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Terry Boot settled himself at an empty table at the Yule Ball, watching the dance floor as exhaustion sank into him.
The Weird Sisters weren’t going to start their final set for at least another hour later and the self-playing string instruments performing waltz music made Terry sleepy. He could feel the early hour of the morning drying his eyes. “Merlin, what time is it?” Terry groaning at the ceiling. What was he of all people still doing up?
Terry lowered his head and watched Anthony stand beside Luna as she was dazzling some Durmstrang students with her words, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were dancing once more with Granger’s head resting on Weasley’s shoulder, Michael and Ginny Weasley were sitting by themselves, talking about who knows what (though, Terry was willing to bet that it was Quidditch).
“Boot,” Harry Potter sighed, collapsing into an empty seat beside him.
Potter slouched in his chair, watching people dance and mingle before him. His moving gaze halted and Terry didn't need to look to know what (or, more accurately, who) Potter was looking at.
(Terry overheard from Granger that Potter looked all out of sorts the remaining days before the ball when he found out that Fleur Delacour was Draco's date.)
“I can’t believe it. Harry Potter, Triwizard champion, is left all alone at the Yule Ball.” Terry playfully leered.
Potter glared at him. “You don’t need to point it out. Just--" He looked back out to the crowd. "This whole dance, this whole night was pointless."
“Oh, don’t say that. The night is still young!" No, it wasn't but Potter didn't need to know. "Seize the moment, Potter!” Terry said ruefully. “It's not too late to do what you want to do. Don’t let this night go to waste. I mean, what do you have to lose?"
Potter’s jaw tensed and gave Terry a long look. He stood up abruptly, pushing back his chair and walked away from the table and towards a circle of people talking off to the side of the dance hall.
Wait, Terry didn’t actually mean that. He was joking.
Terry straightened in his chair as he saw Potter walk up to Draco and pull him away from the circle of Triwizard champions. Draco gave an incredulous glimpse at Terry before being whisked out of the Great Hall.
Terry hesitated for a second before scrambling out of his chair to follow. He trailed after them, seeing them go out to the courtyard. Is what I think happening... happening!? Picking up his speed, he stepped into the night.
Hiding in shadows, he positioned himself behind a moss-covered pillar. He watched Potter place Draco and him under an archway. Moonlight dazzled the snow, the intimacy of the secluded archway made Terry perk up in bated breath.
“Harry! What was that all about? What’s going on?” Draco asked.
Potter looked up at the sky. “It’s—It’s a pretty night, isn’t it?”
Terry cringed. What an awkward start.
Draco glanced up at the sky hesitantly. “It’s beautiful. But why are we out here? Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing's wrong. Just… I need to say something. Something that I've been meaning to say.”
Yet, Potter didn’t say anything after that.
Terry saw Draco look around the courtyard in awkward silence. Come on, Potter! He shifted his feet and startled when his shoes displaced gravel with a loud crunch.
Draco’s eyes shot towards them and Terry bolted behind the column. He held his breath.
“Draco,” Potter said.
“Yes?”
Terry peeked one eye back to the two.
“I like you.”
Tap dancing trolls! Potter actually did it! Terry felt his mouth stretch into a smile.
Draco's face went slack. “Huh?”
“I like you, Draco,” Potter repeated. “Like, as more than a friend. I want us to be... to be more than just friends.”
He’s doing it! Really doing it!
But then Terry noticed the look on Draco’s face change. It wasn't pleased or surprised or happy.
It was panic.
Terry then noticed Potter was leaning forward, aiming for a kiss, but Draco’s face was morphing with rising... horror? He felt the need to call out. He needed to call out and say stop, wait, something’s wrong—
Draco took a frightened step back. Then, Draco started running. Terry pressed into the alcove as Draco ran past him, fleeing to the bright Great Hall. He turned back to see Potter’s reaction.
Potter was staring at the spot Draco was. Terry could hear Potter’s breathing become ragged. Potter turned and rested his hands on the stone, pitching his head down.
Terry backed away and slipped back into the Great Hall. He looked up the staircase to catch sight of his friend but he found none.
What just happened?
Anthony walked out of the Yule Ball, yawning and stretching his arms above him.
“Anthony!” Terry hissed and hurried up to the blond.
“Terry!" Anthony almost shrieked. "Blimey, you scared me.”
“Luna with you?"
"No, she's talking with some Durmstrang people. They're really interested in those 'Nargles' she's always talking about."
"Good. I need to talk to you. Now,” Terry gently pulled at Anthony’s arm.
“Whoa, whoa." Anthony resisted. "Can’t it wait till morning? I’m tired enough as it is--”
“No, because," Terry glanced around and lowered his voice. "Potter confessed.”
Anthony faltered. “What?"
"Potter confessed."
"No." Anthony cracked a doubtful smile. "No, he didn’t. Potter wouldn’t--”
“Potter would and has. He just confessed out in the courtyard.”
Anthony frowned. “How do you know he confessed in the courtyard?”
“How I know doesn’t matter, what matters is that he did .”
“Then... Why are you freaking out? Isn’t this a good thing? It finally happened! We've been waiting for this day! Shouldn’t we be downing some punch?”
“No, we shouldn’t because the complete opposite reaction happened tonight! Draco rejected him.”
Anthony paused. “That can’t be right… I always thought…”
“Well, it didn’t happen. Potter told him, leaned in for a kiss, and Draco ran away. He’s probably running up to the dormitory right now.”
Anthony pulled Terry off to the side. “Terry, are you sure that’s what happened. Draco actually said no?”
“Well, fine, he didn’t say no,” Terry conceded but quickly added on, “But running away isn’t exactly a yes either!”
"How bad could've it gone?!" Anthony glanced over Terry's shoulder and wavered. "Oh, it was really bad."
Terry turned and saw Potter coming in from outside, moving ghost-like as he slumped down onto the staircase, burying his face into his hands.
Anthony steeled himself and walked over to Potter despite Terry's quiet protests. “Hey, Potter?”
Potter stared up at them, looking properly defeated. "Yeah?"
“Are you okay?” Anthony asked. “What happened?”
Potter didn’t answer. Everything about his movements seemed hindered as if he was recovering from a severe blow.
“Potter? Harry?” Terry ventured.
Potter smiled miserably. “I… I... just ruined everything.”
“What?”
“I actually did it. I admitted my feelings. After, like, three years, I finally did it. Crazy, right?”
Terry felt guilt grip his stomach. “Harry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to push.”
“No, no. You didn’t do anything. I promised myself even before this year began that I’d say how I felt. I just didn’t know what I was expecting… I definitely wasn’t expecting a rejection like that. ”
“Well, who says that you were rejected?!” Anthony protested.
“Running away from someone right after they confessed seems like a rejection to me, Anthony! Does it not to you? Sorry, sorry. I’m just--” Harry groaned and made to bury his face into his hands again before recoiling. “Oh, gross,” He scowled and brought his foot up.
“What? What is it? Oh, ew !” Terry grimaced as a beetle scurried by his shoe and darted unevenly down the stairs and into the shadows of the corridor. “Does Hogwarts got a bug problem now?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Potter stood up. “I need to get out of here. I can’t stand being here right now. This night was a mistake.”
“Harry, wait!” Anthony called out.
Terry and Anthony watched Potter run up the staircase.
Terry had an awful feeling things were about to get much messier.