Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(69) Dress to Impress

Less than a week until the Yule Ball, and everyone was excited as ever. You'd think that the Ravenclaws had better stuff to do rather than to stress over what to wear, but boy had they crossed their stereotype. It seemed as if the girls of the house were having a competition as to who would get the largest parcel in the mail. A large packaging had meant a bigger and more elegant ball gown.

Gabriella had a dress that was as big as a bloody circus tent, as Nicolai had referred to it. Nicolai, who's bed was beside hers, had constantly complained about how it got in her way whenever she went to bed, more so annoyed with it due to the fact that she still did not have a date.

What made matters entirely worse that Wednesday afternoon, four days away from Christmas day, Nicolai and Florence had both received their dresses from their parents. Unlike Florence, who happily tried it on, Nicolai was annoyed, glaring at the bright red velvet dress as if it had offended her greatly.

Florence poked her head out from behind the changing screen, "Aren't you going to try it on?"

"It looks too obnoxious," she scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Florence retreated back into the changing screen, quickly slipping on her dress so that she could help console her friend.

Florence was thankful for her mum's taste in dresses, falling completely inlove with her dress the minute she unwrapped her parcel. It was a long, pale blue dress with thin straps and an intricate lace decoration at the torso area. Jane had also sent her a faux fur trimmed cardigan to go with it incase it got cold, and a couple of accessories that Sirius had bought for her.

"Let me have a look," Florence said, lifting Nicolai's dress off of her bed, "What's wrong with it? It looks fine. And traditional. Definitely Yule Ball material if you ask me. Come on now, put it on so I could see you in it."

"Who cares? I'm not wearing it tomorrow anyways. I haven't got a date, remember?" she grumbled under her breath.

She plopped down beside her, "So it isn't about the dress, then?"

"Maybe..." Nicolai said, before standing up, "It sucks, you know? I want to go to the ball but I don't just want to stand in the sidelines and be dateless."

"You literally have four whole days left," Florence reminded her, ever the optimist. "You could ask around the castle. Maybe George could go with you? He hasn't really told me anything about already having a date—"

"He does," Nicolai huffed, "I asked him awhile ago during Potions. He's taking Katie Bell, apparently she had asked before I did."

"I see," Florence's voice trailed off, racking up other prospects that they could go ask, "We could try with Jeremy? He's with Grant and Roger at the library last time I checked."

Nicolai thought for a moment, "Can we ask him, like, right now?"

The two did just that, Florence changing out of her dress before accompanying her best mate to the library. Sure enough, the three Ravenclaws were still engrossed in their school work, scribbling away at their parchment. Nicolai remained behind one of the bookshelves.

Florence had casually took the last seat available, the sound of the chair getting pushed back made the three look up.

"Florence!" Roger greeted with much enthusiasm, as he usually did, "What brings you to our lovely study session?"

"Nothing of great emergency. How are you doing, Grant?" she asked the keeper, whom she had not seen very often. The seventh year boy chuckled, putting down his quill, "Just fine, a little busy with my N.E.W.T.s, but fine."