Like Catching a Snowflake

Chapter 7 : Bella

Bella

“Are you ready?” I asked Hanna as I pulled my boots on. I was wearing them more and more, but I was loving them more and more. They made me feel powerful. I loved that feeling.

She sighed from her bed. “Yeah, I guess. Did you get permission? If not then-“

“Of course I got permission! It wasn’t easy, but McGonagall gave it to me after about an hour of groveling and promising that I won’t be late for class for a week when we get back from break,” I rolled my eyes at the thought. I could promise, but that doesn’t mean it would happen.

“So,” she said, heading towards the door and I followed her. “Who are you going to the party with?”

I laughed at the thought. “Isn’t it completely obvious?”

She gave be an odd look as we started down the steps towards the common room. “No, it’s not completely obvious. Who are you going with?”

The portrait hole opened, and Gregory stepped into the tower. My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t talked to him since the night I had run into him. He smirked at me as he passed. I bit my lip, unsure of what to do. I could imagine that things would be weird because of that night, but obviously, it wasn’t for him. It was for me, since I was blushing.

“Bella?” Hanna asked, giving me another odd look. “Did something happen between you and Gregory?”

We stepped through the portrait hole together. I hadn’t told Hanna what had happened that night. I told her about Blaise wanting to break up with me, but I left out the part about Gregory. I didn’t want anyone to know about it, but I was going to have to tell Hanna. I needed to vent about it anyway.

“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” I said quickly. “I was just so upset. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“Bella…?” she asked as I stopped walking and leaned against the wall. “What did you do with Gregory?”

“I had thought my feelings were returning for him, but I was wrong. I’m in love with Blaise, and no one else. I thought about Blaise the whole time,” I whispered, tears coming on from the guilt.

Her eyes widened. “Don’t tell me that you-“

“Slept with him?” I questioned. “Yes, I did. I didn’t mean for it to get that far, but it did. I was just going to kiss him, but then things got heated and…I didn’t mean for it to happen!”

“Bella! I can’t believe that you would do that! When did this even happen?” she asked, looking disappointed in me. “I don’t understand why you would even do it. He broke your heart!”

I nodded and wiped at my eyes. “I know that, but I just couldn’t help it. It just happened. I wish I could take it back, but what’s done is done. I can’t be perfect; I make more mistakes than anyone.”

“When did this happen?” she asked again.

“That night that Blaise broke up with me,” I mumbled, but she heard what I said.

“You were completely mental that night! You should’ve just came right back to the dorm right after it happened. No matter who was there!” she shrieked. “Come on,” she said, grabbing my wrist and dragging me down to the girls’ loo.

Hermione was in there washing her hands, and she had to be her nosey self once more. “What happened, Bells? Did the same thing happen to you that happened to Hanna? Did that Slytherin deatheater drop you as well? You should know by now that they would never truly fall for muggleborn Gryffindors such as us. You’ve both learned your lessons.”

“Shut it, Granger. No one wants to hear your mouth today,” I sneered and fixed my make up with my wand. I had stopped crying and turned to Hanna, who was grateful that I was finished so soon. “Let’s get going. McGonagall didn’t give us all day!”

We headed out the entrance hall and down the hill towards Hogsmeade. We both needed dresses for Slughorn’s Christmas party. We entered the first shop, and I saw a shimmery gold mini dress. That would look perfect with my boots! It was also a Christmas kind of color, so it totally worked. I went to the dressing room to try it on, and it was a little too small, so I pulled my wand out again and took out the sides. It looked perfect. I went to show Hanna, who was looking over a rather hot black dress. It was perfect for her. She tried it on and was smoking!

“Robbie is going to love you in that! He’ll sure be falling in love all over again,” I smiled at her, but then lost it as she gave me a confused look. “What? You’re not going with Robbie?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m going with Ron.”

I made a mental note to kill Robbie, but at the same time I was happy that she was going with someone. “That’s great! He’ll love it just as much!”

“Who are you going with?” she asked, looking at herself in the mirror again.

I sighed. “I’m going with Blaise. He just doesn’t know it yet.”

“What? How is that even possible? You can’t pull anything on him. You can’t brain wash him. What is going through your head, Bells?” she looked angry as she wiped around to look at me.

I shrugged. “I know, but I’m going to surprise him. He’s never been able to say no to me before,” I swallowed hard, trying to keep more of the tears back.

“You can’t always count on that. You know that,” she sighed. “Let’s go get a hot chocolate. It might make you feel better. I know I need one.”

“Why would you need one?” I asked without thinking.

Her eyes fell to the ground. “I should be going to this party with Draco, not Ron. It’s just not fair,” she stomped her foot and headed back to the dressing room to change back into her clothes.

I did the same, but she didn’t come out for a while. When she came out, her eyes were a little blood shot. She had been crying again. I felt really awful for being so thoughtless, so I took her dress from her and brought it up to the cashier, where I paid for it. Then we got hot chocolate, which I also insisted on paying for as well. I know that I was having a hard time, but this was the first time she had been in love and hurt. I looked at her as she was barely holding it together on the way back to the castle. I was going to fix everything. Everything was going to be back to normal before the end of the year. I was going to see to that.