The next evening, the girls' dormitory was in a frightening state with all the girls getting ready. The boys weren't as excited, but they were certainly nervous. Nikki looked at her plain reflection in the mirror in the community bathroom the girls had been allotted. She looked down at Hermione who was borrowing some of Lavender Brown's makeup, then back up at her pale, marble features.
"Do you think I should put on some makeup, Hermione?" she asked quietly.
"Hm?"
"Do you think I should put on makeup?"
Hermione looked at her friend for a moment and back down at the makeup. She then turned and asked the question to Lavender.
"Maybe a touch of eyeliner to accentuate her dear little eyes," she responded cheerily. She reached into her bag and pulled out a black pencil. "I think this would be the right color. Would you like me to help you?"
Nikki nodded without saying a word. Lavender went to work, carefully smoothing the pencil along the very edge of Nikki's eyelids and flaring it out a bit at the end. She then reached in her bag and pulled out a flaming red lipstick.
"This will go perfectly with your dress," she promised, applying it to Nikki's lips.
"Thanks, Lavender," Nikki whispered as she reached up and tousled her hair softly. The black waves fell into her face slightly before cascading over her shoulders and down her back. "You've been a great help."
"It's time to go meet our dates," one of the other girls giggled as she rushed out the door.
Nikki took a deep breath before following. Her heels clicked on the stone floor of the hallway. When she came to the staircase, she halted for a second. Why was she nervous? She didn't really know. She had a strange feeling that something rather bad was going to happen. But she shrugged it off, held her head high, and glided down the stairs.
Meanwhile, the boys were waiting at the Great Hall. Ron was hiding behind a pillar.
"C'mon, Ron," Harry grimaced as he tried to usher his friend out into the open. "They're not that bad."
"They look like a dress!" Ron exclaimed. "I will not let Nikki see me like this!" Ron's mother had sent him traditional dress robes for the dance. They were brown velvet and had ruffles at the end of each sleeve. The collar was ruffled too and he had a giant bowtie perched at the top of it.
"It's not like she's a stranger," Harry groaned. "She's your girlfriend already. She's not going to care what you're wearing as long as you're down here to greet her. And if you're not, she might get mad. So get out before…Ron! She's here!"
Ron stumbled out from behind the pillar and looked at the girl at the top of the stairs. If it had not been for her sharp, distinctive features, he would've punched Harry in the nose for lying to him. But no, the girl at the top of the stairs was Nikki. Her red and black dress perfectly blended with her milky-white skin and jet black hair. Her blue eyes sparkled through the dark outline of black around them and her eyelashes framed the oval-shaped orbs in a way that made Ron go weak in the knees.
"God she's gorgeous," Ron whispered, his voice cracking slightly. He grabbed Harry's shoulder and pulled him over. "I don't think I can do this."
"Yes you can, Ron," Harry rolled his eyes. "Just relax. Believe it or not, that is actually the girl you've been dating for a little over a month."
"She is?" Ron mumbled absently. "I would never have even begun to guess that she was…I mean I knew she was beautiful, but…Bloody hell."
"Tell her that," Harry chuckled before patting his friend on the back. "Here comes Hermione. I'll see you inside." Harry, Hermione, and the rest of their group disappeared into the Great Hall.
Nikki slowly walked down the stairs and stopped in front of Ron. He was staring at her, wide-eyed, so she shifted in her dress uncomfortably.
"Erm…Hi," she smiled.
"Hi," Ron breathed. "You look…amazing."
"Thanks…So do you."
Ron seemed to notice his traditional dress robes again and blushed fiercely.
"Sorry. Erm…I hope they don't embarrass you or anything."
"Nonsense," Nikki laughed. "You look quite dashing. Like an old painting. Very distinguished. Very mature." She reached up and straightened Ron's bowtie before running her hands up to his shoulders. "Now c'mon. Everyone's been waiting for this dance. Let's see what all the fuss is about."
Ron offered his arm and Nikki rested her palm on the top of Ron's hand. He felt so warm compared to her. Nikki smiled up at him before he led her into the Great Hall.
The place had been enchanted to look like a forest in the middle of winter. The dance floor looked like a frozen pond. Nikki's eyes sparkled as she took in the sight. Ron's eyes jerked over to the buffet and he drooled a little bit at the many types of foods set out. There was a huge bowl of reddish-pink punch that many students were getting drinks out of. But the bowl kept replenishing itself. Suddenly, a light waltz began to play. Ron turned to Nikki and offered her his other hand.
"Care to dance?" he winked.
"I'd love to," Nikki smiled.
Ron whisked her to the floor and placed his hand on her waist. Nikki rested her hand on his shoulder and he began to lead her around the floor. Ron didn't let on that he thought he wasn't that good of a dancer. But the pair of them glided around the dance floor like they were on air. Ron even lifted Nikki into the air with such grace and finesse it would've made a swan look like a clumsy oaf. When the song stopped, everyone clapped for the musicians. Nikki stood on her tiptoes and whispered in Ron's ear.
"Do you want to meet me outside?"
Ron looked shocked, but slowly nodded.
"I'm going to go grab some punch and I'll be right there," Nikki purred, cupping Ron's face in her hands.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Ron asked.
"No I'll be fine. You go find a nice quiet spot," she winked before heading off to the refreshments table.
Ron slowly walked out of the Great Hall, but once he was out of sight, he leapt up and began to dance around happily. He practically skipped outside to wait for his girlfriend.
Back in the Great Hall, Nikki was getting that glass of punch. She turned around and held her hand up to her mouth, breathing a puff of air and sniffing to make sure her breath didn't smell gross. When she was certain that she was in kissing condition, she ladled a cup of punch into one of the crystal goblets set out for the purpose. When she turned to survey the scene, she found herself face to face, once again, with Draco Malfoy.
"What?" she spat irritatedly. "I really don't have time for this." She set her goblet down on the table behind her and folded her arms across her chest.
Draco surreptitiously slipped his hand into his pocket and withdrew the bottle of pearly-white potion. It was still warm and it had grown stronger over the month. He had made sure that it was close to Nikki in every class they had together. He reached his arms around Nikki who pressed her hands against his chest in an attempt to shove him away.
"Now, now, pet," he grinned slyly, "where's your Christmas spirit?" Behind her back, he uncorked the bottle and felt around for the lip of Nikki's goblet.
"Must've left it in my other suit," Nikki sneered.
Draco pressed against her, finding the glass and bringing the bottle of potion closer to it. He flipped his blonde hair out of his face and brought his mouth closer to Nikki's.
"What a pity there isn't any mistletoe right about here," he whispered lecherously. "What a perfect excuse to kiss you again that would be."
Slowly, he tilted the bottle, spilling the contents into Nikki's punch.
"Get off me," Nikki growled. "I have somewhere I need to be."
"Fine," Draco scoffed, pulling back and stuffing the empty bottle back into his pocket. He reached behind Nikki and produced the goblet. "Your punch, I believe."
Nikki grabbed it away from him and waited until he had walked away before putting the glass to her lips and drinking the whole thing in a few gulps.
From across the room, Draco watched as Nikki set down the glass and began to head for the door. For a second, his face fell. Perhaps the potion didn't work. Then, suddenly, Nikki's face turned as white as snow and she looked slightly ill. She backed away from the door. Perfect. Draco stepped forward and walked up to her.
"Are you alright?" he asked, feigning concern.
Nikki didn't say anything, but looked up at him. Her eyes were shining and she slowly reached up and touched his face.
"Yes," she whispered. "I…I feel…"
"Like you were hit by a ray of purest sunlight?" Draco smirked. "I know. Care to take a walk with me?"
Nikki nodded dumbly, leaning on Draco as he led her outside. His arm was tightly wrapped around her waist. Their footsteps crunched in the snow. Quickly, Draco sought out a secluded place. When he found one behind a large pillar, he stepped behind it, taking Nikki with him.
From behind a pillar a few feet away, Draco saw a tuft of red hair stir. He smirked inwardly, knowing that his plan was working out even better than he had expected. He waited for a moment, counting down the seconds…Three…Two…One…
Nikki latched her arms around his neck and pulled herself up to plant her lips squarely on his. Her kiss was rough and passionate and Draco had a hard time pulling away. But he somehow managed.
"Nikki!" he exclaimed. "Aren't you Weasley's girlfriend?"
"I can't be without you, Draco, darling!" Nikki cried as she moved in for another kiss. Draco dodged and tried to unlatch her arms from around his neck.
"But why? Didn't you have any feelings for Weasley?" he asked slyly, putting emphasis on the word to engrain the question and the coming answer into the eavesdropping Ron's mind.
"All my feelings for Ron have melted as the snow in spring!" Nikki wailed as she struggled to throw her arms around Draco again. "And such melting has made way for the blooming flower of my passion!"
"But why should I trust you?" Draco purred, running his hand teasingly up the side of Nikki's face. "If your affections are so flightily given and given again, how am I to know how long your love will last?"
"Draco, please!" Nikki screamed pitifully. "Your hair is like golden silk! Your eyes are like the foggy mist that shrouds the grounds at dawn and I lose myself within them equally as much! Draco, I love you!"
Draco smirked and grabbed Nikki by the shoulders. Her hopeful eyes shined up at him as he leaned in close enough for his lips to tantalizingly brush against hers as he spoke.
"You love me, eh? Then show me."
He pressed his lips to hers and ran the tip of his tongue against her bottom lip. This time, instead of pulling away, Nikki embraced him back and Draco felt sweet euphoria as the girl's mouth opened slightly and her tongue met his. He reached up and held the back of her head in his hand and buried his fingers in her black, silky tresses. His other hand pulled her waist to his before sliding down and resting on the small of her back. Nikki's hands ruffled Draco's hair and she stood on her tiptoes to press herself against him as hard as she could.
As they were kissing, Draco listened into the night. He heard a high-pitched, yet low-volume whimper and the sound of someone's retreating footsteps blundering through the snow. He had won. Triumphantly, Draco smiled into the kiss and allowed his mind and body to fall into the ecstasy that was flooding his veins.
