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Post by .Scotchy. on Oct 20, 2007 23:20:04 GMT -6
Grace looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't even recognize herself anymore, her face was painted and she was in a wild looking dress. Her paint around her cheeks were the same colors of her dress, red, orange, black, and some white, the colors formed wings. She was unmistakably dressed as a butterfly. Her dress was the Monarch Butterfly wings, and they twisted together tightly at the torso. The dress was strapless, and to replace the straps was black fluff that went around the edge of the top. On the white circles of the dress, there were bits of glitter making them stand out more. It looked truly amazing on her.
She bit her lip and glanced over at the black heals Elle had taken out for her a few minutes before she left to get Dani ready. She really didn't want to go to this, something bad was going to happen she just new it. But David wanted to take her, and he was going to have her go. Which accepted after he dragged her to get fitted for a dress. He didn't know what she wanted for a dress, and still doesn't know, it was going to be a surprise, if he didn't manage to sneak it out of Elle.
Grace looked at herself one more time in the mirror, curled her hair some, and then stepped towards the shoes. It was as if if she put them on it was deffinate she was going. She had to. She promised. She slipped on her shoes and looked one last time in the mirror to make sure she looked ok. She nodded, still biting her lip, and stepped out. Students were walking past, some peeking a look at her, and some not really noticing, too busy looking at their friends. She tried to ignore the peepers, but it seemed as if it didn't matter, they were gonna look anyway.
When Grace got to the Masquerade people were walking in, and David wasn't there. She stood off to the side, pressed against the wall to wait for him. Her fingers gripping around eachother so hard that they were turning red. People passed and Grace watched them. This was not something she does, it was far from what she does. It was social, and as we all know, Grace hates being near people, especially people she doesn't know.
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Post by Gin on Oct 20, 2007 23:43:12 GMT -6
David's navy jacket lay over the thin white shirt as he sat on the bed, doning his shoes. It was almost as if he had been chosen to dress as Prince Charming. Elle had chosen the costume for him. He had no idea who he was suppose to be, only that it was very decorative. The flowy white shirt gave it away as being part of turn of the century England but he didn't know anything further than that. His mask was already in place, the black music notes surrounding his left eye and the gold surrounding his right. The mask was the only part of his costume he had chosen. He wasn't even sure if it matched perfectly but he liked it.
He walked through the night, tucking the jacket closer to him. Just past the gates, he apparated to the Ministry building. It was less than a block to the location of the Masquerade and he was perfectly capable of walking, though he might not be when he arrived late.
Grace was pressing herself against the wall, looking stunning in her butterfly gown. She had no plaster mask to cover her face, but rather a beautiful collection of carefully arranged paint strokes. He could not see the defined colours but he could easily see the effort. Ellendie must have helped her. David smiled as he approached, moving into a sweeping bow a few feet in front of her.
"Care to escort me, M'lady?" he asked, holding out his arm and then quickly tucking it into a right angle at his side for her to grab. This was a customary way to enter a dance as he had been instructed by his sister. She was a stickler for etiquitte and he had to agree. Manners were everything.
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Post by .Scotchy. on Oct 21, 2007 18:19:08 GMT -6
When you are waiting for someone it seems to take forever. It was either the fact you felt like everyone was staring at you, or it was the fact that you don't like standing alone. For Grace it was a mixture of things that made that short wait for David seem like hours. She felt like everyone was staring at her and whispering, maybe saying she didn't belong here. And that was another thing, she felt like she didn't belong and she should just be in her room reading like she would have normally done. But David wouldn't let her. David seemed to have insisted on ball dance, and wasn't going to let it go, so here she was, sucking up all her fear, and stepping out into the world.
"Care to escort me, M'lady?"
Grace blinked away from a pair of people she was looking at subconsciously, and into Davids eyes. She blushed almost instantly and smilled whiling nodding slightly. Her eyes scanned his outfit, that was clearly made by Elle since the detail was very dainty. He looked just like Prince charming, and to her in away he was. Well he was her Prince Charming, her hero, her savor. She looped her arm around his and walked close, not really sure on what she was suppose to do. "I like your costume," her voice was soft, and timid, "Prince Charming."
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Post by Gin on Oct 21, 2007 18:40:50 GMT -6
David let the perfect grin spread over his face as he looked down at Grace. She was perfect for him. Everything he wanted. She was kind and shy, modest. He loved to be the one helping others, showing them that he cared and Grace seemed to be in a constant need of that help and love. And he loved it. As her arms wrapped around his, he moved his opposite hand up to fold it over hers. Her hand was cool, surely from the nervousness of being somewhere she didn't want to be. But he had plans for this night. She had to come or this night would just not be special. Sure, he could have stayed with her back at the castle but the castle held none of the same appeal to him for his plans. Granted, it would have been a special night regardless of location as long as Grace had been present.
But here they stood, Monarch butterfly and--
"I like your costume. Prince Charming."
-- Prince Charming. She she thought so too. Obviously it was a female's point of view that would come up with such a conclusion. He smiled and lay his lips against the top of her head, over her soft hair. He breathed in deeply and pulled his head back, eyes closed, and let out a sigh.
"You smell amazing. Do you know that?" He opened his eyes with a playful grin and looked down at her. "Would you like to dance, my butterfly?"
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Post by .Scotchy. on Oct 21, 2007 19:17:16 GMT -6
Grace smiled at him, and closed her eyes when she felt his lips on her head. All her fears seemed to slip away when he was there. He was so comforting and loving, she trusted him so much, probably the only one she truly trusted. Her eyes opened as she heard him sighing. She looked at him causiusly, and smiled when he started to talk.
"You smell amazing. Do you know that?"
Her cheeks turned to a bright red. She didn't know, but now she did. She leaned into him happy to be near him. "Well, I do now." She mumbled.
"Would you like to dance, my butterfly?"
She blinked and looked over at the dancers. They were all dancing happy and together, like they knew how to dance. And there was another thing added to the reason for Grace not to be here. Grace wasn't an athletic person, not even close, and dancing, well she wasn't too cordinated either. She bit her lip and looked at David, and then at the dancers, "Dave, I don't know how to dance..." her voice wasn't above a whisper now. How embarrassing, at a dance and she doesn't even know how to dance. She looked at David with that 'told you' look. This just wasn't a good idea, and she didn't understand why she had to be here. They could have hung in the common rooms...That would have been safe, and no one getting hurt... and no worries....
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Post by Gin on Oct 21, 2007 21:53:45 GMT -6
"Well, I do now."
David closed his eyes. Such nice words. And accompanied with such a lovely voice. He moved his arm down to wrap around her waist as she moved herself closer.
"Dave, I don't know how to dance..."
It was the nickname. It had to be the nickname that send the red flag up in his mind. He had only ever been called by his given name: David. It was strange to be addressed by anything else. He paused and looked down at the girl who had deemed him Dave. It suddenly seemed okay to be called Dave, irrigardless of how informal it was. This was Grace, he could afford to be informal with her.
David quickly covered up his hesitation with a smile and swung Grace out in front of him. His hands took their positions at her waist after setting her hands up against his chest, leaving it her decision whether or not to put them on his shoulders.
"Don't worry, honey. It's all in the leading." He, again, bent his head and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger there a second longer than nessisary. "I bet I can get you through an entire song without tripping once," he whispered to her, letting his eyes soften and meet hers. "Care to take me on?"
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Post by .Scotchy. on Oct 21, 2007 22:33:00 GMT -6
Dave just smiled at her, and swung her in front of him. She blinked and looked down at her feet that were next to his. She was going to step on his all night, she could see this happening. She was going to crush his feet... not like she could with her tiny ones, but still, sh was going to step on him!
"Don't worry, honey. It's all in the leading."
She started biting her lip and looked up at him, "Im afraid I might step on your toes!" His lips were on her forhead again and she lost her train of thought. Everything David did seemed to make her lose her thought, and why she was so upset earlier. Whether it was how he was touching her arm, or how he was just looking at her, he was going to distract her either way. She smiled, her cheeks getting rosey.
"I bet I can get you through an entire song without tripping once,"
She stifled a giggle, and shook her head, "You'd be surprised."
His hands moved to her waist, and her hands rested on his chest. This was the moment she had to chose. Was she going to dance and risk the chance of embarrassing herself? Or was she going to sit, and make David sit with her, and neither of them were going to have fun.
"Care to take me on?"
She bit her lip harder and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Let's do it."
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Post by Gin on Oct 21, 2007 22:41:18 GMT -6
David smiled, feeling her hands twist around his neck. It had to be a stretch for her but it would only make dancing harder if he bent down. Instead, he stepped backwards, into the crowd of dancers and pulled her with him.
"Let's do it."
The music had already started while he had been convincing her to dance. It would just be less time he would have to worry about getting her to relax and not step on his feet.
"Don't watch your feet," he cautioned her before she had a chance to even look down. "You'll only mess up if you are expecting to. Don't you trust me?" he teased, a faint smile crossing his lips.
As the music played at the front of the room, David began moving his feet just so slightly that it was hardly noticable. It would be easy to pick up on even for a beginner. When she trusted herself a little more, he may pick up the steps a bit and show her how to really ballroom dance but for now, this was pleasing.
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Post by .Scotchy. on Oct 22, 2007 19:12:04 GMT -6
Graces hands rested on Davids shoulders since she couldn't get them all the way around his neck. It looked a little silly to her, but cute at the same time. Her lip was starting to swell a bit from how much she was biting, and sucking at it, dancing was making her nervous. The nervousness was winning her over, more than the fact that she was with David. Usually being with David was enough top release her from her nervousness, but it wasn't working now. As he moved back her eyes instantly looked down towards her feet, maybe if she looked at her feet she wouldn't-
"Don't watch your feet," Her eyes looked up almost instantly, hoping he didn't notice her glance.
"You'llonly mess up if you are expecting to. Don't you trust me?"
Her eyes looked up right into his and her cheeks flushed, what was with the blushing tonight? She nodded quickly, "Yes, I trust you." And that was the truth. She trusted him with all her heart. He saved her from the rapist, and helped her through her prefect crisis. What was not to trust? He was perfect, nice, and protecting. Which Grace needed in her life, someone to watch over her, someone to make sure she stays out of trouble. Or just someone to make sure she stays sane, and just being who she was, it will be easy for her to slip far into the bliss of the 'unknown'.
Her thoughts were filling in her mind, and she wasn't paying attention to her feet, but how she was gliding along with David, her eyes locked with his. She started to smile happily. But the realization of what she was doing snapped in her head, and she got all nervous again, biting her lip, and glancing down at her feet, stumbling every so often. "Sorry," she mumbled.
[[Admin Edit: 1 galleon given by Gin]]
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Post by Gin on Oct 22, 2007 19:34:44 GMT -6
"Yes, I trust you."
David smiled and pulled Grace closer to him. Her face was still pink from her blush. She really was beautiful when she was embaressed. Luckily for him, that happened often. He was doing his job making sure tonight was no exception.
As his thoughts slipped away to what he was about to do, he hardly noticed Grace's face on his as she began to smile. It was only when she began stumbling and tripping into his feet that David shook his head and looked down at her. One of his hands moved from her waist to lift up her chin.
"Look at me, Gracie." She was biting her lip and mumbling "Sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Let's try this. Stop--Stop dancing." He removed his other hand from the small of her back and situated right on her hip along with the hand that had previously been under her chin. "Now, you're going to stand on my feet." He looked at her completly serious and lifted her gently by the waist to set her on his feet.
The musicians up on the stage confired for a moment before taking up a slow song; Somewhere Out There. It was an old muggle song but apparently someone had requested it. David wraped his arms around Grace's back so she wouldn't fall and began slowly moving his feet in a slightly more advanced step than he had been doing with Grace on her own feet.
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Post by .Scotchy. on Oct 22, 2007 20:01:06 GMT -6
"Look at me, Gracie."
Grace lifted her chin as he pulled it up. "I told you, I can't dance," she looked at him with a 'told you so' face.
"Don't be sorry. Let's try this. Stop--Stop dancing." She watched his hands move about her, relocating themselves. "Now, you're going to stand on my feet."
She blinked up at him, "The whole point I was nervous was that I didn't want to crush your feet, and now you want me to be standing on them?" Before she got a chance to say anything else, he lifted her up some and her feet were placed on his. Her arms quickly came down, and her hands were gripping at his arms so she wouldn't fall. She didn't like how wobbly this felt, but David wouldn't hurt her, he'd never let that happen, right? His arms wrapped around her back and held her close, she felt safe, but she needed that cling around his arms to be sure she was safe.
She started to laugh slightly after a little bit of him moving around. She honestly felt like a little girl too young to know how, and needing to stand on her daddy's feet, while clinging to his fingers for support. She started to blush, and shake her head, "I feel like a little girl."
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Post by Gin on Oct 22, 2007 20:26:57 GMT -6
David sighed and lowered his cheek to rest on his date's hair. It smelled very nice, something that could easily unfocus his mind. But this was not a time to be unfocused. Grace was in his arms, moving against him with the tune and his step.
"I feel like a little girl."
He kissed her head. "You don't look like one," he said, smiling.
The song ended and David's feet stopped moving against the floor. His arms loosened and lifted Grace back onto the floor. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" His eyes were flicking around the room, catching on the clock and the other couples dancing around them. It really would be nice to have a partner who could dance as he could but Grace was amazing anyway.
The clock read a quarter after 10. David didn't want to wait too long but he did want the evening to celebrate. Now was as good a time as ever.
"I'll be right back okay?" David kissed Grace's forehead and, without waiting for an answer, slipped off into the crowd. It really was a thick crowd. The dancing couples didn't take too well to David pushing past them to get to the stage. A few muttered things after him but he barely noticed. He had a mission.
David got to the stage only knocking down one girl. He helped her up but she glared at him and shuffled off toward a waiting boy who was also glaring. David waited the long minute and a half until the song was over until he whistled at the lead singer. The man looked down at him, annoyed for a second before David crooked his finger. The pair whispered for a minute until the singer extended his arm and helped David up onto the stage.
"We got some special news tonight folks," he announced, holding the mic out to David.
"Thanks," the Ravenclaw said, taking it. "I have spent the last few months courting the most amazing girl I've ever know. Grace Anne Bigete is perfect. That is why--Grace, if you'll come here... That is why I am going to ask Grace to marry me." He smiled and looked around the room, giving the back right corner a harder stare than he should have. A light clapping started in the back, followed by unsure clapping of others around the room. Most of the kids near the front and the center started glancing around, looking for the girl the Head Boy had committed himself to.
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Post by .Scotchy. on Oct 23, 2007 20:44:52 GMT -6
Grace felt his lips on her head once more, and she closed her eyes enjoying the touch.
"You don't look like one,"
She giggled, "I hope I don't." The slowly came to an end, and they stopped along with it. David lefted her up some, which made her feel perhaps like a child too. She was small compared to him, and he seemed to be able to lift her up like she was only five pounds. Which she new she wasn't, she thought she was over the one hundred mark, but she would have to go back and check sometime.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"I guess it wasn't," she mumbled, and watched his eyes focus everywhere but her. She bit her lip, was she boring him? That wouldn't be the first, she has bored many people. Her eyes followed his seeing that he was looking at couples that were dancing perfectly normal. No girl standing on their toes, nothing. She bit her lip more, and looked down at her own toes. Why was she so... scared? Why did she hide from the world? She thought she would be safe if she did, and now she is missing out, and doesn't even know how to dance, or make a date semi- happy.
"I'll be right back okay?"
Her eyes lifted up to him, and he kissed her head again. He did that a lot, kissed her forhead, why never the lips? She remembered reading somewhere that kissing the lips made everything more complicated, or more permanet. Or something like that. Maybe it meant more love. Perhaps, David didn't love her, and didn't want to kiss her on the lips to lead her towards that way. But the problem was, was that he didn't have to kiss her on the lips for her to love him, she already did. And there were so many reasons, she couldn't even settle on just one to think in her mind.
David was making his way to the stage now, and Grace watched him curiously. What was he doing? Requesting a song? Finding a new dance partner? All those were possible answers, but she would have never expected what was actually going to happen.
"We got some special news tonight folks,"
Grace turned her body so she was facing the stage, watching just as everyone else was. David got on stage, and Grace started biting her lip. He was looking for a new dance partner. Jeez, she knew she was bad, but, bad enough to ditch in front fo everyone else?
"Thanks, I have spent the last few months courting the most amazing girl I've ever know. Grace Anne Bigete is perfect. That is why--Grace, if you'll come here..."
Grace froze, what was he doing? Everyone was watching and staring and looking at her. She was afraid of confrontation, and now she was being shoved in front of a whole crowd of people, she can't do that! Nor can she handle it! She shook her head quickly, her eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights.
"That is why I am going to ask Grace to marry me."
She looked around, and everyone had basically found her by now, and was looking at her with encuraging looks. Some actually nudging her forward, others giving disapproval faces. In fact she was sure she heard whispers about a possible pregnancy. Which wasn't liable since she was her and David had never kissed let alone had sex.
Someone had nudged her a little harder than the others, and she stumbled forward, which gave her the looseness to turn around and run out. Her breathing was begining to stop, and her chest was gaining pressure, and she was heaving as she pushed the door open, and walked out to the bitter cold of the night. She wallked towards a tree a bit off and pressed herself against it. Tears now welling in her eyes, all those people! They were looking at her with mixed ideas of why David was asking to marry her, some sure pregnancy, and others not really knowing what to think, or say. And that was Grace. She was young of course, but she loved David, and needed him, but marry him so soon? They haven't kissed yet, he hasn't even said 'I love you', it's just asking for trust. And she did trust him, right? This incodent wasn't going to ruin that, right?
[[Admin Edit: 2 galleons given by Gin]]
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Post by Gin on Oct 24, 2007 17:44:00 GMT -6
David let his eyes wander around the room, stopping on the frozen Grace. She was staring at him in what looked like horror. The kids around her each had their own opinions, of course, showing on their faces. He could tell Grace had seen, and disapproved of, these faces. She was getting nudged.
"She'll come up if she wants," he said into the microphone, scolding those who were trying to force her. But it came too late. One girl pushed a little too hard. Grace took a step forward, unfrozen from her state and ran out of the hall, remarkably having to shove very few people out of the way.
David watched her worriedly, handing off the mic to the singer. He recieved a "Hey, sorry man," but the student didn't hear him. He jumped down from the stage, swinging easily off the side and pushed through the crowd. With the singer back in control of the microphone, the crowd was more eager to push their way to the stage. David got stuck behind a rather bulky looking Slytherin. Each step he would take to the side, the other boy would follow, blocking the way.
"Move it, Renaldi!" he shouted, making the group around him stare. They were quite surprised that their Head Boy could even talk that loudly let alone that loudly in an angry tone. The boy, Renaldi, grunted something and moved. He was pulled aside by his girlfriend but David couldn't see her.
It took David almost a full minute to get out of the room since he had jumped from the stage as compared to Grace's speedy 10 seconds. He got to the hallway door, pushing it open and slipping into the hall. The songs had started up again, this one more upbeat. The door to the street was still cracked open. Again, he pushed it open the rest of the way to slip out. He couldn't see the girl anywhere. Maybe she had apparated back to Hogwarts. He shook his head. No, she could't apparate yet.
David shifted over the side of his jacket, grabbing at his wand. He briefly let the revealing charm run through his mind, closing his eyes. When he opened them, a faint light was emitting from a tree a few yards from the edge of the light cast off the building. He began walking toward it, quickly at first but then slower as he got closer.
He could see the outline of the butterfly dress against the dark tree. He could see the tears building up in her eyes.
"... Grace?" he said quietly. "Gracie?"
To be quite honest, he was terrified to say much else. Her name was a treasured thing to him and he believed that saying it explained everything. Okay, so he knew it didn't explain everything but it seemed like the best word in the world to him at this moment. Sure, the kids and the professors back at the school would talk. They would come up with all kinds of crazy rumors explaining why David had proposed to such a young girl. It would be mostly the students doing the gossiping. He and Grace could surely expect some kind of meeting with at least one of the teachers, trying to get the real reason out of him and trying to tell him that there were other options instead of getting married.
He stopped moving about three feet from her, his eyes looking down at her with the care and love he had hoped to see in hers when he proposed. This was not how the night was suppose to go. She should have said yes; after all, he had only begun dating her on the basis that they would eventually be married and better sooner than later, right? They should be back at the ball, dancing. People should be passing by them, patting him on the back or pulling Grace into a hug and saying how lucky they were and congratulations. They should have kissed and held eachother until the wee hours of the morning, talking about their future together and arguing over who loved who most. Judging by their current predicament, none of the above would be happening any time soon.
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Post by .Scotchy. on Nov 10, 2007 15:41:22 GMT -6
Grace pressed herself against a tree and pulled her arms in close. She was so cold, but she didn't know where else to go. She wasn't going back into the dance, hell no, she wasn't going to deal with that, everyone staring at her. She couldn't deal with that. It just wasn't with her to do so.
"... Grace? Gracie?"
Grace turned her head to his name and glared at David. How could he do this to her? Have everyone staring? For sure if it was just the two of them... and no one staring and no one poking at her, she would have said yes! But now she wasn't sure at all what she was going to do. She was too young in the first place.
(( not done ))
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