As the lesson ended, the classroom emptied into the corridor. The announcement about the Yule Ball dominated every conversation.
Groups of students whispered among themselves, and more than a few boys looked thoroughly miserable — nobody wanted to be left without a partner and become the subject of gossip on Christmas night.
Victor, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked together through the crowded corridor.
Victor glanced at Ron. "So, you two made up?"
Ron rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah... kind of." He looked at Harry before continuing.
"I was being an idiot. This Tournament's dangerous, and Harry's got enough to deal with already. I couldn't stay angry forever."
Harry smiled. "It's over."
"Good," Victor replied. "That saves everyone else from listening to you two argue."
Ron rolled his eyes. Harry changed the subject. "So, Victor... who are you asking to the Yule Ball?"
The question caught Hermione's attention immediately. She looked at Victor, trying not to appear too interested, though her grip on her books tightened slightly.
Victor answered without giving it any thought. "Hermione."
The corridor seemed to fall silent around the four of them. Harry and Ron stopped walking. Hermione froze where she stood.
Victor looked at the three of them. "What?"
Harry blinked. "You... answered that awfully fast."
"Why wouldn't I?" Victor turned to Hermione as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "I was going to ask Hermione. Who else would I go with?"
Hermione felt her heart skip a beat. She had expected him to hesitate, or at least wait until the Ball was closer. Instead, he had said it as casually as if he were asking whether she wanted to study in the library.
Harry glanced at Ron. Ron glanced back. Neither of them knew what to say.
Victor looked at Hermione. "So..." He tilted his head slightly. "Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"
Hermione stared at him for several seconds. For once, she couldn't find any words.
Victor frowned slightly. "...Was that a difficult question?"
Hermione finally snapped out of her daze. "N-No!" She took a quick breath. "I mean... yes." She immediately shook her head. "I mean — yes, I'll go with you."
A small smile appeared on Victor's face. "Good."
"Good?" Ron repeated. "That's all you've got to say?"
Victor looked at him. "What else should I say?"
Ron opened his mouth, then closed it again. "...Never mind."
Harry couldn't help laughing. "You really have no idea how to ask someone to a dance, do you?"
Victor looked genuinely confused. "I asked. She accepted. What more is there?"
Harry rubbed his forehead. "I suppose... nothing."
Hermione couldn't help smiling as she fell into step beside Victor.
After a few moments, Harry looked at Ron. "So..."
Ron sighed. "...Now we've actually got to find partners."
Harry grimaced. "Yeah."
The two boys exchanged a helpless look. Compared with Victor, asking someone to the Yule Ball suddenly seemed far more difficult.
Ron let out a long sigh. "He's got everything." He glanced at Victor walking ahead with Hermione. "Handsome, clever, one of the richest pure-blood families... he doesn't even have to think about asking someone."
Harry couldn't really argue. At that moment, his eyes wandered down the corridor. Cho Chang was walking with a group of Ravenclaw girls. Harry instinctively smiled.
Maybe... I should ask Cho.
The thought lasted only a moment before his confidence disappeared.
But... how am I supposed to ask her?
"This is going to be harder than facing a dragon," he sighed.
Ron gave a weak laugh. "I was just thinking the same thing."
Several yards ahead, Victor noticed neither of them was following. He stopped and turned around. "Are you two coming or not? The next class is Snape's."
He glanced toward the dungeon staircase.
"If you keep standing there, you're going to be late." A small smirk appeared on his face. "And I don't think either of you wants to find out what happens when Professor Snape has to wait."
Harry and Ron looked at each other. Without another word, they hurried after Victor and Hermione toward the dungeons.
***
That night, deep inside the Forbidden Forest, Victor came to a stop.
Standing a few yards ahead of him were two girls. Fleur Delacour and her younger sister, Gabrielle.
Victor looked at them for a long moment. "...What exactly are you two doing in the middle of the Forbidden Forest?"
Neither of them answered immediately.
"You do realize this forest is full of dangerous magical creatures?"
As if to prove his point, rustling came from the undergrowth. Victor calmly drew his wand. "Diffindo."
Several thin branches lying on the forest floor shot into the air, sharpened themselves, and streaked into the darkness. A chorus of screeches echoed through the trees. Moments later, several large Acromantula spiders fell from the branches above, pierced cleanly through before crashing onto the ground.
Fleur's eyes widened. She hadn't even realized the spiders had been surrounding them.
Victor lowered his wand. "You're lucky there were only a few." He glanced around the dark forest.
"If a colony had found you first, neither of you would've made it back to the castle." He looked back at Fleur. "So... what are you doing here?"
Fleur bent down and picked up the wand she had dropped in surprise. Instead of answering, she looked at Victor. "And what about you? You're a student too. You shouldn't be here either."
Victor nodded without the slightest embarrassment. "You're right." He turned around as though the conversation were over. "In that case, forget you ever saw me. I'll be on my way."
He took a few steps into the darkness.
"...Hey!"
Fleur called after him. Victor stopped but didn't turn around.
"What?"
*****
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