An Excellent Cure for Boredom

An Excellent Cure for Boredom

Dean Thomas was bored.

He'd let Seamus and Lavender drag him to the Yule Ball, even though he didn't have a date, on the proviso that they wouldn't wander off together and forget about him. And what had they done, less than an hour in? That's right, they had gone and got all wrapped up in each other on the dance floor and left him alone.

So now what was he supposed to do? He couldn't go and dance by himself, he'd look stupid, and he was no Seamus-the-extrovert, who had never cared about looking stupid, as long as he was having fun. Dean had always been far more reserved than most of his classmates, including his so-called best friend, and the idea of making an exhibition of himself was not attractive.

Sighing, Dean scanned the room for someone to talk to. There was Padma, over at Harry and Ron's table... no, she didn't look very happy (what was that all about?), best to leave her alone. Fred and Angelina? On second thoughts, no, going near them when they were dancing risked actual bodily harm, with all the energy they had. Seamus and Lavender were right out. He doubted they would even notice him shouting in their ears at that moment.

Ah! Ginny and Neville! Perfect! Even as he watched, the two of them stopped dancing and walked towards him. Poor Neville looked rather hot and flustered, so he was probably coming to get a drink. As they drew near, Dean called out a greeting and heard them both respond.

"Having fun, you two?"

"Yes," said Ginny quickly, but she didn't sound convinced. Dean thought he probably knew why - he'd seen Neville dance. Her feet must be killing her.

"You all right there, Neville?" he asked.

"Bit hot actually - I could do with a break. You don't mind, Ginny?"

Ginny clearly didn't mind at all. "No, of course not. Go and get some pumpkin juice and have a sit down, and we can dance some more later."

"I'll dance with you, if you want," offered Dean, "if that's OK with you, Neville."

"Oh, feel free," Neville said, and wandered off to get his juice.

The band struck up a new song, a two-step, and Ginny and Dean walked onto the dance floor. Dean tried hard not to step on Ginny's feet, and mostly managed it. He wasn't very used to dancing with a partner. When the tune finished, he asked, "Do you want to go for a walk outside, cool off a bit? The rose garden's supposed to be very pretty."

"I'd love to! But I'd better go and tell Neville where we're going, or he'll worry."

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about Neville - he's a bit... occupied with your brother at the moment."

Ginny followed Dean's gaze and laughed out loud. Fred and Angelina, noticing that Neville was alone, had swooped on him and were now apparently trying to involve him, Katie, Seamus and Lavender in a very complicated square dance that was taking up most of the floor.

"I see what you mean. Come on then, I could do with some fresh air."

***

As they walked up the path through the rose garden, Ginny paused for a moment to adjust her shoes. Dean turned to look at her as she straightened up, and caught his breath. In that instant, in her white dress robes, in the light of the fairies in the bushes, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his fourteen years.

"Don't move, Ginny," he said. "There's something I have to do very quickly."

She froze, and then relaxed and smiled when she saw him pull a sketchpad from his pocket.

"Do you always carry that around with you?" she asked.

"Always. You never know when I might find something worth drawing. Like now. Keep still, OK?"

She obeyed, and he got on with his sketch. When it was finished and he had scribbled a signature in one corner, he grinned at her and went to put the book back in his pocket. "Shall we head back inside then?"

Ginny squealed and launched herself at him, shrieking, "Oh no you don't! You let me see that picture, Dean Thomas!"

He amused himself for a moment, holding the book just out of reach, but finally relented and let her grab it. The second she saw the drawing, her jaw dropped.

"This - this is beautiful, but it's the most flattering thing I've ever seen."

"No, no, no," he objected. "It's not flattering at all. I draw what I see, and that's what I saw. That is you."

She beamed at him. "Well, thank you! Can I keep this?"

"Yes, as long as you promise to have it framed and treasure it forever. A genuine signed early Dean Thomas."

"I promise," she laughed, carefully tearing out the picture and handing back his sketchbook.

Then, apparently on an impulse, she reached up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, before turning away, blushing.

Dean just smiled shyly and said, "Well, we really should be heading back now, before your brothers and Neville send out a search party."

He reached out and took her hand, and they walked back down the path together, hand in hand, to rejoin the party.

"Ginny," he said, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Dean Thomas most certainly was not bored any more.