Chapter Two: Pureblood Boys

The green gown felt like it was weighing her down the further she walked.

It was as if the luxurious silks and fine jewellery were cursed to swallow Cordelia in front of the ball's attendees. If she was being honest, the anxious brunette wouldn't mind as long as it meant she could evade the party in front of her, but alas, Melania thought otherwise.

"Get going, you're already late as it is. And for Merlin's sake don't sneak off with your brother."

The way she punctuated the last sentence made Cordelia snicker as she paced through the hallway, finally making her way towards the boisterous ballroom.

Everything was too much.

Bright candles blazed across the ceiling as they shed light on the atrocious gowns and vibrant cloaks filling the room. The ball was supposed to be a small event with the pureblood families to celebrate young Cordelia's success, but when it came to the pureblood community, small events never remained just that.

For some reason, everyone seemed too excited to witness the Black heirs. The guests were so rowdy the piano's soft serenades were drowned out by gossiping witches and grumbling wizards.

As usual, everyone was keenly awaiting a chance to pinpoint flaws in the Triwizard Champion in hopes of toppling the pedestal the Black-McMillans stood upon; their spiteful nature growing every passing minute. Thus the four purebloods were to dress in their best robes and finest silks to entertain their entourage for the night.

Cordelia would be lying if she said the pressure wasn't getting to her, but she couldn't do much except attempt to calm herself as she walked up to Orion's bored frame.

"You look prettier than usual."

His remark bought a stiff smile to her face as Cordelia muttered a soft 'likewise' and linked their arms.

For a moment the duo simply waited outside the silver double doors as Arcturus wrapped up his speech for the night. The slight pause helped quell her nerves as Cordelia waited for her father to announce their presence.

"It will be alright, right?"

Her anxious question made Orion furrow his eyebrows as he turned towards his sister.

"You faced several crowds throughout the tournament, what makes this different?"

"The monsters weren't hiding between those crowds with hidden fangs, they were stowed away in arenas."

Orion didn't get a chance to respond as the doors before them finally flew open and revealed the teenagers clad in green silks, but Cordelia swore she noticed a confused frown briefly fall across his face as he possessed his sister's words.

The ball was exquisite, that was certain.

It was finer than most events Cordelia had attended over her sixteen years as a pureblood. Her parents had worked hard to ensure the decorations, food, and music were enough to leave the critiques tight-lipped and frustrated. All that was left was for Cordelia to seal the deal by being a perfectly pretentious pureblood witch for the rest of the night.

A feat that made her feel like the necklace around her neck was getting tighter and tighter with every second.

After all, how was she supposed to explain that the only person she was interested in seeing hadn't shown up?

It was no surprise that certain pureblood families chose not to attend the ball with excuses of vacations in foreign countries, but that didn't explain why Dumbledore of all people chose not to attend.

Sure, his relations with the pureblood community weren't exactly ideal, but Cordelia had thought a personal invitation from the honourable host would have at least resulted in a brief appearance.

"So, Cordelia, how has your summer fared?"

There it was again, another pureblood boy attempting to suck up to her as his mother watched with bated breath and hopes of snagging the golden Black bird.

"It was well."

The lack of a follow-up question made it clear she was in no mood for conversation, but pureblood boys were too much of an egoistical nuisance to catch onto her hostility.

Well, most pureblood boys.

"Run along, Travers before she curses you into oblivion."

Theodore Nott's voice had never sounded as heavenly as it did that very moment.

Cordelia couldn't help but let out a giggle at his words as Travers finally got the message and walked back towards his scowling mother. The Triwizard Champion knew she should have cared more about the middle-aged witches staring at her scandalously as the Nott heir draped an arm across her shoulders, but after everything she had been through just to please the pureblood community, Cordelia figured she could get away with a hug or two.

"How's Yaxley?"

The mention of his betrothed drew a forced chuckle from Theodore as he shuffled around to lean against the wall Cordelia had perched herself against for the past hour.

"Busy fawning over your mother's new cloak."

A giggle left Cordelia's form as she amusedly scanned the ballroom for lingering eyes.

Even if she didn't feel like it, the brunette knew she was approaching her limit and would break down in the middle of the ball if she didn't confide in someone. Someone who knew about everything that occurred in France and would understand Cordelia's emotions.

Someone like Theodore Nott, one of her closest friends.

But Cordelia also knew escaping a ball thrown for her wasn't an easy feat, and it would take more than a few dismissal words to make it past the crowd of scavenging pureblood witches starved of drama.

"Do you want to dance?"

For a moment Theodore remained silent as he contemplated the question. It wasn't until he noticed Cordelia's clenched palms that the curly-haired boy realized something was terribly wrong.

"Of course, how could I turn down the Slytherin Queen?"

The pianist switched to a more upbeat tune as couples and friends alike danced their way to the centre of the ballroom. Cordelia took a moment to steady herself as she abutted from the wall and accepted Theodore's waiting hand.

She was no stranger to the keen eyes following them around the room, but the scrutiny paired with her bubbling anxiety made Cordelia wish she had never attended the ball, to begin with. Thankfully, the brown-eyed boy before her had caught on to her distress and took the lead as they waltzed in synch with the people around them.

For once the couples around them paid no heed to the teenagers as they busied themselves with gossip; something the pureblood community could seemingly never get enough of. However, Cordelia was thankful for the muttering witches, as they made what she was about to do a lot easier.

"Do you remember the secret side-door we used to use as kids?"

Theodore smirked at her question, choosing to survey the room as he caught onto what she was trying to do.

"Should we make a run for it?"

"No-"

Cordelia sighed as she uttered the word. If only things were as easy as they used to be ten years ago when the only worry on her mind was effectively sneaking away with Druella and Theo.

"-It needs to be stealthy."

The duo continued dancing around the room as they thought of ways to escape the ball without drawing any attention.

Eventually, Cordelia settled on letting her family do the work for her as she sneakily led Theodore closer to the left side of the room.

It took a few moments, but as the house-elves began pouring into the room with platters of food and the music ebbed away, Melania could be seen pacing across the elevated platform in front of the room.

"The evening is-"

Cordelia didn't bother listening to her mother's humble speeches as she broke away from the dance floor with Theodore in tow. A quick glance around the room ensured everyone's attention was stolen by the glamourous witch before them, allowing the two teenagers to push against the hidden door behind them and slip away into a dusty old corridor.

For a moment the two kept silent as they snuck away from the party and towards the library's double doors. Cordelia took the time to collect her thoughts as she let the healer guide her through her house, only tuning back into the world around her when the library's doors slipped open.

It wasn't until Theodore pulled her into the alcove of books and sent a confused frown her way that Cordelia realized she had started tearing up.

"What's going on, Lia?"

She hadn't realized how long she had been waiting for someone to ask her that. For someone to express concern for her feelings and her mental situation. The question paired with her bitter thoughts drove Cordelia over the edge as she leaned against a table in the library and let her tears slip free.

When the first sob wracked her body, Theodore was instantly by her side as he cradled the distressed witch clad in silks too fancy for a break down in a moon-lit library.

The two remained like that for a while; both of them attempting to stop the onslaught of emotions threatening to break through Cordelia's steadily crumbling demeanour.

"I'm just not good enough, Theo."

Cordelia gulped back another sob as she held onto her childhood friend's arm and leaned her tear-stained face against his frame.

"It doesn't matter if I won the Triwizard Tournament or became head girl because I'm just a pureblood witch waiting to be married off to some bloke. Nobody cares about what I want or the future I need, no, they just care about duties and expectations and-"

Her rants were cut off by another sob as blue eyes met pitying brown ones, but even as he stared at her, Theodore couldn't fathom saying anything.

After all, how was he supposed to tell the strongest person he knew that she wasn't just some witch destined to be married off?

How was he supposed to make her understand when he could never do the same as a wizard who was prided as the heir to the house of Nott?

"Lia," he trailed off after that, unsure how to react besides tightening his arms around her now shivering frame.

The two were at a loss for words as they slumped against each other. One was attempting to hide her emotions and mask away her problems while the other was trying to figure out a way to convey his thoughts and emotions until she thought of herself the way he did.

In the end, Cordelia's inner turmoil got to her faster than Theodore's brain could, and the Slytherin Queen ended up passing out in the arms of her childhood friend as her mind continued to rage on.

Theodore, on the other hand, couldn't do much but hold her sleeping form as he wondered what exactly had happened over the first week of their summer vacation.

After all, there weren't a lot of things that could affect Cordelia Black so much.