Time flashed in the turn of a page ;) to Christmas day, 5:48pm. The day of the Yule ball. The day of my birthday. I was finally fifteen today, though I felt much older.
Luna had just finished getting ready for the dance. She was dressed in a yellow pumpkiny dress and a gold shimmering mask that reminded me of the sun.
"Looking bright Luna," I quipped, still applying the final touches of make-up, winged eye-liner, tracing the corners of my eyes with Sally's Enchanted makeup brush, guaranteed for a flawless finish. My hair had been set in a low bun of curls that swayed on my neck.
"You haven't even put on your dress!" Luna exclaimed.
"Working on it." I replied, finishing the last traces of black on my lids. Satisfied, I shimmied into the twinkling dress of stars and sterling metal.
"It's like you're the moon and I'm the sun!"
I grinned, "A perfect match. Shall we mi'lady?" I bowed sillily, extending my hand towards her like the princes of old. Luna giggled.
"Of course my shining 'night!' Get it? Night?"
Laughing wildly, ignoring several pointed glares from the other girls in our dorm room, we strode out of our chambers, holding hands, passing by the 10 foot mirror beside the library. I glanced for the first time at my reflection wearing the dress.
Beautiful. Strange. Complex. Simple. Fierce. Timid. Intimidating.
... Tempting.
I was all those things and more. I was a siren on the rocky shores in the midst of a tempest, luring sailors to their doom, or was it instead their destiny to fall for the promise of love? My siren roared her approval.
The great hall had been transformed into a winter wonderland. Large enchanted icicles draped down from the ceiling, iridescently colored. The sky was set to snowfall, replacing the constant candle light. Near where the professors ate were instead, three sparkling Christmas trees, the biggest of the three in the middle. A live string quartet was already playing. At the center of the crystal dance floor, four couples were twirling in sync with the waltz. There was Harry Potter, who almost looked terrified of dancing with Pavarti. Diggory with Cho. I frowned. Fleur was spinning with one of the Ravenclaw boys I recognized who seemed intoxicated in her presence. And then there was Victor Krum with, well wouldn't you know it- Hermione Granger, who was stunning in her midnight blue dress.
After a few stanzas, Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall joined the dance, signaling all the other couples enter.
"Shall we?" I grinned.
"We shall." Luna affirmed, returning the smile, we walked out to the crystalline flooring, with more than a few heads turning to watch us.
"Do you want the man's part? Or the Girl's?"
"Probably the girl, I'm not sure if I know the other steps."
I inclined my head, taking her waist and interlocking our hands. We danced. Oh sure there were whispers. I ignored them all, refusing to let them impact my night. No, tonight, I was going to spend time with my closest companion.
"Thirsty?" Luna asked, "Your lips look a bit cracked."
I frowned, biting my lips, "Must be- I'll be back in a bit, going to get some punch. Do you want any?"
"No thank you, I'd rather stay clear of the punch, might be compromised by niff-wafflers you know. They are invisible, but they have been known to attend large parties and poison drinks with despair or worse- boredom. Horrible things really."
I loved Luna, but sometimes, she said things that made no sense whatsoever. I walked through the throng of dancing bodies.
"'Care to dance?" A large boy in a red fur coat asked. His jaw slackened unappealingly.
"No thanks. I'm good." I politely turned him down, ignoring the puppy-dog expression that followed. As I exited the pulse of bodies, I finally saw it- the drink's table, covered with ice with several enchanted ornaments skating on the top. Ornate glass goblets were arranged in a pyramid with the top several rows missing, each filled with a cranberry red liquid I recognized as a Shirley Temple. I grabbed one on the very edge, emptying it with a single sweep of my mouth.
"Can you pass me two of those?" A boy asked behind me.
"Sure thing." I placed my own down before grabbing two others. I turned and found myself face to face with Cedric Diggory. His face flashed in shock- he had not expected it to be me.
"Here," I shoved them into his hands dully, anxious to get as far away from him as possible.
I was walking away when something sharp gripped my shoulder, nails digging deep. There was only one person this could be.
Dark hair and eyes narrowed cruelly- Cho friggin' Chang, glaring with a pack of velociraptors behind her, chittering.
"I warned you." She all but trembled, fury lacing her voice, "I warned you to stay away from him."
"Listen Cho- I'm not interested in him. Never have been- never will. I have much bigger fish to fry." I deadpanned, "Not that you'll believe me on that. Going to deface my clothing again? Or what? Hex me in front of every-"
That's when it hit me, her blazing red drink launching out of her goblet, seeping into my silver silk as though I had been slashed by a sword. The girls behind her were cackling mirthlessly while Cho's face looked pinched in rage.
I felt my jaw drop. She had ruined it- the most beautiful dress I had ever known, the sweetest gift from my Uncle this Christmas. The diamonds were now dreary in the syrupy liquid, the dress clinging stickily to my frame.
Oh, I could feel the tears rising in my eyes. But there was more than just sadness there. I was angry. Furious.
The ice sculptures shattered around me, large shards rearing up hovering, their sharp points directly at my tormentors. The laughter was gone, all of their faces paled instantly.
My hand waved slightly mid air as the spears surrounded them, touching them with the faintest of points.
"How are you doing that without a wand?" Cho tremored, "It's not possible- It's not-" Her eyes bulged as the largest of the shards maneuvering directly in front of her, aimed at her nose.
"That's enough." My siren hissed, "I'm done with your ugliness. Your face may be pretty, but your personality, your soul? Hideous. If you ever try to do anything to me ever again, I'll make sure it is the last thing you'll do."
"Are-are you threatening me?" She tried to sound intimidating, but I could see the panic behind her façade.
"I'd prefer you'd think of it more as a promise." I hissed sharply.
I released the ice, where it shattered on the floor like a dropped chandelier, tinkling. They all flinched. With a sharp about-face, I marched away, refusing to cry in front of the mass of witches and wizards looking at me. I found myself outside in a white courtyard high above the jagged cliffside, surrounded by pearly marble bannisters that seemed to glow in the starlight. There was a single granite bench posted near the edge of the deck that I passed over. I draped my elbows over the railing, pressing my face in my hands. Willing this terrible night to a swift end.
Author's Note: I'll be posting the next chapter tomorrow- heads up, it's about to get a bit steamy ;). Let me know what you think so far!
