Chapter Five: "See you at the Ball."
"We're going shopping! We're going shopping! We're going shopping! We're going… oof!" Bella was silenced by Cass chucking a pillow off my newly-made bed at her.
"Hey!" We both rounded on poor Cassie indignantly.
"It took me ages to arrange those cushions! You know I hardly ever make my bed!" I cried, extremely hurt.
"What's wrong with my singing?" Belle demanded.
Cassie and I simply looked at her and she blushed.
"Yeah, I get the point. I can't sing. But Lilykins can, can't you dearest?" Bella grinned slyly at me, whilst yanking on a pair of black flare jeans and black ankle boots.
"Oh no. Maybe in Hogsmeade, but definitely NOT here!" I scrunched myself up small and gave them both the puppy-dog eyes Bella had taught me.
"She's getting good at that." Belle sighed as she grabbed a red t-shirt displaying the message 'I'm a bitch. Deal with it.' and pulled it over her head.
Cass and I were already fully dressed and rearing to go. Cass had decided on a knee-length floaty skirt in pale pink, beige knee-high boots, a beige t-shirt with pink lettering saying 'What part of PERFECT don't you understand?', a pale pink coat and matching handbag.
I was wearing low-slung, pale denim jeans, white ankle boots, a white t-shirt with 'Don't mess with me, I'm hormonal' on the front and a pale denim coat. My handbag was white with 2 little denim butterflies in the corner.
"Ready?" Cassie asked.
Bella grabbed her fluffy red coat (with matching bag) and we descended to the common room, to grace the lowly commoners with our presence.
Making our way across the common room, we bumped into Summer Davies and her motley crew. They were fourth years, but still pretty cool.
"Hey you little guys." Belle smiled at them.
"Hiya. Where are you lot off to, all spruced up like that?" Annemarie Smyth asked, looking enviously at Cassie's hair.
"Hogsmeade." I answered simply.
"Have a nice time!" Summer grinned and the group moved away.
"Let's get out of here!" Cass giggled.
We skipped down to the entrance hall, where Filch was checking names and faces. Then outside were the horseless carriages waiting to take us to Heaven. (Most people call it Gladrags, but each to their own.)
After clambering inside one of the carriages, Belle sat and began to talk about one of the three people I disliked the most. James Potter.
"So Lilykins, who do you think you'll go to the Ball with? A certain James, perhaps?"
"Oh yeah. I'm going to the Halloween Ball with James. Then, after that, I'm going to kiss some snakes. Yes, I think I'll go hug and kiss some poisonous SNAKES!" I snapped.
"Now that's sarcasm." Cass grinned.
Finally, we arrived in Hogsmeade. The first stop we made was to Gladrags, 'The modern witch/wizard's clothes store.'
As we stepped inside, a bell tinkled and out of the depths of the shop, a plump middle-aged woman appeared, her glasses askew.
"Hey Pamela." I said in greeting. She smiled in response and gestured to three chairs.
"Be with you in a mo, girls. Make yourselves comfortable."
Cass sat down, Belle tried to see into the fitting-room and I strolled along the racks of clothes. I came to the dress rack and began sorting through it.
"Hey, guys. Come here." I called, excitement evident in my voice. My friends hurried over and gasped.
"Jesus…" Cassie began
"Christ." Bella gaped.
I was standing against a back drop of many different hues, yet the dress I was wearing stood out a mile. The dress was sparkling white, embroidered with tiny pearls and jewels. It brushed the floor, swamping my petite frame. (I'm 5'3''.) The straps holding it were very thin and the back plunged. Even I thought I looked good.
"Well, girls, do you think… Holy crap!" Pamela stood, transfixed.
"I'll take that as a compliment." I grinned.
"If you put alittle glitter in your hair, which should be styled up into a French twist, you'll shimmer all night long!" The proprietress grinned back widely and genuinely.
~**~
"I've got white shoes and a white evening bag. Are we done, or do you guys need anything?" I asked, as I handed over the money for the dress.
"Nope, we still have the ones from last time. We remembered to put mothballs on them." Bella said sincerely.
"I always said you two were clever. Funny, this is the first time I've been proved right!" I ducked to avoid four hands slapping me round the back of my head.
We almost fell out of the shop, heading for the manicure centre down the road. Pushing open the doors, we were met by Mia Papito, the manager of Hot Nailz.
"Hello Bella dear. Lily, Cassie." She hugged us all and kissed Belle twice on each cheek.
"Just 'cos you're my cousin, that doesn't give you the right to show me up. Or next time I see your boyfriend, he'll know about the milkshake incident." Belle warned darkly.
"What milkshake incident?" Cass and I asked eagerly.
"Well, I was on my first date. We went to some café in Muggle London. The guy ordered me and him strawberry milkshakes. He told me this really funny joke just as I had taken a huge gulp out of my glass. Let's just say, my nose was clear for a fortnight. And, funny enough, I never saw him again. Can't think why." Mia reflected thoughtfully.
"A mystery." Cass agreed, stifling a giggle behind her hand.
"You're a lovely girl too." I nodded, pressing my lips firmly together to keep from howling.
Suddenly, we caught each other's eyes and burst out laughing.
"Urgh, he was really ugly too!" Mia giggled.
"Mia, do you think we can have three manicures on the house, because we made your life funnier? Please?" Bella fluttered her eyelashes at her older cousin.
"Oh, go on." Mia agreed indulgently.
Half an hour later, all three of us had beautiful nails and were heading for the coffee shop around the corner.
"Three cappuccinos please." I said to the man behind the bar.
"I'll bring them over." He winked at me.
I wound my way around little square tables to where my darling friends had chosen to sit. We sat discussing clothes and make-up for a few minutes before we were interrupted. Rather rudely, I think.
"Hiya girlies! Who would have thought we would find you in here." Sirius grinned at Belle. She stared back stonily.
"Why are you here?" I asked impatiently.
"We want to hang out with you three, that's why." James ran his hand through his unruly mop of hair.
"Do you think it's cool to look asif you've been dragged through a hedge backwards?" I glared at him.
"You'll go to the Ball with me, right?" He winked at me. I slapped him.
"Go away." I turned my back on him and pointedly ignored the boys.
"Anything for you Lily dear."
"See you Lily flower."
"Goodbye Lily, Arabella, Cassandra. Nice seeing you." Remus said politely.
"See you at the Ball." James called back cheekily over his shoulder.