December 1985
"Utterly ghastly," you said, making a face at the dress your friend, Violet, pulled from a rack in a shop in Hogsmeade. It was the Yule Ball, and you still hadn't picked out an ensemble for the dance at 8 that night.
"What will John be wearing?" Violet questioned, with a small, mischievous smile. You both giggled. John was your date to the event, and you asked the Slytherin the previous weekend. He was a handsome fifth year prefect, but horribly shy. You had met at the Sorting Ceremony in September, and became friends throughout the school year, yet staying only as good friends, while you flirted throughout the autumn. But, being the slightly boisterous Hufflepuff you were, you decided to ask him to the dance in the middle of breakfast last Saturday.
"He's wearing a black suit, and a green velvet bow tie. Isn't that so Great Gatsby? I can't wait," you gushed, your head leaning down to rest on the clothing rack next to you.
"Fantastic, great. So should we look for something green to match? What a Slytherin move to wear green to a dance. We get it, hiss hiss," she rolled her eyes. You and Violet became friends after a particularly embarrassing incident in Transfiguration. You two never told the full story, only explaining the ending, that- she ended up with my chicken's beak, and I had her pig's snout!
"Do I really have to match with that abhorrent house? How about a devilish black? Or present some house pride of my own, with something yellow? If every other bloody house can have a hard-on for their founder, so can we! We love you Helga!" you joked, pulling out a bright yellow mini skirt that looked straight out of the sixties, with neon pink flowers. You stick out your tongue in distaste.
"Vile! How is John," her voice dropped to a whisper, "or Professor Snape,'' it rose to normal volume, "going to notice and appreciate your beauty in a simple miniskirt? I recommend a simple green dress, with some fantastic shoulder pads."
You immediately cackled at her words. "What?" You barked out a laugh. "Professor Snape? I'd rather bite it than go with him," you giggled, imagining your teacher dancing to Bennie and the Jets, or worse, Thriller.
It was immensely difficult and repulsive to think of your teacher in a romantic way. Snape? With his brooding glare and his funeral march? Just yesterday, he had commended the elixir you were working on, and assigned a detention because right after he gave you full marks, you accidentally spilled the entire potion on his sleeve while leaning over to high five Violet, causing his sleeve to melt off.
"I'm only joking. He does favor you, but that could be because he's jealous of your Potion talent," she replied, pulling out a very distressed and old dress. "How about this one! It has character!"
"Um, Violet? It's the 1980s, not the 1880s. It would be great for a Death Day party, though." You grimaced. "Also, he definitely does not favor me. He gives me detention almost every class, for the measliest of jokes."
"Rose." She clicked her tongue in mock disapproval. "Haven't you noticed that almost everyone gets house points taken away, but you get detention? He wants to spend time with you outside of class! Not only that, but usually detention with Snape is utter torture. For you, though, he literally lets you do whatever you want, as long as it's in the classroom. You can do other homework, ask him questions. Occasionally he'll make you organize, but you like to organize, and he knows it! Everyone else has to scrub cauldrons, without magic, or polish, or some other grueling task."
You never really thought about that. It was true, though. When comparing his to Professor Sprout, for example, the favoritism was obvious. In Sprout's detention, she made her students fight feisty plants, usually coming our red, sweaty, and caked in dirt. While Snape's detention was like hanging out with a friend. Really, even if you didn't get detention, you would probably go to Snape's classroom at the end of the day anyway, unless you had an exam the next.
You changed the subject back to the task at hand. "AGHHHH. Is this hopeless? Am I doomed for an eternity of dress shopping? Will John wait forever outside of the Hufflepuff common room? Is my- ooh wait look at this!" you droned, but cut yourself off when you see the outfit of your dreams.
An emerald velvet jumpsuit with prominent shoulder pads. The neckline was a simple scoop, and there was a delicate lace trim around the sleeves. While you were looking for a dress, this was perfect. It was much more your style, and it was a great color. And only two galleons, since it was preowned. With your budget of five galleons, you could still afford an accessory, and you were hoping to find a new necklace or bracelet.
Violet gasped. "Rose! That jumpsuit is your destiny. Please buy it, immediately. Don't even try it on." She got down on her knees and pretended to bow down to the jumpsuit.
"C'mon, you silly thing. I'm going to try it on, but even if it doesn't fit, a simple engorgement or shrinking charm will work." You laughed, holding your hand out for her to stand.
She had picked out a maroon dress a few minutes ago, so you both run to the dressing rooms to try on your finds.
She stepped out first. "Rosaline! Hurry it up! It's already three and the dance begins at eight!" She tapped her foot, jokingly impatiently.
You stepped out. You both gasped looking at each other. While Violet's eyes threateningly got watery with tears, you laughed.
"Violet, please! We both look Dumble-adorable. There's no need to get emotional about it," you bantered, her tears falling as she laughs. "Jeez, what a Hufflepuff," You pretend to say to an imaginary person next to you.
"You look so great. John is going to faint when he sees you. Especially since you're wearing Slytherin green."
You both go up to buy your outfits, her going first, but a thought lingers with you when you wait for your chance to pay. What would Snape think? He would be there, you knew that from talking to him recently. Of course, when he told you he said it with an acidic tone, but that's just Snape. Would he bother talking to you outside of the classroom? You usually gave him a smile and finger guns if you saw him in the Great Hall or in corridors, and he typically returned it with a nod, or occasionally a funny salute or wave. But that's during school hours. What about at night, in a fancy setting?
You remark on this to yourself, but as you and Violet walk back to Hogwarts, after you find a silver necklace with a delicate sunflower charm, this thought leaves your mind and all you can imagine is dancing with John.
~ later ~
"Pass me the white eyeliner?"
"Rose! You've been hogging the blush for an eon!"
"Merlin, Violet, can you pay that owl already? It's been hooting for the last five minutes," you said, passing the blush as she rolls the eyeliner to you. Getting ready for a Christmas dance is no easy feat, especially with four other girls getting ready at the same time.
Your housemates were friendly, as they had been since first year, but they weren't actually your closest friends, like Violet, or Tara from Ravenclaw. Your housemates consisted of the short and blonde Diana, raven haired and impossibly beautiful Ophelia, and the optimistic Helena, with hair so blonde it looked white in the sun. They were your pals, sure, but they didn't understand you well, and were dreadfully oblivious to your humor. Complete bleeding-heart Hufflepuffs.
Rapidly, Violet reached over to the owl, took the package, and placed three sickles in the pouch attatched to the leg. She gave it a quick pet, then ran back to her chair.
"Thanks, random owl!" you called, hearing a faint hoot in the distance. "Who's got post?"
"The ever so popular Rosaline Knight, of course! It doesn't have a return name on the outside, though," Violet said, passing you the note.
You opened it, to see a very small potion vial, and a quick note in a familiar scrawl:
You might need this to endure four hours of dancing tonight.
You snorted.
Despite it not being marked with a name, you knew it was Professor Snape. The potion was a great yellow, with an almost glittery film coating the inner glass of the vial.
"Ooh, what's that?" Diana asked, looking confused.
"It's from Professor Snape. I'm pretty sure it's an Elixir to Induce Euphoria. Damn right, I'll need it if I need to get through tonight," you said. "I'll take it right before we leave, he probably altered the recipe so it lasts around four hours, so I'll need to save it until then."
You heard giggles, and turned around. All four of the girls were knowingly looking at each other.
"Merlin. What is wrong with you guys? He was making a bloody joke. He probably made one for himself, knowing that tonight was going to be utter torture, and thought it would be funny to send me some as well, because I mentioned that I'm not a big fan of long social interaction," you exclaimed, becoming increasingly more annoyed. Yeah, okay, it was a little bizarre, but that's Snape; it was a bloody gag.
"I'm sorry, Rosaline. I think that was quite nice of him," Helena remarked, giving you a pat on the shoulder.
The other girls apologized, afraid they genuinely hurt you. Bloody bleeding-heart Hufflepuffs.
"Guys, it's fine. Can we please play some Bowie, now?" you stated, pulling out Let's Dance.
Quickly, any tension dissolved as David Bowie remarks on the importance of dancing. All of you hurry to finish your make up to make it in time to dance to the chorus. David Bowie was an utter god.
"If you should fall into my arms
And tremble like a flower!"
You all sang, dancing ridiculously through the musical section. "You could look into my eyes," you and Violet sang, dramatically holding each other's faces.
"Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two.
If you should fall into my arms
And tremble like a flower..."
David sings in his iconic voice. As you and the other girls listened to the rest of the song, you pulled on your dresses (and jumpsuit). You wore your black chunky heels, hair freshly permed, and your sunflower necklace resting on your sternum.
"Fabulous! Fantastic!" you all said, complimenting each other.
"Shall we, depart-y?" you asked with a wide smile. Groans fill the Hufflepuff bedroom.
"Rose," the girls said, along with various ridicules, you catching the phrase, 'Helga would be ashamed.'
"C'mon, guys!" you exclaimed, quickly downing the potion and pull open the door. Immediately, a sense of giddiness fills you, and a bright smile dons your face. "I'm gonna make out with John tonight."
The other girls laughed and file out behind you. It would certainly be an interesting night.