To Dance

Chapter 9: To Sweep Away

"What are you doing, Harry?"

Harry spun around as he was half way across the front Hall, still in a hurry to get to the Common Room to face Cedric as he walked to the Great Hall. It took a moment for him to respond, seeing as he was slightly out of breath. "I'm just on my way to.... to..." he trailed off, having no idea how to end a sentence that didn't make sense to even him. "I have no idea," he finished, slightly bemused.

Cedric laughed slightly before walking over to the out of breath Gryffindor and taking his bag for him, at which Harry blushed and gave him a surprised look. "In that case, still up for being dance partners with me?" the tall seventh year asked, his eyes glinting warmly.

Harry mentally smacked himself in the face. He had completely forgotten about the dancing practice that night in leu of the time spent in the potions class room. He flushed even deeper in embarrassment and Cedric grinned sweetly down at him as he took his hand and led him into the Great Hall where the boys would be practicing. Just before they walked through the doors, Cedric leaned down close to Harry's ear and whispered, "You know. You're really cute when you blush."

Of course, at this Harry just blushed even more. One, because he was being complimented by an extremely handsome boy who was whispering seductively into his ear. Two, because he was being called 'cute,' which he didn't usually associate himself with being, seeing as it was what he would think of as being for girls.

Just as they were waking through the door, Cedric released Harry's hand, gave him a wink, and the two walked into the hall. Harry felt slightly shocked at first but then realized it was because Cedric didn't want to make him awkward by immediately presenting them as a couple or something like that. Harry silently thanked Cedric as the two of them separated and Cedric went to go join his friends and Harry wandered over to find Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors.

"Oi!" Ron yelled, seeing Harry and pushing his way through the crowd to get to his best friend as Harry turned to try to find where the red heads voice had come from. Upon spotting Ron he smiled and walked to meet him. "Where have you been?" Ron demanded, finally reaching his best friend.

"Potions lab," Harry replied, not wanting to go into details about his experience there. "The potion took longer than I expected it to. And then we had to test it so..."

Ron gave him a bemused look. "You guys actually tested it?" he asked, amusedly. "No one really had a good enough potion. Hermione would have if I hadn't mussed it up. So how was that?"

At that moment Professors Moody, Snape, and McGonnegal entered and Moody's loud gruff voice bounced off the walls like a hundred super balls, making everyone jump and Harry incredibly grateful that he didn't have to answer Ron's question.

"All right you lot!," roared Moody, clunking purposefully to the center of the hall, his magical eye swiveling as usual. "Get your partners fast or I'll turn you all into a bunch of ferrets!"

"Professor!" McGonnegal shouted indignantly at Moody's words as the scarred man laughed while the boys hurried to grab a partner. Harry, as he craned his neck to try to catch sight of Cedric, caught sight of Malfoy's blond streak of hair as he hurried into the hall and disappeared into the mass of boys frantically pairing up.

He jumped as he felt two strong arms wrap firmly around his waist. "Found you," Cedric purred into his ear. A few of the boys around them stared for a moment before looking for a partner again. Harry quickly spun in Cedric's arms and looked up at the grinning Hufflepuff. He couldn't think of anything to say and so just smiled up at Cedric in what he hoped was a convincing fashion. He was beginning to feel a little awkward being so cuddly in front of everyone. Cedric's grin widened and he pulled Harry slightly closer to him.

Moody's voice echoed out again over them all a moment later. "Alright! If you don't have a partner, grab the nearest free boy. Those paired move to the sides!" The crowd of boys all shuffled off to the sides hurriedly to reveal Moody and McGonnegal in the center of the hall. Snape had taken his post at the Great Hall's doors, probably to keep anyone from running away. Moody was leering around at all of them while McGonnegal had her head in her hand, shaking it woefully as if finding this whole thing absolutely ridiculous. Harry silently agreed with her.

"CHAMPIONS!" Moody bellowed, making everyone jump. "Out here! Pronto!"

Harry felt himself being pulled into the center of the floor by Cedric's arm and, glancing over saw Krum hurrying to the floor dragging a frightened looking Ravenclaw Harry recognized as Terry Boot from his year behind him. Silently he wondered if all the champions were closet gays a moment before he was hauled to a stop in front of a maliciously grinning Mad-Eye and an exasperated McGonnegal.

"Good men," Moody gruffed out, still grinning. "Sevvy!" he yelled, turning his face toward Snape. Harry didn't have to look to know that Snape had a look that could kill on his face. "Put on that music, boy!" It seemed that Snape felt that arguing would be completely fruitless though, seeing as a moment later, a scratchy waltz began to play around the hall.

"Now!" barked Moody, prodding at McGonnegal. "I want you to watch us as we demonstrate what yer to do." McGonnegal had a horrified look on her face, her eyes darting to Moody's fake leg in terror.

"Er, Professor," she interjected. It was the first time Harry had ever seen her look this uncomfortable and flustered about something. "Might it be a better idea for Severus to demonstrate?"

Moody paused in his preparing to take a position he seemed to think was one appropriate for waltzing before straightening up, grin back in place, and saying, "You know. I rather like that idea. I'm sure Severus has more waltzing experience than I do. Severus! Get over here! Teach these prats how to dance!"

From the grudging foot steps Harry heard echoing on the floor, it seemed Snape like the idea of dancing about as much as he liked doting on Harry. Moody walked noisily over to the place Snape had vacated at the door and watched as Snape took McGonnegal's hand emotionlessly and the two began to dance.

Harry looked in shock as Snape and McGonnegal swept around the hall in time to the music, all the while Snape monotonously counting out "1. 2. 3." to make sure the boys understood the timing of the music and the foot movements. After a minute or two, Snape and McGonnegal stepped apart and walked up to the four boys in the center of the hall.

"Your turn," Snape said curtly.

Cedric didn't need asking twice. Before Harry knew what was happening, Cedric had gently grabbed his hand and was moving him away in a waltzing motion around the hall in time with the music. Harry, caught off guard and not knowing what on earth to do, began to trip over his own feet and squeeked.

Cedric leaned down to him and murmured, "Listen to the music and move with it. I'm leading so just follow me. Don't worry."

Harry did as he was told and began to feel himself ease into the movements and rhythms Cedric led him along to. Feeling more comfortable, he looked up at his partner to be met with warm grey eyes gazing endless down at him. He blushed again, feeling self conscious, and Cedric smiled gently, leaning down slightly. "You're doing beautifully as well as looking it. Enjoying yourself?"

Not trusting himself to speak, Harry simply nodded and smiled up at Cedric as they continued to waltz around the Hall. It took a moment for Harry to realize that more people had joined the floor and he was surprised when a couple passed by them and one of them whispered to Cedric "Graceful as always, Ced." Cedric nodded and smiled in return as the boy and his partner passed.

Harry looked around at all the other couples. Krum and Terry Boot seemed to be doing pretty well, stumbling only now and then. Dean and Seamus moved awkwardly, stepping on each others feet every so often. Ron was attempting to dance with Neville and the two were failing miserably. Fred and George were, of course, being overly dramatic and enthusiastic as the spun around the hall theatrically, dipping and twirling unnecessarily with comically theatrical expressions as they hummed along with the music. Harry couldn't help laughing slightly as they passed and Fred winked as George fake-swooned.

Harry was definitely beginning to feel much more comfortable with this whole waltzing business as he was drawn about with Cedric, moving nicely in time with the music. And then the music stopped, the pairs stopped moving, and Moody's gruff voice boomed out again. "All right! Enough of that! Get to bed and rest up for tomorrow!"

Harry drew away from Cedric and let his arms drop as he looked up at Cedric. "Well," he started, not entirely sure how to finish. "That was really great. Thanks a lot Cedric." He smiled at the tall boy.

Cedric smiled warmly down at Harry and gently took his arm as the group began to walk out of the hall. Unnoticed in the crowd, Cedric slipped his warm hand into Harry's, making the raven haired boy blush slightly. Cedric's grin widened as they continued to walk. When they were clear of the Great Hall and everyone was heading off to their respective dorms, Harry turned to Cedric, not quite sure how to say good night. However, before he could say anything, Cedric squeezed his hand and asked softly, "Would you like me to walk you to your Common Room?"

Slightly surprised by this, Harry began to stammer. "Uh- um. Well. Sure. But, you don't know where-"

Cedric laughed softly, cutting Harry off. "I'll let you lead on this one," he murmured, his deep voice purring making Harry shudder slightly and feel slightly warmer.

"Oh," Harry said, lost for words and blushing foolishly. "Okay." And he began toward the staircase to the Gryffindor Common Room with Cedric holding gently onto his hand as they made their way.