Hidden Wings - Part I

Finding a date

"Why do they have to move in packs?" Harry asked as a dozen or so girls walked past them, sniggering and staring at Harry.

Mioha, Hermione, Ron and Harry were in the library working on their Potions essays.

"How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?"

"Lasso one?" Ron suggested, causing Mioha to snort. "Got any idea who you're going to try?"

Harry didn't answer and Mioha knew why. She traded a knowing grin with Hermione, both girls aware that Harry was thinking of a certain fifth-year Ravenclaw.

Ron seemed to know what was going on inside Harry's head.

"Listen, you're not going to have any trouble. You're a champion. You've just beaten a Hungarian Horntail. I bet they'll be queuing up to go with you."

Hermione shook her head with a scowl and returned to her essay.

"Boys", she muttered under her breath.

In tribute to their recently repaired friendship, Ron had kept the bitterness in his voice to a bare minimum.

What Mioha found ridiculous was that he kept glancing at Hermione without asking her. Sighing, she made up her mind.

"Harry", said Mioha and stood up, grabbing her friend by the arm.

"I need your help with something."

"What?"
Harry looked confused, pushing his slipping glasses back up his nose.

"You have to help me with- something."

The Slytherin towed Harry away from the table and out of the library, letting go of his arm when they stepped into the corridor.

"What was that all about?"

"Ron needs to ask Hermione to the ball", said Mioha bluntly, "he won't do it when others are watching."

"Oh..."
Harry turned red.

"And you should ask someone", Mioha urged him, "don't make someone feel like they're your last resort."

Sighing, Harry looked at her nervously. "What if she says no?"

"What if she would have said yes?", Mioha retorted.

"True", Harry mumbled, then squared his shoulders.
"I'm going to look for Cho now", he announced with a determined countenance and marched off, although Mioha was not sure he knew where he had to look for Cho. 

Deciding to give Ron some time, she walked down the corridor, heading out of the castle. She shivered as she exited the entrance hall and looked up, the sky was filled with heavy, white clouds. It smelled like snow.
Her uniform was nowhere near warm enough to be going outside in winter, but Mioha needed the cold air to clear the stuffy feeling of too much schoolwork out of her head.

She walked across the meadow, grass crunching beneath her feet, and looked down the hill to where the Abraxans were grazing. Not seeming to mind the cold at all, the elephant-sized horses were in good spirits. Titan and Tethys were sparring playfully, both Abraxans rearing up on their hind legs and trying to push the other down.
It looked like two kids squabbling.

"Arr you not cold?", a grumpy voice interrupted her thoughts.

Turning her head to the side, Mioha faced Viktor Krum, wearing his fur coat and a fur hat on top of his head.

She shook her head, although she was getting cold.

The Durmstrang student stood beside her for a few moments, both silently looking down at the Abraxans.