A/N: Hello my lovelies! It's been awhile, but I'm back with a new update. It's not long and it's not really action-y, but it's something. I'd like to thank those that have stuck around here in my lacking of updating and those that have supported this story. You guys are awesome! Here's your update. Enjoy.
OOOOOOOOO
Avonlea stood in front of the mirror in her shared bathroom and looked at herself in the reflection. A small smile touched her face as she looked at the transformation that her figure had gone through in just a few hours. She could hardly remember ever dressing up like this. Like a princess.
Carissa had worked on Avonlea's hair for an hour, curling it and pulling back a part with a glittering hairpiece that sparkled with sapphires that sat like a tiara. Katia had taken over the makeup department, adding subtle silver eyeshadow and the barest hint of blush. She'd also applied a glossy lip stain that tasted of vanilla on Avonlea's lips before hurrying to take care of herself and Carissa.
"I look okay," Avonlea said, playing with her silvery dress' skirt. "I look okay and everything is going to be fine." Her stomach made a small rumbling sound, causing a momentary frown to pass on her face. "I can last a few more hours without feeding on Rissa. I really can. I can."
"Lea!" Carissa's voice drew Avonlea's attention to the bathroom door. "Are you done looking at yourself, Miss Gorgeous Veela? We're going to be late if you keep looking at yourself, honey." A look of concern settled upon Carissa's dark features. "Do you need a quick pick-me-up before we head down to the party? I mean, I can always tell Katia and Cassius to go on down ahead of us, if you really need to bite someone."
Avonlea shook her head and pasted a smile on her face. "I'll be okay, Rissa. Don't worry about me and my feeding issues. I can handle a few hours without wanting to bite someone's neck."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Okay." Carissa held her hand out to Avonlea and pulled her from the bathroom. "I don't think my father is going to be able to keep his eyes off of you tonight. And why shouldn't he? You're beautiful and I'm gorgeous, but he only has eyes for one of us and that would be little old you, Lea."
"Rissa, I swear that if you try anything funny to get me close to Snape, I will jinx you in the middle of the dance floor and make it so that you can't stand up without falling all over the place."
"Such a nice friend," Carissa commented, still smiling wickedly.
"You're the one that chose me in the whorehouse," Avonlea reminded her, pulling her hand free from her friend's. "You didn't have to do that."
"It was worth it though."
Avonlea smiled at her friend and brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen on her shoulder, watching Carissa walk over to be with Katia and Cassius. Both of them looked lovely in their formal clothes and they welcomed Carissa with open arms. The Veela Halfling waited patiently for the hugs to be over, feeling slightly more out of the group than she normally did.
It's because I'm getting closer to becoming a vampire and farther from being normal, Avonlea thought, rubbing her pale arm. It's because they represent all that I'm going to lose in a few weeks. That's all that I will never have…unless some miracle happens soon, but I don't think that it will happen. It's too late and it's too impossible…
"Hey Lea," Carissa said, breaking Avonlea out of her thoughts. "Cassius has volunteered to be your escort down to the party and he's promised to dance with you when he's not dancing with me or Katia. Is that okay with you?"
"It is fine," Avonlea said, smiling at Cassius as he approached.
"He's fine," Katia corrected, openly staring at Cassius' backside as she hooked her arm around Carissa's and Carissa nodded in agreement.
Cassius bowed slightly towards Avonlea and offered her his hand. "May I have the honor of escorting you to the ball, Miss Raven?"
A small laugh burst from Avonlea's lips as she looked at him. "You may, kind sir," she said, placing her hand in his. "Just promise me that you won't be roleplaying the doting gentleman all night long. Okay, Cassius?"
"Aw, but I've been practicing that act for the past few days." Cassius winked at her. "You don't have to worry about me, Lea. I know how to behave."
"Sure you do."
Carissa popped open the door to the private room and glanced over her shoulder at her boyfriend and Avonlea. "C'mon and get moving you two. I want to get a spot next to the band, so I can scream requests at them."
"Among other things," Katia added with a girly giggle.
The four of them moved out of the common room and headed down the spiral stairs, talking quietly. Paintings called out compliments and critiques at them as they passed. Avonlea smiled at them and brushed back her hair off her shoulders. They soon merged with the rest of the crowd as they made it to the main staircase. Girls in bright colors and men in dark tuxes channeled their way towards the Great Hall, filling the area with loud voices.
"Wow," Avonlea breathed as she and her small group stepped into the Great Hall.
Glittering Christmas trees lined the walls of the Hall, dancing with magical fairy light. Snow fell from the ceiling, but never landed on the dance floor before fading away. Candles sat on tables that surrounded the dance floor, providing a romantic touch to the place. Doors opened up to the outside world where more fairy lights danced in the bushes that sat out there.
"They really went out of their way to gussy this place up," Katia commented from beside Avonlea. "I haven't seen this place look so pretty since the Triwizard Tournament a few years ago…McGonagall knows how to decorate."
"That's a surprising trait of hers," Cassius said, escorting Avonlea over to a table that was close to the dance floor and the faculty table. "You wouldn't know it by looking at the old lady."
"Looks can be deceiving," Avonlea told him, glancing up at the faculty table.
Her eyes travelled over the adults that were dressed in festive colored outfits. They landed on the very end of the table where Snape sat, staring darkly at his empty plate. Heat flooded her face when he lifted his gaze to look at the people that were still pouring into the Great Hall, but landed longer on her.
He doesn't know anything about his part in my life, Avonlea thought, taking the seat that Cassius held out for her. And God, do I want that to be a different case by the end of this night. I don't want to go into a world of darkness and blood.
"So, what shall we eat?" Carissa asked, plucking up a menu.
OOOOOOOOO
Snape was not one to party or attend a party because they were loud and full of people that he detested. But McGonagall didn't seem to care much about what he liked and disliked. With so many students habiting the Great Hall at once, the need for all of the faculty members to be there as well was a pressing issue. No one was spared from the duty of keeping the students from getting too carried away by their hormones.
At least the food was better with this party, Snape thought, taking a long sip of Butterbeer from his goblet.
The man set his goblet down and looked across the Great Hall as the annoying band that the kids liked played another song. The pulse of the music made the bodies of the students move as one. Snape saw several violations of the rules that McGonagall had laid out for the party, but didn't feel like getting up to deal with them at that moment. His dark eyes moved over the bodies and landed on his daughter's as she danced with her girlfriend.
The sparkle of silver danced on the dancefloor close to his daughter, attracting Snape's attention. Dancing in the arms of Carissa's boyfriend was the Veela Halfling that had been a thorn in his side since her predicament came into his life. Yet, he felt no ill will towards her as she smiled and danced with that idiot boy.
Snape couldn't tear his eyes away from the girl. Her silver dress fell low on her shoulders, baring pale skin that seemed to glow in the fairy light. It hugged her curves – curves that Snape had tried not to notice several times before. Blue gems glittered around her throat and a small tiara sat on top of her curled blonde locks.
Something stirred in Snape's gut as he watched her dance for several more heartbeats. His body wanted nothing more than to get up and cross the dancefloor and push the Veela free. He needed an excuse to send her away from his sight and hoped that she would cross some rule that would allow him to be free of her presence.
How can such a small person get under my skin like this? Snape wondered, pouring some Fire Whisky into his goblet and downing it. Why has she been able to this to me by just dancing? No one has ever gotten under my skin like she has.
Snape knew that he was lying to himself. Two women had always been able to get under his skin. First it had been Lily Evans before she went off and married James Potter. And then there had been Carissa's mother, the whore who had taken pity on him in his loneliness and fought to make him see that she could help him feel better.
What makes this girl anything like them? Snape stared at the girl across the Great Hall. She's nothing like them.
As the band's song ended, Avonlea smiled and stepped back away from Cassius. She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face and glanced towards the faculty table. Her eyes met Snape's and widened slightly. The girl pressed a hand to the side of her neck as color touched her cheeks. She turned her attention away from Snape as she muttered something to Carissa and her lovers. Carissa nodded and returned to dancing with the other two.
Snape watched as Avonlea pressed her way through the crowd and moved out into the outside world. Moments later, another member of his house followed after her. Something felt wrong about that, causing Snape to rise to his feet and move through the crowd as well.
OOOOOOOOO
Avonlea moved into the outside world, beyond the castle's warm walls. She rubbed her arms as the cold settled upon her. Her face felt too warm as she remembered looking at Snape only to realize that he was watching her like she was fascinating. His dark gaze had burned through her and touched her with just the smallest hint of hope.
It's really stupid for me to think that he could ever want me, Avonlea told herself, moving through the bushes and doing her best to avoid walking in on any couples hiding there. I'm not Lily and I'm not Carissa's mother. I'm the best friend of his daughter. That's as close as we're ever going to get and I have to learn to live with that.
Avonlea heard a twig snap behind her and she turned around, thinking that one of her friends had followed her, even though she had told them not to. She crossed her arms when she saw a tall Slytherin standing there. His eyes were staring at her, but not in fascination. There was a carnal hunger there, seeing her only as a sexual object.
"Haven't I told you that I don't want to have anything to do with you?" Avonlea demanded, wishing that she had brought her wand with her to the ball.
"You really want me to be here," the Slytherin told her, moving closer. "You're just playing hard-to-get and that comes to an end now."
Avonlea backed away from him. "I don't want you. I'll never want you."
"We'll see after I show you what you're missing," the Slytherin said, putting his hands on her.
A scream bubbled up in Avonlea's throat, but a flash of bright light released her from the Slytherin boy's hands. She fell backwards onto the ground as he was blasted into nearby bushes. Her eyes turned to see Snape standing nearby, wand in hand. Dark anger filled his eyes as he kept his wand trained on the panting boy.
"150 points from Slytherin," Snape hissed. "And you will serve detention for the rest of your time at Hogwarts." He twitched his wand. "Now, go to your common room. You are no longer permitted to attend this ball."
The Slytherin pushed himself free from the bush and skirted around the Head of House. Avonlea watched him run away like a cowardly dog until he disappeared from sight. Her eyes then turned towards Snape as he stowed his wand back into his black robes and the heat flooded her face once more.
"You're becoming more of a nuisance every day, Miss Raven," Snape said, crossing the distance between the two of them. "One might think that you are enjoying the attention."
"Sir, I'm not the kind of person that likes being the center of attention. I hate being the center of anyone's attention."
"Be that as it may, you are trouble," Snape told her, holding his hand out to help her up.
Avonlea took hold of his hand without thinking and felt a shock spread through her body as he helped her to her feet. Her eyes met his and she saw that he had felt the same shock. His eyes widened in an uneven mixture of surprise and horror.
"So," she whispered. "Now you know."
OOOOOOOOO
A/N: What did you lovelies think about this update? Please leave a message in the little box and I'll try to get back to you speedily. Thanks again to everyone! -Scarlet
