Chapter 226: Christmas Ball: Part-Duo (1/2)
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Daphne led Quinn to the dance floor as he finished the contents of his goblet and sneakily dropped it down behind him for the conjured goblet to vanish before it hit the ground. As they reached a good starting point, Daphne relinquished the lead back to Quinn for the actual dance.
”Well, doesn't this bring back memories,” said Quinn as he held her hand with one and placed the other on her back, ”this is just like that Ministry Ball all those years ago — it was also during Christmas.”
Daphne nodded as she got into position. ”You wanted to dance because it was a waste to learn dancing and not dance.”
”I said that, didn't I?” said Quinn smiling widely. ”Come to think of it, you're always there when I get to dance in public.. . that Ministry Ball, the Yule Ball last year, and now.. . I always end up dancing up with you. Hmm, I wonder I should dance more — three times in the last few years seems low.”
As Quinn spoke, Daphne stared at Quinn. How could he say things like that without understanding what they did to her? How was she supposed to respond to hearing that she was there every time he danced?
”Ah, I have been meaning to ask, how's your progress with healing going on? Taking up healing requires a ton of work, so I wonder if you're set for your OWLs — I know a paper doesn't decide your future, but if you want to get into a good healing program and learn from a good master, you'd need good grades on both your OWLs and NEWTs.”
Quinn wasn't looking at Daphne as they danced and was keeping an eye around to make sure they didn't bump into someone, but when he didn't get a response, he looked down at Daphne and saw her crystal blues staring up at him.
”Daphne?”
The girl seemed to snap out of a trance and almost seemed floundered in Quinn's arms as she realized what she had been doing.
”Sorry, what did you say? I missed it,” Daphne said a bit too quickly and then reprimanded herself internally for losing composure.
Quinn tilted his head in confusion but repeated himself again.
”They have been going well,” she said as she got her rhythm back, ”I've been readings the basic concepts of healing magic on my own time. It's not as complicated as I thought it would be. True, there are multitudes of things to cover, so many different types to master, but no matter what I come across, there seems to be a reason for them to be the way they are, and I only need to understand for them to make sense to me.”
Daphne wanted to become a healer so that she could heal Astoria of her blood curse one day, and no doubt that was her primary motivation, but as she actually picked up the basics of healing, the subject and magic seemed to suit her — everything she tried to learn seemed to make sense to her, and things clicked her mind — it felt different from the understanding that she gained for the Hogwarts curriculum — healing magic seemed to call out to her. She didn't know if it was because she wanted it so much or just had a sense of healing magic, but everything healing seemed to interest her so much.
”Sounds like you're having fun,” said Quinn; the way her shined right now said it all.
”Do you also feel like that?” asked Daphne.
Quinn's reply didn't come for a couple of seconds. ”It's the time for me,” he said.
”Time? What do you mean?”
”Somewhere along the line, I don't know when.. . I don't think it was a singular point.. . but somewhere, some time, I began losing time.. . or to be more exact, the time seemed to pass quickly when I studied magic.. . I don't know if I'm explaining it correctly, but I get lost when I'm with magic.. . it's like I just got started a minute ago, but then suddenly, it had been an hour or two.. .. That's what it feels like for me.
”It doesn't come every day, but it does come every so often, and I only realize that it came after the fact, but when it comes, I feel good, terrific,” said Quinn.
People concentrated when they were doing a task; they would focus on what they wanted to do. But for Quinn and magic, he didn't need to concentrate — magical learning would pull out the concentration for him, and it was damn beautiful to Quinn.
”Ah, I'm sorry if I trailed a bit too much,” said Quinn, matching eyes with Daphne.
”No, that was fascinating. I would like to hear more,” said Daphne. I would like to know more about you, she thought.
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Outside the dance floor, Jacob Greengrass and Sophie Greengrass watched their daughter slow dance with a boy as they seemed to talk and laugh while holding with each other.
”Look at those two,” said Sophie smiling with her eyes, ”I feel like it was just yesterday when we first saw them dance together.. . they were but children then, look at them both now, all grown up.”
Jacob Greengrass stared at her daughter. ”Hmm.. .”
”Don't they look good with each other? Astoria also seems to think that; I remember hearing her teasing Daphne about Quinn.”
In the arms of a boy. ”Hmm.. .”
”I think Daphne likes Quinn,” said Sophie, her eyes sparkling.
They weren't children anymore. ”Hmm.. .”
”I think they suit each other. I wonder if I should talk to Daphne to see if she does like Quinn.”
Wasn't this around the same age he had started dating Sophie? ”Hmm.. .”
”She might need her mother's help.” Thoughts began building in Sophie's head.
His dear eldest daughter falling into the clutches of a boy. ”Hmm.. .”
”A boy like Quinn must have a lot of girls who like him,” Sophie thought about when she was young and the time before she and Jacob had started dating. Her husband was very popular among the girls; she had to be assertive to show her interest.
'Boys,' thought Jacob, were filthy runts with their top floors filled with dirty thoughts. ”Hmm.. .”
”That girl is shy when it comes to things like these. She needs to be more outgoing if she wants to get what she wants.”
His daughter 'going out' with those filthy creatures.. . ”Hmm.. .”
”We would have to support Daphne, don't we, dear?”
Yes, we would need to support.. . ”Wait, what have you been saying.. . Daphne is too young to be things like that; it's time for her to focus on her future,” said Jacob, his mind catching up with his wife's words, ”now's not the time to support but to help Daphne understand that she has her entire life in front for things like silly crushes — right now, it's time for personal development.. . yes, that's it,” Jacob finished feeling satisfied with his line of thought.
”Oh dear, you're being silly,” said Sophie, looping her arm around Jacob's, ”she has her entire life to worry about studies and stuff.. . but this time won't come back,” she leaned near her husband, ”it's time for her to experience this time and leave those worries for a later date.”
Jacob grumbled. He wanted to argue, but there was no use doing it. He could oppose this, but Sophie would support it, and he wasn't a fool; he could see his daughter held some interest in Quinn West, and in this situation, Daphne would follow after Sophie's advice, sidelining him.
.. .
”That was fun,” said Quinn handing Daphne another goblet after the dance.
”It indeed was,” said Daphne, a small smile gracing her lips.
”Zabini, did you enjoy your dance with your mother,” said Quinn with a teasing smile.
Blaise sighed. His mother had dragged him to dance despite his opposition and resistance.
”Blaise.”
The Slytherin turned to see his best friend Theodore Nott walking towards them.
”Theo,” said Blaise in greeting, ”you're late.”
”My father is always late to these,” said Theodore pointing around the ballroom. He then turned to Quinn and Daphne, ”Daphne, West, good to see you both here as well.”
Quinn raised his goblet while Daphne nodded.
”Zabini here just asked me the same deal I offered you,” said Quinn.
Theodore turned to Blaise, who nodded.
”He accepted,” said Blaise.
”I did, but don't go spouting out this to everyone,” said Quinn, ”if you think someone will definitely need what I offered you, then come to me first, and I'll decide if I want to bring them into the loop. I don't want to be swarmed by requests like today from Zabini.”
”We'll keep that in mind,” said Theodore. This was too important for him to mess it up.