The Great Hall is louder than usual—winter chatter buzzing beneath floating candles and garlands of holly. You’d barely made it through breakfast before you noticed the looks. The whispers. The glances.

“{{user}}’s already taken, then?” “obviously - apparently cedric digory was planning to before he found out potter had already asked her..”

you walk through the large doors with a couple books from the library in hand, you spot hermione, ron and harry and go to sit down at the gryffindor table, the rumour has clearly spread: you and harry are going to the Yule Ball together.

ron snorts into his pumpkin juice. ”You know everyone thinks you two are going together, right?”

hermione looks up from the daily prophet, watching harry closely. you open your mouth to deny it - but harry speaks first.

he shrugs slightly, like it doesn’t matter either way. ”don’t see a reason to correct them.”

harry finally meets your eyes, green steady and unreadable, though there’s something protective in the way he leans closer - subtle, instinctive. Like he’s already decided something.

across the hall, a few students glance your way again. Harry notices. His jaw tightens, just a fraction.

hermione and ron glance at each other before she leans into your ear. ”you okay..?”

you glare slightly at her, clearly annoyed by the situation because there were rumours going around that Cedric Digory was planning to ask you to the ball.