Well here it is, the chapter that showcases the ball! Enjoy and review! Things might get a little out of character here, but hey this is my story and its good, you have to admit! Hah!
A few hours later/ This chapter was near complete when I suffered computer failure and I could not get the chapter to recover, so this is probably not as good as it could have been and I am very sorry, but I have a huge box of crackers and I am ready to re-write this thing!
The days fell by one after the other with nothing too eventful. The girls fell into a nice routine which including eating, exploring the surrounding grounds, gossiping and giggling, and a little reading on Lily's part. The day of the ball however interrupted it, with a rude awakening
Lily felt so warm under the covers in her large bed in Wood Manor. That was until; she felt an insistent tapping on her shoulder.
"Miss, miss," came a quiet timid voice. "Miss Lily," it whispered again poking her. Lily's eyes flew open and she jumped up with a short frightful yelp
"Oh I am so sorry Miss Lily, so very sorry miss. Jena did not mean to frightening young miss, you see, but mistress says it is high time you have gotten up miss, there are only a few short hours before the ball miss."
Lily was still breathing hard but managed to relax and respond. "It-its alright Jena, you just gave me a start is all…wait did you say just a few hours? Oh no," she groaned, "It is going to take me ages to get ready."
"Jena can help young Miss Lily!" beamed the house elf, thoroughly excited. Lily bit her lip she really did not like the idea Jena doing lots of work for her. It did not feel right to be perfectly honest, but today she needed the help.
"Really, can you Jena? That would be great, I am desperate!" called Lily as she darted into the bathroom. It was all ready for her, thanks to Jena of course. There were towels, soap, and hot water running. How could you ever be late for school around here?
Lily was out of the shower quickly, with one large towel around her body and one towel around her hair. She stepped out into the room and the cold air was her second rude awakening for the day. In the middle of the room was a fake model, much her size; it wore her dress and shoes, all of her jewelry for that night too. For a moment, Lily was caught in a bit of a daydream, until she was interrupted
"Miss Lily! Come on, quick! Miss needs to sit down so Jena can do her hair!" she squealed tugging Lily over to a stool in front of a vanity. "Now just relax miss so Jena can get this done well!"
Having just gotten out of the shower Lily probably could not of been any more relaxed. The brushing and tugging of her hair felt pretty nice and it was not long before she started to dose off
"Done miss!" piped up Jena suddenly. Lily opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror, she did not even recognize her hair. It was pulled up in a sort of bun type thing. Wavy ringlets fell down out of it including a few wisps in front of her eyes, it looked pretty tame.
"Oh thank you Jena," gushed Lily, "I definitely could not of done it this well myself."
"Oh it no problem miss, Jena was happy to do it miss. Now come on, get dressed so Jena can do your make-up Miss Lily!" she said, shooing the girl off the stool and across the room. The house elf gathered the dress and pushed it into the girl's arms and shoved her into the bathroom.
Lily came out a moment later dressed in her gown that looked just as good as it did in the store. With Jena's assistance she put on her shoes and jewelry too, both which were simple. The only jewelry Lily had was a hairpiece that dangled from her bun, much like her hair did. Jena put very little make up Lily, since Lily did not care for much, just a little here and there to help highlight her features.
"Well we are all done miss!" said Jena, grabbing Lily hand as she went to go look into the mirror. "Oh no Miss Lily, we do not have enough time! You must get downstairs and get ready to greet the guest with the other miss."
Lily wondered how on earth Alice managed to get ready without Jena's help. Being ushered by Jena she made her way down the hallway, she stopped on the stairs going on about how she could not go any further, so Lily was on her own. Her stomach was in so many knots, Lily was not sure she was going to make it down the steps. But she managed, peering around the banister as she stepped down, in search of her friend Alice.
It was not long before Alice came running, well as fast she could at least, towards her.
"Oh Lily you look amazing, but sorry to say, you are late. Let's go! Mum has been wondering what is taking you so long." She said, pulling Lily behind her
"Sorry, I slept in a bit, thank god I had Jena's help getting ready."
Just the noise level led Lily near a large ballroom; Lily could tell there were lots people inside. Lots and lots of people.
"Alice, where are you going? We passed the ballroom."
"I can't go in there yet silly, I have not been announced yet."
"Well I am not going in there without you!" exclaimed Lily
"Oh yes you are!" said Alice giggling pushing Lily towards and into the ballroom before disappearing back down the hallway.
And there Lily stood, completely alone in the doorway of the ballroom. Around her there were many people, all dressed elegantly, chatting to one another. Some were dancing on the dance floor to some ballroom music. Lily gulped and she took a few steps forward before some one grabbed her arm and started steering her through the room.
"Thought I would save you from something slightly problematic," said Remus Lupin, giving her a small grin as he navigated her through the crowd
"Remus," she said with a bit of surprise, "Oh I am so glad to see you."
"I bet," he said smiling. His sandy brown looked shiny and clean and his tux was black, but her wore a dark cloak over it. It was just now Lily noticed that all of the men wore what she thought were Muggle tuxes, yet cloaks too.
"You look great," continued Remus, "But I am surprised to see you here," Lily knew he meant it in a polite manner
"Alice invited me to stay here with her the rest of the summer," explained Lily, as Remus led her to a stop near one of the tables. "And it just so happens her birthday fell on my stay here."
"Coincidentally of course," said Remus laughing and Lily joined in.
Suddenly Lily felt an arm go around her shoulders and she turned to her left to see the laughing face of Sirius Black.
"Why hello Lily, fancy seeing you here. Good to see a friendly face in this crowd of stuck-up purebloods. No offense Remus," he said, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Oi, then what is wrong with my face then?" said James Potter coming up to Lily's side.
"Ha, just ask Lily, I'm sure she'll tell you," said Sirius laughing, while Remus just rolled his eyes.
"Thanks for the self-esteem booster Black," said James ruefully.
Lily however, wanted to get away as quick as possible. Remus was not bad at all, Sirius joked a bit too much, and James was the worst of them all, being thoroughly conceited.
"I'm going to go and see what is taking Alice," said Lily, turning around away from the ground and the all watched her go.
Lily tried to make a quick escape out the door of the ballroom. It was proceedingly difficult considering people were still coming into the ballroom. Lily managed to get out and into the hallway. She looked up and down before deciding to take a left, then right, and god only knows what else. Ahead of her though she saw a balcony with a large open doorway, covered by curtains that billowed in the calm soft night wind. Lily was downright mesmerized by the sight and walked through the open doorway. She made her way slowly to the edge and leaned against the balcony. Her skirts ruffled in the wind much like the curtains had. She looked up at the night stars and the crescent moon. It was a beautiful sight she would admit and it was calming, being out here by herself.
"Hello," came a voice, questioning, breaking through her silence. Lily jumped up away from the balcony and turned around, coming face to face with someone slightly familiar
"Snape?" she managed to get out, practically gasping for breath
"Evans?" he said, looking down at her, slightly dumbfounded.
"Humph, what are you doing here?" he said with a sneer
Her eyes narrowed, "I could ask the same thing," she said. "If you need to know, Alice invited me, I am staying here. Why are you here?"
Snape gave a cruel chuckle before looking away and moving beside her, leaning against the balcony, looking around.
"Lucius Malfoy invited me, as if I needed to tell you. Atleast he had the decency to invite some one with Wizarding parentage." He smirked, looking back at her.
Lily glared daggers at him, but tears stung the back of her eyes. She tried to blink away the welling water, but instead failed and a single tear fell down her cheek.
"Oh just go away and leave me alone Snape," she said, storming away from him, she landed herself on the other side of the balcony some feet away. She looked down at the ground, getting better at getting the tears to go away. From here, the wind carried the music from the ball to her, and some of the conversation too.
"You know it is not every day I make a girl cry," he said suddenly from behind her.
"Is that your idea of an apology?" she spat back, lifting her head, but she had not turned to look at him.
"Why, are you taking it as one?" Lily turned around to see him raise an eyebrow.
"If it is one, then I accept, no matter how pitiful an apology it may be," she said in the coldest voice she could muster, before turning back around.
"Well you certainly are a cold witch," commented Snape
"And that would make you what, exactly?" it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. Snape smirked and then opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted
"Lily, hey Lily, are you out here?" called the voice of Remus. His head poked through the doorway of balcony. All he saw was Lily hunched over the balcony's edge and Snape leering behind her, how that must of looked.
Snape merely rolled his eyes and walked away out of the balcony and back into the manor. As he walked past Remus, Lily easily heard him mutter, "Keep a closer watch on her Lupin," in that same cold voice, it was enough to send shivers down her spine even though she was already out in the cold
Remus watched as Snape walked away and down the hall. As the wizard finally turned the corner, he rushed to Lily's side.
"Hey Lily, you alright? What was Snape doing out here?" he asked, placing a hand between her shoulder blades comfortingly.
Lily stood up taller and wiped under her eyes. "Oh yes, of course, I am fine." She reassured her concerned friend, "You know Snape, being himself. Come on, let's get back to the party and see how big of prat James can make of himself." She said with a giggle and Remus laughed with her
"Sounds like a pretty good idea to me!"
The night continued on without further incidents. After Alice was announced the hall clapped for her loudly and the dancing and dining resumed. Lily smiled happily for her friend as she saw her dance with a number of different guys that night. She recognized two of them, from the distance she was at. One boy was Frank Longbottom a Gryffindor in sixth year, a cute boy, she had to admit. The second was none other than Sirius Black who raved on and on that he had to dance with the girl of the hour at least once.
A number of people had approached Lily and began conversation with her. Some even adults that she did not know and she knew well to keep the fact that she was not a pureblood hidden. When conversation died down she glanced across the room and saw Severus Snape in conversation with Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy was leaned against the wall with an arrogant smirk on his face and his Slytherin cronies were all right beside him. Her eyes widened suddenly and she hoped she was desperately mistaken but Snape had begun to walk towards her, Malfoy's snake-like eyes following him.
Just then a boy with dark hair had come up to her, he held out his hand to her.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked her.
Lily had to admit she did not give it much thought at all. She immediately nodded and gave him her hand with a verbal yes. He swept her into the crowd on the dance floor and Snape disappeared behind the crowd. It was then Lily relaxed and looked at the boy who was, well, currently dancing with her!
He had dark hair and very dark blue eyes that were staring quite intently at her. He was a full head taller than her and seemed to be in good-shape. Lily continued to view him curiously wondering had she seen him at Hogwarts before?
"We go to school together," he said suddenly, breaking the silence between them. He gave her a weak smile, "'Cept I am in my sixth year, you are in fifth year, right?" Lily just nodded, for some reason she could not speak!
"Well and we are in different houses, I am in Ravenclaw, and well you know you are in Gryffindor." Suddenly he gave a laugh that broke Lily from her trance. "Well, I don't know why I am saying all this, I suppose I could have said my name by now. My name is Kaise Zabini."
"My name is Lily Evans," she said, just now finding her voice.
"Did you just get here?" he asked, "I only just spotted you a little while ago."
"Well to be honest," began Lily with a little laugh, "I have been hiding out in the balcony most of this time."
"Ah, I see, and what reason could you have to possibly be hiding?" he asked.
His question made Lily bite her lip. She was not sure if she could tell him why she really was hiding. He must be a pureblood, which is why he is here anyways. But then again he did not seem to have the attitude most purebloods did.
He must of saw her reluctance because he quickly added, "Oh you do not have to, I understand if you do not want to say anything."
"Oh no, its not that," she trailed off, "It's just. Well I went out there because I felt sort of, out of place. I guess you could say I do not do these sort of celebrations too often."
He smiled, "Aw don't worry about it, these parties are just chances for our families to show off their socializing skills to one another, that s'all."
The song ended and the musicians began to strike up another song. Kaise took her hand and began to lead her off the dance floor and through the crowd.
"Follow me," he said smiling and he squeezed her hand. Now that his back was turned Lily took this as her chance to absolutely beam. He led her through the doors and down the hall and she finally realized straight towards the same balcony she had shared with Snape!
"I decided to steal your idea of hiding from them," he said smiling as he let go of her hand and walked out further onto the balcony. Lily felt the warmth that his hand gave go away and she trailed after
"How dare you," she said with a mockingly offended voice.
"Oh I am so sorry madam," he drawled he took both of her hands in his and led her over to the balcony.
"Oh really?" she prompted teasingly.
"Really," he said, his voice suddenly dead serious. Lily felt her cheeks grow hot and she looked downwards. After a few moments he said, "Do you know Alice well?"
"Oh very well," she said, her face lighting up at the subject of her friend. "We are very close, I am actually spending the rest of the summer here at her place, before school."
"Good," he said, "Now I know where to owl you at."
Lily felt suddenly thankful she was staying at Alice's, a purebloods house. "Oh well um, yes" she said, and she was sure she was blushing.
"You know, Miss Lily, your constant blushing is putting your lovely hair to shame," he said smiling
"Well if a certain Mr. Kaise would stop giving me reasons to blush then perhaps I would not have to worry about it."
"Well Miss Lily-"
"Is this where you bring all your guys?" came a voice from behind them. Both of them turned their eyes to see no one other than Lucius Malfoy, leaning against the doorway to the now infamous balcony
"Shove off Malfoy," said Kaise, his voice bitter.
"Oh come on Zabini, really what would your parents say right now? Seeing you in the presents of this mudblood, you are lucky I am a good enough friend not to tell them." He said, smirking he walked a few steps towards the pair.
"Get out of here Malfoy," said Lily, feeling a little more confident with Kaise's arm snaked around her, right above her waist.
"Oh tsk tsk Miss Evans, I see you have failed to mention to your dear Kaise that you were out here in that same position with one Severus Snape," his lip curling.
"Go spread your lies somewhere else Malfoy," said Kaise, his voice getting dangerously low.
"Alright then," he said turning away and then looking back, ""But don't say I didn't warn you about that mudblood." With that last word he left the balcony and turned down the hallway.
Kaise looked back at Lily who had removed herself from his grasp and was now leaning against the balcony, looking away from him. She sniffled and he was sure he saw a tear fall over the edge of the balcony.
"Hey, hey Lily, its alright, he's gone now," he said, laying a comforting hand on the small of back.
"I'll understand if you just want to walk away now, I promise I won't tell anyone you were out here with me."
"Hey, why are you talking like that," he asked, trying to catch her gaze
"You heard him, I am a muggle-born," she said through tears.
Kaise took her head in his hands forcing her to look up at him. "And you think any of that matters to me? Listen to me Lily and believe me when I say none of that muggle-born pureblood nonsense means anything to me."
"I believe you," said Lily her test stopped falling and her eyes now cold with clinging tears.
"Thank you," he breathed, as if he had been holding his breath. His arms went around her and he held her.
"Lily! Lily!" yelled a voice coming down the hall and Alice found her way to the opening of the balcony.
"Wow everyone just seems to find their way here, eh?" said Kaise, and Lily could not help but giggle.
"Oh I'm sorry," said Alice her voice trailing off and she had a mischievous look on her face. "I did not know you were busy. Sorry, but um Lily guests are leaving, you need to help me say good-bye to them all. And Kaise, I think your parents are on their way out." And with that she turned around and headed back down the hall
"Looks like they found us," said Kaise after a few moments of silence.
"Yep," said Lily, who knows realized her rocky, yet wonderful, evening was coming to an end.
"I will owl you as soon as I can Miss Lily," said Kaise, pulling away from her. He took her hand and planted a kiss on it, "Good night," and with that he disappeared down the hall
Lily beamed as she walked away, holding her hand to her chest. Suddenly, Alice came out of know where, giggling like a madwoman
"You know those curtains are a really good hiding spot!" she said between laughs. "Now will you please tell me what you were doing all night with Mr. Zabini?" she asked.
"Maybe later Alice, right now you have to say good-night to your guests!" With that the two girls dashed down the hall
It seemed like the good-byes lasted an eternity. Most of the guests just talked to Alice's parents and cooed over the decorations and such. Only students from Hogwarts who knew Alice and Lily paid any attention to them. Sirius Black wrapped them both in a humongous bear hug while Remus wrenched Sirius off them. James stayed pretty quiet since he was being lugged out by his parents having done something wrong Lily was sure. Frank gave Alice the sweetest hug good-bye while Kaise just winked as he passed with his parents causing Lily to feel a little flushed. Severus and Lucius passed by together not giving a glance to either Alice and Lily, but the two just made her plan nervous, but nothing could ruin her night.
Well there you go, we have dealt with the ball and we have all survived. Well what do you all think, where do you want it all to go? Review please, for some reason I've been getting way more hits than reviews…let's make the numbers equal please even if you have reviewed already!