Author's Note: I do not, very unfortunately, own any of the characters – only my manipulation of said characters ;) HBP and DH have been almost completely disregarded in this fic. Oh, and there will be some Ron bashing – but only for the sake of moving things in a different direction. Rated M for a lot of lemony goodness coming in later chapters.
Also, for those who may wonder, "Carpe Noctem" means "Seize The Night" in Latin.
Hermione chewed her lip nervously. She had been waiting in the Gryffindor common room for exactly 22 minutes, dressed and primped for the Yule Ball. Her normally wild curly mane was tamed, falling in more delicate waves upon her shoulders. A shimmering silver hair comb pulled one side away from her face which now glowed with the firelight. Her gown was made of fine satin and lace in a deep marine blue that complimented her ivory complexion so perfectly. Yes, she looked wonderful, but where was her date?
It took Ron Weasley a lot of that Gryffindor courage to actually ask Hermione to the ball. Most of the courage was just to overcome his pride. He had hoped that by his seventh year, he'd at least have a few girls fawning over him to choose from, but no such luck ever befell a Weasley before. Therefore, not wanting it to seem like a last resort, he simply asked his dear friend and she said yes.
A fact she was regretting now – now exactly 36 minutes after he was supposed to arrive. Fed up with waiting for her inconsiderate friend, Hermione scrawled a short note that she had waited long enough and would simply meet him in the Great Hall and proceeded to make her way there.
Light, music, talking, and laughing poured out of the hall as she approached it. Taking a quick glance around, Hermione attempted to seek out any of her friends so that she would not have to stand around awkwardly. She immediately found Harry, laughing and talking with a very beautifully dressed Ginny who was also standing next to a daft idiot known as Ronald Weasley.
Hermione's cheeks flamed with acute annoyance. She walked over to where her friends stood.
"Hello Harry. Ginny, you look very pretty!" Hermione smiled and touched the material of Ginny's gold and ivory gown to emphasize her admiration.
"Hell, Hermione, I didn't think you were coming. These girls, Harry, they take too damn long," Ron elbowed his friend a little too hard, causing Harry to wince, or maybe it was because he could see the look the girl was giving their friend now, and he knew it meant trouble.
"Too long? Ron, I waited for you for over a half hour! Where were you?" as she spoke, she took a step forward as if to keep the conversation closed between them, but the awkward red-head stepped back, his hands up in a mock surrender.
"Well bloody 'ell, 'Mione, we're just friends after all. I didn't think it was necessary," Ron tucked his hands away in his pockets, looking to Harry for help who then just shrugged and turned away. He made his bed. He could lie in it.
"Not necessary? Ugh!" Hermione threw her hands up in frustration before she continued, "And to think I actually was looking forward to this!" quickly, she spun on her heels and took a few long strides away from Ron and over to Ginny who shot a look at her brother that could have melted all of the freshly fallen snow outside and flooded the entire castle.
It was only a couple hours into the ball, and Hermione was miserable despite appearances. She continued to dance and laugh and talk with everyone but the boy who was supposed to be her date, but inside, she felt rejected, frustrated, and alone. Taking a moment to herself, she slipped away and sat at a table by herself, pretending to just be taking a rest to get a drink in.
The fiercely intelligent girl surveyed the room around her. Everyone seemed so happy. Even Neville was having the time of his life dancing with a sixth year girl whom she did not know. It was then that she saw Ron, her supposed friend, was trying terribly hard to chat up a girl who couldn't have been less interested if she wanted to be. Serves him right to make a fool of himself, she thought, grinning like a chesire cat despite her distaste for the entire situation.
"Miss Granger," a cool voice slithered from behind her and into her ear canal. Instantly, goose bumps rose over her flesh. She turned to face none other than Professor Severus Snape dressed in his usual woolen black robes, his tall, thin frame towering over her. Unsettled, Hermione stood at once, but he still seemed to loom over her, threatening to swallow her tiny frame up in his shadow.
Short, I know, but it will move on a bit more in the next (much longer) chapter. Reviews fuel the soul. :)