Forbidden [d.m.] || rewritten

chapter 11

Anticipation swelled within all staff and students as the Yule Ball approached. Girls frantically took trips to Hogsmeade to get their dress altered. Boys wrote to their parents to send them dress robes and made sure they would arrive on time. The teachers enforced flawless manners upon us Hogwarts students to impress our guests. I was getting quite exhausted from all this commotion.

I found myself looking forward to the weekends where I would either help Harry figure out clues for his second task or go out to Hogsmeade with Cedric. It was a good escape for me. For a few hours a day, all that I could focus on was the handsome boy in front of me.

We worked on our dancing at least two nights a week, met in the same spot every time. We nearly almost got caught last week when Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater came bustling in for some alone time. Luckily, Percy and I negotiated and I agreed to keep my mouth shut if he agreed not to tell Harry. I really didn't need him knowing where I was sneaking off to at night.

My dress for the Yule Ball stayed levitating behind the bedroom door to keep it from getting wrinkled. I decided to go with Ginny's word. If I wanted to look like a bad bitch, I had to wear red. As soon as I tried it on when Cedric and I went to Hogsmeade, we fell in love with how it looked.

It was fitted at the torso with a glimmering fabric that glowed in the light. This dress wasn't like any of the other little girl dresses I owned before. This, no, this was gorgeous. The way it swayed reminded me of those gowns in the movies. The neck line was low, exposing my collarbones, neck, and shoulders. I loved it.

Hermione and I spent this entire day doing ball preparations. We took turns in the shower and then with the use of the Hot Air charm, had hair ready to style within seconds. Her dress was excessively stunning. I couldn't wait to actually see it on her.

As I applied extra blush to my cheeks, I noticed the curly-haired girl frantically scampering about the room, pulling out every drawer and digging through every nook and cranny. "Hermione, for God's sake, what are you—"

"Have you seen the blue eyeliner??" She crazily went through the vanity.

I peered back at her in her red Gryffindor robe and shrugged. "We ran out of that ages ago."

Hermione stormed over to the door as her hair fell out of its ponytail. "That does it! I'm going to ask Ginny if she has any. Be right back." She shrieked and left the door open.

Letting out a huff, I set the brush down on the vanity. Before I could march over to shut the door, my bloody brother walked in looking as if he had just seen a ghost. "I swear, I'm going to kill Ron if he doesn't shut up about those dress robes," he sighed and made himself very comfortable in my bed.

"Which Patil twin are you taking again? I can't ever tell them apart." I decided to take this time to give my brain a break from worrying about how I looked.

"Pavarti," he answered. "Let's hope she can lead the way when we dance."

"You know, the man is supposed to lead, right?"

"Yes, I know that. Thank you very much." He flashed a sarcastic smile as I stated the obvious. "I just— I can't do it, Sage. I'm going to trip on my robes— make a fool of myself— I shouldn't even show—"

"D'you know that you're worrying over nothing? Everyone is just as anxious and self-conscious about this as you are."

Harry buried his head in his hands and laid flat on the bed. I scoffed and continued on with my makeup, making sure my cheeks were the perfect shade of pink. Through the mirror, I saw Harry abruptly sit up on the bed. "I expect Cedric is keeping his hands to himself, yes? Or should I have a word with him?" He flatly stated.