Hey this is the first story;') it's h/hr...SUPRISE !:P I really hope you like it. Very AU, set in their seventh year. This is my interpretation of Beauxbatons decor, so I hope it's alright. Enjoyyyyy.
Tonight was very important for Hermione Granger. It was important she looked impressive. Important she caught people's eye. The floor-length red gown and matching spiky heels really weren't her thing at all. Nor was the spangled clutch and the many glittery pins securing her curly hair at the crown of her head. But Lavender and Parvati had showered her with so many compliments that she gave in and agreed to go with the outfit. Besides, how she dressed was important.
'You look fabulous,' Parvati assured her. Both she and Lavender were in tight-fitting dresses and, in Hermione's opinion, had most certainly opted for glamour over comfort.
'I feel stupid,' Hermione confessed, marvelling at how easily Parvati pulled off the elegant look even in her translucent lace bodice.
'The guys there are gonna have a stroke soon as they get an eyeful of you!' smirked Lavender.
Hermione gave a weak smile. Tonight, she and the rest of the Beauxbatons Academy were having a ball with guests from Hogwarts School and the Durmstrang Institute, to mark the opening of the fifteen Triwizard Tournament. Hermione, as one of the top students in the school, had been asked to make a speech before everyone. She was extremely apprehensive, but with Lavender and Parvati's frequent reassurances she felt better.
'Is my hair okay?' Lavender fussed, patting down her blonde tresses, which she had straightened sleekly in honour of the occasion.
'Gorgeous,' said Parvati. She gave Hermione a quick grin and shuffled her skirt down a little, to obscure a more excusable portion of thigh.
Clang.
Hermione, Parvati and Lavender all jumped as the school bell rang out across the building, signally the start of the ball.
'Okay, let's go,' said Lavender, her blue eyes sparkling excitedly.
Hermione grimaced to herself as she and her dorm mates left the room and descended the grand marble staircase below. She knew full well that, had this just been a Beauxbatons ball, they would not be nearly as excited; there were no boys to impress. Hermione was very conscious of tripping up on the hem of her dress, and trod carefully down the stairs. Lavender and Parvati, who were used to this sort of thing, were already at the bottom, walking in their heels as easily as if they were trainers.
'Sorted?' asked Parvati, as Hermione reached them.
Hermione nodded, her mouth to dry to speak. She and her best friends entered the hall, which had been decorated lavishly for the event. A cluster of Durmstrangs stood by the door, gabbling in Bulgarian as they admired their surroundings. Further away, the Hogwarts lot stood, a mass of bright colours against the silvery pillars beyond.
Madame Maxime, dressed in an elegant confection of midnight velvet, swished over to them, her red-lipsticked-lips pursed.
'Hermione,' she said, her voice tinged with a graceful French accent, 'Thank Goodness. You 'ave leetle time before your speech. If you could go up to ze stage...'
Hermione nodded, and gave Parvati and Lavender a fleeting look. Lavender stuck up her thumbs and Parvati mouthed 'you'll be fine!'
The stage was draped with star-speckled, silver satin. Hermione ascended the steps carefully and strode to the middle, long skirt billowing about her. The jostling crowds below gathered around the stage, and silence fell slowly. Madame Maxime, who was standing at the back so as to avoid blocking anyone's view, gave a curt nod.
'Uh,' Hermione began, her voice catching in her throat. Down in the crowd, Lavender beamed at her. 'Welcome to Beauxbatons. It is a great honour to be hosting the Triwizard Tournament her. We hope all our guests will find their stay enjoyable and informative. At the end of the ball the tournament will be officially opened and the Goblet of Fire lit...' Hermione looked around nervously. Somewhere amongst the Hogwarts pupils, was a tall boy in dark green robes who was staring as though mesmerised at her through round glasses. She found herself looking dazedly back, and their eyes met. Something in Hermione's heart stirred.
Madame Maxime suddenly put her hands together and clapped. The sharp sound brought Hermione to her senses; she realised everyone was looking at her expectantly, and felt a blush creeping across her cheeks. Gradually, people started to applaud her, and, feeling exceptionally embarrassed, Hermione got down from the stage and hurried into the crowd.
'Er, 'Mione?'
Her two best friends were pushing through the throng towards her.
'What happened?' Lavender's overly-plucked blonde eyebrows disappeared into her fringe.
Hermione bit her lip. 'I'm not sure, I just...'
'Lost it?' Parvati supplied.
She nodded in response. She didn't want to tell them about the boy with the glasses.
'Hey, there's a rumour going round that Harry Potter's here!'
Hermione drifted out of her reverie. 'What? No way! He's, like, the most famous teenage boy in the world! He's not here...'
Parvati shrugged. 'Dunno. It was just a rumour. So amazing if he was here!'
'Yeah,' said Lavender dreamily, 'he's gorgeous.'
Hermione laughed and she and her best friends struggled through the crowd, where a group of pretty Hogwarts girls were assembled. One of them, a tall girl with long red hair, turned and gave Hermione a wide, knowing smile. Hermione returned it questioningly.
Lavender forced a cup of punch into Hermione's hand and next second a dark-haired Durmstrang boy was at her side.
'Lavender Brown,' she said, in answer to the rather clueless expression on the boy's face. She took the crook of his arm firmly and steered him to the space on the floor where a few couples were dancing in time to the soft music now pulsing around the hall. As he took her waist uncertainly, she glanced over her shoulder and gave the thumbs up to Parvati and Hermione.
'Well, wanna come find yourself a Durmstrang?' asked Parvati, a smile stretching into her dark eyes.
Hermione smiled. 'It's okay. I'll just stay here, and stuff my face with canapés.'
'Okay,' Parvati grinned, and disappeared into the crowd.
Hermione wandered aimlessly amongst the tables laden with food. She didn't much fancy eating, but there wasn't much else to do. The red-haired Hogwarts girl was still there, sipping punch and chatting lightly. She hadn't looked at Hermione since that strange smile she had given her earlier.
The music faded away. Laughing people stopped dancing, moving out of the glimmering silvery spotlight which now lit the middle of the dance floor. Another song came on.
Pass me that lovely little gun
My dear, my darling one
The cleaners are coming, one by one
You don't even want to let them start
They are knocking now upon your door
They measure the room, they know the score
They're mopping up the butcher's floor
Of your broken little hearts
It was strange, but everyone seemed to have fallen quiet, everyone seemed to have stopped speaking, stopped laughing, stopped moving. A strange silence fell amongst the pupils. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath as the beautiful song played. Someone was behind Hermione, she sensed them.
She turned around.
It was him; the boy who had looked at her, the boy who had made her falter on her speech. His shock of untidy black hair spilled across his forehead, not hiding the gleam of his emerald eyes behind their round spectacles.
He silently held out a hand, and Hermione took it and the two of them strode across to the spotlight, the only movement in the still room. There were no jeers or wolf-whistles. The song continued. The boy took her waist and she rested her hands on his shoulders. They began to dance, gently, through the silvery light, and everything else dropped away; the silent, watchful crowd, everything but the song, and him, and the dance.
Forgive us now for what we've done
It started out as a bit of fun
Here, take these before we run away
The keys to the Gulag
O'children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
They were still the only pair on the dance floor. Hermione was oblivious, however. She was lost in his intense green eyes, as they slowly revolved, Hermione's dress billowing gently around her. The song went on, and so did the dance. Still, everyone just stood, silently, and stared, either lost in the song or in their thoughts or... both.
Hey little train! Wait for me!
I was held in chains but now I'm free
I'm hanging in there, don't you see?
In this process of elimination
Hey little train, we are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
It's beyond my wildest expectation...
The last few notes died away, leaving a ringing silence in their wake. Hermione and the green-eyed boy still remained there, holding onto one another. For a long minute they stared into each other's eyes. And then, the moment broke. The next song came on, and noise broke out once more as couples flooded the stage. The boy gave her one last look, and departed into the crowd.
Hermione stood alone, wavering on the spot.
She didn't even know his name. But she was sure she would love him for the rest of her life.
Oh dear, corny or what? & she doesn't even know who he is...LOL. Still i hope you liked that chapter & i would love it if you reviewed. I promise it won't be so cheesy next time!