Chasing Dreams {Book 2: Chasing Butterflies}

Chapter 15: Dress Shopping

Hey fans! This took a little longer than suspected. I've been busy with doctors' appointments, buying books for school, and applying for jobs. Sorry it took so long, but I promise that I'll try to get another upload or two in before I have to go back to college. Hope you enjoy it! =)

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"If we go down, we go down together; 'best friends' means..." –There's No 'I' In Team, Taking Back Sunday

Audrey felt like she was going to vomit when she finally felt her feet hit the ground again. No matter how many times she Apparated, she still couldn't get over the feeling it gave her. Something about feeling like being sucked through a straw didn't appeal to her. So there she was, doubled over holding her stomach in Diagon Alley with Narcissa and Angeline. Audrey tried to compose herself as she finally stood back up.

"Are you okay, child?" Narcissa asked, raising an eyebrow at her unusual behavior.

"Yea... I'm okay. I just don't like Apparating much," Audrey admitted. "It kind of makes me feel sick. It's why I've always preferred flying. But I'll be alright, the feeling passed."

"Good, we couldn't have you getting sick all over the dresses, now could we?" Angeline teased. "Is your friend there yet?"

Audrey nodded. She had instructed for Nicole to meet her at the dress shop. She figured it would probably be beneficial to at least have one of her close friends there to help her pick out her dress, let alone the bridesmaids' dresses. "She should be there already, and if not she should be there shortly," Audrey answered.

With just a nod, the two women began walking towards the shop, Audrey following closely behind them. Audrey wasn't even aware that Diagon Alley had a bridal shop until that morning. It was definitely a good thing though, as it was far closer to them than having to travel all over trying to find somewhere that sold dresses.

"Now, traditionally, you could've wore my wedding gown if you so chose," Narcissa went on, "but I'm sure you'd rather pick out the dress of your dreams, not mine. And besides, no offense, darling, but you are a tad shorter than I am."

"None taken; I know I'm short," Audrey smiled. "Thank you for the offer though."

"And don't worry about how much the dress costs either," Narcissa said, matter-of-factly. "I've got it covered."

Audrey couldn't stop smiling. She wasn't expecting her future mother-in-law to do anything she had done so far, and she just kept surprising her. When she and Draco started dating, she never thought Narcissa and Lucius would be as kind to her as they had been. It was a pleasant surprise, and one Audrey was surely grateful for.

"Thanks, though I don't plan on picking out the most expensive dress I can find," Audrey admitted as they finally reached the shop.

She followed Narcissa and Angeline inside the dress shop, and she soon spotted Nicole standing off to the side by a huge rack of dresses she assumed Nicole had already picked out for her to try on. Upon seeing her, Nicole rushed over and smothered Audrey in a hug. Something told Audrey that Nicole was more excited about the wedding than she was, and that was hard to believe.

"This is going to be so much fun!" her friend giggled. "I've already got a whole bunch of dresses picked out for you to try on! C'mon!"

Audrey suddenly found herself being pulled into the dressing rooms by her friend. The girl stood there for a moment before Nicole joined her with the rack of dresses. "So I hope I picked out some good ones for you," Nicole said.

"Oh I'm sure you did somewhere in here," Audrey assured, pushing through the rack aimlessly. Nicole had picked out so many dresses she didn't know where to start. "Did you find dresses for you and Krystie yet?"

"Err... no," Nicole answered. "I didn't know what color you guys wanted us to wear."

"Green or silver are fine," Audrey explained. "We're sticking with our house colors to keep it simple."

Nicole nodded. "We'll worry about our dresses last; I want to find yours first."

"Well, if that's the case, we should probably get started," Audrey sighed. "I'm going to go in the changing room and strip down. When I tell you, I want you to hand me a dress, okay?"

"Sounds good," Nicole answered her. "Should I get Narcissa and... her friend?"

"It's her sister-in-law, but I'll walk out there when I have the dresses on," Audrey decided. "I mean... I know that it's going to be a long and tedious process, but we're going to get through this."

Audrey didn't wait for her friend to answer her before she went into the changing room. As she began to remove her jeans and t-shirt, Nicole broke the silence, "So... Aud... I have to tell you about something strange that happened to me last night."

Audrey's mind already began racing. She briefly recalled what happened to her the night previously, and she was hoping Nicole didn't have a night anywhere near as exciting as hers. "What happened?" Audrey found herself asking, hanging her clothes on a nearby hook. "Dress please."

Nicole passed a dress to her friend over the door, before she began speaking again. "Well I went upstairs to Ginny's room, and sitting on my trunk was this note."

Audrey's heart rate began to increase. She had received a note the night before too. She was sincerely hoping Nicole's note was far more pleasant than the one she discovered. As she shimmied into the dress, she asked, "What did it say?"

"It told me that if I keep supporting you and Draco I'm going to find myself in a ton of trouble," Nicole stated. "Basically... it said that unless I get away from you two, and well... convince you to leave him, that I was going to find my life in danger." Audrey felt her heart sink; that was exactly what she was worried about. Whoever was sending her the threatening letters had gotten to her friend as well.

The girl opened up the room, showing her friend the dress. "I don't think I like this one," Audrey admitted. "It makes me look like a pastry."

Nicole laughed for just a second before a serious look replaced that. "I don't either. But... anyhow... you don't know who could've sent it, do you?"

"No idea... I've gotten two letters like that already, and I have no idea who is sending them," Audrey admitted. "I've been trying to figure it out for a while now. But so far... nothing."

Nicole didn't look happy, Audrey could tell that much. "All I know is that I'm not going anywhere so they can bite me. You're my best friend, and if they want to mess with you, they got to get through me first."

That was reassuring to Audrey. She wasn't sure if Nicole would've been so willing to stick by her side with her life being on the line. Now that she knew Nicole had her back, Audrey wasn't as worried as she originally was. Whoever it was sending the messages didn't know who they were messing with.

"I knew I could count on you," Audrey smiled. The friends hugged for a moment before Audrey pulled away. "Now let me get out of this dress. They so don't need to see me in this!"

She reentered the changing room and stepped out of the dress, only to be handed another one. This process went on for what seemed like an eternity; Audrey had to have tried on a few dozen dresses before she finally found one that she thought was perfect. It was exactly the way she pictured it in her head when the idea of marriage first popped up in her head as a young girl.

As the girl exited the changing room, she had a huge smile on her face, "Nicole, I think this is it!" She did a little spin, showing her friend the dress from every angle. When she saw Nicole's face light up as well, she knew it wasn't just her thinking it.