IN WHICH the Yule Ball happens

EACH student of Gryffindor house was assembled in a room, as Professor McGonagall and Filch stood to the side. 

"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Tri-Wizard Tournament since it's inception. On Christmas eve night we and our guests gather in the great hall for well-mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because the yule ball is first and foremost... a dance." McGonagall be

Groans emerge from the boys who are listening on. The girls seem a lot more excited, many sitting up. Hermione rolls her eyes, and turns to Aubery, but she finds that her best friend had her eyes on the outdoors, where the Black Lake rippled peacefully. 

"Silence. The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the Wizarding World for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you in the course of a single evening besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons. Now to dance is to let the body breathe, inside every girl a secret swan slumbers, longing to burst forth and take flight."

Ron whispers to Seamus.

"Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance. Mr. Weasley, will you join me." McGonagall walks over to Ron.

"What?"

McGonagall grabs Ron and pulls him up to dance. "Now, place your right hand on my waist." 

"Where?" Ron stares dumbfoundedly. 

"My waist," McGonagall repeats. 

He does so and a wolf whistle comes from the crowd.

"Now bend your arm. Mr. Filch..." McGonagall asks. 

The music starts.

"One two three, one two three, one two three."

"Everybody come together." 

The girls instantly stand and walk forward, the boys are all still seated. Hermione and Aubery sit awkwardly there, Aubery staring off into space, Hermione preferring her books. 

"Boys, on your feet. Miss Granger and Lupin, get up." McGonagall orders.

Neville stands, as Hermione pulls up Aubery.

"If we don't get dates, then we're going together," Hermione says.

"Oh yeah." Aubery smiles, as the two put a hand on the other's waist, and started dancing. 

(A/N: Low key kinda skip Hermione and Aubery XD what about you?)

"Miss Granger and Miss Lupin, when I said to get up, it was to make sure that you'd chose a male partner to dance with." McGonagall walks over to the best friends and the Gryffindor's stop.

"It's not like we aren't following rules. Besides, we are dancing." Aubery comments.

"Lucky for you two, Mr. Finnigan and Mr. Weasley are free to go. I may approve of this, but many others wouldn't." McGonagall walks away.

"Care for a dance Aubery?" Seamus questions, and the two-part. 

They slowly danced with each other, enjoying the moment, but not saying anything. 

After the embarrassing dance practice, Aubery, Harry, and Ron walk in the court, as Harry and Ron lament about not having a date. 

"Why do they always have to travel in packs? How are you supposed to get one alone to ask them?" Harry questions.

"Blimey Harry, you slayed dragons. If you can't get a date who can?" Ron questions. 

"I think I'd take the dragon right now," Harry says miserably. 

Groups of girls are giving them icy looks and turning their backs.

The same Beauxbatons boy walks up to Aubery.

"Would you go to the ball with me?" He bows, taking out Aubery's hand and giving it a chaste kiss. 

"No, she wouldn't." Harry hisses, grabbing her away.

"Harry!" Aubery glares at him. Ron stares at another person, before glaring at the French boy. 

They leave the courtyard, as Seamus, Dean, and Eliza sigh.

"Thank god Harry and Ron know you have a crush on Aubery." Eliza sighs. 

"Yeah, or you'd probably be toast. Aubery's definitely the kind of girl to not say no." Dean nods.

Seamus only nodded, as he slowly left the group. 

"Anyone asked you yet?" Dean asks.

"Yes. Arwin." Eliza nods. 

"Damnit." Dean sighs. 

Hermione, Aubery, Harry, and Ron sit in their potions class, fervently writing down notes.

"This is mad. At this rate, we'll be the only ones in our year without dates." Ron groans. 

Snape walks past and slaps Ron over the head.

"Ow! Well, us and Neville." Ron whispers. 

"But then again he can take himself." Harry nods. 

"It might interest you to know that Neville's already got someone." Hermione hisses. 

Ron gasps. "Now I'm really depressed." Ron pauses for a moment. "Well Hermione, you're a girl."

"Oh well spotted." Hermione rolls her eyes. 

"Come on. It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone. For a girl, it's just sad." Ron says.

"Where'd you get that from?" Aubery asks. 

"I won't be going alone because believe it or not someone's asked me. And I said yes." Hermione storms off.

"Damnit, there goes my back up plan." Aubery groans.

"What, you two going together?" Ron questions.

"Yes! Honestly, Ron, Wizarding prejudice is getting to you. The only reason I haven't gotten a date yet is because of you two." Aubery glares at the both of them, and leaves the room, not before giving her notebook to Snape. 

As Aubery walks out into the courtyard yet again, Seamus also comes up behind her.

"Hey, Aubery!" Seamus smiles. 

"Oh hey, Seamus!" Aubery greets.

"So, I've got a question for you." Seamus says.

"Is it about the Astronomy assignment? Because it's really easy!" Aubery says.

"No! But that'd be appreciated." Seamus blushes.

"Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Hogsmeade is this weekend, so maybe if you wanna meet up in the 3 Broomsticks, and we can discuss that. I'll have to postpone getting my dress for the Yule Ball probably." Aubery rambles.

"Yeah, about the Yule Ball, would you like to go with me?" Seamus asks.

"You, me, go together? Like, date?" Aubery asks, eyes wide.

"Yeah! It's okay if you don't wanna." Seamus says.

"Yeah! Yeah! I would!" Aubery nods. 

"Okay, so when should I meet you at the 3 Broomsticks? The Astronomy assignment is not that easy you know?" Seamus says.

Aubery giggles. 

* * * 

"So Seamus asked you out," Harry says.

"Yeah." Aubery nods, over the moon.

"You said yes." Harry continues.

"Mhm." Aubery nods.

"Why are you this lucky?" Harry groans.

"Cho rejected you?" Aubery asks.

"Yeah." Harry miserably nods. 

"Who asked you 'Mione?" Aubery asks.

"I-" Hermione blushes. "I can't tell you that!" 

Ron is being helped into the room, he looks shaky.

"What happened to you?" Harry asks.

"He just asked Fleur Delacour out," Ginny says. 

"What?" Hermione gasps. 

"What did she say?" Harry asks.

Hermione scoffs. "No of course."

Ron shakes his head.

"She said yes??" Hermione gasps.

"Don't be silly." Aubery rolls her eyes. 

"There she was walking by. You know I like it when they walk. I couldn't help it, it just sort of slipped out." Ron says. 

"Actually he sort of screamed at her, it was a bit frightening," Ginny says. 

"What did you do then?" Harry asks. 

"What else? I ran for it. I'm not cut out for this Harry. I don't know what got into me." Ron sighs. 

Parvati and Lavender walk past.

"Hi, Harry." They smile. 

"Hey!" Harry scrambles up to meet them. "Parvati, do you wanna come with me to the Yule Ball?" 

Parvati blushes. "Sure!"

"Brilliant. Uh, Lavender, will you go with Ron?" Harry turns to Lavender.

"I'm going with Dean, sorry." Lavender apologizes. 

"Oh. Do you know anyone who'd go with Ron?" Harry asks.

"Yeah, I can ask my sister Padma. She's in Ravenclaw." Parvati nods. 

"Brilliant."

The Hogsmeade weekend consisted of Aubery and Hermione walking into the dress shop and slightly goofing off until they decided to actually become serious.

Hermione chose a light dress, with some kind of ombre pink design, and then she decided on a hairstyle to match it, as Aubery walks over the multitude of dresses, slightly on a time-crunch.

She stopped at a blue dress, and she fingered it. She smiles, before buying it.

* * * 

(A/N: There's Aubery's outfit! Do you think she would look pretty?)

Hermione sits at the mirror, straightening her hair, still not in her dress, as Aubery sits in front of Lavender, as the Gryffindor applied her makeup while wearing her lavender-colored gown. 

"Thanks, Lavender." Aubery smiles.

"Don't move! You can thank me later!" Lavender orders, as Parvati and Eliza helped each other out with their dresses. Eliza had a soft yellow gown, whereas Parvati had a beautiful sari of orange and pink. 

"Who are you going with Hermione?" Eliza asks.

"I can't tell you that." Hermione blushes.

"Seriously." Aubery sighs, as Lavender spun her to face the mirror. "Wow. This is actually really good." 

"Am I good or what?" Lavender laughs.

"Yeah!" Aubery nods. She fingers her blue gown nervously, as she stands up, and sits on her bed. Lavender quicks starts applying Eliza's make up, as Parvati braided her hair. 

"I'm done, so, can I go?" Aubery asks. "I'm too nervous. If I stay any longer, I'll probably ditch." 

"Go ahead!" Hermione smiles. 

Aubery slowly walked down the stairs, amidst wild talking among the Gryffindors. She carefully peered out along in the edge, where the Gryffindor boys were standing around. 

Parvati quickly walked down after her, and the two waited at the bottom of the staircase for the guys. 

First was Neville, Dean, then Seamus, after that, there was Harry and Ron, who looks panicked and uncomfortable in his ridiculous dress robes although the other boys were dressed in more conventional suits. 

The boys approach the two girls. 

"Hello, boys. Don't you look..." Parvati looks at Ron. "...dashing."

"Reckon he's a bit less than dashing." Aubery comments. 

"Easy for you to say. You look amazing." Ron mutters. 

"Thank you, Ronald." Aubery laughs, covering her mouth. 

"Yeah, you look great. You too Parvati." Harry nods.

"Shall we go, Harry?" Parvati asks, taking Harry's arm and leaving. "Padma's downstairs in the Entrance Hall waiting. 

"Do you wanna go now?" Seamus asks, red in the face. 

"Yeah, that'd be great." Aubery smiles. 

The two walked away, hand in hand. 

The two entered the Great Hall, which was decorated magnificently for Christmas. The entire room was decorated out into a Winter Wonderland. 

Seamus and Aubery sat at a table, and slowly, but surely, Lavender and Dean came down, followed by Arwin and Eliza, and Padma and Ron. They took their seats near them, and finally, surprisingly, Neville and Ginny came down as well.

They all sat by, staring at their empty dinner plates. 

"What do you reckon we should do?" Arwin asks.

"I have no idea." Eliza shakes her head. 

Hermione enters the room all dressed up, along with, Viktor Krum. 

"She looks beautiful." Aubery smiles. 

Hermione and Viktor sit down at the champions table. 

"Pork chops!" Dumbledore says to his plate, and pork chops appear. The people slowly got the hint and quickly ordered what they wanted. 

"What you got there Seamus?" Aubery questions.

"Oh, it's like this Irish dish and stuff," Seamus says. "Corned beef dinner."

"Oh, nice!" Aubery smiles. "Can I try?"

Seamus feeds Aubery a bite. "Is it good?"

"Yum!" Aubery smiles. 

They enjoy their dinner for a while, before 

Loud music plays as the lights dim, and the champions head to the dancefloor with their partners.

They start dancing, as Seamus, Dean, and Aubery snicker at how uncomfortable Harry looks. 

Soon others are joining in, Dumbledore and McGonagall, Mr. Filch and his cat, Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Mad-Eye sits on the sidelines drinking. 

Neville and Ginny also join in, being the first from their table to do so, followed by Arwin and Eliza. 

"Care for a dance, Miss Lupin?" Seamus asks.

"Why of course, Mr. Finnigan!" Aubery smiles, taking his hand, and leading them to the dance floor. They danced slowly, but to the beat, while Fred and Angelina Johnson took the stage, they danced so exuberantly, that other couples backed away in fear. 

The music changes, the music is now quicker and faster, played by the Weird Sisters. The crowd is dancing much more quickly, and Seamus and Aubery sneak off to a corner.

"That was... fun." Aubery laughs.

"Yeah. Really fun." Seamus nods

They walk over to a more empty corridor, laughing the whole time. 

"Hello, Aubery! You have mistletoe above you. You should be careful of the Nargles. They like to hide in there." Luna peeks over from behind another corridor.

"Luna! You should be in bed." Aubery scolds.

"The cheering's loud," Luna says. "I can't sleep. But it's died down. I think I can go." 

Luna walks away, her humming slowly drifting away.

"So, mistletoe," Seamus says.

Aubery blushes and quickly kisses Seamus on the lips. "Come on, let's go back." 

The two walk back, smiling to themselves.

"I've had a great time you know," Aubery says. 

"Same." Seamus nods.

"I want this night to go on forever." Aubery continues.

"Yeah. Doyouwannabemygirlfriend?" Seamus quickly asks.

"What?" Aubery asks.

"Do you, er, wanna do this again? Like, two of us, on a date?" Seamus says, a little red, and berating himself for not telling the truth. 

"Yeah. Yeah! I thought you'd never ask!" Aubery smiles, hugging Seamus.

"Awesome!" Seamus smiles. 

They walk back into the Entrance Hall, where Hermione and Ron were arguing. 

"He's using you," Ron mutters. 

"How dare you! Besides I can take care of myself." Hermoine snaps.

"Doubt it. He's way too old." Ron scoffs. 

"What? What? That's what you think?" Hermione gasps. 

Ron nods. "Yeah that is what I think."

"You know the solution then, don't you?" Hermione snaps. 

"Go on." Ron beckons. 

"Next time there's a ball pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does, and not as a last resort," Hermione growls. 

"Well that's completely off the point. Harry..." Ron says as Harry walks up.

"Where have you been? Nevermind! Off to bed both of you." Hermione snaps. 

Harry and Ron walk away. "They get scary when they get older."

"Ron you spoil everything!" Hermione cries. 

They leave, and Hermione takes off her shoes, crying on the steps, along with other girls. 

"Oh, dear." Aubery whispers. 

"Here, I'll go upstairs, and you go comfort her," Seamus says.

"Yeah, sure." Aubery smiles. They part, and Aubery sits on the stairs with Hermione. 

"Oh hey." Hermione smiles, through wet tears, makeup running everywhere. 

"Come on 'Mione. Let's get you cleaned up." Aubery held out her hand.

"No, let's dance together." Hermione smiles, through wet tears.

"Alright." Aubery smiles.

Hermione and Aubery ran into the Great Hall, and stood on the dance floor, and stared dancing alone, two girls, in an almost impossible world, just dancing their cares away. 

(A/N: Come on, after this, ya kinda gotta sort of ship Aubery and Hermione. But yeah Seamus and Aubery coming on quickly! Also Luna cameo! Yay!)