Chapter 6. The Yule Ball
Finally the awaited Christmas Day had arrived. The Ball would start precisely at eight in the evening and most of the students had spent the whole day on getting ready for the night. Ven didn't bother to worry. Instead he sat in the common room, watching other Slytherins come and go in a rush. He had promised to pick up Sarida from the doors of the Great Hall when the Ball would officially begin. Maybe he would even be stylishly late.
Darius and Marcel chatted loudly in the very same room, waiting for their respective dates. Even Ven could freely admit that Lucinda Cross in her long misty white dress and natural curls looked attractive, tantalizing even, when she came from the girls' dorms. Like a modern Snow Queen or something like that. Acacia Rosier in her dark red, matching with Hawley's coal black suit, and Varvara Rycroft in night blue followed her but they remained on the shadows whilst Lucinda glowed like a morning sun. Darius' smile reached from one ear to another when Lucinda took his hand. June Carolina, a fifth year student, in her very un-Slytherin-like frilly pastel pink dress almost jumped on Marcel, giving him a kiss on his cheek. They were actually second cousins but since Evanna Cringe, the new Slytherin Seeker, had rejected Marcel and left Hogwarts for Christmas had Marcel asked his cousin. Nevertheless, Ven couldn't care less were they related or not.
"You coming?" Scorpius asked, fixing his bright green tie. Apparently neon colours were coming back into fashion. "It's quarter to eight already."
Ven gave a crooked grin. "I'm not in a hurry."
"You're going to make her wait, aren't you?"
"Maybe."
Scorpius sighed, rolling his grey eyes. "Well, I'll see you later?"
"Sure", Ven drawled. When I manage to ditch my date, he added silently and watched as Scorpius and a group of seventh and sixth year students left the relative peace and quietness of the Slytherin common room. Soon he would have to leave as well. Have to and have to, he groaned. He didn't actually have to. He could just stay where he was and let Rai handle the Ball without a date. Surely there were boys who would like to dance with her.
"Screw this", Ven cursed and got up. It was just one night anyway.
Alistair was pleased to get a break. Larkins had asked if he could dance with Layla for a moment and the petite Hufflepuff had agreed. Alistair sighed. Though dancing with Layla was easy, his feet were already killing him, and it wasn't even 9 o'clock yet.
"Here." Jeremiah handed Alistair a glass of punch and sat next to the blonde Hufflepuff.
"Thanks, JP." Alistair took a sip of the punch. Apple and cinnamon, and a hint of cardamom and mint, not a bad combination, he mused. "Where's Mathilda?" he then asked as he didn't see the tanned Ravenclaw girl anywhere near them.
"She went to bathroom with Eliza", Jeremiah replied. "And Layla…?"
"Dancing with Larkins", Alistair replied easily. He tried to find Layla from the crowd of dancers without success but instead he found someone else. "Is that Gennifer Parker with William?" Alistair asked suddenly. "That girl in black dress?"
Jeremiah scanned the crowd of dancing students and nodded when he finally found the couple Alistair was pointing at. "Oh, yes. That's Gennie", Jeremiah stated and emptied his glass. "Gennifer, I mean."
Alistair frowned. William and Gennifer were clearly enjoying each other's company. A bit too much actually, Alistair thought when he saw William's hand caressing Gennifer's cheek. Jeremiah laughed when he noticed the intense glare Alistair was shooting at Gennifer and William.
"Hadn't you heard Chastity broke up with Will over a letter?" he asked
"No", Alistair said, a little taken aback. "Neither of them had said me anything." His eyes wandered where the mentioned boy was waltzing with the Gryffindor girl. "William must be mad at her."
Jeremiah shook his head. "He's not, that's the point", he said. "I guess he and Chastity never really hit it off. And Will's had this terrible crush on Gennie since the hair colour incident. It's much better this way."
Alistair had to agree because, after all, what Jeremiah had said was true. William and Chastity's relationship had never been more than occasional snogging and Chastity talking about guys and flirting with them even when William was present. Now it seemed that from the start they had liked each other but it had never been more than a friendship instead of deeper feelings. They had just tried being together.
"It really is", Alistair said with a faint smile. Jeremiah nodded at that. Mathilda came back a moment later, taking Jeremiah with her back to the dance floor. Alistair chuckled at the stumbling, nerdy couple. But at least they were having fun.
"Mind if I sit here?"
Alistair grinned at Toby. "Since when have you needed permission for anything?"
"Sassy." Toby sat down and smirked. "Why are you sitting here all alone? Did Layla ditch you?"
"I'm taking a break", Alistair retorted and playfully punched Toby's arm. He left on purpose unmentioned the fact Layla was currently dancing with Larkins. "Where've you been whole night?"
"Drinking", Toby said. "And dancing. But mainly drinking."
Alistair rolled his eyes. "Figures. How much you've been drinking?"
"Not enough", Toby said simply before his face lit up. "But you can never guess what I just witnessed!" He pulled Alistair into a half-hug. "That dumbass Corner drank too much spiked punch and got in a fight with his upper class girlfriend and guess what! She left him! Ha-ha! Serves him right!" The explanation had a slurred edge and hiccup that followed meant only one thing.
"Seems like you drank the spiked punch as well", Alistair stated and uncurled from Toby's grip.
"Not the point, 'Listair", Toby hummed. "And it was good. It was all good. I feel better now."
That was the moment when Layla, alongside with slightly swaying Mary, decided to show up.
"Lizzie!" She whooped but when she noticed that her Ball date, and boyfriend, wasn't exactly alone she blushed bright pink. "Oh, Toby. Hi."
Toby gulped, his face awkwardly heating up as well. "Hi. Layla. I–" He suddenly made a sound of disgust and raised his hand over his mouth. "I don't feel so good anymore."
"Don't throw up here…!"
What a bad decision coming to the Ball had been.
The umpteenth song ended and Ven was already glancing around for an escape route. His fingers were getting numb because of the Gryffindor's death grip, his neck was itching because of the cravat, his cheek muscles were in pain because of the forced smiling, and as a result of sucky music and even worse company he just wanted to lock himself up in the Slytherin dorms. If he just could ditch Rai somewhere and–
"Hello, Sarida", the familiar blonde Slytherin said in a pleasant tone and tapped the girl's shoulder. "Can I borrow my friend for a moment?" Ven sighed. He didn't even remember when he had last been as happy to see Scorpius.
"Sure, I'll go get some punch", Sarida said with a bright smile and let go off Ven's hand. "But return him before the main event starts."
"Of course", Scorpius said pleasantly but when the girl was out the hearing range he snickered. Snickered! "You looked like you wanted to rather kiss the Giant Squid than dance a moment longer", he said, facing the threatening glare of Ven's.
Ven snorted. "And you realized that all by yourself? No wonder they call you smart", he mocked. "Thanks, though", he continued without the hostile tone when they walked out the Hall and out the castle.
"You're welcome." Scorpius sighed, sitting on the stairs in the cold winter air. "You didn't seem to have fun anyway."
"What gave it away?" Ven asked with a little grin and sat as well.
"Other than your face showing pure disgust?" Scorpius asked, raising one thin eyebrow. Ven shrugged, making Scorpius sigh. "If you didn't want to go with her then why–?"
"I don't have any particular reason", Ven stated. "Perhaps I wanted her to stop pestering me. Or maybe I just wanted to try reliving my painful dancing experiences. Or maybe, just maybe, I thought I could have fun. But enough of that, I'll be long gone before I need to return to the dance floor."
"So you really don't like dancing?"
"Not in particular", Ven retorted. "Which reminds me, why aren't you dancing?"
"Me? Oh. I kinda came here without a date", Scorpius said with a simple smile.
Ven stared at Scorpius like he had just grown another head. "Didn't you ask Potter's cousin to come with you?" he asked, surprised of how calm Scorpius actually was.
"I did", Scorpius stated easily.
Ven frowned. "Then why–?"
"Someone else had asked her first", the blonde explained. "And she had said yes."
"Well, go cut in", Ven prompted.
"It's not like it would matter", Scorpius explained. "We're not a couple."
"So have you finally given up?" Ven and Scorpius looked behind to see where the question had come from. Albus Potter cracked a grin. "Yo."
"I didn't think you'll be here", Ven remarked, noticing that unlike the two others, Albus was wearing his regular clothes instead of fancy dress robes. Albus shot him a glare and Ven smirked when Albus took a spot next to Scorpius.
"You're just happy to see me", Albus hummed and smirked as well. "But Scorp, really?" he sighed. "I knew how this was going to end. But would you have listened to me? Nah, I don't think so. What are you now, trying to keep your head up like that? You can cry you know. I'm only waiting for you to shed a tear."
Scorpius smiled warmly at Albus' antics. "Rose and I, we're still friends", he explained. "But I'm not after her. I still find her pretty and I like spending time with her but… She's not for me." He sighed. "And more importantly… she likes someone else."
"That's what I've told you since forever!" Albus exclaimed before the full message sunk in. "Wait what? Who? The Ravenclaw bloke she's dancing with?"
"They're just friends", Scorpius defended firmly like an overprotective brother.
Albus rolled his eyes. "All this time you spent fawning over her and that's how she pays you", he nagged. "Well, who does she like?"
"Sorry, I can't tell."
"What?! She's my cousin! Tell me!" Albus cried out and began violently ruffling Scorpius' hair. Scorpius squealed and tried to protect himself with no avail.
"She'll tell you when she's ready!" he laughed. "Stop it! You're messing my hair!"
"That'll be my sole purpose until you'll sing like a proverbial canary!"
Alistair walked Toby out from the bathroom, gaining mixed looks from the students they passed on the way back towards the Great Hall.
"How much did you drink?" Alistair muttered, helping Toby to walk straight.
"Too much apparently", Toby groaned. "My mouth tastes like shite."
"Not a surprise", Alistair sighed. "You just threw up. Want to go see Miss Perks?"
Toby shook his head. "Can't you just help me to the dorm?" he pleaded, his voice raw and hoarse. At least he now knew he shouldn't drink.
"I need to make sure Layla knows where we are", Alistair sighed. "Then we'll go back to the dorms and–"
"Oh, right, Layla." Toby snorted, interrupting Alistair. "Your pretty little girlfriend."
He made it sound like a string of curse words. Alistair rolled his eyes, knowing very well at Toby was drunk and he wouldn't most likely even remember what he was saying now when he wakes up from his own bed next morning. He made Toby sat down.
"Just wait here. I'll be back in a few."
Toby just huffed and Alistair took that as a sign to leave. Instead of the classical music the alternative wizarding rock blared from the speakers as the Flick through the Wall performed on the magically built stage. Alistair passed a very angry looking Sarida Rai and made his way through the crowd of happily screaming students, looking around for Layla. He felt immediate relief when tables were turned and Layla was the one to find him.
"Lizzie!" Layla grabbed Alistair's arm.
"Layla! I was just–"
"What?"
"I said–!"
"I can't hear you!" Layla yelled, beckoning her ears. She dragged Alistair from his sleeve to the other end of the Hall. "Where were you?" she asked when they were finally far away enough from the stage and could actually hear what they were saying.
"At the bathroom", Alistair explained quickly. "But listen, I was just looking for you and–"
"Lizzie." Layla cut in and stared at Alistair in all seriousness. "We need to talk."
And all the relief Alistair had felt a moment ago were flushed away in a blink of an eye.
The night was freezing and the three Slytherins had moved back in from the cold to warm up. Albus had given up on asking who the object of Rose's infatuation was when Scorpius had instead asked about Albus' own love life. Ven had smirked knowingly and the messy haired Slytherin had blushed, muttering something inarticulate under his breath. It wasn't that Scorpius didn't know as well; Albus' sneaking out the dorm at night wasn't a very well hidden secret even though, thanks to the Map and the cloak of invisibility, he hadn't gotten caught since the beginning of their third year.
It was nearing the midnight; the Ball would end in less than an hour and Ven was more than ready to follow Albus and Scorpius to the dorms where he would cherish his warm and comfy bed without the tasteless rock music reaching him. He wasn't that lucky.
"Zabini!"
Ven grimaced as furious Sarida marched towards him. The Wizard God was truly against him, he groaned. Sarida's voice was fuelled by anger and disappointment when she cried out what she probably had been thinking the last hour.
"You…! You arse!" she shrieked fiercely, her russet eyes slanted as she glared at Ven. "You ditched me! How dared you?!"
Ven just shrugged at that, not answering. Sarida was correct: he had indeed ditched her. Sarida waved her hands furiously and her curls fell unattractively from her bun as she continued to yell. She had all rights to be angry but it didn't mean Ven had to care. He didn't care about Sarida Rai an ounce more than he had cared about Acacia Rosier. He had disliked them both, stupid girls as they were in his eyes with their annoying girly habits and high-pitched voices. But at least Rosier had noticed that she and Ven would never become a thing and so she had left him alone and they had fixed their acquaintanceship in the classes and on the pitch. It had been a relief for both of them alike.
Sarida hadn't gotten that yet. And after all, Ven would never find Sarida worth pursuing, or even worth his time. Going to the Ball with her had been a mistake. Ven looked around the corridor, closing out Sarida's voice. Some other students were leaving already as well though the band was still playing. A group of Hufflepuffs, Ven recognized. He knew them by looks; they were from his year, and even if he didn't really remember their names they wouldn't go unnoticeable by him.
Alistair Nott instead was an exception since Ven remembered his name without even trying. He was helping up that noisy friend of his who had been sitting on the floor and leaning to the wall, appearing to be almost asleep. Ven watched the group carefully, perhaps he was even staring. He wasn't sure anymore. Upon seeing Ven, Nott waved at him and an uncertain smile appeared on his lips before he quickly turned away as Jones, the bumbling idiot who had apparently managed to drink too much, clung on his arm and almost made them both fall over.
"Look at me when I talk to you!" Sarida yelled, her face distorting into a feral grimace. Ven turned to glare at the raging Gryffindor. "Have you even listened to me?!" she cried out.
Ven gazed around the hallway. The Hufflepuffs weren't there anymore, and for some reason it angered him more than just having to talk with Rai. "For a start", Ven began bitterly. "You're hardly worth listening to. Secondly, your voice is giving me a headache."
Sarida gasped, her hand flying to cover her gaping mouth but Ven was far from done.
"I don't like your attitude. You're brash and irrational. You're too stubborn to notice the fault in your actions. Shortly, you're a bloody idiot."
"Why are you being so mean to me?" Sarida wailed, her rage fading by the blunt words and being replaced by a shock. Few students had stopped to listen to them and it only brought more fuel to the flames. Some older Gryffindor rushed back to the Great Hall.
"Because I don't like you", Ven snarled, baring his teeth as he answered the question. "Was that clear enough for you?"
He was simmering on the inside, scorching even, and telling what he was thinking instead of concealing it and just avoiding the problem made him feel good. It made him feel free.
There were tears on Sarida's eyes but she didn't let them fall. She was unstable and she took a feeble step forward before laughing manically. "Not like a Slytherin like you could ever understand how I feel!" she cried out as Glocksworth and Yale ran to her side and kept her from collapsing. "But I will make you understand! I'll make you like me back! You'll see! You'll like me!"
Ven grimaced, not bothering to even look at the Gryffindor girl when he left the hallway. He walked down the Slytherin staircase, gritting his teeth. He would never like her. She wasn't for him. Damn, he wondered if there ever would be anyone. Someone who wouldn't have completely different mindset from his, someone who didn't lack the empathy Ven didn't know he graved for. The common room was half-empty; only a couple of seventh year students were kissing on the couch when Ven entered the snake pit.
Scorpius and Albus were fast asleep. Ven loosened his tie and kicked off his shoes before falling on his bed, not even undressing from his dress robes. He stared the ceiling and deeply regretted ever getting involved with Sarida Rai.