CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── "Don't hate me for doing this."
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─── Y/N POV ───
The air in my room felt heavy, almost suffocating, as I stood in front of the mirror. My fingers trembled slightly as they brushed over the soft fabric of my dress, and for a brief moment, I swayed, unsure of whether my legs would hold me steady. It was a beautiful dress, the kind I never thought I'd wear, but it wasn't the dress that made me nervous. It was everything that came with tonight.
The soft rustle of fabric followed me as I sank onto the edge of the bed, slipping on the heels that had arrived with the dress. As I stood, my body wobbled slightly, unaccustomed to the extra height. I glanced down, watching as the heels transformed my posture, the way my legs stretched beneath me. I felt like I was walking on stilts. A small laugh came out at the sight. There's no way I'll make it through the night in these, I thought.
From the common room, Hermione's voice broke through my thoughts.
"Are you ready to go, y/n?" she called.
I turned away from the mirror, taking one last look at myself. I smoothed the fabric of the dress, straightened my shoulders, and nodded, even though she couldn't see me.
"Yes!" I called back, my voice more steady than I felt as I made my way down the stairs.
As soon as Hermione saw me, her eyes widened, and she gasped. Her gaze softened, clearly taken aback by what she saw.
"Wow!" she exclaimed. "Y/n, you look stunning!"
"So do you!" I replied.
She reached out, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze, the kind only Hermione could manage. "Come on, let's go."
The two of us walked out of Gryffindor Tower together, but the closer we got to the Great Hall, the more my nerves twisted in my stomach. Why am I so nervous? I asked myself. I had faced so many challenges before, even several near-death-experiences, but tonight felt different. I had never felt this raw, this exposed. When we reached the final corner before the grand staircase, and I hesitated. My back pressed against the wall instinctively, as if it could hide me, shield me from what was coming.
Hermione stopped in her tracks, turning toward me. "Y/n?" she asked softly. "What's wrong?"
I forced a smile, even though the feeling inside was anything but calm. "Nothing. I'm just a little nervous. Go ahead, I'll be right behind you."
