Chapter 22

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Y/N found herself now standing inside McGonagall's office, right in front of her desk. Puzzledly she decided to speak up, save her some risk from any further scolding she thought, "Um..Professor? Did I perhaps do anything wrong?"

She fell into deeper puzzlement when the Professor only chuckled in response, "Oh don't be silly, you've done nothing wrong." she responded, rather cheerfully to which was very unordinary for Professor McGonagall's usual strict demeanor.

"It's about the Yule Ball." she continued, shooting the Ravenclaw a knowing look as one of Y/N's eyebrows quirked up, "The Yule Ball, Professor?"

Professor McGonagall nodded as she started to sort out some papers, on her desk, "It's traditional during the Triwizard Tournament for the host school to put on a Christmas ball. It is also traditional for three Champions-"

She cut herself off as she took a short glance at the Ravenclaw before going back to sorting her papers, "In this case, four. To be the first to dance."

Y/N's eyes widened, cocking her head to side, hoping she heard the Professor wrong, "D-Dance? Like with someone?"

"Well, would you rather dance alone while all of your friends have their own partners whom they'd be dancing happily with?" McGonagall pointed out, the Ravenclaw stood there with her lips pursed, sheepishly nodding, earning herself a click of a tongue from the Professor, "That's what I thought."

"Also may I remind you, you are one of the champions, meaning you'd be opening the ball with a dance, so as the others. Who you bring with you will leave you a reputation, so shame yourself and you shame all who came before you." McGonagall stated sternly to which the Ravenclaw sheepishly nodded at.

"Mhm, no pressure." Y/N murmured out under her breath, though McGonagall seemed to have heard a slight whisper from the Ravenclaw, "What was that?"

Immediately, Y/N straightened herself up and sent McGonagall an innocent grin to which she eyed skeptically at, "Nothing, don't worry about it Professor, I'll find someone."

Professor McGonagall sighed as she placed the papers down onto the table, her attention fully on the Ravenclaw in front of her, "I trust you'll make the right decision."

Y/N grinned and nodded sincerely, "Definitely." she beamed before she backed away towards the door, "Thanks, Professor. I'll see you soon."

Though, once she left the door, she was anything but sincere, she quickly buried her face in the palms of her hands as a groaned emitted from her, "Just great."

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Y/N had just came out from the Owlery, she had sent two letters, one off to Sirius and one off to her parents, she told them how the first task had went and that she'd be staying during the holidays for the Yule Ball, which has been filling her mind lots lately.

She couldn't concentrate throughout her classes, the only thing filling her head was, who on earth is she going to be taking to the Yule Ball. Well, she did have an answer deep down in her head, though she didn't know where they stand, Exes? Friends? Frenemies? It was all too confusing.

She decided to take a short break at the library for her free period, considering she does deserve it after everything's going on, though one thing that she is relieved about is that she and Ron are now friends again at least and that less people are talking dirty about her.

She entered the Library with the thought of reading alone or just taking some time off but once again she was met with a Beauxbaton student she knew all to well, though she wasn't surprised.

Snickering to herself she walked up to the table she was seated at, her footsteps seemed to have caught the Beuxbaton's attention as she lifted her head from the book to be met with an amused expression that spreaded across the Ravenclaw face.

"Why's it everytime I come here, you're always here too." Y/N mused with a raise of an eyebrow, earning a snicker from Angelique as she shrugged playfully, "No clue, you zell me."

A chuckle sounded from Y/N as she gripped the end of the wooden chair and sent Angelique a questioning look, "Mind if I sit?" she asked sincerely, earning a nod from the latter as she dragged the chair back and took a sit.

Angelique shut the book in her hands as her attention was now fully on the Ravenclaw, "Great job on ze first task." she praised, earning a grin from Y/N in response, "Thanks."

"How'z your arm? I zaw ze dragon had zlashed you quite badly back at ze arena." Angelique questioned concerningly to which the Ravenclaw waved dismissively at, "That's nothing, It only took two days to fully heal up." she stated nonchalantly as angelique hummed in response.

"Alright, enough bout me, how've you been?" she questioned, earning a nonchalant shrug from Angelique, "Ze usual, reading, nothin' much." she replied earning a hum from the Ravenclaw.

"Though, I'm quite excited for ze Yule Ball. I've heard ze champions are opening zit. Iz it true?" she questioned curiously as the Ravenclaw let out a nervous chuckle with a sheepish nod, "Apparently."

Angelique's face seemed to light up as Y/N noticed her lips curling up to a sly smirk, "Zo, you've asked anyone yet?" she questioned teasingly as Y/N shifted her seat while nervously rubbing the back of her neck, "not....yet." she mumbled lowly, earning a gasp from Angelique.

"Vhy not? It zhouldn't be hard for you, zurely zomebody has asked you out." Angelique said perplexedly, earning a sheepish chuckle from the Ravenclaw, "Um..a few have, mainly people who've I've never talked to in my life.."

Y/N nervously glanced back to Angelique who held a bored glare with her arms crossed, she could tell mentally what she was trying to tell her, sighing to herself she decided to speak up, "Look, it isn't easy to just say yes to some random person who've I never met before, I don't want to bring some random girl or boy to this dance. I want to have a somewhat close connection with this person."

Though, Angelique only kept her unamused demeanor as she sent the RAvenclaw a pointed look, "Vhy zon't you ask Hermione?" she stated in an obvious tone, "You and her obviously have a connection, vhy zon't you ask her?"

The Ravenclaw sat there dazed, not having a clue on what to say before her lips began to purse together, quickly shaking her head from side to side at the thought, "I can't." she mumbled lowly, "I have no clue where we stand, it's like some days we're just enemies, some days we're friends, some days we're more than that. It's so confusing."

A frowned expression was now spread across Angelique's face as she let out a sigh, "Maybe zhe's confused too." she suggested, earning a puzzled look from the Ravenclaw as another sigh escaped her lips, "You zhould just ask her, I can tell zhe ztill have feelings for you, Y/N."

Y/N only scoffed in response, "No, I doubt so, besides she probably already has a partner, you know, she's the brightest witch of our age, she's beautiful, she's smart. Definitely someone's asked her out." she muttered lowly, "Have you seen the way other people look at her? Especially Viktor, I bet he's already-"

"He hasn't." Angelique interjected knowingly, earning another puzzled look from the Ravenclaw, "How do you know..?"

Angelique let out a breathless chuckle as she shrugged innocently, "I just do..You'll understand at ze Yule Ball." she responded nonchalantly as Y/N eyed the girl skeptically before hesitantly nodding, "Okay..."

"Anyways, someone's definitely asked her out, I stand no chance." she mumbled out, though deep down she wished it wasn't true. Angelique snickered at the girl amusingly as Y/N's eyebrows quirked up in confusion, "What's so funny?"

"Have you liztened to yourself? And I zought you were confident." she mused but the Ravenclaw still didn't get it as her eyebrows only furrowed deeper in puzzlement, "What?"

"On ze first day I met you, you zpent ze whole night, rambling about your girlfriend and now you zon't want to bring ze love of your life to a dance zat probably von't happen in another hundred years?" Angelique pointed out, catching the Ravenclaw by surprise a little of the sudden blow from the girl.

"Yeah, maybe zhe already haz a date. But what if zhe doesn't? You zon't know that do you? Zo, Y/N vake up and pick up ze courage and ask her, or believe me it'll be ze biggest regret of your life if you zon't"

The Ravenclaw felt like she had just been slapped hard across the face, she was speechless, she had nothing to say, no clue what to say.

But she knew Angelique was right, what if she doesn't have a partner. It would've been the biggest regret of her life wouldn't it? This dance is practically a once in a lifetime opportunity, it doesn't hurt to try and ask..right?

"Y/N?" Angelique called out, snapping the Ravenclaw out of her thoughts as she glanced up to the Beauxbaton's guilty expression, "Vas zat zo much? I zin't mean it in a bad vay, zorry if I zaid zome mean-"

"No.. you're right, It would be the biggest regret of my life... but I can't ask her yet, not now, I'll need to wait for the right time." Y/N mumbled out as Angelique's face lit up, a wide grin curling up her lips, "Finally came to your zenses have you?"

Y/N rolled her eyes unamusingly as she shot Angelique a bored look, "Bugger off, Duval." she grumbled, earning a snicker from Angelique as she nodded playfully, "Vine, vine, I'm done teasing. I'm just glad you took my advice."

The Ravenclaw couldn't help the small grin forming on her lips as she slowly nodded, "Yeah, thanks for that...slap in the face. I needed that." she murmured genuinely to which Angelique grinned at, "Anyzime, Y/N."

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"The Yule Ball has been a tradition for the Triwizard Tournament since its inception." McGonagall announced, "On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests, gather in the Great Hall for a well mannered frivolity."

Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students were seated in a big empty classroom, separated into boys and girls, the boys seated on the left, girls seated on the right as McGonagall paced around in the middle while Filch was busy fiddling with the music player.

"As representative of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward and I mean this literally." McGonagall stated sternly, "Because the Yule Ball is fast and foremost..a dance."

Instantly, whispers filled the room, though a small smirk curled up Y/N's lips as she watched horror expressions spread across the boys faces while the girls were whispering excitingly to one another.

"Isn't that exciting? A dance?" Lizzy whispered out excitingly as the Ravenclaw snickered and nodded, though Hermione seemed to think otherwise, "It's only exciting if you know how to dance." she retaliated causing the Ravenclaw to shoot her an amusing glare.

"So you're implying that you don't know how to dance?" she questioned amusingly, earning a pointed look from the bushy-haired girl, "No, it's just I'd rather be-"

"At the library, reading books, doing homework, blablabla." Y/N interjected knowingly as she sent the bushy-haired girl an unamused look, "Come on, Granger, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, let yourself have some fun."

Though before the bushy-haired girl could respond McGonagall had hushed the entire room, "the house of Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw has commanded the respect for the Wizarding World for nearly ten centuries." she pointed out.

"I will not have you all snatching that name by behaving like babbling, bumbling, bands of baboons." she stated sternly, though Y/N could hear the faint whisper from Fred and George.

"Try saying that 5 times faster." she heard Fred whisper as George began to recite babbling, bumbling, bands of baboons over and over again.

Though, her attention shifted back to McGonagall as she began to speak once more, "To dance, is to let the body breathe. Inside every girl a secret swan slumbers, longing to burst free and take flight."

McGonagall continued to speak though the Ravenclaw's attention was now on Ron who she could hear rambling about the dance towards Harry, "Something may be about to burst out of Eloise Midgen, but I don't think it's a swan."

Though, it seemed even McGonagall had heard the boy as she was now staring at him, "Mr. Weasley." she called out sternly, startling Ron, "Yes!"

"Would you join me please." McGongall mentioned, instantly Y/N tried to stifle the laugh that was trying to escape her lips as she bit her bottom lip, watching the red-head boy glance around in panic before hesitantly motioning forward to McGonagall.

"Now then, if you will, put your left hand on my waist." McGonagall instructed as Ron's eyes widened, a pink hue flashing across his cheeks, "What?"

"My waist." McGonagall repeated, this time more sternly as she tugged Ron's hand onto her waist, "That's right, now extend your arm." she instructed once more as Ron obliged.

"Mr Filch, if you would.." McGonagall called out as Filch dropped the needle onto an old Record Player, a musty waltz now filled the room as everybody's eyes were on McGonagall and Ron dancing.

Y/N couldn't a small laugh that escaped her lips as she watched amusingly, "He's never going to forget this." she muttered under her breath as Lizzy snickered in response.

"Everybody, come together!" McGonagall ordered, the Ravenclaw felt herself sank deeper into her seat as she noticed all the girls were now up on their feet, though the boys seemed glued to theirs as well.

It was only before Neville had bravely stood up, that seemed to encourage the other boys to do the same as they all were now paired with different girls, though Y/N wasn't convinced, not one bit as she stayed glued to her seat.

It wasn't until she noticed the bushy-haired girl standing in front of her, shooting her an unamused expression, "And what do you think you're doing?" she questioned with a click of her tongue, earning a scoff from the Ravenclaw, "I'm not dancing, no way."

But that didn't seem to convince Hermione as she let out a snicker, "Oh Y/L/N, don't be so boring, it's an once in a lifetime opportunity, let yourself have some fun." she countered with a smirk to which Y/N rolled her eyes at, "Copying now are we?"

Hermione only watched amusingly as she leaned down slightly, extending her arms out to the Ravenclaw, "Only learning from the best." she retaliated lowly before she grabbed Y/N's arm, "Now, you can't just sit here, it's either you dance with me, or you dance alone."

The Ravenclaw huffed with a roll of her eyes before she reluctantly stood up, "Fine, but it's only because I don't have a choice." Y/N scoffed, earning a knowing look from the bushy-haired girl as Hermione placed her arm on top of her shoulder, "Well, you don't ever have a choice now, do you?"

Y/N chuckled breathlessly as she placed her one arm on her waist, extending the other to intertwine it with Hermione's, "You've got a point there." she responded as they started to slowly get into the groove of the waltz.

The two girls were dancing gracefully, their bodies moving in sync as their feet were always placed on the right spots, like two perfect puzzle pieces going together. This amused the Ravenclaw as a smirk curled up to her lips, "You're not bad for someone who doesn't dance."

The bushy-haired girl rolled her eyes and scoffed, "And you're not bad for someone who doesn't like to dance." she retaliated, earning a playful shrug from the Ravenclaw, "Fair point."

The two girls continued to dance gracefully to the music, it was like the other students around them had slowly disappeared, only leaving the two of them standing in the empty classroom, dancing along to the beautiful waltz music.

At this very moment, Y/N felt her heart fluttering, the same feeling she felt in third year when she had a crush on the bushy-haired girl. It felt like nothing had ever happened between them, like once more, they were together.

She missed this, she missed it badly.

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