* 3 Months Later *
"With the school year coming to an end, the Summer Solstice Formal is approaching." Dumbledore announced, earning groans and cheers from the crowd of third year and ups.
Dinner had been late that night, probably because Dumbledore had to recite the regulations and rules about the Summer Solstice Formal, which was held every year; this being one of them. After the long speech, the headmaster presented food.
"So... You going with Cedric, then?" Vivid smirked, chewing delightfully on a chicken bone.
"Probably." Lillian shrugged, poking at her green beans with her fork.
"Cillian... Cute." Aspen joked as Lillian play shoved her.
"And how about... Draspen?" Vivid smiled smugly as Aspen turned to stare at her food.
She hadn't talked to Draco at all ever since he decided to have his father send an executioner to kill Buckbeak. Honestly, her anger towards him had worn off ever since she learned that Harry and Hermione traveled back and time and saved him... which was a relief.
"Aspen?" Lillian said, snapping her from her trans.
"What about you and Draco?" Vivid asked again.
"Honestly, I don't know." Aspen sighed, taking another biscuit from the tray.
"Vam? What about that." Aspen said as Vivid's cheeks turned bright red.
"S-Sam... I don't think so. He already has a girlfriend anyway." Vivid was quick to reply.
"I don't think so - look." Lillian pointed to a teary eyed Chloe, Sam's girlfriend, as Sam sat at the Gryffindor table, alone.
Vivid's already rosy face turned to a tomato as she turned away from Sam, as they gained eye contact.
"W-What..." Vivid stuttered.
"I think I need to go to bed." She yawned dramatically.
"Okay then." Lillian said.
"I'll come with. I'm pretty tired too." Aspen said, linking arms with her friend as they walked back to the Slytherin Common Room.
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The rain beat down hard on the window sill as Aspen chilled on the couch, propping her socked feet on a leather ottoman, staring into the blazing fire that seemed to never die. The black leather couch shifted, as if weight was being put on the other side of it. She glanced up slightly - Draco. She didn't want to talk to him right now; she didn't know what to say. Images of Liberty swarmed her mind, never ceasing. They clustered around her brain, stripping the happiness away - and it wasn't from the dementors. Her tears started to water as she glanced at Draco once again, the memory of receiving Liberty as a 'welcome to Hogwarts' gift from her dad.
"It's alright, darling, come here." Draco smiled softly as Aspen crawled into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
Draco began to hum a peaceful, melodic song as she began to stop crying, her eyes still watery though. She shifted her head, listening to his heartbeat as she began to drift off to sleep, her eyes closing as he slumped down in the couch a bit, resting his head on hers as he succumbed to sleep too.
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"Hey Eleara, could I talk to you?" Mya asked, walking up to her Hufflepuff friend.
"Yeah, sure." She sighed.
"What's wrong?"
Eleana's face sunk as she hung her head.
"My parents can't afford to buy the dress I want for the Summer Solstice. Not that it matters anyway, I don't even have a date." She sighed.
"I'm sure someone will ask you. I mean, who wouldn't. You're so sweet. And as for the dress problem, let me handle that." Mya said smugly, skipping off towards the Ravenclaw tower.
"See you tomorrow." She called back as Eleara smiled and waved.
She turned back towards the Hufflepuff tower, but turned around again as she heard footsteps. They were light, but they were there.
"Hey, you're Eleara, right? That pretty Hufflepuff girl." The compliment made her blush.
The boy was only a few inches taller than her and was in Gryffindor. She recognized him as the-boy-who-always-blew-stuff-up.
"Uhm... I guess. And you're Seamus, Seamus Finnigan." Eleara confirmed as the boy nodded his head.
"Shouldn't you be in your house right now, it's almost past curfew." She frowned.
"Well, yeah, I'm heading there, but I just wanted to ask if you'd attend the Summer Solstice with me." Seamus said cooly.
"Y-Yeah... Of course." Eleara stammered, pushing a rogue piece of hair from her face as she blushed again and nodded.
Seamus smiled brightly, "See you then." Then jogged off towards the Gryffindor tower.
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The sun rose early that morning, but the students were busy. The girls were walking down to Hogsmeade to buy a dress whilst the boys worried about asking the girls out to the dance.
"How do you think this looks on me?" Dove asked, trying on a red and yellow striped mermaid dress.
"Hm. I like it... but it doesn't fit you very well." Mya pointed out as Dove nodded.
"So. You and Harry I suppose." Mya asked as Dove nodded, recalling last night...
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"Dove, wait." Harry called as Dove began to walk up the steps to the girl's dorm.
"What's up, Harry?" Dove asked, walking back down the stairs to meet Harry in another kiss that lasted only a quick second.
"Would you go to the Summer Solstice with me?" He asked, his voice a bit shaky, but he knew she'd say yes.
"Yes! Of course I'd go with you, Harry Potter!"
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"And I'm guessing you and Ron then?" Dove asked, nudging the small Ravenclaw.
"Yea- Wait, how'd you know?" She asked.
"I see the way you two look at each other." Dove replied smugly, entering the changing rooms to try on another dress.
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"Hey Mya!" Ron said, running after her - half normally, half limp.
"Hi Ron." She replied giving him a quick hug.
"You heard about the Summer Solstice, right?" He asked, his voice cracked with nerves.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure the whole school did, Dumbledore was so loud." She giggled at her own joke.
"Well - I - um... I was wondering if you'd go with me. As a couple..." Ron began, but was cut off by Mya in an innocent, cool kiss.
Although it was quick, it was enough to make Ron's face turn into a tomato.
"Yes, Ron, I'd love to go with you." She giggled, walking to her next class.
"See you then." He laughed, scratching the back of his head.
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"How about this?" Dove said, strutting out in a fancy, red dress with soft, fabric sleeves that slumped down her shoulders and rested on her arms.
"Ohmygosh! Dove, you look perfect! Harry is going to love you! I mean, he already does love you but - he's going to love seeing you in that!" Mya exclaimed, still inspecting the rack of dresses she needed to try out.
Mya grasped a dark, royal blue cocktail dress with silver lining around the waist. She walked it into the changing room and slipped into it - it fit perfectly! She stepped out to show Dove, who was already purchasing her dress at the counter.
"Well. I want honest opinions..." Mya said, spinning in the clean cut dress.
"Oh...my...gosh." Dove said, turning around. "You look like a princess! Ron won't be able to keep his eyes off you!"
Mya blushed from the compliment, then turned to see Eleara entering the store, excited and bubbly.
"I got a date!" She exclaimed.
"What!" Dove said, walking up to her, heaving the red dress in her arm.
"Seamus Finnigan asked me... and I said yes!" She said, excited.
"Yay!" Dove and Mya both said. "Good for you!"
"All I need now is a dress..." Eleara shucked, eyeing an amethyst colored, sleeveless dress on one of the back racks.
"That's the one?" A voice said from the doorway.
"Aspen!" The girls cried, running to hug their friend.
"What are you doing here?" They all asked. "Did Draco ask you?"
The question made Aspen blush - Draco had not asked her - and if he planned on it, he better hurry up, the Summer Solstice was approaching quickly.
"No, I'm just looking around for Lillian, Cedric asked her."
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Cedric had been eyeing her all night in the Great Hall. Sometimes he would turn away to talk to his mates, but then others, he was slipping her notes by his owl, Deacon, a common brown owl.
Meet me at the astronomy tower tonight at 8:30. - Ced
The last note he sent read. Lillian blushed at the thought: a date? That night after dinner, she walked up to the astronomy tower in a cute, pink cocktail dress - not her dress to the Summer Solstice though.
"Hi Ced." She blushed, pecking him on the cheek as she sat down on the blanket he'd provided, cuddling up to his chest.
"Did you need something?" She asked.
He nodded, "Only to ask you out to the Summer Solstice."
She blushed madly, ghosting her lips over his own, pulling him deeper for a short, fervent kiss. He smiled into it, wrapping his hands around her waist, pulling her even closer. They broke not long after for air, both smiling.
"I would love to go with you, Cedric. I couldn't imagine going with anyone else, honestly." She spoke sweetly.
"Well, its a good thing I asked then." He smirked, pulling out a box of chocolates for them to eat.
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"Awesome." Dove said.
"Now, which one was the dress you wanted?" She asked as Eleara led her to the amethyst colored dress.
Aspen nodded, taking it from the hanger, "Go try it on, I'll pay."
Eleara smiled broadly as she raced into the changing rooms, putting the beautiful dress on. While Aspen was waiting, a gleam of an emerald caught her eye. She told her friends she'd be right back and started to move towards it. The dress was a beautiful forest green - her favorite color - with the design of an elegant vine wrapped around it. She plucked it from the hanger.
"Might as well." She shrugged, mumbling to herself as she walked back to the girls, who were squealing about how beautiful Eleara looked in her dress.
"Come on, lets go pay." Aspen said, taking Eleara under her arm after she changed back into her regular clothes.
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"Vivid! Wait up!" Sam jogged after the Slytherin, who turned around, waiting for the Gryffindor to catch up.
"Yeah? What's up?" She asked cooly, pursing her lips into a thin line, knowing what was about to happen.
"I was just wondering. Since everyone's got a date - and I... uhm... broke up with mine. If you'd accompany me to the Summer Solstice." He asked, scratching the back of his head nervously.
"Yes, I would love to!" Vivid replied, wrapping arm arms around Sam's waist, pulling him in for a tight hug.
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Vivid swept around the whole shop in a dry sweat, panicking about every dress' flaws and imperfections.
"Vivi, you're going to be okay." Lillian mumbled monotonically, picking out a few favorites of her own.
"No, I need to be... perfect!" Vivid said, finally lighting up when something caught her eye.
A short, yet stylish green cocktail dress called her name until she tried it on, showing off her curves perfectly.
"You look awesome, Vivi!" Lillian said as Vivid fussed with her hair. "You don't need to look perfect, we're not dancing right now!"
"You're right." Vivid sighed as she came over to Lillian's pile of dresses, plucking a light honey colored dress with a precious floral design.
"This one?" Lillian said, inspecting the dress again, smiling as Vivid nodded.
She moved to the changing rooms to try it on - perfection!
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'Ugh!' Ember thought as she saw Dove and her group of weird people. "Not Gryffindork and Huffleproblem again!"
She shuffled through the many piles of dresses she'd picked out, keeping a mental note to stay away from green, knowing who would definitely be wearing that.
"How about you?" She mumbled to herself - and the beautiful royal blue dress picked out in front of her.
The dress had a split in the neckline, one that plummeted down to her stomach, showing off her pale skin. The back had silver lining crisscrossing around, also creating the straps that held the whole dress up. It was tight enough to show off her perfect curves.
"Much better." She said, biting her lip and spinning in front of the mirror.
"Hey Ember!" Blaise Zabini called from outside the window display once Ember had put her previous clothes back on.
"Do you have a date to the Summer Solstice?"
"I don't have a date. I'm just going to dance. Then all your dates are going to ignore you and come dance with me. So your dates are really my dates." She replied, smirking devishly.
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Aspen sat on the window sill, one leg hanging limply off the side as she finished up her herbology homework.
"Aspen, darling." She heard the crisp voice like an echo through the air.
"Yes, Dray?" She asked, walking over to him on the black leather couch, sitting on his lap as she rested her head on his shoulder, pecking him softly on his jawline.
He reached to grab something out of his pocket, clutching it in his hand.
"I just wanted to ask you... If you'd go to the Summer Solstice with me." He turned his head to face her.
Aspen blushed, her lips barely millimeters from his as he grinned presenting her with the object from in his hand - a silver chain with a beautiful silver and emerald pendant of two snakes next to each other.
"I... I don't know what to say." She gasped, a smile creeping up her face.
"Yes would be the preferred answer." He whispered cockily as her smile broadened.
"Yes." She replied, allowing him to clasp the necklace around her neck. "I'd love to go to the Summer Solstice with you."