𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, fred weasley

˗ˋ 27

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY GET READY

. . .

"Listen if you kissed me does that count as the single kiss?" Fred asked, looking far too concerned as he sat across from Elodie at the lunch table. The morning had been filled with laughter and presents in the Gryffindor common room, the morning conversation in the bathroom not having been mentioned until then. 

"You two kissed?" George seemed rather taken aback by the news - and he didn't even know why, it was bound to happen at some point. "And what's this about a single kiss."

"Oh just something I've promised Fred. And we haven't kissed." Elodie shook her head gently. "I just kissed him on the cheek." 

"I see. And I suppose this single kiss is a form of torture?" George cocked an eyebrow, and Elodie glanced between George and his twin, who was turning a shade of pink. "For Fred, obviously.

"Back to my question." Fred hurried to say. "Does it count? Because I'm pretty sure that's against the rules." He said, and Elodie stabbed her chicken with her fork, taking a bite of it as she considered.

"I guess it doesn't?" She said, rather hesitant. "I suppose not, but there weren't any rules set in place either - so it could easily go either way... but it won't." She said decidedly, as a pout appeared on Fred's face.

"Good, because I'm pretty sure I'll want to kiss you later." Fred replied, and it was time for Elodie to blush, as George made a wretching sound, pretending to throw up.

"No making out at the table, and no flirting." George said. "You've put me off my roast potatoes."

"Can I have them?" Elodie, and George's expression fell as he stared at the girl. "I'll take that as a yes." She continued, carefully leaning across the table and using her knife to stab the potatoes and moving them over to her own plate.

"Oh no you don't." A slightly high-pitched French voice appeared in the midst of their conversation, and the trio looked up to see Fleur peering over them. 

"What? Fleur come on, we have hours to get dressed." Elodie replied, and opposite her, Fred and George shared a look before shrugging, continuing to eat as the French girls conversed in their native language. 

"Please, El?" Fleur said, after listing a few points on why the girl should come back with her to the carriage. Elodie felt a tiny bit bad all of sudden, knowing that her and Fleur hadn't been hanging out as much since they came to Hogwarts.

"Yeah, of course." Elodie ended up saying, and quickly finished her meal, turning to the boys. "Me and Fleur are going to spend the afternoon together - see you tonight?" She said, and the twins nodded, quickly saying goodbye to her.

They stuck to their word, and the two best friends spent the entire afternoon together, and soon enough, the beginning of the ball was a mere two hours away. 

Fleur and Elodie had been asked been asked by the two girls who shared a room next door if they all wanted to get ready together and they agreed, and as soon as the clock struck 6pm, the champion and her best friend, carrying two boxes and garnment bags, in which held their dresses and everything else.

Alison and Clara were their names, and both had decided to wear pretty similar dresses, as they were the first to get dressed. Fleur and Elodie helped them to do their hair and makeup, comfortable with each other after all the years they had spent together.

Elodie was the last to get changed, and she emerged from the bathroom in the pink dress, which was so unbelievably perfect that all four of the girls were in shock.

"It's.. wow." Alison said, speechless. Elodie was just as speechless as she was, moving silently over to the mirror and twisting slightly, the flowy fabric following her movement,

"We have half an hour, chop chop ladies." Fleur said suddenly, and soon enough, Elodie was having her hair curled into waves, two pieces framing her face. Fleur was doing something with gems and glitter, and Clara was doing her makeup. 

They finished as soon as they heard people beginning to exit their rooms to head to the ball. Elodie only got to glance in the mirror for a second, as Fleur attached a silvery bracelet around her waist and she put her earrings on.

Alison dusted them all in this glitter thing, a definite shimmer settling on Elodie's skin. "Here." Fleur passed her a shoe box, as well as a pair of boots. "You can't go up there in the heels, it would ruin them." She informed Elodie, who had looked rather confused. 

Understanding perfectly, Elodie and Fleur made their way up to their entrance to the school, pausing at the small archway with a bench to change their shoes, clinging to each other as they practically ran down the corridor, hurrying to get to the Entrance Hall.

Fleur pushed her over to the front, all the whilst looking for both her date and Fred, leaving Elodie stood by McGonagall as she disappeared into the crowd, re-emerging with Fred and Roger Davies second later, pushing the ginger haired boy over to Elodie.

He stared at her for a moment, his jaw dropped. "Merry Christmas to me." He said, stepping over to Elodie, who laughed at his words. "You look incredible." Fred said, and Elodie smiled.

"Thank you." She smiled, feeling his arm snaking around her waist. She hesitated, before kissing him on the cheek again. "That's doesn't count either."

"Good to know." Fred nodded, the pair glancing at each other before bursting into laughter. It would certainly be an enjoyable night, celebrating the friendships created amongst the schools by the tournament.

And Elodie's and Fred's new found friendship was perhaps the most beautiful one.

✧