Beautiful to Me

[Reuben Pendleton]

The only thing that didn't suck about not having a date to the Valentines Dance was having a twin who didn't have a date either. Reuben linked arms with Rudolf, detaching himself only once they had reached the centre floor together. "Care to dance?" asked the Hufflepuff, holding himself erect and offering a gracious hand, as he might have done if he were courting a very special girl.

 

[Rudolf Lagowski]

After three straight years of rejection, Rudolf had decided, just this once, to spare his tired heart the grief and not ask Phoebe to the dance. She would inevitably have said no, and under the circumstances he wasn't sure he could take it. Still, Reuben was an excellent alternative, as the Gryffindor was reminded the moment they reached the dance floor. Playing along with the facade, he threw his head back and fanned his face with his hand, forcing a teenage-girl like blush to his cheeks. "Oh, why, I thought you'd never ask!" he trilled, taking the hand daintily and following his twins's lead. They danced pathetically for the duration of an entire song before Rudolf suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar face through the crowd. Phoebe was here! At the dance! Snapping to his senses, Rudolf pulled away from Reuben and said, "Bruh, look, it's Phoebe!" He hesitated guiltily, torn. He wanted to dance with Reuben, but it was Phoebe. "Do you mind..?

 

[Reuben Pendleton]

If there was one thing Reuben would not do, it was deny his twin a chance with the girl he loved - even if he did mind, just a little. He put a hand on Rudolf's shoulder and looked at him seriously. "I'm sorry," he said, drawing in a deep breath. "But I just don't think I can commit to a girl prone to such capricious changes of mood!" He gave Rudolf's shoulder a pat. "I'll never forget what we shared." With that, he strolled away.

 

[Rudolf Lagowski]

Thinking Reuben was about deliver bad news, Rudolf's heart sank. Then, realising the Hufflepuff was still messing around, he spluttered with laughter. "Get outta here, you big doofus," he said affectionally, thumping the boy's back as he turned. Phoebe! The Gryffindor spun back around, searching for her in the crowd. As his eyes laid upon her, his heart gave a flutter only she was capable of provoking. Flattening his hair (and then remembering it didn't much matter), he weaved carefully through the dancers and across to where Phoebe sat, only realising as he came within a few feet of her that she was not alone. "Oh, um, hey Prue," he said, failing abysmally at acting casual. "You look great. I mean, Phoebe. You look great. So you came, yeah?"

 

[Prudence Armstead]

In light of all the confusion, with Asa with the death, with Saveli - Prudence thought she deserved a day to have a little fun. That's why, in a beautiful blue gown, with a lovely blonde tailing next to her, Prudence made her way to the Valentine's ball. The blonde woman couldn't help but smile and reassure the Gryffindor, whom had a cane in one hand and a clutch in the other, that she looked beautiful. The two girls stood idly by and chit chatted. However it was interrupted by a boy a bit younger than herself. Prudence smiled and nodded, looking toward her blind companion. "I think I'll leave you two to it..." She spoke calmly, with a devious smile on her face that would only be noticed by the brunette boy that she knew - that Phoebe sometimes talked fondly of.

 

[Phoebe Callwell]

Phoebe had not been easy to talk into going to the ball, however Prudence her date was not easy to shove away either. After about a week of pleases and you'll have funs, the blonde agreed and together the pair prepared for a ball other than the Yule. Phoebe had thought to tell Rudolf, but she didn't want him to think she was turning him down and going for a woman because she was interested in girls - she wasn't interested in anyone really. If she were to be she thought it would have to be someone kind, and patient, and sweet. Maybe someone brunette? No the looks didn't matter.

The bustling sounds of the ball were loud in Phoebe's ears. The petite woman tapped her cane on the floor, though Prue had offered to lead her Phoebe said no. The two girls chatted and found a comfortable place to stand and speak about classes. However they'd barely touched the tip of her time in Ancient Runes when a familiar voice sounded. Phoebe's pallid eyes turned toward the sound of the voice, though she never managed to make eye contact in the dark of her ailment. Phoebe heard Prudence saying she was leaving, and reached out for her but missed. "You! Wa..." But the sound of Prudence hustling away was swallowed by the sounds of music and people dancing. "Uh, y-yeah." She answered meekly. Her eyes were pointed at the floor, and she imagined her shoes - Prudence said they were a shining black. "Prudence wanted me to go to a dance. She said it's better than studying all the time..." She sighed. "Uhm did you come with someone?" She asked, hoping to ewase the odd tension between them.

 

[Rudolf Lagowski]

As Prudence smiled, Rudolf blushed, this time for real. He had a vague suspicion Phoebe might have mentioned him to her, and couldn't help but wonder how terribly she'd worded it. Annoying, obnoxious, and rude were all words which came to mind. He cleared his throat. "Yeah! I mean, it's pretty cool. I'm glad you're here," he said. He sensed the discomfort in her next question, and did his best to ignore it. "Nah - well, I came with Reuben, but I lost him," he said, as casually as if a he'd misplaced a sock. "Do you want a drink?" he suggested, not dating venture to ask her for a dance. It was wonderful enough that she was here.

 

[Phoebe Callwell]

Phoebe chuckled. "So you came with the prettiest girl in school then?" She asked teasing, though she'd never mean that. She cared deeply for Reuben in the way a sister did for a brother. Though she wondered if Reuben thought of her as a sister as well. Since she and Rudolf fought eveerything seemed a mild bit tense between Reuben whom had comforted her and herself. Of course that could be her imagination. After all, she'd been a bit nervous the more time she spent with the twins. Mostly around Rudolf. The blonde needed to shake those odd thoughts though. "Uhm I guess yeah, a drink sounds good. Hey uhm, sorry I didn't tell you that i was coming though. I guess Prue wanted to hang out but I've lost her too. You're more fun anyways."

 

[Rudolf Lagowski]

"Actually, I think I might have been the girl," Rudolf mused with a frown. "Cool! And hey, it's no big deal, I get it," he reassured her, making sure it was clear he held no resentment for her turning him down but not Prue. He was a little disappointed, of course, but he couldn't say he blamed her. If he'd been her, he probably wouldn't have wanted to dance with him either. He'd been a bit of a jerk; and that was a bit of an understatement. "Don't move!" Rudolf headed for the refreshment counter, bringing back two lemonades and putting his own down on the table. "I'm back. Here," he said, gently taking her free hand and lifting it to the glass. Then he blushed fiercely, because her hand was soft, and for some reason he had not been expecting the way it felt against his own. Then he sat down and picked up his own drink. "Um, you really look, er, really really pretty, by the way. Um. Did I ever say sorry for what I said to you in the library? Because like, I am. Sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I think you can do anything, really I do."

 

[Phoebe Callwell]

Phoebe smiled a little and let out a laugh. "Well I suppose that can't be so bad then? Reuben must have good taste." Phoebe hoped that he took the compliment. She didn't often give them out, unless they were well deserved. The thirteen year old though, wanted to mend the awkward friendship. She didn't want to hold against Reuben what he said in the library - though it had been hard not to. After all, she'd been very upset even though she'd tried to continue on like she wasn't. In fact she thought that this may have been why Prudence had wanted her to get out, go to the dance, and meet people. She was sure all she'd talked about wasn't Rudolf and how angry she was at herself or how angry she was at him.

The blonde waited for Rudolf's return with drinks, and when he returned and she had her glass in hand she tapped his shin with her cane like she had the first time they met. "Ooops, you startled me." She jested, before sipping her dink. She had no knowledge of what he thought of her hand, and frankly thought nothing of her own hand in his. He was only aiding to help her drink after all. "Thank you. You look like your fly is down." She once more joked, as she couldn't see him at all. "Stop apologizing. I told you that... It's not a big deal. I sort of gave up learning to write after all. I'll stick with what I can already do because it wasn't going anywhere." The blonde tried not to sound down, but after attempt after attempt of not being able to do anything, she had stopped trying. Though she wasn't normally one to give up - this seemed the logical answer. She was never going to be normal after all.

 

[Rudolf Lagowski]

Rudolf's eyes narrowed, but a smile crept over his face. "I'm not falling for that a fifth time, Pheeb," he jested, before proceeding to double check his fly anyway, just in case. As he listened to her, a sadness came over him and settled over his chest. He hated to think that he might have contributed to this sudden defeat that seemed to have possessed her lately. "Gave up? That's not the Pheebs I know. Where is she and what have you done with her?" Rudolf perched on the edge of a nearby table and sipped his drink. "You were really getting somewhere. Just 'cause you might never be the best, doesn't mean you shouldn't try. I mean, I'll probably never be a ballroom dancer, but I'd give it a shot for you." Rudolf wished Phoebe could see how stupidly he was grinning, and could only hope she heard it in his voice.

 

[Phoebe Callwell]

Phoebe smiled, a coy look crossing her gentle features. The blonde placed her cane near her and looked away from Rudolf in shame. Though her eyes were clouded with the cataracts, they were expressive as ever. "It just... I just shouldn't push myself when I won't succeed you know. What's the point." Phoebe played off her words with a nervous laugh. "Let's dance." She spoke hastily, trying extremely hard to change the subject. Phoebe grabbed hold of Rudolf's hand and with her cane in front of her made her way to the floor with him, cursing that this had been her decision to distract him.