Harry Potter and the Heir of Slytherin

The Ball

Daphne Greengrass stared at herself in the mirror. The dress she was wearing was quite possibly the most expensive one she had ever worn in her life; a royal purple gown with a single long sleeve that ran all the way down her right arm. The left arm was left completely bare and the dress had a slight dip that left her collar bone exposed and showed just a hint of her blossoming figure. Covering the upper portion of her body and stopping just above her hips was a translucent white fabric the covered the dress in floral designs. Below that the royal purple shimmered and glittered as it was hit by the light, like a thousand stars twinkling in the sky. A single split in the front of her gown starting a little above the half-way point of her thighs allowed her to, if she so desired, reveal her legs that were toned from years of dance lessons and her just as expensive silver heels with diamond studded clasps.

Her hair was styled for this evening; her shining blond hair was twisted on both sides and connected into a loop that was then pulled up into an elegant bun. Several bangs hung down to frame her face, which, as always, had been left untouched by all makeup except for red lipstick. Hanging from her ears were the earrings that Harry had bought her for Christmas.

As she looked herself over, Daphne had to admit she looked stunning. Her father had really gone all out on her for this years New Year Gala. She hated him all the more for it. She knew why he was doing this, and it made her sick.

"You look so pretty."

Daphne turned around to face her sister. Astoria was wearing an expensive pair of silk pajamas. Daphne had bought them for her last year.

"I wish I looked that pretty," Astoria pouted at her, causing Daphne to smile.

"You're already very beautiful Stori."

"Not as pretty as you are though," Astoria continued pouting, crossing her arms over her chest for good measure. "I mean, look at you. And that dress, it's gorgeous!"

"If you want, for your birthday this year I'll buy you a dress even more beautiful than this one." Doing so would put her back a couple of years as far as her finances were concerned, but Daphne didn't care. The sight of her sister's smile was worth than any amount of galleons.

"Really!?" When the eldest Greengrass daughter nodded her head, Astoria squealed and launched herself at her sister. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Daphne laughed as she let her little sister hug her. "Mind the dress, Stori."

"Ah!" Astoria gasped, leaping back as if scalded. "Sorry." An embarrassed blush spread across her milky cheeks.

"It's alright," Daphne smiled gently at her sister, "I just don't want all that effort I put in getting this thing on to go to waste."

A soft crack to the left had her and Astoria turning their heads. Their house elf, who had appeared inside the room, bowed before them. "Mistress Daphne, heir Potter is waiting for you in the entrance hall."

"Inform him that I will be there in just a moment," the house elf bowed deeply before cracking out of existence again. Daphne took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Meanwhile, Astoria was pouting.

"I wish I could go to a ball like this with Harry."

"Believe me, you don't want to go to this ball," Daphne reassured her sister. "It's going to be nothing but pompous fools brown nosing each other in the hopes of gaining favor with other fools. I would much rather stay home."

"But you're going with Harry,"Astoria said, as if that single fact made all the difference in the world.

"And I'd much rather simply spend time with Harry away from all that," Daphne sighed. What she wouldn't give to just be able to spend time with Harry outside of a political arena. Maybe some day that would be possible, she thought wistfully.