Chapter Eleven
“VHAT HAPPENED?!”
If anyone had thought that Mimi was loud, they hadn’t heard Viktor Krum and several others-mainly seasoned quidditch players exclaim their frustration and surprise at the empty field before them. The field that had been their Quidditch field not even twenty four hours prior.
Harry, who understood Viktor, patted his friend’s shoulders in solidarity. Tai, as a fellow athlete, nodded along at their lament. He’d feel horrible if something happened to his soccer field back home.
“Oh come now, children! You will all have your precious Quidditch field back to normal once the Tournament is over!”
The group looked up to find none other than Cornelius Fudge standing in front, with a salacious smile on his face. Harry deadpanned, “You… didn’t play Quidditch much did you sir?”
“I was more of a spectator myself, young Potter,”
“I see that sir,”
To his credit, Fudge continued smiling and walked away, giving out false platitudes to nearly every athlete he passed by. Several of the younger Slytherins had to be held back from cursing the pompous man as he passed by. Marcus, in particular, was halfway through a spell of his own, when Viktor shot him a glare. Marcus groaned and huffed, tucking his wand back into his inner pockets.
“You’d better be serious about that Krum,”
“Alvays my love,”
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“So what’s gonna happen to the field, Tai?”
“Looks like it’s gonna be a maze of sorts,” He answered his partner, his sneaker brushing up against the rapidly growing hedges.
“Do you think it’ll be safe at night?”
“As long as it’s not the Forbidden Forest, we’ll be okay!” Harry spoke, a small smile tugging at his lips. Tai smiled back, slipping his hand into the younger’s and together, they headed back towards the castle.
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Minerva McGonagall was many things-strict, no nonsense, and an avid lover of felines, there were qualities she had no trouble showing others. Now she would have to show another lesser known piece of herself-her love of dance. She knew that while none of the children would be world class dancers, she would make sure they would uphold Hogwarts’ honor during the ball.
Especially her young Gryffindors.
Despite her initial shock, she had been pleased to have been proven wrong about Mister Kamiya and the others. Especially since Harry had been profoundly happier around them. She knew they were good for him and she would make sure to keep that feeling around him as long as she could. Before she could allow herself another trip down memory lane, she quickly threw her shoulders back and entered her Professor mode just as her students entered.
“Students, please, come in! Today in lieu of your usual schedules, we shall instead venture into the world of ballroom dancing! I shall not have any of the Hogwarts houses disgraced by your failures to remember a simple waltz! Now then, pair up!”
There was a moment of confusion and awkward shuffling before the students paired up. Minerva was more than pleased to see several Gryffindor and Slytherins pairing up without fuss. She flicked her wand at the gramophone on the nearby table, enchanting the needle to drop and a simple melody to fill the air.
“Gentlemen, your hand will grace your partner’s waists-not that low Mister Finnegan!- and ladies, your hand will be opposite your partner’s shoulders.”
Pleased with her results thus far, Minerva strolled through the small clusters-minutely correcting placements and footwork as she went.
“Mister Kamiya, is there something…” she began.
Tai and Harry had been shuffling strangely in a corner, neither wanting to assume and take the lead without offending the other. Minerva smiled and cleared her throat. Various students paused and watched.
“For those of you who would prefer to dance with another female or male, instead of the opposite sex, it is up to you both to decide whom of you shall lead and whom shall follow,” Minerva gestured for the two to stop and adjusted them in a more natural manner. Tai’s hand on Harry’s waist and Harry’s on Tai’s opposite shoulder. Smiling at them, she took a few steps back and nodded.
“Ready?” Tai asked, voice barely a whisper.
Harry could only nod once-there was no way he could trust his voice to answer. He knew his body was trembling and he was sure his hands were sweating. This was worse than any Qudditch match or fight with Voldemort or battle with any Digimon. He knew that the rest of his peers were watching, waiting for them to make the move.
“Hey,” Tai spoke softly again, making sure that it was for Harry’s ears only, “it’s just us, okay? Forget everyone else, just follow my lead,”
Harry nodded, and together they moved, slowly at first and then with more confidence. If Harry stepped on Tai’s toes, the elder didn’t show it. Tai was so focused on Harry’s movements that everything else faded. It was only them and the music. Tai carefully led Harry through some small spins before carefully lowering him into a dip-a move he’d remembered from a movie his mother loved. It was a European one and she watched it every weekend. He remembered how his dad had swept her up in his arms and danced with her-their steps were cumbersome and silly but they were smiling and laughing.
Tai knew that’s what love was. He wanted that for himself, wanted to share that memory with someone.
A thunderous applause shook them out of their stupor as they somehow found themselves in the center of room, rather than the corner they had been sequestered in. Harry flushed a bright red, eyes dropping to the floor almost on instinct.
“Brilliant! That was wonderful work, you two! I do believe you may have the rest of the time to yourselves, gentlemen. Enjoy your day!” Minerva shooed them out of the classroom and they found themselves in the hallway.
“Wow,” Harry chuckled, suddenly wishing he had Elecmon with him but the little digimon had stubbornly refused to stop dancing with Agumon. The two had joined in the dancing, putting several students to shame in the process.
Who knew claws could be so graceful?
Tai, not wanting to let Harry’s hand go or disrupt the moment, simply chose to start walking. He hoped that by walking quickly, Harry wouldn’t notice and follow. To his credit, it worked and the two walked hand in hand.
“Do…you have..” Harry began, after some time.
“The potions essay? Not yet!” Tai spouted in a rush, before he clamped his mouth shut.
He wished he could be as smooth as Matt or at least like Nikole or Wilhelmina or Thomas or-
Harry paused in his steps, making the elder falter, “Harry?”
Taking a breath and trying to reduce his shaking frame-he hopes against everything that he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.
“I……are you? I mean, do you wanna g-go-together? With me?”
It took Tai a moment to process what he’d heard-Harry wanted to go with him? He felt a spark bubble up in his chest-he wanted to laugh, cry, and scoop Harry up in his arms and never let him go. He wanted to kiss him over and over again!
He realized he’d been quiet for almost several minutes too long when he’d caught the sadness that had been creeping up in Harry’s eyes.
“Yes! Yes! I’ll go with you!” He quickly scrambled, hugging Harry tightly who suddenly beamed and held him back as tight as he could.
Unbeknownst to them, a pile of students had been hanging out of the door frame-several of them frowned while others had smug grins on their faces.
“I told you! Pay up!” Wilhelmina smugly held her hand out as Thomas placed several dozen coins in it.
“I thought Tai would’ve asked first!” He huffed.
Nikole laughed, snatching coins from several other students. “Those who placed bets, come see me after this!”
Minerva smirked-they shouldn’t have bet against a Gryffindor.
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Matt leaned against the bookcases, eyes closed for a moment as he relaxed. He knew Gabumon was beside him, waiting but alert.
“Do you think we can trust them, Matt?”
“We don't have much choice. It’s not like we’ve got the upper hand here,”
“Correct you are, Mister Ishida, now come,”
Matt tried to hide the small jump as the silky voice beckoned him. Gabumon chuckled, hiding his own laugh from behind his hand. Matt groaned-he was supposed to be cool!
Still, he followed without complaint, knowing that out of everyone here and everything he knew, this was their best chance at whatever was coming.