Chapter 12
Ashton, Lily, Hermione, Maggie and Ginny were in the Heads Common Room getting ready for the ball. The dresses each hand picked out were beautiful. Maggie's was a v-neck with sequins on the bodice. The bottom part of the dress was a sort of ball gown looking dress. It was a dark purple color and fit her well. Hermione's was just like Maggie's except for the bottom. It was still a ball gown type dress, but was ruffles. Ginny's dress was a knee length dress but the back went all the way down to her feet. This dress had sequins all over it and they spiraled all around the dress. Like Hermione's it had ruffles. Lily had opted just for some dark blue dress robes with silver trim. Ashton's dress was a mix of white, green and blue. This dress was not a ball gown, more like a dress a bridesmaid would wear. The dress had a heart shaped neck and a blue ribbon wrapped around the waist. The bottom half was a mix of blue, green and white. Eli would love it.
They each were going with their crush/boyfriend/husband (in Lily's case). Hermione was going with Ron. Ginny was going with Harry, Ashton with Eli and Maggie with her long time crush Brian Hutchins of Ravenclaw. Lily was obviously going with James as he is her husband. The girl had already put on their dresses and were finishing up with their hair. Each girl opted to curl their hair, except Hermione. She used a straightening charm and kept her hair like that. The ladies were now walking down to the great hall where the ball was being held. The girls pushed open the doors and saw their dates standing in front of them. They were all wearing black dress robes but each with a different color tie. Harry's was aqua, Ron's dark blue, James' silver, Eli's green and Remus' and Sirius' were plain black. Each of the men gave compliments to their respective dates along with the other girls. "You look beautiful, you know that right?" Eli asked.
"Of course I do! Now let's go dance!" Ashton yelled over the loud music. Eli chuckled and followed her onto the dance floor where the whole school was dancing. Suddenly a slow song came on and Dumbledore began to speak through the Sonorus Charm.
"Will the Head Boy and Head Girl please be left alone on the dance floor so they can dance together." Ashton and Eli walked into the middle of the dance floor and stood there facing each other. Ash put her arms around his neck and he put his hands on each of her hips. The song started out,
"Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone?
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer" Ashton started singing along with the song she knew so well and put her head on Eli's chest. Another couple danced onto the floor and appeared next to them. Eli looked over to see James and Lily dancing next to him. James gave him a look that said 'Switch partners?' Eli nodded and spun Ashton around, to her surprise, and James caught her just as Eli did the same for her mother.
"Hi Dad!" Ash said excitedly. James smiled at his daughter for the first time in a while. He hadn't seen her much so that would explain a lot.
"Hi sweetie. How has your day been going?" He asked hoping she would pick a good topic.
"Well, fairly good. Eli and I were talking about what we were going to do when we were at Potter Manor. I told him we would probably have to decorate my room but other than that I don't know what we'll do. I am really excited for him to come over, him being my boyfriend--" She covered her mouth remembering her conversation with Eli this morning.
Ashton and Eli were sitting in the common room discussing the details of their holidays when Eli decided to change the subject. "Hey Ash, can I ask you a question?" He asked her. She nodded and he decided to talk now instead of there being an awkward silence. "I was wondering if you wanted to be my girlfriend?" He asked with a sort of uneasy attitude.
"Really? You want me as your girlfriend? I am sure there are plenty of other possibilities." She was cut off by Eli saying,
"Ash, there are other possibilities. But none of the other girls are like you. None of them are creative, smart, funny or as brave as you are. By you becoming my girlfriend you will make me the happiest person in the world. So what do you say?" Ashton nodded eagerly and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. He embraced her also, inhaling her scent. "Now all we have to worry about is Coutrney Smith and we are fine." He concluded.
"Let's not talk about her please." Ashton pleaded looking up at him. He nodded, kissing her cheek.
"BOYFRIEND!?" James yelled.
"Hello Mrs. Potter." Eli said to Lily. He already knew he was suppose to call her Lily but it felt like he had to be formal at the moment.
"Eli, I have told you on several occasions to call me Lily. As goes for James also." Lily scolded. All of sudden they heard someone yell. It sounded like "BOYFRIEND!?" Lily and Eli turned to find James looking back at Eli with anger in his eyes. Lily stepped back away from Eli as James came stomping over to Eli and pushed him up against a wall.
"What the HELL do you think you doing, not telling me that you were dating my daughter?!" James asked Eli angrily. Remus and Sirius ran over to the group and struggled to get James off of Eli. After finally getting him off Ashton ran over to Eli and hugged him tight. She pulled away and grabbed his hand and spoke to her father.
"Yes, Father," Every bit of her voice dripping with anger, "He is my boyfriend. Mum, Harry, Remus and Sirius have no problem with it obviously. And don't tell me that you do not approve of him because if you didn't you would not let him stay with us over Winter Break! We were planning on telling you later and now you made it so Courtney Smith knows!!!" Ash yelled at her father as the room got quiet. Ashton stood there with tears in her eyes as she realized what she had just done. She looked up at Eli and he nodded indicating that she should do the right thing. She let go of his hand and ran to her father and embraced him tightly.
"I am so sorry! I didn't mean it! I was just upset!" Ashton whispered in her father's ear. He nodded and kissed the top of her head.
"I understand, baby girl." James replied slightly relieved that he wasn't being strangled.
"Aww well isn't this adorable?" asked a snotty voice from behind them. That voice belonged to the one and only Courtney Smith. Ash turned around and looked at her standing next to Eli with an arm around him. Eli looked like he was struggling to get out of her hold but it was just to strong.
"Let go of my boyfriend." Ashton said with her teeth gritted together tightly. "Or there will be severe consequences."
"You really think that you, a Gryffindor, can beat me, a Slytherin? Let's duel then." She said still not letting go of Eli.
"Well, I know that I may not be able to...but I know who will..." Ashton said as a group stepped up behind her. In that group there was James, Sirius, Remus, Harry, Ron, Draco and the rest of Gryffindor house all with their wands aimed at her.
"Yeah, well I have Slytherin by my side don't I?" She turned around to see nobody, not one person coming to stand behind her. "FINE! Take your boyfriend! He will still be mine one day! I swear to it." She said pushing Eli towards Aston and the others. He ran towards her and gripped her hand in a death grip. Courtney walked out of the hall and the group went on dancing, drinking, eating and talking until the dance ended. Eli and Ashton danced all night long.
A/N: The song in this chapter is called A Thousand Years by Christina Aguilera
