The ball

He had seen the girl before, but he was pleasantly surprised when the young woman walked in on her fathers arm. Her beauty was something to talk about. Her hair was black as the darkest night, and her lips were blood red, naturally even, if he wasn't mistaken.

He couldn't help to notice that the woman was slightly nervous, and he smiled. He would be too, if his father would present him to a whole hall filled with new people, not a familiar face in sight. Of course, that would never happen, seeing as his father was dead, and the fact that he knew all the people worth knowing already.

He looked at his best friend, Blasie Zabini, who was openly staring at the two who just had entered. Blasie had told him that he hadn't known about Julia until a few weeks ago, at Potters funeral. He had asked Blasie why, and gotten the answer that they seldom talked with John and Camille, seeing as they were so different from any other Zabini, and there was also the fact that she obviously had been in Romania, studying nearly all the time. Draco still thought it was quite fishy, but decided it was nothing, and that he would drop it at least for now.

Draco wondered if she would recognise him from the reading of the wills, and made a promise to himself to ask her later that evening, when the commotion around her had lessened a bit. He was a Malfoy after all, and a Malfoy was always discrete. Well, not always, but when it was needed.

Julia looked around for her father who had left her with a gang of giggling young women, and when she couldn't find him, she sighed and turned back to the conversation. Merlin, she wasn't any good at " girl-talk " She had just been a girl for some weeks for Merlin's sake.

"So, how's Romania? Any handsome boys?" Julia inwardly groaned. She had expected questions about her life in Romania, and her mother had told her to stick as long as she could to the truth, what that was supposed to mean.

"Well, there was actually, but I didn't have a boyfriend or something. But..." She was interrupted when she felt someone walk up behind her.

"Good evening ladies, can I borrow Ms Prince for a while?"

Julia was shocked to see Draco Malfoy of all people, and what was even more shocking was the fact that she wasn't displeased about it.

He held out his hand and asked in a pleasant voice. "Care to dance with me Ms Prince?" She gave him a smile and accepted the hand, letting him lead her out to the middle of the dance floor.

They took their positions and started to dance a slow waltz, and Julia found that she enjoyed herself quite a bit.

"Thank you for rescuing me Mr Malfoy, your timing was incredible." She said an a low melodic voice. Malfoy looked at her and smiled.

"No need to thank me Ms Prince, I am just glad I did you a favour. Tell me, why was you in need of a rescuer? As I could see, the company was quite nice, so why the escape plans?"

Julia blushed a bit and told him that the whole girl talk thing wasn't for her, that she was more used to talk to boys, despite her being a girl. Malfoy found this quite interesting, and asked he some casual questions about Romania and such, and Julia found them easy to answer, ans she had been reading so much about the country and the school.

The dance ended much to soon for her likening, and she thanked him for good company.

"The pleasure was all mine, I assure you, Ms Prince."

Julia smiled.

"Call me Julia, Ms Prince is too formal."

Draco smiled at her and Julia found herself smiling back at the sight. "In that case, call me Draco." She was amazed over how much Draco Malfoy had changed and she knew that she would see more of this man later.

"Mr Malfoy, do you intend to hold this lovely lady up all night, or can I ask her to dance with me?"

Blasie Zabini had stepped up to them, and was now looking at her with curious eyes.

"Blasie, I didn't know you could dance." came the mocking reply from Draco. Julia turned to Blasie. "Lead the way cousin."

Blasie took her by the arm and led her out on the crowded floor. He turned out to be a good dancer, and she guessed that it was something young pureblood boys learned at an early age. Maybe she, he, would have learned it from James Potter if they hadn't died.

"So, how come I haven't seen you before? I mean, we are cousins after all."

Julia looked at him when he spoke. They were much alike, he had the same hair, ad possessed the same natural grace. He also had the same blue eyes that her father had, and he had high cheekbones and thin lips.

"It's no secret that I am the heir of the Prince line, and that me and my mother is the only two left form the line. They wanted to protect me I guess. I tried to write you a few times, you are after all my only cousin, but they forbid me." Julia knew most of this was a lie form her side, but he couldn't know the truth, and she and her parents had made a few believable stories up. So far, it had gone according to their plans.

"Sounds like a hard life."

Julia smiled a bit. "You have no idea."

"So, what are you going to do now? I know you have to search for a spouse, but do you have anything else planned?"

Julia bit her lip. "Well, I need to get a job. I don't need the money mind you, but I need something to do. I can't sit around all day doing nothing."

Blasie seemed to be in deep thoughts. "One thing I don't understand. What did you see in Potter?"

Julia went a bit pale at this. This was the hard one where she could easily give herself away.

"Everyone saw him as a Hero, when all he wanted was to be normal. I met him during the summer holds, and we became friends. Mum and dad liked him, and they knew that I needed to marry sometime, and thought him to be a really good match. What I saw in him? Everything no one else bothered to see, or find out."

Blasie didn't ask any more about Harry the rest of the time. When they parted, Blasie had asked her out for lunch the following day, and she had accepted. After all, she needed friends right? And Blasie was now her cousin.

She looked around and found her mother and father dancing with each other on the dance floor. She smiled at the pair. They fitted together, and she was really thankful for what they had done for her, even if she was now going to marry within a year because of it.

Someone tapped her on her left shoulder, and she spun around. In front of her stood a quite tall young man with short brown hair and brown warm eyes. He smiled fondly at her and held out his hand for her to shake.

My name is Christian Ames, and I work for the ministry, taking care of the employment of the staff together with two others. I spoke to your father a few minutes ago, and he told me that you were in search for a job?"

Julia smiled and took his hand. "Yes, that's right. I haven't had any time looking for one since I came back from Romania."

Mr Ames asked her to dance and they stepped out on the dance floor. Julia's feet was quite tired already, not yet used to the shoes she was wearing, but she didn't complain.

"I would like for you to come to my office some day this week and I will see what I can do for you. We have a few spots open, and while I'm waiting for you to come, I will get your file and look at your grades and such, if that's ok with you?"

Julia smiled. "Yes, that's okay. If you don't mind me asking, everyone here so far has been so formal, how come you're not?"

He laughed. "Well, most purebloods comes from really old families. While the Ames are quite old, they are not that old, and therefore not as formal as others. Some sees this as a bad thing, and if I have offended you, I apologize."

Julia shook her head. "No, not at all. I think it's nice with someone who isn't. I myself tries not to be so formal, but when you are surrounded by it, you tend to change."

Julia found it quite odd that she could talk to this man this easily. She didn't even know him, and had only just met him. She was that kind of person who had a hard time trusting anyone fully, but with this man, she felt at ease.

Short, I know. But I promise I will make the next chapter longer. The ball isn't over yet.