I Can't Stop Digging the Way You Make Me Feel

The night that everyone had been anticipating since the beginning of December had finally arrived. Classes were finally over for the term and the stress that had placed itself upon the shoulders of many sixth year students, especially Emilie, Katie, and Alyssa, was finally lifted. The few days between the last day of class and Christmas Eve were spent hanging around, sleeping, and inventing. Even the mood of the castle seemed to be more relaxed and easy-going. That is, until the night of the Yule Ball when girls of all houses, including the Beauxbaton girls, started worrying about how they would look. While some girls skipped dinner to start getting ready, Emilie, Katie, and Alyssa started after dinner, which seemed to work to their advantage as there was no one around and the bathrooms were free. Emilie, who had taken a shower earlier that morning, first started on her hair, putting it in simple yet elegant curls.

"Katie, help me out?" Emilie pulled some of her loose curly tendrils back and handed Katie a diamond-studded hair pin

"This is gorgeous! Where'd you get it?" Katie said as she clipped it in

Emilie smiled as she remembered the short but meaningful letter she had received from her dad just a couple of days earlier..

My dear Emilie,

I'm sorry I haven't been able to write much. I'm still on the run and haven't been able to find a good place to settle down and hide yet. I just wrote to say Happy Christmas and that I love you very much. The parcel that is attached to this letter contains a gift for you to wear at the Yule Ball. It was my grandmother's (and she was actually the only other charming and sane woman in the family) and I know she'd love to see you wear it.

Happy Christmas again, Emilie. We'll see each other soon, I promise.

"My mum sent it to me. It's been in my family for a long time." Emilie answered, still disliking the fact that she had lied about who sent it

"Well, it suits you. Help me with mine?"

Emilie and Katie switched places and Emilie helped Katie pin her curled hair back. Alyssa emerged from the bathroom after being in there for fifteen minutes completely ready to go: hair done, makeup done, and dress and shoes on. Emilie and Katie gaped

"Wow." Emilie said

"Smokin' hot mamma." Katie winked

"Oh stop, you're making me blush." Alyssa played along, placing her hand on her cheek and pretending to blush

Once Katie's hair was done, Emilie went into the bathroom. She did her makeup, using clear sparkly eyeshadow and a heavy but not too heavy amount of mascara and eyeliner to make her chocolate brown eyes really pop. She then put on her dress, checked her hair one last time, and then went back into the dormitory. As she sat on her bed and put her heels on, a set of nerves that Emilie hadn't experienced since the Quidditch House Cup the previous year.

"Em? You okay?" Alyssa asked as she sat down next to Emilie

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just nervous, I guess."

"You're nervous? You don't get nervous about anything!"

"I know. I don't know why I am about tonight."

"Is it George?"

Emilie sighed heavily and she let her mind connect George to the set of nerves. Perfect fit.

"Yeah, you're right. He said it wasn't going to be awkward going together because we're friends but in all reality, it might just be because I like him. I mean, I really do."

"Emilie, I think you'll be fine. You've been able to disguise your feelings for him so well that tonight will be no different."

"I'm afraid I might do something or say something that'll ruin the friendship we have."

"Tell you what. If you start feeling flustered or overwhelmed, come find me. We'll step outside in the cold and take a few deep breaths, okay?"

"You are honestly the best friend I could ever asked for."

Alyssa smiled and gave Emilie a tight hug. As they pulled back, Katie came out of the bathroom all ready to go.

"You two ready to go downstairs?"

Emilie and Alyssa stood up and looked at each other, excitement and nervousness, in Emilie's case, building in all three of them.

"Definitely. Let's go." Alyssa answered

With one last deep breath, the girls left their dormitories. They walked down to the common room, seeing a bunch of other students waiting, but no twins in sight.

"They must be down in the Entrance Hall already." Katie said

Emilie was relieved that George wasn't in the common room, but still couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach as they left the tower and headed towards the Entrance Hall. They walked down the Entrance Hall stairs and saw a crowd of other students. While the Hogwarts students were allowed to wear whatever colors they want, the girls from Beauxbatons all had powder blue gowns but in different styles. The guys from Durmstrang too were still uniform in their Yule Ball attire, wearing a deep red jacket with matching fur-lined capes and black pants. The girls passed Harry and Ron on their way down and Emilie stifled a laugh.

"Nice dress robes, Ron."

"Shut up." He scowled

Emilie scoffed and looked at Alyssa.

"Not very friendly tonight, is he?" Alyssa laughed

They suddenly saw Fred waving them over and when the girls met up with the guys, George's jaw dropped slightly at the sight of his date.

"Wow, Em...you look beautiful."

Emilie blushed and smiled widely. "Thanks. You and Fred really clean up nice. I'm impressed."

Fred and George, both wearing black and white dress robes, looked at each other and grinned identically.

"Thanks." They said together

McGonagall suddenly showed up right next to them, demanding that they go into the Great Hall for the champions to enter and dance the first dance.

"Shall we?" George asked, holding out his arm

Emilie smiled, nodded, and grasped his arm gently. Together, they followed their friends into the Great Hall and into the crowd. As they passed people, Emilie heard a couple people whispering about her, surprisingly mostly in jealousy. Soon after, the doors of the Great Hall reopened and the four Triwizard Tournament champions and their dates walked in to great applause.

"How in the world did Hermione snag Viktor Krum as her date?!" Katie exclaimed

"I dunno, but she does look lovely." Emilie said, admiring her pinkish-purple dress and her sleek, elegant, non-bushy hair

George nudged her arm and pointed to his younger brother, who was standing a few feet away and fuming at the sight of Hermione with Viktor Krum.

"Aha, he's totally jealous. I knew it." Emilie whispered as she smirked

The hall quieted down as they gathered around the dance floor where the four champions were about to start. A slow waltz started to play and the dancers moved across the floor rather awkwardly. After the first lift, Dumbledore went out onto the dance floor with McGonagall, giving out an open invitation for couples to join. A bunch of teachers also went out, and soon enough other students went out as well.

"Do you want to go out and dance?" George asked, his tone saying that he really didn't want to

"You know, I'm quite alright with not waltzing. After seeing Ron waltz with McGonagall, I don't think I could do it without laughing."

"That's all I thought about for two days. Worst two days ever."

Emilie laughed as the song came to an end and she applauded with everybody else. The next couple of songs were the same waltzy songs, just like McGonagall had said. After the applause of the last waltz ceased, the teachers seemed to have disappeared as to not deal with the crazy teenagers as a band began to set up. They started playing upbeat rock music and a giant group of students formed on the dance floor. Realizing that the band was The Weird Sisters, everybody rushed out, including Emilie, Fred, George, Katie, Alyssa, and their dates went out to join the group. The loud music completely filled the Great Hall as everybody danced. Emilie laughed as George grabbed her hand and twirled her around, pulled her close and out again, and just plain danced...all nervousness forgotten. After the fourth song ended, a slow one started, and Alyssa's date, Alex Harrison, asked Emilie to dance. Although George looked somewhat pissed, Emilie accepted Alex's offer.

"I want to talk to you about Alyssa." He said as they started dancing

"Sure, what about her?"

"Well, I like her and I want to ask her out, but I don't know if she'd want to go out with me."

"She did come here tonight with you, so I think that's a pretty good start."

Alex chuckled embarrassedly. "Yeah, that's true."

"I'm pretty convinced she'll say yes, but if you want to guarantee it, you should do something sweet like get her a flower or something."

"Okay, that sounds good. What's her favorite flower?"

Emilie opened her mouth to answer, but then didn't say anything.

"Um, I'm not exactly sure. I'll ask her and give you a little extra time to work up the nerve to do it." She smiled

"Awesome. Thank you."

They finished out the song and walked back to the table where Alyssa and George were sitting.

"You're cheeks are awfully pink." Alyssa pointed out

"It's really hot in here. Too many people." Emilie said

"Do you want to step outside?" George asked hopfully. Emilie nodded and put her shoes back on. She and George walked out of the Great Hall and outside where the carriages were parked. It was lightly snowing. Before they walked any further, George took off his jacket and gave it to Emilie.

"So, what did you and Alex talk about?" George asked

"He wanted advice on how to ask Alyssa out. Relax, I'm not ditching you." Emilie smirked

"I didn't think you were. I was just wondering."

Emilie looked up at him skeptically, completely unconvinced because of his tone of voice. They walked around the parked carriages and stopped when they found a spot with a great view of the grounds.

"I could never ditch you. You saved me from being awkwardly alone tonight. That'd be just mean."

"Is that the only reason why you think I asked you?" George asked quietly

Emilie became speechless for a minute and looked up at him. He had a calm but serious expression as he looked at what was in front of him.

"What do you mean?" Emilie calmly asked

George looked down at her and locked his brown eyes on hers. Emilie's breath became slightly shaky, part of it because of the cold temperature and the other part because of the nerves due to the close proximity of her and George's face. George suddenly leaned in and pressed his lips to Emilie's. For a split second, Emilie was shocked, but then she kissed him back. George interlocked his fingers with Emilie's and she graciously allowed him to pull her closer, if it was even possible. They pulled apart, George keeping his forehead lightly placed against Emilie's, nothing needed to be said. Emilie then smiled and bit her lip as George laughed lightly.

"We should get back inside. The cold doesn't feel that good anymore."

Emilie nodded, still smiling, and they walked back inside, still hand-in-hand. Their hands broke apart when they got back in the Great Hall and Alyssa, Alex, Fred, Angelina, Katie, and Katie's date, Will McKessey, rushed towards them.

"You missed it! Ron and Hermione just got into a huge fight about Krum!" Katie exclaimed

"When is that boy going to realize that they really do belong together? He's not that dumb!" Emilie replied

"You don't live with him so you wouldn't know, but he actually is." Fred said

"Where are you all going?" George asked

"Oh, I think we're done for the night. They've been playing a bunch of really lame songs all in a row and people are starting to leave anyway. You two coming?"

Emilie looked up at George and he smiled.

"Nah, I think we'll stay down here for a song or two. Maybe something good will play."

"Alright, well, have fun." Alyssa discreetly winked as they headed up the stairs. George and Emilie walked into the Great Hall just as a fast song ended and a slow one started. Without a word, George held out his hand and Emilie took it. He led her out onto the dance floor, placed one hand on the small of her back, and took her left hand. Emilie placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled impressively after a minute of silent dancing.

"I must say, I am impressed. Since when have you been able to dance so well?"

"I guess I'm just talented." George smirked

"Uh huh, okay."

"I am talented! What do you call coming up with pranks with amazing and successful pranks during class while the professors ramble on and on? One word, love: talent."

Emilie laughed and shook her head out of humor and astonishment.

Every little thing that you do
Baby I'm amazed by you....

George and Emilie were as close to each other as they possibly could when the song started to come to an end. In the final chord, George leaned down and kissed Emilie once again. Emilie moved her arms so they were around his neck and George hugged her even closer. In the moment when they pulled apart to catch a breath, Emilie could feel the imaginary sparks surrounding them, and she knew that at that moment that everything was right. It truly was a magical night.