“Has anyone seen my other shoe?”
“I can’t get my makeup to cooperate!”
“My hair doesn’t look right!”
Renee heard all of this from the shower. The hot water was good for her; it helped her to relax.
When she got out, she put on the light blue slip that went under her silver dress robes. Muttering a quick drying spell on her hair, Renee started to work on getting it right. She pulled the top half back into a half-ponytail, and let the rest wave naturally.
Satisfied, she moved on to her makeup. She decided that simplicity was the best route and applied a slight blue shimmer to her eyes.
Renee walked out of the bathroom and let Jessica in, who was almost in hysterics over the state of her hair.
Everyone had hung their dress robes up on their beds to admire. Allyson’s were a pale pink, Jessica’s a vibrant red. Rose was wearing her emerald green robes, and Liza’s robes were a deep blue. Renee’s robes, however, were nowhere to be seen.
“Where are my dress robes?”
Rose shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe Allyson or Liza does.”
Trying not to panic, Renee prepared everything else for the night ahead. Her shoes were of the strappy heel variety; Renee was glad to have a date tall enough that she could wear heels. She took the necklace that Edward had given her and clasped it around her neck. The colour of the heart reminded her of something, she just couldn’t place what.
Allyson came out of the second bathroom and Renee stopped her. “Hey, Allyson, have you seen where my dress robes went?”
Allyson frowned apologetically. “No, sorry. Maybe they fell?”
Getting slightly more panicky, Renee searched around her bed. They weren’t under it, on it or in her trunk. Pulling back her blankets, Renee found Edwards shirt from the previous day that she had forgotten to return to him. Sighing, she folded it and placed it on top of her trunk.
When Liza walked back into the room, she had an announcement. “I’ve told the boys to meet us outside the common room at four thirty.”
Renee looked at the clock on her bedside table “ they only had forty-five minutes left. Where had all their time gone?
“Liza, have you seen my dress robes?” Renee asked.
“Yeah, I put them on the bathroom door for you.”
Renee sighed in relief. “Oh, alright. Thanks.”
Once she put them on, Renee fussed over the minor details of her outfit. She performed a charm that removed all of the dust and wrinkles from her robes, and then made sure that the collar was folded properly. Once satisfied with the collar, she fixed the necklace and put earrings in. Her earrings were a silver hoop for her cartilage piercing and dangling diamonds for her earlobes. Once she put her shoes on, Renee walked over to check how she looked in the full-length mirror that hung on the back of the door.
“Wow, Renee.” Rose appeared at her side. “You look stunning.”
“Thank you, so do you, Rose.”
They both smiled, and then were called to the centre of the room by Liza.
“Alright, it is four twenty-five. It’s time to go,” she proclaimed in a voice that belonged in a theatre.
Renee and Rose held their giggling; Liza could be so overdramatic sometimes. Taking a deep breath and praying that she wouldn’t trip down the stairs, Renee followed Rose as they went to meet the boys.
As they walked through the portrait hole, Renee felt her breath catch in her throat. The five guys all stood in a line waiting for their dates. They all had black dress robes on, but their undershirts matched the robes of their date.
Edward stood at the end of the line. He was wearing a silver shirt, but he also had on the necklace that Renee had gotten him. Renee thought that he looked rather good. When she walked up to him, he bowed.
“Hello, Renee,” he greeted her. He didn’t look like himself, he looked more nervous than Renee had ever seen him; his eyes didn’t have their usual gleam and his mouth was missing his constant smile.
Renee smiled encouragingly as she took his offered arm, and they followed Scorpius and Liza to the Great Hall.
Once they got to the Entrance Hall, the doors to the Great Hall hadn’t been opened yet, so everyone was gathered and waiting. Renee saw David Taylor’s eyes widen at the sight of Renee on Edward’s arm. He himself had no date, a fact that Renee was slightly pleased about.
They found Albus and Rebecca, and the boys grimaced at each other while the girls exchanged compliments and gushed over each others’ outfits.
The doors opened slightly, and Professor Allen, the Head of Gryffindor House, walked out. She was wearing light blue dress robes and her hair was amazingly straight.
“Ladies and Gentlemen!” she called and there was immediate silence. “Welcome to the Yule Ball. Your names have been placed at tables. Please sit according to where your name is.”
As Professor Allen turned around and strode back into the Great Hall, the doors opened wide. Many of the girls gasped as they saw the interior.
Renee felt her eyes widen at the splendor of the room. The ceiling was snowing from a cloudless and starry sky and there were little round tables set up all around. Ice sculptures and decorated trees lined the walls. The front of the room had a slight break between the High Table and the round tables, where Renee assumed that the dance floor was to be. The lighting of the room had a blue tint to it, and it seemed as though even the candles were emitting a blue glow. Renee took Edward’s arm again as they entered the hall to find their seats.
Close to the center of the hall, Edward found their table. He pulled Renee’s seat out for her before sitting next to her. Liza and Scorpius joined them, followed by Rose and Jason, Albus and Rebecca, along with a couple from Ravenclaw that turned out to be Rebecca’s friends.
All of the guys picked something up from their plates and read it. Edward showed his to Renee “ it was a ticket for a free picture together for each of them.
“This is Sasha and Trent,” Rebecca introduced her friends to everyone, drawing Renee’s attention back to her table.
“Hi, I’m Renee,” Renee introduced herself.
The introductions went around the table just before Professor Andrews stood up to address the school.
“Welcome to the evening’s festivities! After dinner, we shall clear off the dance floor and the band will come out. You will be free to go outside, if you so desire. Have a good night!”
When he sat down, menus appeared instead of the food many had been expecting. Curious, Renee looked up at the High Table and felt her mouth drop open.
“What are you staring at?” Edward followed her gaze and his eyes widened.
“Kyle Allen is here?” Renee gasped. “That is so amazing.”
“Yeah, he’s Professor Allen’s husband.” He turned back to his menu but Renee continued watching Kyle Allen. He was her favourite Quidditch player, the best seeker outside of England, and he was also from America.
As she was watching, she saw the professors speak to their plates and the food appeared. Mimicking them, Renee ordered her dinner directly to her empty plate. The others watched her as her dinner appeared and hastened to follow her lead.
Once everyone had finished, Professor Andrews stood up and prompted everyone else to do so as well. With a wave of his wand, the tables and chairs clustered outside of a central dance floor, and a refreshments table appeared. With another wave, a stage appeared and the band walked up.
In keeping up with the current trend, Hogwarts had hired Three Wizards and a Muggle to play. The first song they played was “Somebody Told Me” by the Killers. Screaming girls dragged their dates to the floor to dance. Renee grabbed Edward’s hand and pulled him along to claim a corner for their group to dance together.
They danced through four songs before Renee got too warm. Seeming to feel the same, Edward gestured to the doors. Renee nodded and followed as he led the way outside.
“Ah, fresh air!” Renee smiled, spinning in a quick circle. The staff had placed a warming spell on a section of the grounds, so it wasn’t nearly as cold as it could have been. However, it was cold enough for the snow not to melt.
Finding a bench, Renee sat down and loosened her shoes.
Edward sat next to her. “Are you having fun?” he asked tentatively.
Renee smiled brightly. “Yeah, I am. Are you?”
He relaxed and smiled back. “Of course I am.”
Renee laughed. Sighing contentedly, she leaned back into the back of the bench and gave an involuntary shiver.
“Are you cold?” Edward immediately asked. Renee denied it, but he didn’t believe her. Leaning back next to her, he put his arm around her shoulders. Renee was glad for the warmth.
“So, how do you like Hogwarts, now that the year is half over?” he asked conversationally. Renee looked at his face and his expression was guarded.
Trying to figure out why, Renee answered, “I really like it.”
He nodded in approval. “That’s good.”
Renee looked at him. He looked like he wanted to ask something else, but wasn’t. “Why?” she prompted.
He was silent for a moment. “What are you going to do at the end of the year?” he asked bluntly.
Renee was startled. She wasn’t expecting this question, and she didn’t really want to think about it. “Well, I’m not entirely sure. What about you? Did you still want to be a professor here?”
Edward ignored her questions. His expression was still guarded, but Renee thought that she could see some anger through the mask. “You’re not sure? So what, tonight’s just a good night and then at the end of the year you’ll go back to America, “Perfect America,” and not think about us ever again?”
Renee was stunned. She didn’t know what had given him the idea that she was like that, but it made her angry. “What makes you think that?” She pulled out from under his arm and turned to face him.
His face was angry and sarcastic. “Well, you don’t know what you’re going to do, so you’ll probably just go home and leave me here, an unwilling bachelor.”
Renee’s temper flared. She stood up, only barely managing to not yell at him. “I was going to see if I could rent a flat in Hogsmeade.”
Edward’s anger dissolved immediately, and his face betrayed his shock. “You… you were?”
Renee’s anger didn’t dissolve as fast. “Well, since it seems that you wouldn’t want me around anyway, I guess I won’t. I’m sorry for wasting your time tonight and these past few days.” She turned and stalked away.
She wasn’t about to go back inside, so she turned the corner of the courtyard, out of eyeshot of anyone, and felt her temper completely die faster than anytime before.
She found another bench and sank into it, hanging her head in her hands. What had just happened? The night had been going so well, and now she was fighting tears.
The sounds of footsteps made her look up. Edward stood there, shamefaced. Renee couldn’t find the anger at him that had been there just moments before, now all she wanted was to take back those few moments and have everything go back to the way it was.
“I’m sorry,” he apologised, and then looked closer at her face. “Were you crying?” he asked, ashamed.
Renee felt her cheeks and, sure enough, a few tears had escaped. “No,” she lied stubbornly, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
Edward gave a small smile and sat next to her. “I really am sorry. I don’t know why I said those things; I don’t know what came over me. Can you forgive me?”
Renee looked at his genuinely sorry smile and gave a smile herself. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have flared at you like that.”
“Apology accepted.” He grinned his normal smile and Renee felt better.
“So, what were you planning on doing?” she asked him, shivering again.
He automatically put his arm around her shoulders as he answered, “Well, you were right, I do want to stay here and try that new Teacher’s Prep program.” He looked sideways at her and asked in a smaller voice, “What about you?”
Renee smiled encouragingly. “Well, I’ll probably go home for a bit to see my family, but then I was thinking of renting a flat in Hogsmeade and maybe training to join a Quidditch team.”
Edward looked thoughtful. “You know, ever since Janet Ferguson talked about trying out for the Chudley Cannons last year, there’s been talk about who’s going to be the first woman Quidditch player outside of the Harpies.” He grinned. “That can be a goal for you.”
Renee smirked. The sounds of the dance floated outside and Renee heard the beginnings of “Write You a Song” by the Plain White T’s. “Ooh,” she sighed, “I love this song.”
“In that case, let’s go.” Edward pulled her up and led her back into the Great Hall. Turning to her and bowing, he asked, “Would you like to dance?”
Renee smiled as she curtsied. “Yes, thank you.”
He put his hands around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck and they swayed to the song together.
“So, does this make us boyfriend and girlfriend?” Renee asked. Her dating history was rather sparse, giving her nothing to go by.
Edward shrugged. “I guess if you want it to.”
Suddenly, Renee realised where she had seen the colour of the heart of her necklace from. “Hey, did you realise that the colour of your eyes matches the colour of the necklace you gave me?”
“Wow, really?” Edward was entirely unable to hide his mischievous grin.
Renee raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as the song came to a close. A faster song started up, and Renee and Edward were about to go looking for their group when Professor Allen stopped them.
“Hello, Renee, Edward.” She smiled. “I have someone I would like you both to meet.” She stepped aside and this time Edward’s moth dropped open as Kyle Allen walked forward to greet them. Renee snapped Edward’s mouth shut as Mr. Allen approached them.
“Hello, Renee Madison. Ayra here has told me a lot about you. You too, Edward Bones.” He shook each of their hands in turn. “I hear you went to M-Pac, Renee. I also hear that you are both rather good Quidditch players. What would you say to a pick-up game later this week?”
Renee felt a grin grow on her face. “Of course, Mr. Allen, we would love to play a game with you.”
He smiled in return. “That’s great. Oh, and call me Kyle.” He led Professor Allen away to dance some more.
Edward turned to Renee in shock. “That was Kyle Allen! He wants to play a game of Quidditch with us. Wow.”
“Wow,” Renee agreed.
Once they had both recovered, they found Rose and Jason, who were the only ones left of their friends on the dance floor.
“Where’d everyone else go?” Edward asked.
Jason shrugged. “Liza and Scorpius went outside, Albus and Rebecca are, I think, sitting at a table.”
“What do you want to do?” Renee asked, turning to Edward.
“I don’t care. You want to dance?”
Renee smiled. “Sure.”
After another two songs, Renee wanted to go outside again. Edward followed as she led the way to the doors.
Once outside, Renee took off her shoes. They looked great, but they hurt like hell after so much dancing.
“Let’s take a walk,” Edward suggested, indicating the path that was illuminated by fairy lights.
“So, what were you thinking of teaching?” Renee asked as their path was almost swallowed by the snow outside the courtyard.
“I’m not entirely sure yet.” He looked thoughtful, seeming to take her hand almost absentmindedly. “I was thinking either Potions or Transfiguration. I’m good at both of those classes and I enjoy them.”
“Ew, Potions,” Renee joked. Potions had never been a strong subject for her; she was so glad that she was able to drop it this year. At M-Pac it was required for all four years.
“It is very helpful, though.” Edward grinned wickedly. “The Love Potion I slipped into your drink tonight seems to be working quite well.”
Renee rolled her eyes. “And obviously the perfume I bought doesn’t work. It was supposed to be one of those that makes everyone to go away.”
“And therein lies your problem “ I’m not everyone,” Edward explained with an angel’s smile.
There was a bench at the end of their path. Before they could sit down, it started to snow.
Grinning brightly, Renee set her shoes down on the bench and twirled around in the falling snowflakes. Edward grabbed her by the waist to lift her up and spin her around.
When he set her down, a curious look came to his eyes.
“Do you believe in magic?” he asked in a soft voice.
Gazing into his eyes, Renee couldn’t deny it. “Yes.”
He muttered something Renee couldn't make out and gently turned her around. Gasping in amazement, Renee watched the bush directly in front of her. White roses were blooming on it before her eyes. Edward walked over and picked one.
“Renee,” Edward began, turning back to her and holding out the flower, “I’ll make this official. Will you be my girlfriend?”
Renee’s smile grew as she took the flower. “Of course.”
Edward grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. Before Renee could prepare herself, Edward leaned down to kiss her. It was short and sweet, but when he pulled away, Renee was slightly dazed.
After a moment, Edward laughed. “I know I’m good, but this is the first time I’ve rendered someone speechless.”
Once the ground stayed where it should be, Renee stuck her tongue out at him. The sounds of “Far Away” by Nickelback reached them, and Renee leaned into Edward’s chest as he held her close. They swayed in time with the song until it ended. Afterwards, Edward kissed her again, only this time Renee kissed him back.
“You want to go get that picture?” he asked once they broke apart.
“Sure.” As he led the way, Renee realised that she didn’t know where the photo area was. On the other side of the courtyard was a little alcove where a photographer stood. Edward held Renee’s waist and Renee held her rose as the flash went off.
“The pictures will be ready by lunch tomorrow,” the man droned. Renee wondered how long he had been standing there.
When Edward and Renee walked back into the Great Hall, a faster song had started up. Albus and Rebecca were dancing, so Edward and Renee went to join them.
At eleven fifty-eight, the band announced that they would be playing the last song of the night. There was a mass movement to the dance floor, and Liza and Scorpius reappeared, along with Rose and Jason.
The band played “Before It’s Too Late” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Renee leaned on Edward’s shoulder again, drawing a wolf-whistle from Albus and cheers from the rest of their friends.
As the song finished, Professor Allen got up on the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, we hope that you all have had an unforgettable night. It is now midnight, please return to your dormitories immediately.” Her eyes twinkled, though, like she knew that many couples wouldn’t make it quite that far.
Renee and Edward walked back to their common room hand in hand. As they made it to the corridor that led to the painting of the Fat Lady, Renee realised that she had forgotten something.
“Oh no, my shoes! They’re still outside!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get them for you,” Edward promised as the painting swung forward.
Not surprisingly, they were the first students to get back. When they reached the base of both staircases, Edward pulled Renee into a hug and held her there for a moment.
“I love you, Renee Madison,” he whispered in her ear.
Renee felt her heart surge in her chest at the word. She then realised that, no matter how she had tried to deny it these past few days, she loved him back. “I love you too, Edward Bones,” she whispered back.
Edward gave her a quick kiss. “Good night, sweet dreams.” He led her to the stairs and watched as she disappeared from sight.
When Renee got to her dorm, she hung up her robes and collapsed into bed, not even remembering to pull the covers over her.
Renee woke up to see the sun high in the sky. Rolling over in bed to look at her clock, she found that her covers were pulled up to her chin. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was already noon. For once, however, she was the first person awake in her dorm “ not even Jessica was awake yet. As the memories from last night flooded over her, she sighed contentedly and looked over to see her shoes sitting next to her bed, along with a picture and a note.
Good afternoon, my lady,
Here are your shoes, as promised, and your picture. If you would like, I will meet you in the common room and we can go get some lunch together.
-Edward
How in the bloody hell had he gotten in here? Renee picked up the picture and gasped. The background was Hogwarts all lit up and under a blanket of snow at night, but that wasn’t what drew her attention. In the center of the picture, Renee twirled her rose while Edward hugged her close, and they both had the largest smiles that Renee had ever seen.
Smiling to herself, Renee grabbed a quill and piece of parchment as she thought, Just wait till Mom hears about this…