Ah, after waiting and waiting, I've finally finished the chapter that I'm really excited about. I really hope you guys like it, its one of my favourites for sure. Next will be winter break with more family stuff which is also really exciting and maybe a bit of something that was missing from this chapter. wink wink nudge nudge, not giving too much away. Anyways, read, review, enjoy ! :)
Chapter 13 – Yule Ball
"What is it Hugo?" James asked him with a huge grin on his face as he tied his black bow tie.
"It's the girls they've gone mental." Hugo squeaked sounding very much like his father in that moment as he came bursting into the room.
"What do you except mate? It's the girls." Louis gave a chuckle looking at Hugo's panicked expression.
"Bloody girls are going to kill me." Hugo signed as he straightened his robes out.
"Don't worry, they do this for a reason." James answered nervously, thinking of how Katie was doing.
**
"Oh did you see the look on Hugo's face when he came in her, almost bloody pissed himself." Raven howled as she sat there while her curler whizzed around her head curler her long black hair.
"Oh his poor soul, it's not even that bad." Ivy laughed looking around at the makeup and hair tornado that had flew through their room. Lily burst out in laughter as she pulled her mascara wand away from her eye and Kenda stopped struggling in her dress to stop and laugh.
"Kenda turn!" Raven yelled at her. She did as she was told as her light pink ruffle sleeve layered wrap dress fitting around her waist then flowing down to her knee flew out in around her as she spun. She giggled and her dirty blond curls around her face flew around.
"Kends you look beautiful!" Ivy squeaked, "Lils help me." Ivy motioned to her zipper on the back of her cut away shoulder high bodice dress with a tight skirt kissing just above her knee and another layer flowing just mid thigh. Lily got up and zipped her navy blue dress.
"Thanks." Kenda blushed and started pinning her curls back into a high bun.
"Lils where's your dress?" Raven asked her as she pulled on her red halter-top mid length dress and slipping on black heels with spikes all over them.
She pointed with a shaking finger to the garment bag hanging on her bedpost. "Vicky sent it last week."
"Well come on then, put it on." Ivy urged her and Lily suppressed a whine.
Unzipping the bag to a gorgeous dress Lily was sure she wouldn't be able to pull off. Not only was the dress her concern, it was the shoes that Victoire had sent her as well, black 5' heels with gems and a feather on the front, heels that would without a doubt send her flying down the grand staircase.
Looking at the light purple almost white dress she admired the lace detailing on the bodice and the lace high neck. Her eyes trailed down to the sweetheart corset and then the flowing mesh skirt starting at her waist heading down to her knee.
"Put it on Potter!" Ivy yelled at her from across the room as she pulled her silvery blond hair into a high ponytail showing off her ears. Lily pushed back her curls she still needed to pin and slipped into her dress. The dress hugged her curves just like Victoire had told her it would.
"Here," Kenda buttoned up the many buttons of her dress and Lily started to pin the front of her hair letting the rest of the curls fall.
"I have visitors for you Lils." Rose walked in wearing a beautiful deep forest green one-shoulder draping delicate sheer chiffon with a bodycon jersey lining dress.
"Who is it Rosie?" Lily asked as she turned around to look at two shockingly blond boys running towards her. "Boys!" Lily screamed as he pulled them into a huge hug.
"Lily! You look pretty Lily." Lysander yelled beaming up at her.
"Yeah, you do." Lorcan squeaked beside him.
"Boys what are you doing here?" Lily smiled down at them, she was glad that they were here but she didn't want them to get into trouble.
"Well…" Lorcan started,
"We wanted to see you," Lysander continued as they often did.
"In your pretty dress,"
"Rosie said it would be ok."
"Well, I'm very happy to see you." She beamed down at him.
"Come on you better get going, or we're all going to get into trouble." Rose laughed as she held the door open for them.
"Have fun!" They both screamed running out the door.
"You do look very pretty Lily." Rose said in a mothering way and smiled sweetly at her.
"You too Rose." Lily said softly as Rose closed the door behind herself.
"Almost ready ladies?" Raven giggled excitedly almost jumping.
"Let's get going then shall we?" Ivy yelled at them and they all laughed at her. It was almost perfect; Ivy fearing that Ed would have a date and she agreed to go with Reece Boot, Bryant's friend. Raven had agreed to go with Gavin Montgomery, a fifth year Ravenclaw that was in her Muggle Studies class and Kenda of course that agreed to go with Owen months ago.
"Does anyone know who Hugo is taking?" Kenda asked curiously.
"He wouldn't say." Lily said flatly. She was quite annoyed with him for not telling her of all people.
"Oi! Hugo! Who are you taking?" Ivy yelled at Hugo as she came running down the stairs in her silver 3' heels. Lily finally made it down the stairs cursing Victoire every step she took.
"Yeah Hugo, who are you taking?" Lily eyed him skeptically.
"Uh, er…" Hugo stammered turning bright red,
"Well boy who is it?" Ivy demanded. Hugo was fairly used to them ganging up on him, people usually made fun of him for it.
"Well, Mabel …" he started nervously.
"How did you manage that!" Kenda all but screamed at him in excitement.
"Well, you see someone had to go with Belinda, so… Al kind of agreed to go with her." Hugo eyed the four girls staring at him in disbelief.
"Where in the Wizarding World is Albus Potter!" Lily shouted through the common room.
"Hey Sis," Albus walked over nervously towards the four girls.
"You're going with Bitter Belinda?" Lily demanded of him.
"Well she wasn't my first choice," Al quickly glanced over at Kenda who was now being greeted by his best friend and Lily ignored it, "But I'm helping a brother out."
"You're cousins Albus." Lily laughed raising an eyebrow at him.
"Everyone lets get moving." Ivy rushed everyone out of the common room. Bryant had agreed to meet her at the bottom of the staircase with Rob, Lily's only worry was getting down the staircase in these shoes.
"Hugo, make sure I don't fall." Lily whispered to him and he laughed at her nodding. "Thanks, I'm happy for you really." Lily gave him a small smile and he grinned back at her.
Lily took her first step down the grand staircase looking at all the beautifully dressed people walking around. She looked down to make sure she wouldn't miss the step and then looked up, her eyes meet a pair of soft grey eyes. Lily felt herself blush and Scorpius looked in awe of her as she gracefully walked down the stairs. The next thing she knew was Maive was running full force into Scorpius in what Lily could only describe as a piece of leather hanging off of her. I guess she figured he would have asked Maive; it only seemed logically she told herself. She quickly looked away before she saw Maive stick her tongue in his mouth; disgusting she thought. She looked around for Bryant and gave him a huge smile as she walked towards him.
"Lils! Beautiful as ever." Bryant he said taking her arm.
"You look dashing I must say." She said admiring his black and white dress robes.
"Why thank you, you did she to dress to impress." He reminded her with a chuckle.
"I did. Hi Rob, Ivy; Rob, Ivy." She introduced them with a smile and they greeted each other.
"Shall we go my lady?" He asked her with a grin and she nodded. They walked into the Great Hall and Lily gasped, it was exquisite. The hall was cover in crystals that looked like twinkling icicles dancing.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Bryant whispered and Lily just nodded in awe as he led her to a table where Ivy and Rob, Raven and Gavin, Kenda and Owen, Hugo and Maive, and Al and Belinda were all sitting. Lily felt a bit awkward sitting with the two twins as she had received teasing from Belinda before. Lily smiled at everyone as Bryant pulled out her chair beside Hugo.
Once everyone was sitting Professor McGonagall got up to speak. All the candles and lights that were twinkling amazed Lily as she listen to her talk.
"Dear Students of Hogwarts it is my pleasure to welcome you to our annual Yule Ball. As you all know, we hold this every year not only in remembrance of Cedric Diggory but to remind us of what he stood for which was kindness, fairness, and bravery. We are reminded to act upon those values that are in each and everyone of us. We remember him in a celebration. Now I invite all the seventh years to the dance floor to start off our ball." Everyone clapped and Lily saw James leading Katie to the dance floor. She looked absolutely beautiful, her smile grew bigger and bigger by the moment, and her floor length royal blue dress flew out behind her as she walked. The sweetheart neckline fit her perfectly and the gems on her belt glittered in the lights. The Hogwarts band had started and they started to move gracefully with the music. Lily stared in disbelief, when had her brother learned to dance? They looked happy she thought looking at Katie's huge smile and her brother who looked especially nervous. Her eyes started to wander through the crowd when a pair of grey eyes finally met hers. He smiled softly at her – her heart fluttered and blood ran to her face. Their glance was broken by Maive who was pulling Scorpius arm to dance with her.
"Want to dance?" Bryant asked her and she nodded grinning. He took her hand and led her to the dance floor. He took her by the waist and started leading her.
"Where did you learn to dance?" Lily asked surprised as he twirled her around.
"My father is quite the dancer." Bryant reminded her proudly.
"Yes, right. I remember now. He used to dance with us when we were little. My dad is real rubbish at dancing." Lily laughed remembering how her Dad used to dance around the kitchen with her mom horribly.
"Yes, he's many things but he's not a dancer is he?" Bryant laughed twirling her around again and again she caught his glance, quickly looking away.
They danced a bit more until the feast had begun; they serve an assortment of foods from stew to little cakes. Lily wasn't feeling that hungry as she kept looking over at Scorpius with Maive, something about it was making her sick. Finally, they got to dance again, this time it was the Wizarding rock band, Lumination that started playing. Lily, Ivy, Raven, and Kenda started dancing and jumping around, goofing off and laughing. Lily noticed that the boys, Mabel and Belinda were sitting out, she sighed trying to play nice and went over to them.
"Why don't you come dance with us?" Lily asked them nicely with a genuine smile. Belinda looked taken aback and Mabel just grinned hopping up and grabbing her sister.
"Hugo come with us." Mabel pulled him up too, Lily raised an eyebrow at him and he smirked back at her.
"Come on." Lily dragged Bryant up and insisting he dance with them. They all started jumping, laughing and dancing. Lily felt eyes on her she looked over to see Scorpius watching her with a smile on his face; she noticed that him and Maive were both sitting at their table. After a bunch of fast songs, they slowed it down and Bryant grabbed Lily quickly.
"You're having fun?" Bryant asked her.
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Lily looked at him like he was crazy.
"I guess I just thought I'm not a very good date." Bryant confessed.
"Don't be silly, hey if we have no one to take next year, we'll do it again." She laughed vowing they would.
"Deal Potter." He laughed.
"Can I step in?" A familiar voice that sent chills down Lily's spine asked.
"I don't think so, Osterly." Bryant answered coldly turning Lily away from him.
"What makes you think I want you too?" Lily hissed at Zenith from behind Bryant.
"I just need to talk to her." Zenith pleaded with Bryant who looked at Lily skeptically. Although it seemed Lily was too curious to give up this opportunity.
"Give him a minute and come back." Lily whispered to Bryant and he looked at her in shocked starting to protest that it wasn't safe. She knew he wouldn't do anything in a crowd of people. Bryant stepped away and Zenith took her waist that she fought back the need to cringe at his touch. They moved in a more awkward form then with Bryant.
"You know I was looking forward to taking you to this." He spoke as if he was speaking to the air.
"You get a minute. You better talk fast." Lily asked flatly. She wanted to know what he wanted so he would stop touching her.
"Ok here's the thing Lily, I wanted to apologize for yelling at you. You know I never would have hit you," He started.
"Yeah that's debatable." Lily scoffed at him.
"I just have an anger problem sometimes." He said very smoothly.
"That's what you call it?" She eyed him skeptically.
"Well I know you've moved on, you and Malfoy? Never thought I'd see that one." Zenith hissed at her.
Lily laughed and answered, "Me? And Malfoy? No you got that wrong, we're friends, like I said before, you never did listen to me."
"I see the way you look at him." His eyes were on her in a critical way that made her feel self-conscious.
"So you're staking me now?" She hissed at him, "And… I…I do not look at him in any practical way." She stuttered.
"Look Lily," He twirled her to face where a smiling Scorpius was spinning Maive around and Lily felt her stomach lung. "I'm just looking out for you. I'm always looking out for you don't you know. You see some people well, they're meant to be, since birth. Something pure blood families do." Lily fell quiet and Zenith continued, "You think that you can change that?"
"I never said I wanted too Zenith," She answered coldly, "I think it's time for you to go now." The music's tempo fastened and Bryant was by her side in an instant.
"I'll see you around Lily." Zenith said smoothly as he walked away.
"You ok Lils?" Bryant asked her softly. She looked over at where Scorpius was twirling Maive around with a huge grin on his face. Why did it make her stomach twist in knots that surely would make her throw up? Why did it bother her that he held her like that, they were just friends.
"Yeah, I'm ok." Lily managed, "I'm just tired Bryant, just tell Ivy I went back to the common room. I'm fine. Don't worry." She gave him a soft smile.
She gracefully walked out of the Great Hall leaving the beautiful crystals behind. Once out of the Hall she took off her black heels and made a run for the astronomy tower. She exhaled as she collapsed onto the stairs close to the top looking out on one of the windows. It was stupid for her to cry, she didn't care what he did. So maybe they were meant to be together but that seemed unlikely, just Zenith trying to get under her skin, and even if they were meant to be why was it she cared so greatly. They weren't meant to be, why was she being so stupid? But what did that even mean, meant to be together from birth, what was that? She knew someone would come looking for here eventually, not even 10 minutes later she was right.
"Lily?" Lily heard his voice call out, "Potter!" He sounded more alarmed when he found her sitting on the edge of the astronomy tower. "Merlin's beard, what the bloody hell are you doing up here?" He huffed at her.
"Leave me alone Malfoy." Lily squeaked trying her best to sound intimating through her tears.
"Lily," he sighed seeing that she was crying. Lily's whole body trembled as she inhaled sharply.
"How did you find me?" She demanded. No one came up here with her, except maybe Hugo.
"Hugo told me I might find you here." He told her softly. That traitor she thought.
"What do you want?" Lily sobbed.
"Are you alright?" Scorpius sat down next to her, not daring to touch her not wanting to do anything that might set her off more.
"Do I look alright to you idiot?" Lily demanded through her tears.
"Hey now, we're friends, name calling isn't very nice." He teased trying to make her smile. She gave him a look through her tears that made him chuckle. He put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder as her body trembled, tears rolled down her face, and her breathing hitched. "Now, what's wrong?"
"I'm tired, I'm so tired." She sniffed, "I'm just tired of always being wrong, of always doing the wrong things, I'm just exhausted of trying to be happy when I haven't been. That day when Zenith… when he almost … when you… it shook me – he broke me and I can't trust anyone. I have these dreams and they're so vivid – paralyzingly vivid, that they won't stop, they won't stop…" She sobbed harder into Scorpius shoulder as he sat there in silence rubbing her back softly. He was scared at how violently she was crying. "I don't know what to do – I just keep going back to that place and that time, and I … I can't get back to me. I'm just so tired."
"You're safe here." He mumbled so softly that she almost didn't pick it up. She sighed and gave in, leaning all of her weight onto his side as he held her tight. "I… Lily," he sighed, for once not knowing what to say.
"I wasn't going to kill myself you know." She sniffed and wiped tears from her eyes with a slight chuckle.
"I didn't think so, nevertheless us being up here looks kind of suspects." He chuckled at her.
"Son of Draco Malfoy pushes daughter of Harry Potter off astronomy tower. What a good headline that would be." Lily giggled and covering her mouth.
"I don't think the Malfoy name could take anymore damage." He chuckled pretending to act hurt and a smile grew across Lily's face.
"I reckon not." She giggled.
"Come on, get up Potter." He offered her his hand.
"What?" She looked at him confused.
"You owe me a dance." Scorpius smirked and Lily sighed, took his hand and he pulled her up. He took her other hand placing it on his shoulder and placed his hand on her waist.
"There's no music?" Lily suggested confused and Scorpius just smirked at her. He dropped her hand reaching for his wand.
"ludere musica" He flicked his wand and a slow symphony song started playing. He coughed and put his wand away. "You were saying?"
"Nicely played Malfoy." She said as he took her hand and started leading her. He danced just as well as Bryant, maybe even better but she wouldn't tell him that. They danced in a comfortable silent for a couple seconds, maybe he was lost in thought she didn't really know but she figured it was a good thing.
"You're not a weak person Lily, you're a very strong person." He told her quietly. She just looked up at him and gave him a small smile.
"You're just saying that to make me feel better." She answered quietly.
"True, I could be but it still doesn't make it any less true. You don't except anything less then perfect, you laugh when you're nervous and you have this annoying habit of seeing the best in everyone. You're stupidly honest and then worry about hurting their feelings. Lily, you are a brave and bold; you are this incredibly beautiful person that for some reason you are the only person who doesn't see it." She stared at him like she was truly seeing him for the first time. Maybe she had always known, maybe she hadn't but all she knew now was how his grey eyes twinkled or how his smile spread across his thin lips. They had both stopped moving unconsciously and were leaning towards each other. Scorpius sighed and Lily looked up at him in confusion.
"Lily, I can't …" Lily felt her stomach fall and nodded. She knew that they couldn't, friends sure that would be allowed but nothing more. She knew it must be partly to do with Maive.
"I know," She squeaked and managed a small smile.
"It's complicated." He almost growled.
"I know, we're friends Scorpius." She gave him a reassuring smile, she could handle just being friends; she really could. She could be happy for him and Maive, she would be; even if it meant suppressing her feelings for him, she could do that, she wouldn't lose him; she couldn't lose him. Scorpius sank against the wall and Lily quietly sat beside him.
"I think they except us to be great, everyone excepts us to be great. I think we except ourselves to be great too; maybe too much sometimes you know. It shouldn't be this complicated." Lily said quietly, leaning her head against his shoulder.
He sighed lightly leaning into her. "It really shouldn't be this complicated."