Kiss Me For I Must Be Dreaming

[Ella Carrington]

• Ella stood tall in a corner of the dance floor at the Coming Out Ball, her chaperone locked on to wherever Ella went, but only a few steps behind. She had a few dances, but nothing too grossly over exaggerated in terms of sweaty palms or poor conversation. She knew there was no chance at convincing her upper class parents to let her marry down! And she only wanted to marry down for one reason: the overpowering desire to be with Cailean Beckett that had slowly turned to a haunting fantasy that Ella Carrington started desperately fighting to forget. He hadn't sent her a letter and she felt overbearing feeling of guilt by sending him multiple letters.
  
  Thus, Ella was hoping that the Coming Out Ball would be good for her. She felt better. Maybe if the Coming Out was not so socially important, Ella would have skipped it altogether. Her parents were there, she knew for she had seen them. She didn't want to speak with them. By now, she didn't want to really speak to anyone. But she would. The music died down as the musicians turned their scores to find another song to play. Maybe this time she would get a dance.

  

[Philippe Guillory]

• Cousin Diana was not always the most exciting person to interact with, but her suggestion that Philippe and his mother accompany her to the annual Coming Out Ball had been one very well received. Though the Ministry was hosting its own International Ball in just over a fortnight, Philippe was certainly eager to meet some of the local young ladiesùparticularly on a night when almost all of them would be striving to make a good impression. Neatly dressed and well groomed, he arrived with Mrs. Lethaby and Mrs. Guillory just in time for the procession, which he watched with mild interest. The Head Girlùa Miss Browneùwas far too tall to be seemly, while her peers varied between very beautiful and very plain. For the sake of the latter, he hoped they had fat dowries, else they would almost certainly find themselves working as governesses and chaperons for their adult lives.
  
  Before long, the crowd began to break off into smaller pockets as the guests began to do what one did at a ball. Philippe wasted no time in dancing with a frightenedùbut elegantùlooking debutante, even kissing her on the hand before they departedùhe was, after all, a Frenchman! After, he moved to rejoin the two women presently most prominently in his life as the chattered to society wives. It did not take long for the chaser to tire of their prattle, and so he moved once again into the see of strange people and lovely young ladies.
  
  He quickly spotted one to his liking.
  
  "Pardonnez moi, Mademoiselle," Philippe began in French, "but you look very much like an old school friend of mineùthough much younger of course," he chuckled, a lie in its entirety. "She was very much considered one of the loveliest in our year, so you can imagine my surprise at finding what must be her doppelgõnger here in Scotland!"

  

[Ella Carrington]

• Ella didn't have to wait too long for a dance. It was a Frenchman, as she noted his accent, and the end of her left brow twitched slightly. She assumed that he was giving a compliment, but it was hard to tell, of course. "Merci, monsieur," she replied, taking it as a compliment. Ella loved being noticed for her features û the Slytherin was rather vain. Ella was also not going to let the feeling of overwhelming guilt stop her from enjoying the last Coming Out before her own û surely private û ball with over-the-top decorations and only the gentlemen and ladies of the upper class would dare attend. "Are you a Quidditch player?" she asked, not really sure why the Frenchman was here for any reason but the Quidditch World Cup. "Or are you related to one of the girls here?"

ooc: it's shit, but idk what to write

  

[Philippe Guillory]

• "Both," he replied, flashing the young lady his most charming smile. "Though I am in town with my team, I have been staying with cousins for greater comfort. Are you familiar with the Lethabys? Miss Charlotte Lethaby attends Hogwarts, I believe." At least he thought her name was Charlotte. As a third cousin whom he had never metùor even seen a likeness ofùPhilippe gave his young cousin little enough thought unless it might be useful to him. In truth, he cared little about the acquaintances of the beautiful young lady before him and more aboutàwell, other aspects of her, but only fools rush in, and Philippe was loathe to think himself a fool.

  

[Ella Carrington]

• Ella slightly furrowed her brows in thought of the name. "That name does not seem familiar to me," she finally commented. "Are you enjoying your stay in Hogsmeade so far?" Ella gave a kind smile. She, like most other upper class girls had to practice the art of being polite and to stay away from reputation-ruining scandals by flirting with men whom she had little or no interest in. Now, she knew that the Frenchman was just in town visiting and to play for the Quidditch World Cup, but Ella hardly felt obliged to do much more than give the man one dance and polite conversation especially when there were, needless to say, more attractive local men.
  
  The sixth year disinterestedly maintained eye contact as she smoothed out the front of her dress of nonexistent wrinkles that seemed to deter normal uncomfortable fidgeting. Ella, however, would never intend to initiate a dance with the Frenchman for she had heard myriad tales of the French û especially the National French Team. Wary of his behavior, Ella resumed conversation. "Are there Coming Out Balls like this in France?"

  

[Philippe Guillory]

• Huh. He had thought his cousin more prominent; either he had overestimated the family's situation, or the girl before him was in some way deficient. He found it difficult to believe that anyone so lovely could be otherwise deficientùthe chaser assumed, then, that it was a failing on the part of his young cousin; he would have to reassess his thinking of her before they met.
  
  "We do not haveàcommunal debuts as you do," Philippe replied, wondering if young girls thought of anything but balls. "We allow each girl to shine on her ownùthe singular flower given by an admirer, rather than an elaborate garden cultivated the staff of a large house. Equally lovely, but far more appreciated." And without the daisies and buttercups thrown in that were the (plainly) lower class girls presented to niceùlittle better than weeds, both.

  

[Ella Carrington]

• Ella smiled at his mention of the communal balls. "I agree. This communal ball is rather annoying to share with those of lower status," her words were laced with obvious dislike. "For my Coming Out, I expect it to be lavish and private. It is only what I deserve," Ella mentioned, turning her nose upwards just barely enough to be noticeable. When it came to social norms, there was only one exception to her rule on who she let herself mingle with without any mental repercussions.
  
  She desperately wanted to dance, but there had been no offer. She almost thought about politely excusing herself and going to find someone to at least dance with. Thus, she felt herself get very impatient and she wanted to actually do something. She looked over to her left and nodded a curt nod to her chaperone, acknowledging that she was still present. "I would like a drink," she hinted. She kept her mouth straight showing neither displeasure nor happiness. "Would you be so kind, monsieur, to get me a drink?"

  

[Philippe Guillory]

• He was pleased to see that the young lady was one of sense and refinement. He had little doubt that hers would be quite the extravagant debut, with all the attentionùas was only rightùfocused exclusively upon her. Had Philippe been a woman (thank Merlin he was not!), he would have sooner killed his peers than shared the limelight with them in this regard. To be a part of a whole was acceptable on the quidditch pitch only; outside of games and the like, it was every man, or woman, for himself in this world.
  
  "With a more exclusive guestlist, no doubt," he added with an approving nod, eyeing an elderly, shabbily (compared to the crowd; he supposed it must have been the best they had) dressed couple as they walked by.
  
  Finding himself rather parched, and determined to hang on to the young lady until she at least furnished him with her name, the Frenchman was only too eager to be of service. "Is there anything in particular Mademoiselle would like?" Philippe inquired with a mock bow.