Acceptance: Hogwarts Legacy Continued

Chapter 61: Poppy- dress shopping

"Is this all really necessary?" Diana called out, again, from the dressing room. Poppy rolled her eyes and ignored the question. Her friend could complain all she wanted, but if she was going to the dance she needed to get a dress.

Poppy had been floored when Diana came to her yesterday saying that she had asked Garreth Weasley to the New Years Eve dance. After (not)literally fending off boys with a stick all week, as they practically begged to go with her- she had gone and asked the red headed boy herself. She really thought her friend must have been joking, and it took almost all of dinner for her to be convinced that it was true. It was all but confirmed when she heard Leander Prewitt yelling something about the girl over at the Grifindor table. He was obviously just as surprised as she was.

Now they were at Gladrags Wizardwear forcing Diana to choose a dress before all the good ones were gone. The store had taken stock from its Paris location and brought in formal dresses just in preparation for the upcoming dance. Now that it was getting closer to the date, the shop was covered top to bottom with beautiful gowns of all colors and styles. The trouble now came with getting her friend to choose one.

"No offense Diana but I don't think we can trust you to choose a dress on your own. If you had it your way you would just wear your uniform to the dance." Adelaide Oaks called out to her, going through a set of dresses on the other end of the shop. Poppy had recruited the older girls' roommates as support- and she was glad she did.

"That's not true!" Diana protested, "My goal is to not be uncomfortable, and if I was the only one wearing it then I definitely would."

"Fair enough," Charlotte Morrison laughed from the chair beside her. "But you would choose the most inconspicuous dress possible, and we can't have that."

There was a groan from the dressing room and all the girls giggled.

"Have you already gotten your dress?" Charlotte asked her.

"Oh yes, Gran is making mine. I'll pick it up when I visit her at Christmas."

"My mom made mine as well!" Adelaide chimed in, walking over to them carrying a few dresses over her arms. "And Charlotte got hers two months ago from here."

"Wow! You got asked back in October?" the youngest girl questioned.

"Nope" the girl grinned willy "but I knew I would get asked so I just had to be prepared. But even if I didn't have a date I was still going to go- there's no way I would miss it."

"Didn't you say Everett Clopton asked you?" Diana called out.

"Less talking, more dressing!" Charlotte answered and there was a huff from the dressing room. Then she turned back to them "But yes Everett did ask me and I am SO excited to go."

"And we all know who Poppy is going with." Adelaide winked at her.

The girls continued to talk as Diana dressed herself. She came out a few times to show them the dresses, but they agreed none seemed to be the right fit. They continued on, choosing garments and making her try them on. They had been at it for a while, and Poppy hoped that they could find the right one soon. She was enjoying her time, but she was afraid it was wearing her friend out. Finally Diana stepped out of the room and all the girls gasped in awe.

"You look perfect!" Adelaide cooed, and she did! The dress was a deep emerald green satin that made her eyes shine. It was a classic ballgown style, with a tight bodice and a full skirt coming out from her hips. The neckline was low, which she knew her friend would dislike, but she looked amazing in it. It lined the top of her breasts and cuffed her arms in puffy sleeves. There was gold detailing around the bodice that rained down the dress- Poppy thought it looked a lot like falling stars.

"Diana- this is absolutely the dress." She ran up to her to take a better look, followed by the other girls.

"Are you sure? It feels kind of-"

"Beautiful?" "Elegant?" "Romantic?" They all completed for her.

"Um no, I was thinking revealing."

Charlotte snorted, "Yeah, that's kind of the point." Then she pulled the gowned girl over to where the display of jewelry had been placed out. "Now we just need to know what accessories to pair with it." She held a large drop pearl necklace up to her.

"Actually-" Diana stepped back. "I feel like adding a necklace would draw attention, I was hoping that maybe we could remove attention."

"Awe you're no fun" the girl called, turning instead to place the necklace on herself.

Poppy trotted over to her and squeezed her hand "Don't worry, you don't have to have anything flashy- that's not your style anyway." Her friend smiled at her and squeezed back.

"It is customary for these types of dances to have jewelry that matches your date. What colors is Garreth going to wear." Adelaide walked up and joined them.

"Oh um I'm not really sure... we didn't really get the chance to talk about it."

"Well we don't have to get it today, why don't you ask him next time you talk." Diana nodded at her and then turned to head back to the dressing room.

Poppy followed behind her and took back her seat outside the door. She was glad that they had found a dress, and although she knew they were pushing Diana a little bit outside her comfort zone, she hoped she'd realize how perfect it really was. Garreth was going to go completely mad when he saw her- he seemed transfixed even when he saw her dressed for their date a few weeks ago. She laughed to herself as she remembered the event; watching secretly from a little ways off.

Honestly she was surprised he hadn't asked her to the dance that day, he seemed to really be in love with her. Diana was absolutely clueless about it though- but Poppy didn't want to spoil anything for her. Maybe the Gryffindor boy would finally be the one to catch her attention, but if both Sebastian and Ominis hadn't done it, she didn't really think anyone could. She knew her friend was just content to keep everything with everyone platonic, much to the chagrin of every male at Hogwarts. It would be nice though if she could go on double dates with her and Lucan... who knows- maybe things would work out with Garreth.