-4- Picture not so Perfect
"Oh Merlin," Cat said, her right hand clasped over her mouth.
"We need to do some serious shopping, STAT!"
"It's not that bad, is it?" I asked, looking questioningly over to Cat, who was digging through my trunk. Admittedly, I didn't have a lot of clothes, and they weren't very stylish, but clothes were clothes.
"It is," Emma nodded in confirmation."Witch Weekly says clothes and make-up are the key factors that decide wether a boy will ask you out or not," she informed us.
"A-ha," I said. I really couldn't be arsed to get up every morning and do my hair and make-up - not a morning person - but if I wanted a chance with the boy I had liked since first year, I was going to have to suck it up and do as they told me - which right now, was a shopping spree in Hogsmeade.
Since it was only our first day back, we had to wait until the upcoming Saturday to go to Hogsmeade. Of course, they could hardly wait, while I was feeling sicker every day.
The week passed by rather normally, without any special events. Friday evening, we went to sit down for dinner in the great hall. Emma flirted away with all the boys, as usual, and Cat only had eyes for Blaise - who, I found to my her and my dismay, was sitting next to some random Slytherin girl.
"Huuu, I really don't get what he could possible see in her," Cat moaned. "He's so intelligent, and clever and tall, not to mention incredibly handsome..." She slumped her shoulders.
I made a mental note to set her up with Zabini before the end of the year, no matter what. Even if it kills me, he WILL fall for her! Fear the evil wrath of the best friend.
Anyway, so the week was pretty uneventful.
"What's with Snape again? Does he get a kick out of giving you detention? Really, it's starting to frighten me," Emma spoke, inbetween her mashed potatoes and her steak and kidney pie.
"You? What about me, I have to actually go and sit in his dank, gloomy office for detention at least once a month! And for what?" I protested.
That Snape was gruelling. He ALWAYS found a reason to give me detention! That prejudiced, foul git! If there was anyone in this world who I really didn't like - after the Wicked Witch of course - then it'd have to be him.
"For being one second late, for blowing your nose, for...what was it this time? Mistreating your crushed dungbeetles?" Cat chimed in.
"Yeah! Come on, man! They're already dead, for Merlin's sake!" I shook my head. It wasn't fair, not one bit.
After dinner, we went up to our rooms, completely exhausted, but happy - for tomorrow would be Saturday.
"Sophia," a woman's voice sounded in my head. She sounded tired, near deadly exhausted even. "Her name...is...Sophia." And then the voice dissapeared.
"SOPHIA!"
"Huh? What?" I jumped upright. "Merlin, you guys scared me," I said sleepily.
"We couldn't get you to wake up. You were talking in your sleep again," Cat said quietly.
"Oh." I said, averting their concerned eyes.
Emma clapped her hands."Well, time to get ready for Hogsmeade! Are you excited? I'm excited!" She darted away to the common room.
"I'll just go and chat with Seamus while you guys get ready," we heard her shout from the stairs.
Cat and I rolled our eyes and I got up to get ready. I made my bed first - old habits die hard, eh - and then got my toiletries and headed for the bathroom. I turned on the tap and checked the temperature. Just right. I got in and took a nice, refreshing shower. After I was done, I dried myself with a towel and, with the towel wrapped around me, headed back to our dormitory.
"You nearly done yet? You don't want to go shopping with Emma on an empty stomach! Chop chop," Cat rushed me. Like I said, I am not a morning person.
I dried my hair with a flick of my wand and proceeded to get dressed. What? Once you've spent six years with the same girls in one dormitory, you're hardly embarrassed to show some skin, honestly. Nonetheless, I hurried along and put on my underwear, a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt. I finished by putting socks on and a pair of worn-out trainers.
"All set!" I exclaimed and we headed down to the common room, where we saw Emma sitting rather close to Seamus Finnigan.
"Ready, Em? I'm starving," Cat said.
"Yeah, let's go," she replied.
Chatting happily we went down to the great hall for breakfast. Upon arrival, we sat down and dug in. I helped myself to some toast with chocolate sprinkles, while Cat had some bacon with eggs and Emma started on a bowl of oatmeal.
"I'm really nervous," I said with the corners of my mouth full of chocolate.
"That's normal. You'll be fine, really! Tfhust ush," Em replied with her mouth full of oatmeal, splattering it everywhere.
"You're telling me trust someone with their mouth full of oatmeal? Merlin, help me." I said dramatically.We started giggling. After we were done eating and drinking our tea, we heard McGonagall speak.
"All students who are going to Hogsmeade, gather in the courtyard in five minutes." she said calmly.
So we got up and went upstairs to get our money because we'd forgotten to do so before. After making sure I'd shrunken my savings and put them in my pocket, we were ready to go. I actually had some money saved up, for emergencies. I really wasn't sure I should be spending it now. I might need it after graduation, when I'm free to leave St. Jude's... But I convinced myself things were going to be better once I got my act together, and this was just one step towards getting there. Silently, we made our way to the courtyard, where we saw all the other students carelessly chatting and standing around. We joined them and soon we were on our way to Hogsmeade in the horse-drawn carriages. I could see the horses, but it didn't bother me. They were just magical creatures. Okay, they had a negative connotation, but it's not because you saw someone die that these creatures are somehow to be held responsible for that. Or at least I thought. Sometimes, I even petted them, which would of course freak Em and Cat out. This would in turn amuse me even more!
Once we arrived, we got out of the carriages and I looked around a little lost.
"Where to, maestro?" I asked Em, our resident fashion expert.
"To Lune Boutique, of course," Emma exclaimed, and grabbed both our hands."Come on!" And off we were.
We entered the shop. I looked around, feeling a bit out of place. I'd never actually been in a clothing boutique before. Well, I had, but not for me. Usually it's either Em or Cat who "needs" clothes. Mostly Em, of course.
"Ok, first of all, we need to get you some tops." She started flicking through all the different clothes on the racks, occasionally thrusting a top or t-shirt in my hands. I figured I was going to be forced to try those on later on...
"Aaaand...some jeans. Cat, would you go across the street and find her some shoes? You know, summer shoes, winter shoes, heels, the works!" She casually walked over to the stacks of jeans in the middle of the store, while Cat nodded, smiled and left the store - on a mission to find me shoes. Obviously, Emma knew her way around this store, which wasn't very surprising. After about half an hour of me following Emma around the store and getting stuff piled on top of me (after a while I almost couldn't see anymore), Emma finally thought that that should be enough "to start off".
"To start off? This is more than my whole wardrobe already!" I protested. But, to no avail.
"Sooophe," she said, as if talking to a total noob, "who says everything's going to fit? It takes some mixing and matching, but we'll get there eventually!" she said, pushing me into a fitting booth.
"Now try EVERYTHING on!" she ordered from outside the booth.
"Oh dear," I muttered to no one in particular.I came out wearing a different outfit about a thousand times. Emma would either squeal in delight, frown, or just tell me to "get the hell out of those trousers". Halfway through my pile of clothes to fit, Cat sauntered in, carrying some bags. I was really curious what she'd bought me, but knowing Cat, I was sure whatever she got was pretty and inexpensive. She has a knack for finding the good stuff.
"Hey girls! I got you some really nice shoes, Sophe. Hah, I'm so good... The store clerk was hitting on me, so I kind of led him on and got a 20 discount," she boasted, winking at us. Told you.
"Cat, you are so evil!" We all snorted with laughter. I usually scolded her for playing around with people, though. But, I figured I could let her off the hook this time.
After what felt like hours, we ended up hauling a whole bunch of clothes to the cash register. I paid for my stuff and we exited the shop, exhausted but pleased.
"We've got about 45 minutes left before we have to head back, fancy getting some butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks?" I asked.
"Definitely! I think we've earned it!" Emma nodded.
"Aww. Of course you've earned it. Let's go," I said patting her on the head, and we went on our way.
Cat pushed the door open and let us through, which wasn't too easy, considering all the heavy shopping bags we were carrying! I made a mental note to shrink all of them before we had to go back, and sat down next to Em and Cat at a table for six. "Are there no other tables available?" I asked while looking around."No, apparently not," Emma answered. She shrugged her shoulders.
"I'll go get us drinks," I offered, and stood up to order our butterbeers. Obviously, I owed them big time!I walked over to the bar and observed all of the other Hogwarts students sitting at tables. It was a nice place to have a drink, so we always went here, instead of that dodgy other place. I reached the bar and the bartender looked up at me expectantly.
"Three butterbeers, please." I asked politely and gave a small smile.
"Comin' right up, little miss," he said and placed three uncorked butterbeers on the counter.
"That'll be three sickles, please."
I handed him the money, took the bottles and started on my way towards our table. I was just thinking of how my crush would react to seeing me, when I saw two figures sitting in the empty seats at our table. I thought my eyes were deceiving me. When I got a little closer, I saw that they weren't, and that it was in fact Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang (who else) sitting at the end of our table.What were THEY doing here together? What was HE doing here with HER? Looking over to Em and Cat, I could see them giving me sympathetic looks. I was totally shocked and tried hard not to drop the bottles I was holding. I went over to Cat, put the bottles on the table and sat down again. They each gave me a sickle, which I pocketed. At the moment, I was just staring blankly in front of me, trying to pretend that I didn't see what I think I saw.
"Am I hallucinating?" I tried hopefully. No such luck.
"No, sugarplum, I'm afraid not," Em said, feeling sorry for me."They came while you were at the counter, asked if they could sit here because all the other tables were full and the tea salon was packed as well," Cat whispered so they wouldn't hear us. Cat rolled her eyes as she mentioned the tea salon, which is were all the lovey-dovey couples go to hold hands, sip tea, suck each other's faces off and whatnot.
They were sitting pretty close to us, so we had to be quiet and unsuspicious. Two things my friends and I are not very good at! Especially now... The jerk. The floozy.
"Oh." I sighed, head down. Somehow, disappointment was unevitable. Feeling sick all of a sudden, all I wanted to do was go to my dorm and curl up in my bed.
"Don't worry. After we make you look all fabulous and even prettier, he'll be sorry," Em whispered.
What we didn't know was that Cedric had been trying to listen in the entire time and had heard what Emma said.
"D'you guys wanna get going? It's almost time..." I said dejectedly. It was ruined now, anyway.Suddenly, I panicked.
"Oh Merlin! Where are my bags? They must've been stolen! They're not here!" This was not something I needed right now!"Relax! Sophe! We shrunk your bags already, while you were getting our drinks. Calm down," they said while patting me on the back.
"Sorry," I mumbled, hating myself for being so stupid. How could I ever believe he would even do so much as look at me. This was all just a bloody waste!
They put their arms around my shoulder, each from another side, and led me to a carriage.
This was not supposed to happen. I was supposed to be all fabulous and beautiful and he was supposed to think "wow, she looks like someone I would date!". Then, we'd date for a couple of years and get married. Of course, we'd have lots of cute little quidditch-playing babies. With his beautiful features. And my...ears. That's how it was supposed to go! Or, well, something along those lines. I let out a heavy sigh and closed my eyes for a moment. I wasn't stupid, I realised that even if we did get together, we might not last. But hey, 17-year-old girls can fantasize, right?
I frowned when the carriage suddenly moved. Were we moving? We couldn't be, or I would've heard the horses' hooves clatter against the cobblestones. My eyes opened and I sat face to face with my worst nightmare and my most beautiful dream.
It was THEM again! Ugh, honestly, out of all the carriages, they had to step into this one! Thanks a bunch, fate! I hate you, I hope you know that. I tried to imagine fate's reaction to my revelation, to keep my mind off the fact that Cedric "chiselled face" Diggory was sitting opposite me. And also, to keep me from pouncing on Floozy Chang and wringing her neck. I looked to my sides for support and distraction when my imagination wasn't enough to keep me from looking at him, but found that Emma and Catherine were snoozing.
Damn them! Throw me in the lion pit, why don't you?!
Cedric's POV:
"Cedric, let's go find a carriage," I heard Cho say in her thick Scottish accent - which I do NOT find cute, by the way.
I wasn't really listening though, I was already looking for one specific carriage...I kept my eyes fixed on my target.
"Hey Cho, come on," I said and dragged her off to the carriage I had my eyes on. Luckily, it was the right one, but then again, I'm Cedric Diggory. I never let my eyes off the prize!
Cho didn't look very happy and I snickered to myself. The sight that greeted me when I sat down was bliss. The sweetest angel, with the most beautiful name. Finding it hard to catch my breath for a moment, I tried hard not to stare. I had to muster up every ounce of self-restraint not to reach out and stroke the side of her face. I felt the carriage starting to move."Shouldn't take us long before we're back," Cho said cheerfully, obviously glad she didn't have to spend long with these three "weirdo's" in a carriage. For me, it was just what I was dreading... I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. For now, I was happy just being close to an angel.
To Sophia.
