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Pansy groaned, looking at herself in the full-length mirror that occupied the whole dorm wall. Daphne left to go help Blaise with something that the Slytherin assumed was a quickie before the ball. As long as Greengrass did not ruin the makeup that Pansy had worked her magic on, she would be satisfied with the outcome.
What Pansy was unsatisfied with was the way the ribbons of her metallic autumn pink dress were looking. They were not perfect, and she wanted them to be perfect. It was the Graduation Ball after all, and she was not being escorted by someone unimportant. Neville Longbottom, Head boy and War Hero, was her date and she wanted everything to be perfect.
And even more importantly, her boyfriend, Neville Longbottom.
The Slytherin had tied them by magic or by hand hundreds of times before, but they were still not perfect, just a little bit crooked enough to annoy Pansy. She just wanted to raise her wand and hex the mirror, so it would break into a thousand little pieces.
There was a knock on the door, interrupting her thoughts. “Who is it?” Pansy asked. If it was Millicent talking about The Dragon Tamer Weasley again, Pans was not sure what she could do to her friend. Maybe transfigure her into an unperfect ribbon.
“It’s Neville, Pans. Can I come in?” Her boyfriend’s voice came from the other side of the door.
Pansy raised her wand, and the door opened itself, revealing the Gryffindor in his dark dress robes and a perfectly tied white bowtie. He was standing like a fool in the doorway, looking at her with his mouth dropped open.
The Slytherin could not stop herself from blushing, turning her eyes away from him to look at herself in the mirror. The dress was not even that revealing. She had worn dresses that were more provocative before. There was no reason for him to react like that, but he was looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the universe. “Why are you doing that?”
“Doing what?” Neville asked, taking a few steps forward and kissing her exposed shoulder.
“Looking at me like you never saw me all dolled up before…” she whispered, eyes locked on the two figures in the mirror. “Do you like ball gowns more than lingerie?”
Neville chuckled. “It’s a tough choice… if it’s just the two of us, always lingerie or nothing, now… I can’t deny how beautiful you look in this puffy gown. I can’t wait to dance with you!”
“Well, that might not even happen…” Pansy murmured a pout on her wine coloured lips.
“Why, my favourite flower?” He asked, turning her around in his arms. Stroking her cheek with his thumb. “You look so beautiful.”
“The shoulder ribbons. They’re not perfect, and I wanted them to look perfect,” she mumbled, knowing it was foolish, but it meant so much to her. “And look at your bow tie, just perfect.”
Neville chuckled. His fingers moved to the strips of fabric and he untied them softly. Then, with such gentle touches, the Gryffindor bound them again in two perfect ribbons. “What do you think?”
“Thank you. You are incredible!” The Slytherin said, looking at herself in the mirror, leaning forward to observe her new beautiful bows. “How were you able to make them so perfect?”
“Sometimes we must tie plants to the stakes, so they grow taller and stronger… I think experience helps,” he whispered. “Are you ready to go now?”
“Just one thing…” she murmured before kissing her boyfriend, a huge smile on her face. “Now everything is perfect.”
***
Neville kissed Pansy with a radiant smile. The real Pansy Parkinson, the one that she shared only with those she trusted and loved, that woman was all he wanted but never knew he needed, or could have.
“I love you, Pansy,” he whispered, gentle fingertips touching the exposed skin of her bust, her neck, shoulder, and clavicles. She was wearing a goblin-wrought silver necklace. “I actually have a gift for you.”
“Oh, you did not need to get me a gift, Nebbie.” She said, but her grin told a completely different story. He knew how much she loved to be spoiled like this, with little gifts and trinkets wherever they went. Even if it was just a flower for her to tuck into her bag or hair, she adored to feel cherished.
“Close your eyes and turn around,” Neville whispered, kissing her shoulder. When he was confident she was not peeking, he produced a velvet box from the pocket of his robes. Expanding it, he left it levitating around them.
Calloused fingers raised themselves to her earlobes, and pulled off the pink gemstone earrings, placing pink pearl ones in their place. “Are your eyes still closed, my love?”
“You got me jewellery?” Pansy asked.
“Just keep your eyes closed. It’s a surprise!” Neville requested, kissing the top of her head. He carefully unclasped the necklace she was wearing and put it on top of her bed.
Then, taking the pearl necklace from inside the velvet box, he wrapped it around her neck. Before he could even tell her to open her eyes, blue irises had locked with his hazel ones. “Neville,” she whispered, one of her manicured hands raising to touch the pearls.
He kissed her cheek as he finished clasping the necklace around her beautiful neck. He had been terrified that the jewellery would clash with her outfit, but the pink pearls combined even better with her dress than the silver morganite jewellery had.
Pansy sighed, her eyes still on his. “They’re so beautiful, Neville. They must have been so expensive. There was no need for you to spend so much money with me…”
“I did not spend a sickle, they were my mothers, but if I had seen them in a boutique, I would get them for you… Pearls for my Pansy.” Nev whispered, kissing her neck and squeezing her shoulders, turning them to face the mirror again.
“Oh, Neville. They’re family heirlooms, I cannot accept them…” Her blue eyes were hard on his. “It’s too much…”
“Why are they too much?” He wondered, he had chosen them on purpose for her.
“We have been dating only for 6 months… offering me your mother jewellery. It feels something for when we’re dating for one year or longer…” she explained.
The Gryffindor chuckled and kissed her. “My feelings for you will not change in the next 6 months, Pansy, I’m sure of that. I don’t know if we will have a ball in December, so I wanted you to wear these pearls today… when they link so beautifully with your attire.”
Pansy looked at him like he was a fool. She kissed his cheek, and he pulled her closer. “If we go out there and they ask me where I got the pearls, and I tell them they were your mother’s…” She gulped and Neville stroked her cheek. He had not seen her this hesitant in quite some time. “By pureblood tradition, this can be considered an informal betrothal agreement…”
Neville murmured in agreement against her collarbone, depositing a kiss there.
“Are you sure?” She asked again, probably making sure he would not regret it. As if he would ever regret her.
“I am… I know it’s too early, and we are still young, but I know I want to be in your life, Pansy.” It was barely a whisper against her lips, but her smile, and the worry lines disappearing from her face, showed him that she heard him. “I love you.”
“I love you, Neville. And I love the gifts and I’m quite honoured that you allowed me to wear them.” She confessed, getting on her tiptoes to kiss him again. She pointed to the door. “Shall we?”
Neville took her hand, and slowly they made their way to the Great Hall, where the Graduation Ball would take place. It was one more step into their forever. Before they could cross the big doors to the Great Hall and the Graduation Ball, Professor McGonagall pulled them aside to offer them a last gift.
“I don’t understand, professor. You want us to take an empty piece of paper?” Neville asked, looking at the small golden basket she was holding.
“Yes, it’s an old magical tradition that I’m hoping to bring back. The card pieces are enchanted to give you a message, a note that you need at this moment. But it’s just for you, you can’t share it with anyone else. Not even your special other,” the Headmistress explained.
They both nodded, and Nev let the Slytherin reach for a card first before taking one himself. He read the words that appeared in the brownish parchment. “Eternity was always in our Lips and Eyes.”
“And what shall we do with these messages now?” his girlfriend asked.
“Some you keep to yourselves, to guide your own path. But there are some others that are meant to be shared along the road. Magic will tell,” the older woman explained. “Now enjoy your party.”