Thank you to everyone for all the follows, favorites, and reviews! I truly appreciate them all.
Here's my next chapter. A bit less eventful, but it's a nice and easy chapter. Hope you enjoy!
**I own nothing but my OCs. Thoughhhh having a SS would be nice. Heheheee**
Chapter 8
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I wake up with a jolt and jerk my sheets up to my chest. Feeling myself beginning to break a sweat, frightened by something beyond belief, but what am I scared of? I can't remember a single detail about my dream.
I look over at my clock on the bedside table. 5:13 am. Too early for breakfast, but there's no way I'll be able to go back to sleep.
I push my sheets off of me and make my way to the bathroom to take a shower. As I'm standing there, letting the hot water wash over me, I have the odd sense that I'm forgetting something, that I should be doing something else. It's only a little after 5 am, what else would I be doing right now besides sleeping? Stepping out of the shower, I grab one of the towels off the rack, wrap it around me, and walk over to the mirror. I take my mother's antique brush off the counter and start brushing through my hair. After a moment, the realization hits me! Severus asked me to the ball tonight! And I have nothing to wear! Sure, I've owned my fair share of fancy, pure-blood approved gowns, but I haven't worn one in years. I hastily grab my wand and dry my hair.
After changing into a pair of jeans, a black sweater, and flats, I grab my traveling robes and head out the door.
It's almost 7am by the time I reach Madame Eve's Gown Boutique in London. Madame Eve had been my neighbor growing up in London, always telling my mother to stop by and pick a dress out for me. She had made my dress for my Hogwarts graduation. It was a bit more formal than it needed to be, but what else would be expected?
As I reach the door, I see a single light on towards the back of the store. The sign on the door reads that the boutique opens at 8am, so I stand there a moment contemplating on what to do for the hour. I look up and down the street. There's a shoe store just around the corner, but Madame Eve has shoes in her boutique. But it would also kill some time to go look. But I don't know what my dress will look like, so I can't pick out shoes yet. There's also a hairdresser right down the street, but I have magic for that and it's too early.
Suddenly, I hear knocking behind me. I turn around and Madame Eve is on the other side of the door, unlocking it.
"Ms. Gale!" she says ecstatically, gripping me in a hug. "It's so wonderful to see you!" She suddenly and quickly pulls me to arm's length, looks at me and smiles. "You have grown into such a beautiful young lady." Then she hugs me again, but with less enthusiasm. "I'm so sorry about your parents. They were wonderful people." I feel myself hug her back.
"Thank you, Madame Eve." She pulls away from me and lightly hits me on the arm.
"Call me Addy, dear." She grabs my hand and leads me into her boutique.
It's just as I remember it being. Quite a large store, very open. Dresses lining all four walls, all grouped by their colors and styles. My favorites have always been the pastel pinks and blues, even though I never wear pastels. A large crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling in the center of the boutique, lighting up the whole room. Over in both corners were changing rooms and full length mirrors. And Madame Eve is just as I remember her; a petite, kind of plump, woman with short auburn hair, but now it had grey throughout. She has always had a very enormous personality.
"What can I do for you, Ms. Gale?" she asks.
"Regina, please." I look around the shop before looking to her. "I know it's kind of short notice, but I've been invited to a ball tonight and am in desperate need of something. I don't have much money, but will be fine with whatever."
"Now, now. None of that, dear!" She puts her hands on her hips. "You can have your choice of whatever you'd like!"
"Oh, Addy, that's very sweet but I –"
"Nonsense! We will find exactly what you want and you can have it for no charge." She starts walking towards one of the walls full of dresses. "I'm not going to let the prettiest girl I know go in a dress she doesn't love." I smile and walk over to the wall with her. "Now, I know you've always been a fan of the pastels, but never wear them. Do you want to try them?"
"I don't know that pastels would be an ideal color choice for this event…" I start looking through some of the plum colored dresses.
"And why would that be?" Addy asks.
"Well, um…" I pull one dress out, look at it, and then put it back on the rack. "The ball is kind of at Malfoy Manor." I turn my gaze to Addy and she's just standing there, looking at me like she sees a ghost. Do I dare continue? "And, um, my… date… is, um…" I start going through the deep purple dresses. "Professor Severus Snape." I pull out a dress, scan it quickly, and turn towards Madame Eve. "This one looks nice!" Madame Eve is still looking at me like I'm a figment of her imagination.
"What?" She asks. I turn around and put the dress back. "You're going to the Malfoy home? After everything they've done. And with Severus Snape? Notorious for having a Death Eater reputation." I look down at my hands. "And Snape is at least, what, twenty years your senior?"
"It's something I have to do. Something I want to do." I walk over to the group of black gowns and think for a moment. "These would work perfectly."
"Regina, don't pick something just to fit in with them…"
"I'm not." I pull out one of the dresses. "I actually enjoy wearing black. And I know it's a color Severus wears very well. And I know if would fit for the occasion." I put the dress back and spot another, pulling it out. "I like this one."
"Then we'll try it."
The dress is very simple, yet elegant. The skirt is floor-length with a small train, going up to right under my bust, all made of shining silk. There's a small area where the skirt bunches on the left side of my hip. The top is my favorite part, all black lace. The sleeves are off the shoulder and reaching to just below my elbows. There is even a small V-shape to the neckline. No rhinestones, jewels, or feathers. No ruffles, no poof. Simple, fitted and still sophisticated. Just the way I like it.
"You look beautiful, my dear." Madame Eve says from behind me. "Your parents would be so proud of you." I turn around to face her and notice that she's crying. I take a few steps over to her and hug her.
"I think this one is perfect." I tell her.
"I couldn't agree more." She says as she pulls away and brings out a handkerchief from her pocket, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Now, all you need are a pair of shoes." She walks over to another wall filled with different shoes. I scan through them and pick out a pair of simple black pumps.
After choosing my selections and Madame Eve quickly fitting them, with magic of course, I left the boutique and went on my way back to Hogwarts.
By the time I returned to my living quarters, it was almost noon. I walk back to my bedroom and put the garment bag containing my dress in my armoire, along with the shoes.
I look over at the clock on my bedside table, 11:58am. Too early to start getting ready. Maybe I should look over lesson plans for Monday. Or maybe I could catch up on reading my book. Or I could go find Severus, but I'll see him tonight. Surely, he doesn't want to see me all day.
I walk back out to my sitting quarters and gasp, quickly grabbing my wand from inside my robes, until I realize who it is.
"Severus! What are you doing here?" I ask, Severus just sitting on my sofa, legs crossed and one arm resting on the arm of the sofa.
"You weren't at breakfast this morning." He says, tapping his fingers on the sofa.
"I had some business to attend to in London." I say, walking over to the sofa and sitting next to him.
"And what would that be?" he asks, turning to face me.
"It's my business, not yours." I laugh a little. His face almost looks a little worried, but I'm not certain. I take his hand in mine. "Nothing to be worried about, I promise you." I squeeze his hand a bit. "Is that the only reason you came here?"
"No. I also wanted to let you know to be ready by 6 o'clock."
"I can do that." He gets up from the sofa and I follow him over to the door.
"Until tonight, Ms. Gale."
"Good afternoon, Severus." He bows his head and walks off into the hall.
Putting on the last of my makeup, I glance over at the clock. 5:52pm. Just in time!
I get up from my vanity bench and run over to my armoire, taking out my dress and shoes. I quickly slip into both and walk over to the mirror. Not to blow my own horn or anything, but I look pretty fantastic. I decided to curl my hair and leave it half up and half down, with a tiny gem barrette to secure it in the back. For my makeup, I did a neutral smoky-eye with a red lip. Red lips and a black satin and lace gown, classical.
As I'm looking over myself again in the mirror, I hear a knocking at my door. I take a deep breath.
"Come in." I say. The door opens and Severus walks in, in what looks like his usual black attire but with nicer dress robes. He closes the door behind him and stares at me. After a quiet moment, I begin to get nervous, walk over to the coat hanger next to the door, and grab my shawl. But Severus takes the shawl from my hands and puts it around me, leaving his arms around me.
"You look beautiful, Regina." He says next to my ear. I turn my head and look into his dark shadowy eyes. Again, I can never tell what he's thinking or feeling.
"Thank you." I whisper. He removes his arms from around me and opens the door, motioning for me to go through.
What the fuck am I doing here? – The first thought to come to my mind as Severus and I walk through the front door of Malfoy Manor. This place just reeks of cocky purebloods.
As Severus and I are walking down the entrance hall towards the ballroom, I feel dozens of eyes looking over at me, but I keep my face forward. Inside the ballroom, there are couples scattered throughout the room, all gossiping in their little groups. All the women with their heavy makeup and their glitzy gowns, ties around their gentleman's little finger. All thinking they're better than everyone else. Can you tell that I don't like them? And, of course, we all know what group most of their husbands belong to.
Suddenly, we stop walking and I feel Severus' hand move down to the small of my back. I look over and see Lucius walking towards us. Quickly, I turn my head the other way.
"Severus…" he says and they shake hands. "…Regina, dear." He says with almost some venom in his voice, taking my hand and kissing it. "How… lovely… to see you here tonight."