(:
Disclaimer: Sorry to disappoint, but I still haven't turned into J.K.R. overnight...I'm working on it...
--
That was what I thought, anyway.
Until Caitlyn came barging into the dorm at three in the morning (Hale and I had given up to remaining in the party and retreated to our room), bouncing in joy.
"I've got a date to the May Second Ball!"
Ball? What Ball? Ball when?
"What's wrong, Vic? You look confused."
Oh, that Ball. "May second…"
Caitlyn looked at me weirdly. "Yes, your birthday. Also the day when we celebrate the victory over Voldemort. The May Second Victory Ball, remember?"
I nodded. Of course I remembered. It was just late, hence the slow reaction. "Why did you get a date so early?"
Caitlyn and Hale both laughed. "Vic, it's in four days," Hale reasoned.
Four…four days?
"I…I haven't even begun to…I mean I threw away all the letters of proposal!" I wailed. Great, no date. Well, there was no one I really wanted to go with, anyway, but still. It was school tradition, and my birthday. I deserved to have a date to a ball on my birthday. Well, I always have Ted as a last resort.
"So who are you going with?" Hale inquired, rubbing her eyes.
"Ted!"
Oh.
Oh.
Well, why not? Ted was just about the bachelor, and they'd been on the Gryffindor team together for years. Ted was exactly Caitlyn's type, and she was a nice girl he knew he could trust. So why not?
I'll tell you why not. What about me? Who the hell was I supposed to go with now?
"Just as friends, though." The words weren't supposed to, but they unclenched my stomach.
"That's fantastic, Caitlyn," I congratulated, for a lack of better things to say.
"Well, Vic, who are you going with?"
"I just told you, I completely forgot about this. I have to start looking now," I moaned. Caitlyn looked around the room.
"Don't tell me," she gasped, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Theri isn't back yet? She's still out with Luke?"
Hale and I nodded, both our faces impish. "I do hope she doesn't cross any big lines, though," Hale noted. Caitlyn was ecstatic.
"This is so great, this thing between them. Wonder how none of us ever saw it. I wonder where they are. Maybe the astronomy tower, or near the lake on the tree-covered side. Empty classrooms are probably too risky for our dearest Prefect's tastes."
"So you're not angry at all?" I asked tentatively. She looked shocked.
"Why would I be angry?"
Hale shrugged. "Well, won't you suppose this thing between them is the reason why he, you know, said no to you?"
Caitlyn looked at us as if we were insane. "Why should I care? They obviously love each other much more than I'd ever felt for Luke, so of course they deserve to be together. And to think now we don't even have to listen to them fight! It's all perfect." And that was why we loved good ol' Caitlyn.
As if on cue, Theri opened the door and entered, her face flushed. "So tell us," Hale urged as soon as she closed the door.
"We didn't do anything much, really," Theri admitted, but she was blushing as deep as her hair. "We talked a lot—don't think we'll ever stop teasing each other, you lot—" ("Teasing," scoffed Hale, "nothing but passive teasing, eh?") "–and well, had a little physical involvement, but it wasn't much. No, honestly!" she asserted when all three of us smirked. "And he's taking me to the ball, that's all."
Ugh, the ball. What would happen if I decided not to go? Well, that was easy. I would be slaughtered by my three best friends at first notice, no doubt about that. Besides, Mum had already lent me the dress, the same one that she had worn to the Yule Ball in her Triwizard Tournament year. It was knee-high and made of a beautiful, willowy, shimmery material and clung onto me perfectly. Even I, who had always been reluctant to flaunt my looks because of the taunting from Ted and Theri since early childhood, had admired myself in the mirror for a full twenty minutes when I first tried it on.
So, here was the dilemma: who to go with? If this was three weeks ago, the answer would've been easy. But now I was single, Rand had proved to be an idiot, Theri was going with Luke, and Caitlyn was going with Ted, I had no one who would go with me without making a huge deal out of it. I had no one I fancied (because what I'd been feeling for Ted was just him being too nice and me feeling lonely, and they were simply wrong signs sent at the wrong times), and I truly didn't feel like just going with some random guy.
Now what?
--
To my surprise, I had been assaulted by two requests to the ball by the end of the next day (had these guys completely forgotten about it as I had?), but I had turned the both down, seeing as I knew nothing more about them other than their names. Neither was in Gryffindor, nor had any classes with me as far as I knew. Why would they even want to go with me? They didn't know me any more than I knew them.
The May Second Victory Ball had always been quite an excitement. First of all, it was formal and everyone had to dress up. Secondly, we got the afternoon of the day off, for there was always a ceremony in the afternoon which the whole school had to attend to honor the heroes who had sacrificed their lives to the Battle of Hogwarts. We also got the following morning off, since they ball always lasted till midnight and wasn't always on a weekend. Thirdly, a date was pretty much required.
Sucked to be me.
Only third-years and above were permitted to attend, unless they had a date of the allowed age. I, however, saw Dom receiving a giant box from our mother one morning containing a teal silk dress. I walked over and asked her about it.
She blushed crimson. "Someone might've asked me," she muttered.
"What? Who?"
"Sean Thomas. I'm trusting Aunt Ginny on this."
"What d'you mean?"
"She dated his dad once, apparently."
"And how old is this Sean?"
"He's a third-year…"
"Is he the kid who hangs around Fred?" I squinted my eyes, trying to recall Fred and Molly's gang.
"Well, yeah…he said he likes my commentaries…"
"Well, don't let me catch you doing anything inappropriate—"
"Vic, go away and get a date," she shrilled, shoving me away. Gee, little sisters. How impolite and ungrateful. I was beginning to understand how Ted felt about Theri and me.
"Did I hear right, Vic?" A rather unfamiliar masculine voice sounded behind me. I turned to find the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, my date to the ball in my third year, and the guy who took my first French kiss, Daniel Ackers. "Victoire Weasley without a date, on the third day counting down to the ball?"
"Always the subtle gentleman, Dan," I didn't have as much to do with him after being caught snogging him by Ted, but we still exchanged a few words from time to time when our paths crossed.
"That is true," he was wearing a grin. Ackers wasn't handsome—not really. He wasn't bad-looking or anything, but he wasn't one of the truly gorgeous boys like Ted, Rand, or Davies were. He was incredibly fit, though, like any other Quidditch Captain. "How would you like to go to the ball with me, then?"
I widened my eyes at him. He couldn't possibly not have a date. He got good grades and he was the Captain, for Merlin's sakes. And scratch what I said before, he was handsome, just not beautiful. Well, I didn't really have a choice, did I? The ball was arriving more than soon, and apparently no one I actually talked to was going to ask me (or maybe they did and I threw the letter away, but whatever), so… "As friends?"
"Why not?"
"Okay then."
"Okay then." He walked back to his seat at the Ravenclaw table, seemingly satisfied. I pursed my lips and analyzed my situation. Hm, not bad at all. I allowed myself a quick smile before returning to my seat next to Theri, who was laughing alongside Luke. Perfect, I thought to myself. Case solved. Court is adjourned.
--
"Up? Or down?" I asked a Theri who was obviously not listening and carefully applying mascara to her lashes (she wasn't all that great with makeup). I turned to Caitlyn, but she was in the bathroom and was cursing over her nail, which was broken. Seeing that this was not a good time, I dropped my question on Hale, who pulled my hair up in a loose bun and then let it down.
"Up," she decided. "But loose. Leave a few strands. Not like Theri's."
Theri had miraculously managed to shape her wild red curls into a sleek, glossy, and elegant bun. Her dress was very simple in style, strapless, and was a very pale yellow. Her makeup matched (which she was cautiously applying over the mirror), and she was wearing a pair of petite diamond earrings and a necklace with a single diamond drop. She looked absolutely stunning.
Caitlyn had fixed her nail and was hobbling out, trying to pull on a pair of heels. Her dress was coral, which matched magnificently with her sandy hair, which she had clipped half up and allowed the other half to fall in wavy curls. She was looking highly graceful as well, if she wasn't jumping around on one leg with shoes dangling from her arms, and cussing maniacally under her breath. Hale was more grown-up than I'd ever seen her. Her dress was emerald and gleamed when she moved. She had straightened her already straight hair even more, and it looked unreal.
I had the dress on and everyone agreed I looked amazing in it; my earrings were given to me by Aunt Gabrielle for my last birthday, and the necklace for the same occasion by Grandma Delacour (they must've bought them together). I was sad to take off Ted's present, but it didn't really match everything else.
We were finally ready to descend down the stairs, and Ted and Luke were waiting at its end. Ted complimented all of us, but Luke only had eyes for Theri. He was staring at her with such awe in his eyes that she started laughing, linking her arm with his. Both of them were in black tuxedos, Luke with a dark red and gold tie (always the Gryffindor supporter) and Ted with a dark blue one that matched his hair. He winked at Theri, and then explained that it was her birthday present to him.
We climbed out of the portrait hole, and Hale and I met the Ravenclaws in the lobby. Ackers looked at me with admiration. He was also in a black suit, with (huh, I wonder) a silver tie.
"Why hello, milady," he bowed dramatically, and I curtsied with a mockingly sweet smile. "If I knew you were going to look like that, I would never had agreed to the friend part of all this."
I took the arm he offered. "Well, too late, my dear friend. Shall we?"
He shrugged and led me into the Great Hall, where everything was decorated dramatically luxurious as always. The walls were pale gold (Theri could blend in if not for the hair), and flamboyant flowers hung in the air, their colors vivid. Even the tablecloths were the same shade of gold, as well as the menus resting on the plate.
We joined Caitlyn, Ted, Hale, Peter, Theri, and Luke. The boys did not appear to mind the choice of companions at all, and we could enjoy without feeling selfish. After the highly filling meal, the dance floor opened and Professor McGonagall stepped in to lead the first dance with Professor Reed. After a minute, couples began to file in, moving along to the waltz. Theri pulled a mumbling Luke along, but he couldn't resist any of her suggestions with how she looked that night. Peter offered Hale his hand, and Ted and Caitlyn soon followed suit. Ackers' eyes wandered towards mine questioningly, and I raised a hand so he could take it.
After three songs, I pulled him to a stop. The previous two had been fast-moving tunes, and we were both breathing heavily. We settled back to our table to have a drink and to calm down, and moments later Caitlyn and Ted joined us.
"I noticed Theri and Luke have snuck out again," Caitlyn commented brightly. I looked at Ted, expecting a scowl or grunt, but he merely grinned good-naturedly.
"That's not fair," I told him as Ackers and Caitlyn began to discuss the Quidditch match in which Theri and Luke had kissed. "You burst like a freaking Wizard cracker when I snogged Winchcombe and you don't even do so much as frown when Theri and Luke are possibly sneaking about the school grounds at night?"
He shrugged. "I trust Luke. He's my best mate."
I arched an eyebrow. "So you don't trust my choice of boys?"
His eyes twinkled in amusement. "Don't be silly, Vic, of course I trust you. I know you liked him better than all your other little…flings."
"You speak as if I don't know the first thing about relationships."
"I don't either."
"I thought you claim to be the master of relationships, the God of emotional manipulation, and the ultimate magnet of women of all ages?"
Ted laughed heartily at this, again out of my expectations. "You flatter me, Victoire. I'll let you in on my little secret: I've never, ever loved any of the girls I've dated. I may have liked them, but I've never felt that I irrevocably and unconditionally loved one."
He turned his face away then, my cue for not replying. That was convenient, seeing as I had no idea what to say. I didn't love any of my boyfriends either? I might have had a chance to love Winchcombe but I never did and never will? I didn't think I would ever find someone I love within these enchanted walls? I love you, Ted?
Huh?
That did not just come out of my mouth.
Oh, it didn't.
That did not just come across my mind.
Did not.
I found myself blushing furiously, and wanted to slap my cheeks, only that would potentially appear odd to my companions. I distracted myself by endeavoring to join Daniel and Caitlyn's conversation. I was pleased and vaguely surprised to see that they weren't conversing at all, but instead both were doubling over with laughter at something one of them had said. I couldn't help but smile fondly at the sight of them, slapping their knees and pointing at each other unbelievingly.
"You—did not!" gasped Caitlyn.
"Yes! And—he didn't even—notice!" They both cracked up again, and Caitlyn tried to calm herself down by breathing evenly, but failed miserably.
When they had both subdued to being able to sit upright again (Ted was lost in thought, staring up at the stars in the sky of the charmed ceiling), I seized the chance of a new upcoming song to ask Daniel if he would join me. He looked pleasantly surprised and trailed after me to the dance floor, after a quick "be right back" at Caitlyn and a Ted who wasn't listening. I made sure we were standing in the middle of the bouncing crowd before I leaned into his ear.
"You should ask her to dance with you," I said, my voice muffled by the blasting music.
"What?"
"You should ask Caitlyn to dance with you," I repeated, turning up my voice by a notch. His eyes caught mine, full of hard surprise.
"Why?"
I laughed at his indifference. "You may not have noticed, but you two obviously like each other. Caitlyn hasn't shared that with a proper guy for some time and I really would like her to be as happy as she was tonight every night."
He shifted on his feet hesitantly. "But…I'm with you."
"As friends," I reminded.
Ackers pursed his lips in a manner that showed he was trying not to smile. "You know, I was sure I could change your mind about that 'friend' part by the end of tonight."
"You haven't failed, just change the target."
"What…what about Ted?"
"They're only here as friends, too." His shoulders relaxed, and he allowed the suppressed grin to spread across his face. He closed in the distance between us and gave me a tight hug.
"Thanks, Vic. You're great," he let go. "And you're a great dancer." I laughed, and shoved him lightly towards the direction of our table, and he obediently followed the trail with a final smile.
I strolled back to the table after I saw Caitlyn and Ackers approaching the dance floor, holding hands and looking ever so content. The table was, however, void of Ted when I sat back down. Instead, Hale and Peter were there in their seats sharing a butterbeer. Hale inquired about Caitlyn and Ackers, and I explained the happenings. She grinned brightly as she strained her neck to watch the new couple swaying together, and turned back to give me a double thumbs-up.
"Er, d'you know where Ted is?"
"He left before Ackers came back. He seemed to have guessed what you were going to do. Well, he told us to tell anyone who asks not to wait for him tonight, but didn't say where he was going to go… Where're you going?"
"No matter. I know where he is. See you guys later, alright?"
--
I exited the Great Hall and out the back archway, down the hills and stone stairs to arrive at the field facing the Black Lake, where the ceremony had been held the same afternoon.
I strolled along the dark field by memory, hardly being able to see anything except the glimmering reflections of the moon on the surface of the Lake. When my toe touched a hard, flat, substance, I knew I had arrived at my destination. I hopped over the wide squares of white marble set about two feet apart from each other, careful not to tread on any of them. As I got close enough, the light mist enveloping the Lake was no longer blinding me from the lone figure sitting in between two plates, staring off in the direction of the Lake.
I sat down next to Ted, taking a good look at him. He had turned his hair into a bright turquoise and his expression was quite…expressionless. He hugged his knees and looked directly forward, not showing any signs that I was there. I looked down at the plate between us, knowing what the engraved words were before I read and ran my fingers across them.
Nymphadora A. Tonks
I looked back up at Ted's profile. I suppose I'd never truly appreciated how beautifully arched his nose was. Parts of his face appeared to be glowing due to the reflected moonlight, and I glimpsed a gold glint on his neck that lasted no longer than a second that showed he was wearing the locket I had given him. Suddenly I burst out, "Your hair's turquoise."
He turned to me unnaturally slowly. "You knew it would be."
"I did. And I also remember the time when you held it turquoise all the time a few years ago."
"There was that period of time, yes."
"You also used to hold it a light brown with pink streaks as well."
A smile surfaced on his face. "I'm sorry anyone should remember."
"You were ten. I wanted them too, but my Mum, despite constantly grinning fondly at your head, wouldn't let me."
"You've got the most beautiful hair, Vic."
"Have it if you want."
"No thanks, but I've got something you should have." He reached for his neck and undid the chain, and passed me the golden locket.
"I thought you liked it," I murmured, fingering the necklace, hurt.
"Open it," he ordered simply. I did, and to my surprise, the picture inside wasn't of the turquoise-haired Ted, but instead of myself when I was one. I was chuckling in the picture, and had a small tuff of silver-blond hair on the center of my head. "Happy birthday," proclaimed Ted with a small grin.
"You bought a different one?"
"Correction, I bought the same one."
I broke his gaze, not knowing how to reply, but looked around at the Lake that he had been staring at previously. "It's full moon tonight."
"I realized." Well, it was hard not to. The moon was larger and appeared closer than I'd ever seen it; hanging so close to the Lake that I was sure if I had swam to the brim of the lake I could touch it. "You know, in a very, very small way, I'm glad he's not here anymore," Ted said unexpectedly. I turned my head and saw that he was stroking the name on the plate on his other side: Remus J. Lupin. "If he's here right now, he'd be…be…" he swallowed. "…A wolf."
"He wouldn't be suffering," I pointed out quietly. "There's the Wolfbane Potion for the pain and emotion control."
"That's not what I'm saying," his words rolled out in a tumble, and I was alarmed to find his eyes harden with anger. "All my life I'd been able to change my appearance at will, be whoever I wanted to be…imagine being turned into something completely different, something inhumane, both by appearance and nature, entirely against your will," his voice cracked. "Changed every month without fail to something so horrible…and the process…"
His left hand left the plate to brush by his cheek quickly. I knew he was wiping away a tear. "I'm not ashamed of it. I'm not ashamed of him being what he was. I'm not ashamed that I like my steaks rare or that I hate moon charts in Astronomy. I'm not…I'm not ashamed that my dad…was a werewolf."
I placed a hand on his. "And you shouldn't be."
He looked at me, his eyes still filled with moisture.
It was the most natural of things to do when I closed my eyes slowly.
--
AAH! I've planned this chapter since practically day one. It's a huge relief somewhat to finally let it out.
Unplanned cliffhanger, by the way.
