Anastasia's POV
"There's got to be something in here to magically do our makeup," Lucy flicked frantically through the pages of her spells book.
"That's no fun. Come here, let me do yours for you," I waved her towards me and sat on a bench in our room.
She hesitantly sat in front of me.
"Stay still!" I had to repeat the same command at least seven times before I even got to the eye makeup.
I placed my hand under her chin, pulling her face towards mine so that I could see where I was applying the black liner.
"Okay now go like this," I puckered my lips.
She followed my instructions and I swiped the pink lipstick across each lip.
"Do I look absolutely ravishing?" She sat up and showed off her makeup.
"Ron will be ecstatic to bring a girl like you into the ballroom."
"I still can't believe he asked me. He seemed so nervous too. He nearly fell into Pansy Parkinson and wouldn't that have ended well..."
"I'd been trying to tell you he was smitten with you! Now let me finish my makeup and then we'll change into our outfits."
I finished with red lipstick and then decided to paint my nails quickly. My advisor had tried to bring royal makeup artists to come to the castle and get me ready, but I refused. There was something too fun about getting ready in a dorm with your friends.
I did my nails all gold with a single blue jewel in it, except on each ring finger I put a green jewel. It wasn't the most stylish, but I wanted to show off the house that was so important to the boy I was bringing.
"Okay," I stood up, "Dresses."
I slipped into the gown Draco had given to me. As I put it on, it tightened to my body. Of course he charmed it, I thought. The snakes on my arms slithered back and forth and the lace on my collarbone seemed to morph with my skin.
"Wow, annie." Lucy's jaw dropped as she stood in front of me. I understood how she felt. It truly was the most beautiful dress I'd ever laid eyes on and I was royalty.
"I know," my hands felt the fabric on my skin.
"Zip me up?" I stepped forward and helped Lucy with her dress.
We finished curling our hair and I tied part of mine back before sticking a sparkling tiara into it.
Draco's POV
Weasley was standing next to me, mumbling things under his breath.
Then, the door to the Ravenclaw common room opened and I saw the small feet with golden high heels step out. She lifted her dress and watched her feet until she glanced up and stopped at the sight of me staring.
"Hello, Mr. Moon."
"Hello, Princess Midnight."
The dress fit perfectly. I knew it would fit her body of course, considering the fact that I had charmed it, but what I hadn't known was how perfect her body was. The fabric mixed into her collarbone and she stood tall, full of confidence.
My stomach churned and my heart sped as I walked towards her. "You are going to be the most beautiful girl at this ball." No girl had made me feel like this before and it made my head spin.
We walked down and down and down the steps hand in hand.
When we entered the room, everyone turned to look at us. I couldn't tell if they were looking because I was with a princess or because I was with a muggle-born.
"They're all looking," I mumbled.
She squeezed my hand tighter. "Let them."
About twenty minutes later, the champions started to walk in and I stood up tall to look over heads until I felt a tug on my arm.
The princess crouched down and moved through the people and, after all of the participants entered, we slipped through just before the doors finished closing.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Shhh. We don't need to be in there for a whole long, boring dance," she whispered, dragging me behind her down the corridor.
"But I wanted to show you off," I breathed a bit disappointedly. "I wanted people to see me differently. Don't you want that?"
"I don't care what other people think of you, Son of the Moon. I care what you think of you. And this is about us, not anyone in there," she pushed open the door and we entered the garden. She slipped her hand out of mine a bit so only our fingers were touching and she lifted my arm to spin underneath it. "The night air: the purest thing to feel fill your lungs."
I agreed, thinking back to my night walks. "It used to be the only thing that made me feel like I could breathe. But now it doesn't have to be dark out, because the personification of night air follows me around the castle." I placed my hand on her cheek.
"It's been an awfully long while since you kissed me, Draco Malfoy," her eyes looked up at me with an innocence I didn't remember ever having.
"I just like being with you."
"So you're saying no to a kiss then?"
"Now that's not what I said at all."
She stood on her tiptoes a bit, wrapping her arms around my neck, and pushed her lips into mine again. I sank into her at first and then pulled her in towards me. It felt like I would never be close enough. I wanted to be a part of her. It was like I could already see the rest of my life with her in my head. I never wanted us to be apart again, because no matter how many days we spent together, I never got bored.
"Princess Midnight."
Her shoes settled back on the ground.
"I was wondering," I continued, "do you want to be my girlfriend?"
"Desperately."
I kissed her again. And again. "Can't we stay here forever?"
"I thought you wanted to show me off."
"Okay, yeah. But promise we will always have another day to be with each other." The loving words spilled from my mouth uncontrollably. I could tell her anything. She would never laugh at me.
"I promise. I want that too."
We crept back into the ball, but as we started to blend in with everyone around us, Pansy Parkinson sauntered up.
"Draco Malfoy with a mudblood? Interesting."
"Don't start with me, Pansy."
"Start? I'm not starting anything. You're awfully cute," she reached out and used a finger to lift Anastasia's chin, but Anastasia moved it from her face calmly. "Sweet, little, helpless princess. He likes having a damsel by his side, even if she's got dirt flowing through her apparently."
I shoved my new girlfriend behind my back and fumed as Pansy grinned mischievously.
"See? He has to be a protector. He'll want you to always be in distress. That way he can always save you. He's just a boy, playing knight in shining armor. You can do better, little Annie."
"Shut up, you conniving witch bitch." She's right though. I'm just playing a part and once Anastasia sees through it she'll leave me.
"You're just a sad boy, trying to impress daddy."
I shouldn't have been so open with Anastasia. She'll leave me and she'll tell everyone and they'll make fun of me. My name will be ruined for liking a muggle-born and I'll have no one. I'll-
Her hand grabbed onto mine from behind me.
I took a deep breath and remembered what she said. It's what you think of you, Draco. Who are you? Who are you gonna be?
My other hand, which had been balled up so tightly that it was beginning to hurt, unclenched.
"I'm not trying to impress anyone. I'm here with my girlfriend and we're having a nice night. Maybe you should reconsider why you're so intent on messing up other people's days instead of just enjoying your own." With that, I put my focus back on my princess. The slytherin girl scoffed and walked away with the boys she had brought along with her.
"Good job," Anastasia muttered and laid her head against my chest. I placed my hand in her hair and kissed the top of her head gently.