Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link

Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link

Chapter 18- Picking the shortstraw

...God bless Mother Nature

She's a single woman too

She took on a heaven

And she did what she had to do

She taught every angel

To re-arrange the sky

So that each and every woman

Could find the perfect guy...

"Finite Incantatem! Turn that off! I can't stand another minute of that out of tune banshee!"

"But... but, Hermione. We like it! We can't get changed for a ball without music."

"Well, get changed to something different. I'll put-"

"Not Beethoven! You will not put him on. I've heard enough violin sonatas to last me a life time."

"But I like Spring, Parvati."

"And Lavender and I like Geri Halliwell."

"Hermione, stop squabbling with Parvarti. You're making me smudge my lipstick!" Lavender didn't turn round from her vanity table where she was applying a load of fuscia lipstick.

Hermione glanced up from where she was skimming through A 100 Magical tips for Improving your Appearance, her birthday present from Lavender, wondering if it actually had anything useful in it. "Don't wear it then, Lavender."

Lavender gave her a look.

"How do I look?" cried Parvati, who had just squeezed herself into a long, black, tight fitting ball gown. Lavender was in raptures, but Hermione privately thought that Parvati should have worn something brighter, and less figure hugging. However the affair of the moment was her hair. Should she straighten it? or should she make it even more frizzy?

At length she decided to ask Ginny. Getting up, she made her excuses to her classmates and left the dormitory. As she closed the door behind her, she heard Lavender and Parvati taking advantage of her absence.

...It's raining men

Go get yourself wet girl

I know you want to...

*

The grandfather clock was working itself up for striking. Catherine, curled up on the sofa with the Odyssey and a plate of delicious Italian grapes did not here it. After all, Odysseus' problems were rather more pressing than hers at that moment. For once, she reflected sorrowfully. There never seemed to be a moment in Catherine's life for a quiet read. Always something to be filled in, or something else to be written for someone else for a dead line. These things were generally of no importance to her.

The clock struck. Catherine glanced at her watch. It said ten to two. It took a few minutes of action packed Greek minutes for Catherine to realise what she had seen. When she did she let out a yelp, dropped Homer into the grapes and stared at the grandfather clock. After all, it generally didn't chime at ten minutes to the hour. The clock showed six o' clock.

Catherine jumped up, Penelope's suitors forgotten for the minute, scrambled over the coffee table, knocking her book and the grapes onto the floor and breaking the Venetian glass fruit dish at the same time. She climbed over her piles of books, trinkets, holiday magazines and scrunched up pieces of parchment and suddenly stopped in the middle of the room realising she had no idea what she was doing. She wound up her watch absentmindedly and wondered what the Latin equivalent of 'bloody hell' was.

In a flash memory returned. She was meant to be someone in one hour exactly. And she had been reading the Odyssey thinking she still had three hours to get there. Stupid, stupid Catherine!

The phone rang. Tripping over her Spanish dictionary she grabbed her phone and said rather breathlessly, "Hello. Catherine Shortstraw here. Could I-"

"Ciao, Kitty!" There was only one person who annoyed her by using that name-

"Bill Weasley! What are you doing calling me? I haven't spoken to you since you left Hogwarts! My name's Catherine by the way."

"I know. I say, I didn't expect you to be here. I thought you were still digging up mangy remains in Italy."

"I came back to England four years ago. And I really must go, Bill, I've got an urgent appointment I really need to-"

"Miss? Anyway, why didn't you get ready sooner?"

"My watch stopped, and I really must go-"

"Your watch always stops! Can you just do me one favour?"

Catherine stretched out her arm, one more inch and she'd have got hold of her dress, hanging on the back of her wardrobe.

"What sort of favour?"

"I've got this message in Latin to do with banking, and I don't understand it. I just wondered if you'd help."

Almost got it! "I'll send you a dictionary and grammar book with Chiron tomorrow. I'd love to help you, but now is really not the moment... Now I really must-"

CRASH! Catherine fell over, she had leant too far over bringing the telephone and it's table with her.

"Catherine? Catherine? Earth to Kitty?"

*

... Ooh Ooh

You can dance

You can jive

Having the time of your life, ooh, ooh

See that girl, watch that scene

Diggin' the Dancing Queen...

Friday night and the lights are low

Looking out for a place to go-

Where they play the right music

Getting in the swing

You come to look for a king-

"Is that better, Hermione?" asked Parvati, dancing with her hairbrush.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she came back into her bedroom, "Better, I suppose."

Anyone can be that guy

Night is young and the music's high

With a bit of rock music

Everything is fine

You're in the mood for a dance

And when you get the chance-

"You look nice, Hermione. I like your dress."

"Thanks, Lavender."

"Yeah, you look OK," added Parvati, determined not to be outdone by her friend.

Hermione surveyed herself in the mirror and wished it to be true. She was in blue, as always, but this time it was quite a tightfitting dress. 'Victorian' her mother had called it. She had opted for frizzy hair, this time and of course, no make up.

See that girl, watch that scene

Diggin' the Dancing Queen

"Oh," Lavender remembered, "Harry came in, while you were with Ginny. He left you a note."

Surprised, Hermione picked the piece of parchment up from her bed and turned it over,

Hermione,

PLEASE don't have a row with Ron! He says he won't if you don't provoke him and PLEASE don't provoke him! Enjoy the dance.

Love Harry

P.S. Dance with him once, a fast one.

Lavender and Parvati both wanted to know the contents of the letter, they thought it was a love letter. Hermione quickly expelled such a thought from their minds.

You are the Dancing Queen

Young and sweet only seventeen

Dancing Queen

Feel the beat from the tambourine

Oh yeh-

You can dance, you can jive

Having the time of your life, ooh ooh

See that girl, watch that scene

Diggin' the Dancing Queen...

*

Hermione, Lavender, Parvati and Ginny left their dormitories at half past six for Hogsmeade. They were seen off by the rest of the house and Pippa Spinnet and Irene Malfoy in particular. Irene could have gone because a relation of hers was leaving, but she chose not to. Whether this came from a dislike to see Malfoy as her relation or whether she simply didn't like balls, nobody knew. As it was, Ginny was the only non seventh year to be going.

They met up with Harry and Ron in the Entrance Hall and Hermione and Ginny, after watching Lavender suck up to Harry for five fruitless minutes, left in the same carriage as the two boys.

It was an embarrassing ride. No one spoke. Harry looked very handsome and quite nervous. Ron looked quite handsome and very nervous. Neither of them seemed to want to talk to the two girls, but looked at them sideways every now and then in a way that was starting to get on Hermione's nerves. Ginny was too apprehensive at being near Harry at a ball to say anything and Hermione was saving her collection of small talk for the dancing.

Eventually they reached Hogsmeade and the carriage dropped them at the furthest end of the main street. Just after where the shops and houses had started to peter off, there was an enormous marquee. It was an open marquee, and at one end there was a small orchestra, The Diagon Sinfonietta Orchestra. Round the edges of the canopy were chairs and next to the orchestra were tables with food on them. The centre of the marquee was a smooth polished dancefloor. Different coloured lights twinkled all round it. The orchestra was already playing something light and cheerful. Hermione recognised it as Vivaldi's Spring.

They walked towards the tent, and suddenly Ginny gave a gasp, "Oh look! They're fairies!"

"What are?" asked Hermione, as Ron groaned and muttered, "Girls!"

Ginny showed her one of the sparkling lights. It was actually a tiny fairy holding a coloured lantern. She held it in her palm for a minute before it flew away.

The only teachers Hermione could see were Professor Dumbledore, Sirius and Arabella. She was very glad Snape hadn't come. She looked round to see her fellow seventh years. Draco Malfoy was wearing yet another black, clerical gown. He actually looked quite good looking. Next to him, however, Pansy Parkinson was terrifying. She had over powdered her already pale face, and with scarlet lipstick and a bright red dress, she gave an impression of some gory death.

Crabbe and Goyle both wore muggle suits, and looked as Harry said afterwards, like Dudley "entertaining" one of Uncle Vernon's business colleagues.

The orchestra finished 'Spring' and stopped. It was seven o' clock. Professor Dumbledore announced that the ball was open and pandemonium ensued as everyone tried to find a partner. Harry found himself grabbed by a pair of long, female nails and dragged onto the floor. Opposite Padma Patil. Hermione was dancing with Neville and Ron with Susan Bones. Ginny had the misfortune to be partnering Goyle.

The first dance was a Gavotte which Harry managed to completely mess up. He didn't think Padma would be returning for a second dance later, though he assured her that he could do the tango, fox-trot and waltz without any problems. She looked doubtful.

He missed out the next dance, a quickstep, for the health of his partner, and watched Ron and Lavender, Hermione and Justin Finch- Fletchly, and Ginny and Terry Boot.

And so the first few hours passed. Harry danced some of the dances and sat out for many. After fifteen minutes of the ball, his partner from the lessons, Mandy, rescued him from the clutches of a very insistently romantic Hufflepuff and a slow waltz. They danced a tango together quite successfully and it occurred to Harry that perhaps it depended on the partner how well he danced.

He made Ron and Hermione dance a quickstep together, holding each other as far away as possible. By far the most awkward of all the dances was the polonaise he danced with Ginny Weasley. She was so embarrassed that at the end he felt he had to sit down and recover from the effort of entertaining her.

But it was a tango, which Harry liked. Just as he was leaving the floor, a hand grabbed his arm and drew him back. A familiar voice said in his ear, "I though you were meant to dance with every girl in the year. Come on Harry, don't forget me."

Harry had never danced with Hermione before and he was glad it was a dance he was good at. After all, Hermione was one of the best dancers in the year. They danced in silence for a bit and suddenly Harry found that he was enjoying himself. There was no need to waste time with small talk with Hermione. When she started to talk about permanent banishing charms it came as no surprise and Harry actually felt interested. He felt he was lucky. To have a partner who was interesting, a nice person, pretty and a good dancer was certainly very good fortune.

After Hermione had dried up on banishing charms he brought up the topic of her dance with Ron.

She laughed and replied, "It was funny really. We must have broken the record for uncomfortable dancing." She glanced up at him, her eyes sparkling and a strange feeling came over Harry. He had felt it only once before- in Yorkshire. He had seen Hermione outside the pub and he had thought she had looked pretty in the blustery wind. But it hadn't been the same way when he thought of other girls being pretty. Hermione wasn't pretty in the usual sense of the word. She was elegant and she was clever and that made her-

"Why are you staring at me, Harry?"

"I just thought you looked so beautiful!" Harry said accidentally.

For the first time in the evening she momentarily lost her step.

"Thank-you."

"Back, forward, forward together forward, forward, forward, back, back together back, back, back."

She recovered.

The tango was the last dance of the first half and as Harry and Hermione left the floor in search of Ron, a lady brushed past them, showering them in perfume. They stared at her in surprise, for she was not a member of Hogwarts.

"Sorry!" she cried as she headed for Dumbledore.

"Who's she?" remarked Hermione to Harry. "She's rather old to be at a ball like this!"

The lady was certainly a little above student age. She was quite tall and was wearing very floating robes of a shifting violet, blue colour. She had on a headscarf and too much white powder and rouge. She was probably about fifty, Harry reckoned.

They found Ron sitting near the refreshments and discussed the 'Woman with two much perfume' as they labelled her. She was talking to Dumbledore and was being introduced to Sirius and Arabella.

During the interval the orchestra played some modern tunes which some people danced to.

...The summer air was soft and warm,

The feeling right, the Paris night

yet it's best to please us

and strolling down the river Seine

we had a drink in each cafe

You talked of politics, philosophy and I

smiled like the Mona Lisa

We had our chance

It was a fine and true romance...

Harry, Ron and Hermione ate supper.

...I can still recall

Our last summer

I still see it all

Walks along the Seine

Laughing in the rain

Our last summer

Memories that remain...

Harry suddenly became aware that the woman was coming in their direction. He poked Ron, "Look! She's coming towards us."

"Who? Perfume Woman? Oh. So?"

"I wonder what she wants." Hermione mused.

They soon found out. She almost walked past them, then stopped and turned round. She fixed Harry with a curious stare, held out her hand and said rather breathlessly, "You must be Harry Potter. How lovely to meet you."

Harry shook her hand and muttered "Hello."

...Those crazy years that was the time

of the flower power

But underneath

We had a fear of flying

Of getting old

A fear of slowly dying

We took our chance

Like we were dancing our last dance...

"I'm Dumbledore's second cousin twice removed." She continued, "You must be Hermione Granger, the expert on Ancient Greece."

"Oh no!" Protested Hermione modestly, "Not really. I mean, I only know a bit... Just very specialised. Well..."

"But you learned the alphabet just to find out the curse, did you?"

"Oh no. That was a coincidence. But I generally learn a bit of the language of the place I'm going to be staying in. Greek was just a little bit trickier."

"Yes, it would be. But it's very good, your learning the language. The number of people who just swan around a foreign country not even being able to say 'Yes, thank you' is absolutely disgraceful. We don't like it if foreigners come into our shops talking their own language, so we shouldn't do it to them."

"I quite agree." Hermione nodded vigorously, "we think just because English is almost an universal language that we can go around pretending we own the world."

Harry chipped in, "This is Ron Weasley."

The woman looked vaguely at him out of grey-green eyes. She seemed to have forgotten his existence. "Oh yes, of course. Nice to meet you, Ron. I know a few of your brothers- Charlie and Bill. Do you like travelling too?"

"Er, yes," replied Ron who couldn't really have answered anything else. Dumbledore's second cousin twice removed turned back to Hermione with interest, "So, Hermione, where else have you been? Greece, and...?"

"Well, I've been to France quite a few times.-"

"Est-ce que tu parles français?"

"Bien sûr!" replied Hermione, with a laugh. Ron went off to find a partner for the next dance.

The ball started up in the second half with the more romantic dances. It was dark now. The fairies were brighter than ever. There was a really magical feel in the air.

Harry half switched off from the conversation. He was quite tired. It was clear that Hermione was very taken with the new arrival and vice versa.

"...Absolutely amazing..."

"...Ibiza...dreadful..."

"...speak five languages as well as Latin..."

"...Guten Tag!..."

"...really no sense of culture..."

"...the euro...awful...takes the fun out of travel..."

"...I completely agree..."

He watched Ron idly circle the dance floor with Lisa Turpin to a slow waltz.

Harry left and went to dance with Mandy. She had promised him a waltz after all. Hermione and Dumbledore's cousin were still deep in conversation, this time about magical communications with South America, where neither of them had ever been. It occurred to Harry that he didn't even know the woman's name.

The waltz having ended, Harry returned to Hermione who had just finished a passionate argument with Dumbledore's cousin about the tourism industry in Spain. When Harry arrived they had just realised that they agreed on every point, and had been therefore arguing against themselves.

"Excuse me," Harry butted in, "I'm afraid I don't know your name?"

She turned surprised and set her eyes on his face, "I'm sorry. Did I really forget to introduce myself? Things are coming to a pretty pass!" She held out her hand and suddenly Hermione frowned- for a middle aged woman's hand, it was very tanned and smooth. "My name is Miss Shortstraw... Catherine Shortstraw."

"That's an odd name," said Hermione.

"Yes, isn't it? I like it, though."

Harry felt sure that it sounded familiar. Suddenly Miss Shortstraw asked him to dance. It was only polite to agree though he didn't see much fun in it. He didn't think he could keep a conversation about the Romans going very long. Only people like Hermione could talk about them with that much interest.

"I feel sure I've heard your name before..." Harry mused.

"It's not one you'd forget soon," she laughed, "really though, you probably have heard it. My sister, Emma is a journalist. She's been in the news recently about her very cynical approach to the Voldemort crisis."

"You said his name!"

"Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. I am meant to be a relation of Dumbledore's after all."

"You're meant to be... you mean you aren't?"

Miss Shortstraw hesitated a split second, "I'm not remotely related to him. I just used that excuse to get into the ball."

"Why did you want to get into the ball?" Harry enquired. He was getting a very bad feeling about Catherine Shortstraw. After all, there were a few death eaters still about who would probably want him dead and would try to get at him in every way.

"Well, you see Harry, er, I'd like to make you a job offer."

Harry hadn't expected that. "Thank-you very much, but I already know what I want to be."

"An Auror?" inquired Miss Shortstraw.

"Yes. How did you know?"

She flailed an arm about vaguely, "Oh, you're Harry Potter!"

Harry agreed to this and asked what her what job she was proposing to offer him.

"Ah, well, where shall I start?" She thought a few minutes then said, "You may have heard of my name through my sister, but it's far more likely you heard about me in a different context. My mother was a very good friend of your mother."

"Really? Who was she?"

"Her name was Mrs. Cidilla Shortstraw. Her maiden name was Cidilla French. Er, she taught German."

"But that wasn't all she did!" cried Harry, remembering, "she ah, she erm..." He also remembered that The Department of Mysteries was supposed to be a secret.

She was looking at him insistently with raised eyebrows.

Harry felt very uncomfortable, "Erm, Miss Shortstraw-"

"Catherine."

"Er, Catherine. Well, I'm afraid I can't continue."

"What you mean, I suppose, is that she worked in the Department of Mysteries. Yes, she did and yes, I do now." She smiled at him.

"You? You... work... and you're telling me?"

"Of course. I'm a Principa, and mind you pronounce it 'prinkipa'. It's a made up word from the Latin word 'princeps' meaning emperor."

"Oh. Er, really!"

"You may know that I am in charge of a group of three witches and three wizards. One of our wizards was killed last week and the Department is offering you the job."

"Oh," said Harry again.

Catherine seemed rather worried, "I know it's very hard work, and quite dangerous. Most Domini don't last very long. But it is well paid. Very well paid. You'd earn about 5000 Galleons in your first year."

"Five thousand galleons!?"

"Yes. I see I'm persuading you!"

Harry considered. Becoming a Dominus would take away any idea he had of an Auror course. And yet, they were similar jobs and being in DOM was better paid. He remembered what Dumbledore had said of having a partner. He asked Catherine who his partner would be.

She pursed her lips, opened her mouth and shut it once before committing herself to words, "Ah. Your partner. Well, her name is Linda Newman."

"Oh?"

"She's, she's very nice."

"What else?" Harry thought Catherine was being rather evasive.

She looked sheepish. "Linda, unfortunately, is quite sickly. She always seems to be ill in some way, nearly always when it is necessary for her to be on an assignment. It is very, ahem, unfortunate."

"I see. So what happens when she is ill?"

"Either you go alone or a substitute goes with you. Usually it is me, being the Principa of your group."

"Who else would be in my group?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that until you have accepted."

Harry bit his lip and concentrated very hard on his steps for a bit. Catherine was actually a good dancer. She didn't have that aura of grace and perfection that Hermione had, but she didn't miss a step.

What would Ron and Hermione say if he told them he had become a spy? It would be a totally different life, with new people to meet and new things to do. But he liked Catherine. And Hermione liked her, and she generally wasn't wrong about these things.

"I accept."

Catherine positively beamed, "Good! I had an idea that you might. I think I'll enjoy working with you, Harry. Excellent!"

Harry grinned back. He suddenly felt much happier and more secure, "So, who will be my colleagues?"

"Ah yes. You know of course that in each group there are six members, three sets of partners."

Harry nodded.

"Yes, well, in each partnership, one of the two will be very good at attacking, at physical work- that's you, by the way. The other partner probably has the harder lot. They must be a fine actor or actress, capable of deception, of tricking people, of laying red herrings. That's Linda, only she doesn't do her job very well. I don't know how she got the job and how she's survived up to now I can't imagine."

"Who chooses the members? It's not you, is it?"

Heavens no! There's someone called 'The Boss'. I don't know who he is, you don't know who he is, I don't know anyone who knows. Anyway, he's in charge of this whole caboodle and he issues all the orders like which new members to recruit. I just follow his orders and pass them on to you and the five others. It could be a woman actually," she added.

"Now will you tell me who the other members of the group are?"

"Certainly. One of them I believe you already know. A certain young lady?"

"Er?"

"Cho Chang. In fact she only joined us at Easter."

"Cho? She's a Domina? That explains why she dropped out of the Auror course!"

"Yes exactly. That's another point I've just remembered. You must have another small job to make it look like you're earning something to people who aren't in the know. I work in Madam Malkins', Cho in the Leaky Cauldron. I wouldn't advise becoming an Auror as well, it would be quite a lot to take on board."

"I don't know. What do you suggest?"

"What are you good at?"

"Quidditch, I guess." Harry replied after a little thought.

"Well, there are plenty of quidditch orientated jobs without being actually involved in flying. Have a look out for some. That's what I'd suggest anyway."

Harry thanked her and looked about the marquee.

"Nice event," commented Catherine. "I like balls. I remember my own Laurel's ball when I left Hogwarts. I was forced to dance with Professor Snape."

"Poor you!" laughed Harry.

"Oh it wasn't that bad. I danced with one of Ron's brothers as well. Charlie I remember. We were in the same year. Bill was a few years older."

Harry stared at her, "But you're... you're older than that, aren't you?"

"I'm twenty seven. I look like I'm about fifty because I'm trying to look like Dumbledore's cousin."

The dance (a very long waltz) wound to a close and Harry and Catherine left the floor, Catherine to go and talk to Dumbledore and Harry to Ron and Hermione. Ron was still dancing with Lisa but Hermione was sitting where he had left her, looking tired and rather bored.

"Hello, Harry. Enjoyed your dance? You looked like you were enjoying it."

"I was actually!" Harry replied surprised.

"Hmm." Hermione stared at him out of narrow eyes. Eventually she said, "So she wasn't a death eater?"

"No! Why should you think she was?"

"Her hands are younger than the rest of her. I thought she was in disguise."

"But you liked her!"

"I know, and I still do. Even death eaters can be nice I suppose. So what did she want?"

"She was-"

Ron came back, looking radiant. "I think I've fallen in love!"

Hermione looked very sceptical, "What, this is the, oh what is it, fourth time you have? No, third. Fleur and me first. Who with?"

Ron had a very dreamy look on his face, "Lisa. Lisa Turpin. And to think I didn't even know she existed before tonight!"

"Does she like you back?"

"That's just it. I- I think she might!"

"Oh Ron! You've danced one waltz with her. Anyway, shut up! Harry was just about to say something important when you interrupt with your love life. Really! Go on, Harry."

Quickly and quietly Harry narrated all that Catherine had told them, and made them swear to secrecy.

Ron looked a bit jealous but he couldn't tell whether Hermione was. She looked... blank.

At last when Ron had finished being excited by it she laid her hand on Harry's, and said softly, "Do you have to, Harry? I- I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you. Remember your parents. It's a dangerous job. You could be killed next week!"

"Oh come on Hermione," put in Ron, "he's far more likely to be run over by a bus."

Harry wished she wouldn't take it that seriously, he couldn't help agreeing with Ron. "Look, Hermione. Thanks to you, Voldemort's gone. No-one's going to be trying to kill me."

"He came back last time."

"Well that was last time. This is this time. It's completely different, and this is a ball and I don't propose to spend my time talking about that now. Voldemort will never come back."

Suddenly as they were talking Hermione went pale and she stared hard over her shoulder. Harry frowned at her and made a few incomprehensible eye movements in her direction. Ron carried on talking about Lisa.

Eventually she caught on that Harry had noticed her change in behaviour. She said through the Unbreakable Link, Harry, whatever you do, don't let Ron look at the dance floor.

Harry frowned and replied, Why not? What's up?

It's Ginny. She's dancing with... with... Draco Malfoy.

Harry immediately turned round and caught sight of Ginny in her canary yellow ball dress circling the floor with Malfoy to a relaxed fox-trot.(A/N: I always think of Ginny in canary yellow?!) She didn't look too unhappy either.

Unfortunately Ron noticed Harry's glance and turned round as well. Harry and Hermione watched anxiously. It didn't take Ron long to see what the deal was.

His face went red and he left out a bellow like an angry bull, before charging onto the dance floor towards the couple, "DRACO MALFOY! UNHAND MY SISTER!"

Some of the dancers stopped dancing and stared, even the lead violinist of the Diagon Sinfonietta hesitated a second. Draco Malfoy stopped dancing and turned to face Ron. Ginny pulled away and looked rather scared.

Ron raced to her side and grabbed her physically away from Malfoy. Harry and Hermione followed cautiously onto the dance floor. Draco's eyes glittered coldly, "Leave my partner alone, Weasley. I'll dance with who I like. Besides, she came of her own free will. I asked her to dance and she accepted."

"Don't be ridiculous! What spell did you put on her? That's the question! This calls for revenge!"

Ginny wrestled out of both Ron and Malfoy's grasp and cried out, "Malfoy's right! I'm dancing with him because I want to. Now let me go, you're making me waste the fox-trot.!"

Ron wouldn't give up and cried with more perception than he was usually credited for, "Ginny! Don't even think he's doing this to be nice! He's just trying to hit it off with you, ruin you and then dump you!"

"Ron..." intervened Hermione ineffectually and was ignored.

Ginny went scarlet and gazed from Ron to Malfoy who was looking decidedly shifty. She couldn't seem to make up her mind what to do. Eventually she acted as only humans do, "Harry! It's all his fault!"

Harry opened his mouth and shut it again. All eyes swivelled onto him. This was the second love triangle he had got himself 'caught up in', the first being the affair of Hermione and Krum in his fourth year.

"If Harry liked me and danced with me then I would never have felt the need to dance with Malfoy!" Ginny continued.

"Rubbish!" Said Hermione her eyes blazing, "that's absolute nonsense!"

"How sweet! The Mudblood sticking up for-"- Malfoy.

"Why bring Harry into this?"- Ron.

"Yeah- why bring me into this?"- Harry.

"'Cos it's your fault!"

"I want to dance!"

"He danced a polonaise with you? What more do you want?"

"God, I wish we had a reporter here. This would make headline news. You know- 'Weasley girl dumps Scarface Potter for Draco Malfoy at Laurel's Ball!"

"Malfoy, you're really not helping!"

"And it’s really none of your business, Granger!"

"We were never even going out!"

"What on earth is going on here?" They fell silent. Arabella was the speaker and she looked furious. She placed her hands on her hips and surveyed them. "Now what was going on?"

After a couple of minutes she extracted the true story from Hermione and sent Draco and Ginny off to finish their dance and told Ron that it really was their business who they danced with. Ron was not pleased and stormed off the floor saying that he hated balls.

The fox-trot. came to its conclusion and Ginny sent off a parting shot, "See, at least you made me miss my favourite dance!"

Harry found himself standing in the middle of the dance floor. He made his way off when he heard Hermione call to him from behind, "Wait!" The orchestra struck up a waltz.

Harry turned round and saw her standing there amid the swirling couples. Her head was on one side, and her eyes seemed brighter than usual in the fairy light. She held out a hand to him with a smile, "Will you dance, Harry? Just one waltz?"

Harry looked at her and wondered why he was hesitating. He shrugged, "If you like." He took her hand and put his arms round her and they began to dance.

It was a moment he would never forget for all his life; it was the moment he fell for Hermione Granger.

As she leant back in his arms Harry felt that she fitted into them, like she belonged there. She was so light, and such a good dancer!

"Do you know what this dance is?" she asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Strauss. Thousand and One Nights waltz."

"How do you know that?" asked Harry, amazed.

"Oh, I know everything!" She laughed and spun round, her sky blue skirt swirling round Harry's legs. For once Harry didn't even try to doubt it, "Tell me some more about permanent banishing charms, Hermione. They're really interesting."

She grinned up at him, "I can't talk about charms in a waltz!"

"I thought you could talk about charms anytime and anyplace!"

"Anyplace but a waltz! You may not know it, but I really like balls! I've been looking forward to this one for months and I intend to enjoy it! I love the atmosphere, the music, the dancing, the gentility of it all! Don't you think so?"

"I suppose so, it's certainly very romantic."

"I love the romance of it all as well! Nowadays at a disco, everyone's simply interested in the sex, the physical part of love. Here, I don't know- it's different."

"I know what you mean. There are no sensual songs, no kissing- do you know, I have not seen even one person snogging their girlfriend yet!"

"I won't tell you to look behind you then. Terry and Mandy are just proving you wrong!"

"And Ron and Lisa, I imagine."

They laughed and then danced in silence for the rest of the waltz. At the end of it, Harry felt tired and his legs ached, but Hermione didn’t let him go, and somehow he didn't care and stayed with her to dance Roses from the South and then The Blue Danube.

He felt so happy and yet he couldn't explain it. It was so nice to spend time like this with a good friend like Hermione!

By the end of Roses from the South Hermione's head was practically resting on his shoulder and she seemed to be dancing in her sleep. However, when he suggested quietly that they went and sat out for a bit she stood up straight and shook her head emphatically, "No! I'm quite happy here. Thanks for asking though, Harry."

It was midnight when the beautiful blue Danube finally reached the sea and everyone stopped dancing. The bells of Hogsmeade gave their impression of Big Ben, fireworks were set off and the lovers kissed. Then Professor Dumbledore wished everyone good luck with their paths in life, the pupils applauded, the lovers kissed some more and the ball was over.

Hermione disentangled herself from Harry's arms and went off somewhere. Ron grabbed Harry and they made off for the coaches to take them back to Hogwarts.

"Hermione looked like she was almost asleep! I can't believe you danced the last three waltzes of the evening with her! With Hermione!"

"Well," replied Harry ruefully, "it was only going to be one dance, but then I think we were so tired we just couldn't be bothered to stop."

"Oh I see," said Ron who didn't.

"I say, have you seen Catherine?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah, I saw her leave for the station just before midnight."

"She must have been going to catch the 12 o' clock train. I wish I had had a chance to say goodbye to her."

"You'll see her again soon. Where's Hermione for that matter?"

"She went off somewhere at the end. I don't know."

"She said she'd walk back. I think she wanted some fresh air." Sirius appeared behind them. "So enjoyed the ball?"

"It was great!" said Ron enthusiastically, "apart from that Slytherin git going off with Ginny."

"That was unfortunate. What about you, Harry?"

"It was good," said Harry guardedly. "I'm...um... just going to see... er... see you at the castle, Ron!"

"What? Where're you going?"

But Harry had disappeared into the crowd.

*

Hermione walked quickly away from the group of students leaving the marquee and down Hogsmeade's unlit main street. How many times she had come here with Harry and Ron to buy sweets and tricks! She walked briskly, but when she reached the Shrieking Shack she stopped suddenly and went to sit on the rail of the fence around it.

The music echoed in her head as she watched the crowd moving towards the coaches. It was so nice to sit here, being eighteen and at a ball! A gentle night breeze wafted her hair across her face. She yawned and stared up at the clouds illuminated by the half moon.

She was tired, very tired indeed and yet she felt very excited. She could hardly sit still. There were butterflies in her stomach and she knew she wanted something, but she didn't know what. She knew she would not sleep a wink that night, or rather morning.

There was something she would have to think about. That was why she had come out here. Harry. She knew she liked him. She had realised that long ago- in that closet when she had told him about the Unbreakable Link. Now she wondered just how much. She had thought it was a crush and anyone can control a crush, after all no-one had noticed, had they? She hadn't even bothered to check it, she liked it. It was odd and different to feel like that towards someone. She had not thought it would go anywhere. She had taken Parvati and Lavender as her rolemodels- they had crushes everyday which then disappeared like the twinkling of a star.

She tried to analyse her feelings now, it was the first time she had thought of them seriously. They worried her. The scale and depth of them. It wasn't just physical attraction, there was that of course, but it was more than just that, there was the desire to be with him, to help him. To be happy with him, to be sad with him, to laugh and cry together. There was a small tug at her heart when she thought of it. Hermione wasn't stupid, she knew what had happened. She had fallen in love with him.

How awful it was to be eighteen, at a ball and in love with someone!

She would have to go back sometime. They would miss her otherwise, yet for a moment she wanted to escape reality. To stay in the warm, friendly night for a bit longer. The main square was dark now, all the coaches had left. Hermione sighed and prepared to get off the fence, hopefully keeping her dress in one piece at the same time.

"Hermione?"

Hermione sat perfectly still, her heart beating faster than normal.

"Harry?" Her voice came out a strangled gasp. She immediately composed herself and made her throat relax, like one does before singing.

"Where are you?"

"Shrieking shack," she replied, her voice normal again.

He came up to her and grinned, "Why on earth didn't you go to the coaches? Sirius said you wanted top walk back. Why?"

"Oh, just helps me calm down. It was very hot in the tent."

"True. It was a wonderful ball though." He clambered up onto the fence next to her, just as she jumped down.

"You're really edgy, you know Hermione. What happened?"

"I'm excited! The ball's worked me up."

"Of course," he said sceptically.

Suddenly she felt it. It wasn't that bad being in love, it was exciting and novel and happy! It was wonderful power.

She laughed, "It was a wonderful ball!" she said with real conviction.

"You are odd, you know!"

"And delightful!" She danced up to him and grabbed his hand.

"Of course! I was just coming on to that!" He allowed himself to be dragged off the fence and waltzed around the street.

"Are you ever going to stop dancing tonight, Hermione?"

"I could have danced all night!" she sang with a smile.

"What's that?"

"Song from My Fair Lady. It's my favourite musical. 'I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night, And still have begged for more!'"

"You sing well. Carry on!"

"'I could have spread my wings, And done a thousand things, I never did before!'" She hesitated, realising where the song was going. Harry stopped dancing.

"'I never knew what made it so exciting, Why all at once my heart took flight! I only know when he, began to dance with me, I could have danced, danced, danced all night!'"

She stopped breathless.

"It's a nice tune," said Harry neutrally.

Hermione turned away, "We'd better get back now." She started to walk away.

"Hermione," Harry suddenly took hold of her hand and she turned slowly to face him, "who was he? What was the meaning of the last bit of the song? Who was he? Who did you dance with?"

"I- I can't tell you."

Gently he touched her chin and turned her face towards his. "You're different. It's changed you. Or maybe I'm seeing you differently, that's all. I don't know."

She didn't reply. Harry didn't move.

"We've been through a lot together, Hermione."

"A lot," she echoed.

He didn't seem to know what to say after that. Eventually, "Oh damn it! Just tell me if it's me!"

"Do you want it to be you?"

Harry stared at her as if that consideration had never entered his head.

"Do you?" she insisted.

"I never thought of that. I suppose- I don't know! It's all changed! I think- I think I do!"

Hermione let out her breath she had been holding and wondered what to say. The possibility he might like her back had never occurred to her. What should she do?

He was looking at her again. Her mouth went dry. "It is me, isn't it? I would never have thought!"

She nodded once and licked her lips nervously.

Harry looked at her in mild amazement, "Hermione? Why are we standing here, talking like this? It isn't right, I want to go right away from here now! I want to live in reality, where you're the bookworm and I'm Harry Potter, saviour of the world!"

"But you are! And I am! It's just different."

"Exactly."

"Harry, never forget, we are who we are and we always will be. Nothing can change that!"

"I know what you're thinking about. We can change it! It doesn't matter to me, and it shouldn't matter to you. No-one will ever hear your name in connection with Voldemort's. The world will know you just as Hermione Granger, if that's what you want. No-one will ever know."

"But, Harry, that's not possible. It's simply not possible to hide it from everyone."

"Well, we'll try our very best!"

Suddenly she cried, "Oh please do! It'll ruin all my chances if people know who... who I am."

He stared at her and suddenly put his arms round her and kissed her. She let out a gasp and kissed him back. Viktor was nothing like him, this was... amazing. She had never thought she would ever kiss him, and certainly not like this! She didn't want to think, not now, just kiss him and kiss him...

He changed his position and suddenly she realised what had happened. She pushed him away from her.

"Hermione!" he cried horrified, "what have we done?"

"We kissed. Harry, we can't do this!"

"I know! What will Ron say?"

"Of all the things to say just now!"

"Well, what did you mean then?"

She opened her mouth but no sound came out for many seconds. She couldn't get rid of the memory of the last few minutes. At last she said carefully, "Harry, do you realise the implications? The very serious implications?"

"No, what are they?"

"Do I have to spell it out to you? Who are we? I am the daughter of Lord Voldemort, you are Harry Potter, you have Gryffindor blood in you you said once. It's almost as bad as Ginny and Malfoy!"

"I know, but we shouldn't do things just because our ancestors hated each other!"

"Yes, but Harry! We have the Unbreakable Link, don't we? What would happen if...? Doesn't this mean anything to you? No of course it doesn't! You haven't read it!"

"Read what?"

"Oh never mind! I can't tell you! I don't even know myself, but we can never. get. together."

Harry blushed crimson, "I think I know you what you mean about the Unbreakable Link, Hermione!" (A/N: And if you don't, reread chapter 5!)

"Yes exactly, you see what I mean, we must forget this evening!"

"But... Hermione, I enjoyed it."

Hermione opened her mouth and turned away from him, "Let's get back to the castle."

And so they returned to the castle, Hermione talking about permanent banishing charms the whole time.

...I could have danced all night

I could have danced all night

And still have begged for more.

I could have spread my wings

and done a thousand things

I never did before.

I never knew what made it so exciting

Why all at once my heart took flight!

I only know when he began to dance with me

I could have danced, danced, danced all night!...