Where The Sage Shrubs Grow,

Chapter 52

Sage's POV:
We were sat at breakfast at the Gryffindor table. I was sitting with Clementine, Harry, Ron, and Hallie. The twins were once again sitting with their older friends, only this time Angelina Johnson was between them. I don't know why she was with them but I won't lie. I was jealous, I would never say that though of course.

Ron had received an unusually large package, he carefully opened the box and pulled out- well let's just say not the most attractive dress.
"Is there a bonnet that goes with it?" Harry teased
"Oh shove off Harry!" Ron laughed "Ginny these must be for you."
"I'm not wearing that, it's ghastly!" Ginny dropped her cereal spoon

We started giggling upon seeing the note and realizing they were in fact for Ron.
"What are you on about?" he asked
"Their not for Ginny. Their for you, dress robes." Hermione giggled
The whole table and a few others burst into laughter.
"What do I need dress robes for?" Ron questioned
Before Ron could get an answer it was time to head out to class. Oddly enough our schedule had been changed today and all Hufflepuffs had Herbology with Professor sprout first period. Before we could start heading to the greenhouse Professor McGonagall called all Hufflepuffs to the front where she was.

"I know this morning you were told you had Herbology first but something urgent came up so you will be in my class this morning." McGonagall strode off towards her classroom. We walked in in a two file line, all her desks were gone and the chairs had been lined up on either side of the room. All the Gryffindors were already in there, giving us weird looks as we walked in, triggering some real anxiety. All the girls were on one side and the boys were on the other, of course I almost immediately spotted the twins standing in the back, Fred shot me a knowing look and winked at me. Often his nonverbal way of assuring me that I was going to be alright.
"Boys, on the left. Girls. On the right." McGonagall ordered
Hallie, Clemen, and I managed to find a spot straight across from the twins, Harry, and Ron and we smiled at them. McGonagall silenced the chatter.

"The yule ball has been a tradition of the tri-wizard tournament since its 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."

The boys groaned with annoyance while the girls broke out in an excited chatter, me and Hallie broke out into a scared chatter.

"Silence! The house of Godrick Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizzarding 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." She snapped

I spotted the twins from across the room trying to repeat her tongue twister five times faster. Fred looked over at me and mouthed the same challenge, to which of course I attempted. I wasn't about to not try, I had to stop halfway through though to keep myself from laughing out loud. Hallie just shook her head at us.

"-inside every girl a secret
swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight." McGonagall gestured towards the girls
Ron aka the worst whisperer in the history of the earth, made some incredibly rude and insensitive comment about a girl, I didn't know who the girl was but Ron will be getting a piece of my mind later. As someone who hasn't had the perfect female figure, I took his comment personally. I noticed Fred, George, and Harry give him a disgusted look, at least I wasn't the only one who was upset by his remark.

"Mr. Weasley" McGonagall came up to Ron upon hearing his rude comment and forced him to be her dance partner for a demonstration. We all let out a laugh and as the music began I noticed the twins mockingly sway to the music. Even though they were messing around I couldn't help but get slightly mesmerized by Fred, I guess I'll just head out then.
"Oi! Never gonna let him forget this?" Harry asked the twins
They both smirked and responded in unison "Never."

"Everybody come together!"
The girls launched out of their seats, the boys either slouched in their chairs or leaned backwards, me and Hallie mirroring their actions. As two anxiety prone people we weren't exactly eager to join them. Hallie eventually built up the courage and dragged me with her.

I watched the boys finally stand up and I noticed the twins walking over to us and Harry walking to Clementine. That wasn't the only thing I noticed, it was like watching a train crash, Fred was walking over to me while Angelina was restraining herself from running over to him, very much speed walking. Fred luckily made it to me first, bowing very dramatically asking for this dance. Hallie went with George and we started the dancing lessons, Angelina not looking happy at having to pair with someone else.

Turns out, I can't dance.
"You're counting wrong love." Fred chuckled
I playfully glared up at him after accidentally stepping on his foot for the fifth time.
"Oh yeah? And how do you know how to dance so well?" I asked
He shrugged "I am a man of many talents."
After a few tries, I finally got the hang of it. I had been too busy trying not to step on Fred's foot, that I hadn't stopped to notice the moment I was in. He was holding me close with his arm around my waist guiding me around the room. The height difference was enormous but it only served to make me feel more delicate. All too soon class was over and we were walking out.

"Once you got the hang of it, you were a wonderful dancer." Fred complimented
"Thanks. I still want to know where you learned to dance!" I pestered
Despite Fred not wanting to give up the answer, George came in clutch striding up behind us to answer for him "Mum taught us all how by the time we were 8, she said she wanted us to know how to treat a lady."
"That's so sweet." I choked

A group of squeaking girls came up behind me, engulfing me. I didn't realize until ten seconds after I had gotten dragged away that I knew them. It was Hallie, Clementine, Hermione, and Lilac.
"A ball! That means we get to pick out fancy dresses." Hallie squealed
"I wonder who will ask me!" Hermione swooned
Overall I could barley hear anything anyone was saying because they were all talking over eachother. I guess it's time to start thinking about balls, dresses, and dates.

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