Chapter 292 - Fleur

The ceiling and walls of Slughorn's office had been draped with emerald, crimson, and gold hangings so that it looked as though they were all inside a vast tent. The room was crowded and stuffy and bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the centre of the ceiling in which real fairies were fluttering, each a brilliant speck of light. Loud singing accompanied by what sounded like mandolins issued from a distant corner; a haze of pipe smoke hung over several elderly warlocks deep in conversation, and a number of house-elves were negotiating their way squeakily through the forest of knees, obscured by the heavy silver platters of food they were bearing, so that they looked like little roving tables.

"Christina! Harry!" Slughorn beamed as soon as he saw them. "Come in, come in, so many people I'd like you to meet!"

Slughorn was wearing a tasselled velvet hat to match his smoking jacket. Gripping Harry's arm tightly Slughorn led him purposefully into the party; Harry seized Chris' hand and dragged her along with him.

"What the — heck, Harry," Chris bit her curse words as Slughorn turned towards them and Harry looked at her pleadingly.

"Harry, Christina, I'd like you to meet Eldred Worple, an old student of mine, author of Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires — and, of course, his friend Sanguini," introduced Slughorn.

Worple, who was a small, stout, bespectacled man, who shook Chris' hand first but it couldn't be more clearer that he had no interest in Chris. He was there because of Harry, whom he greeted enthusiastically. The vampire Sanguini, who was tall and emaciated with dark shadows under his eyes and surrounded by a gaggle of curious and excited looking girls, merely nodded at them but as he looked up at Chris, he froze for a fraction of second then suddenly recognization dawned at his eyes, the bored look in his face was gone. No one noticed all of this except for Chris, who was watching the vampire closely. But her observation was interrupted by Worple, who literally squealed.

"Harry Potter, I am simply delighted!" said Worple, peering shortsightedly up into Harry's face. "I was saying to Professor Slughorn only the other day, 'Where is the biography of Harry Potter for which we have all been waiting?'"

"Er," said Harry, "were you?"

Chris chuckled but Worple didn't notice.

"Just as modest as Horace described!" said Worple looking giddy. "But seriously"— his manner changed; it became suddenly businesslike —"I would be delighted to write it myself — people are craving to know more about you, dear boy, craving! If you were prepared to grant me a few interviews, say in four- or five-hour sessions, why, we could have the book finished within months. And all with very little effort on your part, I assure you —"

Chris felt the vampire's gaze on her and looked back at Sanguini, who quickly looked away from her and focused on the girls' group. Chris looked around and saw Adrian sipping butterbeer standing in front of the Weird Sisters' group.

"Excuse me!" Chris dived into the wave of a crowd without looking back.

The vampire's look was freaking her out. What if he was planning to have her as his dinner?

"Hey!" Chris smiled.

"Well, hello," Adrian smiled brightly. "I thought you aren't coming?"

"I — why? Why would you think that?" Chris asked surprised.

"There were rumours that you don't have a date and you aren't coming — never mind," Adrian turned to a passing elf with butterbeer. "Butterbeer?"

"Yeah," Chris took a mug of butterbeer. "Anything else you heard about me?"

"Yes, recently there are many rumours about you — like your Slytherin boyfriend left you and no one else wants to be with you because you're — er — really ill-tempered and crazy and all that crap," said Adrian looking a little bit embarrassed. 

Chris choked in her butterbeer.

"Personally, I think it's because you punched that senior boy in front of everyone," added Adrian quickly. "I mean, of course, he deserved it but you know people can cook things in their head."

"Where did you hear that from?" said Chris looking shocked.

"What? The rumour?" Adrian nodded in understanding. "Relax, rumours are just rumours. It is impossible to trace them back — but if you really want to know I heard two fourth-year Ravenclaw girls talking."

"But how did they know about me and Jason?" Chris exclaimed thinking, who was spreading rumours about her?

"No idea, honestly," Adrian looked apologetic. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up."

"No, it's not your fault," Chris sighed. "I just have too many enemies."

"Well, you can't only have amazing friends like me in your life, can you?" Adrian smiled sheepishly.

"Very funny," Chris rolled her eyes. "For your information, I have a lot of amazing friends and I came with them today."

"Sure, if you say so," said Adrian smirking.

Chris rolled her eyes again then laughed. Finally, she saw her friends clustered in a corner, instantly, she dragged Adrian to them and for the next hour, they talked about all sorts of trivial topics. They taste every kind of food at the party and started dancing. After some time Harry finally found them.

"Got stuck with Professor Slughorn then Trelawney and then Snape. . . it was difficult," Harry explained to Hermione. "Anyway, what are you eating."

"Pastry," smiled Ginny handing a piece to Harry. "Have one. They are great."

"And that's saying something," said Colin. "Considering Mrs Weasley cooks heavenly food."

They were again laughing, passing stories and Chris felt like a normal muggle girl which was a lot of fun in its own way.

****

The next day, everyone left for the holidays. Chris, Harry and Hermione were going to join Ron and Ginny to the Burrow. Ginny asked Luna and Colin to come as well but Colin said he will spend the Christmas with his family and Luna said she might come to Burrow for the Christmas dinner as her house was close by. 

Soon Chris was at the Burrow. After tucking her things in Ginny's room, she was piling sprouts while Fleur was cooking meat. Ginny refused to enter the kitchen till Fleur was there and she went to decorate the living room with Harry and Ron. Fred and George, who were already there for a few days, dragged Hermione to the Muggle village with them ("Well, I have to go because there's a very pretty girl working in the paper shop who thinks my card tricks are something marvelous . . . almost like real magic. . . ." George had mentioned to Chris before leaving with Fred and Hermione).

Fleur was chatting in her thick French voice with Chris and Chris showed interest in every topic Fleur spoke of which made her really happy. After talking Chris realized why Bill loved Fleur so much. Clearly, Fleur had a very good idea that Mrs Weasley and many others in the family doesn't like her but she simply didn't care about what others think of her. She was confident, brave, smart and good at heart. Yes, she was arrogant and a little bit full of herself but she had swallowed her pride a lot, to be with Bill and the way she talked about him was enough to understand that how much she loved and admired him.

"You are a really good girl, Chrees," said Fleur after she finished cooking the meat and helped Chris with the potatoes. "Bill was very right about you."

"I — thank you," Chris looked at her surprised.

"You know w'at I mean," Fleur smiled. "I 'ave noticed, you respect Bill, you respect me and others. You are good to everyone. Don't you get tired of eet?"

"Of what?"

"Of being nice all the time? Of being good all the time?" Fleur asked.

"I am nice to those people whom I like," smiled Chris. "And trust me, I'm not all good."

Fleur laughed.

"You can be my Bridesmaid," she said suddenly. "If you want."

"I — really?" 

"Yeah, you, Gabriella and Ginny," Fleur giggled. "Perfect."

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To be continued. . .