𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.

𝟒.𝟏𝟓 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥

Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville changed into their dress robes up in their dormitory, all of them looking very self-conscious, but none as much as Ron, who surveyed himself in the long mirror in the corner with an appalled look on his face.

There was just no getting around the fact that his robes looked more like a dress than anything else. 

'I still can't work out how you two got some of the best-looking girls in the year,' muttered Dean.

'Animal magnetism,' said Ron gloomily, pulling stray threads out of his cuffs.

"Some of the best? How do you even know this?" asked Harry.

"Well its quite obvious. Parvati and Padma are quite pretty aren't they? Though Y/n's charm is quite different. Loads of guys fancy her I've heard. Wanted to ask her but thought better of it. I reckon I've known her too long" said Dean.

The common room looked strange, full of people wearing different colours instead of the usual mass of black. Parvati was waiting for Harry at the foot of the stairs. She looked very pretty indeed, in robes of shocking pink, with her long dark plait braided with gold, and gold bracelets glimmering at her wrists. Harry was relieved to see that she wasn't giggling.

'You – er – look nice,' he said awkwardly.

'Thanks,' she said. 'Padma's going to meet you in the Entrance Hall,' she added to Ron.

'Right,' said Ron, looking around. 'Where are Hermione and Y/n?'

Parvati shrugged. 'Shall we go down, then, Harry?'

'OK,' said Harry, wishing he could just stay in the common room. 

The Entrance Hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open.  Parvati found her sister Padma and led her over to Harry and Ron.

'Hi,' said Padma, who was looking just as pretty as Parvati in robes of bright turquoise. She didn't look too enthusiastic about having Ron as a partner, though; her dark eyes lingered on the frayed neck and sleeves of his dress robes as she looked him up and down.