Disclaimer: I own nothing of LOTR or HP. I own only my imagination, whenever it's working (even if it's OVERTIME).


Glorfindel hovered nervously outside of HER office. He only had one chance at this, and he didn't want to ruin this. This was a very delicate operation; one wrong move could bring all to despair and ashes. Taking a fortifying breath, he moved to enter her office and-

"What are you doing?"

Startled, Glorfindel spun around to find Erestor looking at him incredulously. He beat down the blush of embarrassment at having been caught off-guard, and nerves from his mission.

"Ah! Erestor! Just the elf I wanted to see!" He smiled too broadly, and Erestor took a wary step back.

"Of course. Please, Glorfindel, I do not have time for this today. Just tell me what the prank is the twins have set up this time and let me pass into my office. I am not in the mood for playing a ridiculous guessing game with you, I have enough work to keep me occupied until the end of time and it needs to be done by tonight, so if you will please excuse me…" She smoothed the front of her robes down in agitation and waited impatiently for Glorfindel to move aside. Said elf was rapidly losing his nerve. She was in a bad mood, perhaps later would suffice…

No. He needed to do this now, there was no later. If he dropped this on her at the absolute last second, things would only be far, far worse for him in the long run. He moved gallantly aside for her, at which she rolled her eyes and walked into her office- immediately ignoring him as she set to work. Glorfindel decided to let her settle a bit. Just because he wasn't going to put it off didn't mean he wanted to accomplish his mission without taking the immediate risks into consideration. This was a delicate situation, one that called for subtlety, a gentle touch as it were. Exercising the patience of an acorn becoming an oak tree, Glorfindel tried his best impersonation of an Ent.

Eventually, Erestor looked up at him.

"What are you still doing here, Glorfindel? I thought you had a dance to prepare for." Oh. Well, no avoiding the issue now, he supposed.

"Ah yes, that is actually what I came in here for." Erestor began to sharply tap her quill against the inkwell. Not a good sign. "You see, I do not…that is to say, I need, ah, something- rather, someone-"

"Oh, for the love of- Just get ON with it!" Quite. The Lady had spoken.

"Ineededsomeonetotaketothedan ceandiwaswonderingifyouwould gowithme".

Blink. Thump thump.

BlinkBlink. Thump thump, thump thump.

"I apologize, I am not fluent in Idiot Basic. I am afraid that you will have to repeat that in an intelligible language, Lord Glorfindel." As if saying it once wasn't hard enough!

"I need to take someone to the dance. I would like very much if you would perhaps go with me. It would be a great pleasure and honour if you did." The look on her face told Glorfindel that Erestor had understood him this time around. Although perhaps it also said that she would have preferred not to. Oh dear.

Well, it was too late to turn back now. Maybe a white flag would be acceptable? Was it appropriate to wave a white handkerchief in this situation, or did he need to find perhaps some blank parchment considering that it was Erestor?

"Why?"

Her question caught him off guard. Why? Couldn't she just either accept or refuse him in some sort of humiliating way?

"It is sort of a tradition and required of me by my position to-" Erestor wave his explanation off.

"That much is clear, Lord Obvious. What I am asking is more specifically 'why me?'." Oh. That was an even worse question.

"You see, Lady Erestor, I have been accompanied by a few other ladies throughout the centuries but they all seem to carry the thought that it means a sort of…attachment. That I will be courting them, pursuing them for marriage! If I had a horse for every lady who has misinterpreted what I intended to be friendly conversation as a marriage proposal, I would be able to give every rider in Rohan a new horse!" Glorfindel shuddered, and thought that Erestor looked vaguely sympathetic. Definitely a good sign in his favour.

"So, I thought that perhaps, if it would not be too grievous a burden for you, that you would perhaps deign to accompany me to the dance this evening." And having finally had his say, Glorfindel practically collapsed in his chair and awaited judgment.

It was with no small surprise that he heard laughter. Laughter? Erestor was laughing! Unsure whether or not this was a good sign, Glorfindel leaned forward a bit.

"Erestor? Are you well?" She nodded her head, breathless, and settled herself down.

"Aye, Glorfindel, I am quite well, 'tis only that you- you-" and with that she started laughing again. Glorfindel sighed and waited it out. Surely his proposal (of a NOT marriage variety) wasn't THAT amusing, was it?

"I apologize, I was not laughing at you necessarily, only you must find it amusing also, that out of all the adoring, beautiful young maidens that you could have asked, you chose the one who has, in elven memory, worn a total of one dress, ever! AND that was to make the point that we were NOT 'together'. A point that will, I think, become pointless if I accompany you. And really, could you have chosen a less feminine female? If you need someone to compliment your appearance, Glorfindel, I think you came to the wrong person. I do not do' female' things. I was not even planning on going apart from a swift check to ensure that all was well."

Glorfindel shook his head at her. As excuses went, these were easier than an outright rejection.

"I care not. If I wanted someone only taking physical beauty into consideration then yes, you would be correct. But I would like to go tonight with someone who will not have me bored stiff by the second dance- and that is an all-time record." Erestor looked faintly amused again. Good.

"If you accompany me, then I have assurance of an interesting partner with conversational skills, the ability to not make a fool of themselves simply by opening their mouths, and I happen to remember that you looked lovely in that dress and that there were many who viewed you rather differently after our little escapade." There, beat THAT logic! Erestor tilted her head to the side. Another good sign, she was considering his words.

"True. You still have not convinced me though, as to why I should submit myself to the frustration that is a dress. Assuming of course, that I even have one suitable for tonight." Glorfindel smiled inwardly, but didn't let his elation show. He might actually convince her to do this!

"First, because you are not cruel enough to abandon me to the orc hordes-er, that is, many young, impressionable females, who will take advantage of my single state. With you, they will certainly think twice. Even dwarves are wary of crossing you, and wearing a dress will in no way hinder that ability. Second, I think people are getting too complacent about you, this will shock them again. And I do know that your lovely, stubborn seamstress has a wonderful dress prepared in the hope that you might just wear it. You would not want such a kind-hearted creature to lose hope, would you?" Erestor watched him, a calculating glint in her eye.

"I am almost convinced." She twirled her quill around in her hands, it was up to Glorfindel to make the last push to seal the deal.

"If it would help, I also happen to have a certain book that you will like but do not have. This book will be yours if you will come with me and dance at least five dances."

"One."

"Four."

"Two."

"Three and I will make sure that the twins do not enter the library for the next week- they plan on trying out a new prank and it involves dye, pine needles, and an unknown herb turned into some sort of vapour and rumoured to have…unwanted side effects."

"Done." Erestor smiled broadly as they shook hands and the book was arranged to be delivered when Glorfindel was to escort her from her rooms. Glorfindel could be mistaken for a star as he left Erestor's office, so bright was his countenance. He might actually not be bored to death for the entire evening! Erestor hadn't hexed him! His day was looking up.


Knocking on Erestor's door at the exact right time, he was stunned when she answered. Similar in design to the last dress worn in the early days of their friendship, the greens in this dress played on her eyes and the result was something fey and wild, just out of the woods. Her hair was mostly loose, only a few braids to keep it from her face, strung with beads like dewdrops. Erestor's smirk completed the look, and Glorfindel thought he saw a touch of satisfaction.

"I think if I told everyone that I was accompanied tonight by a servant of Yavanna or Nessa, no one would find it a lie. Are you trying to shock people to death?" Erestor gave him a coy smile.

"If I have to wear a dress, I am going to do it on my own terms. If that just to happens to involve having a bit of fun, all the better. Now, the book please." Glorfindel gave her the book, a very old, very rare collection of runes compiled in Doriath from elven clans long lost or hidden. Carefully placing it out of her cat's reach, Erestor gave her hand to Glorfindel and smiled. His heart thudded. "Let the fun begin."


Their entrance was likely the event of the evening. Everyone was interested to see just who, exactly, the Golden Lord of Gondolin had chosen to accompany him. Myriads of dejected (and jealous) maidens speculated. They were all wrong.

It was common knowledge that Erestor did not attend dances- if she was forced to, it was as an overseer, not participant. So when Glorfindel and his mystery chosen first came into sight, it could be excused that at first, none recognized her. Not until Lindir started laughing so hard he actually missed a note did the memory strike from the feast a few years ago and then- Oh, then the hall exploded in gossip.

Glorfindel knew that tomorrow, Erestor would be rather grumpy at him. Still, he knew she wanted the book as well as safety from the twins latest concoction so she couldn't really complain too much, now could she?

Besides, he thought to himself, she seemed pleased enough to dance with him for eight dances, so it obviously was not that great a burden, now was it? He still thought himself the better off in the deal, as he watched her smile (at him!) as they moved together across the dance floor. Yes, he thought himself very fortunate- both that he had managed to ask, and that she had accepted. She was also smiling quite a bit at him, and Glorfindel made a mental note to try and make it happen more often although he had a feeling it had more to do with shocking everyone and the book awaiting her in her quarters than the actual dancing.

Be that as it may, Glorfindel found himself very, very glad that he was Erestor's (best) friend.


Yavanna and Nessa: Two of the Valier, or Queens of the Valar. Yavanna is known as the patron of all things green, growing, and wild, and Nessa is a dancer who outpaces deer and loves the wild things of the woods.

Okay, so sorry this is late. But this is literally the THIRD version. Not rewrite, no, the THIRD actual storyline I wrote up for this chapter. Count them: One, Two, THREE. Sheesh. At least I have plenty of ideas so the threat of writers block is low? Right? Bright side?

Ugh. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, alerts, and faves of various kinds my lovely readers. Hope you have a good week, and happy reading!