i need a cure (there's no escaping your love)

Part 6

Josie sighs as she signs the letter she just wrote to her father. It breaks her heart to leave him alone for Christmas, but she knows he will understand. No students above fourth year are going home this year, all of them eager to participate in the Yule Ball. It's an experience they can't miss, even Josie.

The brunette folds the letter, and waxes it closed before making her way out of her common room. She needs to deliver her letter to hers and Lizzie's owl if she wants the animal to take it to her father. The halls are buzzing with energy. Classes are done for a while, and everyone can focus on one very important thing.

Finding a date for the ball.

Even Josie has been thinking about it. She knows with whom she would wanna go, but actually asking Hope to be her date is terrifying. They have been on a total of three dates, two were in Hogsmeade, and one was on the quidditch pitch. They haven't really been hiding, but they haven't gone public either. And, it's not like they are officially dating either. They are getting to know each other, per Josie's request.

There is another fact that Josie can't ignore. Hope is a champion of the tournament. Champions and their dates have to open the ball. That would attract so much unwanted attention on the brunette. She already knows she's on thin ice with Hope's fan club. She can feel them glaring daggers at her whenever she walks through the halls of Hogwarts.

She really needs to figure this out quickly. The Yule Ball is in less than two weeks.

As soon as Josie gets to the owlery, she finds their owl and gives him her letter. She watches him fly away under the snow with a soft smile. She really loves that communication mode. With a sigh, Josie starts walking out of the owlery, with nowhere to go in mind. As she makes her way down, she hears students laughing and talking on school grounds. She looks down, not expecting to see anything out of the ordinary. She smiles when she spots Hope walking in the castle's direction, flanked by both Ethan and Maya. Josie's steps are suddenly faster than they were before.

As soon as she's on the ground again, Josie sprints toward where she last saw Hope and her friends. She's relieved to see the auburn haired girl chatting near the castle's entrance. Josie doesn't hesitate to make her way to Hope.

When the Mikaelson champion catches sight of the brunette that stole her heart as soon as she laid eyes on her, Hope smiles brightly. Josie sees Hope excuse herself to her friends before leaving them in favor of joining the brunette. They meet halfway, Josie smiling as big as Hope, even under the scrutinizing gazes of the champion's friends.

"I was looking for you." Hope smiles, never really meeting Josie's eyes. "Do you have time for me?"

Josie excitedly nods. "I was hoping to see you, actually."

"Oh, good. Do you wanna walk with me? We could go to the lake, or something."

"Sounds good." The Slytherin student turned in the direction of the path leading to the lake, and with Hope, she started walking away from the castle. "Was there any particular reason why you were looking for me?"

"Yes." Hope paused, still looking at anything but Josie. "I have something to ask you. The Yule ball is coming soon, and as a champion, I need to attend with a date. The champions open the ball by doing the first dance with their dates, so it's mandatory. I was wondering if you'd go with me. Before you say anything, I know we're not actually dating. We are taking things slow, and that's totally fine with me. It's just that I don't wanna go with somebody else while I'm trying to actually build something with you. It would feel wrong. It's totally fine if you don't wanna be my date, though. I could maybe ask Maya or even Ethan. This way, we'd both know it means nothing."

Josie can't stop the fond smile that appears on her lips as she listens to Hope's ramble. She thinks about interrupting Hope a couple of times, just to put her out of her misery since Josie knows she will agree to go with her. However, she can't help but think that Hope is kind of cute when she doesn't put her confident mask on.

"Are you done now?" Josie asks when Hope pauses long enough for the brunette to actually speak. Hope gives the Hogwarts' student an awkward smile and a nod. "I would love to go with you." Hope abruptly stops walking. Her eyes are wide when Josie turns to look at her, making the brunette chuckle. "Were you expecting a rejection?"

"Yes." Hope simply says before looking down.

The smile disappears from Josie's face. She just now realizes how nervous Hope must have been to actually ask her to the ball.

"Hope... What made you think that?"

The Durmstrang champion shrugged. "We're not dating yet, and rumors will probably fly when people spot us together at the ball. I wasn't sure you'd be good with that."

"I'm sorry you felt that way." Josie slowly reaches for Hope's hand, lacing their fingers together. "I want to be your date to the ball. I don't want to see you dance with someone else. Oh, and if that's fine with you, I want the ball to be our first date as a couple."

Hope's eyes stay glued to their joined hands as Josie speaks. When the brunette's last sentence reaches her ears, she sharply looks up. They make eye contact, and when Hope notices Josie's tentative smile, she rushes to smile back.

"It sounds perfect, Jo."

Josie squeezes Hope's hand before she starts walking towards the lake again. Hope quietly follows, her eyes darting between their hands and Josie's face. The Saltzman girl has to bite her lip to keep herself from giggling because of how cute Hope is.