Enchanted

Part 3

Harry couldn’t catch up to Hermione after she dashed off, but she knew just where she had gone. Her secret spot, the one she had told only Harry about. Now he understood why. It was sacred to her, the place where she got away from anything and especially anything that was troubling her. And boy, was she troubled right now. He ran out the main doors outside and down the hill. He saw the large tree by the lake, and sure enough, a figure was silhouetted sitting on one of its lofty, large branches. He silently crept up to it and tried to climb up unnoticed.

“What do you want, Harry?” a sniffling voice asked. “I’ve caused you enough trouble.”

“Yeah, you have,” he called up to her, settling on a low branch.

“Gee, way to make me feel better,” she said cynically.

“Well, it’s the truth. And quoting from Dumbledore, ‘the truth, no matter how harsh it is, is better than any lie.’”

“He never said that exactly,” she said automatically.

“Yes, not exactly, but it is practically the same thing. Just so you know, I’m not mad at you,” he told her.

“That’s nice,” she said quietly.

“I’m shocked, though. I never thought – I never knew that – I figured it had been the enchantment – if you told me I would never have believed –” He rambled, but none of the sentences seemed to fit. “This has been weird few days.”

“Thanks to me,” she said darkly.

“Hermione, I told you, I don’t mind. I’m really shocked – and well, flattered,” Harry replied, looking up at her.

“Cut it out, Harry, I already know you don’t like me,” she muttered.

“So maybe I don’t,” he said, “but what does that matter? You’re my best friend, and that’s all I need.”

“Unfortunately, that isn’t all that I want.”

“You can’t get everything you want, but maybe…” He paused, thinking. “I got it Hermione,” he said brightly. “I haven’t got a date yet, so you can come with me to the Valentine’s Ball.”

“As a last resort?” she asked.

“No, a first choice,” he replied. “Even though we both know I don’t feel…that way about you, that doesn’t mean we can’t go to a ball together. I’m not very keen on asking girls like Parvati who get all excited about balls and dancing and going with me just because I am who I am.”

She laughed, even though she still felt horrible. “Then I’m afraid you have the wrong girl!”

“Just, please go with me? Or you can always go with Ron.” Harry didn’t want that to sound mean to Ron, but it just came out that way.

“Good point. And I don’t want to end up with someone like Viktor Krum again,” she said thoughtfully.

“You didn’t like Viktor?” he asked. “This I’ve got to hear.” He scurried up the tree expertly, and sat on the branch nearest to her.

“Harry, I never even liked Viktor.” She sighed. “You heard what I said about him – he’s not even good-looking, and girls only like him because he’s famous. It’s always been you. I only agreed to go with Viktor because I knew – I thought no one would ask me. I was wrong, but it was good that I did instead of going with Neville or – urgh, Ron.”

“So why did you act like you really liked Viktor in front of Ron?”

She sighed. “I don’t know why I acted like I liked Viktor with Viktor. I never thought he really liked me, I mean, he was a famous Quidditch player, and he’s four years older than me. You saw the way I ignored him after the second task. I didn’t even like being the person he would miss the most. I know he told you that he was suspecting us together because I talked about you way too much.”

“Yeah, he did,” Harry said. “It was actually kind of funny, him thinking that I was an actually rival.”

“Well, Viktor thought I was serious about him also, but I wasn’t. I learned by being around him a lot that he was really nice, and I gained this sort of respect for him, because Durmstrang sounded horrible and Karakoff, well we know about him, but I just never felt that way about him. As for Ron, I knew that he had developed a crush on me, that he was only subconsciously aware of, and I didn’t like it a bit. So I pretended to be really interested in Viktor, and I had a lot of fun watching Ron be jealous.

“I’ve done some pretty crazy things for love.”

“You could say that again,” Harry muttered, all of the last week’s experiences rushing through his mind.

“I worked so hard to hide it all those years, but I suppose everyone else saw right through me. That’s why Mrs. Weasley even believed that we had been going out. I got really desperate to find a way to be close to you, but I couldn’t really find any. The past week proved how insane I went just to be with you. I was actually considering a love potion, but Malfoy found out my secret and gave me the chance. We weren’t working together or anything, though,” she added, seeing Harry’s expression. “I can’t believe I degraded myself like that, though. Yet in reality, that was the side that no on gets to see of me. I was so deprived of love that my inner self was possessed for it. Through everything, even if you’ll hate me now, I’ll always like you, and I have ever since I read about you.”

“So that is a yes to go with me to the ball?” he asked, grinning.

“Of course. I don’t know why you asked me after what I did -- ” She cut herself off. The tears weren’t entirely gone; a few of happiness fell down her tearstained cheeks. “Thank you, Harry.”

“I think I owe you after you embarrassed yourself so much. But to everyone else, you were under a spell.”

“Good. No one finds out, and we erase Malfoy’s memory as soon as possible,” she said.

“Deal,” he agreed, grinning, sticking out his hand. She shook it. “And Hermione?”

“What?” she asked.

“Don’t ever, ever act like that again,” he said.

“Deal.” They shook hands again. As they were letting go, their eyes locked on one another’s for a brief moment and they smiled.

For the rest of the day, they stayed up in the tree, relaxing and talking, and everything was just the way it had been before all that Entrancement Enchantment mess.

Harry smoothed out his emerald green robes, the ones he had used at the Yule Ball. After all, they did match very well with his eyes, even if he had grown a bit more. He looked at himself in the mirror and tried desperately to fix his hair. He had used a ton of gel to make it lay flat, and it worked somewhat, but it couldn’t defy heredity. He had parted his jet-black hair down the middle, and it looked all right, yet he was still nervous. “It’s only Hermione,” he reminded himself.

“I can’t believe you asked her to the ball,” Ron replied. “I thought you hated her stalking you.”

“Well, she was under a spell!” Harry and Hermione hadn’t told even Ron that Hermione liked Harry, and it was erased from Malfoy’s memory forever after he performed a very useful charm.

Ron was trying to fix his robes. Luckily, there wasn’t any lace, and it was in pretty good condition. Unfortunately, it had been Percy’s, the one he had worn to the Yule Ball. The navy blue with his hair made him stand out even more, but he lived with it.

“Who’d you ask anyway, Ron?” Seamus asked. He was going with Lavender Brown once again, because they had become somewhat of an item since the last ball.

“I didn’t,” he said. “Dean did, and he intends to keep it a surprise.”

Dean grinned. “And you can thank me for everything.” Harry noticed how devilish his grin looked, but spoke nothing of it.

“Kind of funny, how you got a date for Ron, but not yourself,” Seamus taunted.

“Shut up,” Dean said, “I didn’t want a date. That doesn’t leave me committed to stay with only one girl.”

“Player,” Ron said, laughing.

“And you, Neville, who are you going with?” Seamus asked.

“No one,” he said, fixing his robes, which refused to fall in place properly. “I didn’t ask anyone.”

“Yeah, and Ginny’s going with Colin this year,” Ron replied. “The two Harry Potter fanatics. Have I ever told you about WELHPS?” he asked the boys, sniggering.

(A/N: Oh yeah, that’s from HP and the Tapestry of Fate, part 4, so you have to read it to understand this!)

“Well, we should go find our dates now, shouldn’t we?” Harry suggested quickly, trying to avoid the subject Ron was trying to bring up. “The ball starts soon.” He was glad he wouldn’t have to open the ball by dancing this year. Everything was just normal, and he was sure to have a good time.

The guys all nodded, and they walked out of the room. A whole bunch of girls were waiting at the foot of the stairs of the girls’ dorm. Lavender went of in Seamus’ arm, and Dean and Neville tagged along, teasing them.

“So you don’t know who your date is?” Harry asked Ron, looking for Hermione, but she wasn’t there.

“Not yet,” he said. “I gotta dash, but I’ll meet you two later, all right?”

Harry nodded, as Ron ran out of the portrait hole. “Have you seen Hermione?” he asked Paige Torrey, a fourth year girl.

“Yeah, she’s upstairs,” she replied.

“Is she all right, or just getting ready?” he asked, concerned.

“I think she’s fixing her hair,” Paige said. “Speaking of that, your hair looks really great too.” She blushed.

“Thanks,” Harry said and ran up the stairs.

“Where’re you going? Boys aren’t allowed up there!” Paige called, but Harry was gone.

He knocked on the door, after smoothing his hair down automatically. He reached to push his glasses up on his nose, but remembered they weren’t there.

“Who is it?” came undoubtedly Hermione’s voice.

“It’s me!” Harry called. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” she said, “let me just add the finishing touches to my hair.” Harry waited, and the door opened. He gaped when she came out.

Hermione was wearing light violet robes with glitter shimmering off it. She had silver rings, bracelets, and a necklace, and a lot of lavender colored barrettes in her hair. Her chestnut hair was pinned back and rather sleeker, shinier, bouncier, and wavier than usual. Harry saw traces of eye shadow and lip-gloss on her face.

“So we’re ready to go?” he asked, after he gulped a few times when words wouldn’t come out.

She smiled a beautiful smile and slipped her arm through Harry’s. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Then let’s go.” He led her down the corridor and stairs. The common room was still buzzing, but they hushed when Harry and Hermione came to the landing. They seemed to walk down in slow motion, and everyone stared at them.

“You’d think this was some kind of fairy tale,” Hermione whispered, eyes shining.

“It’s only the beginning,” Harry said back to her. The night looked very promising.

They walked out of the portrait hole and everyone began to instantly talk about them. The Fat Lady, decked out in a frillier, fancier pink dress, smiled at them. “Have a good time!”

Harry and Hermione walked to the Great Hall, still arm in arm, joining the crowd of other students making their way there. They talked normally, not even realizing that people were still staring at them.

The Great Hall looked amazing. It was horrible and cheesy the way Lockhart had decked it out to be in their second year. It wasn’t horribly pink, and really glittery. Banners with hearts on them were hung up. It was already full of people. The stage area that had been set up was empty.

“I wonder who’s going to sing,” Hermione mused.

Harry nodded. “Let’s go find Ron; I want to see who his date was!”

His hair stood out easily, even in the swarm of people, but to their dismay, he was alone. He stood by the punch table, with his hands in his pockets. “Hey, Harry,” he said. “Hey – Hermione?” he asked in disbelief.

She nodded, her brown eyes sparkling. “You didn’t recognize me, after five years of friendship?”

“So where’s your date?” Harry asked, searching the room.

“I don’t know,” he said. “She’s supposed to meet me here.”

“Oh no, don’t tell me it’s you!” a voice groaned.

The three whipped around. It was a girl in sunshine yellow robes. Her dark hair was braided and twisted into a bun.

“Padma?” Ron asked in shock.

“Ron,” she said bitterly.

Hermione and Harry couldn’t help laughing. “Well, you two have fun,” Harry said, leading Hermione away. Ron glared at him, avoiding Padma entirely.

“So are you going to ask me to dance this time?” she asked cynically, her dark eyes blazing.

Ron crossed his arms. “Ha, ha,” he said dryly. I can’t believe Dean would do this to me! he thought furiously.

Harry bumped into Dean right after they got away from Ron, whilst he and Hermione were still in fits of laughter.

“So, did Ron find his date?” Dean asked, smirking.

Harry nodded, sniggering. Dean slapped him high five. “Well, I’m going to go and flirt with some girls, but guess what? I heard the Raging Ogres are playing!”

Harry had no idea who they were, but Hermione shook her head. “They don’t play hard rock music at a Valentine’s Day ball. What’s the betting it’ll be Celestina Warbuck?”

“I say five Galleons against it,” Dean said.

“You’re on,” Hermione said, shaking hands.

“Hermione Anne Granger! Making a bet, I’m shocked!” Harry said teasingly.

“Hey, I’m going to get five Galleons,” she said, grinning. “What are you getting out of this?”

“A good time, I hope,” he said. “And judging by everything that happens to me, probably a very important or embarrassing experience. But right now, I’m getting some punch. Do you want anything?”

“I’ll have a punch too,” she said.

He walked over and saw that the refreshment table was crowded with people. “What’s going on?” Harry asked a tall, sixth year, Gryffindor boy named Steven Andrews.

“Someone’s spiked the punch,” he said solemnly, but then he burst out laughing.

“What is it?” Harry asked, trying to look over the crowd.

“Apparently, it’s an Super Energy Elixir, and this couple who drank it are going mad. Weasley, well, he just started to do a tap-dance, and the girl began to yodel –” Steven snorted.

“Ron?” he asked in disbelief. He shoved a few people out of his way to try to get a closer look.

“Now, really!” a stunning lady said. Her wavy, dark hair was flowing freely to her waist, and she was wearing an elegant, dark red robe. Her face was painted and her lips were dark. Golden jewelry glimmered at her wrists and a large ruby was on a fine, gold chain around her neck. “What’s going on?” she asked sternly.

A few seventh year boys catcalled and whistled. “Who is that?” Lee Jordan, in outrageous orange robes, asked, his eyes bulging.

Had Harry not heard her scoldings many times before, he’d never have believed that it was her. But judging by the irritated tone of voice, steely glint in her eyes, her hands on her hips, flaring nostrils, and thinned lips, it was definitely McGonagall.

“What’s going on here?” she asked a redheaded Hufflepuff girl, named Anita Terreta.

“Oh, it’s horrible!” she said. “Somebody spiked the punch, and that Weasley boy and Padma Patil – they drank a bit too much, and it was filled with a Super Energy Elixir. They’re going crazy, I wouldn’t be surprised if they started climbing on the walls. You have to do something, Professor McGonagall!”

They boys’ jaws dropped. “McGonagall?” they asked simultaneously, in horror.

“No, it can’t be!” Joshua Naples of Hufflepuff yelled. “You are not telling me that that’s Mean Old, Moody McGonagall?”

She ignored Joshua and pushed her way through the crowd, and luckily Harry managed to get right behind her. Her high heels clicked on the tiles as she briskly walked forward. “Now where are they?”

She needn’t even bothered asking. Ron was doing amazing back flips and Padma was running in circles, singing a Muggle pop song at the top of her lungs.

“Poppy!” McGonagall called back over the crowd of children.

Madam Pomfrey, dressed in very ugly robes, hastened over. “What is it, Minerva?”

“It’s Mr. Weasley and Miss Patil. The punch has been spiked with a Super Energy Elixir, they drank a bit too much, and now they’re acting out of hand.”

Madam Pomfrey hurried over, grabbed the two screaming teenagers, and escorted them to the Infirmary.

“Quite a sight,” someone said in his ear. He turned and saw Hermione. He grinned at her, but she quickly asked what had happened. When Harry explained it, she gasped.

“A Super Energy Elixir?” she asked in horror.

“Yeah. But it was pretty funny –”

“Harry, that’s serious! A Super Energy Elixir is like heavy alcohol or cocaine! Ron and Padma must be in a horrible state!”

He shrugged. “At least they had a good time.”

She groaned, but just then, Professor Dumbledore stood up to the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention.” The entire Great Hall looked at him expectantly. “It is my greatest pleasure to introduce our entertainer for this evening. They have achieved global fame, won several awards, and sang some of the greatest hits this wizarding world has heard. And without further ado –”

The crowd waited with bated breath. Hermione leaned forward.

“Miss Celestina Warbuck!” he announced, followed by tumultuous applause and a deafening roar of screaming students.

“Ha!” Hermione said smugly. “Now where’s Dean?”

“Too bad Ron had to miss this,” Harry said.

“Yes, he and Padma would have had a terrific time dancing,” she giggled. “If Ron can even dance!” She had a mental image of Ron clumsily tripping on her oversized feet. “You can dance, right?”

That weird feeling that came when anyone mentioned him dancing came to him instantly. He started to sweat. “I – I don’t dance…” He stammered the same thing he had told McGonagall.

“C’mon, slow dancing’s easy!” she said. “Please, dance with me?”

“I asked you to the ball, isn’t that enough?” he asked despairingly.

“Please?” she asked, as music began and Celestina Warbuck’s sweet voice began to sing. She looked at Harry with some hope in her eyes that he slowly nodded. Her face broke out into a smile as she took Harry by the wrist and dragged him to the dance floor.

“What have I done?” he muttered under his breath, as Hermione guided his hands to her waist and wrapped hers around his neck.

“I love this song,” she murmured, as they slowly swayed and moved around. “Don’t you like it?” she asked him, looking into his clear, emerald eyes. He strained his ears to listen to the lyrics.

Did you ever love somebody
So much that the earth moved?
Did you ever love somebody,
Even though it hurt to?
Did you ever love somebody,
Nothing else your heart could do?
Did you ever love somebody
Who never knew?

He saw Hermione listening intently too. She seemed really concentrated, so he didn’t say anything. He just listened to the song lyrics more and continued to dance.

Did you ever lay your head down
On the shoulder of a good friend?
And then have to look away somehow?
Had to hide the way you felt for them?
Have you ever prayed the day would come
You’d hear them say they feel it to?
Did you ever love somebody
Who never knew?

By looking at her, he could tell that this song was bringing back memories to her. Her eyes were closed, and she was paying a lot of attention. The song seemed to relate to her or something, because she looked near to crying. He understood why, after hearing the words.

And if you did, well, you know I’d understand.
I could, I would,
More than anybody can.

Did you ever love somebody
So much that the earth moved?
Did you ever love somebody
Even though it hurts you?
Did you ever love somebody
Nothing else your heart could do?
Did you ever love somebody
Like I love you?

Like I love you?

Like I love you...

The song faded away and ended, and Harry looked at Hermione sideways. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, as he saw a distinct tear trickle down her cheek.

“Nothing,” she murmured. “I’m fine, it’s just – bringing back memories.”

Harry brushed the tear away. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I just need – some fresh air. I’m going to go outside…”

“Hermione, come back!” he called desperately as she traipsed away. “Why are you always running?” he muttered.

He decided not to go after her this time – or should she? It was getting pretty bad for him to keep going after her and break her heart again and again by saying that she was only a friend to him. He went to the refreshment table, and helped himself to some butterbeer.

“Hey, Potter, where’s your date?” Malfoy asked. His robes were velvety black again, and the inside was lined with red silk. This time, he looked like a vampire. “Did she run away?” Pansy Parkinson, in lacy violet robes, was clinging tightly to him. His arm was casually slung around her waist, and he had a very cool expression on his face.

“Wow, did you make that up all by yourself, Draaaaaaco?” he asked, in a good imitation of Pansy. “And don’t think that my date ran away just because that’s happened to you before.”

Malfoy flushed angrily.

“Where’re you goons, anyway?” Harry asked coolly, craning his neck over the crowd. “Oh, there’s Crabbe, dancing with Millicent Bulstrode. They’re tripping all over each other – did you teach them how to dance, Malfoy?”

He glared at him. “Oh, good one, Potter,” he said irately, and lead Pansy away, who squealed that he was so brave.

“Great comeback!” Harry shouted after them. He sighed and sat down on an empty chair, and took a swig of some butterbeer.

Justin Finch-Fletchy sat down next to him a moment later. “Hey, Harry, where’s your date?”

“Off crying outside,” he said shortly, and took another gulp.

“Why?” Justin asked curiously. “Who is it, anyway?”

“Hermione,” he said. “I don’t know, we were dancing, and then Celestina Warbuck began to sing, and then she ran off.”

“Well, you have to go after her!” he told her.

“I guess,” Harry said. He stood up. “Thanks.” Then he shuffled off, with his hands in his pockets.

The entrance hall was empty, but a few students were outside, talking and kissing. He couldn’t find Hermione, though, even when he searched her secret spot and the secluded rosebushes, which made a great hiding spot.

He sighed and sat down on the shore by the lake, not minding if his robes got dirty. He was deep in thought when somebody sat down next to him.

“Are you busy?” they asked him.

Turning, he realized that it was Hermione. “Where have you been?”

“I’ve been on a little stroll. Just thinking, you know.”

“So why were you crying after the song?” he wondered.

“Oh, that,” she said. “Well, you heard the song. It just seemed a lot like the situation I had currently been in, and memories just came flooding back. Mostly the ones where we were fighting, and I was crying and feeling miserable. You know.”

“Look, Hermione, I’m really sorry that it took me so long to realize it – and that I acted so insensitive when I did find out. It must’ve been hard.”

She nodded silently. She was staring into the depths of the lake, whose black waters were lapping against the shore. “The giant squid’s out,” was all she said.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“A lot.” She sighed. “A pensieve would come in handy about now.”

He stared at her. “What?” He had never told Ron and Hermione about Dumbledore’s pensieve, or had he?

“Oh, yeah, when you have to many thoughts in your head, you put it into this sort of bowl. It comes out as this silvery stuff. I saw it at Dervish and Bangs. Well, when I looked at the lake, I remembered last year, the second task. When I found out that I was somebody that one of the champions would miss the most, my hopes went up. And when I found out it was Viktor, I sort of lost hope that you’d ever like me.”

“Don’t,” he advised.

She looked up away from the cold waters. “What do you mean?”

“Never lose hope, that’s what I’m saying. You know, some weird thing can come along, and maybe someday I’ll like you back.” Harry had no idea where these words were coming from, but they were just pouring out from his heart.

“I know you’re saying that to make me feel better, but thanks, Harry,” she said, giving him a small smile.

“So do you want to go back to the ball? We still have time for a couple more dances.” He got up and offered her his hand to help her up too.

“I thought you hated dancing,” she said, taking his hand, standing up, and brushing herself off with her other hand.

“Oh, I do,” he said. “Do you want to dance or not?”

“Dance.” They walked back to the Great Hall hand in hand, but they didn’t say anything; they just admired the bright stars and enjoyed the peaceful night breeze.

The rest of the night went along smoothly. Harry and Hermione danced a few more times. Ron and Padma showed up a while later, and they actually began to dance too. They had made up, and everyone was having a really great time. Soon, the last dance was there. Celestina Warbuck sang her biggest hit ballad, and everyone was sad when it ended. Professor McGonagall instructed everyone to go back to his or her dorms, and for once, no one protested her.

Harry and Hermione got lost in the crowd, so they didn’t have time to talk to Ron or Padma, because he went off the other way to walk her to the Ravenclaw place. Back in the common room, Harry and Hermione were paused in between the boys’ and girls’ stairways.

“Goodnight,” he said awkwardly.

“Yeah,” she said, looking at the floor.

“I had a good time,” he told her, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m glad I asked you.”

“Me too,” she replied, “even if we’re still just friends and always will be.”

“Maybe not,” Harry said. “Always look on the bright side. Maybe with some odd twist of fate –” (A/N: Why do I keep bringing in my other stories that have nothing to do with this???) “I just may fall for you.”

“I’ll pray the day will come when I’ll hear you say you feel it too,” she said, quoting from Celestina Warbuck’s song.

“You do that,” Harry said, grinning, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. “Goodnight.”

She flushed happily. “I will. Goodnight.”

They parted their ways, and went to their dorms. They chatted a bit with their roommates about the ball until it was early in the morning. Eventually they fell asleep, exhausted from the exciting night.

Hermione, feeling a lot more optimistic, paused before she closed her eyes. “I know that somehow, someday he’ll like me as more than a friend. Even if it takes a real Entrancement Enchantment to get him to.” She smiled to herself and drifted off to sleep.

So it still wasn’t entirely over, but like Professor Flitwick said, it would all come out right in the end.

A/N: *Cough* cheesy! The lamest one out of the three, I think.Well, all my romance fics are anyway, so bear with it. Sorry this was so long, I just got this sudden urge to write as much as possible. I hope you enjoyed it, because I kind of like it, all 24 long pages of it (1-6; 2-8; 3-10). Well, you know the drill: review or I will keep begging. Come on, people, please review my stuff after you read it!

P.S. Who’s up for a follow-up series to this? Just say the word and I’ll come up with something! (Or you could ask me to finish Tapestry of Fate or The Mysterious Corridor. *Cough* Yeah right!)

Disclaimer: Anything you know is from the books of course doesn’t belong to me. Things like Paige Torrey, Steven Andrews (that’s my friend’s first and middle name), Joshua Naples, WELHPS, the Super Energy Elixir, the Raging Ogres, and other stuff you don’t recognize are mine. Oh yeah, that’s not really Celestina Warbuck’s song, it’s “Did You Ever Love Somebody?” by Jessica Simpson.