Ayla looked around at the shimmering dance floor and the gathered students. There was always something extra magical about dances in the Great Hall. The way the place was transformed according to the event and the spectacle of seeing everyone in their dress robes and fancy accessories. Ayla herself had spent close to an hour and a half on her own outfit. Her mother had designed it for her as per usual but she had done all the finishing touches herself, the only thing that was missing was someone to appreciate it. She wasn't entirely surprised that she didn't have a date for the Yule Ball. She had spent most of her time on her recipes or sneaking off to the kitchens. She had made a promise to herself not to focus on boys this year after the disaster of Xavier and Blake but it still stung a little.

Her green gold eyes scanned the dance floor as couples enjoyed the music and each other. She was jealous of course but she wasn't about to make a fool out of herself either. If someone wanted to ask her to dance she wasn't going to turn them down but she also wasn't about to go up to the first guy she saw and drag him off either.  She still had some dignity left. She looked gorgeous and the place looked amazing. She could have an awesome night even if she wasn't on the arm of some gorgeous senior or foreign student.

---

Dahlia fidgeted a little nervously in her dress. With her mother being a well known muggle fashion designer she was used to wearing elegant and flashy things but it was the first time since puberty had hit that she was wearing anything so . . . fitting. She had opted for a fur bolero and elbow length evening gloves to help her feel a little more secure but it didn't seem to be helping much. She had arrived at the Ball in a clump of friends. Much like the other first and second years that were invited to attend she had decided to come with friends instead of a date like the older students. However her group of friends did include Keegan who had recently become her boyfriend, for lack of a better word. She had been helping him with his studying and they had been practicing kissing - a lot - since their first try over the summer. They were both thirteen now and about the right age for it, weren't they?

Dahlia nervously looked around wondering if she should stay at the table with her friends or if she should be out on the dance floor with Keegan. It didn't look like any of the other second years were dancing, or at least not in couples. Was she expected to dance with him? What if a slow song came on? Were they supposed to dance close or just next to each other and how would Erik react if they stole a kiss on the dance floor?

Dahlia had always thought that exams would be the most stressful thing she was going to face in school but this whole puberty and relationship thing was so much more confusing. She wondered how Ayla ever dealt with it all without exploding. Then again the older Hufflepuff never really was all that together, Dahlia suddenly had a lot more sympathy for her.

Jean Paul entered the Great Hall with a large smile on his lips and the smallest hint of crimson on his cheeks. His dress robes were rather traditional for the occasion and he made sure he had a corsage that matched Katy's dress. As far as he was concerned he was the luckiest guy there. He wasn't bothered by the age difference between them, she was a fourth year and he was a senior but it didn't matter to him and he hoped it didn't matter to her. He was a charming foreigner after all, sometimes you could get away with bending a few rules.

He led Katy to an unoccupied table close to some of his fellow Beauxbatons students. The Ball was getting well under way and the Champions had already had their dances to open up the event. There were booths around for photos and plenty of refreshments. Students were already out on the dance floor with their dates but Jay didn't want to push Katy into anything that would make her uncomfortable. She seemed like a reserved girl and he didn't want to press his luck. He was just happy that she had agreed to with him, he didn't need to be out on the dance floor all night, he just wanted to be with her.

"Should I get you a drink, or maybe some snacks?"

Peyton chugged another glass of punch and chuckled at a friend's joke. All in all he was having a great night so far. He was well dressed for the occasion, rocking the Ravenclaw colours and a fedora. He had decided to come alone, or at least dateless. He wasn't without friends and he didn't need a date to have a good time. After all, the last time he had brought a date to a Ball had been Valentines the year before and he had gone with Bellatrix Dark. She had taken him to make his brother jealous and he had taken her to appear straight. None of that mattered any more though and he had promised Bella a dance later on in the night.

He filled up his glass with some more punch and returned to the conversation, "Well the Slytherin team is stacked this year, they're really going to be the ones to beat for the cup. Almasy's got the Gryffindors working hard but I'm not too worried and with the disaster the Hufflepuff team has been the last few games, they may as well just drop out of the running." He took a bite of pastry he had snatched the last time he went past the refreshment tables, "Harper's got the Slytherin's working about as much as I've been driving the 'claws but I'm determined to get the cup this year. Not gonna let my first year as Captain go down as the year I let those dirty snakes beat us out."

Xavier had strutted into the Great Hall when everyone first started to arrive. He was back on top, practically royalty with his favour with the Monarchy and he had a Slytherin Princess on his arm. There was nothing that was going to ruin tonight. Things with Strellie had finally straightened themselves out. He was able to spent some good quality time with Huck lately, his nerves were calming down and despite the nightmares and late nights spent in the room of requirement for comfort, his outside appearance was much better than it had been mere months before when he could be caught jumping at the smallest noise and fidgeting in class. He wasn't exactly over the post traumatic stress he had been experiencing but things were starting to look up.

He handed his date a glass of punch, his own having been spiked discreetly at the refreshment table but he hadn't put anything in Strellie's. He had plenty to share if she wanted but he didn't want to give her anything without her knowing about it. He didn't need her to get mad at him this early into the evening or to alert any of the Professor's to the flask he had neatly tucked under his jacket. He knew certain Professors - those like Reid or Trishna - would suspect him anyways but he was good at looking innocent.

"Ye wanna dance at all?"