AN: All thanks given to Katherine my beta.
A few days later, the owl landed in front of Mia in the great hall, and Hermione asked Mia if the package was what she thought it was. Mia looked at the address and smiled.
"Let's go look at it!" Hermione cried. They rushed up to the Gryffindor common room and Mia opened the box and pulled out her dress. What she thought in the pictures had been star-like crystals catching the light, were in fact actual stars made out of a soft glowing light. They twinkled subtly to draw your eye down the bodice and the waistline without being garish or obnoxious.
"Oh, Mia! It's beautiful! Try it on!"
She did. It was perfect.
They had SO much homework for Christmas break. It was as if the teachers wanted to dampen any happiness or merriment they could.
Fred and George debut their Canary Creams and they were a huge success. They tried to give Mia a cut of the profits but she shook her head. "When you're ready to open your shop, let me know and I will invest." By the end of the week, people were breaking out into feathers all over the school as they transformed into large yellow birds.
Christmas morning found Mia and Gabe enjoying breakfast together. Gabe had given her an empty photo album with an embossed tiger on the leather cover. She gave him an old copy of an Auror training manual. They spent the rest of the morning in the forest with the wolves, frolicking in the snow as wolf and tiger. After lunch in the great hall, they curled up in the library with books until five when she went to get ready with Hermione.
Mia helped Hermione with a series of potions she used on her hair till it lay straight and silky smooth. Fay did Mia's hair in a pretty updo with soft curls hanging around her face, and Lavender did her makeup. They all chatted and laughed about the ball like they had all been the best of friends for the past four years. Mia tried to relax and just be in the moment, forgetting past wrongs as Lavender spread shiny glitter on her eyelids. It was amazing how something so trivial as a ball could bring them all together.
When she was ready she headed for her bed where she had laid out her dress. Parvati taught her a cool charm to remove wrinkles, but it didn't look like the dress needed it. Her message book buzzed softly on her bedside table, and she opened it to read a few messages from Gabe.
"So is it really gonna take you the full three hours? We could hang out in the library if you're done early."
"Roger says there's a rose garden set up outside of the main entrance filled with fairies. We could go check it out if you're done early."
"So this book says special skills are a big advantage for Auror training. Do you think I could learn occlumency before seventh year?"
"Wow, it's really gonna take you the whole three hours then? Mia, you are beautiful every day, what could possibly take you so long? COME HANG OUT WITH ME!"
"Well, it's five to eight. I'll meet you in the entrance hall next to the suit of armor with the bent helmet. Can't wait to see you."
He drew a little heart next to the last part, and Mia smiled, her stomach filling with butterflies.
She put on her dress robes, and went to adjust them in the big mirror. Lavender cat called, and Parvati sighed as she looked from Mia's chest to her own. Once they were all ready they left their room and headed down to the common room. Harry waved awkwardly at Parvati. He looked nice, a little uncomfortable, but compared to Ron in his ugly, frayed dress robes, Harry looked dashing.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked her aggressively.
Mia rolled her eyes. "She left early to go meet up with her date."
"You know who it is?"
"Of course I do, but I'm not telling you, you've been a jerk to her."
"I have?" Ron asked as though totally surprised. "When have I been rude?"
"You pretend like she's nothing until you realize you need her. Then you get mad, shes not available, like you expect her only role in the world is to be your friend. Then you spend the next week harassing her for having a life outside of you. What girl wouldn't want someone like you in their life, Ron?"
Ron's ear turned pink and he snorted and turned from Mia. She shook her head and left the common room to go meet Gabe.
Gabe was waiting on the landing of the second floor. Mia stopped at the top of the staircase and watched him. He was pacing a little and hadn't noticed her yet. He made an impressive figure in his dress robes, a beautiful dark blue that complimented her dress perfectly. His shoulders were broad and his hair was twisted into soft curls with a hard part on the side, and when he looked up at her he smiled wide, then his face relaxed and was filled with something else as their eyes connected. She was breathing heavy now, but she wasn't quite sure why. She walked down the staircase, and when she reached the bottom he held out his hand and pulled her close. Neither one said a word as they looked each other over. Finally, Mia broke the silence.
"I thought you were going to wait by the armor with the bent helmet?"
"Apparently half the school had the same idea. Mia, you look…"
Mia smiled. "You too."
"Come on you too! We're gonna be late!" Parvati said as she swept past them, Harry and Ron following sulkily behind.
Gabe stuck out his arm, and Mia put hers through his, and he escorted her the rest of the way. She felt like she was floating.
The great hall was beautiful. The walls were covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. A hundred smaller, lantern-lit tables were spread around the room.
Gabe led her to a table with a Beauxbaton boy and Hufflepuff girl already sitting at it, and held the chair for Mia to sit. Draco slid into the chair on her other side, and pulled Pansy Parkinson down with him. Blaze and a Slytherin Mia didn't know sat in the other spare chairs, and Crabbe and Goyle had to find another table.
"You look lovely, dear cousin," Draco said to her. She rolled her eyes in response.
Pansy leaned around Draco and smiled fakely at Mia. "Your boobs look amazing, Black."
"Thanks, Pansy, love your eyebrow ring." The girl grinned and sat back in her seat.
Once everyone found their seats, the doors to the great hall opened and the champions and their partners walked arm in arm, led by McGonagall to the head table. Hermione looked amazing and was smiling brightly on Viktor's arm.
"Is that Hermione with Viktor Krum?" Pansy asked, her voice shocked.
"Yep," Mia said with a smile. Draco made a weird choking noise and Mia pat him on the back. Everyone clapped and cheered as the champions entered and headed to a table with the judges.
"Is that Ron's brother Percy sitting where Mr. Crouch should be?" Gabe asked.
Mia looked and saw the redhead sitting at the head table next to Harry. "I think it is. How weird."
"Alright, let's see what's good." Gabe picked a menu off the plate in front of him and started looking it over.
Mia picked up her own menu, a little unsure of the process.
"So are you two official then?" Draco asked Mia distracting her from the food.
"Yep," she said with confidence. Gabe looked at her and they smiled at each other. Butterflies again blossomed in her stomach.
"Don't get the Garlic Chicken then Adewumi. Not a great way to set the mood," Draco snickered.
"Thanks for the tip Draco," Gabe said, unfazed. "Porkchops," Gabe announced, and the food appeared on his plate. Mia ordered the same. Their small talk was weirdly pleasant. Mia didn't think she had ever said a word to Pansy or the other Slytherins, but now they all chatted like old friends. Blaze asked Gabe about their transfiguration exams, and the other Slytherin girl, a third year, complemented Mia's dress. The Beauxbaton boy and Hufflepuff girl seemed too entranced in the other's company to pay them any attention.
When the food was gone Dumbledore stood and asked everyone in the room to stand with him. He waved his wand and the chairs and tables raced to the edges of the room, and a platform raised from the floor, musical instruments appearing on it. The Weird Sisters marched into the room and onto the stage, and Mia cheered along with everyone else. Sirius loved the Weird Sisters, and Mia had grown to like them over the summer.
The Weird Sisters started a slow song Mia didn't know well, and the champions and their dates moved to the center of the room and started dancing. Harry tripped over his robes and stepped on Parvati's feet a few times while the girl hissed instructions at him and led. Mia chuckled as they passed and she turned her head so he wouldn't see, burying her face in Gabe's chest. Gabe's arm fell around her and pulled her closer.
Halfway through the dance Dumbledore tuned to Madame Maxime, and they joined the dance, couples all over the hall started joining then, and Gabe pulled Mia into the mix. "Come on."
"Wait! Gabe, I don't know how," she whispered.
"Don't worry, you don't have to do anything fancy, just follow my lead."
He held her hand and put the other on her waist. Mia reached up and put her hand on his shoulder. He was so much taller than her.
Gabe's eyes danced with joy as he looked down at her. "Ready? Take one step to your left." And then they were dancing. Gabe was amazing at it. He led her in a small circle until she started to relax, and then he threw more complicated moves in like prompting her to spin. They laughed and pointed out other couples, and talked quietly about nothing while they danced.
Moody was doing a two-step with Professor Sinistra, and Karkaroff danced with Professor Sprout. After a few songs, they sat down near Harry while Ron and Hermione argued over Viktor. Mia rolled her eyes and Gabe chuckled. When Ron started shouting Gabe stepped between them.
"Hey Ron, how about we go get some punch before you say something you'll regret?" Gabe asked. When Ron turned to yell at him he grabbed his arm and pulled him off.
Hermione dropped into the seat next to her and took a deep breath looking away. Mia handed her a tissue. "Just shake it off. He's an ass. Don't let it ruin your night with Viktor."
Hermione let out one sob and then took a deep breath. She looked up and dotted her eyes. "Right, don't let him ruin things. How's my makeup?" She turned to Mia.
Mia took the tissue from her and rubbed a little spot of eyeliner. "Perfect. Seriously, Hermione, you deserve someone who looks at you the way Viktor does. I think he really likes you."
Hermione giggled and smiled softly, any trace of anger or frustration totally vanished. Fred, Angelina, George, and Katie Bell fell into seats near Mia.
"Sweltering, isn't it?" Fred asked as he fanned himself with a napkin.
George collapsed in his own chair. "I don't think I can get up."
"Come on Katie, let's go get these oafs some drinks so they can keep dancing," Angelina said as she dragged her friend along.
George picked himself up and looked at Hermione across from him. "You look absolutely stunning Granger. A true flower among thorns. Although I think I liked your hair more before."
"Oh spare me," Hermione said rolling her eyes.
"No, really. I mean it Hermione, you are a dove."
Hermione looked on confused for a moment, then smiled as Viktor and Gabe returned with drinks for her and Mia. Mia watched George for a moment as he frowned slightly and turned to his brother. Mia thought about it for a moment. Hermione did kind of have a big head.
Viktor pulled Hermione into another dance, and she went off laughing joyfully.
"What did you do with Ron?" Mia asked.
"Stuffed him in a closet," Gabe said before taking a drink of the punch, he looked at it accusingly. Don't drink too much of this, someone dumped something into it."
"It's vodka," Fred said with a smile. He grabbed Mia's glass and drained it in one go.
Mia chuckled and took a sip of Gabe's her throat was dry, but the punch didn't help. She coughed and handed back the cup. "Did you really lock him in a closet?" she asked.
Gabe sighed. "No. I told him not to take his anger out on others just because he was mad at himself for not seeing something right in front of him. Then I took away his wand when he decided to point it at me." Gabe handed the wand to George. "Think you can get that back to him? He went off to bed I think."
George took the wand and said something rude about his brother.
"Come on, let's go look at the garden," Gabe said, pulling Mia away. She smiled and let herself be dragged.
"Oh cousin," Draco called after her.
Gabe stopped short and Mia ran into him. They laughed while he made sure she didn't fall, and they turned to Draco.
Draco sighed as though pained. "Will you and your beanstalk join me and Pansy in the photo booth?" he asked with a slight grimace.
"What?" Mia asked laughing.
He sighed. "My mother asked me to get a picture with all of us together," he said quietly.
Mia turned to Gabe. "Do you mind?"
He smiled. "No, we can get one of just us while we are at it."
They made their way to the other side of the room and stood in the queue. Flitwick stood on a big stool snapping pictures of each couple. When it was their turn, they all filed into the both and stood side by side. Pansy on the far end, with Draco, then Mia, and finally Gabe.
Professor Flitwick told them to smile but didn't take the picture. "No, no, no, can't you four at least pretend to be having a good time? I said smile!"
Mia laughed and grabbed Gabe's hand, then threw her other arm around Draco's shoulder surprising him. Flitwick snapped the picture.
"There, your mum will love that one," Mia said brightly. Draco made a rude hand gesture at her as he and Pansy left. "Love you too," she called after him.
Gabe wrapped his arm around her for the second picture, and they stood side by side as Flitwick snapped the picture. Mia couldn't think she could be happier. "Shall we see the rose garden then?" she asked Gabe.
He smiled and took her arm, pulling it through his as he led her outside. It was cold, but the sharp chill was nice after the heat of the entrance hall. Gabe wrapped his outer clock around Mia's shoulders, and they wandered through the garden watching the fairies dance around the flowers. They came upon a dark corner along the castle and Gabe pulled her into the shadows and drew her near. He leaned in and they kissed.
It was magic. Mia felt like she was floating through the air with only Gabe's soft lips as an anchor to keep her down.
There was a bang just out of sight. A very small part of Mia's brain wondered what the sound was, but the thought was gone as Gabe ran a hand over the small of her back and her fingers ran over the short hair on the back of his head.
There was a louder bang followed by squeals and Mia and Gabe jumped apart. A few students ran past them hand in hand, and Snape called a deduction of house points after them. Snape had a small smile on his face as he turned and blasted another bush apart to reveal hidden students.
Mia and Gabe shared a breathless look and headed back inside. They spent the rest of the night dancing happily alongside Hermione and Viktor, and the twins and their dates. When midnight came they reluctantly headed for the stairs, Gabe gave Mia a small kiss on the cheek as they parted ways. Not even Fred snickering behind her could ruin her perfect night.
They had finished their massive amounts of homework the week leading up to Christmas, so the days following were spent walking hand in hand around the castle, stealing small kisses in shadows, and playing in the forest with the wolves. On his birthday Mia gave Gabe a proper wand holster that could be worn on his arm to draw his wand in an instant. He loved it.
AN: Anyone enjoy doing fan art? If anyone makes any of Gabe and Mia let me know :] I would love to share it on instagram or something!
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