Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix [120]
“Well then, who are you going with?” asked Dean. Neville was turning red, and sweating.
“Well… err- you’ll find out…” he stuttered.
“No, tell us!” said Seamus, slipping on his dark red dress robe.
“Well… Eloise Midgen…” said Neville quietly. Ron, Seamus, and Dean each held their mouths shut tight, trying to keep in their laughter… until Ron could hold it no longer. He burst out laughing, and Dean and Seamus soon followed, rolling on the floor laughing. Neville turned as red as Seamus’ dress robe.
“It’s not funny,” said Neville. “I… I was desperate…”
“Better to go with no one than with her!” sad Ron.
“She’s… so… like a troll!” said Dean, rolling with laughter.
“Her face is so… bubbly and disgusting!” cried Seamus, trying to keep his sides from splitting open. Neville just stood there with his head down.
“Come on Neville, “ said Ron, putting his hand on Neville’s shoulder, “you can do better than her.” Neville shrugged his hand off of his shoulder.
“No I can’t,” he said, “I…”
“You’re sad!” yelled Dean.
“And pathetic!” said Seamus.
Harry thought that was too much, and Neville must have thought the same too. He ran out of the room, slamming the door. Harry could hear him wobbling quickly down the stairs.
“Did you see him?” asked Seamus.
“He ran out of the room like a little girl!” said Dean, pulling his light yellow dress robe on. Harry just looked at Ron, and they both knew what they had to do. Ron sighed, and they walked out of their dormitory, and down to the common room, looking for Neville. They found him in a corner, he looked like he was crying. Harry and Ron walked over to him.
“What’s wrong Neville?” asked Harry, trying to sound sympathetic.
“You know,” said Neville.
“Is it because we made fun of you for having Eloise for a date?” asked Ron.
“No,” said Neville, “it’s because I don’t have a date for the dance.”
“But, what about Eloise?” asked Harry. Neville shook his head.
“I asked her, but even she said no… I thought that she would gladly say yes… but I couldn’t believe it… she said no….” sobbed Neville.
“Then why did you tell us she was coming with you?” asked Ron.
“I thought telling you I was at least going with someone would sound better than going with no one,” said Neville. “But I suppose I was wrong.”
“I can’t believe Eloise said no…” whispered Ron in Harry’s ear.
“Pathetic, isn’t it?” said Neville. He had heard them. “The worst was rejected by the worst….”
“Neville,” said Harry, “you know what your problem is?”
“What?”
“You have no self esteem. You need some self confidence.” Neville looked up at Harry, and wiped his eyes. He put his hand up to his forehead, looked like he was thinking, and then brought it back down.
“You’re right, Harry,” said Neville quietly. He walked towards the portrait of the fat lady, and left the common room. Ron and Harry were left alone in the common room, almost everyone else had left for the hall outside of the doors to the Great Hall to meet their dates for the dance.
“Where do you suppose he’s going?” asked Harry.
“Probably down to the dance,” said Ron. “Speaking of which, we’ve got to get ready!” They ran back to their room, which was now clear of Dean and Seamus, and pulled their dress robes on. Harry’s was the same as his last year’s, just a little bigger, but Ron’s was completely new: it was a light blue, it looked much better than his frilly maroon one he had last year. After they both cleaned up and combed their hair, though Harry’s looked the same, they headed down to the entrance to the Great Hall.
Harry immediately spotted Cho. She looked extravagant in her light green dress, and her silvery blonde hair was drawn up in a tight bun at the top with two black sticks poking through it.
“Hey Harry!” she called to him. Harry said good bye to Ron, who started wandering off to look for Hermione.
“Cho,” said Harry. “You look beautiful.” Cho smiled at him.
“You like quite handsome too,” she said.
“When are they going to open the doors, and let us in?” asked Harry.
“Malfoy came