Liar, Liar

19: A Surprise Appearence

Riss had awoken me, as I had expected, with a squeal and some jumping up and down. After getting breakfast (Riss had hardly eaten a bite), showering, and gossiping with Luna and Lacey about who would be going with who, they told us a juicy tidbit of gossip.

"Oh, Pansy is incredibly jealous Draco didn't ask her to the dance," Lacey sighed, placing her hand on Luna's thigh.

"She's mad that out of anyone, he didn't choose her, but chose a Ravenclaw," Luna furthered. "It's alright though," she stared up at me with that dreamy eyes, smiling. "Clarissa is a much better choice."

Riss laughed, still having to act as though Draco was her dream date. A pang of pity echoed through my chest. I felt as though this was all my fault.

"Well, we have to go! Zelle promised me she'd do my hair and makeup for the dance," Riss said, pulling me along with her back to our room.

"Dude, it's only six o'clock, and the ball doesn't start until eight. Do we really need two hours to prepare?"

Riss looked at me like I was crazy. "Zelle, I'm worried two hours won't be enough!" She exclaimed.

I tried really hard not to roll my eyes at this exclamation. I dutifully took my place by her vanity and started curling her hair strand by strand.

She painted her nails a matte black, humming under her breath.

"Draco might try to make his move tonight," she said. "And I don't want you to have to sacrifice your night to look out for me. I think you should go have fun. I know enough spells, I can protect myself if something happens."

"Oh, I'm not really looking foreword to the dance as much as you are," I replied thoughtlessly, taking another strand of her hair around the wand.

"I wish you'd try to enjoy yourself more, Z," she said.

"Riss, I don't have a date, or much of a friend group at that, other than you, and I wouldn't want to third wheel in on Luna and Lacey too. I'll just observe from afar and try to blend in."

The truth was, I was quite a bit bummed at the fact that Snape thought balls were ridiculous, and from his statements, I gathered that he would not be attending. Even if he was to attend, the energy of the room would have been so much higher just with him there.

A forbidden feeling, stolen glances. The thought of it excited me, but it would not happen tonight. The event felt dull without his brooding presence, his mysterious aura. Where would he be on this night of fun and music? This night where everyone else let loose, where would the secretive man be?

With the Dark Lord, at the Manor? Perhaps alone in his quarters, dark as his demeanor. Would the music trickling from the Great Hall touch his ears, would he think of our shared time on his leather L couch?

"Your turn," Riss pointed out, allowing me to sit in the seat she had previously occupied. I let her straighten my hair and then turn it into cascading waves, her hands working their magic.

"It looks super good, Riss. You're truly the best."

And it was true, Riss would have done amazingly in cosmetology. However, she had chosen the path of Charms, and was working hard with Flitwick to get jobs lined up for her after she graduated from Hogwarts.

Next, after my hair lay in the softest waves, she started on my makeup. We went for a simple yet elegant look of a smoky eye for me, with red lipstick to match my dress. We were ready to go.

Riss had been right, our preparation had taken two hours. It was eight o'clock, and we could hear the sound of music and the first students arriving to the ball.