Hope In Hiding (Book 2 of the Lost Potter Series)

The Yule Ball Part 1

"Ron! Wait up!" Olivia called to him as she saw him shuffling through the corridor beside Harry and Ginny. The group paused and waited for her to catch up.

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood for their teasing at the minute." Ron apologised, shrugging as he did so.

"You're fine." Olivia assured him, "Besides, I've seen worse dress robes."

That didn't seem to assure Ron much at all, who pulled at the strings coming from the frayed collar. Olivia just let him go quiet.

"So how did Ron ask you to the dance, Liz? You never said." Ginny asked, walking between Olivia and Harry. Ron kept to the other side of Harry, who he had begun a separate conversation with.

Olivia made something up, of course, "Hermione set us up, truth be told, and forced him to write a letter asking me. Kind of sweet, mostly awkward."

Ginny laughed and soon enough the group joined the mass of kids awaiting the doors of the Great Hall to be opened. The four of them chatted for a bit before Ron suddenly panicked, letting out a little "oh no" and ducking to hide behind Harry. Olivia turned around to see what was the matter, and was met with one of the most beautiful people she'd ever seen.

Her hair was silver-blonde and curls of it fell gently on her shoulders, moving freely as she walked. Her dark blue eyes glittered as she glanced around, her stunning grey satin dress hugging her tightly. Olivia felt mesmerised and couldn't bring herself to look away. Her eyes followed the goddess until they disappeared in the mass of people.

Are you alright? Harry's message snapped her out of it, causing her to turn back to the group and try to pretend none of that happened.

What? I'm fine. Olivia brushed him off, thankful for Ron standing straight and speaking.

"Where is Hermione?" He asked, looking all over the crowd for her. Ginny and Olivia shared small smiles and kept quiet.

Next to make an entrance were the Slytherin group consisting of Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
Olivia couldn't help the wave of conflicted emotions as she saw Draco for the first time in three years*. He wore a high-collared luxurious suit as always, and looked vaguely uncomfortbale with the pink and flowery Pansy clutching on to his arm. Olivia was overwhelmed with the urge to hug him, apologise for everything, see him happy again, but knew that now was not the time for that.

"Crabbe and Goyle didn't find dates, I see," Ron snickered at the two hulking Slytherins, who were fitting dresses in moss green.

"They might just be going with each other," Olivia muttered as she noticed how close they walked. Ginny and Harry didn't seem to hear, but Ron looked at her, horrified and speechless. She just ignored him.

Soon enough, McGonagall called for the champions to meet her by the doors, which left Olivia alone with Ron. Little conversation passed between them as Ron didn't seem to want to meet her eyes.

When the doors opened and the crowd was being let in, Ron and Olivia filed into the line. As they passed by the champions, Olivia's and Ron's eyes lingered on the blonde before Olivia noticed Hermione waving at her. Olivia smiled and followed the crowd into the Great Hall.

She paused to try and admire the scenery of the Great Hall— it really had been ages since she'd seen it— but the boys behind her weren't having that and stepped on her borrowed shoes, causing her to stumble slightly before speeding up. She followed Ron to a table with Seamus, Dean, Lavender, Neville, and other kids presumably in their grade that Olivia had never met. She sat down next to Ron, who completely ignored her to talk to Dean.