Another Weasley

✿ CHAPTER SIXTEEN ✿

"Miss Weasley." McGonagalls words echoed through the Transfiguration room. "For last time could you please pay attention!" I was brought back to earth for what felt like the hundredth time that lesson. "Mr Finnegan, it would be splendid if you put down that rat and listened to me." The transfiguration Professor snapped at Seamus who was still trying to transfigure his rat into a basket with no luck.

"Now that I have all of your attention," She shifted her gaze to the entirety of the class. "I have a rather important announcement to make." If the class wasn't listening then, they certainly were now, attentiveness levels going from zero to one hundred in mere moments.
"The Yule Ball is fast approaching - an extremely traditional and important part of the Triwizard Tournament. It presents a great opportunity for us to socialise with out foreign guests. The ball will be open only to fourth years and above, though if you so wish you may invite a younger student as your partner."

Lavender and Mayfair began giggling and whispering exitedly at the back of the classroom, stopping immediately when McGonnagall shot them a strong glare.

"Dress robes will be mandatory for those of you boys attending, formal dresses for ladies. The Ball will start at eight o'clock pm, Christmas eve and finish at midnight in the Great Hall. The ball will be, for lack of a better phrase, a chance to 'let our hair down'," the professor put air quotes around the word, "however I will not stand to let Gryffindor ruin our reputation in the course of a single evening by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons!" Several people nodded, others smirked. I could here Fred and George trying to say 'babbling, bumbling band of baboons' five times faster.

"Also, Potter. A word if you please." Harry nodded at Professor McGonagall before she continued. "The rest of you are dismissed!"
Ron, Hermione and I hung outside the classroom entrance waiting for Harry.

When he caught up with us, he looked extremely flustered and bothered.
"What's got your wand in a knot?" Ron pressed.
"McGonagall said I had to dance at the ball. Because it's apparently traditional that the champions dance with their partners before everyone else! How on earth am I going to get a partner?"

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I was actually excited for the ball, but I had no idea how I was going to get a partner. Days seemed to go extra fast in the month leading up to Christmas, and I was sure I would never have enough time to get a date. For someone like Victor Krum, it looked like it was going to be very easy. Flocks of girls followed him practically everywhere he went. I honestly didn't understand the obsession, he wasn't even that good looking!

Honestly, I had hoped Harry would ask me, but he almost seemed to be avoiding me as of recent, and I wasn't sure what I had done.

Walking down the corridor with Ron, Fred threw me a piece of parchment. Scribbled on it in untidy handwriting, was a simple yet very irritating message.

You and Ron better get a move on, or all the good dates will be gone.

I had hexed his hair pink for that.

There was truth to his words though, and I decided I wasn't going if I didn't get a date, because I certainly didn't want to show up alone.

I had laid out my gorgeous blue dress on my bed,  the one I had bought in Diagon Ally. I was thinking of how I would probably never wear it when Mayfair Blayke came up behind me.

"Merlin's underpants! that is the prettiest dress I've ever seen." She gushed. "I have to have it for the ball! How much?" She walked over to her trunk and pulled out a jewelled purse, not even waiting for my answer.
"I, um.. I'm not selling it," I said, unsure.
"Oh come on, Ruby! You don't even have a date. Knowing you, you won't even go!" She pushed. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I knew it probably wasn't a compliment. "I'll give you 14 galleons." Mayfair stared into my eyes.
"Okay, deal," I said as she poured the coins into my outstretched hand.

*****

A week later, I rushed down the steps from the Owlery, slipping and falling on a particularly icy stair. Wincing, I got up and continue down the stairs much slower.

Walking through an archway, I bumped straight into Harry.
"Oh! Hi Harry."
"Hey, Rubes." He smiled nervously.
"I feel like we haven't talked in ages! You haven't been at meals?"
"Yeah, I've - er - had a heap of homework." He lied. We took exactly the same classes, and I didn't have any homework because Ginny, Harry, Hermione and I did all of our holiday work on the first day of Christmas break.
"Oh." I said, my heart feeling heavy in my chest.
"Yeah."
"Okay, that's fine. Just watch out on the stairs, it's pretty icy at the top."
"Thanks, Rubes."
"See you," I smiled.

Continuing my journey down, I couldn't help but think of all the possible reasons Harry could be avoiding me, because I knew for a fact he had no homework.

"Wait!" He called, and I spun on the ice to see his striking green eyes looking directly into my own. "Go to the ball with me. Please. I've had no homework, I've just been working myself up to talk to you, I knew from the second the ball was announced that I wanted to ask you, I just didn't know how."
"Huh?" I said, confused. Surely, if he had been thinking about it so long, he had come up with a better way to ask than just blurting it out?
"Please don't make me say it again."
"Yes," I said, beaming. He almost looked shocked.
"R-really?"
"Yes. Definitely."
"Okay, um... bye then."
"Bye, Harry." I turned around and ran down the rest of the stairs. And thats when I remembered.
I didn't have a dress.

꧁authors note꧂

Ahhhh!! Is the Harry/Ruby ship sailing or sinking? What do you think?

Question of the chapter: which HP character would you want to ask you to the Yule Ball? Or would you ask them? How would you do it/ how would you want them to do it? Answer here: ⇨⇨

I hope you're all doing amazing,
xoxo