Flame || F. WEASLEY

Chapter 17 - The Yule Ball

My hands flutter above the dress that's laid out on my bed. My stomach swoops as I think of the night ahead, the night all of us have been waiting for. Fred and I have been ignoring each other for the past few weeks. In fact, I rarely see him besides meals.

"Amelia, you better put that on before you make us late," Malein says. She's adjusting the silvery hijab she bought to match her dress. She even let me dust a small amount of shiny eyeshadow across her lids.

I turn to the mirror, examining my makeup and hair one last time. I spent a ridiculously long time making sure it was perfect. My mom had sent curlers which I put in my wet hair this morning. Now it's pulled back in a low bun with a few loose pieces framing my face. Malein had found some delicate gold stars to place in it, matching the gold straps of the dress and the gold eyeshadow I wore.

Shaking my head, I quickly strip out of my clothes and step into my dress.

"Malein! Can you help--"

She's behind me before I finish the question, zipping up the back of the dress. I lean down, fiddling with the skirt as a way to distract myself. When I can't find anything else to fix I turn to my roommate.

Malein looks radiant in her grey gown. We're meeting Hollyn, Mini, Avianna, and Nora outside the common room and walking down to the Great Hall together. George is meeting me there. Nora will be sure to wow Cedric in her pink ball gown. Mini and Avianna had also found dates, though they were just friends.

We hurry down the stairs into the common room, where only a few second and third years are hanging out. The age cut-off for the ball was fourth year, but you could attend if you were invited. George told me about Neville asking Ginny to the ball. It had made me smile.

Everyone is waiting for us outside the common room. Mini is wearing a beautiful yellow and blue sari that jingles slightly as she shifts her weight. It perfectly complements the rich umber of her skin and her black hair is slicked back in a beautiful updo. Nora's long blond hair falls in soft curls down her back as she fiddles with her huge skirt. Hollyn and Ambria both wear simple black shift dresses, though they are slightly different. Avianna is last in a midnight blue velveteen dress that hugs her figure.

"Finally!" Mini exhales.

"Look at that dress," Hollyn says before giving me a whistle. I playfully shove her arm. "I think your date might just faint."

I roll my eyes before linking elbows with Malein. We all traverse down to the Great Hall, making sure to be extra careful on the stairs. The last thing any of us want is to go tumbling down them like a fool. Nora leads the pack of us, a brilliant smile gracing her face. She slows as we approach the last staircase that leads to the foyer.

"Okay, I think we should go down as singles or pairs so everyone gets their moment to shine," she announces. We all indulge her, shoving her towards the stairs. She brushes nonexistent dirt off her skirt before lifting her chin and descending.

We all peer around the corner. Cedric is talking to Harry, who stands next to the Patil twins and Ron. Cedric's eyes flicker up the stairs and back to Harry before jerking back to Nora. Harry, Ron, and their dates all turn to look as well and we duck back behind the corner.

Mini and Avianna go next, having spotted their dates milling about. As I watch them go down, I look for familiar red hair. There's no sign of George or Fred for that matter. I take a deep breath, preparing to step around the corner and walk down the stairs myself when Malein grabs my arm.

"Oh no, you're going last," she says.

Before I can get a word out of my mouth, she joins Hollyn and Ambria as they make their way down the stairs. Leaning back on the cool stone, I force a few deep breaths into my lungs. The voices from the Great Hall leak out and swirl around me. I let myself take one last breath before I push away from the wall and round the corner.