𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 | f. weasley

seventy-one

"WILL YOU GO TO THE YULE BALL WITH ME?"

This question was now going to make Cassie implode. Every corridor she turned to, every washroom she used, every classroom she entered simply seemed to chant the words 'Yule Ball' with bated breath. All the girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night... Cassandra Black had never hated being a girl at Hogwarts more than right now. 

Don't get her wrong, Cassandra loved being a girl. In fact, she was just as excited for this ball as any other. This was going to be a huge upgrade to every Malfoy Manor Ball she had attended during her short time there. It was going to be far more carefree, fun and less restrictive and Cassie couldn't wait to experience that. 

Now that McGonagall had confirmed that the 4th Years could indeed attend the Yule Ball; Cassie had perfect reason to turn the golden fabric her mother had gifted her into a wonderful gown for the event. But more than the dress, the ball presented a larger concern that had led Hogwarts to turn into a menacing, hormone-raging bullpen of chaos and confusion — having a date for the dance.

No space, no group, no person was spared of the consuming thoughts of the event, its tradition of having a date and the excruciating process of asking someone to be that for them. 

This was a question of dignity, of self-respect and somehow, it seemed like the entire population of teenagers at Hogwarts had forgotten or left these pivotal feelings at home while they packed for the year. Beautiful women falling to their feet in tears after being rejected by some toad-faced, high-expectations slimy git of a guy? Kind-hearted, lovely men getting laughed at for their handmade crafts and gifts they made to win over girls they wanted to take the ball?

Where was the decency? Where was the kindness? Where was the compassion among human beings?

Are the consequences of raging hormones this drastic and rude?

There are nicer ways to let someone down — case in point, Cassandra Black. 

Ever since the announcement/confirmation of the Yule Ball, Cassie has been asked out to the event by 64 boys: 37 of these were Hogwarts students, 21 of them were Durmstrang boys and 6 of them were Beaubatox students. At a surprising turn of events, one of Fluer's (female) friends seemed to ask Cassie out as well (leaving the latter so completely flabbergasted and stumped she couldn't get a word out, making Dean step in and offer himself as tribute).

All in all, it had been a time of confused, kind and polite rejections. 

"Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?" one would ask, catching Cassie off-guard as she exited class or while she was chewing a mouthful of doughnuts. 

They'd either come empty-handed, with loads of confidence, cockiness and arrogance, or with a token, a gift of sorts to sweeten the deal. 

Sometimes Cassie would keep some of the gifts — a box of chocolates (once, it was laced with love potion; Blaise noticed it quickly before dumping the entire box into the trash and brewing an antidote immediately. The next morning, the delinquent woke up to a bag of candy that made him extremely nauseous (a gift from Fred and Sam) as a lesson for trying such nasty tricks on people), small knitted animals (Cassie now has a frog, deer, fox (someone figured out her patronus), and elephant), a ring (Cassie quite literally jumped back as the Durmstrang boy went down on his knee), and some French and Bulgarian tourist gifts like magnets, books, combs, etc. 

The interaction would usually end with Cassie apologising and politely letting them down using either one of the following phrases:

"You're a wonderful person, truly, but I'm sure there's someone better, kinder and more deserving of your time and love,"