Chapter 10: New Year's Ball
The evening of December 31st, the Fernsby Manor was bustling with elves decorating for the gala. Hallie had designed her gown herself as she typically did, she was standing on a pedestal examining herself in the mirror, "What do you think, Holly?"
"You look like a princess."
Hallie picked up a sparkly diamond headband, "And my prince will arrive soon," she smiled happily placing the headband on her head. "One day I will have a tiara."
"Fred is more of a pauper than a prince."
Hallie looked at her through the mirror, "He is a prince to me."
"You make fun of Ron all the time for having unkempt hair and clothes too big for him."
Hallie fixed her hair in the mirror and then worked on her makeup, "Because he does. I can't help that his uniforms originally were Fred and George's and they are much taller than he is."
Suddenly sounds of distance pop outside her window notifying them of the guests' arrival. The two sisters crossed to the bedroom window to see as the guests arrived. All dressed in fancy, new dress robes. They quickly spotted the Malfoy family, with their bleached blonde hair in its perfect hairdos. They were making their way up the gravel walkway. Draco was dressed in a grayish blue, this was outside his normal color palette.
"I may have a pauper but you have a snake."
Holly gave her sister a side-eye glance, "He isn't bad when we are alone."
"He still chose Peri not you," Hallie observed Draco more closely from a distance, "but he does clean up rather nicely."
She then examined the rest of the arriving guests when she spotted Fred, George, Harry, and Hermione arriving by portkey with Cedric and Mr. Diggory as all the champions had been invited as another treat for the gala. She sighed contently, "Now that my dear sister is a man. A handsome, perfect, and wonderful man. He adores me. What more could I want?"
Hallie's eyes scanned the small group of her friends, they were all wearing the same outfits from the Yule Ball. Fred must have felt her watching or he was simply scanning the outside of the manor when his eyes fell on her peeking through the curtains on her window. He waved to her and pointed at the window for Harry and Hermione who waved as well. She waved back to them. George was keeping his distance from Fred lately since all Fred cared about now it seemed was Hallie. Mostly everyone found their love a little sickening as the young couple loved to show PDA, but the first and second-year girls thought they were super cute always showing off their love.
A knock came from the door before Mallory pocked her head in with Alicia, "Mom, says we need to come downstairs and greet the guests."
"Coming!" Hallie called over to them as she hopped off the pedestal.
Hallie started to walk out but noticed Holly was not following, "Coming?" she asked.
Holly looked at her sister, "In a minute. Go on."
She nodded and left.
Holly went over to the wardrobe and took out a pair of glass slippers that Peri had given to her that morning, "Have your Cinderella moment. You deserve it."
The guests began to fill and soon Erling began to speak, "Welcome everyone to our annual holiday gala! We typically have our gala on Christmas Eve, but as everyone knows Hogwarts' hosted the Yule Ball this year, having us postpone our gala to New Year's Eve. The Malfoys who typically host this event were kind enough to allow us to host this year's gala. With the return of our daughter, Cassandra, and her family to England, my wife and I wanted to introduce our eldest granddaughter, Periwinkle, to society. It gives me great pleasure to present Periwinkle Elizabeth King, daughter of Cassand Banks and…" he paused not wanting to fully accept her true parentage, "Severus Snape. Step-daughter of Richard Banks. She is being escorted by…by her father, Severus Snape."
With her name being announced, they made their way down the grand staircase with her arm around her father's. Her dress sparkled from the chandelier light. Soft claps sounded as she made her way down the stairs.
"She is beautiful!" Hallie said clapping as they watched Peri walk down the stairs being escorted by Snape, "and Professor Snape cleaned up nicely."
The sound of Rita Skeeter's camera flashing as the two descended. There were whispers amongst the soft claps. Peri and Snape reached the bottom, and her eyes trailed over the guests but seemed to stop briefly on George before looking back at Snape and asking him something in a whisper as he escorted her to the center of the ballroom.
He paused before answering as the music changed to a soft waltz as the two danced together. They danced together for a small lap around the floor when Richard approached them, "May I? I would love the chance to dance with my daughter, too."
Snape made a slight scoff at the mention of Richard calling Peri his daughter. He reluctantly gave a stiff nod placing Peri's hand into Richard's before stepping off the floor. The two danced together, more gracefully than she danced with Snape as Richard had years of prior ballroom dance training during his growing up.
"Care to dance?" George asked offering Holly his hand.
She gratefully accepted, "I would be delighted."
Fred escorted Hallie to the floor joining in on the waltz. He was not graceful in dancing by any means and especially not compared to Hallie, who like Peri and the other sisters were classically trained in dance.
Ida and Remy were in attendance at the gala with Remus as their chaperon, their mother had claimed she had a headache but the truth was she wanted to be Sirius and enjoy their first New Year together since his imprisonment. As the previous year, he had remained in England to try and to get Peter Pettigrew arrested for killing those muggles when he had been wrongfully accused. At least that is the story that Peri had been told by Cassie and Richard.
Hallie continued to dance with Fred, "Have you seen my sister?" she searched the room as they danced.
Fred glanced around as well, "No, I…"
He was cut off guard when the doors at the top of the stairs reopened and a light hit it. Holly walked out with her golden curls shining in the light, her dress sparkling as the spotlight hit her.
There were several gasps seeing her with a few flashes of Skeeter's camera taking pictures and some asking who she was as she did indeed look like a princess. Draco froze in his dance with Peri eyeing her with the rest of the room, "She is beautiful," he told Peri.
As guests began to ask, "Who is she?"
"I don't know, but she is quite beautiful."
Hallie smiled softly watching as her sister walked gracefully down the stairs, she looked over at Harry who was nearest to them.
"Harry, go ask Holly to dance."
"What?" he said confused as she shoved him gently to the stairs, where he met her at the bottom offering her his hand which she accepted. The gala resumed with Draco's gaze never leaving Holly the entire evening.
"Potter!" Draco hissed in disapproval watching Harry escort Holly to the dance floor, "Why is he here and askingher? He never asked her to the Yule Ball, he let her stand there like a wallflower."
Peri sighed softly, "All the champions were invited. Fred and George are here because Hallie is dating Fred. Harry brought Hermione as his date. I tried to get Ron and Ginny to be invited but I was told that we had enough guests coming…" she scanned the room, "They could have allowed Ron and Ginny."
His gaze turned to her sharply, "I want to dance with her…now."
She was startled slightly by his demand but looked in the direction of the orchestra giving a signal to the conductor to begin playing the traditional Viennese waltz music. The waltz began and soon the partners were switched.
Holly ended up in Draco's arms, "You look beautiful tonight, Holly."
She blushed slightly, "Oh, this? It was just in my closet."
He made a small laugh, "Well, you look amazing."
"As do you…we match I see."
"We do…perhaps this is why Peri asked me to wear a lighter color. My parents did not approve but when I said Peri insisted they agreed."
"My answer…"
He shook his head, "Shh. Please don't."
Holly closed her mouth and they finished their dance together before the partners changed again.
As the Yule Ball was happening around her, Holly stood in the back of the Great Hall watching everyone dance and enjoying the gala. She stood alone without a date. She took the moment with everyone distracted to leave, not that anyone would notice her missing. She began to cross the corridor, snow falling from the sky above creating a veil of snow upon her. She reached the middle of the empty courtyard pausing for a moment and closing her eyes to just enjoy this moment of peace allowing herself to feel the cold air on her face and disappear from reality. She did not hear the footsteps approach from behind her.
"You were never supposed to mean this much to me," the voice softly pulled her out of her trance. She turned toward the voice seeing Draco standing before her, "I was never supposed to fall this hard. But you know what?" She remained silent her emerald green eyes looking into his misty grey ones, "I did and that is the truth. You are what keeps me holding on because to let you go would hurt like hell."
Holly was speechless unsure of what to say or do.
"Please. Please keep being with me. I don't want to lose you."
He stepped closer to her as the snow fell onto him, "I can't lose you. Please believe me and Peri when we say nothing is going on between us. It is all for the papers."
She shouldn't believe him, but a part of her wanted to.
"Ok."
"Please, Holly…wait ok?"
She nodded, "I shouldn't be agreeing, but I am. I suppose some things are just worth trying."
"I promise," he took her hands, "I promise it will be worth it. Now may I kiss you? I want my New Year's kiss to be with you."
She nodded.
He leaned in capturing her soft, pink lips in a gentle kiss. She leaned into the kiss wrapping her arms around his neck as his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her closer to him.
She pulled away resting their foreheads together, "Happy New Year, Draco."
"Happy New Year, Holly."
They remained in this position for what felt like forever before he stepped back looking at her, "I promise to protect you in any way I possibly can."
"I trust you."
He gave her a soft peck on the lips before releasing her, "I will continue to prove you can, but we should go back inside."
They returned inside to find Harry with Peri, he reapproached and the two teen boys exchanged cold glares, "I would like my girlfriend back, Potter," he snarled. Peri had a confused expression on her face as he had never called her his girlfriend before.
Harry looked at Peri, "I will see you later, Peri…" he glared at Draco again, "Malfoy."
The rest of the gala continued with dancing and food and different exotic drinks. Peri made conversation with different guests but was not allowed to dance with anyone except Draco.
Erling placed a hand on her back as she was guided to the center of the room where the dancefloor had cleared. All eyes settled upon her as she observed everyone as her grandfather left her there alone returning to his wife who stood beside her aunt, uncle, and Narcissa Malfoy who was also joined by Lucius. Peri took in a deep calming breath, she had never made a speech before and was entirely unprepared but knew how to please these kinds of people. She did it often for Richard's parents and their friends.
Peri let out a deep breath and then began, "I would like to thank everyone for coming tonight. Celebrating my coming out into society as well as a final farewell to 1994 and a celebration into 1995. I look at my past year and never would have believed I would be in the position I am now. I began this year in America and ended the year in England. I left Ilvermorny to start a new beginning at Hogwarts," she breathed looking at her friends, "There I met my friends. From different houses and backgrounds. I met my loving…" her eyes softened looking at Draco with George standing behind him slightly. "There I met my loving boyfriend."
She extended a handout and Draco crossed over to her, taking it and kissing it softly. A camera flashed capturing the moment. "Who has been by my side since day one of my arrival at Hogwarts."
An elf appeared at their side offering a tray of sparkling cider. She accepted the glasses, handing Draco one of the glasses before looking back at the guests.
"So let us raise our glasses to the new year," she looked at Draco then Erling and Lucius. "To the greater good,"
The Greater Good? Holly thought as she examined those around her seemed most of the Slytherins and purebloods in attendance knew what this meant and happily cheered that.
Holly raised her glass and said, "To the greater good." She was still confused though.
She did notice Lucius and Erling give Peri barely noticeable smirks
The guests looked up at the large floating clock in the center of the room now counting down to midnight.
Ten
Nine
Eight
Seven
Six
Five
Four
Three
Two
One…
Her gaze turned from the clock to Draco who leaned into Peri giving her a soft kiss on her lips, his free hand coming up to cradle her cheek. The kiss was a slow, but intimate feeling. He pulled away slowly eyes locking together, and his finger tracing her bottom lip.
Holly's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. She was witnessing her worst nightmare.
"Holly?" George said.
She looked at him, "No one should be without a New Year's kiss, and seeing as our significant others are kissing each other perhaps we should as well."
Holly laughed softly and leaned in to kiss him.
The kiss was not passionate, but sweet and quick.
"Happy New Year, Holly."
"Happy New Year, George."
He wrapped an arm around her as the room cheered, "Happy New Year!"
"We will stick together, Holly. You will never feel alone again."
She leaned into him, "Thanks, George."
"Well your sister stole my brother and your whatever stole my whatever so we have each other."
Fireworks blasted from outside with glitter falling from the enchanted ceiling and camera flashes from around the room capturing the moment entirely as well them.
Holly continued the evening dancing with George and having perhaps a few too many drinks. She didn't stop till she overheard Richard over the music, she scanned the room to find him talking to Cassie with Peri at his side.
"We are leaving. Now!" Richard told Cassie, "Juniper."
The elf appeared with a pop as Holly moved over to him, "Sir?"
"Please collect our bags and bring them to our house. Once you have done that, you and the other elves are free. I will give you each clothing and money to provide better living environments and lives for yourselves."
Juniper was confused as she tilted her head in confusion, "We live with you now?"
"Yes. And you are free, our family does not own elves but you mean the world to Cassie and no one deserves to be around that man anymore."
She nodded looking at Cassie and then Richard, "May Juniper stay though? Juniper does not want to leave Mrs. Cassie. Juniper loves Cassie."
He nodded, "If you wish, but you will be free."
"Really? Juniper loves that!"
He nodded, "Yes. Any elf who wishes to stay in my employment will receive a paycheck and proper care."
"Will there be any more babies? Juniper loves babies, Cassie was a good baby. Bad child and sad teen, but a lovely baby."
Richard and Cassie exchanged looks then looked at their daughters, "We are quite comfortable with the family we currently have, but you never know," Cassie told the elf as she kneeled in front of her, "You were a better parent to me than my own and I'm pleased to call you family."
"No money then. Family does not pay family."
"We get an allowance," Hallie spoke up, "Speaking of which I would like to discuss a raise."
Their family laughed, "We can discuss that later, Hal," Richard told her, "For now we get Harry, Hermione, Fred, and George to the Burrow and us back home."
"Our home," Peri added.
Richard gave her a small side squeeze and kissed the top of her head, "Nothing is more like home than being around the ones you love."
Everyone agreed as Peri looked at George with a smile.
The family left with a pop of apparition, their downstairs filled with an entire manor's house elves.