Torn apart (A HP fanfic)

Chapter18-Ball Preparations

Erabelle sat with the rest of her house, prepared for some announcement Snape had called them for. There chattering and laughter all around the room from the Slytherins, everyone wondering what this big announcement was.

Snape suddenly strode into the room, banging the door on the wall as usual. Everyone went silent and stared wide-eyed at him as he stood in the center of the room. He seemed bored like it was so difficult to fill his precious time with the students.

"It is simple, there is a ball. It is a tradition, a night of well mannered... frivolity." He said it like he had been told to say it. He seemed to think the word 'frivolity' was repulsive.

"A ball! Yes!" Zuria whispered to her, giggling. Era smiled weakly at her. Everyone was whispering, giggling or groaning to each other, but Snape said,

"Silence! This ball will occur on Christmas night, and formal dress robes are required. You must practice dancing today, it is easy. I'm sure you can figure it out on your own. Now get into partners." He motioned to turn on the music and it began playing an upbeat waltz. Era awkwardly stood in the back, because she didn't know many Slytherin boys she would like to dance with.

She saw that Zuria and Malfoy had started dancing, and Erin and Gloria had to awkwardly dance with Crabbe and Goyle. She didn't know who would dance with her, especially considering she was terrible and clumsy at any form of dancing. Someone cleared their throat behind her, and she saw that it was Theodore Nott. He smiled at her and held out his hand. She took it, nodding at him as they went out into the middle of the room together. He seemed fairly nice, although she had never really talked to him directly.

"Well, just warning you, I am horrible at dancing." She said to him and he laughed. They danced for a bit with him leading and pretty much supporting her the whole time.

When the song was over, they all went back to the dorms.

"Oh Gloria that was just wonderful!" Zuria said to Gloria, blushing slightly and with a shine in her eyes.

"Well... it was an experience, that's for sure," Gloria responded. She was still limping from all the times Goyle had trod on her foot.

They got to the common room entrance.

"Password?"

"Cobra," Erin said and they all went in. They got changed and sat on Era's bed, too excited to go to sleep. They often had 'meetings' like this, when something like this happened.

"So, who do you think you all want to go with? I already know who I'm going with!" Zuria looked like she would explode if she couldn't tell them soon.

"Well, who?" Erabelle asked curiously.

"You're not gonna like it..." Zuria said, blushing and frowning. 

"It's okay, just tell me. No judging." Era looked at her friend reassuringly. 

"Oh, fine. Draco asked me while we were dancing! It was so sweet." She said dreamily, blushing again.

"Oh, that's great Zur!" Gloria and Erin exclaimed. Era smiled and nodded, somehow feeling strange but happy for her friend at the same time. She knew that they all thought she hated him, so she pretended to roll her eyes. 

Gloria had a crush on one of the Dermstrang boys and was hoping to get asked by him. Erin just smiled shyly and said she couldn't think of anyone.

"So, Era? I suppose you'll be going with Roger?" Gloria inquired.

"I'm not sure yet, but probably. I haven't asked him about it because... well, we just found out." She said. Then she suddenly came to a realization and jumped up, grabbing her shoes.

"I forgot to meet him tonight! Gotta go!" Her friends laughed at her as she ran out, her face flushed and in her nightgown. She ran through the halls until she got out of the castle and headed to the lake, where she saw him checking his watch.

"Roger! I'm so sorry!" She panted as she reached him.

"It's alright." He said and sat down, motioning for her to join him.

"How late am I?" She asked, frowning.

"Thirty minutes." He responded. She facepalmed and apologized again. He chuckled and then she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"So, I suppose you were told about the ball, right?" He asked her. She nodded and lifted her head, looking at him.

"Would you like to go with me?" He asked. She smiled in relief and said,

"Yes, of course I will." He smiled back and then frowned.

"You're in your nightgown!" He said.

"Yeah, sorry, I came last minute." She blushed and looked down. He gave a sly grin and replied,

"Oh, it's not a problem." She noticed he looked her up and down, and she playfully punched him.

"Roger!"

He chuckled and put tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, leaning forward. They kissed slowly for a minute and then it got more heated. He wrapped his arms around her and started to lean forward to lay on the ground, still kissing her. But Era realized where this was going and pushed him back, looking down at her hands.

"What's wrong?" He asked with a frown.

"I'm sorry, I just don't really want to go any further right now." She said. She felt ashamed for letting him down but knew that it was right. He smiled a bit and put his arm around her.

"I get it. Plus, I wasn't really planning on doing anything." He said. She felt stupid and leaned into him again. It was awkward for a few minutes but then they began to talk, and it was like it never happened.

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Erabelle walked with Malfoy around the grounds the next evening, talking about the ball.

"You're going with Roger I presume?" He asked her.

"Yup. Asked me last night." She said with a smile. He frowned and nodded, looking annoyed.

"What don't you like about Roger?" She asked him.

"I just don't think he is good enough for you. Seems untrustworthy." He looked away from her. She rolled her eyes at her friend.

"He's a great guy! He would never hurt me. But aw, are you getting protective over me?" She teased. He laughed and ruffled her hair.

"Am not!" He said.

"Are too." She retorted. They were arguing like children but they didn't care. She laughed and ran away through the snow and he chased after her. She laughed and shouted back at him as she escaped. She fell into a pile of snow and he tackled her when he caught up, rolling around in the snow. She escaped again, running like crazy in the snow. She was suddenly hit in the back of the head by something from behind her and she turned to see Malfoy holding a snowball with an evil grin.

"Oh, you have no idea what you've done." She grinned mischievously and began a snowball fight. They ran around for about an hour, hitting each other with snowballs and yelling until they collapsed in the snow, panting and laughing.

"We should probably get back, it's late." he panted and stood up, helping her up too. They walked back up, smiling and shivering in the cold. They got to the empty common room and he hugged her.

"Will we be walking again tomorrow?" He asked.

"Nope, I'm going dress shopping." She grinned mischievously and walked into her dorm, leaving him chuckling alone.