MIDNIGHT FOUND the four friends cuddled up on the couch, socked feet tangled together beneath a mountain of thick blankets. The embers of the fire were flickering low, casting long shadows about the homey room, and it was definitely Elaine's turn to get up and spark some life back into them — but she was currently fast asleep with her head on Cedric's chest. Softly, he ran his fingers through her silken hair, quietly humming a holiday tune. The plants were hunkered down for the night, warm and content in their tiny knitted hats and leaf-gloves; Helga Hufflepuff had been snoring softly in her golden portrait frame since half-past nine, and Elaine kept cuddling closer to him in her deep slumber, her warm body beckoning him to sleep as well. Cedric's hand slipped from her hair to slowly caress her arm as he leaned his head back against the arm of the sofa.
A small smile pulled at his lips as his eyes fluttered closed. With Elaine dreaming close to his heart; with Blake curled into Milo's lap, both of them having agreed to put aside their lover's spat! for one night — Cedric thought that not even heaven could be this peaceful. This full. His heart was filled to the absolute brim, and it almost seemed too good to be true, having friends this wonderful, this lovely. If he could be a soppy git, just for a second, he'd say that they were the true gift of his life, and they made him feel like it was Christmas every day. Cedric sighed softly and pulled Elaine closer as she squeezed him around the waist, her dreaming eyelids fluttering. This was all he really wanted for Christmas, he thought, just before he too drifted off.
VISIONS OF sugarplums, sure enough, danced through Elaine's head as the gentle beat of Cedric's heart pulled her further into the warm folds of sleep. Visions of gumdrops, of candy canes, of snowy lanes lined with gingerbread and pastures of grazing, red-nosed reindeer and Cedric's hand in hers made for sweet dreams, indeed. Dreams so sweet, she awoke in an evergreen cloud to the taste of candy, more sugary than a kiss on her tongue, still curled on the couch in Cedric's arms.
At some point in the night, however, Milo and Blake had gone to bed, and Elaine and Cedric had shifted to lie stretched out on the couch. They had also completely twisted around, and Cedric was now a solid wall of heat at her back, with his arms wrapped around her like he'd never let go, and her hands captured in his big ones. One of his arms was draped lazily over her waist, and the other was beneath her head, like a pillow. His face was pressed into the crook of her neck, with his soft curls tickling her ear and his warm, slow breaths grazing her bare shoulder, where her sweater had slipped slightly down.
Elaine pulled the heavy blankets closer around them, content in their warm cocoon, and twisted slightly to look at Cedric, still fast asleep. Sleepily, she wondered if maybe she was still dreaming.
Her eyes mapped out his constellations of freckles, admiring how they slipped over his sharp cheekbones to dust the smooth planes of his face. Her favorite freckle was a tiny, heart-shaped one on his cheek, just to the right of his nose, and it was like a secret only Elaine knew — as it was small enough that you needed to be quite close to see it. Elaine felt her cheeks grow pink as she noticed just how close they were, with their bodies flush against each other and their breaths mingling and their noses a mere heartbeat apart.
Cedric's eyelids fluttered slightly, and he pulled her into his chest with a sleepy little groan. Suddenly, dove gray irises were all she could see, and Elaine smiled drowsily as she slipped around to face him fully, though his arms remained hooked around her waist, and the space between them, if anything, only grew smaller.
"You were shivering," Cedric murmured, his honeycomb voice thick with sleep. "Your hands were cold. I wanted to keep them warm for you."
"Aren't you just an angel," she whispered with a little laugh. The soft smile at her lips widened as she brushed his curls out of his eyes, her fingers lingering upon his cheek.
Elaine, as enraptured as she was with the human embodiment of light before her, was dimly aware of the impetuous potted ivy ( the one that was so fond of playing with her hair ) hanging above them. It was gently waving a few of its yellow-mittened leaves in an attempt to catch their attention. She twisted her head slightly to look up as Cedric squeezed his eyes shut and yawned widely. Slowly, it reached to receive something from a few of the succulents and tiny shrubs on the windowsill, and Elaine's heart almost stopped beating completely when she noticed what the ivy was trying to hang over them.
Mistletoe.
She looked back at Cedric, his hair mused with sleep, and felt her heart in her throat. She wondered if maybe she should just... kiss him. She could blame it on the mistletoe, if it was awkward and he pulled away; she could say she was just following the very set-in-stone traditions — so in stone they were basically laws — of her favorite holiday! Festivity basically demanded that she kiss him. It was terribly bad luck, not to kiss beneath the mistletoe.
( Elaine really had no idea if that was true, but it was her favorite Christmas philosophy, and one she kept close to her love-filled heart. )
Her fingers, still resting lightly upon his cheek, trembled, and as he felt her shake, Cedric slipped her hand into his and held them against his chest. His calloused palms were warm enough that she felt his touch upon the very strings of her heart, such that they began to strum a tune of her utter adoration and devotion to him. His eyes were heartbreakingly soft as he gently squeezed her chin between his thumb and forefinger with his free hand, a smile spilling across his angelic features.
"Happy Christmas, Ceddie," she murmured, fighting to keep her eyes on his, when all she really wanted was to look at his lips.
"Happy Christmas, Ellie," he answered, his thumb lightly caressing her chin.
Dimly, she was aware of the potted ivy, shaking with excited anticipation as it unfurled the mistletoe above them; vividly, she was aware of how little distance truly separated them, of how she thought she might be leaning in, of how, maybe, he might be too.
But a blinding flash and a cheery little pop! startled them both, surprising Cedric so badly he nearly fell off of the couch entirely. Really, he would have if Elaine's first response to the sudden shock hadn't been to grab his shoulders and loop her legs around him, quite like a fluffy koala holding onto a tree.
Blake Barrett, grinning like a madman with a Santa Claus hat perched jauntily upon his head and Elaine's camera around his neck, grabbed the polaroid that popped out of the top of the camera and planted a big kiss first on Elaine's head and then Cedric's. The dancing bumblebees on the strap really complimented his yellow and black plaid pajamas, Elaine thought. Milo shuffled out of the dormitory a second later in his too-short pajama pants ( the problems of being so blooming tall! ). He was rubbing his tired eyes with one hand and scratching his side with the other, but he returned Elaine's warm smile in kind.
A second later, Blake began to shake the polaroid in time with the awful interpretive dance he had begun to do, and he broke out into song, snapping pictures of himself all the while.
"Rockin' around —" he chanted, spinning in a circle around the common room and snagging one of Milo's hands in his to drag him along too, "the Christmas tree! At the Christmas party hop!"
"Be careful!" Elaine called, her soft voice coming out softer than usual, still clouded with the lavender hues of sleep. Unlike Milo ( who was typically a morning person ), Elaine was a very sleepy human who, on occasion, preferred her dream world to the real one. If koalas had a human form, it would have been Elaine Gallagher. "I don't have much film left, and I want to make sure I get pictures tonight."
Blake gave no sign of hearing her and then, having already made a loop around the room, leaped up onto the coffee table and began shaking his hips wildly. Elaine and Cedric, who were cuddled on the couch still looking very much like a koala and her tree, wordlessly watched the spectacle of Blake dancing on the table, shaking his arse like his life depended on it.
"Mistletoe hung where you can see!" he belted out, swiping the mistletoe from the leaves of the potted ivy and then promptly dropping his arse low. ( In another life, he was a stripper, he'd said. That was where his excellent dance moves came from. ) "Every couple tries to stop!"
Milo had sunk down in exasperation upon the pile of pillows next to the Christmas tree itself, and the blinking, multicolored string lights nestled amidst their verdant bed of pine needles shimmered like rich gemstones upon his dark umber skin. He leaned his head back to rest against a wrapped box, and the enchanted, glittery golden bow began to excitedly poke his forehead. Despite that, he already appeared to be dozing off again as Blake leaped dramatically off the table and threw himself down next to Milo, waggling the mistletoe over them.
"Rockin' around the Christmas tree!" Blake shouted in Milo's ear, causing the latter to jolt back awake. Blake then reached up and swiped a string of puffy popcorn off of the tree to loop around a very unamused Milo's neck, like a scarf. "Let the Christmas spirit ring!"
At this point, even Helga Hufflepuff had woken up, though she seemed to be enjoying the show. ( Making her the only one. ) Helga was clapping along in time to Blake's singing and toasting him with a mug of steamy apple cider. With a little holly wreath perched on her thick, dark curls like a halo and a rosy flush upon her hickory brown cheeks, she epitomized "Christmas Angel." Which was fitting, because the angel that crowned the top of the chubby Christmas tree in the Hufflepuff Common Room looked remarkably like their Founder.
Elaine the Koala finally disentangled herself from Cedric and sat up to look over the back of the couch at the two of them, now propped up on their elbows in front of the Christmas tree, illuminated by blinking, jovial light. Strings of garland had also been unwound at Blake's hands and were draped over Milo's shoulders like cords of holiday glee, and he sat surprisingly still as Blake freed a tiny badger ornament from a branch and hooked it through his left earring hole.
Cedric shifted to sit up beside her, and one of his hands absentmindedly began to smooth down her sleep-tangled hair. "I think that badger really brings out your eyes, Miles," he said. "You should keep it in."
"Later we'll have some pumpkin pie and we'll do some caroling!" Blake finished singing, as loudly as he possibly could, and Milo flopped back against the pillows, crushing the popcorn.
"You shouldn't eat pumpkin pie," Milo grumbled, reaching up to fiddle with the Christmas ornament hanging from his earlobe. "You're mildly allergic to pumpkin."
"No, I'm not!" Blake said quickly. "Allergies are a weakness! Only a real git would be allergic to pumpkins. Hah, that's so embarrassing, why would you even say that?"
"Because you're a git, and my New Year's Resolution is to speak my truth."
"Well, it's Christmas, bitchass, so just wait a few more days," Blake snorted, and then shoved the camera in Milo's face to snap a shot of him before he jumped to his feet. "Now! Presents! Ellie, I'll open yours first, what'd you get me?"
"Oh, B," Elaine sighed, shaking her head softly in amusement as a little smile played at her lips. Cedric climbed off the couch and disappeared into the dormitory with another little yawn.
"Here's yours," Blake said, handing her all the pictures he'd taken. "The gift of love and friendship."
Elaine couldn't help the wildfire blush that burned at her cheeks as she looked at the picture on top — the picture of her and Cedric, cuddled close enough they could've been two heads sharing the same body, as a whisper of mistletoe uncurled above their heads. His hand on her chin, hers curled into his chest; her lips parted and his eyelids fluttering softly as he swallowed. Merlin's purple pants, she looked like a lovestruck idiot.
She quickly began to flip through the others as Cedric came hurrying back into the common room with a mountain of gifts in his arms. She couldn't even begin to tell you how many pictures of himself singing Blake had taken, all of them showing him from the most obscure angles. In one of them, all that could be seen was the comical wiggling of his eyebrow and the flash illuminating his muddy brown eyes. And there was Milo, frowning at the camera with a honey badger in his ear.
A pile of presents tumbled onto the cushions before her, followed by a handful of envelopes, the fattest of which bore Ben's signature chicken scratch. She couldn't contain herself, and, with a tiny squeak of excitement, tore immediately into the letter. As she unfolded the thick pages, a handful of photos tumbled into her lap.
Els —
It's Christmas. The world is gay, and so am I. I thought this would be a good note to start on, and, if you're not sitting already, you might want to be. I'll just come right out and say it — I have found the one person in the entire world that I wish to grow old with. I feel like you, a hopeless romantic, in saying so, but it's true! Bill is the only person in the world for me, and I know our souls were cut from the same cloth.
Yes, Bill! Billiam Weasley is my boyfriend. Who would've thought, right? ( Though, he hates when I call him that. )
The Christmas wish I've been holding onto for years has finally come true. Bill's returned from Egypt and gotten a job at Gringott's, and he needed a place to stay, so he's been crashing with me and Parker, and... you know what they say — feelings that come back are feelings that never left. So, we're dating! Truthfully, I've never been happier in my entire life, so maybe being a romantic does help. Also, having Lili — my platonic soulmate — around helped too, because Bill loves flowers and she knew the perfect arrangements to get him! Does Cedric like flowers? She could help you too. And I've set Lili up with Tonks ( who I'm sure you remember from this summer), to return the favor, and they may be even more madly in love than Bill and I!
At that, Elaine couldn't help the little yelp of excitement that burst out of her as she cried, "Bill and Ben!" — holy fudge, she was absolutely buzzing! That had to be the most wonderful news she had ever heard in her entire life. The fact that after this long ( after so many years of friendship and hinted feelings, only for things to fizzle out just as they'd been getting started when Bill left ), they had finally sorted things out and realized that they were supposed to be together gave her more happiness and hope than she ever thought possible. Plus, it gave her the opportunity to rub in Ben's face that yes — being a romantic was the most lovely and happy thing a person could be! Bill and Ben!
Bill — fun-loving and independent and adventurous and effortlessly cool, with his dragonskin boots and his earring that Ben had gone with him to get. Ben — determined and brave and loyal and wonderfully caring, with a laugh that rivaled the greatest symphonies and a scarab beetle tattoo that Bill had gone with him to get. Bill and Ben — they were written in the stars. The prospect of having another brother, and having that brother be Bill Weasley, made her heart soar. ( And, the idea of Ben being the happiest he'd ever been made her heart do numerous acrobatic somersaults. )
Biting back another giddy yelp of absolute glee, she continued through the rest of her brother's letter, her entire body shaking with excitement.
Home feels different without you this year. Mainly because I miss your fudge. ( Bill misses it too, he says it might be better than Molly's, but don't you dare tell anyone that! ) It's not like I miss you, because I don't, but if I did, I'd tell you that things aren't nearly as bright and festive around here without your laugh bringing joy to the world and your dreadful shower serenades.
I may not miss you, but Parker does. He sleeps in your bed every night, and watches the front window every day waiting for you to come home. I keep trying to tell him that you're at school trying to woo his future father, but I think Park is a little selfish and wants you all to himself. He didn't seem too keen on the idea of having a new dad. He currently has two, and I think he may be getting a little tired of spending so much time around me and Bill — he definitely misses his mum.
I hope you enjoy your gift this year. I know you prefer to give, but you need something nice too. I also know that you're always cold, so maybe this will help keep you warm. Think of it as me ( and Parker, he's pawing at my leg to remind me that I need to include him ) sending you a big, warm, pink hug. Happy Christmas, Nugget!
I love you endlessly, Elaine.
Bill and I are planning to come visit soon!
All my love, Ben
P.S. — I hope all is going well with Cedric! Try and snatch a kiss tonight. It's bad luck not to kiss beneath the mistletoe! And seriously, let me know if you need flowers. I get a discount at Lili's flower shop.
There was a tiny heart and a paw print stamped in purple ink beside her brother's name. Positively beaming, Elaine hurriedly flipped through the pictures her brother had sent. Pictures of him and Bill Weasley, of him and Lili Nolan and purple-haired Tonks, pictures of their parents, pictures of Parker — and, finally, her favorite. Amidst the moving pictures, amidst all the laughing and growing smiles and sharing of looks and hugs ( and even one of Ben kissing Bill's cheek, in which Bill's face was almost as red as his hair ), amidst all of Parker's slobbery kisses and wagging tails, there was one that stood out — one that was utterly still. In a world full of wondrous things, it was the mundane that became truly magical.
Every year, Elaine and Ben would recreate a photo they'd taken Elaine's first Christmas. Ben always sat beneath the stockings hung with care upon the fireplace, dressed in his most festive Christmas pajamas, and Elaine was always rocked upon his lap in her favorite Christmas nightgown ( because she very much adored Christmas nightgowns, they made her feel like a holiday fairy! ). And this year, because they couldn't recreate it, Ben had sent her the original.
Forever frozen in time, eight-year-old Ben Gallagher, dressed to the nines in a Christmas-themed Star Wars pajama set, cradled a tiny bundle of holiday green and golden baby hair against his chest, beaming brightly at the camera with a mouth full of missing baby teeth. There was a scratch on Ben's chin from falling off his bike, and he had a Darth Vader bandaid plastered over it. One of Elaine's chubby baby hands was wrapped around Ben's thumb, and her toothless mouth was gaping open in a wide, innocent grin. In the corner of the shot hung a mirror, and barely visible was the top of her mother's head. Pale golden hair — just like Ben's, just like Elaine's.
If anyone was truly an angel, it was Benjamin Gallagher. Ben, the brave and selfless and strong. Ben, with the brightest smile in every room and the warmest hugs. Ben, who meant everything and more to her. Ben, who deserved the entire world, who deserved the sun and moon and all the stars on a silver platter. Ben, who deserved unconditional love — and Elaine knew Bill would give it to him.
Dewdrop tears clung to her eyelashes, but Elaine wiped them away before they could fall. Eagerly, she searched the pile in front of her for the gift Ben had sent. It was shoddily wrapped in bumblebee wrapping paper, with a bright purple bow on top, and she eagerly ripped into the box to find the most adorable jacket she had ever seen. It was soft corduroy colored a delicate shade of rose pink, and as she eagerly pulled it on, she truly felt as if Ben and Parker were sending her a warm hug from home. Partially because a few of Park's golden puppy hairs clung to the sleeves, and partially because Ben owned a brown jacket just like it. Tucked into the pockets, she found a tiny scrap of paper bearing one of Ben's sketches of Parker in his Christmas sweater, smudged slightly from where her brother's fingers had passed over the graphite.
Elaine rubbed the arms of the jacket, feeling wonderfully warm deep in her heart, and shuffled through the rest of the letters. There was one from her mum and dad, writing about work at St. Mungo's and the Ministry and sending their love, that accompanied a box with four pairs of thick woolen socks, enchanted to change color depending on Elaine's mood, and a collection of recipes cut out of the papers, all of them annotated with notes from her mum. There was a letter from Lili and Tonks, a letter from sweet Charlie Weasley sending his well-wishes ( and a picture of him beaming beside the blue-gray Swedish Short-Snout that had burned Cedric ), and a letter from Bill, that had her nearly as excited as the letter from Ben.
Elaine —
Christmas miracles seem to be abounding this year, so hopefully things will work out for you and Cedric Diggory tonight! I have to say, I've been waiting for this one since your first year. I can still see the look in your eyes on the platform that day, when you two first met. I knew it as surely then as I do now — you two are meant for each other. I know I felt the same way about Ben, all those years ago. But don't wait as long as we did — don't waste any time together! I'm sending my best wishes and a little bit of luck, not that you'll need it. Happy Christmas, Ellie! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!
Warmly, Bill
Slipped into the envelope was a delicate golden pendant bearing the Eye of Ra — for a little bit of luck, and Elaine felt her cheeks growing warm with love.
Bill and Ben! She could barely contain her joy. All she wanted to do was sprint to the top of the owlery and shout her happiness to the world, letting it resonate off the snowy mountaintops and shake the icy firs and cedars. She wanted to sing her delight to the birds, allow it to paint the sky in vibrant pinks and reds and purples. Her heart was higher even than cloud nine at the thought of it, at the thought of them — of Bill Weasley potentially becoming her brother.
As hard as it was to put aside their gifts, Elaine made herself do so, but the thought of Bill and Ben stayed on her mind. Bill and Ben! Next, she tore through Blake's present to her, which was an empty box that he had written "My Friendship" in, and from Milo, a dainty golden hair pin lined with pearls. It was meant to match the dress, she knew — Milo's real gift, and the cause of his recent sleepless nights — and she couldn't wait to see it.
"What'd you get?"
The couch shifted as Blake, Milo, and Cedric all collapsed on it, all of them dressed in a wild assortment of new clothes. Milo was wearing four different colored sweaters, and holding the leather-bound, hand-illustrated copy of Macbeth she had gotten him. Blake was wearing at least two jackets and a pair of jeans over his plaid sleep pants. His dark hair was pulled back into his signature bun with all three of the pastel hair scarves she gave him. And Cedric was wearing her pink hat and her gift to him — a pink and banana yellow Snitch-dotted scarf she'd knitted to match. ( She was pretty positive he would never give her hat back. It had become a staple of his daily wardrobe, and if she wasn't giving his scarf back, she needed to replace it! )
"Bill and Ben are dating!" Elaine cried excitedly, hugging the pink jacket closer and squeezing Bill's pendant in her palm. Her whole body was fidgeting, thrumming with positive energy, with all the light and love and joy in the universe — and it felt just like Ben's arms around her on a cool autumn day. "Isn't that just the best gift! And they're coming to visit soon! Oh, I just can't wait to see them! Could today get any better!"
Cedric laughed as he presented her with the final present. The one from him. "Are you sure you didn't save the best for last?" he teased, and she playfully tugged both ends of his pink scarf.
Blake shoved Cedric from behind, sending him pitching forward into Elaine's arms and causing her cheeks to flush madly. Evergreen and warm cinnamon apples, childlike curiosity and crisp autumn rain surrounded her as Cedric pushed Blake back and then laid his head in her lap.
Crossly, Blake said, "My present was obviously the best. I'm the gift that keeps on giving."
At the other end of the couch, Milo rolled his eyes with a sigh, shaking his head softly and causing the badger in his ear to begin a little enchanted dance. Elaine knew exactly what he was thinking, at the tender blossom of warmth in his smile as he looked at Blake. Merlin, I'm in love with an idiot.
Cedric's present was, simply put, wonderful. Wonderful and lovely and incredible; so much so that Elaine almost began to cry as she pulled the gift out of the box. He'd given her his gloves — his soft, cozy, warm gloves to match his soft, cozy, warm scarf that was currently looped around one of the posts of her bed, so she wouldn't lose it. Immediately, she slipped his gloves onto her hands ( because they were always cold! ), though they were much too big, and it was almost as sweet as holding his hand in hers.
"Thank you, Ced," she beamed, pinching his cheeks. Her hair fell like a curtain around them, and his eyes gleamed like polished silver as he looked up at her. "My fingers will never be cold again."
"I don't mind warming them up for you," he grinned back, grabbing her hands in his and resting them on his shoulders. Even through the thick fabric she could feel the warmth of his touch. "If they ever do."
And just when she thought she couldn't fall even more ( unrequitedly ) in love with him!
THE NEXT few festive hours were filled with fun. There was a massive snowball fight orchestrated by the Weasley twins, and Elaine was quite proud of her aim — she hit Lee Jordan square in the face! ( And promptly stood up to apologize, which resulted in George pelting her with a snowball. ) A snowman and snow angel ( Elaine's favorite! ) competition in the fresh white powder that dusted the grounds like sugar followed, and as their noses steadily became rosier and their cheeks flushed with cold, they all filed inside for mugs of hot chocolate and peppermint candy canes in the Great Hall. Joyous Christmas caroling in the corridors was next on the list, and that led the four friends to the kitchens, where they baked sugar cookies and gingerbread using reindeer cookie cutters that Dobby had bought for Elaine, and, of course, there were endless photos.
Elaine's pockets were positively bursting with polaroids from that day. There were shots of Blake baking, which was a first for him; of Milo and his badger ornament earring cradling Tad the Toad in his tiny Santa Claus hat; of Cedric guffawing as he very dramatically read through A Christmas Carol, complete with unique voices for each character and the occasional acting scene. And even though Elaine didn't much like her own picture being taken, there were photos of her wearing Cedric's scarf and gloves, and her in Ben and Parker's pink jacket whilst she had been in the middle of crying about how excited she was to see Bill and Ben and how much she loved them both.
Their friendship truly was the gift that kept on giving, and Elaine's heart was already full to bursting as the sun began to sink and Milo pulled her into the empty classroom that he'd been using as a workshop for the past few days. It was then that she really began to cry, the type of crying with big, fat tears that turned her eyes puffy and her cheeks splotchy and made her nose all red and sniffly.
Milo had been keeping the whole dress affair very secret. His older sister was a big Muggle designer, and Milo often spent his summers helping her in her workshop. He was quite skilled with a needle and thread. ( Dainty embroidery was his specialty; it was because of his pianist's fingers. ) Elaine knew his sister had sent Milo designs and supplies, and she had begged to help, because truly it was her fault for not getting a dress that summer, but Milo had insisted on doing all the work himself and had kept the gown a surprise. ( And, not to be dramatic, but the anticipation had been killing her! ) Now that it was finally unveiled, however, all she could do was cry.
"Milo!" she wailed, and grabbed him into the tightest hug she possibly could. "What did I ever do to deserve you? You're incredible!"
Milo's laugh was warm, like rich chocolate, as he squeezed her back. "I think the real question is, what did I do to deserve you? Happy Christmas, Ellie."
As she pulled away, tears slipping over her cheeks like fat raindrops, the door to the classroom burst open and two people tumbled in.
"Holy fuck!" one of them cried, as the other said, much more gently, "Ç'est la plus belle robe, Milo."
A squeak of excitement escaped Elaine as she then tackled both Adrianne and Lucien, both of whom were already dressed and looking positively radiant. Adrianne was wearing a gown of black silk, darker than the night sky, and as she spun a little, the gown gleamed violet within its folds. Lucien was wearing sharp black dress robes, though his shirt was unbuttoned at the top, exposing a small, pale blue locket, shaped like a heart. They were both giggling, smelling slightly of firewhisky, and as she released them, Adrianne planted a fat, lipsticked kiss on her cheek, which Lucien immediately began to wipe away.
"I asked these two if they would help you get ready," Milo said, a shy smile on his face.
"I'm incredible with hair," Adrianne gushed, running her fingers through her smooth, auburn locks. Her typically wild mass of curls had been straightened into the sleekest, shiniest silk Elaine had ever seen. She then brandished a bag that appeared to be full of curling instruments and mini bottles of firewhisky. She winked a glittery eyelid as she said, "I did Lucien's too."
Lucien laughed, his satiny platinum hair tucked behind his ears, as he held up a bag of his own. "Le maquillage," he grinned. "I 'ave two younger sisters, so I learned from ze best."
Milo fiddled with his fingers and nudged Elaine's side. "I figured they'd be better help than me. I need to go get ready myself, but I'll meet you back here and we can walk to the hall together."
"I love you, Milo," Elaine smiled, pulling him close again.
"I love you, El."
Elaine felt like she'd magically been transformed into a fairytale princess, with her forest animal friends helping her prepare for the ball with the charming prince of her dreams. Time slipped by quickly in a flurry of Adrianne pulling at her hair ( which had become all tangled from a day of holiday festivities ) and Lucien sliding glimmering eyeshadow across her eyelids and dusting her cheeks with blush, his light fingers tapping shimmering powder against her cheekbones.
As Lucien put the final touches on her mascara, his pale eyes gleaming like two aquamarine jewels, Elaine said, "If you were a forest animal, I think you'd be a blue bird."
At that, he grinned widely, exposing a set of perfectly straight teeth that shone like pearls. "You are ze only princess I would sing for."
"Mais non, I think Lucien is more of a skunk," Adrianne said, her fingers teasing the loose curls of Elaine's hair.
"Ah, Adri," Lucien sighed, "mon chérie poubelle. I zink you are talking about yourself."
"Fuck off, Lucie," the willowy girl laughed, slipping around Elaine to admire her work from the front.
"Adri, you'd be a deer," Elaine said, tapping her chin. "Cho would be a cute little mouse, I think."
Adrianne, who was never flustered, burned red at the mention of Cho. Young love. "How about we get you into this dress, yeah? Lucien, turn around."
Lucien immediately spun to face the other wall, squeezing his eyes shut, and Adrianne tugged Elaine to her feet and led her towards where Milo's gown hung. Saying it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her entire life was definitely an understatement. It was clear to her how much time and effort Milo had put into making it as beautiful as he possibly could, and all his sleepless nights had been spent on the intricate embroidery about the skirt.
The dress was made of the palest gold silk, with thin straps and a fitted bodice adorned with nearly every flower imaginable, delicately outlined in gold thread. There were clusters of ambrosia and sprites of lily of the valley, interwoven with tiny peach blossoms and daffodils and chrysanthemums that slipped into a slightly flared skirt, with intricate floral embroidery that tumbled down the fabric like falling ivy and honeysuckle vines that tickled the hem with little laughing leaves and flitting songbirds. All the flowers Milo had chosen were symbols of love, friendship, and happiness.
It looked like it had come from a dream, as perfect and wonderful as it was, and it fit like a dream as Adrianne zipped her up. It was, without a doubt, a fairytale dress, and Elaine's heart swelled. "You look beautiful," Adrianne smiled, tucking a curl behind Elaine's ear with Milo's golden hair pin.
"Belle of ze ball," Lucien beamed, spinning back around.
"I did pretty well, didn't I?" A figure in the doorway said, and Elaine's jaw dropped. Dressed in all black, with bold, golden earrings, Milo Wagoner was smiling cheekily, hands stuffed into his pockets. He'd exchanged his glasses for contacts, and his big eyes were filled with joy.
"Milo! You look lovely!" A second later, Elaine had engulfed him again, her bare feet flying across the stone floor. "I can't even begin to tell you how much this all means to me. Thank you."
"It's nothing, Ellie," he smiled, presenting her with her favorite shoes — a pair of pink, strappy, low heeled sandals. As soon as she'd slipped them on, he held out his elbow. "Ready?"
"I've never been more ready," Elaine smiled, and then held out her arm to grab Adrianne and Lucien.
Together, arm-in-arm, the four of them made their way towards the Great Hall, with Adrianne and Lucien exchanging subtle insults and Milo and Elaine quietly humming, to assuage their nerves.
"I'm terrified, Miles," she whispered. "There are so many butterflies in my stomach."
"You look like an angel," Milo murmured back, squeezing her arm comfortingly. "He'll be the one with butterflies."
She giggled. "I'm sorry about Blake," she said. "I really thought you two were going to go together."
"So did I," Milo sighed. "But, it doesn't matter! Tonight is about having fun!"
"FUN!" Adrianne cried, and dragged them into a side alcove where she promptly pulled a handful of mini bottles out of a secret pocket in her dress. She passed them around with a maniacal grin, knocking back two of them without so much as a blink. Elaine, meanwhile, shuddered violently as the alcohol burned down her throat like liquid flame, pooling in her chest like a firedrake. But at least she felt a bit less nervous as she hiccuped.
Adrianne couldn't have pulled out the alcohol sooner, Elaine thought, because suddenly they were at the top of the stairs and she thought she might pass out because she was so nervous. But an instant later, her eyes found Cedric, looking wonderfully handsome in his classy white and black dress robes, complete with his adorable bowtie. His soft, caramel curls were perfectly, messily styled in such a way that all she wanted was to run her hands through them. Her eyes found him, and utter peace stilled her racing heart, because it was Cedric, and that was his magic — making everything okay. Everything would always be okay, as long as she had him, and all she wanted was to sprint into his arms.
Cedric turned away from Blake, and the world froze as his gaze met hers, as his face slipped easily into a lopsided, cheerful grin. He looked at her as if she was the only person in the world, as if she was the only thing he cared about, and she suddenly felt invincible, like she could do anything with him by her side.
"Wow," was all he said as he smiled down at her and took her hand from where it rested on Milo's arm. He raised it to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers, and it was almost like they were the only two people in the hall. "You look... radiant."
"You don't look half bad yourself," she teased, eyes still locked on his.
"Think fast!" Blake cried, raising Elaine's camera, which was still strapped around his neck. He'd chosen the pastel pink hair ribbon to accentuate his bun that evening, no doubt to match the camera that he planned to use all night. Cedric pulled Elaine into his side as Blake said, "Look sexy!" and snapped away. Then he spun towards Milo and took a photo looking up at him.
From behind, Professor Sprout came hurrying up to them. "Mr. Diggory! Miss Gallagher!" Professor Sprout beamed, looking over the pair of them. "You two make a lovely couple! A very good-looking pair, indeed. The pride of Hufflepuff House! Now, if you both would care to follow me, it's time to begin the ball!"
Professor Sprout pulled them away from Blake and Milo, towards where Professor McGonagall was organizing the other champions and their partners. Fleur Delacour with Roger Davies, Viktor Krum with Hermione Granger ( who looked stunning ), and Harry with Ron Weasley. ( Elaine thought Harry and Ron looked quite sweet, with their looped arms and their tomato red faces. ) She grinned excitedly at Harry, Ron, and Hermione as she and Cedric slipped into line, and they watched the other students file into the hall and line the entrance. Blake had staked out a spot near the front, with his French date next to him, and he had the camera raised like a proud mum. Adrianne and Cho were standing just behind them, already swaying slightly to a tune of their ( and the firewhisky's ) own making, and Milo and Lucien stood on the other side.
As Fleur and Roger began to proceed forward, Elaine glanced up and beamed at Cedric, only to find him already looking down at her with a funny little smile on his face. She didn't have time to ask what he was thinking though as Viktor and Hermione began moving, and they closely followed.
The hall erupted in applause as the champions and their partners filed through, and Elaine didn't even try to contain her massive grin as she waved to her friends, though she blushed madly at Fred and George Weasley's wolf whistles. As they found their spot on the dance floor, and Cedric's hand came to rest lightly on her waist, her blush only grew. She placed one hand on his shoulder and with the other, laced her fingers through his. They fit so perfectly together, it was like her hand belonged in his.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Harry and Ron fumbling into the most awkward dance position she had ever seen, with both of them scuffling to decide who would be lead and who would follow. And after a brief flurry of exasperated motion, Harry's hand was on Ron's hip, and the young Weasley's cheeks burned brighter than his hair.
The music began, and as one, Cedric and Elaine began to glide across the dance floor like they were the only pair in the room. It was just them and a soft, romantic waltz; it was just his hand in hers, and his gentle grip on her waist, and her eyes locked on his. They were perfectly matched, moving as though the music was born from their hearts, beating in time to the same rhythm, the same tender flames of love.
He spun her around, her skirt with its tumbling honeysuckle a fan about her feet, her laughter singing brighter than the violins. Cedric pulled her back in, his warm hands tickling her waist as he lifted her easily, elegantly, as though she were lighter than a feather. Her curls fell softly about them as he held her aloft, and all she could think about was how easy it would be to simply lean down and capture his lips with hers.
There was no one but them as they swept around the dance floor, his grip impossibly tender as he matched her move for move. She could tell he'd been receiving dance lessons, so he wouldn't step on her toes like he tended to do — not that she even minded, she just loved to dance with him. They waltzed through crowds of students and teachers without notice, enraptured as they were in their own little world. He lifted her again in a spin, perfectly in time with the rest of the room.
The songs changed and changed, but they only danced and danced, content in their little bubble to swirl and twirl the night away beneath the violet veil of starlight above them. If you asked Elaine what she thought heaven might be like, she'd have to say that it felt like this. Like Cedric's hand in hers, perfectly matched as they swayed to the rhythms of their synchronous hearts without a single care in the world.
As the night wound down and the moon rose higher and higher in the sky, many of the students drifted off the dance floor and headed towards their beds. Milo and Blake had disappeared some time ago ( in a bit of an argument, again ), as had Cho and Adrianne; Lucien and Fleur, Roger Davies and Blake's date had all vanished too. But Cedric and Elaine just kept dancing, growing closer and closer, until her head was resting against his chest as they swayed softly in place.
The last song of the night was one Cedric had requested, one he knew Elaine loved. The Way You Look Tonight. Frank Sinatra. Really, anything Frank Sinatra was bound to be one of Elaine's favorites, which he thought was extremely cute. He was humming along, gently guiding them in a slow circle, and it was honestly the most perfect feeling, the most perfect song, the most perfect moment.
"You're lovely, with your smile so warm, and your cheeks so soft. There is nothing for me but to love you, and the way you look tonight."
Elaine lifted her head from his chest and glanced up at him, with his soft curls tumbling over his gray eyes. "Cedric," she murmured. "You, my love, are wonderful. You're the only dance partner I'll ever need."
"Elaine," he breathed, his lips soft against her forehead in a gentle kiss. "Elaine. You are everything and more."
To her, this was heaven. His arms.
And, as Cedric was starting to wonder, maybe this, maybe she, was his idea of heaven too.
author's note: I LOVED THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH AND I LOVED THESE GRAPHICS SO MUCH AND I LOVE ELAIDRIC SO MUCH AND !!!!! I LOVE BILL AND BEN SO MUCH !!!
the world is gay. that is all.
I LOVE U ALL I HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS EVERYTHING YOU HOPED FOR AND MORE !!!
ALSO I HOPE THIS WASNT TOO LONG !!! I didn't want to split it up!!