A/N Okay guys! This story is going to basically be about how there's this Hogwarts dance competition, but the competitors can't know who else is competing so they don't bat-bogey them into losing. They wear masks when performing and Dumbledore put heavy magic on all of the competitors so that their brains can't recognize the other people, unless, of course, they're just in a casual situation and not actually practicing/competing. Thanks for read, please enjoy! (:
Chapter One: The Competition
I sat down at the table for dinner with my best mates Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna. Everyone was going on and on about how Cho had been eliminated from the Hogwarts Dance Competition the week prior and who on earth could be going tonight. I was slightly upset that I couldn't find a way through Dumbledore's magic and recognize my fellow contestants until after they were eliminated.
"Oi, Hermione! Are you in there?" Neville snapped his fingers under my nose. I shook my head, releasing myself from my distraction.
"No, Neville, it's just a shell of me. I'm not here at all." I answered testily. He didn't even blink at my attitude. Ginny, on the other hand, turned to me in shock.
"Hermione, are you okay? You seem a bit off your trolley," she commented. I glared at her for a minute, and mumbled a response.
"What was that?" She asked, not hearing me.
"I said, I'm fine, it's just that bloody time of the month again," I clarified.
"Literally," she giggled.
"Good heavens, no, not thattime, Ginny!" I responded, giggling a little bit myself. My mood brightened a little bit at being around my friends.
"What time are we talking about, then, 'Mione?" Ron interceded. Ginny turned a bit red at realizing that her brother had heard her girls-only problem joke.
"That time of the month where I have another stupid epiphany, like the completely gormless, silly girl I am." I snapped heatedly. He rolled his eyes at me and Harry leaned over Ron to speak.
"Well, blow me, you seem pretty brilliant to me, Hermione," he smiled genuinely at me, at which I had to smile back. I grinned devilishly when I realized what joke I could make about his remark.
"You know, Harry, any American would think 'blow me' meant something other than 'I'm so surprised you could knock me over just by blowing.'"
"Wait, is that what 'blow me' means?" An American Slytherin girl asked. As far as I knew, her name was Kathrynn and she was best mates with Draco Malfoy- and somehow she wasn't in the least vile, she was actually really nice.
"Yes, Ma'am," Seamus Finnigan actually stood up and saluted while he said so.
"Seamus, do have a seat, you're embarrassing your entire House," she snapped at him. Okay, maybe she wasn't that kind to boys who creeped her out. My mates and I sniggered behind our hands and Seamus sat down, rapidly turning red.
"What a cheeky lad," Ginny whispered to me. I nodded in response and Kathrynn grinned, flipped her multicolored hair over her shoulder, and walked off. Seamus was practically drooling as he looked after her.
"You're a bit wonky, you are," Luna said to him. He barely glanced at her and then did a double-take.
"Excuse me? I could say you're the same thing," we all glared at him, and Neville grasped Luna's hand.
"You're such a gormless git, Seamus! Shove off," Neville growled. Seamus blanched and turned away.
"You okay, love?" Neville asked Luna. She grinned happily as if she was in her own little paradise.
"I am now," she responded, and leaned her head against his shoulder. We all smiled softly at the impossibly happy couple, except for Harry. His smile was a bit sadder than the rest of ours- one look at him told me that they reminded him oddly of his deceased parents. I reached behind Ron and gave Harry a little pat on the back, letting him know that I felt sorry for him. He sent me a thankful grin with his eyes a little misty. I looked at my wrist and noticed that I had to go get ready for the sort of 'results show' for the Dance Competition.
"Gotta go, mates, sorry!" I called, gathered my books, and made a run for it.