The Golden Snitch
Prompt: Write about a ball or dance.
Twelve Days of Christmas Competition
AJ, Kasai; Mahoutokoro.
Word count: 601
Fleur Delacour wouldn't exactly say she was looking forward to the Yule Ball. If she was being honest she'd have to say she was actually dreading the event. Madame Maxime had already chosen someone for her to go with, a Quidditch Captain from Ravenclaw whose name she didn't bother to remember. She had a set of silvery-grey dress robes made out of a shimmery satin material, and she was sure to look stunning. But that was not what concerned her. No, what concerned her was the timing of the event, the fact that she would be in the spotlight. This would be just another place where people would adore her for her beauty, but not for her mind, or her wit, or her strength. She was certain that after the ball people would only remember how she looked when they spoke with her, not her wondrous conversation skills.
A sigh escaped from her lips as she moved out of her dorm room, gown barely grazing the floor as she went down the stairs. Her date stood waiting there, eying her up and down and it took all she could do to not roll her eyes. They walked past the other students, towards the group of champions, all of which looked at her in something akin to awe. She was used to it, but she despised the attention - despised that it was directed towards her looks and not her accomplishments. The dance began, and she moved just as she'd been taught, gracefully, with carefully timed movements. Finally the first dance was over, and she was able to rest for a moment, to loose the Ravenclaw boy in the crowd and relax for a little.
A hand on her shoulder startled her, and she whipped around to see a man with fiery red hair and a smile on his face. His nose was dotted with freckles and his eyes were warm and welcoming. He was dressed smartly in a navy blue suit, and she couldn't deny that it flattered his figure. The ghost of a smile flickered across her features as she looked at the man before her. There was a crimson tint to the tips of his ears as he opened his mouth to speak to her - and maybe, she supposed, he would be different.
"You're really pretty," was the first thing he said to her, and her heart sank - this would be just like all the other times. She watched him wince and rest his hand over his eyes, before he looked up at her again - this time with a sheepish look on his face.
"That, came out wrong," he began, his gaze boring into her own, "Can I start again?" She nodded, as if challenging him to continue - it was amusing to her, to see if he would be able to recover from his previous statement.
"I'm Bill Weasley, my brother is friends with one of the champions," his tone was warm as he extended his arm toward her, and she couldn't help but smile slightly as she shook his hand.
"My name eez Fleur, Fleur Delacour," she replied, "I am one of ze champions."
And from then she watched his eyes light up, her heart swelling as he began asking her dozens of questions on life at Beauxbatons, what it was like being a Veela, most things that didn't have anything to do with her appearance. So when he asked her to a dance, she gladly accepted. And as they spun out onto the dance floor she smiled to herself.
Perhaps this Ball wouldn't be too bad after all.