Three Hallows, Two Weasleys and One Broken Girl

Chapter 16: Gorlak's March

Times flies. It's the Yule Ball folks.
Inspired a little bit by my own prom experience (I'm friends with a bunch of guys, after five minutes of awkwardly watching couples dance, we ran outside to play in the woods, they all tried on my heels and I climbed a tree in a maxi dress. It was amazing).

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Fred eyed himself in the mirror, adjusting his waistcoat a little before looking over at George.
"You look fat, brother." He informed him.
His twin, the quieter one when they were alone like this, rolled his eyes.
"And you have more acne than Eloise Midgon."
He scowled, but neither could hide the laughter in their eyes, as after a final finger comb of their gelled hair, they hurried down the stairs to await their partners.

Neither of them liked their partners romantically, but were going as friends. They more or less had to after Fred's panicked proclamation to Delphi. He'd been attempting to make her jealous, and though it was stupid, they were here now, and they were the Weasley twins. They'd make the best of it.

Angelina and Katie both looked stunning; Angelina in a tight purple dress that showed enough skin to make his mother faint, and Katie in a more traditional green gown in chiffon? The one that felt kind of like sand paper but not. Fred may be oblivious but George wasn't blind enough not to notice the pair staring at each other more often than not though. He recalled the shy smirk on Delphi's face when Fred had blurted his plan, and wondered if she'd known.
He shook it off for now, bowing dramatically and in perfect sync with his brother before offering Katie his arm and leading the group out the common room.

The hall was crowded when they got there though the champions had yet to arrive.
Teenagers of all shapes, sizes, colours and textures shuffled, skulked and slunk around. It was prime pranking ground, but sadly he and Fred knew which lines weren't worth crossing. And this one really wasn't. They could feel McGonigall's chilled steel gaze piercing them from across the room as they slid around clusters of nervous boys to find somewhere they could get a good view of the entrance.

Angelina eyed Fred knowingly as they settled, woman's intuition or some such rubbish.
"Did you even ask her?" She questioned doubtfully.
Fred chuckled, "I did want to ask Professor Trelawney, but apparently there was a fault in our stars and it wasn't to be."
She spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice and glared at him, "did you ask Delphi Lovegood, Fred?"
"Diggory got there first, the prat." He grumbled.

On the bench beside them a more or less identical conversation was taking place. It was not coincidental.
"You can still ask her for a dance you know." Said Katie.
George rolled his eyes, catching the similar look of exasperation on his twin's face, "I'll ask her, if you ask Angie."
He'd been hoping to hit Katie in her weak point and get the girl to back off. Unfortunately he forgot they were both in the house of the brave.
"Done!" The girl smirked, answering way too quick, and he realised he'd been caught in a trap. Katie turned her head to smile at the girl the other side of Fred, "Angie, love, dance the first dance with me?"
Angelina's eyes glittered, and Fred stared back and forth between the two. "Only if you'll dance it with me?"
"Deal." Replied Katie with an air of triumph, rising to her feet and offering her fellow quidditch player a hand. George's eyes met Fred's as the girls swept away to join a group of Hufflepuff girls in their year, and they'd realised they, the kings of pranks, had been played.

They didn't get a chance to get back at their devious partners before the doors swung open, and next moment Fred had dropped his tankard of pumpkin juice and George's mouth was hanging open. George was suddenly very grateful their dates had vanished into the crowd. The black mail material would have been crippling in Katie's hands.

Everyone with eyes knew Delphi was pretty, but never had she displayed and made the most of it. For starters, she'd never worn any make up before or spelled herself to conceal spots like most of the girls and a fair few guys often did.
Mascara made her indigo eyes shine bright and vibrant tonight though, and her hair was loose as usual, but instead of the chaotic mess of curls they were accustomed to, her white blonde hair rolled down her back in smooth waves, with only twin golden clasps keeping curls of hair out of her face.