A/N: Ah, well, for those of you who read my other story, Picking Up the
Pieces, I promise that I'm not discontinuing it. I've just hit a bit of
writer's block with the sixth chapter. But I'm working on it!
Anyways, this story is in response to challenge from an improve site (can't think of the site name just now). This story probably won't be more then five or six chapters long...hopefully. Anyways, I'm going to leave now. So on with the show, er, story!
Chapter 1
6:38 pm
"What the bloo-"
"Language Ron." Hermione warned, glancing at her boyfriend sharply.
"But, Hermione...you can't honestly expect me to wear that- that thing!" He exclaimed gesturing to the costume she was holding out to him.
"What's wrong with it?" She asked with a slight frown.
"It's a bloody bunny costume! And it's pink! That's what's wrong with it!"
"But Ron," she wheedled. "You'd look adorable in it. And watch your language."
"No."
"Ron-"
"No, Hermione." He said firmly. "I will not wear that costume."
7:00 pm
"I cannot believe that I let you do this to me." Ron said despairingly, cringing at the looks and laughter he was receiving as he and Hermione walked down the staircase towards the Great Hall.
"Oh stop whining so much. You look adorable."
"Hermione, I'm a pink bunny rabbit. There is nothing cute about this." He glared at her fiercely.
"Oh be quiet. I want to find Harry and Seamus before the ball starts."
Walking through the doorway of the Great Hall they paused momentarily, eyes sweeping the crowd for their friends. It took several moments before they realized that, due to the costumes every student was wearing, they would have to walk around to find them.
Yes. It was true. Hogwarts was holding its first ever Halloween Ball, complete with costumes. The entire thing had been Padma Patil's idea. On the train to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year, Hermione and Dean had been reminiscing over memories of Halloween before they had received their Hogwarts letter. They had been recalling costume parties when Padma had come across them and encouraged them to tell her about these parties in more detail. She was fascinated with the idea of dressing up in costumes and had from that moment on been dead set on the Hogwarts students and staff having their own costume ball. She had pleaded to the staff and students to help her. Most everyone had been enthralled with the idea and had quickly risen to the occasion.
So it was that the students and staff of Hogwarts found themselves in the Great Hall on All Hallows Eve dressed in various costumes. Famous wizards, hags, banshees, werewolves and vampires could be seen all over the room.
Ron, in his pink bunny costume, and Hermione, who looked striking in her costume of Queen Mab, Queen of the Faeries, walked around the Great Hall, eyes scanning the large crowd for their friends. Finally, a boy wearing a large hat and sword and scabbard standing next to a sandy haired boy dressed in a green suit and top hat, with what looked like a shamrock perched on top, caught their attention and they made their way towards the wall table where the two were standing.
"Hermione, hey! Who's that with-"Harry trailed off, staring, wide-eyed at Ron.
"Ron?" Seamus questioned uncertainly. "Why are you dressed as a pink rabbit?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask Hermione here." He said, jerking his head in Hermione's direction, clearly annoyed. Harry and Seamus looked questioningly Hermione.
"I think he looks adorable." She declared, defensively. There was a moment of awkward silence.
"Right, then" Seamus said, breaking it. "You look great Hermione."
"Thanks," she touched her hair self-consciously. "Do you think my hair looks alright. I think the black die might have been a bit too much."
"No, it looks great. Queen Mab, right?"
She grinned. "Right in one. And you two?" she asked, motioning towards his and Harry's costumes. "A pirate and a...leprechaun?"
"Of course," Harry said, grinning. "I am Jack Sparrow, captain of the Black Pearl and Seamus here," he said motioning to the sandy haired boy, "is Lucky."
"Lucky?" Hermione asked.
"Yes. Hermione!" Seamus exclaimed at her blank look. "Don't tell me that you don't know who Lucky is?" She shook her head. "Lucky Charms? The cereal?"
"Oh," she said. "The leprechaun with the hat and the shamrock...I know who you're talking about. Isn't that an American cereal though?"
"Well, yeah." Seamus agreed. "I went to the States over the summer to visit my cousin and ended up hooked on the cereal."
"Right," Hermione said slowly, giving him an odd look.
"So," Harry said. "What do you say we get some punch and claim a table somewhere?"
"Sounds good to me." Seamus agreed. "You guys go find a table and I'll get the punch."
"Oh, don't get me any," Hermione said. "I had a rather bad experience with a pitcher of punch once and I've never been able to look at it the same way."
"Alright. I'll find you guys in a few minutes," he called over his shoulder as he headed towards the refreshment table.
Sitting down at an empty table, the group of friends watched the students out in the middle dancing and joked about the costumes.
"Is that Padma?" Harry asked, pointing towards a dark haired girl at the edge of the large crowd on the dance floor.
"Yeah," Hermione said. "She's dressed as Juliet Capulet. Justin, her boyfriend there is Romeo."
"Who are Romeo and Juliet Capulet?" Ron asked.
"Characters from one of William Shakespeare's plays."
"William Shaker- who?"
"Shakespeare, Ron." Hermione said, exasperated. "He was a famous muggle playwright."
"Oh...what's a-"
"Weasley?" A voice drawled from behind them. "Is that you?" The group turned around to see the familiar face of Draco Malfoy staring at Ron, an expression of hilarity on his face.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry said."
"Good Merlin, Weasel. A bunny rabbit? You're dressed as a bunny rabbit?"
"Yeah," Ron said, glaring at him. "And what are you supposed to be?" He asked, looking at Draco's green robes. He had used a lengthening charm on his hair and had pulled it back into a low ponytail.
"I," Draco said proudly, straightening his robes, "am Salazar Slytherin."
"Ah, Salazar Slytherin. Evil, sneaky and malicious. How fitting." Draco raised a pale, perfectly arched eyebrow.
"Yes, and you a rabbit. A rodent that breeds far too much. Also very fitting."
"Why you little-"Ron spat, rising from his chair, fists clenched.
"Ron, no!" Hermione cried. "Leave him be. He's not worth the trouble you'll get into. Please," she begged, grabbing one of his clenched hands. "Just let it go." Ron, visibly forcing his temper back, looked down at her.
"Please?" She whispered, looking at him with wide eyes. Nodding stiffly, Ron sat back down in his chair and turned away from Malfoy. Hermione and Harry followed suit. After a minute, Malfoy, clearly annoyed at being ignored, walked away in a huff.
"Hey," Seamus said, walking over with cups of punch. "Was that Malfoy that just stalked off in a snit?"
"Yeah, "Harry said as he took a cup. "He was upset that we were ignoring him I suspect."
"Really? You and Ron? Controlling your tempers enough to ignore Malfoy?" He mocked an expression of amazement. He put his hand to Harry's forehead. "Are you alright? Maybe you're running a fever?" Harry swiped at the hand and stuck out his tongue.
"Shut it you."
"But Harry! You could be-"he trailed off, staring past Harry. "Merlin," he breathed. "Is that Snape?" Three heads whipped around to look and three jaws opened.
The group stared as a tall man with long, dark hair stalked past them, the glint of the chain mail he was wearing catching the light thrown from the several hundred candles floating above the tables and dance floor glaring at them. A sword hung at the man's waist and tall, black boots made a soft thumping noise on the stone as he walked.
"What the bloody hell is he supposed to be?" Harry asked, a ludicrous expression on his face.
"I think he might be a knight." Hermione said, staring after the potions master.
"Sir Lancelot, to be precise." A voice said from behind them. They turned to see Dean Thomas behind them, wearing a football uniform with his hair in dreadlocks.
"Sir Lancelot?" Hermione asked. "As in King Arthur's court?"
"Yep. That's the one." He said, pulling a chair out from the table and sitting down. Harry and Seamus both suddenly broke out into peals of laughter, causing the other three to stare at them.
"What's wrong with you two?" Ron asked. Harry took a deep breath forcing back his laughter. Seamus, however, was slumped down in his chair, head thrown back in laughter.
"M- M- McGonagall," Harry managed to gasp before breaking into another fit of laughter.
"What about McGonagall?" Seamus asked, confused. Harry, taking a few more deep breaths managed to regain some his composure. Seamus had at this point fallen off his chair and was rolling on the floor. Students at nearby tables stared at the group with amused expressions.
"Seamus and I heard her talking with Professor Sinistra earlier today about her costume." He broke into another short fit of laughter before continuing. "Apparently, she, McGonagall, was planning on coming to the ball as," another burst of laughter," Gui- Guinevere." He put his face down on the table, body shaking with suppressed laughter.
Ron, Hermione, and Dean looked at each other in shock. Slowly, the three broke out into smiles and then into all out fits of laughter.
"Oh Merlin," Seamus gasped as he pulled himself off of his chair and back into his seat. "I wonder if they realize...they're dressed as two of the most famous lovers in history." The group's laughter could be heard clear across the Great Hall.
Well, review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism only, please. I don't appreciate flames. I won't respond to them, I'll just use that handy little delete button. Ta-ta for now, my lovelies.
Anyways, this story is in response to challenge from an improve site (can't think of the site name just now). This story probably won't be more then five or six chapters long...hopefully. Anyways, I'm going to leave now. So on with the show, er, story!
Chapter 1
6:38 pm
"What the bloo-"
"Language Ron." Hermione warned, glancing at her boyfriend sharply.
"But, Hermione...you can't honestly expect me to wear that- that thing!" He exclaimed gesturing to the costume she was holding out to him.
"What's wrong with it?" She asked with a slight frown.
"It's a bloody bunny costume! And it's pink! That's what's wrong with it!"
"But Ron," she wheedled. "You'd look adorable in it. And watch your language."
"No."
"Ron-"
"No, Hermione." He said firmly. "I will not wear that costume."
7:00 pm
"I cannot believe that I let you do this to me." Ron said despairingly, cringing at the looks and laughter he was receiving as he and Hermione walked down the staircase towards the Great Hall.
"Oh stop whining so much. You look adorable."
"Hermione, I'm a pink bunny rabbit. There is nothing cute about this." He glared at her fiercely.
"Oh be quiet. I want to find Harry and Seamus before the ball starts."
Walking through the doorway of the Great Hall they paused momentarily, eyes sweeping the crowd for their friends. It took several moments before they realized that, due to the costumes every student was wearing, they would have to walk around to find them.
Yes. It was true. Hogwarts was holding its first ever Halloween Ball, complete with costumes. The entire thing had been Padma Patil's idea. On the train to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year, Hermione and Dean had been reminiscing over memories of Halloween before they had received their Hogwarts letter. They had been recalling costume parties when Padma had come across them and encouraged them to tell her about these parties in more detail. She was fascinated with the idea of dressing up in costumes and had from that moment on been dead set on the Hogwarts students and staff having their own costume ball. She had pleaded to the staff and students to help her. Most everyone had been enthralled with the idea and had quickly risen to the occasion.
So it was that the students and staff of Hogwarts found themselves in the Great Hall on All Hallows Eve dressed in various costumes. Famous wizards, hags, banshees, werewolves and vampires could be seen all over the room.
Ron, in his pink bunny costume, and Hermione, who looked striking in her costume of Queen Mab, Queen of the Faeries, walked around the Great Hall, eyes scanning the large crowd for their friends. Finally, a boy wearing a large hat and sword and scabbard standing next to a sandy haired boy dressed in a green suit and top hat, with what looked like a shamrock perched on top, caught their attention and they made their way towards the wall table where the two were standing.
"Hermione, hey! Who's that with-"Harry trailed off, staring, wide-eyed at Ron.
"Ron?" Seamus questioned uncertainly. "Why are you dressed as a pink rabbit?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask Hermione here." He said, jerking his head in Hermione's direction, clearly annoyed. Harry and Seamus looked questioningly Hermione.
"I think he looks adorable." She declared, defensively. There was a moment of awkward silence.
"Right, then" Seamus said, breaking it. "You look great Hermione."
"Thanks," she touched her hair self-consciously. "Do you think my hair looks alright. I think the black die might have been a bit too much."
"No, it looks great. Queen Mab, right?"
She grinned. "Right in one. And you two?" she asked, motioning towards his and Harry's costumes. "A pirate and a...leprechaun?"
"Of course," Harry said, grinning. "I am Jack Sparrow, captain of the Black Pearl and Seamus here," he said motioning to the sandy haired boy, "is Lucky."
"Lucky?" Hermione asked.
"Yes. Hermione!" Seamus exclaimed at her blank look. "Don't tell me that you don't know who Lucky is?" She shook her head. "Lucky Charms? The cereal?"
"Oh," she said. "The leprechaun with the hat and the shamrock...I know who you're talking about. Isn't that an American cereal though?"
"Well, yeah." Seamus agreed. "I went to the States over the summer to visit my cousin and ended up hooked on the cereal."
"Right," Hermione said slowly, giving him an odd look.
"So," Harry said. "What do you say we get some punch and claim a table somewhere?"
"Sounds good to me." Seamus agreed. "You guys go find a table and I'll get the punch."
"Oh, don't get me any," Hermione said. "I had a rather bad experience with a pitcher of punch once and I've never been able to look at it the same way."
"Alright. I'll find you guys in a few minutes," he called over his shoulder as he headed towards the refreshment table.
Sitting down at an empty table, the group of friends watched the students out in the middle dancing and joked about the costumes.
"Is that Padma?" Harry asked, pointing towards a dark haired girl at the edge of the large crowd on the dance floor.
"Yeah," Hermione said. "She's dressed as Juliet Capulet. Justin, her boyfriend there is Romeo."
"Who are Romeo and Juliet Capulet?" Ron asked.
"Characters from one of William Shakespeare's plays."
"William Shaker- who?"
"Shakespeare, Ron." Hermione said, exasperated. "He was a famous muggle playwright."
"Oh...what's a-"
"Weasley?" A voice drawled from behind them. "Is that you?" The group turned around to see the familiar face of Draco Malfoy staring at Ron, an expression of hilarity on his face.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry said."
"Good Merlin, Weasel. A bunny rabbit? You're dressed as a bunny rabbit?"
"Yeah," Ron said, glaring at him. "And what are you supposed to be?" He asked, looking at Draco's green robes. He had used a lengthening charm on his hair and had pulled it back into a low ponytail.
"I," Draco said proudly, straightening his robes, "am Salazar Slytherin."
"Ah, Salazar Slytherin. Evil, sneaky and malicious. How fitting." Draco raised a pale, perfectly arched eyebrow.
"Yes, and you a rabbit. A rodent that breeds far too much. Also very fitting."
"Why you little-"Ron spat, rising from his chair, fists clenched.
"Ron, no!" Hermione cried. "Leave him be. He's not worth the trouble you'll get into. Please," she begged, grabbing one of his clenched hands. "Just let it go." Ron, visibly forcing his temper back, looked down at her.
"Please?" She whispered, looking at him with wide eyes. Nodding stiffly, Ron sat back down in his chair and turned away from Malfoy. Hermione and Harry followed suit. After a minute, Malfoy, clearly annoyed at being ignored, walked away in a huff.
"Hey," Seamus said, walking over with cups of punch. "Was that Malfoy that just stalked off in a snit?"
"Yeah, "Harry said as he took a cup. "He was upset that we were ignoring him I suspect."
"Really? You and Ron? Controlling your tempers enough to ignore Malfoy?" He mocked an expression of amazement. He put his hand to Harry's forehead. "Are you alright? Maybe you're running a fever?" Harry swiped at the hand and stuck out his tongue.
"Shut it you."
"But Harry! You could be-"he trailed off, staring past Harry. "Merlin," he breathed. "Is that Snape?" Three heads whipped around to look and three jaws opened.
The group stared as a tall man with long, dark hair stalked past them, the glint of the chain mail he was wearing catching the light thrown from the several hundred candles floating above the tables and dance floor glaring at them. A sword hung at the man's waist and tall, black boots made a soft thumping noise on the stone as he walked.
"What the bloody hell is he supposed to be?" Harry asked, a ludicrous expression on his face.
"I think he might be a knight." Hermione said, staring after the potions master.
"Sir Lancelot, to be precise." A voice said from behind them. They turned to see Dean Thomas behind them, wearing a football uniform with his hair in dreadlocks.
"Sir Lancelot?" Hermione asked. "As in King Arthur's court?"
"Yep. That's the one." He said, pulling a chair out from the table and sitting down. Harry and Seamus both suddenly broke out into peals of laughter, causing the other three to stare at them.
"What's wrong with you two?" Ron asked. Harry took a deep breath forcing back his laughter. Seamus, however, was slumped down in his chair, head thrown back in laughter.
"M- M- McGonagall," Harry managed to gasp before breaking into another fit of laughter.
"What about McGonagall?" Seamus asked, confused. Harry, taking a few more deep breaths managed to regain some his composure. Seamus had at this point fallen off his chair and was rolling on the floor. Students at nearby tables stared at the group with amused expressions.
"Seamus and I heard her talking with Professor Sinistra earlier today about her costume." He broke into another short fit of laughter before continuing. "Apparently, she, McGonagall, was planning on coming to the ball as," another burst of laughter," Gui- Guinevere." He put his face down on the table, body shaking with suppressed laughter.
Ron, Hermione, and Dean looked at each other in shock. Slowly, the three broke out into smiles and then into all out fits of laughter.
"Oh Merlin," Seamus gasped as he pulled himself off of his chair and back into his seat. "I wonder if they realize...they're dressed as two of the most famous lovers in history." The group's laughter could be heard clear across the Great Hall.
Well, review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism only, please. I don't appreciate flames. I won't respond to them, I'll just use that handy little delete button. Ta-ta for now, my lovelies.