Chapter 138: Ball Invitation

The moment their eyes met, both felt their cheeks warm involuntarily, embarrassed and unable to keep eye contact.

"You... came looking for Professor McGonagall?"

Hermione spoke first; she assumed that John appearing at this hour and heading toward the Transformation Class professor must be to see Professor McGonagall.

She hadn't crossed paths with John today, so she didn't know that John already knew about the ball.

"Uh, no, I'm here to find you."

John scratched his head, a little nervous, yet stared intently at Hermione.

Looking for me?

Hermione froze for a moment, then looked at John's eyes, which glittered with earnest light.

"Do you have any classes later?" John asked.

"No." Hermione shook her head.

John nodded, then spoke again.

"Then, would you like to walk together?"

Hermione was slightly startled, then nodded.

The two walked side by side through the open courtyard, leaves rustling beneath their feet.

Winter had already set in; although the sky hadn't snowed yet, it remained perpetually gloomy.

"Hermione, are you going back for this Christmas?"

John asked suddenly, his voice soft, sounding a bit cautious.

Hermione shook her head, paused, then said.

"I want to stay at school this year."

"Oh."

John nodded at her words, feeling as if a breath of relief had been released.

"What about you?"

But Hermione immediately asked as well, clearly posing the same question.

"I also want to stay at school."

"Oh."

Hermione also nodded, and then the two fell into a brief silence.

They wandered aimlessly, eventually arriving at the deserted Corridor Bridge.

A gentle breeze at the end of the Corridor Bridge lifted Hermione's hair tips; she stopped and gazed toward the grayish Black Lake.

John stood beside her, watching her profile and the fluttering strands, his heartbeat quickening a few beats.

He could delay no longer; he took a deep breath and began to speak.

"John..."

"h... uh?"

But before he could finish, Hermione spoke first.

She didn't look at John; instead, she placed her hand on the bridge railing, stared at the distant lake surface, her voice so light it was almost carried away by the wind.

"Actually, the school plans to hold a ball this Christmas..."

Hearing Hermione's words, John was slightly startled.

It turned out she already knew about the ball, yet now she was telling me this—could it be...

Hermione's face, at some point, had turned as red as an apple; she bit her lip and, without turning her head, continued speaking.

"This ball is only open to students in fourth year or above, but... it can be attended by lower-year students through invitation..."

Hermione's voice remained soft, yet every word was clearly audible.

John's eyes widened slightly, as if he understood what Hermione meant.

"I... I want to ask, if you're willing..."

Just as Hermione's face flushed red, gathering courage to invite John to attend the ball together,

she was suddenly interrupted loudly by John.

"Wait a moment!"

John quickly reached out his hand, stopping Hermione from continuing.

"Eh?"

Hermione was also taken aback by John's sudden interruption.

She looked at John with puzzlement, noticing his anxious expression—could it be that he didn't want to attend the ball with her?

Thinking that, Hermione felt a tightening in her chest.

"Ahem, you wait a moment, okay, let me compose myself and speak."

John gestured with his hand, then took a deep breath, turned around and hurriedly adjusted his collar.

Then, meeting Hermione's puzzled gaze, he turned back and looked at her seriously.

"Hermione, I want to ask you—"

John gently placed his right hand over his heart, lifted his gaze to Hermione's clear eyes, his tone serious.

"This Christmas, would you be willing to go to the ball with me and be my dance partner?"

"Eh?"

Hermione was momentarily stunned, not understanding why John was inviting her instead.

But as she looked at John's earnest, shining eyes, her heartbeat quickened instantly, leaving no time to think.

She slightly parted her ruby lips and said three words.

"I do."

John's mouth corner instantly lifted, his eyes sparkling with uncontrollable joy.

He grabbed Hermione's hand in one go, then smiled and said.

"Then that's settled, okay."

Seeing John's unabashed joy, Hermione finally came to herself, and her mouth corner involuntarily lifted as well.

"Idiot, what about that then?"

Hermione lightly spat, her eyes filled with laughter, and her fingertips unconsciously tightened around John's hand.

John finally let out a sigh of relief.

Then he directly blew his chance.

"Phew, really, you almost got ahead of me; there's no way a girl should invite a dance partner, that's so embarrassing."

John scratched his head, a goofy smile appearing on his face, while Hermione couldn't help but let out a giggle, and the tense atmosphere instantly vanished.

Hermione reached out and poked John's side, feigning displeasure as she said.

"What are you playing at with machoism at a time like this, is being invited by me that shameful?"

"Of course not!"

John quickly denied, that kind of remark can't be said carelessly, woof.

"I'm so happy to be invited by you that I haven't even had time to feel it yet, but… for something like this, I think I should be the one to take the initiative…"

John cleared his throat lightly, and scratched his head a bit embarrassedly.

Hearing that, Hermione nodded satisfied, but still didn't let him off, persistently poking his side.

"Do you know that when you just interrupted me, I thought you wanted to reject me!"

"Ahem, sorry, shall I let you go first next time?"

Hearing that, Hermione burst out laughing.

"Next time? Who's going to give you a next!" Hermione laughed, gave him a light push, her eyes full of gentle light.

The two exchanged a smile, but Hermione quickly recovered.

She continued to ask.

"Hey, by the way, how did you know about the ball, and aren't you not allowed to attend?"

John, hearing that, told Hermione about the conversation Professor McGonagall had with him this morning.

Hermione only then realized.

It turned out that Warriors have a special exception: they must invite a partner to lead the dance.

So just after Transformation Class ended, Professor McGonagall pulled Harry aside for a private talk.

It was probably to brief him on this matter as well.

Honestly, if I'd known, I wouldn't have been so eager; I should have waited for John to speak up, and I wasted all that courage I'd been brewing.

But now it's fine too.

John's clumsy yet sincere demeanor makes her more moved than any invitation in a fairy tale.

The Christmas Ball news spread quickly throughout the school.

Later, Professor Flitwick also gave the members of Eagle House a detailed briefing on the ball's etiquette and procedure, and separately found John to discuss the lead‑dance matter.

Learning that John had already found a partner, the old man contentedly stroked his beard.

However, after solving the partner issue, there were still two problems to resolve.

One was that John couldn't dance.

The other was that John had no formal wear.

The formal wear issue isn't big; writing a letter now for the family to prepare a set is still timely.

But dancing is troublesome; John can't even keep the beat.

So he can only grit his teeth and ask his partner Hermione for help.

Hermione can only tease him while arranging for him to find time each day to practice dancing with her.