Black Magic

A pair of pale blue eyes shimmered back at Millie through the haze of the early evening light: wide and clear, colour of a milky galaxy or an impure cloudy diamond they weren't quite beautiful, marred by a fleck of dark denim blue near the pupil or shot through with the occasional wave of azure. They blinked at her, and she blinked back at the same time. Somehow she felt like she was looking across a void into another place and she reached out to touch it at the same time the owner of that wistful gaze reached out to stop her.

Louisiana appeared behind Millie in the mirror. At first unaware she could see her she spun around quickly watching the skirt of her dress fly up, laughing softly, and then, seeing Millie, she rushed over and took her by the shoulders, pulling her away from her silent reflection.
"Let's have a look at you, then," Louisiana said, stilling Millie who looked at her, lips parted slightly. "Lovely. You look absolutely lovely."
Millie nodded, pulling awkwardly at the smooth fabric of her dress before she said, "You don't think it's too...Formal?"
"No, of course not," Louisiana said in her favoured clipped tone, "And it's a gorgeous colour. Like emeralds, isn't it?"
Millie nodded, still unsmiling as she let the hem of her dress tumble back towards the floor where it settled just above it, sitting on a pair of slim feet placed carefully into a pair of dark heels. "You like really pretty," she said after a moment through only slightly gritted teeth, but it was enough for Louisiana who instantly twirled a curl self-conciously around her finger and said,
"Oh, do you think so? I mean, this-" and tugged gently at her dress- "it's not new, I just changed the neck a little, altered the colour, I mean, I don't think it's absolutely perfect but it'll do, won't it, I think, um..."
"Will will love you in it."
"Oh, you think?"
Millie offered a tight smile, nodding, before she picked up her purse, fingering the delicate beads and embroidery which shimmered beneath her fingers until she sent another glance behind her into the mirror, piercing herself with her own gaze before she said, "Come on, we'd better go," and made for the stairs which she descended with an almost reckless speed, stumbling into the Common Room, fate working hard to make sure she'd stumbled right next to Will who turned to her, mouthed something inaudible before he managed a crumpled, "Millie..." The rest of his words were stopped by her insistent hand which raised to him, the slight shake of her almost regretful head as she rushed out of the room and onto the corridor along which groups of students were wandering towards the Great Hall like shoals of resplendent fish, all coloured cheeks and lips, satins and silk and embroidery, shining shoes, slicked-back hair and crisp dress-robes. But Millie could appreciate none of it, her heart was already lifting at the thought of what the evening might change, its end at which point she felt everything was sure to have changed.

She found herself suddenly at the top of the stairs leading down to the Great Hall being pushed and pulled by the waves of students dancing past her, flowing down the steps in front of her, the brisk chatter of heels on the flagstone and the scuffle of soles brushing the floor. A hand went self-conciously into her hair, she tugged gently at the rich green satin, arranging-and re-arranding it around her before a voice disturbed her contemplation.
"Millie, is it true?" Lucy's voice, thin but curious as she lifted her wide brown eyes towards Millie. "You know, that you're going with Tom Riddle."
Millie dipped her head slightly, feeling a rush of heady delight at the sound of his name on someone else's lips. "Yes."
Lucy's eyes glowed with fear and admiration. "What's- you know, what's he like?"
"He's perfectly charming, of course." Just the sound of that voice smooth like silk sent a flourish of butterflies upwards inside Millie's stomach, sent a helpless smile stretching across her face she she turned it towards him as he moved around her and onto the step below. Tom's dark eyes spoke volumes as he lifted a hand to her and said,
"You're just in time. We're required to go and take the first dance." Millie nodded, unable for a moment even to speak as she tried to absorb him, his scent which seemed only to draw her closer towards him, the sight of him which she was left unable to describe. Just his long, angular jaw drawn provocatively slender by the shadow flickering against it from the nearest torch leading down into that soft, almost rounded chin which supported a mouth which was never far from a smirk or a quick comment. Just his hands, his hands, equally long and slim and strong which held hers with a firm grip and drew her down the steps alongside him without even a word from that gently curving mouth. And those eyes, above everything else, which were mercurial in the light, changing shade and colour with every movement, every blink.

As they drew up to the entrance to the Great Hall he stole the briefest of moments to pull her close, to ruffle the pale downy hair beside the elaborate coils at the base of Millie's neck with his warm breath as he gave a soft laugh and murmured,
"You look really rather wonderful." Impossible to restrain the smile which leapt to her face, impossible not to stop her voice swelling with pride as she replied, somehow choked, "Thank you." And then they were sweeping into the Great Hall into the centre of a circle formed of eager students and gently smiling teachers, trapped at the point where their interested eyes converged and which was making Millie hot and nervous. The band launched into a lively waltz and Tom drew her closer again, but she'd forgotten, suddenly, how to move, how to step, and then the realisation of it dawned on Tom's face too, his eyes flashed dark and narrowed as he cut her a hard glance. No tenderness, encouragement, understanding; just annoyance and helpless frustration as he mouthed insistently, come on to a subtle chorus of giggles and whispers which went up amongst the crowd. And then suddenly her mind cleared, she stepped forward as he stepped back, to the side as he did, and they fell into place, relief cooling the damp at the nape of Millie's neck.

Eventually it was finished and couples swarmed onto the floor around them, all eager to show off with their partners which they were convinced were the best in the room, and Tom and Millie slipped out through a gap in the circle, Millie's eyes on the floor, her breaths gentle but fast.
"Not used to dancing like that, are you?" Tom smirked, running a hand across the back of his neck. "I thought you'd do better."
"But- I did!" Millie exclaimed, her face flushing hot, "I was just- well, no, I've never started a Ball before like that, it makes you rather nervous, and..."
Tom touched her arm and it was enough to silence her. "Shh," he insisted, "Let's forget it. You'll redeem yourself later."
Was it a challenge, a hope, a truth? Millie stepped a little closer and said, "I will, will I?"
"I'm sure of it." Silence sliced between them with Millie unsure what to say, hesitant as she tried to worked out what that look he was giving her meant, why his smile seemed brittle and false in that moment.
"I'll get us some drinks," he announced, pressing her hand between his as he let a lingering gaze settle over her and then, seeming to think better of it, closed the distance between them with a long step and, placing his palm instead to her cheek, he lifted her face towards his pausing for only a moment before he brushed his lips against hers more tenderly than she ever would have guessed he could. And it was enough: Millie glowed as he pulled away, fixing her with one last look before he pulled her back into the crowds, back into reality.