𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝑋𝑋𝑋𝐼𝑉.

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𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮-𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧

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CAROLINE SAT IN the Great Hall next to Hermione and Ron, the girls completing their work diligently and silently. Harry and Ron were whispering to each other about the Ball, and Caroline tried to block them out.

      "This is mad. At this rate, we'll be the only ones in our year without dates," Professor Snape walked by, shoving Ron's head down. "Well, us and Neville," Ron said to Harry, making Caroline roll her eyes.

      "Yeah, but, then again, he can take himself." Harry joked. Caroline leaned towards the two boys, quill still in her hand.

      "Neville's already got someone. Don't be mean." she reprimanded, going back to her work.

      "Oh!" Ron exclaimed. "Now I'm really depressed."

      Caroline ignored Fred asking Angelina to be his date, and she didn't tune back into the present conversation until Ron pushed her back so much that she almost fell off of the bench. Clearly, he wanted to talk to Hermione, so Caroline grabbed her things and sat next to Harry.

      "Oi, Hermione. You're a girl." Ron said to Hermione, who looked up from her work to gape at him.

      "Very well spotted." she said. Caroline and Harry saw Professor Snape approaching, and Harry tried to warn Ron as he asked Hermione something, but he didn't pay attention, and Professor Snape smacked all of them on the back of the head with a notebook. Ron continued, looking at both Caroline and Hermione as they finished the assignment. "Come on. It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone. For a girl, it's just sad."

      Caroline scoffed. Hermione was angry. "I won't be going alone because believe it or not someone's asked me!" she said, standing up to give Snape her notebook. "And I said yes!" Hermione said, grabbing her bag and leaving.

      "Bloody hell. She's lying, right?" Ron asked Harry, turning to him.

      "No, she's not," Caroline said angrily, standing up. She gave her notebook to Professor Snape and walked back over to the table. "And in case you were wondering, I've already gotten a date." Caroline grabbed her bag, put her quill and books inside and left the Great Hall, feeling Harry's eyes on her. She walked past Dean, giving him a thumbs-up, which was their indication that they were going with each other. Harry had run out of chances, and Caroline didn't want to wait anymore. She had Dean, she would be fine. She just needed a dress.

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ONE NIGHT, A few days before the Ball, Caroline was in her dorm with Hermione, about to open a package from Caroline's godfather. "What do you think it is?" Hermione asked, seated on Caroline's bed with her legs crossed.

      Caroline shrugged. "Could be anything, I suppose." her and Hermione started to undo the brown wrapping, finding a box. Caroline opened the box, and both girls gasped.

      "It's so beautiful, Carol." Hermione gushed as Caroline lifted the item out of the box. It truly was beautiful.

      Caroline held a dark blue gown in her hands, completed with soft gems on the bodice and on parts of the skirt, with a touch of sparkle. It just brushed against the floor, and Caroline lifted it up to avoid it getting damaged. "It's perfect." It looked like the night sky on a cloudless night, and Caroline adored it.

       Hermione helped Caroline gently place the dress back into the box, and Caroline picked up a letter addressed to her. She read it out loud. "'Hello, darling. I've heard about the Ball you are attending, and I wanted to give you something special. This dress belonged to your mother when she was your age. All those years ago, I cleaned out your house, and I kept the things her parents didn't want. It's yours now. Have fun, and stay out of trouble,'" Caroline paused, glancing down at the dress. "It was hers, Hermione." Caroline smiled.

      "Maybe that's why you like it so much." the girls put the dress away with the silver high heels that Caroline's mother had sent to her. Hermione rushed downstairs, hearing a commotion in the common room, but Caroline stayed in the dorm, petting Penny, her eyes glued to the pictures she had of her parents.

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