AH. OMFG. I'M SORRY. I've just started Year 10, which is daunting D: Also, this be the first romance I've written. I didn't want this chapter to be too cheesy or cliché, but still have fluff. It took me a while, as you can see... D:
Sorry. Enjoy!
The weeks passed by and the weather changed around Hogwarts. Snow layered over the rooftops and buttresses, the trees lost their leaves, leaving behind the skeletal remains; soon to burst with new life in only a few months. The fireplace in every common room was being used more frequently and many students were breaking out those awful handmade jumpers from their aunties and mums that are only acceptable to wear at Christmas (apart from a boy called Watson from Hufflepuff – he was renowned for wearing them all year round). Even the ghosts and portraits began to sink into the Christmas spirit. Peeves could often be seen stringing mistletoe all over the place and the paintings hung tinsel around their frames. Eric often took Scorpius on trips into Hogsmeade for butterbeer. And he was going to the Yule Ball with Zahra Steele. Scorpius felt he had never been happier.
"How do I look?" Scorpius made a small half turn in the mirror. His father had sent him a brand new set of dress robes – black crisp shirt, straight tie, trousers and robe; black leather shoes polished to a shine and an emerald green silk waistcoat to 'represent his house'. Eric's face appeared over his shoulder, reflected in the mirror.
"Great," he said, grinning, "She'll be all over you."
"I've told you, Eric, we're just going as friends."
"Oh. Yeah, right." Eric said, his voice loaded with sarcasm. Scorpius punched his arm lightly.
"Wait," he told Eric and straightened his red bow tie, "There."
"Thanks… anything else?" Eric did a full turn; he was dressed in all black, save for his tie.
"No, you look fine… who're you going with anyway? You never told me."
"This girl from Beauxbatons, she's called Frederique."
"Oh, right… um… shall we go?"
They walked to the Great Hall, laughing and chatting, but the butterflies in Scorpius' stomach were going crazy. Eric saw Frederique on the way and they offered to escort her to the dance. She was a pretty girl, about the same age as they were, with dark brown hair curled into tight ringlets and dressed in a sky blue ball gown.
Upon arrival, Scorpius couldn't see Zahra anywhere, but both Frederique and Eric offered to wait with him. A few minutes passed and Scorpius was growing worried.
"Oh… trés trés belle…" Frederique breathed. Scorpius turned to see where she was looking.
It was Zahra. Scorpius found himself utterly lost for words.
She was dressed in a strapless deep indigo dress that gave her curves in all the right places. The only jewellery she was wearing was a simple golden choker, making her neck look long and elegant. Her lips were painted the same indigo of her dress; her eyelashes were beautifully long and thick and down past her shoulders tumbled her hair in ebony waves. Her eyes sparkled. Her skin glowed.
She was nothing short of beautiful.
"Scorp?" her eyebrows sloped upwards, "Is there something wrong?" she looked down over herself, doubtful.
"No!" he hurried up the steps, realising he hadn't said a word and took her arm, "You look lovely."
"Really?"
"Beautiful." He told her, smiling. She smiled back, blushing, and he escorted her down the rest of the steps. At the bottom they were met by Professor McGonagall.
"You'll need to go to the dance floor, my dear, the first dance will be starting soon-" the Professor noticed something behind them, "Oh, Peeves!" she bustled off rather quickly. Eric laughed and went with Frederique to the drinks table.
"See you later!" he called over his shoulder.
"Would you accompany me, my dear lady?" Scorpius asked, holding out his arm.
"I would be delighted, my dear sir." She smiled and took his arm as he led her to the dance floor. Dupont and Volkov were already there with their partners; Celine with a tall chiselled Durmstrang student and Volkov a pretty auburn haired Beauxbatons girl.
Moments later, the hall grew quiet as the conductor of the small orchestra behind the dance floor hit the edge of his music stand with his baton; the musicians getting ready to play. Scorpius slipped his hand around Zahra's waist as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Scorpius was surprised he wasn't shaking.
The waltz started. The strings playing a lively tune and the base line pushed forward a predominant beat.
Zahra's face instantly began to light up. She smiled at him as they waltzed around the dance floor. Scorpius had no idea what Dupont and Volkov were doing; the entire world seemed to have shrunk until it was just him, Zahra and the music. His feet seemed to be working all by themselves.
Then the music seemed to soften, the flutes taking over the melody while the strings layered a higher melody over the top. He pulled Zahra up into a lift, as if she weighed no more than a feather before bringing her down to earth.
Here the music began to speed up, the strings taking back the tune now. The spectators began to clap the beat, encouraging the dancers on.
The gleam in Zahra's eyes became fiercer, she grinned at him and Scorpius could feel her leading him round the dance floor. He grinned back at her. Still the music did not slow. As it grew into a crescendo, the brass could be heard layering underneath. The music finished just as he pulled Zahra into a low dip. Zahra was still grinning up at him as they held the pose, thunderous applause roaring in Scorpius' ears.
"That was the most fun I've had in a while!" Zahra said as they went over to the drinks table. Another waltz had begun to play now, and Scorpius could see Eric dancing with Frederique. Zahra took a long, elegant drink before speaking again.
"I haven't danced like that since… since…forever!" she gave him a wide smile, eyes sparkling and a natural flush colouring her cheeks.
"Then how about another dance, Miss Steele?" he asked, smiling back and holding out a hand.
"Yes, Master Malfoy, I should like that very much."
Time didn't seem to pass at all; it was dance after dance after dance. Scorpius' world had, once again, become Zahra, himself, the music and sometimes the drinks table; he didn't once think of Eric or the tournament.
The next dance was a slow dance. Scorpius once again placed his hand on her waist as she placed hers on his shoulder and he thought that she pulled him a little closer.
Don't be silly, you're only going as friends…
The dance started and, as the steps were minimal, they began talking. About Teachers. Hobbies. Films. Music. Books. Everything, Scorpius felt, that any two normal people would talk about. She would laugh; he would laugh, once they ended up in a fit of giggles.
On through the night they went until they collapsed into two empty seats.
"Aah." Sighed Zahra, leaning her head back over the back of the chair, her hair tumbling down behind her head. "That was hilarious: did you see that dude nearly fall over?"
"Yeah!" Scorpius nodded enthusiastically, "And did you see Dupont?"
Zahra lifted her head up to look at him.
"Yes! Seriously, what is she wearing?" She let her head loll back again, "We should totally do this again, Scorp."
"Yeah," Scorpius agreed, "Yeah, we should…" he smiled to himself. Zahra sat up a little straighter and smoothed down her dress.
"I just want to dance all night!"
"We have!" Scorpius joked, noticing for the first time the clock that hung on a far wall: half two in the morning. Zahra half smiled, also noticing the clock.
"Well," she said, rising, "I think… I, uh… better go to bed." She smiled again. Scorpius got to his feet too.
"Perhaps I could escort you?" he found himself saying – a little too eagerly. "Uhm, to your common room, obviously…" Zahra laughed.
"Why not?"
She took his arm and they left the great hall, Scorpius nodding to Eric (who winked back) on the way out. They turned left and began walking down the corridor, chatting.
Scorpius found himself just staring at her. They way she laughed; smiled, the way her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled. She was just utterly beautiful. The corridor they were in was deserted: everyone was either still dancing or in bed.
Zahra was talking about a one of Rosalyn's recent mishaps during potions, her voice warm and beautifully smooth; using slender arms, wrists and hands to illustrate the story. She laughed again
Scorpius could no longer contain himself.
Firmly but gently, he guided Zahra until her back was against the wall, placing his hands either side of her head. Not giving her any time to speak, he pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her.
Stop! What are you doing?!
He screwed his eyes shut tighter, expecting a slap to the face or a knee to the groin. Instead, he felt her hands move up into his hair as she kissed him back. Scorpius' heart beat even faster – he felt it would burst. Every emotional fibre in his body was screaming. His mind racing, Scorpius pulled away. Zahra looked him straight in the eye, mouth open slightly in shock and her hands still entwined in his hair.
"Scorp… I…"
"I –I'm… sorry… I shouldn't have..." Scorpius moved away, his face flushing a bright red.
"Scorp…you… liked me… all this time…?"
Scorpius nodded. Zahra moved forward off the wall, extending a hand; she reached up and cupped his cheek in her palm.
"I-I'll escort you to your common room now, if you'd like… um…" Scorpius swallowed, all too aware of Zahra's hand on his face.
"Thank you," Zahra leaned up and planted a lingering kiss on his lips, "I should like that very much."
