By lunchtime, Harry had secured presents for everyone except Draco. The necklace for Narcissa, a pair of pretty earrings for Susan shaped like shooting stars, and a journal for Snape that would automatically record the status and changes in a potion, for experimental purposes. His purchases were wrapped and stowed securely in his bag, and he decided to take a break and head to the Three Broomsticks.
That turned out to be a mistake, as the pub was packed so tight Harry could barely make it to the bar, so he ordered a sandwich to go and squeezed back out into the street, eating as he walked. He was pretty sure he'd been in every shop in the village, and he was still no closer to finding the perfect Christmas present for Draco.
Looking through the window of a shop selling antiques, Harry was surprised to catch the reflection of a pair of tall redheaded figures. He turned, seeing the twins walking nearby, their heads ducked together and their faces serious. "Fred, George!" he called out to them, watching them both look up in alarm. They relaxed a little at the sight of Harry. "Harrikins!" they course towards him.
greeted,
changing
"Fancy seeing you here. All alone, are we?"
"Getting up to mischief?" Fred smirked at him, wiggling his eyebrows, and Harry flushed.
"Christmas shopping," he replied evasively; there were too many people around for him to risk mentioning who he was shopping for. "What are you two doing out here?" They looked a bit shifty — well, shiftier than usual for the twins.
The pair shared a glance. "Bit of a long story, dear Harry," George said. Harry got the picture pretty quickly.
"I won't ask you any questions, you don't ask me any?" he suggested, watching the twins brighten up.
"See, this is why you're our favourite!" Fred declared, ruffling his hair. "Be safe, little brother! Watch out for any rogue reporters!" He winked, and the pair disappeared, leaving Harry alone once more.
Harry sighed to himself, eyes scanning the shops once more. This was his last chance to shop before Christmas unless he got a very speedy owl order in — and he couldn't go back empty handed. He grit his teeth, determined. It was his first Christmas with his boyfriend, and his present was going to be perfect. It had to be.
.-.-.-.
The Yule Ball was five days away, and Fleur Delacour had a problem.
"None of these boys are worth my time!" she declared at lunch, looking distinctly unimpressed. "'Ow am I supposed to look fantastique when all the available 'Ogwarts boys are… average at best?"
"I'll try not to be offended by that," Harry said lightly, and she jabbed him in the side. "Two champions cannot attend togezzer, or I would 'ave asked you," she insisted. "But all the boys I 'ave considered are taken. I cannot believe Roger abandoned me so last-minute!"
Harry knew she wanted to go with a Hogwarts boy, to continue the theme of international magical cooperation. She had been going with Roger Davies, but then he'd realised that the Gryffindor seventh year girl he had a crush on actually liked him back and was willing to go with him, and he'd very apologetically told Fleur he had to change his mind. Harry couldn't believe Roger had turned down Fleur Delacour, but he supposed even Ravenclaws could be idiots sometimes.
"What kind of boy are you looking for?" he asked, knowing Fleur's standards were incredibly high. Perhaps there was a boy who could be persuaded to ditch their date last minute to go with a Triwizard champion.
"'E must be 'andsome," Fleur said, and Harry gave her a look that said 'obviously'. "I want 'im to be taller zan me. A good dancer. It would be nice if 'e spoke French, but not necessary."
Harry racked his brain, looking around the hall as if Fleur's perfect man might just appear out of thin air. As he glanced past the doors of the Great Hall, Cassius walked in, talking to Cedric. Harry froze, a slow smile creeping across his face. "Fleur, I'll be right back." Harry sprinted across the hall, skidding to a halt in front of the two sixth years. "Cassius!" he greeted, and the Slytherin stared at him in confusion. "Do you have a date to the ball?"
"Aren't you going with Susan?" Cassius asked. Harry rolled his eyes.
"I'm not asking for me, you git," he muttered, though he did wonder what would happen if he turned up to the ball with Cassius Warrington on his arm. Draco would slaughter them both. "Do you have a date?"
"No," Cassius said. "I never really got around to asking anyone."
"Are you good at dancing?" "Harry, I'm a Warrington." It was much the same tone Draco had replied with when Harry had asked a similar question, and Harry snickered. He eyed the older boy carefully; he was taller than Cedric. That would make him taller than Fleur, if only by a little.
"Are you entirely opposed to the idea of having a date?" If Cassius wanted to go alone, Harry wouldn't force him, but it would be doing him a huge favour.
Cassius frowned doubtfully. "I mean, it would depend on the date? And I'd have to check with my, uh, someone."
"Since when did you have a someone?" Cedric cut in, looking amused. Cassius blushed.
"None of your business, Diggory," he muttered. Cedric laughed.
"Would that someone be okay with you being a shameless piece of entirely platonic arm candy for a very pretty girl who needs to look good for some pictures?" Harry hoped whoever Cassius was dating wasn't the possessive type. "I'll owe you one."
"I mean, probably?" Cassius shrugged. "I really don't understand where you're going with all this, Potter."
Harry reached out, grabbing Cassius by the wrist and tugging him towards the Gryffindor table. He dragged him right up to where Fleur was sat. "Fleur, this is Cassius Warrington," he introduced, though he was almost certain they'd met before. "Attractive, over six foot, an excellent dancer, and I'm pretty sure he speaks at least a little bit of French." It was the type of thing purebloods did, teach their kids foreign languages. Draco spoke three.
"You think I'm attractive?" Cassius' voice was quietly smug, and Harry ignored him.
He shoved Cassius down onto the bench, dropping down beside him. "Cassius, I believe you know Fleur Delacour. She's in need of a date to the Yule Ball."
Cassius blinked at him. "A very pretty girl who needs to look good for some pictures? Harry, you said nothing about it being a champion!"
"Oh, did I forget to mention that bit?" Harry replied innocently. Cassius kicked him beneath the table.
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