The Power He Knows Not Chapter 19

Content Warnings: Nothing,

Seamus whistled as Harry emerged from the bathroom, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. The clothes Daphne had picked out for him fit perfectly and he had to admit, he looked a darn sight nicer in them than in dress robes.

“You look dapper, Potter. Almost as hot as Dean over here.” Seamus nodded to Dean who was standing in front of the mirror of his armoire, adjusting his bowtie. Dean had also gone the suit route, picking out a tasteful magenta blazer and white shirt. “Your date is one lucky bird.”

“His date is Gabrielle Delacour, Finnegan. Trust me, Harry’s the lucky one here,” Dean chuckled, carefully studying himself in the mirror.

“I still can’t believe the two of you managed to land the cutest girls in the castle.”

“Who’re you going with, Thomas?” Harry asked, walking over to his dressing table and picking up a comb. He knew trying to tame his hair was a futile effort but he gave it a solid try, wrestling his stubborn locks into a semi-tamed state.

“Lavender.”

“Can’t believe she said yes.”

“Hey, Parvati came to you and asked you to the Ball even though you stank of dungbombs at the time. I’d say you have more game than me, Finnegan,” Dean countered.

“I was just trying to see if I could juggle three of them at once,” Seamus mumbled, his cheeks red. “And she didn’t propose. She asked if I had a partner and I wised up, took the hint, and proposed myself.”

“Don’t worry Seamus, you’re not alone. Hannah was the one who asked Neville to the Ball. She got tired of waiting for him to pick up on cues so Susan and I told her to get her ass in gear and be the one to make the first move,” Harry said, helping Neville with his bowtie.

“Thanks, Harry.” Neville blushed.

“My pleasure. Things going well with her?”

Neville nodded shyly.

“Alright, mustn’t keep our dates waiting. Merlin forbid they find someone better looking than us.” Dean helped Seamus to his feet, the two bounding down the stairs to the Common Room. Neville followed them, but Harry put a hand on Ron’s chest to stop him from doing the same.

“What?” he muttered, fiddling with the frayed cuffs of his dress robes. Padma had helped him style his old-fashioned robes to the best of her ability and if Harry was being honest, the end result wasn’t too bad. Although he doubted Ron would realize that, given how far up his ass his head seemed to be. “New clothes? What, the robes ma got you not good enough for you?”

Harry counted down from ten, trying his best to control his temper for Padma’s sake. He took a deep breath, nodding to the robes laid out over his chest. “They’re right there. You know I was going to wear them. These clothes are a gift from Daphne and I’m not going to upset my girlfriend by rejecting her Christmas present. Your mother wouldn’t mind.”

“That girl is poisoning your mind!”

“I’m going to let that go because we both have somewhere to be. But be very careful what you say about Daphne in the future, Ronald,” Harry muttered, his eyes flashing with suppressed anger. “This juvenile belief that we’re the good ones and Slytherins are the evil ones needs to end. If you want, you can take my robes but I would advise against it.”

“You want me to… you want me to wear this shit?!” Ron spluttered, gesturing at his robes.

“Padma gave up a really fun day with her friends to work on your robes. Wearing them shows you respect her efforts. It’s a thoughtful gesture.”

“Everyone’s going to make fun of me. Malfoy’s going to have a gaff,” Ron mumbled.

It took every ounce of his self-control not to roll his eyes.

That’s your problem, idiot. You’re more concerned about Malfoy’s opinion than the feelings of the pretty girl on your arm.

He kept what he was thinking to himself.

“Ignore Malfoy, okay? Just try and have a good time.”

“Do you know who Hermione’s going with?”

Harry groaned internally. Why was he focused on everything but his date?!

“I have no clue. She’s been cagey about it all week.”

“Okay.” Ron tried to leave again, only to be stopped by Harry.

“What?!”

“I know we have our issues and Merlin knows what else is going on with you… I’ve given you your space to figure things out. And I know you’re unhappy with your robes. But try and have a good time. Padma has high hopes for tonight, Ron. I still consider you a friend but if you hurt her-” Harry turned to look at him, his expression deadly serious. “Do not hurt her Ron. Be a gentleman, have fun, and give your date a good time.”

“I got it,” Ron muttered, shaking his shoulder free and stomping down the stairs.

Harry sighed. Despite all the crap, he missed Ron. The fact that he had no idea how to get through to him was increasingly bugging him as the days passed.

He pushed his hands into the pockets of his pants and made his way down to the Common Room. Parvati was giggling over something Seamus said while Ron stood awkwardly in the corner. Lavender and Dean were snogging on a couch. Neville was nowhere to be seen, which Harry took as a good sign. Spying the Creevy brothers making their way towards him Harry beat a hasty retreat out of the Common Room, slowly climbing down the stairs.

The Atrium was jam-packed with people, students of all three schools milling about with their dates and friends, waiting for the doors of the Great Hall to open. Harry spied Cedric standing with Cho right in front of the shut gates. They were having a friendly conversation with Fleur. The Veela had her arm wrapped around Alicia’s waist, a sight that made Harry smile.

He pushed through the crowds and walked over to them, tapping Fleur’s shoulder. “Where’s your sister? I have something to give her.”

“They better be the pants you nicked, Potter,” Alicia smirked. Harry groaned. Not only had his Quidditch teammate discovered him in bed with Gabrielle, but they’d also walked back to the castle together that morning which meant she knew exactly what had happened. He wasn’t looking forward to the teasing from her and the other two girls during their next Quidditch season.

“You stole your girlfriend’s clothes?”

Harry glared at Cedric. Not you too!

“It was a dare. Besides, she wears my old Quidditch jersey to bed every day!”

“Everyone knows the boyfriend’s shirts and jerseys are fair game, Harry,” Cho smirked. “You won’t believe the shit I get for wearing Hufflepuff colors every night.”

“I’m just gonna… I’m going to go find Gabby,” Harry muttered.

“You don’t have to look too far. She’s behind you,” Fleur whispered.

A hush had fallen in the room. Harry turned around slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. Gabrielle was standing by the open doors of the castle. Everyone around her was staring at her with wide eyes and Harry was no exception.

She had chosen to wear a floor-length translucent gown with a plunging neckline. The two halves of the dress looped around her neck, leaving her arms and back bare. The thin silver fabric was covered with shimmering gold spots that protected her modesty and flowed like water with every step she took. Her platinum-blonde hair gleamed in the dim light of the Atrium, appearing as if someone had weaved moonlight into its strands. It tumbled down her back in waves. Gabrielle had opted to do nothing to her hair except secure it with a few pins to ensure it didn’t fall into her face while she danced. She completed her look with a smidge of mascara and blood-red lipstick.

Her getup was audacious yet demure, bold but understated. Daphne leaned against the castle door, smirking at her boyfriend’s slightly open face.

“What’s the verdict?” Susan asked, hugging Daphne from behind. She had joined her in the carriage to help her put the finishing touches to Gabrielle’s makeup, the three girls having made the journey to the castle together.

“I think we broke our boyfriend, love,” Daphne replied with a smirk. Harry was still staring at Gabrielle with wide eyes, the corsage he had pulled out of his suit hanging limply from his fingers.

“And the rest of them?”

“We broke them too.”

Every eye in attendance was fixed on Gabrielle as she shyly made her way toward Harry. She paused in front of him, a small smile on her face.

“Merry Christmas, Harry,” she whispered, nervously twiddling her thumbs together.

“M-Merry Christmas, Gabby,” Harry croaked, his throat suddenly dry.

Alicia leaned closer, gently pinching Harry’s side and breaking him free of his reverie. “Give her the corsage, Potter,” she hissed, a huge smirk on her face.

“Oh! Right! Uhm-” Harry held up the scarlet and gold corsage. Gabrielle responded with a smile, raising her right hand to allow him to slip it onto her wrist.

“It is beautiful, mon amour. Thank you,” she whispered, leaning up to kiss his cheek. Harry blushed. He nervously tugged on his shirt, “is it too hot in here?”

“No, you just have a gorgeous girlfriend, Potter. Don’t worry, you get used to it,” Alicia teased. Fleur chuckled next to her, causing both Harry and Gabrielle to blush.

“Look at them,” Daphne smirked, wrapping an arm around Susan’s shoulders and pulling her closer. “Acting like two clueless teenagers.”

“They’d never have gotten together if you hadn’t practically dumped them into bed together,” Susan murmured, leaning her head on Daphne’s shoulder.

“Hey, there needed to be a Mrs. Potter, right? And if you ever tell Gabrielle I said this, I will put you over my knee munchkin,” Daphne threatened. “But that peppy, cute pixie is… she’s alright.”

“Should we stop them?”

Harry had bent and captured Gabrielle’s lips, both of them lost in each other’s embrace, completely oblivious to everyone around them.

“Fuck no. Young couple madly in love is exactly what we need the headlines to be tomorrow,” Daphne said, her smirk growing at the sight of the couple making their way down the stairs. “Mind you, Harry and Gabrielle aren’t the only ones who’ll make the papers tomorrow.” Daphne nodded at Hermione and Viktor Krum slowly weaving through the crowds.

“No way. That’s who she’s been hiding all week?”

“Hermione Granger is banging an International Quidditch Star. Good for her.”

“Why do you think she hid it from us?”

“Why’d you date Harry in secret for a year, Susan?” Daphne asked with a smirk. “Snogging is much easier when nobody’s paying attention to you.”

Hermione nervously waved to Harry as she and Viktor assumed their position in the fourth and final spot marked for the champions. “Hey, Harry.”

“Mione,” Harry grinned. “It’s nice to finally know who your date is.”

Hermione blushed. “I wanted to tell you but…”

“I asked Hermioninny not to,” Viktor said, looping his arm through Hermione’s. “I am a private man, Harry Potter.”

“Trust me, I get it.”

“We just want the papers to leave us alone,” Gabrielle added, leaning into Harry’s side. “We can only meet in the carriage or the kitchens if we don’t want that vile, scheming, dirty woman’s eyes on us.” Gabrielle scowled.

“I have read these articles. They are very mean. Why does this Skeeter woman not like your girlfriend?” Krum asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“It’s not personal, mate,” Harry muttered, gently squeezing Gabrielle’s hand. “She prints half-truths and outright lies about everyone, not just Gabby.”

“It does feel a little personal,” Gabrielle whispered, burying her face in Harry’s shoulder.

Harry frowned. She had a point. Skeeter had run a couple of articles slandering Hermione and Daphne, but nothing to the extent she was going to with Gabrielle.

“Outrage sells, Gabrielle. I wouldn’t read too much into it. I know it can be hard to ignore the continuous bullshit she’s slinging but if I were you, I’d toss the Daily Prophet in the fire without even opening it. That’s all it’s good for these days,” Hermione murmured, reaching out to pat Gabrielle’s arm.

Harry’s eyes searched the crowd. He didn’t find Skeeter, but he did locate Ron standing in a corner. He was ignoring Padma’s attempts to fix his collar. His gaze was fixed on Hermione and Krum. Harry was well-acquainted with his friend’s red face and the vein throbbing on his forehead.

He sighed.

Ron, you absolute idiot. Don’t ruin this night for all of us.

He turned to Gabrielle, gently kissing her. “Give me a minute, love? I’ll find Susie and Daph and say hi.”

“They were by the doors last I checked. All of us came up to the castle together,” Gabrielle murmured against his lips. “Don’t take too long, Harry. It’s nearly seven,” she added nervously.

“I’ll only be a minute.” He squeezed her hand and gently extricated himself. He pushed through the crowds, making his way to the castle doors.

“Susie. Daph. Both of you look stunning,” Harry whispered, bending and kissing both of them in turn.

“Slightly offended that you didn’t stare at us with your mouth wide open, but in the spirit of Christmas forgiveness, I’m willing to let it go,” Daphne teased, leaning up to peck her daddy’s cheek.

Susan simply beamed at her boyfriend, the memory of their afternoon tryst still fresh in her mind.

Harry blushed but pushed through his embarrassment. He didn’t have a lot of time. “I need you to do me a favor.”

“You mean something other than spending the entire afternoon making sure your date looks like a literal angel?”

“Yes, something other than that, Daph. This is serious,” he said sternly.

Daphne nodded. Harry rarely used the ‘dom’ voice with her but when he did, she knew she was supposed to listen and obey.

“Ron’s been acting weird.”

“You mean he’s been his usual self,” Daphne muttered, unable to help herself.

“The entire time we were together getting ready in the dorms, he did not say a single thing about Padma or the Ball. He was fixated on Hermione and her date.”

Susan craned her neck, trying to locate Ron through the students milling about in the Atrium, waiting for the Ball to begin. “He’s still staring at her and Krum. I can’t find Padma anywhere.”

“I don’t know what his problem is. I told Hermione to tell him the truth about our fake relationship because he’d stopped talking to her as well and I didn’t want their friendship to suffer. So it’s not like he couldn’t have asked her to the Ball if he wanted to.”

“Did he?” Susan asked.

“Mione told me he mentioned them going to the Ball together as an offhand comment a couple of days ago but nothing that was a formal proposal, no. This was just before Parvati and Seamus cornered him so I thought nothing of it till now.”

“So he basically treated Granger as his leftovers after being brutally rejected by two other women-”

“Two?”

“You know about the debacle with Fleur. Rumor has it he asked Patricia too.” Daphne shrugged.

“He asked Patricia?” Susan muttered incredulously.

“I mean, I have to admire the balls on the guy. Considers snogging in a hallway to be punishable by death but thought he had a chance with two of the hottest girls in the bloody school. That’s beside my point. Is he seriously mad that Granger picked the International Quidditch Star and Triwizard Champion over a man who treats her like table scraps?” Daphne leaned around Harry to study Hermione and Viktor. “By all accounts, she actually seems into him,” she murmured, watching Hermione fix the Durmstrang’s champion’s robes.

“I’d argue two of the hottest girls in the school are standing in front of me,” Harry said, his eyes sparkling.

Daphne rolled her eyes affectionately. “Nice save, daddy. You better go, Gabrielle looks like she’s about to faint.”

“I am,” Harry said as the bells started tolling. “Listen, please just keep an eye out for Padma? I’m afraid Ron is going to ruin her-” Harry glanced back at Ron, who was still staring at Hermione and Viktor. “That he’s going to ruin her night.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of her. Now go,” Susan whispered, leaning up to kiss him softly. “Professor McGonagall just came out.”

Harry nodded and rushed back to Gabrielle’s side, looping his arm through hers and squeezing her hand reassuringly.

“I thought you had second thoughts about opening the Ball with me,” she whispered, her big blue eyes peering up worriedly at him.

“Why?”

“My dress… or my hair? Or maybe you’d rather go with Susan or Daphne-”

Harry bent and pressed his lips against hers, cutting her off mid-speech. “Your dress and hair are perfect,” he whispered, lowering his voice so only she could hear him. “They make me want to do things to you,” he murmured against her lips. “I love Susie and unfortunately I also love Daphne, but I want to open the Ball with you, Gabrielle Delacour.” He kissed her again, his free hand wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer.

“Potter!” Professor McGonagall’s sharp bark broke the spell, and she physically grabbed Harry’s arm, nodding at the Great Hall with a small smile on her face. “If you’re quite done expressing your love for Miss Delacour, I suggest you follow her sister’s lead and get a move on,” she said, her tone devoid of its usual sharpness.

“Yes, professor,” Harry mumbled, both their faces the color of beetroots as they strode into the Great Hall to the sound of quiet chuckling behind them.

All tables and benches had been removed from the Hall with the exception of the Teacher’s Table, where all the judges and some of the teachers were now sitting. A large, raised platform dominated the center of the large Hall. It was clearly meant to be the dance floor, and Harry watched Fleur, Alicia, Cedric, and Cho climb on. He secured his hold on Gabrielle’s arm and helped her onto the dais, watching Viktor do the same for Hermione. Harry took one of Gabrielle’s hands, his other arm snaking around her slender waist to pull her closer as they began to sway slowly in time to the romantic melody.

                                                          ---

Susan and Daphne had entered the transformed Great Hall with the throng of students, the two girls locating a quiet table in the corner for themselves. They occupied two of the chairs, shooing away any other potential occupants and keeping the other chairs reserved for their friends. Neville and Hannah joined them not long after, both of them sporting bashful smiles on their faces.

“Had a good snog, Longbottom?” Daphne asked casually. She cackled when Neville turned red from forehead to neck, nimbly shifting to avoid Hannah’s slap to her arm.

“H-How’d you know?” Neville stammered.

“You two were nowhere to be seen and you have a lipstick mark the size of Malfoy’s ego on your neck, Longbottom.”

“You’re one to say, Greengrass,” Hannah shot back teasingly. “You sit on your boyfriend’s lap every single morning in full view of the entire school.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“I do it to annoy the Head of my House and enrage Malfoy. You just like snogging Longbottom.” Daphne smirked and turned to Susan. “What’re you looking at, munchkin?”

“Padma.”

“Is she alright?”

“I think so,” Susan whispered, craning her neck to look at their friend. “She and Ron are sitting with Finnegan and Parvati. They seem to be talking normally.”

Daphne patted her knee. “Good.”

“What’re you staring at, Hannah?” Susan asked, turning her chair.

Hannah nodded toward the dance floor, enraptured by the show put on by the champions and their dates. “Harry and Gabrielle. At this point they could have sex on the dance floor and it wouldn’t beat this in sheer intimacy.”

“How’re they so…” Neville trailed off, trying to find the right word.

“Sensual?” Daphne offered, watching the two. She’d picked out high heels for Gabrielle to eliminate the sizable height difference between her and Harry. The tiny Veela had her head on Harry’s chest, the two dancing like nothing and no one else around them existed. Every single eye in the room was fixed on them as Harry led her around the dance floor in a romantically and sexually charged dance.

“Did I order a dress that’s too risqué?”

“No. I think it’s the perfect amount of risqué. It’s tantalizing and flirty without being outright slutty,” Susan replied, watching Gabrielle’s dress flare out around her as she twirled. Harry’s hand rested on her bare back to support her as he dipped her, a gasp rolling through the crowd when he pulled her back up, their lips mere millimeters from each other.

If anyone had any doubts about their relationship status before the dance…

“Merlin, I’m feeling hot and bothered just watching them,” Hannah muttered, grabbing Neville’s hand and pulling him away to a secluded corner.

“What do you think the papers will write?” Susan asked with a quiet chuckle.

“Well, Skeeter doesn’t look too happy.” Daphne nodded to the reporter who had slipped into the Great Hall and stood in a corner with a scowl on her face. “So I’m guessing they’re all going to gush about the electric chemistry between the future Mister and Missus Potter.”

                                                           ---

Harry twirled Gabrielle one last time as the song petered out, pulling her into his chest.

They were both panting for breath, a trickle of sweat making its way down their foreheads.

Harry bent and captured her lips as the song ended, chuckling at the wolf whistles from Fred, George, and Dean.

“Everyone’s staring at us,” Gabrielle whispered, her cheeks pink.

“Let them,” Harry murmured, but pulled away after a discreet cough from Fleur.

“Bow to the judges,” Fleur whispered, making space for them in the line the champions and their dates had formed.

Harry and Gabrielle joined them, bowing once in front of the judges before making their way down the platform. Harry couldn’t help but notice that while Dumbledore and Madame Maxime were chatting merrily and Bagman was busying himself with a chicken leg, Karkaroff looked like death warmed over while Mr. Crouch was nowhere to be seen.

He wondered what had gotten Karkaroff in such a funk. He pushed the matter from his mind. He had a Ball to enjoy and anything that made the slimy bastard uncomfortable had to be a good thing.

“Where are you two going?” Harry asked as they passed Daphne and Susan.

“Munchkin wants to dance!” Daphne looped her arm through Susan’s. “Wanna join us?”

Gabrielle gestured at her uncomfortably high heels and smiled ruefully. “I thought maybe Harry and I could take a walk in the gardens and cool off a little.”

“I doubt you’d be cooling off,” Susan giggled.

“Don’t ruin the dress, Potter. It cost a fortune and is absolutely gorgeous.” Daphne winked, the two girls giggling and joining the mass of students now making their way to the dance floor.

“Walk?” A red-faced Harry asked, reluctantly pulling his gaze away from the hint of cleavage peeking out from Gabrielle’s dress.

“Walk,” Gabrielle replied with an angelic smile. She placed her hand in his, intertwining their fingers together.

Notes:

No Ron bashing, but I am going to write him true to his nature. His problem is that he's so preoccupied with what he doesn't have that he doesn't notice the great things he does. He could have had an amazing time with Padma but instead he's concerned about everyone from Malfoy to Hermione's date. The end result is going to be Padma ending up with Harry and Ron finally being forced to reckon with his behavior (with a little help from Daphne).