Protected Ivory [2]

Twenty-Two

I looked in my reflection, my heart beating fast as I took myself in. 

Mom's dress, a deep royal green, hugged my body in all the right places. I guess I was more like my mother then I really knew. With Hermione's help, I had shorten the dress a bit, since she had been a little taller then me. The rest, fit perfectly. The skirts hugged my waist and flowed gently down with a slit on the left side that started surprisingly high on my hip. The top was a lot harder to come to terms with. The front was deep plunging but completely covering as far as my breasts were concerned. It was held up with the one strap that wrapped around my neck. But, it showed off the scars from Lupin, but I had come to terms with those long ago. The back, was completely open, showing off all the mangled skin in its glory. I had gotten my love for backless dresses from her.

"Ivy--" Hermione's words cut off as she came out of the bathroom. The others had already gone down, leaving me alone to pull the dress on. Hermione had still been doing her hair and makeup, but I wanted her to see. "Wow."

"It's awful isn't it?" I asked, meeting her eyes in the mirror. I expected to find pity, but instead I found admiration. "What?"

"Ivy, you look beautiful," she whispered, her eyes wide still. Her eyes strayed for a moment before looking towards my bedside table. She quickly walked over to it and grabbed the photo album Remus had gotten me for my birthday last year. She flipped through it quickly before stopping at a page and walking over to me. "Look."

She held it up so I could see it in the mirror and I gasped. In the picture was my mother, wearing the exact dress I was, standing tall and regal. She was alone in the picture, and I could only assume Dad had taken the picture. She was beaming, her hair up in a braided crown with loose hairs falling strategically, like my own. On her neck, sat the necklace Narcissa and Lucius gave me for Christmas last year, which sat on my own neck. The only difference was the eyes, hers chocolate brown and my own bright green. Everything in the picture was the same, minus the ring which sat on her finger as she smiled at my father, a laugh on her lips. 

"Wow," I whispered, blinking back tears as they threatened to fall and ruin my makeup. "I look just like her."

"You may not have known her a lot, but you're so much like her," Hermione mused, beaming at me. "Just as beautiful."

I giggled and looked at Hermione as she stood next to me. "Look who's talking. You're gorgeous!"

She was standing next to me with a light blue dress with ruffles down the skirts and small ones on her shoulders. Her hair was up and I remembered Angelina had helped her before heading down with George. Her makeup was on point, since Lavender had helped her. Overall she was beautiful, and she knew it. 

"I feel so confident," she said, grinning. 

"You'll make Ron eat his words," I mused, moving towards my empty trunk. I rummaged through it and pulled the ring on, sighing. "I think it's safe to wear this tonight."

"Definitely," she said, nodding. "He'll feel how proud you are."

"Still searching for the pride," I admitted, straightening and looking at her. "Ready?"

"Yes," she said, holding out her arm, which I took, chuckling. 

We made our way down the stairs, talking about small things and laughing. The common room was empty, since everyone had either left for Christmas or was down at the ball already. When we stepped out of the portrait, the Fat Lady told us both how beautiful we were and to have a good time. All too soon we were at the last staircase, and I stopped, pulling her with me. 

"Ivy?" she asked, but I just shook my head. 

"Go on, I need a minute," I said, peaking around the banister. At the bottom of the stairs was Harry with Pavarti, Cedric and Krum waiting for the both of us, Fleur and her date from Durmstrang, Severus, Minerva, Dumbledore, Moody and Pops, which surprised me. As Hermione rounded the corner, Lucius and Narcissa popped up with Draco and Blaise, who were going stag.