Potter

Chapter 97

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Lily Potter; hold still, and let me put this on," Lavender Brown ordered, bright blue eyes staring me down with a fierce determination. It was no wonder she'd been a Gryffindor, I thought. She could glare a dragon into a petticoat if she set her mind to it.

Where I sat atop the bathroom counter, half my face already covered in an assortment of makeup, I let out a huff.

"I don't need lipstick, Lav."

"No, but you'll look damn good with it on. Now hold still, or your cupid's bow is going to look all wonky."

"My what?" I asked. It only earned me one last warning look from Lavender, and I sighed before giving in. Slumping forward, I held still as she lifted the chosen color to my lip– a deep, rich wine color that Lavender had at least twenty different versions of– to my lips and carefully began applying it to my skin.

"Now, you are to hold absolutely still until I set it all– Merlin forbid you smudge it. Don't roll your eyes at me!" Lavender clucked again, gently tapping the underside of my chin in reprimand. Her smile turned fond as she liked at me though. "Not everyone gets to go to some fancy restaurant, in some fancy dress, with their gorgeous fiancé. Suck it up and live the dream."

"It might not be some fancy restaurant," I mumbled carefully around the Lavender makeup was applying. "Unless– do you know something I don't?"

Lavender's eyebrows rose as she shook her head. "Of course not, don't be ridiculous. You really think Malfoy would trust me with his secrets?"

"If he knows you're the one dressing me... perhaps."

Lavender's grin turned wicked. "I promised not tell you."

"Then don't," I told her. Draco had been stepping around for me days after telling me the addition to my Christmas present– a special trip for New Year's Eve. A light had glimmered in his eyes as he told me, paired with a mischievous smirk as he announced that it was to be a surprise. I'd try to pull the answer out of him multiple times, in varying ways– each had failed.

And I didn't have the heart to ruin the surprise now that it was so close to revealing itself.

I had hit him though when I had realized he had gotten me more than the camera, and had only agreed to go when he promised the trip would be just as enjoyable for him. It was more a mutual Christmas gift, he'd said; that, at least I had been able to accept– And wait in pained silence to figure out exactly where we would be going. I had thought about badgering Blaise or Theo for answers, but both Slytherins kept secrets better than most I had met, and took too much enjoyment in me not knowing to even want to tell me.

So on December thirty-first, I let Lavender dress me up, and I waited.

Draco had only given me a few hints– we were leaving at eight, we were having dinner, and to dress nicely.

The last of the hints, he had clearly passed on to Lavender. The dress she fit me in was pale silver with just the barest tone of lavender to it, its shiny, silky fabric falling past my feet. Lavender had babbled on about the design as she had slipped me into it, saying something about its nineteen-thirties inspiration or how modern the shoulder straps were for the time.

Heels, Lavender had also told me. I would be wearing heels.

And at seven-thirty I stepped out into the hallway and into view of the large mirror Lavender eagerly held up.

"He's not gonna be able to keep his hands off you!" She squealed, not looking the slightest bit bothered when I flinched at the volume of her voice.