40: Enchanted

    Tonight was the night of the ball and I finally agreed to going. I took a long hot shower to take the nerves about tonight away.

Once I was done, I was debating on putting the lingerie set on underneath but I just settled for my other lace black underwear and no bra so the straps and back will look cleaner. After slipping into the dress, I had admired myself in it.

My mother had exquisite taste I must add. It made me emotional that I wouldn't be living out my dream like expected but we all don't get the things we want in life I suppose.

Rosetta and Amelia came to my dorm to get ready as well. Ro wore this beautiful yellow mermaid satin dress that looked absolutely stunning, it complimented the complexion of her skin. Amelia wore blue and it really grew on her. Her dress was a navy blue dress that had a lace sequin of this lace add on designs as well, it flowed from the waist down. We shared our "oooo's" and "awe's" to eachother.

"Okay, now what's so special about these 'Enchanted Masks' you have been on about?" I asked Amelia.

"Glad you asked, so one of the enchanted spells we learned on our trip was a feature spell. It's sort of like poly juice potion but it's not. You do the spell on an object or accessory you are going to wear and just by thinking about the feature you'd change, it will. Again, the spell is only twenty four hours and will also wear off once the accessory that was charmed is taken off"Amelia said with my mask in her hand.

"Wicked right. So for the night, the three of us will most likely be masked and have a different feature" Rosetta added but Amelia had looked down."About that, it's not just us three. I'm not the only one who knows the spell so anyone that was on the trip could use it as well on their masks. Which they most likely will." She said. I didn't care too much about any others with the masks, I just wanted to have a fun time.

After getting fully ready, my hair was straightened and my eye makeup consisted of a dark look with touches of silver. I had looked dark and mysterious like most times, I was dressed in all black. Lia and Ro left to catch up with their dates and so I played around with the mask that was now enchanted, debating if it was too late to just skip on the ball. Lia decided to just change her hair as well and Ro changed her eye color, we all just decided simple things.

Looking in the mirror, I then placed the mask on with my eyes closed. When I opened my eyes, I watched my dark black hair go light. I watched as my dark roots to the ends of my hair, transformed my hair to now be white. My hair was still straightened and I couldn't believe what simple change had made the look really stand out. I thought about changing my eyes instead but the green in them really showed with the dark look I gave off.

Before leaving, I had to set a self reminder that I would have to come back after the ball to pack my stuff. Tomorrow, the day after the ball, is when i go to the burrow to spend Christmas with them.

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The ball had already started at 9pm and now it was a half past. I told Amelia to tell Pansy to let Jeremih know that I'll be coming down from the steps near the Great hall. I was glad that my dress had a long slit so it was breathable and I could move effortlessly. I seen Jeremih at the bottom of the steps and I noticed his curly hair first. He was wearing an all black suit, with his mask being white. His mask had went with my hair as my dress and his suit was all black. We had matched and didn't even plan it.

"Emerald?" He asked while having his hand out to help me down the rest of the steps."Yes, Jeremih right? I'm hoping-" which made him chuckle. "You look beautiful tonight. Well not tonight. No you're beautiful everyday is what I'm saying like not just tonight you ar-""I understand- take a deep breath. But thank you, You look very handsome as always Jeremih".

When we reached the hall doors, I wrapped my hands around his left arm as I was to his right. As we walked in, we both felt nervous as eyes watched us enter. Didn't know that having white hair could cause so much attention. The hall looked amazing, the decorations were icy and the theme was very much Winter solstice. Looking around, the hall was filled with formal attire and mysterious students that all had masks on. Some jeweled or even feathered, some lace or even plain, some colorful and others were dull.

"Well I see Cedric and Grey over there" he said and pointed to a table they were seated at closer to the back. I noticed Cho first and she just had the most elegant and beautiful gown I've ever seen. Ced and Grey both had black and white dress robes. Pansy was beautiful in her dark green silk dress and gold mask.

"Wow. You too planned the matching?" Grey asked while pointing his finger at me and Jeremih."No actually, just kind of unexpectedly did I guess.""Wait- Emerald? Wow I didn't realize it was you until you spoke" he had added with his eyebrows furrowed."Yeah Grey- Ive known you for 5 years and you can't even recognize me by a simple change in hair color?"I rolled my eyes but playfully while we sat down.

The group talked amongst themselves as I went to get something to drink. I was hoping at least someone was standing or walking so I wouldn't be the one to cause attention at myself. But obviously since I was the only one standing and walking up, people will stare. Music was playing but no dancing, thought maybe I would drag my mates out.

As I got to the table with drinks and food, I gazed around looking at the variety of sweets until a familiar sweet had caught my eye. It was these little brownies with tiny orange and white frosting. Fred and George must've added their sweets since I knew that, that particular brownie will have you vomiting within seconds.

"Those little shits" I muttered."What was that? You need to shit?" a voice spoke.

I turned my attention to him and he looked very familiar. He was wearing a gold mask with black and white dress robes as well but the vest was velvet and brown and he had a tied up long bow. His hair stopped above his shoulders and he was a brunette with a middle part.

"What! No I just seen the sweets and realized wait- George?" I noticed the silver ring and his two significant beauty marks on the side of his neck that faced me."How'd you know, Miss Emerald?" He said and I was shocked."Ah, the ring and your beauty marks on the side of your neck. The hair suits you. What gave me away?""Your hair just reminded me of 'Snow' so I just took a wild guess. You're the first to realize besides Fred."

Something about George mentioning Fred had me lose track of what I was doing. I quickly observed the hall and there was no ginger in sight. They must have enchanted masks as well.

"So, enchanted mask?" He asked and I nodded. "Who did them?""Amelia, she enchanted mine and Ro's. What about you?" "Gaby, only did mine and Fred's. Pretty wicked." "Wicked it is. I must go now and by the way I don't need to 'shit' you prick. I seen the sweets""Ohh- I must go now as well. Carry on to your shit".

We both walked away while chuckling and I pretended to lock my mouth with a key, keeping a secret for the sweets they placed. As I walked back to my table, Professor McGonagall Announced the annual dance was about to start. Ro, Lia, Cho and Pansy had stood up in excitement and so did the boys but they seemed uninterested. We all walked to the main floor with the girls standing on one side, and the boys on the other.

As we waited, more people started to join and did the same thing. Girls on one side, boys on the other as we waited for the beat to lower. The song playing was "Merry Go Round Of Life". I had looked to my far left and noticed a familiar tall boy that had eyed me down from afar. Greased brunette hair and he wore similar dress robes to George but with a silver mask and grey velvet vest.

The song started and so the boys bowed down first and then us girls did the same for the second piano verse that played. Standing across from me was Jeremih. We walked elegantly towards each other and I placed my right hand onto his left, and we turned in a circle. One the music lightened again, he spun me and we danced with my arm around his neck and his on my waist while my other hand intertwined with his.

The dance and song had called for a soft waltz, it wasn't fast but it wasn't slow. We had lessons a few days ago but I had skipped, great thing my mother is a dancer and never stopped doing the dance with Me, my brother, and my father.

Jeremih spun me and the next had grabbed me, the dance also included a partner switch. I was now dancing with Cedric, we barely got to talk since it was fast at that moment. I turned to the next person, and to my surprise it was Lee, he was wearing purple and velvet with a black lace mask.

"And who may this lovely mysterious girl of my dreams be?""Take a really good guess Lee." I said while winking. "Miss Knives is that you?" He said, going back to the night of Jeremih's party. I chuckled and stepped on his foot which he groaned at.

"My mate hasn't shut up about you Ya know."

Before I could ask who, I found myself in a new set of arms. Wasn't recognizable but very good dancer. Once that was done, I had spun into someone else I didn't quite know but we waltz and he was quite good at dancing just like the boy before. "Great dancer" I told him. "Thanks I practiced all night long and -" he went on and on and I got distracted by the last person I'd be dancing with who would be soon.

Spinning too much made me a bit dizzy so I reached my hand out and found myself dancing with George. "Finally, someone I know." I sighed while being twirled."What? Last two blokes were a blow off?" He asked while we spun in a circle."No, good dancers but it's fun with a person Im familiar with." I stated after moving from his right to his left, getting reading to switch. "Funny you mention that, you're very familiar with the next person"

"Wait - George Dont spin m-" Just out of my luck, George spun me again and the song changed from high to low and had a nice suspense built into it. I got a bit dizzy from all the spinning so I almost tripped but these large hands had caught me just in time, I was dipped as well because of the trip. The music rose again as if it was perfect timing.

"I got you"

He said as his nose was close to mine.I didn't speak, he pulled me back up so we could dance. He was different but his touch was very familiar, just like George said. We danced passionately unlike the other ones I've danced with. The eye contact remained still, the deep gaze I committed now was once done before.

I knew that this person was indeed Fred. I didn't recognize him from afar since his hair was changed. His touch and especially his eyes that was underneath the mask is what I noticed. This was definitely Fred, it's confirmed. The beat of the song had lowered and he took his chance to say something.

"First of all, you in that dress will be the death of me and I've been meaning to talk to you as well." He said while he gripped my hand into his."Fred, there's nothing to talk about.""Shocking, I thought you wouldn't recognize me." He smirked. God- that stupid smirk."Why so surprised? I know how you roll your hips, remember."

I was in the mood to make a joke and he chuckled at it to. It's what he told me at the party when we danced. That was the only words we shared since the song rose again and came to a finish. We bowed to each other and after that, I left back to the table.

The table had 8 chairs so Ro and Grey were across from me, Ced and Cho were next to them on my left, Jeremih was on my left as well sitting next to me while Amelia was on my left and Pansy to hers. We were all laughing and I was having a great time. After a few minutes, Jeremih asked me if I wanted to dance to the slow song that was playing and I said yes and took his hand.

We had stood out with us being matching, even though it wasn't called for. He had his hands on my hips as I had mine rested on his shoulders. I had recognized the song to be One More Love Song by Mac DeMarco. We danced for a minute and then he spoke.

"Your birthday is next week right, on Friday? I got you a gift.""Yes, and very kind of you but you didn't have to Jeremih.""I know, but I wanted to. It's back at my dorm but I'll give it to you later""Thank you, Jeremih. Really, I appreciate all of this." I had gave him a sweet peck on his cheek as a thank you.

After sharing a few smiles and and sways, we had sat back down at the table that we were at about five minutes before. They had got plates of food and drinks while we danced, I wasn't too hungry so I just took sips of my water. My eyes wandered around the room and I stopped when my eyes met with the same Brunette hiding ginger I danced with earlier, Fred. He was sitting next to a beautiful girl with now dark black long hair and and a red strapless long dress that did flow, my instincts told me it was Gabriella.

"I see the way you two look at each other, why don't you two ever talk?" Jeremih asked me as he followed my eyes and snapped me out of my daydreaming."What? Oh uh-. How do you know who that is?" I asked, not mentioning it was Fred.

"Like I said, I've seen the way you two look at each other. Especially how he couldn't take his eyes off of you when he smelled his Amortentia."I smiled and blushed but turned my head away to pick at my napkin with a fork. The songs that were playing were still slow, Jeremih had got up to use the restroom while the three couples that sat near us had left to dance. It was now just me sitting down, alone.

It was now a few minutes and Jeremih still wasn't back and the couples were still dancing, I had heard a few footsteps near me and I looked up. "These seats taken?" George had asked, standing behind him was Lee and Fred. I turned to look at my mates and they were enjoying their dancing and they look like they would take a while."Yes, but you lot can sit for now." Lee sat to my left and George sat next to him. Fred came around and was going to sit next to me on my right but I knew Jeremih was coming back."That seat is taken. Jeremih's" He didn't say anything, he just sat to the next seat while there was now and empty seat between us.

"So what brings you three here?" I asked while looking at Lee and George. Fred was still quiet."Thought you'd might like a sip..." George said while pulling a flask filled with Fire Whiskey out from his suit."Well then you thought right- correct-? Just pass it please" and with the flask now in my hands, I took down a about three shots. Lee grabbed it away from me which I frowned it at but it was for the best I suppose. George and Lee had went back to their table to Angelina and some other Gryffindor 7th years. While Fred stayed back.

"Aren't you going with your mates?" I asked him."No, I rather just enjoy admiring you" he sighed and smiled.

It was quiet though, so unlike him. He said he wanted to talk to me yet he wasn't talking. Fred was being so complicated and silent that it was bothering me. "How can one leave such a beautiful girl unattended" Fred was looking at my legs that were peaking out my slit. He was leaning back in his chair and had his arm resting on the empty chair beside him with his legs slightly wide apart."Mhm well, I'm going to find my date. Maybe you should go to yours." I said while looking at him, taking in his look. But controlling myself.

I stood up and Jeremih finally came back. "Alright, Round 2?" Jeremih asked, meaning another dance. "Yess please" I said in a seductive tone, purposely.Fred stood up so I let him watch us leave.

We got to the dance floor again and it was another slow dance, no lyrics but just a slow Rhythm. We swayed and I was looking down the whole time, just enjoying the dance and the night slowly."Why'd you do that?" He asked me.

"Do what?"

"Emerald I know you care about him and it's obvious he cares about you." he said while we swayed in a circle slowly, now turning.

"It's just- I don't know...it's complicated. I pushed him away so I have to deal with it. Besides, he has a girlfriend so I should shove off" I told him, finally lifting my head up.

"If he has girlfriend, then why has he been standing near us...waiting...for you... no way in hell he's here for me."

Jeremih nodded his head behind me gesturing for me to look, and Fred was waiting. Jeremih smiled at me and I narrowed my eyes at him, that prick. I turned back around to face Fred and watch him as he approached me.

"Snow, may I have this dance?" He asked while having his hand out. My heart was screaming yes but my mind was yelling at me to say no. But eventually, I gave in.

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I tried to fit the whole ball in one chapter but see - I have to continue my thoughts onto another one.

:)

This is how I pictured her dress. I know they're both two different types of material but the dress picture with the back of the dress is nicer.