The Hogsmeade trip was the day before the Yule Ball, and I found myself regretting going, positively swamped in crowds and frantic girls trying to find a dress. Gabrielle and I visited our usual stops, neither of us needing to purchase anything for the ball. Gabrielle was all set, her black gown still fit her, and I had no intention of going.

"Last chance." Gabrielle looked to me as we passed the dress boutique on our way back to the castle, our arms weighed down with bags of sweets and trinkets from Honeydukes and Zonko's. "Are you sure you don't want to go, honestly Cas, you're being ridiculous. Sirius isn't going with anyone, it's all in your head-"

"Yet I'm telling you Belle, you could see it on his face! He's going with someone, some mystery guy, and I don't even want to go anyways. I'm not much of a dancer, you know." I argued.

"Cascade, I'm no dancer myself. You can hang with Bradley and I, party with us, it'll be fun." Gabrielle pleaded. "I want you to come, you can leave if you want to, but just come for a little while."

"I don't even have a dress." I pointed out to her. "And there is no way I'm going shopping today, the people in those shops are out for blood, I swear."

"Borrow something of mine, just come, you stubborn witch." Gabrielle snapped. "I want to spend time with my friend, come up to my dorm, you can pick out something. We're roughly the same size, it should work out."

"Belle, I don't want to go-"

"I'm glad you agree that your going with me, finally, you've come to your bloody senses. And for the last time, Sirius is still single, for Merlin's sake, just ask to go with him already." Gabrielle interrupted me, her hands on her hips, bags dangling from her forearms and elbows.

"I already did, and he didn't say anything!" I cried. "It was humiliating, I don't want to go!"

"You're going." Gabrielle's voice was stern, leaving no room to argue. "I don't care if I have to drag you there myself, chase you across all of England, you're going. It'll be fun, Cas, and you don't have to stay for the whole thing."

"Fine." I said grumpily. "But I'm not sticking around."

"Wouldn't expect you to, with that attitude." Gabrielle grumbled under her breath, and we headed back to her dorm.

---

The day of the Yule Ball was about as stressful as NEWT exams for the female population of Hogwarts. Everyone seemed to be bustling around, fighting for time in the bathrooms or poking people in the eyes with their wands as they used magic to do their hair. Gabrielle was guilty of it all, my left eye a victim of her wand-prodding as I assisted her with getting ready.

"Gabrielle, where'd you put my brush?" One of Gabrielle's roommates, Irene Hightower, was frantically upturning everything in the dorm, searching for her brush. Her blonde hair was a wild mess, and Gabrielle sighed in exasperation, the crazed girl had lost nearly all of her possessions needed for the ball, and had been pestering Gabrielle and I continuously.

"I haven't touched it, Irene. Did you check under the bed?" Gabrielle asked the girl.

"No, oh! Yes, great idea, Gabrielle, thank you so much!" Irene gushed, before rushing off again.

"I swear she'll be the death of me." Gabrielle growled, before turning her attention back to her hair. "What do you think, Cas? Braid it, or leave it down?"

"Braid it, Belle." I gave Gabrielle my opinion. "It'll look better that way. Now, what am I supposed to wear again?"

"Oh my Merlin, I completely forgot you were borrowing, I'm so sorry! Here!" Gabrielle apologized hastily, rushing over to her trunk and pulling out three gowns. "This is all I have, which one do you like?"

I looked them over, one was a gorgeously plain silver dress, and the other two had more lace and were colorful. "Definitely silver, no offense to the other ones, of course. Its just more...me, I guess."

"No offense taken, come here, I have an idea of what to do with you." Gabrielle ushered me over, beginning to fuss with my hair. "What are you waiting for, Cas? For Merlin's sake, put the dress on already. We haven't got all day!"

"Belle, we've got five hours until the ball." I reminded the girl with a sigh. "Finish getting ready yourself first, I'll change while you do."

"Five hours! That's hardly enough time!" Gabrielle shrieked, picking up her wand and going back to her hair. I rolled my eyes and gathered up the dress, before heading to the bathrooms to change.

By the time I'd finished getting dressed, Gabrielle had finished her hair, wrapping it up in an elegantly braided bun. She'd changed into her black gown, and looked absolutely stunning.

"Bradley is going to faint when he sees you." I teased my friend as I entered the room. "You look great, Belle."

"As do you, Cas." Gabrielle grinned. "The dress fits good?"

"Indeed it does." I confirmed. "Now, you're nearly done and we still have hours until the ball. What's all this about needing more time?"

"Silly Cas, the extra time is for perfecting the look. And I've still got to do your hair and makeup, come sit, sit!" Gabrielle's eyes went wide as she ushered me to her bed, forcing me to sit down and holding her wand between her teeth. "I know just what to do with you."

"Merlin help me." I groaned.

---

When it was time to head downstairs and to the ball, I could safely say that I'd had enough dressing and pampering for a lifetime. Gabrielle had wrapped up my hair in braids and tied it in a knot at the top of my head, securing it with a silver clip to match the dress. The process had been painful, but although I would never admit it, I did find the results incredibly pleasing.

"Let's go find our men, shall we?" Gabrielle suggested, and I slapped her lightly on the arm, rolling my eyes.

"You mean, let's go find your man, Belle. I'm a single witch tonight, remember?" I reminded my friend.

"Yeah, yeah, but that will change soon, no worries." Gabrielle eyes twinkled as she spoke, and she all but dragged me to the corridor in front of the Great Hall, where the Yule Ball would be taking place. Bradley stood, mouth agape as he saw us, or really Gabrielle. I decided to leave the couple to themselves, and slipped off into ball room in search of food.

"Elise, you look beautiful." I turned around to see Sirius, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Positively stunning, soap dope."

"Where's your date? You shouldn't be talking to me, Black, they might get the wrong idea." I said confusedly. Sirius laughed, shaking his head.

"Cascade, I don't have a date, you just freaked out over nothing. I asked you out, remember? And you turned me down." Sirius chuckled, and I suddenly found myself very flushed, feeling quite stupid.

"Well-you didn't say yes when I asked you! What was I supposed to think!" I argued in my defense. Sirius's grin only increased, his eyes sparkling.

"Elise, you didn't give me the chance to finish a single sentence, running your mouth off like wildfire." He told me. "I would've said yes, silly."

"As friends though, right?" I narrowed my eyes at the boy, who cleared his throat nervously.

"Well, about that-"

"Spit it out, Black." I ordered, although I knew what he was going to say.

"No. I didn't plan on going as friends. Isn't it obvious that I fancy you, Elise?" Sirius finally said, his voice confident, but his eyes expressing his nerves. My heart warmed.

"Not really, actually, I was under the impression that you and I hated each other." I admitted, but the warm feeling in my chest didn't go away. There were butterflies in my stomach all of a sudden, and I bit my lip nervously, staring up at Sirius.

"Well you thought wrong, Cascade." Sirius whispered. "Dance with me?"

"I've got no other plans." I gave in. Maybe I was wrong about Sirius, maybe he deserved a chance. My heart was certainly falling for him, despite my brain's attempts to sway it away. "And I haven't got a date."

"Still can't believe you thought I was going with another guy." Sirius chuckled, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto the dance floor, where other couples swayed to soft music. "I also can't believe that you called me attractive, I was certain that you were sick."

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." I hummed. Sirius rolled his eyes, and I found that I was comfortable in his presence, more comfortable than I'd ever really been with anyone.

Perhaps my heart was onto something.

I thought about it, whether or not I fancied Black. It made sense that I would, he'd grown on me after all those potions classes, and I'd shone multiple times that I cared for him. I'd kissed him, for Merlin's sake. And the jealously I'd felt at the thought of him going to the ball with another person, it all made sense for me to fancy Sirius Black.

I'd tried to convince myself that I hated him, and that was because I'd been scared. I'd been scared for fall for someone who could potentially hurt or reject me. I'd been scared for fall for Sirius.

"What are you thinking about?" Sirius questioned as we began to dance, his hand resting on my waist as we danced smoothly with the music. He was a good dancer.

"Nothing-well, that's a lie." I began. "Just pondering over the fact that I fancy you and you fancy me, that's all." Sirius's eyes widened in happiness, his large smile increasing.

"Well that's really good, then, isn't it? Because if I'd confessed and you rejected me, that would've been embarrassing." Sirius laughed. His eyes locked with mine, and I smiled shyly back at him.

Across the room, I made eye contact with Gabrielle, who shot me a look that clearly said, I was right, you loose.

I turned back to Sirius, to find him studying my dress, specifically the neckline, an odd expression on his face. I tapped his nose, forcing him to look at my face. I opened my mouth to speak.

"Eyes up, Black."