"Look! Look!" Ana shrieked as she bounded into the girl's dormitory a week later with a large, white package in her hand. "My dress just arrived by post!"

"Well let's see then!" Aubrey beamed, sitting up on her bed and abandoning her potions homework.

"What do you think?" Ana asked anxiously, holding the dress flush against her body and looking at Elle and Aubrey expectantly.

"Ana, it's gorgeous" Elle smiled.

"You think Garridan will like it?" Ana asked, biting her bottom lip.

"He'll love it" Aubrey nodded, "you'll look stunning, Ana."

Ana beamed and folded the short, royal blue dress back into its box. "I'm just glad it's finally arrived" Ana sighed, taking a seat on the bed beside Aubrey.

"Gabby and Celinda got their dresses by owl yesterday, too" Elle frowned, "I hope ours turn up soon Aubrey, we have less than two weeks till the ball."

"I hope ordering through that catalogue was a good idea" Aubrey sighed, shooting a look at Anastasia, who had insisted the three order their gowns from this company.

"Hey, don't blame me" Ana said defensively, "I didn't know it would take this long."

"Ah well" Elle said, flopping back down onto her bed, "Brishen said I could wear anything to the dance, and would still look gorgeous."

"You and Brishen talk about going to the dance?" Aubrey asked a few minutes later, recalling that since she had accepted his invitation, she and Tom had not shared one word about the ball.

"Of course" Elle said, "why, don't you and Tom?"

"No" Aubrey whispered quietly, "we don't really talk much about anything."

"But you have class together" Elle said, "you sit together in Dumbledore's class."

"We don't speak though" Aubrey protested, "we just sit there...in silence."

"You're not worried that Tom doesn't want to go to the dance now, are you?" Elle asked.

"No" Aubrey lied, "of course not."

"Oh, Bree!" Elle smiled, "you worry way too much."

"I agree" Ana said, running her fingers through her long hair.

"But look at who I have to compete with!" Aubrey protested.

"Who?" Ana asked.

"The whole school...Caroline Foster!"

"Hmm" Ana shrugged, continuing to play with her hair, "you really should just relax."

"I will" Aubrey sighed, "once I find out Tom's intentions."

"Well..." Ana hesitated, "he might be more inclined if your relationship progressed a bit further...if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know Ana!" Aubrey snapped, growing tired of Ana's hints about her and Tom's physical relationship.

"Well I was just saying" Ana huffed, getting up off the bed and exiting the dormitory.

"I'm scared" Aubrey sighed once Ana had left the room, "I'm already nervous about going further with Tom...but what happens if I'm just another one of his flings?"

"I know, Bree" Elle said sympathetically.

"I don't want to get hurt...I really like him, Elle" Aubrey said, finally admitting her true feelings to herself as well as her closest friend. During her short time at Hogwarts she had fallen fast for the handsome wizard. It wasn't just his good looks, but his intelligence, his wit, and their banter. Tom challenged her, and she couldn't help not to ignore the feelings of excitement and longing whenever she was near Tom Riddle.

"I think he likes you too, Aubrey" Elle said quietly, "and if he hurts you, then it's his loss."

"Or mine" Aubrey challenged.

Elle grinned, "a loss for both of you then."

"Do you think Ana's right, though?" Aubrey asked, perfectly aware that things had gone a bit slowly between her and Tom.

"I do, but I don't think it's a bad thing" Elle said brightly, "just do what you want to Aubrey, and try not to think about things too much."

"Easier said than done" Aubrey smiled, "but I'll try."

"Good!" Elle beamed.

"So" Aubrey continued, trying to change the subject, "it sounds like Brishen is pretty much in love with you!" which caused Elle to turn a bright shade of pink.


"Well done, Miss Knight!" Professor Dumbledore beamed the following afternoon in Transfiguration class, and Aubrey noticed that for once, Tom Riddle looked impressed by the incantation she'd just performed. "What a wonderful way to end the class" Dumbledore continued before dismissing the room of students.

"Well done, Aubrey" Tom smirked as the two were gathering their books and belongings.

"Thanks" Aubrey stuttered, taken aback by Tom's compliment. "So, are we still on for the ball?"

"Of course, Miss Knight" Tom said, shooting her a suspicious look. "That is unless of course, you've changed your mind?"

"No! Not at all."

"Good" Tom said seriously, focusing his attention back on his books, "I would be very displeased if you had."

"Oh" Aubrey said quietly, pleased at Tom's reaction.

"I'll meet you at the entrance to the grand hall that evening" Tom continued, his voice a little lighter, "we can enter together."

"Alright" Aubrey smiled meekly, "looking forward to it."

Tom smirked and nodded politely before turning on his heel and exiting the transfiguration classroom.

The following morning at breakfast a white envelope cascaded gently down through the air and landed smoothly in front of Aubrey.

"Your dad?" Elle asked as Aubrey turned into the letter.

"Yeah."

"How are things back in the homeland?" Elle smiled, pouring herself more cereal.

"Fine I guess" Aubrey said, skimming over the letter. Her father's words were very much the same, as he shared Aubrey's own concern with her struggle over Potions, encouraged her to keep improving her grades, and expressed further delight that Aubrey was attending her mother's former school.

"Is he still pleased that your Charms mark is improving?" Elle asked in between bites.

"Yeah" Aubrey smiled, recalling how Professor Stretton's behaviour, and her resulting Charms grade, had improved drastically in the last few weeks.

The remainder of the week went by fast for Aubrey, and it seemed like all sixth year Potions students had temporarily forgotten about the fast approaching dance in order to memorize various Potion recipes.

"I am so glad that's over!" Aubrey sighed as she and Elle exited the Potions class the following afternoon, having just completed their midterm.

"Yeah!" Elle agreed, "it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. Slughorn was pretty fair."

"Easy for you to say, Potion master" Aubrey teased, and Elle smiled.

"How did you find it, then?" Elle asked.

"It was hard" Aubrey admitted, "but I guess you're right, it could have been worse."

"Excellent" Elle beamed, "and now that that's over, we can focus on the ball tomorrow night!"

"That's right!" Aubrey grinned. She hadn't seen Tom Riddle, in exception of their virtually silent encounters in Transfiguration, since their last meeting in the Slytherin common room. While Aubrey was excited for the ball with Tom, she couldn't help but feel nervous and wonder what the other students might say or think of her attending with the coveted Head Boy.

"Honestly Elle! Hold still a minute!" Ana sighed the following evening as she piled and pinned curls to the top of Elle's head.

"Well quit poking me with those bloody pins!" Elle retorted, "I knew I should have just used a spell."

"Your spell will never look as good as this" Ana replied, plunging another pin into Elle's black locks.

All afternoon the girls had been locked in their dormitory, getting ready for the ball that was just a few hours away.

"It is looking good, Elle" Aubrey confirmed, blowing on her blood red, freshly varnished nails.

"I should have just left it down" Elle cringed as another pin scrapped her scalp, "I'm jealous you didn't have to go through this" Elle continued, motioning to Aubrey's long, loose hair that was slightly curled.

"Pain for beauty" Aubrey teased.

"Knock, knock!" a bright, cheery voice came from outside the door, "are you lot coming down to dinner?" Celinda asked, poking her roller filled head around the corner through the cracked door.

"Dinner already?" Elle asked, "it's not even five!"

"They're having dinner early tonight" Celinda explained, "because of the dance, and they're serving it in the common room. Gabrielle's down there now."

"I can't eat before the dance!" Ana shrieked, "I won't fit into my dress!"

"Oh don't be silly!" Celinda scowled.

"I'm never silly" Ana spat, continuing to pull at Elle's hair.

"Well are you coming, Aubrey?" Celinda asked.

"Erm..." Aubrey hesitated, "I'm not hungry, thanks Celinda" Aubrey lied, fearing that food would upset her already nervous stomach. Sighing heavily, Aubrey tried to bury her rising feelings of anxiety about attending the dance with Tom Riddle.

"Zip me up?" Elle asked Aubrey a few hours later. The day seemed to drag on, minute by minute, but finally the time for the dance had come, and Aubrey was due to meet Tom in just half an hour.

"Oh Elle" Aubrey sighed, starring at the tall, black haired girl in her dark red dress. "You look fantastic!"

"I feel fantastic" Elle beamed, "I can't wait to meet Brishen!"

"He'll love it!" Ana smiled, emerging from the bathroom in her short, blue dress, her long, platinum hair styled in tight ringlet curls.

"Go put your dress on, Bree" Elle beamed, thrusting the dress package towards Aubrey.

"Unless you want to go meet Tom looking like that" Ana teased, motioning to Aubrey's old, warn skirt and sweater.

"I'll be right back" Aubrey grinned, heading for the privacy of the bathroom to change into her gown, her insides churning more than ever. As her heart beat irregularly, Aubrey's nerves seemed to rise incrementally with each passing minute, as she became more and more nervous for her date with Tom Riddle. What would everyone say when they walked in together? What if she did something stupid in front of Tom? What if Tom didn't like the way she looked?

"Bree?" a voice called, interrupting Aubrey from her thoughts, "you alright?" Elle called.

"Yeah" Aubrey replied, stepping out from the bathroom, "I'm fine."

"Oh Bree!" Elle shrieked, "you look stunning!"

"Is it okay?" Aubrey asked, anxious.

"You look great!" Ana smiled, stepping forward, "you're just missing one thing" she frowned, studying Aubrey before pulling back a lock of her hair, and pinning with a flower shaped, rhinestone incrusted beret.

"There!" Ana beamed a few moments later, "perfect! Take a look Aubrey" she finished, motioning to large floor length mirror on the back of the door.

Aubrey turned around and saw herself for the first time. Her emerald green gown was tight around her torso, with capped sleeves, and flared out loosely to the ground. Her wavy, auburn brown hair, a section pulled back by Ana's pin, hung loosely around her face, framing her darkly made up eyes and bright red lips.

"I look so..." Aubrey hesitated, "different."

"You look fantastic, Aubrey!" Ana beamed, stepping forward, "I did such a good job on your hair and makeup!"

"Oh Merlin, Ana" Elle sighed, "have you not one modest bone in your body?"

"Hey, you wouldn't look the way you do without me" Ana retorted.

Aubrey laughed and stared at herself once more in the mirror, her nerves slowly beginning to die. Surely Tom would like the way she looked now, after all of Ana's handiwork with hair and makeup. For the first time since meeting Tom Riddle, she didn't feel unworthy or insignificant. For the first time, she felt confident enough to stand as an equal beside him.

"Thank you, Ana" Aubrey said, turning around to hug her friend, "I appreciate it."

"It's fine!" Ana beamed, "now let's head out!" she finished, grabbing Aubrey and Elle's hands and running out of the dormitory.

Aubrey's heels clicked against the stone floor as the girls, along with the other hundreds of Slytherin students, made their way up from the dungeons and towards the great hall.

"Ugh, that is a terrible colour for Caroline" Ana scowled as they reached the front foyer, motioning to Caroline Foster who had just stepped through the large double doors into the hall.

"Just makes Slytherin look better" Elle smiled, "ooh, there's Garridan, Ana!"

"Excellent!" Ana beamed, straightening her posture and adjusting her dress, "see you girls inside!" she beamed before running off to meet Garridan.

"I see Brishen" Elle smiled, "do you mind if I go Aubrey? Do you see Tom?"

"No" Aubrey responded, scanning the many faces littering the foyer, searching for Riddle. "But go on, I'll find him" Aubrey finished, shoving Elle towards Garridan and stepping further into the foyer.

The bare, stone foyer was scattered with couples waiting to enter the grand hall. Dimly lit by candlelight, Aubrey wandered wide eyed, searching for Tom but was distracted by the sea of coloured gowns and black dress robes. She wound her way towards the steps of the staircase, trying to recall exactly where Tom said he'd meet her. Did he mention he'd be late? Aubrey was just beginning to question whether he would actually come, imagining that he suddenly changed his mind when she heard a low, seductive voice call out from behind her.

"Good evening, Miss Knight."