DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR THE CINDERELLA STORY. IN CHAPTER 3, THE APPLE EVENT WAS ALSO IN THE MOVIE EVER AFTER STARRING DREW BARRYMOORE- ALTHOUGH I CHANGED IT A BIT. THE SONG IN THIS CHPTER IS CALLED A LITTLE TOO LATE AND IT'S BY DELTA GOODREM. ENJOY.
CHAPTER 4
Draco had been walking in the rain for three hours when he finally arrived at the castle.
Entering through the castle gates and then walking upstairs to the gigantic castle itself, Draco could sense that something was wrong.
When he opened the doors and entered the castle, his suspicions were confirmed.
The great hall, normally deserted, was full of people running around in a frenzy and talking loudly to each other.
Then suddenly the talking stopped as Draco made his way down the stairs and to the centre of the great hall.
As he did so Draco noticed that the chandelier had been repaired.
He also noticed that everyone was staring at him.
This annoyed him greatly.
"What?" he asked rather rudely.
The talking started again- this time even louder then before- and Dracos' frustration took its toll on him.
"WHAT'S GOING ON?"
The talking continued and, as Draco was about to yell again, he saw Nacissa walk towards him.
"Mother, what's…?"
Dracos' question was cut short as Nacissa hugged him.
"Where have you been? I've been so…"
And then she slapped him.
"YOU STUPID, STUPID BOY! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I'VE BEEN? YOU COUD'VE BEEN KILLED OR HURT OR MOBBED…"
Draco was too stunned to reply to his mother.
"… EVERYONE IN THE KINGDOM HAS BEEN ON THE LOOKOUT FOR YOU… AND YET, NOONE SAW YOU. HOW DID YOU MANAGE THAT?"
'Actually mother,' Draco thought. 'One girl did see me.'
"Mother, I agree with your suggestion."
"What are you talking ab…?"
"I'd like it very much if all the half-bloods and muggleborns would come to the ball."
Nacissa was speechless.
"Please get the servants to change the invitations immediately. Thanks mother."
With that, Draco kissed his mother on the cheek and practically skipped upstairs to his room; leaving Nacissa in the centre of the great hall, staring at the spot where Draco had been moments before.
Suddenly, Nacissa returned to her usual bubbly self and began organising the invitations for the ball… again.
Knock Knock.
The messenger boy was standing outside the front door of the Granger house.
No answer.
Knock Knock.
Loud music was coming from upstairs and the messenger boy could hear a horrible voice "singing". He could also hear a flute playing, which was even worse then the singing (if that's possible).
Knock Knock.
Still no one came.
He decided to try one more time before his eardrums might explode.
Knock Knock.
A gasp was heard from behind the door, followed by the sound of someone hurrying to open it.
The door opened and a figure leapt at him
"Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed as she hugged him.
"A message from the palace" Ronald said, extended his left arm, which held the invitation.
"The Palace?"
"Affirmative. It's from His Royal Highness, The Prince…"
Hermione could sense a hint of sarcasm and disgust in Ronalds voice.
"…Miss Granger…"
"Ronald- Ron. How many times must I have to ask you to call me Hermione?"
Ron looked at Hermione, exhaled and then looked at the invitation clenched in his fist.
"At least once more, Miss Granger."
(A/N: I saw Pirates of the Caribbean. "At least once more, Miss Swan". Lol.)
She glared at him.
'I've known Ron for years and yet he's never called me by my first name…'
Hermione took the invitation from Ron.
"Good day to you, Mr Weasley."
Hermione shut the door and leant against it; eyes closed and breathing uneasily with the invitation in hand.
On the other side of the door, Ron mumbled "Good day, Hermione."
After composing herself, Hermione went upstairs and stood outside the music room, trying to block out the horrible noise penetrating from it…
It had been seven years since Hermione had last seen her mother and now her father had remarried.
Along with a stepmother, Hermione now had two stepsisters who were both conceited and stupid.
Hermione was singing in the music room along with her father; who was also playing the piano.
Hermiones stepsisters looked on with jealousy and her stepmother with boredom.
'I just wanna be loved
Just wanna be heard
Be lost in the feeling standing here
At the door to my life
Now that day has arrived
So loud and clear you'll hear me singing
Do do do do do do do do do
I'm singing…'
As the song ended, Hermione hugged her father around his shoulders.
"I love you…"
A knock at the front door ended this precious moment.
Hermione looked at her father quizzingly as he smiled at her and took her hand.
They made their was out the door and down the stairs; leaving the stepmother and stepsisters in the music room.
Another knock sounded as Hermiones father opened the door.
"Mr Granger," Harry Potter said. "I was passing through a few towns and was given a message for you. You are needed urgently; Mrs Granger is conscience and wants to see you."
Hermiones father went to his room, leaving Hermione with Harry.
"What's wrong?" she asked Harry.
"I'm not sure Hermione"
Harry held her hand in his.
"They just told me to pass the message on to your father…"
Hermione tightened her grip on Harrys hand and he pulled her into a hug.
'Why doesn't he want to see me?'
As Hermiones father came outside with a suitcase in hand, Hermione pulled out of Harrys embrace and kissed her father.
"Take care darling," he whispered in her ear.
"I'll be back soon, but until then, look after Morticia and the girls."
"Yes, papa."
After a final hug, Mr Granger mounted a beautiful chestnut horse (called Chestnut) which he had a servant bring to him, and followed Harry down the path and out of sight.
Wiping a tear from her eye, Hermione closed the door and walked upstairs to the music room; where she could now hear a horrible voice singing and a flute playing from behind the closed door…
Hermione was still standing outside the door, invitation in hand, as she searched for inner strength.
On the other side of the door, the music had stopped and she could hear furniture being thrown and crashing on the wooden floor.
Hermione closed her eyes.
It had been just under a year since her father had left and sent a message back with Harry, telling her that he wouldn't be coming home for awhile.
Hearing this news, Hermiones stepmother and stepsisters celebrated, causing the Granger household to go into debt.
The evil stepmother blamed Hermione for this and made her work for her, in place of the ex-servants that they could no longer afford.
At 18, Hermione could leave at anytime.
But she wont as this house is the only thing of her parents that she can hold onto.
Remembering her parents brought Hermione the strength she needed as she entered the music room.
As soon as she stepped inside the room, Hermione ducked; a flying vase narrowly missed her head and crashed into the wall to the left of her.
The shattered vase was scattered on the floor.
Katarina and Blanche were arguing over something and their mother was trying to calm them down.
Nobody noticed that Hermione had entered the room.
Finally, Morticia had talked some sense into her daughters.
Hermione was contemplating whether to leave or not.
"Yes child?"
Now it was too late to leave.
"A message" Hermione said, handing her stepmother the invitation.
Blanche and Katarina were ignoring her.
"From the palace."
This got Blanch and Katarinas attention; they both tried to snatch the invitation out of their mothers hand.
"Girls enough!" she exclaimed. "I'll read it."
To all eligible ladies in the household,
His Royal Highness, The Prince Draco Malfoy is holding a masked ball tomorrow night and has requested your presence at this event.
Please dress formally and remember to wear a mask.
The Prince hopes to see you there.
The stepmother looked stunned.
Hermione even more so as she thought about the invitation.
As for Blanche and Katarina, well, they were dancing and singing off-key:
The Prince wants me, The Prince loves me, The Prince will marry me, la la la la…
"May I go, stepmother?" Hermione asked.
"What? Child, are you mocking me?"
"No, no. It's just that the invitation says that 'all eligible ladies of the household' are invited so…"
"You want to go?"
"Please?"
"Well…"
Hermiones stepmother was looking at her daughters; they had stopped singing and were listening in on the conversation.
"I don't see why not. If you make Blanche and Katarina dresses this evening and if you finish all your chores by tomorrow afternoon," her stepmother said slowly.
It was hard to tell whether Hermione or her stepsisters were more surprised.
"Oh… and if you have something appropriate to wear…"
"Thankyou stepmother, I wont let you down."
With that, Hermione danced out the door and down the stairs, singing.
Unlike her stepsisters, Hermione had a beautiful voice.
It was this perhaps, which made Blanche and Katarina so incredibly jealous of Hermione that they asked their mother:
"What did you say?"
"She can't go"
Their response was.
"I said 'if'".
Evil identical grins spread across their faces.
Authors Note:
Wrc g-rp:
That was supposed to be a surprise! Lol. Thanks.
Trapped-in-a-dream:
Thanks so much. I hope you like this chapter.
Mechi:
An even longer review! Lol. I really appreciate you taking the time to review and being so nice. Please tell me when you write your Mean Girls story HP style- I want to see what it's like. :D
Jules:
Thanks. Well, Hermione CAN use her wand- she just chooses not to. You'll understand why if you keep reading.
Tinkbelle:
Thankyou. :D sorry I didn't update earlier.
Curlz:
Hey, thanks for your review. You'll have to keep on reading to find out.
To you all:
I'll try and update tomorrow but if not you'll have to wait for next weekend. I have sooo much homework. Later.
