That Dress
As your mind slipped back into consciousness, you felt a warm buzzing feeling through your body. Today was the day you would finally be let out of the medical bay! "Y/N, darling. Wakey wakey." Madame Pompfrey chimed, hovering over your face. Slowly your eyes flit open, making eye contact with a big metal spoon. "Are you serious? I'm meant to be better aren't I?" Looking between Madame Pompfrey and the spoon you nearly gagged. "This is the last one deary I promise." She ushered the spoon closer to your face, forcing you to drink it. With a thick gulping noise you drank the last of the potion, shaking your head at the after taste.
"And now, you can leave." Madame Pompfrey remarked, once again already half way out of the door. Wherever did that woman need to be except in the medical bay? It's her entire job. You swung your legs over the side of the bed, putting slight pressure on your previously busted ankle for the first time. You felt shakey but your body was strong and you managed to stand all on your own. Quickly you packed up your big stack of books, readying yourself to take them back to your dorm.
Footsteps pattered, entering the medical bay and garnering your attention. "George! Was wondering where you were-" You smiled, turning to face him, only to be met by Angelina instead. "Not expecting me clearly." She gave you a suggestive smirk before wrapping you in a hug. "Ange, it's good to see you. Sorry, I was actually expecting George if I'm honest..." Rubbing the back of your neck you shyly met her eyes. Waving you off she took some of the books from your hands, "Don't mention it, I know he's been visiting quite a lot. Freddie's been keeping me informed."
The two of you headed back to your common room, chatting idly and catching up. "Guess what. Freddie wants me to stay with his family for Christmas!" Angelina exclaimed, letting out a girlish squeal for extra dramatic event. "Ange that's amazing! Are you nervous? Excited? How did it happen? Tell me everything, right now!" Pushing open the door to the common room you heaved the piles of books inside, eagerly trying to find a space on the couch to hear all about your best friend's news.
"Move over!" Shooing a bunch of first years off the couch by the fire place, you released your hands and let your textbooks fall to the ground with a cartoonish thump. Placing your hands in your lap, you invited Angelina to sit with you and tell you all about her new Christmas plans. "Go on!"
Smiling ear to ear she began, "So, we were at dinner with George, Ron and Ginny and Fred just- well- asked! Everybody was grinning at me so I'm guessing they already knew." Her eyes glazed over as she looked at her hands, lost in the memory of it. "To be completely honest, I'm totally freaking out! What if his mother doesn't like me? Or what if I walk in on someone on the loo!" Now she was threading her hands through the front of her hair, drawing her nails down her cheeks.
"Godric, stop that! She will love you and if you know what knocking is you will be fine!" As you put a hand on hers she looked at you thankfully, suddenly something flickered in her eye. "Hey... Y/N..." She inched closer to you, clasping your hand tightly. "Oh no, whatever you're about to say no! I can see that damned look in your eye. My answer is no!" Trying desperately to pull your hand away, to avoid being locked into whatever delusional plan she had.
"What if, as a favour to me, you came with me this Christmas!" The colour drained from your face as you helplessly stared back at her. "Y/N's coming? This is going to be so fun!" You whipped your head around to see Ginny and Hermione walk in. "Oh you're so dead Ange..." Whispering through gritted teeth you looked at Ange, a sadistic smile on her face.
Not wanting to upset Ginny you smiled and nodded your head, acutely aware of how much you were now sweating. The thought of staying in George's house freaked you out entirely, Merlin's beard, what if his mother doesn't like you? What if you walk in on- No! That won't happen. Or at least that's what you were currently telling yourself.
"Ello ladies!" Fred chimed, walking in. "What's going on in 'ere?" George finished, following behind Fred. The two of them resting on the back of the couch in perfect sync. "Y/N's coming for Christmas break!" Hermione smiled, Ginny nodding by her side. George looked like he had seen a ghost, slowly looking down at you. "You. You what..." His eyes were wider than any owl you'd ever seen and his pink cheeks looked chalky white. The two of you shared a look, both suddenly feeling miserable. All you could muster was a nod.
Fred couldn't help but begin bellowing laughs, almost falling to the floor. "Shut up..." George elbowed him, finally forcing him to fall down. He had to hold his stomach as he laughed, tears almost coming out. "Well, I'm excited! It'll be nice to have some girls in the house." Ginny smiled, sitting next to you on the couch. "Oh speaking of, I actually need a dress for the ball. I was thinking we could go look today?" You motioned to the three girls, looking for any disagreement. All three girls nodded, happy to help their now-healthy friend.
"Okay, meet back down here in twenty? We can catch a carriage and go down to Hogsmeade." Hermione looked at her watch and back around the room, seeing everyone nod back at her. The three girls all stood and headed up to their dorms, leaving you on the couch. Just as you went to get up you felt a hand on your shoulder, "Hey, glad to see you up and walking again. Sorry I wasn't there when you woke up, I had something come up." Averting your gaze as he finished his sentence, he looked down at the red fabric of the couch and subconsciously began to rub at his neck.
Over the past few days, you'd started picking up on a lot more of his body language. But even so, any person with a good set of eyes could tell something was up. "What were you busy with?" You tried to hide your intrigue, but it slipped out anyway. "Tell ya later... The guys are thinking about going for butter beers so, maybe we can meet up after you get your dress?" He looked up at you hopefully, he wasn't sure where you stood after the bathing incident. Though his early morning meeting was still nagging at you, you smiled at him, "Yeah, I'd like that. Oh- And... I'll return your clothes later..." Both of you began blushing, remembering you were still in his underwear.
"Oh- Right- Yeah, sure just find me later..." The colour had now restored in both of you, a blush on both your faces. "Hermione will kill me if I'm late to leave, I better get ready." Giving him one last smile you headed up the stairs, far more carefully than the last time, and headed to your dorm.
Left back in the common room, George's heart was racing. You? In his home? With him? And his entire family? Godric Gryffindor... "Georgie!" Fred sat up off the floor, where he had been since his previous collapse. "When you gonna ask her to the ball? All the boys have started asking just this morning, I'm gonna ask Ange tonight too." Fred stared off dreamily, thinking about dancing the night away with Angelina. "Oh trust me mate, I know. I've already had three girls ask me!" George whined, head in hands now. "Did you say three? Chics at this school can be bloody mental... Does Y/N know?"
"What do you think? Of course not!" George didn't want to tell you, he didn't want you to get the wrong idea about his and some mystery girl. He wanted to ask you, desperately in fact, but other girls throwing themselves at him certainly wouldn't help. "She's gonna flip when she finds out..." Fred gave his brother a wide-eyed look, even though George couldn't tell how you felt, everybody else could. "I doubt she's going to care but I just don't want her thinking I like someone." George looked like a wounded puppy, thoughts clouding his mind. "Oh she's going to care alright..." Fred muttered, just out of earshot from George.
"C'mon mate, let's go. Butterbeers on me today alright?" Ushering George back to their dorm, he couldn't help but smile. Angelina was going to love hearing about this.
--
"Thank you!" Hermione called back getting out of the carriage last. The snow crunched beneath your feet as you pulled your scarf a little closer. The store up ahead had a worn down oak sign, slathered in yellow paint and daisies. The shop was old but still inviting, with an older witch running it by herself. It was where most of the girls from Hogwarts bought their dresses. Entering the small store, warm air flooded your skin, allowing your body to relax. "Elaine, how are you?" Hermione chimed, smiling wide at the owner. "Ah Hermione dear! How good to see you again, I'm doing rather well. So many pretty young ladies buying dresses about now." She gave the group of you a kind smile before turning back to Hermione.
"How does she know her by name?" You whispered to Ginny, walking past the exchange. "Apparently she comes in and helps with errands in her spare time, I don't know how she even has spare time these days." She shrugged, looking at a red dress in front of her. "What about this Y/N?" Ginny held the dress out to you, letting drape down her arm. "It's gorgeous but I'm not sure about the fabric..." Putting the dress back, the two of you separated and the four of you began looking for your perfect dress.
After a while, each of the girls had a dress picked out for you to try on and you headed to the dressing rooms for a miniature fashion show. "Okay, which one do I try first?" Extending your hand out of the change room, you waited for somebody to hand you a dress. "Try this, tell us what you think" Angelina handed you a deep green gown, with the hem just by your ankle. A moment later, you drew the curtain back to show your friends. "It's beautiful but..." Hermione started. "That shade of green is just really..." Ginny continued. "Slytherin..." Angelina sighed, now seeing her mistake. "Try this one." Hermione handed you her pick, a light pink slip dress with a low back.
Once again you draw the curtain, doing a little spin for dramatic effect. "How do we feel guys?" You asked the small crowd, seeing your friends nod. "It's very pretty." Ginny smiled, looking the dress over. "Dear, if you don't mind me saying. I've sold a lot of dresses these last few weeks and I've seen some very outlandish dresses. Don't you think it's a bit simple for a ball?" Elaine popped in, standing a few feet away. "You've got a point... This is the yule ball we're talking about." The girls in the room hummed their agreement, "Alright, mine next." Pulling the curtain back you got changed once again. A poofy navy dress with gold flakes along the neckline and puffy sleeves.
Stepping out you felt like a princess, maybe too much like a princess. "You look like Cinderella, Y/N." Angelina smiled, you chuckled at the comment. "Maybe just a little too much with this one." Ginny added. "I'm sorry, it's the sleeves." Hermione smiled, not usually the critical one. The four of you laughed at the irony, the last dress too little but this one too much. "Ginny yours is our last hope." You giggled, holding your hand out to take her pick.
She handed you a pale orange gown with a slit up the leg and asymmetrical neckline. After one last costume change you stepped out of the dressing room. "McGonagall is never going to allow that." Hermione giggled, looking up at you with sympathy. "What is it with you Weasley's and the colour orange?" Looking at Ginny you laughed at her ironic colour choice. "Habit I suppose." Ginny huffed. "Oh come on, don't you want to represent your man?" Angelina grinned, raising her eyebrows and leaning into her hand. "Your man?" Hermione eyed you up, looking to Angelina for more information. "And it's a Weasley?" Ginny looked at Angelina wide-eyed, "Godric, it's not Ron is it?"
"Merlin you lot are dense, it's George!" Angelina stated, slapping a hand to her forehead. "He is not my man, we're just friends." You sighed, drawing the curtain back to change into your day clothes. "But you do want him to be your guy don't you Y/N?" Hermione called out to you, the three girls giggling outside the curtain. "Shut up! We are not talking about this! Because there is nothing to talk about!" Now fighting your dress you called back to the girls between disgruntled breathes.
"Here, try this." Elaine slotted a dress through the curtain, waiting for you to take it. Finally slipping off the orange dress, you took the one Elaine was holding. It was a (Y/F/C) floor length gown, with layers of chiffon flowing to the floor and an off the shoulder cowl neckline. Emerging from the dressing room, the girls all fell silent. "So, do we like it?" You smiled, watching as their eyes lit up. "Oh Y/N, it's gorgeous." Angelina smiled, unable to take her eyes off the dress. "That is the one." Hermione said, Ginny nodding along side her. "Elaine, I'll take it. Thank you." It was your dream dress, for your dream night. All that was left was your dream boy.