This is the longest chapter I've written thus far. Hope you guys like it! I have the rest of the chapters written up, I'm just editing them. :) Also check out my new story about the Marauders, The Marauder That Could. They're my favorite after Kallie! Enjoy :) The Kallie scene is for MelodyPond so enjoy Mel :)
Once upon a time in Hogsmeade Katie Bell was going to be a princess. Her fairy friends, Rosie and Leanne were helping getting ready for the ball. She gasped as Leanne brought out the glory that was going to be her persona for the night. The yellow gold dress gleamed, an almost exact replica of the dress Katie had been dreaming of since she was 5 and her mom had read her the story of Beauty and the Beast for the first time. It has been Katie's favorite princess since then and her dad had always jokingly called her his little Belle.
"Remind me why you love this dress again?" Leanne asked looking at the dress. "It's a bit puffy-"
"It's perfect!" Katie nearly squealed revolving around the dress. "I can almost pretend I'm her and Terrence is my prince! Not as the beast of course, because then that would mean -"
Katie snuck a glance at Leanne who was too engrossed in the list that she had made for them. Once upon a time Katie had thought that Terrence had a crush on Leanne. Ever since the muggle field trip she couldn't help but feel that Terrence was hopelessly love with Leanne and that she was coming in between them. So then she had forgotten Terrence, so that he could make a move on Leanne but instead he had asked her to the ball. And Leanne was completely ok. She didn't like Terrence, she had made that clear, and Katie was relieved. She didn't know what she would do if that hadn't been the case. Of course she did, she would readily sidestep for her best friend.
Leanne shook her head. "Well that's the last of the things we need. Rosie?"
Rosie looked up from where she was sitting on a toadstool. She was just Rosie now. With so many people in Hogsmeade no one would recognize her. "Hmm?"
"I think we're good here." Leanne said. "Let's get back to the castle. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day."
Katie was all grins and giggles as they headed back towards the castle. Here and there Hogwarts students were busy getting the last of their gowns and dresses for the Yule Ball tomorrow. Even the guys were shopping, or asking girls advice on what to do. Some were trying to score themselves a last minute date. Katie shivered as the wind blew into their faces. Leanne snuggled deeper into her scarf and Rosie's wild curls were flying everywhere.
"And I'm thinking maybe some barrel curls for your hair, since Belle has them too." Rosie was saying not looking where she was going.
"Hey careful there." Randall Bishop and Courtney Dunce stood in front of them bundled up in coats and scarves.
"Hey Katie! Leanne! How are you guys?" Courtney asked smiling brightly.
"Great. And you?" Leanne asked courteously.
"Awesome!" Courtney said. "Randall and I were just going to get some drinks at the Three Broomsticks. Care to join us?"
"Sure!" Rosie said as Katie and Leanne whipped their furious heads to her. "Why not?"
"Are you kidding me?" Katie asked. "You're not Rachel right now! You're Rosie and Courtney is a Ravenclaw! She'll figure out somethings wrong!"
Rosie laughed airily. "You worry me Katie. You're beginning to sound like Leanne."
Leanne scoffed. "I brought some poly, just take it, and we'll say we found Rachel and invited her too. Besides I didn't even think Courtney looked at you."
"Leanne!" Katie cried but reluctantly followed them to the Three Broomsticks.
"5 butterbeers please. Make one with less cream, thank you!" Randall told the kind bartender who was at the ready for their order.
"Were you guys shopping for your dresses? I assume you're going to the ball." Courtney asked.
"Of course." Katie gushed. "I've got mine and Leanne's already has hers from-"
"A friend. A pen pal." Leanne said as Katie added. "One that I didn't even know existed."
"And you're going to the ball as well?" Randall asked Rosie who had turned into Rachel. "Yes. Leanne's my date."
Leanne laughed. "We're going solo. What about you guys?"
"We're going together." Courtney grinned as Randall looked embarrassed.
"Aww so cute!" Katie gushed. Was she gushing? Oh god she needed to stop. "I'm going with Terrence from Slytherin!"
"Oh really?" Courtney gasped. "He is handsome."
"I heard Emily got asked by one of the Durmstrang boys." Leanne added.
"Yeah and one of the fourth years tried to ask Fleur Delacour. Needless to say he was rejected."
"I wonder who Victor Krum is going with."
The conversation revolved around who asked who and Katie wanted nothing to do of it. She was too engrossed in her day dream of her and Terrance dancing. Courtney excused herself to go see a friend and Rosie immediately became talkative.
"So you asked Courtney?" Rosie asked Randall who shook his head and said quickly. "No, she asked me."
"Interesting. Do you guys like each other?" Rosie asked curious before Leanne could reprimand her for asking such a question.
Randall obviously didn't expect this. "We're – friends."
"Ahh." Leanne said not sure of what to say now that Rosie had asked.
"Well don't let that hold you back." Rosie said carefree. "You're a free guy, do whatever you want. Be yourself for the night, and dance with whoever you want."
And with that advice they made an excuse and headed back to the castle. Katie couldn't hold back her excitement for tomorrow and before she knew it, she was dreaming of a waltz underneath the candles.
And of course she woke up late. Katie cursed. No one had cared enough to wake her up. They were all too busy themselves. Dresses were laid on the bed and everyone was out of sight. Jewelry, makeup and candy wrappers littered the floor. Allisons diary was on the ground, and on any other day Katie would not have let it be like that. She would have jumped at an oppurtunity to read every page of it, but not today.
"Allison Peters, you are a very lucky girl." Katie said and shut the diary closed. She crawled under the bed, transformed the trunk into her wardrobe, pulling out the dress and hugging it ferociously. Leanne had left her a note saying that she and Rosie had to get some last minute things done and they would meet her at the Ball. It was addressed to "The Belle of the Ball.
"Here goes nothing." Katie said and slowly opened her eyes. She had spent almost 3 hours here. Hermione had been there for the past 2 hours doing god knows what but no one had seen her since then. And Katie had acted fasted claiming it before anyone else could act.
The girl in the mirror was smiling at her and Katie wondered if she had ever truly felt happy until this point. Her brown hair was in an up do just like Belle's, with barrel curls at the end like Rosie had suggested. Her makeup was done to mimic Belle's look and Katie looked towards the note on top of Leanne's.
Meet me by the stairs. – Terrence.
She was nervous all of a sudden. Why should she be? Terrence liked her, however she was. She had nothing to worry about. And with that she headed towards the stairs. She was Belle. Pious. Beautiful. Smart. Graceful.
"Owww!" Katie groaned. She could feel a bump where she had hit the wall. So much for makeup.
"You okay? Katie!?" Oliver was looking at her like she was an idiot. He was dressed in dress robes. Royal blue with golden trim. His hair was combed for once. Katie eyes widened. He actually looked sort of nice, not that she would ever admit it to him. Wood. Never.
"I know, I know. Watch where I'm going and yada yada. Sorry Ollie, not all of us are perfect like you." Katie grinned rubbing her head. "Where's Wilder?"
"Oh you know, powdering her nose and such. But you sure you're ok?" He was looking concerned. Aww. Maybe if he was like this during the games where Katie was worse than injured she might actually like him.
Then she was struck by lightning. "Oh Ollie, Rosalinda didn't just go to powder her nose. She wants you to find her!"
Oliver looked like he was considering this. "Nah Rosalinda's not like that."
Katie shook her head. Oliver was so clueless sometimes. Katie hitched her dress up and sat down carefully on one of the steps. "Look Oliver. I'm going to explain it to you because honestly I don't know if anything besides Quidditch actually goes into your head."
Oliver sat down next her with a confused look.
"Rosalinda's a girl. She's obviously getting ready for the Ball, and she's spending her whole day trying to look pretty enough to impress you and make you think she's pretty-"
"I already think she's pretty." Oliver said. Katie had the urge to roll her eyes, but Allison said that would ruin her makeup so she kept it in.
"I know that Ollie. But she wants to look even prettier. So of course she's going to spend more time than usual getting ready so that when you see her you start looking like a fish out of water because she looks great and you can't take your eyes off of her. So of course she's not just going to come down so easily. She wants you to come to her."
Oliver nodded. "I think I- don't understand."
Katie laughed despite herself. She could feel her makeup getting ruined but she didn't care. "You're so clueless sometimes. I should get you a book on girls instead of the millions of Quidditch books you have."
"I have only 208." Oliver corrected her. "And three of them are limited edition."
Katie gasped. "Oh my god. Really?"
Oliver nodded. "See I knew you would understand, I told Alicia and she nearly-"
Katie threw her purse at him. "No Ollie I was kidding. I don't care how many books you have, you just need to get to Rosalinda now."
Oliver stood up determined. "Ok!" The he sat by down. "Wait what but do I do when I find her?"
Katie sighed. "I don't get payed enough for this."
She grabbed Oliver's' hand. "Ok so you grab her hand like this, and pull her close."
"Like this?" Oliver asked pulling her close.
His eyes were brown, Katie noticed with flecks of golden in them. She had never noticed it before. And he had a stubble going on. Katie had a sudden urge to touch it. She had never touched a stubble before. She wondered what it would feel like. Maybe scratchy and rough….
"Then what Katie?" Oliver's voice brought her back to where they were. Katie stood up abruptly.
"You know what happens after that Ollie!" She shook her head and grinned. "Now go! Rosalinda's probably waiting!"
Oliver nodded and ran towards the Gryffindor tower where Katie had come from. Katie watched him all the way until he was nothing but a speck of blue and gold. She had to make sure he didn't chicken out. Maybe she should follow him, to make sure he actually did it and wasn't faking. Katie got up ready to do so before she remembered. Terrence!
Katie was breathing hard by the time she got to the stairs. Terrence was at the foot of the stairs staring longily into the distance his hand sticking out. He was waiting for her.
"Hey!" Katie said as she reached him. "Sorry about the wait. I was getting ready."
Terrence nodded. "You look great. Wow. Ready?"
Katie nodded as he offered her his hand. He looked great too, as usual. His robes were a deep black with silver trim and it felt soft to touch, like velvet. They headed towards the Great Hall. Students were entering from everywhere, some alone, others hand in hand with their dates and others in groups.
"Mr. Ian you may proceed. Ms. Kobra, oh yes you may follow." McGonagall gave them a look as they laughed and headed inside. Alisha was dressed in a very daring pink high low dress with black cut out heels. Her hair was curled in long loose waves. Ian was dressed in black dress robes similar to Terrence with a matching pink bow similar to Alisha's dress. Kate felt a pang of regret that they weren't matching like them.
"Is that what kids are wearing these days?" McGonagall wondered out loud. Her eyes fell on Katie and Terrence. "Now that is what I call a dress!" She practically beamed at them. "Mr. Higgs, Ms. Bell you may proceed in."
The Great Hall was breathtaking. Even Terrence was looking at bewildered. The ceiling was enchanted to look like a wintery sky. Icicles hung from the windows and snow fell without somehow touching the ground. The interior was ice and snow that sparkled, covering nearly every inch of the Great Hall. True to itself, the candles that normally hung were there with blue pixies buzzing brightly against the white walls.
"This is better than any party my mums thrown. And we've thrown a lot of parties." Terrence said as Katie giggled. "It really is something."
Her eyes fell on a girl with crazy brown hair peeking from a blue dress. "Rosie?"
Rosie grinned at her. Her brown hair was indeed still in its wild curls. Yet they were artfully done and she was dressed in a dark blue dress that hugged her frame and complimented the background.
"You look great!" Katie grinned. "How did you get in with McGonagall watching?"
"I just walked in." Rosie grinned. "Leanne here just told her I was from Beaubatons. I'm just me. Rosie Aurevoir."
Katie took a moment to process the girl standing behind Rosie. She wore a silvery white dress that looked like it was made out of a cloud. The sleeves rested below her shoulders and a silver cape floated behind her. Her hair was curled into an elegant up do, the right amount of hair framing her face that broke into a nervous grin.
"Leanne? Oh my god!"