Chapter 60

The Yule Ball was upon Hogwarts and its occupants made sure the entire residency of Hogsmeade knew. Premature fireworks were shooting into the sky, raucous music echoing through the halls while sixth and seventh years got their pregame on out in the courtyard. Atlas was adjusting the last few chains she had on her dress robes, gazing out of Ginny’s window as she fiddled idly with a golden string of metal connecting her belt to her pocket. Ginny was putting the dress Zasha had gotten her on in her bathroom, leaving the champion to her wandering and brooding thoughts.

Light snow had begun falling again, coating the packed snow in a sheet of thin powder-like frosted crystals. Atlas pushed away from the window sill and moved over to a lengthy mirror Ginny’s absent roommate had sat in the corner of the room, she sighed running a hand through her hair and taking the clip her dad had given her from her wrist, bunching up the top layer of her hair to tie it up.

A click came from behind her and she turned to see Ginny tentatively exiting her bathroom, her hands self-consciously coming up to brush herself down as her skirt fluttered at her ankles. It was a rich purple, deep in colour and made of satin, falling just off of Ginny’s shoulders and bowing into a v-neck. It was simple but gorgeous and Atlas found herself grinning, her hands tucked into her dark trouser pockets. The heels at the Weasley’s feet made her just that bit taller but not nearly as tall as Atlas.

The girl looked up, hoping to see a pleasant reaction from the star-chaser but as soon as she did, that anxiety she wore vanished from her features, shock and pride flooding her face as her eyes landed on the girl across from her. Ginny wasn’t the only one dressed to the nines that night as Atlas hadn’t cleaned up so bad herself. The redhead grinned, walking over and making a show out of judging the girl’s appearance, flicking her robes at certain instances, tugging them high to see the underside and then finally backing away with a dramatic nod.

“You look hot.”

“Not so bad yourself, Ginny,” Atlas smiled and then glanced to herself in the mirror. Zasha had really come through.

Dress robes and presentation are two of the most vital things to a good performance and really, Atlas knew she had those boxes ticked. Her lengthy overcoat was black stooping to her calves with gold, lining the hems of each edge while the underside continued to mirrored its golden theme; her tie was of the same colour cloth and her buttons shone, polished, just the same. Her waistcoat was red, the type of red found in Gryffindor Commons, as was her formal shirt beneath, though just a shade lighter to discern between the clothing. She’d opted to not wear the jacket, knowing she was going to be shedding some layers tonight anyway. The dancing was bound to be tiring.

“Should we go then?” Ginny asked and Atlas nodded, opening the door and holding it for the lady before her. She bowed comically and Ginny exited in kind, head held high and hands propped in front of her like royalty, Atlas chuckled at the sight and followed her out. The glance she sent to the door of her own dorm was purely subconscious but she found her gaze lingering just a second too long before Ginny pulled her along with a small smile. “You should ask her to dance tonight.”

“Yeah, right,” Atlas huffed, smiling feebly and descending the stairs with her eyes downcast. When she looked up, she was met with the strangest of sights. 

The common room looked odd, full of people wearing different colours instead of the usual mass of black, it was jarring, to say the least, and she found her feet moving over to where she had spotted Harry and Ron, talking to a pretty looking Parvati Patil. Ginny followed, nodding and muttering ‘thank you’ ‘ s to compliments while Atlas simply ignored hers, mind too preoccupied to accept them so Ginny did so for her.

“Atlas!” Harry beamed and Atlas smiled as he looked her over. “You look…”

“Stunning!” Parvati shrieked, running a hand down the golden broaches lining her lapel. “I didn’t know you had such a fashion sense! Lavender is going to gush all about it later!”

“Thanks, Parvati, but that credit belongs to Ginny’s date,” Atlas said, throwing a thumb over her shoulder to where Ginny was, conversing with Katie, Angelina and Alicia. “You look gorgeous, by the way. But I’m sure Harry’s already told you that.”

“He said I looked nice,” Parvati told, shooting a playful look over at Harry who flushed as Atlas laughed. “So, is it true, is Fleur Delacour your date?”

“We’re going as friends. We — uh — weren’t each other’s first choices,” Atlas said, rubbing the back of her neck. Parvati offered her a sympathetic smile, patting her shoulder in a friendly manner that did make Atlas smile. She didn’t really interact with Parvati all that much but that would probably change, she seemed really nice so it wouldn’t be difficult to be her friend. “Should we go then? I need to find Fleur.”

“Oh, yes. We should,” Parvati nodded, turning to Harry and holding out her hand. The boy took it rather nervously but was quickly startled out of the state when his date pulled him from the thick of the Common Room and through the Fat Lady’s painting. Atlas bid her goodbye to Ginny and Ron and followed soon after, taking a deep breath as she descended into the entrance hall. 

Perhaps she shouldn’t have been but the sight that met her there was even more startling than the last harsh splash of colour she’d witnessed, with so many different tastes, tones and styles. It clashed but in a way that was almost harmonious because, yes, looking at the scene as a whole was chaotic but if you were to focus on separate parts they came together quite well and gave off a fog of unity. This is what the Ball was about, coming together, creating bonds and ties. In fact, no, it wasn’t just what the Ball was about, it was what the Tournament was about as an event and suddenly, Atlas found her unwilling participation just that bit more bearable. 

A group of heads she knew to belong to the Beauxbatons entered from the courtyard, a figure at the head of them glancing around curiously. Atlas smiled and jogged down the rest of the stairs, meeting the lost looking Veela by the Great Hall doors. Fleur turned to her, looking her over appraisingly before nodding – much like Ginny had – in a satisfied manner.

“Zasha did well,” Was all she said and Atlas rolled her eyes. 

“I guess you look alright,” Atlas shrugged playfully, glancing over the girls satin silver liquid-like dress. Fleur pinched her cheek and bid her goodbyes to her fellow Beaxubatons, the bunch running off to find their own partners while sending glances and flirtatious winks to Atlas who couldn’t help but return every favour, a charming smirk on her face to each one.

“A majority of zem are taken.”

“Just because there’s a Keeper doesn’t mean you can’t score,” Atlas remarked cockily and Fleur hit her upside the head. “I kid! I kid!”

“Zat Chaser mentality of yours, we boz know, ‘owever, that you’re not as cocky as you present yourself,” She tutted and Atlas grinned nervously, rubbing the wound budding at the back of her head. The courtyard door opened again and Atlas glanced over to it, interested to see just who the Durmstrang champions partner was. And when she did, her stomach dropped and her heart lurched to her throat, face burning with both anger and desire.

On Krum’s arm, a gorgeous girl, decorated in a pink chiffon dress of floaty and thin design. Her hair was tamed, done in a way Atlas had never seen and there was a smile on her face she had thought reserved only for her. But that was wishful thinking and as Hermione grew closer, Atlas grew as cold as the winters night beyond the walls and tore her gaze away. Ignoring the way her heart beat as if coming down from a high. Seeing her, in that dress, with that smile and that happiness, it fuelled Atlas with adrenaline she had never known, will never know again because nothing could top the incarnation of beauty that had presented itself before her.

Oh, Atlas had it bad and she hated it. Now more than ever before.

“Champions!” Minerva’s voice wrung out. “Over here, please!”

“She is gorgeous…” Fleur whispered beside her and Atlas only stared on, looking transfixed and in a state of saddened longing. Fleur frowned lightly and looped her arm with Atlas’s, gently tugging her closer to where Harry had settled with a beaming Parvati. “‘Ello, I like your robes, zey are beautiful.”

“Oh! Fleur! I mean, Madame Delacour! I mean–” Fleur cut the poor girl off with a quiet and friendly laugh, bringing her hand to her face to stifle her giggle. Parvati simply flushed, looking at the Veela as if awakening something within her. Harry simply smiled at the predicament his date was in and turned to Atlas, finding her decidedly staring at the floor while two forms approached over her shoulder. His jaw went slack at the sight of them, or rather, the female one of the two. “Oh wow–” Parvati breathed, “–she’s beautiful.”

Everyone, minus Atlas, turned to look at the approaching couple, Krum with Hermione on his arm. Atlas could feel their close proximity and noticed a familiar face in the crowd passing into the hall, taking him as her chance to escape she excused herself quietly and left just as the pair arrived. Cedric glanced upwards with Cho by his side and broke out into a grin, waving her over heartily.

“Atlas you look great!” He beamed, pulling her into a firm hug that she slowly reciprocated. When he pulled away she brought Cho into another shorter and curt hug, though it was just as comfortable and friendly. “Doesn’t she, Cho?”

“Cedric’s right, you really do clean up quite nicely,” Cho smiled. 

“You look stunning, Cho and you look…totally bland, Diggory,” Atlas smiled as the boy reeled in offence and Cho simply chuckled. And it was true, Cho did look stunning, Cedric really needed to stop being so mild when it came to styling himself. Atlas was sure if Zasha saw him she’d go into some sort of cardiac arrest, spouting about how someone like Cedric should flaunt his good looks with something that made him pop out all that more.

“I take it back, you look horrid,” Cedric remarked, sticking his tongue out. “We saw Ginny and Zasha on the way, real head turners.”

“Ginny’s dress is astonishing and Zasha really went all out,” Cho said, eyes alight.

“I’m yet to see Zash’s robes, I’ll look for her after the opening dance,” The crowd continued to migrate around them, bustling into the Great Hall. Atlas smiled tightly, part of her wanting to draw this out longer while the other knew she needed to let them go, she sighed. “I should let you go in, I need to get back anyway.”

“You have fun, Las,” Cedric grinned, pinching her cheek and walking into the Hall, arm in arm with Cho who sent her a small wave. She watched them go a moment before turning and going back over to where the champions waited and chatted, their heads turned to her and Atlas suddenly felt a violent urge of want for the night to be over. More so than she had before.

“Hi, Atty!” 

Atlas looked up, catching Hermione’s eye. Her smile was infectious and Atlas couldn’t help the twitch of her own mouth. “Hello, Hermione…”

“You look…great.”

“You too.”

The tension was so thick Harry looked to be suffocating. Or gagging. Atlas didn’t really care she was too occupied restraining herself from glaring wholeheartedly at Viktor Krum. The boy had set his own gaze firmly on her, however, and surprisingly, it held no warmth or respect as it had before, no, instead he was glumly, almost angrily, staring her down. It was a challenge and Atlas never backed down from a challenge, so she shifted her gaze, meeting his solidly while Hermione exchanged words with Parvati, gushing over her dress.

It took Fleur and Harry dragging her away to break up the angered tension between them, Atlas continuing to clench and unclench her jaw even when they were metres apart, even when the Great Hall doors were opened again and she and Fleur entered to perform the opening dance with the other champions.

“‘Ey, zis is no good…” Fleur whispered harshly, slapping her cheek lightly to warrant her gaze and it was fiery; it was angry; it was distracted. “Keep your eyes on me, we did not spend ze past weeks practising day in, day out, for you to sabotage us boz.”

“Whatever…”

“No, not whatever. Zis is not ze time to brood!”

“It’s just a stupid dance.”

“Maybe to you, but I ‘ave worked ‘ard to get ‘ere. Worked ‘ard to be a champion and while I am ‘appy you ‘ave found someone you care for so dearly, now is not ze time. Do not let it ruin what could potentially be a very fun night,” Fleur scolded and Atlas sighed solemnly, nodding and meeting the Veela’s gaze. 

It wouldn’t be fair to ruin something Fleur had always so desperately wanted because she knew just why the Beauxbaton wanted this so badly. It was the recognition, the praise, the attention that was on her for reasons besides her looks, her appeal to the beau ideal. She wanted to show people she wasn’t just a pretty face and that she could handle her own and while those closest knew she was just as fiery and ambitious as the most avid adventurers, she wanted everybody to know. And Atlas could understand that.

So when the music started and the crowd grew quiet, Atlas took Fleur’s waist, grasping her other hand in hers while a soft grip settled over her shoulder. Her hands weren’t clammy, her heart did not race and her gaze did not wander to her feet. She didn’t tumble, nor did she trip, not until the end of the song where the music had settled from its climax and she had just settled Fleur down from the air and back to the floor. This time she had let her gaze wander, just a tad, over to a pink dress and a man clad in red. Their eyes caught, her and Viktor’s and then suddenly, he was leaning down, placing a kiss firmly against Hermione’s lips, still staring directly at her.

Atlas stuttered over a foot but Fleur was there to stop her fall, their positions switched and the Beauxbaton took her waist, directing Atlas’s hand to her shoulder. It was professional, unnoticeable and a few of the crowd were awed at their unique take on the dance. But Atlas was distracted and Atlas was suddenly consumed by painful confusion, that was until, rash anger reared its ugly head and she shifted their roles again, forcefully this time as she sought to disperse her frustrations through their dance. Fleur made a quiet noise of surprise when she was hoisted into the air again, her skirt fluttering as it settled and her cheeks flushing from the thrill of being thrown so high into the air.

A sigh did momentarily shake Atlas from her stupor a few steps later and she peered down at Fleur curiously, a glint of fury still remaining at the back of her eye. She noticed how the Beauxbaton stared off longingly into the crowd and followed her sight, seeing Roger Davies laughing haughtily with Romilda Vane. So that was who he had rejected Fleur for? He could do better. Or Romila could do better. Did they deserve better? Atlas didn’t know them well enough to say. She only knew Davies had ordered that Chaser last year to knock her from her broom and that Romilda did not take no for an answer.

“You told me not to be distracted…” Atlas grunted, pulling Fleur into a sharp spin so she crashed into her chest. There was a playful grin on her face but the emotion behind her eyes left it sinister and spiteful. “Yet your gaze is wandering, also.”

“My apologies…” Fleur sighed, “it’s just, I ‘ave never taken a liking to any boy and it was just my luck ze first boy I ‘ave ever liked does not return my feelings.”

Atlas couldn’t help but soften at that. She really did know the feeling. She understood.

“It is childish but I wish to make ‘im jealous some’ow,” Fleur admitted and an idea came to Atlas’s mind. It was petty, unneeded and not without some jealous motivations of her own but it was the first thing that came to mind.

“So why don’t you?” Atlas asked dully and when Fleur turned to look up at her, Roger Davies finally turning in their direction, she took Fleur’s chin between a thumb and forefinger and leant down to place a kiss on her lips. It was not heated, there was no spark nor feeling besides the pettiness of Atlas and the sorrow of Fleur, it was just a meaningless touch between lips. Because, though her lips were soft and plump, and the kiss was well met, heavenly to anyone that was not her, the contact did not move Atlas in any way and instead, she felt a deep longing for lips that would never meet hers. “There…” she breathed as she pulled away, Fleur’s pale eyes blown and cheeks flushing heat. “He looks jealous now.”

And indeed he did. Roger Davies looked livid.

The song came to a slow end and the champions with their partners stopped right by the top table. Minerva was looking at Atlas in evident shock, Dumbledore’s pale blue eyes glinting slightly as Madame Maxime clapped, quite pleased. Ludo Bagman was cheering heartily with the crowd as the schools broke into uproarious applause. Though there was one face she had not expected to see and that was Percy Weasley, in the place of where Mr Crouch would have been. 

Minerva drew out the seat beside her and gestured for Atlas to sit, the girl doing so with a curt nod after pulling out the chair beside her for Fleur. The professor was staring at her in such bewilderment Atlas would have thought – if her mind was not so befuddled with what she had just done – her head had suddenly been transfigured into one of a Hippogriff or a Dragon. Whichever was more startling.

“What was that?”

“What?” Though Atlas knew what she was referring to.

“Atlas,” Minerva began shortly, as many around them began summoning food to their plates with a simple phrase. “You and Miss Delacour. I did not know–“

“We’re not. It was just a favour,” Atlas whispered hotly, glancing over her shoulder to see Fleur and Parvati engaging in idle chatter. Harry was talking to Percy and Atlas didn’t dare glance over to Krum and Hermione. “She was hung up on Roger Davies and wanted to make him jealous. He rejected her you know?”

“That’s quite a shock,” Minerva said, quite seriously. “Fleur is a gorgeous woman. I would not mind if you told me you were an item, perhaps I’d be a little disheartened, after all, I was cheering for you and Miss Granger.”

“We’re not an item and what do you mean you were rooting for me and Hermione?”

“I have spent many years on this earth, Atlas. I can tell when a person is smitten for the other.”

“Clearly not. How is Poppy by the way?” Atlas bit, a lot harsher than she had meant to. Luckily, Minerva hadn’t noticed and flushed to the top of her witches hat, pinching Atlas’s ear and turning to her summoned food. Atlas rubbed at the pulsing area with a frown, muttering a few dishes under her breath and moving to stab a cube of cut steak. She banished her god-mothers words to the back of her mind, giving in to a tiny glance in Hermione’s direction. Only she was not the only one shooting furtive glances across the table as their eyes met, Atlas’s golden and Hermione’s chocolatey brown catching each other rather harshly. They both looked away hastily, turning back to the respective plates with an almost desperate appetite.

When all of the food had then been consumed, figures rose from their seats and Dumbledore sent the individual tables to the very edges of the Hall, conjuring a platform along the right wall where several instruments of haunting design were stationed. A squad of figures clad in black robes trooped on the stage and Atlas vaguely remembered talk of The Weird Sisters playing for them during the Yule Ball.

Lost in a moment of wonder, Atlas had almost forgotten she was supposed to open this dance as well and soon felt Fleur’s hand slipping into her own. She was startled at the sudden movement, almost tripping up as The Weird Sisters started up a slow and sombre tune; Atlas vaguely commented on how the music reflected how she felt and Fleur had only rolled her eyes at the downtrodden comment.

She felt a hand tapping on her shoulder halfway through the song and turned to see Zasha grinning from ear to ear with Ginny in her arms. Cedric had not been lying when he had said the pair were real head turners. Of course, they were matching, Zasha gliding around in a heavy robe of the deepest purple just the same as Ginny’s dress. Her waistcoat beneath was silver, her tie the same as her robes and really, she was eye-catching.

“World Holder! I did not know you could dance!”

“Up until recently, I couldn’t,” Atlas shrugged and noticed how Zasha’s head inclined when Ginny spoke up to her, she nodded and then extended a hand to Fleur, shocking the two champions. “You alright with this, Ginny?”

“I literally just suggested it,” Ginny told and Atlas simply nodded, bowing goodbye to Fleur and taking Ginny’s hand instead, leaving her two childhood friends to fight over some sort of dominance. Fleur may have been alright being the ‘swan’ to Atlas’s ‘lion’ but, on her life, she would never submit to Zasha Volkova. “Are you ok?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I saw what happened earlier. He’s a real piece of shit.”

“Ginny,” Atlas scolded lightly, glancing around.

“What? He obviously knew it would upset you,” Ginny remarked. “And I thought he was alright…” she then grumbled. “I went to the ship with Zash one time and he was really nice, talked especially high of you. I feel like he felt threatened.”

“Why? Hermione and I are friends.”

“Merlin, you really are dense. But as her best friend I promised not to tell you.”

“What?” Ginny remained silent as Atlas grew frustrated. “Ginny. Tell me what?”

“Song’s ended,” and indeed it had. “I’ll see you later and by the way, don’t kiss Fleur again, everyone saw it. And I mean…everyone.”

“Yeah…whatever.”

“Try and have some fun Atlas,” Ginny mumbled walking away after shooting her a soft smile. This left Atlas alone on the dance floor, with no partner as Fleur was chatting to a few of her Beauxbaton buddies, she did wave her over but Atlas politely declined, holding a hand up as she instead moved over to where Harry and Ron sat, broodingly, beside bored-looking dates.

“You should dance with your girls,” Atlas remarked as she took the seat beside Parvati. The girl looked at her thankfully and glanced back to Harry, only to find him dazedly drooling over both Cho and Cedric jumping about on the dance floor to a particularly heavy and rowdy song. “or not…Parvati, how about you go and talk to Fleur, I’m sure she can set you up with a Beauxbaton,” she whispered and the Gryffindor twin turned to look at her sceptically. “Go on, tell her I sent you over, take your sister too, Ron doesn’t look up for dancing.”

“Thanks, Atlas, you really know how to woo a lady,” Parvati grinned, nudging her playfully.

“Well, I would dance with you myself but I think these two need some sense knocked into them,” Atlas said half-heartedly with a stray wink and Parvati chuckled into her hand, glancing over to Padma and gesturing for them to do as the champion said. When they left Atlas took Parvati’s seat and knocked on the side of Harry’s head, taking off and fiddling with the boy’s glasses when he didn’t respond. That got a reaction.

“Hey, I can’t see!”

“Can’t see what? Cho’s face or Cedric’s arse?”

“Both,” Harry smirked and Atlas rolled her eyes, taking her long coat off and undoing her tie so it hung loosely around her neck. 

It was surprisingly hot for a hall decorated with ice sculptures. Perhaps it was because of the number of bodies milling about, jumping and screaming at volumes that were definitely not socially acceptable or simply because of how her body had still not cooled from seeing Krum kissing Hermione. Atlas bit the inside of her cheek, staring pointedly at the floor as she tried her bestest to not think of the scene. Didn’t help when Hermione came over to them, chest heaving and face flushed.

“Hi,” Harry greeted while both Atlas and Ron remained silent, one of them still staring at the floor while the other glared across the room.

“It’s hot, isn’t it?” Hermione breathed nervously and Atlas offered a sharp shrug. “Viktor’s just gone to get some drinks.”

“Viktor?” Ron finally spoke and Atlas looked up, glancing over at him. “Hasn’t he asked you to call him Vicky yet?”

“What’s got your wand in a knot,” Hermione retorted hotly but Ron didn’t respond, not straight away and because Atlas, too, wanted to know what had got ‘his wand in a knot’, she turned her head to Harry, asking him with her eyes. Harry sighed and leant into her ear.

“He’s jealous.”

“What?”

“Of Hermione.”

“Oh, does he…?”

“No, he’s just a big fan I think but who knows,” Harry shrugged as Atlas nodded in understanding. “He’s certainly getting more worked up than usual by it…that’s for sure.”

“I see…” Atlas muttered and then glanced up when she remembered Hermione was still there. But that was soon revealed to be a massive mistake as when they locked eyes the both of them seemed to just freeze. “You alright, Hermione?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Great. Having fun?”

“Loads.”

“That’s good,” Atlas nodded.

“Yeah, good you’re dating the enemy,” Ron eventually spoke sourly.

“Ron, what -?”

“He’s competing against Harry! Against Atlas!” He suddenly exploded, red-faced and sputtering. “Against Hogwarts! You – you’re -” Ron was obviously fishing for words at the back of his brain strong enough to describe Hermione’s crime. “fraternizing with the enemy, that’s what you’re doing!”

Hermione’s mouth fell open while Atlas and Harry stared at him in shock. He was definitely reacting way more than usual. A suit of armour walked over to them, metal clanking with every step as it held a tray towards Atlas, it held a single drink and – though slowly – Atlas took it, watching as the suit with, white, glowing eyes stalked away rigidly. Strange, the suits were usually quite smooth and their eyes did not glow…

“Don’t be so stupid!” Hermione said after a moment. “The enemy! Honestly – who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who’s got a model of him up in their dormitory? Besides! This whole tournament’s supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!”

“I’m sure you and Viktor will be getting to know loads about each other later,” Ron burst, face as red as Atlas’s waistcoat. Hermione grew just as flushed, eyes going wide as Harry coughed awkwardly and Atlas crossed her arms tightly, taking a sip of her drink. It tasted odd, a little tangy, unlike any beverage Hogwarts offered, and it did hit her with a wave of nausea that hounded at the back of her brain. She decided to throw it back though, figuring she needed that fogginess to take her mind off of things. “Hope you don’t get seasick.”

“You are totally barbaric, Ronald Weasley!”

“Says the one who’s dating a guy fours years older than her!”

“We’re not dating and it’s three years!”

“He’s still eighteen! And I think you should tell him that!” Ron roared. “In fact, why don’t you go and find Vicky now, he’ll be wondering where you are.”

“Don’t call him Vicky!” Hermione shouted and then pointed at Atlas. “Why are you only shouting at me anyway!? It’s not like Atlas isn’t doing the same!”

Atlas’s eyes blew wide and she threw a hand up in defence. “Woah, hold on, don’t drag me into this! Fleur and I are here as friends!”

“Oh, that is rich!” Hermione was now the one exploding, turning on Atlas who was staring at her with just as much tenacity. “You kissed!”

“You kissed!” Atlas shot back.

“He kissed me!”

“Like that matters!” Atlas retaliated, now standing from her chair. Wobbly on her feet. They weren’t really furious at each other, nothing like they had been after the first task, just frustrated, there was a strong stench of tension that everybody but themselves could see and, by the way it hung so stagnant in the air, everybody just knew it would be slowly stewing and burning that way for a very long time. Never to be resolved. Not quite just yet anyway.

“Of course it does! I didn’t say he could!” Hermione fumed and Atlas faltered, furrowing her brows slightly. 

“Well…that’s, I–” Atlas fumbled and Hermione’s figure shook, her hands clenching and unclenching as she then turned, stopping a moment and shifting to retort only to come up short, her mouth just hopelessly hanging open before she moved with finality and stormed off into the crowd, disappearing from view. Atlas watched her go the best she could before groaning out in frustration and going after her, cursing her conscience and body for being so magnetised to the girl.

She bumped into forms jumping around on the dance floor, shouting, screaming and crying into her ears. Her hair was suddenly dishevelled, her shirt pulled and creased in certain areas, the buttons on her waistcoat undone and the tie she had hung loosely around her neck, gone. The Weird Sisters and their music did not help the overwhelming situation, only fueling Atlas’s frustrations and anger as she tried, in vain, to leave the Hall.

Then, before she knew it, her arms had grown numb to her shoulders and the instruments on the stage were destroyed in a sudden surge of energy. The drums were crushed, bagpipes torn, the several guitars dotted across the stage contorted in grotesque ways while the lutes and cellos were scattered throughout the hall in minuscule shreds. 

“Would you look at that folks! Looks like we played too hard! Not to worry, stuff happens all the time!” The lead singer cheered, grinning almost crazily. The instruments were quick to be replaced, applause sounding across the room as if nothing had happened but Atlas knew better, Atlas knew there were faces in the room that had turned to her.

So she stopped playing nice, she grew aggressive and pushed through the crowd, a look of fury mixed with fear on her face as she finally made it out to the other side, sweat trickling down the front of her face, her head pounding, her throat burning and eyes stinging from the saltiness that had seeped into them. A flutter of pink caught at the corner of her eye and she rushed toward it, grabbing Hermione by the wrist and pulling her down a secluded hallway.

“Don’t touch me!” Hermione shouted, yanking her wrist from Atlas’s hold and staring at her heatedly. “What do you want?”

“I don’t want to fight. I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“About what Ron said and what I said,” Atlas muttered, her shoulders heaving.

“I don’t care about what Ron said! I care about what you did!” Hermione returned, not noticing the pure fatigue and paleness of Atlas’s face.

“What I did?”

“You kissed her Atlas!”

“It was a favour, Mi…” Atlas huffed, a hand cradling her head as it pounded violently against her skull and her vision grew blurry. “Roger was looking over and Fleur said she wanted to make him jealous.”

“There are so many other things you could have done.”

“It was just a stupid kiss!” Atlas burst, finally looking at Hermione. “It meant nothing. I felt nothing. There was nothing to the kiss. As I said, it was a favour. I’d do it for anyone!”

“Oh yeah?” Hermione challenged, glaring Atlas dead in the eye. They were inches away from each other now, heated and intense breaths mingling with one another as Atlas’s eyes slowly drifted downward, her hand coming to plant itself right by Hermione’s head. “So if I asked you to kiss me right now, would you? If I wanted to make the person I like jealous, would you kiss me, Atlas?”

“Of course,” Hermione, evidently, was not expecting that answer. “Mi, I’d…” Atlas swallowed, her eyes finally closing as she swayed imperceptibly, she tipped forward, her head coming to rest against Hermione’s collar. She tried to speak, her declarations trapped in her throat as her mouth moved to form words and when they did, when they finally did, they only came out as a faint whisper Hermione could barely hear, “I’d do anything you ask.”

Then she fell, collapsing into a heap as a familiar terror of claws, blood and glowing, white, eyes greeted the underside of her eyelids and her name, cried so fearfully from Hermione’s lips, echoed throughout her mind and soul.

Bear here. Wanted to do a double update as College is kicking my ass and I feel I won’t be able to publish another chapter following my regular schedule.

(SPOILER BELOW REGARDING HERMIONE AND ATLAS) 

To clear things up Hermione and Atlas do not get together officially until HBP. This is a slow burn people. It’s nothing like my MARLEY fic, where Max and Marley get together within a month of knowing each other. These two idiots pine and pine over each other for years until they make it official. There will be fluffy bits in between, however, and the only thing that indicates they’re not in a relationship yet is the fact that they do not smooch. Just needed to let y’all know in case you don’t want to stick around for the ride.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME