Ineffable - Regulus Black

seventeen

^ Cordelia's Dress for The Malfoy's Ball

24th December 1976 -  The Night of The Malfoy's Christmas Eve Ball

It was dusk and snow was falling gently outside the window of Cordelia's room. She stood in front of her gold trimmed floor length mirror and stared at herself unhappily. The dress was beautiful she couldn't lie, it was a dark forest green with a velvet bodice and gold detail sparkling from the waist down. It accentuated her body in ways she wished she hated, the reasons behind her fancy dress had her loathing it with passion.

Her hair cascades delicately around her face, a sparkling diamond pin either side to neaten the look. Her oval shaped earrings sparkle in the light as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. Sighing to herself she slips on her new shiny dark heels and takes a deep breathe before exiting her bedroom.

Her Mother stands at the bottom of the staircase, a long judging look on her face as she inspects her daughter.

"Yes. This shall do." She speaks with a unkind bluntness yet clearly pleased with her choices.

"Now Cordelia, you will be on your very best behaviour. I think your Father and I have suffered enough with your.." She pauses as she thinks of the correct wording.

"Wrongdoings." She adds and turns away from the girl to look at her Father as though waiting for his approval too.

"Yes. This is the first ball Lucius and Narcissa are running since their marriage, so you will be gracious, respectful and above all else a sophisticated lady. Is. That. Clear?" Her Father speaks with a tone of pure authority.

"Yes, Father." Cordelia responds in her most obeying voice that it makes her want to vomit at how obedient she is around them.. but she doesn't have much of a choice. Without another word, Theros takes his wife's hand and then Cordelia's and they disapparate at once to the Malfoy Manor.

-

The manor is exquisite as expected surrounded by elaborate gardens, it stands tall in the darkness with the lights streaming through it's diamond paned windows. The doors are open inwards revealing a dimly lit hallway decorated to the very max, along with a magnificent carpet covering the hard stone floor beneath. Guests are walking ever so pretentiously into the Manor, many of which have their heads held high waiting to show off their  sons and daughters.

"Theros!" A voice exclaims as the family enter the large ball room.

"Lucius, I hope married life is treating you well?" Her father greets him.

"Yes it's splendid, I learnt from the best." Lucius speaks dripping with fake charm.

"Narcissa would just love to say hello." Lucius points in the direction of a beautifully dressed younglady nearby a table of crystal glasses.

Cordelia just stands their in silence her head up and back straight knowing better than to stand slouched.

"Cordelia. Come." Her mother says sternly ushering the girl away from Lucius and her father, she clearly hadn't got the memo.

Time passes by excruciatingly slow, as Cordelia stands rather uselessly next to her Mother's side as she chats with Narcissa and various other ladies. Other than a few greetings no one takes much interest in talking to her which she's rather pleased about to say the least. However, this doesn't last very long, as much to her dismay her mother jabs her ever so slightly to get her attention.

"Cordelia. Walburga was just saying that her son and his other male friend's are over their by the Christmas tree. Perhaps you should make yourself known to them."

"Oh yes. What a wonderful idea Devora, the dancing is about to start so it's a perfect opportunity." Narcissa adds in sweetly smiling at the girl.

Without another word Devora gives her a stern but knowing look and Cordelia smiles her best fake smile to the ladies before departing over to the direction of the crystal decorated Christmas tree. Her stomach is full of nerves as she makes her way over to the suited boys her age. She doesn't dare look up before getting there, not particularly wanting to see Regulus and his possy. 

"Well, Well, Well if it isn't the Book Worm." The voice of Barty Crouch Jr sounds out at she approaches them.

Cordelia bites her tongue and looks up and what she see's almost makes her choke on her own breathe. Her eyes don't meet Barty or even Rosier's next to him, but instead they meet Regulus's dark grey ones almost instantly and she hates to admit it but he looks absolutely gorgeous. He wears a dark black suit paired with an emerald green tie and a white shirt with the top two buttons  undone. Cordelia feels her cheeks flush pink thinking of her stupid accidental sketch the other day as she averts her gaze from him. She wants nothing more than to insult the boys in front of her but she knows better than that.

She needs a drink. Asap.

"Good Evening. Could someone point me in the direction of the champagne?" Cordelia says forcing her politeness.

Evan Rosier smirks at her.

"A lady tonight are we Amulet." He smugly says reaching behind him to a table beside the tree and handing her a crystal glass of champagne much to her delight.

"I'm always a lady Rosier, just not to you." She cheekily responds sipping a rather large amount of the drink before she can let any other rude remarks out of her mouth.

Crouch and Avery snigger at this comment as Rosier shoots them a less then pleased look.

"If you'll excuse me, we have ladies to escort to the dance floor." Rosier exclaims nodding over to where Alecto Carrow and her elegantly dressed group stand.

The boys depart without another word and Cordelia grimaces, her mother won't be happy.

"I'll escort you." A voice she's beginning to know a bit too well mutters from in-front of her.

She looks up to see it's only Regulus, feeling rather surprised he'd want to be seen dancing with her in-front of his friends of all people she raises an eyebrow.

"Really?" Cordelia questions suspiciously.

"I need a partner before my mother hooks me up with one of her older spinsters. So you'd be doing me a favour quite frankly." Regulus mutters looking over at Walburga who's eyeing him from across the ball room.

"Fine. Let's get this over with Mr Black." Cordelia responds in her fakest sweet voice and if she didn't know better she thought she caught a small smile on Regulus's face.

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A/N:

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