A/N Here's the mushy, stereotypical Yule Ball scene!

'Um, Lotte?'

Harry's throat was dry as he addressed the girl that he had had a crush on ever since the first time they had met.

'Yeah?'

'Would – w –'

'Yes?' she prompted, a knowing smile on her face.

Smiling. A good sign. Harry suddenly found his voice. 'Lotte, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?'

'I'd love to,' she said. Then, launching herself at him, she gave him a huge hug.

Harry couldn't breathe, but he really didn't care. He hugged Lotte back.

Most students had gone home for the holidays, but all the 7th years had stayed for the Yule Ball. A week before the event, Lianne, Lotte, and Rose were summoned to the Headmaster's office. When they stepped inside, they found Hermione Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Carrie Longbottom, and Nymphadora Lupin waiting for them.

'We're taking you shopping for the ball!' said Ginny excitedly.

The headmaster smiled at them and ushered them to the fireplace. 'Off you go!' he said merrily, handing Rose a pot of floo powder.

They ended up at Rose's house, where the woman sat the girls down and gave them a more detailed explanation of what they were going to do.

'We're going to take you shopping for the ball, like Ginny said,' Tonks explained 'but what d'you girls think of shopping in muggle London for dresses?'

'It would be something none of the other girls would be wearing,' Mrs. Longbottom explained.

'We'll get you accessories and everything – it'll be your Christmas presents.' Ginny said.

Hermione smiled. 'I know my way around muggle London quite well,' she said. 'Besides, it's more fun shopping for girls than for boys. Harry hates shopping.'

The girls laughed.

Lianne frowned at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a lavender dress, with rhinestones around the neck.

'Ugh, Li,' Rose said, coming up behind her 'please don't wear that! Besides,' she said, a mischievous smile on her face. 'It'll go awful with the theme.'

Lianne stuck her tongue out at her, and then struck a pose. 'But I look so stunning in the dress!'

'Yea, stunning like Medusa. Any guy who saw you in that would be turned to stone.' Lotte grinned evilly.

'Oh, you both suck!'

'Yup!' said Lotte and Rose in unison.

Ginny came over to Lotte, a light blue dress in her hands. 'Try this, sweetie,' she said 'it's definitely your color.'

When Lotte came out of the fitting room, everyone gasped.

The dress was a light blue, which went perfectly with her grey eyes and long blond hair. It was ankle-length and sleeveless. A thin silver ribbon tied around the waist, and hung elegantly down the back. The top was tight; but from the ribbon down, the skirt flowed gracefully. It was elegant and simple, just like Lotte.

Mrs. Longbottom had tears in her eyes. She began fussing with the dress, arranging the ribbon and patting the skirt. Finally, Lianne spoke.

'Lotte, if you don't get that thing, I'm afraid I'll have to end our friendship.'

Now it was Lotte's turn to stick her tongue out at her friend.

It was Lianne who found her dress next. It had spaghetti straps, and was made of dark turquoise satin. Over the satin, there was a thin layer of black mesh. At the top, tightly-drawn black tulle ended in a band of black lace just below her breasts. From there, wide strips of black lace vertically trimmed the rest of the dress. The skirt flared slightly at the ends. It was floor-length, and complimented her long brown hair perfectly.

Her eyes and streak suddenly changed to the turquoise color in the dress. Lianne looked in the mirror. 'Wow,' she said. 'That's the first time they've actually matched.'

Everyone threw themselves into finding a dress for Rose. Finally, Hermione pulled a deep blue dress from the rack. 'Rose! Try this,' she said, gently shoving her niece into the dressing room.

When Rose came out, everyone knew that she had found her dress.

The top was deep royal blue satin, and off the shoulder. It was form-fitting, and it drew into a V at the waist. From the waist, layered, gossamer, slippery, bluish-purple fabric cascaded to just past her knees. It was a color Rose hardly wore, and she looked beautiful in it.

'Oh, Rose,' Ginny said breathlessly. 'It's perfect!'

'Aaw, Harry, I'm so proud of you! You got the girl!'

Harry blushed unhappily, squished in between a cooing Rose and Lianne. His cousin pinched his cheek and his blush deepened.

'We always knew you liked her – ever since we first met them, remember, Li?'

'Oh yea. Definite crushing.' Both girls grinned evilly at him.

Lotte came to his rescue. Walking over to her boyfriend, she sat on his lap. Harry looked vaguely scared, but then wrapped his arms around her.

'Ow, crap, Lotte, you're squishing me!'

'Damn, girl, you need to lose some weight if you want to fit into that dress tomorrow!'

Lianne and Rose fled the couch and curled up on some cushions in front of the fire.

Lotte stuck her tongue out at them, but then promptly started staring adoringly at Harry, who stared adoringly back.

'Blech, I hate this couples business,' said Lianne, frowning. 'So nauseating.'

'Speaking of couples, Li, who are you going with?'

Li tossed her hair. Her streak turned blue. 'Kevin Finnigan,' she said carelessly.

'Sounds like you care about him,' Rose rolled her eyes.

Li rolled them back. 'There aren't any guys worth caring about in this school. They all follow you around, rather like puppies. I simply chose the cutest puppy. There'll be plenty of guys to care about after this.' She waved her arm around at the common room.

'Yeah…..' Rose said, looking at Lucas before she could stop herself. He must have sensed her looking at him, because he looked up from his book and gave her a small smile. She returned it, then turned back to Lianne, who had been watching the whole thing.

'You've got it bad!'

Blushing furiously and informing a wickedly-grinning Lianne that under no circumstances did she like Lucas Nielson, she fled the common room.

Lucas had looked up from his book to see Rose Potter looking at him. He gave her a small smile, which she returned. Feeling a curious warmth spread throughout his body, he returned to his book, but he found he couldn't concentrate. So when he heard the portrait open, and saw Rose slip out, he waited a little, and followed her.

Lianne Lupin smiled knowingly from her spot by the fireplace.

'Hey, Rose, wait up –'

Turning the corner, Lucas realized that there was no on there. Turning around and muttering about 'damn' cloaks, he realized he was face-to-face with Nicolette.

'Oh, Lukey!' she simpered; 'now we can plan what you're going to wear together! We'll match of course,' she said, dragging him off. Lucas glared at the spot where he was certain Rose stood.

Under the 'damn cloak' Rose snickered quietly.

In the 7th year Gryffindor girl's dormitory, Lianne, Lotte, and Rose were going through the task of getting ready for the Yule Ball.

First, they zipped each other into their dresses. Then, Lianne promptly sat Lotte down, and she and Rose began to style her hair. When they were done, Lotte had an elegant updo. Lianne had thought to weave thin, silvery thread the same color as the ribbon on Lotte's dress through her hair, which made Lotte look very regal. She slipped on silver pumps, dangly silver earrings with a light blue stones at the ends, and a delicate silver bracelet,

Rose's turn was next. Lianne and Lotte carefully waved her thick, dark red hair. Then, they pulled half of it back, and made a small, loose bun of the half that they had pulled back. Lianne surveyed her critically, then transfigured a sock into a deep red rose a few shades darker and redder than Rose's own hair. Lianne tucked it into the small bun. Rose pulled on a pair of strappy ivory sandals, and pearl drop earrings. She looked beautiful.

Finally, it was Lianne's turn. Rose transfigured some shoelaces into shiny black and turquoise ribbons to match Lianne's dress. They pulled back small front sections of her hair back, and braided them partway so they would hold the ribbons. Then, Lotte did a charm so the braids and ribbons would hold without a hair tie. They cascaded down Lianne's back. Then, Lianne put on dark, shimmery turquoise kitten heels, dangly black earrings, and a choker with a dark turquoise stone in the middle.

The three girls did their makeup, and then looked at themselves in the mirror.

'Damn,' Rose said admiringly. 'We're knockouts!'

They met Harry and Calder in the common room. Some of the younger boys whistled, and Rose and Lianne glared at them.

'Wow,' Harry said, looking at Lotte admiringly. 'Wow.' He offered her his arm, and they stepped out of the common room together.

Calder looked at Lianne and Rose. 'Ladies?' he said, offering his arms.

Lianne and Rose took them. 'Don't get used to this,' Lianne told him.

'Who are you going with?' Rose asked Calder, curiously.

He blushed. 'Cassandra Elmer. That 6th year Ravenclaw I tutor. She's really nice.'

'Oo, student-teacher relationships!'

'Li! Hey, Rose, who are you going with?' Calder asked her curiously.

Rose blushed. 'Oh, um, no one, but, y'know, I had to go, 'cause I'm Head Girl.'

'No one asked you?' he said incredulously.

'Well, they did,' Li piped up. 'But she wouldn't go with anyone.'

'Oh?' said Calder.

Rose cursed under her breath, and glared at Lianne, who grinned impishly.

'Yeah, I don't really like anyone,' she said carelessly. Which was true. She didn't. Did she?

Lucas wore deep crimson dress robes, which complemented his hair and eyes perfectly.

Nicolette clung to his arm, in a short, frilly, lavender dress robe. She was wearing huge amounts of grey eye shadow and giant silver hoop earrings. Currently, she was scolding him for not matching with her.

Lucas wasn't listening to her. He was, in fact, planning various escape routes. Crabbe and Goyle loomed behind them. Lucas sighed.

God, he hated this. He doubted he would be able to run away and spend time with Rose and her friends, who had come to be his friends as well. It was looking like an awful night.

The Great hall ceiling matched the décor perfectly. The theme was midnight, and large, glowing silver and gold stars were floating everywhere. A large glowing moon was floating near the ceiling. The tables were covered in royal blue tablecloths, and draped with gold and silver fabric. The walls had gold, silver, and blue streamers tied back with glowing stars and moons. It was like walking in the sky.

Everyone was severely impressed.

When all his students were seated, Aberforth Dumbledore stood up and tapped his spoon against his goblet. He clashed, as usual, in bright orange robes striped garishly with lime. On his head he wore what looked like a muggle traffic cone.

'Welcome to the Yule Ball! Now, as you know,' he said, eyes twinkling somewhat mischievously 'it is the custom for the Head Boy and Girl to begin the dancing. Ms. Potter and Mr. Neilson, please step out onto the floor.' With a nod to the band, he sat back down.

Rose and Lucas stepped tentatively out onto the middle of the floor. They looked at each other tentatively for a minute. Lucas put a trembling hand on her waist, then took her ice-cold hand in his. 'Relax,' he said, flashing her his carefree smile. 'I won't bite.'

She stuck her tongue out at him, and the music began to play a slow song.

Neither Rose nor Lucas knew how it had happened, but suddenly they were surrounded by all the other couples and the song had changed. Lucas' hand had somehow slipped around to Rose's lower back, bringing her closer. She looked up at him, and he looked at her.

'Umm –'

'Uhh –'

Lucas bent his head down awkwardly, and for a few seconds she was sure they were going to kiss –

'Lukey!'

She was ripped from his arms by an indignant frilly, lavender monster.

'What are you doing with her!'

Lucas looked rather uncomfortable, and ashamed. 'Look, Nicolette –'

Nicolette wasn't listening. She had turned to Rose, who stood there awkwardly.

'Little Potter whore! Stealing my Lukey!' Rose reeled backward from the force of the slap, holding her reddening cheek.

Lianne, Calder, Harry, Lotte, Kevin Finnigan, and Cassandra Elmer were making their way through the crowd. Lianne, Calder, Harry, and Lotte all looked absolutely furious. So did professor McGonagall, who had also seen what had happened. But nobody was as furious as Lucas.

His brown eyes were flashing with the fire Rose had first seen that day on the train. The day that seemed so long ago. He grabbed a whimpering Nicolette by the wrist.

'Lukey, Lukey, I was just giving the bitch what she deserved…'

'Lucas! Lucas, let go of her! I can take care of myself!' Rose was tugging urgently at his elbow, looking rather annoyed. Lucas turned to her, and his face softened. Rose lost her annoyed look.

Lucas turned, and brought Nicolette over to an absolutely furious professor McGonagall.

'Ms. Parkinson-Malfoy! Never have I seen such behavior at the Yule Ball, of all places! 100 points from Slytherin! Yes, and there will be more,' she said, looking at the girl's horrified face 'when I give you to your head of house! Ms. Potter, are you alright?'

'Yes,' Rose choked.

Lucas was immediately by her side, as well as Lianne, Calder, Harry, and Lotte. Cassandra, a pretty girl with curly black hair and blue eyes, and Kevin, a rather clueless-looking boy with sandy hair, hung back apprehensively.

'I'll kill her!'

'Bitch!'

'What the hell was she thinking?'

'Oh, Rose, your cheek!'

Lucas cupped a protective arm around her waist, and tilted her face so he could see her cheek better. Rose wondered why she was letting him touch her like this, but she found that she didn't really mind. It felt nice.

Lucas muttered a spell and tapped her cheek gently with his wand.

'Better?' he said, smiling now that he knew she was alright.

'Definitely,' she said.

Lotte and Lianne gathered around her and began fussing with her hair and makeup, but Lucas kneeled before her, grabbed her hand, and they moved out of the way, smiling knowingly.

'Sorry I didn't ask earlier,' he said, glancing at a flustered Nicolette. 'I got kind of sidetracked. Will you go to the Yule Ball with me? And,' he added, as an afterthought, 'will you go on the next Hogsmeade journey with me? Will you snog me in dark corners and all the things that go with being one's girlfriend?'

Rose blushed furiously and looked as if she were going to slap him for the snogging in corners remark.

Lucas looked up. 'Oh shit,' he said happily.

'Yes, I'll go out with you, perverted git,' Rose said, but she was smiling.

Lucas stood up, and, to everyone's delight, picked her up and swung her around.

'Lucas!'

Then, he kissed her.

A/N Oh, that was so mushy…sorry. I made up Rose's and Lotte's dresses, but if you're interested, this is Lianne's dress:

http/store. thought Lianne would like it better if the red was dark turquoise, so I made it that way.