man on her elbow. Pansy was dressed in a light blue silk dress with a silk wrap curled around her shoulders and upper arms protectively. Her date was dressed in a formal black suit and a black trench.
"Just Tom and Draco re-learning their boundaries," Blaise assured her friend. "Who's your date?"
"Roger Donovan," Pansy introduced. "Roger, these are my friends: Tom, Har, Draco, 'Mione, Gin, Blaise, Iona, Ron, Luna, Fred, and George."
"A pleasure," Roger informed them all calmly.
"Oh, go on," Harry called with a smile. "We know you want to go dance, Pan."
Pan smiled brightly, then dragged Roger away with a wave. Fred and George followed them, looking for all the world like they were looking for girls but keeping their hands entwined on the way.
"My brothers, taking incest to the next level," Gin offered, scrunching up her nose at the retreating boys. Everyone laughed.
"Hey, Ron. Do you mind if I hang out with you guys?" a small voice asked as a boy with soft brown hair and wide blue eyes slid up next to the red-head. He wore a maroon vest over a pinkish shirt and dark maroon pants.
"Nevvy?" Blaise squinted. "Nevvy! It is you!" She jumped forward and tugged the startled boy into a hug.
'Nevvy?' Gin mouthed at her brother with a worried look.
Ron smirked. "Guys, this is Neville Longbottom. Nev, these are my friends from Hogwarts; Har, 'Mione, Tom, Gin, Luna, Iona, and Blaise, who you apparently already know."
Neville had turned bright red by the time he'd gotten out of Blaise's excited grasp. "Erm, hi?" he said nervously to the group.
"How do you know the squirt?" Draco asked Blaise.
"Ma-Malfoy!"
"Yeah, just ignore him, Nev," Ron suggested, shooting Draco a cold look.
Blaise rolled her eyes. "Nevvy and I were neighbors in preschool. When I moved away, we lost touch." She smiled happily at her childhood friend again. "Oh, Nevvy, this is wonderful! And you look great!"
Neville's blush, which had been fading slightly, came back full force. "Thanks, Blaise. You look amazing."
Blaise's smile widened, if that was possible, and she took one of Neville's hands in her own. "Come on, Nevvy. Let's go dance," she ordered before half-dragging the unresisting boy out to the dance floor.
The rest of the dwindling group traded smiles.
"I think I'm going to go scout for a dance partner," Ron offered.
"Hey, Ron?" Harry gave his friend a pleading look.
"What can I do for you, mate?" Ron responded, smiling at Harry.
Harry dragged Iona out from where she'd been half-hiding behind him and clasped his two friends' hands together. "Ron, this is Iona Gates. Iona, this is Ron Weasley. I think you two should have fun together," he said softly. He knew Iona wanted to dance, but was too afraid of the consequences of asking someone she didn't really know to do so. Ron, on the other hand, would take care of her.
Ron smiled at the purple-haired girl. "It would be an honour, Miss Gates, if you would allow me this dance," he said soothingly.
Iona smiled back. "I would, yes," she whispered, then let Ron lead her out onto the dance floor.
"Look at you, the perfect little matchmaker," Draco teased before kissing Harry's cheek.
Harry blushed. "Prat."
"And proud," Draco assured the other boy before pulling away to give Tom a strange look. "Come on, Riddle. Let's dance while Harry finds the other three dates as well."
"Arse!" Harry called laughingly after Draco as the blond dragged Tom onto the dance floor. Tom just looked resigned to her fate.
Luna leaned over and kissed Harry's cheek. "Thanks again, Harry," she said before stepping over to where a tall young woman in a white gown with a sheer purple trail was walking over.
Harry grinned. "Sure thing."
"What was that about?" Gin asked curiously.
"Luna's had a crush on Purvaja Aditya, one of the seventh years, since the start of the term. I dragged it out of her yesterday, then made her talk to Purvaja," Harry explained. "Turns out Purvaja liked Luna too, but didn't want to approach a first year."
Hermione and Gin laughed. "Matchmaker indeed!" Gin said, wrapping Harry in a hug. "Here, who do you think I should dance with?"
Harry scowled. " 'Mione, of course."
"Oh?" Hermione gave her neighbor a curious look.
"Well, you match each other so well, for one thing. And, for another, you two have been making eyes at one another for almost a month now," Harry stated, rolling his eyes. "Really."
Hermione and Gin laughed, then pulled Harry into a hug together.
"I love you, Harry Potter," Hermione stated before kissing Harry's cheek.
"Agreed," Gin said before doing the same.
Harry ducked his head, face flushed. "I think I've gotten more kisses today than ever before," he muttered through his hair as the girls let him go.
"Someone should fix that, then, I guess," a nasty voice said from behind them.
Harry turned slowly and, just as he realized who it was, received a smack across the face. He touched his cheek gently as Hermione and Gin growled at Cho.
"What was that for?" Hermione snarled.
"She's jealous, of course," Gin sneered. "Because she knows that Har looks at least twice as beautiful as her."
Harry gazed silently at the elder girl. Cho was wearing a form-fitting blue gown with a dangerous slit up one side that had peacock feathers along it. Her hair was done up in a simple bun and accented with a gold and blue hair piece that matched her dress. "I don't know," he said quietly. "The dress is lovely, but Chang just doesn't do it justice."
"You-! You-!" Cho sputtered, looking like she'd been smacked.
A sharply dressed young man with blond hair choose that moment to walk over. "May I have this dance, beautiful?" he asked of Cho.
Cho sniffed at Harry and his friends before smiling at the young man. "Of course."
As the two walked off, the young man turned and winked at Harry, who grinned back. It was Dudley. 'Thanks,' he mouthed to his cousin.
Tom and Draco ran up. "You're okay?" they both asked Harry at once.
Harry laughed and kissed both Tom and Draco on the cheek. "Let's dance," he ordered, then dragged the two gaping Slytherins with him out onto the dance floor.
Hermione and Gin traded smiles before following their friends, hand-in-hand.
Cho found Harry, Tom, and Draco at one of the many tables when they were taking a rest to sip some punch. "Well, Potter. I certainly seem to be getting more dance offers than you," she said highly.
"Mm..." Harry smiled up at her. "You also didn't have a date before getting here. You need to flaunt your availability to get a dance partner."
Cho gave Harry a furious look and rose her hand to smack him again but, before she could do so or Tom and Draco could try to stop her, a hand had clamped around her wrist. She turned and smiled waveringly at Dudley. "Oh, hello there. Dance again?"
Dudley gave her a chilled look. "Bitch, if you touch my cousin again, I'll rip your hair out. Now get lost," he growled.
Cho pulled away from Dudley with a wounded look and stalked off.
Dudley drew the smiling Harry to his feet. "Look at you, Harry. You're beautiful," he stated. "Aunt Lily and Uncle James would be so proud of you."
Harry hugged his cousin tightly, tears in his eyes. "Thanks, Dud."
Dudley kissed Harry's cheek, then pressed the smaller boy back into his seat. "Have fun, then. I'm off to hunt for my gang."
"If you dump punch on anyone, make sure it's Chang," Tom suggested before taking a sip of her punch to hide her smile.
"Oh, I will," Dudley promised seriously before leaving.
Harry smiled at Tom. "I take it that you don't mind him after all, huh?"
"We'll let him stay for now," Tom agreed airily.
Draco leaned around Harry and tugged on a lock of Tom's hair. "Idiot," he informed the girl, then kissed Harry's cheek again. "Isn't she?"
Harry smiled into his hand. "I'm staying out of this one."
"Wise choice," Tom told him, then gave Draco a cold look. "And stop trying to make her pick sides."
"There's no trying involved."
"You act like you've already lost."
"Would you two give Har a break for once?" Hermione complained as she and Gin took some of the open seats at the table.
"I dunno, 'Mione. I think Har rather likes being fought over," Gin offered coyly.
"I do not!" Harry squeaked, eyes wide.
"Who wouldn't want a Malfoy fighting over them?" Draco replied highly.
"Me," Tom offered, then smiled at Draco innocently when the boy glared.
Harry moaned. " 'Mione, Gin, will one of you two dance with me?" he pleaded.
The other four at the table laughed.
"Hey, we should go get our pictures taken," Ron suggested as he and Iona joined everyone at the table.
"Oh! Yeah." Harry smiled and stood. "Come on!"
As a group, the seven friends walked over to where the line of photographers were set up. On their way, they added Pansy, Roger, Blaise, Neville, Luna, Parvaja, Fred, and George to their numbers.
Each of the friends got their picture taken alone, then Draco talked the photographers into taking a picture of all of them together. At the last moment, Harry managed to drag Dudley, who'd been in line for his own photo, into the group. No one complained, so the photograph was taken and everyone ordered a copy.
Laughing, the friends returned to the dance floor or the table they'd claimed.
The day following the ball found Hogwarts a flurry of moment as everyone packed their things for Christmas Break. Out of their group of friends, only Tom wasn't going home over the break, and that was because Hermione had asked her friend over to her house for Christmas. Tom had been pleased with the offer, but it took the combined efforts of Gin, Pansy, Blaise, Draco, and Harry to get her to agree.
And so, on Monday the second of December, the friends all found themselves boarding the Hogwarts Express for London with laughter and promises of a fun break and an even better return to classes in January.
-~\/~-
A/N: Hn. Didn't turn out exactly as I expected and it's a bit shorter than I'd intended. I blame it on having to type this thing at work and in the public study room in my dorm. Yuck. I got distracted a lot.
Visit my site for any basic questions.
~Bats ^.^x
First 5 chapters on website.
6 - Intruding Nightmares ||| 7 - Luna Lovegood ||| 8 - The Great Potter Mystery
9 - The Scrapbook's Curse ||| 10 - What it Means to Be Wanted ||| 11 - Iona Gates
Discontinued
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no subject
Date: 1/3/06 21:32 (UTC)Harry's had fun, so I bet you're gonna do something nasty next Chap hmm?
Distracted, you? Never...
;P
Loved it!
Floss
Is this the first comment? *g*
no subject
Date: 1/3/06 21:50 (UTC)*cackles, then tries really hard to look innocent* Who, me?!
You might be surprised how much time I spend distracted, particularly in my computer class - but that's to be expected. XD
no subject
Date: 2/3/06 05:39 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2/3/06 20:03 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2/3/06 22:58 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2/3/06 09:10 (UTC)It feels like forever since i've read some of your fabulously enthralling work that this chapter has made me go giddy with... stuff... *pauses* did that make sense? :S ANYWAYS i liked this, the dance was cute and i DO like your Dudley.
Don't suppose you could see your way to giving Cho some well deserved pain... PLEASE!!! *puppy-dog eyes*
Oh well, even if you don't do that... an update within the next... not long would be just as good. :D
Myst.
no subject
Date: 2/3/06 20:05 (UTC)Everybody likes Duds! *dances happily*
*rubs at chin* I might be persuaded into that....
*laughes* I'll get to work on it ASAP. *winks*
no subject
Date: 2/3/06 20:46 (UTC)W00t for Dudley! 8D
no subject
Date: 2/3/06 21:31 (UTC)^.^
love the story
Date: 8/7/07 19:50 (UTC)