Ten.
All Hollow's Eve arrived on a Sunday night, and just as it had for years, Hogwarts played host to the annual Masquerade Ball. Students between years five and seven were invited to attend. Anyone below year five was welcome to attend as long as they were escorted by a member of the upper-class.
The previous night had not left Amelia's mind and part of her didn't want it to. The feel of Lucius' mouth against her own had numbed her beyond logical thought. She would not have been so bothered by it if she were not forced to see him in less than an hour.
Of course he would be at the Ball – it was a given. He had to keep up appearances, it was expected. He would be there with Narcissa, and she with Kingsley.
It was paradoxical – she had let herself fall into a relationship with Kingsley when she didn't really want one. And as much as she enjoyed his company, it did not compare to the fixation she had with Lucius, not even a bit.
The package her mother had sent was, as her brothers guessed, a dressing gown. Even though Amelia already had one, it did not compare to the gift.
It was a royal blue evening gown that swept the floor, giving Amelia just enough room to walk and dance without tripping. The sheer blue fabric hung off the shoulder and came to meet in the back in the formation of a bow. The neckline curved against the swell of her breasts. An embroidery trailed up the side of the gown in the form of flowers, morning glories. Adelina Bones knew her daughter's taste well.
Amelia's eyes had been lined and lidded with a smoky gray eye shadow and her lips were glossy but pale. Her hair fell around her shoulders in large, soft curls, with her signature blue ribbon tied in the back and Kingsley's gift hung from her neck.
She may have thought Lucius a handsome man but she did not belong with him – at least, that's what she had been trying to convince herself of for the past 24 hours.
Amelia rose from her seat at the foot of her bed and descended into the Common Room where the other girls were waiting. Edgar had ushered Elliot and Xeno into the corridor with Amos and Kingsley to wait for their dates. Edgar insisted the ladies to make a grand entrance.
Nathalia and Cordelia, much like Amelia, donned blue gowns that swept the floor, though the shades we lighter and the make different. Emmeline wore a satin gold gown that pleated at her ankles, hugging her curves, elegance played across her own classic features. Rita had chosen to show off a bright red cocktail dress – her motto clearly being 'subtle is just not my style.'
"There you are." Emmeline said, turning to face Amelia. "We were beginning to wonder what you were doing up there."
"A few minor adjustments." Amelia nodded. "You look fantastic, Emmeline." Amelia said earnestly, truly in awe of her best friend.
"Lia," Emmeline shook her head, "You shouldn't lie."
"I never lie-" Amelia began but stopped short, the weight of her words falling on her shoulders. She never used to lie, but her list of tales was becoming infinitesimal. Where she was, who she was with, what she was doing, why she kept staring at Lucius. Shaking her head quickly, she mended, "Honestly, Em. You look beautiful."
"Thank you, Lia." Emmeline blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Erm - we'd better get going. We don't want to keep the boys waiting too long."
"She's right." Amelia agreed while Nathalia and Cordelia headed for the door. Rita simply rolled her eyes and checked the polish on her nails.
"I'll bet Xeno's eyes are just ready to ogle me." Rita said sarcastically.
Almost immediately, everyone broke into pairs. Nathalia and Cordelia instinctively flocked to their boyfriends. Emmeline exchanged low whispers with Amos and Rita stood beside Xeno, tapping her foot impatiently. While Amelia would have much rather proceeded to the Great Hall as a group, her only option at any entrance seemed to be on Kingsley's arm.
Kingsley wore dark dressing robes and if one looked close enough, they could see the deep crimson. He looked handsome, of course, and bolder than ever. Upon seeing Amelia, his face broke into a grin, his entire being lighting up.
"Ah, Amelia," he cooed, "You're breath taking." He said, placing a light kiss on her cheek.
"Thank you, Kingsley." She smiled softly, meeting his eye only once.
"I see you're wearing my gift." He nodded.
Amelia's right hand immediately flew to the charm that hung from her neck, her fingers tracing the shape and delicate jewels.
"Yes." She nodded. "Of course I am."
"You wear it well." He replied, cupping his hand over hers as she clutched the charm.
Kingsley's eyes spoke a sort of understanding, an understanding that he would not have given her the gift if he knew what Amelia took it to mean. He did not want her to feel stuck with him, but that's exactly how she felt. Sighing inwardly, Amelia wrapped her mind around a solid fact; regardless of what she wanted, she was attending the Ball with Kingsley. Kingsley, the man she was supposed to love, who everyone wanted her to love, who she even wanted to love but couldn't. She thought only a few short weeks ago that she could force herself to feel something other than friendship for him. That if she held his hand and kissed him tenderly and said the right things, her heart would suddenly yearn for him.
But that night, the ultimate romantic ambush that Kingsley had set up, Amelia realized something important; love is spontaneous and unexpected. Love means nothing when you see it coming and it takes various forms. And for Amelia Bones, love had taken the form of a blonde haired Slytherin. But whether or not she would let herself slip into it was another thing.
"We should probably be heading down." Edgar announced to the group as everyone followed his lead in a grand procession to the Great Hall.
The trip to the Entrance Hall was short and they ran into several other groups along the way; Alice Parker and Frank Longbottom, Hestia Jones and Jonathan Creevy, Gideon Prewett and Gwenog Jones as well as a very jealous Bertha Jorkins alongside Fabian Prewett.
At Bertha's harsh stares, Kingsley gripped Amelia's hand, whispering, 'I think she may turn green.' While Amelia should have been offended by the Gryffindor girl's behavior, Kingsley's mention of the color green made her stomach turn, and she immediately scanned the hall for any signs of Lucius. Much to her dismay, however, he did not appeared to have arrived yet. She sighed lightly upon stepping into the Great Hall, which distracted her thoughts.
"Merlin." Emmeline breathed. "It's positively magnificent!"
"Dumbledore has really outdone himself this year." Cordelia grinned.
"He sure has." Edgar agreed.
In the four corners of the room hung banners of each house's color; red, blue, green and yellow. The ceiling has been transformed to resemble the very night on which the Ball fell. The costumes were what really added to the magic that captivated the night; a sea of satin mixed with burgundys, emeralds, golds and sapphires. It was clear that most students chose to pay homage to their own house with their attire. Amelia naively thought that said fact would make it much easier to find Lucius. What she would do once she found him, she knew - nothing. There was no way they could be seen together, much less have an actual relationship. But that did not mean that she didn't want one. She did, but it was, she assumed, better to look and not touch.
She did not have to look long. By the doorway, she spotted one of the most elegant gowns she had ever seen. And Narcissa Black was wearing it. By her side stood Lucius, looking as tall and as regal as ever. A horde of Slytherins stood behind them including Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Walden MacNair, Astoria Greengrass, Evan Rosier and others. Amelia smirked inwardly at the thought of the group without Lucius at the front – they would be nothing more than a school of lost fish. Almost instantly, Lucius caught Amelia staring; he had been looking for her as well.
Anyone else would have missed the slight nod he gave her. It was short and in the direction of the opposing corridor. Because so much of their relationship had been based on silent communication, she understood immediately what he was asking.
"Kingsley," Amelia said with more cheer than she had used ever before, "I left my mask in the Common Room. I'm just going to go get it."
"I'll go with you." He offered.
"No, no. Don't be silly." She said with a wave of her hand. "It's not that far. Besides, I wouldn't want you to miss out on the mingling with your friends."
"Really, Lia. I don't mind."
"Kingsley." Amelia grinned. "I'll be fine."
Kingsley looked at Amelia for a moment before nodding and kissing her lightly on the cheek. When Amelia turned to leave, she noticed how she almost pulled away from him eagerly and immediately felt bad. It was almost as if she were seeing Lucius behind his back. In reality, the situation was almost reversed; she felt guilty for spending time with Kingsley, too.
With one final look at Kingsley, Amelia turned her attention to the direction that Lucius had nodded toward, trying to appear as absent as possible. She wandered through her fellow classmates. She took in how in love some of them appeared to be. So eager to embark on that aspect of their life. Amelia felt a twinge of jealousy. She couldn't even let herself feel that sacred emotion of love. At least, not with whom she should.
Finally out of the way of students, Amelia rounded a corner and found Lucius leaning against the opposing wall, his arms folded across his chest. If anything, Amelia thought he resembled the muggle cinema star James Dean. Amelia knotted her hands together, unsure of whether or not to approach him. She didn't have to; he broke the silence first.
"You're beautiful." He said, his voice low, almost inaudible.
Amelia felt her cheeks flush at his comment. It had been the first genuinely nice thing he had said to her, but the way he said it made her sense that he had been thinking it long beforehand. Just the same, it sounded foreign on his lips.
"It's just the dress." She protested softly.
"No," he said with a shake of his head, beginning to close the gap between them. "I don't mean just tonight. I mean all the time. When you're studying …when you're chastising me …" he grinned, "when you're doing nothing at all."
Amelia tucked a lose strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes focused on the floor, on anything but Lucius because she knew that if she looked at him, a floodgate holding back all of her thoughts would open and it needed to stay closed.
"You're here with Narcissa." She said calmly. "You should probably go find her."
"If I wanted to be with Narcissa, I would be." He said evenly.
"But you should want to be. You should want to be with her, like I should want to be with Kingsley." She stressed, as if she were trying to make herself believe it.
"Amelia-" Lucius began as he tentatively took another step toward her.
"No." she shook her head. "Don't say my name like that."
"Like what?" He said, thought he already knew what she was going to say next.
"Like you want to. Because if you want to, then I'll want you to-"
"You're not making sense-" he began again.
"Please," she sighed, "Just let me get this out." Amelia took a small breath before continuing, averting her eyes from the pair she desperately wanted to look at. "You shouldn't call me by my name the way you do. You shouldn't spend all of your time with me and you certainly," she stressed, "shouldn't look at me the way you do."
"Because?" he said after a moment, thoroughly unphased at her plea.
"Because I want you to."
Quite obviously, Amelia did not want Lucius to stop thinking about her but she had to impress that he do so. Even though it wasn't really against her own morals to engage in a schoolyard romance with a potential killer, she knew her friends and family would be a hair less than thrilled. Moreover, Amelia wasn't strong enough to will herself to stop thinking about him. If she genuinely believed that he didn't care, then it would be easier to convince herself that she didn't either.
Even though Amelia refused to look at him, Lucius did not bother to hide his own obvious gawking. She was so innocent, vulnerable and trying so hard to be strong. She was right; Narcissa was waiting for him. But what Amelia failed to see was he didn't care. Narcissa could wait all she wanted but if he didn't want to be with her, he wouldn't. Lucius was used to getting what he wanted, and presently, Amelia Bones was just that.
"Can I ask you a question?" he said finally.
"No."
"No?" he said with a grin.
"No." she said again. "Because if you start talking, I'll have to listen-"
"That's generally how these things work-" he joked.
"If I listen, I'll have to believe what you tell me, which will, undoubtedly refute everything else I just said. So, no. I have to keep talking because as long as I keep talking I won't want-"
Amelia was cut off by Lucius, who placed his hands on either side of her face. He pressed his lips to hers, silencing her. Amelia felt her body go rigid, complete fear taking over her for just a moment. She tried to force herself to resist but it was impossible. The fabric of his jacket brushed against her collarbone and his fingertips trailed along her jaw line unconsciously. The fluidity and movement of his lips against her own was enough to make her knees buckle but Lucius somehow must have knew his, and wrapped his arm around her waist to support her. While her mind adamantly protested to doing so, she felt her own lips part, allowing him to envelope her completely in the kiss, stealing whatever breath she may have had left.
Lucius kept Amelia pulled in close to him. In part because he was helping her keep her balance, and also because of what she represented to him; normalcy. She saw more in him than just a leader, a potential anarchist to the Wizarding World. He was a human being in her eyes.
Before Amelia let herself get too wrapped up in Lucius, she stopped herself. Even if she wanted him to be, he was not the man she was meant to be with. Breaking the kiss between them, Amelia caught her breath and conveyed a silent message that she knew he understood.
Lucius locked his gaze on Amelia, fully aware of the thoughts running through her mind. He watched her turn away and folded his arms across his chest once more, knowing full well that her own mind was a better convincing mechanism than his mouth; all he had to do was wait. Besides, he was a much better dancer than Kingsley Shacklebolt could ever hope to be.
–––––––––––––
Professor Dumbledore had finished addressing the Hall, reminding them that All Hallow's Eve was a celebration of ancient souls and that behind each mask lie a great mystery.
Amelia found Kingsley right where she left him, by the refreshment table. Edgar and Elliot had taken their respective dates onto the dance floor already. Emmeline and Amos has snuck off to one of the many courtyards and began engaging in what appeared to be a serious but also very pleasant conversation. Amelia made a mental note to inquire about the subject later on. At a table on the far left of the room, Xeno sat reading intently while Rita sat with her head perched atop her hands scanning the hall, no doubt looking for something to jot down.
"Ah." Kingsley said as he extended his hand to her. "There you are. Did you find it?"
"What?" Amelia asked, focusing all of her attention on Kingsley.
"Your mask." He repeated. "Did you find it?"
"Oh!" Amelia said quickly, nodding. "Yes. It was … er, right where I left it."
"Good, then. Shall we?" he asked, looking to the center of the room where various couples were waltzing across the dance floor.
Pulling on the mask that she had actually tucked inside the fold of her gown, Amelia donned a blue and gold sequined mask with feathers that drew back into her hair. Placing her hand in his own, Amelia let Kingsley guide her to the center of the floor where the other students' masks and gowns shimmered in the candlelight.
His hand on her waist and his other hand clutching her own tightly, Kingsley led Amelia in a simple and elegant dance during which he spun her once or twice, his gaze mostly focused on her. Amelia grinned at him, thinking about where her future lie.
Kingsley was smart and outgoing, bound to be successful and he truly cared about her, which led on to believe that an unfailing relationship between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw would ensue. Amelia would not deny that she found Kingsley attractive and pleasant to be around. Of course, nearly half the female population at Hogwarts also thought so. She should consider herself in an envious position. But she didn't – not at all.
Despite his good looks, charm and his clear devotion to her, the Gryffindor was not who she wanted to be with. Which led her to another question; who was it that she wanted to be with? Who was it that she longed to see each day? Whose eyes did she spend most of her time looking at? Whose touch, however brief, ignited a fire in her veins?
It may have taken her some time to admit it, but Kingsley Shacklebolt was not who she wanted to be with. He never was. He never would be, no matter how much convincing she tried.
"Kingsley." Amelia said suddenly, causing Kingsley to come to such an abrupt stop that they nearly fell over.
"Is something wrong, Lia?" he asked, scanning over her face for any sign of illness.
Amelia, who nearly winced when he called her Lia as she was so used to Lucius using her given name, nodded.
"Yes. I'm not feeling very well." She said with a sigh and reasoned that she really wasn't. Kingsley immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her to the table where Xeno and Rita sat.
"Are you okay?" Xeno asked upon the couples approaching as Rita looked up from her notebook, which cleverly folded into itself as Amelia sat down.
"Yes. I'm just feeling a little dizzy is all." She said, shaking her head, casting a look to the far corner of the room, where a band of Slytherins stood. Quickly, she turned her attention back to Kingsley.
"Is there anything I can do? Do you want something to drink? Pumpkin juice, maybe?" Kingsley offered, treating her like breakable china.
"Oh no, no that's okay." Amelia said shaking her head in a way so that if one was standing in a position, such as the far corner of the room, she would have appeared to be nodding to the Entrance Hall, which was now deserted.
"It's no trouble, honestly." Kingsley insisted.
"Amelia." Rita said suddenly, perching her head atop her hands. "Don't be so independent. Kingsley is only trying to help you." She said sweetly, keeping one eye trained on the Entrance Hall through which someone in a green mask disappeared.
"Really." Amelia said politely. "I think I'll go just and get some sleep." She finished as she began to rise from her chair.
"If you're sure." Kingsley nodded as Amelia turned to leave.
"Kingsley." Rita said disapprovingly. "Aren't you going to walk Amelia back to her room? If she's as dizzy as she seems," the blonde cooed, "then surely she'll need a hand."
"Of right, of course!" Kingsley said.
"It's really okay." Amelia insisted after giving Rita a curious look. "I wouldn't want to pull you away from the festivities."
"It doesn't matter if you're not here to enjoy with me." He said solemnly.
Amelia bowed her head for a moment and looked at Kingsley's amber eyes. She truly felt like a horrible person for leading him on the way she had been. It wasn't intentional, she knew, but just the same, Kingsley had been looking forward to this night for so long. Barely an hour into the evening and she was leaving.
"No." Amelia repeated gently. "This is a really big night. And it's your last Masquerade. Don't let me ruin it."
"But you're not-"
"Kingsley." Amelia said a little more sternly. "If you really care about me, you'll stay here and have a good time."
"Alright." Kingsley said after a moment. "I'll see you later." He added, kissing her softly.
"Of course." Amelia said, pulling back from the kiss.
Amelia turned once again and began walking toward the Entrance Hall, her heart beating so loudly she wondered why no one had bothered to stop her. She spotted Edgar, Elliot and Emmeline with their respective dates and felt a pang of jealously not because they had found someone they truly cared about. But because they would never be questioned for who they bestowed their affection upon.
Amelia on the other hand, if anyone knew about Lucius … she shook her head. She wouldn't think about that now. The important thing right now was to find him, to tell him what he already knew to be true.
Pushing through the crowd and forcing open the heavy door, Amelia stepped out into the light of the Hall and followed the same path she had taken earlier to a small alcove down a narrow corridor. Her mind was so hazy with thoughts that she almost stepped on a beetle in her path. The torches in the hall burned dimly, casting a heavy shadow.
"Amelia." Lucius breathed against her neck, standing behind her.
"Lucius." Amelia said, relaxing against his touch.
"You were looking for me." He stated.
"Yes." She nodded, a lump in her throat.
"Why?" he asked.
Amelia bit her lip shyly, her hands balling in and out of fists. She had been trying not to think about her honest answer to that question all evening, but she was tired of pretending that it didn't exist. He had all but confessed his affection for her only an hour ago, she owed him the came courtesy.
"Because," she began slowly, "You're right. You're absolutely right. I don't want to be here with Kingsley."
Lucius cast his eyes down through his mask at her, waiting. He knew what the rest of her sentence would be, but he wanted, no, he needed to hear her say it out loud.
"And." He prompted.
Amelia felt Lucius intertwine their fingers together, gripping her tightly.
"I want you."
No sooner had the words left her mouth did Lucius physically spin Amelia to face him and crash his lips onto hers. He had been in agony, wanting to kiss her, to hold her, to revel in the reality that she wanted him just as badly. Pulling her into the shadows, Lucius pressed Amelia against the opposing wall, his hands entangled in her hair.
Amelia felt a serge of heat run through her veins every time he kissed her. It was instantaneous, this sort of passion. While she, without hesitation, kissed him back, the rest of her seemed unresponsive and Lucius, again, almost had to hold her up.
She was beautiful to him. She was everything he wanted, needed. Amelia challenged him, made him question himself. Up until a month ago, he never though about a life without what his family wanted for him. Slowly, she was showing him that didn't have to be a Malfoy just because he was a Malfoy.
"Amelia." He said hoarsely, his breath coming in gasps. He rested her forehead against his own and he felt her tilt her head back against the wall, exhausted. "Dance with me."
Amelia, who was also short of breath, nodded with a small laugh.
"You're mad." She said, brushing her hair away from her eyes which were still shielded behind her mask.
"Maybe." He agreed. "But this is a Ball."
Amelia opened her eyes to look up at Lucius whose grey eyes met her own. His face was placid and a smile graced his lips.
"You're not kidding, are you?" she said after a moment.
"No, not at all." He said, rubbing his thumb across her cheek.
Amelia cast her eyes in the direction of the Ball where she could distantly hear students laughing and enjoying themselves while she stood in a dark corner pressed against the shadows.
It was peculiar, the situation. Amelia Bones knew with every logical and factual fiber of her being that she should have been in the middle of the Ball with Kingsley by her side, dancing with her friends and laughing alongside her family. All of the students whose laughter she heard were so much freer than she was, she thought. They were happy, and they didn't care who knew it. That freedom was what tugged on Amelia's heart when Lucius cupped her cheek.
"Amelia?" Lucius prompted, waiting for her response.
"What if someone sees us?" she said nervously, on the edge of saying yes.
"It's called a Masquerade for a reason." He grinned.
His entire face changed when he grinned. It was like day and night. And it wasn't the manic smile she had seen him wear before; this was genuine. It was much softer and encompassed a greater satisfaction. It was that look that made her realize that he wanted that freedom just as much as she did.
Amelia placed her hand in Lucius' and the two of them raced around the corner like two children eager to play a new game. Feeling her heart rate increase, Amelia failed to consider how easily recognizable the two of them were in their own right; Lucius for his staggering height and white blonde hair, Amelia for her impeccable posture and infamous blue ribbon that she always wore in her hair, tonight being no exception. Surely someone would put it together.
"Don't worry," he assured her. "I'm an excellent dancer."
Before Amelia could offer an adequate rebuttal, Lucius had pulled open the wooden doors and, for all intents and purposes, the Masquerade Ball began.
Lucius' arms were wrapped around Amelia so tight she hardly had room to breathe. The room had become a blur and each step he took, she followed with fluidity she never knew existed. They had never danced together before but it seemed as if they had been doing it for years, it was so familiar. Each spin, each changing of direction he seemed to know systematically and what's more, she seemed to know it, too.
Amelia refused to let herself think about Kingsley, or Edgar or anyone else who might have an unfavorable opinion of this, which left her little to think about. The only thing that mattered, she assured herself, was Lucius Malfoy.
Through the slits of her mask, she could see his eyes, comforted and quiet. His demeanor completely contradicted the pace of her feet, which were moving quicker and quicker with each step. Amelia was sure that they'd circled the entire ballroom at least twice already.
Threading his fingers through hers, Lucius offered the same smile he bestowed upon her only minutes before. Spinning her out onto the floor, Amelia twirled, her gown fluttered around her ankles. As she came to a hard stop, Lucius was there by her side once again, whisking her into off into another direction, her feet barely touching the floor.
Wrapping her arm around his shoulder, Amelia laid her head against his chest, the familiar smell of rain and peppermint filling her lungs. She barely noticed the fact that they were moving and otherwise would have genuinely gotten dizzy.
Lucius' only focus was the small brunette attached to him, nothing more, and nothing less. It was completely uncharacteristic of him. Much like the Ravenclaw, he had his duties, obligations and expectations. The Lucius Malfoy everyone easily recognized as cold-hearted would have remained expressionless and stood silently beside Narcissa, who, Lucius had subtlety observed, was oblivious and absently inspecting her fingernails. Resting his head atop Amelia's, Lucius closed his eyes, falling slowly into the pattern of their footsteps.
–––––––––––––
On the other side of the room, Rita sat hunched over her notebook having returned from a bathroom break; Xeno felt the need to do something for her and saw fit to keep feeding her Pumpkin Juice, which she hardly minded. Presently, Xeno sat occupied with a book that he kept in his jacket pocket, just in case.
"You two are the perfect pair." Said a dismayed Kingsley with a grim smile on his face as he eyed the bottom of his empty class.
"Mm-hmm." Xeno replied half-heartedly.
"Later, Kingsley." Rita snapped. "I've got better things to do than listen to your lovesick blues."
"S good to know that you'll be there for me in my hour of need, Rita." He muttered, rolling his eyes as Edgar approached, appearing very winded. "At least someone's enjoying themselves." Kingsley observed as Edgar sat down beside the Gryffindor.
"Still drowning your sorrows over my sister?" Edgar teased, lightly shoving Kingsley.
"A bit." Kingsley admitted, folding his arms across his chest.
"Ah, don't worry about it, mate." Edgar explained, clapping him on the back. "Look, Lia's never been serious with anyone before. She was probably just a little nervous, that's all. She'll be back to her old self tomorrow." He nodded.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that Kingsley." Rita countered. "Considering the other night – what went down, and who didn't."
"Hey, hey!" Edgar said harshly. "That's my sister, Rita." To which Rita merely raised her eyebrows. "She likes you, Kingsley. I'm sure of it." Edgar nodded. "And if you don't believe me, ask Emmeline. Lia tells her everything. If anyone in this world knows Amelia, it's Emmeline. Joined at the bloody hip, they are." Edgar grinned as he flagged down Emmeline.
"That's a bit personal don't you think?" Xeno said, finally looking up.
"Sorry, didn't catch that." Edgar said.
"Using your sister's best friend for information on how well she likes her boyfriend." Xeno clarified.
"You know," Edgar considered, "You're right, Lovegood." Turning back to Kingsley, he added, "King, if she didn't want to be here with you she-"
"Wouldn't be here? Got that, Ed." Kingsley said, nodding to the empty chair beside him.
"You know what I mean." Edgar said knowingly.
"Edgar Bones, what do you want?" Emmeline asked.
"I'll make it quick. Don't want to keep Famous Amos waiting, eh?" he said with a wink.
"Oh!" Emmeline said aghast. "Lia told you to call him that, didn't she? She knows how much I hate it!"
"And you were just telling me how famous I looked!" Amos said, coming up behind Emmeline, placing a kiss on her temple.
"Why, Emmeline," Edgar said in mock shock, "You seem to be turning red."
"Buggar off." Emmeline muttered.
"Anyway, what did you need my date for, Bones? You've got a lady of your own." Amos joked.
"Em, please tell Kingsley how much Lia adores him. The poor bloke is wasting away with Skeeter and Lovegood. The next thing you know, he'll be trading his broomstick in for a book on self-help. We've already got one Hufflepuff in this group, King. Merlin knows that we don't need another one." Edgar said in mock seriousness.
"Just wait until next Saturday, Bones." Amos replied casually speaking of the Quidditch match of Hufflepuff verses Ravenclaw.
"Kingsley's ego is far too large to be reassured." Rita said without looking up.
"Emmeline?" Edgar prompted, ignoring Rita.
Emmeline heisted for a moment before answering. Amelia herself had told Emmeline that she wasn't in love with Kingsley, but she never said anything about not enjoying the Gryffindor's company. Putting forth a bright smile, Emmeline rested a hand on Kingsley's shoulder.
"She really does care about you, Kingsley." Emmeline assured. "It's just a little hesitation, that's all."
Though Kingsley had a hard time understanding what there was to be nervous about, he grinned with gratitude.
"Thanks, Emmeline." He said.
"Alright, then. This is a Ball for Merlin's sake! Stop sulking, let's go!" Edgar grinned, forcing Kingsley to stand up.
"Ed, come on, I don't want to dance." Kingsley protested.
"Sure you do!" Edgar prompted. "Look at them all. Enjoying themselves, having a good time. And here you are, rotting like a vegetable. Merlin, even Malfoy is having a good time!" Edgar exasperated, indicating Lucius.
The group turned their attention to Lucius, ready to make witty remarks regarding the uncommon grin on his face when Lucius and his dance partner stepped into the light for a fleeting moment.
"That's … that's not Narcissa." Emmeline observed.
"Not at all." Amos agreed, squinting his eyes to get a better look at the girl but they were dancing too fast for him to figure it out.
"You know how that is." Edgar said dismissively.
"Yeah, they change lovers like they change clothes." Amos added. "I wonder who he's traded in Black for this time."
"The lot of you are bloody hypocrites, you are." Rita said harshly, slamming her notebook shut. "You all go on and on about the stereotypical views of your own person and then condescend to attack everyone else. Granted, Malfoy is a prime target but the point is," she said, standing for effect, "you have no objectivity whatsoever."
Amos, Emmeline, Edgar and Kingsley all exchanged looks of confusion while Rita stood with her arms folded across her chest. However correct she may have been, Edgar raised his eyebrows.
"And you do?" he asked.
"The difference, Edgar, between myself and you is that while I possess objectivity, I elect not to use it; you have none at all. My destined profession mandates slighting fairness and equality – that's not what sells. In my book, John Locke and his bloody 'blank slate' 'tabula rasa' does not count, but that doesn't mean I deny it's existence." She finished, turning on her heel, smirking. She had much bigger things waiting for her outside the Great Hall, she thought to herself. After all, she had just thrown a hissy fit to preserve the contents of her biggest expose.
–––––––––––––
As the song echoed the beginning of a finale, Lucius and Amelia glided through the students one final time. They had only danced for a maximum of ten minutes but it felt like much longer, endless, almost. Amelia had a tendency to grip his hand even tighter as he spun her around one last time.
With ease, Lucius incorporated their exit into the dance, heading first to the door and then discreetly slipping through it. Amelia quickly stole a glance to where Kingsley was. He, Edgar, Emmeline and Amos all stood, their backs to them as they slipped into the Entrance Hall. Thank, Merlin, Amelia thought.
Before Amelia had a chance to tell Lucius, again, that he was mad, he placed his lips over hers, enveloping her in an embrace.
"Thank you." He whispered.
"Thank you." She replied.
Lacing his fingers through her hers, Lucius and Amelia set out to walk down the corridor to the Ravenclaw Tower. He would kiss her goodnight and tell her that he would see her tomorrow and up until that point, he would, no doubt, be running a slideshow of images of her through his mind.
As they disappeared, a pop could be heard in the darkness, but Lucius and Amelia were too far away to have heard it. Rita Skeeter emerged from the shadows, carrying with her, her makeshift journal and a grin like a lioness who had just found her prey.
"Not feeling so dizzy anymore, are we, Amelia?" Rita whispered to the darkness.
Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol
Author's Note; My semester is coming to a close and as it winds down, I'm spending more and more time with this incredible story. As the holidays get closer, I'll be uploading more and more chapters as a sort of Christmas present to those of you who are reading and reviewing and most importantly, enjoying this story. You have no idea how completely honored I am to know that there are readers who enjoy this pairing just as much as I do. Thank you all again so tremendously much. :)
- Ashley