Snow had begun to fall on the Hogwarts grounds as mid-December rolled in with a bitter cold only found in the UK, as Harry was feeling much better about himself than he had in the last month. Now that the students had seen how he could singlehandedly defeat a dragon with only a single destructive spell, they had all pretty much decided not to speak out against him anymore and some had apologized for their behavior saying they would support him from now on; not that he really care about them, but he appreciated the gesture. All of the newspapers, including the Daily Prophet, began idolizing him as England's personal hero and most successful up and coming wizard, which just made him want to roll his eyes. His schoolwork was still worthy of the top five spots in his year, much to the eternal ire of Snape who looked like he trying to create ways to secretly poison Harry, and his new friendships were getting stronger everyday with Su, Tracey, Susan, and surprisingly Daphne who had taken to joining him and Tracey in the library where they hung out and studied for an hour or two every few days.
Yes indeed, everything was going well for the young Potter until McGonagall decided to take a magical sledgehammer to his good mood when she told him to wait after class today which just made him groan because he knew something was up. When Transfiguration ended, Harry just said goodbye to Susan when she got up to walk out with Hannah who for some reason was brimming with excitement and told Susan she had something important to talk about. Harry made a mental note to ask about that later, but for now just waited patiently for everyone else to leave.
Finally, after everyone cleared out, McGonagall began, "Mr. Potter, the headmaster has asked me to check in with you concerning your whereabouts when not in class, the library, or at meals as it has come to our attention you have not been in Gryffindor Tower for almost two months."
Harry knew this was coming eventually, so he decided to play up the sympathetic angle to avoid unnecessary suspicion, "My dear Housemates did not want me around and so for my own mental and emotional wellbeing, I decided to explore the castle and found a place that allows to sleep in peace."
McGonagall frowned at the statement but didn't push, "Very well Mr. Potter, we shall discuss this another time after I have spoken with the other Gryffindors. However, I have to discuss something important with you, the next part of the tournament will be taking place on Christmas Eve – The Yule Ball. As a champion, you are required to attend and bring a date to have the first dance."
Harry stared at her with no expression for a good twenty seconds as his brain tried to reboot after what she just told him and when it finally did, all he could do was shout, "WHAT!?"
The professor just sighed and said, "Calm yourself, Potter. Yes, you need to find a date and you will be dancing and no, you can't get out of it. Any attempt will result in the loss of your magic."
Harry just sat there and groaned, how in the hell was going to get anyone to go out with him who could spend time with while not bothered by the fact he dances as well as Professor X. He could not ask Tonks as she isn't a student and will likely be working and he couldn't ask Penny either.
McGonagall dismissed him and Harry spent most of his next class trying not to freak out about having to find a date when most people didn't like to look at him. He went through his female friends in his mind and wondered if they would consider going with him; Tracey and Daphne are both good options but he doesn't believe either will say yes because Slytherins already don't like how much time he spends around them so for their own safety neither will likely say yes and there was no way Fleur would agree as she was so far out of his league. That only left Su and Susan as potential dates and he still thought both were a long shot of saying yes. After class ended, Harry pulled Su aside into the hallway and cast a silencing charm so no one could hear.
Harry took a breath and spoke, "Hey Su, I know this going to sound lame because it is, the Yule Ball is coming up and apparently I have no choice but to attend. However, I don't want to spend all night with some fan girl but rather with a friend who I can have fun with and I know such a public display isn't your thing but I was wondering if you would…go…with me."
Su's eyes slowly widened and she looked happy until she frowned, "Harry, I would love to go with you and I'm really happy you asked me, but I can't. My father has arranged to send the heir to one of the prominent families in Wizarding China as my date, so I can't. I'm really sorry, you probably hate me now."
Harry frowned for a few reasons, the first being he couldn't take Su and the second being she apparently has issues with her father as he had never heard the shy Ravenclaw speak in such venom. However, he was mostly frowning at the fact that she thinks he would hate her over something totally out of her control and he more than anyone knows what it's like to be controlled like that.
Harry just put his hand under her chin to lock eyes, "Su, I seriously doubt I could ever hate you, especially over something like this. I am sad though I can't spend the night with you though."
Harry, not realizing what he just said, was confused when Su turned red and starting sputtering and asked, "Are you okay, Su? You look a little a red."
Su, having realized Harry's ignorance, calmed down and nodded. The two walked to The Great Hall to together for lunch and Harry was about to sit down until he saw Susan sitting alone at the puffs table frowning and he decided to check on her. He waved bye to Su as she understood and Harry walked up to Susan to talk before anyone could make a big deal of it.
"Hey Susan. Are you ok? You look upset and I wanted to check on you.", he said.
Susan gave a small smile and said, "Ever the chivalric Gryffindor aren't you? I'll be alright, it's just that I had to agree to be Zacharias Smith's date to the Yule Ball because Hannah wanted to double date with her and Ernie. However, I just know that this is all Ernie whispering in her ear in order to get me and Zach closer together because he's always fancied me and I imagine he asked Ernie to set this up considering how close the two are."
Harry was way more angry now than he was when Su told him she had another date because this sounds like they were using his friend for their own agendas and of course Abbott was too foolish to see it, however Harry held his tongue as that isn't what Susan needs right now.
"Why did you agree then? I'm sure Smith can find another date.", he said.
Susan sighed, "I wouldn't have if not for Hannah pleading with me to do so, and I know what you're going to say Harry but I'm nothing if not a loyal Hufflepuff and she's my best friend for life no matter how much I disagree with her current choices. Besides, it will allow me to keep an eye on Hannah to make sue Ernie doesn't try anything funny so don't try and talk me out of it."
Harry held her gaze for a second before simply nodding and telling her bye as the table was becoming more crowded and the other badgers didn't want him around even if they were kind of afraid of him. Harry sighed loudly as he sat down at the temporary Beauxbatons table, all of whom were used to his presence by now, as he realized he couldn't take Susan now either and was officially out of friends. He looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw the Chasers sitting with the twins and Lee Jordan and he briefly wondered if he should ask one of them as ever since Halloween, unlike the rest of the House, they never went out of their way to attack him verbally and mentally. In fact, they had seemed rather sad ever since that night and he could occasionally see them looking at him with regret in their eyes for not believing him and not trying to repair their friendship, then again it wasn't like he was trying to either but perhaps it was time he did.
Harry jolted slightly when he felt someone sit down next to him, he turned to see Fleur with a very conflicted expression on her face and Marie giving her nudge and a nod for some reason.
"Hi Harry, how is you today?", she asked with her accent more prevalent and in a nervous tone.
Harry exhaled and said, "Not great, I found out we have to attend the bloody Yule Ball and we have to bring a date and dance in front of everyone *groans* and the only people I could ask all have dates. I'm screwed."
Fleur was shifting in her seat and said, "'Arry, do you remember when I said I was going to ask for that favor after the First Task? Well, the favor is…you being my date to the ball."
Harry was so shocked that he nearly coughed up his drink, "Why me Fleur? I didn't think of asking you because I just assumed you had a much better date."
Fleur just shook her head sadly, "Non, every boy in this school and back home are just drooling morons who only like me for my looks, all except you. When I found out you were immune to my allure, I knew you were the only one who could get me through this dance without ruining it for me or yourself. So, Harry Potter, would like to go to the ball with me?"
Harry was a little apprehensive considering she was only taking him because he didn't drool on her, but she was still a friend and they would likely have fun even if he didn't know her as well as his other friends. Plus, the look on everybody else's face…priceless.
Harry nodded, "Fleur, I would love to be your date if you will have me." Fleur nodded happily and the two discussed their day so far and the upcoming ball with Marie. However, none of them noticed that a Ravenclaw overheard the entire conversation and quickly turned to her friend to deliver the gossip, which of course began to spread to the table and to a certain seventh year blonde girl with Head Girl badge on.
Penelope Clearwater was a lot of things: a good friend, a perfect daughter, a loyal and supportive girlfriend, a great student, and one of the greatest examples of a Ravenclaw in the last few centuries. However, one thing she was not, was jealous as she felt jealousy was an ugly emotion that could be associated with a person's insecurities and inner resentment that they don't like to admit to anyone, even themselves. That was until she heard the gossip mill around the table say that the Beauxbatons champion Fleur Delacour had just asked out Harry Potter and he had said yes and in that moment, Penny was seething in jealousy while she looked over at the two while they were talking and laughing.
It had been about a month since she had kissed Harry and she had broken his heart and quite possibly her own as they haven't spoken since, and its been so lonely without their usual chats. She had constantly chastised herself for allowing it to happen and potentially ruin the best friendship that she had as she talked to Harry about everything as did he except for his relatives and she couldn't help but be depressed. Most of all, she was angry at allowing the feelings she had for Harry to resurface after spending so long burying them down.
When she first met Harry over three years ago when Percy and Ron introduced the two of them to each other, she thought he was a polite and adorable little guy who upon first inspection, didn't seem like the savior everyone in the Wizarding World thought he was as looked like a normal boy. However, he proved to be full of some pretty amazing feats on the quidditch pitch, in casting spells, and on his little adventures that Percy and a few of the prefects he knew mentioned. However, to Penny, he was just Harry or Glasses rather as she liked to call him when she wanted to think of a nickname for him, as that's how she greeted everyone, because Penny found that even though he had trouble speaking aloud back then he was a good listener and actually cared what she had to say.
From there, the two built up a good friendship over the next few years with Penny helping tutor him and she wanted someone to go to about her life problems who wasn't Percy or one of her girlfriends. When she heard about his crazy adventures, she was both scared and in awe that someone so young could do such things and she likely wouldn't have believed it if she never became a prefect herself and knew things the other students didn't. To her, Harry was brave, sweet, kind, strong, intelligent (when he wanted to be), and handsome; essentially, everything she wanted in a partner. Soon enough, she began to develop feelings for Harry even though she was with Percy but she couldn't help it; eventually, she decided to push those feelings down as she still loved Percy. When Percy changed over this last summer though and Harry had grown up some more, she felt those feelings grow stronger but convinced herself otherwise when Percy asked her to marry him in early October as she thought that is what she wanted.
Then when Harry's name came out of the Goblet and he went missing, she was so panicked that she couldn't eat, sleep, or concentrate and essentially live without knowing he was alright and that is what made her feelings burst open that night and kiss him. Then, she ran out of the room and hasn't talked with him since, though even now she swore she could almost feel her magic and heart pull toward him. Now though, she had to watch the hottest women on the planet interact with the boy she potentially loves. "For the school's wisest Ravenclaw Penny, you sure are an idiot", she thought bitterly.