p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;"Siobhan/p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;"strong style="line-height: 1.7em; display: inline; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-top: 0.7em; white-space: inherit; clear: none !important; color: inherit !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important;"December 1st 1994/strong/p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" I was walking with Hermione to charms, our hands lightly brushing against each other, but neither of us pulling away or making the move to grab each others hands. It's now or never, Siobhan. "So," I started, "you don't h-have to say yes... I don't want to pressure you or anything, em style="line-height: 1.7em; white-space: inherit; clear: none !important; color: inherit !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important;"please/em don't feel pressured because you can say no, you won't hurt my feelings-"/p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Siobhan," Hermione said. I stopped talking./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "...Yes?"/p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Just ask me whatever it is you want to ask me," she said with a laugh. I took a deep breath./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "I was wondering, since the Yule ball is coming up, if you were going?" I asked a deep red blush spreading across my face./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Well, I'd really like to go... are you asking me if you want to go with me?" she asked as we got to the entrance of our classroom. I stopped and rubbed the back of my neck./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "I am. But like just as friends," I said, giving her a nervous grin. She smiled./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Okay, I'd love to go with you... just as friends." I couldn't tell if she was sad that we were going as friends or if she was just repeating what I said. Whatever it was, I ignored it and smiled wide./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Great! Just let me know the color of your dress and I'll match it," I said and we walked into charms./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;"***/p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "So," Ophelia started. We were sitting out on the courtyard people watching while she smoked a cigarette. "Did you ask Hermione to the ball?" she asked. My cheeks were freezing from the cold but I could feel them grow hot when she asked me that question. I nodded./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Yeah, we decided to go as friends," I stated, watching the twins throw snowballs at each other and passing students. "Are you going to go?" I asked. Ophelia shrugged and flicked the butt of her cigarette onto the fresh snow./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "I want to. I just don't know who to ask," she said, blowing the last bit of smoke out of her lungs. I glanced over at her and then to George./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Why not ask George?" I asked. Ophelia turned red. It was obvious she had a crush on him, why not act on it? Okay maybe that was a little hypocritical since I barely act on my crush on Hermione but still. I could sense that George had feelings for her as well./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "I don't know-" she was interrupted by an "Incoming!" and a large snowball smacked her in the face. I broke out into gut twisting laughter, barely being able to stand as she wiped the snow off her face. Through tears, I could see one of the twins run up to us./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Are you okay, Ophelia?" he asked, stifling a laugh. Ophelia shivered and I got myself together, wiping away cold tears from my eyes./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Yeah, I'm okay. What was that for, George?" she asked. George chuckled and brushed some snow off of her robes./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "I was aiming for Siobhan, I miscalculated," he said with a laugh although his eyes were apologetic. "By the way, are you going to the ball?" he asked her./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "I mean, I want to," she stated, teeth chattering. George gave her his scarf, wrapped it around her neck, and nodded./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Wicked. I'll see you guys!" He said before running back to his brother. Ophelia used his scarf to finish wiping the now melted snow off her face./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Well, I guess he doesn't want to go with me," she said sadly./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "What makes you think that?" I asked, rubbing my gloved hands together. Sometimes Scotland felt colder than Colorado in the wintertime./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Well if he wanted to go with me, he would've asked me just then wouldn't he?" she asked. I shrugged./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "You never know..." I said in a sing song-y voice. Ophelia rolled her eyes./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "You wanna go inside? It's cold as shit." I nodded and we walked back into the castle. We ran into Winnie talking to Draco. I shouted her name and waved at her. She looked at me with what seemed to be panic in her eyes and Draco hustled away as she walked over to us./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Hey," she said, giving the both of us a weak smile./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "What were you doing talking to Malfoy?" Ophelia asked her./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Um potions shit... why are you wet?" she asked Ophelia./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Your brothers," I stated. Winnie rolled her eyes and nodded./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Of course. Are you guys going to lunch? I'm starving," she stated. We both nodded and headed up to lunch./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Do you guys have to sit through a ballroom dancing course?" I asked them. They both nodded./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Yeah, I don't know how Snape is going to teach us though, the man looks like he has two left feet," Winnie said with a laugh. Ophelia nodded./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Sprout said she's going to try and make it interesting and I'm excited. I've never really ball danced before," I stated. Ophelia nodded./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "At Ilvermorny, it was a required class. We had balls at the beginning and end of the year, it was a pain," she stated. I crinkle my nose. /p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Sounds obnoxious," I stated./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "It was. Ruined the special feeling balls had, that's why I'm not too excited about this one. But it seems very important to you all so I might as well be excited," she said with a smile. We went our separate ways, I sat down next to the Hufflepuff quidditch team. Cedric was staring across the table at Rosalie./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "Are you going to the dance with her?" I asked. Cedric nodded./p
p style="line-height: 1.7em; color: #222222; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #fefefe; clear: none !important;" "I've already helped my mum pick out a dress for her, I think she's going to look ravishing."/p