Different Letters

"The Yule Ball is a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament. It is a formal dance held on the evening of Christmas Day of a tournament year, and is opened by the tournament champions, our Miss Delacour and their partners." Madame Maxim explained even if the girls all knew that. "You are not to put our school to shame. I expect that every one of you lovely ladies will find someone and bring great pride to this school."

Addie tensed. It was already December and the whole school was being debriefed on the event. The girls knew how to waltz there was no problem really. The girls were coming out, talking to each other. Addie was talking about dress' ideas with Laura when she heard Rachelle's voice.

"Hi Draco, how are you?"

Addie looked up to notice that Draco wasn't even looking at the person who was talking to him. Their eyes connected as she caught him looking at her before his gaze turned to Rachelle.

"I'm pretty good; it's nice to see you Rachelle."

Rachelle and Draco were starting to get along pretty well just like Blaise and Alice were. The four of them hanged out a lot during their free time since Rachelle rarely left Addie alone anymore. Addie doubted that the reason Rachelle sticked so much was because her Headmistress said something to her, but the four friends had good times so it didn't bother her for now.

"Let's go Rachelle. You know he won't be as good as long as he's not alone with Addie." Isabelle said

Addie tried to keep talking to Laura but shuttered some words, making her face red. The giggling friends left and she was found face to face with Draco. He looked at her in the eyes then on the floor, totally lost where he should start this.

"You guys are out early. Snape didn't take too long to talk." She commented, realizing that the only boys in the corridors were from Slytherin

"No he didn't… and actually I want to ask you something, out of curiosity mostly… Are you planning to go with someone to the ball?"

The question threw her off guard. She wondered for a second if he was asking or just curious if she wanted to go with someone at all. She felt some butterflies in her stomach and tried to chase the image of him asking her right now.

"Nobody in particularly…"

"You see there's no one I really taught about inviting except you. And unless you don't have a specific person in mind, maybe you'd want to go with me as a friend. Again if someone caught your eye and you're hoping to..."

"I'd like that" she stopped him, sensing he was just going to turn around and say the same thing over and over. "But oh boy, my friends are going to give me so much talk about that." She laughed

"I hope you don't mind because if you don't want to…" He repeated himself, feeling his cheeks burning

"No, of course I want this. I already said yes, you're stuck with me." She teased him, also feeling flushed

"Perfect. I'll see you later."

Maybe it was because he was happy, maybe it was because it was polite or maybe he had some small feelings for her, but Draco leaned and kissed the pretty girl on her cheek without thinking why. He was slightly freaked out by his own movement and hoped the girl wouldn’t be. Yet she just smiled, giggling and walked away, waving to him. She skipped a bit when she noticed she was all alone in the corridor. Spotting a massive wave of students with red and gold ties, she realized McGonagall was probably finished with them. Turning around, the first thing she saw were two boys rushing at her, screaming her name. They fought between them running towards her, as if they were racing who'd be faster.

"Addie, Addie, Addie!" Ron and Harry yelled arriving in front of her

"What’s into you?" she asked

"Come to the ball with me." "I want to bring you to the ball." They both said at the same time.

"Ron, I'm the champion, I must have a date."

"Well besides her, I have no bloody idea who to bring."

"But I'm the one who has to open the damn thing with a partner."

"How about you ask Addie."

"Thank you Ron." She said as he smiled to her, knowing he just scored a few points. "And it's so nice of you, but you're kind of too late…"

"Late! What do you mean late? The ball was announced an hour ago!"

"I know that it's soon but someone already asked me." She tried to explain, hoping they'd figure who on their own.

"That's impossible. I mean we were just dismissed from the meeting." Harry asked, suspicious that the girl was lying

"I'm sorry Harry. But the Slytherins finished their meeting first." She smiled a sad smile to them before leaving to find her French friends

"Of course Malfoy had to ask her first. That pathetic soul. How could she go with him, it's just… she's out of his league" Ron started to mumble

"And in yours?" Harry asked "Let's face it; she's always going to pick him over us."

"Not if they break out in a fight." Ron thought having an idea.

"If you didn't notice, she's been so tolerant of his attitude. She's ignoring all that's happening."

In the meanwhile, Alice skipped to her room, where her friends were talking about the boys they could maybe invite or try to get invited by. Some of the girls were hoping for a Durmstrang boy and others a guy from Hogwarts. Laura only wanted him to be cute, where ever he studied.

"How about you, Addie?" Isabelle asked

"Problem solved. I'm not going with a date."

"What?! How could you not" Laura whined

"I'm going with Draco instead." She explained

"That didn’t take him long." Suzanne commented

"Wow, I think you guys are the first couple made for the ball. I mean some of the houses aren’t done with their meeting!"

"I'm so jealous." Celine whined "You are totally relieved of any pressure."

Addie wanted to stop this conversation as quickly as possible so she started asking questions on their possible gowns and where they going to buy them. They were not impressed by the limited stocks in Hogsmate. It brought Alice to think what color she should pick. Blue was so far out of the question, she wore it every day of her student life. She remembered Draco complimented her often when she tried the green Quidditch robes. It reminded her she still had them in her stuff... The memory of Draco came to her mind and she recalled the little kiss he gave on her cheek.

"Rachelle, you're going with Blaise right?" Suzanne asked her, in a teasing voice

"If he asks I won't refuse but I won't care if he goes with someone else." Alice knew she was lying; she had doubts that they both had feelings for each other

"If he asks someone else? He's only had eyes for you since we got here." Celine exclaimed

Rachelle blushed, as she looked down, probably unable to hide her joy much longer. It made Alice giggle a bit; wondering if a guy would ever have that kind of effect on her.

"Who do you think Fleur and Krum are going to take?" Isabelle asked

"Fleur is probably going to go for a big and handsome Durmstrang and Krum... don't know the prettiest one that asks him. The Hogwarts boys are probably going to choose between Hogwarts girls" Celine said

"You think Krum is that superficial?" Alice who talked to him on some occasions noticed he was smarter than the shallow Quiddich player he was rumored to be. "And not necessarily, Harry asked me to the ball." All five stares turned to Addie. "After Draco asked me."

"You had two invitations already?" Laura asked

"Three. Ron asked me at the same time as Harry... Oh don't look at me like that!" She whined

"Yeah but it's just Potter and Weasley. Hardly anything to brag about." A silence fell upon the group as everyone looked at Suzanne

"They're my friends, Su." Addie said after a while. "And I wasn't bragging, I was just saying that one of the Hogwarts boys may ask a Beauxbatons girl."

"Yeah and I'm just saying I rather go alone than with one of them. You made the right choice to go with Draco that's all."

The discussion revived but all the girls still felt tension in the air. Alice looked at Suzanne, who tried to ignore the stare, thinking if she recently changed or was she always like that but simply never noticed it.