Watford Tales

The Winter Ball

Baz

We find our friends in a group in the crowded entrance hall in front of the dining room. The girls have been working together on their outfits all afternoon and they look lovely. Rowan is in a blue gown which offsets her pale skin and long dark hair. She and Niall look great together. Agatha is wearing a gossamer dress of palest pink. Dev is staring at her like she's a vision of everything he's ever wanted. But it's Penny who really strikes my eye. She never bothers much about her appearance so when she takes the time it's really noticeable. You can see how beautiful she is. Her glasses are off and her hair is falling in masses of black curls over her shoulders. She's wearing a wine colored gown that brings out the warm creamy tones in her skin. She smiles at Simon and me, and we each take her by an arm. But then, just as we're turning to enter the hall we hear her name ring out over the heads of the crowd. "Penny!" We all three turn back and Micah is standing on the staircase above the crowd, with a rose in his hand and a shy smile on his face.

I haven't seen him since our fifth year. We were still kids then, really. He's grown tall and he's a bit gangly but he's well turned out in a grey suit. His black curly hair is cut neat and close to his head. He's looking at Penny like he's never seen anything so beautiful, and Penny just lights up. She detaches herself from me and Simon, makes her way through the crowd and climbs up the stairs to him. He puts his arms around her. The rest of us have all clearly faded away.

"Surprise," he says at last, when he lets her go.

"You came to our dance," she says. "How did you....?"

"I flew in this afternoon."

"You did?" she says, looking up at him, her eyes huge.

"Uh-huh," he nods, smiling at her. "I'm just missing a few days of classes. It's a long weekend anyway and, I just..... I wanted to see you. I.....I'm sorry about Premal."

"Oh Micah," she says and buries her face in his shoulder.

********

Simon

Penny and Baz and I were all supposed to go in a group, but that plan was obviously overturned when Micah showed up. Not that I'm mad. Penny is glowing. There's a little bubble of happiness around her and Micah, and she looks gorgeous. Like someone took everyday Penny, my best mate, with her glasses and little girl skirts and chubby knees and spelled her beautiful. It's a little disconcerting, to tell the truth.

The dining hall is decorated with goldy garlands and fairy lights and Professor Bunce is actually wearing a dress for the occasion. She's standing on a little podium that has been erected and when everyone is inside, she opens the dance with a wave of her wand and a special smile at Penny and Micah. The music begins and the fairy lights start rotating. Trays of snacks start floating through the air and nudging people in the shoulder. The dance can begin.

The music is fast and loud and we all dance together in a big group. I can kind of manage that sort of dancing, just moving your body in a rhythm to the beat. Baz is next to me and knocks against my shoulder occasionally, accidentally on purpose, which sends a quiver of electricity through me each time. He looks hot as hell in his rock star outfit. When the slow songs come we stand there a bit awkwardly. I really would love to put my arms around him and just dance, but I'm too shy for that, and so is he, I think. But the problem is quickly solved when a pretty sixth year girl I know, Ariel, comes up to me, giggling a bit, and asks me to dance. Baz raises one of those eyebrows at me and gives me the slightest of nods, so I say yes. Of course I don't know the moves and I'm treading on her toes, but she's a good sport about it. When I look around for Baz, I see that he's found a partner and is flying elegantly around the room with her.