𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝟏.𝟏𝟐 - 𝐚 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

The night you had been impatiently waiting for since the start of November had finally arrived. It was Christmas Eve; the night of the Yule Ball.

From inside your dorm, you could hear the commotion from upstairs. Music coupled with the voices of several dozen people invaded your ears. You and Pansy were busy getting ready, the last of the Slytherin girls to leave.

Once you had slipped your dress on, you stepped out from behind the ornate changing curtain and began pulling at the fabric. You hadn't tried it on since you bought it at the little dress shop in Hogsmeade a few weeks back and you hoped it looked as good as you thought it did then.

"What do you think?" You asked nervously. 

Pansy was dressed in a strapless pink tulle getup that dipped into an asymmetrical neckline. The wide skirts puffed out around her waist and trailed down the back in a long pink gauzy train. She turned away from the mirror where she had been applying her lip gloss and took you. Her jaw dropped as she stood to her full height, eyes unblinking as she put a hand to her collarbone. "Oh, (Y/N)," she sighed. "You look absolutely gorgeous."

Taking this as a good sign, you stepped around her and examined yourself for the first time in the full-length mirror propped against the wall. The dress you were wearing was just over knee-length and a flattering pastel (Y/F/C) color. The darker (Y/F/C) ribbons of the corset were tied in a bow above the small of your back. White and pink floral patterns were sewn onto the hem and around the sweetheart neckline.

You had done your makeup beforehand, winging your eyeliner as perfectly as you could manage it in the dim candlelight and dotting pearly eyeshadow in the corners of your eyelids. You felt like a fairy princess and by the way Pansy was eyeing you jealously, you knew you looked like one too.

"How could you possibly look that good?" She whined, tossing her chin-length black hair around. It had been pinned back by two round pink barrettes on one side. "I look so boring compared to you."

You smiled politely and pulled your wand out from the small drawstring pouch you would be using as a purse. "Can I try something?" You asked. She nodded, sniffling. You hoped she wouldn't cry her makeup off right before you left. The both of you were late as it already was.

Crouching down in front of her, you pointed your wand at the bring pink fabric and let a spell fall softly from your lips. "Fabricae flos."

As soon as the magic words left your mouth, enchanted sparkles began to twinkle across the fabric of the dress, twisting upwards in wide spirals along the bodice like fireworks. Pansy gasped and spun around, checking herself out in the mirror one last time. "It's perfect!" She said, grabbing her purse from the vanity. "Are you ready?"

You took her outstretched hand and nodded. To your surprise, you felt no hidden feelings of resentment toward her for going to the ball with Draco. It wasn't as if she had known about your secret desire. Even if she did, she wasn't the one who asked him. It was the other way around. That told you everything you needed to know about your relationship with Draco Malfoy.

About halfway to the Great Hall, Pansy got swept up in a flock of Beauxbatons girls, and you were separated from each other. It took you a moment to find your way once more, accidentally going up one extra flight of stairs before you decided to let the sound of ballroom music guide you to where you needed to be. Thankfully, this tactic worked, and soon you had found yourself standing at the top of the grand staircase overlooking the entrance to the Great Hall.

You could see Harry lounging near the bottom of the stairs. Standing next to him was Ron and his date, Padma Patil. You wanted to laugh at Ron's frilly getup but before you could, you became distracted by the sight of Pansy walking from the other side of the hall. She had obviously also found her way. Her arm was linked with Draco's and you suddenly felt nauseous.