Bumblebee (A Fred Weasley Fanfiction)

- CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE -

The Yule Ball

Despite the heavy load of homework that the sixth years had been given for the holidays, Emmie was in no mood to work when term ended and spent the week leading up to Christmas enjoying herself as fully as possible along with everyone else.
Emmie was in the Great Hall when a boy walked in screaming, covered in feathers. He had obviously fell victim to one of the Weasley twins Canary Cream's. "Please... Please could you pass me a cup of water," he stuttered as he sat down next to Emmie, "er sure," she smiled.
He laughed, "thanks, remind me to never eat something that Fred Weasley has given me,"
"Yeah I know that feeling," she replied, "oh yeah, what has he done to you?" The boy asked, "well in the summer he... Well he... You know what, nevermind."
He ignored this, "what's your name?"
"Emmie Nightingale, what about you?"
"Kenneth Towler," he replied, "well nice to meet you Kenneth Towler. You don't happen to have a date to the Yule Ball do you?"

*

Christmas day arrived and everyone was getting ready for the Yule Ball. Emmie got changed into a floor length, black velvet dress and black heels and, with a quick wave of her wand, her dark hair fell wavy at her shoulders. Juniper rushed into the dorm wearing a hot pink dress which clung to her curves, her hair was swept to the side and hanging from her ears were large, golden hoops. "Are you sure my makeup goes with the dress?" She asked for the fifth time that evening, "yes, you look gorgeous," Emmie replied.

The Entrance Hall was packed with students milling around waiting for eight o'clock when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Emmie was looking over the crowd for Kenneth although, throughout the little time she had spent with him between meeting him and now, he had grown to be quite annoying.
Soon he made his way over to her, looking handsome in his black dress robes and Chris Hopper had arrived for Juniper.

When everyone had arrived they took their seats in the Great Hall which had been decorated in sparkling silver frost, mistletoe and ivy, and the champions entered.
First Fleur who looked stunning in robes of silver-grey satin and accompanied by the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, Roger Davies. Krum was next, he looked handsome as ever but most people's eyes fell on the girl next to him, Hermione. Her hair was sleek and shiny and twisted into an elegant knot at the back of her head and her dress was made of a floaty, periwinkle-blue material, she looked beautiful, even as she smiled rather nervously. Cedric and Cho came out next and last was Harry and Parvati, she looked very pretty indeed, in robes of shocking pink, not unlike Juniper's, with her long dark plait braided with gold and gold bracelets glimmering at her wrists.

Emmie looked around at all the students in their marvelous outfits, she stopped though on one couple, Fred and Angelina. She was in a beautiful aubergine dress with matching heels and he wore black dress robes with a white shirt and brown waistcoat; they both looked extremely happy as they tried to throw small olives which were in bowls on the table into each others mouths, most of the time missing.
Once everyone was sat, menus appeared in front of them, Kenneth looked down at his plate and said in a clear voice, "pork chops!" And pork chops appeared, "oh wow!" Emmie exclaimed, "chicken!"
And a meal of chicken breasts wrapped in bacon with broccoli, carrots and potatoes appeared on her plate.
"This is delicious," Kenneth said and Emmie just nodded, "did you know that house elves make all this? That girl Hermione set up a charity for them. Personally I don't have a problem with it, I mean their born to work and it's not like their humans who have rights, they're weird ugly creatures. You know what I mean?"
"Er not really no," Emmie replied.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, at a wave of his wand, the tables zoomed back along the walls, leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform along the right hand wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello and some bagpipes were set upon it.
The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage and picked up their instruments and the four champions and their partners walked onto the dance floor and they all watched as they danced to The Weird Sisters slow, mournful tune.
"Do you want to dance?" Kenneth asked Emmie as more people got up like Neville and Ginny and Dumbledore and Madame Maxime. "Yeah sure," Emmie smiled, "are you two com - "
She looked over at Juniper and Chris but it seemed they were... preoccupied.
Emmie took Kenneth's hand and they started to dance, neither of them were particularly good and anyone dancing near them would have heard numerous sorrys but Emmie thought that she'd rather do that then stare longingly at Fred all night while Kenneth chattered in her ear.
The song ended and another, much faster and upbeat, song began. "Can I have this one?" George approached holding his hand out to Emmie, "yeah sure," Kenneth replied before sitting down at a nearby table. "Hi," Emmie said as they danced, "it's been a while,"
"Sure has," George replied, "I've missed you, you should hang out with us some time,"
Emmie looked over at Fred and Angelina who were dancing so exuberantly that people around them were backing away for fear of injury. "I don't think so."
George didn't reply and they danced in silence for the rest of the song. When it ended Emmie didn't go back to where Kenneth was sat but instead she left the Hall and sat outside on a frost covered bench.
It wasn't long before George joined her, "it's freezing out here," he said as he sat down, "yup,"
"Here," he took his suit jacket off and wrapped it round her shoulders, "thanks," she smiled slightly.
"He misses you, you know?" He said, "then why'd he come with Angelina?"
"Why did you come with Kenneth?"
"I had no one else," Emmie replied, "but I didn't like him before. Fred kissed Angelina on New Year's, he helped her when she got hit by a Bludger, it's obvious he actually likes her,"
"Then tell me why I've been waking up in the middle of the night to him crying, he's been skipping meals just to look at pictures of you, he's literally gone insane," George replied.
A tear rolled down Emmie's cheek, "I can't come back,"
"Why not?" He asked, "I just can't,"
"Come on, you don't have to date him. Just as friends. We miss you."

"I - " Emmie started but she was interrupted by Kenneth who had just stepped outside, "oh there you are," he said, "is everything alright?"
Emmie wiped her eyes before smiling at him, "it's fine," she said, "shall we go back inside."

- Princexiero xx