jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第75章

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　him　she　was　already　going　with　someone。　Ha！　As　if！　She　just　didn't　want　to　go　with　Neville　。。。I　mean；　who　would？〃
　　　〃Don't！〃　said　Ginny；　annoyed。　〃Don't　laugh…〃
　　　Just　then　Hermione　climbed　in　through　the　portrait　hole。
　　　〃Why　weren't　you　two　at　dinner？〃　she　said；　ing　over　to　join　them。
　　　〃Because…oh　shut　up　laughing；　you　two…because　they've　both　just　been　turned　down　by　girls　they　asked　to　the　ball！〃　said　Ginny。
　　　That　shut　Harry　and　Ron　up。
　　　〃Thanks　a　bunch；　Ginny；〃　said　Ron　sourly。
　　　〃All　the　good…looking　ones　taken；　Ron？〃　said　Hermione　loftily。　〃Eloise　Midgen　starting　to　look　quite　pretty　now；　is　she？　Well；　I'm　sure　you'll　find　someone　somewhere　who'll　have　you。〃
　　　But　Ron　was　staring　at　Hermione　as　though　suddenly　seeing　her　in　a　whole　new　light。
　　　〃Hermione；　Neville's　right…you　are　a　girl。。。〃
　　　〃Oh　well　spotted；〃　she　said　acidly。
　　　〃Well…you　can　e　with　one　of　us！〃
　　　〃No；　I　can't；〃　snapped　Hermione。
　　　〃Oh　e　on；〃　he　said　impatiently；　〃we　need　partners；　we're　going　to　look　really　stupid　if　we　haven't　got　any；　everyone　else　has。。。〃
　　　〃I　can't　e　with　you；〃　said　Hermione；　now　blushing；　〃because　I'm　already　going　with　someone。〃
　　　〃No；　you're　not！〃　said　Ron。　〃You　just　said　that　to　get　rid　of　Neville！〃
　　　〃Oh　did　I？〃　said　Hermione；　and　her　eyes　flashed　dangerously。　〃Just　because　it's　taken　you　three　years　to　notice；　Ron；　doesn't　mean　no　one　else　has　spotted　I'm　a　girl！〃
　　　Ron　stared　at　her。　Then　he　grinned　again。
　　　〃Okay；　okay；　we　know　you're　a　girl；〃　he　said。　〃That　do？　Will　you　e　now？〃
　　　〃I've　already　told　you！〃　Hermione　said　very　angrily。　〃I'm　going　with　someone　else！〃
　　　And　she　stormed　off　toward　the　girls'　dormitories　again。
　　　〃She's　lying；〃　said　Ron　flatly；　watching　her　go。
　　　〃She's　not；〃　said　Ginny　quietly。
　　　〃Who　is　it　then？〃　said　Ron　sharply。
　　　〃I'm　not　telling　you；　it's　her　business；〃　said　Ginny。
　　　〃Right；〃　said　Ron；　who　looked　extremely　put　out；　〃this　is　getting　stupid。　Ginny；　you　can　go　with　Harry；　and　I'll　just…〃
　　　〃I　can't；〃　said　Ginny；　and　she　went　scarlet　too。　〃I'm　going　with…with　Neville。　He　asked　me　when　Hermione　said　no；　and　I　thought。。。　well。。。　I'm　not　going　to　be　able　to　go　otherwise；　I'm　not　in　fourth　year。〃　She　looked　extremely　miserable。　〃I　think　I'll　go　and　have　dinner；〃　she　said；　and　she　got　up　and　walked　off　to　the　portrait　hole；　her　head　bowed。
　　　Ron　goggled　at　Harry。
　　　〃What's　got　into　them？〃　he　demanded。
　　　But　Harry　had　just　seen　Parvati　and　Lavender　e　in　through　the　portrait　hole。　The　time　had　e　for　drastic　action。
　　　〃Wait　here；〃　he　said　to　Ron；　and　he　stood　up；　walked　straight　up　to　Parvati；　and　said；　〃Parvati？　Will　you　go　to　the　ball　with　me？〃
　　　Parvati　went　into　a　fit　of　giggles。　Harry　waited　for　them　to　subside；　his　fingers　crossed　in　the　pocket　of　his　robes。
　　　〃Yes；　all　right　then；〃　she　said　finally；　blushing　furiously。
　　　〃Thanks；〃　said　Harry；　in　relief。　〃Lavender…will　you　go　with　Ron？〃
　　　〃She's　going　with　Seamus；〃　said　Parvati；　and　the　pair　of　them　giggled　harder　than　ever。
　　　Harry　sighed。
　　　〃Can't　you　think　of　anyone　who'd　go　with　Ron？〃　he　said；　lowering　his　voice　so　that　Ron　wouldn't　hear。
　　　〃What　about　Hermione　Granger？〃　said　Parvati。
　　　〃She's　going　with　someone　else。〃
　　　Parvati　looked　astonished。
　　　〃Ooooh…who？〃　she　said　keenly。
　　　Harry　shrugged。　〃No　idea；〃　he　said。　〃So　what　about　Ron？〃
　　　〃Well。。。〃　said　Parvati　slowly；　〃I　suppose　my　sister　might。。。　Padma；　you　know　。。。in　Ravenclaw。　I'll　ask　her　if　you　like。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　that　would　be　great；〃　said　Harry。　〃Let　me　know；　will　you？〃
　　　And　he　went　back　over　to　Ron；　feeling　that　this　ball　was　a　lot　more　trouble　than　it　was　worth；　and　hoping　very　much　that　Padma　Patil's　nose　was　dead　center。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　　　THE　YULE　BALL
　　　
　　　Despite　the　very　heavy　load　of　homework　that　the　fourth　years　had　been　given　for　the　holidays。　Harry　was　in　no　mood　to　work　when　term　ended；　and　spent　the　week　leading　up　to　Christmas　enjoying　himself　as　fully　as　possible　along　with　everyone　else。　Gryffindor　Tower　was　hardly　less　crowded　now　than　during　term…time；　it　seemed　to　have　shrunk　slightly　too；　as　its　inhabitants　were　being　so　much　rowdier　than　usual。　Fred　and　George　had　had　a　great　success　with　their　Canary　Creams；　and　for　the　first　couple　of　days　of　the　holidays；　people　kept　bursting　into　feather　all　over　the　place。　Before　long；　however；　all　the　Gryffindors　had　learned　to　treat　food　anybody　else　offered　them　with　extreme　caution；　in　case　it　had　a　Canary　Cream　concealed　in　the　center；　and　George　confided　to　Harry　that　he　and　Fred　were　now　working　on　developing　something　else。　Harry　made　a　mental　note　never　to　accept　so　much　as　a　crisp　from　Fred　and　George　in　future。　He　still　hadn't　forgotten　Dudley　and　the　Ton…Tongue　Toffee。
　　　Snow　was　falling　thickly　upon　the　castle　and　its　grounds　now。　The　pale　blue　Beauxbatons　carriage　looked　like　a　large；　chilly；　frosted　pumpkin　next　to　the　iced　gingerbread　house　that　was　Hagrid's　cabin；　while　the　Durmstrang　ship's　portholes　were　glazed　with　ice；　the　rigging　white　with　frost。　The　house…elves　down　in　the　kitchen　were　outdoing　themselves　with　a　series　of　rich；　warming　stews　and　savory　puddings；　and　only　Fleur　Delacour　seemed　to　be　able　to　find　anything　to　plain　about。
　　　〃It　is　too　'eavy；　all　zis　'Ogwarts　food；〃　they　heard　her　saying　grumpily　as　they　left　the　Great　Hall　behind　her　one　evening　（Ron　skulking　behind　Harry；　keen　not　to　be　spotted　by　Fleur）。　〃I　will　not　fit　into　my　dress　robes！〃
　　　〃Oooh　there's　a　tragedy；〃　Hermione　snapped　as　Fleur　went　out　into　the　entrance　hall。　〃She　really　thinks　a　lot　of　herself；　that　one；　doesn't　she？〃
　　　〃Hermione…who　are　you　going　to　the　ball　with？〃　said　Ron。
　　　He　kept　springing　this　question　on　her；　hoping　to　startle　her　into　a　response　by　asking　it　when　she　least　expected　it。　However；　Hermione　merely　frowned　and　said；　〃I'm　not　telling　you；　you'll　just　make　fun　of　me。〃
　　　〃You're　joking；　Weasley！〃　said　Malfoy；　behind　them。　〃You're　not　telling　me　someone's　asked　that　to　the　ball？　Not　the　long…molared　Mudblood？〃；
　　　Harry　and　Ron　both　whipped　around；　but　Hermione　said　loudly；　waving　to　somebody　over　Malfoys　shoulder；　〃Hello；　Professor　Moody！〃
　　　Malfoy　went　pale　and　jumped　backward；　looking　wildly　around　for　Moody；　but　he　was　still　up　at　the　staff　table；　finishing　his　stew。
　　　〃Twitchy　little　ferret；　aren't　you；　Malfoy？〃　said　Hermione　scathingly；　and　she；　Harry；　and　Ron　went　up　the　marble　staircase　laughing　heartily。
　　　〃Hermione；〃　said　Ron；　looking　sideways　at　her；　suddenly　frowning；　〃your　teeth　。。。〃
　　　〃What　about　them？〃　she　said。
　　　〃Well；　they're　different。。。　I've　just　noticed。。。〃
　　　〃Of　course　they　are…did　you　expect　me　to　keep　those　fangs　Malfoy　gave　me？〃
　　　〃No；　I　mean；　they're　different　to　how　they　were　before　he　put　that　hex　on　you。。。　They're　all。。。　straight　and…and　normal…sized。〃
　　　Hermione　suddenly　smiled　very　mischievously；　and　Harry　noticed　it　too：　It　was　a　very　different　smile　from　the　one　he　remembered。
　　　〃Well。。。　when　I　went　up　to　Madam　Pomfrey　to　get　them　shrunk；　she　held　up　a　mirror　and　told　me　to　stop　her　when　they　were　back　to　how　they　normally　were；〃　she　said。　〃And　I　just。。。　let　her　carry　on　a　bit。〃　She　smiled　even　more　widely。　〃Mum　and　Dad　won't　be　too　pleased。　I've　been　trying　to　persuade　them　to　let　me　shrink　them　for　ages；　but　they　wanted　me　to　carry　on　with　my　braces。　You　know；　they're　dentists；　they　just　don't　think　teeth　and　magic　should…look！　Pigwidgeons　back！〃
　　　Ron's　tiny　owl　was　twittering　madly　on　the　top　of　the　icicle…laden　banisters；　a　scroll　of　parchment　tied　to　his　leg。　People　passing　him　were　pointing　and　laughing；　and　a　group　of　third…year　girls　paused　and　said；　〃Oh　look　at　the　weeny　owl！　Isn't　he　cute？〃
　　　Stupid　little　feathery　git！〃　Ron　hissed；　hurrying　up　the　stairs　and　snatching　up　Pigwidgeon。　〃You　bring　letters　to　the　addressee！　You　don't　hang　around　showing　off！〃
　　　Pigwidgeon　hooted　happily；　his　head　protruding　over　Ron's　fist。　The　third…year　girls　all　looked　very　shocked。
　　　〃Clear　off！〃　Ron　snapped　at　them；　waving　the　fist　holding　Pigwidgeon；　who　hooted　more　happily　than　ever　as　he　soared　through　the　air。　〃Here…take　it；　Harry；〃　Ron　added　in　an　undertone　as　the　third…year　girls　scuttled　away　looking　scandalized。　He　pulled　Si