Another Point of View: The Yule Ball

The Unexpected Task

'Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention?' My head snapped up. Boring old McGonagall. I was just beating Harry in something other than chess! Ok, it was a fake wand fight. And I had the huge advantage because mine was a tin parrot and Harry's was a rubber haddock. And I got the most disapproving look from Hermione, always a bonus.

'Now Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age,' said McGonagall, giving us an angry look worthy of Hermione (actually they can look very alike, though Hermione's prettier). 'I have something to say to you all.

'The Yule Ball is approaching - a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth-years and above - although you may invite a younger student if you wish -'

Accursed Lavender giggled. Ban giggling, that's what Hermione should do, not all this elf crap. I didn't feel like giggling myself. A ball. What the hell? Anyway, Parvati and Lavender gave Harry these looks, like they wanted him to ask them.

'Dress robes will be worn,' said McGonagall, 'and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight, in the Great Hall. Now then. The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to - er - let our hair down. But that does NOT mean that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way.' Then the bell rang and McGonagall made Harry come and talk to her.

Dress robes. Dress robes? Those lacy maroon things? Not flipping likely! And a partner? Huh. I'll probably just go with Hermione, no one else'll ask either of us. Harry'll be surrounded by girls though, like Diggory or Krum. Wonder who he's got his eye on?

I walked back to the common room with Hermione and we had a chess game. I won, obviously. She does this little pouty thing whenever she loses, which is all the time when she's against me. It's different to the pout I remember, though. No idea how.

Harry came back and told us he's got to open the dancing because he's a champion. Well, I'm glad I'm not one if they do that. Harry says he'd rather take on the bloody dragon again.

*

Blimey, there's so many girls here! All - giggling. Argh. Except Hermione. She hardly ever giggles, thank god. Well, she's not really a girl girl, is she? Sort of like a milder form of Percy in a skirt. So, my best friend is a diluted version of my least favourite brother. In a skirt.

'Why do they have to move in packs?' Harry said once. A bunch of girls were staring at him and sniggering. 'How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?'

'Lasso one?' I suggested. 'Got any idea who you're going to try?' As I said that, I pictured myself sending a lasso into a pack of girls. I came out with Hermione. Why?! Fleur was right there on the edge as well. Harry seemed a bit uncertain.

'Listen, you're not going to have any trouble. You're a champion. You've just beaten a Hungarian Horntail. I bet they'll be queuing up to go with you.' And I was right! I would be a bit envious - well, jealous. But Harry just got ugly girls! A snub nosed third year Hufflepuff, a snivelling second year Gryffindor and this enormous Ravenclaw who looked like she'd knock him out if he said no.

'She was quite good looking,' I said (when we stopped laughing). Well, she was ok.

'She was a foot taller than me,' said Harry. 'Imagine what I'd look like trying to dance with her.' So I did imagine it, and it was very funny. I kept sniggering and getting funny looks.

So Harry doesn't have a partner yet. Oh yeah, and Hagrid's going to 'look in' on the ball thing. The prat obviously fancies Maxime. Why'd they have to ruin Christmas Day with this?

Hermione's spending more time in the library than normal. Last time I went with her to see if she was doing anything interesting. I meant to do my homework, but I just sat opposite her and flicked parchment balls at stuff. Quite a lot of it got in her hair. She didn't see, she was all bent over her homework. When she looked up, she gave me this half smile thing that didn't reach her eyes, as if I didn't get something. What is UP with you, Hermione? Why the sad half smile?! And why is that half smile sticking in my mind and refusing to budge?! Ok. She's pretty. SO WHAT?

Anyway, Hermione's missing out on a bunch of rumours about the ball. Lee Jordan says Dumbledore's bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead. You wish, Lee. And then our next-door neighbour in Ottery St. Catchpole and Gryffindor Chaser Alicia Spinnet told me Snape's going to the ball with Celestina Warbeck. She couldn't keep a straight face, so it was a while before I understood what she was saying. Dumbledore's definitely booked the Weird Sisters though. I quite like them, but I've got to find a partner!

*

Death to you Snape. Never mind Celestina Warbeck, you don't deserve Moaning Myrtle. We've got an antidotes test in Potions on the last day of term. Antidotes. At Christmas. I ask you. What's next, Anti Christmas Cheer potions? Bet he'd use one if it existed. Well, I'm not revising. Building a castle with Exploding Snap cards if perfectly educational, no matter what Hermione might think. She's nagging Harry to deduce the howls of his golden egg. Well, how, Hermione?

Well, there I was, chatting with Harry, Hermione and the twins, and then... argh. Stupid Fred. How did he... ugh.

'Who're you going with, then?' I asked him. It was meant to be smart-alecky.

'Angelina,' he said promptly, completely unembarrassed.

'What?' I said, taken aback. 'You've already asked her?'

'Good point,' said Fred. So he just turned his head and yelled, 'Oi! Angelina!'

'What?' she called back.

'Want to come to the ball with me?'

'All right, then,' she said.

'There you go,' said Fred. 'Piece of cake.' Oh, yes, piece of cake for you, Fred, you stupid loudmouthed git. Why can't I do that? Well, my brothers left. I suppose Fred's got a point, though...

'We should get a move on, you know... ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls.' I was making a perfectly good point. But oh, no, Hermione spluttered.

'A pair of... what, excuse me?' Oh, the old feminist poking out again. What happened to the half smile, I ask you?

'Well - you know,' I said, shrugging. 'I'd rather go alone than with - Eloise Midgen, say.' It's true. Spots and a wonky nose - classic beauty, that one. NOT.

'Her acne's loads better lately - and she's really nice!' Hermione was ignoring the key factor in 'Reasons Why I Shouldn't Go to the Ball with Eloise Midgen'.

'Her nose is off centre,' I informed her. Hermione bristled.

'Oh, I see,' she said. 'So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?'

'Er - yeah, that sounds about right,' I said. I grinned to show it was a joke, but I don't think she noticed.

'I'm going to bed,' snapped Hermione, and she swept off upstairs. Huh. Pompous as Percy, that one.

Speaking of bed, I had a weird dream. I dreamed it was the ball and I was with Hermione. She was just wearing normal robes, only a different colour, but she looked really pretty. And we - urgh, I danced with her. I'm turning into some sort of freak.

*

'I suppose there's always Moaning Myrtle,' said Harry gloomily, about the ball. When someone resorts to taking a depressed, ugly, lovelorn ghost to a ball with them, you know they're in trouble.

'Harry - we've just got to grit our teeth and do it,' I said. I had no idea who I was going to ask. Maybe one of the prettier girls in our year? Oh well, if not I can always fall back on Hermione.

After Potions last thing, Harry ran off to ask someone. Hermione went off to the library and I was off back to the common room with Neville. He told me he asked Hermione to the ball with him!

It's because she's always been so nice and stuff. But apparently she's already going with someone. Of course, I believe you, Hermione... as if! She just wanted to get out of going with Neville... and for good reason. He'd kill her trying to dance.

In the Entrance Hall, I saw Fleur chatting to Diggory. She was sort of - tossing her hair and stuff, and she just looked so pretty. Straight silvery blonde hair, and her figure - well, she was positively an hourglass. So my legs just marched me up. Then, before I could stop my stupid self:

'D'you want to go to the ball with me?'

She didn't grace me with an answer, just looked at me like I was a sea slug. Then I came to my senses and did a runner. I could hear her laughing after me.

I sat myself in a corner of the common room, wanting to be left well alone, but then Ginny turned up, She made me tell her what happened, then tried to comfort me. And then Harry turned up and we had to repeat it. Turns out Fleur's part Veela... so I'm not just a stupid prat. At the end of last year I told Hermione I was, though, and she said she wouldn't have it any other way. Not sure if that was a compliment or an insult...

Harry asked Cho Chang. I wondered if he fancied her... well, Chang's going with Diggory. Still, I told him about Neville and Hermione, which cheered us both up a bit. Then in came Hermione, and we had to repeat the events again. But she won't tell me or Harry anything.

'All the good looking ones taken, Ron?' said Hermione loftily. 'Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you.'

Then it hit me. That half smile, the snottiness... Hermione's a girl! Well, obviously I already knew that, but she's got... girl stuff! Not much of it, not like Parvati or Lavender, but it is there. I think I stared a bit much, though. Hermione was looking me like I was some sort of perverted creep. I suppose I am, really. Who looks at their best friend like that? Ugh. Well, and who else has given her the old eyeball? I said,

'Hermione, Neville's right - you are a girl...'

'Oh, well spotted,' she said acidly. I didn't see her face... now I'm really a typical boy, aren't I?

'Well - you can come with one of us!' It was a polite gesture! But, oh, no, she took it like an insult.

'No, I can't!' she snapped. Why the hell not?

'Oh, come on,' I said impatiently. Just say yes, woman. 'We're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has...' Then she blushed. What happened to make her blush?

'I can't come with you,' she said, 'because I'm already going with someone.' As if!

'No, you're not!' I said honestly. 'You just said that to get rid of Neville!'

'Oh, did I?' said Hermione, her eyes flashing dangerously. 'Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!' Well, who's been 'spotting' her, then, other than me? I just stared. But it had to be a joke, so I grinned. Who'd ask Hermione to a ball?

'Ok, ok, we know you're a girl,' I said. 'That do? Will you come now?' I was positive she'd say yes.

'I've already told you!' said Hermione, very angrily. 'I'm going with someone else!' And she stormed off to the girls' dormitories. Great. She's a complete psycho. I just watched her go. Her hair bounces when she walks and it goes all shiny... shut up, Ron.

'She's lying,' I said. Ok, I noticed she's pretty. Who else did? No one. It's obviously due to my superior intellect.

'She's not,' said Ginny quietly. WHAT? My best friend has told my little sister things she hasn't told me?!

'Who is it, then?' I said sharply. And Ginny (typical girl) said,

'I'm not telling you, it's her business,' Even though Ginny and Hermione were in some sort of conspiracy against me, I decided to do them a favour.

'Right, this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just -'

'I can't,' Ginny cut me across, blushing. WHAT IS WITH GIRLS? WHY DO THEY KEEP BLUSHING? 'I'm going with - with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought... well... I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year. I think I'll go and have dinner.'

She left the common room, head bowed, looking miserable beyond belief. Ah, well. Neither Weasley got what they wanted. I left her an open opportunity, and she'd gone and said yes to bloody Neville! Harry's a bit dim, he knew she'd go with him any time, but he didn't ask her. I suppose that's the same with me and Hermione really.

Hang on. My little sister has a partner for this accursed ball before I do. NEVILLE has found a partner before me. So has Hermione. Well, Ginny and Neville are together, and I'll bet Hermione's partner is the most hopeless bloke in the world. Maybe she threatened him with spew to get him to go with her.

Well, I just stared at Harry. 'What's got into them?' I demanded. Harry, the unresponsive person that he is, was staring at Lavender and Parvati. Ugh... I thought he liked Chang? Well, he just said, 'Wait here' and went off to talk to them. They kept - giggling. Right. If Hermione won't crusade against it I will. D.T.G. - Death To Giggling. Nifty, eh?

Well, Harry came back telling me to ask Padma Patil to the ball. What, Parvati's twin sister, exactly like her except she wears two plaits instead of one, and is a bit smarter? Still the same amount of giggling. With all the girl hassle going on, I missed dinner.

*

The next day I had a huge breakfast to make up for it, and went to ask Padma to the ball with me in the Entrance Hall. She was surrounded by a bunch of girls, all gassing about something. I suppose she's quite pretty.

'Er... Padma?' I said, hoping like hell I pronounced it right. 'Could I have a word?' She burst out into fits of giggles, but followed me away from her friends, who all looked like serious eavesdroppers.

'Want to come to the ball with me?'

'Oh, you're the one my sister told me about,' she giggled knowingly. 'All right, then. I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall at eight, ok?'

'Yeah, ok,' I said, and sprinted off to tell Harry about my victory. He said Lavender turned me down, because she's going with Seamus. For God's sake, I've just had a victory! Try and bring me down, why don't you?