Two days remained before the Yule Ball.
For perhaps the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, Victor found himself facing a genuinely difficult problem.
He sat on the edge of his bed in the Slytherin dormitory, resting his chin on one hand as he stared at the floor.
"Hmm... this is going to be difficult."
Unlike dragons, Death Eaters, or dangerous magic, this was a problem he couldn't solve by thinking logically. He had two partners. Hermione. And Fleur.
Victor let out a quiet sigh.
Originally, he had tried to explain the misunderstanding to Fleur and convince her to attend the ball with someone else.
It had not gone well. The moment he suggested it, Fleur's friends had looked at him as though he had committed an unforgivable crime.
How could anyone reject Fleur Delacour?
In their eyes she was the most beautiful girl at Beauxbatons, and boys practically lined up for the chance to spend a few minutes talking to her.
The conversation had quickly turned into several Beauxbatons girls surrounding him at once, each trying to pressure him into changing his mind.
Victor had quietly retreated the first chance he got and had absolutely no intention of experiencing that again.
As for telling Hermione he couldn't accompany her — Victor dismissed that option almost immediately. That was an even worse idea.
He rubbed his temples. "I somehow managed to create a problem that shouldn't even exist."
For the first time in a long while, even Victor couldn't think of a practical solution. He remained seated on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor in silence.
Then an idea flashed through his mind.
"...The Time-Turner."
His eyes lit up. "Normally, using a Time-Turner for something like this would be a terrible abuse of a time-bending artifact," he muttered.
"But I don't exactly have another option."
The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
He could attend part of the Yule Ball with Hermione, use the Time-Turner, and then attend it again with Fleur.
It was absurd. It was also the only solution that didn't end in disaster.
Victor let out a quiet sigh. Teenage girls could be terrifying when it came to things like this.
If he stood Fleur up at the Yule Ball, the Beauxbatons students would hunt him down the following morning.
Considering how protective Fleur's admirers already were, he had no desire to imagine the consequences.
Just then the dormitory door swung open.
"Victor!"
Draco walked in carrying a neatly wrapped package that had just arrived by owl. "Mother sent our dress robes for the Yule Ball. They look great." He stopped mid-sentence after noticing Victor's expression.
"Why do you look so depressed? Aren't you supposed to be happy? You're going to the Yule Ball with Hermione."
Victor slowly looked up at him. "You wouldn't understand, Draco."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "What is there to understand?"
Victor was silent for a moment. "...I have two partners."
Draco blinked. "...You what?"
"Hermione." Victor raised one finger. "And Fleur." He raised a second.
Draco stared at him for several seconds before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! You actually managed to get yourself into that situation?"
Victor sighed. "I didn't do it intentionally."
Draco wiped a tear from his eye. "I don't know whether to admire you or feel sorry for you."
***
Christmas Day arrived.
By evening, Hogwarts had transformed completely for the Yule Ball.
The Great Hall was almost unrecognizable — the four long House tables replaced by dozens of smaller round tables draped in spotless white cloth, illuminated by floating candles while the enchanted ceiling shimmered with a clear, star-filled winter sky.
Frosted silver decorations hung from the walls, magnificent Christmas trees stood around the hall decorated with golden baubles and sparkling icicles, and tiny enchanted fairies flickered among the branches.
At one end of the hall, a large stage had been erected for the evening's entertainment. The Weird Sisters were already there, tuning their instruments and chatting among themselves as they prepared to perform.
Students gradually began arriving in their dress robes, filling the entrance hall with excited chatter.
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students mingled with Hogwarts pupils while professors stood nearby keeping a watchful eye on the growing crowd.
For many of the younger students, it was the most spectacular sight they had ever seen inside Hogwarts.
Victor stood before the mirror in his dormitory, giving himself one final look. His black dress robes fit perfectly, tailored with the elegance expected of the Malfoy family.
He straightened the cuffs, adjusted the collar, and smoothed out the last few creases before giving a satisfied nod.
As he reached for the door, a faint image of a golden clock appeared within his eyes.
Its hands turned silently, glowing for only a brief moment before fading back into his pupils. The Time-Turner's power was ready.
"Let's hope this goes without a hitch."
He wasn't worried about dancing. He wasn't even worried about using the Time-Turner.
He was worried about the possibility of one of the two girls spotting him with the other. That would turn an already complicated evening into an absolute disaster.
*****
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