"Good morning students. I have a wonderful announcement today." Dumbledore said from his place behind his podium. It was the day after the first task, and the student body was still buzzing with excitement from the spectacle. "A traditional event that coincides with the holding of the Triwizard tournament is the Yule Ball, which will be held here at Hogwarts over the winter break. This event is open to everyone in fourth year and above, although younger students may attend if invited by an older student. The Champions will open the dance alongside their dates, and then otherwise we will be enjoying a standard evening of fun and dancing. Please, make sure to prepare yourselves accordingly, but do not forget to have fun. You are only young once, so endeavor to make the most of it."
"Oh, Harry! You get to open the Yule Ball!" Padma said from his seat beside him. "That'll be exciting! Which one of us are you going to have do the first dance with you?" She asked.
"I imagine that's fairly obvious." Harry said, eating his breakfast a bit. This dance was news to him, and while he had taken a few lessons from Andy over the summer for Daphne and Susan's debuts, he was far from a competent dancer. Much less one that should be opening the ball.
"Oui, Padma, it is obvious that 'Arry will be taking moi as 'is first dance of the evening." Fleur said from her place beside Luna. The addition of Fleur sitting with them at the Ravenclaw table had necessitated a slight reshifting of their seats. While two of Harry's girlfriends sat either side of him, and one sat opposite, Fleur had taken the seat directly adjacent to whoever was opposite Harry. On this specific occasion, Padma and Hermione had taken his Left and Right sides respectively, while Luna sat opposite, or rather, the space between Luna and Fleur was directly opposite him, as the pair were offset by a half-person's width.
"Sorry Fleur, but it isn't you. I'm sure the girls won't have any problem with you getting a dance during the night though. I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for me to dance with all six of you. I should probably also try and save one for Astoria and Ginny if they go… Marianne as well." Harry said, contemplating. "I guess I'll have a full dance card."
"Attempting to win more girls over Harry?" Padma asked, poking fun at her boyfriend.
"No, I'm not." Harry said. "Astoria is Daphne's sister, so I need to try and make sure she has a good time if she decides to go. Ginny is Charlie's sister, which means that she might be mine someday as well, so same rules apply. Marianne is just a good friend, although she may want to spend time with that other boy she mentioned she liked. Do you know who that is Fleur?"
"Oui, although I imagine you are the only one who does not know given the efforts she 'as gone through. She 'as developed some feelings for Ivan." Fleur said. "She sends 'er allure at 'im every chance she can, to try and build up 'is resistance to be at your level. 'E does well, but is still not as good as my father or you 'Arry."
"It's cute how hard he tries to not be affected. Even more so since he doesn't know why she is doing it." Padma says, laughing a bit at their friend's misfortune.
"He does remind me a bit of Harry back when we first started dating." Hermione said. "Especially when you and Daphne were in that constant competition to make him blush."
"Oh? I do not know this story." Fleur said, her ears perking up.
"Not much of a story really. When we were still figuring out this whole multiple relationship thing, Padma and Daphne were being really forward with Harry trying to get him to blush. He does MUCH better about it now, although they still get him from time to time." Hermione said, rolling her eyes at the antics of her friends.
"Oh, 'zis sounds very exciting. I wish I could 'ave participated." Fleur said, smirking at Harry.
"I'm glad you didn't. I'm not convinced I would have survived. I'm surprised I did the first time." Harry said, laying his head down on the table. His four female companions laughed at him.
Heading into December, the Sphinx Club shuffled their time around, maintaining their consistently high grades, while doing everything they could to prepare the four Champions for whatever the next task may be. Some members though were trying to figure out who they were going to go to the dance with. One such member was Viktor Krum, who had approached Harry.
"Harry, may I have a word with you?" Viktor asked, looking more serious than usual. His dark eyes focused and determined.
"Sure, what's on your mind Viktor?" Harry asked. Viktor was always a pretty intense guy, that much was known. There were no half-measures with him, which could often be somewhat overwhelming.
"You see, I… have a desire to go to the dance with one of your friends. I wanted to ask your permission, as well as your advice on how to do so if you said yes." Viktor said, his voice stern, but his eyes displaying a degree of unconfidence that Harry hadn't seen in Viktor before.
"Well, assuming it's not one of my girlfriends I have no reason to say no you couldn't go with them, not that I would speak for them, or any of my friends anyway. Who did you want to go with?" Harry asked, looking up at the taller boy.
"I have… become rather smitten with Lavender, Ms. Brown. Her confidence in the Wand Weighing had blown me away, and she is a very attractive young woman." Viktor said, his tone earnest.
"Well, you should go for it! Even if she isn't interested in a relationship, she hasn't ever mentioned there being any other guys to me." Harry said. He was surprised Viktor had come to him about this. He figured he would be the one to need to go to someone about relationship advice.
"I see, you have no issues with me attempting to date your friend?" Viktor asked.
"Provided she doesn't have any issues dating you. She's her own person, and can make her own choices. I would be very upset if you hurt her though." Harry said.
"I wouldn't dare." Viktor said.
"I'm aware. You're a good guy Viktor. I know it's probably hard to find girls who are interested in Viktor, not just the Quidditch star." Harry said. He was immensely lucky that his girls were in love with Harry, not the Boy-Who-Lived.
"That is difficult, although I am sure you know all about this." Viktor said. He and Harry had had a few conversations on dealing with being in the public eye. Harry could barely be seen with a girl outside of the Sphinx Club without Witch Weekly asking if he was looking for girlfriend number six. The steamy love affair between Harry, Viktor, and Fleur had been another interesting tabloid rumor. The trio were uncertain whether they should laugh or cry at their misfortune.
"Just be honest with her and it'll go great. Lavender said she's looking for a guy who is both handsome and Sphinx Club potential, and while I can't personally say if you're the first one, I know you're the second." Harry said.
"I appreciate this very much, Harry. I shall ask her then." Viktor said, waving goodbye to Harry as he walked off.
"Viktor and Lavender… huh." Harry mused to himself. If they worked out he would be happy for them. Lavender had been his best girl friend who he wasn't currently dating since first year, and Viktor and his brother were the two guy friends Harry cherished above everyone but Neville.
Harry laughed a bit at that. He was closer with Durmstrang's champion then he was the champion of his own school. He and Cedric had just never really had much conversation between them. Had they not been working together during the tournament, Harry didn't think Cedric would have been anything to him but Cho's boyfriend, and Cho would have just been a girl he was friendly with in the upper year of his house.
Later, Harry, Hermione, Padma, Daphne, Susan, and Luna were all sitting in the Sphinx Club room, doing some revision on a homework assignment that Snape had assigned them, although Luna's assignment was different they had been happy to help her with it regardless.
Daphne leaned back in her chair, having finished her paper. "This Yule Ball has got everyone lovesick, it's kind of cute really." She said, stretching her arms above her chair. "I heard some of the fifth year girls in the common room trying to sort out who would make a good date."
"No such talk in your own dorm room though?" Padma asked, looking at the blonde girl.
"No, it's obvious that I'm going with Harry, even if he won't tell me if I'm opening the dance with him. Tracey refuses to tell me the boy she is going with, if she's going with someone at all. Pansy is going with Draco, though how she can stand the boy I have no idea. Millicent… Well the less said about Millicent's love life the better. Alice Runcorn never talks to me or Tracey, only Pansy, so if they've talked about anything I have no idea." Daphne said.
"This is a question though Harry, which one of us are you going to open the ball with?" Susan asked, looking at the boy she loved.
"I figured it'd be pretty obvious." Harry said leaning back once he finished his own work. "There's really only one option."
"No, there's five of us, and you promised you'd never play favorites!" Padma said, looking at Harry angrily.
"I'm not playing favorites. There is a reason you all know that I'm taking who I am. Once you know the reason, it'll be painfully obvious WHY there was only one choice." Harry said, chuckling a bit at his ladies.
"Then tell us who it is!" Hermione said, her face a little red. "We all want to know."
"I don't know, I think having you all work it out will be more fun. Besides, it's not like all of you won't get dances until your feet are sore anyway." Harry said.
"Yes, but the opening dance is special! All eyes will be on you during it. But fine, we'll work it out. Come on girls." Daphne said, leaning forward.
"Well, he says we know the reason, so what might it be?" Susan wondered aloud.
"Something unique to one of us then. That knocks it out of being a pureblood thing, Susan, Luna, and I are all local purebloods, and Padma's pureblood as well. I guess that would leave Hermione singled out, but I don't think Harry would make it based on that." Daphne said.
"I met him first, would that be it? It would be a bit unfair though." Hermione said, looking over at Harry.
"I'll tell you that it's not Hermione. Sorry love." Harry said, leaning over to kiss her.
"Well, that leaves Luna, Daphne, Padma and I." Susan said thinking.
"Padma didn't get any Summer dates, so maybe he's making up for that?" Daphne asked.
"I would say Harry more than made up for that already." Padma said, before turning and looking at the youngest Ravenclaw. "You haven't said anything Luna. Don't you want to know who it is?"
"Oh, I haven't said anything because I know who it is." Luna said, as she finished up her work. "Hermione, care to read over this? I'm fairly certain I got my point across well, but you seem to have a better grasp on how Professor Snape likes these reports formatted."
"Sure Luna." Hermione said, taking the parchment from the blonde.
"Wait, Luna knows? How does she know?" Padma asked.
"I figured it out when the ball was announced." Luna said, happily sitting in her seat.
"Then how do you know you are right if Harry hasn't told you?" Susan asked.
"Because there really is only one answer, unless he wanted to make one of us sad." Luna said. "Harry's too good to knowingly make us sad. Though he seems to be enjoying toying with you girls for the moment."
"I will admit, this is fun. Consider it payback for all the times you mess with me." Harry said, smiling at the girls he was with.
"Maybe it's not one of us? Maybe it's Fleur or Marianne, as an interschool relation thing?" Daphne suggested.
"It's not either of them, Harry told Fleur she wasn't the one when the dance was announced, and said he would be saving a dance for Marianne, implying he didn't know he would already have one. Besides, Marianne will be going with Ivan." Padma said. "Whether or not that will stop her from trying to become another one of us is another story. I imagine it depends on how well she gets on with Ivan in a romantic setting."
"Oh, does Marianne want to be another one of Harry's girlfriends?" Luna asked.
"She doesn't know if she wants him or Ivan more. She's trying Ivan first since she wouldn't have to share him." Padma said.
"I don't know how to feel about that." Harry admitted. Marianne had certainly been… forward with her attention towards him after their training with the Flame-Freezing spell.
"Well, do you like her? No judgment here about it. We've got a weird relationship as it is, it's not like adding another girl would make it much stranger." Daphne said. "While I don't want you to pick up every girl you come across just because you can, I also know you well enough to know that you wouldn't."
"I mean, maybe? I've really only gotten to know her over the past month. We didn't stay in contact like I did with Fleur." Harry said. "She's nice, and very pretty. I'm sure if I didn't have you girls I would maybe have tried to ask her out, but I do have you girls, so there isn't a need."
"Well, if you didn't have us she would probably be gunning for you anyway." Hermione said. "She said as much herself, she even mentioned her mother sending over a marriage contract."
"She wasn't joking about that?" Harry asked.
"Probably not. They aren't in use that much anymore, but they do happen. A veela like Marianne might want one once she finds an acceptable suitor, to ward off others and begin negotiations." Padma said.
"Negotiations?" Harry asked.
"Oh! I know this one! Veela only have girls when they give birth! So if Harry had babies with Marianne or Fleur, and didn't have babies with anyone else, there wouldn't be any sons to carry the Potter name on." Luna said.
"Uh, so she would need to be someone's second wife?" Harry asked.
"Not necessarily. If say Fleur and Fred Weasley were to get together, there are other Weasleys who can carry on the name, so it wouldn't matter if they only had girls." Susan spoke up. "Not that Fleur would date any of the Weasley boys here. None of them have any resistance to her allure, and even without it Ron looks at her like a piece of meat."
"He looks at EVERY attractive girl like a piece of meat." Daphne said, rolling her eyes a bit.
"Even you 'slimy slytherins'?" Susan asked.
"When he thinks we can't see him." Daphne said. "I'm lucky that I can just ignore him. I feel bad for Lavender and Parvati, they have to share the common room with him."
"Sis says he's tried to make moves on her before, but she always says she's waiting on Harry." Padma said. "I'd feel bad about her using my boyfriend like that, but I'll put up with it to stop Ron from bothering her."
"That's probably why he hates me so much. The prettiest girls in his house either are more interested in his brothers or say they are interested in me." Harry said, thinking deeper about it.
"Oh? Outside of sis and Lavender, who would be the other pretty girls in Gryffindor?" Padma asked.
"Angelina, Alicia, and Katie, the chasers on their quidditch team." Harry said. "No, I'm not looking to have them be more girlfriends, I can just recognize that they are pretty."
"Angelina and Alicia are dating the twins, but Katie isn't seeing anyone. Are you not looking to complete the Hogwarts set Harry? You've got one girl from every house but Gryffindor, you just triple dipped in Ravenclaw." Daphne said. "You'd be the envy of every boy in the school."
"Implying he isn't already." Susan said. "Boys complain about him in the Hufflepuff common room all the time. Says he's taking all the good ones for himself."
"Well, I do have the best girlfriends anyone could have." Harry said, giving each of them a kiss in turn.
"If we're so good, tell us who you're opening the dance with!" Padma said, frustration in her voice.
"Fine, I really figured the two Ravenclaws would figure it out. I'm taking Luna." Harry said, pulling the petite blonde girl into his lap.
"Yep! I get to go first." Luna said, snuggling into him.
"Not that it's an issue, but why Luna? You said there was a reason." Hermione asked.
"Only fourth years and up get to attend the ball without a date. Luna's a third year. So if she wants to go, she has to be my official date, as opposed to the rest of you, who can just go. Since she's my official date, she opens the ball with me." Harry said.
"Oh! That makes sense." Susan said. "I forget Luna isn't in the same year as us. I'm just so used to her being with us all the time."
"That does bring up something though, what about Astoria and Ginny? I'd like for them both to get to go if they want, but there's no chance in hell I'm telling Hannah she can't be Neville's date, and Viktor, Ivan, and Cedric all already have other girls on their radar." Harry said.
"Well, there's no reason to worry about Astoria. That girl has pretty much every male in Slytherin wrapped around her finger if she wants to go. I think she mentioned having Theodore Nott take her, but that might change." Daphne said.
"Ginny's making Dean Thomas take her. I don't know if he knows that yet or not." Luna said, her usual dreamy voice popping up.
"Shouldn't she ask him?" Harry asked.
"Did we ask you to date us? Or did we just tell you you were?" Padma asked.
"Fair enough." Harry said. While there had been discussions about how their relationship was going to work, they had never asked him to date them. Just laid down the ground rules on what it meant. He didn't mind this, he certainly never would have gotten around to it.
"So Harry, are there any girls you want us to think about allowing?" Daphne prodded.
"I know better than to even suggest something like that." Harry said.
"So there IS a girl you're interested in!" Daphne said. "Alright girls, bets on who you think it is, and whether or not you'd say yes."
"Ooh! I hope it's Ginny, then we could be sisters!" Luna said, clapping her hands together.
"I don't know, that would also mean Ron is our brother-in-law." Susan said.
"Hm.. good point. Plus I don't know how I would appreciate Mrs. Weasley telling me that I'm some kind of hussy for marrying her daughter's husband." Luna said.
"Heh, she called Nym a hussy too." Harry said, laughing.
The girls prodded him for the rest of the afternoon, trying to get him to speak up about what other girl he might be interested in having as girlfriend number six. Harry never gave them any names.