Waking up christmas morning, Nico feels in a foul mood. Normally, he would be back at camp at this time, spending christmas with his family. His family he doubts will be missing him on this day, and who are probably sleeping at that moment. This foulness is short lived, however, as he sits up to see a stack of presents at the foot of his bed.

He scoots close, reading the tags. Will, Hazel, Harry, Percy, all his friends from camp and school. An odd sensation claws its way up his chest and down his throat, an almost nauseating warmth. He unwraps each parcel carefully.

From Will, a framed photo of them from that summer, Will squeezing Nico tightly and pressing a kiss to his cheek, along with a box of chocolates. Hazel sent him a terribly out of fashion hat, similar to one he had worn as a child in Venice. Percy's package contains a set of several new knives, all concealed within study leather sheathes. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had given him various magical items, new quills, a notebook, and pastries suspiciously resembling Canary Creams.

He gives nods and tense smiles to the boys in his dorm when they wish him various iterations of "Merry Christmas", and makes his way up to breakfast. The rest of that day is spent with his friends, sitting out in the snow and engaging in snowball fights. Hermione leaves first to get ready, three hours prior to the ball. Nico can feel his stomach sink at the thought of going to the ball. Hannah Abbott is nice, it seems, lovely, even. But he doesn't know her.

Nico changes into his robes in the dormitory that night, brushing them out and surveying himself in the mirror. As ridiculous as he feels, he doesn't look all that bad. He finds himself, against his better judgement, wishing Will could see him now. He would be so proud, Nico thinks, to see how social he's becoming.

Nico makes his way up to the main hall, leaning against the wall and waiting for Hannah. She arrives, greeting Nico with a smile. She has a flowy, light brown dress, her hair half tied up in flower-like knots at the back of her head.

"Merry Christmas, Nico." She says. "I'm really excited for the dance. You look very handsome."

"Uh, thanks. You look... handsome too. Pretty, I mean. Nice?" He can feel the dread and nerves he had ignored previously now increase tenfold. He may be ill.

Get ahold of yourself. You have fought the earth herself, you can have one dance with a girl, he mentally scolds himself.

She giggles, luckily not offended by his slip up. "Thanks. Shall we go in?"

"Yes. Let's." He offers her his arm, which she gladly takes, and leads her into the steadily filling hall. It's gorgeous, the walls frosted, mistletoe hung from every place imaginable. Nico had seen incredible sights, but this may top most of them. 

They meet up with Ron and his date, Padma, inside. They both look miserable, arms hooked together and glum looks on their faces. Ron's robes have lost their frills and lace, which only moderately makes them better, though barely. When he spots Nico, he gets visibly more miserable.

"Even you look great! And you always look like a mess!" He throws an arm up in the air in exasperation.

"Thanks?" Nico raises an eyebrow at him, not sure if that was an insult or a compliment.

Just then, the doors of the hall open, drawing the attention of those within. The champions and their dates enter, drawing applause from the waiting crowd. Nico can't help but grin when he sees them. Harry looks so uncomfortable, and Hermione looks so happy. She really looks different, her hair styled and wearing a fancy blue dress. Nico isn't sure he's seen her this happy to be the center of attention before, even with the jealous glares she's getting for being at Krum's side. Nico is happy for her, glad to see his friend happy and enjoying herself.

Ron is watching her with squinted eyes, as if she'll shimmer and disappear, or like she's pulling an elaborate prank on him.

Nico smacks his arm. "Stop staring like that. Be a good friend and be happy for her."

Soon, the champions are seated at the head table with the judges, and Nico finds himself sitting at a round table with Hannah, Ron, Padma, Neville, and Ginny, who apparently is attending with Neville. The feast is different today, the plates acting like the ones at camp. His fellow table mates spent into existence what they want. Nico, suddenly forgetting the name of every food he has ever had, stares blankly down at his plate.

"Are you okay?" Hannah leans close to him to whisper.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just deciding what to eat." He nods.

"Oh. Well. The pork chops are really good."

Nico nods again, appreciative of her suggestion. He asks his plate for pork chops and they appear. Hannah is right. They are good.

"So, Nico. What compelled you to ask Hannah?" Ginny asks from across the table, trying to pull him into the small talk. He hadn't spoken much with the youngest Weasley child, but he does at least know her. He had even been accused of kidnapping her two years prior.

"Oh, uh. She asked me."

"Really? Oh, good for you, Hannah."

Hannah looks down to her plate, shy, and thanks Ginny.

The rest of dinner passes nearly as awkwardly, but once everyone is finished, Dumbledore instructs everyone to stand up. The tables zoom off to line the walls, and a band takes their position on a raised platform.

The champions whisk onto the floor, Pavarti half pulling Harry. The band launches into song, and they start the first dance. Soon, the rest of the students file to dance as well, and Hannah tugs on his arms.

"Come on. Let's dance." She smiles at him.

"I don't... dance."

"You do now. Come on. It's easy." She pulls him to the dance floor, and manually positions Nico like a mannequin. His hands are on her waist, and her arms are around his neck. They're around the same height, he notices, though she may be a bit taller with her shoes.

She leads him in the dance, and it gives him a weird sense of deja vu. He can almost see himself in another time, another life, almost, dancing like this. Being twirled by his older sister or lead by his mother. He finds himself enjoying the dance, despite the ever present awkwardness.

"So..." Hannah starts, trying to find a topic for conversation. "Is it much different in America?"

"Is what?"

"Everything. School, I don't know."

"Oh, well, I don't really know. I haven't actually spent much time in America. I moved there from Italy and then spent one year in a military boarding school. I didn't learn magic there, so it's definitely different in that regard."

"You move a lot, then?"

"Not move. Just a lot of traveling."

"Ah."

After that, the conversation drifts off, disappearing for the rest of the song. The band finishes with a round of applause, then starts up a more fast pace song.

"Oh! I love this song! Come on!" Hannah grabs his hands, bouncing and shimmying to the song. Nico stands there, letting his arms get flailed around.

"What are you doing?" He asks, staring at her.

"Dancing. You should try it." She's grinning widely as she flails.

"I really shouldn't."

"Aw. Come on, please? One dance."

He sighs. "Fine. Only one." He starts swaying, unsure of what to do.

"Yeah! Like that!" She starts tugging him more, and he allows her to pull him around, spinning and moving wildly. Despite himself, he even finds that he enjoys it, a hint of a smile crawling up his face. But soon the song ends, and he stops.

A few girls beckon to Hannah, and she looks at him. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, no. Go have fun."

"Thank you, Nico. This was great." She kisses his cheek, then runs red faced over to her friends.

Nico makes his way over to Ron and Harry, who are being accosted by Percy Weasley. He takes the seat next to Ron.

"Looks like you were having fun." Ron nudges him.

"What?" Nico brushes him off, not wanting to get whatever could be on that robe on him.

"You were dancing, and she kissed you."

"In a friend way. Because that's what... friends do?" Nico finds that he doesn't even believe himself, the nerves coming back.

"Whatever you say. But this dance is going horribly."

"Better than the last one I went to. My sister and I got kidnapped and then someone fell off a cliff."

Ron stares at him for a long moment. "Your entire life is a mystery to me."

"Good." Nico crosses his arms, watching the crowd.

Harry and Ron soon get up, beckoning for Nico to follow them.

"We're going for a walk. Can't stand to be near Percy that long." Ron mutters.

They leave the Hall, out into the courtyard. It had been transformed into a magnificent rose garden, actual fairies flitting around and lighting them up. There's the sound of a fountain nearby, and there are scattered clumps of people milling about. But then they hear a voice, one all too familiar and all too loathed.

"-don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" The voice of Karkaroff, the Durmstrang headmaster, replies. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months, I am becoming seriously concerned. I can't deny it-"

"Then flee. Flee, I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Snape and Karkaroff appear from around the bend in the path. Snape is exploding bushes, causing one couple to flee.

"And what are you three doing?" He levels the three with glare.

"We're walking. Not against the law, is it?" Ron rebuffs, short just from seeing the professor.

"Keep walking, then." The two teachers brush past.

"Looks like he's having a bad Christmas." Nico mumbles. "I'm going back in. Goodnight."

They wish him off with "goodnight"s and "Merry Christmas"s, and he finds his way back to the hall. It's too cold out there, nearing eleven pm and winter.

He goes back to people watching at the edge of the room, sitting by himself and just acknowledging whenever Hannah or Hermione would wave to him. The band finished playing at midnight, a final, deafening round of applause closing out the ball. By then, Ron and Harry had returned, discussing privately amongst themselves something that, apparently, they did not want Nico to know. With final goodnights to his friends- other than Hermione, who had left them with only a glare towards Ron- he returns to his room. 

As awkward as it had been, he had enjoyed himself.