Get yourself comfortable, ready your playlists, and ready your heart.
Throughout this chapter, I will be inserting song suggestions for each specific scene that helped me with writing them. If you want, you can listen to amplify the feels. Here's the song list:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWKqCRZdG5K7Q9N6TRqbW5y9oSEagf4rA
I hope you'll find this chapter extra special ;)
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"Merry Christmas!" Lily said, giving her gift to Cedric. It was just after breakfast and they agreed to spend Christmas morning together exchanging gifts.
She wasn't thinking too much about Cedric with Cho now. A part of her was still disappointed and sad about it, but the bigger part of her was now looking forward to the ball especially since she had a fun date.
"Merry Christmas!" Cedric greeted handing his gift to her.
They both excitedly opened their gifts. Lily ripped hers that was carefully wrapped and beamed at the gift Cedric gave her. It was a signed album of her favorite magical band, The Bronze Knuts.
"How in the world did you get a signed copy?!" Lily asked amazed.
"I have my father to thank this time. He knows a lot of people." Cedric smiled, happy to see Lily this happy.
"Ahh! Thank you thank you!" Lily hugged Cedric.
When Cedric opened his gift he saw a pair of black socks with a small bee patch on both its sides. Before Cedric could react to her gift, she quickly explained what it was. "I know it's boring, but see, I made those socks myself AND they're enchanted. I practised a lot for it, I casted a protection spell that I made for you. I'm not sure if how far it will protect you, but still, I hope it protects you in the upcoming tasks."
Lily thought hard about what she would give Cedric this Christmas. She was sure it had to be something that could protect him during the tournament.
Seeing him all burnt in the first task almost made her heart stop and she didn't want to see him that badly hurt again. She was proud to have thought of this idea. He could wear protective clothing, plus socks were discreet enough not to become a hassle in his tasks.
"Thank you, Lily. It's exactly what I need. I'll make sure to wear this in the next tasks."
They continued talking about what's been happening lately, about school, and their family. It's been a while since they talked this long, just the two of them and they both realized how much they missed each other.
"...And Iris, you won't believe this, but she gave me a box full of beauty items. Even with two owls, they were struggling to carry it, poor things." Lily had just talked about what her family gave her for Christmas. "Iris has never given me anything feminine related. Not even dresses, or skirts! Now the problem is how to use them."
"Doesn't it come with an instruction manual?" Cedric asked and Lily laughed.
"Cedric, makeup doesn't require manuals! You just apply it to your face. But there were so many of them that I have no idea what others are for. If you saw the box, you'd think I was making an intricate potion with all the bottles in it."
"That makes me curious. I wouldn't have guessed Iris knew such things."
"Me neither."
Cedric was about to ask who Lily was going with. He never had a chance to and he was feeling..... nervous about asking. Nervous about who Lily's date was. He couldn't stop thinking about it. But before he could finally ask Lily said, "Oh look at the time! I have to go get ready!"
"This early?" Cedric asked.
"Like I said, I need to figure out what to do with all those things. Besides, this..." Lily motioned to all of herself, "... needs a lot of preparation."
Cedric chuckled. "No, you don't. You could even attend the ball right now and still look good."
"Ah Diggory, that's exactly why you're my best friend! And although it's not a bad idea, saves me all the trouble and all, I can't let you be the most handsome fellow in that ball, now can we? That title should be me" Lily winked and left with Cedric laughing behind.
Lily was all playful and excited earlier, but now looking at the beauty box her sister had sent her, she'd become intimidated. She went to her room early to prepare, but she's been staring at the box for Merlin knows how long.
She looked at the mirror in front of her. Her hair was in its usual tangled, poofy, frizzy mess. She's always had a love-hate relationship with it. She loved its big volume and its thickness, she never once had limp, flat hair. She loved the colour too, bright and vibrant. But the texture and thickness of her hair made her look like she had way too much of it. Some of the strands were curly while others were wavy and it was always frizzy. How was she going to calm all this hair?
She looked back at the box again, still not finding her answers.
"Lily? Is everything alright?" Alicia asked slowly approaching her as she sat motionless in front of the box.
"How..." Lily started saying her voice slightly shaking. "How in bloody hell are we expected to learn all this in a matter of hours?! This has been harder than our potions exam in O.W.L.s!" Lily exasperated. Her head was swimming, not knowing where to start.
She looked back at her roommates and they were almost done. Some with makeups on, while others had the curlers on their hair ready to be undone to show the curls.
"Don't worry! We'll help you, we're almost done ourselves and we just helped Angelina as well" Crystal pointed over at Angelina who was looking beautiful in her scarlet dress while Ebony, their other roommate, who was all ready was fixing her hair.
"Just breathe, alright? Let's see what you have here." Alicia started looking over at her box, surveying each product and then nodded. Alright, it seems that most of these are for your hair. Can I see what your dress looks like so we can figure out what look you'll wear?"
Lily slowly took her dress from her closet and the other girls stared in awe. "Oh wow Lily, that's a beautiful dress!"
"Thanks, it was my mum's." Lily blushed.
"Alright then, Crystal you do her makeup and I'll do her hair." Alicia said and Crystal looked at Lily's hair then to Alicia, "good luck."
(song: Neville's Waltz by Patrick Doyle)
Cedric made his way to the Great Hall. Professor Sprout had informed him he had to be there early because the champions were to dance first along with their partners. Cedric greeted and talked to some of his friends when he felt a pat on his shoulder, turning around was his date, Cho Chang.
Cho was looking very pretty with hair up and her dress suited her well. "You look beautiful, Cho." Cedric complimented.
"Thanks, you too." She smiled shyly.
His friends behind him were giggling.
"Don't you look like the perfect couple!"
"Not fair outshining us all, Diggory!"
"Make way! The royal couple of Hogwarts has arrived!"
His friends teased and Cedric and Cho couldn't help but laugh. Cedric greeted the other champions upon seeing them. It was almost time for them to go inside. Cedric saw that the famous Viktor Krum's date was Hermione who was looking different with her hair styled nicely and without the frizz.
