AN:

I managed to salvage the begining of ch 14. by stroke of luck i used my bro's laptop to write it. Tralalala...sigh. this'll do for now i guess eh!. its still 2000+ words :)

Thank you Ebbe04 for always reviewing:)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

December 31 afternoon.

Much to Stella dismay, she had idiotically let Elena do her hair for the party. She was being prodded by the 16 year old brunette about letting her hair have split ends. She honestly didn't care. They had an hour before the party and Parker was already done getting ready and was lounging downstairs with Stephania and Carl making it difficult for the elves to finish their jobs. Jeff was locked away in the library doing his papers or just trying to get away from their grandmother. He too was already done. Stella was the only one not done, aside from the older people that is.

An hour later after much discussion and a vote from Cal and Paullina, Stella had come out on top and was saved from the hair spray and make up of Elena. Not long after they were sitting at the top of the stairwell watching at the guests arrived. Most were politicians and their families. Then some old family friends and much to Stella's annoyance the Flint's were one of them/ She had met the grandparents quite sometime ago, but they rarely brought their grandchildren and if they did they always brought the only granddaughter. This year though, much to Stella's annoyance was no other than Mike. Groaning loudly she stood up quickly to call Jeff but made a mistake of not making sure that she wasn't stepping on her dress. Wide eyed as she was, she tried to remain still. Thanks to the running Carl, she had tipped over and rolled down the staircase into Mike Flint's arms. Madam Catalan let out a squeak as she fussed over the possibly injured granddaughter leaving her guests alone for a moment.

"Grandmamma I'm fine….Dont…"

"Estelle you sure you are okay? Why on earth did you fall?"

Stella was about to say something (still in flint's arms) when Mike himself said "Well well, Weasley finally falls into my arms, if only it was reality. Maybe I'll even get lucky and get you to dance with me tonight". She looked up to see Mike smirking like the damn Cheshire cat and wanted nothing else but hex his skin purple to complete the look. While she's at it, she'll also like to add a tail.

"Bite me Flint" said Stella pushing herself off the boy's arms. The two were glaring at each other when Madam Catalan said "Well I didn't even need to introduce you two. Stella dear this is the young man I was talking about" indicating Mike who was still smirking at her. Mike though didn't know that it was Stella he was going to escort that night. He actually wanted to meet Paullina Silverio-Montilla's daughter, Elena, just because she was the daugther of Alejandro Montilla.(Spain's own legendary chaser, second to Madam Catalan)

Stella looked wide eyed at her grandmother and groaned out a "Wha...but I agreed to it thinking that it be one hot Spanish guy. Not HIM!" like she was 10 year old, one of her feet stomping in annoyance too. She totally forgot that she was in front of her grandmother's friends. Madam Catalan gave her eldest granddaughter a good glare before saying "Well dear its Michael."

Stella was about to interject when Mike piped up "Don't worry Madam Catalan, I'll be her escort as long as she promises I'd be alive and not bruised after the night is done". The 17 year old girl just mocked talking like Mike and frowned loathsomely at her supposed escort. Seeing that her grandmother might just snap at her, she took a good look at Mike's offered hand.

"..FINE…just you wait till we get back at school" said Stella grudgingly taking the smirking Mike's hand.

As expected the grandchildren were seated at a separate table as the older people. Annoyed still Stella jabbed her quail annoyingly as Mike flirted with Elena. Jeff noticed it and kicked his twin underneath the table. Excusing themselves the two headed to into the foyer to talk.

"Hey, I don't like being stuck with that pug faced girl either. But I'm being civilized. Of all people why Marie Geodes!" said Jeff. Just saying the girl's name made him shiver. She really had this huge crush on him since they were 9.

"That's easy for you. It's not you two are arch enemies" Stella said as she peeped inside to see Mike looking her way. She felt herself blush and kept on coughing, hoping that it would distract her thoughts of how Mike looked good that night.

"Well, I know she fancies me but I like Maggie-"

"YOU WHAT! Oh my god! YAY!"

"Not the point. Be civilized to Mike. He's not that bad"

"….well Ellie seems to like him.." sulked Stella.

"You sure you hate the guy, you look like your sulking out of jealousy" Jeff chuckled.

"..course not!"

"well…..i don't know if I'm wrong to say that you are getting mad because he's giving his attention to Ellie…and not you" informed Jeff. Whenever he did this his mother always said "now don't you remind me of you father when he likes to analyze things…..".

Stella told her twin to drop it and Jeff just laughed and he would as long as Stella stopped being mean to Mike. "Stop jabbing things"

The two walked back to their table. After dinner dancing started and Jeff being the gentleman he is asked the girl he was escorting that night to a dance. Elena had taken her escort and danced leaving Mike and Stella alone at the table as Carl, Steph and Parker had instigated to go bother their grandfather.

"You know, you shouldn't sulk you'll get wrinkles" Mike said as he looked at Stella. To be honest, if she was so unhappy and that he was ruining her night he would've just decided to disappear from her side. But seeing that she was sulking even more when he totally just ignored her, he decided to stick around. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin her night. He really did like her that much. Maybe even more.

"Stella, if I may call you that, I hate the fact that you hate me. How bout this"

Stella looked at him oddly and cocked her brow at him.

"I promise to be civilized."

"As if" snorted Stella. Mike looked ahead to see Madam Cal and Mr. Weasley dance laughing at what ever they were talking about. "I think your scared to find that I'm not that bad" drawled Mike. Could be a stupid thing to do, could be a good thing, Either way, he going to get to dance with Stella or he's going to get plastered a fresh set of hexes. Judging from her reaction he was going to get the latter.

"I am not!" exclaimed Stella. Hook-line-sinker, he got her. Mike smirked confidently at Stella and said "Then dance with me you coward"

"I…argh I hate you…." huffed Stella as she stood up and walked to the dance floor. Swishing around she looked at Mike and said "I thought I was the coward here…come on Flint. Lets get it over with". Mike could only think of one thing SCORE!

Mike trailed behind her checking her out slightly. Somehow the silk gloves on her arms was a turn on he didn't think he had at all. He could imagine himself taking it off slowly to reveal her smooth hands...kissing her hand up to her lips...but he stopped there. Actually if Jeff knew legimens he would've already been salvaged (an:1) by the Weasley Clan for his impure thoughts about their dear Stella. Every time he saw her he imagined her kissing him, or worse sometimes even more than just kissing. Hey so he was a normal 17 year old. But his attraction to the female Weasley was far more than just lust. He loved the way she smiles, whenever she does in front of him. He loves the way she laughed, a very infectious laugh. He loved how she thinks; she was yet to be the biggest adversary he had in quidditch. He hates to see her looking so down, so he teases her and this somehow makes her upbeat through anger though, but after each scruff they had she always felt better. He just likes her that much. Sure there had been other girls he fooled around with, but it was due to frustration. He only had one girl in mind and the reason why none of the other relationships survived was because every time he kissed the girl he always saw Stella in the girls place.

Much to Stella's surprise Mike was a good dance, he even knew how to do the paso doble when I was played. When the song ended everyone clapped at the big band performing. Stella looked up at Mike and smiled, he wasn't that bad after all. A tango came on and Stella watched as her parents walked to the dance floor. Her father seemed to be trying to reason himself out of the dance. Stella giggled as she watched her mother glare at her father. She always found her mother good looking and she always found that her father loves her mother alot. As she watched them she realized that she wanted something like that, her parent's relationship. It was fair and apparently lasting. She felt a tug on her glove covered hand and she looked down to see Parker standing there. "Hey mind if I take away Mike, Estelle"

"Nah take him…"

"Okay. Well Signor Flint lets dance. Jeff has been taken hostage by grandmamma who insists he dance the tango with her. Carl doesn't know how to tango! My way at least…come on Mike…pick me up!" piped in the giddy 12 year old. Stella was sure Parker had a sip of vodka or something. Parker can hold her alcohol, even for a 12 year old, she could possible drink a glass of champagne and still be not "giddy".

Mike laughed and bent down to the 12 year olds height (5'2) and picked her up. Stella watched as Parker's feet dangled whilst Mike was pretending that he was dancing with a doll. She couldn't help but smile. It seems that Mike was almost like another older brother to Parker. Stella opted to go back to her seat. She watched as Jeff squirmed when their grandmamma introduce another 'lovely' young lady to him. She looked around and sighed. Maybe she should've danced with Mike. He was good company. Fidgeting with her lovely lavender dress she zoned out. Only to snap out when she felt a tap on her shoulders. She looked up to see her father standing there smiling. "Hey papa"

Percy sat down and sighed, "I think I'm too old to be married to your mother. She still has energy of a 20 year old"

"That's funny cuz you know you look 50 while she only looks like she just turned 30"

"Rub in a bit more will you. Lets hope you get her genes on that aspect or else you be old and wrinkly like your old man" Percy said as he smiled at Stella. He somehow imagined her as the 5 year old child who got lost in the louver for 2 hours before they found her sitting in front of the Mona Lisa. She was just sitting there staring at the painting. It was the year the whole family lived in France for a year due to the fact that Cal had been offered a job at the Louvre as one of their curators went into a year sabbatical.

"Lets hope not." Stella laughed. What ever age she was she always with her dad she felt like she was a little girl. This bothered her, it bothered Jeff even more.

"Why aren't you dancing?"

"I lost my escort to Parker"

"Oh….I see. Well seeing as you are bored, and I am without your mother as of the moment as she has saved your brother. Lets dance." Percy said as he stood up and offered a hand to his daughter. Stella took her father's hand walked to the dance floor.

Percy and her danced till the end of the song when Percy had gone and asked Mike if he could take away his youngest daughter. Parker snickered and nodded as she was put down on the floor again. "Aw man…my dress is wrinkled. Mama will get mad!"

Percy took out his wand and charmed the fabric to straighten before dancing with Parker leaving Stella standing there with mike. The song came up and it was a slow waltz.

"Uhm…do you want to dance again. I know I said one dance…"

"Nah its okay." Said Stella as she stepped nearer to Mike. Obliging the boy placed his hands on the right spot and started to waltz with Stella. Mike smiled down at Stella, he rarely saw her this soft. She always looked mean in the field, but a cute mean.

Not paying attention the two didn't notice their grandmothers at the side talking. Madam Catalan and Mrs. Flint was saying how the two looked good. They watched as their two grandchildren danced slowly to the waltz and commented at how they were the alike. Madam Catalan then caught sight of her oldest dancing with her oldest grandson. She smiled warmly as she thought Maybe I didn't screw up things after all. After the song change Jeff had taken Parker and Cal danced with Percy. It was by chance that the couple was dancing near Paullina and her husband. She smiled even more seeing that both of her daughters were happy in their marriages. She watched as Paullina broke into fits of laughter as Cal hit Percy at the back his head. She could only imagine at what Percy said to prompt that action. Madam Catalan didn't even notice that Mrs. Flint had gone to dance with her husband. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked around to see her own husband.

"Jullietta….may I have this dance?" Jerome asked as he offered his hand. Madam Catalan smiled and took his hand. As they danced she whispered "You may have all the dances in my life time love"

------------

AN:

Salvaged- could mean two things

A) it could mean to save whats left of something

or in slang (mobster!)

B) a hired hit where the victim is often found dead with a sack on their heads either: shot, stabbed, or tortured: to death.

How do i know this? LMFAO, dont ask. I swear I'm just an anthrolopogy major. I'm not a mobster :)

thanks for reading and please review!