Raven (Fred x oc)

44. The Yule Ball

"Okay, what do you think?" I asked, showing Angelina my dress.

"That is stunning," she said with an awed look. Katie had joined us and over the next three hours we got ready for the Yule Ball with Alicia.

"Okay, Alicia can you do my hair?" I asked, sitting down in front of the mirror in my bathrobe.

"Yes, just give me one second," she replied, finishing up with her makeup. "Okay." She rushed over to me with her wand and began to curl my hair, letting it down in brown-black ringlets. "Okay, half-up/half-down or a bun?"

"Um...I don't know. Ange, Katie, what do you think?" I asked.

"Bun," Angelina replied. "But take out bits of it." Alicia nodded and began to do as she suggested, twisting my hair in a large, complicated bun. When she was done, I began on my makeup. I did a dark smoky eye with a red lip. Slipping off my robe, I pulled on my dress and my black heels. Next I grabbed two gold cuffs and slipped one of my left wrist and the other, larger one, on my muscular upper arm.

"What do you guys think?" I asked, facing them all nervously.

"I think Fred is going to be the luckiest guy in the ball," Katie said with a smile.

"You look beautiful," Alicia said.

"You all look so pretty," I said. "Merlin, I love you guys so much."

"I love you too," Angelina replied. "I still can't believe George asked me. What if he thinks it isn't a real date?"

"Oh he does," I said with a smirk. "I asked him to make sure."

"What about Lee, do you know?" Alicia asked.

"The dude was blushing when he asked," Katie said. "He's taking it as a date."

"Should we go down then?" Angelina asked as we were all ready. We all agreed and left the dorms. A swarm of boys were waiting at the bottom of the steps, but Fred, George, and Lee were all standing by the portrait hole, joking and laughing together. Lee caught sight of us first and his happy expression changed to one of awe as he hit George's shoulder. George and Fred both looked over.

"Hi, boys," I said, moving over to them.

"Val," Fred replied, "y-you look..." I blushed, holding in a laugh at his stunned expression. He seemed to get over his dazed condition as we headed towards the Great Hall for the ball. We all sat at tables and ate dinner first. Everyone laughed and talked a great deal during dinner before the tables were gone and the champions began to dance. After a time, six or so couples were dancing and Fred took my hand, leading me out to the floor.

I blushed as his hand went to my waist. We danced for about an hour before I suggested, "Want to go walk around?" He nodded and soon we were out in the cold air. I covered my shoulders with a scarf as we walked and looked around the garden lit by fairy lights.

"You know what I realized today?" Fred asked, an arm wrapped around my waist.

"What's that?" I replied, smiling up at him.

"We've been together for half a year," he replied.

"Over that," I chuckled. "It's been...seven months, I think."

"I think so," he replied, kissing my temple. "I know we haven't been together long, but..." He stopped. I turned to face him. Grabbing my hands, he met my curious gaze and said, "I love you, Valerie." I smiled, a blush rising in my cheeks.

"I love you too, Fred," I replied, moving my hand to behind his neck and moved my lips to meet his. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. Before anything more could happen, the bushes nearby suddenly rustled, a faint gagging sound following. I pulled away, looking around sharply.

"What're you doing here?" Fred snapped, glaring at his little brother and Harry.

"Nothing, sorry," Ron said. "We were just-"

"Let's just go," Harry muttered, grabbing Ron's arm and beginning to pull him away. "Sorry." Once they were gone, I sighed, laying my head on Fred's shoulder.

"I'm going to kill him," Fred muttered, causing me to let out a chuckle.

Looking up, I replied, "Well, at least Harry had the sense to get him out of here." Fred let out a laugh, kissing my forehead. We decided to keep walking until two voices sounded around the corner.

"It's growing stronger, Severus," the voice of Karkaroff said lowly. "He's coming back!" I glanced at Fred worriedly.

"I've already told you my thoughts on the matter," Snape retorted as they came closer.

"Come on," I breathed, grabbing Fred's hand and pulling him into the bushes. I crouched down behind a low wall as they passed, still talking.

"Even if the Dark Lord comes back," Snape drawled, "you can't do anything about it. He'll have you dead as soon as he finds you."

"What about you?" Karkaroff retorted. "You betrayed him too." Snape said nothing. "You were as much a Death Eater as me." Fred and I shared surprised looks but remained silent. Their voices were beginning to fade.

"You think little of yourself, Karkaroff," Snape drawled, his voice quiet. They spoke more, but they were too far away to hear anything else.

"Karkaroff was a Death Eater?" I asked, shifting to sit on the wall.

"Apparently," Fred replied with furrowed brows. "What do you think that was about."

"The Dark Mark," I guessed. "It must be. They said 'it's getting stronger.' What else would they be talking about? Which means I was right."

"About what?" Fred asked.

Growing pale, I explained, "At the Quidditch World Up, do you remember what I said? I said that Voldemort was growing stronger. If the Dark Mark is growing stronger, then so is Voldemort."

"T-That's a bit far," Fred countered, sounding worried. "There's not really enough evidence for that."

"It's just a feeling," I admitted before I shivered. "Let's go back inside."

"Do you want to dance some more or are you ready to turn in?"

"I think I'm just going to turn in," I replied, standing. Fred stood as well and we walked together back into the Great Hall. It seemed it had all wound down a bit, a good portion of the people gone. Reaching the portrait hole, I said, "I had fun tonight, Fred. Balls generally aren't my thing, but I'm glad I went with you."

"Me too," he replied, kissing my temple.

I chuckled, calling, "Fairy lights!" The portrait swung open and I went up to my dorm, giving Fred a goodnight kiss. I got in the shower and then changed into sweatpants and a tank top. Because of the chill, I also grabbed a sweater before remembering the book I was reading was still in the dorm. As I went down the stairs, harsh yelling caught my attention.

"Well if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" Hermione yelled, her anger and motions causing her hair to fall out of its bun.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Ron retorted, also shouting.

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" Hermione retorted, shoving past me to storm up the stairs, pressing me against the wall.

"Wow," I said, moving to grab my book.  "Night Harry, Ron." They both waived half-heartedly and I went back up the stairs.