"Where's my other shoe?!"
"There is a rip in my dress!"
"I can't find my necklace!"
I helped zip up Morag's dress, which was a beautiful dark red with a skirt that went up to her ankles. "Sue, your shoe is under Mandy's bed; Mandy, pass me your dress, I'll mend it; Padma, you put it in your purse."
"Where's your dress, Y/N?" Sue asked as she reached under the bed for her glittering silver shoe. She fashioned a traditional shiny dark blue cheongsam dress with floral decorations climbing up her bodice. She was adamant on not wearing the traditional shoes, however.
"I'll change when you guys aren't running around in a panic," I said.
Padma raised the necklace once she found it in her bag. "Y/N, could you held me put this on?"
"Sure."
Padma wore a long turquoise saree, which was incredibly soft but I didn't say anything so I'd continue to have an excuse to "accidentally" graze her. Her earrings were gold and dangling near her shoulder, which framed her face really nicely.
"Y/N, my dress!" Mandy cried.
Once I clasped Padma's necklace, I took Mandy's dress in my lap. It was navy blue and only went over one shoulder. "It's small, it's only take- Ah, I'm done."
"Lifesaver!"
"I know - Lisa, your hairpin's crooked."
"Could you fix it, please?"
"Sure."
Lisa wore a purple tulle dress that swayed just past her knees - Dean would love it, I was sure.
"You coming, Y/N?" Morag asked, throwing on a white cardigan that went over the top half of her torso.
"Just wait for me at the entrance hall."
They left and I sighed, sitting down on my bed and staring at the mirror as I undressed, revealing the ugly scars that were on my calves that greatly resembled claw marks.
I reached into my trunk and pulled out a long silver dress that would cover them.
I placed it in front of me, smiled softly, and put it on.
•••
I peeked around the corner, seeing many people sporting exquisite outfits for the night.
I spotted Neville, who wore robes much like Cedric's, but strangely, he seemed to wear them much better. He was chatting with Dean, Seamus, Lavender, and Lisa, none of them noticing my head poking from around the corner.
My heart began thumping so loudly that it began muffling my thoughts and I took a deep breath, praying that I didn't forget to put on (or take off) anything.
As I stepped out, many heads turned, some being the ones that had asked me to the dance (I'm just that hot, I know).
Lavender squealed and tapped Neville, pointing at me.
Mandy and Morag, whose dates were apparently friends, noticed and pointed me out to their Durmstrang partners, who nodded to whatever they were whispering.
Lisa held up a subtle thumbs up and whispered something to Dean, which made him look.
Cho smiled and elbowed Cedric so he would look as well. His lips spread into a wide grin and I waved, my face suddenly turning really hot as eyes in the entrance hall seemed to stare.
Neville's mouth hung open, rather unflatteringly, and I got to the bottom step, gazing at him with a small smile. I wished I knew what was happening in his head.
"You look beautiful," he said.
My smile grew bigger. "You look stunning yourself."
"Spent hours working on his hair!" Seamus teased.
I saw Cedric's eyes widen when he saw my date and I grinned at him, my expression saying, I told you he was good.
Everyone gathered into the Hall and stood at the sides of the aisle so the champions could walk through. I noticed Percy seated at the judge's table rather than Crouch and curiosity began taking over, but I swatted it away. This is a dance, not a crime scene.
The Great Hall was now covered in sparkling silver frost that was bewitched to not melt, and garlands of mistletoe and ivy across the night sky ceiling.
Trumpets from the choir sounded and the doors open wide.
My face brightened when I saw Roger, whose arm was linked with Fleur's, a proud but refined smile on his face.
Then Hermione and Krum. Her periwinkle-blue dress made her appear like she was floating from the way her skirt swayed against her legs.
"She's beautiful," I whispered. It was a word that would be used countless of times that day.
Then there was Cho and Cedric. Cedric was wearing the robes that were fixed up for him while Cho wore a white cheongsam, much like Sue's. She waved at me and I waved in return, then she mouthed, "Is that your date?" and I nodded with great excitement.
Finally, there was Parvati and Harry.
Harry looked remarkably like a deer in headlights, with his eyes wide and looking around at everyone staring at him, while Parvati grinned and waved at everyone like she was on a runway.
The champions each took their places on the dance floor, holding their partners and leading the school in a waltz.
After a bit, Professor McGonagall took Dumbledore's hand and led him onto the dance floor.
Karkaroff took the hand of a woman with cyan robes.
Neville's hand stuck out in front of me and I turned to see his smile. "Care to dance?" he asked nervously.
I took his hand. "I'd be delighted."
He led me onto the dance floor and took my hand and waist, then began waltzing across the floor.
"You're quite good at this," I said.
"He practiced for hours," Seamus butted in as he and Lavender danced beside us.
Neville's face turned red. "I didn't want to step on your feet."
I got close to his face and he turned even redder. "I think it's quite cute."
His eyes went down my face, then met my eyes again. "You look beautiful. You really do."
I smiled. "You look rather dashing as well."
"No, I mean... I don't know a word better than beautiful, but whatever that word is, you definitely are." He cleared his throat as if he were forgetting lines to a play. "I'm not as good with words as... other people."
I chuckled. "It's fine... I never needed you to be."
We stopped dancing after what was either seconds or hours for some drinks.
"I'll get them," Neville offered as I sat down.
Lisa sat next to me with an exhausted but satisfied sigh and I noticed Dean catch up with Neville, likely also getting drinks.
"Have you two snogged yet?" I asked, fiddling with a strand of my hair.
"Y/N!" She began playing with her light brown hair and shook her head. "Not yet."
Mandy sat down, her partner kissing her hand before leaving for either drinks or the restroom.
"Mandy." I held out my hand. "Three sickles Lisa and Dean snog by the end of the night."
She shook my hand. "By the end of tomorrow night."
"You've got a deal."
"Guys!"
I noticed Padma - who didn't get to sit at the same table as us because Ron wanted to sit near the top table - looking rather bored, her arms crossed as she watched people dance on the dance floor.
My eyes scanned the room and I spotted a Beauxbatons boy awkwardly shifting in his seat, eying the dance floor with similar longing.
"Give me a moment," I said as I stood.
I approached the boy. "Excusez-moi?"
He flinched and turned. "Ah... Bonjour."
"Bonjour. Erm, j'ai une amie qui veut danser avec quelqu'un. Voulez-vous danser avec elle?"
(Hello. Um, I have a friend who would like to dance with someone. Do you want to dance with her?)
He followed my finger and his eyes lit up at the sight of her. "Oui, j'adorerais."
(Yes, I would love to.)
I watched him walk up to her and hold out his hand. Her eyes lit up for the first time that night and she followed him to the dance floor, hand in hand.
"Well, look at the matchmaker," Mandy teased as I sat back down.
"It's what she deserves. Look at Ron."
Lisa and Mandy winced at the sight. Ron was glaring daggers into Krum's back as he danced with Hermione. He didn't even notice that Padma was gone from his side.
Harry was much the same as Parvati was taken away by another boy from Beauxbatons. He was far too busy staring at Cho.
Seamus and Lavender sat down as well. They didn't do much dancing with each other, more just dancing within each other's proximity. Wildly.
Neville and Dean returned with drinks while Mandy's partner returned, now only holding his dress robes' overcoat over his shoulder.
"Look at those two sulking," Dean said in a motherly tone. "If they wanted to go with Hermione and Cho, they should've hardened their guts and done it faster."
"Or outshined their other options like Neville," Seamus added.
"Geez, what a tease!"
When the song ended, I watched Hermione sit down where Parvati was sitting before and started talking to Ron and Harry.
Harry, the poor thing, soon appeared to be stuck between a lover's quarrel.
"Uh oh," Mandy said with genuine worry.
And it was uh oh indeed.
The two's spat got louder and louder until their conversation got uncomfortably clear to everyone.
"I'd never help him work out that egg!" Hermione shouted. "Never. How could you say something like that? I wanted Harry to win the tournament, Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?"
"You've got a funny way of showing it," Ron sneered in return.
"This whole tournament's supposed to be getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!"
"No it isn't! It's about winning!"
Harry began to notice the people staring at the heated argument and started saying something to Ron but was completely ignored.
"Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are!"
"Don't call him Vicky!"
Hermione stormed off just as Krum returned. He spoke to Ron, but the boy was clearly not fond of talking to him.
Neville held out a drink in front of me and I took it graciously. "Sorry... I didn't mean to scowl."
"You still look really beautiful," he seemed to remind me constantly and my face relaxed. "Thank you..."
"And you smell really nice."
I furrowed my brow, having no memory of spraying on perfume. "I do?"
"Yeah, like flowers and old books."
I abruptly grabbed his shoulders. "You like the smell of old books?"
"Y-yeah."
I blinked, my brain feeling like mush. So much so that I didn't even think when I said, "You are the most attractive being I have ever met, do you know that?"
His face turned red once again, this time with the addition of Seamus and Dean laughing while Mandy, Lisa, and Lavender snickered behind their hands.
"Come on, Lisa," Dean said, taking her hand. "Let's leave these lovebirds alone."
Mine and Mandy's head snapped towards them and they disappeared into the garden. "I can smell the three sickles in my hand."
•••
Once the night was over, Neville and I began leaving, only for us to to be met with a collection of crying girls... Hermione in the centre of them. Alone.
"Hermione?" I rushed to her side and sat on the stairs while Neville knelt beside me. I placed my hand on her knee, my eyes straying to her dishevelled hair and bare feet, her heels abandoned on the steps. "What happened?"
She opened her mouth to say something, only to shake her head and cry into her hands, slowly leaned towards me as I took her into my embrace. "He ruined everything!" she sobbed.
I knew exactly who he was.
"Where's Viktor?" Neville looked around to find the Quidditch player no where.
"I'm not sure... he might have left," she sniffled.
I rubbed her back. "Why don't we get you to bed? I'm sure the boys are in their dorms by now."
She nodded slowly and I took her hands, helping her to her feet as Neville picked up her heels.
Hermione wiped away her tears, smearing her makeup across her face. "I'm sorry about this."
"Don't be. Come now." I held her hand as we walked through the halls, pausing at a washroom and walking inside. "Nev?"
"I'll stay out here."
I smiled and nodded at him before leading her inside and running the sink. She quickly washed her face and stared at herself in the mirror, mascara and glitter running down her face. "I look horrid."
"You could never look horrid." I handed her a few squares of tissue and she dried off her face while I pulled out bobby pins from her hair, the strands dropping and quickly going back to their curly state.
Our eyes met in the mirror and I smiled. "For what it's worth, you look very beautiful, Hermione."
She smiled back. "Thanks."
We walked back out and Neville placed her heels on the floor for her to slip into before we went to Gryffindor Tower.
"I'll walk you back," Neville told me as I bid Hermione goodbye.
As he walked me to my dorm, he smiled at me, a fond sort of smile I wasn't quite used to. "What is it?"
"You're very kind, Y/N."
I scoffed. "I'm just a decent person... I'm kind of a git."
"Not to me."
"And what am I to you?"
"Enchanting."
My lips parted but I tried to hide it. "What a poet..."
"Just honest."
"Merlin, who taught you this stuff?"
I came to a stop near Ravenclaw tower, where I saw Cho and Cedric standing at the entrance, just chatting.
Cho noticed me and waved, causing Cedric to face me.
Neville squeezed my hand tightly once the two both stared and he dropped me off at the entrance, smiling. "Tonight was really fun."
"Yeah, it was." I cleared my throat. "So, see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah." He took my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it before letting go, waving, and leaving.
Cedric watched him leave, then turned to me. "Neville Longbottom?"
I flinched. "How'd you know?"
"I was at your Sorting Ceremony. Did you have fun? Did he treat you right? You didn't snog, did you?"
"Ced!" My face boiled. "No, we only danced and held hands, we didn't snog!"
"Good." He turned to Cho and smiled. "Goodnight then?"
"Goodnight," she said dreamily.
We watched him walk away and disappear around the corner before slamming the door and turning to each other, squealing excitedly.
Roger came not long after, his hair tousled and lipstick smudged on his lips. We both gave him a thumbs up and he went up to the dorms.
A while later, Mandy and Morag returned.
Then Lisa, whose lipstick was completely ruined (three sickles to me!).
And finally, Padma.
"He's perfect..." I whispered.
"Yeah," the others agreed, as if we were all talking about the same person.