Surviving Love

Chapter Ten

Violet's Return/The Ball/First Night

The next day around four o'clock, Violet had her things packed for the next two days. Her ball gown was carefully stored in a bag that prevented wrinkles and creases. She shrank everything and put it in her pocket. She left the house and went to the nearest Apparition point before Apparating just outside Hogwarts. Violet quickly entered the castle, and after informing Dumbledore of her arrival, she made her way to her suite. She entered her room, put her things away, and went in search of Harry. She had told him that she would be arriving at six, but as she was two hours early, she was glad to surprise him. After a few minutes in the Gryffindor Tower had shown no sign of Harry, Violet made her way to the lake. It was a beautiful June day. The sun was shining, causing the lake to sparkle like diamonds, and Violet spotted her large group of friends relaxing, Harry sitting off to the side, lost in thought. A smile spread across her face as she took in the sight of her loved ones. Violet snuck up behind them.

"So this is how you keep yourselves occupied then? And here I thought you'd be forlorn and missing me."

Heads snapped up at her voice, shocked expressions covering each of their faces.

xXx

Harry felt his heart leap at the familiar voice as he looked up to see Violet smiling at him. Before he could think, he stood and swept her into his arms. Happiness and a sense of homecoming coursed through him as he held her close. Her arms wrapped around his waist felt like an anchor that kept him bound to this realm. He pulled back and smiled down at her before kissing her lips with a tenderness that spoke of his love. The others soon gathered around, and Harry stepped back to let them greet Violet. He kept his hand on the small of her back, unwilling to lose all body contact with her. He had just gotten her back after a long absence, after all. Violet squealed as Marie showed her the ring that Blaise had given her. As the girls hugged and jumped, Harry's mind drifted to the box currently tucked away in his trunk. He was hoping to propose after the Ball. He knew that some might say that he was rushing into things, but he knew his heart, and he knew he wouldn't be happy without Violet. He snapped back from his musings at a gentle tugging on his shirt. He looked down into violet eyes filled with questioning and concern. Harry smiled down at her and placed a light kiss on her forehead. She smiled up at him. The group then resettled themselves next to the lake, Violet cradled between Harry's knees, her back against his chest. His arms wrapped around her tightly, and he gave her a gentle squeeze. A light conversation struck up amongst the friends about what they had been doing since they had last seen each other. Halfway through the conversation, talk turned to future events, all of which included Violet. Harry felt her tense in his arms as talk turned to Marie's wedding and Violet's role as bridesmaid. He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Are you okay?" She merely nodded and flashed him a tight smile. Harry was not convinced but decided to question her later. Right now, he merely wanted to bask in the feeling of her in his arms again. He leaned back against the tree they had settled near and rested his head on it. As the conversation flowed around him, he felt himself drift off into sleep. A few moments later, someone gently shook him awake. He blinked blearily and opened his eyes to find Violet smiling down at him. He grinned and slowly stood, stretching before he faced her again. She held out her hand, and they then followed after the others who were making their way back into the castle. They had all decided, since it was getting late, to finish the conversation inside. Violet and Harry strolled side by side quietly before Violet spoke.

"Have you not been sleeping lately? You seemed pretty tired," she said as she looked up at him. He shrugged his shoulders as if to say it wasn't important. On noticing the stubborn look in her eyes, he sighed and ran his hand through his hair before answering.

"No, not much. When I go to sleep, I feel like there's something tugging at my core, you know. At first, I just thought it was nothing, but now...it feels like someone's about to rip something away from me. The tugging sensation's getting stronger, and I fear if I go to sleep, whatever that something is will be taken away," he looked down at her with a small smile, "It seems silly doesn't it, but it's just a feeling." Throughout his speech, Violet had gotten an increasing look of anxiety on her face. Harry squeezed her hand and sent her a reassuring smile.

"Hey, I'm sure it's nothing, and now that you're here, everything will be fine." They continued following the others, but Violet had fallen silent, and no matter Harry's chattering, she would not respond with anything other than a slight smile or nod. Harry berated himself for worrying her when she had just gotten here. When they had all arrived at Violet's suite, Violet gave the password, and they all entered. Violet and Harry took over one of the couches, and after getting comfortable with Violet in his arms, Harry drifted back off to sleep, getting the first decent sleep he had had in a while. Violet smiled and turned to Lisa, asking what her plans were after graduation. They continued in this vein of conversation until it was time for dinner. Violet told them that she and Harry would eat in her suite when he woke up. An hour later, Harry slowly woke. He opened his eyes and saw Violet's sleeping face next to his. He smiled at how innocent she looked. He reached up a hand and gently brushed her hair from her face. When his hand touched her skin, he felt the tugging sensation on his heartstrings. It felt as if the tugging was pulling him closer to her, and if he did not hold on, she would be ripped from his grasp. Harry was startled by this and shook off his misgivings, confident in the knowledge that Violet would not leave him. He knew that she loved him as much as he loved her. He looked around, wondering where everyone had gone. A stirring at his side caused him to look down. Green eyes met violet ones, filled with love and something deeper. Harry wasn't sure, but was that...no, the emotion flittered by to quickly for him to catch. He leaned down and brushed a quick kiss across her lips before sitting up.

"So where did everyone disappear to?"

"They all went off to dinner. Since you were sleeping so peacefully, I thought we could just eat when you woke up."

"Great. I'm starved." Violet called for Dobby, and soon a variety of food was on the table. After eating their full, the two made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room, where they found all their friends playing Exploding Snap. They played well into the night, but soon everyone grew tired and drifted off to their rooms. Violet made her goodbyes and headed for the door.

"And don't forget that after graduation tomorrow, we'll have lunch, and then the girls abandon the guys and go have tons of fun getting ready. Okay?" Violet said.

"I'm so excited about getting ready. And I really can't wait to see your gown, Vi," Hermione said, before wishing them all goodnight and going to her room. Violet smiled and made her way to her suite. She never noticed the shadow behind her.

xXx

He smiled as she strolled by him. His princess probably didn't know he was in the castle, but she soon would. He would give her tomorrow, but the next day she was his. He would have her soon. He felt a shudder go through him at the thought of possessing that succulent body, and all the things he had planned to do to her. His smile turned feral at the amount of pain he would be causing the Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die. Stupid Potter always got everything since he was the hero, but this time the hero wouldn't get the girl. He had made sure of that. He chuckled darkly to himself and melded back into the shadows.

xXx

The next morning, the whole castle woke early for graduation. Excitement filled the air with a slight buzzing as people said their well wishes, and the graduating class got ready to march across the stage. Graduation was held in the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling showed a beautiful sunshine day. Violet sat in the back and watched her friends go across the stage. She felt silent tears run down her face as the impact of what this day truly meant hit her. She would soon be abandoning them all and betraying them in the worst sense. But she had tonight and this afternoon to be with them, and she would treasure these last moments with her friends. She had a feeling that happiness would not be something she would experience much of once she was with her captor. But if her lack of happiness ensured Harry's safety, then she was willing to be miserable for the rest of her life. As the last student crossed the stage, Violet wiped away her tears and stood with the rest of the audience in applauding the graduating class. She then wove her way through the crowd of people surrounding the Boy-Who-Saved-Them-All. She saw Harry in the center of them, a long suffering look on his face as well-wisher after well-wisher came to shake his hand. A slight smile crossed her face as she got closer to Harry. She came to stand by his side and slipped her hand into his. After a few more people, they were able to make their way to the rest of their group. Hugs were given, and soon they all went outside to partake in a large picnic that the school had set up for the students and their families. They all sat around and ate and talked until the picnic was over, and people started moving back into the castle. The students would be spending one last night in the castle since the Ball would last until midnight. Once they were all through, the girls said quick goodbyes to the guys before hurrying to Violet's suite to get ready for the Ball.

xXx

"Well girls, let's get this primping party started!" Violet shouted and with a wave of her wand music filled the air. As Britney Spears' Circus filled the room, the girls each rushed to the showers. Violet's bathroom had been redone so that all five girls could have individual showers. After long showers, in which they pampered themselves senseless, the girls returned to Violet's bedroom. They dried off and put on underwear. Dressed in sensuous lingerie and fluffy house robes, they went out to the common room. The common room had been reconfigured so that they each had their own individualized vanity with all the necessary products. On one side of the room, the top five hair dressers in the Wizarding World were stationed. The girls each went to a chair, and the beauticians began on their hair. The music continued to blast through the room, and the girls sang along loudly. Once everyone's hair was finished, the beauticians packed up, leaving the girls to finish getting ready. They each sat at their vanity and began applying their makeup. Every now and then, a song would come on, and they would all have to get up and dance along or sing extra loudly. They pranced around in their underwear until the last possible moment. Finally, as the clock neared eight, they all quickly donned their dresses, each exclaiming how beautiful the others' dresses were. Once they were all dressed, they made their way out to the staircase that lead to the Great Hall to make a proper entrance and meet their dates.

xXx

While the girls had been getting ready, the guys had hung around and played a couple games of chess and Exploding Snap before showering and getting dressed. At that moment, they were all standing at the bottom of the staircase to await their dates. At a noise, they all turned towards the staircase to see Lisa descending. Her dress was sea foam green. The material flowed around her in a style reminiscent of the Greek goddess, Aphrodite. Her lustrous auburn curls were down around her shoulders. All in all, she was beautiful. Ron's face spread in a large grin at the sight of his girlfriend, as he stepped forward and offered his arm. She took it, and they made their way into the Great Hall. The rest turned back as Marie came down. Her dress was a sunshine yellow that glowed against her Indian skin. Her bare shoulders, due to the halter style of her dress, hinted at seductiveness that her innocent face belied. Her raven black hair was pinned up with a few loose curls framing her face. Blaise's mouth fell open at the sight of her. Harry had to nudge him before he offered Marie his arm. As they made their way into the Ball, Hermione came down. The rose pink of her dress enhanced the rosy hue of her skin. Her brown curls hung down around her shoulders, caressing the bare skin as her dress was strapless. It clung from the top to her waist before flaring out passed her hips to swirl at her feet. Draco smirked at the jealous expressions of the other men in the Hall. He hooked his arm around her waist and escorted her into the Great Hall. Harry smiled as he turned back to see Grace make her entrance. Grace was stunning in her teal dress, and the color changing charm she had placed on the edges gave her an ethereal glow. Her hair was up in a bun with a few loose curls framing her face, her tiara changing colors in time with the dress. As she made her way down, people started to look for her date. However, Harry was the only one left of their group, and they all knew that he was waiting for Violet. Surely such a stunning creature had not come alone. At that moment, a figure stepped from the shadows and made his way towards Grace. A shocked silence fell on the Hall, as Oliver Wood offered his arm to her. Many girls had a crush on the handsome, young professor, and all were stunned to see him with a student. Jealous glares followed the pair as they made their way into the Great Hall. Grinning at the spectacle the other girls were making, Harry turned around to face the staircase once again. His eyes grew wide as he took in the sight of Violet. She wore a gown that was off the shoulder, the style reminiscent of Belle's gown from an old Disney movie he had seen. The fabric around her shoulders was silver that blended into the bodice, which was made of the finest satin and was a deep purple. It had a slight v-neck that hinted at the soft swells of her bosom. The bodice clung, emphasizing her slim waist, before flaring into a skirt as should any princess gown. The satin layer over the tulle was the same shade of purple as the bodice, but it had sheer silver over layer that shimmered in the light. On her feet were delicate, strappy, silver heels, and her arms were encased in elbow-length silver gloves. Her hair was artistically arranged in a curly bun at the top of her head with a few curls framing her face. On her head rested a sparkling diamond tiara. Harry felt his breath catch at the sight she made. She truly looks like a princess, he thought. She gracefully descended, and Harry held out his hand to her as she reached the final steps. He bowed and raised her hand to his lips.

"You look stunning this evening, Your Majesty." Violet smiled and curtsied in return.

"Why thank you, my Prince. You look rather dashing yourself this evening." And indeed he did. His tux fit him well, accentuating his manly physique and dark looks. Harry's grin widened as he held out his arm.

"Shall we?" he asked.

"Let's," she replied, looping her arm through his. As they entered the Hall, all eyes turned to them, and whispers broke out at the sight of the stunning couple. Harry swept Violet onto the dance floor as the music began. They moved together perfectly, each moving easily through the steps of the waltz.

"I see those dancing lessons have paid off," she murmured. Harry smiled as he swept them into an intricate turn, Violet easily following his lead.

"I would say they have, yes. Seeing as now, I can twirl you about the room, whereas before I would have sent us both tumbling to the floor," Harry said with a smirk. Violet laughed, and they continued dancing, easily moving from one dance to the next.

xXx

As the clock struck 9'o'clock, the Ball was in full swing. After the first few waltzes, the music had taken a turn to Muggle tastes. People were massed on the dance floor, bodies grinding together, as the beat pulsed through their veins. Violet's group had stuck close together to ward off the curious and the jealous. Many girls had tried to pry Oliver away from Grace, only to be turned down completely. He was obviously wrapped up in Grace. Rumors could be heard about how they had gotten together. Everyone was talking about the couple, including a pair watching over the proceedings.

"What on earth, Albus? How long have they been together? I never suspected a thing," McGonagall exclaimed.

"My dear Minerva, the walls have ears, you know. All you have to do is talk to them. They're very good storytellers. Quite fascinating, actually. You should talk to them sometime. They have all the good gossip," Dumbledore replied, a twinkle in his eyes. McGonagall stared at him in shock before shaking her head and turning back to watch over the dancing.

xXx

Violet watched as Harry made his way towards the refreshment table. She sat at the table and contemplated how the night would end. She knew that her captor would probably force himself on her, and she did not want to give him the pleasure of taking her virginity. So, Violet made a choice. She knew it would hurt Harry more, but she decided to be selfish. If she was going to sacrifice her happiness, then she could very well have a happy memory to get her through the years. When Harry returned, she smiled up at him, a hidden promise in her eyes. His smile faltered as a fire kindled in his eyes. Violet felt a shiver go through her at the heat of his gaze. They both quickly finished their drinks and headed back to the dance floor. Harry dragged Violet close, their bodies touching intimately. As they danced, Violet pulled Harry's face to hers, kissing him fiercely with such desperation at which Harry could only wonder. He instantly responded, dragging her closer until every inch of her was pressed to him. Their tongues battled for dominance as the kiss grew more heated. When the need for air became important, Harry pulled back, gasping. Violet saw him look around at the nearly empty ballroom, seeing as it was nearing midnight.

"Do you want to leave?" Harry asked, his voice deep and husky with passion.

"Yes, take me away, Harry." His eyes flared as he bent to her ear.

"Oh, trust me, I will." Violet shivered as he led her to her suite. Once inside, he pulled her into his arms and began kissing her again. After a few more heated kisses, Violet pulled back.

"Harry, I'm ready."

"Really?"

"I want you to be my first."

"I've never done this before."

"I trust you."

She led him to the bedroom and turned to face him. He pulled her into a passionate kiss as his hands sought the zipper on her dress. He unzipped her, and the dress pooled at her feet, a mass of silken wonder. But the true wonder was before him. He took in the breathtaking sight of Violet clad only in sheer, lacy, violet-colored underwear and three inch heels. After placing the tiara on the table, she reached up and pulled the pins out of her hair, slowly dropping each one. When all the pins were out, she shook her head, her beautiful black curls falling to rest on her shoulders. At her seductive smirk, Harry growled and snatched her to him. As their bodies pressed close, he caught her mouth in a passionate kiss filled with hunger. They quickly divested each other of the rest of their clothes. Harry scooped Violet in his arms and then gently set her on the bed. He soon joined her and began caressing her body. His hands enjoyed the soft swells of her bosom before traveling downward to draw circles around her navel. He smirked at the quivering muscles beneath his fingers and the soft moan his touch elicited. He kissed her deeply as his hand finally reached her warm core. He marveled at how ready for him she was, and he groaned as pleasure filled him. Harry broke the kiss and looked deeply into her eyes. She smiled up at him before nodding to show she was ready. He positioned himself between her legs and stared deep into her eyes as he slowly slid himself inside. His heart soared at the love and trust shining in her eyes as he broke past the final barrier and made them one. He stopped to give her time to adjust to him. When she was ready, he began to move. His pace was slow, but at her encouragement, it soon quickened. The words, "I love you," were a continuous litany that he whispered in her ear as he moved deep within her. Violet clung to him as if she would never let him go. Harry wondered at her beauty as she quivered beneath him, head thrown back, as she gasped his name. He leaned down and captured her lips, his tongue soon mimicking the action of his hips. Violet gasped, a shudder rocking her body as she was swept up in a maelstrom of emotions. And at that final moment, he looked into her eyes and smiled with true happiness, before they exploded into a world of color, passion, and madness. When it was over, he lay next to her and gathered her into his arms. With a whispered, "I love you," he drifted off into the sleep of the content.