(1) Patrimony (H. Potter)

Chapter Fifteen

Rhiannon won't admit it, but she is kind of waiting on Harry to ask her to the Yule Ball. They've been getting closer these last few weeks. And maybe there is some form of affection between them. She likes him. She knows that much. He's cute and sweet and a lot of things that Durmstrang is not, and that's probably why she likes him. Because he's kind and warm and compassionate. A lot of things that were lacking at Durmstrang. But the more time passes, the more she gives up hope that he'll ask her. And the Yule Ball is now not that far off. Maybe she read into the whole thing wrong, but she wouldn't be surprised if she did. She sees people being friendly with her and forgets that she has a famous dad. She stabs at her breakfast, with rather a lot of force causing George to look up from his own breakfast. He sits across from her with Fred. She joins them for breakfast and dinner. They usually end up making her laugh which has been gathering a few weird looks, specifically from the Slytherin table. She doesn't care. Sitting at the Gryffindor table, she feels more like herself. She's freer. She can smile and laugh and shed her Durmstrang exterior.

"What did those eggs ever do to you?" George asks her, she hums and looks down, sees that she may have been stabbing at her eggs a bit too hard. She sighs and shakes her head.

"Nothing" She whispers.

"What's going on?" He counters when he notes that she is actually upset over something.

"Just thinking about the Yule Ball" She admits and shrugs. "Was...waiting on someone asking me....but they haven't so..." She lets out a breath. "Guess I am going alone"

"You could go with me" George points out.

"What?" She asks him, he shrugs.

"Go with me" He offers warmer. "I don't have a date, and well...If I save your eggs from being mutilated further" He adds, slightly teasing. Rhiannon looks down at her eggs and then lets out a small smile.

"George" She whispers and looks at him, he still gets surprised when she just knows which twin is which, and he knows it is full-on freaking Fred out. "Is there no one else you would rather ask?"

"No one" He assures her, she smiles and nods.

"Okay," She tells him. "That would actually be great, thank you....you are not worried about this, your image taking a swan dive?"

"Stop worrying so much about image, Rhian" George scolds. "Be yourself....you're pretty bloody great" She smirks at him, he gives her a look and she nods.

"He's not wrong" Fred agrees and glances up. "Be yourself, prove them all wrong..."

"We love an underdog" George teases slightly, Rhiannon smiles and shakes her head at the two of them.

.................

Harry makes his way to the owlery, his feet careful on the snow covered steps. Ahead of him, Rhiannon steps out of the owlery, clutching some books against her chest, almost bumps into Harry.

"Harry!" She greets with a small smile, catching her books as they fall.

"Rhiannon!" He counters attempting to help her.

"It's okay" She assures him as she tucks them back into her arms. "I got them"

"I didn't know you had an owl" He points out.

"Oh, I don't" She answers. "I just...Like the view" She motions behind her. "Durmstrang doesn't really have the height for it...." She gives him a smile before she looks out over the view. "Beautiful, isn't it?" She asks him.

"Yeah, splendid" He answers then glances away, cringing. He mouths 'splendid' to himself in miserable mortification.

"Watch yourself on the stairs, it's a bit slippery at the top."

"Okay, thanks." She goes to move around him, to head down the stairs. "Rhiannon?" She turns back to him.

"Yes?"

"Um." He struggles a little. "I just wondered if maybe you wanted to go to the ball with me?" He mumbles.

"Sorry...." She starts with a small frown. "I didn't catch that."

"Um. I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to go to the ball.....with me." He asks her, she lets out a breath. All she had to do was wait a few hours. A few hours and he is asking her. After she kind of gave up. "I mean...if that's allowed, with us both being...Champions" He rambles when she remains quiet.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry but someone's already asked me. And well I said I'd go......with him." She admits. All she had to do was wait a few hours. She had been patient for so long. Waiting. For him to ask her. She should have just asked him herself.

"Oh," Harry whispers. "Well, good...I mean...Okay. No problem" Harry looks away, curling his fingers in his mittens. Rhiannon chews her lip, frowning, then turns away. As she goes, Harry lets out a disappointed breath, he knew he left it too long. And it's not like they don't spend time together. It wasn't really until Ron nudged him that he even thought of asking Rhiannon, he honestly didn't think she would say yes, he honestly thought she was going to laugh at him.

"Harry?" He turns to look at Rhiannon who has paused at the bottom of the steps. "I really am sorry." And she really is. She waited. But now it's only three days to the ball. Three days. He left it too late. She turns and then heads through the snow towards the castle, Attila joining her. Harry nods a little. That's probably about right, where his luck is concerned.