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0628 Shock
🕑 Added 2025-02-13 11:12:54 +0000 UTCHarry was still immersed in the fact that Hermione and Ron were going to the Christmas ball together! To be honest, he wasn't opposed to this outcome. It seemed that deep down in his heart, he had long been aware that such a day would come. But when the two of them really went to this dance with special meaning as dates, Harry still felt mixed emotions swirling within him. Unconsciously, Cho Chang's cute face jumped into his mind again.
In any case, Hermione's troubles had been resolved, but Harry's dejected mood made him feel as though he were drowning in his own world, unable to break free from the turbulent thoughts that consumed him. He hardly listened to the lively conversation between Hermione and Fleur, their words seemed to turn into an indistinguishable buzzing sound in his ears, making him eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere that surrounded him.
However, the clamor beside his ears abruptly stopped, and the air around him grew thick with an eerie stillness. Harry immediately became alert, his senses were heightened as he scanned his surroundings for any signs of danger.
"What's the matter?" he asked, his voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and uneasiness.
In a daze, Harry suddenly found himself being the center of attention, with everyone's eyes focused upon him, including Ron, Hermione, and the group of curious young wizards who had gathered to witness the unfolding scene. Even Fleur was looking at him with a smile that held a touch of mystery.
"Did something happen?" Harry asked blankly, his heart tightening with a sense of unease.
"Oh, nothing?" Fleur replied, her voice melodic and tinged with a hint of mischief.
With a nimble grace, Fleur circled around Hermione, who was facing her, and walked up to Harry Potter, her movements were elegant and captivating. Before anyone could utter a word, she smiled and said,
"Harry--"
Just hearing Fleur call his name sent shivers down Harry's spine, goosebumps erupted all over his skin. This was definitely not only because Fleur still couldn't completely shake off her charming French pronunciation, but more so because of the, uh...excessive intimacy? contained in the way she spoke his name.
"I guess you haven't agreed to go to the Christmas ball with any other girl yet, right?" Fleur asked, her eyes sparkling.
"What?" Harry responded, his mind still caught in a haze of confusion.
He asked subconsciously, but then he instinctively told the truth after reacting,
"Oh, no--"
Hermione finally gave up on giving Harry a sharp look, her lips were tightly pursed in a manner similar to that of Professor McGonagall when she discovered students being distracted in class. Meanwhile, Ron's mouth hung open so wide it seemed capable of swallowing two eggs completely!
"Then would you accept my invitation, Harry?" Fleur asked with a gracious smile, just as the onlookers had anticipated, extending an invitation to the bewildered Harry Potter.
Although the young wizards watching this scene had already suspected it, when Fleur actually spoke those words out loud, there was still an explosion of gasps that rippled through the crowd. In the void, there seemed to be the sound of hearts shattering into countless pieces all around them.
If one were to ask who the most popular girl at Hogwarts was right now, then Fleur Delacour, the champion from Beauxbatons, would undoubtedly be elected with an overwhelming majority of votes. Ever since Ollivander had checked the champions' wands, it was no longer a secret that Fleur possessed the blood of the Veela.
Fleur had perfectly inherited all the praiseworthy strengths of the Veela, a wondrous magical creature renowned for their beauty and allure. Whether it was her figure or her appearance, there was no girl at Hogwarts who could even come close to comparing to her. Moreover, she had proven herself to be a brave and talented champion, fully demonstrating her courage and skill in the first competition against the formidable dragons. Except for being a little arrogant in personality, she seemed to have no flaws whatsoever.
So, which young wizard could possibly refuse such a perfect girl?
The surrounding young wizards all cast envious glances at Harry, secretly admiring his incredible luck at being chosen by the stunning Fleur Delacour.
Harry found Ron winking at him, silently urging him to accept the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He understood Ron's meaning, but he didn't agree immediately. Instead, he frowned and looked at Fleur with a mixture of confusion and hesitation.
It was impossible to say that Harry didn't feel a bit of happiness stirring within his heart.
How could any boy at this age completely free themselves of vanity?
The dates of the champions had always been a hot topic of discussion among the students, and the anticipation surrounding who Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum would choose was even more intense, capturing the focus of everyone's attention. Most of the boys and girls at Hogwarts dreamed of joining hands with these two prodigies and entering the ballroom at that all-eyes-on moment, basking in the glory of being their chosen partners.
After Cho had agreed to go with Cedric, even Harry had a fleeting thought—if he appeared with Fleur, whom the boys adored the most, and did a wonderful dance for everyone to witness, would Cho possibly regret her "impulsive" decision?
But--
"Why?" Harry finally asked, his voice laced with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
Fleur seemed to have been waiting for him to ask, and she immediately responded,
"Remember, Harry, on the night I arrived at Hogwarts, you gave me a bowl of bouillabaisse, and you also pointed me to...a certain professor's office!"
Hermione let out a loud cough that sounded suspiciously like a snort, but Fleur didn't even spare her a glance. Even Harry only blankly swept a glance at Hermione before focusing his gaze on Fleur once more, his confusion not diminishing in the slightest.
If just because of this, Fleur wanted to invite him to the ball, then wasn't Roger Davies' failure a bit hasty?
"--Remember, Harry, you also gave me a beautiful dress," Fleur said with a smile that held a touch of nostalgia. "I really like that dress, Harry. I plan to wear it to the ball!"
"That dress was--" Harry began to explain, but Fleur interrupted him before he could finish.
"It was you who made me feel the friendliness and enthusiasm of Hogwarts, Harry. So, would you like to go to the ball with me?" Fleur asked, her eyes shimmering with anticipation.
"Uh..." Harry's head was in a daze, and his thoughts swirled in a chaotic whirlwind.
To be honest, after Cho had been 'snatched' away by Cedric, he had already lost interest in this Christmas ball. Afraid of seeing Cho and Cedric dancing together, he had even planned to not participate at all. However, the fact that Hermione and Ron were going to attend together had sparked a glimmer of renewed interest within him.
Harry blinked at Fleur, who was smiling at him with a radiant beauty that seemed to illuminate the entire hall, and his heartbeat became slightly erratic.
It had to be said that Fleur's appearance was absolutely flawless, her beauty was unrivaled by any other girl at Hogwarts. If he were to go with her, it wouldn't be a bad choice at all.
"What are you waiting for, Harry!" Ron finally couldn't hold back his excitement any longer. He grabbed Harry's arm and shook it violently a few times, and his eyes turned wide with anticipation.
"Hurry up and agree!" he urged, his voice filled with a mixture of envy and encouragement.
"Ron!" Hermione called out sternly, her voice cutting through the air like a sharp blade. "If Harry doesn't want to, you shouldn't interfere with his..."
"Alright, I'm willing," Harry finally said, his words causing Hermione's gaze to snap towards him, and her eyes were filled with a mixture of surprise and displeasure.
However, Harry didn't notice Hermione's reaction at all, his attention was just focused on Fleur's blooming smile. With a hint of hesitation in his voice, he added,
"But I have to say, I'm not very good at dancing. Maybe I'll make a fool of myself--"
"It's okay, Harry--" Fleur said very understandingly, her voice was soothing and reassuring. "I'm pretty good at it. I'll give you some pointers."
"Potter, Granger, Weasley, you're here!" Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly rang out from the top of the stairs in the entrance hall, causing them to realize that they had been blocking the doorway for far too long.
More and more young wizards who had rushed to the Great Hall for dinner, and even Malfoy and his cronies who had finished their runs and returned to the castle, stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching the scene unfold with cold eyes.
Harry was just saying goodbye to Fleur when Professor McGonagall hurriedly strode down the stairs into the hall. As she squeezed through the crowd, she asked at them in surprise, and her eyebrows were furrowed with concern,
"What happened? Why are you blocking the way and not going to dinner?"
After entering the encirclement and seeing Harry and the others healthy and well, Professor McGonagall muttered "Thank God" under her breath, relief washing over her stern facial features.
"Oh, sorry professor, we were just about to go eat dinner!" Harry said nervously, thinking that Professor McGonagall was blaming them for obstructing the path to the castle.
"Oh, sorry, Mr. Potter, and Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley!" Professor McGonagall said, her gaze focused intently on the three of them.
"I'm afraid your dinner time will have to be postponed for a while. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Watson have important matters to discuss with you. They are waiting for you in the headmaster's office!"
'Professor Dumbledore and Professor Watson are back?' Harry and Hermione exchanged glances of pleasant surprise, but then a sense of nervousness settled over them.
'There were important things to discuss with us?'
The three of them, aware of the curious eyes watching their every move, looked at each other, racking their brains to think if they had gotten themselves into any new troubles recently.
"Don't just stand there, come with me quickly," Professor McGonagall beckoned to them, and her tone seemed to be leaving no room for argument.
Without waiting for the three to reply, she turned and led the way towards the headmaster's office. The curious young wizards scattered and ran away under her serious expression, crowding into the Great Hall for their long-awaited dinner.
"Have we gotten into trouble recently?" Harry asked nervously as he followed Professor McGonagall, his question was directed at Hermione, who seemed not very willing to pay attention to him at the moment.
Before Hermione could give a reply, Fleur, who had been left aside, suddenly called out to him,
"Hey, Harry!"
Turning to look, Harry found that Fleur was still smiling at him, but for some reason, her smile was no longer as intimate as before. Instead, her teeth seemed clenched and the smile was a little weird.
"When you see Watson, you might as well tell him that we're already a date, okay?"
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