Inheritance - The Courting

Chapter 11

Hadrian POV

After a whole week of hanging around in my room, 'resting and getting better', I'm finally aloud to do something again. The next challenge is gonna be a ball. It will be held in a week.

We read the responses from my courters. Sadly, a few of my favorites didn't show any care about my state. They are out. Luckily, there are also a few who got way higher up to my favorites list. Some had funny responses to the 20 questions game, some showed genuine worry for my condition and some gave the funniest presents that made me laugh. 

At the moment my father is teaching me some dances for the ball. Neville is my dance partner and he is good at it. The opposite of me, sadly. "Hadrian, it's one two three, one two three, not one two three four!" my father says for the upteenth time this morning. 

"I know dad, my body just doesn't do what I want it to do." I sigh, sitting down. My feet hurt in these fancy dress shoes. I know the exact steps in my mind, but my body seems to have another dance it wants to dance.

My dad just groans in frustration, while Neville takes this opportunity to take a sip of his water. We have been practicing this dance all morning. But I'm determined to get it right. And so I stand up again and we start again.

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After a few hours I finally get it right. I'm so happy and my father seems proud. Neville and I are exhausted from the hours of dancing we did. We decide to stop here for today and get some food. I can finally eat some more food, as my body is now more used to the fact that I get food regularly. 

I grab some toast and head to the dining room. My dad is already sitting at the dining table. "So how did it go, Hadrian?" he asks me. "It went well, I finally got the hang of it." I say proud and excited. 

"That's great!" my dad says, laughing at how excited I look. "And, have you already thought about what you are going to wear to the ball, Hadrian?" Neville asks me, walking into the room with a bowl of fruit. 

"No, is it that important?" I ask. I would just have chosen a suit or a dress the day before the ball. I still haven't told my parents that I sometimes do crossdressing, because I don't feel comfortable enough yet. 

My dad and Neville look at me like I have just said the most stupid and dumb thing in the world. I shrink, thinking that they are disgusted by me or something. But then my father, who apparantly has also entered the dining room, says: "It's your first ball Hadrian, so naturally it's important to dress well.". 

I nod, understanding what he means and relieved that my dad and Neville aren't disgusted by me, they just were surprised that I didn't realize that it was this important. 

"I remember that your dad made his own dress for his first ball after we found out we are mates." my father says looking at my dad with eyes full of love. I, on the other hand, am surprised to hear this. "Dad cross dresses?" I ask. 

"Yes, I do. It's totally normal for a person to do crossdressing. At least with most pureblood families.". I nod, astonished, but happy. I remember when Ron found out about me crossdressing. He looked totally disgusted and said: "Mate, that's for girls, it's not normal." and had walked away, presumably to go find Hermione to share the news. "I also do crossdressing sometimes." I shyly admit, looking down. 

"But that's great, Had!" my father says, "Why don't you make your own dress for the ball?". 

And that's how I ended up doing that exact thing. If I wasn't sleeping, studying, eating or practicing, I would be working on my dress. It was going to be a ballgown, made with beautiful green silk. It had many layers and a heart shaped neckline. It also had straps, just to make sure it would stay in place.

(I tried to include the picture of the dress I had in mind, but Wattpad wouldn't let me, so just imagine how the dress would look like in your head.)

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Draco POV

I still had a week until the ball, but I had to figure out my gift and get a suit. I already knew the dances of course, having grown up with a lot of balls, so that wouldn't be a problem. The problem was, I have never been to a courting ball, so I didn't know what to expect. 

"Mom, dad, what's a courting ball like?" I asked my parents. They looked at each other before my dad answered: "Well, it's basically like a normal ball. The only difference is that it's for a courting, so you must be at your very best. It's necessary to know the etiquette and the rules for the specific creature you are courting.".

"Can you teach me?" I ask my dad. He nods and leads me to a seperate room. And we start our lesson.

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"So if I got this right, I should always first greet the person I am courting, then the dominant parent, the submissive parent, the protector, other family or close companions, and only then I can talk to the other people.". "Yes, and what was the entering and eating etiquette?" my dad asks with a stern look on his face. "First greet the person who let's you in, no matter what creature, then give your coat to the creature hanging up the coats, then lay your presents at the place where they are supposed to be, never give them directly to the person you are courting. Never eat before the first dance, if offered a drink, wait till the welcoming has started and the first toast has been made.".

"Correct," my father says.

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The rest of the week I am either learning the etiquette and rules. Or I am looking for the perfect suit and present. It has to be special, because it's not only Hadrians first courting ball, it probably is his first overall ball. 

~1049 words