Lucy Snape and the Half-Blood Princess (Book Six)

Provocative Party

Chapter 26: Provocative Party 

The next day Lucy was invited shopping with Jessica for a dress to wear at that night's Slug club party. Lucy wasn't over ennamered at the idea at first and even thought she could re-use her Yule ball dress (even though she'd gotten taller since fourth year and the dress no longer reached her feet) but Jessica said otherwise. 

They went shopping down in Hogsmeade as it was the nearest and safest place for them. Jessica walked alongside Lucy excitedly as though she'd just been told that every wish she'd ever had, had been granted. Lucy tried to keep a brave face on, she was only doing this for Jessica. 

"Isn't this exciting?" Jessica beamed at Lucy who'd shoved her hands in her coat pocket, underneath she wore Matt's sweatshirt, she realised nobody would know and it would be easy to take off if she kept trying on dresses. She'd also become sentimentally attached to it, maybe it was because it kept her so warm or it just reminded her too much of Matt. 

"It is, I've never been taken dress shopping before, it feels strange," Lucy admitted, feeling a little excited herself now that she thought through the activity. 

"Every girl has to be taken dress shopping at least once in their lives, even if they don't enjoy it. Back when I was human my parents always used to take me dress shopping. I miss it so much. However it's fantastic that I can actually take someone else dress shopping, even better it's my soon to be step daughter!" Jessica couldn't stop smiling. Lucy looked at her but she didn't seem to notice, the way she could talk so freely about her past made Lucy feel odd. She thought that Jessica would be very enclosed about it. But it didn't matter as Lucy was making her happy. 

"I'm happy for you, in fact I'm happy for both you and dad. It's nice you've found each other."

"I'm happy for you, too!" 

Lucy pulled a face. "Why?" 

"Because of Mr Jarvin! He's so wonderful to you and you both look so perfect together!" 

"Oh!" Lucy gasped. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome," Jessica then leaned in close and spoke in a low voice. "But I know you're really going out." 

Lucy snorted. "Of course we're going out, we love each other." 

"No, I know that you're not just doing it for the cameras." 

"What are you talking about?" 

Jessica shook her head. "I see the way you look at him, there's no way you could fake that kind of love." 

"Darn, I knew that wasn't that good as an actress." 

The two of them laughed as they entered the dress shop. To Jessica it felt like it wasn't long enough but to Lucy it felt like a whole eternity. Jessica picked up a dozen dresses at once and made Lucy try them all on, even if Lucy herself didn't like them. But she knew she was doing this to make Jessica happy as Jessica had done so much for her. 

"No..." Jessica shook her head as she studied the light pink dress Lucy wore. "I like it but I think we could do with something better, you're worth so much more than this." 

"But better dresses — " Lucy began to protest as Jessica shoved her back in the changing room. "Come with bigger labels!" Lucy was honestly fed up. She didn't care what she went to the party in now, she could even go in her get up she wore yesterday complete with Merlin's sword and wouldn't care. 

"I don't mind! You deserve a brilliant dress for a brilliant night!" Jessica called from outside as she began hunting for another dress. 

"But it's only for a night..." Lucy whispered miserably. She wished that Matt would just enter the shop and take her away. Then it would give her an excuse to stop trying on dresses.