Dance With Me Harry

DANCE WITH ME HARRY

By Aerie22

CHAPTER 22

Thursday

It was a Thursday night and the weather hadn't improved. The heavy rains had passed, but the temperatures dropped. Harry debated running, but the cold and mud, coupled with the fact that he hadn't gotten a full night's sleep the night before, convinced him not to bother. So he concentrated on his homework. Fortunately, there was no tests scheduled for his Friday classes and, thankfully, no potions classes, so he was able to get everything out of the way early.

He looked around the common room to see what was going on. Ron, Dean and Seamus were playing a listless game of exploding snap, a game Harry was thoroughly bored with. Ginny and Rachel, her best friend among the Fourth Year girls, were working on Divination problems. Neville was huddled over a book with Moira Duffy, the spunky little fourth year who he'd taken a liking to. The Weasley twins were chatting up Angelina and Katie. The first years looked like they were studying...for a change. And Hermione was playing house ghost up in the library, as usual.

Harry walked over to Lavender, who was sitting crossways in an armchair, reading the features section of the latest Daily Prophet. "Where's your partner in crime?" Harry asked.

Lavender looked up and shrugged. "Knackered." She gestured to the girls' dorm.

"Sounds like a good idea," Harry said, stifling a yawn.

Lavender arched an eyebrow mischievously. "Thinking of joining her?"

"I didn't know that was an option," he said and they both laughed. "Good night, Brownie," he said as he walked away.

"Don't call me that," Lavender called out in an annoyed voice, throwing a section of the newspaper at him.

Harry turned and gave her a wink and went up to his dorm.

* * *

Harry woke with a start. He looked at the clock. It was 1:40 am. At least this time there were no dreams. Or at least none that he could remember. But for some reason, he thought he had been late to get up for classes and woke up in a panic. He'd been asleep for over four hours and now felt wide awake.

"Bloody hell," he muttered softly, although he had no doubt that, between Ron's and Neville's snoring, he could have shouted and not be heard by his roommates. Oh, well, he thought. Might just as well go down to the common room again and get in a little exercise. Last night was a pleasant experience, anyway. But he held out little hope for a repeat dancing lesson. He changed and went into the boys bathroom, then quietly crept down the stairs.

He was doing his warm-up stretches when he was startled by a head rising over the edge of the couch in front of the fire. It was Parvati.

Harry blinked in surprise. "Parvati, what are you doing up?"

She blinked a few times, then smiled a weak and groggy smile. "Hi, Harry," she said through a yawn. Then she blushed a little. "I just...well, I went to bed early, and woke up at about 12:30. I didn't feel like going back to sleep and...well...I don't know. I thought that...well...we had so much fun last night, I thought I'd come down here and see if I could catch you again. Instead, I guess you caught me."

Harry chuckled softly. "Actually, the same thing happened to me. I woke up about 15 minutes ago and was wide awake. So I figured I'd come down here for another workout. I didn't expect to see you down here again, although..."

Parvati gave him as sweet smile. "Although...what?"

Harry smiled shyly. "Although I thought that might be nice."

Parvati stretched out on the couch, raising her arms above her head and arching to stretch her back left and right. "You know, I'm too comfortable here to do anything. Mind if I just watch?"

Harry chuckled. "I most certainly do mind. I've heard of those Witches' Warren clubs, where hot young wizards strip down to their wands for money. If I'm going to perform for you, I'll expect you to be dropping a galleon of two into my shorts," he said with a smirk, chuckling and shocking himself at his own boldness.

Parvati started giggling, which shortly turned to muffled laughter. "Harry Potter, Boy Gigolo!" she said, still laughing quietly. "What will they think of next."

Harry joined her soft laughter, and looked down at her fondly. "To tell the truth, I wasn't all that keen on working out as much as I wanted to kill some time before feeling sleepy again," he said with a shrug. "Say, feeling like getting something to eat?"

Parvati wiggled a little on the couch to stretch some more and looked up. "Sure, I could go for a dish of ice cream. Let's call room service," she said with a smirk.

"You really want some?"

Parvati looked at Harry with a puzzled expression. "Where are we going to get some ice cream at this time of night?"

Harry smiled. "From the kitchens, of course."

Parvati looked at him strangely. "The kitchens? Is that how the twins get the snacks for the Quidditch parties?"

Harry nodded.

"But Harry, it's...what time is it, anyway?"

"I don't know. About 2:00 am, probably a little after," he replied.

Parvati frowned. "But who's going to give us ice cream at this time of night? And how would be get down there? And how do we get in?"

Harry smiled again. "I've got friends in high places. And stay right there. I'll show you how we'll get there." Harry turned to go up to his dorm, but stopped and turned back to Parvati. "Oh, promise me you won't breath a word of this...anything I show you tonight. Okay?"

Parvati nodded, her eyes wide in curiosity.

Harry dashed up to his dorm and returned less than a minute later with his invisibility cloak. He was surprised that Parvati had transformed her pajamas into jeans, sneakers and a pullover sweater.

Parvati looked at him with a quizzical expression. "What's that, a cloak?"

Harry nodded. "First, promise again you won't breath a word of this to anyone...not even Lavender."

Parvati smiled. "You mean, 'especially Lavender,' don't you?"

Harry smiled a little guiltily and shrugged.

Parvati returned the smile. "Okay, I promise."

Harry swept the cloak over his head and around his shoulders, eliciting a gasp from Parvati.

"That's an invisibility cloak, isn't it? I'd heard that they existed, but I didn't know if I believed it. I guess I do now," she said with a chuckle.

Harry popped his head out of the cloak. "Come on. There's plenty of room for two." Parvati got off the couch and ducked under the cloak. Her close proximity had Harry's cheeks flush a little.

"Harry, are you sure no one can see us?"

"Sure. Come on. I'll show you."

Harry felt Parvati grab his arm as he walked her over to a corner of the common room where there was a full length mirror. "First thing you've got to remember when walking in this thing is to watch the hem in front. You don't want to step on it and trip."

But when they got to the mirror, Harry noticed that the hem no longer dragged on the ground in front of them. He'd obviously grown. Fortunately, it was still long enough to cover both of them completely.

"See?" Harry said.

"So nobody can see us?"

Harry paused. "Well, I think Mad Eye Moody can with his magic eye, but I don't think anyone else can. Nobody's caught us yet."

Parvati giggled. "I don't think I'll ever feel quite the same taking a shower knowing you're on the loose with this thing."

Harry turned to her with a shocked expression. "I would never even think of such a thing. By the way, did you know that you've got the cutest little mole on the back of..."

Parvati pinched him and started giggling.

* * *

Harry and Parvati quietly made their way out of Gryffindor Tower and, except for a brief detour when they heard the distant sounds of Filch stalking the halls, made it to the dungeons where the picture of the fruit basket hung. Harry tickled the pear, which giggled softly and opened the secret door.

Once in the kitchens, Harry removed the cloak. A nearby house elf bowed to them and disappeared with a pop. Moments later, Dobby popped in, wearing a pink tea cozy and what looked like an infant's checkered jumper in red and white with socks that were mauve and electric orange, respectively.

"Harry Potter! Harry Potter! Dobby is so pleased that Harry Potter has come to visit his good friend Dobby! And he has brought his new lady to see Dobby! Dobby is very honored, Miss," Dobby said, smiling broadly and bowing several times.

Parvati started laughing and bowed gracefully. "Miss Parvati Patil is very pleased to meet Harry Potter's good friend Dobby. Very pleased indeed."

Dobby bowed several more times, smiling ecstatically. "How may we help you, Harry Potter and Miss Potty Pastel."

Harry smiled at Dobby. "It's Miss Parvati Patil, Dobby. Par-Va-Tee Pah-Till."

Dobby bowed several more times, still smiling. "Dobby is very sorry, Miss Parvati Patil. How may Dobby help you. We have plenty of pork chops, if that may please you."

Parvati, who was still giggling, smiled at Dobby. "Just a dish of ice cream, Dobby, if that is not too much trouble. Strawberry ice cream, if you have it."

Harry smiled. "I would like a dish of strawberry ice cream too, Dobby, if you don't mind."

Dobby beamed. "Yes, Harry Potter. Yes, Miss Parvati Patil," and Dobby winked out of sight.

Within moments, Dobby popped back with two dishes of strawberry ice cream as well as a full five gallon container of additional ice cream. Parvati laughed with delight and they thanked Dobby. "I am very pleased to see you are enjoying the socks I sent you," Harry said with a smile.

Dobby's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes, Harry Potter. Dobby loves the socks his good friend gives him." Dobby bowed several more times and vanished with a pop.

Parvati burst into laughter, leaning against Harry's shoulder. "Harry Potter sure has an eye for fashion statements."

Harry chuckled. "Dobby likes bright colors and, as his fashion consultant, I aim to please."

The two settled in enjoy their ice cream, chatting amiably about their classes and about house gossip. Once they had finished and thanked and bid a farewell to Dobby, the pair donned Harry's invisibility cloak and reentered the corridor. Harry was surprised, pleasantly, that Parvati put her arm around his waist, and her returned the gesture, as they made their way back up to the Gryffindor tower.

Having arrived without incident, except in dealing with a grumpy fat lady at the entranceway who didn't appreciate being awakened 'at ungodly hours by students who should know better,' they sat down together on the couch in front of the fire.

Parvati swiveled to lie down on the couch and shifted her legs to lay across Harry's lap. She smiled up at him.

"You know, Harry. I had a lot of fun last night, dancing and learning those...karate moves. I came down here tonight hoping to see you again, but not really expecting to. But tonight was even more fun. You are just full of surprises, aren't you."

Harry smiled down at her and shrugged. "You're pretty surprising yourself."

Parvati looked up with an appraising smile this time. "No, Harry, you are the surprising one. I've seen you enjoy the Quidditch matches and have some fun here or there. But mostly I see you serious or brooding...some sort of Peter Waring of Hogwarts. I had no idea you could be so much fun. And I had no idea you were so easy to be with."

Harry didn't know how to respond. "Who's Peter Waring?" he asked idly, as he played with Parvati's sneakers and cast his own appraising glance at her.

Suddenly, she flushed. "Oh, I can't believe I told you that," she shrieked, burying her face in the couch's throw pillows, blushing and giggling.

He smiled at her. "No, really. Who is Peter Waring?"

"Peter Waring is the brooding but sexy auror who is always saving Tamara Trueheart from dark wizards or evil goblins at the end of each of the Tamara Trueheart romance novels," she said as she peeked out from between the cushions.

Harry let go a quiet but hearty laugh. "So he always gets his witch in the end?" he say with sparkling eyes.

"Oh, no," Parvati said, looking up. "That would end the series. No. He and Tamara share a brief, smoldering kiss, and then he has to rush off to save someone else in distress, leaving Tamara happy, but wanting more."

Harry was breathless in mirth. "No. Don't tell me. You're Tamara Trueheart."

Parvati laughed. "No. Lavender is always Tamara Trueheart. I am Darla O'Brien."

"And who is Darla O'Brien?" he asked with a devilish grin.

Parvati was smiling with glittering eyes. "Darla is the glamorous young witch who works for Morgana House, the fashion empire. She is always saving the company from unscrupulous competitors, smugglers, gangster wizards and the like in the Darla O'Brien Romance series."

"But no Peter Waring?"

"No...Darla is secretly in love with Jack Morgana, the young and sexy wizard who is the head of the company. Of course, he is forever grateful to Darla for saving his firm. But he is under the thumb of his domineering father, who owns the company and wants Jack to marry the daughter of his chief rival to help affect a merger. So Jack flirts with her but never can bring himself to tell her his true feelings."

"And who gets to be Jack Morgana?" Harry asked in a teasing voice.

Parvati pouted. "I used to think Ron could be Jack. But maybe he really is Wesley Stoat."

"Wesley Stoat?"

Parvati sighed. "He's the bumbling fashion editor of the Witches Wear Weekly who is always trying to win Darla's love, but is never there when she needs help...I swear, Harry Potter, your Muggle upbringing has left you no appreciation for fine literature."

The two shared a hearty laugh.

Harry had by now removed Parvati's sneakers and was absently massaging her feet.

Suddenly, he felt her shiver.

"Are you okay?"

Parvati seemed to be breathing a little faster as the two stared at each other. She sat up and pulled her feet off Harry's lap. "Uhh...Harry. I think I better be getting to bed. It's kinda late."

Harry nodded, a little disappointed. "You're right. It must the getting close to 4:00 am." He got up as soon as she did and reached over the couch to grab his towel and his invisibility cloak as she quickly skirted around him to go to the stairs to the girls' dorms. He started towards the stairs to the boys' dorms and looked up at her and smiled. Parvati stopped and turned. She then stepped off the stairs, her face flushed, and ran over to give him a quick, but tight, hug. "Good night, Harry. Maybe we can do this again...soon." She then scurried back up the stairs and out of sight.

This time it was Harry who felt a shiver and a quickening of his breathing. 'Wow, that was nice,' he thought and turned to the stairs to his dorm.