HI!!!! I know for any of you that may follow my stuff it's been too LONG!!! I've been in the worst funk ever, mostly because I had a mixture of writer's block and dislike for all my written but not published works. I'm not horribly proud of this piece coming back it, it was one of my earlier works, and I truly don't like it all that much anymore but you can decide for yourself. I've had this on my comp since the dawn of time, but never published it for various reasons but I figure it's time to just let the chips fall where they may and post it.
I own Nothing whatsoever Oh WAIT WHY YES YES I DO!!!!!! I OWN A character in this story!! Suck it JKR's lawyers!!!
My orignal idea for this came from when my sister loved piercings, so it was kinda for her. It also came from reading Shoebox Project (And to all who don't know it google that RIGHT NOW and experience magic in every sense of the word) and you'll how that ties in.
OH!! if you haven;t read Shoebox Suprise (Which is my story) I strongly suggest you do, Mostly because thats truthfully is a much better fic, but also the beginning of this won't totally make sense.
Set alittle time after the War.
Piercing Present
Harry, Ron and Hermione had been kept busy at the castle and officially finish their seventh year. By the end of the school year, the only things left to do was take exams.
One slow day in May the three were lounging in the Gryffindor common room. Harry decided studying wasn't so much priority that day and sat in his favorite arm chair surrounded by photo albums, and loose pictures, and one particularly old shoebox, containing a copious amount of flasks full of memories.
Ron was across the way, lazily sprawled on the couch, idly waving his wand, forming multi-colored sparks in the air. Hermione, of course, sat reading, in a fortress of books on the ground on the hearth rug leaning against the bottom of the couch at Ron's legs.
The plethora of photographs was thanks to the late Remus J Lupin. After the funeral, the last marauder's will read that everything was left all belongings went to Harry.
Going though Lupin's apartment flat, at first there seemed to be nothing of importance, but under his bed they found the strange shoebox, literally filled with Remus' childhood, and later recovered from beneath those floor boards was his school truck that held a multitude of memorabilia from Lupin's time at Hogwarts and the marauders' friendship.
The contents of the truck now lay in a mess at Harry's feet, as he studied an album from the year 1976, his parents' 6th year. Harry turned the pages and came upon a close up of Sirius at 16 years old. Harry moved his hand up from his chin to his ear lobe and stared pensively at the past of his godfather.
"Do you think I would look good with earrings?" he suddenly broke the silence.
"Wha?" Ron looked up at him first, coming out of the daze of the silence.
"Earrings," Harry repeated.
"Why?"
"There's a picture of Sirius and he has these earrings," Harry passed the album to
Hermione and Ron leaned over her shoulder to see, "I sort of like them." He added sheepishly.
"Huh," Ron said surprised.
"Yeah, Sirius was really good looking!" Hermione smiled at the photo. Ron turned to her and gave her a look of disbelief.
"What?" she looked back at him, "I'm not allowed to say a person's good looking?"
"Um, not when it's Harry's godfather, that's kinda sick Hermione."
"Oh my goodness," she laughed.
"What?"
"You're jealous of a picture, mate," Harry laughed with her.
"I am not!"
"Good looking godfathers aside, do you think I could get these?"
"Sure, but why?" Ron shrugged indifferently.
"I dunno I was thinking, we're graduating and all, everything's over and done, in this part of our life and it just makes sense to do something crazy like that."
"Says the Boy Who lived," Ron scoffed.
"Something fun and crazy," Harry revised.
"So you're going to pierce your ears?"
"I'm not piercing my ears, we're piercing our ears!" Harry motioned to the three of them as a whole.
"No way, mate, I'll look horrible with plugs!" Ron protested.
"Well you don't have to get the same ones. You could get something different."
"Hmm," Ron thought a moment, "Like what?"
"Er… you could get one of those industrial bars that go through the cartilage," Harry suggested. When Ron's expression shied away from the idea he added, "Remember how cool you thought it looked when you saw that muggle with one in London?"
"That did look pretty ace," he considered, "alright I'm in," he looked over at Hermione, who obviously wanted no part in the conversation, "What are you going to get?"
"I've already had my ears pierced," she said shortly and turned back to her book.
"It doesn't have to be your ears," Ron slipped the book out of her grasp, so she had to look at him, "You could get it someplace else," he smiled mischievously.
"Ron! I am not piercing any part of my hidden body!" she scowled snatching her book back.
"Oh, seriously Hermione, you've got to get something," Harry pleaded, "You're my best friend!"
"Second best friend," Ron chimed in.
"What?" Hermione looked back at him in disbelief.
"What? It's a very significant difference, I was his friend first," Ron reasoned.
"Um, no," Hermione was unconvinced.
"Yes, first year, we met on the train."
"So did we," Hermione reminded him.
"Yeah but we didn't like you very much then," Ron pointed out childishly.
"And why not?" Hermione snapped, as she slammed her book in a pile that made up a wall of her stronghold of education.
"Well for starters you were really mean. Oh! And you made fun of my spell."
"It was a stupid spell!"
"What? No!"
"Did that rat ever turn yellow?"
"That's not the point; you didn't have to tell me it sucked."
"I never said that!"
"Guys! Why does it matter?!" Harry stood up the bickering couple went silent, "You're both my best friends, and you both getting something pierced!"
"I'm not piercing my body!" Hermione finalized.
"Fine! Fine, Hermione!" Harry gave up the pointless crusade. Ron stared at him in bewilderment, never in their friendship had Harry given in so easily.
"But you're still coming with us when we do it."
"Sure, okay," she stood and hopped over her fort, "I'm going to the kitchens; want me to bring anything back for you two?" In the past year Ron and Harry got Hermione to accept the majority of house elves that were happy with their accommodations at Hogwarts, while still fighting for those who were not elsewhere.
"Nah, I'm fine," shook his head.
"I'm good, thanks," Ron eyed Harry with a suspicious look and then, saluted her in agreement. Hermione shrugged, and as she walked to the portrait, she dragged her hand across Ron's shoulder, as if to apologize for their spat. Ron watched her leave with a little smile then he chose a book at random from her miniature library, and Harry picked up the album again.
All was silent until the portrait clicked back to a close.
"So, we're going to get her to pierce her navel?" said Ron casually turning the page.
"Yep."
The month past, N.E.W.T.s were taken, all graduated with flying colors, Hermione's scores, of course, soaring the highest. The night after scores were released the entire seventh year class had a blowout party in the Gryffindor common room complete with fire whiskey and total mayhem. Most of the boys, such as Seamus and Dean, were having the time of their lives watching very drunk Lavender lose at strip poker. Neville and Luna were dancing on a table. Harry and Ginny were off in a closet having their own good time mostly because if Harry stayed in a room too long someone drunkenly toasted him. Even Hermione let loose a little bit, and forgot her books for the night, some part of that being Ron threw them all in the same closet and magically locked it. The two of them started out on the makeshift dance floor, but somehow ended up under the snack table.
Lavender lost her bra, Ron lost his breath, Harry lost his wand, and Neville almost lost an eye. The night was a wonderful ending full of magic and insanity.
Harry and Ginny were finally able to blast the door off its hinges. Ginny went to bed, and was followed by many others. Harry tried to read his watch but the fire whiskey blurred his vision. From what he could decipher the time must have been past three in the morning. He tried shake off the lagging feeling, he knew tonight would be the perfect night for his plans, and he would want to be sober.
He waited for the crowd to disperse, until the population of the common room consisted of him and a few half-conscience party goers. As his head began to clear, Harry realized he really had no idea where Ron and Hermione actually were. He went looking for his friends. He searched the boy's dormitories, the bathrooms, everywhere, until he went full circle to the empty common room. Or so he thought.
He sat back down on the couch, and he heard a small, muffled, exhale of breath. His brow furrowed as he searched the room. Then he caught a glimpse of movement.
Under the fringe of the table cloth a single sneaker, attached to half a shin wrapped in blue jeans. There was another shift of fabric and the shoe retreated back beneath the table.
Harry rolled his eyes, slightly nauseated, and got up. Strolling casually to the snack table, he thought quickly.
"Huh," Harry spoke in a clear punctuated tone, "I wonder where the hell Ron and Hermione are." He slapped the tabletop on the sharp pronunciations of their names, "I told them to meet me here at the SNACK TABLE!" there was a quiet gasp, and a tiny fit of drunken snickers. Harry leaned back on the table waiting for the rustling and bumping to cease under to table.
Ron and Hermione tried to look like they had walked up from behind the table. Their clothes gave them away at once, not that they were that convincing anyhow. Ron's shirt was only half buttoned, and his red hair was tousled more then Harry had ever seen. They were both flushed red and pink. Hermione's hair was in its usual state, although Harry could have sworn that at the beginning of the night, there had been a sparkly barrette in it instead of pretzel crumbs. She also seemed to be subtly twisting her skirt to right it.
After absorbing the site and having a huge fit of laughter in his head, Harry got back to business…then he decided to have just a little more fun with their heads.
"So where were you?"
"Ah…" Ron looked to Hermione, "There," he threw his hand out behind him to a random door.
"The girls' Dorm?" Harry crossed his arms incredulously, "boys can't climb the stairs."
"I—er-I,"
"I carried him!" Hermione broke in smiling nervously, and blushed.
"Wow," Harry simply blinked.
"What?" Hermione asked confused.
"It's just I thought the witch at the top of her class would have made up a better alibi for being under a table," he chuckled out.
"But—but…" Ron stuttered confused.
"Yeah, I saw your foot under the table cloth!"
"Well we waited for you, but you were so late we thought you called it off," Hermione said hopefully.
"No," Harry replied defensively, "I was late because Somebody decided lock me and Ginny in a closet, after chucking an avalanche of school books on my head!"
"You were in there!?" Ron exclaimed as his head also began to clear.
"Who do you think said OW!?"
"What were you doing in there?" Ron suddenly accused.
"What were you doing down there?" Harry retorted, and any dignified anger in Ron vanished.
"So—so, are we doing this or what?" Ron changed the subject.
"Of course, come on," Harry led them out of the portrait.
They strolled through the grounds and when they exited the iron gates Hermione disapparated them all to London. They came upon a piercing and Tattoo pallor. They strode casually up to the all night shop. They were greeted by the tired and confused, owner, whom might have been a decently good looking fellow, had he not so many facial piercing. Harry, of course, was paying for the adventure seeing as it was his idea. He and Ron instructed the muggle what they wanted.
Harry volunteered to go first he sidled into the costumer's chair which reminded Hermione a great deal of the dentist chairs her parents' firm. His ears were pierced each with a needle, and quickly plugged with his chosen pieces of jewelry, small buttons. Harry checked them in the mirror; they were exact replicas of Sirius'. Minute's later extreme heat flushed his ears, and they more resembled Ron's ears.
When Harry hopped out of the chair and Ron nervously took his place.
"Hang on, mate, you're getting the industrial, yeah?" the muggle slurred through a tongue ring.
"Yeah," Ron answered cautiously.
"Come 'ere," he beckoned to a small doorway in the back, "you've got to lie on a table. It's easier to pierce the cartilage, that way."
"Oh, can they come in?"
"One."
"Err…Harry," Ron chose.
"What?" Hermione pouted.
"Harry's done it already!"
"Alright," she sighed. The boys followed the worker into the room. Ron did as he was told and got on the table. The s parchment paper crackled as he slid on to his front side.
"Now, let's see what we're dealing with here," the muggle pulled a lock of Ron's hair away from his ear.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked a bit uncomfortable to have somebody scrutinizing his ear.
"Well, I got to see if your shell is able to be pierced."
"Don't you just shove the needle through call it a day?" Ron asked becoming more nauseated thinking about the barbarity of what he was doing.
"No, it's a bit more complicated then that," the man chuckled at Ron's nerves, "Some people got funny shaped ears and I have to change the way I "shove the needle in." But hey, no worries, you're good."
The shop owner wiped his left ear with a cotton ball suave of alcohol, and then went to sterilize the jewelry piece. He came back, with the tiny bar and needle in gloved hands.
"Harry," Ron said as he gaped at the needle.
"Yeah?"
"Could you hold me down," he cringed. cause
"Sure," he shrugged, and hopped onto his back.
"Oooff! Thanks,"
"'Kay, take a deep breath," Ron obliged, "And on the count of three, you exhale, and I stick you." The piercer aimed the needle, "One, two, three." Ron winced as he exhaled sharply, as he felt the sudden pricks of the needle passing through the top of his ear twice. A minor twinge of pain and a metallic click told Ron the bar was placed. Harry jumped off his spine, and the shop muggle gave Ron a mirror and they inspected the handy work.
"Look!" Ron said tossing his head to the side so Hermione could see as they returned to her outside.
"I had my doubts, but I like it," she said smiling.
"Really?!" Ron happily inquired.
"Yeah," she confirmed gleefully, "It makes you look tougher," she smiled impishly, as he blushed to the compliment. She looked away to Harry, "Come on Harry, pay the man, and let's go before anyone misses us," she said, and then grabbed Ron's hand, to lead him out—but he wouldn't budge.
"Ron?" she asked hesitantly, "Harry?" she turned to them.
"Hermione, it's 5 in the morning," Harry whined, "besides, there's still one more thing to do," Harry turned to Ron and they now shared that mischievous grin that the two invented long ago in first year. Hermione knew it was usually was a sign something bad was about to happen, or at least something she wouldn't like. And being Hermione, of course, she was correct.
"Oh, Merlin, what is it?" her eyes ran between the boys.
"Come on Hermione you didn't actually think you'd get out of this scoff free?" Harry crossed his arms in mock disappointment.
"What!?"
"Don't worry we've already got every thing picked out for you!" Ron reassured, tightening his grip on her hand.
"What?!" seemed to be the only word on in Hermione's vocabulary.
"You'll be fine." Harry took her other hand patted it comfortingly, and then the two of them tried to lead her away from the exit. She held back with all her strength and stubbornness, and she didn't move an inch.
"Alright, Harry this isn't going to work," Ron stopped pulling, to consult Harry, "Plan B?"
"Defiantly," Harry confirmed, in a more serious tone. The boys released her hands, and stood at her sides. Hermione rolled her eyes and crossed her arms annoyed at the fact they had 'plans' for this. She was so caught up in her thoughts of how ridiculous they were, Hermione didn't even care to listen to this 'Plan'.
"Ready?" Ron nodded to Harry.
"Ready," Harry copied.
"1, 2," Ron and Harry knelt down in unison to the count, "And 3," they lifted Hermione from under her arms, off her feet.
"Ron… NO! Ron! Harry!! Stop!" Hermione hollered in protest, as they carried her swiftly across the room, "no, come on I don't want to do this, Please, please." She began to struggle, but it was no use.
"Wow, I didn't expect this much fight out of this one!" the shop owner said with wide eyes of admiration.
A small protective grumble came out from Ron's throat, and he tightened his grip on her arm, "Where are we going," he asked un-amused.
"Oh we have to the back for this too," the muggle said professional again.
"What's he going to do to me!?" Hermione trilled.
"Don't worry Hermione they said the belly button is the least painful!"
"Belly--Button!" she screeched, "Oh, No, defiantly not!" she struggled even more violently.
"Whoa, same rule," the worker stopped them, "Only one of you," he told Ron and Harry.
"I'll stay out," Harry volunteered passing his half of Hermione's support all to Ron.
"Alright, Ginger, this way," the man said, Ron scowled, and despite her anger, Hermione let of a short giggle. He carried her in the rest of the way and put her down on the padded counter.
"Sit down and roll up you shirt a little ways,"
Hermione heaved a heavy sigh, and did as she was told.
"Now you're in the spirit!" Ron encouraged.
"Well, I just figured…" she stopped to watch the shop worker leave, "that I can just magic it out later."
"Oh, look whose being Miss Smarty-Witch," Ron congratulated her. The muggle came back with a tray of hidden utensils, "Just promise me this, if it turns out you do like it, will you keep it in?"
"I doubt it, but fine."
"Alright, lie down, close your eyes," the man said as he cleaned the area of the piercing, "Take a deep breath and exhale, and that's when I'll stick you."
"Fantastic," Hermione said in a monotone.
"Ready?" he asked putting on his gloves with a snap.
"No, Ron hold my hand," she scrunched her eyes tightly shut, and reached blindly out for his hand, when he took it firmly she took her deep breath in, "Just don't give me any details."
"Okay, in 3, 2, 1," Hermione let her breath out, flinched at the pinch of the needle, and the adrenaline rushing to the site of the puncture.
"Wow!" she heard Ron gape.
"Ron? It's really bad, isn't it?" Hermione asked frantically, her eyes still closed, yet animated.
"No! No," Ron quickly tried to convince her, as he stared transfixed on the GIGANTIC needle that was weaved through her skin, "It's…it's," there was a small clatter of metal.
"Oh, Bugger! Sorry, the ring fell off the needle, got to go get a clean one, back in two shakes!" she heard the muggle say, as foot steps walked out the door.
"It looks fine," Ron confirmed, "Does—does it hurt?" he couldn't help wondering.
"No, not really. Just don't tell me anything." She urged him. At that moment the door burst open again, and Harry bounded in.
"Is it over? Did she do it?" he questioned energetically. Then he paused, Hermione could feel Ron's hand moving from side to side in a "NO!" signal, "OH MY GOD! THAT IS A HUGE NEEDLE!"
"Harry!"
Hermione flung open her eyes, looked down and swiftly fainted.
Hermione woke with relief in the common room.
"Oh, good you're awake!" Ron walked over from the window. It had to be at least nine in the morning.
"Oh, Ron! I had such a strange dream, we went out to pierce your ears, and you two made me get a navel ring!"
"Err, right," Ron shifted in his seat next to her, "A dream…"
"It… was a dream… right?"
"Well," Ron winced as he pulled his hand through his hair, and revealed an intricate little bar passing through the top of his red ear.
"No," Hermione gasped.
"Yeah…" Ron assured softly, and then turned to the boy's stairwell, "Hey Harry!"
"Is she awake?" Harry's voice called back, from up the stairs.
"Ah-huh," he answered, not taking his eyes off Hermione, worried.
"OH-No!" Hermione lifted the hem of her blouse, only to find a curved metal bar going through the top of her navel with a small blue gem stopping up the top, and a silver star in the center.
"'You okay?" Ron cautioned.
"Uh… yeah," she gulped, wide eyes staring at her bellybutton, "I…I can always magic it out." She reminded him hopefully.
"Yeah…" Ron was once again antsy, "About that, while you were out, we knew you wouldn't keep it in even for a second. So we…er… we sorta'…" his speech picked up speed suddenly, "…Jinxed it so you couldn't remove it!" he finished and covered his face with his arms prepared for the beating and/or hexing of his life.
It hadn't come. Timidly he pulled away his arms just enough to see what the delay was. Apparently this news shocked Hermione back into a state of un-conscientiousness.
"You told her didn't you?" Harry inspected the scene once he came down the stairs.
"Yep." Ron said in a blank tone, and then laughed brightly, "I can't believe she bought it!"
"Yeah, like we know a jinx like that!" Harry joined in.
"Well, if we hadn't told her, she would have taken it out the first chance she got."
"It's too bad she fainted before the bloke had a chance to tell her that it will come out in a few years."
"We'll tell her, eventually," Ron reasoned, "As soon as we convince her it looks as great as it does," Ron carefully lifted the bottom of Hermione's shirt a little ways to admired the piece.
"How long do you think that will take?" Harry asked, laughing.
"Well, it took seven years for her to agree with me on anything, so add the fact that she didn't want the bloody thing in the first place, so I'm going to estimate never."
The END!
Yep that was it, reviews are recieved with gratious happiness,