Disclaimer: I truly do not own this, dear.

Nearly asleep authoress's note:

So it's 1:30AM and I can't sleep. So what do I get out of bed and do? I plug in my iPod and listen to The Academy Is... while starting this chapter. I hope it serves you well. My romantic fonts are starting to come out, and I hope it pleases you. Please enjoy reading this as I rock out and sip week-old Snapple because no one went shopping today and we ran out of healthy drinks.

I'm also very much under the influence of Love Actually, which I saw for the first time today. And y'know, that's all bubbly love and romance and it rubbed off on me a lot.

And p.s., the chapter title is in Italian, in case you were wondering.

This chapter is dedicated to Lance. I will never forget the time we played Donkey Konga and you played "Sing Sing with a Swing" and yelled, "IT'S THE CHIPS AHOY SONG!" At the top of your lungs, and also missing several of the first notes of the song. Haha. Rock on.

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Someone Like You

Chapter Thirteen - Bellezza di cristallo

"Beauty as we feel it is something indescribable; what it is or what is means can never be said." -George Santayana

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"Kate! Wake up!" Angelina shouted, shoving her friend in the shoulder as she stood over her bed.

Kate lazily peeled her eyes open, groaning angrily from being awakened from sleep. The bright morning sunlight seeped into Kate's eyes, and they winced shut as she yawned obviously and sat up in bed.

"Whadderya want..." Kate asked droopily in between yawns.

"It's Christmas! C'mon, get up already!" Angelina exclaimed, smiling happily, taking a steep back from Kate's bed.

Kate's eyes finally opened all the way, and she grinned. Sure, she liked Christmas, but this Christmas was special. The Yule Ball was that night, and she had been anticipating it for two weeks since Cedric asked her.

Kate stood up quickly. "Well, lets open presents, then!"

They crept quickly downstairs to the common room, where a few people were awake already, including Fred, George, and Lee Jordan.

"Good morning, ladies," Fred said quirkily, as he opened a package with maroon wrapping paper.

"Oh no, Fred, it's one of Mum's sweaters!" George exclaimed as Fred opened the present.

Kate laughed as she found her own cache of presents. Ones from Mum, Dad, Angelina, Fred, George, Harry, Hermione...and Cedric. Kate couldn't help but smile, wondering what he had gotten him.

Angelina smirked to herself. She had been crafty to sneak in the present Cedric had passed to her in the hall the night before. They were very careful Kate didn't find out.

She opened that one first. Carefully tearing the paper away from the present, an unexpectant grin spread across her face.

It was Emma by Jane Austen. In the front cover was a note that was written in Cedric's refined handwriting.

Dear Kate,

I thought you could try reading something different. I hope you enjoy. Merry Christmas!

-Cedric

There was another book underneath that one. It was a cookbook for various chocolate desserts. There was another note inside of that one.

By using this, hopefully your next dessert cooking venture will turn out better than the last one.

Kate grinned even wider, and couldn't help but giggle a little. She felt like a little school girl, back in her preschool days, so new to love, thinking that a simple crush was something much more than it really was, and that even when he looked in her direction, she was overwhelmed by feeling and a fluttering in her heart...

Kate snapped back to reality. She continued to open her presents, placing the book aside delicately, keeping its presence close to her. The smile it had brought didn't leave her face for the rest of morning, and beautiful images of a waltzing dream swam blankly through Kate's imagination.

She and Angelina finally finished unwrapping their presents, and they left for a warm and filling Christmas breakfast of hash browns and omelets. Kate saw Cedric across the Great Hall, and they exchange anxious smiles. Usually they waved to each other, but Kate felt her limbs frozen in a state of overwhelming heat as she sat down at her house's table.

She ate very slow that morning. She felt a need to prolong that day as much as she could, so she would have more to think about later, more to remember. She tried to have a conversation with everyone, even people she hardly knew, like Neville Longbottom. They had an enjoyable talk about Remembralls and how grandparents are great.

She spent the rest of the morning and afternoon munching on snacks and chocolate she had received for Christmas. She played Chess and card games with the Weasley twins and Angelina. After teaching them how to play Spoons and a couple rounds of that game, it was nearly 5:30. They decided to break their conference and begin getting ready for the dance.

The moment Kate's mother had received the letter from her daughter that she was going to a Ball, she knew exactly what dress Kate would want. It was one that had been handed down through the years from daughter to daughter, and yet was still as beautiful as when it had been made. It was elegant and seemed to magically fit everyone who wore it, no matter what size they were. It was a nearly pure snow white cut just below the armpits. It blossomed at the waist to an elegant flower of shimmering beauty. Even one slight shift of the dress and it shimmered in any light, displaying a galaxy of stars over the length of the fabric. It made the wearer seem to be a being of unnatural beauty, or in a more lyrical sense, a Crystal Beauty.

Kate couldn't help but brim with excitement as she pulled on the ancient and graceful dress. It seemed a perfect fit. Her mother had worn it on her wedding day, her mother's mother had worn it on her wedding day. Her mother's mother's mother had worn it on her wedding day. This dress was only worn on special occasions, and Kate was determined to make this a special occasion.

Though she felt it didn't need much help to be very, very special.

The next step was hair. Kate spent quite a bit of time pinning her dark, curly hair onto the back of her head in a fancy up-do. She spun it around into an elegant bun, and bobby-pinned it up.

The final step to hair was some glittery jel, that made her hair sparkle in the light.

After applying a small bit of lipstick, eyeshadow and mascara, Kate's final step was jewelry. Along with the dress, Kate's mother had sent a stunning silver necklace laden with an opal, and matching earrings. Finally, there was a pair of Cinderella-esque shimmering shoes the fit Kate perfectly.

Kate was surprised when she checked the time again. It was almost seven. She rushed out of the bathrooms and met Angelina in the common room.

"Kate, you look wonderful!" Angelina greeted merrily as she arrived. Angelina was wearing a satin red dress that flowed smoothly over her slight figure.

"Thank you, you look great yourself!" Kate said back, smiling cheerily as she rushed into the room.

"But c'mon, we're almost late!" Angelina rushed, urging Kate towards the door.

The left quickly. Almost everyone else had cleared out and was preparing for the dance. Kate couldn't be late. Not for this. She and Angelina rushed along.

They reached the top of the marble staircase quickly, much quicker than either of them had anticipated. Kate had managed to make it down all the stairs while only stumbling once, and in heels, too. It was a new record, she labeled.

Angelina was taken away momentarily by Fred Weasley, who had quickly come up the steps at her arrival and escorted his date. Kate scanned the crowd fervently for a moment, then her eyes met Cedric's shocking grey ones.

Kate's knees felt weak as his eyes locked on her. An innate feeling of giddiness overwhelmed her as she grinned nervously as began down the stairs. She could hear her own heartbeat loudly, and wouldn't be surprised if everyone else in the room heard it.

He was almost overwhelmed at the sight of her as she descended eloquently down the stairs. His eyes had never fell on anything more lovely in all his life.

He was speechless as Kate reached him through the crowd. Cedric's mates scattered as Kate reached him, sensing they would want to be left alone.

Kate was smiling widely. She couldn't do anything to restrain it. Cedric's eyes filled with love and admiration as Kate stopped in front of him.

"I...I don't know what to say..." Cedric stuttered, his shock turning to a grin.

Kate chuckled. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"It's a marvelous thing..." Cedric answered breathlessly, feeling that if he took his eyes off of her everything he loved would disappear.

Kate felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest at those words. She felt her cheeks flush red and hoped he didn't notice. She didn't want him to know how she was feeling...

"Champions! Line up here with your partners to enter." Came the loud voice of Professor McGonagall over the heads of the students.

Kate and Cedric exchanged eager smiles as she looped her arm through his.

"Ready?" Cedric smirked expectantly.

Kate nodded, nearly shaking from the nerves. "Yeah, I am."

"Great." Cedric replied, an unremovable smile across his face.

"Oh, by the way, I loved your present." Kate giggled, thinking of the two books.

"Oh, your welcome. I liked yours as well." Cedric smirked. Kate had gotten him a mystery book, because she remembered him saying something to her about how he liked them. In addition, she had thrown in a pair of shoelaces, with a note that said she hoped those ones worked better than the ones he had.

They entered the Great Hall with the other champions. Kate's feet felt lighter than feathers as they walked into the center of the room, and the music began playing.

Her and Cedric faced each other again, their eyes locking in an unbreakable stance. "May I have this dance?" Cedric smirked.

"Oh, sure," Kate teased, giggling. Cedric took her hand delicately in his, and a shocking tingling sensation ran up Kate's arm. She felt very unstable as her giddiness reached a fever pitch and they began dancing.

Neither Kate nor Cedric could've counted the time they spent together. They couldn't count the number of songs that had danced together. They couldn't count the number of times they had numbly made poke-fun remarks to each other. They couldn't count the times their eyes met and refused to look away. They couldn't count the number of times they felt so full of that inexplicable feeling that it threatened to overwhelm them. Nothing real existed then. To Kate, the only other person there was Cedric. And to Cedric, the only other person there was Kate. It didn't matter that they were surrounded by hundreds of their peers, all their teachers, people they had never met before. They shared something beyond themselves, something so personal it seemed farfetched that they weren't alone.

The announcement was made that the last dance was next. Kate's fever pitch hadn't receded any, but she felt more comfortable being close to him. For Cedric, however, it seemed only natural to have her close to him.

The song was slow and melodious, yet full of love and life. Kate's inexplicable feeling overtook her, and as she danced close to Cedric, she dared beyond herself and laid her head nervously on his shoulder.

Cedric grinned as the soothing scent of Kate's hair reached him and wisps of her hair tickled his neck. He somehow wished this would never end.

Kate never knew how long that last song was; she was in her own world. The smile that had never left her lips still lingered their, as she closed her eyes. The feeling of floating overcame her, and she was sure if she opened her eyes again they would be floating on a cloud.

The music stopped playing and all the couples stopped dancing. Kate reluctantly lifted her head from Cedric's shoulder and they embraced each other's eyes again.

Words weren't needed. They both knew what was on the other's mind.

The dance had ended, and the students began filing out of the great hall. Kate and Cedric stayed close, walking out together.

They still didn't speak as they climbed the stairs silently, up towards the Fat Lady's portrait.

Kate and Cedric had barely reached the Fat Lady's portrait. Kate had just barely said "Fairy Lights" when suddenly she felt Cedric's lips touch her cheek gently and briefly.

It took her a moment to realize what had happened. An unexplainable wave of awareness then overcame her, and her eyes darted to Cedric's. They were calm and humble.

"Goodnight," he said simply before turning away.

She hadn't said anything. That was good enough for him.

But Kate's instinct took hold, and she quickly stepped over to him, placing her lips on his cheek quickly. She said, "Goodnight!" jubilantly as she nearly fell into the Gryffindor common room because of nerves.

That was a much better response for Cedric.

And as Kate lay laughing hysterically on the common room floor–and Angelina and the Weasley twins gawked at her and crooned, "What the bloody hell is wrong with her?"–she felt an undeniable connection between her and Cedric. Something that was much more than friendship. She had already known that. But this new thing, this marvelous new thing, sent an adrenaline of love through her.

And that told her heart all it needed to know.

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Yet again, an authoress note:

-dancing around to Rent-

Oh, er, yeah. So, there's the chappie! Darn, it's kinda short again. XD Oh well. :3 I hope you like how that turned out! You may have been hoping for the real first kiss, but I have another, better situation for that. Don't worry, it is soon! I shan't disappoint you! Um, so you know the drill. Please review so I will get the next chapter up sooner:) Thanks for reading, my lovelies!

Thanks to:

luv sean faris: lol, thanks! Yay for anti-Cho-ism. Heh heh heh!

Mysticdark1: Hehe, thanks for reviewing! -eats cookie-

summerluck2: -glomp- Holy cows, thanks for all of teh awesome reviews! XD They are greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

Iris Knotwise: Hehe, thanks! My trick worked, lol. And a Potterphile t-shirt? That would be awesome! XD You should market it. I'd buy one!

HelloLonely: Thanks:3 Yay for anti-Cho-ism again. She does have a crying problem...O-o

katy-ducky: Tis indeed an awesome word! XD It just means like...disproportionate, kinda. I'm bad at explaining things.

Nayerz: Thanks for the review!

love-is-never-forgotten

Tamzi

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