Thicker than Blood // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Nine: The Ball

   Today is the day! The whole school, including myself, have been anxiously waiting for the Winter Wonderland ball. All the Slytherin girls and I in our rooms the morning of compare our dresses, talk about our dates, share each others makeups and accessories. I don't think I've ever spent this much time with the girls I share a dormitory with, but I'm actually enjoying all of this "girl talk." I chose a shade of green that matches my dress for some eyeshadow, a small line on eyeliner on my lid and some mascara. One of the girls helped me curl my hair and pin it up in a elegant bun, with a couple of small curls hanging down. I have a hair clip that was my mothers that I've had since I was very young. A golden claw with a snake carved of emerald slithering along the side. I place it on the top left side of my bun, adding some emerald earrings and a gold chain necklace with a single diamond hanging off the end.
Voilá!

   Looking in the mirror I hardly even recognize myself. I can not wait to see what Sebastian looks like! I make my way down the corridor to the main entrance of the common room. Merlin! I have forgotten how to walk in heels.. hopefully I survive the night. The common room was flooded with students, everyone dressed up in their formal wear, finding their friends, laughing and partying before heading up to the Great Hall. Speaking of friends, where is —— Sebastian?!

   He walks over to me, eyes lit up, reaching out his hand. "There you are! I almost didn't recognize you." His hair was slicked back out of his face, his eyes shined more than I have ever seen them. He wore a black button up shirt, a black suit with silk green lining on the inside and gold cufflinks. "I could say the same about you, Sebastian!" I squealed, placing my hand in his. He grabs tightly, raising his arm making me do a little twirl and pulling me close. We gather with the other Slytherin students, going up the stairwell leaving the dungeons, heading to the Great Hall.

   As we near the entrance, Sebastian puts his hand around my waist and asks, "Are you ready to have some real fun?" I nod in excitement, I've never experienced anything like this before! We walk into the Great Hall and it doesn't even look the same. Everything is white, with snow covering most of the walls and floors. Crystals of all shapes and sizes hang from the ceilings. A stage where the owl podium normally is, a band playing music and students everywhere dancing. Professors are also dancing!! What a sight to be seen. It even looks like the Headmaster is enjoying himself! I look at Sebastian to see his reaction to it, just to see him laughing at my facial expression. "You should see you face!" He snorted, mimicked my jaw dropped looked. I give him a little shove, feeling embarrassed. He gives me a little shove back and says, "You know I'm just playing. Come on, let's go dance!" I've never seen Sebastian like this before, I'm rather enjoying this more eccentric side of him.

   We went to the dance floor to join the students and professors. We jumped around, twisting and turning, signing and shouting. I hadn't had this much fun in a long time, but I was in need for a break and a beverage. Sebastian guides me to a table to rest while he grabbed us pumpkin juice. We danced so much my hair was falling out of place, leaving me to take out my hair.
"Here you are m'lady." Sebastian says handing me a goblet, as I rip hair from my head trying to manage getting out from this bun. "Thank you," I struggled to say, "could you- could you help me?" I throw my hand down to my lap in defeat. He does a little laugh, placing our drinks on the table. He walks over to me, pulling out all sorts of clips from my hair. How many did that girl put in there?! Sebastian manages to let me hair down. I grunted in frustration. "What is it?" Sebastian asked.
"It's nothing, really— I just worked so hard to be so beautiful tonight and it ended up just falling apart." I replied, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to ruin the night because of my silly hair." The curls dangled in my face, knotted and frizzy. Sebastian pushed the hair behind my ear and said with a charming smile, "Nothing could ruin this night, especially your silly hair. You're always beautiful to me." He definitely knows how to make me feel better.

  Merlin! My hair clip! "Sebastian, will you hold on to this for me so I don't loose it? It's very special to me and I-" before I could finish he had already taken it from my hands, putting it into the pocket of his blazer.
"Anything that is special to you, is special to me." He spoke so slowly that it almost felt as time itself slowed down. He started talking to me about when Anne was still at Hogwarts, before she was cursed. "They had a ball similar to this one. Anne, Ominis and I came together. I wish you had known Ominis then." He began to say, "Ominis was— different, in our first years. He started breaking contact with his family and being here gave him the opportunity to be more rebellious." Ominis?! There is no way we are talking about the same person.
"That year when we came to the ball, it was Ominis' idea to spike the pumpkin juice! All the students were off their head, it was absolutely brilliant!" As Sebastian is telling me the story, Ominis comes to the table. "You're ears must be burning, Ominis! I was just telling Athena about the time you—"
Ominis interrupts, "Don't listen to anything he says about me, Athena! Lies! It's all lies, I really don't know what to do with you sometimes Sebastien."
Sebastian and I laugh. We all sit at the table watching and listening to the other students and professors dance together, Ominis grows bored and heads back to the common room.

   "The holidays are coming, are you going back to see any family?" Sebastian asks. My face wrinkled with the thought of family. I've never had to talk about them to anyone, but I feel I can be comfortable talking about it to Sebastian.
"No." The words felt painful to speak. "I don't— I don't have anyone to go to." I look down at my lap, not knowing how to say more than that. Sebastian puts his hands on my shoulder and says, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want too." I feel it's only right, after everything he has told me about him and Ominis' family. He doesn't really know anything about me. "I was young, I don't really remember what happened. My parents were Aurors, they had been searching for months for camp of dark wizards. When they found it.. they weren't strong enough to beat them." I paused, "since then I had been living in orphanages because I had no other family to care for me." I struggled to say those things out loud. I never have before, to anyone. Sebastian looked at me with such sincerity and compassion, "I'm so sorry.." he whispered, "I couldn't imagine if I didn't have Anne growing up.. I'm sorry you had to endure that."
I brush it off and smile, "Don't worry about it! It was the past."

   The dance is coming to an end, they wrap up the night with a couple of slow songs. I notice Sebastian standing, reaching for my hand. "Come dance with me" he insisted. I grab his hand as we walk to the dance floor. He puts his hand around my waist, with a firm grip. I place my hand over his shoulder and we sway to the melody playing. My heart is nearly pounding out of my chest right into his. I rest my head against his chest, listening to his heart pound equally to mine. As if they were two extra drums preforming with the band.
Budumbudumbudumbudum

   I finally look up from Sebastian's chest and glance around the room. We appear to be the only students left in here. When did everyone leave? How long have we been here? I look up at Sebastian, he looks down at me and smiles. Professor Weasley comes to tell us it is time to head back to the common rooms. Sebastian takes my hand and leads me out of the Great Hall. As we walk to the common room I take off my heels, my feet have blisters all over them and I can't take it anymore. Sebastian walks me to my sleeping corridor in the common room, "I don't think I've ever had this much fun." He kisses the top of my hand, "Thank you for coming with me tonight." I do a polite curtsy and respond, "Thank you for asking me to be your date." Sebastian takes a step up the stairs, getting just a bit closer. "There is no one else I wanted to be with." He said deeply, "I will see you very soon." He backs away and walks off to his room. Leaving me standing there, wanting so much more from him. Until next time.