I don't really care about the timeline. I know Regulus would have died the year before his daughters were actually born, but who cares. Do you even know if hes dead in this story? No, you don't. So sit back and read this short chapter of fluff. It was simply too long for the writing style to keep chapters 7 and 8 combined.
Two grueling weeks had passed and Cal was having no luck convincing Gi to go to the ball with Pucey. The air was drying out, bringing less snow fall as Christmas came closer. The hall around them buzzed with early morning cheer as Cal glared at Gi from across the table. "I don't understand. You and Pucey are good together, why won't you go to the ball with him? It's just a ball, Gi!"
"It is never 'just anything' with you," The golden girl groaned into her hands, cereal spoon dropping into her bowl and splashing the table with milk. "Adrian likes me, I mean really- really likes me. I'm not ready to date, or court, or settle down with anyone! You know this. I'm not saying I'll go with Wood, he is still a dirtbag, I'm just saying he doesn't expect a marriage out of me. You haven't told me who you're going with.."
"If you're not going with anyone, neither am I." Cal bit back, stupidly, sneering at the milk on the table near her books, "But I know how eager you are to dress up. Kreacher use to bring me all your old dresses because you couldn't stop getting mumsy to buy you clothes and you ran out of closet space."
"Extension charms only go so far, Cal! But you're right. I've been eyeing this adorable gown in the Witching Wonders catalogs. Oh its to die for!" If Gigi was back in America sitting in an office chair, she would have spun around with her arms out like a child.
"So take Pucey and wear the dress, I'll even let you do my hair."
Too good of a deal to pass up, Gi sighed and nodded her head in defeat. "I'll pick someone, I promise."
Marcus pulled away, breathing heavily as he held Mak at arms length, "We should stop."
Her face fell instantly, "Oh-" "No no, I meant for a minute, the class is going to start arriving soon and there's something I've been meaning to ask you." She nodded, adjusting her robes and pulling out her Ancient Runes book.
"Mak, look at me." With a shaky breath, she turned in her seat and gazed right into the gorgeous eyes in front of her. "Go to the ball with me."
"I- What? The ball? Us? Together? Together at the ball?! Where EVERYONE CAN SEE US?!"
"Is that a problem? Am I only good enough to snog in private but can't even take you on a proper date to a school dance? Haughty as always, and here I thought you were a prude." Marcus frowned at her, his irritating edge coming back into his voice at his refusal. She was sure he would snap at the first muggleborn that walked through the door, and that alone made her want to refuse him again.
"I won't deny my attraction to you, Marcus, but your attitude leaves something left to be desired. I won't go to the ball with you until you can prove to me that your prejudice can be squashed. Or at the very least, reined in."
Flint's scowl deepened, as she turned back to her book, he grabbed his off the desk and shoved it into his bag, standing up and walking out of the classroom. "Where are you going? We have class!"
He didn't respond.
Karli sat down in a huff next to Artemis in the library. "Are you okay?" The young Ravenclaw begged, looking up from her book.
"No, that stupid bimbo – Angelina – was asked by George to the ball! How the hell am I ever supposed to get his attention?" Karli threw her head back to lay over the back of the wooden chair, kicking her feet out straight underneath the table until she slouched as low as she could go.
"What about Fred?" "I don't like Fred!" "They're literally identical, Karli."
"No, they're not, their freckles are different, and George has this suave-ness about him that I cannot get over. Besides, Fred is taking some seventh year Hufflepuff girl."
"Well, I'm not allowed to go because I'm only a second year. You could hang out with me in my common room?" Artemis prodded, hoping for some company on the night where most of her friends would be enjoying themselves while she was stuck inside her dormitory.
"OR, I could take you! You know, as like a date. Not romantically but just so you'll be allowed in. Then we can both have something to do – and at the ball!" Karli practically jumped from her seat, ripping out a catalog from her bag and throwing it at the younger girl, "Come on, lets find dresses!" She left no room for protest.
Danny giggled, running down the hallway with glee to find her best friend, when she ran into Kahlan. "Kahlan! Oh Kahl, guess what!" The girl sprouted excitedly, spinning the Gryffindor in a circle as she bounced on her heels.
"What is it, Danny?" The blonde smiled, eyes bouncing around from the sudden intrusion to her bubble of gravity.
She let out a high pitch shriek, "Neville Longbottom asked me to the Yule Ball! ME! Can you believe it?!"
"Actually, I can. He's not very well going to take that cactus, is he?" Danny pouted, "Don't be a spoil sport! Are you going?! Who are you going with?! Will you come with me to Hogsmeade to find a dress?! Oh, this is so exciting!"
Nodding and grabbing the girl's arm, they headed off to the great hall, eager to snatch a snack before their last classes.
"I don't know what to do, Sev. I cannot get her to go with Pucey no matter how hard I push!" Cal backhanded a beaker off the table gently, watching as it fell from the desk and shattered onto the floor with little interest: reminding Severus very precisely of her Siamese, Kisa, who was continuing to use his office couch as a scratching post despite many quick snips of magic.
He exhaled, waving his hand slowly as the glass collected in a bundle and depositing into a nearby rubbish bin. "Stop pushing her, instead try to push him." "Wood?" "Yes, drive him away from her. With your otiose charm it should be quite easy."
"I suppose I could try that. Do you really think this is the right thing to do? Keeping her close, under the dark lord's eyes?"
"If it keeps her close to yours as well. She's better protected near you than in an American pureblood family or with Nymphadora – who will lead her straight into battle, wand blazing. Have you decided who you're taking to the ball? You know what an event like this could mean for a good pureblood match. Another reason it is pertinent you get Gigi to go with a solid Slytherin." Severus turned, as if he was uninterested in the current conversation and began to rummage through his store closet, taking an inventory of what he needed to brew, despite the fact such a meticulous man would already have a magically updating inventory spreadsheet.
Cal played with the candle flame beside her with damp fingers, pinching through it several times before it eventually went out. "I'm not sure if I should take anyone at all. Montague is older, already marked-which is great-, and has a good family name. He's good friends with Pucey too, if I can ever get Gi in line, I'll be able to keep a better eye on her. But Nott is truly an inner circle heir, closer to my age but more emotionally put together and a healthier long-term investment into my chore."
"And what of Zabini? I've gathered you're spending a lot of time together. His mother remains neutral, but he could be persuaded in either direction." Snape stepped out of the closet, rounding the desk in front of her to relight the candle, leaning his arms down onto the table to become eye level with her. "Blaise is an absolute doll, but that's all he is. He gives me no benefit outside of raw emotion I cannot afford."
"Good. Stay away from him. What would he want?" Two cups of steaming tea appeared before them, courtesy of the house elves that knew of their weekly meetings. "He would want me to take Gigi and get the hell out of dodge. Irrelevant. How do I persuade Wood to stay away from her?"
"How does one control Gigi?"
"Sex. But you've already got a hold on that, don't you Severus?" Snape choked on his tea, taking a few strong breaths to subdue his coughing.
He glared, "Get out."
Days came and went, and suddenly it was the morning of the Yule ball, everyone was alive with chatter as girls scuttled this way and that, showing off bagged dresses or sparkling jewelry. A few high heeled shoes cluttering to the floor among gaggles of giggles. Dainty long fingers opened a thin letter dropped before her, the words "Mudblood: Daniel Duke" scrawled across it in elegant black ink. Tough parchment-white hands rested on her upper arms, slightly gripping into her shoulders as lips bent down beside her left ear. "It's been done. Wood won't be attending the ball tonight." The cold lips came down further to press against her cheek as she uttered a soft thank you, his frozen cerulean eyes scanning the parchment from over her shoulder before he stood his thin but intimidatingly sturdy body straight and sauntered off to his own bench, sitting a few spaces away from a dark-skinned boy who she could feel glowering at her in unadulterated ire from the next table over. "Karli, can you point out Daniel Duke to me? Sprout wanted me to talk to him about an assignment..." "Of course! He's that Gryffindor over there in the pink shirt, sitting beside…" Once her eyes sealed onto the subject, she tuned Karli out.