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Marie awoke with a huff as Sophorina darted around the room, bags of all shapes and sizes trailing behind her .Suddenly, Marie's voice cut through the chaotic scene

"What on earth are you doing at 12:00 o clock?" Marie mumbled, still half-asleep, her eyes barely open.

Sophorina screeched to a halt, her eyes widening in disbelief as she turned to face Marie. "Do you even hear yourself?" she exclaimed, her confusion evident.

"Yes..." Marie replied slowly, her expression showing doubt. "It starts at 2:00pm?"

"I'm painfully aware, Marie! Now, snap out of your dreamland and join the chaos! We've got a Yule Ball to conquer!" Sophorina declared, lobbing a pillow in Marie's direction with the skill of a Quidditch pro.

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"So, who's the lucky dancer you've chosen?" Sophorina inquired casually, her fingers delicately applying makeup to Marie's face.

Marie chuckled nervously, avoiding eye contact. "No one, really. I just plan to lurk in the shadows... like a bat!" she exclaimed, playfully lunging at Sophorina, who jumped in surprise.

Sophorina laughed, but her tone quickly turned serious. "That's not funny," she insisted, her laughter fading. "Seriously, stop avoiding my question."

Marie's expression shifted, her face going blank as she seemed lost in thought. Sophorina called her name again, gently trying to grab her attention,

Marie fumbled with her words, nervously tucking a stray hair behind her ear before finally finding the courage to speak. "Sophorina," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "I-I like... girls."

Sophorina's expression softened, her eyes filled with empathy as she listened intently. "I know it's unusual," Marie continued, her words coming out in fragments, but before she could finish, Sophorina enveloped her in a warm hug.

"It's not unusual, Marie. Love is love," Sophorina reassured her, her embrace a comforting shield against any doubts or fears.

A sigh of relief escaped Marie's lips as she felt the weight of her confession lift. "Thank you for understanding," she whispered gratefully, feeling a sense of acceptance wash over her.

Sophorina pulled back slightly, "So, any cute girls you might have your eye out for?" she teased gently, seamlessly transitioning back to their usual banter as she resumed applying Marie's eyeshadow

"I don't know, really. There's this sixth year. We have Potions together, and I really like her," Marie confessed, a dreamy smile playing on her lips. "But she's not going anyway," she added with a sigh, her hope starting to dwindle.