Chapter Twenty Eight
November 27th- 2004
Danica wrapped her coat around her shoulders a little tighter as the cold, harsh winter air whipped around her. It was a bright Saturday morning, she had her birthday money tucked away in her purse and was feeling full of life.
It was the first year she was going to be old enough to attend the Yule Ball at school and she couldn't wait.
Although she'd been tricked by the sunshine streaming through the roof of the Great Hall at Hogwarts into thinking it was warmer than it actually was, she'd not wanted to waste time going back to her dorm to get her heavier coat.
"Danica! Danica!"
She stopped and turned towards person shouting to her and smiled, "Hi Daniel. Heading into Hogsmead as well?"
"Yes." Daniel said, slightly breathlessly, "But I also wanted to find you."
Daniel was a boy in her year, who'd also been sorted into Hufflepuff house. He had blond hair that hung in loose waves to the top of his shoulders, while he had a slight build he was deceptively strong and had a great love of animals.
"You did?" Danica blushed, "Why?"
"I was wondering if you had a date to the Yule Ball?" Daniel asked her, pulling on her arm slightly to guide her out the middle of the path.
A group of loud fourth years pushed past them, laughing and jostling one another.
Danica waited until they'd past, "No. I don't have a date. I was just going to go by myself."
Daniel blushed, looking down at his feet and trying not to loose his nerve, "Would… would you mind, not mind is the wrong word, would you like to go with me?"
Danica grinned blushing back. She could feel her heart racing in her chest as she wanted to squeal with happiness, "Yes! Yes I would love to! Thank you."
Daniel smiled, reaching out and holding her hand, "Thank you, that's… that's great. Thank you. Well, I'll see you around?"
"You could walk with me into town?" Danica suggested, "I have a couple of hours until my appointment at the dress shop."
"Dress shop?" Daniel said, sounding rather surprised.
Danica laughed, "Yes. For the Ball."
Daniel smirked, "I kinda thought you would have enough dresses already." he laughed.
Danica nudged him playfully with her shoulder, "You can never have too many dresses. And this is my first Yule Ball. Plus I'm going to wear it to the Malfoys' New Years do."
"Well, if you have an hour or two, can I treat you to lunch?" Daniel asked.
Danica nodded, taking his offered arm as they walked down into the village.
Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop was pleasantly empty when Daniel opened the door for them. Danica sat down on one of the low sofas in the corner, taking off her coat as it was rather warmer in the tea room.
"What can I get for you two love birds?" the waitress asked, beaming down at them.
"Oh um… coffee and a slice of the Victoria sponge please." Danica told her.
"Same for me." Daniel smiled, "Thank you."
They waited for a few minutes before either of them said anything.
"I… did you ask me… did you ask me to the Ball as a date or just as a friend?" Danica asked, "There's no right answer, I just want to know."
"How revelling the dress should be?" Daniel grinned, "God that came out wrong…"
Danica laughed, Daniel was known for saying things that he didn't mean. He often seemed slightly off in his own world, getting distracted by a cool bug or interesting plant that he'd spotted. If she was completely honest, Danica had had a bit of a crush on him since she'd first met him.
"Yeah. Yes, I meant it to be a date." Daniel assured her, "I… I really like you, Danica Snape."
"I really like you too, Daniel Phelps." Danica grinned, thanking the waitress as she brought them two very large mugs of fresh coffee and two even larger slices of cake.
"What colour are you wearing to the Ball?" Danica asked as they paid the bill at the tea room.
"Umm black and green." Daniel said, having to think about it for a moment, "Oh look…"
Danica watched him hurry off to the side of the shops, crouching down at something. A few moments later he came back over to her, holding a bowtruckle carefully in his hands.
"I wonder what this little guy is doing in the middle of the street." Daniel said softly, "Look how cute he is."
"He is very cute." Danica said, holding her finger out so the little stick like creature could sniff her finger as well.
"I'm going to take him back up to Hagrid." Daniel told her, "They shouldn't be out of the trees really."
"You're really sweet you know." Danica told him truthfully.
Daniel smiled awkwardly, "You think?"
"Yes. I know." Danica smiled at him, "I'll see you later."
Daniel nodded, "Yep. Enjoy your dress shopping."
Danica smiled, walking towards Madam Owens's dress shop, she felt a little extra skip in her step. There had been a part of her that never thought she would have a date. She still got strange, sometimes pitting, sometimes disgusted, looks when people saw her scars.
They'd faded, pale white on her not quite so pale skin. They mostly showed in shadow, when the light hit them and highlighted the fact they still sat raised against her skin.
"Danica Snape?"
Danica blinked, snapping herself back to reality rather than just getting lost in memories and jumbled thoughts.
"Are you Danica Snape?" the lady asked, she'd walked out of the dress shop and was looking, slightly worriedly, at Danica.
Danica slapped a smile on her face, "Yes… sorry, zoned out there for a moment."
The lady nodded, "Yes. I spotted you just standing outside, you looked a little lost but… well, you look a lot like your mother did at your age."
Danica smiled genuinely, "Really?"
The lady smiled, tucking a bit of hair behind Danica's ear, "Yes. Very much so. Of course she has that wonderful red hair. I won't lie, I was always slightly jealous of those with copper hair. Why don't you come on in?"
"You must be Madam Owens then." Danica said, following her into the shop.
"Yes dear." Madam Owens smiled, "Please, take a seat."
Danica settled herself on the high backed, green velvet sofa and waited while Madam Owens wondered into a small back room, returning with two large cups of tea on saucers. Each saucer had two crisp biscuits in the shape of small, pink flowers.
"Milk and sugar?" Madam Owens asked.
Danica nodded, "Please. Two sugars."
Madam Owens nodded, waving her wand over Danica's cup. The dark tea slowly turned a pale brown as the milk was added.
"Now, what can I do for you today?" Madam Owens asked, settling herself with a notepad, tucking one slender ankle behind the other.
Danica pulled her long sleeves over her hands so she could mindlessly pick at the hems, "I need a dress for the Yule Ball up at the school."
Madam Owens nodded, pausing to take a sip of her cup of tea, "I'm sure we can get that sorted. What sort of dress were you thinking?"
"Something with long sleeves maybe, floor length… something swishy and… I'm not sure on the colour." Danica said thoughtfully, "My… date…" she said slowly, blushing, "Is wearing green and black."
"Which house are you in?" Madam Owens asked, taking several notes and sketching quickly on the notepad.
"Hufflepuff, so is Daniel. He's my date." Danica explained, getting annoyed at her face for blushing yet again.
Madam Owens smiled, "Why don't we go back into the dress room and we can try on a few options? Perhaps it will help you work out what your perfect dress is."
Danica nodded, following Madam Owens towards the door at the back of the shop.
Madam Owens knocked three times on the door, waiting a moment before opening it, gesturing for Danica to go in first.
Inside were rows and rows of dresses, stacked neatly along the walls. They were all white and came in every shape and design.
Madam Owens took measurements from Danica, before tapping the rails with her wand. The dresses shimmered for a moment as they all adjusted to Danica's size.
"Is it silly to say I want to try them all on?" Danica laughed.
"Not at all." Madam Owens smiled, "Why don't we try with this one?"
She pulled out a dress with long lace sleeves, ending in points at the wrist. There was a matching point at the waist which flowed into a lace skirt what swished slightly when she moved.
Danica watched herself in the mirror, trying to imagine herself wearing it. "I like the point at the waist, needs more volume at the skirt though."
Four dresses later, Danica was starting to lose hope they would ever find the right dress. Part of her felt this had all been a lot easier when Lily had simply bought her dresses for her, normally variations of the same style.
"Can I try something on you?" Madam Owens asked, "It's not exactly what you asked for but… well I have a feeling." she smiled.
Danica nodded, "Yeah. Yes, of course."
Madam Owens walked over to another rack and pulled out a very full dress. It had a strapless, sweetheart neckline, lace bodice and a skirt made up from layers and layers of tulle.
Danica slipped it on, waiting until Madam Owens had laced up the back before daring to look at herself in the mirror.
She looked perfect. It swirled just as she'd dreamed and she could see herself dancing the night away in it.
It dropped down at the back, showing the scars on Danica's shoulder and spine, not to mention the ones down her arms.
"They're not all that noticeable you know." Madam Owens said softly.
Danica forced herself to stop trying to cover her arms, "I just… I never want… want people to hate those around me for them."
"Why would anyone hate anyone around you?" Madam Owens asked kindly.
Danica let out a loud sigh, unable to stop looking at herself in the mirror, "People don't like werewolves. My scars are the obvious reminder of what I am."
Madam Owens placed a comforting hand on Danica's shoulder, "I've been doing this for a long time. I've helped people who want to be invisible, people who want to be the only person seen in a room… people who are proud of the way they look and those who hate themselves… in my experience, focusing on how you want to feel, and how a dress makes you feel, that makes the best match in a dress."
"I love this dress." Danica told her honestly.
"You look wonderful. The shape really suits you." Madam Owens assured her, "You look very grown up."
"People wont stare?" Danica asked her.
Madam Owens smiled, "People will most certainly stare, but I don't think it will be because of your scars they can barely see. It will be because you look stunning."
Danica smiled and nodded, "Then… yes. I think, yes."
"Wonderful." Madam Owens said, "Let me get you unlaced and we can talk about colours."
Five minutes later Danica was sitting on the sofa again with a fresh cup of tea, more biscuits and a large book of fabric samples in a rainbow of colours.
She decided on a copper coloured dress, with black lace over the bodice, snaking slightly down the skirt. It would be ready in a little over a week, and Danica was very excited.
Danica walked happily back to Hogwarts, cradling a take away cup full of warm butter beer to try and fight off the cold.
"I have a date for the Ball." she said happily to Beatrice, running up behind her friend.
"Ooo! Who?" Beatrice asked, linking arms with Danica and stealing a sip of her butter beer.
"Daniel." Danica told her.
"He's cute. And so kind." Beatrice said dreamily, "Lucky you!"
Danica grinned to herself, she was lucky. After everything, right now, she was happy.
