Harry Potter and the Magic of Yule

Harry was panicking as he walked out of the transfiguration classroom. How was he supposed to find a date to this dance, he was painfully awkward around the opposite sex, the only exception being Hermione. Now, Hermione was very pretty, but he didnt like her in that way. He shudders at being in a relationship with someone like her, she's already so bossy and would argue you down over anything an everything. Plus, He'd noticed the little looks Ron would give her every so often.

That brought another wave of uncomfortableness, he may have decided to give Ron another chance, but he by no means is Harry's best friend anymore. The fact that he would pretend that everything was back to normal after his half-assed apology is telling and Harry has been distant with him, not that he notices.

The next couple of days were a blur, Harry had never seen so many people sign up to stay over the holidays. The girls were constantly giggling looking at the boys and comparing what they were going to were for the dance.

"How are you supposed to ask anyone out with all of them traveling in big groups?" Ron's said in exasperation at breakfast. Harry shrugged but didn't add anything to the conversation.

"I supposed you'd have to lasso one?" Ron suggested. "Got any idea who you're going to try?"

Harry shrugged again, his mind in a different place. He knows who he wants to ask, but Cho was a year older and he was working up his nerve. He hates that he is required to find a date. It was hard enough, dealing with the fan girls that only want to date him for being the Boy-Who-Lived, now he has to find someone he can actually enjoy dancing with.

"Merlin, I'd rather be take another round with the dragon." Harry muttered to himself.

"Listen, your not going to have any problems. You're a champion. You've just beaten a Hungarian Horntail. I bet they'll be lining up for you!" Ron said but Harry could hear the bitterness in his tone.

Harry sighs and gets up and leaves, he didn't want to deal with Ron's jealous rantings. It was more manageable with Hermione around, but she's been busy in the library ever since she found out he was entered into this thing.

He starts to wander the halls, lamenting his life. Many don't know it, but Harry isn't as happy as he likes to portray himself. Whether it's living with his abusive relatives or facing new danger every year. He was tired of it all, all the expectations, all the betrayals, and having to endure the spotlight anytime something happens. His musings were cut short as he hears crying coming from down the hall.

'It's lucky I brought my cloak.' Harry thinks. He had anticipated being interrupted from his thoughts and brought his cloak as I precaution. He'd just throw it on and avoid whoever he sees. He sneaks up to the distant sounds and gapes at what he sees.

"Hey, Looney, you don't mind if I 'borrow' this necklace right?" Cho Chang said with the nastiest tone he'd ever heard from her. Her friend laughed, Marietta Edgecombe, I believe. On the floor with bruises on her face was a pretty blond haired girl. She was leaking tears as Edgecombe was stepping in her hand. I cringed at the crunch and yelp that sounded out when she shifted her weight.

"P-p-please, t-that was m-my mothers!" The girl stuttered out between tears.

Cho laughed at her and said, "Well, I don't think she'll be having much use of it now, do you?" She said in a mocking tone, she whimpered and Cho continued, "Plus, it'll look so fetching with my dress, I bet Cedric won't be able to keep his hands off me!"

Harry had seen enough, he couldn't believe the girl he was crushing on was so cruel. He only saw her as she portrayed herself, the sweet Ravenclaw seeker who helped everyone she could. He was disgusted with himself. He stepped from around the corner still concealed and pointed his wand at Edgecombe.

"Stupefy!"

A jet of red light shot out and strikes Edgecombe in the back. She falls forward and Cho fumbles for her wand before feeling a wand pressed against her neck. She freezes and Harry takes his cloak of before he grits out, "What do you think you are doing Cho?"

Cho pales at hearing Harry's voice and stutters out, "H-Harry, what a-are you d-doing here?"

Harry roles his eyes and says, "Oh I was just having a stroll and what do I come across but you and Edgecombe beating up this girl, just so you could steal something from her mother. You disgust me!"

He moves around so Cho can see the anger on his face. He keeps his wand pointed at her and bends down to check on the girl. She looks to be ok beside the broken fingers. She was staring at him with large, watery, silver eyes that seemed to see all the way through him. He gave her the most reassuring smile he could, which wasn't much more than a grimace, before turning back to Cho when she blurts something out in anger.

"You don't understand Harry, it's just Looney Lovegood, no one cares what happens to her." She said like Harry was going to suddenly have an epiphany and join her. Instead, this makes him even more furious.

"Well, now someone does!" Harry yelled, "No one should be treated like your treating her. I thought you were better than this Cho."

Cho looked petulant and her face scrunches in anger and she says, "What would a cheater like you know?"

Harry's wand tip started glowing and he growls, "I didn't enter the damn tournament!"

Harrys had enough of her face and says, "Give me the necklace."

She looked at him in shock and he yells out, "NOW!"

She hurriedly hands it to him and he puts it in the girls unhurt hand. The girl gave him a look of amazement and it hurt to see her so grateful for something so small. He then turned back to the thief, his wand still glowing with a spell on the end of his tongue.

Cho shakes for a minute before Harry took a deep breath lowering his wand and said, "Leave and take your friend."

She hesitates for a second before doing so. She uses the levitation charm on her friend and as she's walking off she turns and says, "You better not say anything Harry. No one would believe you anyway since your public enemy number one for every house but Gryffindor."

Harry bristles but let's her go. He had to someone to get to the infirmary. He grabs her hand and helps her up while saying, "I'm sorry about her, I honestly thought that she was a good person before this."

She looked at him curiously before saying, "That's ok Harry Potter, she really is a nice person. It's just the Wrackspurts have been making her act differently."

Harry look confused for a second before chuckling and says, "It seems theirs an outbreak of them this year if Wrackspurts make everyone act like prats."

She looked taken aback at that before grinning and saying, "Yes there's been an infestation of them recently and has drove people a bit batty. At least the influx of them has driven off the Nargles."

Harry again was confused so he asked, "What are Wrackspurts and Nargles if you don't mind me asking?"

She looked happy to have someone asks as she said, "Wrackspurts are invisible little creatures that fly into peoples ears and make their brains go fuzzy. You've got a heap of them. Nargles are magical creatures that live in Mistletoe and stela other peoples things. They're mischievous little buggers too."

Harry still didn't look any less confused but have it up to a lost cause, "Well I don't know if I believe that or not, but I didn't believe in a lot of magical creatures until I came to Hogwarts, so it's possible they're out their."

The girl beamed and Harry slaps his forehead at forgetting something, "I can't believe I forgot, what's your name?"

"Oh I'm Luna Lovegood, but people call me Looney though." She says with a touch of sadness at the end.

"Well, they won't say that around me. It nice to meet you Luna, I'm Harry Potter." Harry said in serious tone.

Luna smiled and said dreamily, "Oh I know, you're quite famous."

Harry blushed in embarrassment at that. He gave Luna another look over as they made their way towards the infirmary. She was bleeding from her nose and her wrist was in the wrong place along with her broken fingers. With a soft sigh he asks, "Does this happen often Luna?"

A frown crosses her face as it looked like she was debating what to tell him. She finally says, "They usually keep to just stealing my clothes, but yes, they've done this before."

Harry looked ashamed that he hadn't noticed earlier that someone was being bullied, but to be fair he has been busy ever since he'd started attending Hogwarts. "Doesn't the Prefects do something about this?"

She shook her head and said, "Their to busy with their studying. They rarely come out of their rooms and when they do they say they're to busy to deal with anything whether it's with the dance or tests. One of them even joins in sometimes. I asked him for help one time this year, and he said he didn't have time to listen to my mad ramblings, said he has to figure out how to get the Veela girl to go to the dance with him, not that I would know anything about that since I couldn't go."

Harry frowns at that. He would have to talk to Professor Flitwick later. "Why wouldn't you be able to go the dance?"

A couple of tears leak from her eyes as she said, "I'm a third-year and we aren't allowed to go unless someone asks me, and he said no one would ask me because I'm Looney."

Harry's heart breaks at seeing her try and hide her tears. He was just about to comfort her and tell her someone would surely ask her, before he froze. He needed a partner, and Luna was a very pretty girl. He'd reckon he'd quite enjoy the evening with her instead of a fan girl. Before he can stop himself he says, "How about you go with me?"

She stopped walking and looked at him with anger, which looked like it didn't belong on her face, "I thought you were nice! Why would you play such a cruel joke on me?"

Harry was shocked and fumbled for a response and said, "No, Luna your misunderstanding me, i didn't ask as a joke. I figured you would be a heaps better partner to go with than someone who only sees me for my fame. I also have enjoyed talking with you so far and thought we could each have a good time, as friends of course."

"Are you sure you want to go with someone mad like me?" She said in a small voice.

He smiled and said, "Yes, I'd love to take you Luna, if your willing."

Luna looked shocked before she smiled a teary smile and said, "Ok I'll go with you Harry Potter. Thank you so much."

"That's great." Harry said feeling happy for the first time in a while. This was just one more worry of his chest.

They chat for a couple more minutes before reaching the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey took one looks at Harry and said, "Again Mr. Potter, I need to charge you rent with how much your in here."

Harry chuckles and says, "I hate to disappoint you Madam Pomfrey, but I'm not the one that needs treatment today."

She looks surprised before seeing the heavily injured Luna behind him. "Oh dear sit down on the bed, I'll get you healed up in a jiffy. You may go now Mr. Potter, I have it under control now."

Before Harry could leave, He heard, "Harry, I usually like to stay in the library so you can find me there if I'm not in class!" Luna said in a hopeful ton

Harry gives Luna one last grin and nodded before leaving. He enjoyed his talks with Luna, her way of seeing things was interesting and you could tell she was quite intelligent from some of the things she notices about others.

Harry had one more stop before he went to the dorms for the night. Knocking on the door, he hears a loud, "Enter!" Before walking into Professor Flitwick's office. He takes a seat and Flitwick opens it up.

"How can I help you Mr Potter? Surely not dance lessons, I heard through the grape vine about you needing a partner." He says with a chuckle.

Harry shakes his head and says, "No Professor, I would like to report a case of bullying."

The change was instant and gone was the jovial half-goblin, and he became Fillius Flitwick, world champion duelist, "Alright Mr potter, you've gotten my attention, who's being bullied?"

"One of your Ravenclaws, Luna Lovegood. I found her being beaten by Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe earlier this evening. I rescued her and sent Cho on her way because I had to help Luna to the infirmary. They broke her wrist and fingers and were stealing a necklace that belonged to her mother." Harry gritted out still fuming over the incident. He abhorred bullying, it reminding him of his cousins 'Harry Hunting'.

"I'll have a talk with them today." Professor Flitwick said.

"She also said it's been going on for a while, and the prefects won't help her saying their to busy studying or with the dance this year. She even said one of them joins in, a male who said something about asking out the Beauxbatons champion." Harry said.

The half-goblin looked shocked, the. Anger coursed over his face and he said, "Don't worry Mr. Potter, I'll handle this. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Is there anything else."

"No thank you for hearing me out." Harry said and left for his dorm, not knowing the storm that would await him in the morning.

A/N: If you want to draw any fanart, please send it to @g0ld3nj1154 on twitter.

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