i wanna hold your hand [lucy]

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Hogsmeade. It was sort of surreal for Asa to be there again on a school weekend when they weren't even at school, but they didn't care. They were going to see Lucy today. They hadn't heard anything from Liv yet, and they hadn't mentioned that they were going to the village to Dom or Louis, but Lucy knew that Asa was going to be there. Lucy knew, because the two of them were going to spend the day together, as they had for so many days over the summer. Asa would be lying if they said they weren't nervous - they didn't know what to say or do anymore, because Asa and Lucy were in some nebulous no man's land between friends and...not friends. Asa had never been this unsure about anything before, and they didn't want to keep on being unsure. Eventually, they were going to have to gather up the courage to ask Lucy if she'd be their girlfriend. Asa didn't know if that was going to happen today, or in November, or maybe even any time this year, but they knew that someday, they were going to bring their own misery to an end. Waiting in the Three Broomsticks for Lucy to appear, Asa just hoped that today was the day.

@lucy

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Lucy was walking on air. That she had received permission to ask a non-student as her date to the Yule Ball was the greatest thing that had happened to her in recent memory. She had had to ask Professor Longbottom to repeat himself, because she was sure that she had only imagined it.

She hadn't imagined it, but she had wanted to surprise Asa with the news, waiting until the first Hogsmeade trip of the year to ask them. It was only right to ask them to the ball in person; while sending an owl Asa's way would have been quick, a bird couldn't convey the way that Lucy's heart felt.

They weren't even officially dating one another, but there wasn't a doubt in Lucy's mind that Asa would agree to be her Yule Ball date. She wanted them to be able to go to the ball, and she wanted to be able to say that she and Asa were more than just good friends.

Keeping her fingers crossed for good luck, Lucy entered the Three Broomsticks. The other students who were there simply didn't exist to her: All she could see was Asa, and there was a spring in her step as she approached Asa's table.

“Hi,” Lucy smiled, wishing that she could blame the blush on her cheeks on the cold. She hadn't sat down but for a moment before she spoke again. “I wanted to ask you something.” Everything had to go according to plan.

@asa

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When Lucy bounced into the room, Asa almost didn’t recognize her. The redhead looked happier than Asa could ever recall seeing her, and they liked to think that they saw Lucy at her happiness. A flush was spread across her cheeks, one that was strange and new. Lucy was smiling widely, and Asa smiled back, slightly stunned at the new version of their friend. Lucy said that she wanted to ask Asa something, and they nodded. “Alright.” They laughed nervously, unsure what exactly Lucy was going to be asking. Hopefully she wasn’t going to steal Asa’s thunder and ask them to be her partner – that would make Asa feel silly for ever debating it. “Do you want me to order you something to drink?” Asa asked to fill the empty air between them. It was crackling with so much energy that Asa was worried that something was going to combust if they didn’t fill it with words. They didn’t need to reiterate the fact that they were now a self-sustaining adult, one who had made enough money to be comfortably making rent now. They could afford a butterbeer or two.

@lucy

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Asa didn't seem to know what was on her mind. Immediately, they asked her if she wanted anything to drink. They were already starting another conversation, and Lucy put up an index finger to signal them to hold that thought for a minute. Drinks could wait.

“So,” Lucy started in quickly, before Asa could distract her again. She wasn't bouncing in her seat, though she was awfully close. “I spoke with Professor Longbottom, and…” She paused to leave Asa in suspense. When she had brought it up in one of her letters to them, they were the one who had been concerned that they wouldn't be permitted to attend because of their age. Lucy didn't even know if she would be selected as Hogwarts' Champion, but she couldn't stand the idea of being dateless with Asa as an option.

She was sure that they would be happy to hear that their having graduated would be no barrier. “Asa Creevey,” Lucy smiled, looking them in the eyes, “will you go to the Yule Ball with me?”

The rest of the world seemed to have fallen away; it was only the two of them. As soon as the words had left her mouth, Lucy waited expectantly for Asa's answer.

@asa

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Asa was a bit taken aback by Lucy holding a finger up at them. They couldn’t remember – well, actually they could. Lucy was certainly a little rough around the edges when it came to distributing her politeness equally among people. Asa could forgive her, though, because she was Lucy. When Lucy started her announcement by saying that she spoke to Professor Longbottom, Asa was taken aback. Had Lucy gotten in trouble? Had Asa gotten into trouble? They were about to go into full-on panic mode when they were brought back to the present by Lucy saying their name. Lucy made eye contact, and in her eyes, Asa couldn’t see anything but pure, unadulterated joy. At Lucy’s next words, Asa understood why. A shocked laugh escaped their lips, and they were stunned for a moment. After that moment passed, though, Asa launched themself across the table, throwing their arms around Lucy. “Yes, yes, yes!” They couldn’t say the words enough times. This was all so surreal! “Yes!” They said again, a slight squeal coming into their voice. They were going to the Yule Ball with Lucy Weasley!

@lucy

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Lucy had never seen Asa in such a state of excitement, though she was relieved that Asa had received the invitation to the Yule Ball with so much enthusiasm. She wasn’t sure what she would have done if Asa had declined it. Unlike a lot of the girls at Hogwarts, Lucy didn’t have a second choice on standby; it was Asa or nothing, and turning up to the ball without a date didn’t seem possible. From across the table, Asa flung themselves onto her in a hug, proclaiming that they would take her up on her offer.

Smiling from ear to ear—and, embarrassingly, turning the shade of tomato red for which the Weasleys were known—Lucy squeezed Asa back in return, thrilled that everything had gone according to plan. Her Christmas was falling perfectly into place, and there was no way that anything Anna did would be able to ruin that. It was official; she was going to the Yule Ball with Asa Creevey, and she could relax.

“How about drinks now?” She hoped that Asa hadn’t minded that she had shushed them before. They had a reason to celebrate.

@asa

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Lucy was bright red, and Asa was suddenly glad that they weren’t a redhead like Lucy. Their French skin wasn’t the darkest by any means, but it didn’t show blush quite as badly as Lucy’s did. “I – yeah, drinks now.” Asa said with a grin when Lucy asked if they could get their drinks now. They hadn’t been planning on getting anything extravagant, but this seemed to be the kind of thing that deserved celebration. After checking to see how much money they had on them, Asa flagged over a waiter and asked if they had any champagne. When they were greeted with the news that there was indeed champagne, the goofy grin on Asa’s face got even brighter, and they ordered it, with two glasses. “The waiter probably thinks we’re getting married or something.” Asa said, shaking their head incredulously as they did so. “Speaking of which.” Asa said, licking their lips and channeling all of their happiness into courage. “Lucy Weasley, would you like to be my girlfriend?”

@lucy

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The both of them were nervous with excitement, which made it far less embarrassing for Lucy that she had gone red. Asa agreed that they should order drinks, and Lucy was glad that they would be able to make plans for the Yule Ball over those drinks. What she hadn't expected in the slightest was that Asa would order champagne—of all things—though Asa made it seem less of a huge deal when they made a comment about how their waiter must have thought that they were getting married.

Lucy laughed at that. They most certainly weren't to that stage in their relationship yet, although she froze when Asa spoke again. “Speaking of which,” they said, “Lucy Weasley, would you like to be my girlfriend?”

“Oh, Merlin, yes!” she squealed, as though Asa had asked her to marry them. “Yes!” She bounced a little in her seat, then stood and stepped over to Asa to fling her arms around them to keep from having the table between them this time. Lucy thought about kissing Asa on the cheek, but it only seemed right to kiss them on the mouth. She did so quickly, then hugged them again. In more than just her head, they were actually a couple now.

@asa

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Lucy agreed to their proposition of a committed relationship just as enthusiastically as Asa had agreed to go to the Ball, and they could barely believe that this day was real. They weren’t sure if they could think of a better day in their entire life! The patrons of the pub must have thought that they were crazy, or drunk, or both, just shouting ‘yes’ at each other in increasingly higher pitches. Asa accepted Lucy into their arms easily, laughing slightly at the feeling of being able to hold her. Lucy kissed them on the lips, and Asa froze for a moment before melting into Lucy, and the kiss, and everything. They were interrupted by the sound of the champagne bottle being set on the table, and Asa pulled away. “Let me pour you a drink.” They said, grabbing the bottle and pouring two healthy glasses. “To us.” They said quietly, raising their glass in a toast.

@lucy