Boxing Day Ball

Rose's POV

Eve and I had just come back from dress shopping; both have gotten fabulous dresses in a matter of one hour. I even managed to save some of the money dad gave me. We both collapsed onto my bed, tired from walking. Mum came in and used a spell to hang up our new dresses.

"Did you get masks too? It's a masked ball."

"Yeah, we got them, they're in that bag," I said.

"Well good, you two need to get ready then. We have to leave in a few hours. You had lunch I hope?"

"Yes we had something from the Leaky Cauldron," Eve said, sitting up. "I'm going for a shower."

Eve's POV

I felt weird, as usual, dressed up. But I was relieved to put on the mask. For some reason, it comforted me to know that I could be someone else for the night. It made dressing up and mingling with a huge group of famous wizards and witches seem a little easier. I looked over at Rose, who looked gorgeous, with her dark red hair hanging in ringlets around her face. She was wearing a long, thin, peach colored dress that clung to her perfect figure.

She had done my hair and makeup already, and helped me into my dress. All that was left was to actually go to the ball. We were to go with the Potters, as was custom for the "Golden Trio" at the ball, something Rose assured me all three of them felt uncomfortable with. But I thought it was nice.

We met in the hallway, where Hermione was fixing her dress. She looked beautiful in a forget-me-not blue dress. She looked young and excited, and I couldn't help but catch Ron staring at her, mouth slightly open. Hugo walked down and his eyes widened at the sight of all of us. He turned a slightly pink color and rushed out the door and into the car before any of us could say anything. Rose gave me a shove and a chuckle and climbed into the car.

The Potters were waiting for us in front of their house when we arrived. I stepped out of the car, trying to make sure the dress I was wearing didn't catch on to anything. I almost fell out, but James caught my arm, pulling me back up.

James's POV

I had never seen her looking so beautiful. And the best part was that she didn't even realize it. That deep blue color set off her eyes perfectly. I sounded like a tart, but I couldn't help but notice those things. I wanted her to be with me so badly, and this moment only exemplified it. Rose caught me staring and winked at me.

She almost fell and I caught her elbow, and she looked up at me and gave me a shy smile. "I didn't really get a chance to ask," I said, taking a chance, "but will you be my date to the Boxing Day ball?"

"I think you're just asking because of how good Rose made me look," she said, her dimple showing through.

"I…, no really, please—"

"Of course," she said. I immediately offered her my arm and walked her over to the car, where the rest of my family was chuckling and elbowing each other. I could tell Lily was dying to say something, but I gave her a look so she wouldn't dare. I wasn't going to scare her away. I thought I might have had a shot that night and I felt like it might be my only shot.

Rose's POV

I grabbed Al's arm, completely avoiding Riley, who was looking awkward. I could tell he was contemplating asking me to be his date, but no way in hell. Al was completely unaware of this whole thing and kept yacking about Quidditch or something.

"Speaking of, why haven't we had any games?" I asked, suddenly aware of the fact that there hadn't been one Quidditch game. "It's already December, weren't we supposed to start in November?"

"Yeah," Al responded. "But apparently, the whole drug thing set it back. It became a security issue. But I assume that now that it's cleared up, we can start again."

I looked over at Eve, who seemed troubled by this information. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked James. He shrugged.

"It's fine, honestly. As long as you're cleared up now," he said, touching her arm. I wanted to scream. They needed to be together. It was way far past time.

"The games will be much closer hm?" I asked.

"I assume so," James nodded.

We climbed into the limo and I clutched the side handle as usual, as Uncle Harry pressed the start button. There was a moment of fear-instilling spinning and then it stopped. I looked over and Eve's eyes were wider than her head. Luckily, her hair and makeup was still in place. James must have been holding her. Everyone got out, and I saw Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry looking spectacular as usual. They walked toward the doors of the new Wizarding Civic Hall, which opened magically. There were people everywhere, and the music was playing lightly, but then the music dimmed as usual. Everyone became quiet and we all walked inside.

Eve's POV

I was so amazingly embarrassed, it was ridiculous. It felt like everyone in that hall was pointing at me. But maybe I wasn't off base—I was the only one in the group that wasn't a Weasley or a Potter. Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Lily and Hugo, Rose and Al, and then James and me? I suddenly was so, so aware of who I was at the arm of. James Potter. I was probably the center of every girl's envy. I gave an involuntary shudder.

"Thank you!" I head Harry say from the front. "I hope you all enjoy the party, etc, etc!" Everyone gave a chuckle and the music started again, and James steered me to the side of the huge, spacious floor.

"I know you don't dance without a drink," he said, glancing around. He had been doing that since we got here.

"True," I said, with a smile. James raised a wand and a firewhiskey flew into his hand. He handed it to me and summoned another one. He glanced around again.

"Let's meet people!" he said, enthusiastically, taking my arm and steering me once more into a thicket of people. This was something that did not appeal to me, whatsoever. "Look, over there, it's Lee Jordan, Quidditch sportscaster, and Uncle George's best friend."

I shook his hand and gave him a smile, but by the time I was done, James turned me to a pair of beautiful twins with handsome husbands, named Parvathi and Padma Patil, who were both professors at Hogwarts. James then introduced me to Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, who were both Harry and Ron's friends in school. I was on my fourth firewhiskey by the time I met Kingsley Shacklebolt, which was so, so, so embarrassing since he was the Minister of Magic.

Luckily, I didn't stick around long enough to completely humiliate myself. I did however, meet up with the girls—Laney, Reed, Dona, and Liz. Luckily there was no Renee in sight. James left me with them for a while, saying he needed to go find someone.

Rose's POV

I, as usual, had too many firewhiskeys. I didn't even know where my mask was anymore. I was dancing too hard. I wasn't even making sure that my mother wasn't lurking around. But honestly, there were too many people for that.

Scorpius's POV

Thank Merlin for the ball being masked. No one noticed it was me. And even though I got an invite, I would never dare go if people knew it was me. And my mask was damn good too. I didn't even recognize myself in the mirror, and so I was sure that a bunch of drunk people wouldn't.

I looked around for the person I wanted to see the most, and saw fiery red hair everywhere. It was beyond frustrating. Slowly, I began dancing through the masses and saw James, Eve, Al, and even Hugo—but no Rose. I didn't dare stop, not even to talk to Eve, who was looking at me a bit suspiciously, but had obviously drank too much to notice.

Frustrated, I took a huge swig of firewhiskey, and then saw her. She was dancing and I stood still and watched her. I realized it at that singular moment. Her hair was crazy around her face and her eyes were closed and her arms were up. She didn't even know who she was dancing with. The pink dress she was wearing hugged her perfect body and I wanted to listen to what was in her head at that moment. I was in love with her. With a pang to my gut I realized the last girl I was with was Parkinson. And I hadn't even thought of anyone else but Rose.

I made straight for her, taking another huge gulp of firewhiskey. She was turning just as I got to her and I took her in my arms, and right on that dance floor I kissed her.

Eve's POV

"I have to sit down!" I yelled over all of the noise toward Laney, who nodded and continued dancing wildly. I stumbled over to a sofa cushion and collapsed, taking another swig of firewhiskey. I stared around at the massive amount of people and thought about how far I've managed to come. I couldn't even believe I was amongst all these people, friends with a good few of them, and actually enjoying myself.

I had grown. I had grown so much I don't even look to the past that much anymore. I was actually seeing a future ahead of me. I saw James walking towards me, grinning, with something akin to excitement in his eyes. There was a man behind him, probably someone else I just had to meet. I smiled to myself. I enjoyed James's enthusiasm. It was contagious.

I stood as he approached me, wanting to reach over and just touch his arm and tell him how much it meant to me that he had persisted in wanting to be my friend. God I must have been tipsy. He looked so good, standing there in front of me, a silly grin on his face, excited about the person standing behind him. I didn't even care who that person was—

"Eve, meet your dad, Gary Martin."

Rose's POV

I turned wildly around me, trying to figure out where Riley was so I could kill him. But I paused for a moment, realizing that the kiss that was just delivered to me was definitely not Riley's. It wasn't anything I could even remotely recognize. It was nice though.

I wanted to be able to focus so badly, but the drinks had made me so dizzy I couldn't see around me. This was important, and it rang as important in my head. I felt a pair of arms grab me from behind and pull me through the crowd. Panicked, I tried to pull away, but the arms were stronger than I was.

And then it felt like I surfaced. Panting, I looked up at who had my arms, and Al was standing beside me, his hands on his knees. His glasses were slightly askew and his shirt untucked, but otherwise he seemed unharmed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, glancing up at me. I shook my head.

"I'm drunk," I said, slurred. Al glanced around him and took my arm and helped me out the front door and into some fresh air.

"Stay here, I'll get you some coffee. Keep out of sight of mum and dad and the like please," he begged, before running inside again. I sat down against the brick wall, pushing back the hair from my face. The air was making me feel better. Think clearer. But all I could think of was the kiss someone had given me.

"Coffee," Al said, out of breath. He handed me a steaming cup and slumped down next to me. I took a big gulp, smiling after I remembered Rose's little blue pills that almost did the trick last time. But that time, I was much too drink.

"Somebody kissed me," I said quietly. Al turned to me in surprise.

"Like forcibly?"

"No, no…it was just surprising. I don't even know who it was."

"Hm," Al said, turning back to face forward. "Well, you sound more sober now, so maybe…" But the rest I didn't hear, because I drifted off right onto his shoulder.

Eve's POV

"Is this some kind of a fucking joke?" I asked quietly, all my tipsiness instantly gone. It was as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold, cold water right on me. I was alert and ready for anything. I was looking at James, not the man behind him.

"Cursing isn't very good, you know," the man said. My eyes snapped to his. They were the same shade as mine, and I shook it off, feeling anger rising inside of me. I was shaking from it.

"Are you actually trying to advise me?" I struggled to keep my voice as quiet as possible, because one, I didn't want to make a scene, and two, at this very moment, my voice probably could've brought down the entire hall. "You skip out on seventeen years of my life, and now you're trying to advise me?"

"Actually, sixteen. Your birthday is on the sixth of February."

I couldn't believe this.

"I don't care why the fuck you're here. Okay? I really don't. I'm leaving. I don't want to know someone who never wanted to know me. So fuck off."

I turned and began to walk away when I heard James yell behind me. I turned around and pushed him away from me before he could get any closer. He stumbled backward and fell onto the ground. "And to think I almost fell in love with you, you selfish fucking bastard. I'm not some sort of damsel in distress you can have the satisfaction of knowing that you fixed," I hissed at him, before turning back around and running out the door.

N/A: Sorry for all the back and forths! I kind of had to do a few more perspectives and shorter storylines to make this thing work! Reviews please guys, although I'm loving all the people who are adding Secrets to their story lists! I love you all :)