One Day They'll Know Your Name

Name the date

The Yule Ball was rapidly approaching, and Harry had still not found a date. He would have been fine going by himself, but he had to open the dancing portion of the ball as one of the Champions. He briefly thought of asking Ron, since Hermione was going with someone she seemed to want to save as a surprise, but decided that both of them sucking at dancing wouldn't make a good impression for the opening dance.

He thought about every girl he knew even marginally and almost asked Ginny, but it turned out Neville had asked her instead. When he congratulated his friend, he found out Luna hadn't been asked, and decided that she would enjoy the ball, if just to hang out with Ginny, since she didn't seem to have many other friends.

Before he had a chance to ask her though, he had to suffer through the Slytherin dancing lessons. Harry honestly thought they wouldn't be so bad if Draco wasn't across the room instead of right next to him. It definitely didn't help that someone, probably Aunt Cissa, had given him lessons as well, which meant that he was often seen whirling around the room with various girls, especially Pansy.

"Ipuhao! Find a partner and actually attempt to learn how to lead! You're the one in this room who actually has to dance and be presentable." Snape was also rather passionate about making sure Harry didn't screw up with the opening dance, which was absolutely expected. If he was clumsy during the dance he would be an embarrassment to Slytherin, as well as the whole school. For such a strict teacher in the potions classroom, he saved his ire for Harry, leaving most of the teaching to the sixth year prefects.

With an internal sigh, Harry stood up and turned to the nearest girl, who happened to be Daphne Greengrass. "Might I have the honor of this dance, Miss Greengrass?" he asked politely.

"You may, Mr. Derivative," she replied, just as politely. Then she grinned. "But if you step on my feet I reserve the right to return the favor."

Harry grinned back. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

They easily walked out to the middle of the room and began. Harry had improved by quite a bit since the first time he had danced. Poor Gemma Farley had had bruised feet afterwards, he was sure of it. Now, while he was still a bit clumsy, he was able to avoid his partner's feet, at least.

Greengrass was actually quite good of a partner for him. She was much better than him, of course, but since she was actually just barely shorter than him, unlike every other partner he'd had, he was able to look down a bit and watch both her and his feet at once, which he knew he wasn't supposed to do, but if it kept him from stepping on her, he'd do it anyway.

"Remember," the blonde said casually. "In the actual dance, chances are your partner will be taller than you anyway, because she'll be wearing heels. So you won't even get to cheat like you are now." She promptly stood on her toes, imitating the height she'd have with heels, and Harry groaned as it put her eye level above his head again. She smirked in return. "So. Learn to look up, instead of at your feet. Trust in your partner, especially if she's better than you. A good partner can make even an average person look good." She frowned a bit, then nodded decisively. "The ball's too soon to truly teach you to lead, so your date better be really good at dancing. Who are you planning to ask?"

"Luna Lovegood," Harry replied.

"Good. She's as good a dancer as I am, if not a little better. She may not seem like it, but as a Pureblood she did have to make nice at parties, and she wouldn't be able to make nice without being able to dance properly. That means I can teach you a trick. Follow my lead, instead of trying to lead. Me following you works for now, but you don't have enough experience or confidence yet for it to always work."

He hesitantly followed her lead, and suddenly he felt like he was much better.

"Good," Greengrass nodded. "To someone who didn't know better, you still look like you're leading, and Lovegood's even better at this. I suggest practicing with her exclusively once you've asked her, so you get used to her. For now, your dancing has reached an acceptable level." She stepped back and curtsied perfectly, Harry automatically following her lead and bowing at the correct depth.

"Thank you for the dance, Miss Greengrass. I hope it was as enjoyable for you as it was for me," Harry said first, as he'd been taught. The prefects had quickly drilled the correct courtesies into his head, and the male always spoke first at the end of the dance.

"I found it very enjoyable, Mr. Derivative. Thank you for the dance."

The next week, Harry finally found time to ask Luna. Les Amis had all gathered into their classroom, besides Draco, and Harry found himself helping the blonde girl with her Defense homework. Once she finished the last question, he turned to her more fully.

"Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me, Luna? I figure you would like the chance to hang out with Ginny at least, since she's going from what I heard, and also you're apparently better at making your partner look good in dancing than most of the girls in Slytherin, so I'll have less of a chance of looking like a fool in the first dance?"

Luna laughed in that breezy way of hers. "Of course I'll go with you, Harry. It would be a delight to go with you, and not just to be with Ginny. You're my friend too, you know."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back just in time for Ginny to walk over with her own Defense homework in her hands.

***********************

Draco sighed as he almost threw his Defense homework on his desk. He really wished Harry were here to help him. He understood most of it, but his best friend had an almost instinctual understanding of the subject. Unfortunately, they still weren't talking, so he couldn't even just complain in his general direction. Groaning, since he was alone in the dorm room, he flopped back into his chair, dragging his hand down his face. This was the worst. Not to mention he still had to find a date to the ball, because a Malfoy couldn't be seen alone at an event like this. If Voldemort wasn't such a little bitch he'd have asked Harry, but apparently Harry was taking Luna, which was good for both of them. Luna would be able to make Harry look good, and Harry would make sure Luna got to see the ball.

Draco got up and walked over to his bed, flopping even more dramatically on top of it. Ugh. Fine, he'd just ask Pansy. He knew she still didn't have a date, and the best part was she wouldn't read anything into it because she wasn't into guys.

Rising, he flicked his wand at the bed, straightening it out again, and went to the common room in search of Pansy. As expected, she was sitting near the fire. He blinked in surprise at her companion. Astoria Greengrass was of course not the same person her sister was, but Pansy almost hated Daphne Greengrass. Draco had never been able to find out why, but he thought Daphne was a nice enough friend. If Pansy was sitting with Astoria, she probably had some scheme or other going.

He reached the couch they were sitting on in a few strides and bowed shallowly to the girls. "Might I borrow Miss Parkinson for a moment?" he asked courteously. Pansy rolled her eyes at his airs but stood up with a quick word to Astoria.

"What is it you need, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked, sarcasm coating his name. He grinned in response.

"Are you going to the ball with anyone?"

She looked at him for a moment before sighing. "Of course I'll go with you, you cabbagehead. You're hopeless when you and Hitogata are fighting, aren't you? Hela, you're useless when you two aren't fighting. You couldn't be more obvious about your little crush if you tried babes. But that's ok. I won't tell lover boy, and I'll go to the ball with you so you can ogle him from across the room." She rolled her eyes. "But you owe me. One favor, equal value."

"Deal," he said immediately. He was so glad Pansy was his friend rather than his enemy.