Chapter 29
Just a few days in to the holidays Ariana went in to Hogsmeade. Not with her brothers for once but with Hermione, Ginny and Luna. They had come with her to choose a dress robes. Some thing for the ball.
It felt weird going out with the girls but at the same time good. After they were going to get lunch at the Three Broomsticks. When she had told Aberforth he had called her a traitor which had made her laugh.
Going in to the robe shop she felt apprehensive.
"I have never chosen my own clothes before." she said to Hermione.
"well that's ok. We'll help you." she said gently guiding her in.
Ariana had never seen so many fine clothes in one room before she didn't know where to start. It seemed incredible to the other girls that someone their age had never even chosen a dress for themselves before. It was the little things like that which brought it home to Hermione how serious what had happened to her was and how much it had effected her life.
"What's colour?" she heard Hermione ask her.
"Red." she said to Hermione.
It was bight and her mother had always called it a Christmas colour so that was what she would wear.
Ariana felt that was the day she became one of the girls. She had been so far apart of them. Till then.
They picked out the red dresses for her and helped her choose the ones she liked. Then the pointed her in the direction of the fitting rooms.
It was only half way through this process Ariana realised how grown up she felt. Suddenly it wasn't as if she was a child. If only for that afternoon she was a girl bordering on young womanhood.
If her sanity left her that evening she would be happy for she had had one day of a complete normality. And yet even as she thought it she knew it wasn't true When she eventually picked her dress she wanted to wear it for its purpose. She was going to the ball. And she was going to dance all night.
The dress Hermione and her settled on eventually was a fall length crimson gown that cut off at the solider and had three quarters length sleeves.
"I think Harry is going to like it." Hermione said to her. Ariana failed to see the importance of that . As long as she liked it then what did it matter if he did.
The only one who didn't seem to thoroughly enjoy herself was Ginny for a reason unknown to Ariana, thought not to Hermione. She wanted to be in Ariana's place. She wanted to go to the ball with Harry.
Watching as the dark haired beauty spin in her dress she felt sadden. She would never know what she was doing. Not really.
Ginny would know the significant of going with Harry she thought to herself. She had loved him her whole life. Even before Ron had brought him home she was sure. And now this girl who had no real appreciation of what Harry had done had besotted him. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't be the girl he wanted?
-
"So you have your dress."
"Yes."
"So are you going to let me see it."
"No. You are going to have to wait till the ball."
Harry laughed at Ariana's teasing. He was looking forward to there night together. It was going to be good.
"Have you your dress robes?"
"Yes."
They were walking about the grounds together. Arm in arm to keep the cold away.
"I cant wait. I think it is going to be a really good night."
"I am sure we will."
She sighed. It seemed so crazy. Everything did.
"My life has changed so much."
"I know. But it is for the better right." he asked.
She nodded. It most certainly was.
She couldn't imagine what life would have been like for her had she not turned up. How much unhappier she would have been. And she would never have met Harry who she knew was the best friend she was ever going to make.
-
"Merry Christmas my sweetheart."
"merry Christmas Aba."
It was Christmas eve. The ball was tomorrow. Ariana couldn't contain her excitement. Her brother was excited to. Their first Christmas together in years. He had forgotten what a truly happy Christmas was. But here was Ariana like a ghost back to remind him. She turned up at the pub by six as they had agreed. She was going to sleep over the night so they had some time alone. Then she was going back to the castle for lunch with Albus.
Then she had the ball with her friends. It really was going to be a perfect Christmas.
But at that moment as her elder brother wrapped her in a bear hug she knew she was going no where. She was staying with him.
"Oh I cant believe we're having Christmas together." he said to her. He didn't want to be so soft but he wanted her to know how much he had missed her about this time of year.
"I know. It is amazing. I can't remember the last time we gad a truly great Christmas." she said to him,
"well I promise you. This one will be."
And by the end of the night it was already. Aberforth had got egg nog in for the two of them. Lighting the fire, it roared throughout the evening as they sat in the living room talking about what ha happened over the last three months. She found her brother thought her return nothing less than a miracle. And so did she.
Then they spoke about the years in between., there were still so many blanks for her with what her brother had been doing.
It turned out he had not been doing a lot. There was a hint of regret in his voice. He had wasted a lot of his life. Waiting for her.
Wasted? No he thought to himself. She had been worth it. That much he knew. But he wished he had had more in his life. And now hew as entering the winter of it as his sister came in to the spring of her years.
"This has been a long time coming baby sister." he said to her.
"I know it has. What happened…" she said to him shaking her head. "the argument, I am glad it did in a way. " she said and he looked at her for further explanation. "If it hadn't then we would never have been reunited. And I would have been sick my whole life. There was no potion to help me then." she mourned. "You would have been looking after an invalid forever. Don't you see it is better this way." she asked.
He nodded. She was right. It was must better this way.
"I cant believe how much you have grown up." he said to her.
"Mr neither. But life is good for us at the moment."
For the first time in a century. I think we deserved bit of luck don't you." she nodded.
"Lets hope it stays this way." he agreed.
"It will." she said to him with a smile. "Right I am going to get my beauty sleep."
"You need it."
"Oi." he said to him as they laughed. Getting up she walked over and gave him a kiss. "Night Night then Gramps." she teased back.
He still had a smile on his face as she walked away in to her own room. It had been a good day. It almost seemed she was the girl she had been when she had been six. So happy and playful had she been that day…
-
"This is for you my dear."
"What is it?"
"Open it up and find out.,"
The box in Ariana's hand was soft and velvet to touch. She looked at it with intense interest. Albus gift to her was unlike Aberforth's, who had given her a new dress and two reading books.
Looking in side of the box she saw a necklace.
A single ruby pendent fell from it.
"I hoped it might come in handy tonight." he said to her. "I hoped you might be able to wear it to the ball."
She nodded.
"Of course I can - Albus its beautiful. I've never had anything like this before" she admitted.
It shocked her receiving such a gift. And it reminded her she was no longer a child. You wouldn't give a child such a fine gift.
"Maybe you can put it on for me now." she asked him
"Of course I can." he nodded taking it out its box. She held up her hair as he fastened the clip
"There. Its looks stunning on you." he said as she turned back. Her dark eyes were alive with warmth for him.
"My news resolution is to spend more time with you this year." he told her.
"Then I'll make it mine too."
Kissing her fore head he smiled. He would never attempt to buy her affection but as he felt her arms go around him, he was filled with love for the girl as she was for him.
The necklace had been a very good choice indeed.
-
Hermione and Ariana were in there dorm room. Preparation for the ball seemed as important to the other girls as the evening itself thought Ariana.
The Patel twins had been preparing it seemed all day by four o'clock when Ariana arrived. She had been seeing her brother most of the day and only now had the time to start getting ready come. She had three hours
Ginny was there two with Hermione as she came in.
"Come on Ariana." Hermione said to her as she sat on her bed. "You have a big night to get ready for."
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