The Dementors' Kiss

The next morning, Ginny and Hermione talked quietly at one end of the table, and were gradually joined by Angelina, Katie, Alicia, and even Fleur.

". . .thick as one of Neville's thinning potions. A hint won't work. . ." Harry heard Katie whisper as he walked past. The girls stopped their huddled chat long enough to look at Harry walk past.

"I'm worried," Fred declared, as Harry sat down next to him. "Those girls are up to something. Any ideas, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "Have they been like that all breakfast?"

"Yeah," Ron said. "Ginny and Hermione came down together, and then they've been calling all the others over. Dunno what they want with Fleur, though. Thought you said Hermione and her didn't get on."

"I didn't think they did," Harry said. Then Professor Dumbledore stood up, and the hall fell silent.

"Now, the big announcement I believe one or two of you have been waiting for," he said. "This New Years Eve, Hogwarts will host an International Wizarding Ball. I have decided to announce it now, in the belief that one or two amongst you may require a little time to prepare your outfits for the occasion."

Harry quietly laid his head down on the table, appalled at the thought of another evening of torture. Who would he end up going with this year? Pansy Parkinson? Rita Skeeter? Moaning Myrtle?

Ginny Weasley?

Harry sat bolt upright, his cheeks colouring as he thought: Why not? He could ask Ginny as a friend, couldn't he? Make it seem like he was trying to get Ron and Hermione together? In fact, the more Harry thought of the idea, the better it seemed.

"However, I will ask that names of those attending," Dumbledore continued. "Be submitted by Sunday week. This will allow you to visit Hogsmeade before finally committing yourself. I understand how horrendous it would be to come to the Ball and not have the most fashionable attire."

"That's what Fleur was talking about," Ron hissed at him. "That whole 'Maybe I weel say yesss' on Friday night."

"But you're not going to ask her, are you?" Harry whispered back. "I mean, you're going to ask Hermione."

"What? No! I couldn't?"

"Why not?"

"She'd say no!"

"You don't know that."

"You think she'd say yes? What's she been saying to you?"

"Nothing. But you want to go with her, don't you? And if you don't ask her, you'll be miserable, same as last year. Honestly, didn't you even talk to Ginny about this?"

"No. I, well... Oh, come on Harry! Besides, who're you going to ask? Cho?"

"What? No!" Harry said, surprised at the notion. "No, I couldn't go to the Ball with Cho, even if I wanted to."

"Who then?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I won't go."

"Oh no, no way, Potter. If I'm going, and that's a big if, then you have to go as well."

*

At lunch a few days later, Harry was still thinking over what Ron had said. Even by his own standards, he'd been quiet during Charms that day, to the point of Hermione asking if he felt ill. He shrugged, and went back to taking notes on Anti-Embarrassment Charms, a subject he was suddenly very interested in.

He was looking over his notes when two of the Australian students came over and sat opposite him. He glanced up and smiled, and looked back down at his notes. But he couldn't concentrate. The feeling of their eyes burrowing into his head was getting on his nerves, so he looked up at them again.

"What?" he asked, a little more irritably then he'd intended. They grinned at him.

"G'day," one of them said. He offered Harry his hand, which Harry shook carefully. "Name's Nick. This here is Josh. We wanted to ask you something, mate."

"Er, okay," Harry said.

"We were wondering if you know that girl down there," Nick said, pointing to where Fleur, Hermione and Ginny sat together, their heads close together. "The French one, he means," Josh added.

"Er, well, yeah. Fleur was here last year. We were in the Tri Wizard tournament together. I guess she's a friend."

"You guess? Blimey, I'd want to be sure about something like that, mate. Nice looking girl like that, I'd keep an eye on her. Yeah, a girl like that, I'd want to be very certain where I stood. Listen, d'you know if she's seeing anyone right now?"

"Er. . . Not that I know of," Harry said, feeling a little stupid. "I haven't asked, to be honest."

"You what?" Nick said. "Good grief! What are you, a man or a mouse, mate?"

"Er. . ."

"Wait here," Josh said, jumping up.

"Hey! Get back here!" Nick called. "Unbelievable! He always does that. Always has to be the first one to chat up a pretty girl."

But Josh was already coming back, an easy smile on his face.

"Not interested," he said, sitting down and spearing a sausage on his fork. "Ah well."

"My turn?" Nick asked, standing and straightening his robes. "I tell you, next time, I'm going first. You always put girls off."

"I can't help it if I'm quicker off the mark, can I?" Josh said, grinning as his friend strolled nonchalantly over to the girls. In seconds, he was returning, a small smile on his lips. He too attacked the food on his plate with a vengeance. "Some you win. . ." he muttered indistinctly.

"Er, sorry, but how do you do that?" Harry asked.

"Do what, mate?" Josh said, staring gloomily at his plate. "What I wouldn't give for some real Aussie food. . ."

"Just ask girls out like that," Harry said, looking from one older wizard to the other. "I mean, don't you mind if they knock you back?"

The two Australians looked at each other, and then at Harry. They wore identical expressions, as though not sure that Harry was entirely there.

"Look," Josh said, kindly. "We're guys, they're girls, it's natural for us to fancy them. Only thing left to find out is if they fancy us. I mean, take Nick here. Long blonde hair, tall, not bad looking in a dark room-"

Nick interrupted with a suggestion that Josh spend some time doing something that would certainly have cost him house points and probably worse, were he a Hogwarts student. Despite the subject, it was said without a trace of rancour.

"Same to you," Josh said, easily. "Thing is, the only way to find out for sure if a girl likes you is to ask." He paused. "Well, not the only way," he added, with a grin. "But the best way to go when you're somewhere public."

Nick was looking at Harry shrewdly.

"Whoever she is, mate, just ask. What have you got to lose?"

*

It was all very well for Nick to say that, but it seemed as though Harry never got a moment alone with Ginny from that point onwards. When they weren't in class, they were surrounded. In the corridors, in the Great Hall, even in the Patronus classes, where Neville, Hermione and Dean had joined them. Ron wasn't having anymore luck.

It might have made the two of them happier to know that the objects of their desires were feeling similarly frustrated by the lack of privacy afforded them. Although Ginny had claimed that she was only going to be Harry's friend, she knew she was kidding herself. And when Hermione finally admitted, to herself and everyone else, that she liked Ron as more than a friend, Ginny decided to have another go at getting Harry to notice her.

Neither girl, however, was able to help the other too much. Hermione felt bound by the promises she made to Ginny and Harry, and couldn't bring herself to reveal the nature of the conversations she had had with them. She knew Harry could be incredibly stubborn at times, and might well spurn Ginny if he found out that Hermione had shared his secrets behind his back.

Ginny, meanwhile, knew full well that Ron liked Hermione as much as she did him, but was similarly bound by her sisterly obligations. If Ron suspected that Ginny and Hermione had been talking about him behind his back -no matter how pleasing the subject- he would have been furious.

All in all, as the Hogsmeade weekend approached, it was little wonder that four minds spent the Friday night thinking "Tomorrow. I have to do it tomorrow."

*

Harry and Ron dressed slowly, taking especial care to make sure that their appearances were just so. Harry even tried to smooth his wild hair, which made Ron laugh.

"You've got no chance there mate," he said. Harry grinned, and headed for the common room while Ron brushed his own hair for the umpteenth time. There he found Fleur sitting alone, something unique in Harry's experience.

"It ees part of being a Veela," she said, when he commented on it. She looked over her steepled fingers at him. "Now, 'Arry, I want you to know that I was going to ask you to the New Year Ball this year," she said. Forestalling his reply, she carried on. "But it does not take a genius to see that you want someone else, nor 'oo that someone else is. 'Er brother may not know yet, but zat is neither 'ere nor there. No, I wanted to say 'good luck' 'Arry. I think you will make a wonderful couple."

Ron came down the stairs, but Harry barely noticed. Had he been that obvious? He watched Fleur walk over to Ron, and murmur to him for a few minutes, then she disappeared up to her dormitory, returning with her heavy overcoat, and accompanied by Hermione and Ginny.

"So, are we ready to go?" Fleur asked brightly, linking arms with Hermione. She grabbed Ginny's arm on the way past, and Harry and Ron trailed behind the trio as they made their way toward Hogsmeade.

*

Fleur chattered brightly throughout the trip, and soon all five friends were talking merrily between themselves. Harry noticed the envious glances thrown at the group by several male students from Hogwarts, and even some of the international students.

As they reached the edge of Hogsmeade, Fleur waved brightly at several of the other Beauxbatons students, and pulled away from the others.

"'Ere I leave you," she laughed. "I will see you later, yes?" She waved as she hurried over to the other Beauxbatons students, and they were soon lost among the crowds thronging Hogsmeade High Street.

"What shall we do first?" Hermione asked, brightly. "I'd like to get some new robes for the Ball."

"Are you going with someone?" Harry asked, surprised.

"No, well, I mean, not yet," Hermione said with a sideways glance at Ron. "But even if no-one asks, it would be nice to go. So, I need some new robes, because I left my robes from last year at home."

"Well, you and Ron go do that," Harry said, kicking Ron in the ankle. "Ginny, would you like to come with me?"

Ginny jumped. "S-sorry?" she said?

"I have to get some supplies for school. I was hoping you'd keep me company," Harry said.

"Sure," Ginny said, looking slightly pink. Am I blushing too much? I can't believe it! It sounded for a second like he was asking me to the Ball.

"Good. We'll see you at... Two? In the pub?" Harry said to Ron and Hermione. "We should have everything done by then," he said, staring at Ron, who shrugged irritably.

"Yeah, sure," Ron replied, avoiding Harry's stare. "See you there."

The two pairs split off in opposite directions. Harry and Ginny began walking toward the shopping area. They spent an enjoyable few hours searching through Zonko's joke shop and Honeyduke's sweet shop and then went on to the post office, Harry's school supplies long since forgotten. None of it, however, got either of them much closer to asking the other one to the New Year's Ball.

Harry looked at his watch, and realised it was a quarter to two. He sighed. Now or never, then. Reaching out, he grabbed Ginny's hand, spilling sweets all over the street. She looked at him in puzzlement.

"Harry?" she said. "What's wrong?" Harry Potter's holding your hand and you ask what's wrong? Good Lord above!

"Ginny, I think you're great, you know that right? You're funny, and lively, and I have a great time when I'm with you, and you're a really good friend."

"Well, that's really nice of you to say so, Harry. I like you too. A lot."

"Good. D'you want to go to the ball with me?"

"OK," she said, with a smile. "I'd like that."

And then the screaming started.

*

Ron and Hermione looked at robes for a long time, but Hermione had kept on stalling. "I need someone to go with," she said. "I don't want to buy expensive robes, if I'm not going to be going with anyone."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, that's sensible," he said, a little preoccupied.

Hermione looked at him in frustration, then the two of them walked out of the shop. They went into Zonko's, where Fred and George were showing off their latest invention to the owners. Ron bought a new deck of exploding cards, and they walked back outside. Ron glanced up at the clock over the post office. It was ten minutes to two. He swore, making Hermione look at him

"Ron!" she said. "Watch your language!"

"Hermione, look, we're friends, right?"

"Of course, Ron."

"Can you promise me something? Just promise me? Say you won't laugh at what I'm about to say?"

"Well, okay, I promise not to laugh."

"Good. Hermione, will you-"

Hermione screamed.

*

The Dementors attacked en masse, sweeping suddenly through the town like mist, the cold wave of terror they inspired scattering all those before them. Many fell to the ground, trapped by the fear born in them by the Dementors' magic. Others ran, desperately seeking any safe haven.

Harry stood firm, waiting for the right moment to come. He realised that Ginny was still beside him.

"You don't have to stay," he said.

"I do," she said, through gritted teeth. "I have to see if you're as good a teacher as you think you are."

Impulsively, he reached out and hugged her. "You'll be amazing, remember?" he said.

As he said it, a woman beside him whipped back her cloak and drew her wand. Harry just had time to recognise the seal of the Ministry of Magic on her arm before her wand spat forth a Patronus. The huge silver cat-shape sprang agilely forward, charging toward a group of Dementors who were terrorising a cluster of witches trying desperately to shield their children. A unicorn and a shining wolf joined the big cat, and the three Patroni scattered the group of Dementors before them. Harry risked a glance around, and saw another wizard shedding an ostentatious cloak, which had masked the Ministry seal pinned to his chest.

Harry spun on one foot and pointed his wand. "Expecto Patronum!" he cried. The thought that came to his mind as his happiest memory was no surprise to him. He was thinking of Ginny, and the good times they had had over the last several months. Most specifically, he was thinking of how he had felt moments before the Dementor attack, when she had said she would go to the Ball with him.

The stag erupted from his wand, charging down Dementors. Behind him, Ginny was trying to cast her own Patronus. A part of him wondered what form hers took. During the classes, with no Dementor to focus the mind, hers had been a faint silvery mist, like his own early attempts. But he couldn't take the time to look.

"Keep it up, lad," he heard a woman shouting. "And you lass." Then a gigantic shape glided gracefully through the air, swooping over Harry's head, and diving at the Dementors.

"Come back this way!" the voice cried. Harry risked a look to see Madam Rosmerta standing at the doorway of the pub, her own wand out and pointing at the Dementors. She had cast her own Patronus, which Harry could see now was a huge, silvery eagle. It swooped again, and flew at full speed into a particularly menacing Dementor, weaving and swooping back and forth, confusing the giant creature.

"Expecto Patronum!" Madam Rosmerta yelled again, her wand issuing another giant bird that dipped immediately into the attack.

Harry and Ginny dashed for the relative safety of the pub, diving past Rosmerta into the smoky warmth beyond. Harry immediately dashed for a window, and tried to follow the battle. The handful of undercover Ministry witches and wizards were casting their own Patroni in company with those few Hogwarts students who had mastered the spell. Harry suddenly saw a Dementor approaching on a crowd of second years, and slammed the window open, already casting the spell without conscious thought. The stag burst into life, galloping across the street and in front of the Dementor, guarding the younger students, almost daring the Dementor to try an attack.

Slowly, the Dementors began to pull back. Harry wondered if whoever had ordered the attack had considered the possibility of so many wizards with their own Patronus ready to cast. One Dementor made a last swoop, and Harry heard a shrill scream, abruptly cut off. A huge silver shape erupted outwards, accompanied by a loud bellow that echoed around the shocked streets. Harry realised that the silvery shape was a knight on horseback, and he swallowed with difficulty. He recognised the Patronus as being Ron's.

Diving once more past Rosmerta, he wrenched the door open, and dashed out into the street. Hurrying through the shell shocked, terrified crowd, he sprinted to where the Patronus was patiently pawing the ground, standing by its conjuror. As Harry rounded the corner, he stopped cold.

Hermione was lying on the floor, her skin a ghostly white. Ron was cradling her head in his lap, silent tears streaming down his face. He looked up as Harry approached, and Harry felt his own tears welling up. Dropping to his knees, he took Hermione's hand in his, and was relieved to feel the pulse in her wrist.

"She's alive," he whispered. Ron's eyes were fixed on Hermione's still face.

"They got her," he said. "She couldn't fight them, just sat there trembling. I couldn't hold them off."

"Mr Weasley, let her go," a voice said from behind them. Harry turned to see Professor Dumbledore standing behind them, his expression grave. "Mr Weasley, we will take her back to Hogwarts. Come now, Ron," he added, crouching stiffly beside the three of them.

Slowly, Ron stood and Dumbledore conjured a stretcher to allow Ron and one of the villagers to begin taking Hermione up to Hogwarts. Harry went to follow them, but Dumbledore laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Leave them for now, Harry," he said. "I think Mr Weasley needs a little time alone. You will see them both soon enough."

"Hermione will be okay, won't she?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes," Dumbledore said. "The Dementors are only fatal in their attack if allowed to perform their final kiss. No-one here has suffered that fate."

"Professor, what if they attack again?"

"Yes, that is why I wished to speak with you, Harry. I would like you to expand your personal tuition of the students, if you are prepared to. Any age, any house. We shall also expand the tuition of hexes and charms, especially the Patronus charm, to all years. While it is advanced magic, there may be some students with a natural gift for it. Certainly there can be no harm in trying. Your help would be invaluable."

"Of course, Professor," Harry said. He smiled, slightly. "I said before I came here this year that I wanted to be the role model people expect me to be. The Boy Who Lived, fighting the fight against Voldemort. Showing others that they can live their lives even with bad times maybe around the corner. I guess now I get to show I meant it."

"Your parents would have been very proud of you, Harry," Dumbledore replied, somberly. "I only wish that this new maturity hadn't been forced upon you. I have said before that you have proved yourself equal to the burden of a fully-grown adult. Well, now I can see that there is more to you than even I had suspected. Mr Ollivander was right, these five years past. I think we can expect very great things of you, Harry."