Charlotte and I grabbed our school bags and shoved our Potions textbooks into them just as the bell went to signal the end of lessons and the beginning of the weekend. I was out first as I had a seat at the back of the room where as Charlotte, being the good little girl she was, sat at the front. When Charlotte did make it out she found me lent against the wall outside talking to Harry. "So you're coming tonight right?" I asked.
"Yer, sure," he replied "wouldn't miss it for the world."
I smiled and walked over to Charlotte.
"Well that's everyone confirmed that their coming," I said to her as we walked down the hall to the entrance hall.
"Are you bringing a date?" Charlotte asked me.
"Well, Harry asked me, Ron asked me, Draco asked me but I told him he wasn't coming and Adrian Pucey asked me." I replied. Charlotte gave me an astonished look.
"Wow, who did you say yes to?"
"None of them."
"Really?" Charlotte asked surprised. I nodded as we entered the entrance hall. We waved goodbye to each other and went our separate ways as we both needed to get ready but unfortunately we were not in the same house.
Tonight was Charlotte's sixteenth birthday party, which we had been planning for about a year. It had taken us ages to try and find a suitable venue inside school where we wouldn't get caught but was big enough to fit everyone in. In the end we decided on the Room of Requirement which DA has been using for practice and to meet up in out of the sight of Umbrige's prying eyes.
I made her way to the Slytherin common room and then up to my dorm. I looked at me watch, 5 o'clock, two hours to get ready. I spread my hair products across the floor in front of my mirror and began to get ready. I started by straightening my hair and putting it up in a half up half down do from Pride and Prejudice. I then proceeded to do my makeup for which I went with a natural look. Last of all was the dress. It had taken weeks and many trips to Hogsmead to find my dress. The dress I had finally chosen was a floor length, satin, red dress with a slit up the side and wand holder strapped to my thigh. I the paired it with a pair of silver heals and a silver bracelet. I then made my way down to the Room of Requirement.
When I got there I found Charlotte putting up streamer still in her school uniform. "What are you doing?!" I cried causing Charlotte to jump and almost fall of the ladder. "Finishing decorating." she replied climbing down form the ladder.
"The guests are arriving in less than half an hour and you're not even changed." I cried. Charlotte looked at her watched. "I've got twenty five minutes, that's loads of time." she said. I grabbed her hand and pulled her in the bathroom and shoved her into the cubical with her dress in. I then placed my makeup bag onto the counter in front of the mirror. "When you're finished getting dressed my makeup bags on the counter." I shouted and walked back into the main room.
I looked around. Everything looked pretty much perfect apart from the ladder in the middle of the room. Why didn't she just use magic? I thought to myself. I pulled out my wand and waved it causing the ladder to float into a cupboard. After that I went around straightening everything up and generally making finishing touches and after about twenty minutes Charlotte walked out of the bathroom. She was wearing a floor length, light blue, strapless, chiffon dress. She had accessorised it with some nude heels, a simple pearl necklace and a matching bracelet. Her hair was down with just the front pinned back with a flower the same colour as her dress. She looked stunning.
"Wow." I said stopping dead in my tracks.
"Do you think it's too much?" Charlotte asked walking over to her.
"God no," I replied "you look stunning."
Charlotte blushed a little. "You really think so?"
"No I know so. Any guy that doesn't fall at your feet tonight is either gay or a fool." I said as Charlotte gave her a spin to show her the whole dress. I looked at my watch 7:30 the guests would be arriving any moment. "I'll go stand by the door and welcome the guest and who mingle." I said walking over to the door. Charlotte went and stood in middle of the room and began to wait for the guests.
Neville was the first to arrive as always and after being welcomed by me made his way over to Charlotte.
"Wow Charlotte, you look amazing." he said taking a pumpkin juice from one of the trays carrying drinks that were floating round the room.
"You're so kind Neville." she said. For the next half an hour the guest drifted in until everyone was there. Charlotte was having a conversation with Flora when she spotted me across the room talking to the golden trio. She beckoned her across the room and I excused myself and made my way over.
"What's up Hufflepuff?" she asked.
"Not a single boy has fallen at my feet." Charlotte said looking a little upset. I shook my head.
"Seriously girl you are so dumb some times." I said. She looked around the room and spotted Adrian Pucey talking to some Ravenclaws.
"Oi Pucey come over here." I called to him. He turned round to look for the owner of the voice and spotted me. He excused himself from the conversation and walked over.
"Hey Newnham, what's up?" he asked.
"I don't believe you've said happy birthday to the birthday girl." I said.
"Oh yer I'm sorry where is she?" he asked. I pointed at Charlotte behind him he turned round. The moment he set eyes on her his mouth fell open as he was hit with how beautiful she looked.
Adrian had seen Charlotte around school since the Slytherin party but with her being in Hufflepuff and all that they had drifted apart. Tonight was the first time he had truly looked at her in a while however it was also the first time he had realised how beautiful she was.
"Close your mouth Pucey, you're catching flies." I said grabbing Flora's arm and pulling her off to talk to their friend Emma leaving Charlotte and Adrian alone. Adrian snapped out of his sort of trance and closed his mouth.
"H...ha…..happy b…..b…birthday Charlotte." he said trying to string together a sentence. Charlotte giggled slightly.
"Thank you Adrian." she asked
"You look really beautiful tonight." he said managing to pull himself together. Charlotte blushed.
"Thank you. You're one of the Slytherin chasers right, you're really good we almost lost in our last match to you if it hadn't had been for our seeker's luck catch we would have lost."
"Thanks. This is a great party by the way."
"Thanks." Charlotte said. After about ten minutes Charlotte was really getting to like Adrian but her feet we're really sore from standing up for so long. Adrian spotted her discomfort and suggested they got sit down. She agreed with him and they made their way over to a nearby sofa.
They were just about to sit down when Neville appeared out of nowhere.
"Hey Charlotte have you seen Lizzy anywhere?" he asked.
"Last time I saw her she was with Flora talking to Emma, why Neville?" she asked sitting down.
"Oh no reason he said looking round for her."
"Do you like Lizzy, Neville?" she asked
"W…wh…what no." he said going very red. Charlotte smiled.
"If you like her Neville just tell her, look she's talking to Hermione go on." she said pointing to me by the door. Neville hurried off and Charlotte continued her conversation with Adrian.
The next morning Charlotte was sat at the Hufflepuff table eating lunch when I sat down next to her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I just came to thank you." I replied.
"Thank me for what?" Charlotte asked very confused.
"Thank you for telling Neville to talk to me." I replied as if it was obvious.
"I still don't understand." Charlotte said. I shook my head and explained that after Charlotte had told Neville to come talk to me that he had and we had a really nice long conversation that resulted in him asking me out on a date which I was overjoyed about as I had been wanting to ask Neville out for ages.
"Oh I want to thank you too." Charlotte said once I had finished.
"Oh for calling Adrian over its no biggy, he's missed you anyway." I replied.
"I know after you and Flora left we had a really long conversation and he's going to teach me some quidditch moves and we've going on date next weekend." Charlotte said smiling like a mad hatter. I laughed but I couldn't help but feel really happy for Charlotte.
I was about to say something else when Professor Snape walked over to us.
"I wish to see you in my office this evening Miss Riddle." he said with a blank face but I knew what he meant.
"But sir what about my study lesson tonight?" I asked.
"I have already talked to Professor McGonagall." he replied
"I'm sorry sir; I am not going to attend our private detentions anymore." I said pulling Charlotte and leaving the hall leaving Professor Snape stood there.
"What was that about?" Charlotte asked.
"Well I'm not going to cheat on Neville with Snape am I? Anyway I'll talk to him later about it I think he wanted to break it off as well." I replied walking to courtyard.