Harry wished he was back with the dragon. He would havepaid good money to set one loose in the stuffy, awkward environment that wasthe Yule Ball. Ron's face was affixed with a scowl as they waited beside theother champions for the first dance to begin. Hermione had been asked to theball by Viktor, and the glare that Ron kept on the pair was filling Harry witha very heavy bout of dread.
They were all huddled together for a group photo, andHarry elbowed Ron to smile.
Luckily, at least, Ron's awful dress robes had beengleefully lit on fire. Molly had gifted Ron a new set of robes shortly afterhis first duel because, as she had said, they all expected him to win, and hewould need something nice to wear when he collected his award. The pleased tintto Ron's cheeks as he accepted the box had been about the only positive thingto come out of this terrible endeavor.
His new robes were new and not remotely dorky and were asimple ensemble in a charming shade of navy that contrasted nicely with hishair and skin tone. Harry, meanwhile, was dressed in a bizarre Pride andPrejudice type thing with a cravat and buttons and lapels in a demented sort ofthree-piece suit that he kept mostly hidden under his formal cape and yeah, hewas regretting allowing Sirius to pick out his outfit. Fancy was certainly aword one could use, but ridiculous was also one. It was similar to what mostother people were wearing, at least. But ridiculous nonetheless. He looked likea spirit, summoned through time in lacy funeral garb, and he felt very silly.
And then came the realization that both boys hadcompletely skivved off the dancing lessons. They settled for an odd sort ofshuffle as they stepped on the other's toes. Harry let out a groan as herealized two of his dear friends had abandoned him to make doe eyes at ViktorKrum.
He looked around the room to find everyone was staring atthem, watching the dance in silence, so he focused instead on Ron's collar andbegged the musicians to play the song faster.
Ron stepped on his foot again and Harry bit back a wince.The string quartet gave one last gentle note and everyone watching theperformance clapped. As the dance floor was flooded with other students, Harryand Ron released their clasped sweaty palms and retreated to the punch bowl.They watched Hermione twirl around the dance floor in her pale pink robes. Lunaand Neville were nearby, doing a strange wiggling dance that was earning them alot of stares, but both were laughing. Neville had crafted a corsage of wildplants that stood out against Luna's honey-toned dress. She and Hermione hadthought it was incredibly sweet, and Harry was jealous that Neville knew how tobe charming and somehow look comfortable in his own Edwardian-era formalattire.
Ron was a good friend, but he was not a good date. Harrywas very neglected sitting in the corner while Ron shoved his face with tinycakes, fuming under his breath and staring down Hermione and Viktor. Resignedto a night of people-watching, Harry downed a few cups of the ratherbitter-tasting punch as the slow formal string music was replaced with moreenergetic pop. The crowd screamed and danced and Harry chugged another cup ofthe unfortunately alcohol-free punch as he enviously watched.
Why did everyone have to be fighting? He didn't want tobother Luna and Neville, but he had no one else to talk to. His gaze turned tothe edges of the ballroom to find all of the teachers huddled in a corner,grumping about like the old people they were at the choice of music. It broughthim a little joy to spot mama having less fun than he was having, hunched overher cup with a scowl, but she also looked too annoyed to bother. Ron gave abig, heaving sigh beside him as Hermione popped back into view, twirling aboutlike a princess and grinning, happy.
"Can we at least try to enjoy ourselves, Ron?Everyone else is going to have fun regardless. And as your date, I'm feelingvery left out." Harry complained. "It's not Hermione or Viktor'sfault that you're jealous of… whoever it is you're jealous of, I'm notsure."
"You don't get it!" Ron grumbled.
"No, I really don't! Do you want to dance orwhat?" Everyone else would rather sit around being lonely, grumpy losers,but Harry was bored, and he had been forced to attend this stupid dance. Was ittoo much to ask that he at least try to have fun?
Harry was starting to feel restless, so he waded into thecrowd, uncaring if Ron was following him or not. Ron shuffled after him with ahuff. The two boys entered the center of the dance floor. The requirements forthis sort of dancing were much less strict, and they bobbed and waved theirarms about next to Luna and Neville. Harry's self-consciousness faded away ashe felt a pleasant buzz fill his mind. He wondered absently if the punch hadbeen spiked after all. It would explain its unpleasant taste, although it hadlacked the burn. Perhaps it was some mix that the twins had snuck in. With allthe tournament officials and professors watching as chaperones, it was a veryrisky move to have pulled.
Harry was hardly going to snitch, it all soundedincredibly funny, and perhaps being drunk was what it would take to ignoreeveryone else's drama and enjoy a night of peace and fun. The urge to movestruck him, and Harry and Luna spun around in circles until he nearly vomitedfrom the intense light-headed feeling that had provoked.
Ugh. Maybe he was more than tipsy.
"Harry, you alright?" Neville asked. He pattedHarry's back as the boy leaned over to settle his upset stomach and head.Nausea burned at his throat, creeping up his chest and settling a heavy weightover him. But still, his mind reeled, restless and needing. This happenedsometimes, when he was bored or had been seated too long. Some time on hisbroom worked wonders to settle his brain, but it was odd that it was happeningnow. He felt a bit sick, now was not the time to go outside for a jog.
But the urge to run lingered.
"Harry?"
"You didn't notice something in the punch, didyou?" Harry complained mildly. He'd only had… not a lot, he was prettysure, although his memory was getting fuzzy. It had taken a lot of alcohol forhim to lose his wits the last time he'd partied hard.
"Eh? No. Did the twins manage to smuggle somewhiskey in after all? They said McGonagall searched their dorm after they gotcaught supplying the last party. They didn't share any with me, thosetwats." Ron said.
Hermione and Viktor joined their group, a small oasissurrounded by what was quickly turning into a wild moshpit of energeticdancing. Someone elbowed Neville hard in the gut as they flailed to the heavybeat of the music. It was a testament to Ron's concern that he didn't make afuss at their arrival, not that Harry noticed this. Harry was focused on howthe lights were spinning and he was getting really, really dizzy.
"There you are!" Hermione beamed at them all.Her face fell at the sight of Harry. "Are you alright, Harry? You lookill."
"The twins gave him a pick-me-up and forgot toshare. He must be completely smashed."
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