The Yule Ball [Part 1]
Reborn frowned at himself in the mirror. Well, not at himself, but the people reflected in the mirror.
“Are we done?” he asked irritably. The girls glanced at each other, looking him up and down. Then they nodded.
“Yup, we’re done here,” M.M decided. “Good job, girls. Now... let’s go get I-Pin and Adelheid and hightail out of here.”
“No need, we’re here,” Adelheid said as she entered with I-Pin.
“Oh good, where’s Skull?” Chrome asked.
“Outside. He’s helping to set up the place.”
The girls plus Viper nodded and linked arms.
“Well, we have to go now. Good luck on your date!” I-Pin said as Viper warped them away. Reborn sighed as he watched them go, then decided to go look for Skull.
As he walked through the halls, students, ghosts, and teachers alike gaped. Reborn smirked, internally preening at the attention. Then he wondered how Skull would react and a brief flash of worry went through him before he squashed it down. No, he wasn’t nervous! He was the world’s greatest hitman! He didn’t do nervous!
He stopped a passing female student who flushed red.
“Y-yes?!” the girl yelped, blushing furiously.
“My apologies if I startled you,” Reborn said smoothly. “Do you happen to know where Skull is at the moment?”
The girl blushed, then seemed to comprehend what Reborn had said, and her jaw dropped.
”P-Professor Reborn?!” she yelled in shock, attracting everyone’s attention.
”No way!” a Slytherin girl hissed, obviously on her way to dress up for the ball. “That’s the muggle?!”
There were several echoes of disbelief and shock. Reborn raised an eyebrow.
”Well? Skull?” he prompted, and the girl nodded, still a brilliant shade of red.
”I, uh, think he’s at the Great Hall, helping the other professors with the decoration and stuff,” she mumbled. Reborn nodded in thanks and hurried away.
At the Great Hall, he hesitated for a split second, Leon nuzzled his neck from his shoulder and Reborn strode in. He stopped for a moment to marvel at the sight before him, before McGonagall spotted him.
”Ah, is that you, Reborn?” she asked, looking stunned.
”Yes, have you seen Skull?” Reborn questioned, and McGonagall pointed.
“Over there, with his octopus...”
Reborn looked to where she was pointing, and his mouth went dry. Skull looked absolutely amazing. Reborn hurried over to him, allowed Leon to slip over to Oodako, before lacing his arms around Skull’s waist and smirking next to his ear.
”Well, you look rather well-dressed. I could just eat you up, Bellissimo,” he purred in a sultry voice.
Skull gave a shriek, whipping around and ears red. Reborn swallowed as Skull’s face came into view.
The only make up he had on was a bit of mascara to bring out his eyes. His hair was now black, and fell in a stylish mess to the back of his neck, some of it had been brought into a bun by a jade pin. The scarf around Skull’s shoulders had moved a little, revealing a pale, enticing neck that Reborn just couldn’t wait to mark.
”Ren!” Skull said, “don’t scare me like that! And what the hell does that word mean?”
”Which word?” Reborn asked, slipping an arm around Skull’s waist, much to the other’s embarrassment.
”Th-the one, you know... Bellismo...?”
”Bellissimo,” Reborn corrected. “It means gorgeous.” Reborn leaned in, nuzzling Skull’s neck, and prompting out a squeak. “You’re gorgeous...”
Skull somehow managed to turn an even darker shade of red, which Reborn found rather cute and amusing. Then-
“Take that somehwere else you two!” Flitwick called in good nature. “You’ll have plenty of time for that later tonight!”
The two broke apart- Skull flushed a deep scarlet and Reborn smirking openly.
”Everyone, take your seat please,” Dumbledore said as he swept in through the side door with the two other Headmasters. “The ball is about to begin.”
There was a small bustle as they took their seats and McGonagall went for the Champions.
Skull glanced at Reborn, who looked back, and smirked.
SWITCHING POVS...
“Holy shit,” someone mumbled. “The muggle is goddamn hot.”
”Was Professor Skull always that pretty?”
Harry shook his head and suppressed the smile that threatened to appear on his face as he sat down. No one was attempting to be at least discreet in their mutterings, and it seemed the two teacher’s at the subject of the discussion could hear everything. Dinner began.
”Harry,” Skull said warmly. “You’re looking well.”
”Ah, thank you,” Harry said, glad that he teacher had interrupted Percy’s ramblings. Skull gave him a grin, and Harry realised it’d been done on purpose. “...you look... different.”
”Ah, I guess it’s because of the piercings and stuff, eh? Makes me look older, doesn’t it?” Skull laughed, and Harry nodded. “Well, that was the point of it, really. Never really liked showing my face to others. Made me feel vulnerable. Well, not anymore though. It’s just a ha it more than anything.”
”That and I don’t like you wearing make up,” Reborn interrupted, leaning towards Skull. “Makes you seem... fake. I don’t like it.”
Skull flushed red, and turned away hurriedly, clearing his throat.
”Yea!” he said, his voice a bit higher than normal. “Yea, that too.”
After a bit, Dumbledore waved his wand and the chairs and table zoomed away to the sides, and the Weird Sisters trooped on stage. Parvati tugged Harry to his feet and Skull gave him a little wave of good luck as the Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune.
SWITCHING POVS AGAIN...
Skull hummed along a little to the song, before Reborn abruptly got up and turned towards Skull holding out a hand.
”May I have this dance?” Reborn asked, smiling gently.
Skull stared at the smile for a few seconds- he’d never seen Reborn smile like that before. Smirk, yes. Sneer, sometimes, but smile...?
”I, I actually can’t dance, I think I’ll step on your toes a few times,” Skull said, embarrassed.
”Not to worry, I’ll lead,” Reborn said determinedly, and Skull hesitantly took the offered hand, setting down his katana and fan.
Several people looked startled as Reborn tugged Skull to the floor. “Put your hand on my shoulder, and hold my hand with the other one,” Reborn instructed. “And just go along with me.”
Seeing the two go onto the floor, several more hesitant pairs took to the dance floor and started to waltz.
Skull wasn’t a very good dancer, the lessons in his past hadn’t helped at all, seeing as it’d been quite a few years since the last one. However, Reborn held him gently, and led him near the corner of the floor where they just swayed.
Skull decided he quite liked this and hummed, smiling up at Reborn. Reborn smiled back down and Skull put his ear to Reborn’s chest, and the hitman drew him in until they were practically hugging, but still swaying lightly.
The students and teachers all decided to give the pair some space. Even Malfoy knew better than to disturb the peaceful pair.