[on hold] 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓&𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 → 𝑓. 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

xxii . two left feet

chapter twenty two
TWO LEFT FEET

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   WITH THE first task behind them and the official announcement of the Yule Ball, the mood in the whole castle had swept from a tensed excitement to, what Ruby thought, was a disgusting flirtatious disaster. It seemed like the whole school's population had discovered that attraction was a thing that as well as could have been forced, because absolutely no one intended to go to this damn ball alone.

   Cedric, of course, had immediately asked out Cho Chang, and to nobody's surprise, the Ravenclaw had agreed to be his date. Ruby watched that whole situation between the two Seekers with mixed feelings, for while last year Cedric had to pull out all the stops and still it hadn't been enough to gain Cho's full attention, ever since he'd been made champion, their relationship was a sure-fire success. The opportunity to open a ball with a Triwizard champion might have been positively adding to Cedric's already existing attraction. Maybe a little too much ...

   Leilani, on the other hand, was swooning all over Roger once again, being happy with their re-tied relationship, and of course didn't hesitate a second to say yes, when Roger asked her to be his Yule Ball date.

   Yes, absolutely no one intended to go to this ball alone. No one, but Ruby.

   In fact, Ruby hadn't expected to get asked at all, and the more she was surprised when after a week from the announcement, a handsome Beauxbatons student had asked her for a date, his sexy french accent having her struggling with consideration for a moment, before she'd told him no, and it had been a damn good thing to do so, as later that day she found out that it had been Leilani to set Ruby on the menu for potential date-willing guys for the guestes of the two foreign schools.

   That in the end there had only one guy been interested enough in Ruby to ask her out, was more frustrating than not even been asked out once.

   "I don't see your problem", Leilani huffed, rolling her eyes at Ruby, when the latter dared to complain about her best friends attempt to 'help'. "You could have a good time that night, and I don't let your 'I can't even dance' excuse count. You've a right on a date as much as Cara Octavi, who is still dancing, though she was born with only three toes each foot!"

   "She's not born without them, she lost them in a potion accident, and it's not funny", Ruby replied with a snarl. "Also, Cara for sure was a good dancer even before that accident, while I never learned it."

   "Good time to start with it, I guess", said Cedric, letting himself fall into that last empty seat of the Canary yellow couch, exactly between the two girls. "As your prefect of trust, I have the fabulous honour to announce the dance lessons that will be held for the whole school the upcoming weekend. Obligatory event", he added, as Ruby had already opened her mouth to tell him he could forget about her participation.

   Now she groaned, saying, "Don't tell me, I will have to take dance lessons in front of the whole pupils of this castle!"

   "Plus teachers, plus ghosts", Cedric grinned, as he watched the colour drain from Ruby's face.

   "Great", she muttered, leaning back into the cushion defeated. "Really great ..."

•✧•

   Like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck, Ruby couldn't but watch the scenery in front of her wide-eyed, her heart beating shallow in her chest, her brain screaming at her to turn around and run away, but she was caught with her back against the wall, and her feet ignoring the orders from her mind.

   For now, Professor McGonagall was only talking about the tradition of the Yule Ball, but Ruby barely heard a word she said, only ever flinching when the word dance fell from her teacher's lips, fearing that the time had come she had to do the ineffable horror that was coming for her. 

   No complaints, no beggings, no pleads would help her out of this, and so Ruby had to finally leave the comfort of the wall against her spine.

   She watched Leilani walk straight into Roger Davies arms, and Cho clinging on Cedric. Ruby herself was frantically searching for a way to make the best out of all of this, but it was pointless. Cedric and Leilani were the only two souls in the whole hall that could have made the scenery at least a tad bit more comfortable. But she hadn't really expected them to stick around her, when their lovers were here as well.

   "Mylady."

   Like a frightened squirrel, Ruby jerked around, her heart doing a little jump. Terrence chuckled a laughter, warmly smiling down upon her.

   "May I have this dance?", he asked, stretching out his hand.

   Her cheeks turned pink, and her eyes were flickering through the Great Hall, seeing Cedric already fluently dancing with Cho, and Roger Davies' arms around Leilani's hips. Then her eyes fell upon Fred, and though she wasn't surprised that it were Angelina's arms around his neck, she felt her stomach lurching. Suddenly, as if he'd noticed her staring, Fred's eyes met Ruby's, and she felt her face heating up even more. Quickly she looked away.

   "I — well, what about — ?"

   "Let Jasmine be my sorrow", Terrence said, the corners of his mouth twitching, and hesitantly Ruby took his hand. "Leilani told me, you could need a little help. I guess she exaggerated, when she said that you'd probably end up with your feet both broken, if I wouldn't teach you how to dance."

   Stumbling over her own two feet, while plainly standing, Terrence caught her. Ruby nervously chuckled. "No. Not exaggerated."

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you're so down to earth
& I'm up in the stars ...