Her Own Style

Sirius helps Dominique find her own style.

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Hogwarts - Calligraphy - Task #6 - Squibs: Write about someone who feels like an outcast

Dominique pushes her blonde hair back over her shoulder as she reaches for a dress. "This is nice," she says, looking over the pink material. "Victoire had one like this for her ball."

"Sweetheart, you're not Victoire though, are you?" Sirius tells her. He glances up, noting the expression on her face and realises his mistake. He used to feel like he came second to someone else too. Not that Dominique comes second of course. Her parents treat her and her siblings with equal amounts of love, but he can see that Dominique feels like she's in Victoire's shadow.

Her sister is more bubbly and outgoing and confident and Dominique tries to live up to that, even though that's not her.

"Forget the pink dress," Sirius says. "You're not your sister. You are you, and that's an amazing person to be. Now… what do you like?"

"Teddy had this awesome cd the other day," Dominique says, after a long moment. "It's not what we listen to at home but I liked it more. I also like your jacket. I like… I like… sequins."

Sirius' smile widens. "Love, I knew there was a reason why you're my favourite," he says. "Don't tell the others though, don't want them to get jealous. Now, let's find a better shop." He pulls out his phone and sends a text to the others to meet them.

Bill, Remus, Sirius and Dominique step out of the train station. "This," Sirius says, stretching his arms out and almost hitting someone in the process, "is Camden Town. A little more alternative than what you're used to, but I'm sure we can find something a little less… Victoire and a little more Dominique. How do you feel about that?"

She looks at the people walking by. A lot dressed in every-day clothes, but there are some people with colourful hair, some with their earlobes stretched wide. Big jeans, neon colours. So much black make-up. Cute bags.

"I… I think I could like it here," she says.

...oOo…

Remus and Bill are sent to have a drink together in the cafe once more, whilst Sirius walks with Dominique around the shops. She's quite reserved at first, but it doesn't take long for her to be searching through the racks of outfits, pulling out elaborate and out-there dresses.

Sirius watches his niece come alive as she explores the area. She buys a dress, then another. Then some t-shirts. A bag. There's no reservations like when she's shopping with family, and Sirius smiles. This is how he felt the first time he came to Camden too. It was Remus who brought him there, because Remus knew muggle London when the rest of them didn't.

Dominique isn't like her mother and she's not like her sister. It's why Fleur asked Sirius for help in getting Dominique out of her shell, because Sirius dares to be different and Dominique has always admired him.

After a couple of hours, he calls Remus and they arrange to meet for lunch, the two men heading down towards them so they can go into the nearby pub for lunch. Bill raises his eyebrows at the sight of the bags, and further still as Dominique talks and talks about the shops and the things she's seen and the music and the colours and the pictures.

"I can bring her here more often," Bill says, glancing around the pub after Dominique excuses herself to use the lo.

"I'm happy to bring her here whenever," Sirius offers, and Bill gives him an appreciative nod.

"Maybe it'd be good for you and Dominique to come to places like this and get some time together?" Remus suggests. "Dominique is quite different from Fleur and Victoire, but have you considered that you and her have a lot in common too?"

"I haven't," Bill admits. "Do you think that's it? That it'd help her?"

"She loves her family, but she doesn't feel like she can relate to anyone," Sirius agrees. "Maybe you're the person for that. Help her work out who she is - she's fifteen and she thinks she lives in her sister's shadow, even though Victoire doesn't cause that."

"Fleur's family is very reserved and… we try, but I think Fleur just expected Dominique to be like Victoire and is flailing a little bit in her attempts to make Dominique feel included. So… did she get a nice outfit for the ball?"

"She got a stunning outfit," Sirius confirms. "Leather, sequins, glitter. Beautiful outfit."

"Thank you for coming with us," Bill says. "I knew you'd be able to find a way to get through to her."

"Anytime," Sirius says. "But my work here is done. When she gets back, me and my Moonpie are heading off, so you and Dominique can finish shopping and talk a bit more."

...oOo…

Dominique stops over at Remus' and Sirius' place before the ball, eager to show off her dress. The dress reaches her knees and the top of the dress is a leather substitute, but the rest is a softer material with black sequins. She's charmed them to shimmer even when the light isn't hitting them.

As she talks to Sirius about her outfit, Teddy strolls into the room, leaning against the door frame. He stares at her for a moment and her eyes widen. She quickly reaches up, her fingers reaching for her blond waves, but she brings her hand back down.

"Something is missing," he murmurs after a moment. He pulls the three rubber bands off his wrist and walks over, reaching for her hand.

Her eyes are still wide as he does so. He slides them onto her wrist. "Much better. You're looking amazing, Dom. You should dress like that more often, really suits you." He turns to his dads. "Right, I'm off to see my friends. Back in a few hours." He strolls over to the fireplace.

Dominique turns, her gaze following him and her lips curved into a dreamy smile. Sirius doesn't comment, not wanting to embarrass her by addressing this obvious crush.

He waits until Teddy is gone before he reaches for the gift-bag next to the chair.

"A gift from the three of us," he says, handing the bag over. Dominique almost squeals as she pulls out her own leather jacket.

"Wear it tonight and have a good time. Who asked you?"

"Frankie Longbottom," she admits. "Uncle Neville's son."

"Nice boy," Remus says, before Sirius goes into protective mode. "Have a wonderful time, okay?"

"I will," she says. "Thank you both for everything." She heads back to the floo and heads to her first ball.

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