For Amber's Valentine Day Drabble Collection: GideonDorcasMarlene - Elegant, and Hogwarts' 365 Prompts Challenge: Restriction - Characters from only one era, the Insane House Challenge: Character - Gideon Prewett, the Fanfic Resolution Challenge: Write a triad or moresome, the Dragon Appreciation Month, the Writing Club: Character Appreciation - House: Gryffindor, Count Your Buttons: (dialogue) "You're doing it wrong.", (character) Marlene McKinnon, the Yule Ball Event: Going Stag - Write about someone going to the ball alone, the Sticker Challenge: Ice Mice - Write a fic set in winter.
Word count: 500
The Ball
It was strange, seeing how different the Great Hall looked all decked out for the Yule Ball. The teachers had really gone all out: conjured snow drifted down from the ceiling, though it never seemed to reach the floor (an illusion rather than a conjuration, perhaps?), and candles wreathed in ice floated in the air.
The whole place looked like something out of a fairytale.
"Aren't you glad I made you come, brother?" Fabian asked him, eyes twinkling with a teasing light.
"I wouldn't say glad, exactly," Gideon protested, but it was mostly just for show. He was glad he had let Fabian convince him, even if that meant he had come alone.
"Whatever you say, brother," Fabian retorted. His head snapped up suddenly, looking past Gideon and into the oncoming crowd. "I…"
Gideon rolled his eyes fondly. "Let me guess — you just saw a certain Hufflepuff arrive, didn't you?"
Fabian's cheeks reddened. "Yes."
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go find your date — you can hardly spend the whole evening with me. I'll be fine," he added, tone softening. "You don't have to worry."
"Yes, I do," Fabian replied mulishly. "I'm the older one, it's my duty to worry."
"By twelve minutes, I don't think it counts." Gideon stopped himself before they could get further into that debate, or they'd be there all night. "Now go find Bones and ask him for a dance, or whatever it is you old people do these days."
Fabian scoffed but left, though not without casting one last worried worried look Gideon's way, who merely rolled his eyes at him.
His brother gone, Gideon watched the dancers quietly, trying to ignore the twinges of envy in his chest. He saw Fabian, laughing in his boyfriend's arms, and several of their other classmates. All were happy.
But somehow, his eyes kept wandering back to one particular couple: a girl from his house. Marlene McKinnon, paired with that quiet Slytherin who always bested him in a duel. Dorcas Meadowes.
He didn't know who approached him first — only that suddenly he was surrounded by the two girls, their dresses shimmering under the candlelight as they stared up at him.
Marlene, her dark eyes filled with fire, extended a hand. "Wanna dance?"
Gideon blinked, mouth going dry. He looked back at Dorcas, who was watching the proceedings with something akin to hungry fascination.
"With you?"
It was Dorcas who replied. "Yes." Her hand drifted to Marlene's waist, and she kept it there, staring at him mirthfully.
Gideon exhaled deeply. "Alright. Let's dance."
The three of them dancing together was a bit awkward at first.
"You're doing it wrong," Dorcas kept saying, laughing, whenever Gideon narrowly missed stepping on someone's foot.
"Is there a right way to do this?" he countered.
Marlene hummed quietly. This time, when she looked at him, there was a new light in her eyes, almost like he had impressed her.
"I suppose not," she said. "Just whatever works for us."