Formal Pain
Students were gathered together in a room with a large record player to the side.
Years four through seven crowded together leaving a giant hole in the center. Most of them knew what this was for and were not looking happy about it. The upperclassmen stood behind the youngers who were sitting in front.
Here came a professor telling them about the importance of the Yule Ball, asking for a student participant to be an example as a symphony was heard. The others watched and soon were told to grab a partner and practice, along with a date usually accompanies people to this event.
Yuna was one of the few left on the side. She sat in a chair ignoring what was going on and instead was reading.
The shoes of someone in front of her didn't make her look up either.
"Paris, can you be my partner so I can get this over with." The voice of Jesse made her look up. "No, I'm good." She looked back down. "Okay-, the professors are looking, and I rather not have our house lose points today. So, will you just join me?" He lied, honestly not caring about house points in general or ever-his reputation on the other hand was something he held high. But he wanted to test Davy's word after he told him about how she acted at parties and seemed to not have a negative view on dancing, unlike his talk with her when they first met. He knew she didn't like formals, and he was going to find out why.
She sighed putting her book down and stood up. The two moved to the center and he grabbed her right hand and waist. Yuna held his hand and put her other on his shoulder. She just stared at him blankly with a hint of annoyance as the two followed back and forth between steps. Jesse could tell she wasn't putting in much effort but the basics.
The two's posture was loose, and their movement looked sloppy.
"Wow, I knew you hated formals, but I didn't think you meant it was because you were just bad at dancing." His remark didn't get a reaction except for the same blank look. He sighed and tried spinning her as a new song played. This continued on and both wondered how much longer this practice would go on till the bell rang.
Nothing useful was coming out except for proof of her clearly not liking what she had stated-and maybe not him at the moment.
The male looked up to take his eyes onto something more interesting to pass time by then quickly looked back down as Yuna watched the other students dancing. "Hey, why is there a Slytherin glaring at us?" He asked and she looked back up at him. "If they have short brown hair, ignore them. Konnor is just being overprotective." She said with slight amusement and he almost saw a smile.
"Yeah well, they don't. More so- they have brown braids... and also are a girl."
Jesse felt her grip his hand tighter, and she fixed her posture. He could now hold her correctly and noted how quickly their dancing got better. Their steps to the music seemed to be on track suddenly as sloppy turned to graceful.
This was new.
As he spun her around again, the girl was gone. Yuna must've noticed this too but she still continued dancing, focusing on her partner.
"What was that about? Did you prank her too or something?" The male asked and she gave a look that seemed way too focused in the moment. "Do you really want to bring up my problems when you finally have me putting effort into this?" Her remark made it clear to him what she was doing, Jesse grinned.
This was out of her own will here, she wasn't copying his mood anymore. No, she was trying to make that girl upset. That girl was now in the crowd dancing with them.
"Are you using me as jealousy bait?" He asked. "Don't act like you're not enjoying this show." The brunette remarked back. "You find it amusing, I know." He dipped her.
"But I want her to think I've moved on." She was pulled back up. Yuna meant it in a platonic and nostalgic way. She was done with their friendship the moment "he" came in.
"Well then, it's weird seeing you play straight." Jesse spoke with amusement and quickly got her attention back. "We.. didn't date? And-I'm not gay." Yuna responded with a confused expression, pausing with something else in her eyes.
Jesse looked confused back as the two quickly spun around. "My apologies, I just saw you at times-" "It's fine, she's not far off from my fiancé, so you at least got their habits right." There was definitely a warning were she tried joking.
The male quickly looked at her concerned before changing the topic. Along with thinking- 'this kid is engaged already? They definitely looked way too young for this.'
"You're really good at waltzing, you know, when you actually put the effort into it." He quickly tried to go back to their playful nature. "And you're actually tolerable when not psychoanalyzing me, you know." They retaliated while leaning back and hastily spun around with him.
"I'm being serious." Jesse chose a new approach-or maybe was trying to be polite. "Please, this is child's play." Yuna commented with annoyance looking to the side then back at him. "Well, it's fitting for you then." Yeah, he was trying alright.
A bell rang and she quickly let go, speeding over to her book and leaving.
The male hurried out too looking for her. So far only one time he had seen her break-that wasn't enough. There was somewhat a new interest in her and Jesse suddenly had the motivation for something dark. He wanted to break her again- but for his own amusement.
Heading to the Hufflepuff common room immediately, he was unaware of the person watching him from the time he left the building.