Call Me Em

The Ball

I just wanted to dedicate this chapter to @HayleeDiggory, thank you for voting and I hope you enjoy the rest of the series as much as you already have!!!

Chapter Seventeen: The Ball
***Embry's POV***

"Lu! Hurry up!" Hermione pounded on the bathroom door as I focused on myself in the mirror. I was already dressed in the dress and shoes that Sirius and Lupin had sent me and my makeup and hair were done as well, all that was left were my scars. Over the past couple weeks I'd been meeting with Dumbledore and he helped me with my metamorphmagus skills so I could make my scars vanish. I was keeping the ones on my face but all the others needed to be gone for tonight. I took a deep breath and imagined myself without scars, my skin smooth and unharmed. I slowly opened my eyes again and looked in the mirror to see that it'd worked. The only scars on my body were the ones on my face, the ones that helped define me.

"Lu!" Ginny pounded on the door now. I couldn't help but smile at my work as I took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. They were both there waiting for me with wide eyes.

"Is it that bad?" I frowned as I started to feel even more uneasy.

"No," Hermione shook her head. "You look stunning! Cedric won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"Thanks," I couldn't help but blush.

"Ready to get down there?" Hermione offered me her arm as Ginny left to go and meet Neville since they were going together as friends. We were supposed to meet our dates at the main staircase in front of the Great Hall. All I could do was nod. As we made out way through the common room and down the corridors I couldn't help but feel insignificant next to Hermione. She was stunning in her layered pink dress with subtle makeup and her hair curled and in a half up do. She was stunning.

"Is that Hermione Granger, and Lu Dobbs?" I heard someone ask their friends as Hermione and I made our way down the main stairs. People were watching us and I started to feel comfortable as I spotted Cedric watching me too. He looked handsome in his dress robes with his hair nicely done.

"Have fun," Hermione chuckled as left me and made her way over to her date, Viktor Krum, who looked hypnotized by her beauty.

"You look beautiful..perfect." Cedric complimented me as he came over to my side.

"You don't look too bad yourself." I blushed a little as he offered me his arm, which I gladly took.

"I'd like all the champions over here!" McGonagall called as some people made their ways into the Great Hall. Cedric and I made our way over to her and I took in the others. Hermione and Viktor looked nice together and I was happy that he'd found the courage to ask her. Fleur looked stunning in her silvery dress and her date was a Ravenclaw boy that I didn't know. Harry looked nice in his dress robes and was with a fellow Gryffindor that I recognized as Parvati Patil.

"Lu, you look beautiful!" Fleur gave me a small hug as Cedric and I stood next to her. "I love your dress!"

"Thank you," I felt so insignificant next to her and all of her own beauty. She was stunning while I was just ordinary, if it weren't for me being a metamorphmagus everyone would probably be cringing away at my scars.

"Okay everyone, I want all of you in a line." McGonagall looked over all of us. "Mr. Diggory in the front with Miss Dobbs, next is Miss Delacour with Mr. Dawnson, then Mr. Krum and Miss Granger, and Mr. Potter and Miss Patil at the end. When you make your way inside smile and go to the dance floor in the center. Once you're all situated the music will start and you'll all dance the champions' dance."

"Ready?" Cedric asked as we all got in line and waited for the doors to the Great Hall to open.

"As I'll ever be," I chewed on my lip anxiously but stopped as soon as the doors opened. I kept my gaze down and gave a small smile as we walked through the parted crowd of people who applauded. When we reached the dance floor we stood in front of each other. Cedric took one of my hands in his and put the other on my waist while my free hand was on his shoulder. I looked up at him as we waited for the music to start and he gave me a reassuring smile.

When the music started we began to dance around the center of the room like the other champions and their dates were doing. I was surprised at how well of a dancer Cedric was, he was so graceful. When it came time for him to lift me in the air I glanced at the others. Hermione and Viktor seemed like they were doing well, Fleur and her date seemed more graceful than could be imagined, and Harry and Parvati just seemed to be struggling, not because of her. After we were dancing for a while Dumbledore led McGonagall onto the dance floor and they began to dance. As they did this more couples began to dance with one another.

After a while of dancing we decided to take a break and found a table on the side of the room.

"Do you want something to drink?" Cedric offered as I sat down.

"Yes please," I couldn't help but smile as he disappeared into the crowd to go find us something to drink.

"I thought you didn't dance?" A familiar voice came from behind me. I tensed at the voice and turned to see Fred standing there. I only glared at him before turning away. "Are you just going to ignore me?"

"Yes." I kept my voice flat.

"I didn't mean to tell him you know," he sat down in the chair next to me with a sad look on his face. "He was asking me why I'd wanted to talk to you. He was trashing you, he didn't understand why you're the way you are. I was mad and it just came out, I was trying to defend you. It seemed to work until the dancing lesson."

"Yeah, when he went off on me and called me a true Malfoy." I clenched my jaw.

"You look nice tonight, half the guys haven't been able to take their eyes off of you." He chuckled. "I don't think any of them expected you to dress like this."

"Remus sent me the dress." I half lied as I watched people dance. "I guess he thought I should spread my wings or something."

"If you look this nice then why have you been hiding under your pants and turtlenecks for so long?" He raised a brow.

"I was always told growing up that I was ugly, it stuck with me and made me not like showing too much skin. Afraid of blinding people with my repulsiveness." It wasn't a complete lie. The Malfoy's had told me that growing up and my scars added to my repulsiveness. My words seemed to keep him silent as he looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry I yelled at you Fred. I should have heard you out before, it wasn't fair to you."

"It was my fault I should have listened and kept quiet, I'm sorry Miss Malfoy." He smirked at the end.

"Don't call me that." I groaned as I rested my head in my hands.

"I think it's rather fitting, you do have quite a temper on you." He nudged me in the side.

"What are we discussing?" I didn't notice Cedric until he was handing me a glass of water and sat on the opposite side of me from Fred.

"Apologies and my distaste for my surname." I took a sip of my water before resting my head on his shoulder.

"So you two are good again?" Cedric gave Fred a weary look before looking down at me.

"He was trying to defend me." I defended Fred before stretching up a little bit and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Well I'm going to go find Angelina before I'm stuck here watching you two snog. Have a nice night." Fred sighed as he got up to his feet and started to walk away. Before he disappeared into the crowd though he turned back and looked at us with a mischievous yet stern look in his eyes. "If you hurt her Diggory I'll hex you."

"Message received!" Cedric shook his head with soft laughter as Fred disappeared from sight. I rested my head back on Cedric's shoulder and felt him kiss my forehead as my hair turned to pink.