I could have danced all night...

[hermia-sophia.livejournal.com]

I've been practicing this spell all week!

I got into the silver dress first, of course. I still feel a little thrill when I put it on, like the first time I put on my Hogwarts robe. And then the jewelry: Mother's diamond earrings, which were always meant for me, but which I've been too young for, or never had an occasion to wear, until now. That gave me a thrill too, but a little twinge of pain, as thinking of her always does. I wish I could ask her what she wore them with, or how she thought I looked.

It was just as well that the maid was the only one home to send them up; Father's been overseas for days now. It isn't that I don't want to tell him that I'm going to the ball with Syl, it's that I don't think he wants to know.

(Do I think he would be unhappy because she's a girl, or because she's Muggle-born? I hardly know. I don't want to think of Father being awful in either of those ways, but I still don't think that he would want to hear it.)

But the more I think about going to the ball with Syl, the more excited I am. I want to dance with her, to hold her hand again, to see her smile at me. And I want her to see me in this dress.

So, now that I have everything else set, it's time to get my hair in order. So I get out my wand and very carefully start the gestures of the spell that I've been practicing - and, just as I'd hoped, my hair lifts up to gather in an elaborate knot, with each little pin sliding neatly in place.