It was a lovely day in June when Hermione decided to throw her party. She had plans to invite the Gryffindors in her year: Harry, Ron, Seamus, Parvarti, Dean, Neville, and Lavender, plus two of Ron's brothers(Gred and Forge of course!) as well as Parvarti's twin, Padma. She was thinking of a creative way to decorate the invitations-without magic of course- when her father walked in.
He eyed the pieces of parchment and was wearing that look dentists get just before they inform a patient of their latest cavity.
"Erm, Hermione, dear, wouldn't you like to invite a few more people, er, from the other..."
"Houses, Daddy..."
"Er, yes, yes, houses. Are all these people from..."
"Gryffindor? No, Padma is a Ravenclaw... Oh, I see your point. I'll invite a few more Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws."
Her father thought a moment. "Aren't there four, er, houses?"
"I'd rather not have Slytherins attend. It's, ah, well, we and they have a mutual hate. It goes back for over a millennium.
"Are you sure Cupcake? Aren't any of them decent?"
"Well..."
"I thought as much. Invite a few. How about those two you've mentioned: Draco Malloy and Millicent Bulstride?"
"That's Draco Malfoy and Millicent Bulstrode. They are two of the worst! I'm sure they'd ruin it for everyone, even themselves!"
Her father had been distracted by Crookshanks. The ginger cat had just pounced onto the dresser and was eyeing Zach Granger quite evilly.
"Daddy? Did you just hear me?... Crookshanks! How did you get in?!" She picked the tensing cat up and headed downstairs to put him outside. Mr. Granger promptly picked up a piece of extra parchment and started scribbling on it with a deserted pencil he'd found behind the closet door.
By the time that Hermione had returned, her father had left, and laying on the desk were two pieces of parchment that clearly read:
"Draco Malfoy" and "Millicent Bulstrode"
***
She sat at her desk making colorful swirls and spirals on the first ten invitations. As to not make Justin, Hannah, Cho, and Terry feel left out, she wrote theirs with pretty flourishes. Draco and Millicent's were plain. She picked up all sixteen parchments and a sun hat. Putting on the hat, she set off for a short jaunt down the road to a little known Owl Post office with Crookshanks twirling about her feet.