An Approaching Dance

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The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter, Iris was glad of its fires and thick walls every time she passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies. She thought the Beauxbatons caravan was likely to be pretty chilly too. Hagrid, she noticed, was keeping Madame Maxime's horses well provided with their preferred drink of single-malt whiskey; the fumes wafting from the trough in the comer of their paddock was enough to make the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed.

Things were looking up slightly though, with Ron now friends with Harry and Iris again, and Christmas approaching rapidly. Exactly a week after the first task, the four best friends were sitting in the Great Hall eating breakfast together.

Iris was fully enjoying her meal, as usual, having chosen a bowl of cereal and some toast that morning. She was sitting across from her brother, beside Hermione who was sharing her copy of the Daily Prophet with Iris. A large chunk of the newspaper was for the Triwizard Tournament updates, though currently being taken over by an article written by Rita Skeeter about none other than Hermione. Iris cringed reading it, knowing her best friend wouldn't be happy in the slightest when she got to that part.

Looking away from the newspaper, Iris' attention was grabbed by the Patil twins walking by and chorusing "Hi Harry." Giddy smiles on both of their faces. Iris' eyebrows raised in her brother's direction in silent shock and approval. Seemed as though the rest of the school was finally warming back up to the Potters – well, the girls were definitely warming up to Harry.

She noticed her brother's eye catch on something across the hall and with one look it was quite obvious what it was: Cho Chang. Iris didn't know much about the pretty, raven-haired girl, but she had seen her and Cedric hang out a few times. He had mentioned once that they were neighbours and had grown up together, which made it all the more perfect that she had become the apple of Harry's eye.

Iris watched as Cho's friends whispered to her before the girl turned in her seat, giving Harry a smile. Harry immediately went to smile back, only he had just taken a sip of pumpkin juice, leaving it to fall out of his mouth and down the front of his robes. This sent Iris into laughter instantly, though she tried to hold it back for her brother's sake. Covering her mouth to stop the chortles, Harry gave her a rude look, only increasing her glee.

"Look at this!" Hermione said angrily, slamming the newspaper down on the table, "I can't believe it she's done it again." Reading aloud from the paper she continued, "Miss Granger a plain but ambitious girl seems to be developing a taste for famous wizards. Her latest prey, sources report, is none other than the Bulgarian bon-bon Viktor Krum. No word yet on how Harry Potter's taking this latest emotional blow."

"Hey!" Iris said indignantly to Hermione, "Why was I not told of this new beau? Now I have to console my poor dear brother who I'm sure is absolutely heartbroken over this news," Iris lectured sarcastically to their amused expressions as a young boy walked up to Ron with a large package.

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