𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 | 𝑁𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚

Chapter Fourteen - A Waltz to Remember

Helena found herself practically racing down the corridor with Neville--she had to jog to keep up with him as he tugged her along. "Where are we going?" She laughed as they whipped around a corner, soaking up his anticipation as much as she could.

"Just up here now—" He led on, turning them at a corner and coming up to a wider hallway. Helena realized where they were going now; the Room of Requirement was just a few paces away.

Were they really only going to their meeting room? She wondered.

They stopped before the wall and Neville finally broke his grasp of her hand, starting to pace as was customary for the Room's appearance.

"Neville," Helena eyed the wall and started cautiously, "what're you thinking?" She was trying to be patient, but could not help to be jittery.

The edges of the door began to appear just slightly now, breaking apart the wall as was so familiar for it to do. Neville paced in front of it one last time before it revealed itself entirely, in all its usual grandness. "You ready?" He clasped her hands again, smiling devilishly, and Helena simply could not say "no." Instead, she gave a speechless nod, words getting stuck in her throat already; what could he possibly have planned to make him this giddy?

The door creaked open now as Neville pushed it in, one hand still resting in Helena's, pulling her along slowly. On the other side, Helena could just glimpse a blue glimmering, something beautiful, like diamonds.

Upon their entry, she came to realize that she was not far off from the guess of diamonds. Taking in the glittering space around her, she was rendered completely speechless, as one hand swept up to her throat, the other pulling away from Neville's to lay over her heart. Her eyes wandered from one corner to the next, in utter disbelief and a swoop of emotions. She simply could not bring herself to believe that this had been done for her.

She was unsure of how Neville could have achieved it; he must have wanted this for her badly, she thought dazedly. Stretched before her was the Great Hall; though it wasn't really the Great Hall. Rather, it was the Great Hall in the sense of how it had looked for the Yule Ball all those years ago—lavishly decorated and completely glammed up, like a snowy, frozen wonderland. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling like ice. Enchanted snow fell only so far from the ceiling before dissipating like magic just over their heads. The bewitched ceiling itself twinkled with wintry stars, and the floor was nothing but a powdered whiteness. There were even tables blanketed by crisp white cloths, garnished by lavish bouquets of silk flowers and delicate candles.

"Neville—" Helena gasped, and turned to him, only to find that he had already been looking at her, his soft eyes watching her entire reaction.

"You like it then?" He asked, though her response could be easily guessed.

"Like it?" Helena mused. "I'm in love."

Neville stuck his hands in his pockets and scuffed the toe of his shoe against the floor, looking down abashedly. "That day we were in the greenhouse and you told me about the Yule Ball thing. . . Crabbe was an idiot, obviously--he truly could not have done better for himself with you--but your story gave me this idea. It's not perfect, but. . ."

"But it is perfect." Helena gazed around in awe once more. "It is so, so thoughtful, Nev." It was safe to say that her heart was completely full. In fact, it was overflowing with emotions, all positive.

A red bit of blush had crept up the back of Neville's neck--he tried to rub it away before Helena could see. She finally looked back to him with a sly smile on her face.

"Forget Crabbe--he couldn't have possibly had the thought to do this for me, not ever. Not even somebody else, for that matter." She hurried over to Neville and enveloped him in the biggest hug she could muster. He tensed, then relaxed and returned it. When she pulled away, she grinned at him. "Now, were you only planning to show this to me, or are we going to dance, too?"