Slughorn's Christmas Party.
Was I excited? Sure, why not. Who was I going with? Neville, of course. Did I want to go? Yeah, I guess.
I was nervous as I look at the dress I was wearing in the mirror. Navy blue silk covered with black lacy fabric. Sparkly high heels. I was kind of nervous about wearing these heels because they were higher then anything I had worn before. I had chosen these because my other choice was a pair of flats and I didn't want to look like a dwarf next to Neville.
I hated being short.
"You'll be fine," Bella said.
"I wish I had invited you to come," I said. "I'm starting to feel sick."
"Why?"
"I'm just nervous," I replied. Bella laughed.
"About what?" she asked. "There's nothing for you to worry about."
"I guess," I said. Bella took my hand and started to lead me down the stairs. We stopped before the turn.
"Okay, so don't eat to much, your breath will smell bad. And don't stay out to late," Bella warned. "Oh! And don't do the dirty!"
"Bella!" I exclaimed, my cheeks glowing. "First of all, I would never! And second, says the pregnant girl." I whispered the second part and Bella glared at me.
"Whatever," she said. "Just trying to help." I turned swiftly to walk down the steps but ended up losing my balance and falling the rest of my way down the stair, landing flat on my face at the bottom.
Laughter erupted throughout the Common Room and a sat up quickly, pulling my dress down so no one would see anything. I saw a hand reach down to me. I took it.
"Thank you, Seamus," I said quickly. I looked down at my shoes and noticed one of the heels had broken. "Crap," I muttered.
"Here," Bella came rushing down the stairs with the flats in her hand. I hesitantly took them and put them on, taking the broken heels off and handing them to Bella. I looked up at Seamus.
"Damn, I liked being taller then you," I mumbled.
"I'm taller then him," Bella said.
"Shut up," I huffed. "It's not my fault I'm short."
"I actually like it better when I can look down at you," Seamus said. "It makes me fell tall."
"Don't flatter yourself," I growled.
"Aly?" I turned at Neville's voice. "Are you okay? I heard some commotion. You didn't fall did you?"
"No. Absolutely not," I said firmly as Bella and Seamus burst out laughing behind me. "Seamus did."
"I did not!" Seamus exclaimed.
"See, he's in denial," I said. "Let's go." I grabbed Neville's arm and pretty much dragged him out of the Common Room.
"Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Splendid," I replied, looking up at him as we made our way to where the party would be held.
"You don't have to be sarcastic, Aly," Neville said and stopped walking. I turned around to face him, a few steps in front of him. "I'm just trying to help," he said.
"I..." my voice failed and I let my eyes find the floor.
"I don't want us to argue over something stupid," he said.
"I don't want us to either," I said. "I'm sorry. I was being immature."
Neville nodded his head and I reached out and took his hand in mine.
"Come on," I said. I walked next to Neville for awhile until we came to a door. There was music playing inside and you could hear people talking.
"Did you hear," Neville said, as we paused in front of the door, "there's supposed to be a vampire."
"A vampire?" I asked.
"Yeah," he replied. "Some person wrote about him in a book. At least, that's what I heard."
"Ah."
"Well, let's go in," he said. Neville walked forward and opened the door, pulling me in with him. I looked around, examining my surroundings. The walls had been decorated with streamers and colorful glitter and decorations. There were people in uniforms walking around and offering people drinks and food. I recognized some of them as fellow students. Then off in the corner, under the mistletoe was...no, it couldn't be...
"Is...is that Hermione?" I asked. "Under the mistletoe with Cormac?"
"Yeah, I think it is," Neville murmured beside me. I watched as they talked and Cormac leaned in. Hermione's eyes widened and she disappeared, walking away from him, quickly and quietly. I suppose he had his eyes closed because he didn't notice.
"Hermione?" I questioned as she passed us. She went to stand behind Neville.
"Oh, hi, Aly, Neville," she said.
"What are you doing here with Cormac?" I asked.
"Well...well I," she looked over, back towards the mistletoe, "oh god, here he comes." She disappeared again and I'm not sure where she went. I watched as Cormac passed by us.
"Hey, Aly," Neville said, nudging me with his arm, "do you suppose that's the vampire?"
I looked over to see a man talking with Slughorn. Standing next to him was an older and paler looking man who was eying a group of girls that were talking amoung themselves.
"I would suppose," I said. "Let's go say hi."
Neville and I walked over to Slughorn.
"Hi, Professor," I said cheerily.
"Ah, Miss Weasley!" Slughorn exclaimed, "Mr. Longbottom. I'm glad to see you came. May I interduce you to my old student, Eldred Worple, writer of the Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires. And then his friend, Sanguini."
I held out my hand to Worple and Neville did the same.
"Nice to meet you, sir," I said. Sanguini looked at us and nodded. I noticed he had dark bags under his eyes.
"Same," Worple replied.
"Come on, Neville," I said. "Nice seeing you, Professor, Mr. Worple." Neville and I walked away, taking a glass of punch from on the the trays. I watched as Harry came in with Luna and talked to Slughorn, Worple, and Sanguini. Then Harry and Luna walked away. Neville and I stood, leaning against a wall, sipping our punch as we watched everyone talk, laugh, eat, drink, and dance.
Suddenly the do slammed open and Filch came in dragging none other then Draco Malfoy by the ear. Everything went silent.
"Professor Slughorn," Filch said, "I discovered this boy lurking in and upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"
I closed my mouth in a straight line. Hoping, praying that he wouldn't look over towards me.
Malfoy pulled away from Filch looking absolutely furious.
"All right, I wasn't invited!" he exclaimed. "I was trying to gatecrash, happy?"
"No, I'm not!" Filch replied. "You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the headmaster say that nighttime prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"
"That's all right, Argus," Slughorn said. "It's Christmas, and it's not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment; you mat stay, Draco."
I'm not sure if Malfoy or I was more unhappy. Malfoy looked rather furious, even though he just got out of punishment.
"Thank you, sir," Malfoy said, putting on a fake smile that I could see right through.
"It's nothing, nothing," Slughorn said, waving his hand in dismissal. "I did know your grandfather, after all...."
I toned out the rest of the conversation after I say Malfoy's eyes flicker over to me. He smirked in my direction, glancing at Neville. I crinkled my nose at him and grabbed Neville's arm.
"Come on," I said. I took us so that we were standing behind one of the curtains that was hung up and sat down on the nearest chair.
So may questions were swirling around in my head. What was Malfoy doing out? Why had he seemed so unhappy?
I looked around the curtain to see Malfoy, Snape, and Harry were gone. I shifted uncomfortably.
"I'd like to leave," I said quietly.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"I'm sure," I replied, nodding my head.
"Okay." I took the hand Neville offered and he helped me up.
"Thanks," I murmured.
We walked across the room and out the door. Everything was quiet as we walked towards Gryffindor Tower. Neville stopped walking.
"Aly, I never got a chance to actually ask you," he said.
"Ask me what?"
"Will...will you be my girlfriend?"
I stood, frozen for a minute before my brain regisered what he said. I blinked a few times.
My god, why was I waiting? The obvious answer was yes! I'm such an idiot.
"Aly...?"
I opened my mouth and closed it again and I felt tears coming to my eyes. Why couldn't I talk? Why couldn't I answer him?
"Aly...it's okay if you say no, I just-"
I ran, making his sentence cut short. I ran away from him, straight into Gryffindor Tower, up the stairs, and into my room just as I burst into tears. Bella, who was sitting on her bed reading a muggle magazine glanced up at me with concern.
"Aly?"
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Aly's dress to the side ->
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