[on hold] 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓&𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 → 𝑓. 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

xxvi . making an entrance

chapter twenty six
MAKING AN ENTRANCE

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   "I WILL never forgive you doing this. I don't want to spend the whole evening with her! Why have you even done this?"

   "Oh Georgie, when a girl has the guts to ask a boy out, you can tell that she's up to make your dirtiest dreams come true."

   "Hasn't last summer taught you to better not let your penis do the brain work?"

   "Really, Fred, you shouldn't let the big decisions be made by such a small thing."

   Fred threw a crooked half smirk at Angelina, who had just joined the twins in the entrance hall, her hand intertwining with George's, before she pecked his cheek.

   "Hurtfull accusations for someone who had never the pleasure to meet him", he said, winking at her.

   Angelina moved closer to George, grinning up at him. "Sorry, I'm made for the long schlong", she chuckled, fluttering her lashes at Fred's brother.

   "You do realise that we are twins, do you?", asked Fred, cocking an eyebrow at the two of them.

   "What can I say?", George replied, smirking. "I'm smarter, I'm better looking, and well-hung. And obviously having a better taste in women. Lady Tremaine is coming."

   Fred turned around, throwing a look at the dungeon door. He had been more than surprised when she had asked him to be his date, but she came as if on cue. At first having considered to ask out Ruby, he had taken too much time overthinking all the thousand ways she could reject him, so he didn't find the courage to even ask her out at all.

   Dateless as he was, Fred hadn't much lost a thought about it, when Jasmine Parkinson was the one to ask him out, and not much thinking about it, he had said yes.

   She indeed was something for the eye. Her black dress flattered around her soft curves, contrasting her porcelain skin. But the attention he had for her wasn't for the long run, as behind her the dungeon door flung open once more, and he couldn't have ignored the girl entering the Entrance Hall if he tried.

   Like a fire dimming out her surroundings, dressed in ruby red, she stepped into the hall, blinding him for anyone else in this crowded and colourful room. With the soft make-up on her face, and her long blonde hair falling in curls down her back, without the glasses covering her bright blue eyes, she looked unmistakenly beautiful.

   "Hey."

   Being snapped back to reality, not immediately could Fred manage to draw his attention fully back on Jasmine. Still there was one detail left on Ruby that he had to examine. One hurtful detail, like hot needles in his eyes.

   Terrence Higgs had his arm placed on the small of Ruby's back, carefully guiding her through the hall ...

   And finally Fred looked back at Jasmine Parkinson, but the way he saw the Slytherin Princess now, had foundationally changed.

   "Hey", he said. "You're looking nice." ... and now tell me why you're exactly using me for your devilish revenge ...

•✧•

   Ruby threw a nervous glance on her arm, before she entered the Entrance Hall with Terrence and everyone could see the ugly bruise on her light skin. But Leilani's special make-up did it's job and was covering the smudge perfectly. The make-up was even able to resist a shower. Only a special remover would be able to uncover this abnormality — and Ruby considered to just never use it and keep it hidden.

   "By the way, it's a nice dress you wear", Terrence told her, his hand on the small of her back leaving a tingly feeling on her skin.

   "Oh yeah, about that ...", she said, her cheeks enlightening with a red as bright as her dress. "Of course I will pay you back. Just tell my the price and ..."

   "The price?", Terrence laughed. "Forget about it, see it as a Christmas gift."

   "But it must have been way too expensive —"

   "It's a appropriate dress for a stunning woman", he replied, shrugging it of. "Really, Ruby, don't break your head about it, I'm not the one to spend money I don't have, and I'm not the one to give presents to people who wouldn't deserve them."

   If possible, she would have blushed even more, but her head must have been already shining like a traffic signal, and there was a feeling growing inside her that she was unable to catch.

   Muttering her gratitude, she tried to distract herself, letting her eyes roam the Entrance Hall, that had never appeared this crowded. There were so many colours, so many happy and cheerful faces, chatter and laughter floating at her from everywhere ...

   And then her eyes met him, not even knowing that she had been searching for him. He was standing with George and Angelina, next to Lee and Alicia Spinnet, and involuntarily, Ruby cocked an eyebrow at the scene, wondering who George was with tonight. But maybe his date wasn't here yet.

   She almost shrugged, when her eyes fell back on Fred — and suddenly felt like she had been kicked in the stomach.

   Because it were George's fingers being intertwined with Angelina's, and the reason she had not seen it at first, was wrapped in shiny black cloth, her dark hair knotted into a complex looking up-do, now standing in front of Fred, and he was smiling down on Jasmine Parkinson, before he offered her his arm to take, and followed his twin and Angelina into the Great Hall.

   "Are you looking for someone special?", asked Terrence, and his voice barley managed to get to her, but she forced herself to take her eyes off of the back of Fred's head, looking up at her own date, cracking a smile.

   "Just wanted to see who's here", she said, shrugging to underline the casualty in her voice. "They're all looking so pretty in their dresses and robes, don't you think?"

   "Not anywhere near as pretty as you do", he replied, offering her his arm. "Do we want to go inside, what do you think?"

   With her smile flickering, she took his arm with a shaky hand. "Sure", she said, letting him guide her to the entrance, following the crowd into the most magical winter wonderland she had ever seen.

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