Chapter 104: Dance!

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"Even so, I have to admit I got jealous seeing you happy with her like that."

I chuckle grimly. "I have to fight pangs of jealousy every time I see you with Harry, even though I know you both deserve each other. Harry might feel the same way about us, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was just happy. He's a better man than I am."

She shudders. "If that's the way I make both of you feel all the time...maybe we shouldn't spend so much time together."

"I think about that all the time, but I'm not strong enough to stay away from you," I say softly. "You're worth it."

She doesn't respond except with another heavy sigh.

"Daphne did reaffirm that she wants to help, at least," I say.

"Is that all she said?"

I grin. "Well, that and the part where she admitted that she likes me, too."

"You told her that enough that she finally believed you, eh?"

I laugh at that. Hermione didn't think that was so amusing when I pulled it on her. "She doesn't think it worked on her, but I know better."

She laughs, too. "It is a neat trick. I think you're just impossible not to like."

"Must be my many masks," I say sagely.

She tilts her head back to show me a raised eyebrow. "She likes a different William than I do, then?"

I shrug. "She has different experiences with me than you. I'm sure I love at least a slightly different Hermione than Harry does. But those two versions of me have one thing in common: she doesn't think I'm as funny as I think I am either."

She replaces her head back on my chest and I feel her smile as we enjoy the rest of the dance in silence. When we turn I see that Daphne is speaking with Harry, and Astoria is working on Blaise with Tracey now. 

The youngest Slytherin catches me smiling at them and stomps away from the stubborn boy towards me and Hermione.

"We've got to do something about them," she says in a huff. "I can tell Tracey is dying to dance but Blaise is just being a prat."

Hermione lifts her head when Astoria starts talking, then looks up at me. "William, you should dance with Tracey. That ought to motivate him."

I laugh. "Easy for you to say, you aren't the one in danger of getting hexed."

"That hasn't stopped you before," Astoria points out.

I nod, acknowledging the point and Hermione laughs. "No, it really hasn't. I like her, William."

Astoria looks surprised at first at the openness of Hermione's declaration, but then beams at the bushy-haired Gryffindor. We quickly finalize plans to get Tracey and Blaise out onto the dance floor, and Astoria heads back to the pair with a sneaky smile.

"You were right, William, she is adorable," Hermione says, then mutters, "and she's going to be gorgeous in a couple years."

In response I pull her back against my chest and kiss her on top of the head just as the song ends. 

Hermione gives me one last squeeze and thanks me, then goes over to Harry and Daphne to explain the plan, and I head over to Tracey. Blaise expression turns furious when I hold out my hand. 

"Pardon me, Ms. Davis. May I have this dance?"

When he makes no move to get up or stop me, Tracey shoots him a glare, then turns to me with a forced smile, takes my hand, and lets me lead her out to the dance floor. Daphne gives us a small smile as she walks over to help Astoria.

"Sorry, this was all Hermione and Astoria's idea," I say as we get into position.

She puts on an exaggerated pout. "You don't want to dance with me?"

I snort. "That's right, it's simply torture being here, dancing at our own private Yule Ball with four beautiful women." I step on her toes when she misses a step, and I stumble trying to avoid putting too much weight on her. I feel my face turning red. 

"Sorry about that, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just didn't..." she trails off, then pulls me back into position and we start back up. "Sorry, that was my fault, I'm not used to hearing something like that when I'm friends with..." She trails off and blushes when she realizes what she was about to say.

I smile encouragingly. "Hermione calls me a shameless flirt, but frankly I think I just call it like I see it." It's true, Tracey doesn't have the same lithe form as Hermione and Daphne, but with her curves and her face, she's anything but plain.

She shakes her head. "No, I think I get it. You compliment everybody, even Draco. Nobody expects it, so it pretty much always gives you the upper hand."

"Ah, don't go sharing my secrets now, Ms. Davis. You know how protective of them I am." I notice her smile falter. "But for the record, I was telling the truth about dancing with four beautiful women. Uh, the beautiful part, that is. Not the torture part."

She snorts. "Or maybe Hermione was right all along."

"She usually is. Look, it seems to have worked." I nod my head toward Daphne and Astoria, who have bodily dragged Blaise out to the dance floor, where Astoria wiggles her way into position. 

Tracey laughs at the spectacle when he finally relents and lets Astoria lead him around. 

"What's the deal between the three of you, Ms. Davis? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"I don't mind you asking, but I don't know the answer myself." She sighs. 

"Blaise is like you, unfailingly formal, except he's rather stiff about it. Actually, while we're on the subject, I get enough unctuous formality from him, William, so lay off the potion and call me Tracey, would you?" We share a laugh at that memory, but her face turns sad again. 

"I think he's interested in Daphne, like everybody else. He confides in me more than her, but he's never talked about or shown much romantic interest in either of us."

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