keeper → g. weasley [EDITING]

↝thirty one

   THE NIGHT CARRIED ON, students scattered across the dance floor; act upon act climbing up on stage to provide music to the dancing.

After several glasses of punch, Mallie shouted over the Weird Sisters performing to tell Charlie that she was going to the bathroom.

He'd shouted back, most of it lost to the noise but Mallie heard a fuzzy "alright" and he disappeared into the crowd.

She squeezed past couples that were attached by the face, raucous Durmstang boys taking incognito sips of what was no doubt Fire Whiskey from flasks hidden beneath their thick coats and scowling girls as they watched Cedric with his arm around Cho to exit the hall.

Mallie lifted the ends of her dress to walk carefully to the nearest bathroom, her black heels clicking all the way. Upon arrival, she noticed that the line to use the restroom was out the door.

Huffing, she decided that if she had to wait that long that she'd ruin her dress and so began clicking her way down to the bathrooms near the library.

The corridors that far off from the Hall had to be empty as the swishing of her dress, her heels and the echoes of the ball in the distance were the only sounds filling her ears.

She eventually made her way into the bathroom, which was empty spare for another sixth year who too thought it was far more convenient to use this ons.

Mallie struggled to use the bathroom with such a large dress but eventually finished and went to wash her hands.

She stood a moment staring at the scars reflecting off the bathroom mirror in the dim light. Mallie allowed her fingers to run over the neck of the dress where pink wounds were only just peeking out from beneath the clear blue satin.

She quickly tore out of the bathroom to avoid staring any longer, leaning against the wall outside it. Mallie closed her eyes and took a deep breath in.

When she opened them, she was startled by a faint blue light glowing at her feet.

Mallie looked down, and amidst her dress, was what looked like a young wolf... coyote?

The pawed creature, Mallie immediately recognized, was a barely formed patronus.

She could only just tell what it was, as it was not a full apparition.

The creature lay on its back and teased the hem of Mallies dress with it's sharp teeth, but soon got distracted and leapt around joyously.

Mallie giggled at the pup and leaned down to touch it, as her hand ran over it's back: a warm feeling filled her palm and the coyote leaned into her touch.

"There you are!" A voice rang as heavy footsteps chased down the adjacent corridor.

It was a voice Mallie recognized.

"Sorry, I was just practicing my patronus and he sort of ran of..." George chuckled.

Mallie, still hunched over, looked up to meet George's eyes.

The Ginger's heartbeat did a double take, "Mal..?"

Mallie smiled and stood up again, the coyote having dissipated.
"Hi Georgie." She said softly.

George's mouth stood open similar to a fish, he felt like an idiot.

But his mouth was not co-operating and even when it did, he didn't know if words could explain what she was doing to his brain in that dress,

"You look.. wow.. I mean, incredible.." He was at a loss for words and swallowed dryly.

Mallie blushed red, "You don't look too bad yourself, Weasley. I like the ... uh, the slippers."

George looked down at his jumper and sweats aswell as the dilapidated slippers on his feet and chuckled dryly, "Thanks."

There was quiet.

"About last night, I shouldn't have come into the wing... I was a bit out of mind..." George said breaking the short silence.

Mallie smiled sarcastically, "A little bit? I didn't even notice!"

George rolled his eyes, this time it was his turn to blush.

"Don't worry about last night, George. You came and I'm glad you did. Things were a bit crazy with Charlie and everyone around, I didn't want you to think that I didn't want to see you. I do."

After a prolonged moment of silence and striking eye contact, George nodded.

"May I have the pleasure of walking Ms Johansen back to the Ball?"

Mallie was taken aback by his answer but took the arm he offered.

The two had barely walked a few steps when she pulled him to a halt, George stopped and looked back at her,

"Actually," Mallie said, thinking back to the awkward dancing, uncomfortable third wheeling of Charlie with his friend and West's cryptic language she would return to:
"I don't want to go back."

George frowned at her.

"Can we go somewhere else?" She continued.

His eyebrows relaxed and fell back down to their usual place, he bit his lip in concentration.

Mallie hesitated,
"Or.. or I can go back, that's fine too..."

She quickly began walking again past him towards the hall, but George gently grabbed her arm before she could get any farther.

"No, don't .. it's .." he paused.

It looked as if there was a small furry creature in his mouth fighting to get out: eventually it sprung open,

"I don't know your full name, but, Mallie Johansen," He started again nervously and quickly,

"I know, I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion. And I don't have flowers for you, I don't have much to offer really..."

He started to realize how stupid he sounded, but continued anyways:

"Will you be my date this evening?"

George swallowed thickly as he watched Mallie's face contort in emotion, most of which he was unable to decipher.

There was a small silence before:

"Mallory Evangeline Johanson." She said.

George's mouth pulled into a small smile.

"It's my full name," Mallie said, "For future reference."

"Mallory Evangeline Johanson," George whispered to himself.

"And yes," she continued, "I would love to be your date this evening."

××××
oh my gosh!

guess who forgot she had this in her drafts!

this is dedicated to @moonlightwalkers who totally made my day today with her existence.

unedited :( sorry

-mel