Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

The Ball

"Maddie, I can't pin this right I need you!" Hannah whined from the open bathroom door where she sat in front of the mirror, failing for what must have been the tenth time to pin part of her bangs up.

"I told you I'll be right over when I'm done with Cassidy!" Maddie mumbled, a few bobby pins stuck between her lips. I let out a laugh and she glared at me, warning me silently not to move like she had done so many times already. "And you all made fun of me for starting so early, now look where we'd be without my prep time."

The four of us had been getting ready for the ball for over two hours now, although admittedly I think Maddie's preparations had begun the second she opened her eyes.

"All done. Go look." She clapped her hands together excitedly and followed me into the bathroom where Bri and Hannah were working on their own hair and makeup. My jaw almost dropped when I stepped up to the mirror. I almost didn't recognize the reflection I was seeing. Maddie had dusted a light brown eyeshadow along my eyelids and done my mascara, which I almost never made time for in my daily makeup. But the most dramatic change was what she had managed to do with my hair. Most of it was still down, curls and curls framing each side of my face, but she had managed to pin back a good section of it into a loose braid.

"Maddie, you're kidding me, how did you do this?" I whispered, running my fingers through my hair carefully, scared to ruin any of her work.

"I had a good model. Even if you wouldn't stop moving." She smirked, stepping over and taking some pins from Hannah's fingers to help her.

Bri and I stepped out from the bathroom and over to where our dresses all hung side by side along the closet doors. I pulled the top two buttons from their loops and tugged the dress from the hanger. We both stepped into our gowns and finished buttoning each other up when Maddie and Hannah emerged at last, all of us finally finished and ready to go down.

The hallways were bustling, seeming crazier and even louder than usual, despite only fourth years and up being allowed to attend the ball. It seemed like a lot of the younger students had gathered near the great hall hoping for a glimpse into the festivities.

"Cassidy!" Ginny called, waving madly at me as she rushed up, Neville on her heels looking nervous, but never letting his smile drop.

"Ginny! I didn't know you'd be here!" I smiled, giving the small girl a hug and standing back to admire her in her flowing pink dress.

"Neville asked me." She gave the boy a warm smile and I nodded between them. "You're here with Fred, right?"

I nodded, biting my lip at his name, feeling the familiar nerves flood my system when I thought of him.

"Thank God he actually mustered up the courage to ask you." She said smugly, giving me one last smile. "Have so much fun tonight, I want to get a good spot to watch the champions dance. I just know Harry dancing is going to be hysterical." She said under her breath before pulling Neville after her into the Great Hall.

I smiled to myself watching the youngest Weasley looking so grown up and marching her date into the sparkling Christmas wonderland that was the Great Hall before I felt it. Eyes on me.

I spun around slowly before I found him. All black robes with a dark brown vest beneath it and a slightly crooked bow tied loosely around his neck, a wide smirk stretched across his face as our eyes met. Before I had even taken my first breath, he was crossing over to me, reaching for my hand and lifting it to his lips with a wink.

"You're too much." I laughed, pulling my hand back.

"You look beautiful." He answered, softly.

"So do you... Or, handsome, you look... you look great." I stuttered, feeling my face burn red and praying I had on enough makeup to cover it.