Hiding Bruises

Hiding Bruises- Chapter 6- His First Refusal

I walked into my dorm to find clothes scattered all over the floor, make up lying all around all five very guilty looking room mates. The girls were sitting on Lily’s bed wearing a strange assortment on clothing and with green face packs slathered all over their faces. Lily was the only one not wearing a facemask; her skin was perfect, so she was the only one who could actually speak when I entered.

“Hi Tina,” she said, biting her lip in a attempt not to laugh at the other fours faces, they looked so relieved that it was not some random other year walking in on their strange ritual.

“Hi Lily,” I replied also trying very hard not to giggle at their expressions.

“Sorry about this,” she said, trying to look serious and apologetic and failing terribly.

“It’s fine,” I said, grinning openly now, Lily did have the knack of making whoever she was talking to feel important and generally good. I went across the room and picked up my bag from the side of my bed.

As I went to leave Lily watched me, her eyes getting wider and wider as I neared the door, “where are you going?” she asked me, intrigued.

“To do some homework” I replied, she looked at me questioningly and raised her eyebrows, “in the library.” I added, not sure what she wanted me to say.

Lily’s brow creased as if she did not understand what I was saying, “but when will you get ready for the ball.”

I now noticed that the other four girls were staring at me too, “I’m not going.” Lily’s mouth dropped open, as I’m sure the others would off if their faces had not been held in place by the dried ointment covering their faces. I had to try very hard not to giggle at their reaction; none of them spoke for a long time, “Bye then” I said before leaving the room.

As I walked away I heard Molly speak, “sod this stupid mask,” she said, “it’s making my face itch anyway.” She muttered an incantation and then sighed with relief as the mask was cleaned from her face, “Come on Lil,” she said, “Stop her!”

Before I realized what she meant two girls burst out of the dormitory. Lily looked at me and grabbed my arm, they started trying to drag me in but I resisted. Molly scowled and waved her wand, I was lifted into the air my ankle and when the world became upright again I had been dropped onto my bed at the far end of the dorm.

I looked around, rather disorientated to find all the girls, now without green faces, standing around the room laughing ay my indignant expression. “What did you do that for?’ I asked, rather annoyed.

Lily was the first to compose herself, so she answered me, “You didn’t think we’d let you go and hide away in the library during the ball did you?”

I scowled, “Why not?”

Emmeline sat down beside me and said, “It’s like an unspoken girl law, everyone has to get at least one dance.”

“I’m not dancing!”

“Well you have to go, and that’s final!” announced Marlene, the other girls nodded in agreement.

I looked from face to face and saw the same determined look on all of them, sighing in defeat I said, “fine then, I’ll go.”

They all squealed and Lily said in a businesslike fashion, “okay girls only two hours left. It’s time to get out the dresses.”

As we all rushed to get out dress robes from the various cases scattered around the room I felt myself getting into the mood of things. After all, how bad could the ball be? I might even get asked to dance by someone.

We spent the next few hours doing each other’s hair and make-up and chatting amiable about the upcoming ball and boys. Although I didn’t really have much to say about the later I was interested to hear about their dates; Alice was going with Frank Longbottom, Molly with Arthur Weasley, Emmeline had been asked by Marcus O’Reilly (a 6th year Hufflepuff), Marlene was going with Charlie Cacke (7th year and head of Gryffindor Quidich team). Lily said that she, like me, did not have a date and though at first the girls did not believe her she told them how she had refused James Potter, causing him to attack any boy who came near her. They all coed in support and spent a while calling James various names but it was soon forgotten.

Once we were done we stood in the dorm, admiring each other’s appearance.
Molly was wearing an orange dress rodes the exact colour of her hair, while her hair was tied up on top of her head forming a messy yet elegant bob. Lily’s robes where of the same deep green as her eyes and the dress hugged her tall figure. Her hair was curled and hung loosely down her back. Alice had on a plain outfit but her haired had been teased into place around her face that it framed it elegantly. Emmeline had light blue robes that brought out her eyes, her hair was pined up at the back of her head. Marlene’s dress robes were also blue but a much more striking shade and her hair was curled into a plait that fell over her right shoulder.

As I looked at each of them in turn I became strangely aware that they were all staring at me, “Oh my god” breathed Alice.

“You look amazing” Emmeline squealed, “and to think you weren’t even planning on coming!”

Marlene giggled, “The boys would hate to be deprived of that to look at!”

Molly grinned, “We did ‘em all a service by making you go!”

I just stared at them all blankly, Lily sighed in exasperation, she grabbed my shoulders and pulled me towards a mirror, ‘Look at yourself Tina” she told me firmly.

I looked into the mirror and gasped, I didn’t look like me at all; the dress robes showed of a figure I hadn’t realized I possessed and Marlene had somehow managed to force my unruly curls into beautiful waves. As I leaned forward in amazement hair fell onto the left side of my face, I noticed that someone had pined the right side back with a purple flower. I stared at myself for a moment longer but then realized they were waiting for me to say something. “I guess purple’s my colour” I said quietly.

Marlene snorted, “That’s a bit of an understatement!” She exclaimed, the others turned to stare at her, “I wouldn’t be modest if I look that good” she said defensively.

It was Molly’s turn to snort now, “You’re not modest anyway!”

The girls started squabbling playfully amongst themselves, I stared at myself in the mirror again. Lily has not joined in the argument and was still watching me closely; she squeezed my hand in hers and whispered, “You look great, seriously.” I smiled to show my thanks and she nodded. “All right let’s go!” she said, louder now so that the others heard.

There was a moment of pandemonium following her words as they all dived around the room for their purses or extra hairpins. They soon settled however and marched out of the dorm, smiling proudly to themselves.

*********

All the others had paired of so that it was just me and Lily walking into the entrance hall together, as we did so many heads turned in our direction to watch us move through the place. “They’re all looking at you” Lily whispered in my ear.

I could feel myself turning red under their gazes, “Don’t be silly,” I muttered, “It’s you they’re gawping at.”

Lily sniggered, “Don’t be silly,” she said mockingly, “They’ve all seen me before.”

“They’ve seen me too” I retorted under my breath.

Lily glanced at me slyly, “Not like this they haven’t.”

“Arhhh, my Lily flower,” someone called from behind us, Lily groaned.

“What do you want now James?” she asked, spinning around to glare at him.

James grinned charmingly at her despite her obvious annoyance, “The first dance of course, my darling.” I noticed he was flanked by Remus and Sirius, both of whom were eyeing my strangely. I felt myself blush under the combined force of their gaze, Remus looked away but the corners of Sirius’s mouth curled upward. I returned my attention back to James and Lily.

“No, no, never!” she was saying indignantly.

“But why my gorgeous Lily, my love” he crooned.

“Because I hate you James Potter!” she turned to stalk away but reconsidered and turned back, “and I am not your anything!” With that she sped away, leaving James looking confused and hurt.

I followed after her, glancing back over my shoulder at the boys behind us, that expression was gone from Sirius’s face and it was obvious that he and Remus were trying to comfort a sad faced James.

I found myself feeling slightly sorry for him as he slumped sideways onto Sirius and even thought about saying something to Lily, but then I remembered the reason that she had no date for tonight, and decided against it.

We walked around the hall for a while together, looking at the decorations but Lily was soon being bombarded with suitors, so I muttered something about her having fun a wandered away.

I found myself a small table in the corner of the hall and sat down there, on my own. I watched the couples dancing and must admit I did feel a slight longing inside me, but then, what girl my age doesn’t want to dance at a ball?

I saw Marlene and her date step of the dance floor and Charlie went of to get her a drink, she walked over to my table, fanning herself with her hand.

When she reached me she raised her eyebrows meaningfully, put her hands on her hips and said, “and what are you doing sitting over her all on your own?”

“Well, what else am I meant to do, no-ones asked me to dance” I replied, confused by her question.

Marlene looked at me as though I was completely stupid and said, “well that’s ‘cause you’re sitting over here all on your own ain’t it?”

“What?” I asked dumbly.

“Well, they want to come over to you because you look all intimidating standing here on your own, but loads of guys have been checking you out.”

My mouth fell open, me, intimidating? “I thought they hated the way girls stand in groups.”

“Yeah but they don’t want to come over when you’re on your own either, you just need one or two friends with you.”

Guys are weird.

“Got to go now sorry, Charlie’s waiting for me,” she said and started walking away, “remember, look available.” With that she was gone, leaving me standing there with my mouth wide open wondering what she’d been on about. At least I probably didn’t look intimidating gaping like a fish.

I wondered if what she had said about boys looking at me had been true, I looked around and was intrigued to find that I met the eyes of quite a few guys. As I was concentrating on searching the hall for guys staring at me I heard a soft cough behind me, it wasn’t a real cough it was the kind you do to get someone’s attention.

I turned round slowly, my eyes almost as wide as my mouth had been a minute ago.

“Hi” Said a tall dark haired boy, whose eyes were fixed solely on mine, “I’m Sirius” he said and held out his hand.

I stared at his hand blankly, did he really think I didn’t know who he was? “I know” I said before realizing how rude I sounded, “Hi, I’m Tina.”

“I know” he said, the corners of his mouth moving upwards to form a wide smile.

If true, that was almost as surprising as the fact that he thought I didn’t know who he was. Not quite though, Sirius was the school legend, everyone knew everything there was to know about him and James. In fact everyone knew a whole lot of stuff about them that they didn’t know about, until they heard the rumours.

I didn’t say anything, as I didn’t know why he had come over, in stead I stared at the floor, trying not to look at him. He stared at me for a second before saying, “Do you want to dance?”

My head shot up, “with you?” I asked dumbly. I know, I know, it’s the oldest line in the catalogue of stupid-things-to-say-when-someone-asks-you-out but at the time it seemed quite sensible.

He laughed and simply smiled at me, raising one eyebrow.

I recovered myself quickly, “Umm” I said, not sure how to answer. Then I saw Marlene gesticulating wildly behind Sirius’s head and realized that if I said no I would never hear the end of it later. “Ok” I said, smiling up at him.

He put out his hand and this time I took it.

As we walked onto the dance floor I felt eyes on us in every direction, I tried to ignore them but it was like having millions of pinpricks in the back of my neck.

Once we’d reached a gap in the crowd Sirius stopped and turned to face me, he put his arms around my waist and as the slow music started I remembered that I couldn’t dance. I breathed calmly and looked around, seeing what others were doing, I noticed that most girls had their arms draped around the boys’ neck; so I put my arms around Sirius neck. I couldn’t work out what to do with my feet though because I could hardly stare at all the girls’ around me’s legs.

Sirius seemed to sense my discomfort, “are you ok?” he asked, looking me up and down.

His eyes made my face burn red but I decided to tell the truth, I’d look more of an idiot if I didn’t, “I can’t dance.”

He laughed and his eyes returned to my face, he saw that I was serious and said, “sure you can,” I didn’t reply, “just sway.”

So I did, I just listened to the music and swayed my body in time to the beat, and as I did so I became more and more aware of his body pressing against mine and less and less aware of everything around us. I looked at him as we swayed together, our bodies moving as one and her grinned at me, a perfect, lopsided grin that had knocked many girls of their feet, literally.

I’d never really looked at Sirius Black before, not properly anyway, I’d heard all the girls going on about his deep eyes that you could get lost him and his perfect, masculine chin and cheekbones. I looked at him know though, and I knew what they meant, Sirius was gorgeous. I used to think the girls who swooned at the sight of him were stupid but know I understood why they didn’t. He wasn’t just your average cute he was proper go-shaky-at-the-knees gorgeous.

As I started to feel myself go weak at the knees and found that I was using my arms around his neck to hold me up more then anything else, the song ended. Couples all around us drew apart and I let my arms drop back to my sides, I looked away from him over his shoulder.

I met two eyes staring right back at me, two black, hard, cold eyes that were filed with anger.

Although Bella’s face didn’t look too bad I could see from her eyes that she was fuming, her eyes passed from me to the back of her cousin. She didn’t need to say anything; I could always tell what Bella wanted.

“Ok, bye then,” I said to Sirius, still looking at Bella; she smiled and looked away.

Sirius however looked taken aback, “don’t you want to dance the next dance?”

“No thanks” I said looking at the floor, “ I think I’ve had enough swaying for one night.”

He looked confused, “don’t you want to dance with me?”

He obviously wasn’t used to being refused by a girl, “no,” I said, “sorry.”

As I walked away I could feel his gaze on his back. I realized that this was probably the first time he had ever been turned down by a girl and hoped that my refusal may have had some effect on his huge ego, but when I looked back at him he was already walking back over to James, Remus and Peter, so I guess not.