Just Around the Corner || A G. Weasley Story

The Ball

A/N: Is Fred outta pocket? Yes. But he is the true MVP of this story.  This chapter is super long but I think this might be my favorite yet. 

Song recommendations: "Solar Waltz" By: Cosmo Sheldrake, "Masquerade - Ballet Suite:Waltz" by: Aram Khachaturian, "Slow dancing in the Dark" by Joji  (This song I would start at a specific time, it will be noted in the comments) 

If you're interested in seeing the outfits I had in mind for the engagement ball, they are placed at the end of the chapter. (I would have placed them here but I didn't want to give away who all will be attending 😏)

The Arcus Manor was decorated lavishly for the upcoming festivities. The twinkling of the candlelight in the dark baroque hallways. The silky piano and the cool, pale glow of the ballroom.

It should have been beautiful, awe inspiring.

If only Cassandra could stop imagining a different man by her side tonight.

Ignoring her mother's protests, Cassandra was wearing a long black ball gown with mesh matching gloves. Her mother believed it was distasteful to wear such an ominous color for the occasion. Cassandra found it perfectly fitting.

Adrian arrived first, already self-medicating to get through the night. The bourbon on his breath was strong, revolting. Cassandra wondered if he had been with Uma, had told her about the night, even invited her. Though the one run in she had with her informed Cass of the fact: Uma was clueless.

Probably wise to not invite the true lovers anyway, at least this is what Cassandra told herself, as she lied about why she couldn't see George tonight. They had been through so much lately, she didn't want to bring him anymore pain or discomfort.

And that's all this night was really, pain and discomfort. Fancy dresses and champagne couldn't mask that. At least not for the bride and groom to be.

More guests started to trickle in as the music kicked up, playing a more uptempo melody. Among some of the first to arrive were the Malfoys, Adrian and Mr. Arcus's invites. Cassandra wasn't too fond of them, Lucius seemed to be the worst, so thankfully he wasn't present. For a brief period of time after the war, she refused to have anything to do with them, but after her parents walked Adrian into the picture, things changed. She recalled that Luna told her that Draco was sometimes pleasant to her during her unwelcome stay in the dungeons of the Malfoy Manor. For that fact and that fact alone Cassandra walked over, making small talk with them.

Adrian was chatting loudly with Draco, reminiscing about old times when finally one of the three guests Cassandra had invited arrived. Cho Chang.

She made a beeline to her, "Cho! So glad you made it!" She gave her an air kiss to both of her cheeks and Cho held her hands. "Happy to be here Cassandra, congratulations!"

"Oh thank you. Cho, your dress, it's beautiful!" Cho sheepishly looked down to her maroon silky gown, "No no enough about me, it's your day! Tell me about Adrian!"

"Oh...well uh..we got together a little after my last year at Hogwarts after the war..and here we are now.." Cassandra put on the same fake smile she had used all night. 

Cho looked unconvinced but still was polite, "Well as long as you're happy...Though I never imagined you with him while we were all in school."

"I guess we are all full of surprises!" Like me having an affair with a Weasley, she thought to herself, instead saying, "Like you, I hear you are getting pretty serious with a muggle."

They gossiped about Cho's love life for a while until Adrian took her away to talk with more guests. Cassandra ended up standing quietly beside Adrian as he boasted to his friends. She kept her regard away from Blaise, fearful that somehow, someway he recognized her breathing from the other side of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes' bathroom door, somehow able to read her close call like tarot cards.